NEWSLETTER
If the Chicago Bears come out flat again this week, this will likely be the end of the Thomas Brown head coaching conversation. In any serious matter, anyway. Can Brown get this locker room to rally around him for their Monday night matchup with the Minnesota Vikings?
Chicago Bears Keys to Victory Against the Minnesota Vikings
Will Thomas Brown have more answers for Brian Flores’ blitzes?
Thomas Brown’s gameplan held up reasonably well against Brian Flores’ blitzes when these two teams met a few weeks ago, with Caleb Williams only being sacked three times. Generally, that’s a low bar to cross, but when Williams has been sacked 56 times this season, three sacks is a good day at the office, especially against Flores’ unit.
“You know he’s going to blitz you,” Caleb Williams said last month when these two teams were preparing to play at Soldier Field. “He’s the king of the cover zero blitz and finding a bunch of different ways to do it.”
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Minnesota blitzes early and often, with a 45.2 percent blitz rate on early downs, but it lays off the blitz on third down. It blitzes at a 27.2 percent clip on late downs, the 10-lowest rate in the league. Minnesota’s early-down blitz packages have produced 47 unblocked pressures (second) and nine unblocked sacks (first) this season, so while slightly unorthodox, the formula works.
The last time these two teams met, getting the ball out quickly was the emphasis, and Thomas Brown will need to replicate that gameplan on Monday in Minnesota, or Williams will be looking up at the roof of U.S. Bank Stadium a bunch.
Figure out the rushing attack.
Thomas Brown’s offense had great success on the ground in his first game as the OC last month when the Packers came to Soldier Field, but it hasn’t been good since. The Vikings have the top rushing defense in the NFL by EPA/Rush, so things aren’t getting any easier for D’Andre Swift and company.
Taking away that dimension of the offense will be on Brian Flores’ list of boxes to check this week, putting even more pressure on a shaky offensive line and a rookie quarterback to pick up the slack. Williams answered the call late against Minnesota last month, but I’ll repeat something I’ve said a bunch of late: that’s not a recipe for sustained success.
Chicago is searching for answers on quicker starts offensively, and getting the rushing attack back on track, especially early, is a must in that search. It won’t be easy this week, but it’s a must-have component to their offensive attack if they hope not to spend the entire second half playing catchup again this week.
Hit the reset button on the defensive side of the ball.
Again, the defense has to find its footing. They were the loudest group when launching Matt Eberffus, but they were the quietest group on Sunday in San Francisco when they had a chance to step up and put their money where their mouth was.
Eric Washington’s first day as the defensive play-caller went as badly as possible, rolling out a vanilla design that Kyle Shanahan quickly picked apart all afternoon.
Kevin O’Connell is a terrific offensive mind, and Minnesota’s offensive weapons are comparable to those of the best units in the league. However, it will be an ugly affair in Minneapolis if Washington drastically improves its design and the personnel steps up and rediscovers some semblance of competence and desire to be on the field.
