Chicago Bears can get back in race with win over Raiders
The Chicago Bears have been under fire all year due to their quarterback malpractice, but they can get right against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Justin Fields and the ChicagoBears have a chance to turn their season around on Sunday.
Fields is getting his third start with the Bears and first as the announced starter, with veteran Andy Dalton finally giving way and going to the bench. The Ohio State product put up solid numbers in a 24-14 win over the Detroit Lions last week, earning his first win after a hideous 26-6 defeat the hands of the Cleveland Browns in Week 3.
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Despite all the chaos surrounding Chicago’s quarterback indecision, the Bears are still in a relatively good spot. Chicago is sitting at 2-2 in the NFC North, only trailing the banged-up Green Bay Packers by a game in the standings. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings are 1-3 and the Detroit Lions are the NFC’s only winless squad at 0-4.
With that as a backdrop, the Bears head west this weekend for a date with the Las Vegas Raiders.
While the Raiders have been one of the league’s pleasant surprises through three weeks, they’re also starting to deal with injuries. Additionally, there’s the ugly situation involving head coach Jon Gruden and his racist 2011 email, all tacked onto a short week after losing on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers, dropping to 3-1.
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Chicago could be catching the Raiders at the right time. The Bears still have the advantage of opponents not having a ton of tape on Fields, who has dropped back less than 100 times in his career. Furthermore, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor is far more involved in the scheme than he was earlier this season, taking some control from head coach Matt Nagy.
For the Bears, the key will be getting Fields some quick throws to avoid Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who has the advantage against a weak offensive line. Lazor should be taking free yards by moving Fields out of the pocket and calling some RPOs, stretching a questionable group of linebackers.
Coming into Sunday, the Chicago Bears are rightfully 5.5-point underdogs going into Allegiant Stadium. It won’t be easy, with the Raiders trying to avoid their first losing streak of 2021. And yet with a win, Chicago would suddenly be 3-2 and with the Packers visiting Soldier Field next week, a first-place showdown would be looming.
