Bears Do Have Weapons to Challenge Lions
If Justin Fields had to return against any team, this week's opponent is the team for him to face.
The Detroit Lions have shown few weaknesses so far but they lost badly to the Baltimore Ravens with a mobile quarterback capable of spacing out their defense, and they lost in overtime to another QB with the Seattle Seahawks who did the same.
They need Justin Fields the ball carrier back this week just as much as they need him to step up and show consistency as a passer.
So whether Fields can hold the ball properly and protect himself falling to the ground as a runner are big factors in this matchup. The Bears could even be going to more QB runs in this game, definitely more than they did with Tyson Bagent.
"The ball is everything for us," offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. "And so it's everybody's job to take care of that football and I think that's part of going through this process of healing and figuring out exactly how he wants to deal with all that stuff but knowing him he's as tough as they come. So I feel like if he's out there everything's going to be just fine for him."
Fields hasn't made a run longer than 20 yards this year as defenses attempted to bottle him up in the pocket while exposing themselves to big gains by other players. It's going to be on Fields to recognize this, but he is one of the QBs in the league capable of duplicating what Lamar Jackson and the Ravens did in that 38-6 win over the Lions this season.
Fields also restores the deep ball to the Bears passing attack to spread out the field more.
In the first 5 1/2 games with Fields at quarterback, the Bears had 21 big gains, or pass plays of 20 yards or more. In the 4 1/2 games Bagent played, they had three. The residual effect on their running game is damaging in such instances because the defense can shrink the field by cheating up more, knowing they don't have to worry about getting beat deep. So it then becomes even tougher to run with so many defenders closer to the line.
Here are the other Bears who can also pose problems for the Lions.
LG Teven Jenkins
The right side of the Lions defensive line with John Cominsky and nose tackle Benito Jones are a much better place to run the ball than to the other side where Alim McNeill has transformed into a real wall. Jenkins is ranked 11th among all guards despite being moved back and forth between right and left. He hasn't been weaker significantly as a run or pass blocker. Every coach seems to be singing his praises after a 2022 when no one knew for sure if he even fit into their plans for the future.
LT Braxton Jones
The same Braxton Jones who got beat three times by James Houston last year in Detroit for sacks? Yes. This isn't your 2022 version of Jones at left tackle. That version was a strong run blocker who really had problems against bull rushers and overall was only average as a pass blocker. Jones made changes to himself and game since last year and is No. 2 in the league in pass block win rate at tackle. He is graded seventh among tackles by Pro Football Focus at blocking the pass. Last week he allowed two pressures in 37 pass blocking attempts, best on the Bears offensive line in their win. Jones has one other thing working for him in this game. Houston isn't around to challenge him. Houston suffered a broken ankle in the second game of the season and is on injured reserve.
TE Cole Kmet
Kmet has made progress as a receiver this season, although he's been self-critical of his blocking this year. He is ranked seventh among tight ends as a receiver by Pro Football Focus and has had 21 catches in the last three games for 179 yards and two touchdowns. His 80.7 catch percentage is the highest of his career. The Lions appear stronger over the middle in pass protection, but Brian Branch, Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes will be challenged covering Kmet because of his size and hands.
LB T.J. Edwards
Detroit's offense starts with the run, even if Jared Goff is dangerous from the pocket as a passer. Edwards' tackling ability as the weakside linebacker playing off the three technique has helped the Bears rise to No. 2 against the run overall and first in yards allowed per attempt. Edwards is playing the position of weakside linebacker in a 4-3 better than Roquan Smith did last year in Chicago.
DT Justin Jones
It's not often Jones got mentioned in the past as a matchup issue but he definitely can take on the role this week at three technique. Left guard Jonah Jackson has been the only Lions offensive lineman graded poorly by PFF, at 59th of 80 guards graded. Guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai is likely lost for the season to the Lions and Jackson has gotten over an injury and is back in the lineup. Three of Jones' four best PFF pass rushing grades came in the last four weeks and two of those were in the two weeks since Montez Sweat arrived on the scene to take up double teams. So Jones is getting singled up much more and with the back usually needed elsewhere to pass block, he is better equipped to pressure up the middle.
NT Andrew Billings
Always the player up front for any offensive line to worry about this season with the Bears, he's graded 36th of 125 interior defensive line defenders by PFF. Billings' impact is obvious on the Bears' rise from next to last against the run last year to second, but he also has the highest PFF pass rush grade among Bears defensive linemen this season. The place to pressure Jared Goff is up the middle because he'll get rid of the ball before the edge rush gets there, but if the edge rush is occupying double teams, the chances are better for Billings or Jones inside.
CB Jaylon Johnson
Johnson says he's All-Pro material. He gets the chance to prove it. They should lock him up on Amon-Ra St. Brown all over the field. The Lions catch machine doesn't seem to be slowed by anyone. Johnson isn't a slot defender per se, but their regular slot defensive back, Kyler Gordon, can move outside if necessary. Gordon played there last year at times. Johnson should be playing on St. Brown all over the field to show that he really can stop a top receiver.
RB D'Onta Foreman
His career game came against none other than the Lions and it wasn't in some distant season but last year in the stretch run. He had 168 yards rushing against the Lions when they badly needed the win to stay in the playoff chase. The Panthers beat the Lions and Foreman didn't have a run longer than 38 yards on a 21-carry day. He just kept coming and coming, and churning up yards.
WR DJ Moore
In three games against the Lions, Moore has 19 catches for 367 yards, averaging 19.3 yards a catch, and has two TDs. The Lions have at least one outside cornerback who has been capable of staying with Moore in Jerry Jacobs. But they had Jacobs starting last year, too, and Moore still had 83 yards when the Panthers were simply giving it to Foreman on every play when they had two 100-yard rushers against Detroit. Detroit's corner, Cam Sutton, is graded 77th out of 109 by PFF against the pass.
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