Containment Issues with KC Big-Play Types

There are plenty of big-play types for the Bears defense to worry about Sunday but it's their cornerbacks and safeties who will obviously be tested the most.

Forgive the rookie innocence or bravado by Tyrique Stevenson.

The Bears cornerback actually knows what they face this week but wants to be steadfast in the face of adversity.

"At the end of the day it's just a name on a jersey," Stevenson said. "Can't be scared of the name."

Of course they can, when the name on the back of the jersey is Mahomes.

Facing Patrick Mahomes is probably the appropriate way to cap off a week from hell for the Bears but to put it in a way players who were in college last year would understand, they are a directional state school going to Athens, Ga. or Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Sunday.

The Chiefs even have a tight end who dates Taylor Swift. How do the Bears compete with that? And that's for real, not some internet rumor joke like Jack Sanborn dating her.

Like the rest of the Bears defense, Stevenson watched the film on Mahomes.

"He can make every throw, so sometimes that kind of gets him in trouble," Stevenson said.

"We were just watching his last game, he could have had two interceptions thrown—(Jacksonville's Andre) Cisco, the safety, dropped one and caught one.

"Sometimes his arm talent is a great thing for him, but sometimes it could get him in trouble."

Yes, overconfidence is a friend of the Bears this week.

The cornerbacks and safeties, praticularly, could be in trouble because of Mahomes' ability to move around, extend plays and then find someone downfield.

"I feel at the end of the day it's hard to cover somebody for seven damn seconds," cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. "You got guys running around but you can be disciplined all you want, but if you've got somebody throwing over your head and you're trying to plaster (to a receiver), I mean, it's a tough situation to be in almost playing monkey in the middle for almost eight damn seconds."

Chiefs receivers might make that something the Bears should try to do because they're leading the league in dropped passes with seven.

It's a factor in why Mahomes' completion percentage is 62.5%, well below his career average of 66.2% and even his career low for a full season of 65.9%.

"As a cornerback, the best thing to do is stay disciplined," Stevenson said. "If you've got man coverage, stay with your man, because at the end of the day most of his plays come off him scrambling and having eight to 10 seconds to be Patrick Mahomes and make a hell of a throw."

There are other problems facing the Bears in this game than Mahomes but that's really enough. Here are a few of them.

TE Travis Kelce

If they have trouble stopping Kelce they can always remind him during the game that actor Joe Alwyn went out with Swift for six years and look where it got him. As for stopping his skills, linebackers Jack Sanborn, T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds will get the tough assignments, although Jaquan Brisker might be there on seam routes or if they play man-to-man coverage. Kelce, the 6-foot-5, 265-pounder, is 33 years old, will be 34 in two weeks and started the season on the sidelines against Detroit because of injury but came back to make four catches for 26 yards against Jacksonville. He'll be particularly tough in the red zone and had the only KC TD last week in the win over the Jaguars.

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

The Bears know what Valdes-Scantling is all about, of course, and that's speed. How many people go from being called upon by Aaron Rodgers to Mahomes, other than Jake from State Farm? Valdes-Scantling has 4.37-second speed in the 40. It's a little more difficult for the Bears now to come up with a coverage plan than in the old days when Mahomes had Tyreek Hill. They really can't just put Johnson on the best wide receiver because not one stands out well above the rest. Valdes-Scantling does have experience as a big-play type, though. Ironically, there have been times in the past where Valdes-Scantling's hands have been questioned. He dropped seven passes one year with Rodgers and five last year. With everyone else dropping them this year, he hasn't had one. Valdes-Scantling has just one TD catch against the Bears, but hasn't played against them in this defensive scheme.

WR Kadarius Toney

Even though he has had skillet hands this year, Toney is the player Mahomes targets most. A slot receiver who would be challenging Josh Blackwell this week, Toney had a miserable opener against Detroit but has been targeted by Mahomes more than any receiver (10 times). He has six catches for just 36 yards. Mahomes has targeted veteran X-type receiver Justin Watson nine times and he's averaged 21.4 yards a catch, but Toney is the player they traDL ded for last year and got great returns on the deal in their Super BowlD run. The Bears can't sleep on him, obviously.

DL Chris Jones

He returned last week to play without any training camp and with plenty more cash in his pocket and had a sack and a half, tying him for the team lead despite missing a game. Jones can match up against several Bears on the line depending on whether they put him inside or outside, but the real matchup to fear is if they put him at the defense's left end spot because he'll be facing rookie Darnell Wright. Last week Jones' key sack came off that side and he made it look easy. Wright gave up a sack last week and will find the challenge of facing the 6-6, 298-pound lineman difficult. If they line Jones up at three technique he could be going against Cody Whitehair.

DE George Karlaftis

The Chiefs usually will have him lined up across from Bears left tackle Larry Borom, normally Braxton Jones but he's on injured reserve. Karlaftis' career started last year with six sacks and he has 1 1/2 after two games but he's a dual threat in the passing game. A former water polo player, the 6-4, 275-pounder uses some of those skills to get his hands up and knock down passes. He had seven pass breakups last year and one this year. Borom's strength is his strength and he won't be overmatched in that regard for this game.

RB Isiah Pacheco

The surprise back of last year now is the main running threat and is averaging 4.7 yards an attempt. He's a slippery back and capable of big plays. Pacheco is also a big threat in the screen game. The Bears' biggest weapon combatting this might be their former coach, Matt Nagy. They have to hope the Chiefs offensive coordinator forgets the importance of the running game, as he did so often in Chicago.

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