How the Titans Game is a Role Reversal for Nick Foles

With team falling apart around him, Foles stands in as the starter trying to rally the troops against Tennessee Titans

Bears quarterback Nick Foles built the bulk of his reputation on an ability to come in after an injury to Carson Wentz and lead a fully capable team into the playoffs, and to the Lombardi Trophy.

Now at Tennessee against the Titans, he faces a similar test reversed.

Instead of being the backup saving the day with a team poised for a run, Foles is the starter trying to rally a struggling offense now disintegrating before his very eyes and he must beat a team that was one win from the Super Bowl last year.

"I think the thing with team sports is when you go through adversity you really start leaning on each other, you really start growing together," Foles said. "And there's a lot of us here, it's our first year being together with the Chicago Bears so it's our first real time to go through adversity and learn who we really are as people throughout this time."

There's plenty of adversity and growth potential for everyone when the Bears face hard-charging Derrick Henry, quarterback Ryan Tannehill and the Titans in a noon kickoff.

Foles must rally a team after two straight losses, and the first real exposure of COVID-19 to the 53-man roster. This occurred at the same time as numerous injuries.

He'll have at least two entirely inexperienced players blocking for him on the offensive line after Cody Whitehair's calf injury and COVID-19, Sam Mustipher's knee injury, Bobby Massie's knee injury and the earlier season-ending pectoral muscle tear suffered by James Daniels. There will be a strange mix of blockers at different positions.

"When you have guys that are banged up and dinged up a little bit, you hate seeing that," coach Matt Nagy said. "We were so healthy up until this point which is usually how it goes. 

"You stay real healthy and then all of a sudden it hits you at once. So that's where we are at right now."

Even when healthy, the Bears offense was no bargain. They come into the Titans game ranked 29th in offense, 31st in rushing and as the blocking fell to pieces in last week's lost to the Saints they gave up a season-high five sacks.

If the offensive problems weren't enough, the defense is missing key run stoppers John Jenkins (ankle) and Roy Robertson-Harris (shoulder) when it goes against Henry and the play-action passing of Tannehill. The Titans average 29.6 points and have rolled up big numbers even against some of the league's better defenses.

"It's amazing when you believe in people and you show that you believe in them what they can do," Foles said.

There is belief, and then there is blind faith.

Then again, if the offense does get it blocked there is the chance to help their defense in a way they usually haven't. 

Tennessee is the NFL's worst team at stopping third downs, and their big pass-rush signing, Jadeveon Clowney may not play (knee)—even if he does, he hasn't made a sack this year.

It could give Foles and Allen Robinson a chance to make big plays like they made at times against New Orleans' secondary.

"Whenever we're making explosive plays, that always puts pressure on the defense and always puts us at an advantage," Robinson said.

The Bears must avoid three straight losses or on Nov. 16 against the Minnesota Vikings they could face the prospect of a season-killing four-game losing streak like they had last year.

The Titans are coming off an embarrassing 11-point loss to the rebuilding Cincinnati Bengals, so expect they'll fall back on what works best. They'll supply the Bears' 16th-ranked run defense with a heavy dose of Henry. 

They've run for over 217 yards as a team in two of their last three games, so gang tackling is the key.

"The more that you can get swarming, the better the outcome can be," safety Tashaun Gipson said. "You see certain teams have success against them when they was able to get hats to the ball."

The question Sunday is whether the Bears have enough capable people wearing those "hats" on both sides of the ball.

"We just have to keep improving and growing, and yes there might be a few injuries here or there but guys have to step up," Foles said. "I've been a part of stepping up in tough situations, as have other players.

"So I think the big thing is we shouldn't write off people too quickly. People are resilient."

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