Bear Digest

The Bears Best Positioned to Create Problems for the Colts

Analysis: The Bears may or may not run against the Colts' porous run defense but they definitely have the personnel to cause problems for a winless team.

Gene Chamberlain

Jaylon Johnson tries to wrestle the ball away from Nico Collins in the Bears' 19-13 loss to Houston.
Jaylon Johnson tries to wrestle the ball away from Nico Collins in the Bears' 19-13 loss to Houston. / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
In this story:

The talk all week about how poor the Indianapolis Colts run defense has been stirs visions of Bears running backs lowering their shoulders and plowing through the line repeatedly on an easy day.

It's not going to happen this way. It doesn't work this way with the running game.

Actually, the combination of run-pass and threat of the pass opening up avenues for the run can help the Bears against the Colts defense.

“It really comes back to us and knowing that we as an offense we want to be able to establish the run in every game we play in," Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron said. "The opponent will be the opponent each week. Knowing the past stats may help you lean on one thing or the other based on film study. But it always comes back to us."

HOW SHANE WALDRON SEES CALEB WILLIAMS HANDLING EARLY STRUGGLES

BEARS DEFENSIVE PLAYERS SEE 'COLLEGE OFFENSE' FROM COLTS

COACH URGES CALEB WILLIAMS TO FORGET WORST START BY ROOKIE QB IN DECADES

MORE BEARS NEWS AND VIDEO

TE Cole Kmet

Depending on the personnel package used, Kmet could inflict real damage. The 6-foot-6, 260-pound tight end has been limited to five catches so far after a 70-catch 2023 season, but going against Segun Alubi or Zaire Franklin in the linebacker corps or safety Julian Blackmon. Kmet's run blocking can be especially helpful for the Bears offense against the defense ranked last against the run and in yards per carry allowed as well.

WR DJ Moore

Colts cornerback play hasn't exactly been a strength and this especially is the case with Colts starter Jaylon Jones, who Pro Football Focus grades 92nd out of 96 cornerbacks it has graded. Moore no doubt will get extra attention unless Keenan Allen is able to play, but even with that the only consistent Colts cornerback play has been from longtime slot cornerback Kenny Moore. Unless they decide to move Moore anywhere on the field with DJ Moore, the Colts will be hard-pressed to keep the top Bears receiver covered. Even the deep ball might hit to him and he won't need to be so frustrated. Moore's usual answer when he has been frustrated is to break out with a big game, but that would mean Caleb Williams having a big game. Is he ready for this?

RB D'Andre Swift

Bottled up so far with 48 yards on 24 carries, Swift is healthy and ready to roll but each time he makes a good run, they seem to stay away from him or if they go back to him the blocking breaks down. This sort of thing hasn't been a problem for Colts opponents so far as they gave up 474 yards rushing. And now they've lost their best run defender/interior pass rusher in DeForest Buckner. Swift and Khalil Herbert ought to have big days, but need the offensive line's help.

G Nate Davis

No normally someone who causes big issues for Bears opponents, Davis could wind up matched up with defensive tackle Taven Bryan because of the injury to DeForest Buckner. Bryan's skill set is one many Colts fans have questioned.

LB Tremaine Edmunds

A linebacker with speed and open-field tackling ability is best trying to defend the RPO or the bootleg and Anthony Richardson will be trying to do both but he'll also try scrambling. The ability of Edmunds to come up quickly and limit any rushes to 3 or 4 yards will be huge.

CB Jaylon Johnson

If he's covering Michael Pittman, consider Pittman covered. The Colts do have a few other targets but Pittman's big plays are huge keys for the offense downfield. Johnson didn't have Nico Collins all night long and when he didn't, then the Bears suffered. Tyrique Stevenson had an off game against the Texans, but this needs to be a game when they fix Johnson on the top Colts wide receiver, and let Stevenson handle Alec Pierce.

DE Montez Sweat

The matchup against Braden Smith will be interesting. The Colts may decide not to double-team Sweat because Braden Smith hasn't allowed a sack since 2022, according to Pro Football Focus. However, his current grade in the 60s is the lowest he's had and Sweat is overdue. He also has a knack for running down quarterbacks who are capable of scrambling because of his 4.41-second speed.

DT Andrew Billings

Billings' surprising play as an interior pass rusher has been impressive but it's between the tackles where he has built a reputation. He's graded the seventh-best defensive tackle in the league in the first two games and the Bears will need him to take away the area around center and force Jonathan Taylor to run laterally. His strength is attacking straight ahead or between tackles.

Twitter: BearsOnSI


Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.