Bear Digest

Where Stalled-Out Offense Leaves Bears in the NFC North

Analysis: The Vikings' improvement meant trouble for the Bears but without an offense Chicago's spot at the bottom of the division seems cemented for now.

Gene Chamberlain

Gervon Dexter has Texans QB C.J. Stroud trapped. The Bears defense can't carry the team forever.
Gervon Dexter has Texans QB C.J. Stroud trapped. The Bears defense can't carry the team forever. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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The realization their quarterback is not up to the level of the other three starting quarterbacks in the NFC North is no shock to the Bears.

He has played two NFL games.

The real jolt to their system has been how ineffective their entire offense has been. They couldn't have expected a running game so feeble after they were first and second in rushing the last two seasons.

Losing Keenan Allen right away didn't help the passing game at all and rookie Rome Odunze is playing with a knee injury.

Worst of all is their inability to keep Caleb Williams from being sacked even though he isn't holding the ball too long, like their last QB did. The end result is they're easily the worst team in the NFC North.

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The entire scenario means their margin for victory each week lands squarely on their defense, and it's a small margin to work with considering the offense doesn't give them much possession time and has one drive (56 yards) longer than 42 yards.

The defense has held opponents to one field in the last 16 second-half drives. And the only points they allowed came on a 53-yard field goal.

They're showing they are very close to where they need to be defensively if they can eliminate brief spurts in the first half when they've looked ordinary.

NFC North Rankings Week 3

1. Lions 1-1, 2. Vikings 2-0, 3. Packers 2-0, 4. Bears 1-1

Chicago Bears

Gene Chamberlain, Chicago Bears On SI

This Week: At Colts (noon Sunday)

Surprises to Date: How little they've tried to lean on running backs in the attack with a rookie playing QB. They have 33 rushes by backs so far if you count Velus Jones Jr. as a running back, but many call him something else. They got rid of a running QB who led them in rushing and drafted a passer, and now Williams through Week 2 is their leading rusher. Go figure.

Also, how ineffective their offensive line has been. They talked constantly about wanting the same group together and they've essentially had it for the last two preseason games and through two weeks with a league-high nine sacks and 2.48 yards a rush by backs.

Keys to Week 3 Win: Looking at game film and actually seeing how the Packers and Texans ran the ball down the Colts' throats, and then even doing the same thing or something very similar. Also, arriving to stop the run. They've leaked against the run in each of the first two games early before stiffening and finishing strong. They can't let Jonathan Taylor get going because at some point Shane Steichen will actually figure out his team is better off with Taylor carrying 25 times than with Anthony Richardson throwing interceptions.

Minnesota Vikings

Joe Nelson, Minnesota Vikings On SI

This Week: Texans at Vikings (noon Sunday)

Surprises to Date: Well, this Sam Darnold guy is pretty good. Should we be surprised? The narrative on Darnold all along has been that he's blessed with tremendous arm talent but has never had a strong supporting cast to help him show off his talent. Minnesota's offensive line is protecting him and he's firing on all cylinders. That said, it certainly was a surprise when Darnold went 3-for-3 on critical third downs without his three best targets (Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson) to help Minnesota secure a win with a scoring drive late in the fourth quarter.

Keys to Week 3 Win: Houston scored on six of nine possessions before running out the clock against Indy in Week 1 and then they scored on four of five drives in the first half against the Bears before falling apart in the second half. I think the first six quarters better represent who the Texans are than the last two, and that's precisely why it's going to be critical for Minnesota to find ways to get Houston off the field. Slowing down Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs will also be huge, but if the Vikings were able to limit Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, they're capable of doing the same to Houston's lethal receivers.

Detroit Lions

John Maakaron, Detroit Lions On SI

This Week: At Cardinals (3:25 p.m. Sunday)

Surprises to Date: The Lions offense underwhelmed against Tampa Bay in a Week 2 loss and has not been the juggernaut many thought they would be. Most notably, they were 1-for-7 on trips to the red zone in a loss to the Buccaneers. Amon-Ra St. Brown bounced back after a quiet first week, but tight end Sam LaPorta has been held in check through the first two games.

Keys to Week 3 Win: Detroit must run the ball more effectively. The Buccaneers made the Lions one-dimensional by stuffing the ground attack on early downs, forcing Jared Goff to throw the ball 55 times. That lack of diversity in play-calling is a recipe for disaster for Detroit, so they must get better production on the ground against the Cardinals.

Green Bay Packers


Bill Huber, Green Bay Packers On SI

This Week: At Titans (noon Sunday)

Surprises to Date: The Packers were one of the worst teams in the NFL last season in creating turnovers. Their seven interceptions were second-fewest in the league. After nuking the safety corps this offseason, Green Bay enters Week 3 ranked No. 1 with five interceptions and six takeaways. With the additions of Xavier McKinney (two interceptions) in free agency and Javon Bullard and Evan Williams (one interception) in the draft, maybe the turnover production isn’t a “surprise,” but it’s been a huge development.

Keys to Week 3 Win: We'll pull this one from Page 1 of The Book of NFL Cliches. The Packers have to stop the run. They were mostly decent against Philadelphia but were filleted and flambéed by the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor last week. The Titans feature Tony Pollard, who had a couple 1,000-yard seasons for the Cowboys. If the Packers can stop the run, the door will be open to pressuring Will Levis into sacks and turnovers.

Twitter: Bears On SI

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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.