Chicago Bears: Five players to watch against the Atlanta Falcons
The Chicago Bears kick off the 2017-18 regular season at Soldier Field against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Here are five players to watch in the game.
After a long offseason, training camp, and preseason, the regular season is finally here. The Chicago Bears take on the reigning NFC champion Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, a tough challenge for a Bears team that went 3-13 last season.
The Falcons are coming off one of the worst meltdowns in NFL history, blowing a 28-3 lead en route to a loss in the hands of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 51.
The Bears made noise in the offseason when they controversially traded up one spot to take quarterback Mitchell Trubisky out of North Carolina with the number two overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Trubisky will not be under center on Sunday, as veteran quarterback Mike Glennon will get the call for the Bears.
The Bears also signed veteran cornerback Prince Amukamara and safety Quinten Demps, in an effort to stabilize one of the NFL’s worst secondaries.
The Falcons had a relatively quiet offseason, making a series of small signings such as wide receiver Andre Roberts and defensive tackle Dontari Poe. The Falcons retained all of their major pieces on offense, defense, and special teams, and will look to avenge last seasons ending with a Super Bowl win in 2018.
While some may think that this game will be a lopsided one, the Bears might surprise some people. The Bears defense is better than advertised, as is their star running back Jordan Howard. The Falcons are clearly the better team on paper, but they certainly aren’t unbeatable. A lot has to go right, but the Bears still have a chance to win.
In order for either team to win, key players are going to need to come through with big games. Whether it’s on offense or defense, this game will be decided on both ends of the ball. In a game that features several potential pro-bowlers, big players will need to come through with big plays in big situations. Here are five key players in this weeks Bears vs. Falcons matchup.