Chicago Bears: Jets game a tipping point in season
The Chicago Bears come into Sunday’s game on a two-game losing streak and look to get right against the New York Jets.
The 2018 NFL season, although still relatively young, has already been a bit of a roller coaster for the Chicago Bears and their fans. After a heartbreaking Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers (which was a roller coaster in and of itself), the Bears went on a three-game winning streak, followed by a two-game losing streak.
Although nothing is easy in the NFL, the Bears were at least expected to split the last two against the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots respectively, especially once Brock Osweiler was named the starter for Miami.
However, it didn’t shake out that way and the Monsters find themselves reeling a bit overall, but particularly on the defensive side of the ball where they have given up 38 and 31 points in those two losses. After compiling 18 sacks through the first four games, they have but one in the last two.
Say what you will about some of Mitch Trubisky‘s “missed opportunities” but the offense has done more than enough to win each of those two games.
That is why perhaps the Bears are catching a break with rookie quarterback Sam Darnold and the New York Jets coming into town. Darnold is coming off his worst performance of the year — a three-interception affair against the Minnesota Vikings.
To complicate matters, he received news that his team lost their starting running back Bilal Powell for the season with a neck injury. And everyone knows the old adage that the best thing for a rookie quarterback is a good run game. It appears the Jets will be without that on Sunday.
Additionally, the Jets recently released wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, and Quincy Enunwa is out this Sunday with an injury. This leaves the Jets with Robbie Anderson (who is also questionable), Jermaine Kearse, Andre Roberts, and a recently signed Rishard Matthews as their wide receiving corps. However, it’s unclear whether Matthews will be active this week.
The Bears will be going into their third straight game against a team with injuries to key players. Unlike the last two, they have to take advantage of this one. If they lose at home, to a rookie quarterback, without his running back, and top receivers, it will not only be inexcusable but completely deflating. It will also eliminate any talk of this team going to the playoffs.
However, if they take care of business against the Jets, they will travel the Buffalo to face a Bills team they should handle as well. That would put them at 5-3 heading into a critical stretch during which they’ll play three straight NFC North opponents (Detroit Lions twice and the Minnesota Vikings).
dark. Next. Why are Trubisky and Darnold viewed so differently?
The second half of the schedule is much more difficult than the first half for the Bears, so the next two contests are critical. However, the game against the Bills won’t matter much if they don’t beat the Jets on Sunday.