Chicago Bears: Five matchups to watch against the Tennessee Titans

3. RB Ryan Nall vs. LB David Long

Although the playing time he’s gotten in preseason has been limited, Ryan Nall has made the most of it whenever he’s been on the field. During week three’s win against the Indianapolis Colts, Nall had just two carries for 73 yards. However, the one thing to note is that 69 of those 73 yards came on just one play. Nall still made an impact in the passing game, catching one reception for 11 yards.

This week, his primary matchup will be inside linebacker David Long. A rookie that’s quickly risen up the Titans depth chart, Long has totaled 13 tackles in preseason so far. Long too, knows that with another strong showing in preseason, he has a chance to be a situational player for the Titans in 2019.

A sixth-round pick of the Titans in 2019, there are three ways that Long wins each matchup: Speed, toughness, and consistently getting being in pursuit of the ball carrier. Essentially, this means that Long will always be after Nall and will look to shut him down as soon as a play begins to develop.

One of the biggest ways that Nall can beat Long consistently is by using his power. Nall has proven that for a guy his size (six-foot-two, 237 pounds), he can consistently be a between-the-tackles runner and use his power even when he’s in open space.

Nall versus Long will end up being the most intriguing matchup of the night. Both can solidify spots on their respective team’s roster with strong showings on Thursday night. However, if Nall can’t beat Long on each play, then it’s likely the Bears end up cutting him over the weekend.