Thanks to their running game and ability to create takeaways, the Chicago Bears are one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now. However, even the best things in the world can be improved, and this team definitely isn't the exception to that rule, as one can argue that the Bears still haven't looked their best in the air.
The passing game has shown signs of promise, but there are still some things that need to be cleaned up. Notably leaning on rookie WR Luther Burden III a little more down the stretch might be just what they need to do so.
Bears Need to Give Luther Burden III a Longer Leash
Burden's playing time is trending up in recent weeks after a slow start to the year. He's been on the field for at least 44% of the team's offensive snaps since the bye week, and he's taken more snaps from Olamide Zaccheaus by the week. Still, an average of 35.8 offensive snaps in the last four games might not be enough for the rookie WR to showcase his full potential.
Second-year WR Rome Odunze has done a good job as the team's' to playmaker for most of the season, but he's hit a bit of a wall. Over the past three games, he's caught only 7-of-21 targets (33.3%) for 102 yards despite playing 178 offensive snaps.
Burden, on the other hand, has hauled in 62.5% of his passes (10 of 16) for 106 yards while playing 68 fewer snaps (110) than Odunze during that stretch. The first-year pro has been more reliable as his target share has expanded, providing fuel to the idea that he should be used more often down the stretch.
While that doesn't mean that Burden should play ahead of Odunze, it should at least show that he needs to be on the field more often, at least in the slot. The Bears' rookie has already played more in the slot lately, tallying 43 snaps in the last three games, whereas Odunze has been limited to 41 snaps in the slot during that stretch. That's only 13.7 per game compared to the 15.3 he averaged in the first nine games. Not a huge drop-off, but a trend worth monitoring.
Bears' Patience with Luther Burden III Has Paid Off
The second-round pick out of Missouri got off to a slow start to his career because of injuries. But just like rookie tight end Colston Loveland, head coach Ben Johnson has brought him along and thrown more on his plate as the season has gone by, proving to work out in the long run.
The Bears might already be playing with house money, but that doesn't mean they need to settle. They will continue to try to make a statement and stay at the top of the NFC North, and giving their rookie playmaker a longer leash will certainly work wonders for them.
This team will face three elite defenses to close out the season (Green Bay Packers x2, Cleveland Browns, and San Francisco 49ers) before wrapping things up in a potential division-clinching game with the Detroit Lions in Week 17. They will try to limit D.J. Moore and Odunze as much as possible, thus leaving the door wide open for Burden to become the Bears' X-factor when it matters the most.