The Chicago Bears travel to play the Detroit Lions in Week 2 in an NFC North tilt. This game features head coachBen Johnson returning to his old stomping grounds, but with both teams 0-1, there will be a sense of urgency in this contest — especially on the defensive side of the ball.
The Bears will have Jaylon Johnson back on the field, but will be without fellow CB Kyler Gordon for the second straight week with a hamstring injury. That means Chicago will have Nick McCloud start in the slot again, and that will be a tall task for an offense that features Amon Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
Nick McCloud Will Start at Slot CB for Bears in Week 2
The Lions love to have St. Brown in the slot, so McCloud will have his hands full in those reps.
In Week 1, McCloud played the third most snaps at defensive back with 46. In those outings, he failed to record a stat, yet he logged a 44.1 overall grade (93rd among 114 graded CBs), 55.1 run defense grade (82nd among 114 graded CBs), and 43.1 coverage grade (95th among 114 graded CBs) per Pro Football Focus.
These PFF grades aren't the best measure for assessing a player, as McCloud only allowed one reception in Week 1. He has 17 career starts under his belt, so it's not like he's new to this, yet he will play a big role for this team on Sunday.
Gordon missing back-to-back games isn't ideal for the Bears, since the team gave him a three-year, $40 million extension in April. They wanted him to be a staple in their secondary, but his hamstring injury popping up late last week was a tough blow.
That forced McCloud into action, and the 27-year-old gave the coaching staff confidence after a strong preseason. In 55 preseason snaps, he had a 69.9 overall grade and 67.3 coverage grade per PFF. While those numbers aren't great, he was solid enough for the team to keep him on the roster.
There's a reason why McCloud is the backup nickel back, and he'll be thrust into action on Sunday again. The Bears need him to play well to slow down whatever receiver is in front of him. That will definitely be a tall task, but Johnson gives them a nice boost.
The Week 2 matchup will be intense, and it'll be interesting to see how McCloud will factor in his second straight start.