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3 Keys to a Bears Victory Over the Colts in Week 3

The Bears travel to Indianapolis this Sunday to take on the Colts in what should be a winnable game. Here are three things the Bears must do to ensure a win.

By Joseph Grassano

Sep 15, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Sep 15, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
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2. Stop Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor broke out as one of the NFL's best running backs during the 2021 season. Since then, Taylor has been kept off the field due to injuries. In 2022, Taylor suffered multiple high ankle sprains, which limited him to playing only 11 games. In those 11 games, Taylor rushed for 861 yards while averaging 4.5 yards a carry.

Last season, Taylor suffered a thumb injury and was still healing from the ankle surgery he had at the end of the 2022 season. Taylor's injuries caused him to miss seven games in 2023. In the ten games Taylor played in 2023, he rushed for 741 yards, seven touchdowns, and averaged 4.4 yards a carry. While Taylor's yards per carry were decent in 2022 and 2023, during the first two years of his career, he averaged more than 5.0 yards per carry.

Although the Colts have been lackluster over the first two weeks of the season, it looks like Taylor is fully healthy again. Through two games, Taylor has 28 rushing attempts for 151 yards, one touchdown, and is averaging 5.4 yards a carry. While most of Taylor's production came against the Packers, he did rush 16 times for 48 yards and one touchdown against the Texans in Week 1.

The Bears' run defense has had one great and one average performance to this point. However, Taylor is by far the best running back out of their first three opponents. That is why the Bears must key in on stopping Taylor or he could take over the game and be the reason the Bears lose a game they shouldn't.

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