Nothing soothes the pain of a vicious loss in the NFL than a trip to St. Louis. Stop by, see the sights, and put up 38 on the Rams. It’s turned out be a great way to relax in recent years. At least, this is what the Bears players, coaches, and fans are hoping takes place. After being humiliated by the rival Packers last week, the Bears are looking to take their frustrations out on the 2-8 Rams. This should be an easy mark, but these Bears are no sure thing. Coming out of St. Louis with a victory could be harder than anyone expects.
Offensively, the Bears have nothing to hang their hat on following a three-point output. Kyle Orton was obviously hindered by his injured ankle, and never found a way to get the ball downfield. The running game was shelved early as the Bears found themselves falling further behind on the scoreboard, limiting Matt Forte’s carries. Wide receivers were missed or couldn’t make the catch, so tight end Greg Olsen and Forte were the only Bears with more than two receptions. The performance was a definite reminder of the anemic Bear offenses of the past, where scoring twelve points on their own was a cause for celebration. Against the Rams’ 30th ranked defense however, fans should not be surprised if the Bears explode early. Number two overall pick Chris Long has played well at the defensive end position, but his presence can only help so much. The Rams give up a staggering 158.4 yards rushing per game, so if the Bears can’t run the ball effectively, they can only blame themselves. Orton dropping back should be a rare sight on Sunday since Lovie Smith has three viable options at tailback with Forte, Kevin Jones (who has fallen off the planet apparently), and Garrett Wolfe (great on special teams). Honestly though, it will be a shocker if Jones and Wolfe get more than three carries between them. Lovie wants to run Forte into the ground before he can even make it to the post-season.
Nothing this season has showcased the regression of the once-vaunted Bears defense better than their last showing against the Packers. Ironically, it was probably the best game middle line-backer Brian Urlacher has played in the past month. Aside from his interception which was the only turnover caused by the defense, the Packers never experienced any resistance. Through ten games, the Bears defense has been the one glaring weakness, specifically their play versus the pass. St. Louis may only have two wins, but they still have a core of talent on offense that features the accurate Marc Bulger at quarterback, Hall-of-Fame wide receiver Torry Holt, and the punishing Steven Jackson at running back. Taking the Rams offense lightly would be a foolish mistake. Corner Charles Tillman will most likely be matched up with Holt for the bulk of the game, but he’s not the focus in the secondary. Nathan Vasher has looked timid in his attempts to tackle the ball-carrier, so much so that writers around Chicago are calling for his benching. Back-up corner Corey Graham is the better corner for run coverage, and his tackling skills are above average. If Vasher continues to underperform, Smith shouldn’t waste time in showing him the bench for a stretch of time. It won’t fix all of the defense’s issues, but it could be a step in the right direction.
In reality, the Chicago Bears coaching staff can make all the personnel changes they want, come up with any game plan they like, and give all the pep talks they can muster. When it’s all said and done, the players need to perform. Victories only happen when those on the field make plays. The Bears offense has done their job, now it is time for the defense to do theirs. Losing to the Rams would put Chicago at 5-6 and in real danger of losing the division race. Though with the way the Bears have played this season, do they really deserve to go to the playoffs?
