Chicago Bears: What They Need to Do to Beat the Detroit Lions
Published by Gabe Salgado on December 26, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
We all know what the Bears need to do to save their season and make the playoffs. We also know that the Bears need help from Green Bay.
At the moment, the most important thing is to defeat the Detroit Lions. That task, however, will be easier said than done.
Yes, the Bears sent Detroit packing back in Week 7. Yes, the Lions have lost five in a row, and yes, the Lions have been a disappointment after a successful 2011 campaign.
That doesn’t matter now, and the Bears would be wise to take this Lions team seriously. Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and the rest of the team have nothing to lose. Because they have nothing to lose, they can hurt the Bears if they are not taken seriously. The Lions would love to play spoiler and end the season of a hated division rival.
The Lions are a passing team, and they lead the league in passing yards. Covering Johnson is the first priority.
The Bears must also put pressure on Stafford. Stafford can be vulnerable against a team with a solid pass rush.
Rod Marinelli’s defense needs to make Detroit a one-dimensional team by forcing them to run the ball. The Lions are one of the worst rushing offenses in the NFL.
If you take away Detroit’s passing game, you can pretty much shut down their entire offensive scheme. The offense needs to pitch in as well. Of course, the offense can’t move the ball if the offensive line can’t block anybody.
The main concern is blocking Ndamukong Suh. He likes to cause havoc in opposing backfields, and he likes to play dirty.
The Bears need to push Suh around and let him know that his nonsense will not be tolerated. While Suh likes to occupy the interior of the line, Kyle Vanden Bosch likes to take advantage of the outside edges.
If the offensive line can at least contain these two pass rushers, then things should go smoothly for the Bears. The best way for the Bears to operate is to take pressure off of Jay Cutler and the passing game. Last week, their passing game struggled in Arizona.
Hopefully Matt Forte‘s ankle will hold up because the Bears will need everything they can get out of him.
The Bears should run the ball constantly and weaken Detroit’s defense. Once that goal is accomplished, then you hit them with the passing game when they least expect it.
I say that the Bears can pull of their 10th victory of the year on Sunday if they can stick to these principles.
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