Chicago Bears: What You Need to Know Heading into Week 13
Published by Bear Heiser on November 25, 2014
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears were the laughingstock of the NFL a few weeks back after losing back-to-back games in agonizing fashion to the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers.
Since then, the Marc Trestman-led Bears have rattled off back-to-back wins and now sit 5-6 on the season. With winning suddenly being en vogue at Halas Hall, you’d think hope for the playoffs would be on the up and up.
That’s hardly the case, though.
Offensively, the Bears have been downright offensive. In Sunday’s 21-13 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Bears offense gained 204 total yards, amassing only 68 yards and three first downs in the first half.
Had the Mel Tucker-coached defense not forced three turnovers in the second half, we might not be talking about a Bears win.
The offense was set up to score Sunday by Tucker’s suddenly opportunistic defense. And the defense has been playing better of late. The unit has allowed a combined 26 points in the past two games—a mark that hadn’t been reached since Weeks 5 and 7 of the 2012 season.
When the season began, who would have thought this team would be winning games on the back of its defense?
But that’s where Trestman and the Bears currently sit.
It’s not going to get any easier from here. The game against Tampa Bay was the first of a three-game stretch that takes place over 11 days on the calendar—from Sunday to Thursday (Detroit Lions) to Thursday (Dallas Cowboys).
With time now limited, let’s dive right in to what you need to know heading into Week 13.
