5 Keys for a Bears Win Against the Rams
Published by Bryan Dietzler on September 19, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
After a horrific game against the Packers, the Bears will be back home at Soldier Field to take on the Rams. It’s a game that they need to win in order to keep pace with their division foes. The Bears had a fast start to the season in an offensive showcase against the Colts, but their budding offense stalled out against the Packers and didn’t do much of anything. Can the Bears get that swagger back that they earned in their first game and beat the Rams at home this coming Sunday?
Let’s take a look at five keys that the Bears need to keep in mind in order to beat the Rams and get to 2-1.
Protect the Quarterback
This is something that Chicago could not do against the Packers, allowing quarterback Jay Cutler to be sacked seven times in the loss. Something has to be done to make blocking better for the Bears’ passing game, or Chicago isn’t going to win too many games this year. Getting good blocking from the offensive line is a must, and having the running backs help out (and help out effectively) is also something that the Bears could look at doing. They have to give Cutler time to throw the ball down the field in order to make this offense work and score points.
Pay Attention on Special Teams
The Bears special teams units got hit for a touchdown on a fake field goal in the Packers game, and need to be much more alert during typical special teams plays. Other teams may see this as somewhat of an advantage against the Bears, and may end up trying something like this again. If the special teams units can keep these kinds of plays from happening, the Bears will be in a much better position to win games.
Run the Ball
The Bears tried to do this against the Packers with little success (granted they had to try to throw the ball more because they were struggling in that game), and now have a setback, with Matt Forte out of the lineup with an injury. Chicago does have a pretty decent backup in Michael Bush, and he can take over and run the ball well for the Bears. If they can get their running game going against the Rams and take some of the pressure off of the passing game to give it a chance to work, they should see some success. This is just one of several ways that the Bears can get back on track.
Get the Ball to Brandon Marshall
Marshall wasn’t targeted that often in the Bears game against the Packers this past Thursday night, for good reason. He was covered very well by the Packers defense that night, and that coverage model may be what other teams use to keep Marshall out of the game. But the Bears coaching staff should be able to find ways for Marshall to get open despite that kind of coverage. It’s critical that Marshall catch some passes in this game.
Play Good Pass Defense
As was seen in their game against the Redskins this Sunday, the Rams can pass the ball effectively, and this means that the Bears pass defense will have its work cut out for them. They need to get pressure on quarterback Sam Bradford and force him to make mistakes, which could end up killing drives for the Rams. They also need to cover their receivers well, and not let them get behind the defense where they can do the most damage. If Chicago can stop the Rams passing attack, or at least slow it down a bit, then they have an excellent chance of winning this game.
Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com
