Bears Blitz

Published by Matt Eurich on October 30, 2015
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has looked like his old self this season, and that is not good news for the Chicago Bears heading into Week 8.

Peterson is currently fourth in the NFL in rushing yards with 530, and he has been a thorn in Chicago’s side since entering the league in 2007, per Chicago Bears radio network sideline host Zach Zaidman:

In Peterson’s rookie season, he rushed for 224 yards on 20 carries with three touchdowns in a Vikings 34-31 victory at Soldier Field. He also rushed for 211 yards on 35 carries in a 2013 victory at home against Chicago.

Chicago’s roster looks much different now than it did back in 2007 and 2013, but stopping Peterson on Sunday will still be the Bears’ top priority.

Strong safety Antrel Rolle entered the league in 2005, and he knows just how difficult it is to slow down Peterson in the running game, per ChicagoBears.com’s Larry Mayer:

He’s an all-around beast. He can catch the ball out of the backfield and we obviously know what he can do when he has the ball in his hands. He’s a guy that has explosive power as well as explosive speed. He’s definitely that dynamic duo of a threat.

You have to just go play ball. Adrian Peterson is a hell of a running back. He’s been one of the best running backs in the league ever since he stepped into this league. All due respect to him, though, our guys just have to go out there and play well.

Peterson is an explosive back who can beat teams with both his speed and physicality, and Chicago’s run defense will need to be at the top of its game on Sunday if it wants to slow down the former Oklahoma Sooner.

How can the Bears limit Peterson’s impact in Week 8?

Lean on Outside Linebacker Pernell McPhee

When Bears general manager Ryan Pace signed outside linebacker Pernell McPhee to a five-year, $38.75 million deal in March, the former Baltimore Raven was expected to improve Chicago’s pass rush.

McPhee has been the team’s best pass-rusher this season and has four sacks in six games, but he has also been impressive against the run. 

According to Pro Football Focus, 119 of McPhee‘s 303 snaps on defense this year have come against the run, and he leads the team with a plus-9.4 run-defense grade. His 9.7 run-stop percentage is also third best in the NFL among all 3-4 outside linebackers.

Earlier this week, Peterson praised McPhee for what he has done this season, per WGNRadio.com’s Adam Hoge:

McPhee has been the best player on the field for the Bears in 2015, and while he will still be asked to get after Minnesota quarterback Teddy Bridgewater at Soldier Field on Sunday, slowing down Peterson will be one of his top priorities.  

The young linebacker was voted as a captain by his teammates before the start of the season, and outside linebackers coach Clint Hurtt said McPhee‘s play on the field has helped inspire others.

“Very serious guy—about his business, his approach to the game, about his approach to the work,” Hurtt said of McPhee, per ChicagoFootball.com’s Arthur Arkush. “So it rubs off on everybody else because it’s like, OK, this guy, good player, producing, leader of the defense. If he’s doing this every day, then it puts the peer pressure on them to kind of hold their end of the candle as well and go get that done.”

McPhee has the ability to set the edge, or he can shoot gaps and make plays against the run in the backfield. The Vikings will try to add extra blockers to his side of the field in the form of a tight end or a fullback, but that could help open up opportunities for some of Chicago’s younger players to make plays against Peterson.

Rookies Need to Gain Confidence Early

The Bears have relied heavily on rookie nose tackle Eddie Goldman and rookie safeties Adrian Amos and Harold Jones-Quartey in recent weeks, and all three could play a pivotal role against Peterson in Week 8.

Goldman has made three starts at nose tackle this season, but following the release of veteran Jeremiah Ratliff last week, he is expected to be the team’s starting 0-technique for the rest of the season.

The former Florida State Seminole has been an effective pass-rusher this season, but he needs to improve at the point of attack against the run. He has struggled to anchor up the middle at times in the first six games of the season, and the Vikings will likely look to attack him early in the game. 

According to Pro Football Focus, the Vikings have a plus-3.9 run grade when running behind center Joe Berger this season, and Goldman will have to hold his own against the veteran offensive lineman if he wants to limit Peterson’s production.

While it would be great for Goldman to rack up a lot of tackles against Peterson on Sunday, his primary goal should be to free up space for his teammates to make plays on the former All-Pro running back. If Goldman can find success early against Berger, he can help set the tone against the run for the rest of the game.

Amos has started all six games at free safety, and he has been solid against the run this year. The biggest knock on Amos coming out of Penn State this offseason was his lack of physicality, but he has not been afraid to step up against the run, per Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times:

In addition to using Amos as a starter at free safety, Jones-Quartey has been Chicago’s starter at strong safety the last two games in place of the injured Rolle. 

Rolle injured his ankle in Week 4 against the Oakland Raiders but returned to practice this week. The Bears have not said whether Rolle will play on Sunday, and the veteran safety admitted his injury is something he will have to deal with all season.

“I’m coming back day by day,” Rolle said, per BearReport.com’s Beth Gorr. “As far as how I feel when playing now, it’s a matter of how much pain I can tolerate. It’s been bothering me more or less all season long. I’m still grinding, still working trying to get back to 100 percent. It’s going to be a constant grind for the rest of the year.”

Jones-Quartey held his own in his two starts against the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions, but he will be tested on Sunday by Peterson if Rolle is unable to play.

Peterson is at his best once he hits the second level, and both Amos and Jones-Quartey will have to play with solid technique and rely on their fundamentals to bring Peterson down. Peterson has a terrific stiff arm and has the ability to make a defender look silly in the open field because of how he can move laterally.

Players often get burned by Peterson when they lunge at his upper body to take him down, and Chicago’s defenders will need to consistently square him up and attack his lower half in order to make the tackle.

If all 11 of Chicago’s defenders are not on the same page on Sunday, Peterson will be able to exploit them on the ground.

Even though Peterson only played in one game last season because he was placed on the NFL’s Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission list, he has shown no signs of regression this season.

The Bears are currently allowing 124.8 rushing yards per game this season—eighth most in the NFL—and they will need a strong game from McPhee—combined with solid performances from their rookies—in order to limit the veteran running back on Sunday afternoon.

Statistical information courtesy of NFL.com unless otherwise noted. Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.

Matt Eurich is a Chicago Bears featured columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.

Follow @MattEurich.

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