Looking to bounce back in a big way, the Chicago Bears have a favorable matchup, on paper, as they welcome the Cleveland Browns to Soldier Field on Sunday.
With rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders under center for Cleveland, the Bears defense has an opportunity to make it a long and rough game day for him, looking to continue their NFL lead in takeaways.
As a whole, Cleveland is being carried by their young playmakers in Sanders, and rookie running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, as well as tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who has played well in recent weeks. The inexperience on offense for Cleveland should create plenty of opportunities for Chicago’s defense to not only to get takeaways but to dominate in all aspects.
Here are the top three defensive keys for the Bears against the Browns:
Keep creating takeaways
With 29 takeaways to their credit this season, including an interception on Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love last week, the Bears defense continues to be their biggest strongpoint. Chicago is at their best when they’re forcing turnovers. Meanwhile, the Browns have turned the ball over 17 times this season, which is the 11th-most in the NFL. The inexperience of Cleveland’s offense, as well as the weather conditions, should make the defensive players eager to get after the football and take advantage of everything that seems to be swaying in their direction.
Stop the run
The Browns do have veteran wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and tight end David Njoku on their offense, but the most productive part of their offense has come from their rookie running backs. Quinshon Judkins has been the team’s most reliable and consistent producer on the field for their offense, and Dylan Sampson is a dual-threat that can take the top off of a defense at any point. Allowing 117 yards to Green Bay last week was well below the Bears season average, as they come into Week 15 allowing 132.5 rushing yards per game. If Chicago can put it all on the rookie quarterback, they should see themselves with plenty of success.
Make Shedeur Sanders uncomfortable
There’s not enough credit being given to the Bears secondary for their ability to lock down in coverage, rather, they get all the attention for their takeaway abilities. If Chicago’s secondary can lock down the Browns’ playmakers, it should provide plenty of openings for Montez Sweat, Gervon Dexter, Austin Booker, and the rest of the defensive line to get in and make life very uncomfortable for rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Cleveland just lost their starting center last week to a season-ending injury. So with a banged up offensive line, expected frigid temperatures, and the home crowd behind them. The Bears defense, especially their defensive line, should be ready to be in the Browns backfield often.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Browns: 3 keys for Chicago’s defense in Week 15
