The Chicago Bears will host the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional playoffs Sunday night at Soldier Field, where a trip to the NFC Championship Game is on the line.
From Weeks 1-12, the Rams were the best team in the NFL. From that point on, however, they struggled to stay consistent. They let their lead in the NFC West slip away and ultimately finished in second place. They still made the playoffs, but they went from being a No. 1 seed to a No. 5 seed in rather short order. Their division was strong in the regular season, but that is no excuse for the downfall that they had.
Still, they found a way to win a football game last weekend against a Carolina Panthers team that probably had no business even being in that game. A win is a win in the NFL, but the Panthers gave the Rams a scare. Bears head coach Ben Johnson definitely watched film from that game to try and learn a thing or two.
If the Bears are going to pull off the upset, they need the entire team to play the best game they’ve played this season. That includes offense, defense, and special teams. Of everyone on the roster as individuals, these five stick out as must-watch.
OL Joe Thuney
There have also been reports this week that Joe Thuney will move over to play left tackle against the Rams. Replacing his normal position of left guard may be much better for one of the other guys, while Thuney plays left tackle. Thuney is one of the super-elite offensive linemen in the NFL right now. He continues to make Pro Bowls while helping the Bears build and sustain great protection, which is not something they have had in bunches over the years. Whether Thuney moves to left tackle or stays at left guard, he will play a big role in keeping the opposition at bay. If the Bears are going to have any chance of winning this game, they need quarterback Caleb Williams to make plays. He can’t do that if he is running for his life a lot.
OL Jordan McFadden
Assuming Thuney kicks over to left tackle, it”ll most likely be Jordan McFadden getting the starting nod at left guard in his place, according to Adam Jahns. McFadden spent most of the season on the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster on Dec. 6, where he’s serving as key depth along the offensive line. But he could very well make his first start of the season if Thuney moves to left tackle. McFadden, a former fifth-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers, doesn’t boast a ton of experience, and he’ll be key to shoring up what’s been the strength of that offensive line along the interior, both in the run game and pass protection. Another option, should McFadden struggle, is rookie Luke Newman, who stepped in for Jonah Jackson briefly at right guard earlier this season.
NCB C.J. Gardner-Johnson
C.J. Gardner-Johnson is making his return to the field after missing last week with a concussion. The last time that the secondary was this healthy with him involved was Week 12 against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Bears went on the road that week and crushed the defending Super Bowl champions at their place. If Gardner-Johnson can be on the field, he’d better be ready to show his best stuff. Whether that’s creating pass rushing from the back end or making it hard to complete passes in the secondary for Matthew Stafford, CGJ will be relied on a lot. A big showing from him, whether it’s flashy or not, could be the difference in the football game.
DE Montez Sweat
Over 70% of Matthew Stafford’s touchdown passes this season came against the blitz. At this point in his career, he knows how to pick apart a defense that uses a blitz. The Bears will mostly avoid blitzing if they can, mostly because they don’t have the complete set of personnel to do it, but also because it isn’t in their DNA. With that said, with or without a blitz, they need to make Stafford uncomfortable. He has a sprained index finger on his throwing hand, and it may be single digits in terms of the temperature. A solid pass rush would move mountains.
The leader of this will be Montez Sweat. He is an above average player, but he is not someone that you would consider a superstar edge rusher, although he is paid like it. All of that will not be important, however, if he has the best game of his career. This is his chance to make GM Ryan Poles proud of what he gave up to acquire Sweat. Sweat’s potential dominance may also open things up for other pass rushers on the team. Grady Jarrett, Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter, and Austin Booker all hope to be better than they’ve been because Chicago’s pass rush does little to help them these days. If Sweat can help get more out of everyone, it will be what stalls the Rams’ offense, which may be the best in the NFL.
QB Caleb Williams
Caleb Williams has been incredible this season, based on the expectations coming in. He still has a ways to go before he’s in MVP conversations, but he took major leaps this year. In a playoff game as a member of the NFL’s final eight, any team needs its quarterback to step up and play well. This is Williams’ second career playoff start, but he had a tremendous end to his first, which gives confidence that he could do it again. Yes, you’d like to see Williams show up and play better a bit earlier than the fourth quarter, but this game will go on with little doubt that he can get the job done, no matter what the score is. With Ben Johnson helping him prepare, this is a great opportunity for the man once selected first overall to live up to these moments.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Rams: Chicago players to watch in divisional playoffs
