Chicago Bears: 3 Keys to Beating the Indianapolis Colts

The Chicago Bears can defeat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5, but they’ll have to succeed in these three key areas on Sunday to do so

The Chicago Bears finally got a win last week, but it came with a cost. Quarterback Brian Hoyer, making his second consecutive start for the injured Jay Cutler, finished with a 120.1 rating (second highest of his career), rookie running back Jordan Howard eclipsed 100 yards on the ground, and the Bears defense did not allow a touchdown for the first time since 2012.

However, the win was dampened with news that second-year receiver Kevin White was placed on injured reserve with a lower leg injury. White was making progress and seemed to have established a good connection with Hoyer. For the second straight season, though, it appears his year will end with him hurt (he’s eligible to return to action in eight weeks, but at this moment, that appears unlikely).

The Indianapolis Colts, meanwhile, spent last week in London losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 30-27. The loss drops the Colts to 1-3, and has some wondering if head coach Chuck Pagano will make it through the season. Now these two teams match up in Week 5.

On paper, this game appears pretty even. However, if the Bears want to start a winning streak, here’s what they need to do:

Pressure Andrew Luck

The Colts offensive line is a complete mess. They allowed six sacks against the Jaguars, and are ranked by Pro Football Focus as the tenth worst line in the league. The O-line is allowing pressure on 41.8 percent of all pass attempts (highest percentage in the league) and Andrew Luck is running for his life.

Now, Luck does have the propensity to hold on to the ball too long at times, but the poor play by the offensive line has doomed this offense. They’re still putting up 27 points per game, but at critical moments during the game, the offensive line just cannot hold up.

The Bears pass rush hasn’t been anything to ride home about either this season and first-round pick Leonard Floyd has been nearly non-existent since Week 1. But this is a team that the Bears should be able to put some heat on.

Do Well on Third Down

One of the things that the Colts’ offense does do well is third downs. They convert third downs at a 46.4 percent clip, good enough for seventh in the league. The Bears, meanwhile, only convert 32.6 percent of third downs, which is fifth worst in the league.

A big reason why the Bears beat the Lions last week was because they won the time of possession battle. It would behoove the Bears this week to convert third downs and keep the clock moving. The Colts can be an explosive offense at times, so keeping them on the sidelines could be the best defense against them.

Take Advantage of the Colts’ Porous Defense

This very well might be the worst defense the Bears will face all season long. The Colts are allowing 6.08 yards per play (seventh worst in league), a 68.1 completion percentage against (sixth worst in league), and 31.3 points per game (third worst in the league). Even worse, the Colts are allowing opponents to score on 51.2 percent of all drives, which is dead-last in the NFL.

The Bears only scored 17 points against the Lions and are averaging only 15.5 points per game (last in league). This is a very favorable matchup for the Bears’ offense, and simply put, they must take advantage. It would be a huge disappointment if the Bears didn’t score at least 24 points on Sunday.

Next: 2017 NFL Mock Draft: Who Do Bears Take?

Key Player Matchup

Chicago WR Alshon Jeffery vs. Indianapolis CB Vontae Davis

With Kevin White out, the onus falls on Jeffery to perform like the elite receiver he is getting paid to be. He has not had more than five catches in a game this season and, over the past two games, he is averaging just 58 yards. Davis is the Colts best cornerback, and figures to shadow Jeffery on Sunday. The winner of this matchup could dictate what direction the game heads in.

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