Denver Broncos-Chicago Bears Preview: Week 2
Key Matchups
Broncos Front 7 vs. Bears Offensive Line
The Bears Offensive line struggled week 1, giving up five sacks in their loss to the Packers. However, the Broncos front seven did not fare much better, recording no sacks or even pressures on Derek Carr in Week 1. It is imperative that the Broncos get some pressure on Trubisky and make him uncomfortable, as that is when he is most likely to make mistakes. The Broncos need to take advantage if the struggles for Chicago’s offensive line carry over into Week 2.
Khalil Mack vs. Joe Flacco
As we know, Khalil Mack is a machine, and the debate between who is the better player between him and Von Miller is alive and well in 2019. Mack finished Week 1 with 5 tackles but no sacks or forced fumbles yet. While sacks do not always make or break a player’s productivity, we know this man is more than capable of getting his. Joe Flacco will need to be aware of Mack at all times, especially with the struggles of the Broncos offensive line in Week 1. Hopefully the Broncos can keep Mack and the rest of the Bears stout front line in tact. Otherwise, Joe Flacco had best be ready to scramble and it could be a long game for the veteran QB.
Matt Nagy vs. Vic Fangio
The matchup between the Nagy, head coach of the Bears, and Fangio, former Bears defensive coordinator turned Broncos head coach, will likely be the most important of the game. Both came into Week 1 with seemingly unprepared squads, possibly due to lack of reps starters on both sides took in preseason. Fangio and staff were criticized for lack of adjustment changes as the Broncos struggled throughout the game. It is vital that Fangio make necessary changes if the Broncos struggle in any phases, especially on defense, where adjustment was really needed the most against the Raiders. It will likely come down to who has their team most ready and who is able to execute the most efficiently.
X-Factors
Bradley Chubb
It is more than likely in the Bears game-plan to attempt to double team Von Miller as frequently as possible to keep Miller away from Mitch Trubisky, who took a beating from the pass rush of the Packers. The Broncos pass rush is considerably more talented, so the Bears have their work cut out for them. However, the Broncos pass rush needs to simply perform better than in Week 1. If Von Miller is being double-teamed, this may open up opportunities for Bradley Chubb to step up and wreck the game.
Tarik Cohen
The Broncos run defense allowed rookie RB Josh Jacobs to run all over them last week, even allowing him to break records and make history. Unfortunately, the Broncos were not on the right side of history in this case and need to play better in Week 2. While Cohen did not record a carry last week, he was used as a receiving threat, bringing in 8 receptions for 49 yards. I expect Cohen will be used as a dual threat as a running back and receiver on Sunday, especially considering that is it a guarantee that Nagy and the Bears took notice of the Broncos’ inability to shut down Josh Jacobs.