Windy City Gridiron
The NFL season is an evolving state of affairs and week 3 in Chicago will be no different. The Bears enter this game with a litany of key players injured including their top two defensive backs and are hosting one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Meanwhile, the offensive line continues to be a messy work in progress and the defensive line can’t seem to stop the run.
In this weekly series, I’ll be featuring one player from each team on each side of the ball who I figure to be integral to their respective teams’ success. Like seasons past, you won’t see any QBs and you also won’t see any star defensive players like Micah Parsons and Nick Bosa.
No, these are more of the unsung variety. Yet, often just as critical to the success of the team.
Let’s get started with the Chicago Bears.
With 2nd year standout Rome Odunze among the top statistical leaders league-wide for receptions, yards and TD’s, it appears the Chicago Bears have a new WR1 in town. Even so, DJ Moore is every bit of a WR1 in this league and even in week 1 had more yards on less targets (and catches) than Rome Odunze and remains a big play threat. Against the high-octane Cowboys this week, we need all of our weapons to contribute in order to keep up in what figures to be a high -scoring affair.
Additionally, with the recent comments from head coach Ben Johnson regarding practice habits and his intent to keep players accountable and reward those who are putting forth maximum effort both during the week and on game-day, the much maligned former Panther is once again at a crossroads. I expect him to step up and take advantage of a weak Cowboys secondary. If he can, the Bears have a chance to outpace Dak Prescott and co. If not, the they will either need other weapons to step up, or else Chicago will be looking at their third consecutive loss of the 2025 season.
It would be easy to pick Tyrique Stevenson, Jaquan Brisker or even Nahshon Wright in what is largely expected to be an explosive game through the air for both offenses, but I am taking a different approach. Essentially, I do not have hope that our hodge-podge group of DB’s can hang with Ceedee Lamb, George Pickens, Jake Ferguson, Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin. Instead, I will be looking at our DL to apply pressure on Dak Prescott and create some big plays. With new addition Grady Jarrett performing well below expectations after his generous contract and our Edges not getting much in the way of sacks/impact plays combined with the strength of the Dallas OL and injury to their starting center Cooper Beebe, Gervon Dexter Sr. is primed for a grand opportunity to make a game-changing play. Be it a stuff on 3rd and short, a...
