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5 things to know about the Chicago Bears, the Panthers’ Week 7 opponent

By Johnny Wakefield
Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, in Baltimore. Chicago won 27-24 in overtime. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, in Baltimore. Chicago won 27-24 in overtime. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) Nick Wass AP

Carolina enters Week 7 sitting 4–2, ahead of the Falcons and Saints in the NFC South and tied for the second-best record in the entire league. If you told us we’d be here before the season started, we’d be pretty happy with it… so let’s move past that Thursday Night Football loss, okay?

Each week in the 2017 season, CharlotteFive will give you a quick preview of the Panthers’ upcoming opponent — sometimes love, sometimes hate, sometimes just things to know.

We’ll leave the legitimate previews to the pros at the Observer.

On Sunday, the Panthers travel to the Windy City to face the NFC North cellar dwelling Chicago Bears. There’s a familiar face or two in Chicago these days, but that shouldn’t mean any mercy: Carolina needs another win to stay ahead of the NFC pack, and games against teams like these are must-wins, even on the road.

(Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in Charlotte, and the game will be broadcast on CBS. Yes, the all-NFC Sunday game is on CBS.)

(1) John Fox

Long-time Panthers head coach John Fox now mans the sideline in Chicago. He left Denver after four division-winning seasons in a row (yes, the Broncos won the Super Bowl the year after he left, let’s not talk about that), but he hasn’t had nearly the success in Chicago.

In 2015, Fox signed a four-year deal to coach the Bears. In his first season, Chicago was a mediocre 6–10, and in his second, the team went 3–13. That’s not great, nor an improvement (the Bears went just 5–11 the year before Fox arrived).

So the hoped-for turnaround under Fox hasn’t come, and now he’s on the hot seat in Chicago. An overtime win against the Ravens last week might have delayed the inevitable, so barring a surprise midweek dismissal, he’ll be a familiar face for Panthers fans watching on CBS on Sunday afternoon.

2) Overtime escape

Speaking of that overtime win over the Ravens, the Bears would have been 1–4–1 going into this game (and potentially Foxless) if they hadn’t kicked a game-winning field goal with two minutes left in overtime last week.

The Bears (then 1–4) held a 14 point lead in the second half over the Ravens (then 3–2), and with just five minutes left, Chicago led by 11 points, 24–13. The Ravens didn’t mind, kicking a field goal with three minutes left and then forcing a three and out to get the ball back with under two minutes on the clock.

Baltimore didn’t need their two-minute offense against Chicago either: They ran back the Bears punt 77 yards for a touchdown and then nailed the two-point conversion to send it to overtime, 24–24.

But Chicago’s sixth-ranked defense stood strong in overtime, and with two minutes left, the Bears ran a 71-yard 8-play drive to get into field goal range. Connor Barth kicked a 40-yarder to win it, 27–24.

An ugly win is still a win, especially when you’re 2–4.

3) Jordan Howard bulldozed Baltimore

A huge part of that win and that overtime drive? Running back Jordan Howard. Currently the face of the Bears franchise, the former UAB halfback ran for 167 yards last weekend against a good Ravens rush defense, including a ridiculous, Jonathan Stewart-esque 53-yard run in overtime to set up that field goal.

Howard is currently fifth in the league with 495 yards rushing, and while his four touchdowns in six starts this season won’t blow anyone away, he’ll be the key player to stop for the Panthers defense that, yes, will likely be missing Luke Kuechly. (I don’t want to talk about it.)

4) Mitchell Trubisky

Now starting for the Chicago Bears: number 10, Mitchell Trubisky. Wait, what? Yes, that’s the former UNC quarterback and #2 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Mitchell “Don’t Call Me Mitch” Trubisky now leads the way for Chicago in his rookie season.

After offseason signing QB Mike Glennon led the league in turnovers through four weeks (with eight), the Bears decided to throw Trubisky into the fire with his NFL debut on Monday Night Football against the Vikings in Week 5.

The Bears lost that game, but Trubisky played well (enough), completing 12 of 25 passes for 128 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also rushed for 22 yards, and while he won’t draw comparisons to Cam, it was a solid start, followed up by an even better game against Baltimore in Week 6.

Talking to reporters after Trubisky’s debut, coach Fox said: “He’s got what it takes; there’s no doubt in my mind. For a first game, I go back to watching guys like [Joe] Montana in his first game. I’ve seen a few of them. I’m not making comparisons at this point. But he will do nothing but get better.”

So basically, Trubisky is Joe Montana… or at least, he’s better than Tom Brady?

5) Yeah, but the Panthers will win.

Yes, we highlighted the Bears’ familiar coach, their suddenly-powerful running game, their sixth-ranked defense, their Tar Heel rookie quarterback, and their escape win in Baltimore last week… but they’re still not going to win on Sunday.

Chicago hasn’t won back-to-back games since Weeks 9 and 10 of the 2015 season, and Kuechly or not, the Bears are throwing a rookie quarterback against Thomas Davis, Julius Peppers, and Carolina’s fourth-ranked defense. Hopefully, the Panthers will be able to right the ship on takeaways against them on Sunday.

And the Chicago defense is unlikely to be a match for Cam, Stew, CMC, Kelvin, Funch, and Ed Dickson on Sunday either. They’ve allowed 20 or more points to every opponent this season and were thumped by the Packers 35–14 in Week 4. Not saying that Cam should have a field day on Sunday… but if he can find that deep ball again, it could get ugly.

Sorry Mr. Biscuit fans, this is a day for Panthers over Tar Heels loyalties. Keep Pounding.

Photo: Nick Wass/AP

This story was originally published October 19, 2017 at 11:33 PM with the headline "5 things to know about the Chicago Bears, the Panthers’ Week 7 opponent."

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