The NFL season is an evolving state of affairs, and week 8 on the road against a hobbled and desperate 1-5 Baltimore Ravens squad coming off a BYE is a prime example of how much can change in a short period of time in this league.
In this weekly series, I’ll be featuring one player from each team on each side of the ball who I believe to be integral to their respective team’s success. Like seasons past, you won’t see any QBs, and you also won’t see any star defensive players like Micah Parsons and Maxx
Crosby.
No, these are more of the unsung variety. Yet, often just as critical to the success of the team. Here are the players that I will be keyed in on in this one.
Let’s get started with the Chicago Bears.
Offense: Colston Loveland, TE
With the emergence of so many rookie Tight Ends this season, it is somewhat baffling that we haven’t seen more from the first TE off the board in this years NFL Draft. Granted, no other rookie TE was drafted with as much target competition as Loveland was, but even still – Loveland has yet to make a statement. Now now, I know most of you diehards will point to a pancake block here or a toe-touch 3rd down catch there, but those are more for us Bears fans than the national crowd. However, Loveland’s selection for this column has nothing to do with what other rookie TEs are doing and everything to do with his opportunity. With Cole Kmet’s injury last week, Loveland saw his most extensive action and we were able to see more glimpses of what he can do. We even saw what he didn’t do that still resulted in a penalty, but I digress. Cole Kmet has not participated in practice all week, meaning Loveland may get his first start as TE1 against the Ravens. Baltimore, mind you, has two elite Safeties in Kyle Hamilton and rookie Malaki Starks, so it won’t come easy to him. But if the Ravens fool around and match up Loveland in the passing game with an LB, watch out. It could get ugly. But even if Hamilton or Starks are in coverage on the former Wolverine, I expect Colston to remind the world this week why he was the first TE off the board.
Defense: Andrew Billings, DT
With the news that Lamar Jackson, Kyler Gordon, Austin Booker and Tyrique Stevenson, both teams will be depleted at key positions when the Ravens have the ball on Sunday. That said, I fully expect a heavy dose of the run game in Baltimore. Since the Bye week when Billings has been a regular starter along with Gervon Dexter Sr., the Bears run defense has improved their yards per carry allowed from 6.15 to 3.5. Granted, much of that should be attributed to schematic adjustments by Dennis Allen and co., but Andrew Billings has been a key reason for the turnaround and he will have his hands full this week against stud Center Tyler Linderbaum. If Big Bill can eat up double teams and get penetration against the run before the Ravens running backs, most notably Derrick Henry, get a full head of steam, Chicago should be in good position to hold the Baltimore attack. If not, expect a big day from this guy…
Baltimore Ravens
Offense: Derrick Henry, RB
Did you know that Derrick Henry has only played against the Chicago Bears twice in his first 9 seasons in the league? He went for 128 yards on 29 carries and 1 TD without a single reception combined in those two games. Not bad, but not as spectacular as his numbers against the Jaguars throughout his career. If you take out his week 1 performance this season (with a healthy Lamar) against the Buffalo Bills, one of the worst run-defenses in the country, King Henry would be averaging a paltry 3.85 yards per carry, which would easily be the lowest of his career, regardless of opponent. Fortunately for Henry and Ravens fans, that’s not how stats work. That said, the Bears’ run defense has been much improved since the BYE and figures to be more of a challenge regardless of Lamar’s status. If the resurgent Bears run D can contain the King and prevent him from bludgeoning The Beloved, the Ravens offense should become one-dimensional which has been a problem this season. But if he can reposition his crown and carry his flock on his back, expect this to be a humbling loss for Chicago.
Honorable Mention: Zay Flowers, WR – with our top 4 corners officially out in this one, expect Zay Flowers to be wide open all day. Whether or not his QB can find him is another question. But none of it will matter if Chicago can’t stop Henry.
Defense: Roquan Smith, LB
In his first game against his former team, Roquan Smith is expected to be full healthy and eager to remind Bears fans what they lost. Though he was only ever able to attain Second Team All-Pro (once) in his four and a half seasons as a Bear, the former Georgia Bulldog has since made the Pro Bowl three times in three and a half seasons and been named First Team All-Pro three times as well. While he may be having a down year in 2025, make no mistake, Roquan is an elite off-ball linebacker who is capable of wrecking a game. If fully healthy, Roquan could notch 20+ tackles running down D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai and Caleb Williams in the run game and backs, receivers and tight ends in the passing game. If Ben Johnson can scheme away from the All-Pro and Caleb Williams can avoid him, Chicago should be able to put up enough points to win a slugfest. If Roquan returns to All-Pro status against the team that drafted him, it will be a long day for the Bears and a likely loss.
What about you? Which players on both sides will you be keying on in Baltimore? Let us know in the comments!
Recap from Week 7:
Bears O – Luther Burden III, WR: 1 catch for 22 yards on 2 targets. Non-factor.
Bears D – Kevin Byard, S: Only 2 tackles but a key INT late to help seal the game.
Saints O – Rashid Shaheed, WR: 4 catches for 40 yards.
Saints D – Pete Werner, LB: Only 2 tackles.
Remember, there’s a near-zero chance of a Bears win when all four players perform in a way that favors the opponent. Here, we keep track of weeks past to see how things unfolded:
Week 1: Loveland, Jarrett, Mason, Metellus – Vikes owned 75% this week. Perhaps 100%. L
Week 2: Jackson, Edmunds, Gibbs, Branch – Again, we were owned in 75% this week, maybe 100%. L
Week 3: Moore, Dexter Sr., Pickens, Sanborn – Finally, we dominated in all phases. At least 75% in our favor. W
Week 4: Swift, Brisker, Jeanty, Chinn – I’d say we went 2-2 here and barely squeaked away with the win. W
Week 6: Benedet, Spidey, Deebo, Payne – Split at a minimum but I say 75% in our favor. W
week 7: Burden, Byard, Shaheed, Werner – Easily secured 3/4 of these for the win that was not as close as score would indicate. W
