The Chicago Bears have plenty of offensive weapons to break down a defense strategically over the course of long drives, or their playmakers can flip the game in just one explosive play.
That offense will once again be matched up on paper with a tough defense as they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night, but with how efficient and effective Chicago was on Monday night in Seattle, it's hard to see them slowing down right now. Thriving when Caleb Williams has been under center for the entirety of games this season, the Bears offense is one of the best in the NFL and their consistency will be key to their success throughout the course of the year.
With another tough matchup in front of them, it's yet another opportunity for a statement
to be made by Ben Johnson and the entire team's offense. Here are the top offensive keys for Week 9 against the Buccaneers:
Get the ball out quickly
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has always been a blitz-friendly coach, similar to what the Bears face when they go up against Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. One way to catch the blitz off guard is with quick outs and screen passes that should get the offense out on the edge, and allow their pass catchers to make the big play with the ball in their hands. Whether it's Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, or Khalif Raymond, Chicago's wide receivers should be in store for a great opportunity.
Yards after catch
One of the biggest weaknesses for the Buccaneers defense is keeping opponents in front of them, so it feels even more likely that with players like Burden and tight end Colston Loveland, yards after catch could be a big one in this game. Quarterback Caleb Williams was praised on the ESPN broadcast for his throw placement in the win over the Seahawks, and if Williams gives his guys room to catch the ball and make a play, Tampa's defense may be playing catch up more often than not.
Find more run game production
Even after D'Andre Swift had a three-touchdown performance against the Seattle Seahawks, the tone out of Chicago's locker room feels like there's a belief that the ground game could be much better, and that's likely true. The rushing attack for Chicago has been hurt by the loss of Kyle Monangai whoo has been out several weeks due to injury, and Swift can not carry the entire workload on his shoulders. Whether it's a combination of Swift and Roschon Johnson or more end around/sweep plays, the Bears have to get more production out of the running game, which could be tough against a Tampa Bay defense that only allows 80 yards per game on the ground.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 3 keys for Bears offense vs. Bucs in Week 9
