The Chicago Bears have turned their entire offense around in less than a season under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, a big reason why the franchise focused on hiring him this offseason.
With second-year quarterback Caleb Williams showing signs of development and the growth of a run game that has turned it around since the early season bye week, the Bears have a much different look to their franchise with an explosive offensive identity that has been missing for years.
Taking on the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, the Bears are going to have to have their best offensive showing of the season. Philadelphia’s offense has struggled with their consistency and finding a true identity, while the Bears have been clutch in the first and fourth quarter but need to improve in the second and third quarters.
Here are the top three offensive keys for the Bears as they battle the Eagles on Black Friday.
Red zone execution
The Eagles are currently giving up just over 20 points per game to their opponents, and they’re holding opponents to just a 48% red zone touchdown rate. Simply put, the Eagles are dominant when opponents get in the red zone, and while Chicago is a top-10 team in scoring offense, they rank 16th in red zone touchdown rate at just under 58%. The offense simply can’t afford to settle for field goals on offense, when facing a Philadelphia team that can put up points in a hurry.
Consistency
Too often this season, the Bears look world beaters at multiple stages in the football game, but then they fall flat in their following drives. Chicago’s offense is undoubtedly explosive and has all the makings to be a powerhouse in the NFL, but the consistency is not there. They may have to outscore the Eagles consistently as the only way to defeat them, so they’ll have to control the pace and set the tone with their offense. That will not be an easy task with the Eagles’ improved defense over the last few weeks, but it is a unit that just gave up 24 unanswered points to the Dallas Cowboys.
Caleb Williams needs his best game
Quarterback Caleb Williams has gone four straight games without throwing an interception, but he was strip sacked for a touchdown last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In two of those last four games, Williams has thrown for three touchdowns per game but has yet to eclipse 300 yards passing in a single game this season. Chicago has had quite the success on the ground with their running game, but the Eagles passing defense ranks near the bottom of the league, allowing 225 yards through the air per game. From his pre-snap cadence, to going through his progressions, and not trying to be a hero, Williams has to play as close to a perfect game as possible on Friday afternoon.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 3 keys for Bears offense vs. Eagles in Week 13
Reporting by Mike Pendleton, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
