The Chicago Bears return to Soldier Field on Sunday with a two-game losing streak after road losses against the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts.
They will try to get back on track against the Los Angeles Rams, who earned their first win of the season in Week 3 with an upset of the San Francisco 49ers.
As kickoff approaches, here’s our snapshot look at the game.
Person in the spotlight
Shane Waldron
Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has been one of the most talked-about men in Chicago sports this week after ongoing offensive struggles came to a head in a disastrous red-zone series in the 21-16 loss to the Colts.
The Bears failed to score after they had first-and-goal from the 4-yard line in the second quarter. That included a third-and-1 play call that coach Matt Eberflus said needed to be better, when wide receiver DeAndre Carter was asked to block a defensive end and got bowled over. And it included a fourth-and-1 speed option that lost 12 yards.
Waldron took the blame Thursday for the failures and put it on himself to be better.
“Just being able to communicate, get to the line of scrimmage a little bit faster right there, so we can get what we want out of the play,” Waldron said of the fourth down. “And so again, all those things start with me. I’ve got to be better in that situation, and I will moving forward.”
The Bears offense has been among the worst in the league, totaling 249.3 yards per game (30th) and 3.68 yards per play (32nd). But rookie quarterback Caleb Williams again has a chance to get it going against another defense that has performed poorly thus far.
The Rams defense, playing its first season without retired future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, is worst in the league in several categories, allowing 425.7 yards per game and 6.8 yards per play, and ranks 31st with 30.3 points allowed per game.
Of course, the Colts seemed like a good opportunity to get the ground game going last week, and the Bears managed only 63 rushing yards. And the Bears could have their hands full slowing down outside linebackers Jared Verse and Byron Young, who have combined for three sacks and four quarterback hits.
Eberflus said he thought Waldron took feedback from players and staff well this week as the Bears tried to work through solutions.
“Shane’s a great communicator, works well with his staff, works well with the players,” Eberflus said. “All feedback’s always good feedback, it really is. One of the first things we talk about is respect. Respect in the building for staff members, for everybody that’s in the building.
“That (feedback) is done in a respectful way. It’s also got to be honest. It’s also got to be forthright. It’s also got to be detailed. Getting to the common solution that’s workable for everybody. That’s what we’re doing here.”
Pressing question
Can the Bears defense limit the Rams’ and Matthew Stafford’s big-play ability?
The Bears know well what Rams quarterback and 16-year NFL veteran Matthew Stafford is capable of. He has gone 12-9 in his career against them — 20 of those games coming with the Detroit Lions — while throwing for 5,761 yards, 35 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.
“His arm talent has not waned at all,” Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington said. “He can make every throw on the field. He knows exactly what you’re in, so our disguise will be critical. And he just knows how to get the football out of his hand, how to get them into I would say an ideal play.”
The Rams offense under coach Sean McVay has been beat up with injuries in the early going, and they’ll be without Pro Bowl receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua on Sunday. But Stafford still orchestrated a come-from-behind, 27-24 win over the 49ers. The tying touchdown drive included a 50-yard pass to Tutu Atwell.
The Bears defense has ranked in the top 10 in several categories. But the Bears gave up passes of 40 and 44 yards to Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson and a 29-yard Jonathan Taylor touchdown run in Week 3, big plays they’ll have to cut out this week.
“We just want to maintain our leverage,” Washington said. “We want to maintain our ability to stay over the top. Every time we have an explosive play we don’t just look at one particular position. We have to make sure we look at how all of the pieces of our defense are functioning. Rush and coverage have to work together.”
Keep an eye on …
Bears wide receivers
The connection between Williams and Rome Odunze broke through against the Colts, when the rookie had six catches on 11 targets for 112 yards and a touchdown. It was part of Williams’ biggest passing day thus far, when he completed 33 of 52 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns — but also two interceptions.
Odunze said it has been “a gradual progression of finally feeling and playing like myself” as he was adjusting to NFL play while also battling a knee injury the last two weeks.
“(It was) just playing with speed, playing with confidence and knowing my playbook out and in,” Odunze said. “Just knowing exactly what my responsibilities are on every single play, and I have the skill set to get the job done on every single one of those. It’s kind of my same process, but I’m finally seeing those things push through.”
Now the Bears hope that they’ll get veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen back to join Odunze and DJ Moore for Sunday’s game. Allen has missed the last two weeks with plantar fasciitis. Allen said he’s “pretty confident” that it won’t be a problem throughout the season.
“It’s Keenan Allen, bro,” Odunze said when asked what his return would do. “He’s going to go out there and provide problems for the defense, tell us different things during the course of the game to help us out and continue to be Keenan Allen, the weapon that he is. That’s going to provide problems for the defense, not knowing who to guard out there, who to cover, who to emphasize and allow more things to open up.”
A milestone for Lewis
Bears tight end Marcedes Lewis is expected to play in his 272nd career game Sunday — the most by a tight end in NFL history. He would surpass former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten.
Lewis, in his 19th season, played 170 games with the Jacksonville Jaguars, 81 with the Green Bay Packers and now 20 with the Bears in two seasons.
“Obviously being available and durable is your best ability in this league,” Lewis said. “And I’m just grateful that I have been able to be consistent throughout. And I haven’t had anything serious ever happen to me. No surgeries or nothing like that. And I think that plays a big part in it. I’m just grateful and ready to go get this thing.”
Injury report
The Bears declared out defensive tackle Zacch Pickens (groin), cornerback Terell Smith (hip) and tight end Stephen Carlson (collarbone).
Allen is officially listed as questionable, as is safety Kevin Byard (back) and defensive tackle Andrew Billings (knee), who were both limited in practice Friday. Eberflus said the Bears were hopeful about Byard and Billings.
Right tackle Darnell Wright, who didn’t practice Wednesday because of a back issue, is good to go Sunday. Right guard Nate Davis (groin) also is cleared. But Eberflus said the Bears still plan to start Matt Pryor over Davis, as they did in Week 3.
“We just liked the performance (from Pryor) last week, in terms of the size, being firm in the pocket there and being able to move some people,” Eberflus said. “We think that’s a good option for us.”
For the Rams, tight end Davis Allen (back) is questionable.
Predictions
Brad Biggs (2-1)
The Rams have done a solid job of pressuring opposing quarterbacks, but their defense has been routinely hit for big plays in the passing game. They also have been very poor at stopping the run, but it’s impossible to say how these factors will matter against a Bears offense that has a host of issues. With the Rams beat up on the offensive line — they have used three starters at left guard already — and with Matthew Stafford missing top receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, the Bears really need a win to get to 2-2.
Bears 17, Rams 16
Colleen Kane (2-1)
The talk around Halas Hall this week was about not just fixing the on-field mistakes but also mending communication issues that have helped contribute to the offensive problems. It might depend on your general disposition whether you find the Bears trying to iron out those issues in Week 4 promising or you see the talk of such internal problems as yet another red flag. But quarterback Caleb Williams did show some signs of progress last week. The Bears are back at home against an injury-plagued Rams team. And on paper, it looks like there again should be an opportunity for improvement against this Rams defense. It stacks up to a chance for a win to stop the downward mental spiral of so many Bears fans.
Bears 23, Rams 21
Dan Wiederer (2-1)
Consider this the Oxygen Bowl. Winner gets that deep, soothing breath from reaching .500. I want to believe the Bears offense will continue to find its way, at least enough to produce against a far-from-imposing Rams defense that ranks near the bottom of the league in most major statistical categories. And I want to believe the Bears defense can flourish against an injury-depleted Rams offense. But in games like these? You always circle back to which team has the better quarterback, which team has the better coach and which team has more confidence in this given moment. It’s a clean sweep for Matthew Stafford, Sean McVay and the rest of the Rams.
Rams 20, Bears 17
