Two NFC teams will face off on Sunday afternoon as the New Orleans Saints travel to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears. The New Orleans Saints enter this game with a 4-2 record after defeating the Carolina Panthers by three points at home in their last game while the Chicago Bears have a 5-2 record after losing to the Los Angeles Rams by 14 points on the road last week. This will be the 32nd meeting between these two teams.
Saints Look To Extend Their Winning Streak
After starting the season off with losses in two of their first three games, the New Orleans Saints have started to find their groove as they are now in possession of a playoff spot in the NFC. In addition, the Saints enter this game on a three-game winning streak after defeating a division rival at home last week. In that game, New Orleans’ offense was solid as it scored in every quarter while recording 415 total yards of offense. Now, the Saints will be looking to extend this winning streak behind another solid offensive performance on Sunday.
New Orleans’ offensive line has been one of the best in the entire league this season as it is allowing just 1.3 sacks per game which is tied for the fourth-fewest in the NFL. Last week, New Orleans allowed Carolina to record just one sack which helps explain how the Saints were able to score 27 points en route to that home victory.
Drew Brees has found a way to be a very effective quarterback into his 40’s. He had two major weapons out last week in Michael Thomas (hamstring) and Emmanuel Sanders (COVID-19) and he found a way to win. Both players are expected to be out this week. It helps to have a versatile back in Alvin Kamara and a defense that allows just 3.5 yards per rush, to rank fifth in the NFL.
8 catches on 10 targets, 75 yards, 4 first downs 🔥
It’s time for you to familiarize yourself with #Saints undrafted rookie @CallawayMarquez 🎞 pic.twitter.com/QnQceSflSP
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 26, 2020
Following last week’s victory, Saints coach Sean Payton made some comments about how there is still room for improvement regarding his defense.
“We’ve got some work to still do. I think that we played the run extremely well, not so much in the passing game.”
New Orleans Saints Injury Report:
OUT: CB Johnson Bademosi, WR Marquez Callaway, CB Ken Crawley, DT Jalen Dalton, C Nick Easton, WR Bennie Fowler, P Blake Gillikin, WR Emmanuel Sanders, DE Noah Spence, WR Michael Thomas, TE Jason Vander Laan, TE Cole Wick
Questionable: LB Kiko Alonso, T Terron Armstead, LB Chase Hansen, RB Ty Montgomery
Chicago Needs Its Offense To Wake Up
The Chicago Bears have been a very difficult team to understand this season based on their overall record. On one hand, the Bears are in possession of a playoff spot in the NFC as they have won five of their first seven games. On the other hand, Chicago’s offense is one of the worst in the league so it is incapable of scoring more than 20 points on a regular basis. Chicago enters this game averaging just 19.7 points per game which ranks 27th in the league while also averaging just 308.0 yards per game which ranks 29th in the league. If Chicago plans on getting this home victory, its offense will need to wake up sooner rather than later.
Chicago’s defense has been the main reason for the team’s success up to this point. The Bears are allowing just 20.0 points per game which is the seventh-fewest in the league while also allowing just 342.0 yards per game which is the tenth-fewest in the league. In addition, Chicago’s defense managed to outscore Chicago’s offense last week as the Bears had a fumble return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The problem is consistency on offense and at the quarterback position. Nick Foles completed 28 of 40 for 261 yards with two interceptions against the Rams. He gets very little time to throw normally. On Monday, he was sacked four times and hit four times.
Quinn forces the fumble, @BoJack39 brings it 🏠!
👀 live: https://t.co/Ke0ZdVcbUV#CHIvsLAR | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/scsq8POLvI
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 27, 2020
Following last week’s game, Bears quarterback Nick Foles commented about how the offense can play better in the future.
“Ultimately, I gotta play better and help our team out in these situations. We have to figure out how to run the ball effectively. I think the big thing is finding a rhythm of who we want to be. We’ve gotta continue to work.”
Chicago Bears Injury Report:
OUT: CB Artie Burns, TE Darion Clark, RB Tarik Cohen, G James Daniels, NT Eddie Goldman, DB Michael Joseph, DB Jordan Lucas, K Eddy Piniero, DB Tre Roberson, C Cody Whitehair
Questionable: S Eddie Jackson, LB Khalil Mack,S Sherrick McManis, WR Cordarrelle Patterson
