Chicago Bears: Beating Saints Will Require Points

The Chicago Bears have enjoyed a throwback session over the past two weeks, winning two-straight games with great defense and running the ball.

It’s how this franchise has done their best work for the past three decades. Not always pretty but certainly effective. Unfortunately there will come a point in time where neither of those things can compensate for the other team having an elite quarterback. It happened against Green Bay and it’s threatening to happen in New Orleans. Drew Brees is a future Hall of Famer and still conducting a strong offense even as his 40th birthday looms.

This is especially true inside the fabled Superdome. It’s a build that the Bears haven’t won a game in since 1991. They are 0-4 since then. This time doesn’t figure to be much easier. The Saints are 4-2, having won four-straight games including victories over Carolina, Detroit and Green Bay. That makes this game important for Chicago who might need the tiebreaker over them if the wild card becomes a factor down the road.

So how do they pull it off?

The old formula isn’t likely to work against that loaded Saints offense

Yes the Bears defense is playing lights out right now. Their front seven and secondary are clicking for the first time in years and it’s a glorious sight. At the same time this is their first trip inside a dome against a fast opponent. Will they be able to handle that? Smart money says they won’t break entirely, but will do a lot of bending. In other words they can’t be expected to do it all themselves like last week.

Why? Since 2015 in a span of 18 home games, the Saints offense has scored less than 20 points just two times. They’ve scored more than 30 points 10 times. Suffice to say unless the defense is prepared to score three touchdowns on their own, they are going to need a serious contribution from the offense. To this point the coaches have tried to protect rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky. That involves having him throw as little as possible. Just 48 passes in three games.

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This might be the week where they can’t keep the training wheels on anymore. Trubisky will have to be more aggressive and score if this team wants to beat New Orleans. Will John Fox do it? Well if he was willing to let Tim Tebow throw it 39 and 40 times back in 2011, it may actually be possible.