Keys to the game roundtable: Bears vs. Chiefs

The Chicago Bears are taking blow after blow right now. It feels like another trip around the wheel for fans.

Questions about the quarterback, doubts about the head coach’s ability to keep things under control and bad play calling and game plans.

The franchise looks to be in a bad spot again.

And now they’re staring 0-3 in the face as they go on the road to face the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the best QB in the league and the former Chicago head coach.

Let’s see what our staff says it’s going to take to win this week.

Sam Householder: This game feels like an inevitability in the worst possible way. That said, it’s the NFL and last year the Chiefs lost to the Colts in September.

The Bears have to first and foremost let Justin Fields loose. Let him get back to his game, the way he wants to play it. Let him use his instincts.

On defense, get pressure, get home, and FINISH. Last week was awful in terms of finishing, they would get to Baker and let him slip out. Mahomes is even better at that. And I said it last week, but it’s a trend: get off the field on third down. Do not let them convert third downs so easily.

Lester Wiltfong: The only way the Bears can pull off the upset is if Fields goes off. He needs to stress the Chief defense with his legs, he needs to take deep shots when they’re there, and he needs to stress the Chief defense with his legs. Yes, I said that one twice, because through two games, this is not the same player that his peers voted as a top 100 NFL player. This offense needs some swagger, and Fields can provide that. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy needs to get back to what worked offensively a season ago by getting Fields out of the pocket and running the rock with his stable of tailbacks, but he also needs to scheme up some touches for D.J. Moore. A Chicago win is highly unlikely, but if they do it, it’ll need to be from a statement game by the QB1 in a shootout.

Jack R Salo: On offense, take every little thing the Chiefs give you. They aren’t known for blitzing all day long, but can still get pressure with four. The home run ball probably won’t be there very often, so get either Herbert or Johnson in rhythm, hit the short throws on the money, and let Justin Fields run when nothing else is there.

On defense, give Travis Kelce extra extra attention and force the Chiefs wide receivers to beat you. Mahomes will do Mahomes things, but if you take his favorite target away and get some pressure in his face then you can count on a couple throws behind receivers, low, out of bounds, etc.

Taylor Doll: It’s obviously not an easy one...although the Chiefs have had a slow start also and we saw them gather 12 penalties, fumble twice and Mahomes threw a pick last week against the Jaguars, but that may be what scares me most. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are looking for a game to really kick-off their season and this could be the perfect opportunity.

I am here to share some keys to the game though, Justin Fields needs to fly. Whatever it is that him and Getsy have going on we need it to be pushed aside and they have to call plays and build this offense around Justin’s strengths.

We need less screen passes, more designed runs, run the ball more in general because with Fields and our RB group, there is no way we should be passing over 80 percent of the time. I want to see Rojo more in every aspect including pass blocking. Find DJ, even in a miserable-looking offense last week he tallied over 100 and that should be every week at a minimum but I do think a large part of this is whatever our lines can muster up this is the week to do it, keep Chris Jones away from Justin and find a way to get to Mahomes.

Patti Curl: Taylor Swift has to unequivocally end her reported flirtations with Travis Kelce immediately before the game in such a humiliating way that he tries too hard to compensate, plays poorly, and ultimately gets ejected for throwing pebbles and yelling at the refs, “No! You don’t get it! It’s like I’m Romeo in the 2008 song ‘Love Story’ I’m throwing pebbles and daddy’s saying stay away from Juliette! Why don’t you get it? Why didn’t she say yes!?”

One of the pebbles has to hit Patrick Mahomes in the eye.

Erik Duerrwaechter: Offense: Pull out all the stops and attack vertically downfield, then kill the clock and let Roschon Johnson have a featured role in the ground game. The only favorable matchups the Bears have are at receiver, and at running back. Use those to your advantage.

Defense: Stop quitting and finish plays. A few splash plays were wiped away by poor effort and tackling last week. The Chiefs are turning the ball over a plenty, now would be a good time to start getting some much-needed takeaways.

Special Teams: Don’t make Pat Mahomes’ job any easier than it already is, and limit the returns as much as possible.

What are your keys to the game? What will it take for the Bears to win?