Bear Digest

Matchups favoring Montez Sweat and Chicago Bears against Raiders

While the Bears can't really match up against Maxx Crosby they have players of their own who the Raiders could have trouble handling Sunday including Montez Sweat.
Gene Chamberlain|
Montez Sweat takes down Dak Prescott for his first sack of th season in the 31-14 Bears win..
Montez Sweat takes down Dak Prescott for his first sack of th season in the 31-14 Bears win.. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Coaches traditionally paint a picture of the opposition each week that looks like Godzilla on steroids.

It can be a winless team and they'll find a way to elevate the opponent.

Besides making Maxx Crosby sound supernatural, Bears coach Ben Johnson emphasized how the Raiders have been a big-play, explosive team behind QB Geno Smith.

"Their quarterback is playing at a high level," Johnson said. "I think they're the No. 1 team in explosive plays right now on offense. So, we’ve got our work cut out for us."

They've also had poor run and pass blocking, and their pass defense has been worse in many ways than the Bears' pass defense has been.

There are matchups the Bears can take advantage of even if they do have problems of their own trying to stop several Raiders.

Here are matchups the Bears should control in Vegas.

DE Montez Sweat vs. RT DJ Glaze

Glaze just gave up two sacks and four hurries against the Commanders and on the season has allowed 12 total pressures besides committing two penalties. Glaze is graded 61st of 101 tackles in the league this year by Pro Football Focus, 53rd pass blocking and 72nd run blocking. Sweat was off to a slow start but did get his first sack last week and had one wiped out by penalty the week before. He has five pressures in three games, and likely will be facing double teams all day in this one, or chip blocks because Raiders tackle Kolton Miller on the other side is one of the more dominant tackles in the league and capable of consistently winning one-on-ones against Dayo Odeyingbo.

DT Gervon Dexter vs. RG Alex Cappa

Dexter's pass rush numbers have stacked up against the best defensive tackles but the Bears need so see more against the run from him. PFF's grades have rated the fourth-best defensive tackle as a pass rusher in the NL out of 172 graded. He has nine pressures and a sack by their numbers. He's 153rd against the run out of 172, though. Cappa, a former Bucs and Bengals guard, is graded 71st out of 95 guards, has allowed a sack and 11 total pressures. He's been worse as a run blocker, grading out 81st of 95 and is 65th out of 95 as a pass blocker. Cappa was released by the Bengals and signed on for two years and $11 million with Las Vegas.

WR Rome Odunze vs. S Isaiah Pola-Mao

Pola-Mao, the fourth-year former USC safety, has given up three touchdown passes per Stathead/Pro Football Reference and has a 130.6 passer rating against. He's allowed 12 receptions in 15 targets for 80% completions and gives up a whopping 16.1 yards per target. PFF gives him a 29.9 grade overall, worst in the league among the 73 safeties who played the most. If the Bears can isolate one of their receivers on him, they'll be hoping for big gains. Odunze is averaging 14.2 yards a reception. His four TD catches is already one better than last year.

T Braxton Jones vs. Edge Malcolm Koonce

How much these two see of each other depends on whether the Raiders decided to keep Maxx Crosby at the defense's left end. Usually they do this but they may look at Jones as an easy touch for Crosby. Koonce has struggled regardless of which side he's lining up. The 6-2, 250-pounder is graded 153rd out of 155 edge players in the league and has two tackles, a sack and six pressures. Koonce's run-stopping grade is 151st out of 155 tackles. Jones had a very strong Week 3 against Dallas and elevated his PFF grades on the season to middle of the league, although he has allowed two sacks and 13 pressures this year and started poorly in the first two games.

WR Olamide Zaccheaus vs. CB Darnay Holmes

Ranked 117th out of 158 cornerbacks in pass coverage and 137th overall, Holmes is someone who Ben Johnson could target. Johnson's offense naturally comes to the slot receivers and Holmes is the slot cornerback. One thing Holmes has done well is blitz. He is 15th among pass rushing cornerbacks. PFF has Holmes allowing a 114.6 passer rating when targeted. About the only thing Zaccheaus has done poorly this year is his acrobatic celebrations in the end zone after touchdowns because he's risking injuries. Even Caleb Williams wants him to tone it down. Zaccheaus has been limited to 8.7 yards on his nine receptions but showed in practice and preseason he can be one of Williams' most dependable and explosive targets. The Bears could run several players through the slot looking for big plays, from Zaccheaus to Luther Burden III to DJ Moore.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.