Former Raiders Can Find Friendly Matchups

The lack of a quality starting quarterback on either side in Sunday's Bears game with the Las Vegas Raiders throws the outcome into anyone's guess.

The Raiders have ruled out Jimmy Garoppolo but it's unknown whether backup Brian Hoyer will start. He has lost his last 12 NFL starts and hasn't won one since he quarterbacked the Bears in 2016 against Detroit.

If the Raiders start fourth-round rookie Aidan O'Connell from Stevenson High School and Purdue, then it becomes a battle between total neophytes. O'Connell has had one NFL start this year, a 24-17 loss to the Chargers, and Bears QB Tyson Bagent has 1 1/2 quarters of play.

The big question facing the Bears in that case is whether they can pull together enough of an offensive line to give their undrafted Division II rookie a chance to throw.

The ankle injury suffered by right guard Davis looms large, and they also have an injury to Darnell Wright. If Wright could play, it will solve plenty of problems but if not, then they could have some real shape-shifting to apply along their front.

It could mean Teven Jenkins at right guard or right tackle. It could even mean Doug Kramer coming off IR and playing at center. Nothing has been announced heading into Friday's practice.

At least they can feel their defense is beginning to round into shape, although this week's opponent has more weapons to challenge them than both of the previous three teams they played. Then again, the Raiders have scored more than 18 points one time this year.

"Our guys over the last few weeks have been making some progress," Bears safeties coach Andre Curtis said. "Playing hard. With the communication, them being on the same page, has been better every week.

"They are growing together. The energy and the effort was at a premium last week."

A 2-of-13 third-down effort on defense was a night-and-day improvement last week and the 220 yards allowed was their best effort in a calendar year.

The Bears have players who can give the Raiders problems in matchups, although they'd have a great deal more with the speed of Justin Fields and Khalil Mack in their backfield.

Here are Bears who can match up best against the Raiders.

1. WR DJ Moore

Although the Raiders have been stout on defense overall, they've been hit with some big receiving yards totals in five of their six games under coordinator Patrick Graham. They've given up 75 yards or more receiving to five players. Moore had no problem hooking up with Bagent last week in the second half, as four of his five receptions came after Justin Fields left the game. Even if Moore gets extra attention, he showed last week he can still inflict damage.

2. RB D'Onta Foreman

Their 6-foot, 235-pound power back said he was shaking rust off last week when he got 15 carries for 265 yards. Three of his runs appeared to be a hair from breaking the distance. Against the Raiders, he'll find a defense more susceptible to the run than the pass. The Raiders are 21st against the run and in yards allowed per carry (4.3). After Maxx Crosby, their second-best defensive lineman might be former Bear Bilal Nichols and they have two very light linebackers. Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo both are under 230 and the power-oriented wide zone scheme could be put to good use. The Bears have run on 60.6% of plays in the red zone since 2022, third-highest totalin the NFL, while the Raiders have allowed 25 rushing TDs in the red zone in the same period, the fifth most give up. It's an opponent the Bears should be able to run against and without Herbert that means Foreman.

3. DE Yannick Ngakoue

The Bears edge rusher hasn't had a big presence lately but if there's a team he can line up against on the offense's right side and exert heat it's the Raiders, his former team. The Raiders have had right tackle issues. Jermaine Eluemunor had been lining up there and Khalil Mack beat him for four of the six sacks he had against the Raiders. Thayer Munford replaced him as starter last week. Munford has six career starts in two seasons. Either way, this is a situation Ngakoue should be able to exploit if he lines up on the left side of the defense in the rush. DeMarcus Walker could benefit when lined up on that side, as well.

4. NT Andrew Billings

The former Raiders defensive lineman is graded 30th overall among 123 interior defensive linemen graded and is having a strong year after he had a strong 2022 season in Las Vegas, ranking 16th overall among the league's interior defenders. With the Raiders hoping to get Josh Jacobs running at a better pace, Billings can have a huge impact by plugging the interior.

5. CB Kyler Gordon

If Gordon matches in the slot against Hunter Renfrow, it should be a mismatch athletically. Gordon is a 4.5-second defensive back and has given up an 89.6 passer rating for his 62 defensive plays this year. Of course, numerous defensive backs have matched up better against Renfrow athletically and were still burned because he is crafty. However, this is a matchup the Bears should win. The problem for the Bears is the Raiders have plenty of other shorter targets to throw to with tight ends Austin Hooper and Michael Mayer available.

6. LB Tremaine Edmunds

Edmunds has been slowly working into that middle linebacker role for the Matt Eberflus 4-3 but last week was far more effective both at forcing passes to go to the outside, because of his great height and reach, and also at making a big play. He came up with the ball knocked loose by T.J. Edwards on a sack. Veteran Raiders backup QB Brian Hoyer, a former Bear, is at his best attacking the middle of the field and isn't exactly a strong-armed passer at 38 years old. O'Connell, as a rookie, will be more likely to look short and inside first. They won't find the middle of the field a friendly place with Edmunds and Gordon in coverage.

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