GAMEDAY: Bears at Jaguars TV, Radio, Odds and the Pick
Chicago Bears (7-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-13)
Kickoff: Noon, TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.
TV: CBS (Greg Gumbel, Rich Gannon, Jay Feely)
Radio: WBBM-AM 780, 105.9 FM (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Mark Grote)
Spanish: Univision Deportes 1200 AM, 93.5 FM (Hector Lopez, Miguel Esparza)
Sirius/XM: Ch. 229 (Streaming 805).
The Series: Eighth matchup. The Bears lead the series 4-3. They won the last game in Jacksonville 41-3 in 2012. The Jaguars won the last game, 17-16 in Chicago in 2016.
The Line: Bears by 7 1/2 (47 over/under).
BearDigest Pick: Bears 27, Jaguars 13
Last Week: The Bears went on the road and defeated Minnesota 33-27 in an NFC North showdown between 6-7 teams fighting for a wild-card berth, as David Montgomery had career highs of 32 rushing attempts and 146 yards.
The Jaguars lost for the 13th straight time, 40-14 to the Baltimore Ravens as Lamar Jackson threw for three TDs and ran for one. After an interception, Baltimore scored touchdowns or field goals on six of its next seven possessions.
The Coaches: Bears coach Matt Nagy is 27-19 in his third year and has not faced Jacksonville.
Jaguars coach Doug Marrone is 38-58 in six NFL seasons including 23-41 in four seasons with Jacksonville. He is 1-0 against the Bears.
The Quarterbacks: Mitchell Trubisky makes his eighth start of the season and fifth straight. He Trubisky in four starts since returning from a Week 3 benching is 91 of 134 for 978 yards with eight TDs, three interceptions and a passer rating of 99.7. For the year he is 142 of 220 for 1,538 yards with 14 TDs, six INTs and a passer rating of 94.8. His yards per attempt is 7.0.
Jaguars quarterback Mike Glennon was signed by the Bears in 2017 during free agency and made the starter while Trubisky learned and watched, but Glennon suffere through four games, including three losses, and was benched. He didn't play again for the Bears. Glennon this year has started three games, the first three he started since leaving Chicago at the end of 2017. He is 61 of 100 for 600 yards with three TDs and three INTs and a passer rating of 75.4. Glennon started a 27-25 loss to Cleveland, 27-24 loss at Minnesota and on Dec. 13 in his last start the Jaguars suffered a 31-10 loss to Tennessee.
Injury Report
Bears
Out
- CB Jaylon Johnson (shoulder)
- CB Buster Skrine (concussion)
- TE Demetrius Harris (foot)
Questionable
- OLB Khalil Mack (shoulder)
- DE Akiem Hicks (ankle)
- DE Mario Edwards Jr. (hamstring)
- WR Allen Robinson II (hamstring)
- DB Duke Shelley (foot/knee)
- S Deon Bush (foot)
- RB Cordarrelle Patterson (knee)
- NT Bilal Nichols (knee)
Jaguars
Out
- RB James Robinson (ankle)
- CB Sidney Jones (achilles)
- WR Collin Johnson (hamstring)
The Jaguars have announced Mike Glennon will start over Gardner Minshew at quarterback.
Matching Up
The Bears are 27th on offense, 22nd passing and 24th rushing. On defense the Bears are 14th overall, 13th against the pass and 16th against the run.
The Jaguars are 23rd on offense, 21st passing and 23rd rushing. On defense the Jaguars are 32nd (last), 28th against the pass and 30th against the run.
Key Individual Matchups
Bears OLB Khalil Mack vs. Jaguars RT Jawaan Taylor
Mack has applied steady pressure each of the last two games despite the usual tactics of double-teaming, chipping, and strangles around the neck which go uncalled. He had a sack and a half, a safety and seems to have found a higher level despite numerous minor injuries. Taylor has struggled as a pass blocker all season after being solid, bordering on strong, last year. He has a pass-blocking grade of 50.5 from Pro Football Focus and has allowed eight sacks on the year, the second-highest total allowed in the league at his position according to PFF. Taylor is 6-foot-5, 312, and has good quickness but not the overwhelming strength some right tackle maulers possess. He's in his second season and hasn't faced Mack. Mack's favorite power moves along the edge could work to disrupt Jacksonville's offense but Bears pass rushers do have to be aware of Minshew's ability to move.
Bears G Cody Whitehair vs Jaguars DT Doug Costin
Whitehair threw possibly the most powerful block of the year last week for the Bears on a David Montgomery run and registered a pancake. Whitehair and center Sam Mustipher have a good sense of how to get into the second level to occupy linebackers or strong safeties. Whitehair isn't a massive blocker who overwhelms but wins with technique and can find this a better matchup since Costin is not an oversized two-gapper at 6-2, 295. Costin is a steady player but part of the reason the Jaguars struggle to stop the run.
Bears TE Cole Kmet vs. Jaguars SS Josh Jones
After a few weeks blossoming, Kmet was held to two receptions last week when the Bears had to worry about strong safety Harrison Smith, one of the best in the business. Kmet was a heavy contributor in the running game as a blocker, though. Kmet has 11 catches for 90 yards in the last three games as the Bears have tried to defenses choose between covering him or covering deeper against wide receivers on bootleg passes. Jones has been more of a help in run support than in pass coverage as he doesn't have a pass defensed. He has a passer rating against of 122.8 when targeted, according to Sportradar, and allows an 87.5% completion rate.
Bears WR Allen Robinson II vs. Jaguars CB Chris Claybrooks
Claybrooks returned from injured reserve last week and made little impact with two tackles. He's giving up 5 inches to Robinson and during this season has a 146.6 rating against with 76.9% of passes completed when targeted. Last week they inserted Greg Mabin at the position and he actually matches up better with the 6-2 Robinson because he's 6-1 and plays physical. He's not much different in effectiveness, as he has a 123.9 passer rating allowed. Mabin gave up Dez Bryant's TD catch last week. Robinson was shut down in terms of overall receptions by the Vikings' young defenders last week, although he did pile up 83 yards. He'll no doubt be out to make a statement as he goes against the franchise he started with before a torn ACL in 2017. Robinson will also be playing after being snubbed in Pro Bowl voting for the second straight year.
Of Note
The Bears are going for their seventh winning streak of at least three games under coach Matt Nagy in his three seasons. ... ILB Roquan Smith has 17 tackles for loss and needs three from setting a record currently held by Brian Urlacher 2002) and Alex Brown (2008). Smith's 17 TFLs trail only Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt (22) this season. ... WR Allen Robinson needs 10 receptions for a career-high of 100. It would be the fifth time someone has done this for the Bears. ... Kicker Cairo Santos has 22 straight field goals, four short of Robbie Gould's franchise record. ... Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald are the only two players with at least eight sacks in each of the past six seasons. ... Jaguars rookie slot receiver Laviska Shenault aims for his third straight game with five or more catches. His 47 receptions are third most in the AFC among rookie receivers. ... DE Dawuane Smoot has three sacks in the last four games.
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