Matchup Worries for Bears Against Buccaneers

There's little doubt what lies in store for the Bears in Tampa aside from temperatures in the 90s and high humidity.

It's the blitz Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles relies upon so heavily.

"Any time you play coach Bowles, that is what you have to prepare for," Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. "He is as good as anybody in the league at attacking you on offense, being aggressive.

"So they did that to Minnesota last week, 70-some percent of the snaps. That's who they are, that's their makeup, that's been that way. That's a huge part of our plan."

It could mean more playing time for rookie running back Roschon Johnson because of the blocking ability he displayed during the loss to Green Bay.

"He can be a good asset," quarterback Justin Fields said.

Pass blocking is usually not the forte of rookies but Johnson's different.

"He's smart, he's a reliable player," Fields said. "Whatever we ask him to do, he's going to do it. With no hesitation."

The game could come down to how well Fields stands up to pressure or is protected from it. Last year, he was pressured the ninth-most times in the league, according to Sportradar (119 pressures). He ranked in the bottom half of the league in facing up to QB pressure all year, according to PFF. However, his scrambling also gives blitzing teams cause for concern because they could be pressuring him right into a breakaway touchdown run.

The blitz is not all the Bears have to worry about against Tampa Bay. Some of the Buccaneers cause matchup problems for every team. Considering the Bears were burned last week by a completely inexperienced Green Bay receiver corps and quarterback, there's a great deal to fear from Tampa Bay's offense.

Here are the players who can make it a long day for the Bears in the Tampa Heat.

#Bears DC Alan Williams will not travel to Tampa this weekend because of personal reasons. Head coach Matt Eberflus will call the defense on Sunday.
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) September 15, 2023

1. DT Vita Vea

The 6-foot-4, 347-pound interior defensive lineman could be a problem for Bears guards and center Lucas Patrick because they had trouble last week handling smaller Packers. Vea has had a few good games against the Bears in the past. He has 18 career sacks, 24 tackles for loss, 44 quarterback hits and 66 pressures in five years despite playing a position usually reserved for being a run plug. In the last two games with the Bears Vea has had six tackles, two for loss, a sack, a fumble recovery and a pass deflected. Probably it will be guard Cody Whitehair and center Lucas Patrick trying to contain him.

So looks like Carlton Davis, Calijah Kancey and SirVocea Dennis all out Sunday vs. Bears with lingering injuries. Big game for Zyon McCollum, and Bowles said they have confidence in his ability to step up.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) September 15, 2023

2. WR Mike Evans

At 6-5, 231, Evans can be a classic X-receiver but has the capability to play all over the field. He started the season last week off with a touchdown catch and six receptions for 66 yards. Baker Mayfield targeted him 10 times in that game. Now in his 10th season, Evans has been remarkably consistent regardless of the quality of quarterback. So playing with Mayfield for the first season shouldn't be a factor. He could get Jaylon Johnson covering him or Tyrique Stevenson because the double-edged sword with teammate Chris Godwin makes it difficult to attach any one cornerback as a lockdown. Evans made six catches for 76 yards and three touchdowns in the 2021 matchup between these teams after being held to five catches for 41 yards and a TD the previous season in Chicago. He was instrumental in a 2017 season-opening route of the Bears with seven catches for 93 yards and a TD, as well. He has 35 catches for 443 yards and six TDs in seven games against the Bears.

3. Wide Receiver Chris Godwin

Godwin had five catches for 55 yards in the opening win by Tampa Bay at Minnesota and in 2021 against a different Bears defensive scheme and regime he made eight receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. The Bears lucked out and didn't face him in 2020 at Soldier Field in the 20-19 win, aka "the night Tom Brady forgot what down it was." The 6-foot-1, 208-pounder can hurt the Bears from all over the field, just like Evans.

4. T Tristan Wirfs

If the Bears are hoping for better pressure this week from defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, they could be in trouble. Wirfs is likely to be blocking him and is a two-time Pro Bowl tackle and former All-Pro. The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder said this week he's looking forward to getting the run game going because the Buccaneers were held to only 73 yards rushing last week by Minnesota. Wirfs had an outstanding 87.6 pass blocking grade from PFF in the opener.

5. OLB Shaquil Barrett

The former Denver linebacker came into his own as a Tampa Bay pass rusher and remains a threat in his ninth season, fifth with the Buccaneers. He had a slow start by his standards last week with two quarterback hits and no sack after he had a torn Achilles tendon end his season following eight games in 2022. He had three sacks before his injury last year. His 19 1/2 sacks while on a one-year contract in his first Buccaneers season with followed by 18 over the next two seasons. Barrett is playing after a family tragedy in the off-season. His 2-year-old daughter drowned in the family's swimming pool during the spring. Barrett will be going against Braxton Jones, a week after Jones drew four penalty flags according to NFLGSIS.com. Pro Football Focus did not give Jones blame for a sack allowed but there was one when the edge rusher on his side came free for a sack. This could be a tough Bears matchup.

6. CB Jamel Dean

The Buccaneers can get away with blitzing so much because of their cornerbacks. Dean last year allowed an open receiver on just 31% of pass routes, according to PFF, and that put him eighth in the league. Carlton Davis was only a few spots behind Dean in this regard and both have seven career interceptions but Davis has a toe injury and is out in this one. The Bears receivers had trouble last week with Packers cornerbacks playing zone and two-man coverage.

Twitter@BearsOnMaven

Add us as a preferred source on Google