Matchup Troubles for Bears Against Tom Brady and Buccaneers

Whenever any team plays Tampa Bay the Tom Brady factor comes into play.

A player with enough experience and age to be a player-coach is going to generate this type of interest.

The Bears are 0-5 against Brady, one of five teams he's unbeaten against. The others are the Cowboys (5-0), Vikings (5-0), Falcons (6-0) and his own current team, the Buccaneers (4-0).

Yet, the problem when matching up against Brady is not trying to beat him, it's trying to stop his weapons.

Brady is the ultimate point guard, getting the ball out quickly to the open player or one who is coming open. They do the work.

Not particularly strong-armed and no longer the mobile player who once faked Brian Urlacher out of his shoes in the open field, Brady is still providing the brains of the operation and enough arm to get it to the players who can beat a defense.

Shut off Brady's weapons with good defense and you have a 43-year-old quarterback holding onto the football.

There are two players in particular the Bears have a matchup problem with Thursday on Tampa Bay's offense, and one on defense.

Bears OLB Roquan Smith vs. Buccaneers TE Rob Gronkowski

Earlier this season, Gronk told reporters he's now a blocking tight end. He was only kidding, but Tampa Bay was using him more to block because they also have O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate. Howard just suffered an Achilles injury. Brate is still a receiving threat. The Bears can anticipate now Brady will rely on his old friend in the passing game because of all the injuries Tampa Bay has, not only to Howard but also to wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Brady is more likely to try to make it look like the good old days and try to get it to Gronk, who has had two catches or less in three of Tampa Bay's four games and averages only 9.7 yards a catch. Has Gronk lost it after being out of the game for a year and joining a new team? Gronk isn't likely to be a big target downfield and the Bears will try to get him covered with linebacker Roquan Smith, or he'll be trying to block Smith on plenty of running plays. Smith is coming off his best game of the year with 13 tackles, including three for loss. Smith definitely has the speed to cover Gronk, but gives up 5 inches in coverage. The Bears have faced Gronk just twice and none of their current defensive players were on the defense then. He had 14 receptions for 192 yards and four touchdowns against them, and scored three TDs in the last one when Marc Trestman was coach.

Bears CB Kyle Fuller or CB Jaylon Johnson vs. Buccaneers WR Mike Evans

With Chris Godwin hurting and unlikely to be ready, Evans will get the burden of being the outside deep threat. He normally will line up on Fuller's side, but could fill the X receiver spot on the left side as well and match up with Johnson, the Bears rookie. At 6-foot-5, 231, Evans is more than a match physically for any defensive back. Evans has an ankle injury but it isn't actually the main injury concern for Tampa Bay. Coach Bruce Arians has already said he doesn't expect Godwin to play Thursday, so it will be on a banged-up Evans to produce the big downfield plays. Fuller is coming off a rare mistake-prone game. He was beaten on a deep ball and flagged for interfering with T.Y. Hilton on the play. It's been a decent season for Fuller, who has one interception. Pro Football Focus only spots him a grade of 64.6 but Sportradar, the league's official stat partner, has him at 37% completions allowed on 27 targets (10 completions) and only a passer rating allowed of 49.2 when targeted.

Bears LT Charles Leno Jr. vs. Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett

Few thought much of Barrett when he left Denver in free agency but 19 1/2 sacks last year and three more this year and he's an obvious source of problems for the Bears. Barrett gives defensive coordinator Todd Bowles the pass rush threat he didn't really have when he blitzed on about every down with the Jets. Barrett will go to either side of the formation, much like the Bears used to use Khalil Mack before Robert Quinn's arrival limited this movement. It's on the Bears' left side where the matchup problem exists against this 250-pound, speedy pass rusher. Leno often gets criticism from Bears fans but so far has had a respectable start under new offensive line coach Juan Castillo. He has allowed one sack and committed only one penalty, a hold. All tackles should be benefiting from the lack of fans in stadiums so they can hear the snap count better, and more than one reputable league source has noted how officials have been eating a lot of flags on possible holding penalties this season for some reason. Still, Leno's pass blocking has been solid. It's going to need to be in this matchup against a speed rusher.

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