Bear Digest

Where Bears' matchups against Lions can look different this time

The top matchups favoring the Bears in Sunday's game at Soldier Field, a picture that can look quite different than back in Week 2.
Gene Chamberlain|
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet hauls in a touchdown pass at Soldier Field last season against Detroit.
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet hauls in a touchdown pass at Soldier Field last season against Detroit. | Audrey Richardson / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Bears have been reminded constantly throughout this week by everyone imaginable about their Week 2 game, the blowout loss at Detroit.

Nothing like it happened again to the Bears, although they definitely had a few disappoints along the way. It served as one of a few turning points in their remarkable climb to a division title.

“That can go one of two ways after games like that," linebacker T.J. Edwards said. "I think it kind of shows where we're at right now."

It helped define this team when they came back the next week and thoroughly defeated Dallas.

"It's rare to have in a team where everyone's on the same page and everyone's understanding what we're trying to get done," Edwards said. "Which allows when those things are going wrong, it allows us to kind of come together and make sure that it doesn't stay that way."

The Bears went on to an 11-5 record. They're a different team than in the first game against the Lions both as a group and also individually in many ways. The Lions have descended in many ways for various reasons, injuries being a major part of it.

How it all works out in a game meaningless to Detroit but with seeding repercussions for the Bears will be intriguing Sunday. So will many of the matchups.

Here are are the matchups trending in the Bears' favor heading into the regular-season finale.

TE Colston Loveland vs. S Daniel Thomas

Loveland has been on fire over the second half of the season, especially as his ability run deeper routes is explored to a greater degree. Thomas is a 5-foot-10, 215-pound safety going against 6-6, 241-pound Loveland. The deep speed Loveland has makes him more like a big wide receiver at times. When Caleb Williams targets Loveland, he has a 121.8 passer rating. It's been over 100 in seven of the last nine games. Thomas is starting as a backup because of the season-ending injury to Brian Branch. His passer rating against this year when targeted is 127.8, according to Pro Football Focus.  This is a matchup the Lions may seek to avoid and they might assign the slot or free safety to Loveland but that could expose the secondary to faster wide receivers and open the deep middle.

WR Luther Burden III vs CB Amik Robertson

Robertson has normally been average to slightly above average in coverage but this year has dropped greatly and is 105th out of 112 cornerbacks in coverage based on PFF grading. They list his passer rating against as 110.4. The other cornerback playing extensively due to Lions injuries and could be matched up on Burden is veteran journeyman Rock Ya-Sin, who has done a solid job playing for his sixth team. Robertson in the slot is the situation the Bears will want to attack. The only thing slowing down Burden in the second half of his rookie season has been an ankle injury. He appears over that, as well as a quad injury that he was reported to have suffered last week. He was removed from the injury report and is clear to play. Burden has a 124.5 passer rating when targeted, the best on the Bears. He's been over 100 in each of the past three games and has 22 catches or 322 yards in his last four.

T Ozzy Trapilo vs. DE Marcus Davenport

Trapilo has been dealing with two injuries this week but even if Theo Benedet starts, the situation should be similar. Both tackles have been strong as run blockers and Davenport, an often-injured veteran, has been having trouble this year on all fronts. Tackling and run-stopping problems have been real issues according to PFF. He is graded 97th among 115 defensive ends at stopping the run, and only slightly better at 94th as a pass rusher. Trapilo continues to ascend the blocking charts and is now 36th among 86 tackles graded by PFF, a strong number for a rookie, let alone one who didn't start until halfway into the season. The only two sacks he allowed were against the Browns and Myles Garrett, and has committed only two penalties.

TE Cole Kmet vs. LB Derrick Barnes

Barnes has had a generally average year as the strongside linebacker but his one flaw has been pass coverage, as it is for most strongside linebackers in a 4-3 scheme. Kmet could be open on the shorter routes. He took a while to adjust to the extensive use of 12-personnel and to find his role in the passing game or Williams has taken a while to get to him in the progression. But over the last seven games has 17 of his 28 receptions and is helping the chains move while providing vital edge run blocking.

DE Montez Sweat vs. T Kayode Awosika

Penei Sewell's availability remains uncertain but if the All-Pro isn't at right tackle it would be Awosika, provided he is over an illness he had this week. He also had a recent foot injury that no longer appears to be a problem. Awosika is a former Eagles player and in his fifth year with 11 pro starts, including four this season. Sweat needs half a sack to hit double figures for the year and remains one of the best Bears run defenders with a team-high 13 tackles for loss.

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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.