Bear Digest

Where Chicago Bears have trouble matching up with Baltimore Ravens

Several standout Ravens performers and lesser known players who will be facing substitutes figure to give the Chicago Bears defense fits Sunday in Baltimore.
Gene Chamberlain|
Mark Andrews has had a slow start after a key playoff drop but remains a dangerous threat to the Bears linebackers and secondary.
Mark Andrews has had a slow start after a key playoff drop but remains a dangerous threat to the Bears linebackers and secondary. | Quinn Harris-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Quarterback Lamar Jackson's recovery can mean numerous problems on different levels for the Bears Sunday at Baltimore.

Jackson's ability to go through a limited workout on Wednesday after a hamstring injury not only brings one of the game's most dynamic players into play but his presence also allows several other Ravens advantages they might not have otherwise had.

The Ravens had passer ratings of 76.4, 58.1 and 44.2 from Cooper Rush and 76.5 from Tyler Huntley in Jackson's absence. So it's easy to see why they've slipped to 1-5 and are a desperate team with Jackson's return Sunday against the Bears.

Playing the Chiefs, Texans and Rams during Jackson's injury didn't help their chances.

"I know coming off a bye week here, they'll be fresh, they'll be rested, they'll be ripping and roaring, ready to go," Bears coach Ben Johnson said.

The Bears' own injury situation adds to their problems with matchups when they face Jackso

Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson missed Wednesday's practice wit a shoulder  injury and Johnson's description that he is day-to-day or week-to-week doesn't say he'll be able to get on the field this week.

Nahshon Wright, at the other cornerback, has a hip issue and was limited Wednesday at practice after he came out of Sunday's win before he returned and finished.

DJ Moore (hip), Roschon Johnson (back), Cole Kmet (back) and D'Andre Swift (groin) missing Wednesday's practice make for a tougher Bears situation as the game draws closer. Swift and Moore had injuries and dealt with them last week, so even missing practice time might not mean they'll miss the game.

Here are the matchup where the Bears face the most problems with Baltimore.

CB Nahshon Wright vs. WR Zay Flowers

Wright has had problems with speed receivers and at 5-foot-9, 183, Flower can test the 6-foot-4 cornerback. Flowers already has 34 catches for 423 yards despite the injury issue for his quarterback, and is ahead of pace to pass his totals of his first two seasons. QBs have had a passer rating over 100 when targeting him throughout his career. PFF grades him 25th among league wide receivers, just ahead of Bears receiver Rome Ozdunze. Wright is graded 74th among 112 cornerbacks by PFF.

After a rough start, his passer rating against when targeted has come down and is at 93.6 according to Stathead/Pro Football Reference. He allowed 19 catches in 29 targets (65.5%) with two interceptions but he also has allowed three TDs according to Stathead. The Bears had to use Kyler Gordon at his spot briefly when he left with an injury Sunday, and his status for this week is worth monitoring.

CB Nick McCloud vs. WR Rashod Bateman

McCloud is a backup cornerback who first replaced Gordon in the slot and last week came in for Stevenson after the shoulder injury. McCloud is better in the slot than outside and is graded 95th out of 112 cornerbacks this year. PFF gives him a 154.5 passer rating against when targeted, which is close to the worst possible rating. Bateman is off to a slow start with 11 catches for 120 yards. He has 149 catches in five seasons and against most starting cornerbacks would not have an advantage.

DT Andrew Billings vs. C Tyler Linderbaum

Billings isn't having a bad year, and is graded 29th against the run among 124 defensive interior players by PFF but this time he's up against a two-time Pro Bowl center who is graded the third-best run blocker among centers by PFF and has the 18th best ESPN run block win rate among all guards and centers. Neither Billings nor Linderbaum are having great seasons in the passing game but it's in the trench and the running game where Lindberbaum lets the Ravens get to the second level and occupy linebackers so Derrick Henry can break for bigger yards.

LB D'Marco Jackson vs. TE Mark Andrews

Jackson played last week for Noah Sewell, who is still in the concussion protocol. He's a player the Bears signed after being cut by the Saints and pitted against Andrews in pass coverage would be a mismatch, although he did have a pass breakup last week. It's likely the Bears will be in a great deal more base defense because of Baltimore's power running with 300-pound fullback Patrick Ricard and Henry, and with Jackson's ability to run the ball.

Andrews had a slow start after his big dropped pass in the playoffs and the 6-5, 250-pounder is averaging a career low of 8.3 yards a catch, but should be elevated with Lamar Jackson back. The Bears may need to devote Jaquan Brisker to coverage to stop Andrews at times.

RB D'Andre Swift vs. LB Roquan Smith

Smith finally gets a chance for his revenge game. He has waited since 2022 for this but who exactly is he getting the revenge against? Ryan Poles? How can it be revenge when Smith himself said he was elated to be with a team that always is in contention? Smith is coming off a hamstring injury but speed and violence are his game. He'll be chasing a running back with injury concerns himself. Swift has been nursing a groin injury for a couple of weeks and while he has he gained over 100 yards both times. Facing a defense with five-time All-Pro is a difficult assignment for Swift.

Smith has the handicap of a defensive line struggling to stop running attacks. When Smith was healthy, the Ravens gave up 108, 115, 118 and 224 yards rushing and it was largely because their defensive front hasn't been doing as good of a job occupying blockers. Regardless, because of Smith it doesn’t shape up as a week when the Bears can count on the running game to carry the offense. They’ll need Caleb Williams and the passing attack to step up.

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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.