The first road game of the season is upon the Cardinals as they prepare for their battle with the Monsters of the Midway in Chicago. However, this is definitely not your grandpa’s Bears. This is a much more offensive minded team in the Windy City, yet there is a lot to be desired even from that side of the ball if you are a Bears fan. The Cardinals will look to see if they can pick up that first road win of the young season and it will likely come down to a few key points in the game.Monsters of the Midway
Can Forte be corralled?
Matt Forte could rank as one of the best all around running backs in the NFL. The former second round pick from Tulane has put together an impressive resume thus far, though he is lost perhaps among the other premier backs in the league such as Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch. But this season already looks to be a great year for the back as his 2015 campaign started with a tremendous game in a loss to the Green Bay Packers. The former Tulane Green Wave ran for 141 yards and a touchdown while tying the team for most receptions at five. It will be interesting to see how the Cardinals defense tries to keep Forte from being the bell-cow that he has proven himself to be and from taking screen passes for major yardage. Against the Saints, the Cardinals defense showed a particular weakness to the screen and the Bears offensive line is one of the better run first units in the league with Pro bowler Kyle Long at right tackle leading the charge. If the Cardinals can keep Forte human for the game and get pressure inside to keep Forte from turning up the field they will force the Bears into a one dimensional offense and that in turn could lead to a huge game for the defensive backs.
Making Cutler act like Cutler
If there is one thing even Bears fans will agree upon is that Jay Cutler at times throws some unbelievably bad balls into coverage. Even Neil O’Donnell in Super Bowl 30 would be shocked at how badly Cutler reads the defense and throws into the chest of a wide open corner at times. Last game against the Packers, Cutler threw a pick to Clay Matthews that pretty much sealed the deal against their division rivals and the Cardinals will look to make it two weeks in a row that Cutler throws an interception to start the young season. Rashad Johnson had the lone takeaway for the Cardinals that stalled a Saints offense that really didn’t find it’s rhythm the whole game. And with Alshon Jeffery looking like he may be struggling with calf and hamstring injuries it would appear that he may not even suit up for the home team, limiting Cutler to his big tight end Martellus Bennett and receivers Marquess Wilson and Eddie Royal whom signed with the team from San Diego in the offseason. Watch for the defensive backs and maybe even the linebackers in James Bettcher’s defense to jump some routes and go after those bad passes.
Is Chris Johnson still a starting running back?
With Andre Ellington suffering the PCL sprain in their week one victory, the Cardinals will look towards former 2,000 yard rusher Chris Johnson as the starter to carry the load in the running game for the team. It remains to be seen if Johnson is still capable of being a work horse back in the league again after struggling in his last few years with the Titans and seemingly glued to the bench during his nightmarish stint with the New York Jets. Should he still be able to show his premier form, it will be interesting to see how Johnson attacks the Bears new 3-4 defense under new head coach John Fox. More than likely the Cardinals will look to put Johnson out on the edge and stretch plays to take advantage of Johnson’s break neck speed to hit the C-gaps. With free agent guard Mike Iupati still out with his knee injury it will be difficult to get the inside runs to work, but the team is looking forward to his week 3 return. That being said, Johnson will need to put up more than 37 yards as he did in the last game and keep Palmer from throwing over 30 times again in this game as to avoid any pressure on the quarterback against the Bears defense. If the running game shows early signs of dominance, the team could look to use the play-action to bring in the young and vulnerable defensive backfield for the Bears.
The trip into Chicago would be a death sentence for a young team like the Cardinals years ago, but as said earlier, this isn’t your grandpa’s Bears. The likely deciding factor will be the play of the Cardinals on third down defensively and if they can get Cutler off the field quickly. The more time they have the ball the better, as it will keep Forte from getting into a rhythm and force Cutler to make a play and maybe try to fit a ball into a window that isn’t quite there.
Final score: Cardinals 31 – Bears 17