The Chicago Bears will face the Carolina Panthers this Sunday, marking the beginning of a crucial stretch for the Bears. They have five games before they start playing divisional games. They need to maintain a positive record over these next five games, as the NFC North is looking very strong this year.
However, in the NFL, you can't look ahead on the schedule, so the Bears will have to be ready to face off against their former quarterback, Andy Dalton. The Panthers' offense looks much different under Dalton than it did under Bryce Young, so it should be interesting to see what game plan Matt Eberflus draws up.
The good news is the Bears have a great defense and they have been up for every challenge thrown at them so far. They are holding teams to 18.8 points per game through the first four games and taking the ball away at a high rate. Getting to the quarterback is going to be very important in this game and there is one player who is doing that quite a bit in the first few games.
Gervon Dexter has been quietly impacting plays in the passing game this season. Montez Sweat gets a lot of attention for his play. and rightfully so, but Dexter has 3 sacks through the first 4 games, and he looks like he is just getting started. Putting pressure on the quarterback from the middle, as Dexter does, could lead to Andy Dalton making mistakes. Forcing quarterback mistakes has been crucial in both of the Bears' wins so far, and if they can continue to do so, it may lead to another victory.
On the other hand, Chicago Bears rookie Rome Odunze has been relatively quiet in the first four games. However, this is not due to a lack of talent. Odunze has been targeted downfield frequently this season, but he and Williams have struggled to connect on those passes. I expect this to change soon, and I believe this week could be when we finally see the rookie-to-rookie connection come to life.
These two young, up-and-coming players could play a huge role this whole season, and it could all start this week. It'll be interesting to see how the defense game plans for this new Panthers offense. It'll also be interesting to see how effective the offense can be, both on the ground and in the air. Getting both sides of the ball clicking at the same time is something Bears fans have been hoping to see for a long time.
