Justin Fields vs. Broncos pass rush is Week 4’s matchup to watch

No more excuses. No more waiting. No more references to the Detroit Lions’ 1-6 start in 2022.

I’m done. We all are.

The Bears have to win on Sunday.

I could talk all about the offseason promise this team had and regurgitate all of the hope held by the fans that has become nothing but a faint memory over the last three weeks. But I won’t put the broken record on the turntable. We all know what has to be done. The winning must start now, or we will look at a very different Chicago Bears organization in 2024.

Let’s be honest with ourselves: this team wasn’t beating the Kansas City Chiefs. But how they lost provided zero consolation, as the Bears were engulfed in the jaws of defeat.

Receivers couldn’t get open, the defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed, and Patrick Mahomes gashed Chicago for 272 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of play.

Those are appalling numbers for a team led by a supposed defensive guru (Matt Eberflus).

The Bears won’t face a team with a championship-caliber roster reminiscent of the Chiefs in Week 4. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The Denver Broncos have had as bad — or worse — of a start as Chicago.

The Bears have reached a point in their schedule where they actually have some winnable games on deck. Yes, even that simplistic of a statement sounds overly optimistic. However, teams with winning records delivered their 0-3 start. From now until their bye week, five of their next eight games are against opponents with a losing record.

Things can certainly change during the next two months, but the Bears have the best opportunity for a “get right” game on Sunday against the equally disappointing Denver Broncos.

Sean Payton and the Russell Wilson-led Broncos got torched by 50 points against the Miami Dolphins last Sunday and were outgained by almost 400 total yards (726-363) in a 70-20 blowout loss. While the Bears might be in shambles, so are the Broncos. This is either the season’s turning point or the final nail in the coffin.

With rejuvenation for the season on the line, this “matchup to watch” will say a lot about the future of both franchises.

Quinn Harris Getty Images

Justin Fields vs. Denver Broncos Pass Rush

Yes. I ’m being a little redundant here, but we need to see what Fields can do in a winnable game.

We’ll also have to wait and see the status of Frank Clark (who was ruled out in Denver’s Week 3 matchup against Miami), but Week 4 is all about Fields against the Broncos’ pass rush.

Justin Fields will finally have the matchup he needs to show what he is capable of. After throwing shy of 100 passing yards in the Bears’ debacle against the Chiefs, he now faces a weak Denver defensive front that has been pretty awful at generating quarterback pressure.

Denver’s pass rush struggles aren’t just a result of their Week 3 loss. This has been lingering since last season and has been prevalent in all three games that they’ve played in 2023. In their Week 1 divisional matchup against the Raiders, the Broncos generated zero quarterback hits. Zero.

This is a dream scenario for Fields to start getting in a rhythm and to get the ball downfield.

The Bears offensive line, however, is still atrocious. While I think it will be easier for the Broncos to get pressure on Fields than it has been with other quarterbacks they’ve faced this season, this is the most favorable matchup that the Bears offense has had all season.

Fields’ TD-INT ratio needs to be shifted in a different direction after Sunday. It starts with better pocket presence and field awareness against a sub-par Denver pass rush. This matchup is the confidence boost he needs — and he’s got to take advantage of it.

If Justin Fields can’t generate a positive stat line against a slightly banged-up Denver defense, the Bears are in trouble for weeks to come.

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