5 players the Bears need to play well to beat Rams

1. Andy Dalton, QB

Simply put, no one needs to play better in Week 1 than that of “QB1” Andy Dalton. In fact, Dalton needs to play well on a weekly basis, considering the short leash he may be on.

The Bears, looking to find their long-term quarterback solution following the failed Mitchell Trubisky experiment, signed Dalton to a one-year deal worth $10 million. Fans were not thrilled with the signing, but they became less ornery after the team traded up for Fields as he fell down the draft boards this past April.

Dalton is going to be under the proverbial microscope every single play this year. That was evident this preseason, as Bears fans booed him off the field after failed drives on offense. We must stress that this happened in the preseason. Imagine the reaction at Solider Field if Dalton underperforms during a regular-season game.

Head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace are on the hot seat entering the upcoming campaign. If Dalton does not play well, they will very likely jump at the opportunity to start Fields. Dalton can put a stop to that by putting up a solid performance against the Rams defense. He has the weapons around him at wide receiver, running back and tight end to succeed. But it is all up to him.