3 Bears who should feast against the lowly Jaguars: Tea time in the end zone with Caleb and Rome
Sometimes the NFL's London games can be a bit of a slog, but their recent offensive explosions point towards the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears putting on a show when they meet this Sunday.
The Jags let multiple winnable games slip through their fingers to start the year, but they finally got in the win column this past Sunday. Big performances from Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas Jr. and Tank Bigsby led the way, and the 37 points they put up were just enough to topple the Colts in a 37-34 barnburner.
The Bears also won on Sunday, their second game in a row, though they had a much easier time in blowing out the sorry Panthers 36-10. Now at 3-2, they're hoping to continue their winning streak and stay in the increasingly competitive NFC playoff race.
One of the highlights of traveling internationally is indulging in the local cuisine. Though we don't know if Matt Eberfus and his team will be eating fish and chips or bangers and mash during their time across the pond, we can be reasonably certain that some players will feast on the field thanks to some delectable matchups. Let's take a look at three who could be primed for a big day.
Caleb Williams will continue his hot play against a vulnerable Jaguars secondary
Former U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss may not have been able to outlast a head of lettuce during her short 45-day stay in office, but Caleb Williams will prove that rookies can succeed in England. Caleb has improved with each passing week after having a rough debut against the Titans, and his 304-yard, two-touchdown, zero-turnover performance against the Panthers was his best yet.
The dysfunctional Panthers have 99 problems, but entering the game against the Bears, their pass defense, led by cornerback Jaycee Horn, wasn't one. No matter, as Caleb threw for 72 more yards than any other quarterback has against them this season, a list that includes Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr.
The Jaguars have been getting attacked through the air all year, and they've shown no ability to stop it. Joe Flacco lit them up for 359 yards last week, and if he'd gotten one more three-yard completion, the Jags would have overtaken the Ravens for most passing yards allowed in the NFL. As it stands, they're still allowing more than 300 yards passing per game in a time when passing stats are down around the league.
Jacksonville doesn't have a single interception this year, but opposing quarterbacks have 10 passing touchdowns against them. Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron will take full advantage, and with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet and D'Andre Swift as weapons, he'll put Caleb in a position to succeed.
Rome Odunze will have his second big game of the season
Rome Odunze has looked like a star-in-the-making since putting on a Bears uniform, but as we just pointed out, there are a lot of mouths to feed in this Bears offense. This has resulted in 15 catches for 206 yards and a touchdown through five weeks, a modest statistical output for the first-year receiver.
Odunze showed what he can do against the Colts in Week 3, going off for six catches for 112 yards and a score. He also reeled in five balls for 40 yards last week, but he's been quiet otherwise, with just four receptions combined in the Bears' other three games.
This game against the Jaguars is the perfect opportunity for Rome to pop off again. We went over some of the overall statistical deficiencies of the Jacksonville pass defense when talking about Caleb Williams, but more specifically, the Jags have allowed more fantasy points per game to receivers lined up wide than any other team in the league.
Keenan Allen, with his route-running ability and nose for the first down marker, is best utilized in the slot. Rome, with his size and speed, is an ideal complement to DJ Moore out wide. Moore should feast on Sunday as well, but that wouldn't be a surprise, even though he'll likely draw the bulk of the defense's attention after his 105-yard, two-touchdown effort against his old team last week.
If Jags defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen doesn't pay extra attention to Moore, his defense's only chance at stopping the Bears is if it can get to Caleb Williams before he can find his top receiver. Look for him to double Moore every chance he gets, which should open some big play possibilities and a lot of open looks for Rome. Expect the rookie to have a big day in his international debut.
Montez Sweat is due for a breakout game
Let's move to the other side of the ball to find one more Bear that will have a big day. With two sacks and six tackles, Montez Sweat hasn't had a flashy season to this point, but he's still a big reason the Bears can credibly say that they have one of the best defenses in the league.
Sweat is absorbing double teams more than anyone else on this defense, which has cleared the way for Gervon Dexter Sr. to bust loose for four sacks. He's also played through nagging elbow and ankle injuries that have limited him in practice for much of the year, but this is the first time since Week 2 that he hasn't appeared on the injury report.
Both of Jacksonville's starting tackles have been suspect when it comes to pass protection, as Cam Robinson has allowed four sacks and Anton Harrison has allowed two. Jaquan Brisker is out for the Bears with a concussion, and Tyrique Stevenson is doubtful with a calf injury he sustained in practice this week, which means that Trevor Lawrence will be throwing early and often to try to capitalize.
Matt Eberflus will need Sweat to win his matchups on the outside to take away Lawrence's time to throw, and with a clean bill of health, I expect that he will. Look for him to sack Lawrence once or twice and pressure him throughout the game.