How will Foles and Brady fare in Super Bowl LII rematch? 5 things to watch for in Bears' game against Buccaneers.
CHICAGO — Tom Brady isn’t seen around these parts often. Brady has a 5-0 career record against the Chicago Bears, but Thursday night will mark only his third visit to Soldier Field. He led a 36-7 New England Patriots win in a snow-globe atmosphere in December 2010. Two years ago, Brady threw three touchdown passes as the Patriots held off the Bears, 38-31.
This week, in a battle of 3-1 teams, the Bears must find answers on defense and offense to topple Brady for the first time. As kickoff approaches, here’s a snapshot look at Thursday’s game.
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1. Players in the spotlight
Tom Brady, this is Nick Foles. Nick, this is Tom.
The introductions shouldn’t take long. Thursday night’s starting quarterbacks already know each other from somewhere. Super Bowl LII, specifically. That magical Sunday night in Minneapolis in February 2018 stands as the crowning achievement of Foles’ career. He threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns and caught a 1-yard TD pass on the now iconic “Philly Special” fourth-down gadget play. All of that helped carry the Philadelphia Eagles past the Patriots 41-33.
Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians remembers his viewing experience of the night Foles became a champion and a Super Bowl MVP.
“I was in Arizona. Just got off the golf course and was enjoying a pop,” Arians said Tuesday. “It was a hell of a ballgame. Nick was outstanding. They did a lot of really, really good things, and the ‘Philly Special’ was special.”
The stage and stakes for Thursday’s rematch will be considerably different. There will be 67,612 fewer fans in the stands, for starters. And no halftime show from Lady Gaga.
Still, for Foles and the Bears, it’s a big opportunity to stamp legitimacy on their fast start to the 2020 season.
Bears coach Matt Nagy continues to emphasize the ongoing process of establishing his connection as a play caller with Foles. Last week’s 19-11 home loss to the Indianapolis Colts was the first full game Nagy had with Foles, and the Bears offense sputtered.
Arians has experienced a similar orientation process with Brady this season and spoke of the challenges and keys to getting on the same page.
“It’s hard,” Arians said. “It’s easier with a young guy. You can pretty much mold him the way you want. But when you get a guy who has been in other systems, it’s a little more difficult. They see things one way. You see them another. Then you kind of meet in the middle.
“I’m blessed with Tom in that way. He has played great football for a long time and he has a lot of great ideas. So it’s mixing and matching and meeting in the middle a lot.”
As Foles and Nagy work to meet in the middle, at least the Bears quarterback has prior experience of outgunning Brady in a big game. Foles shared his memories of that unforgettable night this week.
“After a game like that, your life has obviously changed,” he said. “Just because of being a Super Bowl champ. I just remember I was holding my daughter, Lily, and I was looking out at my teammates and coaches and they’re embracing their families and loved ones. I just remember thinking that’s what it’s about. It’s not even about the game. It’s about the people you do it with and the hard journey you go on.”
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2. Pressing question
Can Khalil Mack and the Bears defense get back to their game-changing ways?
Mack was more than a little upset he dropped a tipped Philip Rivers pass Sunday that looked like a sure interception.
“I was devastated that I couldn’t make that play for our defense and our team,” Mack said Tuesday. “So, yeah, just understanding that, I’ll go out and make as many plays as I can to forget about that one.”
The Bears didn’t have a takeaway for the first time this season, and they sacked Rivers just once.
The Buccaneers have committed six turnovers, including four interceptions thrown by Tom Brady. But they also rank fourth in the league with a 3.23% rate of sacks allowed per pass attempt.
Mack called going up against Brady “a rare challenge” and said making plays against him when he gets the ball out quickly is a matter of playing with consistency.
“Staying consistent and playing with energy throughout the whole game,” Mack said. “Because there is going to be a spot where we can make that play and it’s going to be huge and it’s going to be more than one play. Just waiting on that break, and it’s going to happen.”
Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano is confident that if another ball comes Mack’s way, he’ll come through.
“I would have bet my entire salary on him making that play,” Pagano said. “If they did it again, I would bet on it again. Freak deal, one of those deals where sometimes you try so hard and it just doesn’t work out. I know next time he’ll take advantage of it.”
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3. Keep an eye on …
Bucs receiver Scotty Miller. A sixth-round pick out of Bowling Green in 2019, Miller already has surpassed his rookie season production and has developed a favorable rapport with Tom Brady. Through four games, Miller, who went to Barrington (Ill.) High School, leads the Buccaneers with 250 receiving yards on 15 catches and caught a 19-yard touchdown pass in last week’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Bucs’ weaponry in the passing game is diminished. Tight end O.J. Howard suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury last week, receiver Chris Godwin will miss his second consecutive game with a hamstring issue and Mike Evans is questionable with an ankle injury.
Brady has to throw the ball to someone. And while Miller has his own hip and groin issues to work around, the 5-foot-11, 174-pound slot receiver should see plenty of opportunity if he plays.
Bruce Arians has been pleased with the jump Miller has made in his second season.
“Small, fast guys sometimes only have speed,” Arians said. “But he has better releases (now). He’s got a better understanding of the game and the speed of the game. And now he’s got a really good rapport with Tom. So that helps.”
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4. Extra point
Bears rookie tight end Cole Kmet was on the field Sunday for 15 snaps, 24% of the Bears’ offensive plays. That was below his average of 30% over the first three games, and coach Matt Nagy said it wasn’t enough.
Nagy and offensive coordinator Bill Lazor expressed satisfaction with how the second-round pick has handled his adjustment to the NFL and pledged to get him more involved.
“He is doing a really good job at taking in this offense, which we knew from the get-go that he was going to,” Nagy said. “So now that he knows the tempo of the games, the adjustments, things that go on within the game, I feel like he’s ready. I hope you guys will start seeing more of him. He’s going to get more opportunities as we go. He’s earned that right.”
Lazor was clear that he still feels good about Kmet’s potential.
“I have zero question about Cole’s mental, physical, emotional ability to play at this level,” he said.
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5. Injury update
The Bears remain in relatively good health, even with a short turnaround for Thursday night. In the injury report issued Wednesday afternoon, safety Deon Bush was ruled out with a hamstring injury, and defensive back/special teams veteran Sherrick McManis is doubtful with a hamstring injury. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury, but he was listed as a full participant in practices (two of them walk-throughs) the last three days.
The Buccaneers’ list of ailments is more concerning with wide receivers Godwin (hamstring) and Justin Watson (chest) and running back LeSean McCoy (ankle) out for Thursday’s game. Running back Leonard Fournette (ankle) is doubtful, and wide receivers Evans (ankle) and Miller (hip/groin) are questionable.
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