Bears vs. Cardinals: What to watch for
WHEN THE BEARS HAVE THE BALL
After failing to score until the last minute of the third quarter against the Commanders last week (on D’Andre Swift’s 56-yard touchdown run), the Bears again will be focused on getting off to a better start. They’ve scored one touchdown in the first quarter in seven games (only the Eagles have scored fewer).
Playing cleaner would help. The Bears had a delay-of-game penalty on the third play of their first drive, and left tackle Braxton Jones had a false start on the second drive.
The Bears figure to have an opportunity against a Cardinals defense that ranks 24th in points allowed and 27th in yards allowed. The wild card is six-time Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker, who does a lot of everything for the Cardinals’ defense.
“There are a lot of great players on every team, and then there are unique players like Budda Baker,” said Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who faced Baker twice a season in his three years with the Seahawks, “that really set the tone, set the attitude, set the culture for a team and for a defense.
“His ability to run and hit and cover, impact the game, run the alleys . . . talk about a fearless player who’s always in attack mode. He’s one of those players we always have to respect [and] account for.”
The Bears’ offensive line could be in flux with Jones out and left guard Teven Jenkins banged up. But the Cardinals aren’t as well-equipped to take advantage as previous Bears opponents. Arizona ranks 31st in the NFL in sacks per pass play.
WHEN THE CARDINALS HAVE THE BALL
Cardinals two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray is back on the upswing after injuries stalled his career in 2022 and 2023. Murray has a 98.0 passer rating (11 touchdown passes, three interceptions). And his 344 rushing yards (4.3 average) are third among quarterbacks, behind the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson (501) and the Commanders’ Jayden Daniels (424).
The Bears allowed 481 yards against the Commanders but only 18 points because they held Washington to four field goals, including three on drives inside the 20. The Bears might not get away with that against the Cardinals, who are 11th in the NFL in red-zone touchdown percentage (59.1%).
While Murray is a focus, the Bears’ 14th-ranked run defense faces a big challenge against a Cardinals rushing offense that ranks seventh in yards (141.8 average) and third in yards per carry (5.2 average). James Conner is ninth in the NFL in rushing (129 carries, 557 yards, 4.3 average, four touchdowns), including three games with 100 or more yards.
A key matchup will be the Bears’ secondary against rookie Marvin Harrison Jr., who had six catches for 111 yards and a touchdown in a 28-27 victory over the Dolphins last week. Though Jaylon Johnson is an All-Pro cornerback, the Bears don’t shadow a team’s best receiver. So it will be a group effort against Harrison.