3 biggest storylines ahead of Bears vs. Cardinals in Week 9

The Chicago Bears (4-3) will attempt to shake off their heartbreaking loss in Week 8 and come back with a vengeance against the Arizona Cardinals (4-4), a team that has demonstrated commendable resilience and is on a two-game winning streak. The game doesn’t advertise playoff implications at first glance, but Sunday's contest holds much more weight that one might initially expect.

The NFC is uniquely competitive this year. The Bears’ rivals in the NFC North all have a winning record and are going to make a run for the division title, and that puts Chicago in an odd position. Their division is ultra-competitive and it’s likely that more than one NFC North team will make the playoffs. Chicago will be hard-pressed for a way into the postseason if they don’t win the division, making every upcoming NFC matchup a must-win.

Arizona, conversely, finds themselves knee-deep in the race for the NFC West crown, as none of their rivals have really separated themselves from the crowd. It seems that every win will count in that competition, and an upset victory over the Bears would go a long way.

This week’s game will feature two NFC teams with a lot on the line, so let’s discuss all of the biggest storylines going into Week 9.

1. Can the Bears bounce back from last week's loss?

Chicago suffered a major blow to their growing momentum with their heart-wrenching loss to the Commanders in Week 8, having their surefire victory stolen from them on Washington's Hail Mary touchdown as time expired. The stunning defeat created a seismic ripple that shook both the team and the fanbase to its core, and neither have fully recovered. The show must go on, however, so the Bears are tasked with swallowing their agony and preparing themselves to play the Cardinals in Week 9.

It won’t be easy to get back to what worked so well during the club’s three-game winning streak before the bye, but the level of play the Bears exhibited last week is not conducive to winning football. To the surprise of no one, Chicago once again failed to take advantage of the bye week and lost much of what allowed them to succeed before last week’s game, and that key component is momentum.

The Bears have no momentum to call their own now, so they’ll have to get the wheels turning again against Arizona. Sticking to their established identity should be the plan of attack for the offense—they’re at their best playing balanced football, hitting opponents with both the run and pass. It would be an exaggeration to say the defense lost a step, as the only touchdown they allowed last week was the Hail Mary, but injuries to vital contributors have kept them from dominating. The defense needs to retain that palpable confidence going into Arizona this week.

A short-term memory is one of the key principles coaches have always preached, is it not? Chicago would do well to internalize that philosophy and move past last week’s loss.

Will the offense get back on track?

Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense settled into a comfortable groove in their three games before the bye week, creating for themselves an identity that became pretty difficult to stop: Hit the defense with a solid dose of running backs D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson, then find gaps with a short passing scheme. Mix in the occasional field-stretching deep shot, and Chicago had a decent offensive mix that kept defenses off-balance. The Commanders were quick to disrupt that flow, however, as neither the ground or pass game could really do any damage throughout most of Week 8.

Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has another crack at getting his unit going this week, and it’s just the type of matchup he needs to get things right. The Cardinals have one of the worst defenses in the league this year, setting the stage for a return to form for the offense. There’s no need to stray from their established method of attack, in my estimation; they just have to execute better. Moreover, the offense needs to sustain drives early and maintain that level of production throughout the game, not just in the fourth quarter when the contest is already out of reach.

Key starters will likely miss Week 9 with injuries – can the defense still limit a deadly Cardinals’ offense?

It would be a gross exaggeration to say the Bears defense played badly last week. Restraining standout rookie Jayden Daniels and the explosive Commanders’ offense to just one touchdown is no small feat. To anyone who closely watches the games, however, it’s clear being short a couple of playmakers in the secondary has hindered their knack for creating turnovers, as a key interception or forced fumble could’ve changed the outcome of Week 8.

The calvary is likely not coming to the defense’s aid this week either, with safety Jaquan Brisker set to miss the game with a concussion and cornerback Kyler Gordon questionable with a hamstring injury. Star pass rusher Montez Sweat made a surprise appearance on the injury report this week as well, throwing his status for Sunday’s game into question. It’s likely the Bears’ elite defense will be somewhat hampered, and they’ll have to find ways to overcome those shortcomings to stop the Cardinals.

Arizona has quite the formidable quarterback-running back-wide receiver triplet for Chicago to keep tabs with, as the combination of QB Kyler Murray, RB James Conner and rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. have throttled their opponents—when they’re on the same page, that is.

Inconsistent play has plagued the Cardinals for much of the year, failing to tap into their limitless potential on a week-to-week basis. The offense can be hot or cold, and the Bears should be prepared if they’re the latter. Stopping the run has been the defense’s weakness this season, so they’ll have to put out their best effort in stopping Conner. Murray has become notorious for creating something out of nothing with his legs, but that reputation has caused his impressive arm talent to get overlooked. The defensive line will have to keep Murray in the pocket and disrupt any clear throwing lanes, while the depleted secondary has to keep a lid on Harrison Jr.

It’ll be a true team effort on the defensive side of the ball in Week 9, and a victory will be within reach should they handle the Cardinals’ offense.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 3 biggest storylines ahead of Bears vs. Cardinals in Week 9