3 reasons why the Bears will beat the Titans in Week 1

It’s a new season for the Chicago Bears, and general manager Ryan Poles has built quite the offense for head coach Matt Eberflus. The Bears have a very promising quarterback Caleb Williams behind center and have surrounded him with an abundance of playmakers like DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet and D’Andre Swift.

While the thought of the playoffs the last few seasons seemed like a longshot, the Bears are expected by many to make the postseason. ESPN’s simulation of the 2024 season even had the Bears finishing 10-7 and making the divisional round.

With the season opener against the Titans right around the corner, here are three reasons why the Bears will beat Tennessee:

1. Titans defense can’t keep up with Bears playmakers

Williams is stepping into one of the best situations a rookie quarterback has ever been in. He has two receivers in Moore and Allen who are WR1 caliber players, while Odunze has the potential to reach that level. On top of that, Kmet is a capable tight end, who had the eighth-highest PFF receiving grade of all tight ends last season.

The Titans picked up two solid corners in the offseason in L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie, but neither of which have made a Pro-Bowl and both finished with PFF coverage grades less than 74 last season. Tennessee’s two starting inside linebackers, Jack Gibbens and Kenneth Murray Jr., also struggled in pass coverage last season, meaning that Kmet could have a big game.

2. Caleb Williams settles in quickly and plays like a veteran

Yes, we saw some trouble in the preseason game against the Bengals when it came to the offense moving the ball. But Williams was able to compose himself and shock the world with the way he plays. He not only has home field advantage, but also the advantage of playing a defense that had the fifth-worst PFF defensive rating last season. It's also worth noting Williams started for a Power Five school for three years. He may not have professional experience yet, but he’s seen his fair share of unique defenses.

3. Titans playmakers struggle against the Bears secondary

Much like the Bears, Tennessee has three quality receivers in DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd. The Titans also have third-year tight end Chig Okonkwo, who finished last season with 528 receiving yards. It was reported earlier this week that Hopkins tore his MCL during training camp, and is listed as questionable against the Bears, putting his status in doubt.

Despite the Titans deep receiving room, the Bears secondary was in the top half of the league last season in pass coverage. The Bears have three young players in the secondary in Jaquan Brisker, Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson, all of which have shown flashes of being elite at times. Chicago also has one of the best cover corners in the league in Jaylon Johnson, and added another veteran Kevin Byard, formerly of the Titans. Regardless of Hopkins' status, the Bears secondary has the depth and talent to rattle the Titans receivers and quarterback Will Levis.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 3 reasons why the Bears will beat the Titans in Week 1