Bears vs. Colts: 3 keys for Chicago's defense in Week 3

The Chicago Bears (1-1) continue their tour around the AFC South and are set to do battle with the Indianapolis Colts (0-2) in Week 3, and the Bears finally have an opportunity to get things moving in the right direction.

We all know how the story’s been written so far: the defense has been stellar, the offense has been putrid, and the defense was able to pull off an unlikely victory in Week 1 but could not pull off the same stunt last week. Rookie Caleb Williams and frustratingly dysfunctional offense had the displeasure of going up against two adept defensive lines the first two weeks of the season, but now have a much more manageable matchup this week.

The complications will surely continue as they find an identity, but the defense had established themselves as a stingy, turnover-hungry unit from last year into this year. Chicago will surely smell blood in the water when they take to Lucas Oil Stadium this Sunday, as the Colts suffered a despondent loss to a Green Bay Packers team that was without Jordan Love last week, with talented dual-threat quarterback Anthony Richardson having no impact in the contest. The Bears have the chance to continue their opponent’s downward spiral and walk out of enemy territory with a promising 2-1 record.

With that in mind, here are the three keys for Chicago’s defense ahead of Week 3:

1. Contain QB Anthony Richardson in the pocket

The Bears have a unique challenge in going up against Richardson, who is unlike any signal-caller they have gone up against so far. He has all the talent he could possibly need to assert himself as one of the best passers in the NFL, yet he’s proven to be a streaky player in his first two years. He has the capability to launch passes to the moon and have it fall right into the hands of a receiver 60 yards downfield, as he proved to the awestruck crowd of Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 1 against the Texans. But he also has the befuddling habit of disappearing from games and failing to make an impact at all, like he did the very next week against the Packers. There’s still plenty of time for Richardson to grow more consistent as his career develops but, for the Bears’ purposes, they’ll have to limit his scrambling opportunities and force him to be a QB from the pocket.

As much as it pains me to say it, the Packers gave the Bears the blueprint on how to stop Richardson. Their defensive scheme forced him to play within his offense and that led to several costly mistakes, as he threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball twice. He’s clearly having complications with his accuracy and reading the field, and Chicago should be able to reap the benefits of those drawbacks should they play their cards right. Letting him break contain and make plays with his physical gifts can put the Bears in a hole early, so defensive end Montez Sweat and a resurgent defensive line will have the task of locking him in place. The rest of the defense will have the task of minimizing the damage should he get loose. Chicago has a real opportunity to shut down the Colts offense if they take Richardson’s top shelf athletic abilities out of the equation.

2. Limit RB Jonathan Taylor and the run game

One way to force Indianapolis to throw the ball more is shutting down their rushing attack, which will be easier said than done. Their offensive line has long been considered one of the best in the league, with former All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly spearheading the formidable group. That’s to say nothing of All-Pro back Jonathan Taylor, who established himself as one of the league’s most dynamic runners in the last few years. Chicago’s defensive front seven are no pushovers, however, and it’ll be fun to watch the proverbial unstoppable force clash with the immovable object, so to speak.

The Colts’ run game is the lifeblood of their offense and severing that vein could cause them to bleed out when the game’s all said and done. Stifling their ground attempts will coerce them to lean more on their quarterback in the pass game, which can lead to game-changing turnovers. The Bears’ aptitude for making the Colts one-dimensional will play a critical role in a potential victory.

3. Stay consistent despite offensive troubles

The Bears are at a steady 1-1 heading into their Week 3 game against the Colts, but that opening weekend win was in spite of the offense, not because of it. Caleb Williams displayed all the telltale signs of a rookie who was not fully acclimated to the speed and ferocity of NFL defenses, and the Titans had the unit in a chokehold in Week 1. Special teams and defense came to the offense's rescue and secured a come-from-behind win. They were able to orchestrate that miracle two weeks in a row, however, as the defense faltered under the lethal barrage unleashed by the Texans, with the Bears’ offense not being able to keep up. Week 3 will issue an imposing challenge for not only the offense to look like a professional unit and put points on the board, but for the defense to overcome their counterparts’ failings and continue to execute at a high level.

It’s tough to ask the defenders to maintain their excellent play when their efforts aren’t being rewarded by the offense, but they have some favorable matchups in Week 3. The Colts’ defense has been suspect so far and can be taken advantage of, particularly on the ground. The scoring floodgates may open, but there could be some initial struggles to gain momentum, which is where the defense comes into play. They can’t get discouraged; all Richardson or Taylor need is just one slip-up, one lapse in coverage or one blown assignment, and suddenly Indianapolis has six points on the board. They’re too talented to relent, so it has to be maximum effort the entire way.

If the defense taps into the extra gear that they are more than capable of reaching, a 2-1 start is attainable, even if the offense played no part in it.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Colts: 3 keys for Chicago's defense in Week 3