Bears vs. Jaguars: 3 keys for Chicago's offense in Week 6

The Chicago Bears (3-2) will face off with the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) in Week 6, but the game will not be played in Chicago or Jacksonville. The navy blue and orange took an approximate eight-hour flight to London to play their opponent at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 8:30 AM CT.

The Bears take part in the NFL’s London Games with an encouraging 3-2 overall record, which stands in direct contrast to their porous play just a few weeks earlier. The offense’s steady improvement completely altered their outlook of the season, and they are looking to rattle off their third straight win in what’s considered the easiest portion of their schedule.

The Jaguars will meet the Bears in London with the worst case scenario unfolding for their season. They began the year with four straight losses, finally getting a tally in the win column after defeating the Joe Flacco-led Indianapolis Colts in Week 5. With the threat of both personnel and coaching changes dancing around the rumor mill in recent weeks, Jacksonville is burdened with beginning their midseason comeback by defeating Chicago in Week 6.

Though the Bears and Jaguars stand at opposite ends of the football hierarchy, games played in London are known to produce quirky results, so the mantra of “Any Given Sunday” still rings true. With that being said, let’s break down the three keys for Chicago’s offense in Week 6.

1. Get off to a fast start

The Bears have proven their ability to overcome adversity in the last few weeks, completely turning the tables on their year and winning the last two games. While they’ve made noticeable improvements, they still have much room to grow if they hope to seriously compete for a playoff spot in 2024. One such area of weakness is the offense’s knack for sputtering at the beginning of games – Week 5 marked the first time Chicago scored a touchdown in the first quarter this season. The team plays best when they’re up big on the scoreboard and their opponent is forced to play catch up, so the Bears have a good opportunity to snatch a big lead early and keep the Jaguars at arm’s length the rest of the contest.

Chicago will be taking their talents across the pond to battle Jacksonville in London this week, which makes the Bears' effectiveness in getting the ball rolling early even more important. Traveling internationally takes a toll on the player’s bodies, causing some of the games played overseas to be low-scoring affairs. The Bears flew out to Europe early in an attempt to adjust to the time difference and jet lag by Sunday, but the offense can’t lose focus, even if they are affected. The Jaguars are looking for any avenue they can to steal a win and begin the arduous task of saving their season, so the offense getting the ball into the endzone early would significantly increase their odds of winning in London.

2. Be persistent with balanced attack

Of the many revelations the offense has had over their two-game win streak, their breakthrough in discovering their identity as a unit will be the most critical to their future success. Before the season, it was widely speculated that the passing game would take flight early with new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and several exciting offensive pieces, but that aspect of the team needed some fine-tuning.

When it became clear the air attack was still a work-in-progress, the fans hoped D’Andre Swift and the rest of the running backs would carry the offensive load and grind out tough yards – that didn’t work out either at first. There was definitely some turbulence in parsing what the team’s calling card was, but we’ve clearly saw it defined in the last couple weeks. They utilize both run and pass in an unabashedly balanced approach, hitting the defense with jabs on both ends as they slowly move their way down the field.

It may not result in jaw-dropping, SportsCenter Top 10 highlights or conjure big numbers for fantasy football, but it gets the job done, as evidenced by their production in Weeks 4 and 5. As stated previously, the trip to London may slightly hinder their execution as a unit, and it may be a while until all pistons are firing again. The goal in that scenario will be sticking with their model of success and not becoming one-dimensional. Being too heavy-handed with one method of attack will only hurt them, trusting what has worked will be a major key in a Week 6 victory.

3. Play a turnover-free game

As you’ve progressed through this article, I’m sure you’ve noticed that all of these keys work in tandem. It’s been arranged that way because I’m fairly certain the Bears will see their imminent London contest with the mindset of “survive” rather than “dominate.” Most teams have trouble playing overseas, and it can bog down even the best the NFL has to offer, so escaping with an expected win has to be the goal. To that end, playing mistake-free football and avoiding turnovers is of the utmost importance.

The Bears clearly have a leg up on the Jaguars in talent, so the only way they can get ahead of Chicago is if they play sloppy. The Bears came out of Week 5 with a winning 3-2 record, and teams with a winning record don’t carelessly give the ball away. Week 5’s win marked the second week in a row the offense didn’t commit turnover; a three-game win streak is within their grasp if they continue to not have blemishes on their box score.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Jaguars: 3 keys for Chicago's offense in Week 6