Bears vs. Panthers: Causes for concern in Week 5 matchup

The Chicago Bears are back at Soldier Field for the second straight week looking to put together a win streak early in the season as they welcome the Carolina Panthers in Week 5. While on paper, the Bears should be favored in the matchup, things don't always go according to plan in the league.

With these two teams being linked due to the 2023 trade that saw Bryce Young head to Carolina for wide receiver DJ Moore, a plethora of picks that included Caleb Williams, Darnell Wright, Tyrique Stevenson, Tory Taylor, and a 2025 second-round pick, the road map of their immediate successes will be linked. So far in Carolina, success has not come at all, while success has been slow for Chicago.

After starting the season 0-2 in Carolina, Young was benched in favor of veteran quarterback, former Bear, Andy Dalton. The offense went from scoring 13 total points in the first two weeks combined, to 46 points in the last two weeks with Dalton as their starter. Although they still only have one win on the season, there are no easy wins in the NFL.

Here are causes for concern in Week 5 with the Panthers coming into town.

1. Andy Dalton's veteran leadership and return to Chicago

In the 2021 season, Dalton played eight games for the Bears and was the bridge quarterback starting six games while the team prepared Justin Fields to take over. Dalton now returns to Chicago having taken over for Bryce Young in a full circle moment and what could be viewed as a revenge game for Dalton against his former team.

Dalton has positively contributed to the Panthers offense since being inserted, having thrown for 539 yards with five touchdowns to just one interception in two games. Dalton's veteran leadership and experience has had the Panthers offense producing and looking much different in his two games. The Bears have held all of their 2024 opponents to 21 points or fewer to begin the season, and they'll have to maintain that consistency against Dalton.

2. Chuba Hubbard's versatility

Hubbard has been one of the few bright spots in the Panthers offense and is one of their most dangerous weapons on the field. As a running back, he's rushed for a total of 296 yards and one touchdown, but he's also added 84 yards as a receiver and a receiving touchdown. On the season, Hubbard is averaging 5.4 yards per carry so when he breaks a run, it's usually got some yardage behind it.

The versatility of Hubbard is one that a veteran like Dalton can exploit and use to his advantage, and the Bears have been vulnerable to giving up rushing touchdowns in the last two games. Hubbard is by no means regarded as one of the best backs in the league, but his versatility adds a layer to Panthers offense that the Bears must take into consideration.

3. Offensive line discipline

In the Week 4 win over the Los Angeles Rams, D'Andre Swift finally produced, the defense played great, punter Tory Taylor played great, and the offense started to show signs of real production, however, not everything ran smoothly for the team. The offensive line was once again average, at best, in their performance, which included several pre-snap penalties that would halt the offensive momentum and push the team back on the field.

If the Bears want to show what they're truly capable of on every level of offense, not only do they have to provide better pass protection and create more holes in the run game, they're going to have to cut the penalties. It's not rocket science to show that that the penalties last week were holding the total offensive production back. Williams needs to get a better rhythm in the passing game, and constantly facing pressure or being pushed back due to penalties is not going to cut it.

The Bears have a very good chance to win this game on paper and on the field, but there are just a few keys that could hold them back against Carolina. It mainly comes down to the Bears being disciplined enough to control the game from start to finish. Keeping their home winning streak in tact, as well as their streak of keeping opponents at 21 or less, there's plenty of incentives to keep the Bears focus on the task at hand.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Panthers: Causes for concern in Week 5 matchup