Bears vs. Rams: 3 keys for Chicago's offense in Week 4

The Chicago Bears (1-2) are looking to recover from their crushing 21-16 loss against the Indianapolis Colts last week, in which the Bears let slip every opportunity they had to pull ahead of their opponent and never look back. It was a game that featured all of the team’s worst habits coming out in full force, from shaky play from the offensive line to back-breaking turnovers. Chicago now aims to reorient themselves and take on the Los Angeles Rams (1-2) at home in Week 4.

The offense had undeniably struggled last week, but still the gradual improvements we saw the first couple weeks continued. Most notably, the offensive line improved in pass protection and Williams made a big leap from Week 2, throwing for over 350 yards and two touchdowns.  Those minor refinements mean little if the Bears can’t come away with a win at the end of the day, so they’ll be looking to take a big step forward and become a unit that can consistently score. While talented, the Rams’ defense has proven to be vulnerable at this early stage of the year, providing the offense with a prime opportunity to have a statement game.

The chance to get back to a stable 2-2 record hangs in the balance, so let’s break down the three keys for the Bears’ offense in Week 4.

1. Find success in the run game

The Bears have had major complications in getting their offense to perform at a respectable level through the first three games, and several aspects of the unit can be labeled as their biggest detractor. A porous offensive line, the growing pains of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and skill players not matching their talent with production all have played a role in leading the offense astray. But the Bears’ ineffectiveness running the football has completely made the unit one-dimensional.

Chicago has failed to establish the run game so far this year, placing unnecessary strain on the rookie signal caller’s shoulders to lead successful drives. Starting running back D’Andre Swift has been scapegoated by both fans and media as the reason why the problem persists, but the unit’s failings are rooted much deeper. Swift’s paltry 1.8 yards per rushing attempt certainly haven’t helped. But the offensive line has demonstrated any ability to pave running lanes and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has not conjured a reliable rushing scheme that puts the offense in manageable short yardage situations. Seeing as football is a team sport, the blame falls on several facets of the team not doing their jobs. Lucky for the Bears, the dilemma has a silver lining: this problem is making itself known by Week 3 and not Week 13, which means Chicago has an opportunity to alleviate their woes as they come into a winnable stretch of games.

One way the Bears can make their running attack more formidable is to utilize running backs Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson, both of whom barely have seen the field in the first few games. The club began to toy with the idea in last week’s game against the Colts, with Johnson getting a handful of touches, averaging nearly four yards a carry. The two backs differ in skillset from Swift, and their distinct north-and-south style of run may lend itself more to an O-line that is struggling to move defenders off of their anchor. Waldron also has some reflecting to do, as his choice of personnel only further hinders his already inconsistent playcalling. A series of poorly-conceived playcalls at the goaline last Sunday comes to mind, where the offense opted to run the ball four straight times, with last couple involving all 190 pounds of DeAndre Carter attempting to block a Colts’ defensive lineman double his size and and a confounding sprint-option play on fourth down that resulted in a loss of 12 yards. Waldron has to understand his players' roles on any given play, and understand when there’s a mismatch that could derail a drive.

More of a sample size for Herbert and Johnson and a more focused offensive scheme from Waldron can put the Bears in good position to get a win against the Rams this Sunday.

2. Allow QB Caleb Williams to attack downfield

Williams played the best game of his very short NFL career in Week 3, completing 33 passes for 363 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. If circumstances were flipped and the Bears won, it would have been recognized as his breakout game. The reality is that the Bears came out of Week 3 with a disappointing 1-2 record, but the team came out of Indianapolis having learned something important: Williams is the real deal. With that revelation, he should be handed the keys to the offense and have full reign to incorporate a vertical element to the passing game, using the full extent of his talented receivers’ ability.

The rookie flashed some of his elite arm talent early in Week 3, connecting with first round pick Rome Odunze for a big gain just a few minutes into the second quarter. Williams was laser-focused when Chicago was several scores down in the fourth quarter, however, completing 14 of 18 passes down the stretch. It’s clear the passing game is going to be the Bears’ only source of production while the run game continues to work through its own hardships, so it’s up to Waldron to draw up some effective passing schemes that can do damage down the field. Any secondary will be hard pressed to cover Odunze, DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, who’s projected to return from injury this week. Tight end Cole Kmet was one of Williams’ favorite targets last week, making 10 catches for 97 yards and a score. The four of them are set to create mismatches in the Rams’ secondary, and all are adept in separating from defenders.

The crowd of Soldier Field could be in for a dazzling display of fireworks if the offense leans on Williams and the deep passing game.

3. Use effective plays with appropriate personnel

I touched on this with the mismatch of Carter blocking a defensive lineman, but that one play was a microcosm of a much larger problem. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has somehow fallen under the same spell that all playcallers do when they come to Chicago, where they inexplicably send out players who are not a fit for the playcall. Carter as a blocker, tight end Gerald Everett for uninspired screens, Herbert and Johnson not seeing the field – Waldron has a persistent issue of not playing to the offense’s strengths.

The fix for this is simple: deploy proven players to run plays designed for them. Remember that deflating strip-sack of Williams last week that extinguished Chicago's chances of coming back? Waldron had Kmet and Marcedes Lewis – two tight ends – attempt in vain to block defensive end Laiatu Latu, the Colts’ 2024 first-round pick. That was a disastrous example of what Waldron needs to avoid in this week’s game against the Rams and beyond. The Bears have to take advantage of a set of winnable games the next few weeks, but victory is not a possibility if Waldron persists with using the wrong personnel on plays not suited for them.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Rams: 3 keys for Chicago's offense in Week 4