Three keys for the Bears in Sunday's opener vs. Titans
Three keys for the Bears to win Sunday’s season opener against the Titans at Soldier Field:
1. Make Caleb’s life easy
The last 10 quarterbacks drafted first overall failed to win their career debut. Those rookies didn’t land on a team with the pieces the Bears have, however. To make Caleb Williams’ debut end on a happy note, the Bears will lean on running back D’Andre Swift and a quick passing game that features newcomers Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze and Gerald Everett.
2. Adjust on the fly
The Titans have a first-year head coach in Brian Callahan, who will call plays on offense, and a first-time defensive coordinator in Dennard Wilson. While the Bears have a sense of what they’ll do — holding a joint practice and a preseason game against the Bengals, Callahan’s former team, helped tremendously — they’ll have to stay flexible to account for any unscouted looks.
3. D up
The Bears think they’re a top-five defense in the NFL. If they are, they should smother the Titans, who finished with the fifth-fewest yards and points last season. Will Levis had an 84.2 passer rating as a rookie, which ranked 21st among the 29 quarterbacks who started at least half their team’s games last year.