Bears challenge: Catch fast-lane Fins
How to stop Hill and Waddle, debuts of Claypool, Chubb among plotlines vs. Dolphins
After a week of trying to refocus following trades of team captains Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn, the Bears will play host to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Soldier Field.
The Dolphins (5-3) have won both games since quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned from a concussion, while the Bears (3-5) are trying to pick up the pieces from a lopsided loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8.
As kickoff approaches, here’s our snapshot look at the game.
1. Player in the spotlight Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill
When Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson was asked this week how he moves past the trade of Smith, he responded: “I got the No. 1 and No. 4 wide receiver. I love Roquan, but I got some dogs coming to town.”
Hill is the NFL’s leader in receiving yards by far with 961 and two touchdowns on 69 catches. The Dolphins wide receiver has 15 catches of 20 yards or more and four of 40 or more — also tops in the league.
Not very many spots down from Hill on the league-leaders list is teammate Jaylen Waddle, who has 727 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 42 catches, including 12 of 20 yards or more and four of 40 yards or more.
It’s a massive test for the young Bears secondary to slow down one of the third-ranked passing offense, led by Tagovailoa, who had one of his best games of the season in Week 8.
Johnson frequently has said he loves such marquee matchups, and defending Hill’s speed ranks high among the difficult tasks in the NFL.
“Everybody knows he’s fast until you line up, and then it’s a totally different speed,” Johnson said. “There’s not too much you can do to prepare. It’s not like you can go and do speed workouts and get faster.
“I’ve got to play my game, play my style of ball and do my best to contain him.”
2. Pressing question
Can the Bears defense hold up without Smith as its leader?
When general manager Ryan Poles traded Smith to the Baltimore Ravens for second- and fifth-round draft picks and linebacker A.J. Klein, the Bears lost a team leader on and off the field. Smith is the NFL’s leading tackler with 83 and has four tackles for a loss, 2 ½ sacks and two interceptions.
So what exactly does defensive coordinator Alan Williams tell his players without Smith?
“Don’t try to do too much,” Williams said. “When you try to do too much you lose a gap. You’re somewhere where you shouldn’t be.
“The focus of our thing is execution — be where you’re supposed to be. Alignment, assignment, key and technique. There are several plays that we’ve made, big plays where guys were just where they were supposed to be and the opportunity presented itself and guys were in the spot to make the play.
“If we do that at a high rate, we’ll be just fine.”
The Bears were in the process of sorting out who was going to fill Smith’s spot on the field. Williams said middle linebacker Nicholas Morrow might move to Smith’s weakside linebacker role, which Morrow played with the Las Vegas Raiders. Williams also said the Bears were taking a look at rookie Jack Sanborn there.
The Bears also have veterans Joe Thomas and Klein as linebacker pieces to move around.
Williams said they like how Sanborn practices and are interested to see how he would perform if he takes on a bigger role.
“He plays hard, he plays physical,” Williams said.
“In terms of the HITS principle, he does hustle, he is intense. So those are the first two steps.
“Back when he got a chance to play in the preseason, he did turn the football over. So I would
say what’s there not to like about Sanborn? He just needs a chance to get on the field and perform.”
3. Keep an eye on …
Wide receiver Chase Claypool
Claypool had been practicing for only two days since the Bears acquired him Tuesday from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a second-round draft pick. But offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said the newcomer will play Sunday, though to what level they’re not yet sure.
Getsy said the uncertainty of the COVID-19 season helped coaches develop “some really cool things” to help players get up to speed quickly when they’re new to a team, and they’ll utilize some of that with Claypool.
“We have some really cool tools to help him learn what he needs to learn quickly, with not having a coach with him for 24 hours a day,” Getsy said. “So I think he’ll be OK. We’ll make sure that he’s ready to rock ’n’ roll for whatever his role might be come Sunday.”
Poles brought in Claypool to give a boost to quarterback Justin Fields’ receiving corps. Getsy said from watching Claypool over his first 2 ½ seasons
that he saw a guy “who had an unbelievable rookie season and shows a really cool, unique set of skills to be able to move around the field for Pittsburgh.”
“A guy who can do a lot of different things is really important for us in how we attack the game,” Getsy said. “So I’m really excited to see how far he can take it. I’m sure it will be one of those things where each week he’ll be able to get a little bit more.”
4. A new Dolphins pass rusher
The Dolphins made their own big deals at the trade deadline, adding edge rusher Bradley Chubb and running back Jeff Wilson
Jr. Chubb was the bigger move, giving the Dolphins a player with 26 career sacks over five seasons, including 5 ½ sacks, eight quarterback hits and two forced fumbles in 2022. The Dolphins on Thursday signed Chubb to a five-year, $110 million contract extension.
“They’ll play, but how much? That’s to be determined,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel told Miami media.
Chubb joins a group that includes veteran Melvin Ingram and 2021 firstround pick Jaelan Phillips, who Bears left tackle Braxton Jones said “probably could be the most talented
out of all of them, have the most juice.”
Jones said even with Chubb’s transition the Bears expect him to play a big role Sunday.
“Another vet that’s been around,” Jones said. “He’s a tough edge rusher. He can be hot and cold sometimes, but when he’s on, he’s on.
“That’s the biggest thing: being aware he’s there. He’s a little bit different play style than Melvin Ingram, where he will bull rush, kind of go through you, whereas Melvin Ingram is a slippery guy.
“So they’ve got some complementary stuff going on there, and I’m sure he’ll be on the field quite a bit.”
5. Injury report
The Bears are getting a key member of the offensive line back. They activated Cody Whitehair to the 53-man roster Friday after a four-week stint on injured reserve with a sprained MCL in his right knee. Whitehair is expected to start in what could be the sixth combination on the line in nine games.
“You’re never going to feel 100 percent, but I feel good where I’m at,” said Whitehair, who missed only two games through his first six seasons. “I’m excited to be back. I’m ready to roll.
‘(The offense) has done a great job, and we’re finally starting to click offensively
and we’re doing some really nice things.”
The question mark is at right tackle. Larry Borom was a full participant in practice and has been cleared from the concussion protocol.
After missing the first two practices of the week and all of last week, it’s possible, and perhaps likely, veteran Riley Reiff will start and the team takes a little more time with Borom. Reiff was solid in his first start Sunday in Dallas.
“He is an aggressive guy,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “He played with good technique and we didn’t have anything with his wind in terms of his stamina. We like where he was.”
Overall, the team remains very healthy. Reserve rookie guard Ja’Tyre Carter (illness) is questionable and the only player with a designation.
For the Dolphins, wide receiver River Cracraft (illness) is out. Offensive tackle Austin Jackson (ankle/calf ) is doubtful. The Dolphins added linebacker Jaelan Phillips (quad) to the report as questionable after he was limited in practice Friday.
Also questionable are safety Eric Rowe (hip), left tackle Terron Armstead (toe/Achilles) and tight end Tanner Conner (knee).