Confident Raiders Visit Winless Bears In Week 4 'Trap Game'
By Abraham Gutierrez
Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, will be the site for an interconference showdown between the (2-1) Oakland Raiders and the winless (0-3) Chicago Bears. Opening kickoff for this 2015 NFL Week 4 clash is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET and it will be broadcast live on CBS Sports.
Following Jack el Rio's first road win as Raiders head coach, Oakland comes in feeling good about its chances to make it two straight away from Northern California. However, Del Rio and his staff would be wise to not underestimate John Fox's Bears this week, or it could come back to bite them in a major way.
Bears 2015 NFL Season Record
An 0-3 start to kickoff his first season at the helm of the Bears isn't exactly the way Fox envisioned things coming out of training camp. To his defense, Chicago hasn't had the luxury of a favorable schedule. In fact, one can easily made the case that this team was given the burden of having the toughest three-game schedule out of any other team in the National Football League.
The Bears got the year started with a matchup against Aaron Rodgers and the high-flying Green Bay Packers. Going up against one of the teams NFL oddsmakers believe will contend for a title played out exactly how most experts thought it would. Spoiling the Bears home opener, the cheeseheads went into Soldier Field and handed the Bears their first loss of the season, 31-23.
Not catching any breaks, Fox & Co. hosted the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2. Much like in the season opener, Chicago was limited to 23 points, while the Cards put up a 48-spot on their way to a 25-point blowout. "Da Bears" then hit the road looking for better fortunes.
Nevertheless, not too many teams are able to go into CenturyLink Field to take on the 12th man with much success. It comes as no surprise that Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks toom care of business at home, getting into the win column with a resounding 26-0 shellacking.
Bears On Offense
Offensively, John Fox brought over offensive coordinator Adam Gase from the Denver Broncos. Aside from the rush – where Chicago ranks seventh in the NFL with 132 yards per game – the 37-year-old from Ypsilanti, Michigan, has struggled to get this unit on the right track. The Bears offense comes into Week 4 ranked 28th in total yards per game (294.3) and a whopping penultimate place (31st) in both, points (15.3) and passing yards per game (162.3).
Those numbers are particularly disappointing for Bears fans, especially considering Gase's offense in Denver was the only one in the league to accumulate a combined 10,000 yards and 1,000 points during a two-year span. Then again, the Bears don't have the luxury of a quarterback like Peyton Manning under center.
Bears On Defense
Defensively, the Bears match up very well against the Raiders' offensive strengths, as Chicago's might lies in its ability to guard the skies. Under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, the Bears' pass defense is sixth in the league, allowing just 195.3 passing yards per game, a stat that should make things interesting against Carr and his talented receiving corps.
The other bright spot in the Bears' resistance can be found in this unit's ability to limit opponents in the (total) yards per game department. In this facet, Chitown's bunch ranks 11th in the National Football League, yielding 331 total yards per contest. However, that's where the superlatives end, as the Bears "D" ranks 27th against the rush (135.7 rushing yards per game) and dead last in points allowed with 35 points per contest.
Bears Players To Watch
Offensively, Del Rio and his staff will have the difficult task of trying to contain running back Matt Forte, who appears to be on the trading block following Jarred Allen's departure. In his eighth season out of Tulane, Forte enters Week 4 as the NFL's second-leading rusher. The 29-year-old from Lake Charles, Louisiana, has been one of the few bright spots in the Bears, racking up 276 yards on 59 carries and a touchdown.
Defensively, Oakland will have to account for a pair of Bears players that will be leading the way in the pass rush, especially on third-down situations. Leading the team with two sacks apiece areoutside linebacker Pernell McPhee (16 tackles) and defensive end Jarvis Jenkins (13 tackles). This two-headed monster is currently tied for 15th in the National Football League in the sacks department and will be looking to create havoc in the Raiders' backfield.
Raiders vs Bears 2015 NFL Week 4 Lines
According to NFL oddsmakers, the Oakland Raiders are all of the sudden favorites on the road after snapping an 11-game skid away from the East Bay. NFL Week 4 lines indicate that Derek Carr and the Raiders [-3] are three-point favorites to defeat the hosting Chicago Bears [+3], and the OVER/UNDER is set at a combined total of 45 points.
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, aExaminer.com and other online publications.