Bears vs. 49ers: 3 Things to Watch
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The wait is over. Bears football is back and that means the return of three things to watch when they host the 49ers in the season opener.
Battle of Young Quarterbacks
We have to start with the quarterback position. And I'm not just talking about Justin Fields although, make no mistake all eyes will be on him. His counterpart for the Niners, Trey Lance, isn't just a fellow second-year QB who only played in six games. He was drafted third overall, eight spots ahead of Fields. It will be a measuring stick for both QBs and a chance for Fields to prove what Darnell Mooney said about making San Francisco regret passing on him.
Rookie DB Starters
Another thing to watch: the starting rookies in the Bears secondary, cornerback Kyler Gordon, and safety Jaquan Brisker as they make their NFL debuts. The Bears roster is loaded with youth with Ryan Poles keeping 15 rookies on the 53-man roster. Surprisingly the defense is loaded with experience with the exception of that defensive backfield. The Bears had their fair share of blown coverages over the course of last season, so we'll see what type of first impression the rooks make.
Eberflus vs. Shanahan
Finally, it's the head coaching debut for Matt Eberflus and we get to see him match defensive wits against one of the best offensive minds in Kyle Shanahan. Will Eberflus's H.I.T.S. principle create big plays on defense against one of the shrewdest offensive schemes in the league? He had a perfect preseason, but this is the real deal against Shanahan, who's been to the Super Bowl as both a head coach and offensive coordinator.
So get ready to soak it all in when the Bears host the Niners at high noon Sunday. Oh, I'm being literal when I say soak it all in. The forecast is calling for rain.
