This is a big week for the Chicago Bears. A team that should probably be sitting at 2-1 is instead 1-2 and badly needs a win to get back to .500. If they hadn’t fumbled away the opener against the Vikings, this matchup wouldn’t carry as much weight—but here we are. The Bears have to gut this one out, and here are the keys to making it happen.
Stop the run
Ashton Jeanty—the guy a lot of Bears fans had their eyes on pre-2025 NFL Draft. Chicago cannot let this be his breakout game that people remember from his rookie year. The defense has to stay disciplined and shut down the Raiders ground attack. On paper, Vegas is 27th in rushing according to PFF, but the Bears can’t afford to be the “get-right” game for them.
Limit big plays
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Make Geno Smith and the Raiders playmakers earn everything. Chicago can’t give up chunk plays and expect to come out on top. Smith has 4 touchdown passes this season. All to one guy, Tre Tucker. Bears need to shut that down.
Make Geno Smith uncomfortable
This might be the most important key for Sunday. The Bears defense has to generate pressure. Whether Dennis Allen dials up exotic looks or simply sends five or six guys, they can’t let Geno sit back and pick them apart.
Keep the run game steady
Right now, PFF ranks the Bears run game 19th in the league, which includes ground production from WRs and Caleb Williams. That explains why they aren’t sitting lower, but Chicago needs to generate consistent positive runs however they can. Last week, Ben Johnson called 10 straight runs on the Bears 19-play touchdown drive. He needs to keep leaning on the ground game and not abandon it.
Stay disciplined
Last week, the Bears avoided costly penalties—no false starts, nothing that sabotaged drives. That has to continue. If Chicago stays disciplined on both sides of the ball, they’ve got a strong chance to beat the Raiders on the road. But they can’t slip back into the mistakes we saw in Weeks 1–3.
