To football fans all over the nation, Week 1 of the NFL season is like Christmas morning. The excitement is real, and now it’s time to see how all the offseason moves have affected your team. Here in Week 1, the Chicago Bears battle the San Francisco 49ers. The Bears are 6.5-point underdogs here, but if the preseason is any indication, then you can’t count them out. Let’s take a look at a few of the storylines to watch when the 49ers visit Soldier Field to play the Bears.
Chicago Bears will need to protect their quarterback
Both of these quarterbacks come from the same draft and are in their second year, but their paths have been very different. Justin Fields is in his second season as the starting quarterback for the Bears. While Trey Lance is making his third start after sitting behind Jimmy Garoppolo last season. Both start this season with a lot of hype though. So let’s break down each situation in game one.
Fields was doubted to make any kind of progression after the Bears failed to build around him this offseason. He had a hard time last season behind a subpar offensive line, and many are expecting the same results when not much was done to help. Also, the receiving group didn’t get the attention needed to give the quarterback weapons to work with.
Then they completely surprised everyone in the preseason as the offensive line held up, and Fields’ chemistry with his receivers was on full display as he was able to ball out in limited offseason snaps. Here will be the true test, as this 49ers defense is one of the best in the league and will not give any easy plays. If the offensive line can keep Fields upright, then you can bet he will make plays happen. The whole offensive production will rest on his protection because the quarterback and his receivers have shown they can put points on the board.
Related: Justin Fields dominating preseason leads to heightened Chicago Bears expectations
Trey Lance will be under the microscope
Lance, on the other hand, is completely opposite as his offensive line and surrounding cast are mostly proven. The young quarterback is the question mark in the equation. Lance will be the starter over Garoppolo for the first time, but he is unproven as well, and the fact that they kept Garoppolo on the roster as an insurance policy has caused a bunch of people to believe there is doubt from the coaches.
If Lance plays well in the first part of the season, they will probably trade Garoppolo, but if he struggles, then the backup will be the starting quarterback once again. The 49ers are way too talented to wait on his development which is why Garoppolo is still there.
Related: NFL offense rankings 2022: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals striking fear in their opponents
The defense could be the deciding factor
The game could be decided on whether San Francisco can get pressure on Fields or if the Bears can stop Deebo Samuel. Chicago has a more difficult challenge ahead of them. Last year when they played, Samuel went off for 171 yards, so stopping the star athlete will be a daunting challenge. Another challenge will be dealing with Lance’s ability to run with the ball. Even if Chicago shuts down the passing game, the rushing attack will be hard to stop.
San Francisco is favored to win this one, but Chicago has surprised everyone so far. If Fields’ protection and receivers play well, this could turn into a high-scoring affair. It’s tough to envision the Bears shutting down the rushing attack, but if they can pressure Lance to stop the passing attack and slow down Samuel then this will turn into an upset quickly. Either way, it will be extremely interesting to see how this one plays out.
Related: 2022 NFL defense rankings: Best NFL defenses in Week 1