PLAYER NOTES
–TE Ben Braunecker (concussion) is in the NFL protocol after a head injury suffered against the New York Jets last week and his status is uncertain for Sunday’s game. He was held out of Wednesday’s practice.
–LB Khalil Mack (ankle) was held out of Wednesday’s practice due to the injury suffered Oct. 14 at Miami. He’ll be a game-time decision, as he was the last two games.
–WR Allen Robinson II (groin) missed Wednesday’s practice and will likely be a game-time decision after missing the last game.
–G Kyle Long (foot) missed Wednesday’s practice and will reportedly miss six to eight weeks, and could also go on injured reserve. Nagy acknowledged the possibility of IR, but said no decision on it has been reached yet. If he goes on injured reserve, he would have to miss at least eight weeks.
–WR Taylor Gabriel (knee) practiced Wednesday on a limited basis and is likely to play in Sunday’s game with Buffalo.
–G Eric Kush (neck) practiced Wednesday on a limited basis and is expected to play against Buffalo after missing last week’s game.
–DE Bilal Nichols (knee) practiced Wednesday on a limited basis and is expected to play Sunday at Buffalo.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: LB Danny Trevathan. It was logical to expect Roquan Smith to lead the Bears in tackles, but Trevathan has been around the ball and has a team-high 49 tackles. He has stayed healthy, a key after a couple injury-plagued years. Trevathan still has obvious shortcomings in pass defense – being too short to effectively cover on deep zone drops for instance – but continues to show great speed when attacking the gaps and occasionally gets into the backfield to stuff runs. When Trevathan is healthy, and Eddie Goldman and Akiem Hicks are up front, the run defense is formidable. It will have to be this week because Buffalo is likely to pound away on the ground with its own passing game in question.
GAME PLAN: Buffalo’s 4-3 defense presents opportunities for the Bears to work the timed quick slants and in-cuts that Mitchell Trubisky first showed a real knack for completing last season. Allen Robinson II would be a key possible target on those if the Bears could be certain about his return from a groin injury. As a result, Anthony Miller will get some of those throws, and possibly Kevin White. The wide-nine look Buffalo sometimes uses can present a chance for Jordan Howard to build up steam behind an inside zone scheme. The Bears didn’t fare well at this against a similar look by Miami until late in the game, and it may be tougher now without guard Kyle Long blocking. Buffalo also likes walking two linebackers up into the A-gaps and can be expected to test Trubisky’s inexperience this way, so the Bears need to find tight end Trey Burton over the middle to combat the strategy. One key for Bears backs and receivers is holding onto the ball, because Buffalo likes to be very physical.
Buffalo’s quarterback problems make it likely coordinator Vic Fangio can go without many blitzes, but with disguised coverages in the back. Look for more Bears twists from defensive linemen than usual to confuse Nathan Peterman and induce panic. But one thing the Bears do not want to do is take too many chances in coverage. Short passes turned into long gainers have been a sore spot all year due to poor tackling. Pressure needs to come at Nathan Peterman from the interior of the line. This fits in well with the Bears’ plan because they’re going to have to stop the run first, anyway. The Bills’ use of LeSean McCoy in the passing game only makes sure tackling all the more important. It’s easy for the Bears’ defensive line and linebackers to determine when the hammer is coming, because Chris Ivory is on the field then. It’s likely they’ll stack the box with safety Adrian Amos when Ivory is on the field.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Bears ILB Roquan Smith, who has a team-high four tackles for losses, vs. Bills RB LeSean “Shady” McCoy, whose 3.4 yards-an-attempt average is the worst of his career. In his 10th season, McCoy hasn’t had much running room. Still a true breakaway back, McCoy can be careless with the ball but can hurt opponents with his receiving ability out of the backfield. If there’s a linebacker in the league who can keep pace with McCoy’s speed it’s Smith. The Bears will want to have him on McCoy instead of putting slower Danny Trevathan on him.
–Bears RB Tarik Cohen, who had at least 69 yards receiving in each of the last four games, vs. Bills slot CB Taron Johnson, who has one interception. Johnson is being entrusted with a big responsibility as a rookie and has had only mixed results. Cohen doesn’t necessarily make his big plays in the passing game out of the backfield. The Bears will put him in the slot or outside as often as he’s circling out of the backfield, and someone with his elusiveness will have to be guarded by a defensive back and not a linebacker.
–Bears NT Eddie Goldman, who has two tackles for loss, vs. Bills C Russell Bodine, part of a line that’s allowed the fourth most sacks in the NFL (29). Goldman didn’t have his best games when the Bears allowed 161 yards on the ground to Miami and 108 to New England. But he’s been an impact player and a big reason the Bears are third against the run. Bodine is in his first year with the Bills after starting for Cincinnati. One offensive line analysis rated Bodine the worst Bills lineman at maintaining pass blocks for 2.5 seconds through the first seven games. Bodine became the starter this year after Ryan Groy was benched.
