The Oakland Raiders play host to the Chicago Bears in London, England on Sunday. Here are three things to watch for in this highly anticipated clash.
Coming off a big win over a banged up Indianapolis Colts squad, the Raiders head into a very tough matchup against the Monsters of the Midway. They host the Chicago Bears in London on Sunday, sacrificing a home game to play abroad once again. Hopefully that trend will dissipate once the team is in Las Vegas, but nonetheless, Sunday’s clash with the Bears will be a tough one without a doubt.
Against the Colts the Raiders took care of business, yet almost let the Colts come from behind and sweep away with the win. The team utilized rookie running back Josh Jacobs, although they still need to incorporate him in the passing game more. In addition, they won the turnover battle and helped keep the Colts offense in check for a majority of the game.
This Bears team is much better than the Colts, especially with them missing several key players. Chicago’s defense is arguably the best unit in the league, led by a familiar face, Khalil Mack. Obviously that narrative is in the spotlight. In case you need a refresher, the Raiders traded Khalil Mack prior to the start of last season. After watching him tear the league apart last season and for the first quarter of this year, it is time for the Raiders to step up to the plate and find a way to contain him.
This game is winnable, however, as the Bears will be without their starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Chase Daniel will instead be the signal caller for the Bears, and it is hard to tell whether that is a good or bad thing for the Raiders.
With that in mind, let’s look at three things to keep an eye on during Sunday’s clash that will be pivotal in helping the Raiders get to 3-2 on the season.