Home Sweet Home: Bears Face Bucs in Home Season Opener

After starting the season on the road with two consecutive road games, the Chicago Bears (1-1) finally get the chance to play at home in Soldier Field when they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) in Week 3. Just like last week, the Bears will be facing yet another former teammate, quarterback Brian Griese, who was recently named the starter for the Bucs.

Having played the last two years in Chicago, Griese’s knowledge of the Bears’ defensive scheme could work as an advantage for Tampa Bay. Not only could the Bucs passing game cause problems, but the running game could as well. Tampa Bay running backs Warrick Dunn and Earnest Graham have combined for over 300 yards and two touchdowns on the ground so far this season. Hopefully Chicago’s run defense has been fine-tuned since the second half meltdown of last week’s loss to the Carolina Panthers. In the secondary, the Bears have lost safety Brandon McGowan for the year with an ankle injury, and will be replaced by third-year safety Danieal Manning in the nickel package. Manning and the rest of the secondary will more than likely not have to worry about Bucs speedy veteran receiver Joey Galloway, due to an injured foot.

With Griese possibly being able to counter every situation the Bears defense puts him in, Kyle Orton could be in the mist of an offensive shootout. But playing at home may be the best place for Orton to have such a game, since he has won eight straight games as a starter at home and has an overall home record as a starter of 9-1. Although the Bears offense has been doing a solid job this season, the passing game needs to be much more aggressive and attempt more long completions. This will definitely be a hard task for Orton if Devin Hester isn’t fully recovered from a rib injury sustained last week. Hester has been sitting out of practice all week, but is expected to play Sunday. One injury the Bears may capitalize on is of Bucs 14-year veteran linebacker Derrick Brooks. Brooks’ sore hamstring may make stopping rookie Matt Forte out the backfield more difficult, as well as defending tight ends Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen in the passing game.

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If the Bears want to get on track, this is the perfect time to do so. This is their home opener of 2008, and they will have a packed house that have been waiting three weeks to see them up close and personal. This electric atmosphere should be what Chicago needs to make those big plays on offense and to force those three-and-outs and turnovers on defense.

By Clyde A. Speller
ProFootball-fans.com Chicago Bears Correspondent