It is very rare the New York Jets have a chance to clinch a playoff spot before Week 17 but that opportunity has presented itself in the 2010 season. The Jets travel to Chicago to face the 10-4 Bears, who have already clinched the NFC North. This game provides a good test heading into the playoffs, as for the second week in a row, the Jets will travel into a hostile environment to face a quality opponent.
The Bears are led by their defense, which does a terrific job getting after the quarterback and is stout against the run.Julius Peppers and Isreal Idonije have eight sacks each. Chicago is currently ranked 3rd in the NFL at opponent's rushing yards allowed. However, its offensive rankings demonstrate its problems consistently moving the football. The Bears are ranked 25th in rushing yards and 26th in passing yards.
Jay Cutler is having a relatively productive year behind center but is always prone to turning the football over. Matt Forte is a dangerous back, who is a very good receiver out of the backfield. Chicago has a talented collection of receivers, led by Johnny Knox and a good pass catching tight end in Greg Olsen.
Devin Hester remains the most dangerous return man in the NFL and hopefully the Jets will be smart in kicking away from him.
The Jets' game plan to beat Chicago shouldn't vary too much from last week in Pittsburgh. However, I do expect a more aggressive pass rush from Rex Ryan against the Bears shoddy offensive line. Despite the Bears ability to stop the run, there is no reason to shy away from the ground attack. The Jets need a balanced approach to keep the Bears pass rush off balance. This will be another good test for Mark Sanchez so hopefully he can build on his performance from last week.
Here are the Bears 2010 stats so far --