Cubs News: Three things to work on during the bye week

Brisker will hopefully get fully healthy during the Bears bye week (Matt Marton - USA Today Sports)

by Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Fri Oct 18 12:15:02 GMT-04:00 2024

Fans are excited to watch Chicago Bears football for the first time in a while, as they have pushed their record to 4-2 this season. Coming off a win in London and riding a three-game winning streak, things have been trending in the right direction for a while. The Bears will now have the week off to enjoy their bye.

This is one of those rare cases where you wish you weren't having your bye week, as things are clicking right now. On the other hand, the Bears do have a lot of injuries to deal with right now, so giving those players some extra time off could be the difference between having them play next week or further down the road.

While the Bears and the entire organization enjoy some time off this weekend, they also have an opportunity to watch the rest of their division play and help them figure out what to do with their roster moving forward. A lot of that hinges on the health of some of these guys, but you do have to consider the trade market at some point, as that will be the Bears' best option to improve their roster. Here are some things the Bears must focus on during their week off.

Get your guys healthy

I know this may sound cliche, but you are only as good as your availability, and right now, the Bears have some questionable availability. Much of that hinges on the defense, especially the secondary, where Kyler Gordon and Jaquon Brisker play. Both of them play a massive role on the defense.

Losing either of these men for an extended period will hurt this defense, as they have done a great job neutralizing the opposition's passing game. This is the week they can use to get right, as they have time away from the field and rest and recover to be healthy for the stretch run.

Do your homework

While having the week off is suitable for the players, the same can't be said about the Bears coaching staff, as they will have plenty to do this weekend. Part of their homework would be to watch the rest of the NFC North and see what the Bears are up against later this season.

This is one of those weekends where the Bears could move up in the standings without playing. The Green Bay Packers have a tough matchup with the Houston Texans, while the Lions and Vikings are set to battle for first place. There is a reason why the NFC North is the best division in football right now.

All four teams have at least four wins this season and rank in the top four in point differential. That is unheard of, and if the Bears want to continue to make some noise within their division, they need to know what they are up against for the rest of the season and use their strengths to combat their opponents' weaknesses.

Figure out your trade deadline plans

Not only does the Bears coaching staff have some homework to do regarding watching the NFC North, but Ryan Poles also has to figure out what he wants to do at the Trade deadline and how he can improve this team. You saw what he could do last season by adding Montez Sweat, and there could be another massive deal in the works.

According to reports earlier in the week, the Bears are monitoring the trade market and a potential blockbuster deal, as Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby have heard their names pop up in Chicago. Either would be a massive upgrade for this defense and should be at the top of the Bears' priority list if available.

The more film and game action you have on these guys, the easier it will be to come up with a package that works for you and the team you're trading with so you can put a solid package together. Cheer up, guys; this is the only Bye week for the Bears all season, and football will be back before we know it.