Unlike the Las Vegas Raiders, the Chicago Bears seem to be in need of catching a break. Will they get it if Brian Hoyer starts for head coach Josh McDaniels?
For all the hoopla surrounding Davante Adams and the quarterback situation, one thing remains true: the Raiders are winning. Sitting comfortably at 3-3, the Silver and Black travel to the Windy City to battle one of the worst squads in the league. At 1–5, the Bears are in a tailspin, point blank. The thing is, facing Hoyer could be a way for them to finally get back in the winning column.
Raiders vs. Bears: The Battle of the Backups
While Hoyer made a couple of impressive throws downfield when substituting for Jimmy Garoppolo last week, Raiders fans shouldn’t be too excited about the prospect of winning this game. Let’s face it, in the battle of backups this Sunday, this game will be an ugly one in all likelihood.
With Tyson Bagent likely making his first career start, the Chicago Bears could be facing a familiar friend in Hoyer—he was the team’s backup signal-caller in 2016. The Bears’ defense, for their part, is a shell of its former self; they rank at or near the bottom of every defensive category. Nevertheless, facing an offense that’s had trouble moving the ball deep could benefit their squad. The musical chair game that’s become the quarterback position for the Raiders is turning into an issue.
The inability for Garoppolo to stay healthy has unsurprisingly reared its head. Now, the Raiders could either trot out a rookie with just one underwhelming start earlier in the season, option A. Option B would be to go with Brian Hoyer; either way, this could go sideways rather quickly. Luckily for McDaniels, Patrick Graham’s defense has helped to seal the deal for almost all of the team’s victories. Facing a debuting rookie could prove to be just as much of a break for Maxx Crosby and Co.
Let’s face it, winning is winning.
*Top Photo: Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal