The Chicago Bears open the 2022 NFL regular season against an opponent that was on the doorstep of playing in Super Bowl LVI in the San Francisco 49ers.
Coming off a 10-7 season, the 49ers are loaded yet again with a playoff-caliber roster and are looking to start the season off on a positive note. They do have some notable changes, however, that are worth watching, including their quarterback swap.
But there’s more players on the 49ers to watch than just the quarterback, although all eyes are going to be on that situation all season long. Here are six key opponents to watch when the Bears and 49ers meet up on the lakefront this Sunday.
1
QB Trey Lance
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The matchup between Trey Lance and Justin Fields is one of the more intriguing quarterback battles of week one. Not only are the two players connected via the 2021 NFL draft, but it’s the official start of a new era in San Francisco where Lance takes the torch from Jimmy Garoppolo as the new entrenched starter.
Lance started two games during his rookie year, going 1-1 with mixed results. Combined, he threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions with an average quarterback rating of 87.2. He can make plays with his legs and is equipped with a cannon of an arm, but there’s very little tape on him at this point even going back to college, making him a true wildcard as he enters his sophomore season in the league.
Both he and Fields are similar in their play styles, giving the Bears somewhat of an advantage on defense after going against their own quarterback all summer long. Will he begin his season with a bang? Or can the Bears defense clamp down on him and make life difficult for the second-year starter?
2
OT Trent Williams
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Last season, the Bears boasted one of the better pass rushing units in the NFL, finishing fourth in sacks with 49.0 in 2021. But when they faced the 49ers in late October, they came up with a big ole goose egg in that department, in large part due to left tackle Trent Williams. The 34-year offensive lineman has been one of the best left tackles of the last decade, but turned it up a notch in 2021 when he was selected first-team All-Pro for the first time in his career.
Williams is still playing at an elite level entering his 13th season as a pro and getting past him could be an issue for the Bears…
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