### **When the Bears have the ball**
After rushing for an average of 102.3 yards in their first four games, the Bears have compiled 145 yards and 222 yards on the ground in two contests since their bye week, fueling wins over the Commanders and Saints.
They're hoping that running back D'Andre Swift—who is listed as questionable for the game with a groin injury that limited him in practice—can play. The sixth-year pro rushed for 108 yards against the Commanders and 124 yards versus the Saints and is seeking a third straight 100-yard performance for the first time in his NFL career.
Rookie running back Kyle Monangai ran for a career-high 81 yards against New Orleans, matching his yardage total from his first five NFL games.
The Bears offense is led by quarterback Caleb Williams, who has thrown for 1,351 yards with nine touchdowns, three interceptions and a 92.9 passer rating. The second-year pro has excelled on third down, posting a 105.8 passer rating that is third best in the league. Williams told reporters that he hopes to be more accurate on throws he makes while on the run, which is normally one of his strengths.
The offense is focused on improving its red-zone performance. The unit has scored touchdowns on just 30.8% of its possessions (4 of 13) inside-the-20 in the last three games after being successful on 85.7% of its red-zone trips (6 of 7) in its first three contests.
The Bears are the only NFL team that has scored at least 21 points in all of their games this season and rank 10th in points per game with 25.3. Baltimore enters Week 8 last in the league in points allowed at 32.3 per game.
The Ravens have generated only three takeaways, tied for the second fewest in the league, and rank 31st with a minus-7 turnover ratio. The Bears lead the NFL with a plus-11 turnover differential.
Baltimore's defense is led by Smith, who spent his first four-and-a-half seasons with the Bears before being traded to the Ravens midway through the 2022 campaign. Sunday's game will be his first against his former team.
"He is fast; that's what stands out," Johnson said. "He diagnoses quickly: see ball, get ball, sideline to sideline. He's playing at a super high level, and I know they'll welcome him back on that defense. He's going to help him out."
Other key Ravens defenders include linebacker Kyle Van Noy, safety Kyle Hamilton and cornerback Marlon Humphries. The starting unit also includes two more former Bears in tackle John Jenkins and end Brent Urban.
"Their record is not indicative of the way this team plays," said Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. "They still have a number of guys who play at a really high level. The way they play is impressive to watch on film."
**Key matchup: Bears tight end Colston Loveland vs. Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith**
With veteran tight end Cole Kmet set to miss his first game since joining the Bears in 2020 due to a back injury, Loveland could get more opportunities in the pass game. If the rookie tight end encounters Smith in coverage, it will be an intriguing matchup between two exceptional athletes who were drafted by the Bears with top-10 picks.
### **When the Ravens have the ball**
The biggest question heading into Sunday's game involves Jackson's availability. The two-time NFL MVP was a full participant in Friday's practice but is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury that forced him to miss the Ravens' last two games.
In four starts, Jackson has completed 71.6% of his passes for 869 yards with 10 TDs, one interception and a 130.5 passer rating that leads the NFL. The dual threat star has also rushed for 166 yards and one TD on 21 carries.
"He's the best mobile quarterback in NFL history," said safety Kevin Byard III. "I think the main thing is to understand that the only thing you can do is try to slow him down, especially when he's running. I had experience playing against him in Tennessee and our biggest thing was, 'make the guy go lateral.' If he gets downhill, especially escaping through the pocket, he's just as dangerous as any runner in this league."
Jackson teams with bruising running back Derrick Henry, a five-time Pro Bowler, to form what Byard describes as "the most dangerous backfield in the league." Henry ranks 15th in the NFL in rushing with 439 yards and four TDs on 88 carries.
Asked how to defend Henry—his close friend and Titans teammate from 2016-23, Byard said: "Don't go high. I've been on that sideline watching that guy stiff arm everybody into the dirt. He's a future Hall of Famer. It's going to be a challenge."
"The No. 1 coaching point is, 'how many hats can we get around the ball,'" said Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. "If we're expecting one guy to get the ball on the ground all the time, that's a tough proposition when you're talking about this guy. You've got to be able to hit him, you've got to be able to wrap up. Essentially, you've got to be able to take his pistons away and take his legs away from him, in terms of his ability to drive through contact."
Allen's defense enters Week 8 on a roll. The unit leads the league with 16 takeaways, with all but one coming during the team's current four-game winning streak. The Bears are the first NFL team with three interceptions in three of their first six games in a season since the 2009 Saints and the only club with multiple games with at least four takeaways, a feat they have accomplished three times in their last four contests.
**Key matchup: Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright vs. Ravens receiver Zay Flowers**
With cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson (shoulder) and Kyler Gordon (groin/calf) ruled out of Sunday's game, Wright no doubt will be counted on to help contain Flowers, who leads the Ravens with 46 receptions for 423 yards and one TD. Wright has excelled in his first season with the Bears, having recorded two interceptions, including one he returned 74 yards for a TD.
### **Fun facts**
* Each of the last three Bears-Ravens games has been decided by three points. The Bears won twice in overtime, 23-20 Nov. 17, 2013, in Chicago and 27-24 Oct. 15, 2017, in Baltimore before dropping a 16-13 decision Nov. 21, 2021, at Soldier Field.
* The Bears have scored points in 12 straight quarters, in all 12 quarters in the first half of their six games and in 22 of 24 quarters overall this season.
* The Bears played the first NFL game at M&T Bank Stadium Aug. 8, 1998, facing the Ravens in a preseason contest. After moving from Cleveland, the Ravens played their first two seasons at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium in 1996-97.
* The Bears are one of only two opponents that Jackson has never faced. (The Packers are the other). He missed the 2021 game in Chicago with an illness.
* The Bears are the fourth team since 2019 to register at least 16 takeaways in their first six games. The previous three squads all recorded at least 11 wins that season.