After winning their first game of 2015, the Bears (1-3) look to make it two in a row come Sunday when they travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs (1-3). Here's a breakdown of Chicago's Week 5 opponent:
What's new: The Chiefs went 659 days between touchdown catches by wide receivers, starting Dec. 8, 2013. That streak was snapped in Week 3 of this season against Green Bay, when wideout Jeremy Maclin finally reached the end zone. Last Sunday, Maclin added 148 receiving yards for Kansas City. A free agent signee in the offseason from Philadelphia, it's safe to say Maclin has jump-started the Kansas City offense. Through four games, he has 28 receptions; the next-highest total for a Chiefs receiver is just six (Jason Avant).
Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith
What's old: In 2014, the Chiefs had one of the toughest pass defenses in the NFL, thanks to their powerful pass rush. K.C. had 46 sacks last season, which meant opposing QB's were taken down on nearly 9 percent of their pass attempts. This season, through four weeks, the Chiefs have only nine sacks total. Outside linebackers Justin Houston and Tamba Hali are talented players, but with the pass rush lacking, the pass defense is struggling too. Opponents have thrown 11 touchdowns this season, compared to only two interceptions, and the Chiefs rank 28th in the NFL by allowing 295.5 passing yards per game.
Last time out: Look at the box score and it would appear the Chiefs were successful in Week 4 against Cincinnati. Kansas City scored on five of its first six drives, and the team had five drives of eight plays or longer. The Chiefs dominated the time of possession battle, holding the ball for nearly 14 minutes longer than the Bengals. Yet in the end, Kansas City dropped its third straight game, losing by 15 points. The difference? The Chiefs kept kicking field goals, while the Bengals scored touchdowns. K.C. repeatedly stalled in the red zone, and all of its points came on seven Cairo Santos field goals. Meanwhile Cincinnati's running game gained 124 yards and scored four touchdowns, and QB Andy Dalton added 321 passing yards and another score through the air in a 36-21 Bengals win.
Series history: The Chiefs and Bears have played just 11 times in 42 years, with Chicago holding a 6-5 series lead. The teams haven't met at Arrowhead Stadium since the final week of the 2003 season, when the Chiefs rolled to a 31-3 victory. That blowout is a rarity among these teams. Seven of the 11 games have been decided by a touchdown or less, including six of them being decided by four points of fewer.
Injury report: Starting inside linebacker Josh Mauga left Kansas City's Week 4 game because of a leg injury, and his status for Sunday's matchup against the Bears is unknown. Other than that, the Chiefs look relatively healthy heading into the matchup.
Schemes and tendencies: Alex Smith is a capable quarterback who generally doesn't turn the ball over. However the Kansas City signal-caller isn't exactly what one would call a downfield threat. Smith has attempted 148 passes this season, and the length of those throws averages just 5.8 yards. That ranks second lowest in the NFL among qualified quarterbacks. In 2014, Smith ranked last in that category, at with his passes going an average of 5.83 yards downfield. The short throws lead to good accuracy and consistency, but they don't really stretch the field. Smith has attempted only 18 deep passes all season long, completing half of them.
Did you know?: It should come as no surprise to Bears fans that the Chiefs were so successful scoring points from their kicking game last week, as Kansas City's special teams unit is coached by coordinator Dave Toub. It is the same role Toub held in Chicago from 2004 through 2012, where he helped five players reach the Pro Bowl, including Robbie Gould. Kansas City ranks 10th in the NFL this season in kick return yards, while their coverage teams are also solid, ranking fifth for the fewest yards allowed on punt returns.
