'Wet Ball Wednesday' could give Bears an advantage over Vikings
The Chicago Bears matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6 could have some outside implications that might affect the outcome of the game. Sunday's game at Soldier Field is expecting to be a wet one, with the current weather forecast calling for a 51 percent chance of showers in Chicago. The Bears were met […]
The Chicago Bears matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6 could have some outside implications that might affect the outcome of the game.
Sunday's game at Soldier Field is expecting to be a wet one, with the current weather forecast calling for a 51 percent chance of showers in Chicago.
The Bears were met with some less-than-ideal conditions at Soldier Field but came out with the victory in last year's season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. A proactive approach used by Bears every week could give them the leg up once again if the conditions prove to be not desirable.
The Bears solution for preparing for possible inclement weather: Wet Ball Wednesday. According to Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, every Wednesday the team practices multiple drills to get the team accustomed to dealing with potentially wet conditions.
"When [the team] gets done with all of their stuff in a normal environment, then we put them through all of that stuff with as many wet ball drills as we can do," Hightower said while speaking to the media on Thursday. "There's many things that we can put them through to keep them guessing and surprise them."
Raining conditions are a critical aspect to prepare for and acknowledge knowing it could create major disadvantages that affects how the game is played. Simple things like throwing, catching, punting, and holding on to the football can become seriously impacted when rain is involved.
With those conditions potentially expected to arrive on Sunday, the Bears can showcase how important it truly is to prepare for such scenarios on a weekly basis no matter what.
Hightower continued on and stressed the importance of ball security, not only for the ball carriers, but even for his players on special teams.
"We talked to them about cleats, keeping your feet in the ground, and ball security when it comes to return numbers," he added. "And then also, ball security has to do with the snapper, the holder, the kicker, it has got to do with anybody who touches the ball."
The added emphasis every week could go a long way for the Bears this weekend. Both teams enter into the matchup with a 1-4 record on the season, with each side looking to get on track before it's too late. We'll see how much of an impact the weather could have once Sunday arrives.
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