What kind of Mickey Mouse clown show are the Bears running? I get it, it’s one bad game, and the Rams a very good team, but holy hell, how was this the same Bears team that beat the Bucs a few weeks ago? Yes, the Bucs were missing some offensive pieces, and the Bears exposed a few concepts to grab some scores, but this was egregious. How does this team beat the Bucs, and yet turn this in? Yes, the Bears have played a butter soft schedule, and looked flawed doing it, but they have enough talent where they should have been above .500 in that opening stretch anyway. Let’s not start handing out trophies like a boomer parent all the sudden here. (Millenials were the trophy generation, but who paid for them and passed them out, Steve and Karen!?)
The wonder boy shines again
First off, props as always to the L.A. Rams for literally exhausting the Bears defense. Their 2.0 1990s Denver Broncos offense has also built into it the most play action calls in the league, usually resulting in substantial intermediate completions downfield. As well, there is tons of pre snap jet motion, and those slot players leak out/or slice/or whatever you want to call it to the flat for easy completions. There is so much horizontal movement between the inside zone, and skill guys slicing in the opposite direction, those extra yards running add up, especially if Time of Possession isn’t in your favor. (Looking at Matt Nagy)
***SIDE NOTE: Also, if you are inclined to believe Jared Goff is some stud QB, he isn’t. He is a good QB in a great system tailored to his strengths. Sean McVay runs a tremendous offense with layers upon layers, and tags on tags, but yet keep defenses guessing. Know who would look good with a clean pocket on big play action that have minimal downfield reads, utilizing long rollouts with occasional passes to the flat while on the move? Mitch Trubisky. Yeah, his deep ball isn’t accurate and Goff’s actually is more times than not, but he would be functional.
Who is running the asylum?
There are all kinds of directions we can go, but the tag at the top is a chicken and egg scenario. Pace skimped on the O-line the past few seasons and it’s coming back to haunt his team. German Efedi is a castoff for a reason. Losing Daniels hurts a lot, but it’s one guy out of 5. One above average lineman doesn’t make a whole line if two other guys are sub par or even garbage. There is a dearth of good linemen across the league because half of college runs inside/outside zone and these guys are in two point stances their whole collegiate life. Finding mobile guys who can get D lineman off the ball is becoming more precarious. That O-line is on Pace as the day is long. That O line is also on them, because how are they regressing? Those yards per carry are brutal. Yeah, Montgomery needs to stop bouncing and hit the hole, but he’s bouncing because there “ain’t holes to hit”.
Are we in the Matrix?
Put yourself into the mind of a coach, even at the high school level. Down here, you can’t really choose your people. Sometimes you get a stud class, sometimes you gotta make do with two back to back sort of meh classes. That’s where the real coaches find ways to move the ball. Can we formation guys to get an opening? Can we rep the few things were good at? At some point the desperation and innovation has to come along, instead of doing the same shit over, and over again. “I swear, this works! I promise!” yells Matt Nagy, as he is back for the sixth time to fix your wonky internet.
The changes have to impactful given the scenario, and that doesn’t mean exchanging left guards to and fro. Perhaps using your best personnel in limited formations, with tons of plays out of those? It would be tough to install, but just hammer in a whole different batch of plays during practice since the league has seen every hitch and out under the goddamn sun. I’m sure the team has deeper routes drawn up, but that O line deal…..yeah. Protection….and stuff. Some self scouting would help too, for that matter. Who does that for the Bears? Are they oblivious to reality? I spent the off season chirping about having two experienced former OC’s added to the staff, and I never hear anything from them. Who knows what is ticking up there with Nagy, but it’s not in reality. Given the way the league is having near shootouts on a weekly basis and the Bears are turning in this wretch is viscerally appalling.
“Everybody just be cool, we’re gonna be like a bunch of little fonzies, and be COOL”
I know Bears twitter collectively lost their mind Monday night, but that was probably apex Rams. That is a team that can win a game or two in the playoffs. The Super Bowl I don’t know, but they are in the top 1/3 of the league at the minimum, and played like it last night. It was the beginning the Bears test run with top 10 teams. The Bears brushed off the Colts debacle and knocked off the Bucs, but I don’t if they could do it again this week. Even after this rough patch, the schedule eases up later on, with Minnesota twice, Houston, and Jacksonville. New Orleans and the last remains of Drew Brees suddenly weak arm await. Sean Payton has called plays for nearly two decades. Chuck Pagano? Three and a half years! I bet he knows stuff. I wonder who taught him?
One and Dundas 