The phrase, “This is why we can’t have nice things” should have been plastered across every Chicagoans social media account, at least before they decided to thumb type mean words towards Allen Robinson. Chuck Pagano’s good not great defense buckled and collapsed under some really odd calls that probably at this point if you include the past two weeks, aren’t fooling guys who have been playing QB in the NFL for over a decade.
The Bears did take advantage of their new Golden Domers on an O line which helped get Montgomery, and at times Patterson going, as well as a decent game plan giving Mitchell some easy downfield reads. However, it ended unceremoniously near the front of their own end zone with a strip sack. You knew the Lions were going to score, and frankly, why the hell wouldn’t it be Adrian Peterson’s 34-year-old ass to do it. Frank Gore and social security card better look the hell out.
Here are some positive things on offense!
Speaking of running the damn ball, David Montgomery looked like he was sick of everyone’s B.S. on Sunday, or he channeled Earl Campbell’s soul, one of the two. It’s amazing that when he can actually get to the second level, he becomes a huge pain in the ass for the defense. Having Mustipher and Bars in there from the Notre Dame lineman factory has helped the O-line improve to at least competency, because they aren’t missing blocks like Ifedi. (Also, this is me pimping the Notre Dame lineman and or Tight End factory. That goes dually noted for Stanford and Iowa as well). Nonetheless, it’s just a shame that Nagy abandoned the run with a 10 point lead. I feel like everything he does has to be goddamn tricky like a freaking magic show. Just follow the script basic fans know needs to be done in that scenario. Stop being “You” for once.
Mitch didn’t have any backbreaking turnov–nevermind.
Mitchell did a solid job on Sunday. Granted the Packers and Lions aren’t exactly the 2000 Ravens or the Steel Curtain defensively, but he moved the ball, mostly because the Bears parsed his playbook down to things he can do well, sort of. They put in their 12 personnel with one back and two Tight End’s ran a lot of play action off of it, and got some intermediate shots out of it. Very cool to see. If you don’t think everyone else with have of a football IQ knows this after two weeks, you’re just silly. It’s the old Catch-22. “Give Mitch stuff he can run!” Okay, well that’s gonna be a simple week of prep for a DC. So what are ya gonna do?
MASSIVE SIDENOTE: I know what Matt Nagy is gonna do. While protecting a thin lead, call a deeper route pass concept with no dump off near the goal line, giving the rush time to get home. C’mon bud. If Brian Daboll and the Bills can formulate some sort of offense around Josh Allen’s Jekyl and Hyde athletic freak nonsense, then…..well, that makes Brian Daboll a good candidate for an OC, or maybe an HC.***
Here are two simple minute long plays of Mitch looking like an NFL QB.
So apparently, everyone hates Allen Robinson? Like, vehemently.
I am not an Allen Robinson “stan” per se as you internet folk say. He is a very good NFL receiver. Even his agent thinks so! Pro Bowler every year? Ehhhh….Still best thing the Bears got, but the fans act like he took a dump on Walter Payton’s grave. Those 50/50 balls earlier in the year in Atlanta, etc. are certainly damning, and frankly not his best work. I can’t recall him having issues with that till this year. However, you know how many times have you seen this guy layout for a horribly thrown ball from Mitch, and make some sick grabs. Don’t say you don’t notice it. (Also, no one is defending the jump out of bounds. Yikes. Just egregious. That’s some Anthony Miller nonsense.) Here is what I always say when Dallas fans would curse Tony Romo to the heavens….He’s better than 2/3 of the league at his position, and 2nd, who ya gonna get to replace him?
“Dat Bears defense der don’t look none too good now, eh?”
First the obvious. Too many big chunk plays and not enough pressure is a recipe for disaster. The elephant in the room is that Mack is approaching 30, and has a lot of money coming his way. I tell my buddies to chill on the fact he doesn’t have a ton of splash plays, but all of those “Mack is getting held!” screams from Twitter have slowly dissipated, and now they are just complaints. Look, coaches game plan like crazy for this guy, and he doesn’t get a damn bit of help from the opposite side. He’s a mutant human, but can’t do it alone, especially when teams literally alter their run blocking, and pass pro just for the Bears that week. That’s nuts.
***Also, Robert Quinn is literally the worst free agent signing I have seen in years. Only in 2020.
Okay Chuck. Time to get moving along there buddy.
I’m usually the first to dig in at Chuck Pagano because he has been dragged down the road by every decent QB and or OC this season. I think the book is out on him sitting in back in quarters coverage seemingly 27 times a game and not disguising it with moving safeties, or splitting coverages across the field, or sending pressure from an obscure place so that at least if that doesn’t hit, the rotation of like 5 defenders to cover that zone vacated by the blitzer could maybe fool the QB. Just anything at all. Maybe some more man calls with a guy like Jaylon Johnson, or send Fuller on a corner blitz once or twice, just so the offense thinks you might do it again. Just, anything.
One and Dundas 