Coming off a stunning 33-14 street victory over the New England Patriots, the Chicago Bears start a brief week of follow earlier than Sunday’s Week 8 recreation in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.
With quarterback Justin Fields producing his most full efficiency of the season, Brad Biggs’ weekly Bears mailbag opens with a query about how the play-calling factored into Fields’ night time.
It appeared just like the Bears referred to as performs that lastly cater to Justin Fields’ strengths. Do you assume it’s a credit score to the teaching employees that they have been capable of modify or a mark in opposition to them that it took them this lengthy? — @gucasliogito
The Bears executed throughout the board offensively, and Fields was an enormous a part of that. He accomplished 13 of 21 passes for 179 yards with one landing and a deflected interception, and he ran for 82 yards and a landing on 14 carries. When an offense dominates on third down (11 of 18), it sustains drives, and that’s how the Bears scored on 5 consecutive possessions.
I don’t consider there was as a lot new stuff as you think about. More putting was the execution that clearly had been missing. You reference enjoying to Fields’ strengths, and that’s clearly his uncommon athletic potential. Well, they’ve been transferring the pocket all season. They’ve been rolling him out. They’ve had bootlegs. They’ve run play motion.
The move ideas didn’t change in opposition to the Patriots. What was a little bit completely different based mostly on the matchup is the Bears put in additional man beaters due to New England’s protection tendencies. The Patriots are very man-heavy, so within the first quarter when offensive coordinator Luke Getsy sprinted Fields out, the Bears had a choose path to get Darnell Mooney open within the flat. It resulted in a 20-yard achieve. They used bootlegs to let large receivers run from defensive backs on crossers. None of this was new.
The Bears have been well-prepared. They did a extremely good job of scouting the Patriots after which designing a recreation plan based mostly on that data. Getsy labored to create clear reads within the passing recreation for Fields. He has been doing that every one season. The earlier teaching employees did that. The Bears have been enjoying for strain on the large receiver display to Khalil Herbert for a landing. It was a incredible name in opposition to the look from the Patriots, and Fields did a terrific job of delivering the ball earlier than being sandwiched between defenders.
What the Bears launched Monday was the designed quarterback runs. This wasn’t just some sneaks right here and there and zone learn. They ran quarterback counter, QB sweep, QB draw. That created battle for the Patriots and so they didn’t reply shortly sufficient. The Bears hadn’t referred to as quite a lot of designed runs for Fields by the primary six video games, in order that was new — not new stuff within the playbook however stuff that Getsy lastly leaned on along with his name sheet.
You should credit score the coaches. They’re nonetheless studying how finest to make use of their gamers within the scheme, and it’s a course of. The mini-bye was tremendous useful. Now we’ll see how they react and reply throughout a brief week of follow and a visit to Dallas.
Are the Bears now consumers or sellers within the commerce market? — @dj_in_kc
I are likely to consider they’re likelier to be sellers. The factor is, I’m unsure they’ve quite a lot of belongings they’re keen to maneuver which have appreciable worth. I addressed the potential of a Robert Quinn commerce Tuesday in 10 ideas (No. 6).
“We’re always going to be active in terms of making phone calls or picking up the phone and just seeing if that is something that can improve our team and it makes sense for us,” normal supervisor Ryan Poles stated Monday when requested if he could possibly be available in the market for assist at large receiver. “Not only for now, because I’ve always talked about this — it’s sustaining success for a long period of time. It’s not the short fix all the time. Just blending that together is tough because it takes a lot of discipline to do. So that’s what we’re balancing.”
To me, this isn’t the season — in Year 1 of a brand new regime — when Poles would deem a “short fix” a good suggestion. I are likely to doubt the Bears might be available in the market for a large receiver until it’s a player-for-player swap. The Bears haven’t had issues buying No. 2 large receivers, and a case may be made that’s what Darnell Mooney needs to be. I don’t assume there’s a legit No. 1 that could possibly be acquired, and if there have been, would the price be prohibitive?
We’ll see what shakes out earlier than the three p.m. Tuesday commerce deadline — and Poles clearly is keen to hear — however I don’t assume his imaginative and prescient or plan would lead him to be a purchaser.
One factor I’ve seen this 12 months is no person appears to be throwing slants in short-yardage conditions anymore, significantly the Bears. Why? — @carlso1
You’re proper, we aren’t seeing a ton of slants from the Bears. But it’s nonetheless a staple play for lots of groups, particularly briefly yardage. The Bears ran slant routes Monday night time at New England. It’s by no means going out of favor as a result of it could defeat man and zone protection. Against man, it’s successful the matchup on the line of scrimmage, and versus zone it’s counting on the quarterback to maneuver a defender along with his eyes to create a throwing window.
The Bears don’t have quite a lot of personnel that will make them top-tier. Fields hasn’t been studying the motion and delivering the ball as quick as he must always, and GM Ryan Poles mentioned that a little bit bit Monday. That may be a small subject right here. You have to tug the set off instantly on a slant route. And the Bears are poor at large receiver. They don’t have electrical athletes on the line of scrimmage apart from Darnell Mooney. They in all probability need him working different routes. They don’t have that big-bodied large receiver who can create area along with his body and be an amazing goal. Think about former Bears equivalent to Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery.
What has been the best shock concerning the Bears season to this point? — Luke, Moline
The dashing offense has been the best growth, and that’s a credit score to the teaching employees — particularly offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and offensive line coach Chris Morgan — the working backs, quarterback Justin Fields, the tight ends and don’t overlook the large receivers, who’ve been doing a tremendous job blocking on the sides. The Bears have a dominant dashing assault and are enjoying a bodily model of ball. They lead the NFL in dashing by seven weeks, averaging 181 yards.
You have to return to 2012 to search out the final time the Bears completed within the prime 10 in dashing. They have been tenth that 12 months at 123.1 yards per recreation. The final time they led the league in dashing was 1986, after they averaged 168.8 yards with Walter Payton main the best way in his second-to-last season. With David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert sharing the load and Fields tops amongst quarterbacks in dashing (364 yards), the Bears have been getting it performed behind an offensive line that has made enormous positive aspects when it comes to run blocking.
You anticipated the Bears to be extra dedicated to the run this season. I don’t assume anybody anticipated them to be fairly this profitable at it.
What’s extra probably: Addressing heart earlier than the offseason by way of a commerce or a free agent or a Round 1-2 draft choose? — @schmidtshow14
As I said above, I’d be shocked if the Bears are a purchaser on the commerce deadline. There’s no urgent want for GM Ryan Poles to make a transfer at this level. He established a plan when he arrived, and I don’t see something in Week 8, with the crew 3-4, that dictates he ought to deviate from that plan. What form of heart can be obtainable? What would the worth be? How a lot management would the crew have with the participant transferring ahead? I firmly consider Poles needs to keep up his draft capital looking forward to April.
I don’t assume there’s a heart on the road that the Bears view as a transparent improve, and I say that with out figuring out the prognosis for Lucas Patrick, who was carted off the sector within the first quarter Monday with a toe damage. The early hunch is Patrick might miss important time. Sam Mustipher stepped in and performed properly, and regardless of what the lots say, he has had some stable video games this season.
I’d be much more shocked if the Bears used a first-round choose on a middle, and my hunch is that will be a somewhat unpopular place selection. Since 2000, solely 11 facilities have been taken in Round 1. There are extra cases of facilities chosen in Round 2, but when the Bears wish to fill that place, they probably might get a great one in Round 3. I’d lean closely on positional worth until there’s a prospect who evaluators consider has the possibility to be elite.
Where does the Bears’ upset over the Patriots rank with different sudden wins throughout your time masking the crew? — @rradulski
It was a extremely good win for a younger crew that had been struggling and entered with a three-game shedding streak. The Bears didn’t simply win the sport. They dominated in all phases. I’m not going to attenuate the trouble, however let’s not faux like this victory got here with Tom Brady at quarterback. The Patriots began second-year professional Mac Jones and used him for 3 sequence earlier than switching to rookie fourth-round choose Bailey Zappe.
In my opinion, essentially the most spectacular upset victories by the Bears within the final 22 seasons got here in opposition to groups with elite quarterbacks. Monday’s recreation was the Bears’ tenth victory after they have been an underdog of eight factors or extra because the starting of the 2001 season. Nine of these 10 wins got here on the street. I’ll spotlight three that stand out to me:
- Sept. 19, 2004, at Lambeau Field: Bears 21, Packers 10
Point unfold: Packers by 9.
Defensive backs Mike Green and Bobby Gray intercepted Brett Favre and free security Mike Brown returned a fumble 95 yards for a landing, whereas working again Thomas Jones led the offense with 152 dashing yards and a landing as first-year coach Lovie Smith gained his first go to to Green Bay. It snapped a seven-game successful streak within the sequence for Favre.
- Sept. 7, 2008, at Lucas Oil Stadium: Bears 29, Colts 13
Point unfold: Colts by 10.
The Bears opened the season with a formidable street victory as rookie working again Matt Forte had a terrific debut, dashing for 123 yards and a landing. Lance Briggs returned a fumble for a landing and Adewale Ogunleye tackled Colts working again Joseph Addai in the long run zone for a security. The Bears did a a heck of a job in opposition to Peyton Manning.
- Nov. 26, 2015, at Lambeau Field: Bears 17, Packers 13
Point unfold: Packers by 8½.
Cornerback Tracy Porter intercepted Aaron Rodgers late within the fourth quarter, and the protection made a stand within the closing moments to win coach John Fox’s first journey to Lambeau with the Bears. Jay Cutler threw for 200 yards and a landing and took care of the ball after combining for 12 interceptions in his earlier 4 journeys to Lambeau. Before Monday, this was the final recreation the Bears gained as an underdog of eight factors or extra.
Not all upsets are judged equally. The Bears’ first victory at New England was an enormous one for first-year coach Matt Eberflus. I price these upsets larger due to the quarterbacks the Bears defeated.
Considering the Bears’ present file and outlook for the remainder of this 12 months, wouldn’t it make sense to commerce a star participant like Roquan Smith to get the draft capital they’ve traded away? What kind of draft-pick bundle might they realistically get? — Brian Ok., Cicero
This query has popped up a number of instances the previous couple of weeks. I’m going again to GM Ryan Poles’ response in early August when Smith — by NFL Network — made it identified he wished to be traded to a crew that will signal him to the form of contract extension he was searching for. Poles was adamant on the time he was not excited about dealing Smith.
What has modified since then? Did you anticipate the Bears file to be considerably completely different? Was the outlook for the season completely different throughout coaching camp than it’s now? From my perspective, not a lot has modified. Those who held nice optimism for this season throughout camp have been viewing the roster and a first-year teaching employees with navy-and-orange sun shades. Now these people are excited once more after an intensive dismantling of the Patriots.
Smith had a stat-stuffer recreation Monday with a game-high 12 tackles, a third-down sack and an interception. The Bears can management him for the 2023 season by utilizing the franchise tag. They additionally might use the tag as a mechanism to create extra time to barter a multiyear contract. If Poles thinks there’s a risk he needs to maintain Smith as a foundational piece for the protection, buying and selling him wouldn’t make sense.
I don’t assume the Bears would get almost as a lot as some may anticipate in a commerce. For starters, you’re speaking a couple of rental participant for a little bit greater than half a season. You’re additionally speaking about an off-the-ball linebacker, and when it comes to positional worth, that doesn’t rank too excessive. The solely method a crew would have important curiosity is that if an damage created a serious gap in the midst of its protection.
The Bears additionally don’t have a transparent alternative for Smith whom you’ll view as a possible starter transferring ahead. Maybe I’m unsuitable, however I believe there was much more speak about the potential of buying and selling Smith than is worth it.
I’ve a query about truthful catches on punts. I bear in mind seeing this performed in a Bears preseason recreation and questioning if this rule was nonetheless within the books. Papa Bear George Halas was the coach and the participant making the truthful catch was Andy Livingston. After the truthful catch, the coach determined the subsequent play can be a free place kick for a discipline purpose. The opposing crew was not allowed to hurry the kicker and needed to keep 10 yards again. My thought is with kickers booming 60-yard discipline targets, why would any individual not do that on a brief punt? — Jerry Z., Eastman Wis.
The fair-catch kick or free kick is a seldom-used tactic however stays authorized. After a kickoff or punt is fielded by a good catch, the offensive crew has the choice of making an attempt a kick from the road of scrimmage (there isn’t any snap) that’s value three factors, the identical as a discipline purpose.
While I don’t have analysis obtainable on preseason video games from the Halas period, I can let you know the final time the Bears efficiently used a fair-catch kick was to defeat the Packers 13-10 on Nov. 3, 1968. Cecil Turner fielded a punt with a good catch on the Packers 43-yard line, and on the time the purpose posts have been on the purpose line. Coach Jim Dooley despatched out Mac Percival to try a free kick, and he nailed it with 26 seconds remaining, one of many strangest endings to a Bears-Packers recreation.
“I swear, I don’t think any of us knew the rule at the time,” Percival informed the Tribune’s Fred Mitchell throughout a 2011 interview. “And Abe Gibron (then a Bears assistant coach) was the one who informed Cecil Turner, ‘Make sure you fair catch on the punt from Donny (Anderson).’ So he did, and so they stated, ‘OK, let’s go on the market and free kick.’
“Well, we had no idea what he was talking about. In fact, he had to tell us, ‘Well, you line up like you’re going to do a kickoff.’ Then (holder) Richie Petitbon had his leg out like he always does to hold it. An official came up and said: ‘No, you’re offsides. Pull your leg back so you won’t be offsides when you hold the ball.’ Then they told me to try to kick it, which was fairly easy because there was no rush and no hurry. It was kind of like just being out at practice. It was quite exciting.”
The final time a free kick was tried in an NFL recreation was on Oct. 13, 2019, when the Carolina Panthers’ Joey Slye missed large proper from 60 yards on the finish of the primary half in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout a recreation in London. The final profitable free kick was on Nov. 21, 1976, when Ray Wersching of the San Diego Chargers related from 45 yards on the finish of the primary half in opposition to the Buffalo Bills.
There have been some excessive efforts too. In 1979, Washington’s Mark Moseley was quick on a 74-yard attempt with 54 seconds remaining. The New York Giants led 14-6 on the time, and Washington wanted two scores in an period when there was no 2-point conversion. The subsequent 12 months, Fred Steinfort of the Denver Broncos was quick from 73 yards on the finish of the primary half of a recreation at New England.
Why don’t you see this technique extra typically? It’s actually viable solely on the finish of a half. A crew gained’t truthful catch a punt close to midfield and elect for a 3-point attempt as a result of that will imply giving up a short-field alternative for a landing or a shorter, higher-percentage discipline purpose.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com