With a high-effort efficiency on a brief week on the street, the Chicago Bears gave coach Matt Eberflus precisely what he was in search of in Thursday’s 27-11 defeat of the Seattle Seahawks.
Sure, it’s preseason. And the big-picture significance of the Bears’ 2-0 begin have to be saved in correct perspective. (Translation: in the end, it means little or no.)
But successful all the time beats shedding, regardless of the stakes. And it has been clear that gamers have been responding to Eberflus and his teaching employees and enjoying with depth and cohesion. Here’s our three-phase evaluation of Thursday’s victory.
Offense
Reason for optimism: Cole Kmet has an opportunity to develop into considered one of Justin Fields’ finest buddies in 2022 with so little solidified behind Darnell Mooney within the receiving corps, so it was encouraging to see Kmet contribute in a serious approach on the opening drive after lacking the preseason opener with an undisclosed harm.
A good finish display screen on the primary play from scrimmage gave Kmet a possibility to indicate off his run-after-catch capability. He gained 12 yards on that play with eight coming after he was initially hit by Seahawks linebacker Joel Dublanko.
Five performs later, Kmet got here free on a crossing route and made a 19-yard catch. Fields, working off a play pretend and rolling to his left, had sufficient time to set and fired a dart. Kmet gained separation from linebacker Lakiem Williams and moved the chains. It was the Bears’ second-longest acquire from scrimmage within the sport and extra proof {that a} Year 3 breakthrough might be in retailer for Kmet, particularly if Fields and coordinator Luke Getsy prioritize him.
Getsy has been complimentary of Kmet’s general versatility, and veteran tight finish Ryan Griffin sees little motive Kmet gained’t take promising steps ahead.
“(It’s) his attitude,” Griffin stated. “He’s got all the tools. But a lot of guys have tools in this league. It’s the want-to to get better, to learn, to take in knowledge and then put it out on the field. He’s shown he can do that. He will do that. That’s what makes me believe he’s going to be a great tight end in this league.”
Reason for concern: Fields dropped again to move eight instances on his solely sequence and confronted a good quantity of stress. The Bears quarterback wasn’t sacked, however there was sufficient leakage up entrance to induce some anxiousness.
On the second play from scrimmage, for instance, working again Khalil Herbert was a tick sluggish together with his blitz pickup, permitting Cody Barton to disrupt Fields within the pocket and forcing a rushed sidearm incompletion into the flat.
Two snaps later, a collapsing pocket despatched Fields into scramble mode earlier than he might set on the high of his drop. He ran for a 1-yard acquire and had a close to fumble on that third-and-3. On the following snap, Poona Ford’s profitable rush in opposition to proper guard Teven Jenkins once more despatched Fields fleeing the pocket and needing to shortly discover Herbert as his checkdown possibility.
The Bears offensive line isn’t going to develop into a sturdy wall in a single day. And it is going to be as much as Getsy to design and name performs accordingly whereas allotting the safety manpower that’s wanted. Fields may also have to make use of his agility to slide away from hassle and erase a few of the errors up entrance and with failed blitz pickups. The greater worry, although, is that if a growing quarterback is pressured to cope with fixed warmth that disrupts his timing and energy, the evolution and development of the offense can be impeded.
Next week’s preseason finale in Cleveland in opposition to the Browns might supply one final sport alternative to shore issues up, relying on how a lot Eberflus opts to play his starters.
Worth noting: In final week’s evaluation, we gave Eberflus and his employees excessive marks for dealing with a problem state of affairs effectively, getting a 9-yard Chiefs completion overturned and turning a third-and-1 right into a third-and-10. (The Bears then turned that third-and-10 right into a takeaway and a short-field landing drive.)
That’s the best way it ought to be finished. So it was solely pure to query why the Bears coach declined to problem a second quarter incompletion Thursday night time that regarded as if it ought to have been a 9-yard Isaiah Coulter reception.
The completion got here on a scorching learn from Trevor Siemian to Coulter as Siemian averted a sack. Coulter acquired his left hand and proper forearm underneath the ball, which by no means touched the bottom. It ought to have been sufficient to transform third-and-8 and preserve a possible scoring drive alive. But after the officers dominated the move incomplete, Eberflus by no means threw his problem flag regardless of having loads of time to take action and having the good thing about the play occurring in entrance of the Bears sideline.
“A couple coaches on the sideline thought it bounced on the ground,” Eberlus stated. “We acquired one good look upstairs and that was it. We didn’t have a great second take a look at it so we simply determined to let it go.
“In real time in a real game, maybe I would’ve thrown (the challenge flag) in there. But we didn’t have a second look.”
The Bears then took a delay of sport penalty earlier than punting.
Defense
Reason for optimism: The Seahawks didn’t rating till 29 seconds remained within the third quarter, snapping a stretch of 17 possessions courting to final weekend that the Bears protection shut out opponents.
The Seahawks managed solely 5 first downs within the first half after the Kansas City Chiefs had two of their scoreless second half in opposition to the Bears.
Much of the manufacturing is coming from second-, third- and generally fourth-team gamers who could not play main roles within the common season. But it has been clear this month that Bears defenders have heard coordinator Alan Williams’ request to “lead the world in hustle.”
The Bears protection is establishing an identification and setting a regular for what issues ought to appear like. Through two preseason video games, issues have regarded encouraging.
Reason for concern: The secondary nonetheless isn’t complete. Rookie security Jaquan Brisker couldn’t construct on his preseason debut, sitting out two practices this week with an undisclosed harm earlier than lacking Thursday’s sport. Cornerback Kindle Vildor was additionally out of motion in Seattle, leaving DeAndre Houston-Carson and Lamar Jackson to run with the beginning secondary.
Depth stays an under-the-radar concern within the defensive backfield with Thomas Graham Jr., Tavon Young, Dane Cruikshank and Greg Stroman injured. The Bears have just a little greater than two weeks remaining earlier than Week 1 practices start, so it is going to be price monitoring the ins and outs of their defensive backs and any probably associated roster strikes.
Worth noting: Rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon was on the sphere for 18 snaps in his preseason debut, exhibiting off a few of his hustle and athleticism. Gordon’s first blitz alternative got here within the first quarter as he tore out of the slot and pressured Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith right into a frantic throwaway. He virtually acquired to Smith for a sack and vowed to complete higher going ahead.
Later within the first half, Gordon’s sort out try on Seahawks working again Travis Homer wasn’t fairly sound sufficient, turning ought to have been a 5-yard acquire right into a 33-yard chunk play. This is all a part of the expertise the rookie wants to achieve as he takes on a number one function for a protection that’s going to depend on his playmaking instincts. At a minimal, Gordon’s consolation and self-belief are offering gasoline for his development.
Special groups
Reason for optimism: Welcome to the return sport, Velus Jones Jr.
The third-round pick of Tennessee ripped off a 48-yard punt return within the first quarter with a burst that acquired him into open house and liberate the left sideline. Jones was affected person but decisive and confirmed off the electrical energy that excited the Bears once they drafted him. Gordon and Duke Shelley offered key blocks down the left facet of the sphere.
Jones additionally had a 31-yard kickoff return to open the sport, fumbling on the finish of that run however shortly recovering. His capability to shortly bounce again from that near-disaster was notable.
“I wasn’t the first to fumble and I won’t be the last to fumble in this league,” Jones instructed reporters after the sport. “It’s all about short memory. If you allow that to creep on you, it will affect your next play, and you never know your next play might be your biggest play.”
Jones definitely seems to be in line to deal with each return roles when the common season begins.
“He’s explosive,” Eberflus stated. “It’s a challenge for him because he’s a rookie and he’s going to have to come in there and show guys what he can do. I think he’s up for the challenge.”
Reason for concern: The Bears had been forward by 24 factors with lower than 5 minutes remaining, basically rubbish time within the fourth quarter of a preseason sport.
But a muffed punt and an incapability to recuperate an onside kick will result in some added aggravation and correction within the subsequent particular groups assembly.
Rookie Dazz Newsome, who muffed a punt within the preseason opener, mishandled one other one Thursday night time. This time, although, Newsome’s mistake was the results of working again De’Montre Tuggle colliding with him proper earlier than he tried to catch the ball. The Seahawks recovered and shortly turned the takeaway right into a landing.
On the following onside kick, Coulter couldn’t safe Jason Myers’ bouncing ball and the Seahawks stole one other late possession.
Again, lots of the gamers on the sphere in these closing levels gained’t be part of the Bears’ regular-season plans. But the situational blunders shouldn’t be missed and the Bears coaches ought to proceed to make corrections and harp on the necessity to end robust.
Worth noting: Credit the Bears for tacking on a particular groups landing within the remaining minute of the primary half with the proper mixture of effort and consciousness.
Seattle’s Cade Johnson supplied up a present, muffing a Trenton Gill punt at his personal 5-yard line with 25 seconds remaining. Three Bears had a possibility to recuperate the free ball with rookie security Elijah Hicks pouncing on it throughout the aim line.
Familiar with Eberflus’ H.I.T.S. precept? That sequence checked off each letter.
Yes, the Seahawks had a shocking variety of “that just can’t happen” moments. But the Bears put themselves in place to capitalize. And that rating on the finish of the half is precisely the sort of momentum-building spark that Eberflus believes his model of soccer is designed to create.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com