OT: Bears & NFL Talk 101

[Romang67]

Still wish the Bears will stop handcuffing Caleb Williams and let him play through his mistakes. Stop being conservatives, Bears coaches, let Caleb play.

It's the tension between wanting to compete this year and wanting to develop a QB. Eberflus the defensive head coach is ALL ABOUT not turning the ball over. Where do you turn the ball over? Tight windows and, often, middle of the field. Where do you want a young QB to challenge themselves? Tight windows and the middle of the field.

Best pass of the day was the pass to Kmet that put the ball close to the red zone and immediately led to Swift's TD run, IMO. Either that or the pass to Moore. Both are passes that challenge the defense over the middle of the field. We need to see more of that (like in the last half of the Colts game), even if it leads to an interception every now and then.

The record won't show it because of the DPI, but he had a pass over the middle to Allen that led to the first TD run as well. So yeah, out of 3 TDs, all three were results of passes over the middle.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Solid win

 

[Fortyfives]

Still wish the Bears will stop handcuffing Caleb Williams and let him play through his mistakes. Stop being conservatives, Bears coaches, let Caleb play.

I’m kind of with you but on the other hand Caleb might get killed behind this line if they do that.

 

[Panzerspitze]

 

[Illinihockey]

Lot of people complaining about the Taylor pick last week looking pretty dumb this morning

 

[GIADF]

Lot of people complaining about the Taylor pick last week looking pretty dumb this morning

Huge improvement from him, which I was never really worried about. I think he just needed to get comfortable with now being in the NFL which led to some early struggles. It's not like punters often in their prime just drop off a cliff.

More week over week improvements from CW as well. Was nice to see him just take what the defense was giving him, especially against the blitz. Keep doing that and it will be a big help for the running game and the big plays will come eventually.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Lot of people complaining about the Taylor pick last week looking pretty dumb this morning

Lots of people look pretty dumb in threads as the game gets played

 

[Romang67]

For all the handwringing about Williams holding on to the ball for too long before the draft, he's smack dab in the middle of the league in Time-to-Throw.

Sometimes that has been out of necessity. On the Moore TD, the two tackles were pushed in to allow him a pocket that was about 3 feet wide in 2 seconds flat.

More week over week improvements from CW as well. Was nice to see him just take what the defense was giving him, especially against the blitz. Keep doing that and it will be a big help for the running game and the big plays will come eventually.

Agreed. The only blitz that stood out to me as a potential QB mistake was the one where he got sacked by like 3 players within 2 seconds from the snap. I THINK Odunze was hot on that play, and he looked over to Allen who wasn't ready to receive a pass until Williams was already going down. Even with that play:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840523034123460613

Loved this play so much:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840758431273132370

No, it's not super fancy looking, but it's layering a ball over a 6'3 linebacker to where only Kmet can reach it for an about 20 yard gain.

 

[Illinihockey]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840477226682454039

The bears ability to have the worst center in football for a decade has been amazing to watch

 

[Romang67]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840477226682454039

The bears ability to have the worst center in football for a decade has been amazing to watch

Shelton used to be a serviceable, if not particularly impressive, center for the Rams. What the hell happened? Do they go back to Bates when he returns off of IR?

Now, for full transparency, I was clamoring for Cushenberry, Williams, and (as most everyone) someone like Powers-Johnson in the draft. They all also suck so far this year.

But yeah, the O-line is STRUGGLING. And it's not just the interior.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840609562501792019

This is Jones and Wright getting pushed back by (an admittedly really impressive) rookie edge rusher and a situational pass rusher. And getting pushed back FAST. It's 2 seconds from Williams' receiving the snap to starting the windup.

Big issue is that, with the struggles Braxton Jones has had so far this year, the line could be looking at needing 4 new pieces next season. Not really something you fix quickly. You probably put some money and draft picks into the interior, and hope that some combination of Wright, Jones, and Amegadjie figure something out. I think Davis is all but cut already, and with his injury and unimpressive play, I don't think they re-sign Jenkins.

 

[Pez68]

Shelton used to be a serviceable, if not particularly impressive, center for the Rams. What the hell happened? Do they go back to Bates when he returns off of IR?

Now, for full transparency, I was clamoring for Cushenberry, Williams, and (as most everyone) someone like Powers-Johnson in the draft. They all also suck so far this year.

But yeah, the O-line is STRUGGLING. And it's not just the interior.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840609562501792019

This is Jones and Wright getting pushed back by (an admittedly really impressive) rookie edge rusher and a situational pass rusher. And getting pushed back FAST. It's 2 seconds from Williams' receiving the snap to starting the windup.

Big issue is that, with the struggles Braxton Jones has had so far this year, the line could be looking at needing 4 new pieces next season. Not really something you fix quickly. You probably put some money and draft picks into the interior, and hope that some combination of Wright, Jones, and Amegadjie figure something out. I think Davis is all but cut already, and with his injury and unimpressive play, I don't think they re-sign Jenkins.

This play was absolutely ridiculous. Not only did he have no space because the pocket had completely collapsed, but that throw had to be PERFECT. Super impressive.

 

[GIADF]

Panthers defense only has 5 sacks this season, only Atlanta has less than that at 4. Shaq Thompson also tore his achilles yesterday and will miss the game next week vs the Bears. Another game for the offensive to continue to build and hopefully get into a groove.

 

[HeisenBaez]

Shout to Tory Taylor. He had ONE hell of a game. If he has this kind of game consistency, then he will be a weapon and one I will be happy that the Bears used a 4th on him.

 

[TLEH]

I'm with JT O'Sullivan 100%. Its been multiple weeks of bad effort from DJ Moore. Breaking off routes, etc. Times where he is the clear out and not running hard. Times where he thinks he's not getting the ball and stops running hard. Its not one offs either. Its on A LOT of plays.

 

[Romang67]

I'm with JT O'Sullivan 100%. Its been multiple weeks of bad effort from DJ Moore. Breaking off routes, etc. Times where he is the clear out and not running hard. Times where he thinks he's not getting the ball and stops running hard. Its not one offs either. Its on A LOT of plays.

It's a problem, especially since he's not winning his routes quickly, and isn't getting the YAC he's known for so far this year. That makes him at best a moderate gain on quick passes, and a wasted read on longer developing plays.

More annoyingly, it makes the read inconsistent for the QB. Allen will win his routes in the intermediate, but it will take a hot second because he's a hundred years old and really slow. Odunze, 4 games in, either cooks his defender completely, or gets a bit lost.* It doesn't work like this, but making the read progression Odunze->Allen->Checkdown in longer developing plays makes more sense than including Moore that may or may not be ready for a pass.

*I think Odunze was open a fair bit against the Rams, both deep and over the middle, and definitely warranted more targets. Hopefully that becomes obvious in the film review.

 

[GIADF]

I'm with JT O'Sullivan 100%. Its been multiple weeks of bad effort from DJ Moore. Breaking off routes, etc. Times where he is the clear out and not running hard. Times where he thinks he's not getting the ball and stops running hard. Its not one offs either. Its on A LOT of plays.

Not only that but his body language sucks and every time the camera shows DJ he looks pouty. I'm used to him being one of the happier guys on the sidelines, but he looks miserable out there this year.

 

[TLEH]

*I think Odunze was open a fair bit against the Rams, both deep and over the middle, and definitely warranted more targets. Hopefully that becomes obvious in the film review.

He was. Couple pretty bad turn downs.

 

[bwanajamba]

He was. Couple pretty bad turn downs.

Hopefully not a sign of his clock being sped up too much. On the two I'm thinking of he found guys for first downs and the drives were converted into TDs, so I can live with the decision making, but you really don't want the big play hunter bred out of Caleb's game so quickly.

Also, on the overthrow of Odunze in the endzone at the end of the first half there was an egregious uncalled hold that I don't remember the broadcast picking up which paints that throw in much better light. The ensuing airmail to DJ still wasn't great though.

 

[Panzerspitze]

This is the kind of binary (either or) thinking that dooms the Bears' QB quest. Has it happened to the writer of this piece, and the Bears brass, that maybe Jayden Daniels is better, not just because Kingsbury is a superior offensive coordinator hire than Waldron?

1st-and-10: Caleb Williams is on target, but why is Jayden Daniels better?

The No. 1 overall pick is still well ahead of Justin Fields and Mitch Trubisky as a franchise-quarterback prospect. But Daniels' success with the Commanders makes you wonder what Kliff Kingsbury is doing that Shane Waldron is not.

chicago.suntimes.com

 

[Pez68]

This is the kind of binary (either or) thinking that dooms the Bears' QB quest. Has it happened to the writer of this piece, and the Bears brass, that maybe Jayden Daniels is better, not just because Kingsbury is a superior offensive coordinator hire than Waldron?

1st-and-10: Caleb Williams is on target, but why is Jayden Daniels better?

The No. 1 overall pick is still well ahead of Justin Fields and Mitch Trubisky as a franchise-quarterback prospect. But Daniels' success with the Commanders makes you wonder what Kliff Kingsbury is doing that Shane Waldron is not.

chicago.suntimes.com

To think, they could have hired him....

 

[Romang67]

The Panthers don't have the pass rush that the Rams have, but I still think that after the run success on Sunday, the Bears will run early, often, and hard. Their 3T is out, their NT has been out the past two games, their starting interior linebackers are out.

 

[GIADF]

The Panthers don't have the pass rush that the Rams have, but I still think that after the run success on Sunday, the Bears will run early, often, and hard. Their 3T is out, their NT has been out the past two games, their starting interior linebackers are out.

Expecting big things. Even with those guys they were giving up 149 rushing yards and 209 passing yards per game. Only 4 teams in the league are giving up more total yards per game.

Weather also looks perfect for Sunday so no reason to not have another step forward on offense.

 

[HeisenBaez]

This is the kind of binary (either or) thinking that dooms the Bears' QB quest. Has it happened to the writer of this piece, and the Bears brass, that maybe Jayden Daniels is better, not just because Kingsbury is a superior offensive coordinator hire than Waldron?

1st-and-10: Caleb Williams is on target, but why is Jayden Daniels better?

The No. 1 overall pick is still well ahead of Justin Fields and Mitch Trubisky as a franchise-quarterback prospect. But Daniels' success with the Commanders makes you wonder what Kliff Kingsbury is doing that Shane Waldron is not.

chicago.suntimes.com

This is simply Chicago sports PSTD. Four games does not tell me anything other than Daniels is having a nice 4 game stretch. What happens if Daniels have a piss poor next four games, is the writer is going to assume the Bears may the right choice by taking Williams? You have to let the process plays out before making any kind of judgement. Wait till the season is over before you make any snap decisions. I still think Williams will be the better player.

 

[TLEH]

Garbage article. Potsy fishing for clicks.

 

[Romang67]

Real moveable object against stoppable force matchup between the Bears O-line and the Panthers D-line this Sunday. The Panthers generate pressure on the QB on less than 13% of drop backs. The Bears O-line is a wet paper bag. Who will come out on top?

Another one: the Panthers have allowed a staggering 35 points combined in the first quarters of games this season. The Bears have scored 3 points total in first quarters so far.