We may just have to accept the Chicago Bears, no matter how flawed they may be, are for real. After their 23-16 win over the Carolina Panthers, they sit in first place over the Green Bay Packers. Their pass rush is waking up and matching the play of the secondary. One key person is fired up about this team’s prospects.
Flawed Bears Still in First Place
Pressure Bursts Pipes
It’s a theme as old as time. The best way to neutralize an opposing offense is to pressure the quarterback. Chicago has recorded a sack in every game this season, has multiple sacks in four of six games, and is undefeated in those games. They are 1-1 when they record one sack. On Sunday, they got Teddy Bridgewater down four times while the secondary picked him off twice; once by Tashaun Gipson and the game-winner by DeAndre Houston-Carson.
Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks have been getting pressure and disrupting the run all season. But the Bears getting production from the likes of Mario Edwards and the recently-elevated James Vaughters has been a pleasant surprise. They should have had a pick-six by Eddie Jackson but Kyle Fuller was called for defensive pass interference. The ball may have been tipped looking back on the replay. It was Jackson’s second return touchdown to be called back this season but he forced a fumble later. Fuller, who has been playing at an All-Pro level, was also flagged for an illegal hit that appeared clean on review.
For the second week in a row, Bears OLB Robert Quinn was closer to an opposing quarterback than any pass rusher had been all season.
Last week it was Brady. This week it was Bridgewater. Quinn’s average separation was 3.81 yards from the Panthers QB per @NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/fktEKztmZg
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) October 19, 2020
Rookie Jaylon Johnson was getting picked on in this one, getting caught out of position on several throws to D.J. Moore. He also got flagged for defensive pass interference that replay appeared to show shouldn’t have been called. Still, he helped hold Bridgewater to 55 percent completion and has been a big part of their allowing the lowest completion percentage in the league. He is currently sixth in completion percentage allowed while Fuller is fifth. Roquan Smith is stepping up his game while Danny Trevathan’s appears to be sliding, though he too is playing better than he was to start the season.
Same, But Different
You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who would say the Bears offense has looked “better” with Nick Foles rather than Mitchell Trubisky. In fact, Chicago averaged 21.6 points per game with Trubisky and, thanks to the clunker against the Indianapolis Colts, only 18 points per game with Foles. Trubisky has a higher touchdown rate, yards per completion and attempt, as well as air yards per attempt. But Foles, in addition to having a better completion percentage and lower interception rate, has brought a different feel under center.
It was noticeable from the moment he was inserted but it became clear during their animated sideline discussion. Foles command of the offense and presence as a veteran is something Trubisky just couldn’t have at this point in his career. The Bears are winning much in the same ways they were to begin the year, offense comes in spurts while the defense bends but doesn’t break. But there is a sense of calm knowing that all it takes is for Foles to find a rhythm. With Trubisky, it felt as though a big play was needed so they could score quickly before he could mess it up.
https://twitter.com/BearsFilmRoom/status/1317981296182894603
Foles himself, in an impassioned post-game speech, acknowledged the offense isn’t where they want it but that they are finding ways to win and how that’s what good teams do. He’s right. The start of this season has been better than anyone could have hoped for. But they still have five division games remaining, including two against the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. They will need to score more points and not always rely on the defense to bail them out.
Not All Xs and Os
Matt Nagy is at an interesting point in his Bears tenure. His defense is playing stellar football, he has a quarterback he wants under center, and his team is winning. But all many fans, and pundits, can talk about is his playcalling. The aforementioned sideline chat with Foles happened because Nagy disrupted the offense’s rhythm to get some substitutes in. The first few plays looked rough but the Bears not only scored, but scored a touchdown. Chicago got points on five of their 10 drives, not including the final drive of kneel-downs. It still feels like too much of a struggle whenever they do score.
Chuck Pagano has done his best coaching over the last two weeks. He still isn’t getting a full dose of Robert Quinn opposite Mack. But he’s getting contributions from Vaughters and Barkevious Mingo on the edges and Edwards on the line. If (and at this point, it’s a big if) Quinn ever comes close to living up to his contract this defense will be terrifying. It’s already scary.
With today's win, Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy has the best record after 38 games by any Bears coach since George Halas in 1968.
(Stat via Bears website)
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) October 19, 2020
There are issues to address. For Nagy and the offense, it’s getting the running game uncorked. If they can take some of the pressure off Foles to move the ball consistently that would be great. Chicago averaged 138 rushing yards per game over the first three weeks. Over the last three, it’s been 42 yards per game. Some of that is due to Trubisky no longer starting, but David Montgomery had seen his workload and per carry average dip over the Bears last three games before getting 18 carries against Carolina. Except he only averaged 3.05 yards per tote against a Panthers team allowing nearly five yards per on average.
Flawed Bears Sit On Top of Division
The Bears have obvious warts. But sitting at 5-1 and leading the NFC North (by playing and winning one more game than the Packers), it’s hard to be overly critical. We all expected the hiccups to be worse, for this team to be on the verge of blowing it up. Instead, we get an imperfect team in an imperfect season that just keeps finding ways to win. This week, they started and ended Bridgewater and the Panthers day with interceptions. With games against the Rams, Saints, Titans, and Vikings coming up before the bye, they’ll have ample opportunity to show they’ve figured the rest out.
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