AZ54

Adam: I keep hearing Caleb was the best in the NFL under pressure and against the blitz last week. Maybe I missed it in this thread but have you seen any stats that back that up? If true I have to be honest I never thought I’d hear that about any Bears QB let alone a rookie.

To Mongo point I see the same things. I can’t see how that is coaching since the Oline coach is the same. I can understand how playing in a new offense with rookie QB new cadence and such is causing them to think too much. I just shouldn’t see that still happening in Wk4. At least Wright can get it right and he has a lot of good reps. Jone’s is constantly getting walked backward. i don’t know if my eyes deceived me but I thought I saw Amegadjie on the field blocking for special teams? I just checked Pro Football Reference and he was in on 4 special teams plays. There a big gap between blocking ST versus offense but at least he is now getting a glimpse of NFL speed and power.

Every time I see him criticizing other QBs all I think about is his INT at the goal line that lost the Superbowl for the Cardinals. Regardless I enjoy watching the breakdowns. Now in my second or third year of watching all these I can see differences in how Daniel’s, Warner, JT, and Tim Jenkins read plays or defenses. I believe each found the things that worked for them. Plus there is the element of how the coaches want it done which does play into the WRs mind as well when running routes. Toss in other variables like protection issues and coverages which will vary based on opponents strengths.

I’m happy with the Caleb Williams I’ve seen the last two weeks. I’ve watched a couple breakdowns of the Rams game and yes he missed on some big plays that were open but he’s learning to work the shorter stuff more effectively. As Mark Sánchez said during the game take the profit. What doesn’t get said is the corollary of not worrying if there was a bigger profit on the other side of the field. I like that phrase and I don’t think Caleb did enough of that last year at USC. It was my main concern for him. Play on schedule play on time and take the profit. He’s been doing more of that the last two games and less hero ball which I find very encouraging. Adam likely has the stats but it seems to me that Caleb has led several very long drives. Often overcoming penalties. That’s not easy to do in the NFL. Of course I regret the big plays he’s missed. I’m not worried about that long term because that’s who he is. I believe that part of his game will return when he stops thinking as much about everything else and he can just play ball.

In week one they made that call against the Ravens several times yet ignored the Chiefs RT Taylor who is well known for his cheating stance in pass pro.

And they still gave up 29pts?

It's ok to give coaches some credit. They just defeated what is supposed to be an elite coach in McVay and an elite QB who only managed to score 1 TD. I don't think anyone on TV picked us at least not that I saw, but I also don't watch much of that stuff these days. I get that they are missing 2 starting WRs but we've had injuries affecting us too and lost Jenkins mid-game. Swift was clearly running differently up the middle this game. Waldron listened to the players and they went heavy this game with Kramer out of the backfield on short yardage plays and it paid off twice. There were a lot of mental errors on the players' part that I don't think are coaching issues. I do think it's fair to say they are all still learning a new offense and new QB cadence who is already free to change plays. How all that gets done pre-snap is definitely a work in progress and needs to get resolved soon but I think it will level out. The D gave up 18pts which is always a good result but when the game was on the line they were at their best.

We have a QB. There are still gaps in his game but some of those throws and reads and first level, and in just his 4th game. There are no more excuses, players can't hide behind the rookie anymore. He is going to drag the rest of the offense along with him. One player I didn't see is Gerald Everett. I hope that was intentional.

You complained about our punter too. I like how that worked out.

https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2024/9/29/24257156/bears-vs-rams-inactives-keenan-allen-caleb-williams-thread-updates-game-rome-odunze-cole-kemt-byard we have some key players active for today. Velus is not one of them.

That's what I saw out of Daniels last week. Plus he was very slow or uncertain on his reads. It's still early but what I've seen of Caleb he's way ahead of what Daniels showed in Wk 3.

Please don’t extrapolate the interceptions.

Because of my addiction I watch far too many football analysis and breakdown videos. I was a big proponent of keeping Justin and taking the haul in a trade down scenario. After just 3 games I’m willing to say I was wrong. Caleb IMO is already even with and maybe ahead of Justin when it comes to reading defenses. His arm talent and pocket awareness, which were never in doubt, are very good. i get all the emotion after a disappointing loss but I was happy to the steady improvement throughout the Colts game. That upward trajectory has been there from game 1. Regarding the intent of the OP Poles has not been perfect but no GM has been. However he did build what is clearly a top 10 or better defense in just 3 years. The angst is on offense and here I agree he made decisions that were more necessity versus BPA. At the end of the day he needs to field a football team. Every GM has to fill out a roster and using third and fourth round picks for depth at positions of need like DT or WR seems logical to me. I can easily point to first and second round draft failures in KC as an example yet that team keeps winning. Y’all know why. Somebody needs to fix the Oline blocking assignment issue. QB performance is trending up. If those two things happen talent gaps in the roster will look much smaller and more fixable this coming offseason. Like last year the body of work will decide for me not three games with a new offense and a rookie QB.

I wish it was all that simple

I only care if we finally have the right QB.

Watching another Bears rookie QB really tests my patience at times. Give me more 4th quarter Caleb taking the short to intermediate stuff and less 3rd quarter Caleb tossing deep passes over the head of a WR who could have had an easy first down.

...and here we go: https://bearswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bears/2024/09/21/report-bears-to-start-matt-pryor-replacing-nate-davis/75330801007/

Bad blocking actions do not necessarily mean bad blocking assignments. We have Nate Davis wandering around blocking nobody on some plays so if his teammates see that in live action are they then stepping out of position to try to cover for him? Shelton getting rocked backward all the time and missing on stunts across his face likewise put everyone in a bind. They all have to trust each other but if I were next to Davis I wouldn't trust him. Nor would I trust Shelton to pick up a stunt. As far as Flus goes this is the only time I can recall a head coach putting a slacker of an Olinemen on a rotation with a backup. I've seen it for injury returns to limit snaps. Usually guys just get pulled. That started in preseason. The coaches are sending messages to Davis. The injury to Bates forced them to alter the plan whatever it might have been. IMO the issue with Davis is disappointing but not surprising and I think the trade for Bates was always the backup plan coming into the season. The surprise is that Shelton can't even play competently. I figured he'd at least be better than Lucas Patrick. Alas, I was wrong.

It’s official Davis and Pryor will be rotating at RG. We’ll see how that goes. If this works it also hints at Bates coming back at Center

I'm not happy to see Keenan Allen out this week. Caleb really needs that sure thing on quick routes to help him feel confident. Rome better step his game up. https://www.chicagobears.com/news/injury-update-bears-rule-out-keenan-allen-three-others-for-colts-game

I think that's Flus' primary coverage these days although he mixes it up a fair amount. Caleb has to have seen a ton of that in practice. Let's hope it pays off.

Of course Oline play has been poor but we also shouldn't be surprised by this from Caleb. This is exactly how Caleb played last season as USC where he often bypassed the quick reads holding onto the ball looking for the bigger gain. Except in the NFL he's got to learn everyone is bigger and faster. Almost every single scouting report was focused on if he could play on time. Most said he had played on time, most said he only extended plays because his defense was so bad he knew he had to score. That defensive excuse is out the window. Bad oline play is still with him but despite those struggles Caleb is still leaving plays on the field. That includes easy ones where receivers are wide open deep or on intermediate routes. In each of his two games he should easily have at least 50-70 more yards passing. Add some help from Keenan and Rome and those numbers would be even better. Early in the Texans game he played in rhythm, late in the game his eyes got down on the rush and the old Caleb showed up. Don't like getting sacks on blitzes? Hit your wide open hot read with 3 blockers in front of him. If I can see Caleb playing scared I'm certain the Texans' DC saw it too and wasn't concerned about the risk of a calling a blitz like that late in a one score game. Overall I think there is room for improvement at QB, Oline, TE (Everett has been horrible), RB, and WR. Above all if there is to be a future with Caleb he'll show it on the field soon regardless of the issues around him. I think he will get there.

Yeah. I lost my mother a few months ago and I still show up to work, even worked late on Fri afternoon. However, it is true I do not have $20mil in the bank.

Kiran can play OG but with him having zero experience there in the NFL to adjust to the speed and power I'd be really nervous putting him there. If we have to rely on him at all I think he'd find it easier on the outside.

I've been thinking who should get benched on the Oline. You get to choose one because it's highly doubtful we'll swap out two players in a single week. I'm close on either Shelton or Davis but I lean toward pulling Shelton first because he's just getting run over or run past play after play. The one caveat is who do we have more confidence in at backup - C (Kramer), RG (Murray/Pryor)? The answer to that question should decide things. Being on the road and against some backup Dline players maybe it's better to stick with Shelton at Center than having Kramer deal with the silent counts. Can our OTs hold up better against the Colts edge rushers than they did against the Texans'? If so, that makes it easier to keep the RB inside for pass pro.