AZ54

Now I have a bit more time to type. Last year we couldn't really do this due to our RTs limitations but this year if we can run our plays in a balanced fashion, meaning we can run same plays to the left or right, then defenders will have difficulty figuring out what to key on. They can see an OG or OT pulling but as you saw in the Braxton video sometimes he pulls and hits an inside lane, other times it's outside. Plus with Fields in the backfield a defender can't hedge their bet that the play is going to the strong side of the play action. Take a step in the wrong direction and you'll likely never get back to where you need to be to stop Fields running the other way. Morgan also talked about the difficulty for a defender reading the play when we have 2 TEs on the field. LBs also have to consider if either TE is run blocking or faking it before running a route. On plays with 3 WRs the DBs have to contend with Moore, Mooney, and Claypool in addition to the possible run support. Last year nobody worried about our passing game. I expect the running game will be effective but if our pass protection is improved to just average we'll be good. I think we'll see more broken plays by a defense where a defender gets caught out of position. I want to see a good passing offense but we're already built to run so let's do it. If we run as well as last year we'll be forcing DBs to make tackles early. Then take our deep shots off the play action fakes.

Here's a couple videos with some good thoughts about our running game with Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright. Glynn Morgan explains how pulling either OT could make it really hard to stop our run game. If he's right in Week 1 GB could be in for a surprise. I like Schmitz's analysis on Braxton Jones and since he covers his run blocking you can see how he was utilized last year. The assumption is we'll now be doing the same type of plays from left or right.

I think he turned down Arizona although that was never really made public. Nor should it have been, for both sides. However, I do think he was serious in his job search but just didn't find the right match. If all he wanted was to stay here another year he, and his career, would have been far better off not to waste the time of the owners interviewing him. I don't like my time being wasted like that and I can't imagine an NFL owner would either. Tarnish your reputation like that and it'll take years to recover and get back on teams' short list. I still suspect Cunningham's disagreement with the Bidwill's in AZ was that he didn't want to be forced to commit to Kyler Murray. I correct I wouldn't blame him one bit. What was the first thing the new GM said in his press conference? “We want to see him out on the field,” Ossenfort said. “Again, I’ll go back to that game two years ago at Nissan [Stadium, against the Titans]; I’ve seen what a healthy Kyler can do. I did a lot of work on Kyler coming out of Oklahoma. I know that he is extremely talented with both his legs and his arm and yeah that does represent a challenge for us. https://www.si.com/nfl/cardinals/analysis/report-ian-cunningham-turned-down-offer-become-arizona-cardinals-gm

Just curious, does anyone know what % of NFL games are decided by 3pts or less?

Wow, I don't play video games but those graphics remind of the video games from the early 2000s.

Years ago in 2001 when we had two behemoths (Keith Traylor and Ted Washington). Those DTs were bookended by big DEs (Philip Daniels and Alex Brown) who were not great pass rushers. Alex Brown's best season was 7 sacks, Daniels had 2 seasons with 9 sacks. They were backed up a good LB group anchored by Brian Urlacher, and DBs anchored by Mike Brown. Nobody could run on us and when it was time for 3rd and long we had the coverage. We won a lot of games that way and that was the leagues best scoring defense that year. We were average in yards given up per game. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/2001.htm I'm not putting this year's D at that level but in terms of roster makeup there are a lot of similarities. We have Billings inside and another young beast of a run defender in Dexter. Walker at DE you could say is similar to Daniels. On the other side Gipson or Green are similar to Brown but not as quick on first step. Behind them LB: Urlacher, Holdman, Colvin (Edmunds/Edwards/Sanborn), S: Brown/Parrish (BoJack, Brisker), CB: Walt Harris, Azumah, RW McQuarters (Jaylon Johnson, Gordon, Stevens?) The biggest challenge in this comparison is that the scheme is different. That was the Jauron era and 2-gapping D. We run a 1-gap and, if you recall when Lovie took over in 2003, remaking the Dline was at the top of the list. To be fair, at that point Traylor and Washington were done in their careers. OTOH Lovie was a stalwart cover-2 bend-but-don't-break guy and Eberflus varies from that a little more often. Then we also have the fact we're relying on a couple young DTs to make it all work. I think Dexter and Billings can get the interior run D anchored. We must have more pressure up the middle from Justin Jones, Pickens, and Dexter. Flush the QB to the outside where the DEs can catch them. Find the interior pressure and I think the D can be good this year. Forgot to include this:

I don't follow betting odds but I'd say the teams are even except our revised roster hasn't yet proven they know how to win. Packers have their share of roster issues too but they have more players with playoff experience.

Reps are on the menu...and it seems every WR on the roster is down there, along with the backup QBs, except Velus isn't listed. https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2023/07/14/bears-justin-fields-holds-offseason-workout-florida-darnell-mooney/

Love what Poles is doing. Warren already managed to put the new stadium deal in limbo so we'll see what he's capable of.

I know. I feel good about this roster but it's just so young. I've said it before but one year ago before training camp I never expected us to have a roster this talented. That's not implying it's a Superbowl caliber talent just much better than I expected heading in our 2nd training camp.

I’ve been left at the altar so many times it’s hard to believe this time will be different.

I think the two scenarios are different. Last year at Oline we had serious concerns. After minicamp they knew how bad the gaps were plus the big questions around Teven Jenkins. At DE we have decent to good serviceable options. We need to add a high level player to the mix not another JAG. I certainly wouldn’t trade a pick for a backup talent.

I saw this but it sounded like it's based on rumors that Poles is calling teams for potential trade targets. There's no need to call any team for either Houston or Ngakoue, just make your choice and negotiate. I don't know where the rumors are sourced from but there were several videos about this. This time of year anyone in the media making a suggestive comment can cause the rumors to fly around but maybe he is kicking the tires a bit.

A little film review of Jack Sanborn

Greg Gabriel is on board. He doesn't reference anything from team sources but on occasion he gets some insight from team insiders. This just might be him looking at it from the outside but his experience combined with what he's seen gives him a lot of confidence in Fields. https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2023/7/11/23791003/chicago-bears-2023-the-year-that-justin-fields-lives-up-to-expectationsluke-getsy-ryan-poles

Different subject but we had a whole years worth of Belichick is a genius and the Bears should have drafted Mac Jones. Now, as you point out, the Patriots have a good but aging roster. Something is going to give.

I think I'm far higher on him being effective this year than most. The only other college DT I saw rag-doll Olinemen like he does in this video was Jalen Carter. I time, I think people will look back and label him a draft steal and wonder why he wasn't a first round pick. We all made so much of his slow get-off (myself included) but we're already hearing that is changing with the Bears. The athleticism and power is there for a big man to wreak havoc inside. I can't wait to see him lined up next to Billings, yes at 3-tech. Nobody is getting through the middle of that Dline. If you have two beasts like that inside it will take 3 players to block them leaving both edges 1on1. Or a team is holding back a blocker like a TE/RB. Less people able to go out on routes is still a win for the Dline and the defense IMO.

Braxton Jones complimented Dominique Robinson saying he's improved this offseason... Dline chatter starts around 7min mark.

Not ready to make a playoff run I agree but the NFC North? There is no team in our division we can't compete with and I don't think that requires a meteoric improvement from Fields to do so. Detroit is largely the same team as last year and they added David Montgomery as their lead back but complimented by a smaller/faster Gibbs. I didn't like Jack Campbell in the draft and he is struggling and already being talked about as a likely backup this year. They did have some upgrades in the secondary but could have done much better if they had drafted well in Rd 1. Minn is in rebuild/retool mode... whatever you want to call it with Kirk Cousins at the helm. They've lost Dalvin Cook and Adam Thielen (not a bad decision), and paid a lot of money for a broken down DE Marcus Davenport to help their pass rush. In back2back seasons the Packers have lost one of the best WRs and then QBs and they haven't replaced either with high end talent. I just don't see any NFC North team in a much better spot than we are. I also don't see any easy wins but I think the division is wide open. Fields is going to play better than last year but if he does take a massive step up then we immediately rise to the top in this division. Week 1 is going to be an interesting bellwether for the year. At the link is a little more in depth analysis than my opinion. I simply recall how well we competed in Weeks 5 through 12 before the wheels fell off late in the year. https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/news/its-wide-open-in-nfc-north-if-bears-can-get-it-together

I think this was last week, pretty sure Claypool was still in England when they met up. Also not sure Claypool is cleared to practice yet although he was doing some running around in England with the kids at the camps.

You should get an Unsportsman Like penalty for making me see the name Rick Mirer again. It appears your filter was the Rating field. I suspect if you expanded that just a bit to include a bit over 80 you might find that he's at the bottom of a cluster of players with a higher % of success. In other words not all distributions are normal bell curve. Aikman was the really rare exception but I lived in DFW area during his first season and IIRC the Cowboys went through a massive roster overhaul (fire sale) and what he had to work with his first year. Might be some parallels to what Fields suffered through last year, albeit in his second season.

Gene Chamberlain put together a really good summary of our roster depth. This is not a by-position analysis, he focus on the bottom third of the roster where you get your special teams players. This is one aspect of what Poles did this offseason that is easily overlooked but I think this might become a strength of this team. https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/news/supporting-bears-cast-looking-stronger

And you will see which players get the big contracts with their team.

Despite my optimism for his improvement in the system, for me Fields' performance remains the top question heading into the season. I can find 4th/5th WRs, RBs, and even backup swing OTs in any offseason. It's more challenging to find good pass rushers but that still pales in comparison to finding a top 10 QB.