AZ54

I'm not nearly as down after watching this game. I'm not that high either rather I just see this as the 6-8 win team I was expecting. One with some ups and some downs. I'm not sure I'd even want this team sitting at 3-1 and all the media noise that comes with it because they really aren't ready for that. However I really wanted to see Fields and the offense on that last drive opportunity. Keep fighting as the underdog, keep working, and if we get a better draft pick so be it. There are just different players making mistakes on different plays. Sometimes on the same play. One example in the running game: Both Herbert and Ebner too often stretched plays to the outside instead of taking the designed cutback inside. Those cut backs were open. One of those led to a holding call on Kmet who had a great seal block on the edge. Kmet's fault or RB? Lucas Patrick continues to look like the backup he was in GB. He has good plays and then plays where he just gets blown up. I'm not sure what Fields is supposed to do with Patrick in his lap. Our edges are still too inconsistent now that players have film on our OTs. Nobody in the protection figured out the dual LB blitz. That's on Getsy. Pettis dropped a perfect pass from Fields that would have been a 1st down. He's never been a contested pass type of receiver and that's why he's at best a backup. For his part Fields is still thinking too much even when he's outside the pocket. I could go on about those things but among the positives I saw were some good adjustments from the defense in the 2nd half. Again, this staff can help the players to adapt which IMO bodes well for the future. When these young players like Brisker get more experience those adjustments will happen quicker on the field. Mooney picked up 4 rec for 94yds so the monkey is off his back. Eddie Jackson had a pretty good day and Roquan made some good plays, mostly in the 2nd half as did Brisker and Morrow. Specials teams coverage was good. Our new kicker went 4-4, not bad for one day of practice.

Yes this doesn't appear to be an injury just personal issues. Whatever it is I wish him the best. Now here are the backups: https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2022/10/01/bears-elevate-rb-darrynton-evans-to-the-active-roster/ https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2022/10/01/bears-are-signing-k-michael-badgley/

ISM: Ihmir Smith-Marsette

On Patrick's first week back he wasn't a sure thing to even play. Then by end of the week the plan to rotate him in with Jenkins showed up. I'd say there is a plan for "what we'd like to do" and another for "what we have to do".

Eberflus has clearly worked with many talented rookies, or young players, and really seems like he has a good sense of how to help them handle the ups and downs of the season. He spends some 1on1 time with Gordon each week to help him too. Both coordinators seem to echo that as well.

Roquan started and he didn't practice all week before the Houston game.

I'm not sure if it was mentioned here but in his press conference on Mon Eberflus stated that Jenkins didn't start at RG because he had a poor practice on Wed. Thur and Fri practices were better but Patrick got the start at RG. The tough love project continues but his potential to be a top RG in the NFL has been on display on many plays.

Yes, years of running behind poor blocking, including all the years I watched him at Iowa St., can do that to you. This year so far our run blocking has been good and he's also running behind a FB for the first time. I'm curious to see how he adapts to this and if those bad habits fade away. His adjustment from SF to GB games was pretty big IMO. Against SF he routinely went away from the lead blocking and tried to find his own path too quickly without letting the play develop. A week later he held to the initial path longer and then found his way forward with a lot of success.

I'd like to see some of that as well. Make a good quick decision and then down the road we'll work on how to make a better quick decision. After watching the film reviews I'm not as discouraged as I was, not even for the passing offense as a whole because players can get open. Pass protection could definitely be more consistent. I'd guess DEs have tape on our OTs now and are attacking their weaknesses better. A quick check of the stats shows the Giants near the bottom of the league in sacks so perhaps this week Fields gets a bit more time to settle down in the pocket and gains some confidence.

More from Tim Jenkins...

I realize there will be tougher defenses but one of them was GB and we ran for 180yds. Sadly our D has been equally as bad at stopping the run but at least against Houston the LBs showed signs of slowing that down. The Giants have been nearly as bad stopping the run so they know what's headed their way.

At what point can we start saying we have a good run blocking Oline?

After watching the film I posted elsewhere he had options on almost every play. One of his biggest mistakes was the tendency to roll out of the pocket instead of stepping up when it was wide open in front of him. I don't see anything magical needed, just a QB who needs to relax and take the quick and easy play the D gives him. He doesn't need to lock onto the deepest target for so long hoping for big gains. Based on what I saw last night the Giants will give him similar opportunities to complete easy passes.

Montgomery is the better back in tight spaces. Herbert makes better decisions for daylight at the 2nd or 3rd level where too often Montgomery seems to be looking for another cut. Compare their runs against GB and you can see how Herbert gains less than Montgomery on similar plays with tight spaces/blocking, a lot less on many runs. Then you switch to plays where the Oline gives them a good initial crease and Herbert is in and out of there, while Montgomery is making another cut. There is nothing wrong with having two backs who have complimentary styles. Ebner is still finding his way and had some poor runs, poor decisions.

Brisker has had his share of mistakes too and Gordon has the more difficult job by far. I still think both have a good future.

He might have more credibility if he'd at least spend 1min to do some research. This take is also stupid because Pringle signed a 1yr deal betting on himself to get a big deal next year. He literally has millions of dollars at stake every time he misses a game. https://overthecap.com/player/byron-pringle/7313 "Byron Pringle signed a one year, $4.125 million contract with the Bears. $3.9 million is guaranteed."

There are a couple plays I disagree with him especially the first one because that is a bad pass. Overall the breakdown does explain a few of the bad plays but also shows some positive stuff that I didn't pick up during the game such as Fields switching the play from pass to the Herbert 50yd run. He's still locked on some reads too long but it's still early in the season.

Yes Nickel. Gordon in slot at left of Morrow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPwaWw6USpw

I hope our 2nd string TE Griffin can return this week. I'm just wondering if with him out did we have a different set of plays last week from what we ran in Wk1 and 2? If so, was that one piece of the puzzle for Fields not being comfortable with his reads or protection? Maybe Adam knows where to dig up stats on formations and how often we use 2 TEs?

https://www.chicagobears.com/news/roster-moves-bears-put-byron-pringle-on-ir-sign-joe-thomas

We are starting Pettis who they discarded. I imagine they are saying the same.

After watching MNF I'm not sure what to think of the Giants matchup. Their losing a WR in Sterling Shepard will help but that was a freak no-contact injury on the last play of the game.

I agree with this assessment. Eddie Jackson just led a secondary comprised of 3 rookies, 1 a UDFA, and Vildor in just his 16th start. It wasn't always pretty but they also kept their heads up and made some big plays that helped win the game. https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/news/eddie-jacksons-guiding-hand-leads-bears-secondary

Post-game Eberflus said it wasn't serious and he expected him to be day to day. I'd say week to week might be more accurate.