Bears Offseason Thread (Trestman new HC, pg 37)

[Proven Veteran]

The game was blacked out here, and my slingbox didn't work. :banghead:

[Guest]

Matt Bowen ‏@MattBowen41 now

 

That's a check at the line between Cutler & Jeffery on 3rd down... See the CB in an off-man alignment, throw the quick 1-step slant.

 

HOLY [expletive] AUDIBLES

 

I think that might be the same play (from the Carolina game) described in this piece

 

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/71569/packaged-plays-and-the-newest-form-of-option-football

[Guest]

The game was blacked out here, and my slingbox didn't work. :banghead:

 

Assuming you mean a slingbox set up in Chicago, if you can get it to work, the game will be replayed on WPWR (channel 50) in Chicago at noon today.

[Guest]

The game was blacked out here, and my slingbox didn't work. :banghead:

 

Assuming you mean a slingbox set up in Chicago, if you can get it to work, the game will be replayed on WPWR (channel 50) in Chicago at noon today.

 

Unless he needs to update his location, PV is in the Bay area.

[Guest]

The game was blacked out here, and my slingbox didn't work. :banghead:

 

Assuming you mean a slingbox set up in Chicago, if you can get it to work, the game will be replayed on WPWR (channel 50) in Chicago at noon today.

 

Unless he needs to update his location, PV is in the Bay area.

 

I figured he might have a Slingbox set up in Chicago (if he has family or friends here or whatever) that he used to watch Chicago sports.

 

Guess that was a sort of weird assumption to make.

[Careless]

So unfortunately I only saw the opening drive. I see Jay is 9-18 but the Bears have 24 points and am reading that Marshall dropped a few. How'd they look overall? Looks like running game is more than solid.

 

Happy with the offense. Two drops by Marshall, two by Bennett, at least one by some other guy. Like myself/Sulley were just discussing, there was maybe one, maybe two actual "bad" throws by Cutler. Offense has looked great, line has looked great, D has looked great. Raiders are terrible.

Anyone else have thoughts to share on the game? Out of town this weekend and need moar football.

[Guest]

First team offense looked great except for the drops. Long missed a block which led to a sack on McCown. Forte may have a huge year, he looked quicker and more elusive than ever. The line seals off very well and gets down the field on runs. Marquess Wilson is going to make the team and he's going to be a good one, even if he's not the best ST player. Hester is revitalized and will pop a couple this season.

 

the defense looked pretty fresh, the line got good pressure and the coverage was excellent, though they were playing against Flynn and Pryor. Bostic got beaten in the second half in coverage for a touchdown which wasn't too cool. He's the one who comes off the field for the nickel, and for good reason, but he continues to show ability. Wootton played well inside and out, Paea got pressure up the middle a couple of times and looked above average. Shea was rather non-existent, but Cornelius Washington is a beast.

[rawaction]

First team offense looked great except for the drops. Long missed a block which led to a sack on McCown. Forte may have a huge year, he looked quicker and more elusive than ever. The line seals off very well and gets down the field on runs. Marquess Wilson is going to make the team and he's going to be a good one, even if he's not the best ST player. Hester is revitalized and will pop a couple this season.

 

the defense looked pretty fresh, the line got good pressure and the coverage was excellent, though they were playing against Flynn and Pryor. Bostic got beaten in the second half in coverage for a touchdown which wasn't too cool. He's the one who comes off the field for the nickel, and for good reason, but he continues to show ability. Wootton played well inside and out, Paea got pressure up the middle a couple of times and looked above average. Shea was rather non-existent, but Cornelius Washington is a beast.

 

Yeah, could have put up even more points than the 27 they did. Onubun dropped a Cutler underthrow, but nobody was around him. He could have taken a knee, caught the ball, got up, and still gotten the ball inside the 5. Marshall dropped 2 balls, let a DB knock the ball away from him on another play (something he rarely allows), and failed to pick up the ball on an underthrown deep ball (Cutler threw under pressure). Bennett also had a pair of drops. One would have been a nice catch, but he still shoulda had it.

 

But the drops were probably literally the only bad things with the #1s out there in full. Forte looks amazing. Looks lean, quick, and very explosive. I don't think we've seen close to the extent that Trestman will use him this season. The Bears will do a lot to get him in space vs. LBs and he will win all those plays. The zone blocking also really will help him, as he likes to make 1 cut and go. ZBS will allow him to pick his own hole accelerate. As for the OL, Jordan Mills is really impressive. He's really allowing nothing. Winning every single battle. Long was good again, but he did show a weakness of picking up the delayed blitz. Right now, he's not very football smart, but he doesn't have to think to physically dominate anyone that gets in his way.....which he has been doing. Don't know that I've seen an OG get to the LB level like him in a long time. I think Bushrod has really stabilized the offense. Did struggle in the first game, but right now, you can tell the difference between him and what the Bears have thrown out at LT the last several years. I agree, Wilson is going to make the team. I think he may even be the #4 right now over Joe Anderson and will get some reps every now and then with the 1s in the regular season.

 

As for the defense, Bostic is just a little slow diagnosing certain plays. But he's not going to kill the team by being in there. Most of his half seconds will be covered up by a great DL, Briggs, or Major Wright in the run game. He comes out in the nickel, so that's not a huge deal either. If he is forced on the field in the nickel, teams will pick on him, but he still has the athletic ability to makes a play....as he did in the preseason opener. The D overall was great. I think Conte is taking that next step. He seems to made up that step I'm talking about with Bostic. Getting his hands on and disrupting a lot more passes. Paea seems to be coming along too, especially as a pass rusher.

[UK1679666180]

Paea had the best game on defense of anyone, he looks completely different to me, maybe he's finally 100% healthy. Assuming Melton comes back healthy, if they play well it's going to help Bostic greatly. Urlacher was at his best when Washington and Traylor were clogging the middle. Peppers is drawing double teams almost every time & assuming Melton might do the same as far as a chip block from a G, it'll free up Wooten and Paea to single blocking and lessen the change for the G to get the 2nd level to Bostic in the middle.

[rawaction]

Paea had the best game on defense of anyone, he looks completely different to me, maybe he's finally 100% healthy. Assuming Melton comes back healthy, if they play well it's going to help Bostic greatly. Urlacher was at his best when Washington and Traylor were clogging the middle. Peppers is drawing double teams almost every time & assuming Melton might do the same as far as a chip block from a G, it'll free up Wooten and Paea to single blocking and lessen the change for the G to get the 2nd level to Bostic in the middle.

 

Yeah, Collins has looked good too in place of Melton. Turning into a solid 3-man rotation. Throw in Wootton, who has had a strong camp. McClellin, who made some plays vs. SD. And obviously, Peppers, who can do whatever he wants on a football field, and this can be a really strong group up front. I was pretty worried about this group without Idonije's versatility, especially if Paea and McClellin don't take a huge step forward....but now I'm a little more at ease. Overall, been the best unit in the entire preseason.

 

Oh and James Anderson is really a good pass defender. I think he'll be a huge upgrade over Roach in that area. Not a great run defender, though.

[Guest]

I like Conte because he seems to be the guy every player on the other teams hate. I don't know what he says out there, but it must be hilarious.

[Proven Veteran]

The game was blacked out here, and my slingbox didn't work. :banghead:

 

Assuming you mean a slingbox set up in Chicago, if you can get it to work, the game will be replayed on WPWR (channel 50) in Chicago at noon today.

 

Unless he needs to update his location, PV is in the Bay area.

 

I figured he might have a Slingbox set up in Chicago (if he has family or friends here or whatever) that he used to watch Chicago sports.

 

Guess that was a sort of weird assumption to make.

 

You have it right. I have a slingbox in Chicago. \:D/

[rawaction]

I like Conte because he seems to be the guy every player on the other teams hate. I don't know what he says out there, but it must be hilarious.

Well his nickname is "birdman", so assholishness kinda goes with the moniker.

[rawaction]

Updated my blog for the start of the 2013 season. Kind of a fluff piece for now. Just kinda wanted to get something up.

[Banedon]

PFF kinda sorta admits maybe they were a bit harsh on the Bushrod signing...

 

The LT Comparison

 

When the Bears signed Jermon Bushrod, PFF was less than excited. J’Marcus Webb had improved steadily (from truly ugly beginnings in the league) and had reached a level that may not have been much, if any, worse than Bushrod, for a fraction of the cost. This was not a game in which he backed that up however. Webb did keep a clean sheet in pass protection from 11 snaps, but on 17 running plays he managed to accumulate a -2.4 grade, piling more misery on his performance with a pair of penalties.

 

This is compared to Bushrod who also kept a clean sheet in pass protection (on 22 passing plays), and also run blocked well, ending the game with a +1.8 grade overall for his play. I think the Bears still overpaid to get Bushrod, but given how poorly Webb has performed this preseason, the upgrade may have been more significant than it could have been all the same.

 

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/08/25/refo-chi-oak-preseason-wk-3/

 

Also, Kyle Long is still the highest guard after 3 preseason games.

[Guest]

Thanks for the link. Jeffery did look Marshall-like, but I feel like you have to temper everything since it was against Oakland.

[Butterscup1679666578]

yeah, that's how i feel too. but, i'd rather temper expectations because it's oakland as opposed to being like "geez we didn't play great and it was only oakland"

[Guest]

And what do we have in Cornelius Washington?

[rawaction]

Yeah, Oakland and SD may be the 2 least talented DLs the Bears OL will see. Oakland is bad everywhere though. That being said, I think it was pretty important for this team to have a good offensive showing, regardless of who it was against. The offense needs some positive reinforcement. It needs to see some success. It obviously helps to have success more than it does to struggle.

 

They'll face possibly the top DL in the league, Week 1. Glad they'll go into that confident they can block them instead of scrambling to find 5 adequate lineman like they've been the last few years.

[rawaction]

And what do we have in Cornelius Washington?

 

Maybe nothing this year, but he has some crazy natural pass rush skills. Works on his technique, and he could be a really good pass rusher. He'll make the roster, probably be inactive on gamedays to start the year, but if there is an injury, he'll get in there as a pass rush specialist and show something, I believe.

[JonJayCutler]

Jeffery definitely looks leaner and a little more ripped this year. Come a long way since the college locker room pic. Having two Marshalls would be nice.

 

 

http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Alshon+Jeffery+San+Diego+Chargers+v+Chicago+ANkDhVahMSpl.jpg

 

[Banedon]

14 players cut, including Zbikowski.

 

Zbikowski, Derrick Martin, Kyle Moore, Eric Foster, Brent Russell, Patrick Trahan, Lawrence Wilson, Leonard Pope, Gabe Miller, Devin Aromashadu, Curtis Brinkley, AJ Lindeman, PJ Lonergan, and Tress Way all cut.

 

One more cut by 3pm tomorrow, then final 53 man roster by 5pm on Sat.

[JonJayCutler]

I'm guessing we'll have to address the depth at CB with Hayden and now Bowman down.

[UK1679666180]

Paea had the best game on defense of anyone, he looks completely different to me, maybe he's finally 100% healthy. Assuming Melton comes back healthy, if they play well it's going to help Bostic greatly. Urlacher was at his best when Washington and Traylor were clogging the middle. Peppers is drawing double teams almost every time & assuming Melton might do the same as far as a chip block from a G, it'll free up Wooten and Paea to single blocking and lessen the change for the G to get the 2nd level to Bostic in the middle.

 

Yeah, Collins has looked good too in place of Melton. Turning into a solid 3-man rotation. Throw in Wootton, who has had a strong camp. McClellin, who made some plays vs. SD. And obviously, Peppers, who can do whatever he wants on a football field, and this can be a really strong group up front. I was pretty worried about this group without Idonije's versatility, especially if Paea and McClellin don't take a huge step forward....but now I'm a little more at ease. Overall, been the best unit in the entire preseason.

 

Oh and James Anderson is really a good pass defender. I think he'll be a huge upgrade over Roach in that area. Not a great run defender, though.

 

 

This is ironic given that I thought the signing of Ellis was the best move (value-wise) the Bears made and him retiring really hurt. Given Melton, it could still do so though.

[Soul]

Just looking at the schedule a bit. Middle is looking pretty rough. Beginning and end looks easier, but the heart of it is full of tough games.

 

The Bears need to take those first two games at home. At the end of the first 4, I'd say anything less than 3-1 would make a playoff run tough to achieve, given what comes down the pipe in Oct/Nov.