Chicago Bears preseason

[Bobson Dugnutt]

The names Poles has brought in to improve OL via trade and FA since taking the Bears job: Lucas Patrick, Nate Davis, Ryan Bates, Coleman Shelton, Alex Leatherwood, Michael Schofield, Dan Feeney, and 34-y.o. Riley Reiff. We shouldn’t be surprised that the OLine continues to be bad year after year.

[Old Style]

16 hours ago, minnesotacubsfan said:

i'm rather surprised Halas Hall has a haberdashery

 

go bears

 

 

I must have missed that part of Hard Knocks. Or are you confusing it for the barbershop?

[We Got The Whole 9]

13 hours ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

The names Poles has brought in to improve OL via trade and FA since taking the Bears job: Lucas Patrick, Nate Davis, Ryan Bates, Coleman Shelton, Alex Leatherwood, Michael Schofield, Dan Feeney, and 34-y.o. Riley Reiff. We shouldn’t be surprised that the OLine continues to be bad year after year.

Not suprised, annoyed AF

[Bobson Dugnutt]

3 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Not suprised, annoyed AF

Oh yeah, 100% in agreement. This team has had adequate or better OLines like three times in 20 years and it drives me nuts.

 

Somewhere along the line this off-season it feels like there was a narrative switch taking hold that the OLine would not be a big issue. Then training camp arrived and, lo and behold, the line looks weak. Again.
 

I wouldn't change anything the bears did with their first round picks the past few years. That said, if you’re not going to invest in OLine in the top few rounds of the draft, you need to be more aggressive in the trade and FA markets.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

1 year, $6 million for Connor Williams feels like something the Bears should’ve been in on, even given the uncertainty after his injury.

[minnesotacubsfan]

1 hour ago, Old Style said:

I must have missed that part of Hard Knocks. Or are you confusing it for the barbershop?

I’m being dramatic, yes the barbershop. I’m bald…so having hair is a luxury!!! lol

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If things go wrong, the offensive line is the most likely culprit.  But I'm gonna wait until we see some regular season games before I declare it Definitely A Problem.  Training camp reports don't matter, good or bad.  And I think OL, especially interior O-line, is one of the easiest weaknesses to work around if you're strong elsewhere.

One big way to help would be to cut down on the assignment mistakes.  It's gonna happen to every line once in awhile, but it happened *way* too regularly last year where four guys were working the same line call and a fifth guy very obviously heard it wrong.  There were a lot of offenders, but Darnell Wright had more than his share, so hopefully that was just rookie stuff.

 

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I know everyone has moved on and all, but this is what happened last time we played the Bills in the preseason and I'm so glad we don't have to see this anymore:
 

Pre-snap there are three potential pass rushers on the right side of the offensive line against two blockers.   This is a fairly common situation in the modern NFL, and it means the QB needs to do one of three things: 

1) Throw a hot read, usually into the space the blitzer came from.  The RB is open and looking back expecting the pass.  The MLB is doing a *really* good job of closing the gap and might get there, but I think there's a decent chance with a quick throw leading the receiver away he can get the first down.  

2) Make an adjustment at the line and call for your RB to stay in pass protection to pick up the blitz.  This isn't usually the preferred solution because if the blitzer doesn't actually come then you've made the coverage way easier for the defense.

3) Move away from the pressure.  For the love of god, move in the opposite direction as the pressure is coming from.

Fields drops back, never looks at the blitzer who was screamingly obvious pre-snap, drifts half a step *toward* the pressure at the back of his drop, and gets absolutely walloped.

Dear Lord baby Jesus, lyin' there in your ghost manger, just lookin' at your Baby Einstein developmental videos, learnin' 'bout shapes and colors, please let Caleb Williams be the one.  Just this one time and I'll never ask you for anything ever again.

[UK]

Waldron must have really disliked Phil Haynes last year.

[UMFan83]

3 hours ago, Hairyducked Idiot said:

I know everyone has moved on and all, but this is what happened last time we played the Bills in the preseason and I'm so glad we don't have to see this anymore:
 

Pre-snap there are three potential pass rushers on the right side of the offensive line against two blockers.   This is a fairly common situation in the modern NFL, and it means the QB needs to do one of three things: 

1) Throw a hot read, usually into the space the blitzer came from.  The RB is open and looking back expecting the pass.  The MLB is doing a *really* good job of closing the gap and might get there, but I think there's a decent chance with a quick throw leading the receiver away he can get the first down.  

2) Make an adjustment at the line and call for your RB to stay in pass protection to pick up the blitz.  This isn't usually the preferred solution because if the blitzer doesn't actually come then you've made the coverage way easier for the defense.

3) Move away from the pressure.  For the love of god, move in the opposite direction as the pressure is coming from.

Fields drops back, never looks at the blitzer who was screamingly obvious pre-snap, drifts half a step *toward* the pressure at the back of his drop, and gets absolutely walloped.

Dear Lord baby Jesus, lyin' there in your ghost manger, just lookin' at your Baby Einstein developmental videos, learnin' 'bout shapes and colors, please let Caleb Williams be the one.  Just this one time and I'll never ask you for anything ever again.

Points are valid but I'm wondering why you are even watching highlights from a preseason game 3 years ago lol

[Hairyducked Idiot]

1 hour ago, UMFan83 said:

Points are valid but I'm wondering why you are even watching highlights from a preseason game 3 years ago lol

You don't wanna know how deep the hyprerfixation hole goes.

[CubinNY]

Can I watch the game for free somewhere? 

[Tryptamine]

First impressions. Caleb very good in his first drive, run blocking is good, pass blocking is still ass. They're still awful on 3rd and short.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Three passing plays.

First one, the pocket breaks down and he dances forever btu there was an early holding penalty.

Second one, absolute bullet with a great release to DJ Moore to convert a 3rd and 12

Third one, he gets blitzed and improvises a quick dumpoff into the space the blitzer vacated for a 40+ gain.

The fact that it was 40+ is a bit lucky, but recognizing the blitz and getting rid of the ball is such a huge breath of fresh air.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

4 hours ago, CubinNY said:

Can I watch the game for free somewhere? 

https://the.streameast.app/nfl-preseason/buffalo-bills-chicago-bears/25567136

[Rex Buckingham]

Williams has a cannon

[Tryptamine]

Williams has been extremely accurate on the move so far.

[Wilson A2000]

Unbelievable throw to Cole. Unfortunately the Fox camera was stuck on Caleb and missed the catch.

Edited August 10, 2024 by Wilson A2000

[Tryptamine]

4/7 and 2 of those were drops, admittedly DJ's was a harder catch. I do like that the ball in the endzone he put it in a safe spot where the defense had zero play on it.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Well, that was exactly as advertised.  Excellent pocket awareness, improvisation to beat the blitz, quick release, insane arm strength and accuracy on the move.

I don't think the offensive line was amazing, but he never got touched.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Just now, Tryptamine said:

4/7 and 2 of those were drops, admittedly DJ's was a harder catch. I do like that the ball in the endzone he put it in a safe spot where the defense had zero play on it.

The end zone was a throwaway.

The only bad decision was the near-pick that got negated by defensive holding.

[UMFan83]

Didn’t know it was possible to be more excited than I was already but that performance has me on another level of excitement

[Tryptamine]

One thing I immediately noticed, is that Caleb is vastly better than Fields at presnap reads.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

OK I just got a better look at the blitz-beating dumpoff to Swift and JFC how do you throw it like that.  That was insane.
 

 

Edited August 10, 2024 by Hairyducked Idiot

[Tryptamine]

Velus and Scott looking like the same mistake prone guys they've been