Bears week 4 vs Rams: Sunday at noon on Fox

[UMFan83]

6 hours ago, BigbadB said:

It's like this ritual where the Bears fans must be punished. I know we got a lot of nice things, mostly with the Caleb trade. But did we have to endure the worst offense in the league after three games? Did the OLine and OC have to perform at levels not good enough for the NFL? Did a former Bear QB (Red Rocket) have to walk into a job on week 3 and make the worst team in the league (and giver of our 2nd round pick in 2025) look like a playoff team? Granted, it was the Raiders they punched in the nads. Did Malik Willis have to be some kind of wonderful? Did Sam Darnold have to be so good that it makes their JJ McCarthy pick look uber stupid? Did Brisker have to run his mouth about daring the Colts to throw deep on them, thus allowing the inevitable deep pass td to Pittman because karma? Did Justin Fields have to go into Pittsburgh as the back up QB, but then is now 3-0 as what was supposed to be fill in starter while the Bears are 1-3? Did the oft-injured but talented WR Keenan Allen have to be more injured than talented to start the season? Do we have to have a chance to win on the last position in the two games we lost, and fail to make it happen?

With that said, I really hope we can win this one. I'm not feeling good about it AT ALL, however.

You encapsulated what I'm feeling quite well right now.  Not necessarily feeling despair about the Bears future, but I've allowed all those little things you mentioned to get to me.  Then add in my 1-5 fantasy teams and I'm just like so burned out on football right now.

[raw]

19 hours ago, mul21 said:

If he did he should have thrown Waldron under the bus for leaving him one on one with a DE two weeks in a row.

The scheme actually had Kmet AND Marcedes Lewis on that DE. Lewis was there and just pushed Latu to the outside which left Kmet alone, while also helping propel Latu to turn the corner and beat him for the sack.

[BigSlick]

I have some sort of feeling the Bears win this one in convincing fashion, Caleb looks pretty darn good, and all the existential despair of Bears fandom of the last 3 weeks instantly evaporates. (Only to return in 2-3 weeks when they lose a game again, because its professional football) 

Could be totally wrong though. 

Edited September 26, 2024 by BigSlick

[jersey cubs fan]

20 minutes ago, BigSlick said:

I have some sort of feeling the Bears win this one in convincing fashion, Caleb looks pretty darn good, and all the existential despair of Bears fandom of the last 3 weeks instantly evaporates. (Only to return in 2-3 weeks when they lose a game again, because its professional football) 

Could be totally wrong though. 

Existential despair won’t return if they lose a game in a couple weeks IF they win this one and look good doing so. The dread has been about winning ugly and losing uglier with no signs of life until the end of a bad loss. 
 

if they beat the Rams and Panthers, and look good offensively, then a loss to Jacksonville in London would be hugely disappointing from a 2024 season perspective but not a state of the franchise mindset. 

[BigSlick]

I'll be at that Panthers game with my dad and if they manage to lose that one, I'll be really pissed. 

I'm not *really* afraid of Andy Dalton, not even with the 1 game deadcat bounce from him, but he sure as hell gives em a much better chance to win than Mr. I'm Too Small To Play and Why Did Anyone Think I Was Worth the First Overall Holy Moly What Was the NFL Thinking

[raw]

I think this is actually a favorable matchup for the Bears. The Rams are another bad defensive team, but are traveling to Chicago for a 10am start their time instead of being home in a must win (for playoff hopes couldn't start 0-3) against a division rival last week.

The Rams have been bad at stopping the run. Worse at stopping the pass. Of course, the Bears couldn't take advantage of the worst run D last week, but I do think you'll see a bit more success this week. The Bears should also be able to throw the ball against this team. The Rams do put decent pressure on the QB, with Jared Verse and Braden Fiske the top 2 rookies in pressures and Byron Young can also get after it. But they have combined for just 4 sacks at a team, so they are either getting pressure late in the snap or not finishing. Obviously, the Bears have made lesser defensive fronts look like stars in recent years, but the Rams are very young upfront, which can be manipulated by good pocket movement and keeping them off balance with enough run production. 

The Rams DBs aren't much to speak of. They have allowed a 100 yard WR every week so far, which include career games for all of Jameson Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr and Juwan Jennings. They have done a decent job holding down Amon-Ra and Aiyuk, but haven't been very tough on TEs either. With Keenan Allen likely back this week, I expect Caleb to have a plethora of weapons available at his disposal with 4 guys that should be able to win consistently, if given enough time to throw.

Stafford is one of those good, pocket QBs that the Bears have typically struggled against under Flus. Stafford won't necessarily give the ball away like Levis or Richardson, but I have to think down his top 2 WRs and going against a really good Bears DB group will be enough to at least not let sit back there and pick the defense apart. The Rams OL also has quite a few injuries, so I'd like to think the Bears can generate some pressure with the front 4. 

LA's OL injuries have also led to a pretty slow start in the run game. Kyren Williams, last year's breakout RB, is down 2 whole yards per carry from last year's 5.0. They've had a tough time getting push up front and he's not quite the magician that Jonathan Taylor is at finding creases and breaking big runs. 

I'm not expecting a big breakout party for the Bears offense or anything, but I do think they have enough to beat a battered roster, at home, that's not particular good at anything, traveling 2 timezones for an early kickoff, that doesn't have the desperation that they had to win last week. 

[Wilson A2000]

21 hours ago, BigSlick said:

I have some sort of feeling the Bears win this one in convincing fashion, Caleb looks pretty darn good, and all the existential despair of Bears fandom of the last 3 weeks instantly evaporates. (Only to return in 2-3 weeks when they lose a game again, because its professional football) 

Could be totally wrong though. 

Caleb looks pretty darn good? Not yet.

[jumbo]

1 hour ago, raw said:

I think this is actually a favorable matchup for the Bears. The Rams are another bad defensive team, but are traveling to Chicago for a 10am start their time instead of being home in a must win (for playoff hopes couldn't start 0-3) against a division rival last week.

The Rams have been bad at stopping the run. Worse at stopping the pass. Of course, the Bears couldn't take advantage of the worst run D last week, but I do think you'll see a bit more success this week. The Bears should also be able to throw the ball against this team. The Rams do put decent pressure on the QB, with Jared Verse and Braden Fiske the top 2 rookies in pressures and Byron Young can also get after it. But they have combined for just 4 sacks at a team, so they are either getting pressure late in the snap or not finishing. Obviously, the Bears have made lesser defensive fronts look like stars in recent years, but the Rams are very young upfront, which can be manipulated by good pocket movement and keeping them off balance with enough run production. 

The Rams DBs aren't much to speak of. They have allowed a 100 yard WR every week so far, which include career games for all of Jameson Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr and Juwan Jennings. They have done a decent job holding down Amon-Ra and Aiyuk, but haven't been very tough on TEs either. With Keenan Allen likely back this week, I expect Caleb to have a plethora of weapons available at his disposal with 4 guys that should be able to win consistently, if given enough time to throw.

Stafford is one of those good, pocket QBs that the Bears have typically struggled against under Flus. Stafford won't necessarily give the ball away like Levis or Richardson, but I have to think down his top 2 WRs and going against a really good Bears DB group will be enough to at least not let sit back there and pick the defense apart. The Rams OL also has quite a few injuries, so I'd like to think the Bears can generate some pressure with the front 4. 

LA's OL injuries have also led to a pretty slow start in the run game. Kyren Williams, last year's breakout RB, is down 2 whole yards per carry from last year's 5.0. They've had a tough time getting push up front and he's not quite the magician that Jonathan Taylor is at finding creases and breaking big runs. 

I'm not expecting a big breakout party for the Bears offense or anything, but I do think they have enough to beat a battered roster, at home, that's not particular good at anything, traveling 2 timezones for an early kickoff, that doesn't have the desperation that they had to win last week. 

Love the breakdown. I have to admit I was a little too optimistic going into this season. I knew there would be a lot of rookie struggles but nothing like the total OL/Running game regression to worst in the league. 

I am emotionally hedging and resigning myself to another loss featuring never seen before failures along the way. 

That said, there was so much good from Caleb and Rome last week....hard not to envision the breakthrough coming, especially against the Rams as you laid out. 

[CubinNY]

30 minutes ago, jumbo said:

Love the breakdown. I have to admit I was a little too optimistic going into this season. I knew there would be a lot of rookie struggles but nothing like the total OL/Running game regression to worst in the league. 

I am emotionally hedging and resigning myself to another loss featuring never seen before failures along the way. 

That said, there was so much good from Caleb and Rome last week....hard not to envision the breakthrough coming, especially against the Rams as you laid out. 

yes, just waiting to see where the new breakdown will come from. It's terrible to be conditioned this way. 

[gflore34]

I know the NFL is a what are you doing now league and in, the long run, whatever is currently said and printed means jack-horsefeathers.  However, the Steelers and their fans are in for a rude awakening, sure you're 3 - 0 and Fields is dissing the Bears' coaching staff (well, that's probably appropriate) but, at some point, Justin' limitations are going to start showing.  Those limitations are going to cost them games while Caleb begins to click and starts to look like the QB the Steelers wish they had.

Edited September 27, 2024 by gflore34

[gflore34]

13 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

yes, just waiting to see where the new breakdown will come from. It's terrible to be conditioned this way. 

We should have expected a terrible start, it's the Bears and nothing comes easy.

[Old Style]

2 hours ago, Wilson A2000 said:

Caleb looks pretty darn good? Not yet.

I think that’s a prediction for Sunday, not a commentary on the first 3 games. 

[Brian707]

One of the best coaches in the league vs one of the worst. But I think the Rams will have a letdown game plus all the injuries and the Bears offense looks competent. Bears 26 Rams 17.

 

Edited September 27, 2024 by Brian707

[BigSlick]

2 hours ago, Wilson A2000 said:

Caleb looks pretty darn good? Not yet.

The post was referring to how he’d look on Sunday, but in general, yes I do think he looks pretty darned good. He’s a work in progress still (and will remain so all season long) but I was more than pleased with his performance against the Colts. 

 

I encourage everyone to just watch Caleb's All-22 tape. No commentary, nothing special. Just watch all throws he made. Aside from the really bad, stupid interception, it's really really good. He's missing long on some deep balls, but I'm not too worried about that in the long run. They lost the game, but that doesn't crowd out my view of how he played.

 

Edited September 27, 2024 by BigSlick

[gflore34]

26 minutes ago, BigSlick said:

The post was referring to how he’d look on Sunday, but in general, yes I do think he looks pretty darned good. He’s a work in progress still (and will remain so all season long) but I was more than pleased with his performance against the Colts. 

 

I encourage everyone to just watch Caleb's All-22 tape. No commentary, nothing special. Just watch all throws he made. Aside from the really bad, stupid interception, it's really really good. He's missing long on some deep balls, but I'm not too worried about that in the long run. They lost the game, but that doesn't crowd out my view of how he played.

 

Exactly, we all know there's a horsefeathers-ton of bad, the good shines through like it never has for a Bears' QB.  The footwork, the quick release, reading progressions it's all there, it's going to happen.

[Soul]

On 9/25/2024 at 1:00 PM, Brian707 said:

 

I really enjoyed the article, I think it makes some sense. But why is the coaching staff so slow to adjust?

Because they suck.  This 8 in the box thing is as much about knowing the shortcomings of the Bears' ability to put forth a winning strategy as it is about Caleb being a rookie.

I like the article too, but he's putting a lot on the rookie QB when really that defensive strategy is elementary school and any decent OC / HC should be able to shred it on the 2nd drive.  Instead they take until the 2nd half to do it.

[Derwood]

If you're going to call WR screens, your other WR's need to actually block (looking at you, Rome)

[cwood218]

Iowa will be proud

[Tryptamine]

Yeah Rome really half assed that block. 

[UMFan83]

We gonna get any pressure on Stafford or no?

[Tryptamine]

Getting picked apart early.

[UMFan83]

Holy horsefeathers how many times are we going to throw a screen pass to Moore that gets blown up immediately before we take that out of the playbook? How can you be that bad at this Waldron?

[Tryptamine]

Is there just absolutely no faith in Caleb that we're going to see screen after screen?

[Cubs420psd]

I hate Shane Waldron 

[Tryptamine]

Oline off to a really good start. I was a Braxton Jones supporter but yeah, he needs to go asap.

Edited September 29, 2024 by Tryptamine