Did something a bit different with this week’s recap. Took notes quarter-by-quarter. So don’t judge what you read in quarter one, follow the entire narrative.
Quarter One
- Troy Aikman in the pre-game commentary suggested that the Bears running game was built around Mitch Trubisky’s abilities and had to be rethought for Foles. I had never seen or heard that anywhere, but it should be assumed that came from the Bears.
- Roquan Smith missed a big TFL opportunity and I’m thinking, “Bears need their defensive stars to PLAY like defensive stars.” Smith has to make that play and all-but kill the drive. Khalil Mack has to make the interception last week. This defense has opportunities every single week. They have to take them,
- Where is Robert Quinn?
- Nick Foles absolutely can’t miss the easy third down conversion throw on the Bears’ first drive. That’s amateur hour.
- Does Ted Ginn ever catch punts on the fly? His ball awareness as a return seems severely lacking through a few games. (And boy it seems the Bears miss Tarik Cohen more than I expected they would.)
- Get the sense Tashaun Gipson more an old school strong safety, even though that position doesn’t actually exist anymore.
- Allen Robinson, perfect back shoulder throw, off both of his hands, intercepted. Does this guy ever win a contested ball? It seems weekly the answer is no. I know he’s a very good wide receiver but I’m not giving $80 million to a guy who does this every single week.
- The touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Evan was absolute perfection. He’s Tom Brady for a reason.
Quarter Two
- Deep ball to Darnell Mooney and third down pass to Robinson, Foles threw the ball to the wrong spot. Foles looks absolutely lost in the playbook right now.
- Bruce Arians going for it with a sneak on fourth and inches inside his own 20 is borderline insane. But it was the decision I did not want him to make. So that makes it he right one in that spot.
- Roquan Smith again exploding into the hole and not wrapping up the ball carrier. After Sunday’s game, he’s pitching a dud.
- Jaylon Johnson called for a pass interference on a deep ball. Terrible mistake on a pass that had no chance of being caught. He’s got to learn to trust his coverage skills. Because he has them.
- Is it bad that when a kickoff goes over Cordarrelle Patterson’s head my first thought is, “Get a first down before you punt”?
- Terrific drive orchestrated by Foles to get the Bears into the end zone. Made short, precise throws and gave his guys a chance to make plays.
- Khalil Mack knocking down Brady’s first down thrown on the Bucs’ final drive of the half was a crucial moment.
- When did Kyle Fuller start delivering hits like the one he delivered at the end of the half? He’s playing with far more confidence in 2020. What a massive moment in the game.
- Foles has changed in this game. He’s confident. He’s delivering the football.
- What a catch by Jimmy Graham in the end zone after missing an easy catch two plays earlier.
First half final thought. This feels, suddenly, like a game between two good teams. Coin flip in the second half.
Quarter Three
- First drive of third quarter made no sense. Low risk, low reward passes against a defense that harasses the line of scrimmage. Take them on. Go win the game.
- Khalil Mack just wrestling moved Wirfs to the ground. (I don’t know the name of the move.) And the broadcast didn’t seem to notice!! Brady followed it with an absolute dime to get the Bucs into field goal range.
- Three horrible moments in a row:
- Alex Bars replaces James Daniels and gets steamrolled by Vita Vea.
- Pat O’Donnell shanks a punt.
- Javon Wims blocks someone in the back…as part of the kicking team.
- Mack was just called for roughing the passer for hitting the passer. I’d heard about these Brady rules from Bills fans friends. Apparently hitting him is illegal. It’s in the TB12 contract.
- Bears seem to have abandoned the run on early downs. Thank god. Never should have been part of the game plan.
- Allen Robinson makes a catch for a first down and gets in the face of the corner after. Why? When will these guys realize that 15 yard penalties crush drives? He didn’t get called but Nagy needs to make this a coaching point.
Quarter Four
- Awkward end of the drive for the Bears, but one hell of a fumble recovery by Bob Massie. Cairo Santos gives Bears the lead.
- Buster Skrine called for a phantom pass interference. Why call these penalties that are not obvious? Who does that serve? Nobody wants to see more flags?
- Khalil Mack continues to just dominate the game. Moving around and nobody is blocking him.
- Another field goal for the Bucs. Can’t Succop shank one of these?
- What a terrible call of roughing on Foles. How can you not just let these guys play football?
- After a great stand, and the two minute warning approaching, they run it on first down again. Nagy had to have studied this defense better than that. They don’t allow early down runs.
[THE REMAINDER OF THIS GAME INVOLVED PACING AND SHOUTING.]
4-1.
