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Not Good Enough: Rapid Fire Response to the Bears Falling to 5-2

| October 27th, 2020

Tonight’s notes were compiled at the end of the first half and then at the end of the game. So don’t judge my first half comments until you’ve seen the thoughts completed.

First Half Thoughts

  • The big takeaway: the Bears scored three points in the first half. Three. And the blame lies solely on the coaching staff. How could you watch five weeks of Rams tape and think it was wise to run up the middle, at the best defensive player in the league, with this offensive line? How could you not see this as a prime opportunity to spread the Rams out, quick toss them to death, get Montgomery involved in the passing attack?
  • One has to think the Demetrius Harris era is quickly coming to an end. Not only is he over-targeted, but he never catches the football. Wouldn’t the Bears be better served by Cole Kmet making mistakes on the field, and getting better, than seeing Harris drop passes weekly?
  • I had high hopes for a broadcast with Lou Riddick. This broadcast is terrible. Stupid animations. Brian Griese put Cody Whitehair on the Rams at one point. I miss watching football in bars and not having to listen to this nonsense.
  • Pat O’Donnell has become a better punter in 2020.
  • Roquan Smith needs to stop missing tackles for loss. It’s become a recurring theme.
  • Kyle Fuller played his worst half of the season. Why was he so damn soft on a third-and-long?
  • Sean McVay going up tempo and moving Jared Goff’s pocket was terrific coaching. But the Bears defense is just hard to score touchdowns against. A mediocre defense allows 20+ points in that first half.
  • Danny Trevathan had improved in recent weeks. That was a rough first half. McVay and Goff are clearly trying to isolate him in coverage.
  • Tashaun Gipson batting down an easy pick six was one of the more surreal moments of the season. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a defensive intentionally bat down a ball thrown directly to them.
  • The coaching at the end of the half was abysmal on both sidelines. Why is McVay riskins Goff throwing passes over the middle? Why isn’t Nagy making the Rams punt? Insanity.

In fairness, this was the half I expected. Boring. Low-scoring. Defensive struggle. But it’s hard to see the Bears pulling out this game if they don’t dramatically change their offensive approach.

Second Half Thoughts

  • Best thing that happened in this game? Eddie Jackson going off the field and coming back on. Those non-contact injuries often end up very, very bad.
  • Akiem Hicks was unblockable for most of this game. He also commits way too many penalties. The question is, does one automatically come with the other?

  • Another horrible Nick Foles interception. He can’t make those kinds of decisions. That’s why he’s in the game. He’s supposed to be smarter with the football.
  • The 4th and 1 pitch to Cordarrelle Patterson is perhaps the defining offensive call of the evening. The worst call of the season.
  • John Hekker is a great punter.

Tweets:

  • Mid-fourth, the sequence at goal-to-go is not pivotal. But the play calls were absolutely horrendous. No creativity. No invention. Just a play-caller with no sense of the game or his personnel’s ability.
  • Good that EJ got his touchdown. He’s had two ripped away from him by bad calls this season. EJ has a lot of Mike Brown in him.
  • Bears need to replace Ted Ginn tomorrow morning. He has no use on this roster.

This was an awful performance. Across the board. But what will the fallout be?

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