The first 4 games of the 2016 season are history and the Bears are
now 1-3 and viewed by many to be the worst team in the NFL if not the second
just behind the Browns which is not an uplifting scenario.
So what I saw coming was the obvious shaky OL group,
not consistently making holes for the RB and getting beaten frequently by the
pass rush on the edges, blitzes and DL stunts on the middle exposing how much
of a rookie Cody Whitehair is at his new position although he is going against
good strong players and competing fairly well, but how about how bad and I mean
BAD Bobbie Massie had played as a pass blocker and I don’t think he’s going to get any
better without others helping him. What I didn’t expect was that the coaches,
especially Dowell Loggains, not making adjustments to the gameplan knowing these issues, giving up on the run too quickly and passing just too much, plays that
weren’t even quick outs or screens or even bootlegs to compensate a OL group
that’s still getting to know how to play together. I don’t blame Jay Cutler for
going all “Cutler” losing the ball 3 times in 2 games while getting hurt again
when the playcalling is going for 8 yards or more with still 2 downs to go or going
for long 3rd downs because he gets sacked. Last year he was
effective because they open the field with short high percentage passes and
consistent running and get to 2nd or 3rd and short situations so they
could surprise the defense with a long pass once in a while. So Cutler got hurt and was taken out against
Philly and Hoyer comes out and starts heaving the ball as far as he could to
occasionally get big chunks of yards leaving the run because we got behind late
in the game although the run was left behind long before that.
Now what happens against the Cowboys and Lions? I
don’t know if it’s because Hoyer doesn’t have the arm Cutler has, but they
started making more quick short to intermediate passes, the run didn’t get
better against the Cowboys because the score skyrocketed early in the game in favor
of Dallas and the defense couldn’t stop the run nor the pass so we had to play
catch up all night, but against a lost Lions offense the Bears defense played
excellent and Jordan Howard made the OL look good with superb patience and
burst not to mention surprising agility after the catch. So what I’m trying to
say is that I don’t believe that Hoyer is better that Cutler, just that Cutlers
looks like he’s jinxed or something and that Hoyer is a quality backup QB and
will keep being it while the gameplan sticks to protecting him from the woes of
the OL.
Now reflecting on the record and the idea that a lot
of people view the Bears as this god awful team, watching the games I don’t see
how we are viewed or considered to be that bad compared to other teams specially
on the defensive side which has played good with the exception of that Dallas
game and that we still don’t have a pass rush which would raise the secondary’s
coverage a notch, every team has injuries all around but once Eddie Goldman,
Danny Trevathan and if all goes well Pernell McPhee return this squad is going
to get better and there’s still time to see what the rookies bring to the pass rush in
Jonathan Bullard and Leonard Floyd when they get healthier. The question mark is on the offense and I feel it’s more about
the coaching and play selection that the players on the field (except Massie, he’s
horrible), missing Kevin White is going to hurt but in the long run most of all
because he’s supposed to be the future and now he’s going to have another
setback, but for now I believe that Cameron Meredith is a quality backup and
once Marquees Wilson returns the WO position should not be a problem if Jeffery
is still taking double team coverages and Eddie Royal gets time to find the open
spot on the field while Zack Miller stays consisten as a red zone theat. Now some may be questioning themselves, what happens when Jeremy
Langford returns? Do you stick with Howard? YES you stick with Howard BUT you don’t
forget about Langford when the two of them can do everything on the field, both
can block and catch only Howard is a bit stronger and Langford is a bit faster,
but you need to want to run the damn ball! Internally yes the Bears started the
season with too many question marks on what to expect of some players in
certain positions, but the reason that we got beaten by average but promising
teams was, like I said, we got outplayed because of bad coaching and poor preparation.
Now with better knowledge of what we can and can’t do with what players we have
and don’t have like a strong legged KICKER, let’s hope we can turn this around somewhat.
With that out of my
system I view the next 4 games where the Bears should go 2-2 at the least
beating the beaten AFC south teams Colts and Jags while struggling with the Packers
and trying to not get destroyed by the renaissance of the purple people eaters
and would still be in route to a possible 8-8 record which would be easier if
we could beat Green Bay, not impossible but let’s see how prepared and
motivated we can get to that game because if we end up losing to either the Colts or Jags, getting labeled as the worst team will be hard to get rid of if not
for the existence of the still struggling Browns.
