Chicago Bears Sackwatch 2011; Bye Week Breakdown Paea's 1st Sack

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Nov 2, 2011 11:00 AM CDT in Xs and Os

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My initial plan was to take the Sackwatch in a different direction, a more positive direction, following the Bears bye week. The different logo up there should tip you off to my plan. I wanted to breakdown a sack by the Chicago Bears this week, and I will, but after a request from long time WCG member scespy12, I'll also look at where the blame lies for all 21 sacks the Bears have given up so far. So after the jump, I'll take a look at the 1st sack of Stephen Paea's career and then tomorrow (you can check it out right here) I'll look at where the responsibility for all 21 sacks belong.

Paea was inactive up until the week 6 Vikings game. A few injuries across the d-line led to him being suited up for the Sunday Night prime-time match up and the rookie from Oregon State didn't wait long to make an impact. How about a sack/safety for your first NFL action. Not. Bad.

The play itself was a 2nd and 8 from the Minnesota 6 1/2 yard line. Paea was lined up as the left defensive tackle with Israel Idonije at left defensive end. Paea was in the center guard gap and Brian Urlacher was stacked over him. The Viking center, John Sullivan, had his attention on a potential blitz by Urlacher, and he assumed that the Minnesota right guard would take Paea, leaving him free to either help protect his right side A gap or to locate a blitzer.

On the snap Paea exploded to his right looping around to the opposite side A gap, Sullivan wasn't expecting that. He stepped to where Paea was and couldn't recover in time. The left guard for Minnesota was tied up with Bears DT Henry Melton so he couldn't help protect that A gap either. Adrian Peterson was in the backfield looking to help in pass protection, but Paea bumped past him without slowing down. Sack #1 for Paea in the books.

It was a well designed play for the Bears. Urlacher came on a slight delayed blitz and got to Donovan McNabb immediately after Paea. McNabb felt such pressure that he went down to save his aging backside from a hit. Am I alone in wanting to see Paea on the field more?

Stephen Paea (vs Vikings) (via tuluvota)

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I would love to see Paea on the field more! I think with more playing time he will be great

How about a Carimi pancake for your A$$

by fortefan09 on Nov 2, 2011 11:08 AM CDT reply actions

oh, and I like how they gave the credit to Urlacher at first.

How about a Carimi pancake for your A$$

by fortefan09 on Nov 2, 2011 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions

yup

why not?

by BOBdaBEAR on Nov 2, 2011 4:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Certainly has potential..

Maybe he’s finally catching up to the playbook..since I know they said initially he was having trouble memorizing it due to the short offseason.

by Pretender85 on Nov 2, 2011 11:56 AM CDT reply actions

All 21 Sacks can be blamed on...

Gate 68 on general principals.

Cacti are prickly.

by crackedcactus on Nov 2, 2011 12:40 PM CDT reply actions

How about these princpals?

When I assume, I'm not "making an ass out of u and me"... I'm actually putting u between me and an ass.

by Spongie on Nov 2, 2011 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

/Spongie'd

and that, my friends, was simply badassery at its finest

by BOBdaBEAR on Nov 2, 2011 4:38 PM CDT up reply actions

Did you notice the name of the school?

When I assume, I'm not "making an ass out of u and me"... I'm actually putting u between me and an ass.

by Spongie on Nov 2, 2011 5:22 PM CDT up reply actions

I think the guy has an amazing future

It was Paea who forced the holding call in the middle of the Bucs line last week. At the snap he punched the Bucs’ LG so hard he nearly fell over and the only thing he could do to stop Paea swallowing the RB in the middle of the pocket was to hold him. Watching live I thought he had a quiet game against the Bucs following a great game against the Vikes but on a re-watch he was if anything better in his second game.

I get the impression that if he hadn’t needed to have his miniscus repaired he woud have gone a lot higher than 49 (or wherever it was). At the time I was disappointed as I had wanted Marvin Austin but now the Giants can keep him as far as I am concerned.

The other thing I noticed re-watching the game is that Davin Joseph is a beast. Best lineman I have seen in the league this year.

by weepingbear on Nov 2, 2011 12:53 PM CDT reply actions

If he can play the run...

He can play a lot.

Five foot three seems to thrive on his misery...

by awfullyquiet on Nov 2, 2011 1:02 PM CDT reply actions

Sit Rep

Who are the starters on our DL?

What is the roation/order of substitution?

Who is hurt and for how long?

The more Paea the better.

by No It All on Nov 2, 2011 1:06 PM CDT reply actions

I'll take a stab:

RDE: Peppers
3-Tech: Melton
NT: Adams for now (Toeaina was starter but got hurt, should be back for Philly)
LDE: Izzy

Nick Reed has been getting the most snaps at backup DE. Wooten hasn’t really played but could be back vs. Philly. I don’t know if he’ll be 3rd or 4th DE though. Mario Addison has been inactive most weeks.

Amobi Okoye is backup 3-tech or comes in at NT in obvious pass rushing downs. Paea is next behind him. Toeaina’s return complicates the rotation. He can play 3-tech or NT. He doesn’t automatically come out in pass rushing situations like Anthony Adams does. All 10 guys won’t be active on game day so it’ll be interesting to see who sits. The Bears would like to go with 8 active D-linemen. They went with 7 the other week because of injuries. Peppers got hurt and still had to play because they didn’t have enough bodies. I suspect they’ll go with 8 actives. Addison will be inactive. And either Toeaina or Wooten will be based on injury.

That’s my take anyway.

by Mike Mueller on Nov 2, 2011 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions

Word. and Thank you.

Gotta say doesn’t seem like Peppers has been (or will be) getting much help from his fellow DLinemen lately… ie there doesn’t seem to be anybody making opposing teams pay for doubling Peppers….

I would like to see Paea develop(ed) into a starter sooner rather then later. He strong.

by No It All on Nov 2, 2011 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions