Chicago Bears Sackwatch 2016: Week 11 vs New York Giants

What was starting to look like a strength of the 2016 Chicago Bears, the offensive line, it’s now just a shell of what they were becoming.

With one Pro Bowl guard out for the season and the other hobbled and listed as doubtful, their interior is being held together by a rookie center. The starting right tackle was in concussion protocol, but should be back this week. Those fans that were saying it couldn’t get any worse with Mike Adams in at right tackle, saw that it could get worse with the back up in the game.

The front seven of the Tennessee Titans will be a tough test for Chicago's pass protection this week. Outside linebackers Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan have 9 and 8 sacks respectively, and the Titans, with 30 sacks, are tied for 2nd in the NFL.

I would expect a run heavy gameplan from the Bears, but Tennessee is 7th best in the league allowing just 92.1 yards per game on the ground. This game might get ugly for Bears’ fans.

Sackwatch after 10 games

2010 - 37 Martz
2011 - 23 Martz
2012 - 34 Tice
2013 - 16 Trestman
2014 - 24 Trestman
2015 - 18 Gase
2016 - 22 - Loggains

Sack 19 - Fourth Quarter 15:00 - Jason Pierre-Paul
Through the first 9 games of their seaosn, Jason Pierre-Paul had 1.5 sacks. Against the Bears last Sunday, he had 2.5. On this sack he had a very quick first step and then he just overpowered Bears’ right tackle Mike Adams. Instead of delivering an initial blow, Adams absorbed the hit by JPP, which drove him too far back.

Over on the left side, rookie tight end Ben Braunecker (#84) had zero chance against the speed rush of #54 Olivier Vernon. But lets face it, leaving a UDFA rookie out there to block Vernon was silly to begin with. Let him chip, but then have left tackle Chatles Leno kick out to pick up the Giant DE.

Sack 20 - Fourth Quarter 12:49 - Olivier Vernon
Then again, on this play Vernon beat Leno pretty easily after Leno got too far out in front of his base.

Vernon does a great job in grabbing Leno with his right hand, then swimming over the top with his left arm. Leno just lost his balance and couldn’t recover. Center Cody Whitehair lost his man on hustle play, but Jay CUtler was able to avoid the interior pressure.

Sack 21 - Fourth Quarter 8:56 - Johnathan Hankins and Jason Pierre-Paul
JPP bull rushes Adams on this one again, but Leno was also beat by the bull rush this time too. Both Bears’ tackles caught their defenders, instead of using proper hand placement to deliver a punch and the 2 Giants had a Cutler sandwich. Check out the blitz pick up by running back Jordan Howard.

Sack 22 - Fourth Quarter 2:00 - Jason Pierre-Paul
Yep, another sack from Pierre-Paul and another bull rush against Adams. This time Adams holds his ground a bit better, but he fails to stay square. Once he starts to get turned, JPP is just too quick to be stopped.

So in one game, Mike Adams allowed 2.5 sacks, whereas in the previous nine, I had Bobbie Massie down for allowing 2.

Bears’ fans, remember, whatever it is, it can always get worse.

Here’s how I have the individual Sackwatch after ten games.

Jay Cutler - 5
Charles Leno - 3.5
Sacks Happen - 3
Mike Adams - 2.5
Brian Hoyer - 2
Bobbie Massie - 2
Cody Whitehair - 1.5
Logan Paulsen - 1
Ted Larsen - 1
Jeremy Langford - .5

What are your thoughts this week?