I knew that a rookie quarterback would take some of the fun out of Sackwatch for me each week, but as long as they stay under the Martzian level of sacking sucktitude, I’ll be alright. Sacks are way up since Mitchell Trubisky took over, with his 12.2 sack percentage leading the league. For a little perspective, Mike Glennon’s sack percentage is 5.6.
Rookie’s aren’t able to read defenses as fast, they don’t always understand that they can chuck it out of bounds when they are out of the pocket, and with a scrambler like Trubisky, they tend to hold onto the ball a little longer to make a play. All things that can improve with experience.
But enough about the bad, because against the Green Bay Packers, Trubisky set career highs in attempts, completions, completion percentage and yards. He’s getting better. He just needs time.
Let’s see how things are looking so far...
Sackwatch after 9 games
2010 - 34 Martz
2011 - 23 Martz
2012 - 28 Tice
2013 - 14 Trestman
2014 - 24 Trestman
2015 - 16 Gase
2016 - 18 Loggains
2017 - 24 Loggains
Sack 20 - Second Quarter 14:25 - Mike Daniels
Mike Daniels is Green Bay’s right defensive tackle, lined up over left guard Josh Sitton. After initially engaging Sitton, he darts inside to work on center Hroniss Grasu. Sitton, with no one to block, decides to give Daniels a shot, and it’s that shot that nudges him into the sack.
Trubisky is spooked by the bull-rush from Kenny Clark (#97) against left guard Cody Whitehair, and it’s that bull-rush that gets in Grasu’s way and stops him from staying with Daniels.
This is a tough one to assign blame.
If Daniels doesn’t get home, Clay Matthews would have picked up the sack. Matthews works outside on right tackle Bobby Massie, then comes back under the block when Trubisky steps up. But if Trubisky doesn’t step up, he’s probably not sacked. Grasu losing his man wasn’t his fault, but him not anchoring on the bull-rush was. This one feels like I could go Sacks Happen, but the pressure up the middle is what led to the sack, so I’m splitting it between Grasu and Whitehair.
Sack 21 - Second Quarter 5:06 - Nick Perry
Trubisky executes the play fake. He finds no one to throw to, so he shifts to the right. He sets his feet and looks downfield again, before taking the sack from a hustling Nick Perry.
Perry was working against left tackle Charles Leno, but Leno did his job. The pass protection was fine on this play, but Trubisky couldn’t find an open receiver. When going over the film on this play, one of the offensive coaches will remind Trubisky that once he leaves the pocket, he’s allowed to chuck the ball out of bounds.
This sack is on the rookie QB.
Sack 22 - Second Quarter 3:58 - Nick Perry
Perry gets the sack on a hustle play again, and I’m not blaming Leno on this one either. Trubisky runs into this sack after being forced out of the pocket by Ahmad Brooks (#55). Brooks starts out wide on Green Bay’s left, but he comes inside after a little chip by the Bears tight end.
He shoots the A-gap between Grasu and Whitehair, and Grasu doesn’t really do anything. He just kind of opens the gate and invites Brooks through.
If Grasu closes the gap and stays square, Brooks doesn’t disrupt the play, so I gotta go with Grasu on this sack allowed.
Sack 23 - Third Quarter 8:53 - Davon House
If no one bothers to blocks you, that makes for an easy sack.
Bobby Massie takes the edge rusher off Chicago’s right side, and running back Benny Cunningham takes the edge rusher off of Chicago’s right side.
Can you see how that might be a problem?
Benny must have missed the nickle blitzer, but House was his responsibility, so this one is on Cunningham.
Sack 24 - Third Quarter 4:02 - Nick Perry
This should have been another first down completion (First down passing: a Bears' offensive unicorn), but Trubisky must have had some money down on a Perry hat-trick.
The Packers sold out to stop the run on first down (again), and the Bears had them beat with the bootleg. But, Trubisky didn’t throw the ball.
#Bears have a "Cardinal rule," Dowell Loggains said — don't take sacks on bootlegs. Mitch Trubisky did when he decided not to throw under to Josh Bellamy on Sunday
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) November 15, 2017
I agree, this one is on Trubisky.
Individual Sackwatch through 9 games
Sacks Happen - 5.5
Charles Leno - 3.5
Mitchell Trubisky - 3
Mike Glennon - 2
Josh Sitton - 2
Bobby Massie - 2
Hroniss Grasu - 1.5
Cody Whitehair - 1
Benny Cunningham - 1
Bradley Sowell - 1
Zach Miller - .5
Kyle Long - .5
Jordan Howard - .5