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The Bears had a great opportunity to beat one of the best teams in the league today, with two of their key offensive weapons out of the game by the 1st quarter. Unfortunately, we saw some of the discouraging offensive struggles that made Bears fan panic at the beginning of the season. I’m not here to panic, but I am disappointed. This could have been a great momentum builder for a Bears team that has playoff talent but maybe not that level of confidence.
A step backwards today for Trubisky
He definitely got happy feet and was flustered by pressure. He did a good job at evading the rush, just not setting his feet to make a good pass or setting his brain to make a good decision. It seemed like there were as many rushed throws with bad mechanics as on-target ones from a solid platform. His completion percentage makes it look even worse than it was, since it includes several drops and throw-aways, but it also doesn’t acknowledge a couple throws that should have been picks. He still managed to sneak in some good passes and sound decisions.
Then again, sometimes Biscuit’s happy feet have to make you smile
That 39 yard run was a thing of beauty—patience, vision, and speed. His scrambling ability has consistently proven to be an asset. Sure, sometimes he misses an opportunity for an open pass, but he usually grabs a first down and I’ll always be happy with that. He’s kept several drives alive and scored. It’s definitely working for my fantasy team.
The formula is out on how to beat the Bears defense
Just through it to an athletic receiver, and let the Bears miss tackles. Last week Albert Wilson. This week Josh Gordon. I’m worried the league is catching on.
Bilal Nichols continues to show off with limited opportunities
He got the first significant pressure on Brady. It was clearly a mistake by the Patriots O line, but not every DE can capitalize on that mistake and get to the quarterback instantly. But his forced fumble and recovery of Sony Michel was a huge moment for the otherwise underwhelming Bears defense.
Roquan Smith’s block-shedding difficulties showed up early
The one knock on Roquan Smith has always been that he can be slow to shed blocks. It often didn’t matter in college because he was fast enough to get around them most of the time. It’s mattered the last two games. Ultimately, his coverage ability makes up for it, but these are two teams who will take advantage of your weaknesses.
At first, it seemed like the Bears would have the special teams advantage
A Cordarelle Patterson fumble recovery gave the Bears the first momentum of the game and made me very proud of our Beloved for besting Belichick in his prized 3rd phase. Then there was the return touchdown. Then the blocked punt. Oof.
Sherrick McMannis proved again that he can perform in the slot when needed
The long-time special teams star has had a few opportunities to prove himself on defense, including Callahan’s injury today. He performed well in coverage and was an aggressive tackler.
Khalil Mack earned himself plenty of attention from the Patriots, but not a lot of pressure
It’s hard to say how much his ankle is bothering him, but Mack hasn’t shown the same effect in these last two games. Commanding double teams is great, but we got used to him beating them as well. I’m not worried in the long run, but I’m missing the smoshery.
Remember the Patriots didn’t punt last week
This wasn’t an all-star performance from the Bears’ defense, but getting multiple stops against the Patriots offense is impressive on its own.
The Bears didn’t play a great game today. There were plenty of mistakes in all three phases. A few important moments went their way and kept them in the game against a better-performing team. That’s not what you hope to see, but it’s nice to realize this team has enough talent to fight through some struggles and stay competitive with one of the best teams in the league.
Ok. That’s a pretty lame consolation prize.
Bears losing is the worst.