Chicago Bears Sackwatch 2023: Week 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Chicago Bears allowed six sacks on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so I don't have time for any interesting nuggets in my opening paragraph this week.

Let's get down to the nitty-gritty!

Sack 5 - 2nd Quarter 14:49 - Shaquil Barrett
I often say that my determination for where the blame lies for each sack allowed is an inexact science. I'm comfortable with my reasoning and where I ultimately place the blame, but only the Bears know where the fault truly lies. This first sack is a perfect example because I have no idea if tight end Cole Kmet was supposed to pop the edge on his way into the pattern or if he was supposed to work inside through the b-gap for his release into the route. Right tackle Darnell Wright sets up as if he's expecting a chip help on linebacker Shaquil Barrett, but that's not what Kmet does.

Wright feels Kmet to his outside, and he even takes a hard step inside as he anticipates Kmet enticing Barrett off the edge. Had Kmet jolted Barrett on his way out, then Barrett wouldn't have run around Wright so easily. A chip would have forced Barrett into Wright or led Barrett to go with the momentum and work inside through the b-gap. Wright's set had him ready for anything except an outside move, which, once Kmet left, was wide open for Barrett.

So, did Wright just assume he'd have help based on alignment?

If Kmet is coached to slip back through the line, then I'd like to know why. Is he trying to make the defense believe he's staying in to pass block before sneaking out as a check-down option? Was he instructed to go b-gap in case right guard Ja'Tyre Carter needed help? Was his inside release meant to coincide with the fake to the running back? Is there a Kmet shovel pass option off this look at some point?

So many questions, yet nothing makes sense to me.

Since I don't know who messed up, I'm splitting the sack allowed between Kmet and Wright.

Sack 6 - 2nd Quarter 13:36 - Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
I'm rarely going to pin a sack on the offensive line when Justin Fields gets to the top of his drop, has time to look things over, then eats a sack. This one is on Fields. The timing of this play is such that Fields has to either throw the ball after he drops back or take off and find some open grass if he doesn't like what he sees.

But he should have liked what he saw here.

First off, Fields drifts backward after his drop. That's a no-no. His offensive tackles may be forcing the edge rusher around the pocket, so a QB that drifts back is putting himself in harm's way. With a clean pocket like this, Fields should be climbing it.

My guess is he's going to quickly peek the streak, or in this case, peek at the post. But with Tampa Bay shifting to a single high safety, that means Chase Claypool on the post isn't there. Then a look at the sail, which is the outbreaking route from the number two receiver on the right, which is also covered. Then his eyes should come to the backside dig and D.J. Moore, who is wide open.

Tim Jenkins breaks this play down in this quick clip here and gets more in-depth on Fields' feet, the route combination, and what he believes Fields' progressions should be.

Sack 7 - 2nd Quarter 3:12 - Vita Vea and Logan Hall
By now, everyone has seen this play broken down somewhere. This is another one where Fields doesn't pull the trigger after getting to the top of his drop. He has time. But he waits. Cocks his arm to throw but pulls it down, and Roschon Johnson waves at him as he runs towards the goal line.

Maybe Fields thought the safety rotating deep presnap would take Johnson away, but with the deep cross coming over and pulling the safety up, that means he should have fired it to his running back.

Brian Baldinger talks through this sack here.

Sack 8 - 2nd Quarter 2:19 - Cam Gill
Here's Fields again dropping back, then retreating after he sets. It makes no sense. You count the one-Mississippis on this play and watch Fields bounce around the pocket, indecisive on what to do. If he doesn't see anyone to throw to, then his internal clock should be screaming for him to RUN! This is the third consecutive sack I'm pinning on the QB1.

Sack 9 - 3rd Quarter 13:00 - Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
This came one play after left tackle Braxton Jones jumped offsides, and he's simply beaten around the edge for this sack. The Bucs walked up a linebacker on the play to the C-gap, but the Bears were ready for it. Even though the linebacker was a closer threat to the quarterback, Jones' responsibility was still on the far edge rusher. The Bears had the center and left guard both working left for the defensive tackle and linebacker, and Jones' set didn't give him enough depth to cut off the speed rush.

It was revealed today that Jones injured his neck at some point in the game, so maybe that was affecting him here in the third quarter.

Sack 10 - 4th Quarter 1:55 - Vita Vea
Vea is one of the better interior defensive linemen in the NFL, and he outmatched left guard Cody Whitehair here before nearly decapitating Fields.

Whitehair got caught trying to body Vea, and he's not big enough to lean on a 350-pounder. Vea kept coming through Cody's outside shoulder, and Cody stopped moving his feet.

Here's the individual Sackwatch tally after two weeks:

Justin Fields - 6
Braxton Jones - 2
Cody Whitehair - 1
Cole Kmet - .5
Darnell Wright - .5

And here are the total Bears' sacks allowed after week two going back to the Mike Martz era:

2010 Sacks - 5 (Martz)
2011 Sacks - 11 (Martz)
2012 Sacks - 9 (Tice)
2013 Sacks - 1 (Trestman)
2014 Sacks - 3 (Trestman)
2015 Sacks - 4 (Gase)
2016 Sacks - 8 (Loggains)
2017 Sacks - 5 (Loggains)
2018 Sacks - 6 (Nagy)
2019 Sacks - 5 (Nagy)
2020 Sacks - 5 (Nagy)
2021 Sacks - 6 (Nagy)
2022 Sacks - 5 (Getsy)
2023 Sacks - 10 (Getsy)