The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Bears vs Titans
Nov 28, 2016 12:51:34 GMT -6
riczaj01, butkus3595, and 3 more like this
Post by jamaisvu on Nov 28, 2016 12:51:34 GMT -6
The Good
And just like that, the final six games of this terrible season just got interesting again.
Matt Barkley made a good case for a full-time job in the NFL. The two INTs were ugly and almost entirely on him, but three TD passes and three hundred yards is the best performance by a Bear QB in 2016.
(Sidenote: In 15 starts in 2015...Jay Cutler only threw for 3 TDs once...during his "best season")
By all means, this could have been an even stronger showing if it was not for an absurd amount of drops by our Third String Receiving Corps. That opening bomb was way too pretty to be the same Matt Barkley last seen in Green Bay. He still has to clean up a few things, but his footwork and deep ball looked night and day better than the dude we gave a nine figure contract to. I am not ready to say that Barkley should be the long term plan here, but he has a nice six game audition to, at least, make Hoyer unnecessary next season and Cutler one step closer to ending his career in a Bear Uniform.
Jordan Howard had another nice showing. Another performance that could have been stronger if the run plays stopped being called altogether with an astounding twenty-five minutes left on the game clock (more on that later). He is making better catches out of the backfield, but we will have to try to overlook his one drop that should have been a TD only because some dude I never heard of named Daniel Brown saved face seconds later.
And while Cameron Meredith is continuing his disappearing act, freaking Marquess Wilson strolls onto the field and puts up career numbers. Eight catches for 125 yards and a score give the Forgotten Man the best performance by a Bear Receiver this season.
(Somewhere, the Ghost of HeHateMe is laughing)
He had a couple of bad drops too, including a should have been second TD, but this seventh round receiver teamed up with a fourth round QB and fifth round RB to have the strongest second half of football the Bear Offense this season on a day that should have had a gameplan out of 1928.
(Too bad they could not get the win too, but those drops...ick....)
The Bad
Meanwhile on the other side of the ball, another poor showing for the pass rush as the defense was held another week without a sack. The Front Seven is holding its own in the run game, but has gotten owned for two weeks in a row by solid pass protection. Goldman got some push up the middle, but the Ends were washed out often and neither McPhee of Young looked like the 2015 versions of themselves.
This led to another bad game for Kindergarten-aged Secondary. Bryce Callahan looked like he forgot how to play football during his own injury bouts as he and the rookie Bush had serious issues in coverage. I will give Bush a pass for growing pains, but Callahan looked a lot better earlier this season. Only so long these UDFAs can overachieve, I suppose.
Another rookie at LB had and up and down game, but showed some real promise late in the game when he stuffed a Murray goal line rush to keep the game within reach. It's a good thing too, because Freeman still has another three games to sit and Trevathan just may be on the shelf for the year. Cannot wait to see Christian Jones suck all over again.
The Ugly
I just cannot figure you out Dowell Loggains. I went from championing for him in October, to wanting him canned for most of November. I loved this first call of the game. I hated the pass calls with one yard to a first down. I loved Jordan Howard in the first half. I hated the fourth quarter that never called a single run. I loved that the Bears were aggressive in the passing game and stayed in the game until the final drive. I hated that I cannot figure out if going that pass happy in the second half was foolish, brilliant or necessary.
(Maybe a combination of all three)
Just like Barkely, this is a final six game audition for Loggains as well with his third quarterback. If his offense can finish on a higher note than thirty something in scoring...he may just save his own job.
(Which I also cannot figure out if that is foolish, brilliant or necessary)
With Trevathan looking like Number Fifteen to IR...injuries look like this coaching staff's reprieve from the guillotine in January.
(Which I also cannot figure out if that is foolish, brilliant or necessary)
And just like that, the final six games of this terrible season just got interesting again.
Matt Barkley made a good case for a full-time job in the NFL. The two INTs were ugly and almost entirely on him, but three TD passes and three hundred yards is the best performance by a Bear QB in 2016.
(Sidenote: In 15 starts in 2015...Jay Cutler only threw for 3 TDs once...during his "best season")
By all means, this could have been an even stronger showing if it was not for an absurd amount of drops by our Third String Receiving Corps. That opening bomb was way too pretty to be the same Matt Barkley last seen in Green Bay. He still has to clean up a few things, but his footwork and deep ball looked night and day better than the dude we gave a nine figure contract to. I am not ready to say that Barkley should be the long term plan here, but he has a nice six game audition to, at least, make Hoyer unnecessary next season and Cutler one step closer to ending his career in a Bear Uniform.
Jordan Howard had another nice showing. Another performance that could have been stronger if the run plays stopped being called altogether with an astounding twenty-five minutes left on the game clock (more on that later). He is making better catches out of the backfield, but we will have to try to overlook his one drop that should have been a TD only because some dude I never heard of named Daniel Brown saved face seconds later.
And while Cameron Meredith is continuing his disappearing act, freaking Marquess Wilson strolls onto the field and puts up career numbers. Eight catches for 125 yards and a score give the Forgotten Man the best performance by a Bear Receiver this season.
(Somewhere, the Ghost of HeHateMe is laughing)
He had a couple of bad drops too, including a should have been second TD, but this seventh round receiver teamed up with a fourth round QB and fifth round RB to have the strongest second half of football the Bear Offense this season on a day that should have had a gameplan out of 1928.
(Too bad they could not get the win too, but those drops...ick....)
The Bad
Meanwhile on the other side of the ball, another poor showing for the pass rush as the defense was held another week without a sack. The Front Seven is holding its own in the run game, but has gotten owned for two weeks in a row by solid pass protection. Goldman got some push up the middle, but the Ends were washed out often and neither McPhee of Young looked like the 2015 versions of themselves.
This led to another bad game for Kindergarten-aged Secondary. Bryce Callahan looked like he forgot how to play football during his own injury bouts as he and the rookie Bush had serious issues in coverage. I will give Bush a pass for growing pains, but Callahan looked a lot better earlier this season. Only so long these UDFAs can overachieve, I suppose.
Another rookie at LB had and up and down game, but showed some real promise late in the game when he stuffed a Murray goal line rush to keep the game within reach. It's a good thing too, because Freeman still has another three games to sit and Trevathan just may be on the shelf for the year. Cannot wait to see Christian Jones suck all over again.
The Ugly
I just cannot figure you out Dowell Loggains. I went from championing for him in October, to wanting him canned for most of November. I loved this first call of the game. I hated the pass calls with one yard to a first down. I loved Jordan Howard in the first half. I hated the fourth quarter that never called a single run. I loved that the Bears were aggressive in the passing game and stayed in the game until the final drive. I hated that I cannot figure out if going that pass happy in the second half was foolish, brilliant or necessary.
(Maybe a combination of all three)
Just like Barkely, this is a final six game audition for Loggains as well with his third quarterback. If his offense can finish on a higher note than thirty something in scoring...he may just save his own job.
(Which I also cannot figure out if that is foolish, brilliant or necessary)
With Trevathan looking like Number Fifteen to IR...injuries look like this coaching staff's reprieve from the guillotine in January.
(Which I also cannot figure out if that is foolish, brilliant or necessary)
