Post by JABF on Jan 1, 2017 19:43:36 GMT -6
We had 6 games to see Barkley's play. He did win 1 of those 6 games (against the 49ers).
His final numbers for the season are:
8 TDs
12 Interceptions
3 Fumbles
15 Total Turnovers
2016 Season Passer Rating: 70.3
QB Rating: 48.5
His final numbers for the season are:
8 TDs
12 Interceptions
3 Fumbles
15 Total Turnovers
2016 Season Passer Rating: 70.3
QB Rating: 48.5
LINK
Play of the game: Matt Barkley's turnover for touchdown fitting end to brutal Bears season
The final play of Matt Barkley's season was a turnover. Returned for a touchdown. In a 38-10 division loss that left the Bears with an 0-8 road record in a brutal 3-13 season.
Fittingly, that's the way the Bears said goodbye to the 2016 season on the first day of 2017 — with that one final giveaway, a Barkley fumble on a strip sack that was returned 20 yards for a touchdown by Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen.
Thus, for the final 9:51 of Sunday afternoon's drubbing at U.S. Bank Stadium, Barkley was confined to the visiting sideline, alone with his thoughts and regret as fellow quarterback David Fales saw his first career regular-season action — in garbage time of a garbage game in a garbage season.
Barkley didn't need an explanation for his late benching. "We were down by four scores," he said. "It was just a chance to get David some reps."
Barkley detailed the sequence preceding the fumble, noting how he was focused on an in route from Cameron Meredith on the backside. But it never came open. Then, as Barkley scrambled forward, defensive end Danielle Hunter broke away from Bears right tackle Bobby Massie while defensive tackle Linval Joseph shed Cody Whitehair. When the two Vikings linemen converged on Barkley, they pried the ball loose and watched it squirt free as they crashed to the ground.
"I felt like I was down on the play," Barkley said. "But it all happened pretty fast. Just one of those unfortunate things."
John Fox after Bears' season-ending loss: 'I've never worried about job security'
John Fox after Bears' season-ending loss: 'I've never worried about job security'
Left tackle Charles Leno had the best chance at recovering for the Bears. But as Leno dived toward the bouncing ball, linebacker Anthony Barr instinctively used his right hand to pop it forward 12 yards. Per NFL rules, that should have been an illegal batting penalty, not a touchdown.
Said Leno: "I was like, 'Nah, that's a flag.' That's the first thing I noticed. You can't hit the ball this way (toward our goal line). … Smart play. Good football play. But I can't believe (the referees) didn't see that."
Still, in the grand scheme, what did it really matter? That final Bears turnover of the season was the last of five against the Vikings and brought Barkley's six-start giveaway total to a whopping 14. That included two more interceptions Sunday, both in the red zone.
So much for those early December hopes that the young quarterback would quickly become a late-season surprise, a poised and polished playmaker who could change the organization's direction at their most important position.
Protesters create spectacle at Bears-Vikings game
Protesters create spectacle at Bears-Vikings game
Instead, not long after Sunday's loss, Barkley found himself dazed recounting his past six weeks.
"It's been a whirlwind," he said. "I've had a lot of ups and lots of downs. Now I think the goal for this next season in my life, whether it's OTAs or before OTAs or next season, is just to be consistent."
To Barkley's credit, his confidence hasn't seemed shaken by his struggles. But that only counts for so much. And as coach John Fox processed the final two losses — blowouts by a combined score of 79-31 — he immediately circled the team's 10 turnovers in those games.
"When you give the ball away that many times, the math usually doesn't work very good," Fox said.
For the Bears, the math totaled up to a minus-20 turnover ratio for the season. That added up to another discouraging last-place campaign.
dwiederer@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @danwiederer
Play of the game: Matt Barkley's turnover for touchdown fitting end to brutal Bears season
The final play of Matt Barkley's season was a turnover. Returned for a touchdown. In a 38-10 division loss that left the Bears with an 0-8 road record in a brutal 3-13 season.
Fittingly, that's the way the Bears said goodbye to the 2016 season on the first day of 2017 — with that one final giveaway, a Barkley fumble on a strip sack that was returned 20 yards for a touchdown by Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen.
Thus, for the final 9:51 of Sunday afternoon's drubbing at U.S. Bank Stadium, Barkley was confined to the visiting sideline, alone with his thoughts and regret as fellow quarterback David Fales saw his first career regular-season action — in garbage time of a garbage game in a garbage season.
Barkley didn't need an explanation for his late benching. "We were down by four scores," he said. "It was just a chance to get David some reps."
Barkley detailed the sequence preceding the fumble, noting how he was focused on an in route from Cameron Meredith on the backside. But it never came open. Then, as Barkley scrambled forward, defensive end Danielle Hunter broke away from Bears right tackle Bobby Massie while defensive tackle Linval Joseph shed Cody Whitehair. When the two Vikings linemen converged on Barkley, they pried the ball loose and watched it squirt free as they crashed to the ground.
"I felt like I was down on the play," Barkley said. "But it all happened pretty fast. Just one of those unfortunate things."
John Fox after Bears' season-ending loss: 'I've never worried about job security'
John Fox after Bears' season-ending loss: 'I've never worried about job security'
Left tackle Charles Leno had the best chance at recovering for the Bears. But as Leno dived toward the bouncing ball, linebacker Anthony Barr instinctively used his right hand to pop it forward 12 yards. Per NFL rules, that should have been an illegal batting penalty, not a touchdown.
Said Leno: "I was like, 'Nah, that's a flag.' That's the first thing I noticed. You can't hit the ball this way (toward our goal line). … Smart play. Good football play. But I can't believe (the referees) didn't see that."
Still, in the grand scheme, what did it really matter? That final Bears turnover of the season was the last of five against the Vikings and brought Barkley's six-start giveaway total to a whopping 14. That included two more interceptions Sunday, both in the red zone.
So much for those early December hopes that the young quarterback would quickly become a late-season surprise, a poised and polished playmaker who could change the organization's direction at their most important position.
Protesters create spectacle at Bears-Vikings game
Protesters create spectacle at Bears-Vikings game
Instead, not long after Sunday's loss, Barkley found himself dazed recounting his past six weeks.
"It's been a whirlwind," he said. "I've had a lot of ups and lots of downs. Now I think the goal for this next season in my life, whether it's OTAs or before OTAs or next season, is just to be consistent."
To Barkley's credit, his confidence hasn't seemed shaken by his struggles. But that only counts for so much. And as coach John Fox processed the final two losses — blowouts by a combined score of 79-31 — he immediately circled the team's 10 turnovers in those games.
"When you give the ball away that many times, the math usually doesn't work very good," Fox said.
For the Bears, the math totaled up to a minus-20 turnover ratio for the season. That added up to another discouraging last-place campaign.
dwiederer@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @danwiederer
