As I started writing this, I was genuinely uncertain about where to begin. The game plan for Sunday's game was frustrating because it seemed like the Bears deviated from the successful approach they used last year for Justin Fields and the offense after their win vs New England. This decision was the primary factor behind the Bears lack of competitiveness against the Packers. The encouraging aspect is that they are already aware of what works. It's crucial they return to that strategy, especially with the upcoming game in Tampa.
Utilize Justin's Legs
While watching the film back, I noticed that there were only two designed QB runs called throughout the entire game, which I find unacceptable. Justin managed to gain 64 yards after contact, ranking third in this category for Week 1. Impressively, he averaged 7.11 yards after contact per rushing attempt, leading the NFL in this stat. Additionally, he forced four missed tackles and gained 60 yards on scramble plays alone. However, on those two designed QB runs, he managed to actually lose yards finishing with -1 yards, ranking 13th worst in the NFL.
It's tempting to attribute this to Green Bay's defense, but I believe the real issue lies in the play calling. Justin Fields is arguably one of the best running quarterbacks in the NFL, and utilizing his mobility should obviously be a priority. This not only enhances our offensive options but also eases the stress on the offensive line and keeps the opposing defense guessing. Unfortunately, it seemed like Luke Getsy made the same mistake as Matt Nagy by trying to turn Justin Fields into a "pure pocket passer". Can Justin win in the pocket? Yes. But there has to be a pocket there to begin with. The offensive line as it is, just isn't good enough. Given Justin's current stage in his career, this strategy is simply not going to work. I believe Fields can be a dual threat QB as he showed that at Ohio State. But we've already been down this road before which is why Sunday's game plan drives me nuts. Just take a look back at the first 6 games of last season? Why did they think this would be a good idea to go back to?
This leads me to another significant concern I had with the Bears game plan from last Sunday.
Move The Pocket, Roll Justin Out
On Sunday, Justin Fields had 49 drop-backs during the game. The Bears only rolled him out twice, which is more than concerning. Additionally, the offensive line had a tough time stopping the Packers defensive line from putting pressure on Fields. They managed to pressure him on 22 out of his 49 drop-backs, with 86.4% of those pressures being attributed to the offensive line. Justin Fields did show some improvement, as he was responsible for creating only 13.6% of the pressures himself. Now, let's take a look at the passing chart from Sunday's game.
When I first saw this chart, I immediately drew a parallel to Mitch Trubisky and Matt Nagy. Which about made me puke. It's crucial for Getsy and the coaching staff to remember that one of Justin's strengths is his ability to excel in deep passing plays. In plays where he attempted passes of 20 yards or more, Justin was deadly, going 2 for 2 for 43 yards and a touchdown. We definitely need to see more of this aggressive approach. Interestingly, though, Fields had 8 pass attempts behind the line of scrimmage, that turned into 5 completions that only gained a total of 29 yards due to 2 dropped passes. This resulted in an average of just 3.6 yards per attempt, which isn't ideal.
Throughout the off-season, the team placed a strong emphasis on the short passing game. This was clearly evident in Fields performance on Sunday, where he completed 17 out of 22 passes within the 0-9 yard range. His averaged 6.5 per attempt, with just one dropped pass, resulting in 8 first downs and a solid 93.8 passer rating. However, despite these positive aspects, there were moments when the game plan seemed predictable.
In particular, when it came to intermediate routes (those ranging from 10 to 19 yards in depth), Fields struggled. He completed zero of his two attempts unless you count the interception, although it's worth noting that he was under pressure during one of these plays. In fact, Fields faced pressure on 22 of his drop-backs, which was the second-highest in the NFL for week 1, with Daniel Jones being just slightly ahead with one more pressure.
If they want to change the course of the season, the Bears need to strike a balance between their quick passing game, which has shown some promise, and exploring other dimensions of their offense. The quick slants to DJ Moore were effective, but they only threw it to him twice, both occurring during their second drive of the game, and never returned to it. Therefore, finding a happy medium between the quick game and attacking down field will be the key to improving the offense heading into week 2.
To add unpredictability, Getsy will need mix up his approach. More roll outs. Change the launch points like I mentioned earlier. While Fields may not be flawless, he is very dynamic. Unfortunately, what Luke Getsy did on Sunday was significant regression. He's aware of the adjustments he needs to make to get back on track. He found the blueprint last year. He even has more talent to work with now. If he resists reverting back to those changes, it could be time to consider a personnel change. The clock is ticking.
Bears vs Packers Recap: What The Hell Just Happened?
If you're interested in a detailed analysis and breakdown of the Bears vs. Packers game, don't miss the latest episode of the BFR Podcast, the official Sports Mockery Bears podcast.
You can find it on YouTube or your preferred podcast platform.
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