If Pagano Does This Again, the Bears Will Get Run Out of the Building
The Chicago Bears entered last Sunday’s game against their rival, the Green Bay Packers with two opportunities to grab a playoff spot. One was in their power. Win and they’re in. The other, hope the Arizona Cardinals lose. So, naturally, the Bears chose the harder of the two routes and decided to lose to the Packers and wait and hope someone else loses as well.
Pretty typical for an organization so finely run like the Bears.
While you can harp on the ineffectiveness of the Bears offense, led by Mitch Trubisky, the issue in the game Sunday was the defensive effort. The biggest issue, which if they employed this again they will get run out of the building, is putting linebackers one-on-one with wide receivers.
As meatheaded of a Bears fan as you might be, you have to understand how incredibly talented Aaron Rodgers is. He will find a mismatch and he will exploit it. If you toss an LB on a WR – he’s going to embarrass you.
During the game, the Bears were allowing linebacker, Danny Trevathan, to go one-on-one with receivers. One such occasion turned into a 72-yard touchdown as Marquez Valdes-Scantling ran past Trevathan and the Bears defense.
If this is a serious tactic the Bears try to employ on Sunday, Drew Brees will tear the Bears apart and the team will be embarrassed in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. As is, the Saints are heavily favorited to win this game, with the Bears sitting at 9.5-point dogs.
The Bears hung their hats on a strong defense, but that defense has struggled since the bye week. Whether they find the swagger they had before the bye is yet to be seen. New Orleans on the other hand, has their swagger on both sides of the ball.
The Saints finished the season giving up the fourth-fewest yards (310.9/game), fifth-fewest passing yards (217.0/game), fourth-fewest rushing yards (93.9/game), and fifth-fewest points (21.1/points per game). In retrospect, the Bears defense ranks 11th in yards (344.9/game), 12th in passing yards (231.6/game), 15th in rushing yards (116.4/game) 14th in points (23.1).
Offensively it will be a challenge for the Bears and Trubisky. They’re already ranked 25th in football in yards and 22nd in scoring. So the Bears’ offense will be at a disadvantage from the jump.
Since the bye, the Bears defense has allowed an average of 26.8 points per game, before it, they allowed 20.9 points per game before the bye week.
If the Bears can return to their pre-bye week form, and not allow linebackers to go one-on-one against wide receivers, then they could have a shot at slowing the fifth-ranked offense down. If they try and employ weird strategies, they get less than inspired play from their D, they will have no shot. This isn’t a game that one could expect Trubisky to win for them, so they will need that defense to return to early season form.
