Alaskan Grizzly

The team is 3-1. That D is #1 in many categories. This was the first start for Foles, for this team, this season. (Remember, he is a Super Bowl MVP). No one had a preseason or true off season to really prepare. Looking forward to Thursday night. Tom Brady and his new team are next.

Colts have the top rated D currently so I’ll cut Foles some slack. As of this post he hasn’t made a game changing mistake. By now Mitch would’ve thrown an INT. The D on the other hand is still struggling. Can’t really use they excuse they’re on the field too much. Run D is pretty non-existent.

Do you think Trubiksy will be used in a gadget play (or two) today? Like receiver or Taysum Hill like play?

Agreed that he would be a good complement back. Still would like to see what Nall and Pierce have to offer. From the looks of things, Pierce could have similar skills. Good thing is Miller’s contract is pretty minimal. Wonder if they’re waiting to see how things shake out in Seattle (Harrison) before getting a replacement NT? And...more importantly why have they still not re-signed Arob?

And RB Lamar Miller was signed to the practice squad. https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/2020/10/02/bears-to-sign-free-agent-running-back-lamar-miller-to-their-practice-squad/

It’s looking more and more like “Snacks” will end up in Seattle...after he clears COVID protocol. Bears will probably need a plan B for NT https://www.fieldgulls.com/2020/9/30/21496043/damon-harrison-covid-protocol-seattle-seahawks-free-agent-visit-roster-news-transactions

If their leading receiver is a TE that tells you Rivers isn’t killing teams with the big plays. He’s doing more of the dink/dunk style O common with the WCO. I think HC Reich is more that style coach (having worked in Philly under Pedersen and with Foles) so I predict a lot of similar short yardage gains from them. If the D keeps everyone in front of them they should be able to handle it. I’d think Smith (or Skrine in Nickel) should key on the TE while Trevathan focus on the backfield. If the RB comes out he’s his. If Rivers starts to go, chase him. I thought I saw Trevathan spying on Ryan in the last game so I see no reason not to do it again. Even with Trevathan focusing on the RB he’ll need help with the ‘up the middle’ plays. Still not sure who they have in the middle of the D that can keep it contained.

The concern I have with Foles is his lack of mobility and potential injury. In looking at a site that predicts injuries (below) there isn’t much to worry about and really no injury history (besides last year’s broken clavicle) that I can see. Still...how good is the oline to keep him safe? It might be prudent to get a solid backup in place at a low cost. Is that guy Trubisky? It has been suggested he work in relief similar to how they have Brees/Hill in NO. Maybe with a limited playbook and in for certain downs or schemes he’d prove more valuable as opposed to simply letting him go (he certainly doesn’t have much value in the trade market). If not Trubiksy then who? Draft is one way but agree maybe not an immediate concern, unless Foles becomes an injury issue. A couple QB FAs for next year are Andy Dalton, AJ McCarron and Jamis Winston. I’ve seen McCarron mentioned as a possibly in the past so maybe? None of those names really amp me up.

Agreed. I think despite some spotty play here and there, we’re still seeing the result of limited camps and no preseason. Give them another week and things will be clicking a bit better. And they really need a good NT right now.

I think part of the problem with the front 7 on defense is not having a true NT in there. Having a good stout 2-gap defender, especially in a 3-4 helps more with keeping your ILBs clean and your OLBs dealing less with being 2 or 3 teamed. I saw one play last weekend where Mack was on the edge, perpendicular to the line, with a blocker literally on either side of him and another just in front and to the side of him; so triple teamed. Couldn’t tell you whether he was held but regardless, that’s a tough order to fill even for a player like Mack. That’s more a job for a NT or even a DE (assuming they’re in a 3-4).

Saw this on ChicagoBears.com: “The game-winner to Miller with 1:53 remaining came on a third-and-eight play that Foles changed at the line of scrimmage based on what he saw from the defense. In the huddle, Foles told Miller to run to the "L" in "ATL" in the end zone. Miller did, and that's exactly where Foles delivered the ball.“ Having someone like Foles running this offense takes one less ‘guessing’ piece out of the game. With Trubiksy you’re not sure he’ll be able to read the offense and get the ball to the receiver and with someone like Miller who at times struggles to be at the right place is less a concern. Foles is able to describe exactly what it is he needs the receiver to do. This ability of his may help players like Wims, Ridley and Kmet develop faster. It seems Foles is more suited to ‘teaching’ the play to his receivers when necessary.

So safe to assume that if suddenly Arob is extended and near what he wants, they are officially (unofficially) done with Mitch. Hard to make him tradable I’d think ... not that he’s got all that much capital to begin with. What’s a backup QB worth these days?

Didn’t Pace say he would draft a QB every year when he started? Seems by now he’d of found a good developmental player. For example; Jalen Hurts this year would’ve been a great option.

Weren’t the Bears also in the running for “Snacks” Harrison? After seeing the middle of the Ds get shredded by running plays there’s a definite need there too. Do the Bears have the money to get a good replacement RB, solid NT and still pay Arob what he’s worth?

This is so true. Trubiksy not being able to play is more a conviction of Pace than Nagy. Probably why it took as long as it did. Nagy wasn’t there when Mitchell was drafted. Although he said he covered him while he was still in KC (yeah right). Agree on the Taysum Hill concept. Maybe use him in the capacity and play more gadget plays where he has less pressure.

I’m fairly comfortable with Foles running the offense AND the team making the playoffs (if the D can improve a little more). Concern is if he gets hurt (like last year). I’m hoping this time of self-reflection for Trubiksy will help him considerably.

I’d like to see more of what Nall can do. But yeah with only Patterson in the lineup (beside Nall) they’re in need of another RB.

Yeah and as the announcer pointed out, the Bears actually had 5 TDs since Foles came in but only three of them counted. We lose mobility with Foles in but I’ll take his accuracy, decision making and calmness in the pocket every day.

So looks like Nick Foles the rest of the way eh? 3-0 despite all the odds. Un-freakin-believable.

Usually I try to give the benefit of the doubt to the refs but today I’m having a hard time with this performance.

...and Nagy piss poor play calling on their own 10 with a run play. How clever of you.

UN-F*CK-IN-BELIEVABLE horrible call! A-Rob was robbed...plain and simple.

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. Trubiksy is not the QB solution. That being said the score would not have been set up the same as it was if Foles was the QB. Trub is a 1.5 dimensional QB. Good at running and ok at short passing gains...that’s it. Maybe if they used he and Foles like they do Brees / Hill in NO that would be a better utilization of Mitchell.

Not sure what I think of the extra game in the season or the new playoff format. But I am glad Nagy has decided to play his starters more in the preseason. It only took three years but finally.

There was some off the wall story I caught that mentioned Roquan was running around with some porn star and congregating with a large group while the state he was in was in ‘full lockdown’. Not necessarily a disciplinary issue as it is an ‘image’ issue that the Bears might not be too keen on. While looking for the above story I re-read another article covering his contract negotiations when he was a rookie and why he was holding out. There was a piece in that had to do with ‘off field conduct’ not affecting the contract. His agents at the time insisted it wasn’t specific to Smith but instead wanting to avoid a precedent for other players. I’m with you and hope whatever happened last year was more about his youthful indiscretions than anything.