Chiefs Could Show Bears How Their Offense Is Supposed To Operate and Other Bears Bullets
I don’t even want to drop a spoiler-free thought on the new Star Wars movie because I want you to have a clear mind going into whenever you get around to seeing it (Michael: THANK YOU).
Happy Friday!
- Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense appear to have abilities some consider to be unnatural (That’s a Star Wars reference, you jocks. Get on our nerd-level). So with that in mind, I think the Bears should be given the opportunity to wear these themed helmets on Sunday:
https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1208040207649562629
- But also, they should be allowed to use lightsabers on defense. Nothing like evening the playing field, am I right?
- Perhaps it’s a teeny, tiny-bit … masochistic, but I’m looking forward to seeing how the Chiefs offense operates on Sunday. We’re now two years into the Matt Nagy experience, and I’m not sure what his system is supposed to be. That’s not how it should work. And while it’d be easy to point to what Andy Reid does as a basic understanding of how the offense is supposed to function, Kansas City’s offense does just that — function. Personally, I would like to see how it works at Soldier Field and maybe give me something to dream on in 2020.
- Or better yet, maybe Nagy can call his best game of the year against his mentor. I realize that is a large ask, but it shouldn’t be if you think about how we are now 32 games into Nagy’s head coaching career.
- For being an offensive guru, should we be concerned that Nagy’s offense didn’t send anyone to the Pro Bowl this year? Chuck Pagano’s defense has two representatives and two alternates. Chris Tabor’s special teams unit has one rep and another alternate. Last year’s Bears offense had three offensive players go to the Pro Bowl. But other than center Cody Whitehair, last year’s Pro Bowl reps on offense took major steps backward in 2019.
- And to be clear, it’s not all on quarterback Mitch Trubisky:
It's not just Mitch Trubisky that's the problem in Chicago. Here are the offensive numbers this season for The Bears:
Yards per game: 28th in NFL
points per game: 26th in NFL
Pass yards per game: 25th in NFL
Rush yards per game: 29th in NFL
yards per play: 4.72, 30th in NFL
— trey wingo (@wingoz) December 19, 2019
- It sure would be nice to have a tight end worth throwing to:
Travis Kelce's production last Sunday was roughly what all the #Bears healthy TEs have totaled this entire season: https://t.co/t7ikctZcEj
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) December 19, 2019
- Think about how many things had to go wrong for Chicago to be on its fourth and fifth string tight ends. The Bears’ top three guys are all on injured reserve, but it’s not like Trey Burton, Adam Shaheen, or Ben Braunecker were making SportsCenter highlight reels on a weekly basis. GM Ryan Pace needs to go back to the drawing board here.
- Finding the next Travis Kelce isn’t going to be easy, but the Bears tight ends don’t need to be that guy to be successful. We have seen (albeit, in spurts) having tight ends who can run routes into soft spots of the zone and show competent blocking ability add a necessary dimension this offense has been missing. Rather than get caught up in fits at the “U” and “Y” spots, the Bears might be better off finding tight ends who can do a little bit of both and be a dual-purpose threat when on the field.
- Bears-Chiefs in a snow globe would be a fun watch:
- There is far more intrigue for Bears-Chiefs than your run-of-the-mill matchup between AFC and NFC foes:
In honor of the inaugural Bitmoji Bowl between Matt Nagy’s Bears vs. Andy Reid’s Chiefs, here is the story of their relationship — told entirely in Bitmojis. https://t.co/R7FtXjveBd pic.twitter.com/m1kjHZn01n
— Rich Campbell (@Rich_Campbell) December 20, 2019
- This checks out:
NFL scoring/defensive performance relative to schedule
Top right: good offense and defense
Top left: good defense, poor offense
Bottom right: good offense, bad defense
Bottom left: bad at everything pic.twitter.com/jEXsCrX9TU— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) December 17, 2019
- In this week’s installment of Coffee With Coach on the Bears’ YouTube channel, Nagy digs into things scubas his past in Kansas City and tips for all those youngsters out there:
- Being the last guy to sack Brett Favre is a pretty neat honor:
𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟎
Corey Wootton sacks Brett Favre on what would be the last snap of his career as the Bears clinch the 2010 NFC North! pic.twitter.com/gPGijSfIWd
— This Day in Chicago Sports (@ChiSportsDay) December 20, 2019
- Overall, the 2010s were a trip:
As we head into 2020 and the next decade of Bears football, we take a look back at the last one.@HiltonHonors | #Bears100 pic.twitter.com/7yUmecXiae
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 19, 2019
- Offensive lineman Jimbo Covert is long overdue for Hall of Fame consideration. He and Ed Sprinkle are ex-Bears who are among 20 senior finalists for the 2020 Hall. Covert was an offensive lineman who played with the Bears from 1983-91, clearing running lanes and protecting passers during a successful ear of Bears football. Sprinkle starred on the other side of the line and was a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1940s.
- See … it’s not just the Bears who are facing the battle between letting a star play and saving his for games of consequence in 2020:
I asked #Broncos @VonMiller why important to play through knee injury: “I could easily say, ‘My knee hurts, put me on IR.’ The type of leader I try to be in locker room and meeting rooms, I’ve got to go out there, I’ve got to find a way to put the pads on.” #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/6E4GwVpyVY
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) December 19, 2019
- Minnesota’s road to a division title is that much more difficult:
Dalvin Cook not expected to play vs. Green Bay due to most recent shoulder injury, per @AdamSchefter. Sources I've spoken w/ gave me indication that Vikings are leaning towards shutting him down thru Dec. so he can be healthy if team makes postseason. https://t.co/ouLpAa3PVD
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) December 19, 2019