Larry Borom and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day

When watching the game in real-time, especially in the second half, the offensive line appeared to be having one of the brutal performances we saw early in the year.

After further review after watching the All-22, I thought the performance of four of the five starters wasn’t that bad. Teven Jenkins, Coleman Shelton, Matt Pryor, and Darnell Wright made a few mistakes here and there. But overall, I thought they were fine in the first half. In the second half, they struggled when the game started to get out of hand.

I did see the Next Gen stats regarding the pressure rates from Arizona on Sunday, and while those numbers didn’t look good, I think the eye test (mostly) looked better than those suggested. Again, it wasn’t good, but we’ve most certainly seen worse this season.

However, Larry Borom was, unfortunately, a big problem. Now, Borom is a veteran who’s been a stable option as a reserve lineman over the last few years. This was his first in-game action and his first week healthy off Injured Reserve, so seeing him have an adjustment period might not be that big of a surprise. Having said that, even giving him a little leeway, the bad was BAD.

Also, I’d like to re-emphasize that just like every week, no one outside of Halas Hall can say with 100 percent certainty what a player’s assignment is on a given play. We can take a pretty darn close educated guess, but none of us can be 100 percent sure.

bears qb Caleb Williams
ยฉ Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Larry Borom Struggles vs. Cardinals

Play No. 1

I’m not sure what was going through Borom’s mind here, but he was wrong either way.

Judging from the steps off the snap, the Bears had a 3/4 slide to the right. C, RG, and RT block the gap to their right. LG is man-up on the defensive tackle over him, and the LT has the first immediate threat outside of that defensive tackle.

Budda Baker shows blitz at the last second, but still with plenty of time for Borom to recognize that. If anything, it makes his block a bit easier since that now becomes his man instead of the very wide rusher. Borom originally takes Baker, but just as he’s starting to punch, snaps his head further outside toward the wide rusher, for what reason I don’t know.

What probably happened was he A) got beat by Baker and decided to pick up the next man outside, B) got beat by Baker and thought he had help inside, or C) for some reason, he thought instead of picking up the more immediate threat inside, he had to keep sliding to pick up the wide rusher.

No matter what his decision was, it was either wrong or poorly picked up.

In that situation, if there are only five men in protection and the left tackle is on an island like that, he has to pick up the most immediate threat. The most immediate threat is always whoever is further inside. Borom doesn’t pick up Baker, Caleb Williams has immediate pressure, play is ruined.

Play No. 2

Here, we have a full slide to the right with the running back helping out in protection. A full slide means everyone on the offensive line slides, and the running back fills in on the end away from the slide. Simple stuff.

Pre-snap, this looks pretty simple. The Cardinals are showing six rushers, and Chicago has six in to protect. Off the snap, two of those showing blitz drop back into coverage. Great! Now we have six to block four. The right side has their assignment covered up. Coleman Shelton and Teven Jenkins have their defensive tackle. Borom steps into his gap, covers No. 25, and then…keeps sliding inside to hit the defensive tackle.

I have no idea what he was thinking. He steps into his gap, and there’s a man in his gap. He gets a hand on him, then turns his shoulders inside and goes that way. Granted, his defender made an outside move, but if he thought his man was stunting that way, then his new man would have been coming from the outside, not the inside.

This play with this look ending up as a sack is ridiculous. I have no idea why Larry Borom would abandon his man for an interior rusher who is already accounted for, AND Teven Jenkins even has help on him from Coleman Shelton.

If the case was that Borom was fooled by the slightest outside move and thought it was a stunt, that’s not a good excuse, either! It’s just an all-around awful decision here, and it results in the Cardinals getting home with just four rushers despite six Bears being in protection.

Play No. 3

Here’s one of those basic two-man stunts that we saw Chicago’s O-Line have so many issues with early on this year. The Bears have five to cover five up front. Technically, it’s man-on-man, but if Arizona runs a stunt, then you work to switch. Jenkins and Borom’s rushers are both lined up pretty wide. When Jenkins’ rusher stays wide off the snap, you can take an educated guess that a stunt might be coming.

After three steps off the snap, Borom’s man puts his foot in the ground and darts back inside. Once Borom sees that, the correct decision is to look back inside and try to take over the man over Jenkins so he can pick up the looper coming from the outside.

Right about here is when Borom has to recognize the stunt and put his foot in the ground to get back inside. Either A) his man is looping, and he’s going to take over the rusher engaged with Jenkins, or B) his rusher is making an inside move, and he has to pick that up. With how wide No. 2 is, he will never get Caleb if he stays that wide.

At some point, Borom knows there will be some sort of inside move that has to come, and he fails to anticipate it. Instead of stepping inside and cracking the rusher over Jenkins, he takes too many steps back; both rushers come free, and Caleb is sacked yet again.

If Borom takes over the inside man, Jenkins can come off for the looping outside rusher. But since Borom can’t take that over, Jenkins has to try to stay on his rusher. It’s just basic stuff that got messed up again.

Play No. 4

This play got me actively angry. The Bears are down 20. Their replacement left tackle in the starting lineup is struggling. Their right tackle is hurt, so Jake Curhan (with two starters hurt, Borom in, and Amigadjie also hurt, is effectively their fifth-best tackle) is in. And the Bears coaching staff decides to let their rookie franchise QB run a five-step drop to get TEED OFF on.

Larry Borom

The wide rusher Borom is responsible for makes one half-hearted step toward the inside before moving back outside. Borom not only bites on it, but he overextends on his punch which has him leaning, off-balance, and unable to adjust to the move back outside. So he’s wholly beat on a straightforward move.

On the other side, Jake Curhan…woof. At first, I thought maybe he got stepped on or his feet tangled up. Nope. Just got flat-out run over. Could Gerald Everett have gotten a better punch on him to slow the rush? Sure. But even so, that was very clearly Curhan’s pre-snap responsibility. He was ready for it. And He just got run over.

Having Caleb Williams in with those two tackles protecting him and a defensive front pinning their ears back going sack-hunting was incompetent, irresponsible, and could have been a fireable offense.

Let’s hope Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright are healthy next week or the Bears add another tackle.

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Matt is from the Chicagoland area and has been working in Chicago sports since 2015 with stops at WGN Radio, the Chicago Blackhawks, Stadium, and NBC Sports Chicago prior to landing at Betsperts. Matt covers just about everything for Betsperts and Bleacher Nation but focuses on the NHL and college football.

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Shane Waldron Has Reportedly Found a Soft Landing With the Jacksonville Jaguars

Former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has found a new place of employment. Three months after being dismissed as the Bears' offensive play-caller, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars have scooped up Waldron to work...

The NFL is Sending the Rams to Play a “Home” Game in Australia in 2026

The NFL's global reach is extending out to the land down under. ESPN league insider Adam Schefter reports the Los Angeles Rams will be the designated home team when they play in Australia in 2026: As the designated home team...

Chicago Bears 2024 Exit Interviews: Terell Smith

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season...

All Eyes Are On Trey Smith at the Super Bowl

There are many reasons to tune in to watch Super Bowl LIX, but Trey Smith is at the top of my list. The Kansas City Chiefs starting right guard is a player to keep tabs on in Sunday's game against...

Chicago Bears 2024 Exit Interviews: Josh Blackwell

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season...

Kevin Warren Was *THE* Difference Maker in Ben Johnson Coming to the Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears President Kevin Warren deserves a fist bump for his efforts in the team's landing of new head coach Ben Johnson. In an interview with the CHGO squad at the Super Bowl LIX site, ESPN's Courtney Cronin sheds some...

Chicago Bears 2024 Exit Interviews: Ryan Bates

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season...

Jaquan Brisker Says He is Cleared to Return to Football Action

The 2025 NFL regular season won't kick off until September. Preseason games will not take place until August. And it won't be until July when training camps begin opening their doors around the league. But offseason workout programs begin in...

Saquon Confirms Bears Rumors, Doors Opening For Cunningham? and Other Wednesday Bullets

Day 31 of the Chicago Bears offseason. Happy Hump Day! Saquon Barkley says he was "pretty damn close to signing with the Bears last offseason, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. If you'll recall, the Bears were viewed...

Tony Dungy Has a Funny Story About Devin Hester’s Super Bowl Kick Return TD

It was on this date 18 years ago when Devin Hester made NFL history. Hester's Super Bowl XLI-opening kick-return touchdown is the stuff of legends at this point. And after making it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we...

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Another Ranking Places the Cubs’ Farm System Close to the Middle of the Pack Going Into 2025

The tale is not as old as time, but it's as old as this prospects rankings season goes: the Chicago Cubs' farm system stepped way back over the last year, for reasons good and bad, and now ranks as closer...

Top Player Prop Bets for Rockets vs. Timberwolves on February 6, 2025

You can find player prop bet odds for Alperen Sengun, Anthony Edwards and others on the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves ahead of their matchup at 8:00 PM ET on Thursday at Target Center.How to Watch Rockets vs. TimberwolvesDate: Thursday,...

Top Player Prop Bets for Trail Blazers vs. Kings on February 6, 2025

Player prop bet odds for Deni Avdija, Domantas Sabonis and others are available when the Portland Trail Blazers host the Sacramento Kings at Moda Center on Thursday at 10:00 PM ET.How to Watch Trail Blazers vs. KingsDate: Thursday, February 6,...

Top Player Prop Bets for Lakers vs. Warriors on February 6, 2025

LeBron James and Stephen Curry are two of the top players with prop bets for the taking when the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors square off at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday (tipping at 10:00 PM ET).How to...

Top Player Prop Bets for Nuggets vs. Magic on February 6, 2025

Those looking to place a player prop bet can find odds on Nikola Jokic, Franz Wagner and others in the Denver Nuggets-Orlando Magic matchup at Ball Arena on Thursday at 9:00 PM ET.How to Watch Nuggets vs. MagicDate: Thursday, February...

Shane Waldron Has Reportedly Found a Soft Landing With the Jacksonville Jaguars

Former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has found a new place of employment. Three months after being dismissed as the Bears' offensive play-caller, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars have scooped up Waldron to work...

Sounds Like Nikola Vucevic is An Option For the Warriors Even After Jimmy Butler Trade

Buckle up and hold onto your hats! It's deadline day, everybody! We have about five hours remaining until the NBA trade deadline at 2:00 PM central time. The biggest moves have likely come and gone with Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine,...

NHL Insider Talks Blackhawks Trade Buzz, Rantanen Trade Fallout, Future Contract Strategy

On Thursday morning, Elliotte Friedman dropped a loaded written version of his "32 Thoughts" and there are some good Blackhawks-centric nuggets in there. Here's what got my attention: Blackhawks trade buzz I noted in my bullets this morning that there...

Fritz vs. Shapovalov Prediction at the Dallas Open – Thursday, February 6

On Thursday, Denis Shapovalov (No. 54 in the world) meets Taylor Fritz (No. 4) in the Round of 16 at the Dallas Open.In this matchup, Fritz is the favorite (-350) against Shapovalov (+260) .Dallas Open InfoTournament: The Dallas OpenRound: Round...

Opelka vs. Norrie Prediction at the Dallas Open – Thursday, February 6

Reilly Opelka (No. 145 ranking) will meet Cameron Norrie (No. 63) in the Round of 16 of the Dallas Open on Thursday, February 6.Opelka is favored over Norrie, with -130 odds against the underdog's +100.Dallas Open InfoTournament: The Dallas OpenRound:...

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