Week 4 // Bears (1-2) vs. Rams (1-2)

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

I think the most impressive thing is he just stood in the pocket with it collapsing around him, no panic, and threw a dime. That was crazy.

He had a few of those. Love seeing his composure.

I will say, that all-22 was a good view of Braxton Jones struggling to anchor.

[HurricaneBear]

Maybe time for a mental health break? Seasons really not been that bad considering our history...

I'm going to be on a trip for a stretch soon and will miss a game, so that should help.

I think I had too much hope going into the season and let my usual walls about the team down way more than usual. When they're not clicking and it feels immediately like we're destined for another rebuild, I can't stomach it.

I hope it gives you sometime to recharge. This team is exhausting, we've all been there or will be there at some point. Even the strongest of us need to find ways to cope with what the Bears are.

One of these years/one of these QBs, it is going to work out for us. Broken clock twice a day and all that. We will get there and it will be glorious.

[HurricaneBear]

This is an insane throw

I had a client yesterday afternoon and missed that play and kept forgetting to find it so thank you very much! That throw was just unreal. If Caleb can survive the Bears bumbling ineptitude at QB we got the one.

[HurricaneBear]

I expect to see some changes in the blocking scheme over the bye week.

I think Pryor needs to stay on the line, and boot Davis. I'm also curious as to where Amegadjie is in his rehab/development.

Did Pryor look better at LG or RG yesterday?

I wonder if we end up at Amegadjie Pryor Bates Jenkins Wright by years end?

I feel like Jenkins was better at RG then LG. And Jones I'd be all over if center and G weren't having issues. Somehow Jones seems weaker now then he did as a rookie. He plays on skates

[Rusty Trombagent]

He had a few of those. Love seeing his composure.

I will say, that all-22 was a good view of Braxton Jones struggling to anchor.

Also Pryor stonewalled his man while reaching to help the center. Great rep for him.

[wab]

I will say, that all-22 was a good view of Braxton Jones struggling to anchor.

Also Pryor stonewalled his man while reaching to help the center. Great rep for him.

I don't want to get too ahead of myself, but it seems like Pryor has always been stuck behind someone and hasn't gotten a chance to show what he can do.

In Philly he was stuck behind Lane Johnson at RT and Brandon Brooks at RG. Both pro bowl players.
In Indy he was stuck behind Quentin Nelson.
In San Fran he was behind Trent Williams.

In Philly when he played 10 games at LG, he played well. In Indy when he played 9 games at LT, he played well. In San Fran when he filled in at RT, he played well.

But then the starter always comes back and he loses his spot.

[G08]

This is an insane throw

Said the exact same thing in the chat -- absolute fucking dime!

[G08]

Made me laugh

[Otis Day]

I was never an OL. I was never an OL coach. I will say I hate this two point stance on passing downs which seems to be all too common now. When did this start. Years ago (yes I am old) OL were always in the three point stance. They had a lower pad level, easier to get underneath the DL. Things change I guess, but on that play above, it seems as if Jones just cannot anchor. Thank goodness CW released the ball when he did.

[otis]

Man, I am not handling these games well this season.

i'm so disheartened over that 4th down play last week that i picked the bears to lose this week. i always have hope but that play broke me. it feels like fool's gold. god i hope they can actually make fundamental growth. coaches and players. this win is nice but the rams are broken. we should have won. this week its the panthers, we should crush their souls. if we win in london? or at least show up and play a whole game and compete, then maybe i can believe again.

[spudbear]

I used to get roasted for my punter obsession, but now we are seeing what type of impact a really good one can have on a game. He should be ours for 10+ years!!

Will he be worth paying him three years from now? Supposedly Dickerson at Seattle is the highest paid punter at a little under $4M/yr that he signed in 2020. What kind of contract will Tory Terrific demand in 2026 - $8M/yr? I guess we'll see how things shake out, but with the way the kickoff has changed, having a punter that can change field position is a big +.

[WagonForce]

Man, I am not handling these games well this season.

I was really struggling in the first half of the game. As fans of this team we've all sat through some obviously terrible stretches of football, so it stands out to me when I feel my resolve flickering.

[LacertineForest]

I was never an OL. I was never an OL coach. I will say I hate this two point stance on passing downs which seems to be all too common now. When did this start. Years ago (yes I am old) OL were always in the three point stance. They had a lower pad level, easier to get underneath the DL. Things change I guess, but on that play above, it seems as if Jones just cannot anchor. Thank goodness CW released the ball when he did.

A three-point stance is great for firing out into a guy, but I think starting from a two-point stance is much more efficient in pass blocking from the standpoint of eliminating the wasted movement of going from the ground into that upright position you need for pass pro.

[wab]

I was never an OL. I was never an OL coach. I will say I hate this two point stance on passing downs which seems to be all too common now. When did this start. Years ago (yes I am old) OL were always in the three point stance. They had a lower pad level, easier to get underneath the DL. Things change I guess, but on that play above, it seems as if Jones just cannot anchor. Thank goodness CW released the ball when he did.

A three-point stance is great for firing out into a guy, but I think starting from a two-point stance is much more efficient in pass blocking from the standpoint of eliminating the wasted movement of going from the ground into that upright position you need for pass pro.

Correct. Having your eyes up also helps identify where the blitzes and stunts and whatnot are coming from. It's not as simple as "fire out and put a helmet on a helmet" anymore.

[LacertineForest]

I find it interesting that people are having such a tough time with the games this season. Yes, it's been very tough to watch at times, but we are seeing a young team grow and begin to put some pieces together. Even during the losses, the Bears have never been completely out of it. They had a chance for a game-winning drive against Houston. They had a chance for a go-ahead TD against Indy on 4th and Goal from the 1. Yesterday, even though the offense looked pretty bad in the first half, they weren't giving up TDs on D, and they managed to take a 10-6 lead into halftime. It's funny reading back through the game thread because you see stuff like "well, season's over" in the 1st quarter when things weren't clicking. Just relax a bit, guys

[Otis Day]

I find it interesting that people are having such a tough time with the games this season. Yes, it's been very tough to watch at times, but we are seeing a young team grow and begin to put some pieces together. Even during the losses, the Bears have never been completely out of it. They had a chance for a game-winning drive against Houston. They had a chance for a go-ahead TD against Indy on 4th and Goal from the 1. Yesterday, even though the offense looked pretty bad in the first half, they weren't giving up TDs on D, and they managed to take a 10-6 lead into halftime. It's funny reading back through the game thread because you see stuff like "well, season's over" in the 1st quarter when things weren't clicking. Just relax a bit, guys

For me, I have just tired of watching below average football. The frustration is just too real. They have won two games which is great. People say they should have beat the Colts, they didn't and that is where some frustration sets in.

I guess I am on the what have you done for me lately train. When it is nice outside, I am going to be outside at this point. Listened to the game on the radio yesterday as I worked in the yard. I want them to make me watch them and I am not at that point yet. If it is a Monday night, Sunday night or Thurs night game, I will not miss. But right now, I want to be out in the good weather. Things going on around me that put things in perspective and I don't want to be pissed off or frustrated by the Bears sometimes.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

I find it interesting that people are having such a tough time with the games this season. Yes, it's been very tough to watch at times, but we are seeing a young team grow and begin to put some pieces together. Even during the losses, the Bears have never been completely out of it. They had a chance for a game-winning drive against Houston. They had a chance for a go-ahead TD against Indy on 4th and Goal from the 1. Yesterday, even though the offense looked pretty bad in the first half, they weren't giving up TDs on D, and they managed to take a 10-6 lead into halftime. It's funny reading back through the game thread because you see stuff like "well, season's over" in the 1st quarter when things weren't clicking. Just relax a bit, guys

There was SO much hype around the Bears this year. Two picks in the top 10, the Keenan Allen signing, taking a QB first overall, Hard Knocks, etc. There was inevitably going to be a let down. The team was never going to live up to the expectations, which were, let's be honest, way too high. This is a rookie QB, a new OC, and two new receivers. I don't care how many practices you have or preseason games you play. Nothing is the same as the regular season. I've really liked the progression of CW over the last few games. I think we've found a good LG in Pryor. I think Waldron is sorting out the RB room. I honestly believe that we will look like a completely different team in week 12. I originally said 11 wins, which was absolutely buying into the hype. I'd probably revise it down to 9 or 10. But I would still call that a successful season, and reason to continue with the status quo.

[dave99]

I find it interesting that people are having such a tough time with the games this season. Yes, it's been very tough to watch at times, but we are seeing a young team grow and begin to put some pieces together. Even during the losses, the Bears have never been completely out of it. They had a chance for a game-winning drive against Houston. They had a chance for a go-ahead TD against Indy on 4th and Goal from the 1. Yesterday, even though the offense looked pretty bad in the first half, they weren't giving up TDs on D, and they managed to take a 10-6 lead into halftime. It's funny reading back through the game thread because you see stuff like "well, season's over" in the 1st quarter when things weren't clicking. Just relax a bit, guys

If history has taught us anything, it's that the Bears are never going to make it easy. There will be no miraculous last to first turnarounds. No sprints, just long hard slogs carrying a 100 pound backpack of broken dreams and fear.
I hold on to the fact that Williams is or soon will be one hell of a QB, that we have a D that will surrender yards but not points and that the dawn seems to breaking for the OC. Two halting steps forward, one short slide back, but ever onward and by midseason, we may be shaping into a pretty good team.

[G08]

I loved seeing Kramer at FB, dude can move for a big fella!

On the second clip you can see him dig his man out and keep him out so Roschon could get the first down. Awesome block. As for Cole Kmet... woof, that could have been a disaster.

[Chifaninca]

Agree with many of the topics here:

OL looked better after Tevin went out and Pryor stepped in. I said in the game Chat that Pryor has been very valuable and our everything but center guy. Love to see him continue to assert himself. I still believe Jenkins would be great at RG and help Wright. Center is still a problem for us. OTs have regressed.

QB - Not a problem except on deep balls... Caleb has stood in there and been strong leader. I think it will continue to improve. I feel like we have a good QB at worst and a great QB if we have an average OL.

WR - have to admit I've been disappointed in DJ's demeanor... grow up dude, the entire Bears and NFL world is watching you. At the same time, I praised that he gutted out after getting hurt, even throwing a block for Keenan... So... like everything Bears it's been a mixed bag. Keenan - gotta shake the rust and show something if he wants a big contract (from someone else - please not us). Rome - feels dinged up, glad he survived without doing additional damage.

RB - Still want Roshon on First downs...but Swift showed he can be a valuable playmaker.

DL - is what it is - feast or famine.... Sweat makes huge play that gets us the ball ... Had McVay stuck to the run game I think the Rams win. Our Run D up the middle is the classic matador defense...UggghhhLee

DBs - Brisker - got the cheap call, but we are the Bears and cheap calls always go against us so... The rest of his play was outstanding - He hit with a force and was around the ball - not getting a second foot reestablished is a disappointment but that's why he is a DB and not a WR...lol.

ST - Damn good and I will say that I never want to punt...but when I do... Tory is outstanding and well worth the watch...

Coaching - Still not a fan of HC Eberfluck.... Love to have him as DC. Waldron still taking too long to get the offense revved up... Morgan should be fired .... No improvement this season in any area he touches...In fact - regression across the board... Send a message Eberfluck...or Poles... Our slow start first half pattern is troubling and will cost us

So while we got unlucky against the Colts, I feel we got lucky against the Rams... I'll take the Win, but easily could've gone the other way again....

Go Bears!

[malk]

I find it interesting that people are having such a tough time with the games this season. Yes, it's been very tough to watch at times, but we are seeing a young team grow and begin to put some pieces together. Even during the losses, the Bears have never been completely out of it. They had a chance for a game-winning drive against Houston. They had a chance for a go-ahead TD against Indy on 4th and Goal from the 1. Yesterday, even though the offense looked pretty bad in the first half, they weren't giving up TDs on D, and they managed to take a 10-6 lead into halftime. It's funny reading back through the game thread because you see stuff like "well, season's over" in the 1st quarter when things weren't clicking. Just relax a bit, guys

I think nearly all of us were incredibly excited by the prospect of a good rookie QB who had great weapons, a decent offensive line and a new OC with decent pedigree (Geno resurgence etc.). Seeing the offensive line implode and a few other pieces misfire has been pretty tough.

But what I think makes this worse is that our defence is awful to watch play to play. Not because it's bad but because you feel like we should be stonewalling oppositions every drive so when we're bending but not breaking it feels incredibly stressful/frustrating/infuriating etc. That's going to continue until we sort out our rush defence again and truly become a top defence.

Oh, and slow starts, oof, if we come out and score 10 or, going crazy here, 14 off our first two drives... then we'll see heart attacks of joy!

[dplank]

I used to get roasted for my punter obsession, but now we are seeing what type of impact a really good one can have on a game. He should be ours for 10+ years!!

Will he be worth paying him three years from now? Supposedly Dickerson at Seattle is the highest paid punter at a little under $4M/yr that he signed in 2020. What kind of contract will Tory Terrific demand in 2026 - $8M/yr? I guess we'll see how things shake out, but with the way the kickoff has changed, having a punter that can change field position is a big +.

1. Why are we worrying about what to pay him in 2028? He's played 4 games in his career.
2. Even if we do want to worry about it, why would we worry at all about the cost of a Punter? They have such a low cap impact he could be the highest paid P in the league and it wouldn't make any difference at all to our cap situation.

[dplank]

I find it interesting that people are having such a tough time with the games this season. Yes, it's been very tough to watch at times, but we are seeing a young team grow and begin to put some pieces together. Even during the losses, the Bears have never been completely out of it. They had a chance for a game-winning drive against Houston. They had a chance for a go-ahead TD against Indy on 4th and Goal from the 1. Yesterday, even though the offense looked pretty bad in the first half, they weren't giving up TDs on D, and they managed to take a 10-6 lead into halftime. It's funny reading back through the game thread because you see stuff like "well, season's over" in the 1st quarter when things weren't clicking. Just relax a bit, guys

I think nearly all of us were incredibly excited by the prospect of a good rookie QB who had great weapons, a decent offensive line and a new OC with decent pedigree (Geno resurgence etc.). Seeing the offensive line implode and a few other pieces misfire has been pretty tough.

But what I think makes this worse is that our defence is awful to watch play to play. Not because it's bad but because you feel like we should be stonewalling oppositions every drive so when we're bending but not breaking it feels incredibly stressful/frustrating/infuriating etc. That's going to continue until we sort out our rush defence again and truly become a top defence.

Oh, and slow starts, oof, if we come out and score 10 or, going crazy here, 14 off our first two drives... then we'll see heart attacks of joy!

Yea I think this is mostly it. A lot of it is still tied to what happened with Fields/Getsy and all that stuff, which is still fresh and relevant. A lot of folks oversimplified our problems and just blamed Fields for damn near everything. Remember when a real QB wouldn't take so many sacks? Or how good our OL was "but for" that scrub Fields? And how USC Caleb's floor was Fields current ceiling? Well none of that has turned out to be true, and it's really frustrating and gives people the feeling that the problems weren't that simple and in fact much deeper. OL still a long ways away? Is FLUS really the problem? Even King Poles, could HE be the problem because of his lack of attention to the LOS? How much longer until our team looks like other teams we watch, where everything just looks easier out there? If you were in the camp that all of these things were Fields fault, it's gonna hit you a little different and really sting when you see the exact same damn problems. Same as it ever was is a common refrain on the game chat - because it looks the same. Still taking sacks, still seeing our QB hold the ball too long on several of those sacks - looking as if no one is open BECAUSE THEY OFTEN AREN'T, still seeing gobs of undisciplined penalties, still seeing absolutely head scratching play calls....and then seeing Fields playing well and having success in Pittsburgh also plays a factor in the frustration as it further clarifies that our issues ran much deeper than just the QB. Its depressing and makes it feel like our entire organization sux instead of just one guy, which is such a harder problem to solve.

I think I'm more positive about where we are right now because I never thought Fields was our problem, I never believed that CW floor crap, and I always thought our OL was terrible. So seeing all this makes sense to me, and I'm focused on the improvement that I'm seeing and where we appear to be heading. Its funny because I say all this and I know a few posters are going to read into this the wrong way and are just gonna slam me for this post - but here's the thing: I STILL THINK WE ARE BETTER OFF WITH CW/WALDRON THAN WE WOULD BE WITH FIELDS/GETSY. It's just a little setback getting a rookie QB up to speed and getting a new offense synchronized - I think our arrow is pointing up and we are in for a long stretch of good football. Our OL is going to improve, they already have IMO, and when Poles applies more resources there next offseason we are going to take off and be a full on contender.

Bear down!

[Moriarty]

As for Cole Kmet... woof, that could have been a disaster.

He's showing up on Embarrassing Block clips an awful lot this season

[thunderspirit]

All proper Bears fans have PTSD , totally get it

Also improper Bears fans.

Source: me, an improper Bear fan.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Yea I think this is mostly it. A lot of it is still tied to what happened with Fields/Getsy and all that stuff, which is still fresh and relevant. A lot of folks oversimplified our problems and just blamed Fields for damn near everything. Remember when a real QB wouldn't take so many sacks? Or how good our OL was "but for" that scrub Fields? And how USC Caleb's floor was Fields current ceiling? Well none of that has turned out to be true, and it's really frustrating and gives people the feeling that the problems weren't that simple and in fact much deeper. OL still a long ways away? Is FLUS really the problem? Even King Poles, could HE be the problem because of his lack of attention to the LOS? How much longer until our team looks like other teams we watch, where everything just looks easier out there? If you were in the camp that all of these things were Fields fault, it's gonna hit you a little different and really sting when you see the exact same damn problems. Same as it ever was is a common refrain on the game chat - because it looks the same. Still taking sacks, still seeing our QB hold the ball too long on several of those sacks - looking as if no one is open BECAUSE THEY OFTEN AREN'T, still seeing gobs of undisciplined penalties, still seeing absolutely head scratching play calls....and then seeing Fields playing well and having success in Pittsburgh also plays a factor in the frustration as it further clarifies that our issues ran much deeper than just the QB. Its depressing and makes it feel like our entire organization sux instead of just one guy, which is such a harder problem to solve.

I think I'm more positive about where we are right now because I never thought Fields was our problem, I never believed that CW floor crap, and I always thought our OL was terrible. So seeing all this makes sense to me, and I'm focused on the improvement that I'm seeing and where we appear to be heading. Its funny because I say all this and I know a few posters are going to read into this the wrong way and are just gonna slam me for this post - but here's the thing: I STILL THINK WE ARE BETTER OFF WITH CW/WALDRON THAN WE WOULD BE WITH FIELDS/GETSY. It's just a little setback getting a rookie QB up to speed and getting a new offense synchronized - I think our arrow is pointing up and we are in for a long stretch of good football. Our OL is going to improve, they already have IMO, and when Poles applies more resources there next offseason we are going to take off and be a full on contender.

Bear down!

The defense has been more less as expected with so many starters returning. The only notable concern was the pass rush including whether Dexter would take a step forward and whether the DE opposite Sweat would provide anything. It hasn't been dominating but it has been decent. Dexter is better and Taylor's been a positive late addition.

Special Teams has similarly panned out as expected, with Santos still nailing kicks despite a change in long snapper and holder and Taylor starting to shine.

On offense though there was a lot of legitimate expectation for significant improvement compared to the previous couple of seasons:

• Waldron would be an upgrade over Getsy, both in terms of effective scheme and game day play calling

• First overall pick Williams would be better than Fields had been even with rookie growing pains

• The receiving corps would be stacked with the additions of savvy Pro Bowler Allen and top 10 pick Odunze alongside Moore

• The running game, which was already decent, would be better with Pro Bowler Swift replacing Foreman and with Johnson in his second year

• Everett would be a notable upgrade at TE2 over the disappointing Tonyan

• Center would much more robust with Bates or Shelton than with Patrick or Whitehair

• Wright would take a notable step forward from his rookie year and dominate

• Jones would continue to improve and be stronger against the rush

• Jenkins would continue to play at a high level if only he could stay healthy

The fact is that none of that has really happened through the first 4 games of the season. Not a single one of those expectations has been met.

Who would have thought the offense wouldn't averaging an embarrassing 3.9 yards a play and a paltry 15.75 points a game?

Who would have thought Moore would only be on target for an 800 yard season, Allen would only have 7 catches for 48 yards in 2 games and Odunze would have a catch rate of just 39.1%?

Who would have thought Swift would be averaging just 3.0 ypc, Herbert would barely see the field and the team would be ranked 29th for rush yards and 31st for ypa?

Who would have thought Everett would play so poorly and would not yet have gained a single yard?

Who would have thought Shelton would look just as bad in pass pro as Patrick, regularly getting blown back and giving up pressures and sacks?

Who would have thought Wright, Jones and Jenkins would all noticeably regress?

It's been a catastrophic combination of failings... and yet the Bears are 2-2 and there have been occasional glimpses of what the team might become. If even a few of those expectations come to pass as the season progresses then maybe the team will start to fire in time for all those tough divisional games.

There's no reason to panic, but it is frustrating that the offense has been so poor during the first quarter of the season. That frustration is compounded when you see what other offenses that were expected to struggle haven't, most notably Washington and Minnesota.

The offensive line and blocking is undoubtedly the key... and the biggest concern.

[IotaNet]

Troops, troops!

Most of us had this team at 9-8 or optimistically 10-7. Games like these (especially last week against Indy) are what those records look like.

CJ Stroud is an outlier, and I also believe Jayden Daniels is going to regress to the mean. (Or he’s gonna get hurt. I can’t see that beanpole frame of his holding up for 17 games — especially as much as he runs.)

With all the new pieces we have, it’s gonna take some games for things to click. The key is that CW is improving every game — both statistically and “eye test” wise.

We’re on our way!

[Noots]

There are so many times we've thought about the progression of other teams and felt gee, those guys are going to be a lot tougher to play at the end of the season than the start. I think our Bears are going to be one of those teams this year. As they continue to sort out their offense and find some grooves, they're only going to get better. And Caleb's maturation as a QB is going to be a big part of it.

There is too much talent on this team. They look at each other and feel like they should not lose. They believe they can win, and are starting to will their way to victory. I know that sounds sorta gray and smoky, but I think there is something to it.

Am I crazy? Well, I listened to a whole lot of people saying the Rams would win because at the end of the day, they have the QB and HC advantage in spades over our Bears. So much for that, huh?

I'm giddy as all heck that G. Dexter really appears to have made a tremendous leap. He plays with much better pad level now. His presence is suffocating, and it's only going to continue to lead to more opportunities for turnovers/sacks. Our DL rotation is actually pretty decent now. We're seeing a pass rush that not only gets home but forces turnovers.

I also think that Swift played like a guy who felt like he was about to lose his job. Some of the play calls were better, and the balance was where it's not been all year, but he ran behind his pads like a badass, and finally made people miss but also ran with a gusto we've not seen until now.

Bear Down!

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Hopefully we'll be seeing a lot more of this.

[UOK]

The brilliance, so to speak, of putting Kramer at fullback is that it demonstrates several things:

1. Willingness to improvise
2. Working with the available roster to maximize opportunity
3. Understanding the core essence of football

And number 3 can be further simplified as, "we're going to send big guys at your big guys and we're going to simply out-man you." Scoring that way by punching it right up their ass at the goal line is pretty demoralizing, and it can be a game-changer mentally as well as on the scoreboard.