A few observations on yesterday’s bear loss to the Lions, 40-32.
I have continued to say that when teams put a defensive back in press coverage on a receiver who is split wide, with no safety help, it is an almost guaranteed disaster. The defensive back can’t react because he is turned around, and the receiver can easily beat this coverage. I’ve gone to games and predicted plays when I’ve seen this coverage, because I know the QB can also see it and will go to that receiver. Why coaches don’t have the DB back off another yard or two is beyond me. It would give them much more ability to defend. If the play is a called slant and the DB is trying to take that away, I would assume the QB would audible to a longer route once they saw the coverage. It is almost impossible to cover a receiver when put in that position.
The bears, down 40-16 with 4:05 left, get a touchdown on a fourth-down pass to Jeffery. On third down, Jeffery lined up wide right, the cornerback played press coverage, and there was no safety help. I immediately said he would go long for a TD, and he did. He was wide open, and dropped the pass in the endzone. On the next play, the Lions lined up the same way (!), and I said the same thing prior to the play. Jeffery again ran into the endzone and caught a TD pass because the DB couldn’t adjust.
I will never understand why defenses put themselves in positions to fail. Can’t they see on gamefilm that QBs see this and audible to that receiver?
The other point I will mention is the officiating. During the entire game, the bears’ offensive line was blatantly holding, and these holds were very visible and out in the open. I was incredulous that this wasn’t called, and commented on this during the entire game. The bears got a number of big plays as a consequence. In today’s Chicago Sun-Times, this is what was written:
“I can’t believe we didn’t get about a hundred holding penalties against them,” Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. Suh agreed. “Every single play in this game there was some sort of holding,” he said. “The great players learn how to play through it.”
The Press coverage can work if the Pass rush is fierce or there is a disguised Blitz. In the case of the Lions, they have arguably the Best and most Athletic Defensive lineman in the NFL. It is worth the risk.
It forces the Offense to execute perfectly and leaves the door open for potential turnovers.
The Bears have a better Team than the one that showed up in Detroit.
Jay Cutler should not have worn a CUB Hat during the post game interview after the Win against Pittsburg. This could be the reason why the Bears LOST to Detroit !!!!!!!
You wish you were a Bear Fan !!!!!!!!
Even if the pass rush is fierce, why would a DB get put into a position where he can’t react? Back off a yard or two, and you’re much better off. I called both those TDs (the first was dropped) as soon as they lined up, because I knew Cutler would see the coverage and go to him. I’ve seen DBs get burned on this time after time. Jay Cutler wore the Cub hat because he wants to identify with winners! You can say the bears have a better team than the way they played, but if Stafford wasn’t missing wide-open receivers all day and the Lions didn’t keep turning early TD chances into FGs, it would have been over in the first half.