We’re seven video games into the Ben Johnson expertise, and nonetheless no nearer to understanding whether or not or not that is going to work. On the one hand it’s early, and judging any tenure this shortly is untimely — however on the similar time we’ve obtained sufficient of a pattern dimension that we ought to be seeing some form of enchancment that signifies the constructing blocks in Chicago are there. As an alternative what we noticed on Sunday was a serious backslide.
It’s not simply that the Bears misplaced, however how they misplaced — and extra importantly, to whom. In current weeks the Ravens have misplaced to the Rams, been blown out by the Texans, and demolished by their friends in Kansas Metropolis. If there’s one goal fact about Baltimore it’s this: With out Lamar Jackson this crew is trash. And but, trash dominated the Bears in Week 8, cruising to a 30-16 win with out a lot resistance.
The true story of the tape on this sport was a laughable Bears protection. Sitting in delicate zones with no sense of urgency, they dared Tyler Huntley to choose them aside — and he did. Finishing 11-of-12 passes within the first half for over 100 yards ought to have been the canary within the coal mine that one thing needed to change defensively, however Chicago solely made minor changes. It continued to present the Ravens an excessive amount of house because the Bears have been way more involved about giving up explosives, fairly than stopping drives, and in the end it got here again to chunk them.
What actually sounds alarm bells about this model of protection is how antithetical it’s to what Dennis Allen likes to do together with his unit. This can be a man whose whole ethos is about aggression, forcing turnovers, and organizing a really boom-or-bust system. That’s why you herald somebody like Dennis Allen. You’re not in search of somebody who will bend, not break — however somebody who will set up a scheme that may generate turnovers to win the possession battle, with the understanding the offense can put the crew excessive.
It’s one factor to say “Allen doesn’t have the personnel,” however the Bears knew this after they employed him — or they need to have. The expectation with Tyler Huntley beneath heart was that Chicago would have overload blitzed him into the bottom, or run some linebacker stunts to confuse the protection, hopefully resulting in turnovers. That by no means occurred, and actually it’s one other symptom of what the Bears have been attempting to do all season.
This can be a crew proper now attempting to jam lots of sq. pegs into spherical holes. It’s the most important concern there’s been with Caleb Williams as a Ben Johnson quarterback. Williams comes out on the primary drive and appears incredible when he’s on script. The passes are crisp, the chains are shifting, and he’s on course. It’s after this that issues start to crumble, as Williams is requested to shoulder extra of the duty for main the offense. So far he’s proven an lack of ability to diagnose the protection, or adapt to defensive changes — as an alternative Williams performs the very same means, whatever the circumstances round him.
What we’re seeing is a passer who can bodily make all of the throws as much as concerning the 20 yard vary. Deep balls nonetheless allude him for probably the most half, and in opposition to the Ravens one of many largest issues was Williams hitting receivers at their mark, with out exhibiting sufficient contact, or hitting them in stride to open up YAC alternatives. Exterior of swing passes to working backs he’s very a lot a “one-and-done” passer.
When Williams is requested to make performs, not simply transfer the chains to open a sport, he falters. There’s no good strategy to sugar coat this. There are lots of issues you’ll be able to right with a quarterback as they evolve: Mechanics could be refined with coaching, determination making could be tutored with movie research — however missing the intuition to make key performs is a high quality that historically hasn’t been in a position to be instructed. It’s both one thing a quarterback has, or they don’t. That is placing Williams on a path a lot nearer to somebody like Trevor Lawrence or Kyler Murray, perennially locked within the “first rate” tier, and fewer like an elite degree quarterback.
Deep down I think Ben Johnson is aware of this. It may be coached round. This crew can have success with out an elite quarterback, however this chance will get slimmer with each passing week the place Williams actively hurts his crew, as he did in opposition to the Ravens within the fourth quarter after they wanted an enormous efficiency.
I’m rooting for Caleb Williams. I actually hope they discover a strategy to put all this collectively, nevertheless it simply doesn’t really feel nice proper now to place confidence in the Bears.
Now let’s leap across the NFL to search out the opposite huge winners and losers of the week.
Winner: Drake Maye enjoying past his years
There’s simply one thing about Drake Maye. Watching him play is really like witnessing the ascension of the subsequent nice one. That’s not a Tom Brady reference, as a result of they’re not remotely the identical participant, though the Patriots quarterbacks will probably be inexorably linked.
The truth is, I’ll let you know who Drake Maye jogs my memory of: A younger Peyton Manning. I’ve been attempting to place my finger on it for weeks now. Clearly he’s not there but by way of his command on the line of scrimmage and manipulating defenses together with his eyes, however the pure mechanics of how Maye performs the sport is extraordinarily Mannining-like.
Have a look at this deep landing go to Kayshon Boutte.
The younger QB realizes there’s edge stress coming, climbs the pocket to purchase his receiver one other second of separation, and lets rip on an ideal throw the place solely his man can get it. From begin to end this seems precisely just like the form of throws Manning would make to Marvin Harrison or Reggie Wayne on Sundays with the Colts.
Maye isn’t afraid to place the ball on the market for his receivers. He trusts the blokes round him. He believes not simply in his teammates, however himself to make the throws wanted to stretch the sphere and break defenses. This can be a textbook on learn how to play the place, and we’re all simply going to wish to cope with the truth that New England obtained their man already.
Winner: James Prepare dinner working over all the pieces in sight
The Payments devised the proper plan to demolish the beaten-up Panthers on Sunday. Understanding the one space the place this sport may go awry was in a passing shootout, Buffalo as an alternative determined they have been going to obliterate Carolina within the run sport — beating them at their very own sport.
It was a genius tactic, all it wanted was a working again to execute it — and execute is precisely what James Prepare dinner did in Charlotte. Busting huge run after huge run, Prepare dinner attacked the Panthers linebackers and ran them over, ending with 153 yards within the first half.
This made Carolina completely one dimensional on offense. They needed to throw to try to generate explosive performs, and Andy Dalton simply doesn’t have that skill at this level in his profession. From there it was purely educational. The Payments cruised to an enormous win, and Prepare dinner completed with over 200 dashing yards. What a efficiency.
Winner: Tua Tagovailoa shutting out the noise
No person was extra maligned after Week 7 than Tua Tagovailoa. His efficiency in opposition to the Browns was probably the most putrid of the 12 months, as Tua tried 23 passes for a meager 100 yards and three interceptions. It was indicative of all the pieces mistaken with the Dolphins as a crew, and he caught all of the strays within the week that adopted.
Enter Week 8, and Tagovailoa determined to make a press release in Atlanta. We’ll get to the woes of that crew, and positive it’s not sufficient that Dolphins followers ought to breathe an indication of reduction over the ungodly assured contract Miami signed him to — however you continue to get props round right here for stepping up and delivering after being some extent of ridicule all week.
If we’re being actual there have been rather a lot of occasions that Tua was bailed out on Sunday. He ought to have had an interception on a batted ball he tried to throw with a person in his face, he sailed or missed the vast majority of troublesome throws, and the majority of his passing yards (in addition to touchdowns) have been a product of manufactured situations that concerned pitch-and-catch performs to working backs, as an alternative of getting them attempt to run it in. However, you’ve obtained to take the Ws the place you will get them, and there haven’t been many issues to be blissful about on the subject of the Dolphins in 2025.
Loser: The Falcons … woof
What is that this crew? I don’t suppose even probably the most die-hard Falcons fan who pours over each millisecond of movie may let you know. One week they’re beating the Payments or Commanders, the subsequent they’re getting blown out by the Panthers or Dolphins. Nothing is sensible with this crew, and when that occurs it’s worthwhile to begin questioning the teaching and preparation that goes into these video games.
I’m undecided what possessed the Falcons to suppose their most suitable choice was to have Kirk Cousins try 31 passes with out Drake London within the lineup. It was nearly as if the crew had devised its sport plan, discovered London couldn’t go, then refused to pivot. It sounds silly, however I don’t have every other justification for why you solely run Bijan Robinson 9 occasions in opposition to one of many worst run defenses within the NFL — particularly when the go isn’t working.
Granted, the run sport was struggling too — however dropping that steadiness places the sport on simple mode for Miami whenever you a minimum of need to make them work for it.
Loser: That Giants run protection
Giving up huge yards to a again of Saquon Barkley’s caliber isn’t that unhealthy. Getting run over by him and Tank Bigsby isn’t good. The complete New York protection was unhealthy of their loss to the Eagles, however the best way their line obtained completely manhandled was embarrassing.
This was imagined to be a sport that solidified that the Giants have been headed in the suitable route. They didn’t have to win, however it will have been good to point out they will compete. Dropping Cam Skattebo was horrible, the sport simply went additional downhill from there.
In the long run New York gave up 427 yards, and a staggering 276 yards on the bottom.
Loser: Zac Taylor’s future
Congratulations on attaining what no person else has this season: Dropping to the Jets.
The one factor saving Zac Taylor’s job at this level is the actual fact the Bengals are too low cost to pay two coaches.