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Sports Football Chicago Bears
10 thoughts on the Bears' 23-17 overtime win over the Steelers
Tribune writers Dan Wiederer and Brad Biggs recap the Bears' 23-17 overtime win over the Steelers on Sept. 24, 2017.
Brad BiggsContact Reporter
Chicago Tribune
10 thoughts after the Chicago Bears wore down the Pittsburgh Steelers en route to a 23-17 victory in overtime Sunday afternoon in the hottest game played at Soldier Field since at least 1982.
1. Jordan Howard finally got rolling and was a huge part of the win as he carried the ball 23 times for 138 yards and two touchdowns. The Bears handed the ball off 35 times and with a temperature of 89 degrees, the Steelers eventually ran out of gas on defense, which was quickly apparent in the overtime session.
I think it’s important to note there has been a subtle change in what the Bears are doing with Howard on the ground this season and perhaps it’s part of the explanation for why his numbers were not quite what he or anyone else expected through the first two weeks. To be clear, the biggest issue in Weeks 1 and 2 was volume as Howard carried the ball only 22 times combined in those losses. That’s a small sample size. Too small.
What the Bears have gotten away from this season for Howard are runs out of the shotgun formation. He’s had a total of 45 carries and only three have come from the shotgun formation. All three came in the Week 1 loss to the Falcons and one was the touchdown run he had from a Wildcat formation with Tarik Cohen as quarterback. We’ll go ahead and count that but it was a gadget play. This is an important distinction because last season 87 of Howard’s 252 carries (34.5 percent) came from the shotgun formation. He’s at 6.7 percent of runs from shotgun formation this season and you figure that number will rise although it should be noted Cohen is getting some carries from that alignment.
Why is this a big deal? Howard was the best back in the entire league running out of the shotgun in 2016 when he averaged 7.0 yards per carry. The Bears have a set of runs in the playbook from that formation that Howard and the linemen execute well. This certainly didn’t slow him down against the Steelers but it’s worth exploring and wondering if it is something offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains will gravitate back toward in the weeks ahead.
The zone runs that the Bears have from the shotgun and when Howard is lined up as a single back behind quarterback Mike Glennon are similar. But they’re not the same. Throw on highlight tapes of Howard at Indiana and he was running from the shotgun. He said there was more of a pro-style influence when he began his college career at Alabama-Birmingham but he’s clearly very comfortable running out of the shotgun. He’s accustomed to the path, footwork, angle and the line he’s supposed to take on inside zone runs. It’s often easier for backs to see that path when they’re starting in the shotgun and not behind the quarterback. There is a specific line and bend and they know when to cut it back. Believe it or not, it’s a rhythm and muscle memory thing and Howard has proven to be very good at it out of the shotgun, so much so that I have to believe the Bears return to using a good amount of this on a regular basis.
“I am comfortable pretty much being in any style,” Howard said after the game. “I had to break more tackles. Like today, I broke a lot of tackles. I had to help out the linemen too because they are making the blocks. I gotta beat my man too.
“Yeah (shotgun runs worked well last year), but I just have to execute really. That’s all it comes down to.”
The Bears certainly didn’t execute the week before at Tampa Bay when those bend back lanes were not there and the ground game appeared out of sorts. It’s very encouraging that Howard, even with a right shoulder that clearly is not 100 percent, got going because the Bears are going to have to win games dominating at the line of scrimmage and running the ball. More success on the ground is bound to open up a play-action passing game that can help create chunk gains in the passing game, an element that was missing here.
“I don’t even know when he is in ’gun unless it is pass,” guard Kyle Long said. “I’d say that it is probably just a gameplan thing from our offensive coordinator. I know when to stop asking questions and when to start asking questions and that’s one thing I think is off limits for me.”
Certainly a fair response from Long. As good as Howard was running from the shotgun last season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get five-plus carries a game from that formation moving forward. The Bears were too good at it in 2016 to stray too far from it.
Photos of Bears running back Jordan Howard.
2. One of the key words coach John Fox has used since the offseason began when discussing the offensive line has been “versatility.” Fox surely wishes his line didn’t need to be quite as versatile as it’s been through three weeks with a lot of moving parts for offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains and offensive line coach Jeremiah Washburn. But the performance by the line today and particularly Kyle Long, who was making his season debut at right guard, leads me to wonder if they will consider shelving the plan to flip-flop the guards. The club made the decision early in the offseason to switch Long to left guard and move Josh Sitton to right guard but the Bears really haven’t seen that at work yet because Long missed so much time in training camp and all of preseason. Sitton was out this week with a rib injury. Without having re-watched the game yet, I can say Long looked pretty darn good in real time playing right guard and there were holes for Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen all over the place. Is it possible the team chooses to stick with Long at right guard and have Sitton stay on the left side? The major impetus in making the move in the first place, as I understand, was to have the savvy Sitton playing next to right tackle Bobby Massie. I think the question the Bears have to ask themselves here is what position is Long best at? Whatever side that is, maybe it makes most sense to leave him there and have Sitton, who has ample NFL experience playing on both sides of the line, go to the other side. Fox isn’t going to get into any specifics on this but once Sitton is healthy, we’ll get a good idea of what the Bears are doing. More on Long, his return and the long layoff a little later on.
3. Marcus Cooper woke up Monday morning as one of the luckiest fellows in the Chicago area. Had the Bears lost that game in overtime, his name would be a punchline over office coffee by now. That was showboating gone bad and at least in these parts, it’s a play that will forever be attached to his name. One of the major talking points for general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox over the course of the last eight-plus months has centered around what they believe is a much improved culture at Halas Hall. There’s no place in that culture for such high-level nonsense, not from any player, especially not from one signed to a modest pay day in free agency ($16 million over three years with $8 million guaranteed). Cooper stopped running to the end zone for what would have been an easy touchdown after a blocked field goal and was caught and stripped from behind at the 1-yard line by hustling Steelers tight end Vance McDonald. Sorry, but that one play impugns Cooper’s football character. Resumes for front office folks, coaches and players include wins and losses and such a boneheaded play easily could have led to a loss for the Bears. It’s a hustle play – or in this instance a non-hustle play – and even in victory no one will soon forget. How can they when Leon Lett’s name has become a verb for similar buffoonery on a grander stage in Super Bowl XXVII?
“That was just a mistake on my part. I didn’t think anybody was that close to me. I slowed down, and the guy made a great play,” Cooper said. “I thought I was in. But, you know, obviously I wasn’t. Like I said, the guy came and made play.”
To Cooper’s credit, I thought he played pretty well on defense and he had a really nice breakup of a Ben Roethlisberger pass for Martavis Bryant at the goalline on a third-and-2 play from the 13-yard line in the fourth quarter. Effort, however, is never optional and Cooper failed to check that box.
At least Cooper has someone he can commiserate with in the locker room. Linebacker Danny Trevathan was in his second season in Denver in 2013 when he intercepted Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco at the Baltimore 30-yard line and had nothing but clear sailing ahead of him. Trevathan raced for the end zone but dropped the ball at the 1-yard line before he crossed the line. The ball rolled into the end zone and because no one recovered the fumble, the Ravens were awarded the ball on their own 20-yard line as a touchback. Fortunately, Denver led 42-17 at the time so the gaffe had no bearing on the outcome.
“Dropped the ball before I got to the end zone,” Trevathan said. “I was like ‘Ahhhhh!!!’ I learned from that. Never again. But it made me better, man.
“I talked to Coop. I let him know, ‘I’ve been there, bro.’ Hang in there and it’ll make you better. He had the right attitude about it immediately.”
That attitude?
“I couldn’t dwell on that play,” Cooper said. “You move forward. As a corner, you have that next-play mentality. After that occurred in the first half, I let it go and just tried to make a play.”
Photos from the Bears-Steelers game in Week 3 at Soldier Field on Sept. 24, 2017.
4. Lost in the hubbub over Marcus Cooper’s screw-up was the dynamite play by Sherrick McManis to block the 35-yard field goal attempt by Chris Boswell. McManis was coming off the right side of the defense and the first thing that jumps out is McManis had a great jump on the snap count. Tight end Xavier Grimble was the left tackle on the play and he extended his left arm in an effort to impede McManis but Grimble quickly shifted his focus to linebacker Christian Jones, who was the player inside of McManis. The cornerback turned the corner and easily blocked the kick with his right hand.
“We gotta finish,” McManis said. “It’s the little details. We’ve got to finish as a team and Coop knows that. He’s a veteran guy. I know that won’t happen again. My immediate reaction after we found out it wasn’t a touchdown was what else can we do to get this win? Let’s get another one.”
McManis has been a very good special teams player for the Bears and his acquisition has always been an underrated move by former general manager Phil Emery, who acquired McManis from the Texans by trading fullback Tyler Clutts. The Bears named McManis a captain this season and he’s deserving. It was an error last season, in my opinion, when Sam Acho was the Bears’ representative you could vote for on the fan ballot for the Pro Bowl. McManis should have been that player last season and he should be this season.
5. Tough break – or maybe not – for center Hroniss Grasu, who left the game with a right hand injury. Grasu wasn’t certain exactly when his hand was injured but he tried playing about two series before he determined it was getting too difficult to handle the football with his grip hand.
“Honestly, I don’t know when it happened,” Grasu said. “I tried to get going but I couldn’t grip the ball and I didn’t want to risk anything with the snap.”
Guard Kyle Long marveled somewhat at his teammate.
“You don’t even make noise when you get hurt,” Long said to Grasu.
Grasu didn’t offer any specifics on what is wrong with the hand and it’s expected more tests will be conducted Monday to determine the specific nature of the injury. It could lead to Grasu, who was starting because Josh Sitton was sidelined with a rib injury, missing time.
“Whatever happens, we’re O-linemen,” he said. “Club it up and keep playing. I will figure something out. Snap (left-handed) or play guard. I don’t think I have bad luck. It just happens. It’s part of the game. It’s part of this position getting banged up. I was feeling really good out there and I still have no idea what this is or how long it will take.”
The Bears plugged veteran Bradley Sowell, considered a swing tackle, in at left guard and moved Cody Whitehair back to center. Sowell held up well and the production running the football is ample evidence.
“I thought it was a great job by Bradley to step in there and play three quarters, and last week was the first time he played guard in his life and now he’s thrown in here against a really good defense,” quarterback Mike Glennon said. “I think it’s awesome he stepped in. He has a great attitude and a great mentality, and he brings toughness to our offensive line. He has a great next man up mentality, and did a great job today.”
6. The return of Kyle Long to the lineup brought an energy to the offense, there’s no question about that. After being sidelined for 10 months following the gruesome right ankle injury he suffered last year at Tampa Bay,
Here’s a quick Q & A that tells us a little about his situation and sheds light on his brother Chris Long, one of the good guys doing good things in the NFL.
Most difficult thing you had to deal with as a football player before this injury?
KL: Prior to me getting injured? (long pause) Learning the offense my rookie year. Probably learning the offense my rookie year. That put a lot of pressure on me and then obviously switching positions has done that but it’s nothing you can’t handle. Physically when you can’t do something … like physically I could always play tackle. When they switched me I had some rough goes at it. Physically when you’re injured it doesn’t get any better.
You practiced on the final day of camp at Bourbonnais and then you were out for roughly three weeks. Was there a setback?
KL: Well, I had gone out there and I had tried to practice. I had told myself I was ready and I wasn’t. I said, ‘I am going to do this and if it feels good, I am going to do that.’ And it got a little bit worse and they put me through a progression from that point forward where I had to check a bunch of boxes before I went to the next step.
Your brother Chris of the Eagles is donating his first six games checks this season to fund two scholarships in Charlottesville, Va. When did you find about about that cool decision on his part?
KL: I read it on Twitter. I wasn’t surprised. Very proud of him. He continues to try to make a change in the world we live in for his kid’s generation and down the road. He’s a great dude.
Photos of the Chicago Bears' first-round draft pick in 2013.
7. Most agree it’s a matter of when and not if Mitch Trubisky will take the reins of the offense this season. So the question becomes when? When is the best time to make a change to the No. 2 overall draft pick? Some have suggested the best time might be after the Bears play at Green Bay on Thursday. To be very clear, I don’t see a move happening that soon unless the offense is a complete mess against the Packers. Even then, I’m not sure the Bears want to move beyond Mike Glennon this quickly. That point in the schedule would provide some extra time to prepare for the Vikings, who come to Soldier Field for “Monday Night Football” on Oct. 9. At most, the Bears will have two extra practices than they would in a normal week. The extra practices would come on Monday, which is normally a day for meetings and treatment after a game, and on Saturday, Oct. 7. Typically, clubs hold a walk-through on Saturdays before a Sunday game and the walk-through in this case will happen on Sunday, Oct. 8.
So, Trubisky would have just a little extra action in practice if the Bears were to hand things over to him in Week 5 against Minnesota. Two folks I have spoken to that are closely monitoring the situation and have a vested interest in seeing Trubisky play well suggested a better date could be in Week 8 when the Bears play at the Saints on Oct. 29, the week before the bye. Their reasoning is that the Saints’ defense is atrocious and while the Superdome can be a rowdy place to play, it eliminates the added pressure a rookie would feel making a debut at home. The Vikings have a very talented defense and after that the Bears play at Baltimore and then host Carolina, two other teams with pretty solid defenses. Yes, I realize Baltimore’s defense looked bad Sunday morning in a London beatdown at the hands of the Jaguars. The Bears certainly have made history playing in New Orleans in the past. We’ll have to wait and see how things shake out.
8. It will be interesting to see what kind of game plan defensive coordinator Vic Fangio cooks up for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on a short week. The Bears used a three cornerback rotation with Prince Amukamara back in action after missing the first two games with a sprained ankle. Marcus Cooper and Kyle Fuller started and then Amukamara worked in beginning with the third series. On a hot day, that rotation probably helped keep them a little fresh. Each cornerback was credited with two pass breakups in the press box statistics and it’s important to note Fuller played well. Remember, he put a big hit on Steelers tight end Jesse James. There have been a lot of questions about the secondary and they’ve been fair questions. They’ve played pretty well for the most part, maybe better than expected and they deserve credit along with kudos for Fangio and secondary coach Ed Donatell. Getting some pass breakups is the best place to start for a defense that needs to get more takaways.
9. Adrian Amos was forced into action when Quintin Demps went out with an arm injury. We’ll see what kind of update coach John Fox has on Demps’ availability when he speaks on Monday.
“I don’t want to see anyone get hurt,” Amos said. “I don’t know how serious it is or anything, but I am just thinking about him now and how he’s doing. Just tried to make the most of my opportunity, tried to do my job, tried to be in the right places and you know get everyone lined up right. It was just like another game to me.”
Amos has turned into a four-phase special teams performer and he was ready for his name to be called. I asked if he was disappointed to lose the starting job he held for the previous two seasons when the Bears elected to go with Demps and rookie Eddie Jackson.
“I don’t really look at it like that,” he said. “I feel like the coaches wanted to go in a different direction. I gotta respect what it is and do whatever I can to help the team.”
Amos seemed a little shaken by Demps’ situation. Maybe I misread him but pay attention to the news that comes out at the safety position in the next day or two.
10. One big play that should not be overlooked is the fumble recovery by right tackle Bobby Massie when Tarik Cohen was popped by Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier on the first play after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter. Massie corralled the ball at the Bears’ 39 and a turnover there could have easily led to a loss.
“I saw it when it was in the air,” Massie said. “I debated picking it up but, nah, I wasn’t getting no (bleeping) where with that ball. I just jumped on it. It was big time. It was just reaction.”
That was one of five fumble recoveries in the game for the Bears, including quarterback Mike Glennon getting hold of a bad snap.
10a. Outside linebacker Leonard Floyd is from the South and the Bears played in 88-degree heat the week before at Tampa Bay, something that surely helped them handle the conditions here. Out of 64 defensive snaps, including plays with penalties, I tallied Floyd for having 59 snaps, including all 33 in the first half. That’s impressive.
“I feel good, man, team win,” Floyd said. “That’s all that matters. We were pretty much used to (the heat) and it was hot in practice this week too. You gotta make sure you’re hydrated. If you need an IV, get one. I got one before the game … just to make sure.”
Pernell McPhee, by my count, was on the field for 29 snaps and came up with a sack of Ben Roethlisberger.
10b. Running back Tarik Cohen looked like he won the game on a 73-yard run in overtime before officials ruled he stepped out of bounds, a call that replay upheld. Cohen launched the football into the South grandstand after scoring, giving one fan a cool piece of memorabilia. Of course, that comes with a fine for throwing the ball into the stands.
“I didn’t know about that,” Cohen said. “I hope it’s not a fine because (the touchdown) didn’t count.”
I’m betting the fine counts.
10c. Might as well wrap things up with another point about the impressive 220-yard effort on the ground by the Bears offense.
“Lord have mercy!” linebacker Danny Trevathan gushed. “That was sweet. That was some good stuff right there. If our offense pounds it like that, we’re going to be good. We attacked. I don’t care about passing yards (101) and all that. If we’re out there being physical … our offense had the right mindset coming into this game. Let’s pound those guys and be the most physical team. They’re big on the other side. But we came out and we played physical.”
bmbiggs@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @BradBiggs
https://mobile.twitter.com/BradBiggs/status/912304880349478913
10 thoughts on the Bears' 23-17 overtime win over the Steelers
Tribune writers Dan Wiederer and Brad Biggs recap the Bears' 23-17 overtime win over the Steelers on Sept. 24, 2017.
Brad BiggsContact Reporter
Chicago Tribune
10 thoughts after the Chicago Bears wore down the Pittsburgh Steelers en route to a 23-17 victory in overtime Sunday afternoon in the hottest game played at Soldier Field since at least 1982.
1. Jordan Howard finally got rolling and was a huge part of the win as he carried the ball 23 times for 138 yards and two touchdowns. The Bears handed the ball off 35 times and with a temperature of 89 degrees, the Steelers eventually ran out of gas on defense, which was quickly apparent in the overtime session.
I think it’s important to note there has been a subtle change in what the Bears are doing with Howard on the ground this season and perhaps it’s part of the explanation for why his numbers were not quite what he or anyone else expected through the first two weeks. To be clear, the biggest issue in Weeks 1 and 2 was volume as Howard carried the ball only 22 times combined in those losses. That’s a small sample size. Too small.
What the Bears have gotten away from this season for Howard are runs out of the shotgun formation. He’s had a total of 45 carries and only three have come from the shotgun formation. All three came in the Week 1 loss to the Falcons and one was the touchdown run he had from a Wildcat formation with Tarik Cohen as quarterback. We’ll go ahead and count that but it was a gadget play. This is an important distinction because last season 87 of Howard’s 252 carries (34.5 percent) came from the shotgun formation. He’s at 6.7 percent of runs from shotgun formation this season and you figure that number will rise although it should be noted Cohen is getting some carries from that alignment.
Why is this a big deal? Howard was the best back in the entire league running out of the shotgun in 2016 when he averaged 7.0 yards per carry. The Bears have a set of runs in the playbook from that formation that Howard and the linemen execute well. This certainly didn’t slow him down against the Steelers but it’s worth exploring and wondering if it is something offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains will gravitate back toward in the weeks ahead.
The zone runs that the Bears have from the shotgun and when Howard is lined up as a single back behind quarterback Mike Glennon are similar. But they’re not the same. Throw on highlight tapes of Howard at Indiana and he was running from the shotgun. He said there was more of a pro-style influence when he began his college career at Alabama-Birmingham but he’s clearly very comfortable running out of the shotgun. He’s accustomed to the path, footwork, angle and the line he’s supposed to take on inside zone runs. It’s often easier for backs to see that path when they’re starting in the shotgun and not behind the quarterback. There is a specific line and bend and they know when to cut it back. Believe it or not, it’s a rhythm and muscle memory thing and Howard has proven to be very good at it out of the shotgun, so much so that I have to believe the Bears return to using a good amount of this on a regular basis.
“I am comfortable pretty much being in any style,” Howard said after the game. “I had to break more tackles. Like today, I broke a lot of tackles. I had to help out the linemen too because they are making the blocks. I gotta beat my man too.
“Yeah (shotgun runs worked well last year), but I just have to execute really. That’s all it comes down to.”
The Bears certainly didn’t execute the week before at Tampa Bay when those bend back lanes were not there and the ground game appeared out of sorts. It’s very encouraging that Howard, even with a right shoulder that clearly is not 100 percent, got going because the Bears are going to have to win games dominating at the line of scrimmage and running the ball. More success on the ground is bound to open up a play-action passing game that can help create chunk gains in the passing game, an element that was missing here.
“I don’t even know when he is in ’gun unless it is pass,” guard Kyle Long said. “I’d say that it is probably just a gameplan thing from our offensive coordinator. I know when to stop asking questions and when to start asking questions and that’s one thing I think is off limits for me.”
Certainly a fair response from Long. As good as Howard was running from the shotgun last season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get five-plus carries a game from that formation moving forward. The Bears were too good at it in 2016 to stray too far from it.
Photos of Bears running back Jordan Howard.
2. One of the key words coach John Fox has used since the offseason began when discussing the offensive line has been “versatility.” Fox surely wishes his line didn’t need to be quite as versatile as it’s been through three weeks with a lot of moving parts for offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains and offensive line coach Jeremiah Washburn. But the performance by the line today and particularly Kyle Long, who was making his season debut at right guard, leads me to wonder if they will consider shelving the plan to flip-flop the guards. The club made the decision early in the offseason to switch Long to left guard and move Josh Sitton to right guard but the Bears really haven’t seen that at work yet because Long missed so much time in training camp and all of preseason. Sitton was out this week with a rib injury. Without having re-watched the game yet, I can say Long looked pretty darn good in real time playing right guard and there were holes for Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen all over the place. Is it possible the team chooses to stick with Long at right guard and have Sitton stay on the left side? The major impetus in making the move in the first place, as I understand, was to have the savvy Sitton playing next to right tackle Bobby Massie. I think the question the Bears have to ask themselves here is what position is Long best at? Whatever side that is, maybe it makes most sense to leave him there and have Sitton, who has ample NFL experience playing on both sides of the line, go to the other side. Fox isn’t going to get into any specifics on this but once Sitton is healthy, we’ll get a good idea of what the Bears are doing. More on Long, his return and the long layoff a little later on.
3. Marcus Cooper woke up Monday morning as one of the luckiest fellows in the Chicago area. Had the Bears lost that game in overtime, his name would be a punchline over office coffee by now. That was showboating gone bad and at least in these parts, it’s a play that will forever be attached to his name. One of the major talking points for general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox over the course of the last eight-plus months has centered around what they believe is a much improved culture at Halas Hall. There’s no place in that culture for such high-level nonsense, not from any player, especially not from one signed to a modest pay day in free agency ($16 million over three years with $8 million guaranteed). Cooper stopped running to the end zone for what would have been an easy touchdown after a blocked field goal and was caught and stripped from behind at the 1-yard line by hustling Steelers tight end Vance McDonald. Sorry, but that one play impugns Cooper’s football character. Resumes for front office folks, coaches and players include wins and losses and such a boneheaded play easily could have led to a loss for the Bears. It’s a hustle play – or in this instance a non-hustle play – and even in victory no one will soon forget. How can they when Leon Lett’s name has become a verb for similar buffoonery on a grander stage in Super Bowl XXVII?
“That was just a mistake on my part. I didn’t think anybody was that close to me. I slowed down, and the guy made a great play,” Cooper said. “I thought I was in. But, you know, obviously I wasn’t. Like I said, the guy came and made play.”
To Cooper’s credit, I thought he played pretty well on defense and he had a really nice breakup of a Ben Roethlisberger pass for Martavis Bryant at the goalline on a third-and-2 play from the 13-yard line in the fourth quarter. Effort, however, is never optional and Cooper failed to check that box.
At least Cooper has someone he can commiserate with in the locker room. Linebacker Danny Trevathan was in his second season in Denver in 2013 when he intercepted Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco at the Baltimore 30-yard line and had nothing but clear sailing ahead of him. Trevathan raced for the end zone but dropped the ball at the 1-yard line before he crossed the line. The ball rolled into the end zone and because no one recovered the fumble, the Ravens were awarded the ball on their own 20-yard line as a touchback. Fortunately, Denver led 42-17 at the time so the gaffe had no bearing on the outcome.
“Dropped the ball before I got to the end zone,” Trevathan said. “I was like ‘Ahhhhh!!!’ I learned from that. Never again. But it made me better, man.
“I talked to Coop. I let him know, ‘I’ve been there, bro.’ Hang in there and it’ll make you better. He had the right attitude about it immediately.”
That attitude?
“I couldn’t dwell on that play,” Cooper said. “You move forward. As a corner, you have that next-play mentality. After that occurred in the first half, I let it go and just tried to make a play.”
Photos from the Bears-Steelers game in Week 3 at Soldier Field on Sept. 24, 2017.
4. Lost in the hubbub over Marcus Cooper’s screw-up was the dynamite play by Sherrick McManis to block the 35-yard field goal attempt by Chris Boswell. McManis was coming off the right side of the defense and the first thing that jumps out is McManis had a great jump on the snap count. Tight end Xavier Grimble was the left tackle on the play and he extended his left arm in an effort to impede McManis but Grimble quickly shifted his focus to linebacker Christian Jones, who was the player inside of McManis. The cornerback turned the corner and easily blocked the kick with his right hand.
“We gotta finish,” McManis said. “It’s the little details. We’ve got to finish as a team and Coop knows that. He’s a veteran guy. I know that won’t happen again. My immediate reaction after we found out it wasn’t a touchdown was what else can we do to get this win? Let’s get another one.”
McManis has been a very good special teams player for the Bears and his acquisition has always been an underrated move by former general manager Phil Emery, who acquired McManis from the Texans by trading fullback Tyler Clutts. The Bears named McManis a captain this season and he’s deserving. It was an error last season, in my opinion, when Sam Acho was the Bears’ representative you could vote for on the fan ballot for the Pro Bowl. McManis should have been that player last season and he should be this season.
5. Tough break – or maybe not – for center Hroniss Grasu, who left the game with a right hand injury. Grasu wasn’t certain exactly when his hand was injured but he tried playing about two series before he determined it was getting too difficult to handle the football with his grip hand.
“Honestly, I don’t know when it happened,” Grasu said. “I tried to get going but I couldn’t grip the ball and I didn’t want to risk anything with the snap.”
Guard Kyle Long marveled somewhat at his teammate.
“You don’t even make noise when you get hurt,” Long said to Grasu.
Grasu didn’t offer any specifics on what is wrong with the hand and it’s expected more tests will be conducted Monday to determine the specific nature of the injury. It could lead to Grasu, who was starting because Josh Sitton was sidelined with a rib injury, missing time.
“Whatever happens, we’re O-linemen,” he said. “Club it up and keep playing. I will figure something out. Snap (left-handed) or play guard. I don’t think I have bad luck. It just happens. It’s part of the game. It’s part of this position getting banged up. I was feeling really good out there and I still have no idea what this is or how long it will take.”
The Bears plugged veteran Bradley Sowell, considered a swing tackle, in at left guard and moved Cody Whitehair back to center. Sowell held up well and the production running the football is ample evidence.
“I thought it was a great job by Bradley to step in there and play three quarters, and last week was the first time he played guard in his life and now he’s thrown in here against a really good defense,” quarterback Mike Glennon said. “I think it’s awesome he stepped in. He has a great attitude and a great mentality, and he brings toughness to our offensive line. He has a great next man up mentality, and did a great job today.”
6. The return of Kyle Long to the lineup brought an energy to the offense, there’s no question about that. After being sidelined for 10 months following the gruesome right ankle injury he suffered last year at Tampa Bay,
Here’s a quick Q & A that tells us a little about his situation and sheds light on his brother Chris Long, one of the good guys doing good things in the NFL.
Most difficult thing you had to deal with as a football player before this injury?
KL: Prior to me getting injured? (long pause) Learning the offense my rookie year. Probably learning the offense my rookie year. That put a lot of pressure on me and then obviously switching positions has done that but it’s nothing you can’t handle. Physically when you can’t do something … like physically I could always play tackle. When they switched me I had some rough goes at it. Physically when you’re injured it doesn’t get any better.
You practiced on the final day of camp at Bourbonnais and then you were out for roughly three weeks. Was there a setback?
KL: Well, I had gone out there and I had tried to practice. I had told myself I was ready and I wasn’t. I said, ‘I am going to do this and if it feels good, I am going to do that.’ And it got a little bit worse and they put me through a progression from that point forward where I had to check a bunch of boxes before I went to the next step.
Your brother Chris of the Eagles is donating his first six games checks this season to fund two scholarships in Charlottesville, Va. When did you find about about that cool decision on his part?
KL: I read it on Twitter. I wasn’t surprised. Very proud of him. He continues to try to make a change in the world we live in for his kid’s generation and down the road. He’s a great dude.
Photos of the Chicago Bears' first-round draft pick in 2013.
7. Most agree it’s a matter of when and not if Mitch Trubisky will take the reins of the offense this season. So the question becomes when? When is the best time to make a change to the No. 2 overall draft pick? Some have suggested the best time might be after the Bears play at Green Bay on Thursday. To be very clear, I don’t see a move happening that soon unless the offense is a complete mess against the Packers. Even then, I’m not sure the Bears want to move beyond Mike Glennon this quickly. That point in the schedule would provide some extra time to prepare for the Vikings, who come to Soldier Field for “Monday Night Football” on Oct. 9. At most, the Bears will have two extra practices than they would in a normal week. The extra practices would come on Monday, which is normally a day for meetings and treatment after a game, and on Saturday, Oct. 7. Typically, clubs hold a walk-through on Saturdays before a Sunday game and the walk-through in this case will happen on Sunday, Oct. 8.
So, Trubisky would have just a little extra action in practice if the Bears were to hand things over to him in Week 5 against Minnesota. Two folks I have spoken to that are closely monitoring the situation and have a vested interest in seeing Trubisky play well suggested a better date could be in Week 8 when the Bears play at the Saints on Oct. 29, the week before the bye. Their reasoning is that the Saints’ defense is atrocious and while the Superdome can be a rowdy place to play, it eliminates the added pressure a rookie would feel making a debut at home. The Vikings have a very talented defense and after that the Bears play at Baltimore and then host Carolina, two other teams with pretty solid defenses. Yes, I realize Baltimore’s defense looked bad Sunday morning in a London beatdown at the hands of the Jaguars. The Bears certainly have made history playing in New Orleans in the past. We’ll have to wait and see how things shake out.
8. It will be interesting to see what kind of game plan defensive coordinator Vic Fangio cooks up for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on a short week. The Bears used a three cornerback rotation with Prince Amukamara back in action after missing the first two games with a sprained ankle. Marcus Cooper and Kyle Fuller started and then Amukamara worked in beginning with the third series. On a hot day, that rotation probably helped keep them a little fresh. Each cornerback was credited with two pass breakups in the press box statistics and it’s important to note Fuller played well. Remember, he put a big hit on Steelers tight end Jesse James. There have been a lot of questions about the secondary and they’ve been fair questions. They’ve played pretty well for the most part, maybe better than expected and they deserve credit along with kudos for Fangio and secondary coach Ed Donatell. Getting some pass breakups is the best place to start for a defense that needs to get more takaways.
9. Adrian Amos was forced into action when Quintin Demps went out with an arm injury. We’ll see what kind of update coach John Fox has on Demps’ availability when he speaks on Monday.
“I don’t want to see anyone get hurt,” Amos said. “I don’t know how serious it is or anything, but I am just thinking about him now and how he’s doing. Just tried to make the most of my opportunity, tried to do my job, tried to be in the right places and you know get everyone lined up right. It was just like another game to me.”
Amos has turned into a four-phase special teams performer and he was ready for his name to be called. I asked if he was disappointed to lose the starting job he held for the previous two seasons when the Bears elected to go with Demps and rookie Eddie Jackson.
“I don’t really look at it like that,” he said. “I feel like the coaches wanted to go in a different direction. I gotta respect what it is and do whatever I can to help the team.”
Amos seemed a little shaken by Demps’ situation. Maybe I misread him but pay attention to the news that comes out at the safety position in the next day or two.
10. One big play that should not be overlooked is the fumble recovery by right tackle Bobby Massie when Tarik Cohen was popped by Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier on the first play after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter. Massie corralled the ball at the Bears’ 39 and a turnover there could have easily led to a loss.
“I saw it when it was in the air,” Massie said. “I debated picking it up but, nah, I wasn’t getting no (bleeping) where with that ball. I just jumped on it. It was big time. It was just reaction.”
That was one of five fumble recoveries in the game for the Bears, including quarterback Mike Glennon getting hold of a bad snap.
10a. Outside linebacker Leonard Floyd is from the South and the Bears played in 88-degree heat the week before at Tampa Bay, something that surely helped them handle the conditions here. Out of 64 defensive snaps, including plays with penalties, I tallied Floyd for having 59 snaps, including all 33 in the first half. That’s impressive.
“I feel good, man, team win,” Floyd said. “That’s all that matters. We were pretty much used to (the heat) and it was hot in practice this week too. You gotta make sure you’re hydrated. If you need an IV, get one. I got one before the game … just to make sure.”
Pernell McPhee, by my count, was on the field for 29 snaps and came up with a sack of Ben Roethlisberger.
10b. Running back Tarik Cohen looked like he won the game on a 73-yard run in overtime before officials ruled he stepped out of bounds, a call that replay upheld. Cohen launched the football into the South grandstand after scoring, giving one fan a cool piece of memorabilia. Of course, that comes with a fine for throwing the ball into the stands.
“I didn’t know about that,” Cohen said. “I hope it’s not a fine because (the touchdown) didn’t count.”
I’m betting the fine counts.
10c. Might as well wrap things up with another point about the impressive 220-yard effort on the ground by the Bears offense.
“Lord have mercy!” linebacker Danny Trevathan gushed. “That was sweet. That was some good stuff right there. If our offense pounds it like that, we’re going to be good. We attacked. I don’t care about passing yards (101) and all that. If we’re out there being physical … our offense had the right mindset coming into this game. Let’s pound those guys and be the most physical team. They’re big on the other side. But we came out and we played physical.”
bmbiggs@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @BradBiggs
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