Can the Rookies Pick Up the Blitz?

Here is the legend for this blitz pick up breakdown.

Sack: QB taken down with the ball
Coverage Sack: A sack coming after 3 seconds of protection.
QB Hit: A hit on the QB that comes from a pick up able rush.
Pressure: A rush that affects the throw or that touches the QB, does not include a rush that makes the QB move in the pocket without being touched.
Good Protection: A Throw that is executed with a clean QB and no pressure.

Blitz 1: 40 Front Sam Blitzes Right Side[Brandon Marshall Drop]

-The blitz is declared early as Sam is hanging around over a reduced end.

-Mills and Long pick up the slanting End and Sam blitz.

Good Protection

Blitz 2: 30 Front, Mack Left B Gap [Marshall Drop]

-Good pre snap communication as 3 LBs are showing blitz.

-Everyone picks up the down lineman and Slauson gets the blitzer.

-Long does a nice job of taking over the NT from Garza so he can be active in the blitz pick up.

Good Protection

Blitz 3: Mack Weak A [35 yard run]

-Garza picks up the blitzer with 0 push given up.

Good Protection

Blitz 4: 40, Mack Strong A, Sam Strong D [Outside], Delayed CB Blitz [12 yard Completion]

-The OL slides to the left and provides a solid pocket.

-Long takes the MLB blitz and stones Roach.

-Bennett picks up the DE and gets bull rushed a little, but does not affect the throw.

-Forte gets bull rushed by the LB but does slow him down, but not a great rep.

-Delayed blitz gets lost in the wash and probably would not have been covered in the protection scheme.

Good Protection

Blitz 5: 40, Will Weak D, CB Weak Blitz [2 Yard Completion]

-OL slides left, Long falls but the roll is still executed Mills drives the DT down and has a nice block.

-Adams releases the end and goes to the flat, which is the design of the play.

-Slauson gets bull rushed but he is on the backside of the roll, which means he is allowed to take the player up field.

Good Protection

Blitz 6: 40, NT stunts strong A, Will [Burnett] blitzes weak B. [12 Yard Completion]

-Garza picks up the stunt.

-Long stays square and picks up the blitz.

-Mills dominates the DE.

Good Protection

Blitz 7: 40, Mack strong A. [13 yard run Cutler]

-Forte picks up the MLB.

-Slauson gives up a weak pressure as Vance Walker does get a hand on Cutler.

Pressure Slauson

Blitz 8: 40, Mack Strong A, Safety Strong B Delay, Weak DE Zone Drop [Throw Away]

-Mills DE drops and he comes down hard while keeping his outside shoulder free to pick up a delayed blitz, excellent job.

-Slauson slides and picks up mack.

-Forte gets to close to the line and is unable to see the safety and gives up a pressure.

Pressure Forte

Blitz 9: 40, Sam Strong D, Mack Delay Strong B, Weakside DE Zone Drop [16 Yard Completion]

-Mills DE drops, which tells me the Raiders have stopped rushing him for a reason, and he crashes down and stones the DT with Long.

-Bushrod kicks out to the Sam LB [Moore, 55] and picks him up.

-TE picks up delayed LB blitz who gets caught in the wash because of the physical blocks of Slauson and Garza.

Good Protection

Blitz 10: 40, Safety Weak D, Weak DE Crashes B Gap, Mack Delay Weak C [Bennett Drop]

-Mills stones DE, Long takes the DT and falls late, Garza picks up the NT with a nice block.

-Slauson and Bushrod handle the stunt blitz perfectly with Slauson picking up the crashing DE and Bushrod taking the delayed blitz.

-RB picks up the S [24, Woodson].

Good Protection

Blitz 11: 40, Will and S Weak B, Safety Strong B [Incomplete]

-Long misses the safety and gives up a pressure.

-Woodson is extra man and gets pressure.

-Mills not in great position on 55 but uses long arms to run 55 by.

Pressure Long

Blitz 12: 40, Sam Stunts into Weak A [13 Yard Completion]

-Mills and Long take the DE and DT, Long knocks the DT and Mills to the ground, then picks up the DE coming inside. Ugly, but exactly what you are looking for.

-Bush picks up the SLB stunt.

Good Protection

Blitz 13: 40, Mack stunts to weak B [14 Yard Completion]

-Long crashes down into the NT allowing Garza to come off for the LB.

-Garza should get off a little sooner, but Long’s powerful crash down forces Roach to go wider.

Good Protection

Blitz 14: 40, Sam Strong D, Mack Weak B [Bad Snap]

-Good pick up but the snap killed the play.

Good Protection

*1st team OL leaves the game.

Blitz 15: 40, Will Weak D, MLB Weak A Delay [Throw Away]

-Long does not pick up the WLB on the play action fake.

-Mills nice job on the DE.

-The Bears slide the protection in a play action backside roll out, which leaves Long to block 2 guys and Boggs, Brown and Webb taking 2 guys.

QB Hit Long

Blitz 16: 50, Sam Drops, Weakside End [51, Bass] Zone Drops, Mack Blitz Strong A, Safety Delay [8 yard completion]

-Mills does a nice job of coming back to the DE when Sam Drops.

-This allows Long to come inside and take the MLB who blitzes.

-Ford goes to deep in the line and does not get to the safety blitz, but it is do delayed that he gets no pressure.

Good Protection

Blitz 17: Bad Snap Fumble [Dead Play]

Observations

-The starting OL was blitzed 14 times by the Raiders and they allowed 2 pressures [Slauson and Long] and one on Forte. They allow 0 QB hits and 0 sacks.

-The Raiders mostly blitzed the left side of the line and did not directly attack the rookie right side.

-The Raiders dropped the DE going against Mills, which you do when you CANNOT beat a guy. Mills and Long handled the zone blitz very well.

-With the 2nd group Long gives up a QB hit on a play action fake.

-The pressure that led to the McCown interception came with James Brown and Eben Britton on the inside without Long and Mills on the field.

Concerns over the Bears rookie right side being able to pick up the blitz are over blown and they do not look lost or confused. In fact that do a very solid job allowing 1 pressure and 1 hit on 17 blitz plays.

For More Great Chicago Sports Content

Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE