- Joined:
- Sep 28, 2014
- Posts:
- 8,618
- Liked Posts:
- 10,236
- Location:
- Chicago, IL
The Bears imposed their will on the Vikings in this game in every way imaginable, the most glaring of all being physically. They pounded the Vikings from the first play of the game. It was one crushing collision after another, both on defense and on offense. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses for Trubisky, but the progress is evident.
THE OFFENSE
Nagy’s gameplan in this game was to avoid the Vikings pass rush at all costs and minimize Zimmer’s opportunities to confuse Trubisky with his outside the box coverage and pressure schemes. To accomplish this, he ran early and often to acquire manageable 3rd downs and no obvious pass situations where Zimmer could play with his defense. When he did pass, it was predominantly 3 step drops and a sprinkle of designed deep shots with extra pass protection on early downs. Massie/Leno against the Vikings edge rushers is a real big mismatch. The couple of times Nagy actually called a longer drop back with no extra protections, Massie/Leno were getting destroyed.
The very first Bears offensive series was basically the blueprint for the whole game offensively. The physical pounding of the Minnesota Vikings began on the first play. It was a power run with TE’s, an OT in at fullback, and multiple Minnesota bodies falling by the wayside.
The tone was set. The Vikings were not going up against a team looking ahead to the playoffs. Play 2 was a zone run acting as a change up, and Josh Bellamy somehow sealed 2 Vikings defenders for the cutback run...
Play 3 is a run by Miller, but focus on the lead blocker (Howard) as he just lays a brutal hit on the defensive back...
Play #4 is the Miller injury. At first I thought he fell on the shoulder, but the shoulder actually dislocated right after a simple juke move before Miller fell to the ground...
On 3rd and short, Nagy finally calls the first pass play, and it’s a 3 step drop. One thing aboot designed 3 step drops, the QB pretty much has to get rid of the ball early or get the hell out of the pocket quickly. Because of the short timing routes coupled with the different technique the offensive line utilized on these plays, you could get yourself killed holding onto the ball. The Oline tries to engage the defense almost immediately instead of backpedaling on these types of plays to keep the throwing lanes open for the QB and to stop any immediate pressure. OT’s sometimes utilize chop blocks. The offensive line basically attacks the defense off the snap to keep the pocket completely clean for a very short and immediate period of time. If the QB doesn’t get rid of the ball, the protection collapses on him.
Here is a screenshot of the offensive line right after the snap on the first called pass. Instead of backpedaling, the line moves laterally to not give up any ground. Leno/Daniels/Long engage their assignments within the first step to halt the rush and preserve the pocket...
A moment later, Massie attempts a chop block...
The play is set up to go to 1 of the 2 receivers set up to the right, but the linebacker sinks into the zone they are attacking at the very last moment, cutting off the throwing lane.
Since it’s a designed 3 step drop, Trubisky should either just throw it away or get out of the pocket, but he shows greet awareness in seeing that the rush was not going to get to him, so he stayed patient in the pocket. Kyle Long does a great job helping extend the play by moving off his assignment and taking on Massie’s, who just sold out in order to stop the initial rush. At the same time, on the other side of the field Shaheen is running wide open after 2 Vikings defenders get tangled into each other.
It’s easy to say that Trubisky should have hit the open Shaheen for the TD, but remember that his progressions were never designed to even get to that side of the field. He still should have hit him, but it wasn’t as simple as it looked. Trubisky does eventually glance in Shaheen’s direction, but I think it was just as a quick show to move the middle linebacker. If he did see Shaheen and just chose not to throw it to him, maybe he was a bit reluctant as it was his first pass of the game and he didn’t want to sail a pass he had to get some air under, instead going with the fastball underneath to Burton.
Either way, the process to get it to Burton was sound. Trubisky waited out the middle linebacker. In this position, the LB could still impact the throwing lane to Burton...
Trubisky stays perfectly still in his stance in order to not tip off the attempt to Burton. He then glances to his left, and the moment the LB commits to that side Trubisky fires it to Burton...
Yes, it should have been a TD. But Trubisky still took a failed play and turned it into a first down on a route that had already ended...
Accuracy
Sometimes it looks as though Trubisky overthinks things and tries to make the perfect throw. Here he sails a pass to an open Burton...
I am reminded of some comments Troy Aikman made recently in reference to Dak Prescott. On accuracy, he said that you either have it or you don’t. He said that the good QB’s in the NFL are accurate no matter their mechanics. They can still put the ball where they want to even when they are off balance. Trubisky possesses this trait when he is throwing on instinct. On this particular play, a blitzing linebacker is coming at Trubisky untouched through the LOS. Trubisky has no time to overthink this throw, nor does he have time to step into his throw. Yet he still slings the ball 25 yards in the air using only his arm with pressure directly in his face and puts it right where it has to be through a tiny window. This is a BIG TIME throw, and that is putting it lightly...
MIND GAMES
One thing that was really noticeable in this game was Trubisky consistently bleeding the play clock. And sure, it’s hard getting plays called with that annoying horn blowing. But some of it also had to do with how Zimmer disguises his defenses, and Trubisky trying to coax the defense into showing their cards early pre snap. And then Trubisky trying to adjust the play accordingly. There was a pre snap battle between Harrison Smith and Mitchell Trubisky throughout the entire game. Trubisky tried to figure out where Smith was going, and Smith tried to fool him.
On this play Smith is lined up 10 yards off the line, seemingly to take away an in breaking Gabriel.
As the play clock runs down, Smith creeps in toward the LOS looking like he may blitz...
Trubisky notices this, and thinks he may have a 1 on 1 with Gabriel on the outside. So he throws a quick pass to Gabriel immediately. Smith takes a false step toward the qb, but he stays in coverage. Smith wins this round...
But on the very next play, Trubisky and the Bears turn it around on the vikings. Trubisky looks to be making dummy calls to get the Vikings to step into their real coverage assignments presnap. Smith looks to have taken the bait, jumping towards the LOS as if he’s going to blitz again. But this time, the offensive line points Smith out and look to have just adjusted their protection in order to account for a possible blitzing Smith...
With the supposed protection adjustment, the Vikings now think they can sneak attack a blitz from the other direction. At the snap, Smith bails back into Coverage while the slot corner blitzes into the now “weakened” side of the offensive line.
But the Oline adjustment was all just an act. The Bears coaxed the Vikings into making this move, and had a play designed to go right into the vacated area following the slot blitz...
It’s 3rd down and 7, and the Vikings line 7 defenders up directly on the LOS. The Bears only have 6 potential blockers...
Trubisky decides to change the original play call, motioning the kill signal with his hands across his chest to his recievers...
Trubisky makes Wims the hot read. If the blitz comes at Trubisky, Wims has to read it and shorten his route accordingly so that Trubisky has a viable option to get rid of the ball quickly. Wims identifies the blitz and turns his head toward the QB 6 yards into his route...
AWARENESS AND SAVVY
This play looks like a really bad pass by Trubisky...
But within the confines of the play design, it’s a real savvy move by Trubisky. Another 3 step drop, so the ball has to come out. But Trubisky recognizes that there is no play on this route as being run. There is a linebacker in the zone where the ball needs to go to Bellamy...
But instead of just throwing it away, Trubisky instead fires it into the only open window available, the pivot area where the route breaks inside.
What Trubisky hopes to happen here is Bellamy identifying the coverage and reading that he’s running right into a dead end, and instead stopping his route short in the open zone. This does not happen, It’s Bellamy after all, but it was worth a try...
Trubisky’s pressure awareness and avoidance gets better by the week...
THE OFFENSE
Nagy’s gameplan in this game was to avoid the Vikings pass rush at all costs and minimize Zimmer’s opportunities to confuse Trubisky with his outside the box coverage and pressure schemes. To accomplish this, he ran early and often to acquire manageable 3rd downs and no obvious pass situations where Zimmer could play with his defense. When he did pass, it was predominantly 3 step drops and a sprinkle of designed deep shots with extra pass protection on early downs. Massie/Leno against the Vikings edge rushers is a real big mismatch. The couple of times Nagy actually called a longer drop back with no extra protections, Massie/Leno were getting destroyed.
The very first Bears offensive series was basically the blueprint for the whole game offensively. The physical pounding of the Minnesota Vikings began on the first play. It was a power run with TE’s, an OT in at fullback, and multiple Minnesota bodies falling by the wayside.
The tone was set. The Vikings were not going up against a team looking ahead to the playoffs. Play 2 was a zone run acting as a change up, and Josh Bellamy somehow sealed 2 Vikings defenders for the cutback run...
Play 3 is a run by Miller, but focus on the lead blocker (Howard) as he just lays a brutal hit on the defensive back...
Play #4 is the Miller injury. At first I thought he fell on the shoulder, but the shoulder actually dislocated right after a simple juke move before Miller fell to the ground...
On 3rd and short, Nagy finally calls the first pass play, and it’s a 3 step drop. One thing aboot designed 3 step drops, the QB pretty much has to get rid of the ball early or get the hell out of the pocket quickly. Because of the short timing routes coupled with the different technique the offensive line utilized on these plays, you could get yourself killed holding onto the ball. The Oline tries to engage the defense almost immediately instead of backpedaling on these types of plays to keep the throwing lanes open for the QB and to stop any immediate pressure. OT’s sometimes utilize chop blocks. The offensive line basically attacks the defense off the snap to keep the pocket completely clean for a very short and immediate period of time. If the QB doesn’t get rid of the ball, the protection collapses on him.
Here is a screenshot of the offensive line right after the snap on the first called pass. Instead of backpedaling, the line moves laterally to not give up any ground. Leno/Daniels/Long engage their assignments within the first step to halt the rush and preserve the pocket...
A moment later, Massie attempts a chop block...
The play is set up to go to 1 of the 2 receivers set up to the right, but the linebacker sinks into the zone they are attacking at the very last moment, cutting off the throwing lane.
Since it’s a designed 3 step drop, Trubisky should either just throw it away or get out of the pocket, but he shows greet awareness in seeing that the rush was not going to get to him, so he stayed patient in the pocket. Kyle Long does a great job helping extend the play by moving off his assignment and taking on Massie’s, who just sold out in order to stop the initial rush. At the same time, on the other side of the field Shaheen is running wide open after 2 Vikings defenders get tangled into each other.
It’s easy to say that Trubisky should have hit the open Shaheen for the TD, but remember that his progressions were never designed to even get to that side of the field. He still should have hit him, but it wasn’t as simple as it looked. Trubisky does eventually glance in Shaheen’s direction, but I think it was just as a quick show to move the middle linebacker. If he did see Shaheen and just chose not to throw it to him, maybe he was a bit reluctant as it was his first pass of the game and he didn’t want to sail a pass he had to get some air under, instead going with the fastball underneath to Burton.
Either way, the process to get it to Burton was sound. Trubisky waited out the middle linebacker. In this position, the LB could still impact the throwing lane to Burton...
Trubisky stays perfectly still in his stance in order to not tip off the attempt to Burton. He then glances to his left, and the moment the LB commits to that side Trubisky fires it to Burton...
Yes, it should have been a TD. But Trubisky still took a failed play and turned it into a first down on a route that had already ended...
Accuracy
Sometimes it looks as though Trubisky overthinks things and tries to make the perfect throw. Here he sails a pass to an open Burton...
I am reminded of some comments Troy Aikman made recently in reference to Dak Prescott. On accuracy, he said that you either have it or you don’t. He said that the good QB’s in the NFL are accurate no matter their mechanics. They can still put the ball where they want to even when they are off balance. Trubisky possesses this trait when he is throwing on instinct. On this particular play, a blitzing linebacker is coming at Trubisky untouched through the LOS. Trubisky has no time to overthink this throw, nor does he have time to step into his throw. Yet he still slings the ball 25 yards in the air using only his arm with pressure directly in his face and puts it right where it has to be through a tiny window. This is a BIG TIME throw, and that is putting it lightly...
MIND GAMES
One thing that was really noticeable in this game was Trubisky consistently bleeding the play clock. And sure, it’s hard getting plays called with that annoying horn blowing. But some of it also had to do with how Zimmer disguises his defenses, and Trubisky trying to coax the defense into showing their cards early pre snap. And then Trubisky trying to adjust the play accordingly. There was a pre snap battle between Harrison Smith and Mitchell Trubisky throughout the entire game. Trubisky tried to figure out where Smith was going, and Smith tried to fool him.
On this play Smith is lined up 10 yards off the line, seemingly to take away an in breaking Gabriel.
As the play clock runs down, Smith creeps in toward the LOS looking like he may blitz...
Trubisky notices this, and thinks he may have a 1 on 1 with Gabriel on the outside. So he throws a quick pass to Gabriel immediately. Smith takes a false step toward the qb, but he stays in coverage. Smith wins this round...
But on the very next play, Trubisky and the Bears turn it around on the vikings. Trubisky looks to be making dummy calls to get the Vikings to step into their real coverage assignments presnap. Smith looks to have taken the bait, jumping towards the LOS as if he’s going to blitz again. But this time, the offensive line points Smith out and look to have just adjusted their protection in order to account for a possible blitzing Smith...
With the supposed protection adjustment, the Vikings now think they can sneak attack a blitz from the other direction. At the snap, Smith bails back into Coverage while the slot corner blitzes into the now “weakened” side of the offensive line.
But the Oline adjustment was all just an act. The Bears coaxed the Vikings into making this move, and had a play designed to go right into the vacated area following the slot blitz...
It’s 3rd down and 7, and the Vikings line 7 defenders up directly on the LOS. The Bears only have 6 potential blockers...
Trubisky decides to change the original play call, motioning the kill signal with his hands across his chest to his recievers...
Trubisky makes Wims the hot read. If the blitz comes at Trubisky, Wims has to read it and shorten his route accordingly so that Trubisky has a viable option to get rid of the ball quickly. Wims identifies the blitz and turns his head toward the QB 6 yards into his route...
AWARENESS AND SAVVY
This play looks like a really bad pass by Trubisky...
But within the confines of the play design, it’s a real savvy move by Trubisky. Another 3 step drop, so the ball has to come out. But Trubisky recognizes that there is no play on this route as being run. There is a linebacker in the zone where the ball needs to go to Bellamy...
But instead of just throwing it away, Trubisky instead fires it into the only open window available, the pivot area where the route breaks inside.
What Trubisky hopes to happen here is Bellamy identifying the coverage and reading that he’s running right into a dead end, and instead stopping his route short in the open zone. This does not happen, It’s Bellamy after all, but it was worth a try...
Trubisky’s pressure awareness and avoidance gets better by the week...
Last edited:
