Is Chuck Pagano wasting Khalil Mack?

[Adipost]

Khalil Mack had a dominant performance this past Sunday, like most Sundays...

Yet he seemed all but invisible. How could this be?

In 2018, Vic Fangio maximized the vast talent of Mack by complimenting him with an unpredictable secondary that confused QB’s. These radical changes in coverage from snap to snap caused hesitation and forced the QB to hold the ball for an extra moment, allowing Mack time to get to the QB. Fangio schemed Mack into favorable matchups.

Chuck Pagano, on the other hand, uses Mack only as a crutch to help his own secondary. There is no complementary play or cohesion. Mack is burdened with the entire load. Mack is sacrificed for the betterment of the secondary behind him with no vice versa. Pagano uses him simply as a chess piece to absorb blockers.

Against Detroit, Mack was consistently beating his one on one’s and absorbing triple teams on 3rd longs. But the benefits were small in large part due to Pagano’s scheme and philosophy.

First of all, every single time Detroit single blocked Mack it was on a 3 step drop. And the less than handful of times it wasn’t a 3 step drop, Mack beat his man...

When teams started going heavy with the 3 step drops, Fangio would counter by sending a safety down hill in robber coverage against the underneath routes. This forces the QB to either hold the ball longer (good for Mack) or risk making a huge mistake (good for secondary). Pagano rarely makes in game adjustments, even though the opposing team is basically tipping off their play call when Mack is isolated one on one. This predictably hampers Mack’s production...

Same goes for the double teams. Fangio would threaten an a gap blitzer to keep double teams off of Mack or he would send him into coverage rather than mangling him in between a triple team. There is much more room to get creative in the secondary.

Here’s a triple team on Mack by a WR, TE, and LT, leaving two less targets to deal with, yet the Bears gained no edge on this play...

And until Pagano starts countering, the triple teams will continue.

 

[Ares]

Its almost like we needed to sign another pass rusher to play opposite Mack.

Oh member Robert Quinn?

I sure am glad he came pre-injured.... I hate when I have to wait for an injury.

 

[dennehy]

Great post.

 

[PrideisBears]

Glad someone said it. I honestly was PISSED vic left because he utilized everyone. Pagano seems to just leave our pass rushers on an island

 

[Bearly]

Khalil Mack had a dominant performance this past Sunday, like most Sundays...

Yet he seemed all but invisible. How could this be?

In 2018, Vic Fangio maximized the vast talent of Mack by complimenting him with an unpredictable secondary that confused QB’s. These radical changes in coverage from snap to snap caused hesitation and forced the QB to hold the ball for an extra moment, allowing Mack time to get to the QB. Fangio schemed Mack into favorable matchups.

Chuck Pagano, on the other hand, uses Mack only as a crutch to help his own secondary. There is no complementary play or cohesion. Mack is burdened with the entire load. Mack is sacrificed for the betterment of the secondary behind him with no vice versa. Pagano uses him simply as a chess piece to absorb blockers.

Against Detroit, Mack was consistently beating his one on one’s and absorbing triple teams on 3rd longs. But the benefits were small in large part due to Pagano’s scheme and philosophy.

First of all, every single time Detroit single blocked Mack it was on a 3 step drop. And the less than handful of times it wasn’t a 3 step drop, Mack beat his man...

When teams started going heavy with the 3 step drops, Fangio would counter by sending a safety down hill in robber coverage against the underneath routes. This forces the QB to either hold the ball longer (good for Mack) or risk making a huge mistake (good for secondary). Pagano rarely makes in game adjustments, even though the opposing team is basically tipping off their play call when Mack is isolated one on one. This predictably hampers Mack’s production...

Same goes for the double teams. Fangio would threaten an a gap blitzer to keep double teams off of Mack or he would send him into coverage rather than mangling him in between a triple team. There is much more room to get creative in the secondary.

Here’s a triple team on Mack by a WR, TE, and LT, leaving two less targets to deal with, yet the Bears gained no edge on this play...

And until Pagano starts countering, the triple teams will continue.

You're right but that's why Quinn is here. It should free up Mack or allow Quinn to feed instead. Of course, it doesn't matter if he's on the bench. They addressed this in a way to allow Pagano to do Pagano.

And I sure hope that the NFL looks at last weeks film and removes their push the points mandate. The Mack holding as egregious but it wasn't isolated to that game. When you see stuff like this league wide, it makes one question the credibility of the NFL. It literally could have cost us this game.

 

[ZOMBIE@CTESPN]

We’ve been bagging on pagano all off-season and in last Sunday’s igt. Something is up and I’m laying it in paganos lap

 

[dennehy]

I never thought of it this way, but the OP is right that Pagano sees things through the defensive backfield's perspective.

But what's weird is that pretty much every idiot knows that nothing helps the DBs more than a pass rush.

 

[Chicago Staleys]

I’m not a fan of Pagano. If anyone wants to tell him, it’s okay.

 

[ijustposthere]

I mean, I didn't think Mack was invisible, but most people think if he doesn't get 30 sacks and 16 FF in a game that he didn't do shit.

 

[PrideisBears]

I mean, I didn't think Mack was invisible, but most people think if he doesn't get 30 sacks and 16 FF in a game that he didn't do shit.

He needs a sack per dollar he makes or else he sucks

 

[SlickWilly]

A lot of incredibly stupid fucks on this board think Mack just sucks and isn't doing what we're paying him to do.

 

[jonimus]

Wow. Awesome post Adipost. Honestly hadn't thought of it that way.

Vic was a genius on D and everybody knows that. Pagano is well respected as a coach/D coordinator but clearly doesn't get as exotic as Fangio. While he's not going to drop Mack into coverage, I would hope he can adjust to bring a blitzer on Mack's side or drop a safety on teams going 3 step drop heavy.

Those clips make me a lot more optimistic about Mack. That was a dirty spin move and outside-in juke on the tackle.

 

[msadows]

A lot of incredibly stupid fucks on this board think Mack just sucks and isn't doing what we're paying him to do.

I've mentioned it before. A lot of bears fans, not just ones on here, never watch any part of the play besides where the ball is.

 

[Bust]

al

Those clips make me a lot more optimistic about Mack. That was a dirty spin move and outside-in juke on the tackle.

It was missed cause most tv fans rely on replay and announcers. Some zoom in on and focus line of scrimmage play. The tandem and camera crew that did the lions/bears game all but ignored that part of the game.

 

[D.J. Moore]

Well with how things are going we might get Vic back soon.

 

[Visionman]

Whether it’s Mack or Pagano, the pass rush has to improve. It’s foolish to invest all that cap in an elite pass rusher just to let him get taken out of the game...

 

[Black Rainbow]

So before Pagano got here...remember the book was, "his secondary is always good."

Now we know why. Am I getting that right?

 

[gallagher]

al

It was missed cause most tv fans rely on replay and announcers. Some zoom in on and focus line of scrimmage play. The tandem and camera crew that did the lions/bears game all but ignored that part of the game.

Dude the camera crew really needed the preseason to get their act together. This weekend I hope we have a better crew

 

[gallagher]

A lot of incredibly stupid fucks on this board think Mack just sucks and isn't doing what we're paying him to do.

Lotta people don't realize that when the opposing teams scheme to eliminate the threat of 52, that is the rest of the DLs job to get to the QB!

When they triple team Mack, we have at least three other dudes that gotta get past a single blocker. When they go with quick passes, the throw has to be on the money or they are gonna end up punting back to us. Mack did a great job, even if it didn't show up in the sack column of the stat sheet

 

[cubsforlife]

I’m not a fan of Pagano. If anyone wants to tell him, it’s okay.

To me, Pagano is fine. I think we all just miss Vic. He's one of, if not the best defensive minds in football. No matter who we brought in, I thought we'd face some drop off.