Week 8 Film Review: Offense

[Adipost]

1ST HALF

The game started out well for the Bears offense. On the first play, Foles sees the slot CB over Miller start creeping up to the LOS, as well as the safety to take the CB’s position.

***CLIP***

He reads the man coverage blitz and immediately goes to Miller for an easy 8 yards...

***CLIP #1***

***CLIP#2***

Foles motions Robinson, which clears out the second safety...

***CLIP***

This leaves Wims with a ten yard cushion on Lattimore, and a definite leverage advantage. Foles takes the easy 9 yards...

***CLIP***

Montgomery barrels into the back of Ifedi, who falls over and onto the leg of Massie...

***CLIP***

Mustipher with a great block against the linebacker to spring a 5 yard gain. Also of note on this play, Kmet stands tall 1 on 1 against a defensive end. All while Jimmy Graham stands around and does nothing. An absolutely dreadful effort by Graham on this play, otherwise this could have been a much longer gain...

***CLIP***

Next play, Mustipher delivers a wild snap, but Foles snatches it without a problem and gets it to Miller for the 1st down...

***CLIP***

This play gets blown up, it’s literally all Montgomery for the first down...

***CLIP***

Drive finally stalls on a sack where Coward is caught well out of position during a DE stunt...

***CLIP***

Next possession begins with a promising run play where the offensive line gets a huge push against the defensive front...

***CLIP***

After that play, the Saints defense begins to cheat up in order to stop the run...

***CLIP***

And they end up getting caught with no deep safety...

***CLIP #1***

***CLIP #2***

Drive ends with a really nice endzone corner route play design against man coverage...

***CLIP***

Nagy loves these types of plays, but they do take some time to develop, and the offensive line did hold up on this particular play...

***CLIP***

JT O’Sullivan, a longtime backup QB, and provider of great NFL content (was responsible for breaking down opponents tape on several different NFL teams), was once asked what’s the difference between a backup NFL an and a legitimate starting NFL QB. He said the main difference across the board was consistency in accuracy. A legit NFL an could put the ball where he wanted whenever he wanted most times, while accuracy would come and go for back up QB’s.

We saw some of this from Foles in this game and previouslyComing off that great TD drive, he throws this drive killer incompletion to Graham on the very next possession. You are probably not trying to lead Graham here because of the charging safety, but the ball was clearly thrown behind him...

***CLIP***

Near the end of the first half, the Bears snap off their biggest run of the season. Spriggs clears out the DE Davenport using his own momentum. Ifedi bulldozes both Mustipher and the DT Tittle. Rankins collapses in pain after the falling Mustipher falls on and bends his leg. Montgomery makes the LB in the hole miss. The TD was saved by the speedy Lattimore (#23). He caught up to Montgomery so quickly from the trailing position, that it did not allow Montgomery to cut to the sideline and avoid the safety who had the angle on him. Bears ended up kicking the field goal.

***CLIP***

 

[Adipost]

3RD QUARTER

To start the 2nd half, Saints begin in zone coverage. Nagy runs a zone bearer where all targets stop in front of it, for easy yardage...

***CLIP***

I thought this play was really interesting. Mustipher does nothing on this play. He gets kicked in the shin initially, hobbles around, and then gets his foot stepped on. Kmet gets manhandled at the second level. Usually just one mistake kills the entire play for the Bears. But here they still gained 4 yards and a first down. We are seeing progress in the overall running game...

***CLIP***

This is a brilliant play design that gets Mooney 1 on 1 against a linebacker. Great play by the LB to force Mooney out of bounds...

***CLIP***

First drive ends in a sack where Spriggs has no idea who to block and lets the LB through basically untouched...

***CLIP***

The next possession was the INT. It’s hard to decipher what happened there. But the ball was so off target that it may have been a “chemistry play”, coined by the great Peyton Manning. This is where a WR sees that his route is heading into a double team, so he breaks off of it out of the structure of the play design.

The Saints were playing cover 2 deep man coverage. Graham was heading right into the teeth of a double team with the trailing CB and the over the top safety. It looks like Foles was hoping that Graham would stop short on the route and throw him a back shoulder. Another reason this may be the case is because the ball is thrown at the lowest trajectory possible, as Foles threw the ball full side arm...

***CLIP #1***

***CLIP #2***

Either way, this was an extremely risky pass. Robinson on the out route was his first read. I think he saw him there for an easy 7-8 yards. But then he realized that had a clean pocket and decided to go for a bigger chunk on 2nd and 20, so he looked off Robinson and went deeper into his progressions.

Nagy catches the Saints cheating in again. Foles spots Mooney over the top with no deep safety, but this time he’s off target. Great coverage by Lattimore as well, one of the few defensive backs that could actually keep up with Mooney stride for stride...

***CLIP # 1***

Nice seal block by Spriggs to spring a 7 yard run. Mustipher whiffs on his cut block attempt, but Montgomery is able to get around the LB...

***CLIP***

Unfortunately, Kmet delivers a very weak block attempt against the safety, otherwise Montgomery would have been able to completely get around the corner...

***CLIP***

Drive ends on a 3rd and 3 run. Great work by #56 of diagnosing the play and not giving up the cutback lane...

***CLIP***

Following possession starts with Foles beating zone coverage for a 16 yard gain...

***CLIP***

Miller settled into the perfect spot in between 3 defenders on the play...

***CLIP***

It seems like everything Jimmy Graham does is at half effort. Here he stands around and weakly tags random defenders around him...

***CLIP***

4TH QUARTER

Graham was called for a false start on the next play, which set up the 4th and 5. The play looked really ugly for Foles, but it was actually not a stupid decision.

It’s 4th down, so throwing the ball away would make no sense. Taking a sack would be the worst case scenario. So Foles lofted a jump ball into the direction of his jump ball WR. An INT would even be beneficial on this play, as it would have acted like a punt...

***CLIP***

With a two score lead, the Saints defense was finally able to focus on rushing the passer exclusively. It started on the first pass, where Leno gets bullrushed right into Foles...

***CLIP***

Next play Coward gets beat...

***CLIP***

With time, Foles finds Robinson downfield...

***CLIP***

With time again, Foles finds Graham...

***CLIP***

The Saints try keeping a linebacker in on Graham to guard against a jump ball, meaning they don’t think he can get open either way. They just want a big body on him to guard against the jump ball. It does not work out for them...

***CLIP***

TD has Mooney in a bunch formation to create natural space for him at the snap...

***CLIP***

The game tying drive looked awfully methodical, but it’s difficult to wait on longer routes when you are being pressured...

***CLIP #1***

***CLIP #2***

Spriggs gets beat here. Foles senses it and slides to his left immediately to buy more time. Miller comes free off of a pick play on 4th and long...

***CLIP***

Leno gets beat on an inside move. I don’t know how Foles completed that ball in the position he was in...

***CLIP***

Mustipher gets beat on an inside move...

***CLIP***

Which set up the big 3rd and long. It was against a cover 2 man defense, and Miller ran a precise out route. The fluidity in the way he made his break was impressive...

***CLIP***

And Foles threw a beautiful ball...

***CLIP***

OT began poorly, with a coverage sack showing that Foles does not have an elusive bone in his body...

***CLIP***

Foles redeems himself with a perfect ball to Robinson on 3rd down...

***CLIP***

But that was the high point of overtime, as the drive ended with 2 drops and a sack.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Pass protection was good until the threat of the run was gone. And then it fell apart. The run game seems on the verge of something good. There are still too many errors across the board to expect consistent sustained drives.

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

Y’all complaining about spriggs.. beasts the line on that big run, stand up Jordan on the td.. cmon man

 

[legendxofxlink]

Y’all complaining about spriggs.. beasts the line on that big run, stand up Jordan on the td.. cmon man

Right off the bench, Spriggs wasn’t the worst linemen on the field..

 

[Spitta Andretti]

Y’all complaining about spriggs.. beasts the line on that big run, stand up Jordan on the td.. cmon man

before cam got the sack, saints fans were asking who the RT was on the bears because cam was invisible

 

[legendxofxlink]

Right off the bench, Spriggs wasn’t the worst linemen on the field..

Like this guy...

 

[Bearly]

Y’all complaining about spriggs.. beasts the line on that big run, stand up Jordan on the td.. cmon man

Wait for the 2nd 1/2

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

Wait for the 2nd 1/2

I have. He had the one bad play against Jordan. He held up really good otherwise.

 

[Bearly]

I have. He had the one bad play against Jordan. He held up really good otherwise.

I'll have to rewatch as I was wrong about the # of sacks he gave up but he's clearly worse than Massie.

 

[Outlaw Josey Cutler]

I'll have to rewatch as I was wrong about the # of sacks he gave up but he's clearly worse than Massie.

Off the bench? No shit you say??

Bookmark this. Spriggs fucked up at times but he fought hard and is playing aggressive. With Massie out for a month, he has plenty of room for growth and make a case to become a RT. I am unsure of his talent but he looked like he has the attitude it takes to make it.

EDIT: Forgot fucking COVID. Fuck.

 

[legendxofxlink]

I'll have to rewatch as I was wrong about the # of sacks he gave up but he's clearly worse than Massie.

What’s clear about it?? Massie got punked by Leonard Floyd and whoever the Panthers trotted on the field.

Spriggs came off the bench in the first live action of the year, no preseason, and had a few bad reps against an Allpro, but also gave Foles clean pockets while he held the ball for 4 seconds and got some push in the run game that hasnt happened all year. Color me ready to move on from both tackles. Bring in another and let Spriggs battle it out next year.

 

[Bearly]

I think he's actually better suited for the other side and that he'll get bullied at RT if we see him again. I'll rewatch the 2nd 1/2 and key on him. I'll eat my words if it shows he played well.

 

[abegibronlives]

Like this guy...

View attachment 8090

A picture worth a thousand angry words....

That pic would be absolutely hilarious if it wasn't the Bears.

As it is, it's just kind of sad.

 

[Bearly]

So I rewatched the 2nd 1/2. I can appreciate that Spriggs looked very competent and that he has been well trained on how to hold in the NFL (good thing) but he looks good until he whiffs. I counted 3 sacks that were clearly on him. I initially thought 2 but saw that he was fully responsible for an inside rush as well. I think it was in overtime. What a tease and probably why GB said bye. You can't say someone played well when he gives up 3 sacks after 1/2 time. It's not about style points.

 

[HearshotKDS]

Why did Pace re-sign Coward in this offseason.

 

[Adipost]

Like this guy...

View attachment 8090

Yeah, Leno was responsible for taking out the LB #

Like this guy...

View attachment 8090

LMAO Hilarious pic, but it’s not as bad as it looked. Leno was responsible for LB #47 (the player who made the tackle) but he’d already gotten past him before he finished his combo block.

So I rewatched the 2nd 1/2. I can appreciate that Spriggs looked very competent and that he has been well trained on how to hold in the NFL (good thing) but he looks good until he whiffs. I counted 3 sacks that were clearly on him. I initially thought 2 but saw that he was fully responsible for an inside rush as well. I think it was in overtime. What a tease and probably why GB said bye. You can't say someone played well when he gives up 3 sacks after 1/2 time. It's not about style points.

I thought the 3rd sack was on Foles for holding the ball too long. But to your point, it looks as though one of his strengths is his ability to latch onto defenders after he’s initially beat.

 

[Bearly]

Yeah, Leno was responsible for taking out the LB #


LMAO Hilarious pic, but it’s not as bad as it looked. Leno was responsible for LB #47 (the player who made the tackle) but he’d already gotten past him before he finished his combo block.


I thought the 3rd sack was on Foles for holding the ball too long. But to your point, it looks as though one of his strengths is his ability to latch onto defenders after he’s initially beat.

Nobody holds as well as GB linemen. I was actually impressed with how much he got away with. Not joking.

 

[Outlaw Josey Cutler]

You can't say someone played well

Who are you talking to? Reply the one you want this to apply to, thanks.

Also, as per CCS standard operating procedure: nice strawman but Halloween is over and no one said this. In fact, legend and I said he played poorly often but I saw more life and spirit in how he played than I have ever seen in Massie. And I do not regret saying that.

 

[Bearly]

Who are you talking to? Reply the one you want this to apply to, thanks.

Also, as per CCS standard operating procedure: nice strawman but Halloween is over and no one said this. In fact, legend and I said he played poorly often but I saw more life and spirit in how he played than I have ever seen in Massie. And I do not regret saying that.

OK teach. This is ongoing with The RyanGuy. It's also SOP to simply move on if it doesn't pertain to you. Then all of a sudden it did. It's also allowed to make comments and give opinions without quotes but you be you.

Look, I went to the trouble of rewatching the 2nd 1/2 to see if my earlier comments were off base since I didn't concentrate on line play during the game. Don't shoot the messenger if you didn't like the 3 sack result.

 

[Outlaw Josey Cutler]

It's also SOP to simply move on if it doesn't pertain to you.

My literal question was WHO does it pertain to? I can now infer it was not me and now I can see it was not @legendxofxlink ... Don't shoot the messenger if you are unclear WHO you are replying to when you do not actually CLICK "reply"

It's also allowed to make comments and give opinions without quotes

It's ALLOWED sure but confusing as hell. Is it really that hard to quote That Guy Ryan when you get to the 2nd half because both my post and legend's post were more recent but "you do you" (fucking moronic statement on a board designed for communication with others)

Don't shoot the messenger if you didn't like the 3 sack result.

I won't shoot anyone but I blame Foles for at least 1-2 of those and the other falls under the category of us saying "Spriggs fucked up at times". Certainly more reasonable than acting like Spriggs play so shitty you missed Massie (!) as your OP suggested

- when in fact he was playing pretty decent and with far more fire than Massie especially considering coming off the bench.

Oh wait, lest I be a hypocrite - the post that inspired this:

I'll have to rewatch as I was wrong about the # of sacks he gave up but he's clearly worse than Massie.