Here is why the comments about Montez Sweat from Matt Eberflus make absolutely zero sense
A notable observation from the Chicago Bears' recent defeat to the Detroit Lions was Montez Sweat's unexpectedly limited participation. In his debut game post-trade, Sweat was active for only 65% of the game, a season low if excluding an early exit due to injury.
Questions arise regarding Matt Eberflus's decision-making on the utilization of Montez Sweat, the Bears' prominent edge rusher. Sweat's involvement slightly improved to 73% during the Thursday Night Football game against the Carolina Panthers. Anticipations were that, post a ten-day break and full integration into the team, Sweat would maintain at least 75% playtime.
Contrary to these expectations, his participation decreased to a mere 63% against the Lions, with his absence noted during several critical plays that led to Detroit scoring.
Eberflus justified his strategy of limiting his elite pass rusher by stating the importance of rotation to keep the players fresh, given their exertion on the field. While the rationale of using Sweat to bolster the team's depth and maintain player stamina holds merit, the execution raises doubts. For comparison, Yannick Ngakoue has rarely played less than 65% of the snaps this season, and even DeMarcus Walker, when starting, seldom dropped below 64%.
If the intention was to conserve energy across the board, then logically, the snap counts for Ngakoue and Walker should have been adjusted in tandem with Sweat's. Yet, Ngakoue's snap share was 73% on the same Sunday.
Considering Sweat's superior performance as both a run defender and pass rusher compared to Ngakoue, who has notably struggled against the run, it would seem reasonable for Ngakoue to be the one with reduced playing time for preservation. Nevertheless, the Bears have not taken this route.
What further adds to the perplexity is the Bears' approach to their rotation strategy. There were too many instances where both Ngakoue and Sweat were off the field, leaving the pass rushing to Rasheem Green and Walker. Ideally, there should be a strategic mix, ensuring that when Sweat rests, Ngakoue should be in action, and the reverse. Yet, this was not the case, leading to questions about the tactical decisions behind the Bears' defensive rotations.
