To orchestrate an upset, the Bears' first key is halting Khalil Mack.
Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy enjoys reminiscing about his time with the Packers as an assistant, but his college days seem to be his favorite topic of conversation.
When discussing his encounters with Khalil Mack during the Chargers edge rusher's time with the Bears, Getsy's enthusiasm was palpable.
"Yeah, he's an incredible player," Getsy remarked. "He has been.
"He's been a thorn in my side since I was a coach at Western Michigan. I think it was his senior year. I don't think we scored a point against them when he was at Buffalo (University), so he's an incredible player. You have to account for him at all times: Run game, pass game. That's what's really unique about him is that it's not just a pass game thing for him."
For the Bears, it's crucial to prevent inexperienced Tyson Bagent from being exposed to Mack.
As the Bears have learned, Mack is a game-changer.
If they can't contain Mack and prevent him from disrupting the game, they're already at a disadvantage. Having Darnell Wright, who has an injured left shoulder, line up against Mack makes the challenge even more daunting.
This significant challenge plays a significant role in the keys to the Bears pulling off an upset against the Chargers.
1. Early Deep PassingThe Bears defeated the Raiders with an efficient offense that excelled on first downs and consistently moved the chains. To replicate this success in consecutive games, they'll likely need to start the game by taking deep shots against the Chargers. The Chargers' defense will be prepared to stop a Bagent-led offense that resembles last week's performance. The defense will likely have its players positioned to eliminate short passes and challenge Bagent to throw deeper. This shift in advantage benefits the defense, as it allows Mack and company to apply pressure to Bagent. Therefore, the Bears should attempt deep passes off play-action early in the game to deter the Chargers from their strategy, especially if they can complete a few of those attempts.
This strategy, resembling "Johnny U" football, will require the Bears to keep extra blockers in protection, reducing the number of receivers in pass routes. Back in the 1960s, offenses, including John Unitas and the Colts, often followed this style, prioritizing deep throws with minimal players in pass patterns. The approach involved maximum protection to prevent "high tops" sacks, which affected passer efficiency statistics from that era. Players like Cole Kmet, Roschon Johnson, Khari Blasingame, D'Onta Foreman, and even Robert Tonyan will likely be called upon as additional pass blockers to create a protective barrier against Mack and Joey Bosa during early deep pass plays. While this approach isn't ideal for consistent movement of the chains, it can disrupt the Chargers' defensive strategy and provide an opportunity for deep gains, particularly considering the Chargers' league-worst 335.5 passing yards per game allowed. They have conceded 28 explosive passes of 20 yards or longer, the highest in the league.
The max-protect approach should not be employed throughout the entire game, as it is not conducive to consistent chain movement. However, it can be used to keep the Chargers on the defensive, preventing their pass rushers from gaining momentum. Eventually, the Bears can transition to their short passing game to maintain offensive balance and move the chains consistently, which will also complement their running game and wide zone blocking scheme.
2. Winning on First DownPenalties before the snap must be eliminated. The Bears committed too many of these penalties last week, hindering their chances of winning. To gain control and win on third down or convert on second down, the Bears need to pick up at least 5 yards on first down.
Over the past two seasons, the Chargers have an 8-1 record when they allow less than 5 yards per play on first downs, the second-best average in the league. Although running against the Chargers is a challenging task, as they rank 11th in run defense, the Bears need to achieve 5-yard or more gains on first down. This can be accomplished through motion along the line of scrimmage.
As Getsy mentioned, Mack can disrupt running plays, so the Bears must divert his attention elsewhere and keep the ball or blockers moving in different directions.
| POLL | ||
29 OCTOBRE | 22 ANSWERS To orchestrate an upset, the Bears' first key is halting Khalil Mack. Can the Bears win the game? | ||
| Yes | 13 | 59.1 % |
| No | 9 | 40.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
