MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Chicago Bears’ last game feels like it was forever ago. That’s because two weeks ago, they went into their bye week by playing and looking the best they had in years, when they trounced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-10 at Soldier Field in a game that wasn’t as close as the score.
Immediately after the game, Trey Burton lamented the fact that the bye week was upon them. He felt the Bears were just beginning to hit their stride after putting together as complete a performance as you’ll see in the NFL. And Mitch Trubisky had just put together the best performance of his young career, throwing six touchdown passes and looking sharp and deadly accurate throughout the game.
Alas, the bye week came and went, and they began preparations to take on the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins started strong at 3-0, but lost back-to-back games in equally disheartening fashion: They got blown away in Foxborough by the New England Patriots, and then held a 17-0 lead in Cincinnati before giving up 27 unanswered points to lose to the Bengals.
The questions going into this game were: Could the offense replicate the same execution on the road coming off a long break against a beaten up yet very opportunistic defense? Could Trubisky find a way to keep his mechanics and footwork consistently on track to deliver throws accurately against a defense that can pick off passes with the best of them? And could the Bears’ defense figure out a way to attack an otherwise unimpressive offense that predicates itself on quick throws and screens, which would effectively render their fierce pass rush useless?
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I predicted that the Bears would win, but had some keys to the game that I shared during the week:
1. Employ a spy on Tannehill — he can move, and I envision some designed QB runs to keep the pass rush guessing.
2. Dolphins' pass D is opportunistic: Trubisky better have his feet set to make accurate throws.
3. Feed Jordan Howard.
Prediction: Bears 26, Dolphins 16. https://t.co/xf2vwqKqta
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 12, 2018
In the end, the Bears gave this game away. Plain and simple. The refs didn’t help with some awful calls throughout the day, but the Bears made too many mistakes to deserve to win. It sucks to lose against an inferior opponent after a bye week, but that’s where the Bears are.
As I always do, I jotted down my live, in-game reactions, thoughts and observations. And if you want to continue the conversation on any of these items below, follow me on Twitter and tweet me @DhruvKoul.
1. Pre-game Thought: Brock Osweiler got the start today in place of the injured Ryan Tannehill. I warned that this wasn’t AS good a thing for the Bears as we might think.
If Brock Osweiler plays, the quick game is certain to be in full effect. So the pass rush may not have the effect Bears' fans are hoping for. Strong tackling is going to be critical. https://t.co/wQ7lzO8vnk
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2018
So far in the first quarter, this is ringing true. The Bears really should press more with their corners to disrupt the timing plays. Adam Gase was not going to let his backup QB get eaten alive by the Bears’ pass rush. They have to adjust.
2. Mitch Trubisky HAS to hit Anthony Miller on third down on their first drive. These were the mistakes he corrected last week against the Buccaneers. He had all day, and flat out overthrew Miller for what likely would’ve been a touchdown. These mistakes are inexcusable. He also seemed to not correctly read a wide open Dion Sims on third down on the Bears’ ensuing drive, right before they were stuffed on fourth down.
3. Tarik Cohen has to cut inside on that fourth down run. But the bigger question is, on fourth and one, where is Jordan Howard? I really wouldn’t be surprised if he were upset about his usage after this week, especially in key situations.
4. The Bears’ offense has been absolutely brutal in the first half. Trubisky looks bad, but Matt Nagy has been too cute with his play calling. Second half adjustments are needed to help your struggling QB out.
Matt Nagy has to adjust his game plan in the second half. It's clear that the Bears' offense isn't as far ahead as he probably thought, and Trubisky looks lost today. Simplify.
Also, better, smarter running, please.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2018
5. Jordan Howard got the ball in the red zone. He picked up a crucial first down on a third and one. And then he fumbled on the one-yard line. That can’t happen. It absolutely cannot happen. This team is completely out of sorts in the first half; this after a beautiful play by Trubisky and Taylor Gabriel to set up the Bears in the red zone. Brutal.
But still, recency bias can’t settle in here:
No, the Jordan Howard fumble is not a reason to bench him or give him the ball any less.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2018
6. Good to see Kyle Fuller get into the turnover game with an INT right before halftime on a pass intended for DeVante Parker. That kept Miami off the board right before halftime to set up the following thought. Huge momentum play there.
7. Great response by the Bears coming out of halftime. Mitch with a beautiful keeper on first down that went all the way past midfield. He had a shot to go all the way if he didn’t trip, but that was a great call that confused the defense, and even the camera man! There was one play that I wasn’t a fan of on that drive, but otherwise, good to see a tie game quickly. They made up for that fumble from Howard.
Excellent response coming out of halftime.
Quick note, Mitch? Please never fucking throw back across the field like that again. https://t.co/sr7JqjYM2T
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2018
8. Kyle Fuller again! Beautiful read on a play that Osweiler seemed to diagnose for him. He jumped the route and sprinted to the 12-yard line. Huge. Next play, Trubisky found Allen Robinson on a rocket for a touchdown. Just like that, the Bears are up 14-7. Keep it up!
Bears' start to the second half right now. pic.twitter.com/hcXwRqvIDv
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2018
9. Taylor Gabriel was such an incredible add for this offense. His speed adds a totally different dimension to this offense. He and Tarik Cohen on the field at the same time is a matchup nightmare for defenses. Speed kills.
10. The run defense for the Bears has been bad today. They’re getting run over by an aging Frank Gore. This has to be cleaned up going forward. Miami’s rushing offense has helped Osweiler a good amount. The Dolphins haven’t had many third-and-unmanageables today.
11. A terrible OPI call on Trey Burton. And then Trubisky made a terrible decision on the next play and got picked in the end zone. He either didn’t see the safety (why not?), or decided to throw it anyway (bad decision). Huge momentum swing there.
That OPI on Burton was nonsense. Wipes seven points off the board.
And then Trubisky with a terrible decision. Bears have screwed themselves out of at least 14 points today.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2018
12. The Bears’ tackling today has been awful. Inexcusable. The offense just gave you six game minutes to rest with a rather surgical drive, and you give up the lead right away. I said above, that tackling was going to be a huge component for today’s game. It has been — and the Bears have been terrible on that front today.
13. These referees have been absolutely awful. They missed so many plays today it was awful. Just awful.
14. Horrible ending to a terribly played game overall. Bears deserved to win in the second half, until they deserved to lose. Some amazing luck for the Dolphins in overtime, but sickening nonetheless.
15. The Bears get back home to take on New England. That’s another opponent whom they’re not going to get a lot of pass rush on and are going to have to tackle. It didn’t work against the Dolphins, so they better get it cleaned up. I don’t have a good feeling about that game at all, and who am I to bet against Tom Brady?
Early prediction: Patriots 31, Bears 20.
