Dhruv Koul shares his in-game reactions, thoughts and observations from the Buccaneers-Bears prime time game at Soldier Field. Follow him on Twitter @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.
CHICAGO — After a thorough beatdown at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Soldier Field, it raised a lot of questions about the 2020 Chicago Bears. Escaping in three straight games to open the year — all wins — was certainly great. But media and some fans questioned how good they really were, until those questions were answered on Sunday.
Not great. At least not yet. The Thoughts thread from that game:
Thread: A few extra thoughts on Colts-Bears…
1. Before the season, I had the Bears at 3-2 after five games. And it looks like that's where they're headed. But 3-2 football teams don't usually have a "Big Yikes!" surrounding them. Right now, these Bears do.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 5, 2020
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Tonight’s prime time showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was another opportunity for the Bears to somewhat correct the narrative. Play well — and ideally win — and they could feel better about themselves again. Lose…
Thread: A few thoughts on tonight's Bucs-Bears game…
1. The loss to Indy was the 2019 Raiders loss equivalent — soundly beaten by a tough team in the trenches to raise questions. If the Bears lose to Tampa, it could be like the Saints loss — where the wheels fall off.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 8, 2020
In the end, the Bears somehow, some way, pulled out a crazy win over the Bucs that saw the Bears’ kicker make a clutch field goal (!!) and Brady’s fourth down pass fall incomplete. Wow, what a game!
I shared my in-game reactions, thoughts and observations below. Follow me on Twitter @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.
Thoughts and Observations
1. (PRE-GAME) The Bucs had a lot of folks on the injury report for this week. Key guys like WR Chris Godwin, TE OJ Howard, and RB LeSean McCoy are out. But WR Mike Evans is playing, as is RB Leonard Fournette, who was actually listed as doubtful. They are impact players. Let’s see how it affects the game. For the Bears… RB Artavis Pierce is active! Let’s see if he has a role to play today. Meanwhile, it’s amazing how Riley Ridley can’t get himself active. It’s not good.
It's tough to say at this point. The Bears say he's close to earning more playing time, but he's clearly behind schedule. It's certainly not a good sign. https://t.co/dS52KQVymg
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 8, 2020
2. This has been a horrid start to this game in the first quarter. The Bucs started with the ball and drove down for a field goal (quite easily). Then Nick Foles missed an easy and wide open Allen Robinson for a first down on the Bears’ first possession, leading to a punt.
After forcing a three-and-out, Robinson failed to corral a slightly underthrown back-shoulder pass from Foles, tipping it up, and letting it get picked off by Carlton Davis. Another catch that Robinson really should make…
Frankly, I think he left it a little short. Still a catch Robinson has to make. I think it could've been called DPI, though…
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
Then after a poor tackling display, the Bucs scored a touchdown quite easily to go up 10-0. There’s two minutes left in the first quarter and the game feels out of reach already. Not good.
3. Nick Foles has been miserable so far today. He missed a WIDE OPEN Darnell Mooney that would’ve been a touchdown with like seven yards of separation. Foles’ throw ended up short and almost seven yards to the right of where Mooney was. Just awful.
What on earth is Nick Foles doing?
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
Mitch Trubisky was benched for missing throws like that, and now Foles is missing the same ones. That’s not good!
4. Bruce Arians went for it on 4th and 1 from their own 19 yard line. NINETEEN YARD LINE! What disrespect. I love it, honestly. Remember, he probably still hates the Bears for passing on him for head coach before the 2013 season.
The defense has been sloppy with missed tackles and soft coverages. The energy just doesn’t seem to be there to match up with the Bucs’. But hey, I don’t blame them at this point. Their contingency plan, Foles, is looking terrible. It’s not looking promising that they will get it right this week.
Bucs are up 13-0 midway through the second quarter and have more than doubled the Bears’ time of possession so far.
5. That’s better. Some quick passing and better accuracy from Foles helped the Bears get down for a touchdown with just under two minutes in the first half. In fact, it was their first rushing touchdown of the season!
The Bears have a touchdown? The Bears have a touchdown!
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
Foles hit a beautiful wheel route to Cordarrelle Patterson to set them up inside the five, and Montgomery scored two plays later.
Of course, the Bears gave Brady way too much time before the end of the first half…
6. What an unbelievable turn of events here at Soldier Field. Kyle Fuller leveled a Bucs’ RB on third down that originally drew a flag. After the referees huddled, they picked up the flag. But wait, there’s more! There was a booth review initiated to see if the RB caught and fumbled the pass — they got it right and called it Bears ball.
They do!
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
AND THEN! Foles hit Jimmy Graham in the end zone (beautiful one-handed catch by Graham) to put the Bears up at halftime, 14-13. What an insane turn of events.
Jimmy Graham. Unstoppable. And you guys questioned the signing…
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
What a crazy half. The Bears have the lead, which is amazing.
Don't they know they're supposed to save stuff like that for the fourth quarter? C'mon, Matt Nagy.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
7. Maybe Matt Nagy doesn’t know how to call plays with a lead anymore? Because the first sequence after halftime was something… um… special. Three horizontal passes along with a Cole Kmet holding penalty led to a punt, and then the Bucs took the lead on a FG by Ryan Succop. It’s a 16-14 Bucs lead. But the Bears got some bad news during that TB possession:
James Daniels just ran into the lockeroom after spending time in the injury tent.
— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) October 9, 2020
Arguably the Bears’ best offensive lineman this season, that’s a huge loss. Let’s see how it affects pass protection and, gulp, play calling the rest of the game.
8. That third quarter was kinda ugly overall. The good news is, Khalil Mack is beastly as hell. So is Barkevious Mingo, apparently! But what a sloppy display by the Buccaneers that took them from prime field position to having to punt near the end of the third quarter. Tom Brady was… not happy.
Tom Cutler! Tom Rodgers! Tom Most Quarterbacks When The OL Can't Do Their Job!
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
9. Nice job by Matt Nagy to pick it up on the ensuing drive. He used the hell out of the RPOs to drive down the field, and Foles and Robinson methodically teamed up on a large majority of it. The Bears also averted disaster when Bobby Massie fell on a Nick Foles fumble after he was sacked by Jason Pierre-Paul …… the guy Massie was “blocking”. Massie, to his credit, has two game-saving plays (in the moment) this season. You might recall his 4th down catch of a tipped pass against New York.
Bobby Massie now has a catch and a big fumble recovery. #Bears offensive POY?
— Mike Berman (@MikeBermanNBC) October 9, 2020
Cairo Santos was called on to try a 47 yard field goal with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter… and…
Santos makes it!
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
Bears up 17-16 for now. Time for the defense to make a stop now.
10. The Bucs got bailed out on a poor DPI call on Buster Skrine. Then the Bears blew tackling assignments galore on Rob Gronkowski on a screen that went for 23 yards. But with 4:50 left, Succop hit another field goal to put TB up 19-17…
Alright, Nick Foles. Down 2. Whatcha got?
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
11. What an ending! Foles did it!! Cairo Santos did it!! The defense did it!! The Bears did it!!
After a beautiful check by Foles to Montgomery to convert on third down, the Bears kicked a field goal to take the lead — Cairo Santos made it. I know!!
And then on defense, the Bears stopped Brady and the Bucs on fourth down to lose the game for Tampa. DeAndre Houston-Carson with the critical stop on fourth down to seal the win!
Cairo Santos' FG is good! C'mon defense, go win this.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
I love how Joe Buck and Troy Aikman let the "crowd" cheer for a made FG. Brilliant by FOX.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
Bears win?? Bears win!!
And now I gotta find a Mitch Trubisky avatar. You're welcome, Bears Twitter!
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2020
12. It appears Brady thought he was missing a down on that sequence. After the fourth down play fell incomplete, he stared at the ref wondering about where fourth down went. But it was all over and the Bears moved to 4-1. Amazing.
13. The Bears have 10 days now before their next game — on the road in Charlotte to take on the Carolina Panthers. It remains to be seen if Christian McCaffrey will make his return from IR, but the Panthers are playing some frisky football under rookie coach Matt Rhule. With 10 days to prepare and the more talented roster, the Bears *should* win. But who knows with this team, right?
Early prediction: Bears 23, Panthers 17.
