Bears talk 2.0; Fields era begins for real for real

[MAQ]

I've asked else where and I'll ask here. Who did Gruden recently piss off? Cuz no way the NFL wasnt aware of this at the time of his hiring.

[dice]

There goes Chucky. Too bad for the Raiders, who were finally starting to show signs of life this year. Davis is probably glad to get out from under that big contract though.

i'm guessing that he'll be paying 2 coaches for a while

[Dresden]

I've asked else where and I'll ask here. Who did Gruden recently piss off? Cuz no way the NFL wasnt aware of this at the time of his hiring.

They weren't. This just came to light when the NFL investigated the WFT, and got ahold of their emails, among which were those from Gruden that lead to this.

[dice]

I've asked else where and I'll ask here. Who did Gruden recently piss off? Cuz no way the NFL wasnt aware of this at the time of his hiring.

you think they have access to private emails?

[Dresden]

There goes Chucky. Too bad for the Raiders, who were finally starting to show signs of life this year. Davis is probably glad to get out from under that big contract though.

i'm guessing that he'll be paying 2 coaches for a while

Don't most contracts have escape clauses in them for things like this? Plus I think Gruden resigned.

[MAQ]

I've asked else where and I'll ask here. Who did Gruden recently piss off? Cuz no way the NFL wasnt aware of this at the time of his hiring.

you think they have access to private emails?

Perhaps I'm giving the shield too much credit. Direct access? Not necessarily. Indirect access vetted through trusted sources? I definitely assume they have this.

[Susan]

bears have rushed for more yards than they have passed for 4 consecutive games. gotta be exceedingly rare in this era

Also exceedingly rare that through 5 games, they have yet to pass for more than 250 yards in a game, which probably isn't even the league average. Bears are throwing it for a massive 145 yards per game, dead last by a mile. Next worst is NO, at 180, and after that, MIA at 214.

That is the biggest indictment of organization failure concerning the team right now- that in this era of pass happy offenses, the Bears aren't even averaging 150 measly yards through the air.

It'll come over time, just keep on getting wins with the kid. There's been a lot of turbulence to start this season for the offense, keep on getting wins and developing the identity, the stats will come.

I've asked else where and I'll ask here. Who did Gruden recently piss off? Cuz no way the NFL wasnt aware of this at the time of his hiring.

It came up during the investigation of the WFT.

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Raiders had Nassib coming out earlier this offseason. You know Gruden has used this language around the team before he came out.

[dice]

Raiders had Nassib coming out earlier this offseason. You know Gruden has used this language around the team before he came out.

that would surprise me. the environment today is much different than 10 years ago

[dice]

urban meyer should send gruden chocolate and roses

[Dresden]

urban meyer should send gruden chocolate and roses

But no photos of topless Jacksonville cheerleaders.

[molepharmer]

Biggs talks to scouts

To get a feel for what outsiders think about the Bears, I touched base with two scouts who have watched on film on them to help assess where the team currently is.

If the Bears can show legitimate growth with this unit, what you’ve seen the last five weeks could look significantly different before season’s end. Justin Fields has played 3 ½ games and the Bears accept some Sundays will look like he’s taking two steps forward and others as if he’s taking one or two steps back. Fields should make the offense more explosive because of his ability to make second-reaction plays and threaten defenses with his legs. But it’s a big puzzle with more parts than just Fields.

“They did a very good job max protecting against the Lions,” Scout 1 said. “I think they have to do more of that because when they put that subpar O-line one-on-one without chipping and keeping running backs in, they obviously have problems. The Rams got after them a little bit as well. I thought Bill Lazor did a good job of protecting the quarterback, but more importantly, I thought he started the game out with the intention of forcing the run game, which gives the offensive line confidence. So, I think they need to max protect more and I think they need to continue to run the ball.”

“I think they have to shorten their routes because the offensive line can’t protect for the longer ones,” Scout 1 said. “The routes that they’ve run with the receivers and tight ends have been longer routes. That takes time for that all to develop and the young quarterback, he doesn’t see the field as well although he did better against the Lions. We both know the Lions are awful. I think he has to get the tight ends involved with more shorter passes, like 7 yards.

“Lazor has to work the intermediate passing game as opposed to working those deeper routes with Kmet and those guys. 5-yard outs and little checkdowns where they can get the ball to Kmet fast. That doesn’t sound great but those kinds of things can get those guys going and they need to do that. Their tight ends are jump-ball headaches because they’re all over 6-foot-6. If they can get down near the goalline and just throw jump balls, I think that will help them get some more action.”

“Darnell Mooney is definitely an ascending young player,”.....

“They’ve got to get Allen Robinson more involved because he’s one of the best players in their building,” Scout 2 said. “And they’ve got to get the tight ends going especially for a young quarterback because those are the middle of the field guys that can stretch the seams. They can run in-breakers and they can be a security blanket for a young quarterback in third-down situations where do you don’t have to so heavily scheme guys open, you can have a big body tight end who can find a middle of the field window and sit it down and help you move the sticks.”

“The pass rush has been good,” Scout 2 said. “It’s not just four-man fronts, they’re getting in multiple fronts, they’re using stunts and it helps when you have a guy like Robert Quinn who is playing with so much more juice. He’s winning one-on-ones. How many times did you see him do that last season?”

“Their front seven /(has)/ done a good job rotating those guys in so they can all stay fresh,” Scout 2 said. “However, their rotation isn’t always good because they’ve been late getting on the field a few times. You can probably see that happening. They have to be careful.”

“I like the addition of Alec Ogletree,” Scout 1 said. “He’s surprised me. I think he’s done a good job of helping be that next athletic guy that they didn’t have in (Danny) Trevathan. You know about Roquan (Smith) because he can flash and flow to the ball. But you could kind of isolate away from him and try to go after Trevathan, who was more of an instinctive and aware guy. But you could put (Trevathan) in man-to-man (coverage) and take advantage of him whereas Ogletree, he gives them a lift and he is playing the run way better than I thought he would.”

“I think they’re still trying to figure out what they have at the cornerback spot with (Kindle) Vildor and especially with Duke Shelley,” Scout 2 said. “Four- or five-game sample size isn’t enough to really evaluate them and they’re going to start running into some higher level competition coming up. They ought to find out soon what they have in the secondary. They need those guys to make some plays on the ball or they are going to be in some tough spots.”

“The secondary has played well,” Scout 1 said. “I like the two (starting) corners. I like (Jaylon) Johnson more because he’s got better size. I don’t think he’s a shutdown guy like they’re trying to portray him to be. He’s not there yet, but I do like him. I don’t think they tackle well as a whole in their secondary. If you’re headed right at them, those guys don’t wanna tackle. They’re good cover guys. They’re quick. I love Eddie Jackson, but he’s not a tackler. His angles are bad. He will miss a lot of tackles. So that’s where they need to improve when teams get into the second level against them, whether it’s a long run or pass, those guys aren’t good tacklers. They’ve had some blown coverages too, given up some long plays. I don’t know if it’s missed assignments or miscommunication because they haven’t played back there together for too long but they need to clean that up.”

The Bears did a better job of tackling in this win. There were still some chances to get guys down, but it wasn’t like Josh Jacobs got loose (the Raiders running back had only 48 yards on 15 carries).

“Tell you what, I like that guy 45 (Joel Iyiegbuniwe),” Scout 1 said. “He’s a problem on special teams. If you’re playing the Bears, he’s the guy you need to find and block. He looks like one of their better core players.”

https://illinoisnewstoday.com/chicago-bears-brad-biggs-10-thoughts-on-week-5/392206/

As interesting as it is to read a pro scout's take on the Bears, there's not a darn thing new in there that many here haven't touched on numerous times. From the WR and head scratching TE routes/usage to the pass blocking protection and the weak secondary tackling and busted coverages.

One thing for certain is that this week Rodgers will catch the Bears D-line off sides (or unready) a couple of times while the Bears try to change personnel. If I had to guess, he'll also be able to isolate Trevathan in pass coverage, probably with a TE crossing route. Plus expect at least one completely blown D Adams coverage.

[Susan]

Man, after last night I really want to go see Lamar here. He's at his absolute peak right now.

[CaPiTanAK]

I know that someone once argues with me about the racist culture in the NFL has been extinguished thinking that it would be suicidal from a talent evaluation perspective:

Look no further from John Gruden emails to Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder. Lol

[dougthonus]

Perhaps I'm giving the shield too much credit. Direct access? Not necessarily. Indirect access vetted through trusted sources? I definitely assume they have this.

I don't think this is a matter of credit. I know at none of the places I managed people could I see their corporate email nor do I have any reason to believe my boss could ever see mine or anyone higher up. They are all archived, but no one is going through them and reading them, they are only for audit purposes and available if lawyers go looking for something like in this case.

I've never been with a company that would monitor communication in any other way, and I work in a highly regulated industry where communication actually matters for fiduciary responsibility and there are significant laws around what communication can take place which is likely several orders of magnitude beyond what the NFL would have to do.

[dougthonus]

Don't most contracts have escape clauses in them for things like this? Plus I think Gruden resigned.

It will likely come out (if it hasn't already) whether Gruden will get paid. It may not even be fully settled yet as to how much he will get paid. There will likely be some type of argument around it. I doubt him resigning/fired impacts that though. I'd guess they settle somewhere inbetween what he is owed and $0.

Gurden has no reason to take a discount, the odds of him getting another job in the NFL or major network gig are all gone most likely unless he is able to seriously rehabilitate his image (which can be done of course).

My guess is that commentary while he wasn't with the Raiders prior to them hiring him that took place in private emails is probably not enough for the Raiders to fire him for cause, but I'm not a lawyer or rules negotiator, so what do i know.

[Dresden]

Don't most contracts have escape clauses in them for things like this? Plus I think Gruden resigned.

It will likely come out (if it hasn't already) whether Gruden will get paid. It may not even be fully settled yet as to how much he will get paid. There will likely be some type of argument around it. I doubt him resigning/fired impacts that though. I'd guess they settle somewhere inbetween what he is owed and $0.

Gurden has no reason to take a discount, the odds of him getting another job in the NFL or major network gig are all gone most likely unless he is able to seriously rehabilitate his image (which can be done of course).

My guess is that commentary while he wasn't with the Raiders prior to them hiring him that took place in private emails is probably not enough for the Raiders to fire him for cause, but I'm not a lawyer or rules negotiator, so what do i know.

He and Mark Davis probably made an agreement- Gruden resigns peacefully and goes away, and Davis will pay him X amount of dollars. We may never know what that figure is.

[fleet]

I know that someone once argues with me about the racist culture in the NFL has been extinguished thinking that it would be suicidal from a talent evaluation perspective:

Look no further from John Gruden emails to Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder. Lol

As a white guy, trust me, it has to everything to do with white guys talking to each other. NFL is incidental to this behavior.

[dice]

I know that someone once argues with me about the racist culture in the NFL has been extinguished thinking that it would be suicidal from a talent evaluation perspective:

Look no further from John Gruden emails to Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder. Lol

racism has ALWAYS been self-defeating from a talent evaluation perspective

[Dresden]

I know that someone once argues with me about the racist culture in the NFL has been extinguished thinking that it would be suicidal from a talent evaluation perspective:

Look no further from John Gruden emails to Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder. Lol

racism has ALWAYS been self-defeating from a talent evaluation perspective

That just goes to show that there are sometimes stronger factors than strictly talent that owners/GM's factor into their decision making.

[Susan]

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Herbert time!