Studs and Duds, Bears, Part One, 2022

[George Cumby]

Studs:

A. Jones

P. Smith

Duds:

Run Defense

O miscues, third quarter

[RashanGary]

In fairness to the run D, we were playing with a lead. Might have been more focused on stopping the pass.

[Upnorth]

Dud
Amari. I have given up on him now.

[Upnorth]

Stud, Gary. Him and Preston are looking. Great so far.

Not a stud or dud but was Clark being held a lot of was it just me.

Dudish: Campbell. Maybe my expectations are too high this season

[Joemailman]

Dud
Amari. I have given up on him now.

It's not like he's the 1st guy to ever muff a punt. He'll never be great because he has no burst, but I think he's probably okay. Until they find someone better.

[Fritz]

I think for a third-roun pick on a team that doesn't often draft receivers very high, it's safe to say the guy is a disappointment.

[George Cumby]

Dud
Amari. I have given up on him now.

IDK.

25 year KO return and a 20 yard punt return.

Jury is still out IMO.

[texaspackerbacker]

This thread is actually relevant - and fun - this week. Last week, it wasn't.

Biggest dud of all - again, second week in a row - is Joe Barry. He better get his act together against a better team like Tampa. Players on the dud side: not many. Dean Lowery consistently got run at and pushed back or otherwise taken out. Ditto that to slightly lesser extent for Reed. Clark was getting double teamed and more, and inexplcably, Wyatt wasn't playing. Again, our Safeties seemed out of position in zone coverage, but I blame Barry for most of that. There were way too many missed tackles - at least one glaring one by Quay Walker (although I'm not labeling him a dud overall). Yes, Campbell did seem kinda dudish, but I blame Barry for that too. It seemed like Campbell was playing the short zone a lot, much like Q. Walker did against the Vikings. Consequently, he was out of position on a lot of run plays. Either he wasn't as bad as Walker against the pass, though, or the Bears just didn't have quality like Jefferson out here. I will give Barry credit for using Quay as a "spy" on Fields, but that's about the only thing he did good.

On offense, certainly I wouldn't call LaFleur or Stenavich duds, but I didn't like the use of Watson as the motion guy - kinda a waste of his talent, and I didn't like the lack of use of the TEs in the passing game. It seemed, though, like they were being used a lot to help the OTs in pass blocking after the early game sacks - which probably was necessary.

Studs: Many. Obviously Aaron(s), Jones and Rodgers. The interior O Line was studly on some run plays. Watkins finally got the chance to show something, and Ol'Cobb answered the bell when he was called. I couldn't help thinking in both cases, though, if we had schemed to get the rookies open like we did Watkins and Cobb, those plays woulda been bigger.

On D, all three Corners stood out. They hardly ever dared throw at Jaire; Stokes came through at least once of the few rare times they used man coverage; Douglas made that great play; I'm not sure if he just wasn't thrown at, or more likely, he wasn't in the game a lot with Barry's stupid D.

Special Teams almost rose to the level of stud. They were at least way better than in the past both in coverage and blocking on returns. Wouldn't it be nice if they'd use somebody with an ounce of speed instead of Amari back there returning?

[RashanGary]

#6 is a stud on special teams. That guy is unblockable and fierce. I said a couple times, “who the hell is #6” and eventually looked it up. Leavitt is a difference maker on STs

[George Cumby]

#6 is a stud on special teams. That guy is unblockable and fierce. I said a couple times, “who the hell is #6” and eventually looked it up. Leavitt is a difference maker on STs

Agreed! I had the exact same reaction.

[Bretsky]

I think for a third-roun pick on a team that doesn't often draft receivers very high, it's safe to say the guy is a disappointment.


Boy I'm sure we didn't draft the next WR taken after Amari; he's right up the road from you Fritz

[TravisWilliams23]

Stud: Dick Butkus
Please keep tweeting shit about Arod. He needs the motivation to play his best!

[Anti-Polar Bear]

[QUOTE=RashanGary;1120068]#6 is a stud on special teams. That guy is unblockable and fierce. I said a couple times,

[Anti-Polar Bear]

#6 is a stud on special teams. That guy is unblockable and fierce. I said a couple times, “who the hell is #6” and eventually looked it up. Leavitt is a difference maker on STs

#6 is the Italian guy Tex likes to hate. In Tex’s defense, #6 should not be anywhere in the rye, except when a wimpy kicker or punter is on the field. #6 is an abomination at safety.

[run pMc]

Boy I'm sure we didn't draft the next WR taken after Amari; he's right up the road from you Fritz

Nico Collins? ;)
I actually thought he'd be a better fit than Amari.

Amon-Ra St. Brown is going to be one of those picks that bugs Packer fans for years.
On the flip side, Minnesota had THREE R3 picks that draft and NONE of them are with the team anymore. That's a lot of burned draft capital.

[texaspackerbacker]

#6 is the Italian guy Tex likes to hate. In Tex’s defense, #6 should not be anywhere in the rye, except when a wimpy kicker or punter is on the field. #6 is an abomination at safety.

Leavitt doesn't sound Italian, but yes, I really didn't think they should keep him on the team. He did good as a gunner, but a good special teams coach should be able to train and motivate just about anybody with moderate speed and athleticism for that job without wasting a roster spot on somebody who can't do anything else.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Leavitt doesn't sound Italian, but yes, I really didn't think they should keep him on the team. He did good as a gunner, but a good special teams coach should be able to train and motivate just about anybody with moderate speed and athleticism for that job without wasting a roster spot on somebody who can't do anything else.

Matthew Slatar is entering his 16th season for NE, I think. Does nothing but run up and a down the field on special teams. Takes pride in his art and sets the to tone for everyone else. Sometimes it is not a bad idea to keep so-called special teams ace solely for special teams.

Packers STs have been an abomination since they refused to bring back ace Jeff Janis.

[George Cumby]

Matthew Slatar is entering his 16th season for NE, I think. Does nothing but run up and a down the field on special teams. Takes pride in his art and sets the to tone for everyone else. Sometimes it is not a bad idea to keep so-called special teams ace solely for special teams.

Packers STs have been an abomination since they refused to bring back ace Jeff Janis.

Steve Tasker of the '90's Bills was another who made a career of 'Teams.

[texaspackerbacker]

Janis, of course, was a WR - a very decent one IMO, even though a lot of people thought otherwise. Tasker, as I vaguely recall, was a WR who did a lot more than just run down as a gunner. Slatar is a name I'm not familiar with. It's a choice to make whether not to commit a roster spot for somebody like him as you describe him or Leavitt. If I was the one with that choice, I wouldn't keep somebody like that on the roster.

[Fritz]

Boy I'm sure we didn't draft the next WR taken after Amari; he's right up the road from you Fritz

Agreed Brestsky, I'd say Amon-Ra is a far better receiver than his older brother, though Equanimity didn't play too badly for da Bears on Sunday.

[bobblehead]

Stud, Gary. Him and Preston are looking. Great so far.

Not a stud or dud but was Clark being held a lot of was it just me.

Dudish: Campbell. Maybe my expectations are too high this season

2x I saw a bear OL piggy back riding Clark, so I think your perception was in fact reality.

[bobblehead]

#6 is a stud on special teams. That guy is unblockable and fierce. I said a couple times, “who the hell is #6” and eventually looked it up. Leavitt is a difference maker on STs

Guys like him being kept over a better S prospect make a difference. For years that spot would have went to someone who was a better prospect on defense.

[bobblehead]

Leavitt doesn't sound Italian, but yes, I really didn't think they should keep him on the team. He did good as a gunner, but a good special teams coach should be able to train and motivate just about anybody with moderate speed and athleticism for that job without wasting a roster spot on somebody who can't do anything else.

That Was the McCarthy view as well. You would think he (and you) would have learned after a decade of failure that its wrong. But fat mike (and you) are not ones to admit when you are wrong.

[texaspackerbacker]

How many top teams do it the way you apparently like, and how many do it what you call McCarthy's (and my) way? I rest my case.

[ThunderDan]

So what are the numbers Tex?

You just state that you are the winner in the argument without presenting any analysis on how teams do or don't fill the last spot or spots with special teams aces.

[run pMc]

So what are the numbers Tex?

You just state that you are the winner in the argument without presenting any analysis on how teams do or don't fill the last spot or spots with special teams aces.

LOL

I'll give tex the benefit of the doubt that he won't insist you do the same research he could do himself, and then insult your research methods or just call media or statisticians idiots.

Off the top of my head, Matthew Slater sees basically no time playing WR for NE, but he's been a mainstay for them and actually voted to the Pro Bowl. SD did it with Kaseem Osgood for years. Rudy Ford was in that mold for the Jags until last year when he also got some D snaps. Leavitt and Nixon were like that for LV before Bisaccia recruited them to GB. I'd expect Harbaugh (BAL) and Campbell (DET) have players in these roles, given their backgrounds as ST coaches. It's not uncommon.

[bobblehead]

How many top teams do it the way you apparently like, and how many do it what you call McCarthy's (and my) way? I rest my case.

You are clearly wrong, all the top teams do it my way. I rest my case.

[Upnorth]

You are clearly wrong, all the top teams do it my way. I rest my case.

All of the top teams ypu say, well that settles it.