A Gameplan For The Bears

[packrulz]

What a fantastic thread, but I have so many questions!

What is roll coverage?

Why should we play two TE's and not keep one of two HB's back?

I am such a sports idiot!!! Please drip feed me this stuff guys!!!

Roll coverage just means to move a TE or FB to one side or the other to block an individual pass rusher.
You have 11 guys on offense so teams will take out an HB and put in a TE instead. The advantage is they are bigger guys who can pass block & go out for a pass as well. If so which one? And does the defense use a LB or DB to cover him? The DB might be too small but most TE's should be able to outrun a LB too. It just makes things complicated for the defense and gives the offense more options.

[Tarlam!]

Thx Rulz.

[BananaMan]

Actually, by "roll coverage" I believe they were referring to shading the coverage towards the Bears' #1 WR when we were on defense.

For example, have one safety take the side MM is on, and the other safety play the middle of the field plus the other side. The thought being that one safety can effectively cover the other Bears' wideouts while the #1 WR is being shut down. Teams did this a lot against Driver last year.

[Tarlam!]

Teams did this a lot against Driver last year.

And yet, he put those numbers up!

[Packnut]

Coverage

Actually, by "roll coverage" I believe they were referring to shading the coverage towards the Bears' #1 WR when we were on defense.

For example, have one safety take the side MM is on, and the other safety play the middle of the field plus the other side. The thought being that one safety can effectively cover the other Bears' wideouts while the #1 WR is being shut down. Teams did this a lot against Driver last year.

Yep, that's exactly what I meant.

[packrulz]

Actually, by "roll coverage" I believe they were referring to shading the coverage towards the Bears' #1 WR when we were on defense.

For example, have one safety take the side MM is on, and the other safety play the middle of the field plus the other side. The thought being that one safety can effectively cover the other Bears' wideouts while the #1 WR is being shut down. Teams did this a lot against Driver last year.

I see, that sounds better.

[b bulldog]

Real simple, no turnovers and the Pack will have a great chance to win. I'd run 70% of the time.

[Joemailman]

Real simple, no turnovers and the Pack will have a great chance to win. I'd run 70% of the time.

That's a great strategy provided you can run the ball reasonably effectively. However, if you run that much and the Bears stuff it, you will end up with a lot of 3-and-outs which will wear out the Packer defense. I think the Pass/run ratio will be more even, with the Tight Ends getting a lot of action.

[b bulldog]

I would keep the ball out of Brett's hands as much as posdsible. They will hit him early and will get him ansey and the pics will start a flowin. Run,run,run,run and dink and dunk!

[The Shadow]

No, no, I think those 1 & 2 yard running gains will only lead to the 2nd & 3rd long situations that put Favre into the dreaded "I have to make it happen" mindset.
Let's live & die with our future Hall of Fame quarterback's arm - throttled down into manageable down & distance patterns - against a defense handicapped by having their 2 staple strong points - run-stuffing & blitzing -stymied.
The Bears have trouble adjusting when they can't play 'their' defense against expected opposition, so let's throw the unorthodox against them.
Really now, boys, what do we have to lose?
Luck favors the bold!

[b bulldog]

Obviously you missed last seasons bear games. The bears win by turnovers and defensive TD's.

[The Shadow]

"...The bears win by turnovers and defensive TD's."

And the turnovers come when Favre is in 2nd.3rd long situations.
Ditto the defensive td's.

[CyclonePackFan]

Thoughts:

Agree with Shadow. This needs to be a passing game. First play needs to be Jennings or Driver on a deep fade route. Bulldog, you bring up a great point about the Bears thriving off turnovers, but are we really better off running? One year out of the NFL and every Packer fan forgets that Ahman Green has an epic reputation for being *gasp* a fumbler. I know Lovie hasn't forgotten, and he's going to be sending helmets after Green's left arm all game long.

Offensively, we need to strike early and hard. Slants, screens, quick outs, bubble screens, draws, and lots of checking down to the RB in the flat. If we find ourselves in a 2nd and less-than-three scenario, the ball needs to be going deep down the sidelines. I don't know for sure if he's gonna play, but I would really like to see Henderson with double-digit receptions in this game. I wouldn't even put a receiver in the middle of the field for the first couple of drives, save perhaps a TE on a short curl route occasionally. Grind it out with short passes in the flats, suck the safeties up on support, then go for the deep post. Start working in the run when practical, start with outside runs and off-tackle, then pound it up the gut when the D starts to spread out.

Defensively, make them work for it. The Bears thrive off exactly what I just described, the short passing game. Jam the receivers, and roll the safety to Mushin as much as possible. Blitz hard, Grossman's still inexperienced due to injuries. Hit him early with blitzes to make Grossman anxious, then wait for him to make the mistake. If we can get a lead early, he's going to force the ball where he shouldn't, just like Favre does. This isn't a team with big-play capability. They're not going to rack up many points, so there can't be many gimmes, long passes, short-field opportunities, and the like.

Win the turnover battle and we will win this game.

[No Mo Moss]

Well I see what you're saying about coming out passing, but its not going to happen. A lot depends on how the game begins. If I'm the Bears I'm thinking get a lead and then take advantage of mistakes by the other team trying to come back.. I would imagine they go deep a few times early to the home run guy they have...Berrian is that it. If they can get a couple long completions that will open up our run defense which has been stout.

The key IMO is to get the Bears offense off of the field. We must stop them on 3rd down. We will also need to play the field position game. You have to believe that 14 pts will win this one. If we get backed up inside the ten on a possesion I say you run it 3 straight times. We must sack Grossman atleast twice to win. He has been far too comfortable at LAmbeau in the past. I'd say avoid the blitz however. They will have seen film on what works against our blitz. The TE quick slant has been tearing us up on blitzes. The DL need to get their hands in the air and knock down balls when we do blitz.

I think we need two sacks and a INT to win, which I think we can easily do. Harris will be roaming with MM whereever he goes so they will likely match up Berrian on Woodson, who needs to shake the rust off in a hurry because that is where the ball is going!

WE MUST NOT ALLOW THE BEARS A DEFENSIVE TD OR A SIGNIFICANT RUN AFTER PICK. They have a good Defense and may earn a pick, but the play need to stop right there. The INT for TD is what has killed us in the past.


Bears 10
Packers 14

Pack takes the lead for good at the end of the 3rd quarter.
Nail bitter though.

[b bulldog]

If I'm the bears I put 8 men in the box and make Brett beat me. brett will give you chances to get turnovers or defensive TD's. I pressure him and make him become patient, I don't think he likes being patient and will force the ball and eventually hurt the offense which will in turn kill the defense.