Bears Film Study: Can OL add better pass protection to run game?
The storyline Sunday at Soldier Field was pretty straightforward: Buffalo was playing to secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while the Bears had more to gain by losing. And it was extremely cold.
So this is a good week to focus on the Bears offensive line, even though the regular starting guards, Cody Whitehair and Teven Jenkins, did not play.
If you missed it, the Bears moved Larry Borom from right tackle to left guard, pairing him with Michael Schofield, while Braxton Jones and Riley Reiff stayed at tackle, and Sam Mustipher at center.
The question is whether there's hope for the future somewhere within this group. The pass protection has been brutal at times. Justin Fields has endured 48 sacks this season, just one behind NFL leader Russell Wilson.
The run blocking, however, has been excellent. The Bears lead the league in rushing yards per game with 179.7. A big chunk of that has come from spectacular Fields scrambles, but they've also done well on handoffs. Khalil Herbert leads all running backs with 5.7 yards per carry, and David Montgomery's 4.0 average is respectable.
The Bears have moved both Jenkins and Borom from tackle to guard this season. I suggest trying Jones at guard. The rookie from Southern Utah was a nice find in the fifth round and might be the Bears' best run-blocker this season.
He's very good on the move, but gets overpowered against the league's better edge rushers. He gave up a sack to Bills rookie A.J. Epenesa on Sunday.
The Bears need someone at left tackle who can fill Fields with the confidence to stay in the pocket a little longer. A veteran free agent would be ideal, but there won't be many available.
An argument can be made that Jenkins has been the Bears' best overall offensive lineman this year. Using Jenkins, Jones and Borom at the two guard spots and right tackle could be a nice start for the future. Whitehair hasn't played at his 2018 and '19 level, and the Bears need some competition at the center spot next season.
Third-year pro Dieter Eiselen filled in for Schofield in the first half and Borom in the second half, and fared well. These last two games would be a good time to give him a longer look.
Best play:
The Bears' first drive highlighted the run game, particularly Montgomery's 28-yard sweep to the 1-yard line. On this play, both Jones and Borom pulled from the left side and set the edge on the right sideline. It worked well and demonstrated the mobility of the Bears' linemen, but that's a long way for the big guys to run.
Two tight ends set up on the right side of the line, so Jones and Borom moved past them and delivered solid blocks. Of course, Borom was called for his wrestling takedown of Bills DT Jordan Phillips on the next play, moving the offense back 10 yards, but the Bears reached the end zone anyway.
Worst plays:
Trailing 10-6 at halftime, Buffalo decided to get aggressive on defense to open the third quarter and brought more heat than the offensive line could handle. Schofield was knocked over by a bull rush and Borom went stumbling backward another time. Credit Fields for hitting Velus Jones on a 44-yard bomb - after three straight short possessions - to finally make the Bills pay.
Silver lining:
The Bears were out-talented across the board Sunday, but after Cairo Santos kicked the field goal to make it 21-13 early in the fourth quarter, the defense rose to the occasion and forced a three-and-out. Jaquan Brisker made a stop in run support, the Bears got out of their zone defense and Josh Blackwell made a nice play on a deep ball to Isaiah McKenzie, then three Bears put pressure on Josh Allen and forced him to throw it away.
The Bears' best defensive series gave them a chance in a one-score game, but Buffalo had the wind at its back and netted about 40 yards on the ensuing exchange of punts.
Considering it was one of the coldest game days ever at Soldier Field, the players and fans deserve some credit for hanging in there.
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