Bears offensive line not satisfied with clean game against Dallas

Chicago Bears center Drew Dalman wasn’t ready to celebrate a milestone Monday when he met with reporters at Halas Hall. The Bears offensive line had just accomplished a new feat for the first time in two seasons the day before against the Dallas Cowboys: It didn’t allow a sack.

The achievement felt like a major moment for a group that includes three new starters. It allowed quarterback Caleb Williams to comfortably sit in the pocket for most of the game and have his best performance of the season.

But when reporters asked Dalman about Sunday’s perfect performance, he was quick to point out it was far from perfect even without a sack. He laid out a few things that could’ve gone better before he was asked again about the zero sack statistic.

“It’s good,” Dalman said. “It’s good for Caleb, good for us. But I don’t really think we’re chasing things like that. We’re chasing what our standard is and what we can do. Like, you could give up no sacks, but maybe Caleb bailed us out of a few. It could have been better from our end, and so I think that’s how we’ll focus on that.”

Regardless of whether Dalman wanted to play down the moment, Sunday felt like the offensive line turned a corner after a tough first two games of the season.

Not only did the offensive line not allow Williams to get sacked for the first time in his career, it only allowed him to be hit once. The group didn’t have a pre-snap penalty, something that had killed drives in previous games. Williams threw for a season-best 298 yards mostly from the pocket and hit four receivers for touchdowns.

The unit had been developing and building chemistry for all of training camp and early in the season after Bears general manager Ryan Poles revamped the group. Poles traded for All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney and right guard Jonah Jackson during the off-season and signed Dalman, the top available center, in free agency.

Sunday felt like a step in the right direction.

“I mean, shoot, they did a phenomenal job blocking for (Williams),” Bears coach Ben Johnson said. “And so when we are talking about him playing with his feet, playing through the hitches, and yet he’s not having to move off the spot, it really helps him out immensely. That’s where, if you’re trying to get to two or three and you’re feeling some pressure, you’re seeing some color and your eyes go down and they are off the spot, that’s where the timing and rhythm of everything we are trying to get done is thrown off. So yeah, I think those guys did a great job last week.”

But like Dalman, Johnson believes there’s more work left to be done for the unit.

Dallas’ defense didn’t pressure Williams too much under defensive coordinator and former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus’ defense. The Cowboys blitzed Williams seven times Sunday and added five more hurries. Chicago will need to stop a tougher Raiders pass rush that includes defensive end Maxx Crosby, one of the NFL’s top rushers.

The Bears will also need to get the running game going more. Through three games, Chicago ranks 15th in rushing yards (340) and rushing yards a game (113.3). The running attack averaged 3 yards a carry against the Cowboys and is averaging 4.1 yards per carry in all three games.

The run blocking has looked good at times. The offensive line had one of its best showings of the season on a 19-play scoring drive against the Cowboys when Chicago ran the ball 11 straight times.

But Bears coaches believe there’s more they can get from that part of the offense.

“I do think we left some yards on the table in the run game,” Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said Thursday. “That’s an area that … it’s a point of emphasis to go make more. That’s the O-line, that’s the running backs, that’s blocking on the perimeter. We all can improve there.”

Whether the offensive line will have everyone there to do it remains a question.

Starting right tackle Darnell Wright exited Sunday’s game in the second quarter with an elbow injury, returning later. Wright missed practice Wednesday and Thursday because of the injury, and his status for Sunday’s game will be released Friday. He had a tough start to the season, with two holding penalties and two false starts in three games.

Second-year tackle Theo Benedet came in for Wright against the Cowboys and could be an option if Wright can’t play. Benedet held his own in his first action at right tackle Sunday. Second-round draft pick Ozzy Trapilo could also earn a shot, though he’s been inactive the last two games.

If Wright can’t play, Doyle’s been encouraged by what he’s seen by Benedet and how he can help continue the line’s development.

“He did a good job of going out there and handling it,” Doyle said. “It’s the stuff that you guys don’t necessarily see how he is in the building and things like that, that’ll instill confidence in a player. At the same point in time, there’s nothing like going out and doing it and so, that’s the biggest thing is watching him in practice every day, it’s been good.”