Hub Arkush's Week 3 report card for the Bears
LAKE FOREST — After he reviewed tape of the Bears' 30-26 victory over the Falcons on Sunday, here's how Matt Nagy started his Monday news conference:
“I felt like defensively, it's really not how you want to start the game with that big play, and then the score there at the start of the first half and the score at the start of the third quarter.
“But sudden change I thought was good, and then I thought we really got after Matt Ryan with the pressures. We might not have had a bunch of sacks, but we got after him.
“Offensively third down just OK, got better there in the fourth quarter; scoring 20 points there is what we needed.
“Penalties overall, including on special teams, we just had too many penalties. We ended up having 10 penalties and that's just too many.”
Having reviewed the tape now several times myself here's what I saw.
Quarterbacks
There is only one grade you can give Mitch Trubisky after relinquishing his starting job, and there was no question Nagy was right to go to Nick Foles.
Foles left some plays on the field but he shook the rust off quickly, and after Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller left touchdowns on the ground and he threw for three more to win the game he gets very high marks.
Hub's Grade: Nick Foles B+, Mitch Trubisky F
Running backs
The backs were solid and tough but not special.
Tarik Cohen did have his two best plays from scrimmage so far this year, but losing him for the season really hurts.
Love the way both David Montgomery and Cordarrelle Patterson hit their holes and keep their legs churning for extra yards, but Sunday was just a decent day.
Hub's Grade: B
Receivers and tight ends
Normally Allen Robinson's 10-123, 1 TD, Jimmy Graham's 6-60, 2 TDs, Anthony Miller catching the winning TD after a huge comeback, Demetrius Harris' first three catches and a huge 29-yard grab from Ted Ginn on fourth and 6 in the fourth quarter would be a great day.
But Robinson and Miller can't keep giving away points and the tight ends weren't nearly the factor blocking the run game they were the first two weeks.
Hub's Grade B-
Offensive line
Like the wideouts, these guys did some nice things but consistency was lacking, the pass protection is still subpar and a ticky-tack holding call on Charles Leno he may not have deserved stalled the Bears second possession and altered the momentum of the game.
Run blocking is much improved but pass protection is struggling.
Hub's Grade B —
Defensive front seven
As Nagy said, the pressure was the best of the season so far, both Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks dominated as we expect them to, Brent Urban had some nice moments in rotation with Bilal Nichols and Roy Robertson-Harris, and Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan were both better but still not good enough.
Strangely after a great debut Robert Quinn disappeared for large parts of the game and this group is till not hitting the right gaps often enough to stop mediocre running games.
Hub's Grade B-
Secondary
The opening play of the game to Calvin Ridley for 63 yards was ugly, but these guys settled down quickly.
Atlanta came in with one of the league's top aerial attacks and holding Matt Ryan and company to 18-37, 48.6%, 164, 1 interception over the last 59 minutes allowed the Bears to win the game.
I know, no Julio Jones, no Russell Gage, but you can only play the guys they put in front of you.
Hub's Grade B+
Special teams
These guys got a little sloppy with penalties and the loss of Cohen will definitely hurt going forward, but they continue to be one of the league's better units.
Still Cairo Santos missed another makable field goal — 46 yards — and a shaky push in the back call on Kindle Vildor waved off a roughing call on the Falcons on the play Cohen got hurt on.
Hub's Grade B-
Coaching
Nagy had another sub 25-second possession at the end of the half and he struggled to find his ground game.
But he pulled the trigger on Trubisky at exactly the right time and knew just what to do with Foles once he gave him the ball. The head coach also has to get a lot of credit for a team that keeps coming back like these guys do.
Hub's Grade B+
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