Written by: John Stocco
Twitter: @realJohnStocco
Bad news, the Bears offense absolutely sucked last Thursday. The good news, the defense was awesome and the offense can only go up. This game against Denver is going to be tough. Mile High Stadium is always that place that just gives me bad vibes. I don’t know why it just does. The fans are always loud, and it’s always tough to play at because of the thin air. Also throw on top of the fact that the Bears former defensive coordinator, who knows our quarterback and defense more than anyone in the league. This should be an easy game to get our first win of the season, but of course in typical fashion, it won’t be easy.
1, Feed David Montgomery.
I know this is easier said than done because it doesn’t matter if you have Montgomery run the ball 25 times if the offensive line is going to be a swinging door again. Last Thursday the offensive line was terrible, and the Bears need a better effort from all five guys upfront. With that being said, David Montgomery needs to carry the workload for the Bears offense. I understand Matt Nagy likes using three running backs, but someone has to sacrifice, and the person who is sacrificing shouldn’t be David Montgomery. David Montgomery along with Allen Robinson were the stars of the offense last week. We saw him move well, we saw him cut, and we saw him take certain angles to make tacklers miss. It’s literally what the Bears saw in him at Iowa State. David Montgomery could be a star, and he can be a star in Chicago. He just needs more than 6 carries and more than 1 reception.
2, Better Protection.
As previously mentioned, the Bears need better production from the offensive line. The offensive line was a disaster last week. Trubisky didn’t have a clean pocket and we couldn’t even get the running game going no matter who the running back was. This time the Bears need to be locked up tight upfront, especially Charles Leno and Bobbie Massie with Bradley Chubb and Von Miller coming off the edge. Keep the pocket clean for Trubisky, and give running backs like David Montgomery and Mike Davis space inside then the Bears offense as a whole will see better production.
3, More Anthony Miller, Less Adam Shaheen.
I’m over Adam Shaheen. I’m over the tight end who can’t block, I’m over the tight end you can’t be a safety blanket for Mitch Trubisky, and I’m over the tight end that shows zero fight after the catch. It’s time to get Anthony Miller more involved. Let’s do Mitch Trubisky a favor and make him complete short passes to not only get this offense into a rhythm but to build confidence in Mitch Trubisky. Anthony Miller is a lethal playmaker. Put Miller in the slot and let him go to work. Short inside slants, curl routes, screens, whatever it is put the ball in his hands and let him make plays after the catch.
4, Stop Getting In Our Own Way.
I understand that coaching a football game is hard. It’s extremely hard to game plan against another team because you’re playing chess with human beings. This week is going to be hard because Matt Nagy is going up against a coach who’s familiar with him. That being said, it’s football, and most of the time in a football game, doing simple better win you games. Stop getting in our own way. It’s 3rd and one, instead of getting cute with Cordarrelle Patterson or Taylor Gabriel in the backfield, use your running back David Montgomery. You wanna go for it on 4th and goal? Fine by me if you’re in no man's land, but instead of trying to outsmart everyone with a screen or a tight end pitch, let Trubisky QB sneak it for a yard and keep the chains moving. We have the talent on the field. Do simple better.
5, Show Faith in Eddy Pineiro.
Eddy Pineiro has a monster leg. If you don’t believe me go on YouTube and watch his 81-yard field goal when he was a Florida Gator. I promise you that’s not a joke. Pineiro hit a 58-yard field goal in preseason, and he was the entire offense last Thursday night. In Denver, the ball carries more and this is the perfect chance to display that power leg that Pineiro has. Sooner or later the Bears have to see what they have in Eddy Pineiro. The Bears have to see if he can make kicks in clutch moments in hostile territory. Both teams are 0-1, the Bears are on the road, the Bears desperately need a win, I’d say the pressure is on. Let’s test that power leg.
I didn’t bring up the defense for the fact that they gave up 10 points to Aaron Rodgers, and now that they’re facing Joe Flacco, the Broncos should have negative 35 points. There’s really nothing else the Bears defense can do because they showed how great they are last week. This game is on the offense. The time for talk is over. Matt Nagy, Mitch Trubisky, and every single player on the Bears offense have to play with an edge, and they have to improve to keep up because the schedule doesn’t get any easier.