Do you have the bye week blues?
Posted by Jeff Joniak in Jeff Joniak on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 | no responses
It is the second worst week on the NFL calendar. We all understand the week after the Super Bowl is the worst.
The Bears will go through a pair of “training camp” type practices Wednesday and Thursday. Ones will practice against ones, and the focus turns back to teaching and fundamentals.
It sounds boring, but there is a constant need to work on footwork and technique.
Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli said fundamentals go bad in his opinion in as little as “three-to-four days”. It sounds crazy, but Marinelli insists muscle memory is short-term creating a constant need for practice reps.
In four games, the Bears defense has 14 sacks. The goal was one every eight pass attempts. The Bears have one every twelve. They rank fifth in the NFL in sacks per pass play.
A year ago, the team had only 28 sacks.
Adewale Ogunleye is off to a terrific start. Not only does he have 4 ½ sacks, Ogunleye leads the Bears with an additional twelve quar terback pressures. He is second in the NFC, behind Minnesota’s Jared Allen and sixth in the NFL.
Using more technique and a series of counter moves, rather than raw edge speed, Ogunleye swears by Marinelli.
So does Alex Brown.
Each player is outstanding setting the edge of the defense against the run, and each have become better players because of Marinelli. They are doing an outstanding job on line stunts.
Mark Anderson is proving to be a handful in the nickel package rushing from the defensive tackle position. His speed is difficult to handle.
Israel Idonije took care of some lingering knee issues with Monday arthroscopic surgery. He could be available against the Falcons in week six in Atlanta. Ervin Baldwin is on the practice squad, but could become an option for the 53-man roster if Idonije is limited.
In the first ten snaps of Jarron Gilbert’s NFL career produced one quarterback hit. The Bears are intrigued by the potential of injured rookie Henry Melton at defensive tackle next season.
0A
DEFENDING THE PASS
With games against Matt Ryan, Carson Palmer, and Kurt Warner upcoming, the Bears defense will continue to get tested on the back end.
Passers are completing 62.3% of their throws on the Bears. Passing yardage has increased steadily from 150 by Aaron Rodgers to 203 by Ben Roethlisberger to 243 by Seneca Wallace to 308 by Matthew Stafford/Daunte Culpepper.
Charles Tillman has the only interception in the secondary, and the only two forced fumbles.
A bunch of quality receivers are also around the bend: Atlanta’s Roddy White, Cincinnati’s Chad Ocho Cinco, and Arizonas’ dynamic trio of Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston.
Safeties Danieal Manning and rookie Al Afalava are making a lot of tackles. Manning is second on the team behind Lance Briggs and Afalava is tied for fifth with Kevin Payne with 20 each.
Overall, the Bears are ranked 20th against the pass in yards and 8th in average yards per pass attempt.
CUTLER COOL
Jay Cutler is the sixth rated passer in the fourth quarter, a stat the NFL values. He has completed 79% of his passes with two touchdowns and a rating of 111.5. On third down, Cutlers’ rating sinks to 68.6. His completion percentage is fifty and overall ranks 22nd in the NFL.
Cutler is one of only seven quarterbacks in the league that have thrown eight or more touchdowns. He has helped the Bears to a number seven ranking in points-per-game(26.2)
INTERESTING NUGGETS
*Matt Forte is up to fourth in the NFC in total yards from scrimmage with 363, which is third among running backs trailing Adrian Peterson(468), and Steven Jackson(434).
*Bears receivers Earl Bennett(200), Johnny Knox(190), and Devin Hester(189) each have more receiving yards and a higher average per catch than Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald(181), but with one more game. It’s still interesting.
*Thanks to a pair of big returns last week, the Bears lead the NFL in kickoff return average and enjoy the best average drive start in the NFL(34.3). Dave Toubs’ special teams unit jumps from 12th to 3rd in the Dallas Morning News rankings.
*Rookie Johnny Knox leads the NFL in kickoff returns averaging 35.8 yards per return, ahead of Minnesota’s Percy Harvin(31.5).20Both have touchdowns: Knox(102 yards), Harvin(101 yards).
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