Who we'd like to see utilized more Monday night

[Lake Shore Drive]

I'm sure we all have players, especially on offense, who we'd like to see get more action. Of course the O can only be on the field so much and be involved in so many plays. Not everyone is going to be targeted a whole bunch. But here are my three that I hope see more action this week.

Trey Burton - A speedy, fluid TE with good hands is usually a QB's BFF on the field. Burton should generally be #1 or #2 in targets game in and game out.

Anthony Miler - C'mon, all we heard all preseason and in practices is the tremendous upside to this kid. Sponges for hands and possibly the best route runner on the team, this guy needs more passes thrown his way.

Tarik Cohen - Any time the Bears go spread, he should be option 1 or 2. He's most dangerous if there's a touch of daylight between him and his immediate defender. Let's see if Nagy & co can come up with more open field type of plays for Cohen.

Now obviously my wish list is based on the assumption that Jordan Howard will still get the majority of carries and I expect that Alan Robinson remains as the go-to WR. It's just that I'd like to see these other three have more targets or touches come their way.

As for the defense, suffice to say we should see more field time from Khalil Mack and Roquan Smith. Not sure yet is Smith is ready to take over as the starter's role in place of Kwit, but at the very least he should be out there for about 50% of the snaps.

The one suggested replacement of starters, Smith aside, would be for Roy Robertson-Harris to take over as starter from Jonathan Bullard. Nothing really against the latter, but RRH does a better job at overpowering his OL opponent and is without question the better pass rusher of the two. We'll likely need those talents on Monday as we're facing the shiftiest QB in the league.

 

[BsGenius]

I'll be paying attention to see if Trubisky can accurately throw vertically from inside the pocket particularly when there's pressure. This will be more meaningful to me than anything else he does the entire game.

Under such circumstances so far, he's either scrambled, or been horribly inaccurate.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I'll be paying attention to see if Trubisky can accurately throw vertically from inside the pocket particularly when there's pressure. This will be more meaningful to me than anything else he does the entire game.

Under such circumstances so far, he's either scrambled, or been horribly inaccurate.

Not going to argue that point, no doubt he needs to step up his game and in just about every facet. But he's also the starting QB, so we're going to see him out there every second the O is on the field, and my focus was on players who need to see more time out there.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

I'll be paying attention to see if Trubisky can accurately throw vertically from inside the pocket particularly when there's pressure. This will be more meaningful to me than anything else he does the entire game.

Under such circumstances so far, he's either scrambled, or been horribly inaccurate.

Baby steps...

 

[BsGenius]

Baby steps...

This is the best point you've made so far. It seems under such circumstances so far even Nagy is opting to either screen, dump off, or run some variation of a QB option play. Perhaps Nagy is taking baby steps with him.

If Trubisky can deliver (under pressure) even a couple of strikes vertically downfield to receivers, that will go a long long way in believing maybe Trubisky is the guy.

I know the defense will show up. I know everyone around Trubisky will show up. Trubisky is the lone key. So far he's been horrible under said circumstances. And to the people who say otherwise, I have no idea what game you saw--which is a common theme around here.

 

[Nelly]

Burton played a lot of snaps against GB, and he was targeted a fair amount, just couldn't get on the same page. He should be Trubisky's security blanket though.

 

[Nelly]

Defensively, i don't buy for a split second that Roquon Smith isn't ready. The dude was the defensive player of the year in college last season. He was universally recognized as the one defensive player in the draft that was a plug and play type guy. The only thing you really worry about is that hamstring and that's he in full game shape after the holdout.

As long as the D line can do a good job not allowing the O line to get the second level on him with runs up the gut, he should be a force in the middle of the field right now with his coverage skills and speed to pursue ball carriers.

 

[beardown07]

The Endzone. Would like to see them utilize the endzone more.

 

[averagejoe]

There's a few things I'd like to see improvement on, but i just want to see us in the WIN column tonight.

 

[richig07]

Roquan listed as starter

 

[beardown07]

Roquan listed as starter

Dude's a thumper. Had some big hits tonight. He's gonna be a great Bear.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Well we got to see more of Burton and Miller, but for some reason Cohen continues to be either underutilized or ineffective when his number is called. I love it when he's back there for PRs, but from scrimmage he has surprisingly been quite sub-average. Not sure if it's the play calling or his actual performance, but so far in this very young season, I've been nonplussed with the results.

 

[beardown07]

Well we got to see more of Burton and Miller, but for some reason Cohen continues to be either underutilized or ineffective when his number is called. I love it when he's back there for PRs, but from scrimmage he has surprisingly been quite sub-average. Not sure if it's the play calling or his actual performance, but so far in this very young season, I've been nonplussed with the results.

He still forces the D to locate and respect him. The first TD was all due to the respect he garners.


Play of the game was to him as well.



The season is very young still, and he is still a threat that has to accounted for by defenses.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

He still forces the D to locate and respect him. The first TD was all due to the respect he garners.

Play of the game was to him as well.

The season is very young still, and he is still a threat that has to accounted for by defenses.

Well just like Trubisky, I'm being patient with Cohen. I suspect Nagy is still feeling his way about how to best take advantage of his skills. But after hearing & reading all the preseason buzz about how much the versatile Cohen was going to factor in Nagy's game plans, I'm just a bit surprised at how infrequent his involvement has been. And why do I get the feeling that a few of those RPO plays that were run with Gabriel were originally intended for Tarik. Oh well, we won the game and he contributed to the win.

 

[richig07]

He still forces the D to locate and respect him. The first TD was all due to the respect he garners.


Play of the game was to him as well.



The season is very young still, and he is still a threat that has to accounted for by defenses.

I don't really think it was about Cohen garnering respect - so much as it was a very well executed, savvy misdirection play. I think the play, in that situation (and with the execution by Burton/Trubisky and especially the O-line) functions with virtually any RB out there.

 

[richig07]

Well just like Trubisky, I'm being patient with Cohen. I suspect Nagy is still feeling his way about how to best take advantage of his skills. But after hearing & reading all the preseason buzz about how much the versatile Cohen was going to factor in Nagy's game plans, I'm just a bit surprised at how infrequent his involvement has been. And why do I get the feeling that a few of those RPO plays that were run with Gabriel were originally intended for Tarik. Oh well, we won the game and he contributed to the win.

The pre-season hype for Cohen was way too much. The "Tyreek Hill" comparisons were blatantly absurd. They're nothing alike, don't even play the same position or really possess the same skill-set. Cohen has an opportunity to be a Darren Sproles in this league, but not a game changing player like Hill. Hill possesses OLYMPIC straight line speed.

Hill is also 5'10 vs Cohen at 5'6 - 4 inches makes a pretty big difference when trying to draw a comparison to another player

I always thought (if anything) Gabriel was a closer comparison. Still rather silly... but if Trubisky hits him for that 60 yard wide open TD. His stat line and usage would have at least resembled something close to Hill in that game. Along with his position and straight line speed.

 

[beardown07]

I don't really think it was about Cohen garnering respect - so much as it was a very well executed, savvy misdirection play. I think the play, in that situation (and with the execution by Burton/Trubisky and especially the O-line) functions with virtually any RB out there.

Neat. So is this just one of those days where you are going to argue for the sake of arguing?

 

[richig07]

Neat. So is this just one of those days where you are going to argue for the sake of arguing?

I think we agree on like 90% of our interractions, overall. Which is a really good ratio. Chill. lol. I disagree with you on one thing and I was hardly being combative towards you.

 

[Nelly]

Regarding Cohen, are there any guys on the team really that know their place? I'd say Robinson is the closest one, having led the team in targets in both weeks, and convincingly this last game. Howard is the next closest but you'd think he would have got more carries on Monday night having been in control of that game throughout. Beyond them, it's a total crap shoot. Is Gabriel a guy who clears out or is he a short-area weapon in the mold of Tyreek Hill? Is Cohen a guy who's going to make his money more out of the backfield or being flexed out to show various looks? Is Burton a go-to guy over the middle, and where does Anthony Miller fit in here?

I think both the coaching staff and Trubisky are trying to figure all that out at the same time.

 

[richig07]

Regarding Cohen, are there any guys on the team really that know their place? I'd say Robinson is the closest one, having led the team in targets in both weeks, and convincingly this last game. Howard is the next closest but you'd think he would have got more carries on Monday night having been in control of that game throughout. Beyond them, it's a total crap shoot. Is Gabriel a guy who clears out or is he a short-area weapon in the mold of Tyreek Hill? Is Cohen a guy who's going to make his money more out of the backfield or being flexed out to show various looks? Is Burton a go-to guy over the middle, and where does Anthony Miller fit in here?

I think both the coaching staff and Trubisky are trying to figure all that out at the same time.

That's fair enough. I guess that I just personally don't see the skill set in Cohen which requires him to be a legitimate, game breaking weapon on a consistent basis. I seem him as a scat back/gadget - who is a really good punt returner. Not to sound like a broken record, but... Darren Sproles.