The primary Thanksgiving sport is a fairly enjoyable one, with the rivalry between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions including one other chapter. It is a good one to start out the break day with, particularly because the meals remains to be getting cooked. A pleasant solution to begin the day with some soccer and chatting with household. What I’d be looking out for is the Bears’ offense towards this Lions’ protection that’s taking part in at a extremely excessive stage.
Ever since Bears’ offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was fired, it seems like rookie QB Caleb Williams has morphed into a very totally different participant. He’s taking part in faster (common time to throw of two.42 seconds in weeks 11 and 12, in comparison with his season common of two.8 seconds), scrambling extra (averaging 5 scrambles per SIS over the past two weeks, in comparison with two via weeks one and ten), and proven extra of what we noticed of him whereas he was at USC. It’s what all of us had been ready for when he acquired to the NFL, and regardless of not resulting in many wins but, he appears to be like way more comfy within the circulate of the sport. Regardless of the loss to the Minnesota Vikings in additional time, I believed Williams had a extremely good sport, with some excessive stage stuff in there. Let’s hop into it and see what he did so nicely.
I believe Williams has appeared way more assured throwing the ball downfield and showcasing a number of the liveliness in his arm. Interim OC Thomas Brown has made it seem like the passing sport has been extra open, and Williams has been the beneficiary of that. There’s some excessive stage throws combined into this tape, stuff that I’m glad Williams is getting the possibility to point out off. I actually like the arrogance to take this throw, however let’s dissect it and see the place Williams was proper and flawed.
So this one was enjoyable as a result of WR DJ Moore was lined up within the backfield. They ship him into burst movement and play motion a run with him. From right here we get a publish by the surface receiver and an out route by Keenan Allen. Williams is trying to get this ball to Allen, however LB Andrew Van Ginkel is dropping into this window. The place I believe Williams goes flawed is within the timing of this throw. In case you look from the endzone angle, you possibly can see that this play in all probability comes open slightly sooner than Williams lets this ball go. Nonetheless, that is in right here as a result of having the arm audacity to make this throw is fairly freakin’ neat, if you happen to ask me, Williams whipping this throw in there reveals off some sick arm expertise, the factor that Bears followers can get excited for.
He additionally did this, a really good throw inside the course of. The Vikings are spot dropping to Cowl 3 after displaying a blitz on the line of scrimmage. What I really like about this throw by Williams is the ball placement, conserving this one on the again shoulder so Allen is protected against an enormous hit by the one security. He would possibly’ve been capable of let this go slightly earlier however I nonetheless like the method significantly better than what Williams has proven in earlier weeks.
Williams additionally had some actually excessive stage chaos throws, those that we noticed from him at USC. The issues that we thought he would convey to the NFL, however had been seemingly suppressed in hopes of proving he’s a pocket passer. Since Waldron was fired, Williams has been extra keen to do extra of the surface the pocket issues that he’s used to doing. This was a peak NONONONONONONONONONOYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES play from Williams, escaping the strain and discovering D’Andre Swift on a 40 yard achieve. I’m unsure how really sustainable that is, but it surely’s refreshing to see Williams get again into this a part of his arsenal on the NFL stage. By way of the primary half of the season, it felt like Williams was making an attempt to constrain himself to the purpose of not taking part in like himself. This appears to be like like USC Caleb Williams, and that’s fairly cool.
This one to maintain the Bears occurring their last drive earlier than additional time was my favourite throw of the day by Williams, an absolute rip on a dig route that made for a bit play. One of many first belongings you study in soccer is that the dig is all the time open, and the Bears ran it rather well out of a three-man idea. You get two over routes to filter out the center of the sector, and WR DJ Moore is available in on a dig. Have a look at the arrogance that Williams reveals throwing this factor into a good window. This, this proper right here is the great shit.
Whereas Williams wasn’t good (he took a BAD sack in additional time and had a couple of bizarre misses downfield), the truth that he’s taking part in with a bit extra freedom must be a welcome signal for Bears followers. This was the man you’ll hope to see, flashes of the electrifying playmaking mixed with some actually goofy stuff as nicely. Williams’ capacity to create and lengthen performs might be put to the check on Thanksgiving towards a Detroit line of defense that is filled with ass kickers. Lions’ DT Alim McNeill was rewarded with an enormous extension midseason, and he’s backed it up in an enormous approach. In opposition to the Colts he was darn close to unblockable, ending with two pressures, a compelled fumble and a holding penalty drawn. McNeill has ascended to be one of many higher DTs within the sport, and on Thanksgiving it is advisable to look out for giant quantity 54, particularly when paired with DT DJ Reader.
McNeill’s energy is solely absurd, having the ability to generate pressure in such a monster approach. He introduces poor quantity 68 to the turf in a loopy present of energy, getting a strain and forcing an incompletion. Have a look at how he’s capable of get his palms inside on the guard and simply drive him into the turf. That’s a grown ass man, man.
McNeill additionally drew a holding on a crucial fourth down that saved an enormous play off the board for the Colts. He treats this proper guard like a blocking sled once more, hitting him with a bull rush then ending with a swim transfer that attracts a holding penalty. He’s thirteenth in ESPN’s Cross Rush Win Price for defensive tackles, and you’re feeling it when he’s on the sector.
Reader came to visit to Detroit from Cincinnati in free company, and his play when wholesome has helped put the Lions at seventh within the NFL in EPA allowed per speeding try. Watch him discard the proper guard right here and get entangled on this run play.
Whereas the Lions haven’t actually been capable of replicate the sheer pressures of star EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, getting McNeill and Reader to be Detroit’s BeBop and Rocksteady has been actually cool, and essential to their defensive success these days. They get a extremely favorable matchup towards a Bears’ OL that’s questionable to say the least. Preserve an eye fixed out for these two on Thursday.
