The primary Thanksgiving sport is a fairly enjoyable one, with the rivalry between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions including one other chapter. This can be a good one to start out the time off with, particularly because the meals remains to be getting cooked. A pleasant technique 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 enjoying at a extremely excessive stage.
Ever since Bears’ offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was fired, it appears like rookie QB Caleb Williams has morphed into a totally completely different participant. He’s enjoying 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 by way of 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 received to the NFL, and regardless of not resulting in many wins but, he seems to be way more snug 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 properly.
I feel Williams has seemed way more assured throwing the ball downfield and showcasing a number of the liveliness in his arm. Interim OC Thomas Brown has made it appear to be 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 indicate off. I actually like the boldness to take this throw, however let’s dissect it and see the place Williams was proper and incorrect.
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 seeking to get this ball to Allen, however LB Andrew Van Ginkel is dropping into this window. The place I feel Williams goes incorrect is within the timing of this throw. When you look from the endzone angle, you’ll be able to see that this play in all probability comes open a little bit 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, in the event you 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 exhibiting a blitz on the line of scrimmage. What I like about this throw by Williams is the ball placement, holding this one on the again shoulder so Allen is protected against a giant hit by the one security. He would possibly’ve been in a position to let this go a little bit 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 acquire. I’m unsure how actually sustainable that is, however it’s refreshing to see Williams get again into this a part of his arsenal on the NFL stage. By the primary half of the season, it felt like Williams was attempting to constrain himself to the purpose of not enjoying like himself. This seems to be 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 piece play. One of many first belongings you study in soccer is that the dig is at all times open, and the Bears ran it rather well out of a three-man idea. You get two over routes to filter the center of the sector, and WR DJ Moore is available in on a dig. Take a look at the boldness that Williams reveals throwing this factor into a decent 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 number of bizarre misses downfield), the truth that he’s enjoying with a bit extra freedom ought to 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 properly. Williams’ capacity to create and prolong performs might be put to the take a look at on Thanksgiving towards a Detroit line of defense that is stuffed with ass kickers. Lions’ DT Alim McNeill was rewarded with a giant extension midseason, and he’s backed it up in a giant method. Towards the Colts he was darn close to unblockable, ending with two pressures, a pressured fumble and a holding penalty drawn. McNeill has ascended to be one of many higher DTs within the sport, and on Thanksgiving you could look out for giant quantity 54, particularly when paired with DT DJ Reader.
McNeill’s energy is just absurd, having the ability to generate power in such a monster method. He introduces poor quantity 68 to the turf in a loopy present of energy, getting a strain and forcing an incompletion. Take a look at how he’s in a position to get his fingers 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 essential fourth down that stored a giant 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 precise guard right here and become involved on this run play.
Whereas the Lions haven’t actually been in a position to 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. Maintain an eye fixed out for these two on Thursday.