Where Is The Pressure On Fields Coming From......

[soulman]

Assigning blame for Chicago Bears pressure on Justin Fields

by Parker Hurley 6 hours ago Follow @parkerhurley

https://beargoggleson.com/2021/11/12/chicago-bears-justin-fields-pressure/?utm_campaign=FanSided+Daily&utm_source=FanSided+Daily&utm_medium=email

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields faces pressure on 39.4% of his dropbacks, according to PFF. Fields’ pressure rate ranks fifth in the NFL behind Zach Wilson, Jameis Winston, Jacob Brissett, and Tyrod Taylor. Pressure comes in various ways, so the question now becomes what is causing this number to be so high, and what can the Bears do to help?

PFF also does an excellent job charting the pressures, and each pressure can be broken down by position. Below

Right Tackle 23.6% 

Left Tackle 22.2% 

Center 16.7% 

Left Guard 15.3% 

Right Guard 13.9% 

Quarterback 12.5% 

Tight End 8.3% 

Other 1.4% 

Overall, most of this is not surprising. It is also worth noting that Justin Fields is ranked 17th in responsibility for the pressure he faces. This should not be confused with Fields ranking second in pressure to sack rate, behind only Baker Mayfield.

The reality is that when the pressure comes, Fields does struggle and takes sacks. However, it is not often his fault that the pressure is coming.

More often than not, the pressure is coming from the tackles and especially right tackle. However, a lot of this comes from the Bears’ weeks 5-7 run where Elijah Wilkinson, Alex Bars, and Lachavious Simmons took the right tackle snaps for the Chicago Bears.

In weeks 1-4, Germain Ifedi had a 21.1% pressure allowed rate, which is slightly below the left tackle Jason Peters. Beyond that, Larry Borom has posted an impressive 8.3% rate against Nick Bosa and T.J. Watt. This speaks to just how bad the other games were for this rate to be at 23.6%. Just from last week, it dropped 5%, thanks to Borom.

Many fans may be surprised that Peters is second on the team, but being a left tackle often means facing the team’s top pass rusher. He performs well at times but can often lose to speed and let rushers get around him.

The interior is ranked in a way that you would expect. Sam Mustipher has the least pedigree and is going through struggles. From low snaps to penalties to issues calling out the mike, a lot has been adding up for Mustipher. Still, Cody Whitehair has been the biggest disappointment because he has not been significantly better.

Still, Whitehair ranks 11th, while James Daniels is the only Chicago Bears lineman in the top ten in the least pressures allowed. Daniels ranks 9th with just under 14% allowed, which leads the team. It has been no surprise that Daniels has been the best lineman, but it can be argued that he is their best in the run game and pass statistically.

[Sugashane]

8 minutes ago, soulman said:

PFF also does an excellent job charting the pressures, and each pressure can be broken down by position.

Oh I'm excited to hear how much this pisses @JAF-N72EXoff. 😄

 

My issue with this is that Mustipher has had a lot of help from the guards and THAT has opened several sacks and pressures as well. Plus we had that CLE game where Nagy and Co were so blind they thought our OTs could man up Garrett and Clowney - something that even Loggains and Gase would have never been stupid enough to do that much. I do agree that Whitehair has been bad though, and Daniels has flat out sucked overall (from my view, although I'm not reviewing him in detail).

 

That being said Borom has looked great overall. We need to get a real coaching staff around before he degrades like Daniels and Whitehair did.

[soulman]

This confirms something I'd read earlier about Cody Whitehair having more issues in pass protection than we may have initially suspected he would have.  Is it him or is it because he's been asked to do more in terms of helping Mustipher and/or Peters.

These stats would also indicate that Daniels should receive an extension.  He's still just 24 years old and just now beginning to enter his prime years as an experienced OL.  Whitehair is now 29 and signed through 2024.  I think we'd be smart to move him back to OC and continue to upgrade at OG since OG is an easier position to fill than OC.  Even now we have Daniels, Bars, and Ifedi all of whom grade higher than Mustipher.  If the objective is still to play your 5 best OL then Ifedi or Bars should be starting somewhere in place of Mustipher.

10 minutes ago, soulman said:

In weeks 1-4, Germain Ifedi had a 21.1% pressure allowed rate, which is slightly below the left tackle Jason Peters. Beyond that, Larry Borom has posted an impressive 8.3% rate against Nick Bosa and T.J. Watt. This speaks to just how bad the other games were for this rate to be at 23.6%. Just from last week, it dropped 5%, thanks to Borom.

If Borom can continue to play at this level we will have solved at least one OT position.  That kind of success against two of the best Edge Rushers in the NFL may also indicate he can play LT if when Jenkins returns he prove to be more effective at RT due to his run blocking ability.  Now isn't the time to play musical OTs but in 2022 the door should be wide open for both at either OT spot.

[Madmike90]

PFF is always a strange one for me since their rankings don't always match up with the eyeball test however I don't think they are far off the mark here...Borom was excellent against Watt even though the box score says differently...I think he could really lock down one of the OL spots for years to come...Daniels is the best interior linemen by default since Whitehair has been really poor this season and Mustipher just isn't a starter...I am pretty much so done with all three as long term starters...Whitehair will need to be here next year due to his contract but after that he could be cut as well...Mustipher could go this offseason or be kept as a backup on low money...Daniels I think moves on.

[soulman]

3 minutes ago, Sugashane said:

I do agree that Whitehair has been bad though, and Daniels has flat out sucked overall (from my view, although I'm not reviewing him in detail).

At least in this particular analysis Daniels play would say you're incorrect.  We do know that his run blocking is very good and always has been.  The question in my mind is would he be even better at LG or should we leave him at RG for the rest of his career?  Moving guys around as often as we have hasn't helped as far as cohesion among them is concerned.

Having said that I would still be in favor or moving Whitehair back to OC but maybe wait on that 'til 2022 and let Eiselen have a shot at it for now.

[Sugashane]

4 minutes ago, soulman said:

At least in this particular analysis Daniels play would say you're incorrect.  We do know that his run blocking is very good and always has been.  The question in my mind is would he be even better at LG or should we leave him at RG for the rest of his career?  Moving guys around as often as we have hasn't helped as far as cohesion among them is concerned.

Having said that I would still be in favor or moving Whitehair back to OC but maybe wait on that 'til 2022 and let Eiselen have a shot at it for now.

At this point I don't even re-sign him unless it is super cheap. I mean is he worth more than Ifedi at this point? He was terrible at C and has been bad at G. At least with Ifedi he is able to bounce in or outside. I'd rather my back ups have position versatility and Daniels only can play OG at a mediocre level from what I have seen.

If his run blocking is good then maybe he can be the huge mauling FB I have wanted forever. lol

[soulman]

5 minutes ago, Madmike90 said:

PFF is always a strange one for me since their rankings don't always match up with the eyeball test however I don't think they are far off the mark here...Borom was excellent against Watt even though the box score says differently...I think he could really lock down one of the OL spots for years to come...Daniels is the best interior linemen by default since Whitehair has been really poor this season and Mustipher just isn't a starter...I am pretty much so done with all three as long term starters...Whitehair will need to be here next year due to his contract but after that he could be cut as well...Mustipher could go this offseason or be kept as a backup on low money...Daniels I think moves on.

And I believe it would be a huge mistake to not extend Daniels.  He's just 24 years old and arguably the best run blocker we have.  Monty and Herbert have both benefited from having him at OG.  As for pass blocking I can't properly evaluate it if only because having Mustipher at OC and needing help tends to skew the stats of both Daniels and Whitehair.  IMHO Mustipher is dragging down the entire interior of the OL.

How PFF ranks certain players the way they do is a mystery to just about everyone but in this case the analysis is purely quantitative.  All that's open for debate is what threshold they use to determine what constitutes "pressure" on the QB and even that would have very little impact on their numbers.  But as they state Daniels ranks in the top ten in the NFL as far as pressures allowed and Whitehair isn't all that far behind ranking 11th.

IMHO improvements at OT and at OC will help reduce the overall percentage of pressures across the entire OL.  IMHO both Whitehair and Daniels are quality starting caliber NFL OL and we're trying to build a good OL around good talent.  Getting rid of either of them would only mean we'd be drafting those positions higher as well all over again.  IMHO this is what has to stop.  Get rid of Mustipher and I'm good with Whitehair/Daniels.

[Madmike90]

21 minutes ago, soulman said:

And I believe it would be a huge mistake to not extend Daniels.  He's just 24 years old and arguably the best run blocker we have.  Monty and Herbert have both benefited from having him at OG.  As for pass blocking I can't properly evaluate it if only because having Mustipher at OC and needing help tends to skew the stats of both Daniels and Whitehair.  IMHO Mustipher is dragging down the entire interior of the OL.

How PFF ranks certain players the way they do is a mystery to just about everyone but in this case the analysis is purely quantitative.  All that's open for debate is what threshold they use to determine what constitutes "pressure" on the QB and even that would have very little impact on their numbers.  But as they state Daniels ranks in the top ten in the NFL as far as pressures allowed and Whitehair isn't all that far behind ranking 11th.

IMHO improvements at OT and at OC will help reduce the overall percentage of pressures across the entire OL.  IMHO both Whitehair and Daniels are quality starting caliber NFL OL and we're trying to build a good OL around good talent.  Getting rid of either of them would only mean we'd be drafting those positions higher as well all over again.  IMHO this is what has to stop.  Get rid of Mustipher and I'm good with Whitehair/Daniels.

I like Daniels...I have always been one of his biggest fans around here...but for me he is going backwards in his development right now...I completely agree with you that he is getting a raw deal playing between Mustipher and what we had at RT before Borom but for me he is a zone guard above all else and unless we hire someone like Kevin O'Connell as a head coach I think a zone team come and offer him more money than we should be winning to pay if we want to be a power scheme team.

[soulman]

17 minutes ago, Sugashane said:

At this point I don't even re-sign him unless it is super cheap. I mean is he worth more than Ifedi at this point? He was terrible at C and has been bad at G. At least with Ifedi he is able to bounce in or outside. I'd rather my back ups have position versatility and Daniels only can play OG at a mediocre level from what I have seen.

If his run blocking is good then maybe he can be the huge mauling FB I have wanted forever. lol

OK, point taken but is your point correct?

As I posted to Mike.  Those PFF stats are purely quantitative.  They aren't ranking anyone overall just telling us on what percentage of snaps each position has allowed a pressure.  In Daniels case based solely on pressures allowed he ranks 9th out of all NFL OGs and Whitehair ranks 11th.  There are over 50 starting NFL OGs who rank lower in pressures allowed than both Daniels and Whitehair.  Explain to me how that's bad?

Daniels was tried out at OC when he was a 20 year old rookie and we never left him there long enough for him to acclimate to the position at this level before we moved Whitehair back to OC.  Even now I can almost guarantee you Daniels would outplay Mustipher at OC.  Both Daniels and Whitehair have been on an OL carousel ever since they arrived and both have run blocked well we do know that much as well.

IMHO Ifedi is not a better overall blocker than Daniels and if we keep him around in 2022 he's a nearly perfect right side swing man to have as a backup at both RG and RT.  As a starter he's far more mediocre than Daniels.  Once we actually get the OT positions fixed then I'll be more than happy to hone in on Daniels and Whitehair as well but I'm not prepared to do without either right now or in the near future.

[abstract_thought]

I'd be curious to see a breakdown of how much help Borom is getting. Seemed like the Bears did a good job throwing extra blockers to that side to ease his transition.

[soulman]

2 minutes ago, Madmike90 said:

I like Daniels...I have always been one of his biggest fans around here...but for me he is going backwards in his development right now...I completely agree with you that he is getting a raw deal playing between Mustipher and what we had at RT before Borom but for me he is a zone guard above all else and unless we hire someone like Kevin O'Connell as a head coach I think a zone team come and offer him more money than we should be winning to pay if we want to be a power scheme team.

Yes, Daniels is more effective in a zone scheme than a power scheme but that's what we run and should be running given the RBs we have.  IMHO power blocking schemes are week old news any longer.  We should not be running a power scheme.  Not now and not ever.  Not with backs like Monty and Herbert who have great vision and can hit a crease hard and fast.

I'll make it clear that other than our OTs I'm not willing to diss either Whitehair or Daniels based on this funky junky offense Nagy has been trying to make work.  Nagy changes his mind on the run game like most people change their socks.  The run game finally worked when Lazor began calling plays and the OL looked like they knew who to block.  That seldom happened under Nagy.

I'm also willing to attribute any regression to the schizophrenic way Nagy has handled his OL.  First it was lighter more mobile OGs.  Then this year every single one was asked to add 15-20lbs and be prepared to become maulers.  Well they're not and that's yet another brain fart of Nagy's that hasn't worked.  Flush Nagy and his POS offense down the drain and then start evaluating our OGs.

Both have played at high enough levels to have been named as potential Pro Bowl level guys.  In fact I believe Whitehair may even have played in one Pro Bowl.  Whitehair and Daniels may not be All Pro but until we find a couple they're at least above average OGs playing in a very bad offensive scheme that confuses our own guys far more than it confuses our opponents.

[soulman]

18 minutes ago, abstract_thought said:

I'd be curious to see a breakdown of how much help Borom is getting. Seemed like the Bears did a good job throwing extra blockers to that side to ease his transition.

For that you'll probably need to watch a game video and score it yourself.

[Madmike90]

16 minutes ago, soulman said:

Yes, Daniels is more effective in a zone scheme than a power scheme but that's what we run and should be running given the RBs we have.  IMHO power blocking schemes are week old news any longer.  We should not be running a power scheme.  Not now and not ever.  Not with backs like Monty and Herbert who have great vision and can hit a crease hard and fast.

I'll make it clear that other than our OTs I'm not willing to diss either Whitehair or Daniels based on this funky junky offense Nagy has been trying to make work.  Nagy changes his mind on the run game like most people change their socks.  The run game finally worked when Lazor began calling plays and the OL looked like they knew who to block.  That seldom happened under Nagy.

I'm also willing to attribute any regression to the schizophrenic way Nagy has handled his OL.  First it was lighter more mobile OGs.  Then this year every single one was asked to add 15-20lbs and be prepared to become maulers.  Well they're not and that's yet another brain fart of Nagy's that hasn't worked.  Flush Nagy and his POS offense down the drain and then start evaluating our OGs.

Both have played at high enough levels to have been named as potential Pro Bowl level guys.  In fact I believe Whitehair may even have played in one Pro Bowl.  Whitehair and Daniels may not be All Pro but until we find a couple they're at least above average OGs playing in a very bad offensive scheme that confuses our own guys far more than it confuses our opponents.

I would say teams like Baltimore, Dallas & Tampa would disagree...they use a lot of power blocking then bring in some outside zone as a change up...

The NFL is about going against the curve at times...teams got smaller and faster on defence to deal with passing attacks...you bring in a massive OL and hit them straight in the mouth and that is really difficult to deal with...you wear down pass rushers by doing that throughout the game and it then allows you to set up the play action when teams are forced to bring an extra safety down to the box...

For me I want to get bigger and more physical upfront...I want those 6'5"-6'6" 320lbs linemen who have tackle experience and can move but also have the power and aggressiveness on the inside.

[Bfan]

It would be interesting to see how well Whitehair and Daniel's would do if we just upgraded at C?  Unfortunately if Daniels is looking for too much money next year it may not be a viable option.

[Heinz D.]

8 hours ago, soulman said:

Center 16.7% 

This is actually the most problematic part of the whole offensive line equation.