In hindsight, the Chicago Bears probably should have started the 38-year-old veteran quarterback in a divisional road game instead of a player making just his sixth career start. Chances are it wouldn’t have mattered, because the Green Bay Packers’ offense was locked in, but Case Keenum has been there, done that, having played plenty of divisional road games. Tyson Bagent was fine in Soldier Field against the New York Jets, but playing the Packers in Lambeau is a different atmosphere, and Bagent was off his game.
I don’t fault Ben Johnson for rolling with Bagent, because you don’t know how a player will react in those moments until they get a chance.
He had his chance, and hopefully Bagent learns from his experience in Green Bay, and hopefully we never have to see him play a meaningful snap for the Bears again. That’s not a knock on Bagent; I just want Caleb Williams to stay healthy.
Let’s get into the Sackwatch!
- Sack 8: 1st Quarter: 2-9-CHI 44 (13:28) (Shotgun) T.Bagent sacked at CHI 33 for -11 yards (D.Wyatt)
Bagent takes the shotgun snap, gathers, and works through a couple of progressions before he feels pressure. He escapes it, then slips trying to plant. Not sure if he was trying to cut up to scramble or if he was setting to throw deep to Kalif Raymond, who broke free downfield. Slipping on the field feels like an unfortunate sacks happen moment, but…
Garrett Bradbury, what are you doing? He sets up in a great position to protect the right A-gap; right guard Jonah Jackson passes his guy (Devonte Wyatt, #95) off to the center, Bradbury, who then overextends and loses balance.
Who knows if Bagent keeps his feet; maybe he does something to avoid the sack, but I can’t let Bradbury off the hook here, so half the blame to him and half to sacks happen.
- Sack 9: 2nd Quarter: 2-4-CHI 16 (1:00) (No Huddle, Shotgun) T.Bagent sacked at CHI 10 for -6 yards (B.Cisse)
The Packers blitzed to Bagent’s right, and he appeared to see it and be aware of the possibility pre-snap because running back D’Andre Swift went left. Meaning: a free blitzer from the right would be Bagent’s responsibility. So with him looking into the blitz and wideout Luther Burden III on the quick in route, why not throw with anticipation and hit Burden coming out of his break?
Swift was planning to chip Lukas Van Ness’ (#90) outside shoulder, but tight end Colston Loveland gave the edge up way too quickly on the left side, and that pressure got home.
But that ball should have been out.
This one is on Bagent.
- Sack 10: 4th Quarter: 1-10-GB 39 (4:20) (Shotgun) C.Keenum sacked at GB 47 for -8 yards (D.Wyatt). FUMBLES (D.Wyatt) [D.Wyatt], RECOVERED by GB-D.Dennis-Sutton at GB 41
The Bears were in an empty set, and the Packers only rushed 4. Case Keenum started to pull the trigger to Rome Odunze, who settled between two zone defenders, but Green Bay’s hash defender didn’t widen out enough. The Packers did a good job all afternoon taking away the intermediate middle of the field stuff, probably knowing that Bagent (or Keenum) wouldn’t look to push the ball downfield as much.
Sometimes you got to tip your hat at a good game plan by the defense.
Burden, who went over the top of Rome, appears to be the second read, and it was there if Keenum wasn’t forced to move.
And why was he forced to move?
Bradbury set up and wasn’t in a good position to accept the pass off from Jackson here. He offered little resistance to Waytt, who got the strip-sack and threw Keenum to the ground.
Can I split this one again?
Yes, I can, so half to Bradbury and half to Green Bay’s nice coverage (sacks happen).
- Sack 11: 4th Quarter: 2-10-CHI 32 (1:47) (Shotgun) C.Keenum sacked at CHI 21 for -11 yards (D.Dennis-Sutton)
At this point in the game, the Bears are looking for points, so Keenum is looking downfield at the three deep receivers. When (if) he decided to look for Loveland as the checkdown over the middle, EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton (#51) was already in his face. Left tackle Theo Benedet didn’t seem to expect a quick move to the inside gap, and Dennis-Sutton shot through for the sack. This one is on Benedet… although I will say his pass protection has looked better this year compared to last season.
Here’s the individual Sackwatch tally after five games:
Sacks happen – 3
Garrett Bradbury – 2
Theo Benedet – 1.5
Jonah Jackson – 1
Colston Loveland – 1
Tyson Bagent – 1
Darnell Wright – 1
Caleb Williams – .5
And here are the total Bears’ sacks allowed through 5 games in the Sackwatch era:
2010 – 21 Martz
2011 – 18 Martz
2012 – 14 Tice
2013 – 9 Trestman
2014 – 12 Trestman
2015 – 11 Gase
2016 – 11 Loggains
2017 – 9 Loggains
2018 – 12 Nagy
2019 – 13 Nagy
2020 – 11 Nagy
2021 – 18 Nagy
2022 – 18 Getsy
2023 – 20 Getsy
2024 – 17 Waldron
2025 – 10 Johnson
2026 – 11 Johnson
