Studs and Duds from Bears' Week 7 loss to Saints

Share

The Bears played what may have been their worst game in the Matt Nagy era in Sunday's 36-25 loss to the New Orleans Saints. This despite the fact that the Bears were coming off of a bye week that was supposed to be used to establish the team's identity on offense.

Instead, Nagy and quarterback Mitchell Trubisky created more questions than answers about not only this year's Bears, but also about Nagy's ability as a play-caller and Trubisky's potential to ever emerge as a legitimate starting quarterback in the NFL.

They weren't alone in their struggles on Sunday. The defense was atrocious, too. Facing a depleted Saints offense that was without Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara and Jared Cook, the Bears allowed 424 total yards, including 119 rushing yards for Saints running back Latavius Murray.

There were a lot more duds than studs in Week 7:

Dud: QB Mitchell Trubisky

Beware the final stat line for Trubisky on Sunday. It will lie to you. Sure, he completed more than 63 percent of his passes, threw for more than 250 yards and had two touchdowns, but Week 7's effort against the Saints may have been the worst we've seen from the third-year quarterback. He was inaccurate. He made bad decisions. He floated turnover-worthy throws. And, the worst part? We're getting used to it by now. The Bears are stuck with Trubisky for the rest of this season and if the former No. 2 pick doesn't make a marked turnaround over the final 10 games, you can add quarterback to the team's wishlist this offseason.

Dud: OLB Khalil Mack

For the second consecutive week, Mack was invisible. And while it feels unfair to call him a dud considering all he's done for the Bears over his first 20 games, the fact remains that the Bears' pass rush was non-existent on Sunday, and it starts with Mack. He isn't getting any help from outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and there was no interior push without defensive lineman Akiem Hicks in the game, but generational players step up and make the key play when it's needed most. Mack hasn't done that in either of Chicago's last two losses.

Dud: ILB Roquan Smith

Smith is trending toward one of this team's biggest disappointments of 2019. His talent is undeniable, and when he's on his game, there are few linebackers who can match his heat-seeking style. But his struggles at the point of attack and in coverage were exposed yesterday. Murray's size and power gave Smith trouble. He has to play better considering the Bears need to make a decision on linebacker Danny Trevathan's future this offseason. If Smith's struggles continue, it could force GM Ryan Pace to keep the steady veteran around on another multi-year deal.

Stud: WR Allen Robinson

The impact Robinson is having on offense can't be understated at this point. He's the only sign of life from a unit that's been dead on arrival for most of 2019. Robinson ended the game with 10 catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. He was Trubisky's first read on almost every pass play and was targeted 16 times. A-Rob is everything the Bears hoped he'd be. It's the other 10 guys on offense who haven't been.

Dud: RB David Montgomery

Montgomery's rookie season may have hit rock bottom on Sunday. He finished the game with just two carries for six yards and lost a costly fumble. The struggles with the offensive line have been well-documented, but at some point, Montgomery has to prove he can make something out of nothing. Right now, he hasn't done that. And it appears like the coaching staff is beginning to lose some faith in him.

Dud: RB Tarik Cohen

Cohen joins Montgomery as a dud from Week 7. He didn't fare much better on the ground (just 10 yards on three carries) and managed only 19 yards on nine receptions. His biggest moment in the game came at his own expense when Saints defensive back Chauncy Gardner-Johnson mocked his height. Cohen has to start flipping field position for this offense to stand a chance over the last 10 games. 

Stud: WR/KR Cordarrelle Patterson

Patterson has to be a stud, right? Even if it's for just one play? It happened to be a pretty good one -- kickoff returned 102 yards for a touchdown -- and looked like the spark the Bears needed to wake up. Unfortunately, it would be one of the few highlights from an otherwise brutal four quarters at Soldier Field.

 

Contact Us