| 09 August 2009
Kicking off the 2009 NFL season it's the Bufflalo Bills versus the Tennessee Titans. The Bears play the Buffalo Bills in their first pre-season game so we're going to take the time to do a little bit of scouting to see where the Bears match up well and where they can take advantage.
We'll also compare the Bears' weaknesses to find out where the Bears may likely need to show improvement:
For starters the Bills were not a very good team last year overall. Their offense and defense were marginal to putrid for the most part and the hope is Terrell Owens can improve things for them. Word thus far is that Owens has been a professional and a team leader for the Bills. He will likely stay that way so long as the Bills win.
The Bills will be kicking it off to the Titans:
Decent special teams coverage by the Bills after a deep kick that drove the returner back to his 2 yard line.
Little slip screen to Nate Washington, good play call and execution good for nearly a first down.
Second play Buffalo storms through the and destroys Chris Johnson on a toss right.
Back to back passes to Alge Crumpler, small little dink and dunk passes from the Titans that are very effective. Well executed by the Titans. Well coached team.
Bills almost pick off a pass that was a medium pass. Bad throw by Kerry Collins.
Buffalo quick to the ball on defense shutting down the Titans rushing attack thus far.
Bills go zone coverage on third and 10 rush four not much pressure decent coverage incomplete.
Fake punt by the Titans, fake the reverse to the gunner and the punter takes the corner and goes 40-yards for the touchdown. Fluke fake play....good play well executed, way to show all your cards on the first drive of the pre-season on a play that doesn't matter.
Bills to receive the kickoff...
Decent coverage by the Titans the lack of the wedge is interesting seems to be hampering blocking a bit for both teams.
Buffalo has trouble running the ball, some good throws by Trent Edwards, two catches by Terrell Owens, who is still one of the best receivers in the game, like it or not. All is going well in the passing game, lots of West Coast offense plays when they try to air it out down the field a bit and it's picked off by the Titans.
Trent Edwards was pressured up the middle on the play...Andy Levitre was bull rushed right back into Edwards who was unable to step into the throw which sailed on him for the INT. Levitre was destroyed on the play, out muscled driven right backwards. No chance for Edwards.
Bills still decent at stopping the Titans' run third down and 15. Decent protection, little to no rush on Kerry Collins and whips a pass for a first down. Buffalo not getting much of a pass rush.
Good run defense overall by the Bills stringing out the play on Chris Johnson only to follow it up with another toss to Johnson who gets near a first down. Well executed run play Johnson just FAST as hell to the outside. Bears don't have the back to compete with one of the faster players in the game. But it looks like they could power run on the Bills fairly effectively.
Titans have a pretty simple time executing their offense now rolling along on this drive.
Another big run on a pitch to Johnson well executed play on that pitch Johnson had a lot of room to run.
LenDale White's first run is a slam up the middle pretty good power and he gets a few yards. LenDale White a second time run up the middle off the left side Into the five hole and White powers it into the end-zone. Titans are a very well-coached team they execute tremendously and are hard to stop due to their solid play.
Bills struggling now down 14-0.
Bills running an interesting return on that play nearly a wedge good blocking good return however a penalty for blocking in the back. The return will come back.
Good run defense by the Titans, they just go out and execute. Buffalo looks like they're struggling to compete.
Really no surprise given the talent level they have and the coaching. Talent plus execution equals a lot of wins.
Vince Young steps into the game for the first time.
Pressured on the blitz is Young, bad pass bad throw incomplete.
Young with a god awful throw no pressure just floated it out there and it's picked off. With a throw like that Young won't be in the NFL for long...that was really bad. NFL QBs shouldn't be making throws like that, it looked like he didn't even care.
Buffalo still struggling for the most part against Tennessee....quality call on thrid and long with a draw up the middle patience shown by the RB waiting for the play to develop, it does big gain for a first down.
That was a well executed play that could give the Bears fits if executed properly in a similar situation. Urlacher not good when a O-Lineman gets to the second level fast and gets a hat on him.
Decent run by the Bills, but the drive stalls after two straight run plays.
Fourth down and one the Bills and pass, QB pressured not a good throw under pressure really messes up the timing of the play...Titans hold they'll take over on downs.
Tennessee looks awful with Vince Young at the helm , making Buffalo's job a lot easier.
Buffalo takes over complete pass second and two. Decent run by the back up running back Xavier Oman. Second quarter almost complete. You can see that they really don't execute well, this is why they're back ups.
Slightly better execution by Buffalo this time, on this drive down the field. Dink and dunk passes though should be interesting to see how disciplined the Bears' young CBs are against this type of short passing.
All out blitz by the Titans, third down and goal good pressure, pass is batted down.
Tennessee getting creative with the blocking on the kick off returns...slipping into a slight wedge with three men after the wedge started with two men.
Buffalo ganging up on the Titans' run daring Vince Young to pass. Young with a decent pass, and then a bad pass on a screen. He absolutely threw it way too far for the RB to make the play. Bad pass, Vince Young is going to have a short NFL career.
Easy throw and catch for Young after the Bills fumbled the punt. Three step drop and go against the CB who was 10-yards off the ball. Easy read and throw made there.
Chris Henry with a first down run but as usual he seems to be tackled by AIR. Falls in the open field after being slapped from behind.
Vince Young with his best throw all night he throws a good lofted throw that the receiver catches and sticks both feet down in for the touchdown. Good throw by Young on that play Tenn. up now 21-3.
Well executed screen on first down by the Bills, good call on that play. Good yards for the Bills. Well executed plays like that often are hard to defend, which as a fan is frustrating to watch.
Andy Levitre is getting dominated up front, the rookie guard who Bears fans talked about bringing into the Bears' fold is getting flat out dominated up front. Levitre was also dominated by B.J. Raji in the Senior Bowl practices. Levitre plays really high and the D-Lineman are easily getting under him and pushing him around and making plays.
Big Bears note here, it will be interesting to see if Levitre starts next week and if Tommie Harris but MORE importantly Jarron Gilbert lines up against Levitre. Highly thought of rookie versus highly thought of rookie here, you hope advantage Gilbert.
Second half underway Bills receive the kickoff.
Bills not getting much going in the running game, should be interesting to see if the Bears handle defeding the run as well. The Bears have a lot of the same level of talent on defense that the Titans have. They're both running and defensive teams. This match up really is a good way to scout the Bills because the Titans are a lot like the Bears.
Decent execution by the Bills on a roll out pass, the Titans looked lost in coverage and the receiver made a good catch.
The Bears have depth and talent on the defensive line. Most of their top defensive lineman should go out and dominate against this Buffalo Bills front. Tennessee has a strong well coached defensive line, this will be a good time to see how far along the Bears' defensive line has come along.
At this stage of the game you'd just like to see guys who look like they have a clue out there. For the most part you can just continually see how good and deep of a defensive line the Titans have. They're for the most part flat out dominating the Bills in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Since the Bears are trying to shore up and show they have a good defensive line and talent this would be one thing you'd like to see out of the Bears.
Additionally I think it's important for Caleb Hanie to look good in this game. Hanie should have a good game given that some of the Bears' receivers also look like they could contribute. Knox, Iglesias, and Davis or Rideau should look pretty good against the Bills' secondary. I also think with Omiyale and Shaeffer that Garrett Wolfe should have a pretty good game. With some of the others in there you hope the Bears can win this game against the Bills because they are better coached and stronger in the trenches.
I think Hanie is better than Vince Young because Hanie is a better quarterback than an athlete. Young can make some plays but overall I feel Hanie's decision making should be better as well as going through his progressions.
Obviously it is not essential for the Bears to win a pre-season game, but there should be a good showing given the way the roster is shaped.
Where the Bears could struggle the most is in the secondary where there are unproven and/or struggling players who may struggle in coverage. You'd like to see Al Afalava have a good game and play a lot in this game. No need for him to start but hopefully he can make some plays against the Bills. I think he has a level of talent that matches up well with the Bills.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
