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NFL 2016 Season Analysis: Chicago Bears

[September 06, 2016] The Sports Xchange

FACTS AND STATS

2015 Finish: Fourth in NFC North

Record: 6-10

DIVISIONAL RECORD: 1-5

Total offense: 344.6 (21st)

Rushing: 115.7 (11th)

Passing: 228.9 (23rd)

Total defense: 345.4 (14th)

Rushing: 120.9 (T22nd)

Passing: 224.6 (4th)

COACH: John Fox

2nd season with Bears

6-10 overall

15th season as NFL coach

133-106 overall; 8-7 postseason

XTRA FACTOR

--For years, quarterback Jay Cutler committed one sloppy mistake after another and still wound up with an $18 million salary and $54 million in guaranteed money. Now circumstances have changed, and it's ironic that after Cutler finally achieved a more error-free style of play he could face a potential exit. After this season, Cutler would cost the Bears only $3 million in dead cap space and becomes expendable. With a respectable backup in Brian Hoyer to challenge him, and a roster closer to being competitive, any slip in production could cause general manager Ryan Pace to seek a suitable replacement.

2016 UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS

By TSX reporter covering team:

QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Jay Cutler. Backups -- Brian Hoyer

Still as strong-armed as ever, Cutler displayed improved patience last year and understands the offense better, and he had always been a mobile quarterback. Whether he can maintain an ability to move around in and move out of the pocket has to be in question at age 33. He's going to need both the patience and mobility with an offensive line rebuilt and then reconstructed almost overnight on the eve of the season. Hoyer's arm strength isn't high quality, but his experience gives the Bears a starter/backup combination like they had when Josh McCown was in Chicago.

RUNNING BACKS: Starter -- Jeremy Langford. Backups -- Ka'Deem Carey, Jordan Howard, FB Paul Lasike

The running attack has been molded into a style that makes coach John Fox more comfortable, with multiple backs carrying in a zone blocking scheme. Each back has a different style, Langford as the breakaway threat, Carey the hard-running slasher and Howard a downhill pounder. The question among all three is whether they can pick up blitzes well enough to keep Cutler intact, and whether they contribute enough as receivers to make up for losing veteran Matt Forte. Lasike is a strong blocker, though getting much use out of him beyond that would probably mean special teams as he's not the best receiver.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Zach Miller. Backups -- Logan Paulsen, Greg Scruggs

Miller has hands and route-running ability better than many slot receivers, and the Bears talk up his improved blocking ability. That part remains to be seen. Miller was a better receiver last year than Martellus Bennett was, and made himself a bigger part of the team concept. Paulsen was an ideal addition. The other tight ends in camp were all a full level below Paulsen, who has been a starter and is adept both in blocking and receiving. Scruggs is a project. They gave up on Khari Lee because Scruggs has shown enough while going from a 310-pound defensive lineman to a 275-pound, blocking tight end. He also can help on special teams if active on game day.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Alshon Jeffery, Kevin White. Backups -- Eddie Royal, Deonte Thompson, Josh Bellamy, Cameron Meredith

This is a receiver corps with plenty of big-play potential to go with size. Jeffery has been relatively free of soft-tissue injuries in preseason, always a question in his case. White hadn't shown anything until the final preseason game, and then put on display of the potential he flashed at West Virginia. His ability to exploit zones with slants and beat defensive backs downfield flat out, seem ideally suited to Cutler's strong arm. If Royal is healthy he is an ideal slot receiver, but it's been difficult for him to stay out of the trainer's room. Thompson, Bellamy and Meredith all showed big-play potential and are familiar with Cutler. The three are experienced enough now that it could be difficult for Marquess Wilson to get back onto the roster after he is eligible to come off the PUP list. Athletic ability and speed won out over wits and hands when the Bears picked the final receivers, and Marc Mariani and Braverman were cut, but Braverman is back as a project on the practice squad.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Charles Leno Jr., LG Josh Sitton, C Cody Whitehair, RG Kyle Long, RT Bobby Massie. Backups -- C/G Ted Larsen, C Eric Kush, T Mike Adams, T Jason Weaver

If Sitton is free of back injuries, he helps bring more stability and should adapt quicker than a younger, less experienced player would. Leno Jr. occasionally gets beat to the outside, rarely to the inside, but he's long-armed enough to get a hand and guide blockers further downfield. Massie is the prototypical right tackle mauler whose pass blocking skills leave something to be desired. Long's shoulder injury could be something that plagues him all year, but at the moment it seems well enough that he'll start in the opener. Center is the question. Although Larsen played there after Hroniss Grasu's season-ending ACL tear, Whitehair showed enough as a rookie in a few plays at the position that he could become the starter. It's a line with a good deal of versatility and depth, since Long can also play tackle and Kush has played in the league before, as well.

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DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- DE Akiem Hicks, NT Eddie Goldman, DE Mitch Unrein. Backups -- DE Jonathan Bullard, NT Will Sutton, DE Cornelius Washington

Adding massive Hicks makes all the difference, and allows Goldman to attack more than a nose tackle in the 3-4 normally would. The front appears more stout against the run. Unrein is a journeyman type. A lack of proven depth exists with Sutton being the only player who has done much in actual games. Bullard has flashed potential as a play maker who can come in to the three-technique spot in pass rush situations and disrupt.

LINEBACKERS: Starters -- OLB Lamarr Houston, ILB Jerrell Freeman, ILB Danny Trevathan, OLB Willie Young. Backups -- OLB Leonard Floyd, OLB Sam Acho, LB Christian Jones, ILB Jonathan Anderson, ILB Nick Kwiatkoski

This is the most improved aspect of the defense. Trevathan and Freeman provide quickness, hitting and experience within the scheme that was lacking last year. Another year removed from major surgeries, Young and White are pass-rush threats off the edge, although both seem to struggle when called upon in rare instances to cover downfield. They shouldn't have to do that this year because Floyd does this well. He lacks size and strength to be overly effective stopping the run, but could be a danger rushing the passer and playing all over the field. When -- or if -- Pernell McPhee comes off the PUP list in Week 7 or 8, the defensive front could become extremely dangerous and deep. Acho, Jones, Anderson and Kwiatkoski all are potentially effective coverage men on special teams. Jones showed an ability to play both inside and outside in preseason.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- FS Adrian Amos, SS Harold Jones-Quartey, LCB Tracy Porter, RCB Kyle Fuller. Backups -- CB Bryce Callahan, CB Cre'Von LeBlanc, CB Sherrick McManis, CB Deiondre' Hall, CB Jacoby Glenn, S Deon Bush, S Chris Prosinski, S DeAndre Houston-Carson

Amos should be less mistake-prone than last season, when thrust into a secondary leader role as a rookie. Jones-Quartey is a potential big-play type but will be more prone to coverage breakdowns. He produced some of the bigger training camp and preseason hits. Porter and Fuller add experience after limping through an injury-plagued preseason. With the addition of LeBlanc's ability to cover well in man-to-man, the depth looks greater than last year. LeBlanc joins rookie draft picks Bush, Houston-Carson and Hall as players who can also be effective in coverage on special teams.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Connor Barth, P Patrick O'Donnell, LS Patrick Scales, KR/PR Deonte Thompson

The stunning decision to get rid of Robbie Gould leaves the Bears with Barth, who has shown consistency but not at the level achieved by the franchise's all-time scoring leader. O'Donnell's leg strength looks adequate, but he needs to improve at putting punts from the 1-yard line to the 10 rather than leaving them near the 20. Scales may not be the long-term solution at long snapper and the Bears could continue shopping for one. The same is true at punt returner. Thompson has done it, but is not as effective at it as he is returning kicks.

PRACTICE SQUAD: QB Matt Barkley, DB DeVante Bausby, TE Ben Braunecker, WR Daniel Braverman, RB Senorise Perry, LB John Timu, T Jason Weaver,

2016 SCHEDULE

All times Eastern

Sept. 11, at Houston, 12:00

Sept. 19, PHILADELPHIA (Mon.), 7:30

Sept. 25, at Dallas, 7:30

Oct. 2, DETROIT, 12:00

Oct. 9, at Indianapolis, 12:00

Oct. 16, JACKSONVILLE, 12:00

Oct. 20, at Green Bay (Thu.), 7:25

Oct. 31, MINNESOTA (Mon.), 7:30

OPEN DATE,

Nov. 13, at Tampa Bay, 12:00

Nov. 20, at N.Y. Giants, 12:00

Nov. 27, TENNESSEE, 12:00

Dec. 4, SAN FRANCISCO, 12:00

Dec. 11, at Detroit, 12:00

Dec. 18, GREEN BAY, 12:00

Dec. 24, WASHINGTON (Sat.), 12:00

Jan. 1, at Minnesota, 12:00

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