The Bears wrapped up their 13-day training camp on Tuesday morning with a full padded practice ahead of Thursday’s exhibition opener against the Denver Broncos at Soldier Field.
The two practices with the New England Patriots next week are open to the public, so we’ll see if the media setup there allows for observations posts. For now, here’s my last set of practice observations from the fields at Olivet Nazarene University.
1. Jeremy Langford’s leg drive earned the offense three important yards during a team drill in which the offense began a series at its 1-yard line
Langford was hit at the line of scrimmage but stayed behind his pads and kept his legs churning. He squirted forward and got the offense some breathing room out to the 4. He did it again on third-and-short in the same set of downs to get a first down. That’s what coaches want to see from him on every carry—the persistence and determination not to be stopped.
But things turned for Langford when…
2. Rookie defensive end Jonathan Bullard stripped Langford in team drills
“I kind of did a good job setting the edge,” Bullard said. “But when I tried to shed to come back to make the play, (the right tackle) kind of still had me a little bit. I threw my hand out there to grab any cloth or ball I could, and I just got one of those lucky plays.”
Bullard has to give himself some credit, though. He executed his assignment and clawed to make a play. The Bears see Bullard’s 33 5/8-inch arms as a big asset.
“I did my job, so I got rewarded for it,” Bullard acknowledged. “I was grabbing for anything I could slow him down with, and I got the ball.”
3. Outside linebacker Lamarr Houston got past left tackle Charles Leno for a pair of would-be sacks on consecutive snaps, winning with an inside move
Leno and Houston have gone against each other for much of camp while Pernell McPhee (left knee) has been out. Leno has gained an appreciation for how strong Houston is rushing the passer.
“He’s got a good pad level, natural pad level,” Leno said. “Just real powerful athlete.”
4. Marc Mariani made an uncontested touchdown catch because of a blown coverage by the first-string defense
During team drills near the goal line, Mariani ran into the end zone uncovered and made one of the easiest catches he’ll ever have in a competitive situation. After the play, cornerbacks Tracy Porter, Bryce Callahan and safety Harold Jones-Quartey got together to discuss what happened. Those are the type of breakdowns that should be eliminated in the second year of running a scheme, but it’s a reminder that Callahan and Jones-Quartey, in particular, are still relatively inexperienced.
5. The running backs must continue to improve in pass protection
Defensive lineman Will Sutton used a bull rush to power through Langford in one team drill for a would-be sack. Later, linebacker John Timu—who has been in the backfield regularly during the last few practices—worked past the edge of Ka’Deem Carey’s block for a sack.
Keep an eye on the backs’ pass protection during preseason games, as they continue to try to earn trust of the coaching staff and quarterbacks. As Langford and Carey have said, the keys are knowing your assignment and then taking on the blocker with good balance, aggression and physicality.
6. Some quick hitters to empty the notebook
Kicker Robbie Gould made field goals from 53 and 48 yards during end-game drills at the end of practice. He has finished camp strongly.
Tight end Rob Housler dropped a potential touchdown pass, and it wasn’t the first time in camp he did so.
Rookie receiver Daniel Braverman almost made a terrific over-the-shoulder catch on long throw near the sideline. He tracked it well, but the official ruled he ran out of room. Still, Braverman’s concentration catching the ball is obvious. He has the potential to really get off among the reserves in exhibition action.
Centers Ted Larsen and Cornelius Edison each had a low shotgun snap during team drills. Low enough to disrupt the play.
The Bears’ attempt to fortify their offensive line depth in camp has not always been smooth. Granted, they’ve shuffled personnel and had to deal with new additions during dcamp. Quarterbacks can’t be contacted in practice, but the backups have been sacked too many times and have constantly been under duress. Is that a good indicator about the Bears’ defense, or a bad sign for the O-line depth? We’ll known more after live action on Thursday against the Broncos.
