The Chicago Bears’ Week 1 eruption got plenty of attention, but Jon Gruden wasn’t ready to hand out full marks without an asterisk.
On the latest episode of the "Gruden Family Football Show," the former Super Bowl-winning head coach said the biggest thing that jumped out to him across the NFL was tackling - or, more accurately, the lack of it. Gruden called it the "worst opening day in history for tackling on defense" before zeroing in on Chicago’s 60-point outburst.
"I'm watching the Chicago Bears score 60 points, and a lot of it was just horrific, awful pad level and tackling," Gruden said.
That kind of comment takes some of the shine off what looked like a statement offensive performance from Chicago. Gruden argued that the way teams have handled the offseason and preseason has left defenders less prepared once the games start counting, pointing to practices becoming walkthroughs and contact being altered.
His point wasn’t that the Bears did nothing well. It was that bad tackling across the league helped turn good plays into huge ones, and Chicago happened to be one of the teams that cashed in.
There’s still credit due to Ben Johnson’s offense. The Bears put defenders in tough spots and finished the job when those defenders missed. Poor tackling alone doesn’t get a team to 60 points; the offense still has to create the openings and take advantage of them.
Gruden’s view was simply that the final score doesn’t tell the whole story. Chicago got paid on a day when tackling was a mess around the league, and if the Bears keep putting up numbers after defenses clean that up, there will be a lot less room to explain it away.
In Other News...
Kyler Gordons Recovery Just Became A Real Bears Problem
Kyler Gordons calf injury has already put the Bears in a tricky spot, but the recovery process has added another layer of uncertainty. The cornerback is on injured reserve and working through rehab away from the teams facilities with trainer Montel Fleming, a name he was introduced to through teammate Jaylon Johnson, which has put an even brighter spotlight on how Chicago is handling one of its more important defensive pieces.
The concern now is not just the injury itself, but the path Gordon is taking to get back. Questions have surfaced around Flemings background and credentials, and Gordons social media videos showing his physical activity have reportedly not sat well inside the organization. With Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles keeping an eye on it, the Bears are left trying to sort through a recovery situation that has become about much more than a calf. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Suddenly Have A Zavion Thomas Decision They Cant Ignore
Zavion Thomas spent the preseason making a strong case that the Bears ought to find ways to touch the ball in space. His burst and quickness stood out enough to invite the kind of comparisons Chicago fans do not hand out lightly, and special teams coordinator Richard Hightower acknowledged that opponents were already steering kicks away from him. Even so, when Week 1 arrived, the return work went to Kalif Raymond and Josh Blackwell instead.
Now the Bears have a decision that feels larger than a typical depth-chart wrinkle. Thomas may not have gotten a return chance yet, but the staff clearly sees the same threat the preseason hinted at, and the next step is figuring out how to use him without forcing the issue. For a team always looking for hidden yardage and a spark on special teams, his role looks like one of the more interesting things to watch in the coming weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Playmakers Could Make Minnesota Pay For One Week 2 Gamble
One week after opening the season, the Vikings are already staring at a familiar kind of dilemma: lean on Aaron Jones to steady the offense, or ask Carson Wentz to do more through the air in a divisional road game that could turn quickly if protection breaks down. For Chicago, the interest is in how Minnesota chooses to attack, because the Bears have plenty of incentive to make the Vikings answer uncomfortable questions early and often.
That is where Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland come into the picture, since both have the kind of matchup potential that can punish aggressive coverage and force a defense to pick its poison. If Minnesota brings pressure or gets greedy with its secondary looks, Chicagos playmakers have a chance to make the Vikings pay for a gamble that sounded reasonable on paper but could look very different once the game is moving at full speed. [Read more 🡒]