2 weeks Ago By Nick Kracher, On Tap Sports Net
Welcome to Thursday's edition of "Press Coverage." Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, defensive coordinator Eric Washington, and special teams coordinator Richard Hightower took the podium at Halas Hall to discuss what they're focusing on in Week 8 against the Washington Commanders. Here's what we learned during Thursday's media session from 1920 Football Drive.
Shane Waldron Quick Starts and 3rd Downs When any NFL team hits the bye week, the first buzzword you'll hear is "self-scouting." Media and fans alike want to know what the team learned from looking back at the film and how those successes or failures will help them going forward. And true to form, one of the first few questions offensive coordinator Shane Waldron fielded was about how he and the offense self-scout.
He pointed out that it's a constant process, adding how the team benefits from technology. "You know that's a weekly process..
.different things evolve. Technologies.
It's something that our departments do a great job, whether it's analytics or the different information some of our younger coaches provide for us on a weekly basis," he said. His main takeaway when reflecting on the season to date? "I think the big thing obviously is starting faster. You keep putting an emphasis on that," Waldron said.
"And a lot of that is going to come down to the opening drive. Third-down conversions, knowing that if you can convert on third downs, you can extend those opening drives." Waldron acknowledged that the Bears need to be more efficient at the beginning of games but admitted that their ability to adjust after poor starts has been crucial.
"The ability to adapt and adjust and overcome, whether it's adversities that are happening, whether it's something that we want to tweak schematically, whether it's how we're interacting with guys. I think that's where it's always unique and there's no one situation that's going to remain the same throughout the course of a season," he explained. Benefits of Working with a Defensive Head Coach While all of Chicago wondered if Matt Eberflus would be retained over the offseason, the main conversations centered around pairing potential draft pick Caleb Williams with an offensive-minded head coach.
We all know how that played out, and now more pundits are starting to admit that there's a benefit to having a head coach from the defensive side of the ball — as long as the correct play-caller is in place. Given Waldron's improvements during the Bears' three-game winning streak, it seems Chicago is enjoying the best of both worlds. How has his work with Eberflus benefitted the offense? "I think going back to communicating with him about defensive structures that we're seeing," Waldron said.
"Different things that we can talk through and then, especially in situational football, talking through situations every single week." Waldron holds a lot of respect for Eberflus and his style of defense, which the Bears' offense sees every day in practice. "A guy like Coach Eberflus, that does such a good job structuring defenses, attacking offenses, so getting his input from that defensive lens (is beneficial)," he stated.
Waldron noted that Eberflus is great at pointing out specific plays or formations that might give their opponent's defense problems. The two then work through that information and cull it into their gameday planning. "I think we have our game plan process where he's heavily involved in the defensive side, but he's around a ton of offensive meetings," he explained.
"So it's more of those conversations early in the week and then if there's any input that he wants to add, or all those things as the week goes on you know we're always all ears on that." The Bears' offensive explosion over the last couple of weeks has shown that it's a successful process. Let's see what they can do against Washington this Sunday.
Improved Offensive Line Play At the core of the offensive improvement, aside from Caleb Williams' growth, has been the offensive line, both in pass and run blocking. Waldron was asked if there was something specific that led to the quick turnaround. He commended the players and his offensive line coach.
"I think those guys have done a good job of just getting better every single week," Waldron said. "They worked hard. They showed up.
That group, as an offensive line led by line coach Chris Morgan, shows up ready to attack the day." Again, Waldron pointed to communication and practice time as the key contributors to the line's improvement. "Guys are really maximizing those opportunities to communicate with each other, to get on the same page on how they're going to hit blocks, how they're going to do things, and then taking that to the individual periods where they've done a really good job right across the board.
" As evidenced in the results, the players' hard work is paying off. It's not a coincidence that Chicago's three-game winning streak is buoyed by improvements in the run game and pass protection. NFL teams don't put up five-touchdown games in back-to-back weeks without a full team effort on offense.
Eric Washington Kliff Kingsbury No-Huddle Eric Washington was asked about Commanders' offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's penchant for running a lot of no-huddle and using the same personnel groupings. As the Bears have seen with their own quarterback, that style of offense presents a lot of advantages for a young signal-caller. So how will Chicago's defense handle Kingsbury's up-tempo style? "We have to do a really good job of making sure that we communicate and that we're ready when the ball is snapped," Washington said.
"And, as far as the pieces are concerned, they can execute the multiple run concepts from different personnel groups and we have to make sure that we're ready, we're communicating, and just getting ourselves set and ready to go." Washington added that Kingsbury's savvy maneuvering further complicates things for opposing defenses. "They have multiple personnel groups.
He [Kliff] knows exactly what he wants to try and accomplish and how he wants to attack within those personnel groups situationally," Washington said. And while most teams tend to show tendencies based on formations or set personnel groupings, the Bears' defensive coordinator hasn't seen that from Kingsbury's offense. "There's no tendency as far as run and pass within the groups," he stated.
"So there's tremendous balance and we have to really do a great job of utilizing our keys and trusting what we're seeing." Tez Effect Not only is it a homecoming of sorts for quarterback Caleb Williams, who hails from the DC/Maryland area, but it could also be considered one for defensive end Montez Sweat . The last time these teams squared off, Sweat lined up on the Commanders' defensive front.
This week, he's returning to face the team that drafted him. Washington was asked what defines Sweat as a football player. "First of all, he has a well-rounded skill set.
He has tremendous leadership attributes," he said of the star defensive end. "I think I mentioned back in training camp how we were walking off the football field and Montez decided to lend some of his perspective on how he tries to set up his rushers against different protection concepts." Sweat's selfless attitude has made him a respected player within Halas Hall and beyond.
"That's who he is. He's a person that's big-play capable every time that he lines up, and he's a person that you win with as opposed you can win because of," Washington said. You can't get much higher praise from a coach.
And Washington knows a thing or two about defensive linemen. Next-Man-Up Mentality With starting safety Jaquan Brisker still in concussion protocol and potentially set to miss his second game in a row, Washington was asked about the play and growth of third-year backup safety Elijah Hicks. "First of all, the way that he just competed.
I go back to the first drive that we had against Jacksonville and there was a nice pass and he just would not concede the reception. He would not concede the catch," he said of the defensive back. Washington praised Hicks' confidence and knack for being in the right place at the right time, which led to his fumble recovery.
"His poise. His confidence. His swag.
It's great to have a person like that that can go in the football game and function as a starter in every single way." And while Washington admitted you can't truly replace a player of Brisker's stature, his level of confidence in what Hicks brings to the table has him excited. "It's a great asset to have so was really excited for him and looking forward to how he'll compete this week.
" Richard Hightower Great Scott One of the main storylines from the Bears' win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London was the early loss of long snapper Scott Daly and its impact on the game. Veteran starter Patrick Scales was already sidelined during the offseason, so losing a player with no true backup on the active roster could've been a major issue. Richard Hightower was asked his thoughts on Daly's quick recovery from what initially seemed to be a serious injury.
"I mean it's just by the grace of God that the kid is able to be back on the practice field this week. He's an awesome individual and that goes to show you sometimes it works out. So I'm happy for that kid.
" Hightower had never needed to use an emergency long snapper but after 18 years in the league, he was well prepared. Culture Club The second part of the long snapper storyline was learning who was the emergency backup. If a late injury arises, it becomes a delicate situation as long snapper is one of the few positions a team doesn't necessarily carry a backup for, especially not on the active gameday roster.
Who filled that hole? Starting tight end Cole Kmet , of course. Hightower praised Kmet and the team that the Bears staff has put together. "We have a team and a culture full of guys that would do anything we ask them to do," he said.
"Whether that's special teams, whether it's offense, whether it's defense...
We got the right type of culture and that's a credit to Flus [Matt Eberflus] and to [GM] Ryan [Poles]." Hightower lauded Eberflus's handling of what could've been a catastrophic loss. "Flus’s communication with Shane [Waldron] and [defensive] coach Washington and myself was outstanding," Hightower stated.
"He kept everybody calm...
It's a credit to those players. Credit to Shane. It's a credit to Flus and Washington and all those young backups that went in there and played good.
" Hightower's press conferences are always enlightening. He consistently points to his players and the other coaches for any success his unit has in games. Building Up the Backups Speaking of special teams performance, Hightower was asked how several stalwarts from his unit stepped up in big ways against Jacksonville.
The media on hand wanted to know what it was like for the coach to see cornerbacks Josh Blackwell and Jaylon Jones and safety Elijah Hicks making an impact on defense. "I couldn't be more happy and proud for those guys. It gives me chills because that's why we coach.
That's what we work for. That's what we want," he said. Hightower's pride showed through as he spoke to his players' ability to have the opportunity and, in turn, be successful.
He referenced players like Miami running back Raheem Mostert, San Francisco tight end George Kittle, Washington linebacker Fred Warner, and former Bears defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris. All of those players cut their teeth on special teams before finding success in starting roles. "We're invested in them and they know we want what's best for them and they shouldn't be with us forever.
They should be graduating. That's the greatest thing that could happen as a coach." This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.
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