Justice Is Blind on DPI Say the Bears
In lieu of knowledge about the Bears offense, wide receiver Chase Claypool provided a jump ball and pass interference option for quarterback Justin Fields in his debut.
It didn't work, but afterward the Bears weren't too happy about the role officials played in their 35-32 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
"It was a whirlwind for sure, just trying to catch up," said Claypool, who arrived Wednesday via Tuesday's trade for a second-round pick. "Early mornings, late nights, getting in the playbook six, seven hours a day just trying to get all the information down and it was a cool experience to have a team want you like that, to be excited for you to get involved."
Claypool's involvement included just two receptions for 13 yards, a 4-yard rush and a dropped pass. However, he did provide a big target downfield that resulted in a 28-yard pass interference on a jump ball situation that led to the Bears' first score, a 32-yard Cairo Santos field goal.
That was the end of the pass interference success for the Bears on the day, but not the end of their involvement in said plays.
- First Kindle Vildor got flagged in the end zone for defensive pass interference on a Tua Tagovailoa first-down pass into the end zone for Tyreek Hill. That meant a 1-yard Raheem Mostert TD dive on the next play for a 7-3 Dolphins lead.
- Then Eddie Jackson got flagged for a 47-yard DPI penalty early in the fourth quarter when Tagovailoa heaved a jump ball with the Bears down 35-32. "He (the ref) said he didn't see me playing the ball," Jackson said. "I didn't look at the receiver one time, so I don't know what he (the ref) sawm but I was playing the ball the whole time. Even the guys on the Dolphins sidelines told me that was a horrible call. It is what it is." The play eventually had no impact because the Bears defense rose up and shut Miami down on downs at the Bears 14 to give the offense a chance at the goal-ahead or tying score.
- Finally, Fields targeted Claypool well within field goal range on a third-and-10 deep ball thrown from the Bears 42. There was some jostling amid the double-team on Claypool but officials saw nothing out of the ordinary and didn't throw a flag. On the next play, Fields couldn't hit Equanimeous St. Brown on a shorter route trying for a first down and the Bears' chances of pulling off an upset ended. Claypool thought he might get the call on that jump ball. "Especially after the one that was called on us, I thought for sure," Claypool said, referring to Jackson's penalty. "But again, it doesn't really matter."
It didn't after the incompletion to St. Brown, anyway.
Coach Matt Eberflus didn't offer anything on the final uncalled DPI, just the one on Jackson. But that one only cost them some field position in the end.
"You can agree to disagree," Eberflus said. "From my vantage point, it
looked like it was a clean play (by Jackson). But again, I was not all the way over there on the other side (of the field).
"I know the side judge or the back judge in that particular case, they thought it was and that was their opinion and they threw the flag."
So the Bears will move forward trying to find ways to get Claypool more involved than simply as a jump ball target.
He looks forward to it because his knowledge of the offense will increase, causing the game to slow down more, like it had before he had to change teams and offenses.
"You know I talked earlier in the season about the game slowing down for me," he said. "It sped up (Sunday) a little bit, but it was still super fun.
"It was like my first day of playing football once again. It was fun."
A win would have made it even more so.
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