Bear Digest

How Ozzy Trapilo got playing time and helped Bears slow Maxx Crosby

The Bears did numerous things to try to slow Maxx Crosby and one was a move in the second half to use Ozzy Trapilo at right tackle and Theo Benedet at left.
Gene Chamberlain|
Even the best Bears blocker, Joe Thuney, had some trouble containing Maxx Crosby on one of the few plays they were matched up Sunday.
Even the best Bears blocker, Joe Thuney, had some trouble containing Maxx Crosby on one of the few plays they were matched up Sunday. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Considering the damage inflicted by Maxx Crosby against the Bears offense through much of the game, it's difficult to pinpoint who played tackle against him as a key to the game.

In a way it was, though.

The Bears made the switch Sunday many fans have wanted to see all along and pulled left tackle Braxton Jones while putting rookie Ozzy Trapilo in on offense at right tackle for the first time and moving Theo Benedet from right tackle to left tackle.

The Raiders move Crosby around a bit, although he's usually over the right tackle. In the first half, he had three tackles for loss, a quarterback hit, a forced fumble, an interception and two pass deflections.

Did the move work?

He had one more pass deflection in the second half and no more tackles for loss, quarterback hits or turnovers. And the key number, they did not credit Crosby with a sack all game, although his pressures will be astronomical when they come out.

"We knew going into the game that Ozzy was likely to get some snaps for us," coach Ben Johnson said. "He's a guy that just keeps getting better each and every week.

"So we were just at the point where we weren't doing a whole lot on offense and we felt like that might give us a little spark and ignite us a little bit on offense."

They had only 12 rushes for 2 yards in the first half and Caleb Williams was 12 of 22 for 98 yards with a sack and interception.

In the second half after the change, they had 57 more yards rushing on 14 carries, and D'Andre Swift had 38 yards for the game, including the game-winner. Williams threw for 114 yards in the second half.

Benedet seemed more at ease on the left side, away from Crosby. The Bears also helped out with chip blocks or tight ends double-teaming on "Mad Maxx."

The question the Bears will face in a few weeks is whether they will continue with this lineup if right tackle Darnell Wright is back healthy after his elbow injury.

They also must decide whether they would go back to Jones at left tackle.

Those are questions for two weeks from now as they have the bye going forward.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.