Bear Digest

Next step for Caleb Williams and Chicago Bears unlocking the offense

Analysis: The running attack and the screen game have both finally surfaced with D'Andre Swift in the Chicago Bears offense but there three vital components yet to include.
Gene Chamberlain|
The Bears finally have D'Andre Swift and the running attack moving but the offense will realize its full potential when others are included more.
The Bears finally have D'Andre Swift and the running attack moving but the offense will realize its full potential when others are included more. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Great relief circulated among Bears offensive coaches when they finally ran the ball effectively against Washington.

It won the game for them against the Washington Commanders after so much work this season. The focus on it had been there to get it going and it continues this week against New Orleans.

"Fall back on the details, and all those things that we have talked about ad nauseum as we've talked about the run game here early in the season," offensive coordinator Declan Doyle explained. "To be able to go and execute it in in crunch time was awesome.”

They delighted in D'Andre Swift getting going as a runner.

"Awesome to see him go do what he did and making a number of huge plays that were really important for us to get the win," offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said.

It wasn't just the running game but also the screen game and use as a receiver that opened things up.

"This guy is an explosive athlete," coach Ben Johnson said. "We’ve just got to give him some space and he can do some dynamic things with the ball in his hands. That's been the case all season long.

"I'm glad it came to fruition there last week when we needed it. I think he has that ability to ignite our offense, give us a spark, make people missing space and he can be dangerous. That's our mission as coaches and as his teammates is to help him find that space.”

The screens to everyone can be available once they're executed with precision, and this is a key component with Johnson's offense.

"Once we get those guys in some space, then they can turn it," Johnson said. 'We'd like to say, turn it into a punt return from there. You can go wherever you want.

"The landmarks that we start with are really important to make sure the we're in sync with our blockers and our pass catchers.”

The running game needs to be worked regularly to keep it sharp. The screen game is much the same way.

However, the Bears have other aspects of their offense they need to start kicking in before they can see the full effect of what's possible. One target, in particular, needs to be explored more.

Here are the next components of the attack they need to open, ranked in order.

3. Luther Burden III

It's been there. It's almost like they've tried not to lean on him more. His 11 catches in 12 targets is the NFL's best rookie rookie receiver catch percentage (.917). His passer rating when targeted is 146.5 and that's the best for any wide receiver in the league, although 12 targets is a very low number.

At only 2.2 targets per game, you'd have to expect they'll eventually press the button more.

Part of the problem is Olamide Zaccheaus has been targeted a lot, as well. He's the only receiver they have, including running backs, who caught a pass but averages less than 10 yards a catch (8.9). He's a slot receiver, but essentially Burden is as well.

There's every reason to increase Burden's targets, especially when Zaccheaus has been targeted 2.3 times as often.

2. Tight Ends

This is largely unexplored territory and working 12-personnel, or two tight ends, was supposed to be a vital aspect of the Ben Johnson offense.

Loveland's targeting is way down at nine, mostly because of his various injuries or rehabs. He's healthy now and capable of being included. He has made plays when healthy and when the officials didn't take them away with phantom penalties.

Cole Kmet has been used in places unexpected. He's an in-line tight end but is averaging 10.9 yards depth of target on his 18 targets. That's No. 2 among tight ends in the NFL. Only Darren Waller, at 11.1, has been deeper. Kmet, as an in-line tight end, should be at shorter depths.

The Bears just haven't targeted tight ends enough, bottom line. Maybe it will change with both healthy.

The Bears have thrown 27 passes to tight ends. Only one team has thrown to tight ends less in the NFL. That's hardly what was expected from a Johnson offense.

1. DJ Moore

This remains the Holy Grail for Williams to pursue. Sure, Moore makes some catches. He's not getting it downfield enough at 8.7 yards average depth. That ranks 87th among pass catchers. He doesn't need to get it a lot farther down the field, but so far they haven't used him much different in that respect than Shane Waldron/Thomas Brown last year.

Moore is their highest-paid offensive player. Yet, they have targeted both Rome Odunze (40) AND Olamide Zaccheaus (28) more than Moore (26).

With more passes being thrown to D'Andre Swift, it's a matter of time before they're throwing it more to him, too.

Moore never developed that confident connection with Williams the way he did with Justin Fields. In other words, Fields would throw it where he knew Moore would be even when he didn't seem to have the confidence to do that type of thing with other receivers. With Williams, it's getting there or already there with Odunze but Moore is getting his catches behind the line, upfield a little bit and running the ball.

When they finally have the Moore connection solidified, everything else will open up wide in the offense.

It's been good Williams developed a rapport with Odunze, but Moore is in a role where he needs to be the player his quarterback looks to first and it's not the case.

When that does happen, or he's being looked to at least as often as Odunze, the Johnson offense could explode.

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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.