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Bears Pick Up Pace with a Particular Type Pass

Bears coach Matt Eberflus likes what the offense has done in recent practices with screen passes, which should be a huge part of the offense.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears Pick Up Pace with a Particular Type Pass
Bears Pick Up Pace with a Particular Type Pass

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Chicago Bears

The Justin Fields and DJ Moore passing game rapport is critical and so are the connections with Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool.

The running game is always critical.

However, while discussing the balance building in the Bears offense coach Matt Eberflus on Sunday after family fest practice identified something else huge to this team's offense, and likes the way this is developing, as well.

"We have to have a good blend of that (balance) because I think we've been doing a good job of running the football during camp so far," Eberflus said of run-to-pass. "And really, the screen game has really picked up. 

"We're really doing a good job with all types of screens. And that's starting to pay off for us. I'm excited about that, too."

The Bears offense needs to be good at screens and should be with the wide zone blocking scheme as a staple in the running game. If offensive linemen are good at moving and hitting in the running game, they should be able to do it in the passing game.

A statistical analysis by Arjun Menon for Pro Football Focus late last season tracked screen passes in the league and the Bears had thrown the third-highest percentage of screen passes. 

Only Green Bay and Carolina had screened at higher rate than the Bears, who threw a screen pass on just over 16% of plays. The Bears weren't bad executing screens last year, as they were in the top half of the league for success rate. They succeeded on 43%, which is a bit surprising because there wasn't much they did do well in the passing game.

Screens did not come naturally to Fields when he entered the NFL.

Pro Football Focus tracked Fields as throwing only 20 screen passes in his final year at Ohio State. That ranked 88th in the country.

The screen game is not simply dumping a short pass out to a back with a wall of pulling blockers. It used to be this way but now various bubble screens to wide receivers and tight ends are big. In fact, in the offense the Bears run, screen passes to anyone should be stressed.

They're using an attack similar to Green Bay and the Packers last year were second in screens. 

The 49ers have a running attack similar to what the Bears run and they also run plenty of screens, ranking in the top six last year. But more importantly they ranked No. 1 in success rate when they ran these.  Getting the ball in Deebo Samuel's hands so he can run behind other receivers or tight ends in the open field is a 49ers priority. Sometimes it's tight end George Kittle they use on screens.

In 2021 when Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was with the Packers, Aaron Rodgers led all QBs at throwing screen passes.

The Bears should be able to do this type of thing with the big receivers they have, either to block on these plays or to run like a power back behind the blocking on the outside: Chase Claypool is 6-foot-4, 238 pounds; Velus Jones Jr. is 6-foot and 200; Equanimeous St. Brown is 6-5, 214; and Moore is 6-foot, 210.

Adding a blocking tight end like Marcedes Lewis helps the screen game. He blocked in this type of screen-heavy scheme in Green Bay. Tight end Robert Tonyan Jr. is familiar with it, as well.

And even though Moore is more associated with catching passes downfield and D'Onta Foreman with power running, both played in a Panthers offense last year that led the NFL in percentage of screen passes thrown.

This can sometimes be an indicator of feeble attacks, because teams facing long down-and-distance will rely on screens to gain back a few yards of field position before punting. Certainly Carolina didn't win many, but the Panthers always did use plenty of screens when they had Christian McCaffrey in their offense. Now the 49ers do and he's a perfect fit.

It's a part of the Bears offense to be both explored and exploited this year considering their personnel and style of play.

"Those quick, short passes are definitely going to be an advantage for us this year, especially with the guys that we have that can catch and run with the football," Fields said.

It's even more encouraging for the Bears because they hadn't really worked at screens a lot. The screen passes are called as a counter of sorts, a way to burn the defense, or a way to get a quarterback more into the flow with easy, shorter throws. And offensive coordinator Luke Getsy last week said they hadn't really gotten to far into this while working more at scripted plays.

"We need blocking on those," he said. "The line needs the screens. The guys need perimeter blocking for the quick screens."

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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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.

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