Chicago Bears’ lessons from Super Bowl XLIX
By Dhruv Koul
Super Bowl XLIX was a game for the ages – a game that the Chicago Bears found themselves out of contention for way too early in the season. What can the Bears learn from the Patriots and Seahawks to help them get back on the playoff path?
The New England Patriots are Super Bowl champions once again. Tom Brady engineered two incredible fourth quarter drives and the Patriot defense intercepted the Seahawks on the goal line in the closing seconds to cap a thrilling game.
This game was all you can ask for from an entertainment perspective. Yet, it offered a few teaching moments that I hope the Chicago Bears took note of and can apply their newfound knowledge next year.
Mental toughness and resilience are key ingredients to success.
Let’s revisit instances from 2014 where adversity caused the Bears to go down in flames.
The first Packers’ game where Martellus Bennett was stopped on the 1-inch line at the end of the first half. The Panthers’ game where the Bears fell apart after Robbie Gould’s rare missed field goal caused a ten point swing at the end of the first half. The entire Patriots’ game. The entire other Packers’ game. Matt Forte’s lost fumble in the Cowboys’ game. The entire Saints’ game.
I may have missed some, but I’ve made my point – much too often did the Bears fall apart during the course of the year. That needs to change.
What can the Bears learn from the Super Bowl? I can point to Tom Brady and offense’s resilience to overcome two interceptions and a ten-point fourth quarter deficit against the best defense of the past decade. But, how about Malcolm Butler?
Two plays before his terrific interception sealed his place in Patriot folklore, it looked like the Patriots were going to be victimized by the ghosts of David Tyree and Mario Manningham yet again. Jermaine Kearse somehow hauled in a prayer from Russell Wilson that Butler actually tipped in the air by playing great coverage.
To be an undrafted, backup rookie and be victimized by a flukish play like that on the NFL’s biggest stage? Not a problem for Butler. The same guy read his keys and jumped in front of a pick-play slant to win the Super Bowl. No confidence lost. No second guessing. No falling apart.
The same mental toughness must permeate the Bears’ locker room next season.
The Bears need a dominant interior defender, regardless of 30 or 40 front.
I made a note of the Seahawks’ first 3rd down play, which was a 3rd-and-2. The Patriots came out with just two linemen with their hands on the ground because they needed to respect both the run and the pass.
One of the down linemen was Vince Wilfork, who is one of the best 3-4 nose tackles in the history of the game. This alignment, however, wasn’t typical 3-4, yet Wilfork burst through the line anyway and stuffed Marshawn Lynch to force Seattle to punt. His size, strength, and instincts are what makes him so dominant.
Stephen Paea was terrific in a 4-3 defense this season, but there are questions whether he is strong enough to be a two-gap tackle. It shouldn’t matter whether the Bears are in a 30 or 40 front. They need an interior defender that is going to cause headaches no matter what. Jeremiah Ratliff is an older version of such a defender, but he’s not a long-term solution. They need someone to build around.
Aggressive play calling is usually rewarded.
I’ll be honest, I was scratching my head when Pete Carroll opted to try for a touchdown with six seconds left in the first half.
The Seahawks had just allowed a touchdown to the Patriots with thirty seconds left to fall behind 14-7. With the Seahawks getting the ball after halftime, I expected a conservative series to lead the game to halftime. Naturally, the Seahawks drove to the Patriots’ 11-yard line in 24 seconds. At that point, with six seconds left, why not take the sure three points, close the gap, and gain some momentum?
Well, because Pete Carroll has an unstoppable receiver in Chris Matthews, that’s why! Russell Wilson found Matthews in the end zone and the game was tied. It’s fair to question why the Patriots didn’t press any routes knowing the Seahawks had to get the play out quickly. Any disruption of timing would have forced Wilson to throw the ball away and settle for a field goal. Regardless, Carroll went for it, and he was rewarded.
What can the Bears learn? Well, they much too often relied on conservative play calling, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Their screens and checkdowns on offense, combined with their Cover-2 shells and non-press coverage on defense were defeated time and time again. The Bears’ new head coach, John Fox, has been known to be conservative on the offensive side of the ball as well. Hopefully, the Bears learn that, at some point, they have to leave it all on the field.
The Bears have made terrific progress this offseason in cleaning house and hiring a coaching staff that is well-respected, knowledgeable, and known for making adjustments as required. This team is certainly capable of turning it around next season; and incorporating these lessons from the Super Bowl will go a long way in helping them achieve success.
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Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after beating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports