Well That Didn'T Take Long
No that is not a start of a Michael Scott “That’s what she said” joke.
I’m talking about new Bears Defensive Tackle Jeffery Simmons impact on the Chicago Bears defense.
When the Bears traded away two first round picks in order to secure the best defensive tackle in football, I was beyond excited. It was the exact right move for a team with a sensational young quarterback on his rookie deal leading an incredibly awesome offense… and a defense relying on the defensive coordinator to pull rabbits out of his hat to cover up for the fact the team generates no pass rush and has a horrible secondary.
Even though I was excited and hopeful, I wasn’t quite sure exactly how the defense would look with an All Pro playing on it. Well I'll tell you how it looked... sensational! I truly believed Simmons was the perfect payer for the Bears to get. Putting pressure on a quarter back from up the middle is one of the most devastating things a football team can do. And Simmons excels at doing just that.
It only took one possession to see the effect of this devastation on the Seahawks' offense. During their opening possession, for some reason, the Seahawks decided not to double team Simmons. So of course he swam past his one blocker to dramatically rip QB Sam Darnold to the turf. After that, there were very few times that Simmons was not double teamed. And when he wasn't, he pushed his blocker into Darnold's lap or tackled ball carriers behind the line of scrimmage. But that is not where his influence ended.
As a result of needing to constantly double team Simmons, that meant there were three offensive linemen to block three Bears defensive line. So Montez Sweat and Austin Booker enjoyed their best game of the season. Simmons doesn't just destroy his blockers, he wrecks an entire offense.
For most of the season, the bears have relied on the gimmick of putting 7 or 8 guys at the line of scrimmage and dropping 2 or 3 back into coverage. It caused some confusion which allowed their mediocre line to generate some pressure. But thanks to Simmons, that trickery was not needed. that means the Bears could support their horrible secondary instead of focusing on pulling rabbits out of their ass... I mean hat.
In other words, Simmons improved the entire defense. And that was a hard thing... that's what she said.
I didn't get to see the game, but I am happy to see they won. Especially since I hate the Seahawks. Thanksgiving will be quite an interesting show down!
Jeffery Simmons making that kind of impact right away makes those two first round picks feel a lot less steep for the Bears defense.
Ha, one possession is all it took, that says everything. The Seahawks not doubling Simmons on the first drive was a gift, and after that sack the whole plan changed. Sweat and Booker getting their best game because of one man, that is wild.
Looks like Simmons made a big difference right from the start. That's exactly the kind of impact the Bears needed.
Jeffery Simmons sounds like exactly the kind of defensive presence the Bears needed to take their defense to another level. A dominant defensive tackle can completely change a game by forcing double teams and creating opportunities for everyone around him. What impresses me most is how his presence allows Chicago to generate pressure without sacrificing coverage in the secondary. If Simmons continues playing at this level, the Bears could become a serious threat in the NFC. As a Browns fan, I know how much a dominant defensive lineman can change a team's identity!
The players on each team try to save so that no goal is scored and if the other team wins, they have worked very hard to defend and then in the end they win. The joy of winning is the greatest after working hard