Mack Shines in Daddy League GOTW Win
by Kris_06905 | 4 years ago | 0 Comments
Philadelphia, PA
The Chicago Bears had their week 5 meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles circled the second the 2022 schedule was released this past off-season. The Bears were bounced from the 2021 playoffs by the Eagles in an embarrassing 34-14 loss. However, coming into week 5 both teams found themselves at 4-0 and atop the NFC standings. Something had to give and the Eagles felt good given how well they played the Bears in Chicago in the playoffs. The game had a very playoff-like feel to it and the Philly crowd was hoping to be as intimidating as the Eagles' defense had been in their 4-0 start. The Bears were playing great football on both sides of the ball as well so something had to give.
The Bears took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in 10 plays with a balanced 5 runs and 5 passes. Cohen scored from 3 yards out to give the Bears an early 7-0 lead. Disaster struck on the Eagles first possession as Bradley Roby crushed WR Jalen Reagor on a 2nd down completion resulting in a fumble recovered by Eddie Goldman of the Bears. Chicago converted a 3rd and 8 following a sack by the Eagles with a 25-yard, one-handed grab by Anthony Miller. From there, Gurley took the ball up the middle for the second TD of the 1st quarter giving the Bears a 14-0 lead.
On the Eagles next drive, it looked like disaster had struck again when Mack got around all-world RT Lane Johnson for the first sack of Wentz. Wentz got some help on 3rd and 19 from his 11 yard line. The ball bounced off of intended receiver Tyrell Williams and over the heads of 3 Bears' defenders into the waiting arms of Jalen Reagor. Reagor made up for his fumble on the opening drive by taking the tipped pass 89 yards for the TD. It looked like the game was headed towards a potential shootout with the score 14-7 and still in the first quarter.
The Bears offense took their next possession right down the field again on the Eagles defense. The highlight of the drive was the one-handed catch by WR Darnell Mooney on 2nd and 10 for 15 yards. The Bears balanced attack kept the Eagles confused and Gurley scored from a yard out to culminate the drive with his 2nd TD of the game early in the 2nd quarter to make it 21-7.
The Eagles next series went backwards. After no gain on 1st down, Sanders jumped in the backfield to give the Eagles a 2nd and 15. Khalil Mack sped past Lane Johnson for his 2nd sack of Wentz and left the Eagles with 3rd and 24. The next pass was incomplete to Reagor and the already tired Eagles defense had to come back out on the field.
The Bears took advantage of the fatigued Eagles defense and moved down the field with ease. The Eagles secondary guarded against Robinson and Miller going deep all game, but that left the underneath routes open and Winston looked sharp coming off his 1st and 2nd reads to find the short routes to keep the chains moving. The drive ended on an 11-yard TD pass to Winston's favorite target so far in 2022, TE Pat Freiermuth on a short post route. Friermuth has earned the name Gronk 2.0 from his teammates with his play this season. The Bears were now up 28-7 midway through the 2nd quarter.
The Eagles next drive saw them pick up a first down with 4 straight runs to Miles Sanders. Sander picked up a 2nd first down on the drive on 3rd and 2. The Eagles were clearly trying to give their exhausted defense some time to catch their breath, but in the process, were putting together their best offensive drive of the half. After a dropped pass on 1st down, the Eagles came back with a screen to Sanders on 2nd down, but Khalil Mack read it perfectly and refused to let Sanders run the route cleanly. Despite Mack's disruption, Wentz was able to complete the pass, but Roquan Smith leveled Sanders in the backfield for a 5-yard loss. One 3rd and 15, Wentz threw a deep post pattern that was complete for a moment, but Smith jarred the ball free ending the Eagles drive.
Following the Eagles' punt, the Bears took over at their 31 with 2:19 left in the half and a 28-7 lead. Coach Mynatt and the Bears have seen big leads evaporate in a hurry in Madden, so they decided not to play it safe and try to add to the score especially with the Eagles getting the opening kickoff in the 2nd half. Winston opened the drive with a 12-yard completion to Freiermuth. Cohen got 7 up the middle on the next run. Winston's pass to Robinson was knocked away on 2nd down. Winston faked the 3rd and 3 run to Gurley and hit David Montgomery on a run-pass option for 17 yards down to the Eagles' 35. Winston then hit Freiermuth for 12 yards to the Eagles' 23 and quickly called a timeout with 1:03 left in the half. Cohen took the draw play for 8 yards on the next play bringing up 2nd and 2. Winston wanted to go to Freiermuth on 2nd and 2 and had the perfect call on, but the Eagles audibled their defense just before the snap and took away the TE up the seam. Winston read the change and came underneath to Mooney for 7 yards to the 8 yard line for a first and goal with 35 seconds left on the clock. Winston came to Freiermuth again for 4 yards to the 4. On 2nd down, Winston found Anthony Miller underneath on the slant for the TD with 12 seconds left in the first half. The extra point made it 35-7 and left the usually raucous Philly crowd in stunned silence.
The Eagles opening drive of the 2nd half was sparked by an initial first down but fizzled quickly and they punted the ball after 6 plays. A booming punt and subsequent false-start penalty had the Bears opening their first drive of the 2nd half from their own 3 yard line. After a 3 yard run by Gurley, Winston hit Mooney on a deep post for 17 yards to the 23 for some much needed breathing room. A 2nd and 8 pass from Winston was almost intercepted but fell to the ground after Winston was crushed as he let the pass go. Mooney had the ball knocked loose on 3rd and 8 and the Bears first punt of the game came with 6:14 left in the 3rd quarter.
The Eagles next possession started off with an Eddie Goldman sack of Wentz on a play-action pass. The Eagles regrouped and managed to pick up a 3rd and 3 with a 4 yard run by Sanders. Wentz was hurried by Mack and missed a wide open post pattern to Sage Surratt on the next 3rd down and once again, the Eagles had to punt after only picking up 1 first down.
The Bears were unable to move the ball with the noticeably more conservative play-calling and had to punt away their 2nd possession of the second-half. The Bears defense showed the effects of the offense not sustaining a second straight drive and looked winded for the first time in the game. The Eagles picked up 3 first downs to end the 3rd quarter with the ball on the Chicago 19. The final play of the 3rd quarter also saw Roquan Smith exit with broken ribs on a crushing tackle of Miles Sanders.
The 4th quarter saw the Eagles start with their first drive to enter the Bears side of the field all game. Wentz opened the quarter with a 16 yard out to Reagor for a 1st and goal from the 3 yard line. The next play, Wentz found a wide open Dallas Goedert in the back of the endzone, but the TE couldn't get both feet down inbounds. Wentz would not miss on his next pass, finding the rookie FB Horvath for his 3rd receiving TD of the season. The extra point made it 35-14.
The Bears started their first drive of the 4th quarter with a very questionable illegal block in the back call on Allen Robinson on 2nd and 10 that set the Bears back with a 2nd and 17. Winston had his next pass knocked away and the Bears would face a 3rd and 17. Winston made his first mistake of the game trying to force a pass that was picked off by the Eagles at the Bears 15.
Wentz missed on his first 2 passes to set up a 3rd and 10. Wentz would not miss on 3rd down and found Arcega-Whiteside for 14 yards and a 1st and goal from the 1. Wentz would find Goedert on the next play in the back of the endzone. This time Goedert managed to stay in bounds for the TD. With the score now 35-21 and well over 8 minutes left, the Bears were starting to think the Madden script might make them pay for going conservative in the 3rd quarter.
Winston opened the next drive with a 9 yard completion to Robinson. It was only Robinson's second catch of the game. On 2nd and 1, Gurley got just enough to move the sticks. Winston went deep on first down to Robinson but was drilled by Fletcher Cox well after the ball was gone. The roughing the passer call gave the Bears a first down on the Eagles' 49 yard line. Cohen rattled off 8 yards on the next play to the Eagles 41. Montgomery was able to pick up 3 yards and a first down to eat up more time. Gurley was stuffed on 1st down and another highly questionable block in the back call on 2nd and 10 negated a 7 yard run by Cordarelle Patteron. Winston's 2nd and 13 pass fell incomplete as did his 3rd down pass. The Bears punted the ball back to the Eagles with 4:37 left in the game. Luckily, rookie punter Trenton Gill was able to drop the ball perfectly at the 6 yard line.
Wentz's first pass was knocked away on first down. On second down, Mack was able to get around Johnson on a speed move to the outside and sack Wentz in the endzone for his 3rd sack of the game and first safety of the season. That play took all of the renewed life out of the Eagles team and the Bears were able to run out the remaining 4:30 for the 37-21 win.
After the game Coach Mynatt said he was proud of his football team and the way they all played at a high level for 4 quarters. "That was one helluva a football team we beat today and you only get those kind of victories by playing a complete game on offense, defense, and special teams." Coach Mynatt was quick to remind his team that while the win feels good, tomorrow we have to start focusing on game 6. "It's still a long way from the playoffs and a win like this doesn't mean much if we aren't still playing into January."
Khalil Mack was the game MVP with 4 tackles, 3 sacks, and a safety.
Next up for the Bears is the 3-2 Packers in Lambeau. The Bears won 34-24 in Chicago in week 4, but Lambeau is a different story.
The Eagles will be back at home to face the 1-4 Cowboys.