Bears @ Titans
This game was a slog. Both teams came into the game on two-game losing streaks (after a combined 10-1 start), and both struggled to do much of anything on the day. It was 3-0 after the first, 10-0 after the second, and 17-0 after the third. Things picked up in the fourth as 24 total points were scored, but the final outcome was never in question. Looking forward, Chicago will ponder another switch at QB while Tennessee prepares for a big game against the rival Colts.
Chicago Bears
Quarterback
Nick Foles: 36/52, 335 yards, 2 TD, 3 sacks | 2 carries, 2 yards
Nick Foles saved his day late, but the reaction here should be the same as it was last week: pull Foles and give Mitch Trubisky another shot. Foles benefited greatly from a pair of late drives against prevent defense, and Chicago didn’t score a touchdown until it was already 24-3 with about five minutes left in the fourth. Foles should have thrown a pick (or two), and a number of his completions were thanks to amazing catches by a frustrated receiving corps. Foles is not a viable option at quarterback, and the team should be ready to completely move on in the offseason. I know I’m ready to bench Foles and give Trubisky the ball again. I never thought I’d be saying that.
Foles finds Nall.#FantasyFootball | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/qvYGz4bZfD
— QB List (@TheQBlist) November 8, 2020
Running Backs
David Montgomery: 14 carries, 30 yards, 1 fumble lost | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 12 yards
Cordarelle Patterson: 3 carries 13 yards | 4 targets, 4 receptions, 27 yards
David Montgomery was slugging through another frustrating contest today before things completely fell apart. In the third quarter, he caught a pass in the backfield and fumbled on soft contact. It was returned for a 64-yd Titans touchdown. He was later concussed and didn’t finish the game. Montgomery–as usual–didn’t have a ton of space to work, but he still struggled when he did. There was one play in particular where it looked like things were starting to open up, but Montgomery failed to hit the hole. He is still the only game in town, and the trade deadline has passed. The upside is just low.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Allen Robinson: 9 targets, 7 receptions, 81 yards
Anthony Miller: 8 targets, 5 receptions, 59 yards, 1 fumble lost
Jimmy Graham: 6 targets, 6 receptions, 55 yards, 1 TD
Darnell Mooney: 11 targets, 5 receptions, 43 yards
The final numbers looked decent for the receivers, but everything was padded late. Still, the Bears seem to be able to get away with this more often than one would think. Allen Robinson picked up 3 receptions for 43 yards in the last ten minutes of the game. He had a solid day despite the terrible state of the offense, though a touchdown would have helped. I’ve said it before, but Robinson is the one guy from this offense I will start week to week. Darnell Mooney was all over the field, but his final numbers fail to show the impact here. Mooney had a number of close plays that could have given him a bigger day. The QB play just wasn’t there. Mooney was visibly frustrated on the sidelines, and it would be interesting to see what he could do in a better offense. Unfortunately, he’ll continue to languish in Chicago. Jimmy Graham had a nice day and continues to be a streamable option at tight end. He’s not the athlete he used to be, but he gets it done. I like him as a TE streamer.
Tennessee Titans
Quarterback
Ryan Tannehill: 10/21, 158 yards, 2 TD, 3 sacks | 3 carries, 3 yards
This was a quiet day for Ryan Tannehill, but mostly because he didn’t have to do anything. Tennessee knew the Bears couldn’t score, and they were content to trade defensive stands. This meant minimal passing (13 attempts at halftime) which was fortunate for the Titans; Tannehill did not look sharp, and he was lucky not to throw a pick. There was an early play where Bears corner Kyle Fuller nearly jumped a route for a pick-six. Tannehill also missed an open AJ Brown for what could have been a long touchdown. The volume here overall isn’t impressive, but fortunately, there aren’t many weapons to be fed.
Running Backs
Derrick Henry: 21 carries, 68 yards
D’Onta Foreman: 5 carries, 11 yards
Jeremy McNichols: 2 carries, 10 yards
Yeah, that’s the whole stat line. Derrick Henry was mostly bottled up, save for a late 26-yard run in the fourth quarter. He was regularly met at the line, and it was a good reminder of Henry’s weakness: he can be stopped if you get to him early. Still, the Titans are good at scheming for their star back, and he has made a habit of busting runs late in games. Henry doesn’t have these types of games often, so we can live with it. Just hope next time he gets a few targets as well.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
A.J. Brown: 9 targets, 4 receptions, 101 yards, 1 TD
Jonnu Smith: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 32 yards, 1 TD
Anthony Firkser: 6 targets, 3 receptions, 19 yards
It’s nice to see AJ Brown eat even when everything comes to a grinding halt for Tennessee. Brown is a fun weapon to watch and he could have had an even bigger day. Brown snuck behind coverage early, but Tannehill missed him on the deep shot. If the ball had been thrown accurately, it could have been a monster touchdown. Brown is week-to-week safe, and he looks like one of the rare wide receivers who can overcome bad QB play. Jonnu Smith didn’t do much today–making both of his catches on the same drive. Smith’s first catch was a 30-yarder that ended up two yards short of the endzone. Luckily he picked up those two yards on the next play. Given Smith’s last four outings, I don’t consider him a must-start.
— Mike Miklius (@SIRL0INofBEEF on Twitter)