Bears made a simple offensive change everyone asked for and it worked wonders for the team's passing attack
The Chicago Bears' offense left a lot on the table in their Week 2 loss against the Indianapolis Colts, but the passing game looked like a much improved unit.While the run game struggled again, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams attempted 52 passes for a total of 363 yards and looked a lot more comfortable doing so, […]
The Chicago Bears' offense left a lot on the table in their Week 2 loss against the Indianapolis Colts, but the passing game looked like a much improved unit.
While the run game struggled again, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams attempted 52 passes for a total of 363 yards and looked a lot more comfortable doing so, putting the two interceptions aside for the time being.
The connection with fellow rookie Rome Odunze was a big part of the game for the Bears' passing attack, but the usage of tight end Cole Kmet made the most difference for the Bears on Sunday.
After having five receptions for 31 yards during the first two games combined, Kmet was one of Williams' go-to targets in Week 3, finishing tied for a team-high 11 targets that he turned into 10 completions for 97 yards and one touchdown.
Kmet's usage, or lack there of, was one of the biggest complaints after the Bears win in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans. Over the past two games, Kmet usage has exponentially increased, and so has the difference he's made in the passing game.
Here's the total number of offensive snaps Kmet played in each of the three games:
Week 1: 27 offensive snaps
Week 2: 54 offensive snaps
Week 3: 75 offensive snaps
Kmet's impact helped clean up two of the biggest issues the unit struggled with during the first two games of the season: intermediate passing and converting first downs.
This play where Williams was able to find Kmet in the middle of the field for a first down on a scramble drill is exactly the type of play that can turn a bad situation, like we've seen over the last two weeks, into a good one. These kinds of plays can only happen when 85 is working the field while Williams makes magic happen.
Williams' passing chart from the Week 3 loss via Next Gen Stats tells you everything you need to know compared to his charts from the first two games of the season.
As for the situational impact, six of Kmet's ten receptions were on third or fourth down, with four of them converting into a first down, including his touchdown in the final quarter on fourth down. In addition, seven of his ten receptions resulted in a first down or a touchdown, regardless of what down the play began on.
This was a major improvement in two troubling areas that goes back to the usage of one player. And imagine how much better these areas are going to look when Keenan Allen, who has thrived his entire career in the middle of the field and in crucial situations, gets back on the field for this offense. Good things are on the horizon but there's still some lingering issues needed to be fixed.
Bears squandered a perfect opportunity against the Colts and it killed the offense in Week 3
The disappointing trend continues.
