BEARS DEFENCE A THROWBACK TO ’85
Shutting down prolific Rams augurs well for long playoff run in the Windy City
To put into perspective how awful the Chicago Bears defence made Jared Goff look on Sunday night, consider this: The Los Angeles Rams quarterback committed more turnovers and completed fewer passes, for fewer yards, for as few touchdowns, and a worse passer rating, than Nathan Peterman of the Buffalo Bills had against the same defence five weeks earlier. Goff ’s stat line on Sunday: 20 of 44 for 180 yards, four interceptions, one lost fumble, a 19.1 passer rating. Peterman’s stat line on Nov. 4: 31 of 49 for 188 yards, three interceptions and a 45.3 passer rating. Conclusion? None of us knows anything about everything when it comes to the NFL this season. Never mind that Peterman didn’t have to face NFL defensive player-of-the-year candidate Khalil Mack, who chews up quarterbacks and spits out sacks and fumbles, in Buffalo that Sunday. Mack was out of the Bears’ lineup with an ankle injury. That any defence could make one of the league’s brightest young quarterback stars look more feeble than Peterman says a lot more about Mack and his cohorts than it does Goff. It was the first time Goff, in three NFL seasons, had thrown more than two picks. Yes, it was a cold Sunday night in the Windy City, and the Rams are a warm-weather team. That’s but a small asterisk on Chicago’s defensive performance. People are starting to equate this defence with Chicago’s 1985 maulers, who led the Bears to their lone Super Bowl championship. After rookie linebacker Roquan Smith’s first career pick against the Rams, 11 different Bears defenders now have an interception this season. Cornerback Kyle Fuller is tied for the league lead with seven. Chicago is far and away the league leader in picks, with 25. Miami is next with 19, and no other team has more than 15. As for the Rams, their 214 net yards offensively was the lowest output in the two years Sean McVay has been the head coach. And it was the first time one of his L.A. teams failed to score an offensive touchdown. McVay and the Rams have three weeks to make adjustments before the playoffs begin. But they won’t face another team anywhere approaching Chicago’s ilk until the playoffs next month, as each of their last three opponents has a losing record: Philadelphia (6-7), Arizona (3-10) and San Francisco (3-10). There’s now a logjam of teams vying for — er, trying to avoid — a last-place overall finish, thereby earning the No. 1 overall draft pick at the April draft in Nashville. Here’s the current draft order, based on the top tiebreaker (strength of schedule, not headto-head): 1. San Francisco, 3-10 2. Oakland, 3-10 3. Arizona, 3-10 4. Atlanta, 4-9 5. New York Jets, 4-9 6. Buffalo Bills, 4-9 7. Jacksonville Jaguars, 4-9 The likeliest race for the top pick should come down to San Francisco vs. Arizona. Each is unlikely to win again. The Niners play three teams with winning records, at home against Seattle and Chicago before finishing on the road against the Rams. The Cardinals play at Atlanta, at home against the Rams, then at Seattle. Should they wind up with identical strengths of schedule (the first tiebreaker), then San Francisco would get the top pick based on record against division opponents The Oakland Raiders fired GM Reggie McKenzie on Monday. McKenzie effectively became a GM in title only once owner Mark Davis hired Jon Gruden as head coach and czar of football operations. Reports suggest McKenzie wasn’t on board with Gruden’s decision to deal elite pass rusher Mack to Chicago and elite wide receiver Amari Cooper to Dallas.