THE Chicago Bear The offense has been completely ineffective through three games under new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who has been criticized for his play. But there is one play in particular, in the loss to the Indianapolis Colts in of the third week, which generated a lot of discussion and frustration from fans and analysts.
With the Bears facing fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Waldron called a speed option on running back D’Andre Swift, who lost 12 yards on the play. He also featured a viral image showing four offensive linemen on the ground as the game continued to unfold.
On Thursday, Waldron spoke to the media for the first time after Sunday’s loss, where he took full responsibility for that fourth-and-goal speed option play. Waldron noted that the offense needed to get to the line of scrimmage earlier to get what it wanted from the look. But he said “all these things start with me” And “I have to be better.”
Chicago’s offense has struggled through the first three games, whether it was a nonexistent running game, a slow start to the passing game, or a struggling offensive line. But there is a lot of blame to be made. From Waldron to the players themselves, improvements are needed everywhere.
“I know we haven’t been up to what we want to be,” Waldron said of the offense. “…But what we can count on is that the communication has been excellent, consistent and constantly evolving.”
The Bears have an opportunity to make progress against the Los Angeles Rams, whose defense ranks near the bottom in points allowed, passing, rushing and third-down stops. But it’s up to Waldron to get his unit ready to go and put it in a position to succeed.
This article was originally published on Bears Wire: Bears OC Shane Waldron takes responsibility for 4th-and-goal failure
