Chicago Bears: Vic Fangio throws perfect game vs LA Rams
In a team effort to beat the first place Rams, no name should shine brighter than Vic Fangio
The Chicago Bears did not only beat the Los Angelas Rams, they completely shut them down. Sunday marked the first time in the Sean McVay era that his team was held out of the end zone. A lot of people will blame McVay, and blame Jared Goff for a poor performance in the cold.
Neither was on their best game, but a lot of that takes away from just how good of a game plan Vic Fangio came up with.
Goff gets blame for looking confused, but Fangio mixed and matched coverages and brought different pressure looks all night. Fangio attacked Goff. McVay gets blame for not relying on Todd Gurley and the run, but the Bears defense had the perfect counter for every run call that Sean McVay had.
The play here is the perfect illustration of how Fangio was consistency one step ahead of Sean McVay.
What is great about this play is that it is the very first play of the second half. Tied 6-6., McVay went into re-group and come up with a new game plan. Fangio had the counter.
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The play the Rams ran is a staple of their offense. They start two wide receivers to the left. One motions right, it usually takes a cornerback from left to right, making it one less person on that side for when the run comes back to the right.
However, Fangio was not messing around with the cute motion stuff. With two receivers lined up on the left side, Fangio had two cornerbacks lined up on the right. He was anticipating motion.
On the other side Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd are stacked on top of each other. He is anticipating a run to that side.
McVay plays it just how Fangio expected. He motions the player and nobody moves, as they were already lineup to prevent the motion. Had they run jet sweep there, Sherick McManis would have ended the play in the backfield.
However, they ran off tackle with Todd Gurley. Unfortunately, they ran that play straight to Floyd and Mack, who expected the ball to be run there way once the motion went the other way.
This shows extreme preparation. They were ready for anything called on that play, and were two steps ahead of McVay. You can have a fast defense, and a talented defense, but when you have a smart defense, you can shut down the best offenses in the NFL. With Vic Fangio calling games, this is what the Chicago Bears have.