Sam Mustipher continues to provide Chicago Bears bright spots
Did the Chicago Bears find their starting center?
There is not too much to get excited about with the Chicago Bears over the past six weeks. However, after their bye week, it is worth noting that some changes came on the offensive line. While the Bears have not turned the changes into wins, the offensive line has played better in the past two weeks than it has all season.
David Montgomery had his two highest yards before contact totals in the past two weeks. Beyond that, the last two games were the least often Mitch Trubisky has been under pressure, going all the way back to the Bucs game in 2018 and the Cowboys in 2019.
While the progress does not come back to just one player, the past two games have been impressive for starting center Sam Mustipher. Mustipher was thrown into the fire against Aaron Donald and got injured against the Saints the next week.
However, in the past two weeks, Mustipher has shown that he may be capable of starting at center In the NFL. To start, he has not had a single snap issue, something Cody Whitehair has been famous for. Moreso, he has not allowed a single pressure.
Below, you can see the impact that Mustipher is providing in the run game. He snaps and gets off of the ball quickly as he is moving to his left. Mustipher picks up his man, 91, John Penisini.
Now, watch his hips as he engages. Mustipher is able to flip is body around and create a lane that David Montgomery is able to run through.
The quickness to get off of the ball, the power to hold his man, and the fluidity to turn his hips and create the seal are all impressive features from the one play above. Mustipher has not been a road grader in the ground game, but has been proficient and had his highest-graded game on the ground, per PFF.
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The Chicago Bears have four games to go, but those are starting to appear to be big games for Mustipher. If Mustipher can play the last four games as well as he has the first two, the Bears are going to enter the offseason with a question as to whether or not they have themselves a starting center. Given all of the other needs on the roster, being able to cross one off of the board would go a long way.