Chicago Bears: What could have been with Tom Brady at quarterback

Tom Brady might not have been broken behind this Chicago Bears offensive line

The first thing I am sure all of you are thinking…”but even Tom Brady would have been killed behind this offensive line.” Well, that might be true, but I don’t think it’s as bad as one might think. If we look at the Bucs, Tom Brady was sacked an average of 1.4 times per game (3rd best). Chicago allowed 2.2 sacks per game (16th). We saw how hitting Brady affects him when the Bears beat the Bucs early in the season.

If we go back through the 2020 season, the Chicago Bears probably saw the offensive line improve when they played weaker opponents, switched the scheme around to help improve the run game and switch back from statuesque Nick Foles to mobile Mitch Trubisky. All of these things play a part, but just as importantly, so does who is playing under center.

Here’s why people need to realize that the quarterback can also affect how an offensive line is regarded. Looking at NFL’s NextGen stats, Nick Foles’ time to throw was 2.51 seconds (tied for fourth fastest in the NFL). Tom Brady was tied for seventh in the NFL with 2.57 seconds before he threw the ball. For comparison, Mitch Trubisky was tied for 12th with 2.66 seconds between when the ball was snapped and when he threw the ball.

The difference here is decision making. Tom Brady not only processes the field and makes his decision quickly, but he also makes the right decision. This is why he’s considered by many as the greatest quarterback to play the game. I had my doubts, but winning with another team the first year he left New England proves he was more than just a system quarterback. He not only played well, but he also had one of his best seasons throwing for 4,633 yards, 40 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Nick Foles may have thrown the ball sooner, but he clearly was not making the right reads or at least he was not throwing the ball accurately enough to make his decisions count for something. This is evidenced by his horrible touchdown to interception ratio this season.