The Chicago Bears are talking about practice…not a game…practice
Are you ready for this one? Queue up the Allen Iverson clips. Matt Eberflus and the Chicago Bears are talking about practice. This isn’t just a press conference about how practice went either. Nope, Eberflus is defending Lucas Patrick starting over Teven Jenkins at right guard and receiving a majority of the snaps vs the Texans because of poor practice by Jenkins. Specifically, Eberflus indicated that it was the Wednesday practice in particular that Jenkins struggled. Seriously?
Well, as soon as I flipped on the All-22 yesterday, you will be shocked to hear that Lucas Patrick struggled early. In fact, had he held his block on the second play of the game, Justin Fields might have been able to hit a big play instead of only a 10-yard gain to Byron Pringle. Equanimeous St. Brown breaks free but with pressure in his face, Fields makes the right decision to throw to Pringle and see another set of downs.
This isn’t to say that Lucas Patrick isn’t good. He didn’t have an awful game — it was just average. When you want the tape, Teven Jenkins clearly outplays him despite only seeing 22 snaps to Patrick’s 41. This little motivation tactic that the team keeps trying to pull with Jenkins is going to wear thin very quickly. Jenkins was the better prospect and is the better player — except for maybe at center.
The Chicago Bears need to stop worrying about practice and play Teven Jenkins
Now, if Teven Jenkins struggled on the field, I can fully understand if the team were to make this switch. In fact, I might even applaud them for trying to get a young player game reps. That’s by far the best way to help develop a player and determine if they have what it takes to play at a high level in the NFL. That’s not what is going on here though. Jenkins continuously looks like the better player on the field and as Allen Iverson once said:
"“We sitting in here — I’m supposed to be the franchise player, and we in here talking about practice. I mean, listen, we talking about practice. Not a game. Not a game. Not a game. We talking about practice. Not a game. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it’s my last. Not the game. We talking about practice, man.”"
It’s only been three games and patience is going to wear thin too for Chicago Bears fans. The rotation of reps at right guard is “working” I guess, and that’s all these coaches care about. However, let’s just hope that Patrick is able to supplant Sam Mustipher as the starting center this week and Jenkins can see a full game of reps. That will be the best offensive line combination this team can see going forward. Unless Matt Eberflus and Chris Morgan think Mustipher deserves to continue to start because…you know…he had a good Wednesday practice.