The Chicago Bears' offense has hit a new groove since Thomas Brown took over as the team's offensive coordinator three weeks ago.
The results, on paper, still didn't bode well for the team leading to the decision to remove Matt Eberflus as head coach and promote Brown for the second time in a month's span.
Even though Brown's taking over the big chair, there shouldn't be any noticeable differences in his offense. Brown will still call the plays (from the sidelines now instead of the booth) with Chris Beatty stepping in as the new offensive coordinator.
Under Brown's play-calling, two of the Bears' top passing weapons have played among the top players at their position over the last two weeks.
Since Week 12, wide receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen have combined for 29 receptions, 362 receiving yards, and 5 receiving touchdowns. Moore also added 13 rushing yards in those two games.
In that span, Moore's 15 receptions is tied for 4th among wide receivers and his 203 receiving yards ranks 6th. Allen's three touchdowns is tied for the most in that span.
WR most PPR points over the last two weeks:
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) December 3, 2024
1. Jerry Jeudy
2. DJ Moore
3. Terry McLaurin
4. Keenan Allen
Brown's work with Moore has been the most notable change for the offense since he took over play-calling duties. Brown is calling up plays to use Moore more-so as an offensive weapon than how a typical wide receiver would be used.
“Regardless of what people kind of play coverage-wise or try to try to play against him to take away possible throws, if you hand it to him, give him a bubble behind the line of scrimmage, you’ve got to tackle him in space,” Brown said last week. “That guy’s pretty dynamic when you get the ball in his hand, whether it’s screens, quick game throws, vertical down the field throws, any way to get that guy in space, I’m all about.”
While Brown has modified how he wants to use Moore in the passing game, he's also been pretty innovative with how he uses Allen as well in the slot.
“Watching [Allen], the one-on-one matchups, how he moves, the nuance of route-running is obviously elite,” Brown added. “It’s been elite for a long time. But also it’s being able to understand how we could move guys around... He’s a big-time player, been that way for a long time.”
So far, what Brown's been doing with Moore and Allen is working pretty effectively for the offense. And meanwhile, rookie Rome Odunze has still been able to get 16 targets his way the last two weeks. Once those targets become receptions, this passing attack will go from improved to lethal under Brown.
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