1st-and-10: Could Bears go Wright to left to solve the Ozzy Trapilo conundrum?
- Mark Potash
- Oct 1
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 2
When Ben Johnson was the tight ends coach with the Lions in 2021, first-year head coach Dan Campbell made a lineup change over the bye week that helped fuel a second-half rally. With the return of left tackle Taylor Decker — who had missed the first eight games with a broken finger, rookie Penei Sewell moved from the right tackle after playing eight games in place of Decker at left tackle.
Sewell, who played left tackle in his two seasons at Oregon, was better at right tackle than he was at left tackle for the Lions (he said at the time that playing the left side somehow helped him on the right side) and made the PFWA and PFF all-rookie teams. He's been first-team All-Pro the last two seasons.
Sewell’s mid-season transition in 2021 under Johnson’s eye is something to consider when Johnson evaluates the Bears’ offensive line situation over the bye week.
In particular, Johnson has to solve a puzzle at both tackle positions: Rookie second-round draft pick Ozzy Trapilo seemed to confirm he’s a right tackle if he’s anything in a 40-snap stint off the bench in place of injured starter Darnell Wright against the Raiders on Sunday. Second-year undrafted free agent Theo Benedet, who started at right tackle, looked like an upgrade over left tackle Braxton Jones when he replaced Jones in the second quarter.
If Wright, who has an elbow injury, returns after the bye week against the Commanders, something has to give. Trapilo could back up Wright, with Benedet or Jones starting at left tackle (Benedet appears to be the choice for now). But one option is particularly intriguing if the Bears plan to eventually get the most out of the Wright-Trapilo tackle tandem: Move Wright to left tackle to open a spot for Trapilo at right tackle.
It’s not ideal — Wright flourished at Tennessee when he moved from left tackle in 2022. But it might be the Bears’ best option if Trapilo can’t play left tackle. And if Wright playing left tackle is non-starter, what is the Bears’ plan for Trapilo?
The speculation might be unorthodox but all’s fair when the Bears themselves don’t seem to have a very good grasp of the situation. They drafted Trapilo with the intent of playing him at left tackle. And he not only failed to win the starting spot, but the back-up spot as well — he was moved to the right side by the second preseason game against the Bills on Aug. 21.
Drafting Trapilo might still become a long-term hit for general manager Ryan Poles, but he’s a short-term miss as a right tackle playing behind a 24-year-old cornerstone. In theory, that job’s not going to open up for another eight years or more. Surely Ben Johnson has other ideas, perhaps sooner rather than later.
2a. The Bears rallying to beat the Raiders was more significant in the big picture than their more convincing victory over the Cowboys the previous week.
Not only did Caleb Williams show the “clutch gene” on the final drive to make the most of an unimpressive performance, but the Bears did two things that made Williams’ heroics count: They contained game-wreckers Ashton Jeanty and Maxx Crosby when they absolutely had to.
Jeanty was averaging 8.2 yards per carry (17-139) when the Bears held him to minus-one yard on his final four carries to force the Raiders to settle for a field goal up 21-19 with 6:48 to go and force the 54-yard attempt by Daniel Carlson that was blocked by Josh Blackwell. That’s what good teams do.
2b. Williams had a 68.5 passer rating (18 of 32, 170 yards, one touchdown, one interception) with minus-5 yards on six rushes before finding a groove on the game-winning drive. He had a 101.7 passer rating (4 of 5, 42 yards) with two critical rushes for 18 yards on the game-winning drive.
3. The List: Josh Blackwell’s heroic blocked field goal was reminiscent of Bryan Robinson’s memorable block of Ryan Longwell’s 28-yard field goal attempt as time expired to clinch the Bears’ 14-13 victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field the week that Walter Payton died.
Other players to block late fourth-quarter field goals that either prevented defeat or led to victory:
Alex Brown vs. the Packers in 2008 at Soldier Field — blocked a Mason Crosby 38-yard tie-breaking attempt with 0:25 left vs. the Packers in 2008. The Bears won 20-17 in overtime.
Marc Columbo vs. the Titans in 2004 in Nashville — blocked Craig Hentrich's 52-yard tie-breaking field goal attempt on the final play of regulation. The Bears won 19-17 when Adewale Ogunleye and Alex Brown sacked Titans quarterback Billy Volek, leading to a game-ending safety. (It's still one of only three NFL games to end on a safety in overtime).
James “Big Cat” Williams and Jim Flanigan vs. the Tennessee Oilers in 1998 in Nashville — blocked Craig Hentrich's 49-yard game-tying attempt with 21 seconds left to seal a 23-20 victory.
James “Big Cat” Williams vs. the Dolphins in 1994 at Joe Robbie Stadium — technically deflected Pete Stoyanovich's 45-yard game-tying attenpt with seven seconds left to seal a 17-14 victory.
Al Harris vs. the Buccaneers in 1980 at Tampa Stadium — blocked Garo Yepremian's 32-yard game-winning attempt with 45 seconds left in the fourth quarter to clinch a 14-13 victory in the season finale.
Dick Evey vs. the Vikings in 1966 at Metropolitan Stadium — blocked Fred Cox's 32-yard game-tying attempt with 38 seconds to play to seal a 13-10 victory.
3b. No discussion of Bears blocked field goals is complete without mention of the most infamous blocked kick in Bears history: In the 1980 opener against the Packers at Lambeu Field, Alan Page blocked Chester Marcol's 35-yard game-winning kick in overtime — only to have the ball bounce right back to Marcol, who ran 25 yards for a touchdown that gave the Packers a 12-6 victory. (The Bears got it right in the end, when Harris blocked Yepremian's game-winning field goal in the final game of that season, and it held up in a 14-13 victory.)
Another one that went wrong in typical Bears fashion: In 2017 against the Steelers at Soldier Field, Sherrick McManis blocked Chris Boswell's 35-yard attempt in the second quarter, with Marcus Cooper recovering and returning for an apparent touchdown. But Cooper inexplicably slowed down as he neared the goal line and was stripped of the ball before crossing the goal line.
In the scramble for the loose ball, Steelers holder Jordan Berry knocked it out of the end zone, resulting in an illegal touch penalty that gave the Bears the ball at the Steelers' 5-yard line. Connor Barth kicked a 24-yard field goal to give the Bears a 17-7 halftime lead en route to a 23-17 victory.
4. The Bears allowed 23 points or more and won for the first time since Dec. 26, 2021 — also 25-24 and also against Pete Carroll — when Nick Foles rallied the Bears to a 25-24 victory over the Seahawks. The Bears were 0-28 when allowing 23 or more points since then.
With the Bears trailing 24-17, Foles’ threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jimmy Graham with 1:01 to play. With the clock ticking on the Matt Nagy era, Nagy threw caution to the wind and went for the victory, and Foles connected with wide receiver Damiere Byrd, who made an acrobatic catch in the back of the end zone for the two-point conversion.
5. Caleb Williams had a 68.5 passer rating (18 of 32, 170 yards, one touchdown, one interception) with minus-5 yards on six rushes before finding a groove on the game-winning drive. He had a 101.7 passer rating (4 of 5, 42 yards) with two critical rushes for 18 yards on the game-winning drive.
6. Cairo Santos was one of the heroes by going 4-for-4 on field goals (46, 43, 52, 51). But his leg strength again was an issue when the Bears punted on fourth-and-26 from the Raiders 40-yard line in the second quarter.
Prior to Week 4, a team had punted from its opponent’s 40-yard line once this season (in seven 40-yard line situatons). But it happened three times on Sunday — Santos, the Jaguars with Cam Little (who had kicked a 70-yarder in the preseason) in the wind at Levi’s Stadium; and the Giants with Jude McAtamney, in his first game as a replacement for injured kicker Graham Gano.
7. Second-year wide receiver Rome Odunze has 20 receptions for 296 yards and five touchdowns in four games — a pace for 85 receptions for 1,258 yards and 21 touchdowns. His five receiving touchdowns are tied with Brandon Marshall (2014) and Dennis McKinnon (1985) for the most in franchise history in the first four games.
The Bears single-season record for receiving touchdowns is 13 by Dick Gordon in 1970 (14 games) and Ken Kavanaugh in 1947 (12 games).
8. Bits & Pieces: … After deferring the first two times the Bears won the coin toss, Ben Johnson chose to receive against the Raiders. The Bears deferred all eight times they won the toss last year. … The Bears have nine false start penalties this season — only the Packers (10) have more. …The Bears had more penalty yards than their opponent for the fourth consecutive game — their season differential of minus-139 is the second worst in the NFL. … When Theo Benedet, Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson and Ozzy Trapilo comprised the offensive line against the Raiders, the entire line was new from last season. ... The Bears’ 90 yards in the first half against the Raiders was fewer than in any first half for Johnson with the Lions. His previous low there was 104 in 2022. … The Bears’ defense has allowed six rushes of 20-plus yards — most in the NFL through four weeks. ... The Bears haven’t had a tie game since Week 2 of the 1972 season (13-13 vs. the Rams at Soldier Field. Only the Titans/Oilers (1971) and Patriots (1967) have longer tie-less streaks.
9. Josh McCown Ex-Bears Player of the Week: Jets quarterback Justin Fields had 307 yards of total offense with both a passing touchdownand a rushing touchdown in a 27-21 loss to the Dolphins. Fields completed 20-of-27 passes for 226 yards passing and had seven rushes for 81 yards and a 43-yard touchdown.
Special mention: Cowboys linebacker Jack Sanborn had a team-high 11 tackles in a 40-40 tie with the Packers at Cowboys Stadium, plus a pass deflection in the end zone with one second left in overtime that forced the Packers to settle for the tie.
10. Bear-ometer — 8-9: at Commanders (L); vs. Saints (W); at Ravens (L); at Bengals (W); vs. Giants (W); at Vikings (L); vs. Steelers (W); at Eagles (L); at Packers (L); vs. Browns (W); vs. Packers (L); at 49ers (W); vs. Lions (L).
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