Teven Jenkins Hints At Growing Tension With Offensive Coaches
Something isn’t right about the Chicago Bears offense. While everybody expected some growing pains as they transitioned to a new scheme, no one thought it would look this bad. That is especially true up front. Not only have the Bears allowed nine sacks in two games, but they also have the 28th-ranked rushing attack. Everything starts up front, where the offensive line has committed an egregious number of mental mistakes. There are penalties, missed stunts, failure to account for blitzes, etc. Nobody is immune from the disaster. That includes Teven Jenkins.
The Bears’ left guard was one of their most dependable blockers last season. Yet even he has struggled with constant mistakes. After a tough loss in Houston, Jenkins was asked why the breakdowns kept occurring. His answer suggested something deeper is going on, possibly within the Bears’ coaching staff.
Jenkins is basically saying the line is going with the protections that are called. Intentional or not, he pointed the finger at one of two people: offensive coordinator Shane Waldron or offensive line coach Chris Morgan. Regardless of who it is, there is clearly a disconnect somewhere.
Teven Jenkins alludes to a problem the Bears risked.
Don’t forget Morgan was one of the only holdovers from the previous offensive staff under Luke Getsy. Head coach Matt Eberflus felt the man had done a great job coaching up the younger guys. However, there was a risk that he might not mesh well with Waldron, who has a different system with different blocking schemes. The Bears also promoted Morgan to run game coordinator, giving him more say over the running game. Perhaps that and his unfamiliarity with Waldron are creating these communication issues.
People may not like what Teven Jenkins said, but his comments can’t be ignored. This feels exactly like last season when the offense had an ugly first three games. Frustration is mounting. Jenkins isn’t the only one feeling it. Coaches are supposed to be the ones with the answers to problems like this. Talent isn’t the issue for Chicago. They should be good enough to field at least an average line. If there is a disconnect on the offensive staff, Eberflus better get it settled fast before his quarterback gets killed.