Film study: Breaking down play-caller Shane Waldron’s most creative game

LONDON — Shane Waldron has flipped the script by creating a more specific one.

Monday, Bears coach Matt Eberflus confirmed that his offensive coordinator started the season by not laying out the typical 15-play start-of-game script in order. Instead, he designed plays that were prioritized and run by his players during game preparations every week.

The Bears had a menu of “openers” they used on first and second down plus a separate list of third down plays sorted by distance.

After meeting with Bears veterans following the Colts loss, Waldron put the plays in order like a more traditional script.

“That was just more of a communicating with the leadership of the offense with Shane and myself to be able to put those in order,” Eberflus said. “We put those in order, so the guys knew exactly what Play 1 was, Play 2 and so forth and what the first third-down plays were. …

“Guys can practice that. They can rehearse it mentally in their minds.”

It’s worked. The Bears have averaged almost 32 points per game and are 3-0 since the Colts loss. Sunday’s 35-16 win against the Jaguars might have been Waldron’s most creative outing:

Clever — and it worked

On first-and-10 from the Jaguars 31 about four minutes into the second quarter, the Bears lined up with two receivers split left and one right, with running back D’Andre Swift standing to Caleb Williams’ left.

Receiver Keenan Allen, who was in the left slot, went in an “orbit” motion — before the snap, he “orbited” around Williams, running from the left slot to Williams’ right, and, from the backfield, sprinted left as the ball was snapped.

Safety Darnell Savage followed him, opening up the middle of the field.

Williams faked a screen to Allen in the left flat and spun and faked one to Swift in the right flat.

Defensive end Travon Walker, the former No. 1 overall pick, fell for the fake and jumped in the air. The play put linebacker Devin Lloyd in a blender. He froze at first, then decided to crash down toward the fake screen to Swift. He ran right past tight end Kmet, who was running a seam route up the middle. With the linebacker and safety cleared out, Kmet was wide open.

“All I had to do was throw a lay-up to Cole down the seam,” Williams said, “and let him do the rest.”

Kmet caught the ball the 15 and broke two tackles for a touchdown.

“They presented a good defense for us to run that,” Kmet said. “We had run a bunch of screens where we’re flying the guy behind and pulling those ‘backers out. So just kind of blocked my guy on the line for a second there and Caleb [Williams] gave a good fake and then, just right up the chute.”

Waldron brought the play with him from Seattle, where he spent three years as offensive coordinator.

The Seahawks threw a 25-yard touchdown pass on the same play against the 49ers in Week 14 last year, faking to both flats and hitting tight end Colby Parkinson up the seam.

Waldron seems to have lifted the play. from the 49ers, who ran it against his Seahawks the year before and scored on a 28-yard pass to tight end George Kittle.

“Great play concept,” Kmet said.

Clever — and it didn’t work

On third-and-1 from the Jaguars 40 with about five minutes left in the first half, the Bears brought out their heaviest package of the season. Third-round rookie tackle Kiran Amegadjie was the extra blocker and guard Doug Kramer — and not Khari Blasingame — played fullback.

In an offset I formation with receiver DJ Moore split left, Williams faked a handoff and looked deep, where Moore was open between cornerback Montaric Brown and safety Andre Cisco. The latter intercepted the ball at the 6.

The situation called out for a deep shot, given that the Bears were certain to go for it on fourth-and-1 rather than punt and risk a bad snap by emergency long snapper Cole Kmet.

Williams took the blame for the play not working.

“DJ was wide open,” Williams said. “And I didn’t add enough juice behind it. I didn’t put it where I put it in practice, which is the back pylon, and the safety had an easy interception.”

It was Williams’ first interception since Week 3.

“You can’t have turnovers,” he said. “[It’s] something that I pride myself on. Obviously, it affects the whole team. It affects my momentum, especially when you have a wide-open receiver like DJ streaking down the field. I’ve got to be better.”

 

Run run run

Perhaps Eberflus’ favorite part of Waldron’s play-calling was how he kept the run game engaged. Swift ran 17 times for 91 yards. He was statistically the worst starting running back in the NFL in Weeks 1-3; since, he ranks fourth in rushing yards and third in rushing touchdowns.

Williams had his best day as a rusher, too. He carried four times for 56 yards, his 14 yards per carry average dwarfing his previous high of 8.8.

The Bears’ longest run of the game wasn’t called. With 2:09 left in the first half, Williams dropped back, didn’t see anyone open and ran up the numbers on the right flank. After 23 yards, he slid down on the F of the NFL shield at midfield.

“You see different quarterbacks in the league that can use their feet at a high level, but also are very accurate passers,” Eberflus said. “I think that’s a one-two punch you provide when you have an athletic quarterback.”