Colleen Kane at the Chicago Tribune quotes coach Matt Eberflus on Kyler Gordon’s performance on Sunday.
In the third quarter, Gordon charged forward on a third-and-1 blitz and batted down quarterback Davis Mills’ pass. But Gordon also gave up a couple of big plays, including losing wide receiver Chris Moore on a 52-yard catch in the first quarter that led to the Texans’ first touchdown.
“The breakdown on that was … we were playing single-high coverage. We have to do a better job of just staying on that guy,” Eberflus said. “That was his guy. He has to stay on him.”
Eberflus was asked whether the Bears would consider keeping Gordon at one position to lighten his mental load.
“You always have got to look at that, especially when you’re working with a rookie, a guy that’s been in there and it’s the first time,” Eberflus said. “But he’s shown that he can do it. His techniques are good. In terms of knowing his assignments are good, inside and outside, so we’re pleased with where he is relative to that.”
If you watch replay where the Texans’ Moore caught the 52 yard pass, you will see that Gordon was with him until he heit about midfield and then he let him go, obviously thinking that another defensive back was going to pick Moore up. Realizing his mistakes too late he tore after more but Moore was wide open.
It was not the first time that Gordon has looked confused in coverage over the first three games.
The evidence does, indeed, support the suggestion that Gordon is overloaded and that he might be better off concentrating upon one position. But it doesn’t sound like they are ready to restrict him just yet.
We all knew going in that there would be growing pains for the Bears this year. I htink eveyone was prepared to be patient with quarterback Justin Filds But I think it behoooves us to remember that the other guys are only feeling their way through right now as well.
As it is it looks like we’re going to have to just wait and see how fast Gordon can pick things up and handle what the Bears have given him.