LAKE FOREST, Ill. — For the Chicago Bears, the 2020 NFL season may very well come down to a rookie fifth-round corner out of Georgia Southern and a second-year, sixth-round Kansas State cornerback with one start in his professional career. After the news broke Friday that the Bears would be without starting corners Jaylon Johnson and Buster Skrine Week 17 against the rival Green Bay Packers, the realities of Kindle Vildor and Duke Shelley trying to contain wide receiver Davante Adams are starting to set in -- and they're not pretty.
Vildor got his first career start at corner against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, and while he did show some promise, he also showed as much -- if not more -- room for improvement. He has been targeted 13 times this season and has allowed 10 completions for an average of 10.2 yards per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. When targeted, Vildor has allowed a 76.9 completion percentage and two touchdowns in his 74 coverage snaps this season, while also allowing a passer rating of 138.5 to opposing quarterbacks. You can bet the Packers will pick on him frequently until he proves himself capable.
Shelley is a bit more experienced -- but not much. He has played on 17 percent of the team's defensive snaps this season, and he also has one career start under his belt. So far in coverage this season, he has been targeted 17 times, allowing 14 catches for an average of 9.9 yards a catch and an 82.4 completion percentage. He has also allowed a passer rating of 100.5 in 112 coverage snaps on the season. So yeah -- it's not looking good for Chicago's secondary, particularly when considering who's coming to town.
Shelley played just three snaps in the Bears' first game against Green Bay this season. Aaron Rodgers feasted on Chicago's secondary in the Packers' 41-25 win, with Skrine getting targeted and burned multiple times in coverage, and it's hard to envision a different scenario in this game. Davante Adams had six catches on nine targets for 61 yards and a touchdown in his first game against Chicago this season, which is pretty tame by his standards. Rodgers averaged 7.3 yards per attempt against the Bears, his second-lowest average of the season, so Chicago did keep the exceptional wideout from having any huge, explosive plays -- but can they manage to do that again in a game that matters a great deal to both teams?
Adams has saved some of his best statistical performances for the Bears. The Packers wideout has more receptions (61), receiving yards (768) and receiving touchdowns (seven) — against the Bears than any other receiver has gotten since 2014, per Green Bay's official website.
Perhaps Chicago's best bet to contain Adams would be to have All-Pro corner Kyle Fuller shadow him all day, because Shelley and Vildor are going to get picked on by Rodgers until the Bears adjust or find an answer -- and even the help of Fuller likely won't be enough. "He's well aware of who we’re going against,” Nagy said about Vildor facing the likes of Rodgers. “He’s got to learn as he goes. That’s the growth of a rookie.” Yes -- but with one regular-season game remaining and a spot in the postseason on the line, the Bears cannot afford (m)any growing pains.
Chicago's defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend took time this week to sing the praises of both young corners: "They've done an excellent job," Townsend said about Vildor and Shelley. "They get in there competing. They tackle well. They challenge in the pass game. That's all you can ask for."
Considering the absences of a talent like Johnson and a veteran presence like Skrine, both Vildor and Shelley are getting quite the trial by fire against a future Hall of Fame quarterback amid a third probable MVP campaign. If one or both can step up to the challenge and play the best football they've played, though, the Bears have a chance. If not, we're likely looking at yet another beat down courtesy of Aaron Rodgers and the rivals to the North.
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January 03, 2021 at 01:15AM
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Bears Secondary Faces Most Difficult Task of the Season - 247Sports
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