b4thegame

Archives for December 2009

So Bad it’s Funny

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Seriously? The defense couldn’t stop the run…..they couldn’t stop the pass…the offense was anemic…way too many turnovers….way too many WR screens….Once again the Bears appeared completely unprepared. Really, the only highlight was Earl Bennett returning a punt for a touchdown. He actually broke a tackle (granted it was the punter) but Bennett absorbed contact, stayed on his feet, and ran to the endzone. I was amazed, especially considering earlier in the game he ran out of bounds about 4 yards before contact from a DB.

This performance was so bad that I found myself actually rooting for Baltimore to run up the score in the hopes that a more lopsided loss may persuade the Bears ownership to blow the whole thing up and start over. Unfortunately, it seemed Baltimore took their foot off the gas in the second half, though it is hard to blame them with a 3 TD lead 5 minutes after halftime.

Game Notes:

Olin Kreutz and Omiyale spend waaaaaaaaay too much time in the backfield….I like that Fox uses a nice bright blue line to represent the line of scrimmage so I can clearly see how far back they get pushed every play. (The average seems to be about 2.5 yards)

Cutler actually does a nice job scrambling…he needs to do more of that and less of the throwing to the other team and taking sacks.

Briggs is a beast. A BEAST.

Gaines Adams…stats say 1 tackle, but I swear I actually saw him in on tackles on back to back plays…more than I can say for Tommie Harris.

There were some plays where the D-line gave Flacco all day, but more often then not, guys were running free in the secondary.

Khalil Bell has made enough of a statement to me….adios Wolfe and Jones.

Apparently the Bears are the only team that can not successfully run a slant.

If only we could bottle some Tim Shaw passion and give it to the rest of the team.

At this point, Jerry Angelo needs to DEMAND that Lovie starts to look to the future. Iglesias and Gilbert need to dress and get some playing time the rest of the season. If Omiyale is the future right tackle, play him there. The Bears need to find out ASAP who is salvageable and who needs to be gone for next season.

Lovie, by all counts, this was another legitimate loss.

Thank God for the Blackhawks.

Lovie Fails the Eye Test

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lovie

“We’ll play those that give us the best chance to win” – Lovie referring to the final three games of this abysmal season.

I saw this quote Tuesday morning and almost lost my Cheerios…Normally that is a quote you’d love to hear from your head coach.   In this case, however, Lovie is completely wrong.

First, the season is OVER.   Wins versus the hapless Lions or the second string Vikings (they will be resting starters for a playoff run) will not fool us into thinking you had a better season than you actually did.  The Bears finally admitted after the loss to Green Bay that they are eliminated from the playoff race.   When the season is OVER, you should be looking at the young prospects that may make a difference next year or the year after.  You should NOT be hanging on to the possibility of improving to a 7-9 record.

The second and deeper part of the problem is that Lovie Smith’s statement implies that they KNOW who gives them the best chance to win.   Lovie and Jerry have proven since the Super Bowl appearance that they clearly do NOT know who gives them the best chance to win.

I will not go over Jerry’s drafting history as it will make me sick and I don’t want to ruin my laptop.   (the Bears are the only team in the NFL with a redshirt program)  Instead I will focus on the coaches.   Starting with the brilliant move to demote Alex Brown in place of Marcus Anderson a couple years ago.   Really?   We know this staff loves speed, but Alex Brown has been the one consistent positive on the defensive line over the last several years.   I am glad he had the fortitude to play through it and prove the coaches wrong.   Since Anthony Adams arrived he has been a solid DT but the coaches insisted on playing Marcus Harrison – their 2008 3rd round draft pick.  This year Harrison has 20 tackles and 1 sack as the starter.  The summersaulting back-up has 34 tackles, 2 sacks, a  fumble recovery and a pass defended.

The Linebackers…..well they were actually solid until they all got hurt…I understand it is hard to replace the former face of the organization, Pisa who was off to a great start, and Briggs – who is the best LB in the division.  But really, Jamar being unable to hardly find the field after a 20 tackle game?   Roach being put back on the bench for Hunter?   Once Briggs was back, it should have been and still should be Williams/Roach/Briggs.   Hunter may know the system, but he is too small and too slow to make plays.  ( I know he had a couple big plays in the last 3 games, but he misses as many, if not more)

The DB shuffle…..I have no idea why the coaches apparently hate Corey Graham….or why they have changed Danieal Manning’s position like 47 times since he was drafted….or why Bullocks is seeing the field all of the sudden after spending most of the season on the bench.  To the untrained eye, it would appear that the coaches have no idea who are the best players in the secondary.

ok, onto the offense….

Devin Hester.  That is all.

The rotating guards…either Omiyale is better or Beekman is better.   Alternating them is NOT.  Now, if the plan is for Beekman to move to center next year to replace Kreutz so they are seeing what Omiyale has, I withdraw this complaint….I sincerely doubt that is the case, however.

Devin Aromashodu…..the star of the OTAs….the star of training camp…..Cutler’s favorite receiver….It took him until Hester got hurt to see any substantial playing time….at which point he put up 8 for 76 and a touchdown.  Arguably the best performance by a Bears receiver this season….or last season….

Lastly, the kick return rotation….is it just me or would giving a single guy more looks be better than giving more guys fewer looks?  Manning and Knox are both solid kick returners but I do not think rotating them is doing either a favor.  If a guy sees something he thinks he can take advantage of  but doesn’t get another return the rest of the game how does that help?

The one thing the coaches do know, and I agree with…..Robbie is our kicker.

Incognito

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You might think I am referring to the pure football talent on the Bears….or the incredible “talent evaluation” of the administration…Incognito, no, they are completely lacking in both areas.  I am talking about the Rams guard who was released today.  He’s big, mean, and well, big & mean.   Something it appears to me is missing from the Bears O-line…yes, the very same line that whiffs on screen blocks, ends up 3 yards in the backfield on a 3rd and 1, and WILL eventually get Cutler killed.

Incognito

Yeah Zach Zaidman says forget it…9 major penalties (assuming those are 15 yarders) in 48 games…I say SIGN HIM TODAY.    Our doormat O-line is not even close to getting it done, and there will be plenty of cap room once they cut Pace (and won’t but probably should say adios to Kreutz and Omiyale as well)   Seriously, with the amount of penalties Omiyale is taking, can Incognito possibly be any worse?  The Bears are 28th I think in penalties per game, so he’d fit in just fine….and he may actually block someone.  (Imagine that!!!!)   Plus, I am curious how many penalties he draws…..like when Tommie went off on Douche Lutui (apparently a renowned cheap shot artist) on the Cards….That’s a win for Lutui that doesn’t show up in the box score.   The number one problem with this team is blocking….if he can block, bring him in.  It will help Forte.  It will help Cutler.   It will help whoever is the new offensive coordinator in 2010, and it may help Jerry Angelo keep his job another year or two.

Kreutz Hates Coaching Staff

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In an effort to keep the Bears running game the worst in the league, Olin Kreutz has been absolutely awful this season.  From missed blocks to bad snaps, and multiple false starts.  He’s even had to make a few tackles on running back Matt Forte.  Why is he doing this you ask? The only thing I can think of is, just like the rest of us, he wants Lovie Smith and Ron Turner fired.  In order to guarantee that of happening, Olin has taken matters into his own hands.  Lovie says “We get off the bus running.”  Well, not when Olin is driving.  And it actually makes perfect sense to me.  How else do you explain why a six-time Pro Bowler has been dribbling back snaps a 3rd grader could make, and looking completely lost on a screen pass?  Kreutz knows that he needs to keep Forte’s numbers as pathetic as possible so Lovie and Ron look bad.  Let’s see……685 yards rushing this season for a 3.4ypc average, and the offense as a whole is ranked 24th in total yards.  Yep, that should do it.  I’m sorry for doubting you Olin, see you next year with our new coaching staff.

I can only wonder if Omiyale is in on this too. Hmm…….

Kreutz tackles Forte

Bears – Pack 2009

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grant and barnettWhat can you say about the game? Well the final score was 21-14. The way it started you would of thought that the pack would of run away with it. Of course, this suspicion of mine was wrong. The Pack had a tough time to pull together a win which seems like a common thing where they outplay the other team but always need to hold their breath down the stretch. But as they say, a win is a win. One of the few that I have been able to enjoy since starting to go to these games over the past 8-10 years.

A few of the highlights from this

  1. Upgraded seats via Dan which was nice change of pace.
  2. Great food – especially the kraut soaked in Dopplebock.
  3. Getting yelled at by a 8 year old that screamed “Packers suck!!” from her car at me while walking into the game.
  4. Hearing the Bears continually wanting the firing of both Ron Turner & Lovie Smith
  5. Watching Adams do a somersault – when isn’t a large man doing a somersault funny?
  6. Pre-game festivities the night before which included sampling many homebrews, hooking everyone up to post from their mobile phone, and plenty of late-night debauchery that lasted way into the wee hours.

As I recover from this weekend, I look forward to next year and being able to hopefully once again be able to talk trash with a Packers victory.