Jesus Christ… :rolleyes:
So a Tribune poll today reports that 40% of respondents think the biggest problem with the Bears is Jay Cutler, confirming my suspicion that 40% of Chicago sports fans are morons. Cutler isn’t the problem here, people – he’s a pretty good QB. The fact that he’s getting paid like a *great *QB is indeed a big part of the problem, but that’s Emery’s fault, not his.
I totally agree with Hamlet that the Bears were very foolish to break up the nucleus of a team that had recently gotten to the Super Bowl with Rex freaking Grossman in order to bring in a guy who they hoped would suddenly become better than he had been in the first several years of his career. But here we are, contractually locked into another few years of slightly-above-average quarterbacking, and now we (and by “we”, I mean “hopefully someone other than Phil Emery”) need to try to build a team around him, starting by improving this horrific shambles of a defense. It will be a tough job, but it certainly won’t help to dump our slightly-above-average QB for whatever we can get just because Joe from Schaumburg is sick of seeing him sulk on the sidelines.
Bill James said years ago that stupid sports fans (and executives) blame their team’s failures not on their bad players not being good, but on their good players not being great. Truer words were rarely spoken.
You talking about Joe Pulaski or Joe Kowalshik? Or Joe Wrobleski?
Cutler may not be “the” problem (that’s the defense), but he’s certainly “a” problem. And a big one at that.
While I’m glad you agree about the Bears selling out their defense to get a potent offense, this idea that you just need to build a team around Cutler has been, to my mind, shown to be wishful thinking. The Bears mortgaged their team to get Cutler, giving up two first rounders, a third rounder, and Orton, and then spent more draft picks and free agency money to get him a couple Pro Bowl WR’s, Bennett, and an O Line. The price they had to pay to do that included the total dismantling and ignoring of their defense.
And he still couldn’t do better than Josh McCown.
So, no, the Bears don’t need to “build a team around him”. They tried that, and failed. What they need to do is build a better all around team by stopping mortgaging draft picks, stopping trying to get by with 5th-7th round guys, stop overpaying for average free agents, and build a complete team.
Maybe there is a team out there willing to part with a couple first round draft picks for an high-ceiling head case who can’t stop turning the ball over and has shown a distinct unwillingness or inability, to change the way he plays QB. One can hope.
With the price the Bears paid for Cutler, the cost of building the entire team around him and the offense, and his latest extension and salary cap hit, he had to be great. And he wasn’t.
I agree, “building a better all around team” was more what I meant than “build a team around Cutler”. I don’t think a team can win a Super Bowl with Cutler as its best player, but I do think you can win with Cutler at QB given a team with other outstanding strengths. And although I would be thrilled if some team out there wanted to give us more than Cutler is worth for him, I’m not holding my breath.
So by “building around Cutler”, I meant that the Bears should assume that he will be with us for a while and work on improving the other obvious defects in the team, rather than doing what many fans seem to want and viewing getting rid of Cutler by any means necessary as the first step in the rebuild.
I do think Cutler could “Flacco” and win a Super Bowl. And I think Marshall, Forte, maybe Jeffrey, are all better players (and make Cutler better) than Cutler.
I think this is true for almost any QB. Hell, it was true for Josh McCown, who has been a bad, journeyman QB everywhere else in his career. Give almost any QB what Cutler has, and they could win too.
Yeah, those kinds of Bears fans aren’t the brightest. The Bears have committed, and are now stuck with, Cutler, and finding another QB isn’t going to improve this team. They’ll likely draft one this year and start the developmental process, with which I’m sure Cutler will be a huge help.
Woo Boy what a fun game last night.
Well, not if you’re a Bears fan. Or Jay Cutler. Or anyone who likes a competitive game.
But for me. That was fun.
Anyway, the Lions are still the top of the NFC North, with another close win against a pretty good team. They’ve won their last 3 games by a total of 6 points. I don’t know if it’s not having Jim Schwartz, the bounce of the ball, the development of Matthew Stafford, or pixie dust, but the Lions are getting it done in the end, which is something good teams do. The return of Calvin Johnson was a huge boost to the offense, and the defense continues their excellent play. I don’t know how long they can keep winning close games, but, for now, they’re the top of the division.
The Packers coast to victory. Same old, same old. Aaron Rodgers looks great, the defense doesn’t collapse, and they take advantage of a bad team. The only real thing to note is that they moved Clay Matthews to inside linebacker, where they have been lacking in good play, and it seemed to work. But that was against the Bears, so it doesn’t really count. Should be interesting to see if it continues.
The Vikings were on bye, which means that both the Vikings and the Bears didn’t play football this weekend.
The Bears get embarrassed again. The calls for Mark Trestman’s head are much louder now. It seems defenses have adjusted to the Bears’ offense, now it is up to Trestman to show that he can adjust too. If he can’t, those calls for his head may become deafening. Maybe it will be Mel Tucker, the defensive coordinator, who will be the sacrificial lamb this year, but the seat in Chicago just got very, very hot.
I’m not sure how much is on him, and how much is on Phil Emery’s drafting. The lack of talent on defense is obvious, as is the lack of depth on the entire roster. This team can’t survive injuries to starters, and the selling out of the defense to build an offense around Jay Cutler has proven to have not been the best idea out there.
Bears’ fans want a coach who, when losing, yells and screams, and throws gum at fans and shows fire and passion. That isn’t Mark Trestman. He treats his players like grown ups; professionals who understand their job and don’t need to be yelled at or be strictly disciplined by a taskmaster. I’m not sure that’s the kind of coach guys like Marshall, Cutler, Briggs, Ratliff, and the others need, but it is clear that whatever he is doing, isn’t working.
Big games next week. But, boy this week was fun.
I agree. Chicago needs a fiery, pissed off coach who will not wilt in the face of pouty players. After many years of Lovie loving his players and Trestmans inability to break through with his co-workers there has been too much soft coaching in Chicago.
I think there is a VERY good chance, that Jim Harbaugh ends up in Chicago next year for this reason. San Fran is over him.
So… how about that Simpsons episode last night?
Matthews was pretty amazing in the middle last night. He’s always been that high motor guy who is motivated to prove that he can do it but he seemed to have it turned up to 11. Michaels and Colinsworth couldn’t stop licking his bunghole the whole first half (I admit, I did not watch the second half).
And something is definitely wrong at Halas Hall. Something very, very wrong. I’m not ready to close the book on Trestman yet but jeez. Cutler seems to have regressed, Tim Jennings went from a pro bowler and league leader INTs two years ago to someone who blows coverages and can’t find the ball. Forte seems to be the only guy getting anything done this year.
Yesterday morning I was listening to sports radio and the two hosts (Jarret Payton and someone else… sorry don’t remember) were discussing how the Bears should do whatever it takes to make Rex Ryan the D coordinator next year and give him carte blanche with the defense. And I started to nod in agreement. Mel Tucker’s defense lacks identity and you can talk about injuries or personnel but whatever it is, he’s not working with what he’s got. Ryan has ties to Chicago and his defenses are always pretty good even if his team doesn’t win.
This attitude–an incredibly common one if you listen to local sports talk–is exactly why a Chicagoan like me just can’t become a Bears fan. The problem isn’t the players. or the system, or the overall strategy (whatever the hell that is), it’s that the coach isn’t lunch-pail enough to get in the face of his players. Pop Warner bullshit speeches aren’t going to change this fundamentally dysfunctional team, and the fact that Jim Harbaugh is getting run out of SF despite his sterling record should be setting off alarm bells–but Bears fans have been fooled so often, they are deaf to them.
The Bears have no plan, they have decimated the defense for no good reason, and seem incapable of even diagnosing the problem, much less coming up with a treatment. And it’s been this way for years; Bears fans start the season deluding themselves that they have a Super Bowl contender, then when it all falls apart they whine about superficial crap like “attitude” and grope for yet another savior coach/player to return them to glory. I’d say Phil Emery has to go if I thought there was any way the McCaskeys had a clue who to bring in next–trust me, they will find a way to make it worse.
I tend to agree, Bears fans want every single coach to be Mike Ditka, and if they aren’t and they lose, then they need to get fired. It’s not the best viewpoint to be sure.
But what makes this time interesting is that I think there is a modicum of truth to it. I do think Trestman’s coaching style and this particular roster are not a good fit for each other. I think his faith in his players being self-motivated and professional is great for players like Matt Forte, Peanut Tillman, and the like, but it is also not the way to get the best of the more … complicated … players on the Bears roster like Marshall, Cutler, Briggs, Ratliff, and others.
I do think much of the problem is a straight up lack of talent at certain positions. When you’re eagerly wishing for the return from injury of Chris Conte and Jordan Mills, you should know you’ve done something wrong. And players like Tim Jennings, who isn’t bad, but isn’t great either, got over-inflated due to one year of great numbers. I think they also over-rated (and overpayed) guys like Jared Allen, Jermon Bushrod, DJ Williams, and Lamar Houston, who are good, but not great, players.
Yeah, we could spend hours discussing the delusions of Bears fans. But I think they’re in enough pain right now.
If I had to pick out only one thing that has led to the Bears to this place, it would be the GM. The Bears have not drafted well recently, and have, all to often, relied on overpaid free agents to try and fill their holes. Then they focused, almost exclusively, on the offensive side of the ball, trading for Cutler and trying to get everything a QB needs to succeed, much to the detriment of the defense. They are now reaping the rewards of poor drafting, single-minded focus on offense, and faith in Jay Cutler.
But, honestly, I don’t think it is as bad as all that. Yes, they’ve gotten embarrassed two games in a row, but it was by Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, who tend to do that to teams. This is the NFL, teams are not usually as bad as the worst games they play (nor as good as the best). The offense will be able to carry this team for a few games, maybe even a win over the Lions, and the defense can only get better. Right?
Well, Lions 7-2,winning close games without Calvin for much of it, not a thing to complain about.
But the real season starts now. At Arizona, and at New England.
Palmer going down is the kind of luck you need to make a great season with a good but not great team, but still no definites there. If they can split the next two weeks that’s a big deal.
I just got the inside scoop from a cabbie who claims that he drove Lance Briggs’ mother to the airport this morning and she told him that her son, along with most everyone else, is planning his escape from Chicago, that the players hated Trestman from day one, that Brandon Marshall regularly throws tantrums in the locker room, and that nobody respects Cutler. Make of that what you will.
Brandon Marshall has offered an internet troll $25,000 to fight him in a boxing ring. Story here.
I’m torn, because it clearly isn’t a good thing that your star WR is such a head case that he takes internet trolls so seriously, but I sure would love to see that shithead Lions fan get his face pounded in by Marshall.
The Bears, meanwhile, can get their first win at Soldier Field this weekend when the rebuilding Vikings come to town. The Bears are 4.5 point favorites, and the Vikings offense isn’t great. But then again, the Bears defense is downright awful. I can’t decide if this is a “get right” game, where the Bears offense can control the game against an inferior team and feel better about themselves, or if we’re at the very precipice of a full Bears meltdown. I think a lot will depend on the Bears O line; if they can protect Cutler, they should be able to win the game. The Vikings meanwhile need Bridgewater to protect the ball like he has, and they need to force Cutler into mistakes. In the end, I think the Bears get a relatively easy win, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the Vikings pull out the victory.
The Lions catch a break and get to face the now Carson Palmer-less Arizona Cardinals. The Lions defense has been outstanding, and with Megatron back, the offense is starting to look much better (although the loss of Larry Warford could be a big problem). The Cardinals defense, including its secondary, is pretty darn good, so it won’t be an easy win. But with Drew Stanton taking snaps, a defense that can stop the run, forcing Stanton to throw, and an offense getting its mojo back, I think the Lions get a win. But it is on the road to the West Coast, so all bets are off.
The Packers get to face the Eagles at home in what could be an offensive firework display. Chip Kelly is pretty good at tailoring his offense to take advantage of weaknesses in opposing defenses, which could mean a big game for the running game. I’m still not convinced Mark Sanchez is the answer at QB, but having a strong running game would help him greatly in this game. The Packers offense has been pretty darn good, so if the O line can protect Rodgers, this game could be a shootout. I’m looking forward to this game, it should be a good watch.
At this point, I can’t see the Bears getting an easy win for the rest of the season. I hope they pull something out and salvage something from this year but they’ve been humiliated (at least) two weeks in a row now and I find it hard to see that they have what it takes to turn it around.
The Packers just keep rolling along, with another impressive win against the 7-2 Eagles. The defense has improved recently, and the offensive line is doing a much better job of protecting the best player in the NFL. It’s been a nice little run here, let’s hope they can stay healthy and productive.
The Lions lose to the Cardinals in a game that the offense completely sputtered. The Lions defense, especially their run defense, was impressive once again, but the offense couldn’t take advantage of a couple turnovers and Stafford couldn’t get anything going in the passing game. Megatron had a couple drops, which didn’t help either. They’re still atop the NFC North, owning the tiebreaker against the Pack for now, but they’re nowhere as dominating as the Packers have looked recently.
The Bears won a get right game against a bad, rebuilding team. Bears fans should be glad, because the team didn’t quit, didn’t give up, and kept playing. Cutler was Cutler, including the pouting and interceptions, but Jeffrey and Marshall were studs again. The Bears dominated the time of possession, and the defense stepped up. Sure it was against a bad offense, but they stepped up, dammit! And, of course, the Park District embarrasses Chicago again with the play clock breaking, which is kinda a big deal when its a one score game.
The Vikings get a wake up call: hey, you’re not all that good. The running game was anemic, Bridgewater wasn’t good, and the playcalling was very conservative. It appears Cordarelle Patterson was a huge reach, that they need Adrian Peterson to make the offense go, and Bridgewater needs to think quicker. The defense wasn’t horrible, but the huge Bear WR’s had a field day with the smaller secondary. Still a lot of growing to do for the Vikings.
Lovie Smith returns to Soldier Field for a beating next week, the Vikings and Packers square off, or more likely kinda Triangle Off, with two huge sides on the Packers and one small side on the Vikings, and the Lions have to go to New England. Unless you’re into bashing Lovie Smith, love to lord Josh McCown over Jay Cutler, or enjoy watching the NFC North struggle against the Patriots again, it might be a good week to work on the house, go outside and play, or go see a movie.
So there’s Bears defense had a players-only film session, that aughta turn everything around. I mean it couldn’t hurt.
Well, it went pretty much as planned this weekend. The Bears beat a bad team, the Packers beat an improving team, the Vikings lose to a very good team, but play well, and the Lions lose to a juggernaut.
Most importantly, the Packers are now atop the NFC North. Just as God intended.
Going into the season, this division looked like it was loaded with offensive firepower. The Packers have mostly lived up to that, but the Bears and Lions’ offenses are both severely underperforming expectations. The Lions haven’t been able to get much going, even with Calvin Johnson back. Matthew Stafford has struggled, and the WR’s are dropping way to many balls. I also think that the loss of Larry Warford and now Reilly Reiff has hurt the O line, which lead to some pass protection issues for Stafford.
The Bears offense has also been lackluster, unless of course, your opponent gives you the ball 4 times, and often in their own red zone. I haven’t seen much evidence that Trestman has adjusted the offense to deal with Two Deep Safety looks, and Marshall has disappeared a couple times already. While it’s nice to get a win, those 204 yards off total offense the Bears put up against a bad Bucs team is not heartening. Still, a win is a win.
The Vikings played tough and well at home, which is a good sign that the arrow is pointed up for this team. Bridgewater made a critical mistake, though, and the huge decline in the play of Ryan Kalil has to concern the Vikes.
The Bears get to go to Detroit on Thanksgiving, which is kinda awesome. I have the feeling that it may be a get well game for the Lions, as they get to play at home against an improving, but untested against good teams, defense. I suspect that the Lions D line will give Cutler fits all day, which will lead to more than a couple “throw it up and hope Alshon and/or Brandon can make a play” throws that could go either way. If it goes well, the Bears can stay in the game, especially with the offensive woes of the Lions. But I suspect the Lions will win handily.
The Vikes are home against the Panthers, a game that just might not be fun to watch. I’ll be skipping it.
The Packers, however, get to host the Patriots on Sunday. I’m sure all the media hype about “potential Super Bowl preview” will become annoying very quickly, but it will be a good test to see if the Packers are for real. The Patriots look like the best team in the NFL, so the game should be interesting.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving, and your NFC North football.
Getting excited for the game tomorrow. I think Lions need the next 3 at home to make the Playoffs. You’re gonna need ten for sure the way the NFC south is adding to the win totals for all the Wild Card pretenders. And Lions simply aren’t going to win at GB in late December. Maybe week 15, but it’s hard to think they could lose at home to Chicago, then come back later to beat em on the road outdoors.
So, must win at turkey time. Still, it’s so much better than being eliminated by Halloween 
Great week for Packers fans, as they beat one of the best teams in the NFL. Red zone troubles and a much too high ypc for Blount show that there is more to go, but right now the Packers are one of the best teams in the NFL.
The Lions, meanwhile, get an easy Thanksgiving win against the punchless Bears. Calvin Johnson was Calvin Johnson, and the Bears offense wasn’t able to keep up. Same old, same old.
The Vikings get a great win, crushing the Panthers. It was a bit fluky, with special teams being the star. But Bridgewater was efficient, they played well defensively, and Charles Johnson could be developing into something (unlike Cordarelle Patterson, who continues to flame out.
The Bears are up on a Thursday again, this time hosting the Cowboys, who looked awful in their loss last Thursday also. I think this game will fit the blueprint of most Bears games: defense gives up points, the offense can’t keep up, and unless the team hands them a few turnovers or Forte goes off, the Bears will lose again.
The Vikings are home this weekend too, they get the Jets coming to visit. The Jets are just awful offensively, so hopefully Bridgewater will outduel Smith/Vick by throwing less interceptions and win the game. This could be a 13-10 type of game. Not pretty, but a good chance for a Viking win.
The Lions get a laugher, at home against the Bucs. Unless they shoot themselves in the foot (which is happening a lot less under Caldwell than Schwartz), it should be an easy win.
The Packers have a Monday Night game against the Falcons. Same thing is true for them, unless the defense collapses or they fumble the ball away, it will be a likely win for the Pack.
So the upcoming week isn’t very interesting. They all can’t be Packers v. Patriots I guess.