madlithuanian

I wish we could play against these guys all year! Minny is bad... I wonder how Ponder will do... Great show by Jay and Devin for sure... D did their job well. The Coaching wasn't even bad. We will have our hands full w/ TB. They are as Jeckyl/Hyde as they come. One week, world beaters, the next garbage.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/...ed-as-doubtful/

Interesting. Thanks for posting that.

I think you are simply grading on a curve. Jay has been harassed in every game really other than Atlanta. Some more than others. The OL play has been bad. Again, some worse than others. We aren't talking about offensive line performances that are ranging between and A and an F...it's like C (at best) and F. NO threw everything at us. I honestly can't recall CAR...but I know DET didn't. They pretty much rushed 4, and hit Jay a lot. Not a lot of sacks, but he was hurried, flushed, and hit a ton. The stats don't tell the whole story. Otherwise top stat teams would always win the Super Bowl. Apparently we watched the same games and came up with different conclusions. I don't like what I see. Sacks are generally worse than hits, but not always. The pure stats don't paint the whole picture. What happened in NY last year and what happened on Monday were different. But, both were poor performances by the OL no matter how you slice it. Again, one worse than the other, but both bad. Are you used to such shoddy play that only the most greivous performances warrant criticism?

great alanolgy w/ Cox. Waynes Fontes is the guy I always think of in a similar fashion...

I'm on it 74!

It'll never happen. He was already here and it a little fragile. Not to mention he disappears for long stretches. I'd do it, but the team won't. Now, I hear Reggie Wayne could be had. I'd be on the phone for that ASAP.

It appears as such. I was really hoping our defensive genius could turn him around. Looks like he did much better under a real genius in NE... Conte's a rook. At best, he won't suck horribly right now. He was a reach pick in the 3rd round, so I don't think expectations should be too high. he could prove good down the road, but given our track record, I'm not expecting much.

We are indeed a jeckyl/hyde team! Welcome board!

Sad but true.

I've heard everything from he'll brace it up to he'll be out 2-4 weeks...

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/categ...ideos/pft-live/ A part of it mentions most GM get to choose 2 HC's...some implication that JA could hire one more. Ick...

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/...is-meriweather/

Actually, I think Izzy needs to go back to DT... Could it hurt at this point? It's not like any of the other DT's are doing anything. It will be a rough week on the D line w/o Peppers. Heck, it was already rough going with him.

You make valid points Alaska. Surprisingly I'm sure, I disagree with some of your assessments. But there's nothing in your commentary that is off. I agree with all your changes. I just would take the changes further.

Gambling. Yet another failure notch on the Angelo belt.

Thanks for the levity! Although some of those moves don't sound half crazy...

I Amen your Amen!

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/...-for-the-bears/ Changes coming for the Bears Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on October 13, 2011, 8:44 AM EDT ReutersIt’s desperation time in Chicago. The Bears were just embarrassed on national television. A loss this week at home to the Vikings would send the season from troubling to nearly hopeless. Expect changes to be made. “We’re not pleased with some of the performances we’ve gotten,” coach Lovie Smith. “I, of course, never talk about changes we’re going to make, especially before we hit the practice field and we talk to the guys.” CSNChicago.com’s John Mullin writes that the Bears will shake up their lineup this week. Right tackle Frank Omiyale is out for good. Lance Louis will replace him in the starting lineup. Other possible moves could come at safety (surprise) and on the defensive line. Second round pick Stephen Paea hasn’t been active at all this year. Rookie Chris Conte could potentially get on the field more at safety, where Brandon Meriweather and Chris Harris both struggled Sunday night. Jay Cutler is also hoping for a play-calling shift. He’d like more plays that got the ball out of his hand faster. That sounds so sensible, we doubt it will happen.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/...ain-in-seattle/ No Tim Ruskell first-round picks remain in Seattle Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on October 13, 2011, 11:03 AM EDT ReutersDrafting poorly is the quickest way to sink a franchise. There is little debate over whether Tim Ruskell drafted poorly while he was team president of the Seahawks. Only nine players remain from the 2005-2009 drafts when Ruskell was in charge. The best player among them? Probably Brandon Mebane. Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times notes that no first-round picks are left from the Ruskell years. Cornerback Kelly Jennings was traded for a roast beef sandwich before the season. Aaron Curry, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2009 draft, is on his way out. Center Chris Spencer is now with the Bears after underwhelming in Seattle. Lawrence Jackson is in Detroit. If you miss that often in the first round, your franchise is going to take a big step back. The positive for Seahawks fans: The Pete Carroll regime has done better with first round picks. Earl Thomas is already one of the best safeties in football. Tackle Russell Okung is a solid starter at worst when he’s healthy. The jury remains out on this year’s first round pick James Carpenter.

OK, I need to flip the switch a bit and need to vent some positivity. There's a reason we are all Bears fans. Also, there are a lot of things many of us would like to see happen to the current team. I encourage anyone interested to join me in this therapeutic exercise... I'm going to give the five reasons I'm a Bears fan (in no particular order) and give five things that I think the team must do to improve this or next season (that are within the realm of possibility.) Five Reasons I'm a Bears fan: 1. Blood. My family is simply from Chicago. Marquette Park to be exact. 2. The history. There's just too much. From virtually starting professional football in America to all the legendary players, the Bears exude football. I remember hearing Madden once say something like, "When the Bears are good, it's simply good for football." Damn straight John. We have more Hall of Famers than any other franchise. We have the best team that ever played. The best RB that ever played. The best LB that ever played. I could keep going on and on. The bears history is a rich one. And one that all starts with George Halas. That crumudgeony man made the NFL. Thank you Mr. Halas. 3. They were the best when I was in my formative years. I was 13 in 1983...and started playing and loving football. It was at that time, I really emerged myself in it all. All the details. And we know 2 years from there, the greatest team of all time came into existence. In 1985 before we played the Cowboys...I bet my entire school weekly lunch money ($20) against a football friend who was a Dallas fan. I bet not only would we beat his sorry Cryboys, but that we'd shut them out. 44-0 late, it was the best $20 I made in my life! 4. The fans. Chicago simply has the best fans in the world. yeah, there are a couple jackasses who could spil it for the rest f us. But, I've never run into a more passionate fan-base! Sure, there are cities that can rival or match, but I don't think they surpass. And seriously, who else has a legendary SNL skit? The Jimmy Fallon Boston thing isn't remotely in the same league. Speaking of leagues...anyone watch that show on FX? Quess where it takes place/ yep. Chicago. 5. Of all players, Jim McMahon. Don't get me wrong. I love Walter probably more. I know he meant more. I know he is leaps and bounds better. Walter was an icon that was unattainable. Jimmy seemed normal in is obnormality. For a 15 year old punk kid...McMahon was my personal hero. A brash guy that gave it his all. It wasn't always pretty, but dammit, he cared and left it all on the field. Sadly, today, it appears he left some of his marbles on the field suffering from head injuries. But I love Jimmy Mac. He was the rebel I wanted to be as a punk teenager. His big monster O line loved him. He head-butted with his kicker. And he thumbed his nose at everything, including Ditka. Even now, when visiting Obama, he was still wearing a headband and supposedly mows his lawn in a thing just to irritate his neighbor. yeah, he may border on a-hole...but to me, he was a rock star. But, I will say the only thing I cried more at than when Walter passed was my grandmothers' funerals. Thankfully, I've not experienced a parental loss yet. Five Ways to Improve the Team for this/next year: 1. Fire Jerry Angelo. Easy peasy. Force him to retire. Something. Make sure to send Ruskell with him. He's simply made too many error along the way. I doubt the family will want to part ways with Ted or Smith. But, I think bringing in a really strong GM will help tremendously. And it's possible. This could immediately improve our ability to get FA's and draft better. 2. Sign Matt Forte immediately. His price is going up by the week. I like Forte. He's a classy guy and solid runner. We may have to overpay. But because we've erroed so much on OL and WR, we've put ourselves in that position by our own doing. He is half the team's offense if not more. yeah, the league is not the same regarding the running game. But he's also a huge part of our passing game. We need to lock him up for a few years. Let's be smart about how the contract is put together. The new GM should make sure of that. 3. Purge all offensive coaches. Let Martz walk. As easy as it gets. A "Do nothing" move here solves so much. I could go on and on about his failings, but you know them all. You may disagree with some of them, but you know the reasons why people opposed to him are opposed. Yeah, it'll be Jay's 4th coordinator in almost as many years...but any more time with Martz and he will retire in a bodybag. The GM needs to hire the OC and Smith will have to be happy with it. Tice, Drake, and the lot need to go too. They simply have failed. Tice has done some good, but I say let the new OC bring his own team in. 4. Purge all defensive coaches. Bye bye Babich. So long Marinelli. Heave ho Hoke. Coaching up hasn't worked. So, you have failed. We need a new coordinator that will challenge Smith. The defense needs a re-boot plain and simple. As much as I want to purge Smith too, it won't happen. The McCaskey's love him too much for some reason., But by forcing new coordinators on him, he's basically been stripped of significant power. The only thing he can still botch now is timeouts and challenges. There will also be a chance that he may resign with so much power stripped away. He could easily get a job elsewhere with his resume. 5. Shop Briggs for a pick. He's unhappy and I'm tired of his BS and so-so play this season. If we can land a high enough pick by a real GM, that'll be a plus.

We don't coach up. We coach down.

Fan.Services-CHI@Bears.nfl.net Great articles. Thanks for posting.

I like Reed's motor. But he just isn't up to snuff. How about the 2nd round non-dressing pick of Paea?

Moon Mullin was trying to make the point that the bears drafted a OT and got a free agent pickup in Spencer. Haugh laughed right at him. Said Carimi counts, but to call Spencer an adequate pickup is a joke. And let's not forget letting Kreutz walk... As old as he was and what not...oddly, I'm thinking now that he probably would have helped the cause.