Alaskan Grizzly

Good question. I wonder the same. Been a while since I’ve been around Chicago so I can only imagine how much it’s changed.

Speaking of Bears alumni, I was looking forward to Robbie someday kicking GB out of the playoffs again but alas…no more.

Totally agree and part of the lynchpin for me. With Flus we have some confidence he can at least organize a defense, it’s been improving ever since he’s taken over. And for what it’s worth, it doesn’t appear (the “eye test”) that he’s lost the team. That speaks to his HC ability…if only a little. The offense side is more questionable. Is it Getsy or is it Fields?

Perhaps getting into the weeds a bit, but what is the definition of a "franchise QB"? And who are these 22 guys? My understanding of a "Franchise QB" is one that can 'carry the team on his back' and 'get them to the Super Bowl and win it'. Would Marino be considered a Franchise QB? He never won a Super Bowl. How about Jim Kelly? He played in four in a row and lost all four. Conversely what about Nick Foles or Joe Flacco? They both not only won a Super Bowl but were deemed their respective Super Bowl MVPs. Foles was able to relieve Wentz late in the season to lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl and many would say the reason the Ravens made it to and won the Super Bowl was because of their defense.

This right here is the difference between why the Bears are not 6-6 right now. Had they been able to hold the lead against Denver and Detroit we’d be talking a different tune. Granted the defense’s stats haven’t been great ALL season, they sure have been fun to watch these last couple games.

I sincerely hope your comment wasn't meant to suggest your answer is the only answer and that anything contrary is fuzzy logic/math. The stats I presented are what they are and in fact...factual. The idea that Brady is no doubt elite does not equal him being a 1st round pick...he wasn't. The fact that Purdy's team is on the precipice of going to the Super Bowl this year is because he was deemed a 1st round talent. He wasn't.

First I'd like to acknowledge that years ago I had this very similar discussion/argument with Jason (mine was of the opinion skill players deserve top picks and he did not - he thought oline). Anyhow I now find myself either a hypocrite or in one of those ironic situations that illustrates how your opinion can evolve/devolve with age. And because sometimes I like to play 'devil's advocate' I offer this... My first point would be regarding the general 'you need a first round QB to win a Super Bowl.' The last two QBs the Bears picked were 1st rounders. So were they not the right ones or? Here's an illustration of how 'stats are what you make of them'. Of the last 10 Super Bowl winning teams only 4 of their QBs were 1st round picks (that's 40%). One of those, Joe Flacco, probably wouldn't be considered by most as "elite". Two of them, Manning and Stafford were not playing for the team that originally drafted when they won the SB in that time. Perhaps the elitist of the elite, Brady who won 4 SBs in that time, was drafted in the 6th round AND won it with two separate teams. To extrapolate or "bend" the stats a bit more, two of the top NFC teams right now have QBs that were not drafted in the first round. Purdy (#262 overall) and Hurts (#53 overall). And an interesting tidbit I heard this morning from the LeBetard/Stugotz show. Evidently the NFL phased out the Wonderlic test last year and replaced it with a new test called the "S2" test. As we know, the Wonderlic and now S2 tests measure "...the cognitive ability and problem-solving aptitude of prospective employees." They were illustrating how this type of test doesn't always accurately depict how a QB will fare in the NFL and can be a bit confounding when you measure the results. IE: both Purdy and Bryce Young aced the test where CJ Stroud did not.

I think the ‘IF’ is a pretty big one in this instance. For many, the idea of getting more ‘bang for your buck’ outweighs the uncertainty of drafting a QB in the 1st round and knowing ‘he’s the one’. We did it with our last two and it didn’t work (“so far”).

Besides that, if you find a decent QB in later rounds and Fields doesn't turn out to be the option for us, one of the teams that drafted the next round of "can't miss" QB prospects in the first round will be looking for a good replacement/backup and Justin will be a valuable trading piece. (Before you get excited PHX, I'm not off the Fields' bandwagon yet...lol).

My neighbor (who is a Packers fan) was the one that told me and our neighbor across the street (a Detroit fan) about the "waning gibbious' curse when they played each other last.

Not the curse of the ‘waning gibbous’ again?!? (Does it matter if it’s waning or waxing? Wax on, wax off?)

And he had three INTs the last game we played him. He was home, in a dome.

Or Danielle Hunter...?‍♂️

This got me to thinking. I remember a few weeks back posting about these 5th and 6th year seniors who will be eligible for the draft. Penix is one of them. He started his collegiate career (at Indiana) the same year Fields started at Georgia. They're only a year apart in age (Fields being one year older). I remember when Velus Jones was drafted and someone commented on his age (25 at the time and he himself a 6th year senior). He was productive at Tennessee until he made his way to the NFL. As you say, playing against a bunch of 18-19 year olds is different than in the NFL.

Adrian Amos released by the Jets. And allegedly picked up by the Pack on their PS. Amos and Brisker in the defensive backfield (Penn State alums)? ?? This post brought to you by Makers Mark. ??

This I like. McCarthy would be my QB choice. And I’d like to see some combo of Browers and MHJ (if not both). And we’d be remiss if we didn’t get at least one OLineman in the top half of the draft.

Jabril Peppers would agree.

Lovie Smith 2022 2.0.

I’m not sure what I think about Florida State losing a seat in the playoffs to ‘Bama.

If the defense had managed to play against Denver like it is now and the game in Detroit stayed the way it was for the first three quarters, we’d be having a different discussion right now

Sorry I haven’t posted earlier. I got you (PHX) to do all that work and I haven’t come back and rightfully ripped it to shreds. Lol. At any rate, I’d first like to tell AZ54 I wish he and his wife all the best. Me and mine went through our own version of a medical challenging time a few years ago. It’s one thing when you’re the one who isn’t feeling well, but a whole different level when it’s a loved one. I can only hope and pray that you guys will see your way through it all. And PHX, the remark you being a transplant was more about being funny and not anything derogatory. As I sit here in 20-ish degree weather I envy all of you who are in warmer climates. In a few more years when I retire (again) my plan is to to leave Alaska for good. Now with regards to your breakdown. You said every play you watched Justin missed a read. And you qualified it by saying you only watched the first 10 mins. I would agree to some level. [HAD TO SWITCH TO A COMPUTER]. Of the "four plays" you watched; I would think he did in fact miss at least one read (the first one). The others? Maybe not. There was something like 50 total plays to analyze and I can safely say (assume) he didn't miss EVERY open player. Part of what I was looking for in your screenshots was to see what Justin was looking at or having to deal with while he was trying to read the field. Remember the part about him being blitzed nearly '60% of the plays'? That has to count for something. And like Chase said to be able to 'make magic' in those situations, should be considered. In fact, the idea that he didn't turn the ball over more in the form of INTs is pretty incredible. While being rushed he 'read the field' the best he could and made plays while under some pretty remarkable pressure. For example, that one play where you thought Scott was open and Justin dumped it off to Kmet(?). I think Chase and AZ both said the same thing I saw. Scott was a bit further down the field and had a safety trailing him by a few steps. Justin probably thought (in the .5 seconds he had to analyze it) may have thought that was riskier a throw than was to dump it off to a surer handed Kmet. Had he thrown that pass (to Scott) and been picked (or missed) we'd be asking why he didn't go for a surer pass. (To me he's in a catch-22 in those situations). I get where your frustration has grown with what looks like he will never get over the hump of being able to scan the field. He did more issues with that early on, but I think he's gotten better. HIs talent is undeniable. And what concerns me about getting another QB currently in the college ranks to replace him is I have a hard time finding anyone that has proven themselves to the level Justin did while in college. I know that doesn't mean everything when it comes to making it in the NFL but to me, that proves he can perform in the most challenging of atmospheres. Lastly. there's nothing wrong with wanting to 'defend this hill' if you feel passionate about it. Like Mongo said, I've 'been there done that'. I took some barbs for bailing on Trubisky, being a fan of Lovie's and exchanged heat with Jason over olinemen vs skill players. It happens. I trust you when you say you want Justin to succeed but you want a real strong plan A in place it doesn't work out.

Thank you. Yeah I've had my share of run-ins with past posters, yourself included. Call it old age or maybe since I'm drinking more whisky then rum I've mellowed a bit. I tell my wife its the low (or non-existent) T. Like you've said before, we're all here to discuss our beloved. No need to take it personal. <<Kum by yah>> and GO BEARS!! Now to make my counterpoints to the AZ transplant! ?

Just like I don't get the idea of 'throwing the baby out with the bathwater'. ?‍♂️ Its why I added some input from a former player like Cam. Not only did he play the position, he admittedly struggled and understood what was needed to make him better. And in this interview he said he's known Justin since he was 16.

I'd be curious if you could provide an 'iso-shot' of each of these plays where he missed the "open player" and simultaneously pair it with another 'iso-shot' of what Justin was doing or seeing at that time. I watched this video longer than 10 minutes and didn't see the same things you saw (I know - shocker). Chase's point of how Minnesota 'nearly blitzed 60% of the time' will weigh a lot of what Justin ended up having to do, which is ad-lib to some level. Did he miss some open players? Yes. Did he do it "every single play"? No. And Chase prefaced his take on this based on the sample plays he provided (about 7-8) versus all 50 (or whatever number it was). He did say he watched all of those plays to make his overall analysis. Yes he did say once or twice that Justin missed a read or two but his biggest critique? Ball security when running. That I would agree with and something that can be easily fixed. (Sorta like trying to get Jaylon Johnson to actually catch every easy INT thrown his way - but I digress). At the end of the day I know I'm not going to convince you that Justin should stay with the Bears for next year. Just like you won't convince me otherwise. I look at this similar to how political races go (to some regard). You have your separate camps of which are pushing their individual agendas/goals. Except at the end of the day in elections the majority rules. In this case the decision will be made by one, two or maybe three people. It all kinda depends on how they interpret what they have available to them versus what 'could be' and which will benefit them (and the team) in the longer run.

Speaking of QBRs, someone else (think it was Stinger) brought up a point about Tua and how he struggled his first year or two before McDaniel showed up. I was curious so I looked to see what Tua's QBR has been over his career: 2020: 44.8 2021: 49.7 2022: 70.6 (the year McDaniel started) 2023: 60.0 Using the same analytic and because I was still curious, how did/does Justin compare: 2021: 26.4 2022: 56.3 (Flus' and Getsy's first year) 2023: 44.5 In Justin's second year (Flus' first) his QBR was higher than both of the first two seasons for Tua. So far this season he's on par with Tua's first season and that's with him (Justin) missing four games. So with the idea 'stats are what you make of them' I (being a Fields supporter) could surmise that bringing in a guy who actually knows how to make offensive play calls could fix Justin. What changed between last year and this year for Justin? Last year 'they let him play' more naturally and this year they are forcing him to be more of a pocket passer or whatever it is they have changed and we see the results. I saw a recent interview with Cam Newton and Brandon Marshall and Cam made some points about how he had similar struggles that he sees Justin having. Cam's opinion was that they are trying to force too much information and not allowing him to play more freely. He thought if they were to get him a coach that caters more to his style of play (OC or HC or both) we would see more success and I think Justin's floor QBR would be that one we saw for 2022. And in case you were wondering, I looked up Cam's QBR's. His highest was 64.3 which was 2013 (I believe the first year Carolina made the playoffs). HIs second highest QBR? 2015: 61.4. That year Carolina made it to the Super Bowl and Cam won NFL MVP, Offensive Player of the year and appeared in his third Pro Bowl.