Bears Offensive Problems: More Than the Players

 

http://chicagobearsfanforum.com/blog/?p=280

 

It looks to me like the QB question got settled last night. I agree with the writers from both The Chicago Sun-Times and The Chicago Tribune. I think WR Brandon Lloyd stepped up and won a job for both himself and Kyle Orton. In Orton's case, its' like being 3 feet tall in a land of midgets. But for better or worse, I think the Bears made their decision.

 

Its also apparent that the Bears have offensive problems other than QB. No, I'm not talking about the banged up offensive line. I'm not talking about mediocre WRs. Those are big ones but what I'm thinking about goes beyond talent and health.

 

I'm not one to blame coaches for major problems very often lately. For the most part, I've purposely laid off the Bears offensive coaching staff since John Shoop left, mostly because I'm grateful to have someone - anyone - else. I didn't even criticize Terry Shea much until he left. But the time has come to start taking a very serious look at what's going on there now.

 

I pointed to one example of my concerns earlier in the week. The Bears first string offense did run one decent screen pass last night but its far from fixed. Now I'll throw out another concern. What was the Bears offensive line thinking when they went out for the first set of downs last night? Well, I can tell you what they weren't thinking about.

 

If I'm offensive coordinator Ron Turner and offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, I have that line looking for the blitz from the first play, even in the second preseason game. That would be even if the line were healthy (which it isn't) and even if the Bears had a proven set of WRs (which they don't). The fact that the line was apparently taken totally by surprise by it borders on inexcusable. San Diego defensive coach Ron Rivera showed the way last year when they blitzed on the first set of plays of the entire season. The book on QB Rex Grossman is that you bring pressure early and bust him in the chops. After that he crumples like a paper bag. Even if you as a coaching staff don't believe that it's true, you have to know that other teams do and they're going to try to execute that plan. Indeed, the better teams throughout the league emulated that off and on all year.

 

Yeah, I know. It's the second preseason game. A lot of teams don't even game plan it (though the Bears apparently did). Still, there can't be much doubt about it. The Bears offensive problems go way beyond QB. They just weren't prepared. Given the aggregate performance of the unit, I think we have a right to start to doubt the offensive coaching staff at this point. They certainly didn't do Grossman or any one else any favors last night.

I must admit to some of the same concerns. We can only hope preseason, as history usually confirms, is no true indicator as to the quality of play one will see once the season begins.

 

I am sure a lot of what we are seeing called now is being done for evaluation purposes more than to try and win a meaningless preseason game. By calling certain plays it gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate a certain player or unit. I pray to whoever you pray to that this is the case in what we are seeing.