The Bears Offseason Thread

[Soriano12]

riveria takes the chargers LB coaching job, talk about a demotion.

[Butterscup1679666578]

riveria takes the chargers LB coaching job, talk about a demotion.

 

Link:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2771716

[Magnetic Curses]

riveria takes the chargers LB coaching job, talk about a demotion.

 

yikes, he goes from a head coaching probable to less than a coordinator. i wish ron well, hope he gets to the promised land eventually.

 

can't say i blame teams for not giving him a head job, though, he basically held a clipboard for lovie for 3 years. it'd be nice to see what rivera can actually do when given the reigns of a defense.

 

he's no big loss for the bears, but it's a shame that something couldn't be worked out.

[dew1679666265]

riveria takes the chargers LB coaching job, talk about a demotion.

 

yikes, he goes from a head coaching probable to less than a coordinator. i wish ron well, hope he gets to the promised land eventually.

 

can't say i blame teams for not giving him a head job, though, he basically held a clipboard for lovie for 3 years. it'd be nice to see what rivera can actually do when given the reigns of a defense.

 

he's no big loss for the bears, but it's a shame that something couldn't be worked out.

 

Wouldn't have minded the Titans firing Jim Schwartz to make room for Rivera as DC. Pretty fair to significant upgrade right there.

[Banedon]

Wow...crazy turn of events. I didn't think Ron was a huge loss, but becoming LB coach is pretty crappy. He got screwed.

[Magnetic Curses]

riveria takes the chargers LB coaching job, talk about a demotion.

 

yikes, he goes from a head coaching probable to less than a coordinator. i wish ron well, hope he gets to the promised land eventually.

 

can't say i blame teams for not giving him a head job, though, he basically held a clipboard for lovie for 3 years. it'd be nice to see what rivera can actually do when given the reigns of a defense.

 

he's no big loss for the bears, but it's a shame that something couldn't be worked out.

 

Wouldn't have minded the Titans firing Jim Schwartz to make room for Rivera as DC. Pretty fair to significant upgrade right there.

 

rivera just had terrible timing all-around.

[dew1679666265]

riveria takes the chargers LB coaching job, talk about a demotion.

 

yikes, he goes from a head coaching probable to less than a coordinator. i wish ron well, hope he gets to the promised land eventually.

 

can't say i blame teams for not giving him a head job, though, he basically held a clipboard for lovie for 3 years. it'd be nice to see what rivera can actually do when given the reigns of a defense.

 

he's no big loss for the bears, but it's a shame that something couldn't be worked out.

 

Wouldn't have minded the Titans firing Jim Schwartz to make room for Rivera as DC. Pretty fair to significant upgrade right there.

 

rivera just had terrible timing all-around.

 

With as much serious consideration as he got for a head coaching job this year, I wouldn't be shocked if a rebuilding team hired him next year to work with young players and develop them.

It's pretty much certain, though, that he won't get a sweet gig like the Chargers were offering.

[Omar]

Great day.. now get rid of Ron Turner.

[BigSlick]

Great day.. now get rid of Ron Turner.

 

Indeed, Turner needs to go. He's done what I pretty much expected him to do, and has given us about an average offense. Now we need someone to actually bring us an above average offense.

 

This Rivera move kinda surprised me, but not greatly. All the talk makes me hope that we get a D. Coordinator that is more flexible and is more prone to blitzing, but considering Rivera was a blitz happy coach before he came here, I can't even really get my hopes up.

 

Could this mean even less blitzing, and more inflexible playcalling? Is that even possible?

[Guest]

I actually glad Rivera is gone. I like the guy, but he clearly lived off Angelo's about the draft late solid players (Anderson/Manning/Peanut/Briggs/ etc, etc) and Lovie's defensive scheme. All in all, Rivera was pretty much a figurehead defensive coordinater. So, losing Rivera, isn't that big of a loss, to be honest.

 

Besides...8 teams PASSED on Rivera over two seasons. TWO SEASONS...EIGHT TEAMS. So, apparently Rivera is as hot of a name around football, as some thought.

[Chocolate Milk]

Rivera was hired by SanDiego as a LINEBACKERS COACH. Something is fishy. I'm not sure why he'd take a step back. Maybe this has something to do with why he never got a second interview. Maybe the media's perception of his coaching ability isn't the name inside the NFL. I'm not sure what to make of this, really.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2771716

[YearofDaCubs]

Rivera was hired by SanDiego as a LINEBACKERS COACH. Something is fishy. I'm not sure why he'd take a step back. Maybe this has something to do with why he never got a second interview. Maybe the media's perception of his coaching ability isn't the name inside the NFL. I'm not sure what to make of this, really.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2771716

Agreed. The way this is working out is really strange.

[Soul]

Well at this point there weren't any coordinator positions left, were there?

 

Chico really got caught in a bad position. But it's clear he didn't want to run the cover-2 anymore, and Lovie wants it to be run even more than it is already.

 

That's what I take from this, anyway.

 

I never thought Rivera's gameplans were all that great. I think Babich will do just as good a job, maybe better.

[Chocolate Milk]

Rivera was hired by SanDiego as a LINEBACKERS COACH. Something is fishy. I'm not sure why he'd take a step back. Maybe this has something to do with why he never got a second interview. Maybe the media's perception of his coaching ability isn't the name inside the NFL. I'm not sure what to make of this, really.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2771716

 

Didn't see that this had already been mentioned.

[goonys evil twin]

Not sure what to think of this. I'm not all that worried about losing Rivera, although it seems kind of strange. I'm fine with Lovie going with his guy Babich. The key, as always, is the talent on the field. So as long as they keep the good players and keep acquiring new ones, I think they can withstand coaching changes.

 

 

 

I am not all that interested in seeing Turner replaced. The Bears were middle of the road in yards, but near the top for points. People say the points is due to defense and special teams providing for great field position, but that also makes it harder to gains lots of yards. I'd say Turner has constructed an above average offense without the help of any great offensive players. If he had more talent to work with, maybe he'd get better results. But the Bears focus is on defense, and, unlike in baseball, the salary cap dictates that you cannot create both a great offense and a great defense. As long as they keep the defense around top 5, any above average production from the offense will result in success. I say let Turner keep working with Grossman until and unless they find some offensive genius who will take that group in a new direction. I don't see one out there.

[Chocolate Milk]

I have also heard that Rivera wanted to blitz more often but was overruled by Lovie. I think Lovie made the right call.

 

For all the hype about being a disciple of Jim Johnson, Rivera's blitzes were rarely effective and seemed poorly designed.

[Magnetic Curses]

Not sure what to think of this. I'm not all that worried about losing Rivera, although it seems kind of strange. I'm fine with Lovie going with his guy Babich. The key, as always, is the talent on the field. So as long as they keep the good players and keep acquiring new ones, I think they can withstand coaching changes.

 

 

 

I am not all that interested in seeing Turner replaced. The Bears were middle of the road in yards, but near the top for points. People say the points is due to defense and special teams providing for great field position, but that also makes it harder to gains lots of yards. I'd say Turner has constructed an above average offense without the help of any great offensive players. If he had more talent to work with, maybe he'd get better results. But the Bears focus is on defense, and, unlike in baseball, the salary cap dictates that you cannot create both a great offense and a great defense. As long as they keep the defense around top 5, any above average production from the offense will result in success. I say let Turner keep working with Grossman until and unless they find some offensive genius who will take that group in a new direction. I don't see one out there.

 

completely agree with this.

 

i think they let rivera go because lovie had a preference for more of a clipboard-holder as the DC. i even heard that one of the reasons babitch will be the guy is because he will be a more "long term" solution, meaning he'll be getting paid for agreeing with lovie.

[Magnetic Curses]

I have also heard that Rivera wanted to blitz more often but was overruled by Lovie. I think Lovie made the right call.

 

For all the hype about being a disciple of Jim Johnson, Rivera's blitzes were rarely effective and seemed poorly designed.

 

either that or he just did not have the right personnel. as good as the linebackers are, i've never seen so many blitzes picked up by opposing teams.

[Banedon]

Not sure what to think of this. I'm not all that worried about losing Rivera, although it seems kind of strange. I'm fine with Lovie going with his guy Babich. The key, as always, is the talent on the field. So as long as they keep the good players and keep acquiring new ones, I think they can withstand coaching changes.

 

 

 

I am not all that interested in seeing Turner replaced. The Bears were middle of the road in yards, but near the top for points. People say the points is due to defense and special teams providing for great field position, but that also makes it harder to gains lots of yards. I'd say Turner has constructed an above average offense without the help of any great offensive players. If he had more talent to work with, maybe he'd get better results. But the Bears focus is on defense, and, unlike in baseball, the salary cap dictates that you cannot create both a great offense and a great defense. As long as they keep the defense around top 5, any above average production from the offense will result in success. I say let Turner keep working with Grossman until and unless they find some offensive genius who will take that group in a new direction. I don't see one out there.

 

I forget whether it was John Clayton or Len Pasquerelli that pointed out that losing Turner would have been a much bigger loss for the Bears because they don't have anyone in house that is being "groomed" for that job like Babich was for the D coach job.

[Magnetic Curses]

Not sure what to think of this. I'm not all that worried about losing Rivera, although it seems kind of strange. I'm fine with Lovie going with his guy Babich. The key, as always, is the talent on the field. So as long as they keep the good players and keep acquiring new ones, I think they can withstand coaching changes.

 

 

 

I am not all that interested in seeing Turner replaced. The Bears were middle of the road in yards, but near the top for points. People say the points is due to defense and special teams providing for great field position, but that also makes it harder to gains lots of yards. I'd say Turner has constructed an above average offense without the help of any great offensive players. If he had more talent to work with, maybe he'd get better results. But the Bears focus is on defense, and, unlike in baseball, the salary cap dictates that you cannot create both a great offense and a great defense. As long as they keep the defense around top 5, any above average production from the offense will result in success. I say let Turner keep working with Grossman until and unless they find some offensive genius who will take that group in a new direction. I don't see one out there.

 

I forget whether it was John Clayton or Len Pasquerelli that pointed out that losing Turner would have been a much bigger loss for the Bears because they don't have anyone in house that is being "groomed" for that job like Babich was for the D coach job.

 

plus they'd have to install a new offense, which would set everyone back another year.

[Chocolate Milk]

I have also heard that Rivera wanted to blitz more often but was overruled by Lovie. I think Lovie made the right call.

 

For all the hype about being a disciple of Jim Johnson, Rivera's blitzes were rarely effective and seemed poorly designed.

 

either that or he just did not have the right personnel. as good as the linebackers are, i've never seen so many blitzes picked up by opposing teams.

 

I'm obviously not very knowledgeable about blitz designs, but it seems like most of the blitzes involved Urlacher or Briggs running directly into the back of a D-Lineman.

[Chocolate Milk]

Also, something to take into consideration is that Babich was made an "assistant head coach" last season to prevent people from hiring him as their defensive coordinator.

[Magnetic Curses]

I have also heard that Rivera wanted to blitz more often but was overruled by Lovie. I think Lovie made the right call.

 

For all the hype about being a disciple of Jim Johnson, Rivera's blitzes were rarely effective and seemed poorly designed.

 

either that or he just did not have the right personnel. as good as the linebackers are, i've never seen so many blitzes picked up by opposing teams.

 

I'm obviously not very knowledgeable about blitz designs, but it seems like most of the blitzes involved Urlacher or Briggs running directly into the back of a D-Lineman.

 

it's hard to tell whether that was rivera's fault or the LB's. with as fast as those guys are, they should have been better at disguising. but then again, the tampa 2 isn't exactly designed as a blitzing defense--so maybe teams just knew a blitz was coming if they weren't in that configuration.

[Soul]

Also, something to take into consideration is that Babich was made an "assistant head coach" last season to prevent people from hiring him as their defensive coordinator.

 

I think you're right. This whole thing was probably in the works for longer than just this year.

 

Now that Rivera's gone, it's interesting to look back and see how Lovie was really pushing for him to be hired as a head coach. Lovie wants his people to succeed. It certainly looks like the plan was to move Babich into the DC role all along, and Lovie really wanted to see Rivera land on his feet somewhere else.

 

Didn't really work out that way, unfortunately. Although I feel there's a real good chance Chico gets another DC gig fairly soon.

[TB_11]

Rivera's de facto demotion to linebackers coach after being in charge of a top-5 defense for two years running suggests that Lovie is more instrumental to the defense than originally thought. The Bears should get him locked up to a deal quickly.