Re: Bears Offseason Thread

[rawaction]

Exactly. Everyone is assuming the OC position is a 1-and-done job. It seems like the possibility that the Bears could be good next year is escaping everyone's minds. It's crazy, but as many holes as this team has....it still went 7-9 with 5 losses by less than 7.

[Banedon]

Exactly. Everyone is assuming the OC position is a 1-and-done job. It seems like the possibility that the Bears could be good next year is escaping everyone's minds. It's crazy, but as many holes as this team has....it still went 7-9 with 5 losses by less than 7.

 

The optimistic route has done me no good in the past year with the Cubs and the Bears. I'm trying out pessimism to see how it works out.

[Soul]

Exactly. Everyone is assuming the OC position is a 1-and-done job. It seems like the possibility that the Bears could be good next year is escaping everyone's minds. It's crazy, but as many holes as this team has....it still went 7-9 with 5 losses by less than 7.

 

They were blown out 4 times:

 

45-10 by the Bengals

41-21 by the Cardinals

36-10 by the Vikings

31-7 by the Ravens

 

So nearly half the time they lost, they got blown off the field. And it was against playoff teams, so right there you can see how far away they are from being a playoff calibre football team.

Edited January 25, 2010 by Soul

[jersey cubs fan]

Exactly. Everyone is assuming the OC position is a 1-and-done job. It seems like the possibility that the Bears could be good next year is escaping everyone's minds. It's crazy, but as many holes as this team has....it still went 7-9 with 5 losses by less than 7.

 

The optimistic route has done me no good in the past year with the Cubs and the Bears. I'm trying out pessimism to see how it works out.

 

Trust me, it doesn't work either.

 

I was optimistic about the Bears this year though and it blew up in my face worse than the 2004 Cubs.

[jersey cubs fan]

Exactly. Everyone is assuming the OC position is a 1-and-done job. It seems like the possibility that the Bears could be good next year is escaping everyone's minds. It's crazy, but as many holes as this team has....it still went 7-9 with 5 losses by less than 7.

 

They were blown out 4 times:

 

45-10 by the Bengals

41-21 by the Cardinals

36-10 by the Vikings

31-7 by the Ravens

 

So nearly half the time they lost, they got blown off the field.

 

Nobody is saying they are good, but rather it wouldn't be a miracle for them to get better.

[rawaction]

Exactly. Everyone is assuming the OC position is a 1-and-done job. It seems like the possibility that the Bears could be good next year is escaping everyone's minds. It's crazy, but as many holes as this team has....it still went 7-9 with 5 losses by less than 7.

 

They were blown out 4 times:

 

45-10 by the Bengals

41-21 by the Cardinals

36-10 by the Vikings

31-7 by the Ravens

 

So nearly half the time they lost, they got blown off the field.

 

Nobody is saying they are good, but rather it wouldn't be a miracle for them to get better.

 

Exactly. The NFC is pretty crazy. The 1-2 seeds from last year didn't make the playoffs this year. Atlanta did not make it. Tampa went from 11-5 to 3-4 wins. You can turn it around in a hurry in the NFL.

[Sammy Sofa]

Oh, I don't think they're even planning on firing Lovie after next year. I think they fully intend to just ride his contract out.

 

So if you don't think they are planning on firing him in a year why do you think he's a lame duck and that this is why nobody wants to come here? The question seems to be stability, and the only question of stability is whether or not it's realistic for them to keep their job past next season. I can't imagine any NFL coach thinking he couldn't do a good enough job to help the Bears play better next year and thus everybody keep their jobs. I do think they don't like what they hear from Lovie about what he expects them to do -ie. get off the bus running the ball, and let my defense determine our fate.

 

He's a lame duck in that they're potentially just running out the clock and making what effectively amount to superficial changes to allow them to do so. I've got a sneaking suspicion that the Bears have no intention but to sign up whatever leftovers and retreads they can have on the cheap so that they can easily be shuffled out the door with Lovie if need be. Or you'll just see some 2-year-contracts. I don't even think it's necessarily even so much coaches staying away from the Bears as the Bears are staying away from anyone they have to pay well to sign up until Lovie is gone.

[davell]

I think we will wind up with retreads at both OC and DC this offseason. And then, barring us making the playoffs in 2010, we'll see both Lovie and Angelo get canned. Anyone who considers himself an up and comer isn't going to take a one and done gig and neither will anyone who's established and has the ability to find work elsewhere or already has a job.

 

I doubt we see the Bears spend much this offseason either, basically to allow Lovie and Angelo to finally hang themselves for good. Then, the following year, the new regime will be able to make enough changes to where the job is attractive again.

 

The CBA is the one thing though, that COULD keep this from happening. If there is the potential for a work stoppage(or better yet, it feels like there WILL BE a work stoppage) then we could see Lovie and Angelo back, because once again, it could be very hard to get good guys to want to start their tenure without knowing exactly what they're getting into.

[Soul]

Exactly. Everyone is assuming the OC position is a 1-and-done job. It seems like the possibility that the Bears could be good next year is escaping everyone's minds. It's crazy, but as many holes as this team has....it still went 7-9 with 5 losses by less than 7.

 

They were blown out 4 times:

 

45-10 by the Bengals

41-21 by the Cardinals

36-10 by the Vikings

31-7 by the Ravens

 

So nearly half the time they lost, they got blown off the field.

 

Nobody is saying they are good, but rather it wouldn't be a miracle for them to get better.

 

Exactly. The NFC is pretty crazy. The 1-2 seeds from last year didn't make the playoffs this year. Atlanta did not make it. Tampa went from 11-5 to 3-4 wins. You can turn it around in a hurry in the NFL.

 

I know, but that's not really getting better. It's getting lucky, being fortunate, relying on the badness of others to make it look like you are more than what you are.

 

I think it *would* be a miracle for the Bears to actually get better. Could they scratch off a couple more wins and look like a playoff team though? Sure. But what does that really mean?

[jersey cubs fan]

I know, but that's not really getting better. It's getting lucky, being fortunate, relying on the badness of others to make it look like you are more than what you are.

 

I think it *would* be a miracle for the Bears to actually get better. Could they scratch off a couple more wins and look like a playoff team though? Sure. But what does that really mean?

 

I don't see why you'd think this. They have something they've never had, a legit QB who can win them games. The Bears are not good, but they have talent. They are not among the dregs of the league. They are in a group that can go either way in any given year. Due largely to poor coaching, they've come up short for three straight years, but they have been in the picture. They need a couple more guys, no question, but they could beat anybody on their schedule next year. What would it mean if they won a few more games and made the playoffs? It would mean Cutler and the offense took a step in the right direction and the so-called lame duck status of the staff would be postponed. It would not take a miracle.

[CUBZ99]

I'm hoping that they move quickly and sign Martz. If he is crazy enough to want to come to the Bears, he really is the best option available.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm hoping that they move quickly and sign Martz. If he is crazy enough to want to come to the Bears, he really is the best option available.

 

The thing is, it's not that crazy at all to want to come to the Bears.

[Magnetic Curses]

martz qbs generally throw a lot of picks, correct?

[Soul]

I know, but that's not really getting better. It's getting lucky, being fortunate, relying on the badness of others to make it look like you are more than what you are.

 

I think it *would* be a miracle for the Bears to actually get better. Could they scratch off a couple more wins and look like a playoff team though? Sure. But what does that really mean?

 

I don't see why you'd think this. They have something they've never had, a legit QB who can win them games. The Bears are not good, but they have talent. They are not among the dregs of the league. They are in a group that can go either way in any given year. Due largely to poor coaching, they've come up short for three straight years, but they have been in the picture. They need a couple more guys, no question, but they could beat anybody on their schedule next year. What would it mean if they won a few more games and made the playoffs? It would mean Cutler and the offense took a step in the right direction and the so-called lame duck status of the staff would be postponed. It would not take a miracle.

 

I agree we've failed due largely to poor coaching. I don't see why that would change in 2010 other than the blind squirrel finding a nut. I also believe the roster is likely better than what we've been seeing on the field.

 

I think our main difference is that you believe there is significant hope to improve the coaching in 2010. I'm pretty negative about our chances.

[jersey cubs fan]

I agree we've failed due largely to poor coaching. I don't see why that would change in 2010 other than the blind squirrel finding a nut. I also believe the roster is likely better than what we've been seeing on the field.

 

I think our main difference is that you believe there is significant hope to improve the coaching in 2010. I'm pretty negative about our chances.

 

They made it to the Super Bowl with poor coaching, I don't see why it's so difficult to imagine them having a better 2010 with Lovie around. And we don't even know who all the coaches will be yet.

[Magnetic Curses]

I agree we've failed due largely to poor coaching. I don't see why that would change in 2010 other than the blind squirrel finding a nut. I also believe the roster is likely better than what we've been seeing on the field.

 

I think our main difference is that you believe there is significant hope to improve the coaching in 2010. I'm pretty negative about our chances.

 

They made it to the Super Bowl with poor coaching, I don't see why it's so difficult to imagine them having a better 2010 with Lovie around. And we don't even know who all the coaches will be yet.

 

i think they need a competent OC, but the defense essentially drives itself if the right players are there.

[rawaction]

A new offensive staff could work wonders with this team. You still have a potential elite QB, you have young WRs who can develop, a young LT that can develop.

 

A couple lineman, led by Mike Tice and his strong OL reputation and an OC that can open up the passing game while limiting Cutler's INTs can put this team right up there with the top teams in the NFC. The defense as lackluster as it is, was as good it can easily be as good anyone that made the playoffs in the conference.

[jersey cubs fan]

A new offensive staff could work wonders with this team. You still have a potential elite QB, you have young WRs who can develop, a young LT that can develop.

 

A couple lineman, led by Mike Tice and his strong OL reputation and an OC that can open up the passing game while limiting Cutler's INTs can put this team right up there with the top teams in the NFC. The defense as lackluster as it is, was as good it can easily be as good anyone that made the playoffs in the conference.

 

With Minny and New Orleans at the top, this point can be emphasized with the likely (for now) retirement of Brett Favre and the status of New Orleans the last two years. They were 7-9 and 8-8 before this season a nearly identical level of disappointment post 2006 as the Bears, with the difference of having an elite unit during that time. The Vikings are a team that could easily backslide. Chicago could go out and win 11 next year without being a huge surprise. But they do need to improve some things to do so.

[CUBZ99]

I'm hoping that they move quickly and sign Martz. If he is crazy enough to want to come to the Bears, he really is the best option available.

 

The thing is, it's not that crazy at all to want to come to the Bears.

 

Maybe not for Martz, but most coaches are steering clear of the Bears due to all of the uncertainty surrounding the team. You need supreme confidence in your abilities and the offensive personnel to take a job that requires performance right off the bat.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm hoping that they move quickly and sign Martz. If he is crazy enough to want to come to the Bears, he really is the best option available.

 

The thing is, it's not that crazy at all to want to come to the Bears.

 

Maybe not for Martz, but most coaches are steering clear of the Bears due to all of the uncertainty surrounding the team. You need supreme confidence in your abilities and the offensive personnel to take a job that requires performance right off the bat.

 

I am not so sure about this "stearing clear" story. Everybody lists Bates on that list, which is silly considering all he did was accept the first job that was offered to him with his current boss, instead of waiting around to see where the Bears decided to go. And for some reason, the Packers coach's name keeps getting thrown into this story when he was denied the chance to speak with the Bears in the first place, let alone turn them down. At most, you can say this Chudzinski guy may have steared clear. However, considering he works for the brother of the guy who was just fired, and works with another guy Lovie fired, you can easily see where somebody might think they wouldn't want to work here for other reasons. And it's not even clear if they actually offered anybody the job yet. They seem to be taking their time and choosing to speak with lots of people. That's a good way to miss out on people who are going to be inclined to take what they can get, especially in an offseason with such little turnover in the coaching ranks.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/01/bears-talking-to-ravens-hue-jackson-for-offensive-coordinator-post.html

 

Bears are set to interview Baltimore QB coach.

[Keener98]

Johhny Knox has been named to the Pro Bowl to replace Percy Harvin.

 

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/01/bears-johnny-knox-named-to-pro-bowl.html

[UMFan83]

Johhny Knox has been named to the Pro Bowl to replace Percy Harvin.

 

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/01/bears-johnny-knox-named-to-pro-bowl.html

 

That's awesome but random. I can't believe he was the 2nd best kick returner in the NFC this year. The Bears special teams is amazing if you consider the fact that it hasn't been just one or two guys that have excelled for them. It's Ayenbadejo, it's Hester, it's Manning, it's Knox, etc.

[WrigleyField 22]

Johhny Knox has been named to the Pro Bowl to replace Percy Harvin.

 

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/01/bears-johnny-knox-named-to-pro-bowl.html

 

That's awesome but random. I can't believe he was the 2nd best kick returner in the NFC this year. The Bears special teams is amazing if you consider the fact that it hasn't been just one or two guys that have excelled for them. It's Ayenbadejo, it's Hester, it's Manning, it's Knox, etc.

You forgot Tim Shaw. [-X

[RedFlash]

There are reportedly "rumblings at the Senior Bowl" that the Bears can't find an offensive coordinator because candidates are turned off by the prospect of having to coach Jay Butler.

 

The perception, presumably, is that Cutler ran ex-Bears OC Ron Turner out of Chicago, which it would be hard to disagree with. It would also be hard to argue that Turner did a good enough job in the first place. There is a more logical perception that OC candidates don't want to work under head coach Lovie Smith, who's entering a "win or else" situation in 2010.

 

Personally I think these "rumblings" are people talking out of their arse. I agree with rotoworld's line of thinking in that coaches are not turning down the Bears because of Jay Cutler, they are turning it down because of the lame duck status of Lovie Smith. Because let's face it, people think Cutler ran off Ron Turner, and those people are stupid. Turner was run off because he is a subpar OC who wouldn't know how to use a QB or run an offense to save his life.

 

But this "running off of a coach" is going to follow Cutler until he starts to win, imo.