Re: bears game 11, @ oakland at 3:05

[Magnetic Curses]

Well, Barber was actually running it better than Forte today.

 

yea, they both were. i'm saying they should have been given more than 22 carries when they were averaging a combined 5.5 yard per rush. instead, hanie is chucking it 36 times at a 50% completion percentage.

 

you can't run when you're behind 2 scores in the 4th.

 

martz made a bad play call and hanie made questionable decisions. hopefully he gets over them next week.

 

i will, however, point out that hanie ran for another 50 yards on 5 carries, technicallythat pushes their rushing totals to 27 carries with a 6.4 average. it's hard to criticize them for not running when they did run a lot.

[jersey cubs fan]

If Hanie throws that right to Davis instead of floating it, I think he scores. There is a clear path right here with the second rusher on his heals trying to get back into position to guard against the screen. Hanie has an open throw. I know everyone is saying in hindsight that it was a stupid play call, but if it was executed correctly, I think it's a completely different game.

 

Also, Edwin Williams needs to make the block on this play to allow Davis to make the catch. If you watch this highlight, he lets the guy go right by him to make the play on the ball.

 

I disagree with your interpretation of his line of sight there. The play is designed to float it over to the guy, nobody throws lasers on a screen pass. It was a bad play call in deep. You run that at midfield, not the red zone. The Bears needed to get points there and try not to let Hanie screw up. Martz got cute and screwed the pooch.

[TripJ]

If Hanie throws that right to Davis instead of floating it, I think he scores. There is a clear path right here with the second rusher on his heals trying to get back into position to guard against the screen. Hanie has an open throw. I know everyone is saying in hindsight that it was a stupid play call, but if it was executed correctly, I think it's a completely different game.

 

Also, Edwin Williams needs to make the block on this play to allow Davis to make the catch. If you watch this highlight, he lets the guy go right by him to make the play on the ball.

 

I disagree with your interpretation of his line of sight there. The play is designed to float it over to the guy, nobody throws lasers on a screen pass. It was a bad play call in deep. You run that at midfield, not the red zone. The Bears needed to get points there and try not to let Hanie screw up. Martz got cute and screwed the pooch.

 

That was a horrible, horrible call. I'm still not over it.

 

That's the third time Martz has called that play this year, and the other two times JAY CUTLER COULD NOT COMPLETE THAT PASS, why on earth would anyone think Caleb Hanie could?

[scarey]

If Hanie throws that right to Davis instead of floating it, I think he scores. There is a clear path right here with the second rusher on his heals trying to get back into position to guard against the screen. Hanie has an open throw. I know everyone is saying in hindsight that it was a stupid play call, but if it was executed correctly, I think it's a completely different game.

 

Also, Edwin Williams needs to make the block on this play to allow Davis to make the catch. If you watch this highlight, he lets the guy go right by him to make the play on the ball.

 

I disagree with your interpretation of his line of sight there. The play is designed to float it over to the guy, nobody throws lasers on a screen pass. It was a bad play call in deep. You run that at midfield, not the red zone. The Bears needed to get points there and try not to let Hanie screw up. Martz got cute and screwed the pooch.

 

There's a clear sight line as Wimbley is stepping back, and I've seen many, MANY screen passes thrown on a line. Hell, Hanie threw one to Forte yesterday that was on a line.

 

Hanie throws that directly to Davis and there's a great chance it's a TD.

[UMFan83]

Well, Barber was actually running it better than Forte today.

 

yea, they both were. i'm saying they should have been given more than 22 carries when they were averaging a combined 5.5 yard per rush. instead, hanie is chucking it 36 times at a 50% completion percentage.

 

you can't run when you're behind 2 scores in the 4th.

 

martz made a bad play call and hanie made questionable decisions. hopefully he gets over them next week.

 

i will, however, point out that hanie ran for another 50 yards on 5 carries, technicallythat pushes their rushing totals to 27 carries with a 6.4 average. it's hard to criticize them for not running when they did run a lot.

 

Only one of those 5 rushes was designed. Martz called for 40 passes and 23 rushes. The Bears were behind by one score or less for all but 1:36 of the game. During that time, Martz called 5 passes and no runs. You can also include the final drive as there was no way they were running. There they called another 5 passes. So you are looking at 30 pass calls and 23 running plays called during the 56 minutes or do that you wouldn't necessarily change your play book to favor one side or the other.

 

I think thats a bit too high with your best offensive player being a RB and your backup QB being inexperienced.

[jersey cubs fan]

Hanie throws that directly to Davis and there's a great chance it's a TD.

 

If the throws it on a line it's a tackle for a loss.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Hanie throws that directly to Davis and there's a great chance it's a TD.

 

If the throws it on a line it's a tackle for a loss.

 

he lobs it and its a pick -6 save a great play by the starting tackle

[scarey]

Hanie throws that directly to Davis and there's a great chance it's a TD.

 

If the throws it on a line it's a tackle for a loss.

 

I think Davis may have had enough time to catch the ball and make a move, definitely not a certainty though. I get what you mean though, there was a linebacker sniffing out the play. Edwin Williams should have been on that. That doesn't mean it was an Earth-shatteringly horrible call.

 

Again, I have no problems with people questioning the call. But calling Martz a complete moron and blaming him completely is just not fair. Martz has deserved plenty of blame for a lot of things that have gone wrong over the last two years. He deserves his share of the blame on that play. Making him the scapegoat for the whole game based on that one play doesn't make sense to me though. To me, execution by Hanie and Williams has more to do with why it unfolded as it did than Martz's play call.

 

Yes, they are two players with limited playing time, but I know for a fact they ran that play in practice and made it part of the game plan. They are professional football players and they should be expected to make the play.

 

I think people are reacting to the outcome of the play and playing a little bit of Monday morning QB. I don't see any other play from yesterday that people are claiming was too difficult to ask Hanie to do.

[jersey cubs fan]

Hanie throws that directly to Davis and there's a great chance it's a TD.

 

If the throws it on a line it's a tackle for a loss.

 

I think Davis may have had enough time to catch the ball and make a move, definitely not a certainty though. I get what you mean though, there was a linebacker sniffing out the play. Edwin Williams should have been on that. That doesn't mean it was an Earth-shatteringly horrible call.

 

Again, I have no problems with people questioning the call. But calling Martz a complete moron and blaming him completely is just not fair. Martz has deserved plenty of blame for a lot of things that have gone wrong over the last two years. He deserves his share of the blame on that play. Making him the scapegoat for the whole game based on that one play doesn't make sense to me though. To me, execution by Hanie and Williams has more to do with why it unfolded as it did than Martz's play call.

 

Yes, they are two players with limited playing time, but I know for a fact they ran that play in practice and made it part of the game plan. They are professional football players and they should be expected to make the play.

 

I think people are reacting to the outcome of the play and playing a little bit of Monday morning QB. I don't see any other play from yesterday that people are claiming was too difficult to ask Hanie to do.

 

I'm not sure who is putting all of the blame on Martz alone, but it was a very dumb play to call in that situation. You don't run that deep in the red zone, it's just reckless, and pointless. I often defend Martz for his play calling, but he had Caleb Hanie playing like crap and giving the game away and he needed to tone it down and guarantee points for the Bears there, not call risky plays.

 

As for you monday morning comment, I think you are talking out of your arse. I was saying at the time that the Bears had to cut out risk and be conservative there, I specifically said don't get cute, and that is exactly what they did. It was a stupid time of game and place on the field to make that call, that is not hindsight, just fact.