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Time for Bears to Start Over ( Again)

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The Bears will once again search for a new Head Coach.
The Bears will once again search for a new Head Coach.

Black Monday escalated rather quickly and before you could even finish your breakfast the Bears had fired General Manager Phil Emery and Head Coach Marc Trestman. The only person who may have been surprised by this move would be Trestman himself.

After Sundays season ending loss to the Vikings, Trestman told reporters he expected to be back next season and in his usual soft, shaky tone made a case why he should be back in control.

“ I don’t have to go into the reasons that I expect to be back, I couldn’t look at it any other way or with any other kind of focus” Trestman said in his last post-game interview as head coach of the Bears, and while it was the right decision it should and will not be the only change we see.

The Bears should have paid attention to the 3:25 slot after their embarrassing loss. The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions were in a week 17 war for the NFC North crown and a first round BYE in the playoffs. The Bears were playing in a similar matchup just one year ago, week 17. The Bears went from a team on the rise to the embarrassment of the league in the matter of 12 months.

To once again be competitive and taken serious throughout the league, the Bears need to cut ties with the players who are not willing to buy into (yet) another new system and start over. That does not necessarily mean Jay Cutler will be gone however.

While Cutler is clearly not an elite quarterback and will most likely never lead a team to a championship on talent alone, is it worth giving up a top draft pick just to trade him elsewhere? Since the Bears have chosen to go through the rebuilding process, they will want to keep as many picks as possible and does it really matter who’s behind center during a losing season anyway? Not to mention Cutler gives the Bears the best opportunity to win if they are going to attempt to rebuild on the fly. The 2015 quarterback draft class is full of prospects and no proven stars and the Bears most likely wont have a shot at landing Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston. I would be very surprised if Cutler was throwing interceptions anywhere else next season and expect him back in Chicago with another new coordinator and head coach.

The Bears should consider cutting ties with Brandon Marshall, unless they can find a head coach who can control his antics. Marshall called out Cutler after a loss to the Lions earlier in the season and has challenged two people publicly to boxing matches in the last few months. Trestman clearly could not control Marshall, allowing him to fly to New York to do a weekly appearance on Showtime’s “ Inside the NFL” and sign his contract extension on “ the View.” If the Bears want to start fresh they need to get rid of all the off the field drama and antics that were never in the locker room during the glory days of Bears football.

While Marshall is one of the top receivers in the league when healthy and mentally prepared, the Bears need to start building their team from within— through the NFL Draft and with guys who understand the concept of playing “ team football” and don’t concern themselves with outside careers or restaurants ( Lance Briggs) during the season.

Football is the ultimate team sport and for the Bears to succeed they need to add a coaching staff with some experience to preach that. It is time to stop hiring guys with no head coaching experience and pray that they learn on the fly. If that option is not available and the Bears cannot land a former head coach, they should at least consider a coordinator who’s last job was in the United States… Personally I feel Rex Ryan never had any backing in New York and would be a great fit for Chicago.

The past two seasons the Bears have lost their identity and forgotten what kind of football team they are. While the defense came into the year with low expectations everybody expected some improvement. What we witnessed was a total catastrophe and possibly one of the worst defensive units in Chicago Bears history. The offense never clicked and the players clearly checked out a few months ago. For the Bears to be relevant once again and have a shot at competing with the Green Bay Packers they have to once again find their identity and fix their putrid defense that gave up back-to-back fifty point games.

So now begins the future for the Chicago Bears. It will be interesting to see what kind of moves are made throughout the offseason and what kind of team takes the field next August. It is almost surreal that a team that had such high expectations and an offense that was predicted to be tops in the league fell to obscurity so fast -but that is just the way it goes in today’s NFL. Hopefully for the people of Chicago they make the right choices this time and we aren’t talking about this same subject in another two years with another head coach packing his bags.

Chicago Bears Training Camp Recap

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In 2013, the Bears were within one 4th down stop of reaching the playoffs. Instead, they finished a disappointing 8-8, and missed the playoffs for the third straight year. However, an already dangerous offense combined with a couple of solid defensive free agent signings, makes for one potential threat to take home the NFC North title. As training camp comes to a close this Wednesday, here’s a look back at a few notable details that took place on Monday.

 

Martellus Bennett and Kyle Fuller

Rookie Kyle Fuller (Kneeling, center) did not see much action and remained on the sidelines most of the time.
Rookie Kyle Fuller (Kneeling, center) did not see much action and remained on the sidelines a majority of the time.

The headline for the Chicago Bears this past week was the conflict between tight end Martellus Bennett and rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller. Recently, a scuffle between the two during a routine practice resulted in Bennett slamming Fuller into the turf. Fights between teammates are usually common in almost every team’s training camp. But this time, Bennett was fined and suspended by the Bears as a result. He was reinstated this week, although one interesting thing did occur; Bennett and Fuller rarely appeared on the field and the same time. Normally, this would make sense, seeing as Bennett is the starting tight end, and Fuller is the second string cornerback. But throughout the entire practice, Bennett did not make contact with or near Fuller. While it can’t be certain whether this was part of the game plan or just a precaution in case of another incident, it does raise a few eyebrows as to what goes on with the chemistry between the two.

 

The Other Tight End

One Bears tight end that has gotten the public eye, other than Martellus Bennett, has been the backup veteran Zach Miller. (No, not the former Raider and Current Seahawk.) Miller was signed near the end of last season to a reserve/future contract, and he’s gained attention from Bears fans after scoring two touchdowns in the preseason opener against the Eagles. Miller spent three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars before injuries finally caught up with him, and didn’t make the Buccaneers final roster the following year. After finally getting picked up by the Bears, Miller has shown promise on the field, and continues to impress during training camp. He caught almost everything in sight before going off to the races.

Martellus Bennett also put on a show; catching his share of the passes and making plays of his own. Both continued to impress and receive applause from the stands. While it’s unclear as to if Miller will see an expanded role this season, Chicago is safe at the tight end position.

 

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Wide receiver Brandon Marshall talks with a trainer

What can we expect from this offense?

Imagine if you’re Jay Cutler. You have Bennett and Miller as your tight ends, and they’re safe, reliable targets for short passes. Then you have Brandon Marshall, an experienced and dangerous receiver teamed up with Alshon Jeffery who had a breakout season last year. Then you have the league’s second leading rusher in the backfield. That is a scary amount of talent around you, and it showed during camp. Marshall and Jeffery were everywhere and caught almost everything in their area. While Cutler did make a few mental mistakes at times, the offensive passing game was explosive and exciting to watch.

One major need that the Bears have wanted for a long time has been a stronger offensive line. While there is still room for improvement, they are still much better off than they were in previous years. They did allow pressure on the quarterback a few times, but always made the right holes for the running game to get through. Matt Forte appeared as though he was already in mid season form, and rookie Ka’Deem Carey already seems like a reliable backup.

The backup quarterback battle has been pretty one-sided. Jordan Palmer threw an interception right into defensive end Willie Young’s arms, who returned it for a touchdown. Veteran Jimmy Clausen has continued to outperform him, and will likely be named the second string quarterback.

 

Defensive adjustments

Last March, the Bears made two huge upgrades in free agency. After losing Julius Peppers to the Packers, Chicago agreed they needed to revamp their defensive line; and signed defensive ends Lamarr Houston and Jared Allen. Allen was particularly important.  A defensive star on the Vikings, he had terrorized the Bears twice a year since 2008. Now, he’s on their side.

“I’m not a big believer in self imposed limitations.” Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker said. “We don’t know what these guys can become, or how good we can be. The main thing is to reach our full potential, as individual players and as a whole. We’ll see where it goes and we’ll continue to work with these guys at every position.”

Tucker has also commented on the pairing of safeties between Ryan Mundy and Danny McCray. “What we’ve done with the safeties is we worked up combinations, we moved guys around, we’ll continue to do that and at the end of the day we’ll have a starting group.”

Chris Conte has had seven months to get over the embarrassing mistake he made last year when he gave up the touchdown against the Packers. “He’s been eager to get back out there and we’re gonna get him back out there.” Tucker said. “Right now it’s a matter of day to day work with what he puts on the field and in the classroom. And he’s already done that in the classroom. And now’s he’s stepped on the field. We’re gonna take it one rep at a time, I think that’s the best approach.”

Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker comments on Kyle Fuller, Chris Conte, Jeremiah Ratliff, and Mundy-McCray

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” Miller Time” for Bears Offense In Preseason Opener

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Bears Training Camp

Martellus who? That is what fans were asking on Friday night when the Bears kicked off their 2014 preseason schedule at Soldier Field against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Tight End Zach Miller made his debut in a Chicago Bears jersey in spectacular fashion, catching a 10-yard touchdown pass from Jay Cutler with 3:18 to play in the first quarter. Miller, who was filling in for the suspended Bennet, would make the most of his opportunity as he split time at the tight end position with Dante Rosario throughout the first half. The five year pro wasnt finished after his first touchdown grab either. Miller would also catch a 12-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Jordan Palmer in the second quarter before finishing his night with six grabs for 68 yards and two touchdowns.

“It felt good to go out there and make some plays,” Miller said after the game. “I am just trying to take it one play at a time and improve.”

After sitting out the last two seasons, Miller looked hungry for a chance to be back in the league. He signed with the Bears this offseason, after spending all of 2012 on the injured reserve, and sitting out the 2013 season after being waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has 45 career receptions and four touchdowns all while playing in Jacksonville from 2009-2012. He also knows it was only one preseason game and he will have to improve his blocking to make the team.

“That is something I have to improve on,” Miller added. “We will cut up the tape and see what I can do to improve.”

It was not only Miller who impressed the home crowd Friday night, Jay Cutler looked solid as well, completing 9 of 13 passes for 85 yards and a touchdown. Brandon Marshall had five receptions on six targets for 31 yards, and Alshon Jeffery made a tough catch for 16 yards that received an ovation from the crowd before the starters would exit for the remainder of the game. Cutler spoke after the game about the Bears’ performance in the first audition before the season opener against the Buffalo Bills.

“There were some mistakes out there,” Cutler said, “some things to clean up, but the guys were really efficent getting in and out of the huddle, getting to our checks. The guys did well.”

While the passing game was on point for the Bears, the rushing attack struggled to get anything going against the Eagles. Matt Forte would carry the ball three times for negative five yards. Rookie KaDeem Carey finally got a chance to show what he could do after spending most of training camp on the sideline or the ground. He would carry the ball 10 times for only 23 yards, in a disappointing debut for the former Arizona Wildcat. Carey will have to improve as he is currently No.3 on the depth chart behind Forte and Shaun Draughn.

In the battle to backup Jay Cutler, quarterbacks Jordan Palmer and Jimmy Clausen played the 2nd and 3rd quarters respectively, with Clausen displaying the early advantage once again much like in training camp. Palmer would connect with Miller on a 12-yard touchdown, but he also threw a ugly interception to Eagles safety Nate Allen, and was nearly picked on another attempt. Clausen on the other hand dazzled in his chance at redemption. After the disaster that was his stay in Carolina, the Bears gave Clausen a chance to win the backup job this summer with Palmer being unproven. Clausen completed 7-13 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns, one on a 73-yard toss to speedy-wide-receiver Chris Williams.

“I just tried to look the safety off and give him a chance to score on that,” Clausen said. “He ran underneath it and made a great play.”

Receiver, Michael Spurlock, would catch the other touchdown from Clausen on a 22-yard touchdown before giving up the offense to rookie David Fales. Head coach Marc Trestman had nothing but encouraging words for all of his quarterbacks after the game.

“I thought all the quarterbacks at some point had some adversity along the way,” Trestman said. “They were all able to come back and make it a positive note in some fashion.”

The Bears will return to training camp in Bourbonnais with practice on Sunday at 3:00 pm. No word yet if Martellus Bennet will be back with the team by then. If not, at least they have “Miller Time”, (joking of course, or am I?).

While Jordan Palmer may have seen second team reps on Friday night, and KaDeem Carey saw most of the carries. Expect everyone to get chances to impress in the preseason. Click below to hear offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer explain how the preseason depth chart can change.

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Bennet Suspended Indefinitely

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bennet

The Bears opened up practice on Tuesday with tight end Martellus Bennet nowhere to be found. Bennet had been involved in a fight with rookie defensive-back Kyle Fuller on Monday, after Fuller attempted to strip the ball from Bennet on what seemed like a harmless play. while fans and reporters wondered where the veteran was, Phil Emery called a press conference a few yards away from the practice field to announce that Bennet had been fined and suspended.

“He was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team,” Emery said during practice. “That’s where we’re at with that. And there won’t be any further information on that. Everything else will be kept within the team.”

You have to wonder why a body slam at practice would receive such a harsh punishment? this was not a typical 2-3 day cool off suspension, Bennet was suspended INDEFINITELY!!! Could his issues with Brandon Marshall be a factor? Have some of the veteran players grown tired of his act? Emery did not answer much.

“This is a process that we’re working with Martelllus on,” Emery said. “We are in contact with him. Our goal is to have Martellus back as soon as possible. He’s a loved and respected teammate and we want him back. But it’s a process that we’ll have to work with.”

The timing could not have been worse for the Bears, who open their preseason schedule on Friday at Soldier Field against the Philadelphia Eagles. The team also lost No.3 receiver Marquess Wilson to a fractured clavicle on monday, his return date is unknown after he underwent surgery early Tuesday morning.

Bennet, who is coming off his best season with 65 catches, 759 yards and five touchdowns, spoke to the media on Monday after practice.

“Everybody talks about friendships, but really we are all preparing to win a championship,” Bennett said. “If we make friends along the way, cool. But I’m just trying to help the Bears win a championship and do the job to the best of my ability.”

Head coach Marc Trestman also spoke to the media about Bennet’s situation.

“We’ve got a plan and a process in place, and as I told the team today, we love him. He works hard. He loves football. He’s a good father, and we want to get him back as soon as we can and we’ll go through this process and when the time is right he’ll be back,” Trestman said Tuesday.

While the amount of the fine and the length of the suspension are unknown at this time, the Bears DO know they will need Bennet back soon.

Marquees Wilson Suffers Tough Break Monday

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Usually, losing a guy who caught two passes for 13 yards the previous season would not seem like a huge blow to a team who already features two of the top receivers in the league. However, you could see the disappointment and regret from the Chicago Bears coaching staff and players when second year wide receiver Marquess Wilson was carted off the field at practice on Monday after suffering a fractured clavicle while diving to make a catch.

Wilson said he ” couldn’t breathe when he hit the ground” on the play, but was also not ready to give up hopes of playing this season. stating that, ” he did not know if the injury would require surgery.”

Wilson was expected to become the Bears No.3 receiver this season after the team released Earl Bennet in March. Listed at 6-foot-4, 184 pounds, Wilson had some ups and downs the first two weeks of training camp but was expected to make a huge contribution to a team with championship aspirations.

” I am extremely disappointed” head coach Marc Trestman said after practice Monday. ” He was continuing to ascend, It’s football unfortunately”

Wilson was a seventh round draft pick in 2013, and had spent the offseason training with Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall in Florida while hoping to make a impact this season as the slot receiver. Wilson went down while trying to make a play between defensive back Charles Tillman and safety Danny McCray. At first it looked like Wilson just had the wind knocked out of him as he fell on the ball and drove his left shoulder in the ground, yet, when he didn’t jump up, the worries began to set in.

” You hear us say it all the time in practice, stay off the ground, Trestman added after practice. ” Diving for balls is one of the most difficult things not to do when you are a competitive player”

It is unclear how much time Wilson is expected to miss. Team officials were unsure if the injury would require surgery, if not, the recovery time is much shorter. Even without surgery required, Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo missed the final 10 games of the 2010 season with the same type of injury. A more hopeful example would be San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Matthews, who suffered the same injury in the first preseason game of 2012 and would return week three of the regular season.

With the freak injury to Wilson on Monday, the Bears will now look to Chris Williams, Eric Weems, Josh Morgan and Armanti Edwards to compete for time as the No. 3 receiver with the teams first preseason game scheduled for Friday at Soldier Field against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Wilson was not the only player to start and not finish practice due to injury. Veteran linebacker Lance Briggs, who had a terrific week of practice last week, also left with a knee bruise. Briggs will be reevaluated before practice tomorrow.

Practice Notes for Monday

– The Bears were scheduled for the teams first afternoon practice of training camp ( 3 pm) however, due to potential storms later in the afternoon, the team decided to practice at 11 am.

– Practice was cut short due to a on field incident during 11 on 11. Tight end Martellus Bennet slammed rookie defensive back Kyle Fuller to the ground after Fuller tried to strip the ball from Bennet. “I come to training camp for one reason and that’s to prepare to win a championship,” Bennett said after practice. “I play hard and go hard every single day. I’m probably one of the most violent people on the field. That’s just my style of play.
Fuller also spoke about the incident saying “You get into fights and things like that. At the end of the day, you’re all good.”

– Ryan Mundy and Adrian Wilson saw action as the first team safeties on Monday. Danny McCray was moved to the second team for practice.

– The Bears will practice Tuesday and Wednesday before an off day on Thursday.

O’Donnel Steals Show on First Day of Full Pads

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full pads

After two days of shorts and helmets, The Chicago Bears put the pads on and went to work on Sunday in front of an estimated 9,500 fans at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnias IL. While you would figure the highlight of the day would have been a big hit, or even a nice block, the biggest ovation from the crowd actually came from a punter.

Bears’ rookie punter, Pat O’Donnel, became an instant fan favorite and even received “MEGA–PUNT” chants after every kick. One punt had an unofficial time of 5.1 seconds, while another appeared to go about 55 yards. Nothing too shocking when you consider the Bears used a sixth-round pick on the former Miami punter who averaged 47.1 yards per punt.

“I didn’t know what the crowd was saying,” O’Donnel said. “Its definitely a good feeling because usually the punter doesn’t get a lot of attention.”

While the kicking and punting have both looked solid in practice, other areas in the special teams have not been so hot. With the retirement of the always reliable, Bears long snapper, Patrick Mannely, the team has tried out both Chad Rempel and Brandon Harston. Neither have showed enough to win the job after a series of a miscues the first weekend of practice.

“We need to work through the process and find out who our guy is going to be,” Bears special teams coordinator, Joe DeCamliss, said after practice. “I wouldn’t say we are concerned. I have been in this position before with young guys.”

The Bears did have a better showing on offense on Sunday after a few rough moments on Saturday. Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey both continue to impress as usual, while Martellus Bennet is still a huge target who is having a solid camp. Also, quarterback Jay Cutler has been working with the second team of receivers and backs. Eric Weems, Chris Williams, and Marquess Wilson have all made plays and will look to compete for time on the field throughout camp and preseason. Matt Forte has looked good and will look to stay healthy throughout camp. Backup running back Michael Ford has seen a good amount of work with the second team, while rookie back KaDeem Carey has seen limited reps. I would guess he would see most of his action-carries in the preseason where he should get a hefty work-load.

Here are some other notes from Sundays first day of full pads for the Bears

– Alshon Jeffrey and Kyle Fuller battled in 1-on-1 receiver and Defensive back drills again today. Fuller looks very NFL-ready and only allowed one catch to Jeffrey, while batting down a few balls, to a huge ovation from the crowd. #23 is the real deal.

– Tim Jennings returned to practice on Sunday after sitting out on Saturday due to sore quadriceps, but would pull himself after his first 1-on-1 drill to be safe.

-Defensive end Willie Young participated in practice. Safeties Chris Conte (shoulder), and Craig Steltz (groin), are still out. However, Conte may be back sooner than expected. Receiver Terrence Toliver was also held out due to a toe injury.

– Defensive lineman Nate Collins, who is coming off a torn ACL last season, looked very impressive during 1-on-1 drills.

– Jordan Palmer looked better Sunday than he did the first two days. Jimmy Clausen appears to be the early favorite and more suitable backup to Cutler.

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Bears Final Grades

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trestman_emory_inside2_010214

The Chicago Bears came into the 2013 season with a new idenity  and a lot of question marks; while some of those questions have been answered ,some still need to be adressed.

Bears head coach Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery held a press confrence on Thursday to address the media after the season ending loss last Sunday to the Green Bay Packers 33- 28 at Soldier Field.

The Bears wasted no time announcing the contract extensions of quarterback Jay Cutler,  cornerback Tim Jennings, and guard Matt Slauson . They hinted at what prevented them from winning the NFC North this season. The Bears defense was the biggest issue as apparent by Emerys press confrence

“We were at least one defensive lineman short at the tackle position going into the season. For that fourth tackle, we felt like we had a tackle signed in Sedrick Ellis. That didn’t work out. That’s on me.

“The fact that we couldn’t replace Sedrick, that’s on me. We didn’t have enough pass rush from the outside or the inside. We needed one more. (Rookie) David Bass came in and did a very good job against the run, but he’s a young rusher. We needed one more there.” Emery said Thursday.

On a positive note, Emery also discussed the improvement of Jay Cutler and talked about the teams descion to go foward with him as the starting quarterback.

“We’re pleased; it works for both parties,” Emery said of the deal. “lt rewards Jay and it enables us to continue to build a championship team.”

As we look foward to next season, here is my final grade for the 2013 Chicago Bears

 

OFFENSE- B+   

 

 

offense

 

The Bears took on a new idenity this season with first year coach Marc Trestman bringing a new look offense to a team that has relied on defense to win for the last two decades.

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler suffered through an injury riddled campaign, but still put up solid numbers throwing for 2,621 yards and 19 touchdowns in only 11 games. Cutler did throw 12 interceptions which is high for only 11 games, but his descion making definetly improved ,and he has one of the best arms in the NFL.

When Cutler went down, Josh McCown filled in and suprised many people by leading the Bears back into the playoff race with a win against the  Green Bay Packers  on Monday Night Football. McCown earned the respect of his teamates and caused many arguments between Bears fans over who should be the starting quarterback. All McCown did in Cutlers absence was throw for 1,829 yards and 13 touchdowns with a 109.0 qb rating,

Both quarterbacks played well  and benefited from having arguably the best recieving core in the NFL in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey, as well as key free agent addition Martellus Bennett.

Marshall and Jeffrey both had 1,000 yard recieving seasons and helped give the bears the passing game they have been trying to find for years. Marshall once again caught 100 balls and had 12 touchdowns, remaining one of the most consistent players in the league.The emergence of Jeffrey helped Cutler by giving him another target. Jeffrey made a name for himself with his unbelivable acrobatic catches this year and should only get better next season. Earl Bennet added 32 grabs and four touchdowns to boost the Bears new passing attack.

Martellus Bennet gave the Bears a pass catching threat at tight end ( 65 catches) but was used more to block late in the season, which affected his recieving numbers. However, he still finished with career highs in catches and yards. He will continue to be a solid player for the Bears in the future as they hope to use him in the red zone more next season.

Matt Forte had the privelage of running behind a much improved offensive line and had another solid season. Forte finished with 1,339 yards and added 74 receptions. Forte seems to be a great fit in Trestmans system for the next few seasons.

As mentioned, the Bears offensive line was much improved and was a big reason for the offenses sucess.  Left tackle, which was a huge issue for Chicago in the past,  was much improved with the addition of Jermon Bushrod, who had a very good season solidifying the blind side for Jay Cutler and Josh McCown. Rookie Kyle Long silenced most of the critics, who questioned the Bears for taking him with their first pick, by bringing a no nonsense attitude to the team. The other rookie lineman Jordan Mills wasn’t taken until the 5th round but was still outstanding in pass and run blocking. Center Roberto Garza had a bounce back year and provided leadership and Matt Slauson did a great job locking down the left side of the line.

For the first time, in what seems like forever, the Bears are stacked on offense, the defense on the other hand…..

 

DEFENSE – D+    briggs and tillman

Harsh I know, however injuries caused this team to turn to guys, who in my honest opinon, should be on someone elses practice squad or at home. The Bears allowed a franchise-record 6,313 total yards and looked nothing like the great Bears defenses of the past.

The Bears could possibly switch to a 3-4 defense in the future to better fit  Shea McClellin, the team’s top draft pick in 2012 who again looked out of place at defensive end in 2013. While it may be too early to call bust, Shea looked lost again this season .He had one mentionable game,the game at Green Bay where he recorded a career high 3 sacks and won the NFC defensive player of the week.

McClellin was not the only under achiever on the Bears defensive line. After the loss of defensive tackle Henry Melton, September 22,the Bears took a chance on Jeremiah Ratliff, who played decent considering he was coming off an injury. Julius Peppers had his worst statistical season in over 5 years and I would be suprised if he was still on the team next year.  Corey Wooton played through injuries, so it was hard to see what he could really do when healthy.

Injuries didn’t only hit the defensive line,  the Bears linebackers also caught the injury bug. Already with the loss of former middle linebacker and future hall of famer, Brian Urlacher, the Bears had to find a new signal caller. When both DJ Williams and Lance Briggs went down, they looked lost and out of place.

Rookie Jon Bostic stuggled and couldnt adjust to the speed of the NFL game at times and it is clear he is not ready to start right now. Bostic will need to improve in the offseason, he finished with 56 tackles and an interception.

James Anderson filled his role decenly, although he didn’t jump off the screen or really do anything that really impressed you. Anderson recorded 102 tackles, but when your defense gives up that many yards, obviously you have something to do with it at times.

With the return of Briggs and the 14th pick in the upcoming NFL draft, the bears do have an opppurtunity to draft another linebacker or pass rusher to help get pressure on the quarterback, something that will be needed if the Bears ever hope to stop Aaron Rodgers and beat the Packers. With Briggs back healthy next year and Bostic another year older and wiser the Bears can only improve.

The Secondary was atrocious and possibly the worst I have ever seen. The loss of Charles Tillman to injury hurt the Bears who not only lost a great player but also a great leader. Before the injury to Tillman ,he looked like age was catching up to him and his time might be up with the Bears. Tillman did have three interceptions but he was getting burned by recivers.  AJ Green torched him week 1.

Tim Jennings was a lone bright spot for the secondary, which explains why he got a new deal right away Thursday. A season after leading the NFL in interceptions, Jennings picked off four passes returning two for touchdowns.

The safety position was the worst in Chicago Bears history; no matter who you ask, they will agree. Chris Conte and Major Wright combined for 160 tackles but only because the run defense couldn’t stop anyone. They combined for 5 interceptions and were burned on key plays throughout the year, including the final defensive play of the year, a 48 yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Randall Cobb to beat the Bears.

The Bears will have to look to the draft to add a safety I would figure, but as said earlier they also need to get a better pass rush established. I always say the teams that win in January are the teams who have a great offensive line and a great pass rush ; the Bears definetly do not have the pass rush and that is why they are sitting at home.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS – C   Devin_Hester_2011_2

It was another solid season for Robbie Gould which included a career high 58 yard field goal, but also included a career low when he missed the game winning kick against Minnesota on second down in overtime.

Punter Adam Podlesh is up and down but when hes down he kills the Bears by giving up poor field position. I think they need to look somewere else, especially after the game in Philadelphia when his terrible punt started the whole mess that became.

Devin Hester had a few nice moments but it was clear we have seen the last of the ” superman” he once was. I would be suprised if he was in a Chicago Bears uniform next year, i see him somewere else, possibly reunting in Tampa Bay with former coach Lovie Smith

 

 

 

 

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Bears Come Up Just Short of NFC North Crown

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The Chicago Bears had the Green Bay Packers right where they wanted them, it was fourth-and-8 from the Bears’ 48-yard line with 46 seconds left, and the Bears leading 28-27 in a winner take all battle for the NFC North and a chance to host a playoff game.

Meanwhile in the Packer huddle, Aaron Rodgers knew he had to make a play to keep the Packers season alive. On the winning play, Rodgers avoided an all-out blitz and found a wide-open Randall Cobb for a 48-yard touchdown to put the Bears away for good.

“That was the route,” Rodgers said. “He had a vertical, but I didn’t think that was going to happen.”

It was not all fun and games for Rodgers, who had missed the previous seven games with a broken collarbone suffered against the Bears earlier this season on Monday Night Football. Rodgers threw two first half interceptions, one in the end zone by Bears safety Chris Conte which led to an eventual Bears touchdown.

Jay Cutler played good enough to win the game, throwing for 226 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, however He is now 1-9 against Green Bay, including that conference final and a loss with Denver in 2007.

Cutler will now become a free agent and the Bears will have to decide if they want to resign him, give him the “franchise tag”, or let him walk after another season of missing the playoffs.

“I think we’ll deal with that later in the week,” Cutler said. “Right now, I’m kind of living in the moment. I’m a little upset about the game and how it went. This locker room is never going to be the same. [We’ll] miss some guys. Some guys are going to leave. Some guys are going to stay. It’s part of the business.”

Cutler wasnt the only Bear to play well on the offensive side of the ball, Matt Forte ran for 110 yards and two scores. He also had 47 yards receiving with a touchdown catch.
Alshon Jeffery had 80 yards receiving, and Brandon Marshall had 74 in the losing effort, and after the game Marshall made it clear who the Bears quarterback should be next season.

“Jay will be back. So all the stories for the offseason you guys can just put that at the bottom. Write everything you have to say and just say, ‘Brandon said Jay will be back,’” Marshall said. “Just like I said Jay would be back from the groin injury, Jay’s gonna be back in a contract year. I don’t have any inside information. That’s my quarterback.”

While the offense looked good Sunday, the defense was a whole different story, allowing Rodgers to throw for over 300 yards and two touchdowns, while also making one of the biggest blunders we have seen in the NFL this season.

Green Bay had a first down at the Chicago 17 when a sack and strip of Aaron Rodgers by Julius Peppers turned into a unusual Packers touchdown. When the ball came loose, the whistle never blew and Packers reciver Jarrett Boykin scooped it up and headed 15 yards to the end zone for a score to give the Packers a 10-7 lead.

Bears starting Cornerback Tim Jennings could do nothing but shake his head after the game.

“One of those fluke plays that we just didn’t finish,” Jennings said. “That’s not what we practice. If that ball [is] on the ground, it’s our ball. That just simplifies how this year has been going for us, man. Just been up and down. To let something like that happen, that’s not us. That’s some of the things with the transition, the new style and everything we got going. Not making excuses. That’s just how the year’s going.”

The final defensive play of 2014 exposed the Bears for what they need most, a better pass rush and secondary. Rodgers game winning pass to a wide open Cobb left coach Mark Trestman stunned

“The thinking is we can sit back in zone and give him the opportunity to make a play, or we can try to make him rush the throw,” Trestman said. “We had good pressure on. [Fullback Jon] Kuhn just got an edge, just got a piece of [Peppers] and Aaron was able to slip outside.

“It’s not easy to go to your left and make a play like that and he did. What can happen if a quarterback breaks contain in a zero blitz like that, it leaves a lot of field for any defender to have to cover.”

The Bears will hold a final press confrence this Thursday with Phil Emery and Marc Trestman scheduled to speak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicago Bears’ Brandon Marshall on the Packers Rivalry

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It’s been quite some time since there was a player in a Bears uniform that made going to the weekly media sessions fun and entertaining.

Brandon Marshall has been outspoken, usually choosing his words carefully, but providing good fodder for the media.

Last week, he insinuated that there were players in the NFL using Viagara as a performance enhancing drug.

This week, in response to a question from this reporter about the NFL rivalries he has experienced, included a quote you will be hearing all week long.

I don’t like the Green Bay Packers. I’m not gonna use the word ‘hate,’ but I really dislike the Green Bay Packers and their players.  – Brandon Marshall

His whole comment actually took him back to every rivalry he has been a part of, including his days in Pop Warner football, high school, college, as well as the Broncos-Chargers series.

Here is the entire answer in context, along with a follow up question from another writer.