Dan Pompei at the Chicago Tribuneanswers your questions. This time he opines about the future of former tackle and current guard Chris Williams:
“Coming out of the draft all the talk was about how athletic Chris Williams was as a pass blocker, but how he lacked in finishing blocks particularly with the run. He was always projected as a future left tackle. Do you think that is still how scouts see Chris? Will the Bears leave Chris Williams at guard now, how has he progressed at that position? Do you believe the Bears will focus on acquiring interior linemen or tackles base on their greatest need?– Jesse Donini, Venice, CA
“Very interesting question. I don’t think the Bears have determined where Williams’ future lies. This will be an organizational decision made after much discussion during the offseason. He’s been OK at guard. Nothing special. Personally, I think he probably has more potential at tackle. What I would probably do is move Williams back to tackle in the offseason and have him compete with J’Marcus Webb on the right side. Then I’d bring in a guard who I’d be comfortable with as a starter. If need be, Williams could always be moved back to guard.”
I’ve got a feeling that Brad Biggs, also at the Tribune, has the right of this question. Biggs characterized the move as “semi-permanent”. You probably don’t move your future at tackle to guard unless you think he’s probably going to stay there. Otherwise you leave him where he is and let him develop. That obviously wasn’t happening with Williams – at least not fast enough to satisfy offensive line coach Mike Tice.
Sean Jensen at the Chicago Sun Times quotes Brian Urlacheron the value of experience as their first playoff game approaches:
“We don’t ever get too rattled. Plus, our coaching staff has been around for a while. There are some exciting times, [but] we stay pretty even-keel most of the time.”
“On Friday, [Seattle coach Pete] Carroll said: ‘‘We’re kicking the football, and he’s going to get it.’’ The day before, punter Jon Ryan said he would try to limit the amount of field Hester would have to work with by angling his punts toward the sidelines.”
This is, of course, what teams did the last couple years and what both Green Bay and Seattle did earlier this season. It seemed to work as long as the punter executed it well.
“Special teams is about matchups, getting your best guys on their best guys so you don’t have a size difference or one guy isn’t more athletic than another,.Those things you all take into account when you game plan.”
Mark Potash, also at the Sun-Times, has this interesting quote from defensive tackle Anthony Adams about the teams lack of sacks against Seattle the first time around. He seems to be suggesting the possibility that it was a scheme related problem:
‘‘For whatever reason, a lot of other teams were able to get sacks,’’ Adams said. ‘‘Maybe they didn’t run a 4-3 like we run it. Or ran a 3-4. I don’t know. There are a lot of different avenues you could go down. But you have to bring your A-game every week”
“I am tired of the carping over the offensive and defensive lines. Both are set and have a good mix of veterans and younger players. The draft need will be greatest at linebacker to begin grooming successors for Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. Do you agree or see a greater need? — Stuart Cutler, Winnetka
“I share your concern about the linebacker position, but I think the offensive and defensive lines are bigger concerns. I know you can play winning football with average, maybe even below average linebacker play. You’ve got no chance to be really good without above average lines. The Bears also need to start thinking about a successor to Olin Kreutz, and a successor to Tommie Harris. Plus they could use another guard, another offensive tackle and another defensive end. I think they need to see what the draft offers them and be prepared to take a lineman.”
“The Bears don’t build their defense around great cover cornerbacks. They build their defense around great pass rushers. I don’t think Asomugha, who will become one of the highest paid defensive players in football, would be a wise investment for the Bears and I don’t think they will pursue him.”
I would agree. But the bears do have to get better in the defensive backfield. You can’t play cover two every down.
“Have you ever asked Jay Cutler if he understands the concept of “throwing the ball away?” — Greg, Chicago
“No, I’ve never asked him, Greg. From watching him play, I think I already know the answer.”
It wouldn’t be right to quote the whole article. Just one more and then you’ll have to read the rest on your own:
“Whenever I see [Devin] Aromashodu languishing on the sideline game after game, I keep thinking about Brandon Lloyd and how our coaching staff never gave him another opportunity after he was injured during his lone season in Chicago. The “other Devin” is our only big target and Jay clearly has a connection with him. ”
“– Jim Gordon, Memphis, Tenn.”
“I’d like to see more of Aromashodu as well.”
As would I. I’ve heard this sentiment expressed by Bear fans over and over again. But if Aromashodu is going to play more he needs to perform on special teams as well. That means he has to block.
Michael C. Wright at ESPNChicago.com explains that defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli‘s strength is as a teacher of the fundamentals of the game:
“Several players talk about Marinelli in meetings rehashing the same subjects over and over again, drilling them exhaustively to the point that most of those things morph to become second nature in game situations.
“The players also point to Marinelli’s motivational tactics — he puts together a video to pump up the defense before every game — and strict adherence to accountability in describing the coach’s worth.”
The experts at ESPN breakdown the Bear-Seahawks matchup:
Rachel Nichols at ESPN implies that the Seahawks might be more than passingly worried about withstanding the cold temperatures at Soldier Field Sunday:
And Lovie Smith explains a few things to Nichols as he talks about the Seahawks matchup:
Here’s the video I was looking for yesterday of Ron Jaworski at ESPN expressing concern of the number of negative plays the Bears generate on offense:
Elsewhere
Asomugha, who is probably the premier free agent this off-season, talks about his future in this video. I’m thinking he might end up staying with the Raiders:
Jaworski talks about who will come out on top between Antonio Cromartie and Tom Bradyon the field:
Todd McShay at ESPN goes through some overrated players entering the draft, including quarterback Ryan Mallett out of Arkansas:
The ESPN experts break down today’s the Packers-Falcons matchup:
“Since 1990, the NFC’s top-seeded team is 18-2 in the division round. Yes, this season’s Week 12 game between the two teams was close, and the Packers are getting plenty of respect from Las Vegas. But if the Packers do pull off a victory, it will be only the third time in 21 years that a No. 1 seed has lost in the divisional round.”
One Final Thought
Though I’m still not convinced that Tommie Harris is all the way back to where he should be, there are a couple things that are undeniable. One, he is making the occasional play. And more importantly, as pointed out by Bears coach Lovie Smith through Vaughn McClure at the Chicago Tribune, he handled his demotion really well earlier in the season:
“‘He couldn’t have handled the situation any better,’ Smith said of Harris. ‘To have to go to another role when you’re a star like that … he did it. He’s come to work every day. And he’s earned his position back.'”
“‘You know what we have? We have the best offensive line coach in the league, period,’ said Olin Kreutz, a 13-year veteran who was a third-round pick by the Bears in 1998.”
The Bears offensive line coach is former Vikings head coach Mike Tice.
“[Offensive coordinator Mike] Martz is one of the best in the world at what he does.”
Jensen also mentions in passing that Martz will be calling the game from the press box. That would be a change from the regular season where he stayed on the sideline. I’m not sure what the reason for the change is but ti would seem odd to be changing a formula for success right as the post season begins.
“The biggest thing for them, when Jay [Cutler] tries to make things happen, is in the red zone,” [former Ram quarterback Kurt] Warner said. “You can’t have turnovers. You have to score points when you have opportunities.”
I have quoted someone or said this in some form every single day. The surest path to disaster for the Bears is for the Bears quarterback to try to do too much.
“The good thing is the Bears won the division and earned the bye.
“The bad thing is the void of fresh, local football analysis. I’m pointing the thumb as much as the finger because I have participated in the blather.
“‘The quarterback doesn’t smile.’ … ‘A contract extension is due Lovie Smith.’ … ‘ ”Enlightened’ Greg Olsen finally realizes he should contribute more.’
“The remarkable array of NFL coaches spawned by the 1985 team — [Leslie] Frazier, Ron Rivera, Jeff Fisher, [Mike] Singletary, plus ballboys Rex and Rob Ryan, not to mention [Jim] McMahon successor Jim Harbaugh — help keep the Bears of the ’80s on the front page.
“Standing ovations get tiresome after 25 years, but don’t sit down yet.”
Biggs interviews former NFL safety Matt Bowen for the Tribune. Not surprisingly, they focus on the Bears-Seahawks matchup. Bowen comments on Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch in this little nugget:
“The one thing Seattle is doing, what they did a lot against the Saints, is they ran the ball on the slot side. What that does for a running back is it gives him more room to choose. He gets the ball deep in the backfield and he has the ability to cut back, take the first hole or stretch it all the way to the edge. Marshawn Lynch is an excellent cutback runner.”
Though it hasn’t been as evident this season, speed teams like the Bears can be beaten by cutback runners as they flow rapidly to the ball.
I couldn’t find the video but former NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski broke down the Bears-Seahawks matchup on ESPN‘s Pardon the Interruption. When Bears fan Mike Wilbon asked him why he should be worried about the Bears chances, Jaworski pointed out the the Bears led the league in negative plays.
“Sometimes, football makes no sense. Last week, a clearly superior Saints team went to Seattle and lost. This week, the Seahawks return to Soldier Field with plenty of confidence and a lot of momentum, against a Bears team that isn’t as good as the Saints team that the Seahawks beat last weekend.”
“Besides, the Bears could be tight and the Seahawks could catch them flat-footed and Seattle could do that which no one — including the Bears — expects them to do.”
Reserve your spots on the roofs of the best buildings now Bear fans.
Kyle Koster at the Chicago Sun-Timesprovides a day-by-day look at how the Bears good fortune could continue to a historic Super Bowl run. Here’s a sample:
“Wednesday, Jan. 19: [NFL commissioner] Roger Godell unilaterally abolishes instant replay. Despite the outcry, Bears fans take to the streets celebrating the end of [Bears head coach Lovie] Smith’s long red-flag follies. [Packers head coach Mike] McCarthy appears on “SportsCenter” and calls for Goodell’s ouster. The emboldened commissioner bans the Packers coach for life.”
“People say they play harder in the playoffs. To me, it’s just like a regular-season game. It’s going to mean a lot. One of my biggest games that I am going to ever play in. I’m going to go out there, not put any pressure on my shoulders, just go out there and have fun.”
I hope Knox is just mouthing that blather and doesn’t really mean it. Becasue if he really treats this just like a regular season game there’s going to be trouble. If the rest of the young players do it there’s going to be really big trouble.
I never played in an NFL playoff game but you don’t have to do that to see what happens when the lights come on in the post-season. Perhaps “playing harder” isn’t a good way to phrase what’s necessary. But playing with greater intensity and, especially greater speed is absolutely crucial to post season success.
Former NFL safety Matt Bowen , also writing for the Tribune, describes the situaiton with more authority than an average fan like me can provide:
“Monday night games and divisional rivalries — while considered intense — don’t compare to the overall speed that will be seen Sunday at Soldier Field. From covering kicks on special teams to defensive football inside of the red zone, players will treat each snap with a more aggressive style than is played in the regular season.
“That’s what happens when a possible Super Bowl championship and playoff checks are on the line.”
“The Seahawks already experienced that in their wild-card victory over the Saints. They played their best football of the season with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and running back Marshawn Lynch playing at a level that is conducive to winning in the postseason. It was called an upset over the Saints, but it isn’t really an upset when one team plays faster from the start of the first quarter.”
“Schemes and X’s and O’s give you a chance in the playoffs, but in the end it comes down to players, and the ones who advance play faster.”
Knox got a little peak at what the playoffs are like when the Bears squared off against the Packers in the last regular season game. I’ve said it several times already but Knox got dominated in that game. The biggest reason is that the Packers raised their intensity to play what was essentially a playoff game for them. If Knox didn’t learn that lesson then, if he thinks that the high level of play that the Packers demonstrated was a result of any given Sunday, he’s not going to succeed.
Knox and the other young Bear players had better not just treat this like a “regular-season game”. They’d better come out ready to contest for their playoff lives.
David Haugh at the Chicago Tribune writes about Jay Cutler‘s attrocious behaviour with the media and, indirectly, the fans. For those who wonder why the national media will seem to be biased against the Bears:
“By now we in Chicago have learned to judge Cutler only by his behavior on Sundays. Just a hunch, but I doubt that’s going to happen across football America after Wednesday.”
“‘I didn’t have as many catches but I had as many impact plays if not more key catches, third downs, touchdowns, whatever the case,’ Olsen said. ‘I contribute in the running game, pass protection in the backfield, blitz pickup, so it’s not always about stats.
“‘This year kind of opened my eyes to that. In the past, I wanted to catch the ball more. This year, ‘Hey, you can be a tight end and have a huge impact on the game and maybe only catch one or two passes.’ There is no doubt I am a better all-around player.'”
The guess here is that Olson’s eyes may have been opened by Brandon Manumaleuna‘s contract numbers. Manumaleuna is a blocker who isn’t known for his pass catching ability but the Bears paid him a decent chunk of change to bring him here in free agency last year.
It was Greg Olsen day as Sean Jensen at the Chicago Sun-Times also wrote a nice article which focused on him. Its nice to know that Olsen, at least, is more quotable than his buddy Cutler.
“But perhaps as importantly, running the ball means not passing the ball, which is a good thing in my world when Cutler has some Carlos Zambrano in him. It’s the mentality that he’s just going to do it because he has always done it and now he’s going to do it harder and faster, and then it’s times 10 because it’s the playoffs, and then his head explodes. We’ve seen the Zambran-O-Meter go to 11. Not all the time, but enough.
“The fear is Cutler doing the same thing when he doesn’t have to. He doesn’t have to be a hero. He just can’t be the reason the season ends.”
Chicago’s own Mike Wilbon says that he thought this was going to be the year that Jon Gruden came back to the NFL. So did I.
Adam Schefter at ESPN talks about the CBA hang up over the expansion of the regular season to 18 games. Everybody, repeat after me: “Follow. The. Money.”
Texans center Chris Myers demands that running back Arian Foster come bearing gifts the next time he sees the line.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll was at the podium when a reporters phone, which was being used as a recorder, started ringing. Carroll answered it. (via the Associated Press):
“‘Someone’s phone is ringing here. Let’s check this out. … Hello? No, not right now. This is a press conference. OK. Sorry, I’ll get back to you,’ Carroll said. ‘Old friend from high school.'”
Luis Deloureiro at The New York Times thinks Colts quarterback Peyton Manningdeserves a better coach:
“[Colts head coach Jim] Caldwell was outcoached in last year’s Super Bowl, but most of the blame for the Colts loss still went to Manning. Caldwell appears to be coaching like someone who is afraid to lose the game – not someone who is trying to win.”
“An argument could be made that Manning is the offensive coach of this team. If that’s the case, then maybe Manning has too much on his shoulders.”
One Final Thought
Les Miles‘ job application at Michigan has been somehow leaked to the public. From The Sports Pickle:
The Patriots-Jets feud has been heatin gup over the last week. But what’s interesting to me isn’t the comments that are coming out of both sides but the nature of those comments.
Jets head coach Rex Ryan led off early in the week by saying this (via FOX Sports):
“‘This is about Bill Belichick vs. Rex Ryan,’ the Jets’ brash coach declared Monday. ‘There’s no question. It’s personal. It’s about him against myself, and that’s what it’s going to come down to.'”
“We’re gonna do our best to win on Sunday. They’re a good football team across the board: good on offense, defense and special teams. They beat the Colts in Indianapolis. We all know how tough that is. Everything concerns me [with them]. They’re good across the board.”
So what? Typical Ryan. Typical Belichick. But let’s take a look at what happened yesterday in relation to the players feelings about the game and each other. As was the case early in the week, the Jets threw the first salvo. Antonio Cromartie said this when ased if he had ever seen Patriots quarterback Tom Brady pointing after a Patriots score late in their blow out win over the Jets earlier in the season (via Gary Myers at The New York Daily News):
“‘We see that a lot. He does it a lot,” Cromartie said. “That’s the kind of guy he is. We really don’t give a damn, to tell you the truth.’
“I’ve been called worse. I’m sure there is a long list of people that feel that way.”
“But he’s a good player. [Darrelle] Revis is a great player. They have a great secondary. They’re one of the best defenses we’ve faced. We spend a lot of time preparing for them, and what they’re capable of doing over there. To shut down the Colts’ offense like they did is pretty impressive, because we know how good that offense is. We’re going to be ready to play.”
“Belichick has called me that. My offensive coordinator has called me that. They like me, so maybe he likes me.”
So what’s my point? When you assess the comments by both players you come to the same conclusion as I did above. Typical Rex Ryan. Typical Bill Belichick.
Its a source of constant amazement to me how true it is that those who follow take on the personality of those who lead. Individual players and, indeed, entire teams are affected and can be characterized generally by the way their head coach acts and reacts. On some level every good coach knows it and when you see the way they react publicly you can consider it to be a sign of how they expect their players to react.
The Patriots-Jets contest isn’t just a game of talent of even a game of wills. It also a philosophical conflict in terms of leadership. Just one more aspect of the game that makes the NFL so interesting.
Mike Sando at ESPN recently broke down the defensive stats for the Seattle Seahawks while pointing out the dilemma that they face on Sunday against the Bears:
“Back in that Week 6 game at Soldier Field, Seattle rushed at least one defensive back 44.7 percent of the time, a season high. The team recorded five of its six sacks on these plays, one reason the Bears failed to convert even once in 12 third-down opportunities. Seattle sent five-plus pass-rushers 55.3 percent of the time during its 23-20 victory, the second-highest percentage for Seattle in a game this season.”
“The Seahawks sent four or fewer rushers 89.7 percent of the time against St. Louis in Week 17 and 91.7 percent of the time against New Orleans in the wild-card round. The Seahawks hadn’t sent four or fewer rushers so frequently in any game through Week 16. The 91.7 percent figure was the highest for any NFL team in any game during the regular season.”
So you are left with Sando’s question. “What will Seattle do?”
“They’re going to have to find a way to get to the NFC Championship game. If you’re playing the Bears, then you have to test them and see how much better they’ve gotten.”
Its easy for Tice to say that. Most people in his position need to plan for the worst and then be happy if it doesn’t materialize. Putting pressure on the line through constant blitzing would be his worst nightmare whether the line handles it well or not.
But I think may be right in this case. The Bears line is supposedly a lot different from the one that faced the Seahawks the first time around. The Bears thought the film of that game was pretty bad (via Sean Jensen and Neil Hayes at the Chicago Sun-Times):
“‘It was kind of tough to watch,’ tight end Greg Olsen said. ‘We weren’t where we thought we were, even at the time.'”
Indeed, according to McClure, Tice decided not to show the whole film to the linemen this week:
“‘I kind of moved on, the game was so bad,’ Tice said of the regular-season meeting between the teams. ‘I looked at 19 plays with the line the other day and decided I couldn’t do that to them. It was that bad.'”
Well, here’s hoping he at least showed them the film of the Packers game. The Bears consistently broke down against the blitz in that last regular season game, especially the delayed blitz where a linebacker hesitates for a second and then shoots in.
If you are the Seahawks you have to test the Bears line, at least to some extent. You have to find out if that was an aberration or the result of a line that really hasn’t come together quite as well as everyone is saying it has (its probably a combination of the two).
My guess is that you look for Seattle to threaten the blitz a lot to try to confuse the Bears offensive line. How often they actually bring pressure will probably depend upon how successful they are. But just threatening may be enough to keep them uneasy on their feet and thinking about the possibility.
Mike Mulligan at the Chicago Sun-Timesgives us some things to look for Sunday. The section at the end focusing on what the Bears do with different personnel packages is particularly interesting.
“’I was on the phone for a minute or so with Starks when [general manager Jerry] Angelo walked in my office and told me he had changed his mind and was drafting [quarterback Dan] LeFevour,’ Gabriel wrote. ‘I put Starks on hold, and then said to Angelo that [contract negotiator Cliff] Stein already had talked to the agent and I had the player on the phone. We couldn’t do business like that. He said he was sorry, but he decided he wanted LeFevour and the card had been turned in.
“’I then had to tell the player (a player that I had developed a good relationship with over the previous two years) that in fact we were not drafting him. Hearing a kid go from being extremely excited to silence was not easy. It was the most embarrassing moment I had experienced while scouting. In my mind everything is about integrity, and I felt our integrity had been damaged.’”
“’The Bears won a lot of games this year, but didn’t get a lot of respect,’ said John Avello, director of race and sports book operations for the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas. “I don’t see them losing this game. The only X factor for me is (Bears quarterback Jay) Cutler. He can make some bad decisions. He doesn’t have to do that in a game like this.
Exactly. If Cutler tries to do too much on the big stage, it will be the surest path to disaster for the Bears.
“[Matt] Forte still managed 91 yards on 15 carries in that defeat, and he carries the momentum of averaging 5.8 yards per attempt over his last three games. But [Chester] Taylor, the team’s designated short-yardage runner, has to be more productive, especially against a Seattle team that ranked 21st in the league against the run.
“’I don’t know if I have to do anything differently,’ said Taylor, who has played in four career playoff games. ‘I just have to make a play whenever I get the ball. That’s it.’’’
And, of course, he has to hope the coaches haven’t called a time out when he does.
Rivera will be using a 4-3 scheme, presumably similar to what he used with the Bears, rather than the 3-4 he coached in San Diego.
Tedy Bruschi says that Bill Belichick actually respects Rex Ryan. Whatever… :
Marshawn Lynch’s run was more like something you’d see in a popular video game:
Former Bears wide receiver coach and current Kansas City head coach Todd Haleymay call the plays next year. That should help him attract a competent offensive coordinator.
“New Cubs pitcher Matt Garza on WGN-AM 720’s ‘Sports Night’ when he was asked about people who say he is too emotional: ‘When you care about something as much as I care about pitching, you get emotional. I don’t think of it as emotion. I think of it as passion. I’m very passionate for what I do because I love what I do. People who love their jobs are very passionate about their jobs. They are going to pour their heart and soul into their job. That’s the way that I feel about it.’”
Andrew Seligman, writing for the Associated Press, quotes Jay Cutler on receiver Johnny Knox in an article focusing on whether the Bears have the talent that they need there:
“Knox emerged as the primary deep threat with 51 catches for 960 yards, including 17 for 20 yards or more.
“’He’s just becoming more of a complete receiver,’ quarterback Jay Cutler said. ‘He’s kind of one of those guys you can count on. If he’s got one-on-one, he’s going to win. … He’s done all year when his number is called, he’s in the right spot.’”
No he hasn’t. The last regular season game, Knox did not perform to expectations.
First let me say up front that all of the pass catchers for the Bears, including the running backs, should be commended for one thing: they aren’t dropping balls. This will most assuredly kill any decent offensive team and I’m pretty sure its eventually going to kill the Packers.
But if the game against the Packers was any example of what’s to come, the Bears need help at receiver. They got physically dominated by the Packers defensive backs and I’d expect them to see the same plan used against them in the playoffs before we’re done.
It will be interesting to see if receivers coach Darryl Drake can develop a plan to allow the Bears receivers to get off the line of scrimmage and to thrive against that kind of press coverage. The presence of the bigger Earl Bennett will help. And I’m guessing that Mike Martz will be dialing up calls for big plays. It will be interesting to see if the receivers step up when that happens. If they don’t, the Bears will know at least one area where they need help in the offseason.
Mike Greenberg at ESPN talks to former NFL defensive lineman Mike Golic about what its like to be a fan of a playoff team in this humorous exchange:
“Paralyzed” might be taking it a bit too far. Maybe…
But generally this is accurate and, though its heightened for the playoffs, I have to say I identify with Greenberg’s reaction.
Without the Bears on the field, Sunday was a noticeably stress free day. It could have been the alcohol. But more likely it was simply the fact that I wasn’t worried about a game. No sitting in front of the TV taking notes, worrying about whether Jay Cutler would try to do too much or how the offensive line was going to break down in the first half this time. When its over I find myself exhausted.
There’s a kind of insanity that comes over fans when watching their team. When I watch the Bears I zoom in, completely focusing on the game. Everything around me pretty much disappears. I’ve had non-fans over to watch games and more often than not you can see the look of startlement come over their faces when they see the change come over me. Or that maybe that’s because I’m screaming at the TV.
Whatever.
The point is that I love football. But sometimes being a fan is really stressful. Something about that doesn’t seem right.
