Category: Detroit Lions

All We have to Risk Is Disappointment and Other Points of View

Bears

  • Mark Potash provides an interesting comment for the Chicago Sun-Times on the always tenuous hold head coach Lovie Smith has on his job:

“Measuring progress is subjective. If the McCaskeys like you, progress could be defined as winning the last game of a losing season. Finally, Peggy Kusinski of Channel 5 asked the key question regarding Smith’s future: Is it possible for the Bears to be making progress toward their goal and still not make the playoffs?” In other words, can Lovie keep his job without making the playoffs?

“The answer is yes, [general manager Phil] Emery said, pending the circumstances.”

“’It’s possible [the Bears could still be making progress without making the playoffs], because it depends on the health of the team, what’s happened in the season, what’s happening in the rest of the NFL,’ Emery said. ‘I was with the Chiefs last year and everybody counted us out. It came down to getting a blocked kick against Oakland in the last game and we would’ve made the playoffs.’”

“This training camp opener had a different feel to it. Lovie Smith’s optimism at a training camp press conference usually evaporates into the heat-heavy air almost as soon as the words are out of his mouth. But not this time.

“Almost everybody’s on board this train. And none of us has any idea where its headed. Hard to believe that less than a year ago, it looked like the Packers and Lions were pulling away from the Bears in the NFC North. Yet even after another playoff-less season, Emery was basically being asked if ‘all the pieces are in place’ for the Bears to make a Super Bowl run.”

“How does this happen? The Bears lost their best receiver (Johnny Knox) to injury. Brian Urlacher is coming off a knee injury at 34. Matt Forte is coming off a knee injury and is no longer fighting for a long-term contract. Gabe Carimi still hasn’t proven he’s healthy. Mike Tice‘s biggest attribute as an offensive coordinator is that he’s not Mike Martz. And Jay Cutler, while 20-9 in his last 29 starts for the Bears, still has never beaten a winning team in the postseason. If Brandon Marshall is that much of a difference maker, why has he never played in a playoff game?

“But those very legitimate reservations are currently being trumped by some almost-as-legit expectations. If the stars align, this team could be as good as it’s cracked up to be. And why not? All we have to risk is disappointment.”

Potash makes a good point.  Disappointment is, indeed, all we have to risk.  As fans.

But I’ll say this.  Don’t doubt that if that’s what you are feeling at the end of the year, the hammer is likely to come down on Lovie Smith’s head.  My gut feeling is that Smith is being set up to fail with high expectations for a team that may not warrant them.

“Asked how he’s getting along with new general manager Phil Emery, Smith laughed.

“‘That’s a heck of a question,’ he said. ‘How is my relationship going with Phil? Real good. How’s that? Did you expect something else? Phil and I don’t get along or something like that?’”

“Emery’s stamp: Looking for an imprint from new general manager Phil Emery during training camp? It could be the conditioning tests players had to take Wednesday afternoon in 99-degree heat.

“It’s the first time in nine summers under coach Lovie Smith the Bears have had a mandatory running test at the start of camp. Emery was a strength and conditioning coach in college before he became a pro scout. No word yet if every player received a passing grade.”

  • Dan Pompei at the Chicago Tribune had some nice things to say about Bears cornerback Tim Jennings:

“At 5 feet 8, he always will have limitations. But Jennings doesn’t back down from anything or anyone. He approaches the game as if he is the biggest, baddest dude on the field. There is more heart in this one little cornerback than there is in some entire secondaries.”

“Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake refused to sugarcoat the dropped passes by Brandon Marshall during Thursday’s first day of training camp.

“’He’s still trying to get used to it, but he understands and knows that that’s something that we’ve got to work on,’ Drake said. ‘We can’t drop the football. I expect him to make those non-routine catches. And he expects to make him. I’m going to be tough on him when he doesn’t.’”

Drake couldn’t have said anything to make me happier.  Dropped passes cost more yards than penalties.  It sounds like Marshall has been catered to in the past and this has been an aspect of his game that previous position coaches have let slide because of his immense talent.  Here’s hoping Drake screws his head on straight and gets him to concentrate.

“Tight end from a scheme perspective in offensive coordinator Mike Tice’s offense will be interesting to watch. Look at matchups here between the numbers with Kellen Davis and don’t forget about rookie Evan Rodriguez when the Bears use their Ace personnel (two receivers, two tight ends, one back). Rodriguez played with much more speed Thursday than I saw in minicamp and his conditioning has improved.”

“It’s fair to expect the offense to incorporate the tight ends more in the passing game. Davis and [Matt] Spaeth no longer will be given such restricted roles and should find themselves in pass patterns more often. Tice, a tight end during his long playing career, puts a premium on versatility at the position. Both Davis and Spaeth block effectively.

“Tice was seeking an ‘F-tight end,’ which is typically a smaller player who can block on the edges and excel as a receiver and that is what led the team to select Evan Rodriguez in the draft’s fourth round from Temple.

“Tice refers to the ‘F’ as the ‘move’ tight end and the Bears likened Rodriguez to a poor man’s Aaron Hernandez. If he can become two-thirds of what Hernandez is for the Patriots, he will be a welcome new weapon. Rodriguez runs well and provides a dimension that has been missing. How he adjusts to the NFL remains to be seen.”

“It can’t get worse in terms of pass-catching production. This is one of the most injured positions in the game and the depth chart could be thinned out quickly. That could be a problem given the overall lack of experience.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s once in a lifetime, but you don’t see it too often. You can put a really good quarterback with a really good receiver and the connection is not there. They don’t see the field the same way. Jay and I, I don’t know why, but we see the field the same way.”

“He tells me what to do on a lot of things. He thinks he’s my father.”

Sounds to me like Marshall needs one.

“Urlacher was lucky the knee sprain he suffered came in Week 17 or he surely would have missed extended time. Injuries could create major problems because the Bears just aren’t very deep. All eyes will be on Urlacher and how he’s moving. When players begin to fade it’s often a quick process.”

“On the other hand, if [middle linebacker Brian] Urlacher struggles and rookie Shea McClellin shows signs of being able to replace him sometime in the future, this could be Urlacher’s final year in Chicago.”

I really doubts that McClellin is going to show enough signs that he’ll be a good middle linebacker from the defensive end position to make anyone comfortable with him replacing Urlacher any time soon.  He’s going to be a defensive lineman.  Accept it and let it go, man.

  • Bowen isn’t buying the “McClellin just has to be decent this year” line in this interview with Biggs:

Biggs:  “Julius Peppers was pretty much a one-man pass rushing threat last season, with Henry Melton flashing from time to time. Will the defense be in a bind if first-round pick Shea McClellin isn’t an impact performer?”

Bowen:  “I think so. In order to beat Aaron Rodgers, if you want to play Cover-2 you’ve got to be able to have four guys that can rush and you have to have two guys that can bring pressure off the edge. Peppers is an elite pass rusher, but it’s going to take McClellin to be a factor to really help this defense. Eight to 10 sacks for him is what they need. He has to be a factor. If you can only get pressure from one side, they’re going to put the tight end over there and they’re going to chip on Peppers, and I don’t care how well the secondary is playing, if Rodgers has time, he’ll beat you. It’s about a rush opposite Peppers.”

I think Bowen is right.  Most people are basing their hopes for additional pass rush upon improvement from Henry Melton at tackle.  Unfortunately I’ve seen very little from Melton that indicates to me he will make that kind of a jump.  It seems optimitsic at best to expect it.

In any case, I’m not sure McClellin is going to provide the extra pass rush either.  It sounds to me like he needs a year lifting weights before he’ll really be ready to be a threat opposite Peppers.  So I’m bracing myself for another year of constant Peppers double teams.

“The Bears traditionally have very high attendance for offseason workouts at Halas Hall. But those sessions run Monday through Thursday, allowing players — if they choose — to spend a long weekend outside Chicago. [Center Roberto] Garza invited his fellow linemen to join him for workouts on Fridays at TCBOOST, a specialized training facility in Northbrook headed by Tommy and Bob Christian.”

“This offseason, TCBOOST regularly led Garza, Chris Williams, Lance Louis, Chris Spencer and Ricky Henry through Friday exercises focused on explosive movements and a handful of position-specific drills.

“Left tackle J’Marcus Webb sometimes joined them, and right tackle Gabe Carimi came often after he was cleared to work out by Bears trainers.”

“[Special teams coordinator Dave] Toub got some recognition around the NFL as the Dolphins interviewed him for their head-coaching position that eventually went to former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin.

“It’s a difficult hurdle for special teams coaches to clear to get into the mix for top jobs but Toub has done it now. The Bears rewarded him with a contract extension that makes him one of the highest-paid special teams coordinators in the NFL and if he continues to find success, perhaps his name will surface in future coaching searches.”

Amen.

“One of the best lessons he picked up was from John Levra, a longtime defensive line coach who worked for the Bears under Mike Ditka and eventually was on Dennis Green‘s staff in Minnesota with Tice. After a game in the ’90s that the Vikings won, Tice wasn’t fuming in the parking lot but he was agitated. He can’t recall specifically what set him off, but offensive coordinator Brian Billick had sparked a little fury.

“‘I’ll never forget an old, great coach who is still a dear friend, John Levra, coming over to me and saying, ‘Son, any victory in the National Football League is hard to come by. It’s hard to win a game in the National Football League. You need to learn to enjoy the victories,’ ‘ Tice said. ‘That never left me. I’ve always learned when you win a game, no matter what the stats look like, you have to enjoy the victories because they are hard to come by.'”

For everyone.

  • Biggs interviews former Bear offensive lineman Tom Thayer:

Biggs:  “Some believe the biggest reason for improvement on the line will be the switch from Mike Martz to Mike Tice at offensive coordinator. Do you buy into this explanation and if so to what degree?”

Thayer:  “Yeah, I do. After you call the play in the huddle and you know the protection, if your guys are going to the line of scrimmage with peace of mind and understanding after the ball is snapped there is no exposed weakness in the protection. … I think Martz allowed that to happen at different instances throughout his time here. I don’t think the offensive line, the running backs and the quarterback are going to go to the line of scrimmage with the belief that there is an exposed weakness that could get somebody in trouble now. I think the direction of the protection, the understanding how one guy helps the next, I think there is a chance for there to be a much more guided sense of protection on the front.”

I’m not sure how much I buy this.  Thayer talks about weaknesses in protection but there were no weaknesses in the overall offensive scheme if everyone did their job.  Basically the failures in protection last year were due to lack of execution and ability of the players.  The extent to which Martz was to blame for that is debatable.

Biggs:  “When you look at this defense, so many of the core players are past 30, guys like Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Julius Peppers and Charles Tillman. How much longer can this defense remain together playing at a high level?

Thayer:  “As long as they have sustained time of possession by the offense, I think you are still going to get these guys playing at a really high level. If you go out there and they have to struggle because the offense has 20 minutes, 21 minutes or 22 minutes of possession, then you’re going to see the above-30 crowd struggle. But the way championship football is built is you sustain time of possession and score on offense and allow your guys to freshen up on the sideline and then sic ’em. I think this defense can be one of the top defenses in the league as long as it is complemented by the offense.”

“Why are the Bears so averse to hiring former players like Jeff Fisher, Ron Rivera, Leslie Frazier, Mike Singletary and Doug Plank to coaching positions? Seems they could instill Bear pride and tradition into the team.

“John H., Fort Worth, Texas

“This is a good question, and one I’ve wondered about myself. The answer, I believe, is the Bears are not averse to bringing back their former players to coach. But they are cautious about it. I would say the best way to put it is they have not prioritized it. They brought back Richard Dent and Rivera. They have had several other opportunities and decided against bringing back names that would have resonated with fans. There were different reasons for each decision. The bottom line is whoever is doing the hiring has to feel comfortable with the person working for him, otherwise it’s not a good hire. But there undoubtedly would be benefits to see some of the old Bears brought back.”

  • Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com takes a close look at the Forte contract.
  • When it comes to Dick Butkus you can always count on former Bear teammate Doug Buffone for a good line.  From Pompei:

“I guarantee if he took steroids, they would have had to put him in a cage and have an animal master there with a whip.”

 

  • It doesn’t seem like there’s as much benefit to being the boss as people think.  Via Potash:

 

“The last time Emery was at Olivet Nazarene was in 2004, when he was an area scout under former general manager Jerry Angelo. Now he’s in charge.

‘‘’The one big difference was now I have furniture in my room,’ Emery said. ‘I have a couch and an easy chair, which I did not get to enjoy as an area scout.’’’

Maybe they’re to blame for the Robert Pattinson – Kristen Stewart break up, too.

Elsewhere

  • Dave Birkett at the Detroit Free Press wonders if the Lions cap problems will lead them to make Matthew Stafford the next QB to hit a big contract.
  • Dolphins center Mike Pouncy seems to think that David Garrard is finally going to be the answer at quarterback.  From Barry Jackson at the Miami Herald.

“Garrard has been great, has been the main guy running with the first team. He brings leadership. Matt Moore did a good job last year but when Garrard is in, it’s a whole different tempo.”

Nevertheless, past history tells me not to hold my breath on Garrard.

And The Sports Pickle also gives you the 15 Most Ridiculous Sports Gadgets:

“Do I think the jerseys ads or anything else will raise our visibility any more or win us any additional fans?” said Goodell. “Probably not. But that’s the point of doing this — reminding the other sports leagues that we’re so much more rich and powerful than they are that we can just throw money away for fun. I just bought the Stanley Cup off of Gary Bettman for 300 grand cash. I’m going to make it an award for punters.”

One Final Thought

Dan Pompei rounds out this entry with an excellent point for a fan writing in with this question:

“I would like to know your take on the tell-all book about Walter Payton. Are the stories true in your opinion? This man has been my hero since I first saw him play and an inspiration to achieve personal goals in my life. I know he was human like the rest of us but I cannot condone adultery. Any insight you can provide would be appreciated. Ever since the book has come out I cannot look at the man in the same light.

“John K., Lockport

“I have not heard of anyone questioning the veracity of the stories in the book ‘Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton.’ There were no stories I could dispute either, though author Jeff Pearlman presented a lot of information I had not previously heard about. Look, I knew Payton and liked him personally. I know he did a lot of good things, touched a lot of people in a positive way. But I didn’t make him out to be a god. And I didn’t stand in judgment of him. He had flaws. Like me. Like you. My advice to you and all sports fans would be to admire athletes for what they do on the field. Don’t make them out to be saints because they can carry a football or hit a baseball. Athletes aren’t heroes. People who make them out to be heroes are making a mistake in my opinion.”

Zack Follett Rips Matthew Stafford, Blames Satan and Other Points of View

Bears

  • Bears special teams assistant Chris Tabor has been hired as special teams coordinator for the Browns (via Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune).
  • Mark Potash at the Chicago Sun-Times addresses a great point with Bears linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa:

“And how about the most overlooked, and disturbing, statistic of the game — the Packers rushed for 119 yards on their first 26 carries (4.6 yards per carry), with six rushes for 10 or more yards. How did that happen in the biggest game of the season?

‘’‘Great coaching,’ Bears linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa said. ‘When you’re familiar with an opponent, you know how to attack them after a while. They knew what we were going to do. We come downhill and play hard defensively. So when we were doing that they were throwing the ball over our heads.

‘‘’So then we’re like, ‘We can’t come downhill as fast because then they’re going to throw it over our heads.’ But then they were running it. That’s why I give credit to [Green Bay quarterback] Aaron Rodgers and the coaching because they knew us. They did a good job of attacking us and keeping us off-balance.'”

“They’re missing a third linebacker because Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs are the only players at the position still under contract with the exception of Hunter Hillenmeyer, who is on injured reserve and has an uncertain future given his history of concussions”

The Bears would be fools not to bring Hanie back – and not to give him more snaps in practice so that he’ll be better prepared for what he’s faced with.  The Tribune‘s Vaughn McClure reports Bears general manager Jerry Angelo‘s thoughts:

“He showed poise.  You want to look for that at the quarterback’s position. We know he’s got talent. He was thrown into the fire, literally. And I thought he did a good job and it was good to see. The only way you really evaluate a quarterback is to see him in the line of fire. So, his stock went up in our eyes, at least mine anyhow.”

“Those who propped up Devin Hester as a No.  1 wide receiver before the season learned how off base they were. Johnny Knox would be a terrific complementary receiver. He’s not the guy a quarterbacks looks to on third-and-6 and says, ‘I’m throwing it to him and they’re not going to stop me.'”

Most Bear fans would agree, though where you put it on the priority list might be a bone of contention.

“The explanation the Bears used for their poor effort at Green Bay in Week 17, or one of the explanations anyway, was that [offensive coordinator Mike] Martz had maintained the same hot reads from the Week 3 game. The Packers were on to their adjustments quickly and it created problems for Cutler. So what’s the deal this time? It looked like Martz feared the zone blitzes from Dom Capers and the Bears were really put on the defensive. There were no answers by the Bears and tight end Greg Olsen was ignored until the fourth quarter. [Bears head coach Lovie] Smith‘s coaching decisions and the Cutler knee issue are going to dominate the headlines. But Martz was outclassed here and the Collins/Hanie thing is not a good way to go out following a season in which the offense ranked 30th.”

“I just never thought that his tampon would fall out on national TV. … To sit on the sideline and ride a bike like a little girl?”

  • The Sports Pickle has obtained the transcript of Cutler’s visit to the doctor.
  • Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com says that the Bears PR department should take a hit over the Cutler fiasco.  I have further Cutler thoughts below.  (Sorry.)
  • Charles Tillman provides some interesting comments in this video shot by Fred Mitchell at the Chicago Tribune:

  • Biggs and Tribune columnist David Haugh discuss what’s ahead in the offseason for the Bears:

Elsewhere

“’It’s kinda sad to think ..  Just goes you injured yourself you not part,’ Barnett wrote.

“’We got hurt playing for the team. Its not like we got injury bs’in around,’ Finley wrote.  ‘And its a team rule! Shame . . . I never trip abt anything, but the way IR players are getting treated not cool… I guess its what have u done for me lately!’”

“Holmgren learned from former San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh that one of the keys to Super Bowl success was to prepare for the game at home because it’s easier to get work done there than the Super Bowl site.

“So McCarthy, like Holmgren did during the Packers’ consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the 1990s, gave his players Monday and Tuesday to take care of any and all arrangements for tickets and accommodations for family members, and then he planned to get to work on the Steelers.”

“’When we get on the plane Monday, we’ll be ready to play the game,’ McCarthy said. ‘This will be a normal week for us.’”

  • Detroit Lions linebacker Zack Follett referred to quarterback Matthew Stafford as a “china doll” during a radio interview in Fresno, Calif.  Seemingly like everyone else in the NFL world, he was also critical of Cutler saying amongst other things that “kind of just knew that they were going to lose, hung his hat up and said, ‘All right, maybe next season.'”  ESPN’s NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert comments:

“I’m guessing most Lions players know Follett and understand his uniquely wired brain. So ultimately, Follett’s comments about Cutler could have more staying power.”

“It’s one thing for an AFC player who might never face Cutler or the Bears to take a shot. But Cunningham and the Lions play the Bears twice a year. I’m guessing these series of comments will rise to the top of the motivational file the Bears are almost certainly keeping right now.”

Follett explains his comments in this video by blaming Satan.  (I’m not kidding.)

  • Chad Ochocinco talks about his issues with the Bengals  as well as those of quarterback Carson Palmer.  Amongst other things he says he needs to “fight” with coach Marvin Lewis and that he’s changing his name back to “Johnson”:

  • These kinds of things never happen in football.  Good for the players but not nearly as much fun for the fans.  Via The Sports Pickle:


One Final Thought

[Sigh] More Jay Cutler talk.  I promise it will end soon.  This round comes from Steve Rosenbloom at the Chicago Tribune:

“So, NFL players ripped Cutler. That’s what happens when a bunch of big goofs have more Twitter accounts than playoff games. That’s also what happens when a bunch of big goofs are Neanderthal stupid.”

“But the point is, Cutler doesn’t care about his image, so why should you?”

It will come as no surprise to anyone who reads this blog regularly that I think Rosenbloom is off point here. As a Bears fan I can say that his image amongst other fans and media, that I don’t care as much about. But these comments didn’t come from the media and they didn’t come from fans. They came from his peers. I can’t believe its just dislike – plenty of them dislike each other but they wouldn’t do this.

I think what we have here is a total lack of respect. I was watching Trent Dilfer comment and I think he bottom lined it. Cutler is seen as a guy who doesn’t do the hard things he needs to do to take full advantage of his physical ability, over come adversity and be a great quarterback. He lost at Vanderbilt. He lost in Denver. When things got tough there with Josh McDaniels, he bailed.

Here is a snippet from Mike Wilbon‘s ESPN column Monday that makes my point:

“A former quarterback who wears a Super Bowl ring, who has studied Cutler’s entire career in the NFL, told me before he left the field Sunday, ‘The sad thing is that if he embraced working on the monotonous details of quarterbacking he could be great.'”

That’s the bottom line. I’ve been trying to make the case for years that this is more than a minor problem because the way Cutler handles his life off the football field (e.g. with the media) is an indication of how he’s handling it as a part of football. It all came to a head Sunday when his peers- not me or you – couldn’t wait to jump on him.

Total lack of respect amongst his peers. As a Bears fan that is bugs me a great deal because I think its an indication of what kind of QB Cutler is and what kind he’s likely to become.

Time to Retire the Nickname “Matty Ice” and Other Points of View

Bears

“The only way the Bears (12-5) against the Packers (12-6) for the NFC championship and a berth in the Super Bowl could be any bigger would be if George Halas and Vince Lombardi were on the sidelines, Red Grange was in the backfield and the halftime entertainment was Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney.”

By the way, how angry would you be if this game was blacked out locally whether it was a sell out or not?  That was the situation in the NFL in 1963 when the Giants-Bears game for the NFL championship was played.

Packers receiver Greg Jennings called the turf at Soldier Field “probably the worst in the league.”

“’It’s rough,’ he said.

“’At the same time,’ he said later, ‘you have to go out before the game and kind of get a feel of what you’re working with, what you’re dealing with, get your footing, because that’s going to play a huge, huge role.’”

  • ESPN‘s NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert is reading my mind (its a truly frightening place):

“There has been a lot of talk about replacing the grass at Soldier Field, which is annually in terrible condition. Even some Bears players are complaining about it, but I have to wonder if their sentiments aren’t partly strategic. The Bears know the field better than anyone and have a far better chance of anticipating its condition than opponents, even a regular vistor like the Packers. Conversely, the anticipation of problems is a powerful psychological disadvantage for the visiting team. If I were a Bears player, I would complain about the turf every time someone put a microphone in front of me, whether or not I believed it or not. Planting that concern in the minds of an opponent is a powerful home-field advantage.”

‘‘Once the game got out of hand score-wise, I felt like they were just doing stuff to do stuff,’’ Hasselbeck said. ‘‘Just trying to get all their coverages, all their blitzes on film for their next opponent. I didn’t think it made any sense to do [that]. It seemed like they were running every pressure they had when traditionally those guys have been, ‘We just do what we do. We play cover-2. We sit back and we win the game.’ But because they [didn’t do that], they gave us opportunities to get back in.’’

  • Potash points out that the Bears offensive line has improved with notably fewer penalties over the last few games but also noted this:

“On the other hand, left tackle Frank Omiyale, who struggled against the Packers in Week 17, struggled again Sunday, beaten by defensive end Chris Clemons on at least a couple of occasions. Maybe he was great on the other 75 offensive plays the Bears ran, but it sure seems like an acute area of needed improvement against the Packers. It’s doubtful Packers linebacker Erik Walden has gotten worse in the last three weeks.”

“It’s going to come down to the small details. When you play a team like that, you may not feel that you have to put in as much studying because you feel you know that team. But you don’t take that approach. You have to go back in, pay attention to more details, and kind of go into Chicago Bears locker room and see [whether you] can understand their players like they understand it. That’s something that my coach just finished telling me that he’s going to do, detailing this work like that. That’s something that our defense has been doing, detailing their work all year. I think that’s what made us play the way we’ve been.”

  • Chris Berman at ESPN thinks the Bears might have an advantage after playing the Packers hard in the regular season finale:

  • Tony Dungy thinks the Bears found their identity over the last month offensively but that the key will still be pressuring Aaron Rogers without blitzing. via ESPN:

  • Derrick Brooks agrees.  And he thinks Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rogers will fold under pressure.  And he thinks that the Bears are going to win the Super Bowl.  I think I’m in love.  In a non-sexual, manly kind of way…:

  • The Chicago Tribune photojournalists uploaded this nice video celebrating the 2011 season to YouTube:

Elsewhere

“’We’re still the face of the N.F.L.,’ Branch said. ‘We were still the best team in the N.F.L. in the regular season.’”

“There appears to be a reason the Jets intend to tone down the trash talking. The winner of this game goes to the Super Bowl, and that will be enough motivation.”

“The Jets fell one game short of the Super Bowl a year ago, losing to the Colts in the A.F.C. championship game. Nose tackle Sione Pouha recalled walking off the field at Lucas Oil Stadium after the loss with Shaun Ellis, blue and white confetti hitting him in the face.

“’I cannot tell you how horrific that was,’ [nose tackle Sione] Pouha said.”

  • Peter King explains to Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com why they should retire the name “Matty Ice”:

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

One Final Thought

Former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason on why teams embrace the “disrespect” card.  Via Sam Farmer, writing for the Chicago Tribune:

“We’re all still little football players at heart — and little football players like to be motivated, like to have an edge going into a game, some sort of anger, some reason to be more focused.”

(Please support my sponsors.)

Peyton Manning Is Getting Some Help and Other News

Bears

  • Dan Pompei at the Chicago Tribune gives us some insight into the way to beat quarterback Mark Sanchez and the Jets offense:

“The best game plan against him is a diverse one that takes away the gimme throws. He can be rattled with pressure, but he also can struggle to put the ball in tight windows versus zone coverage. The key is to keep him off balance.”

Taking away the gimme throws and playing zone at the same time is quite a challenge.  As Pompei suggests, we’ll probably see the Bears mix it up.

Elsewhere

    “The signing of Colts RB Dominic Rhodes was a “much-needed shot in the arm,” according to QB Peyton Manning. Rhodes looked good in his first significant action in Week 15, spelling Donald Brown with nine carries for 26 yards, one reception for four yards and a terrific block on blitzing Jaguars LB Daryl Smith. Word is Rhodes’ biggest contribution to the team could come from his contagious energy and excitement that we hear was noticeably present from the moment he walked onto the practice field after being re-signed.”

    Any help that Manning gets is a plus.  In my opinion, he’s been trying to carry that team by doing it all himself.  But even he can’t do that.  Here’s hoping he’s able to relax a bit more going into the playoffs.

    “The Vikings could bring QB Rhett Bomar back next season as someone to throw into the mix. Brett Favre won’t be back, Tarvaris Jackson is a free agent, and Joe Webb could be moved back to receiver, the position he was drafted to play. Bomar, who had been toiling on the Giants’ practice squad until the Vikings signed him, once was a top prospect at Oklahoma before transferring and was a fifth-round draft pick, so he might have some ability worth investigating in the offseason.”

    Bomar appears to me to have the physical tools.  But I can’t imagine a scenario where the Vikings don’t draft a quarterback.  And they’d be fools if they didn’t play it safe by looking for at least one veteran.

    “A former Super Bowl winning coach turned broadcaster not named Bill Cowher might be coming back to the NFL next year. There are some rumblings former Ravens coach Brian Billick could get back in. One team that could make sense for Billick is the 49ers. He grew up in California, was drafted by the 49ers and worked in the team’s public relations office before he got into coaching.”

    Billick is a former public relations man and I think he might be better off as a talker in his current position as color commentator than as a football coach.  He was hired as an offensive guru by the Baltimore Ravens but went to the Super Bowl riding a great defense and a average to poor offense.

    One Final Thought

    “Maybe Gunther Cunningham will do it”

    LOL.

    Points of View, December 24, 2010

    Bears

    “Some players felt that ‘‘Monday Night Football’’ analysts Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden were too tough on Cutler during the broadcast after they likely heard about it from friends and family.

    ‘‘’It doesn’t make sense,’’ veteran center Olin Kreutz said. ‘’In the booth, you’ve got two guys who are supposedly quarterback experts, and they’re going to try to criticize Jay. We don’t worry about those guys. Everybody hears the criticisms, but what can you do? It doesn’t make sense.’’’

    I admit that I’m only listening to the broadcast with half an ear most of the time.  But having said that, I’d suggest that if the players are really interested, they should watch it themselves before commenting.  They wouldn’t be doing their jobs if there wasn’t some criticism but I can say that both Jaworski and Gruden repeatedly gushed about Cutler’s ability and both talked about how much they loved him.  I din’t think the broadcast was particularly imbalanced.

    • Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune asks a key question:  Is Corey Wootton the real deal?  I’m on record as doubting it.  But I hope I’m wrong.  The Bears have drafted heavily on the defensive line in recent years with little to show for it.  Henry Melton‘s been showing up every once in a while, as well.  They need good, consistent play from these draft picks and they need it sooner rather than later.  I can guarantee that this great health the Bears have enjoyed won’t last forever.
    • Biggs also has this from Dave Toub, Bears special teams coach, on the possibility of his assistant, Chris Tabor, getting a job as a special teams coordinator:

    “‘He is so ready,’ Toub said. ‘I’ve been in that role, same as him three years as an assistant when I was in Philly. This is his third year and I know how he feels. He’s needs to get his own spot. He has the system, he can motivate, he’s a great teacher. The guys respect him. It’s time.'”

    The same could be said of Toub.  If there was any justice, he’d be a head coach somewhere soon.

    “(Head coach Rex) Ryan says the Jets plan to kick away from Devin Hester. Lovie Smith said the Bears plan to kick away from Sal Alosi. Ba-bum-chuh.”

    Elsewhere

    “Far be it from us to sniff out a conspiracy on the part of Ryan and the Jets to divert the flood of attention on Ryan’s “personal matter” by putting an overly dramatic spin on Sanchez’ status, but …

    “From offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to the offensive players who were on the field in practice, they all thought Sanchez, who took most of the reps, looked fine.

    “‘Watching him throw, I thought he looked very good,’ Schottenheimer said.”

    “If this is only about some home movies, then it is a personal matter, absolutely, it’s Rex Ryan’s business and his wife’s business and nobody else’s and please leave me out of it. But that is only if you think the videos posted themselves.”

    • With a five game suspension hanging over him starting next year, scouts have begun commenting upon Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor as an NFL prospect.  Former NFL scout Dave Razzano gives his evaluation to Pete Thamel at the The New York Times: “I wouldn’t touch him with a 10-foot pole.”

    I can only agree.  I was never impressed by Pryor and I always thought that it was presumptuous of him to choose Ohio State because he thought the offense would prepare him better for being a professional.  When you are already thinking about going to the NFL coming out of high school, I have to believe that winning football games is probably too far down your list of priorities and what I’ve read since has not made me think better of him.  Bottom line, I think he’s got a lot of growing up to do.

    • Gregg Rosenthal at profootballtalk.com comments on Omar Kelly‘s report that former 49er head coach and current Miami defensive coordinator Mike Nolan regrets not replacing 49er quarterback Alex Smith with current Lion Shaun Hill sooner:

    “’I always thought [Hill] was good,’ Nolan said via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.   ‘I would admit to making a mistake not making him a starter at the end. The last year I was there I should have [switched QBs] because he’s a baller.  . . . He checks it down. But he’s a guy the players trust will lead them to the end zone. That’s a huge factor.’

    “(Translation: Alex Smith is not one of those guys.  Or a baller.)”

    Current Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz was the 49er offensive coordinator at the time.

    • Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com comments upon the theory that the Redskins are starting former Bears Rex Grossman in an effort to tank the season and get a better draft pick.  I don’t doubt that the Redskins want to win and I don’t doubt that they want to see what Grossman can do.  But if a good quarterback fell into their laps in the draft at the same time, I’m sure it wouldn’t break their hearts.  One has to wonder if Grossman would be starting if the Redskins had 8 wins and still had a shot at the playoffs.
    • Despite getting a contract extension with $8.1 million guaranteed, former Bears quarterback Kyle Orton is less that thrilled about being benched for Tim Tebow (from Jeff Legwold at the Denver Post via benmaller.com).  He’s likely to be traded.

    Despite proving repeatedly that he can perform in the league, Orton can’t seem to catch a break as team after team looks for reasons to replace him.  I’ll never quite understand it.

    • The Dolphins still run the Wildcat formation more than any other team.  But Chris McCosky at The Detroit News points out the key statistic illustrating why teams no longer fear it like they did:

    “Of the 55 plays the Dolphins have run out of the Wildcat, 52 have been runs. All three passes were incomplete. None of that, however, eases Cunningham’s worries or lessens the preparation this week.”

    “‘People make it more complicated than it is,’ said Lions middle linebacker DeAndre Levy. ‘All you do is take the quarterback out and it’s pretty much the same run plays. You just can’t get tripped up by all the window dressing.'”

    “‘Ricky Williams, I want him to know this, if he hits one of our defensive backs in the back on a crack-back block, I am coming on the field,’ Cunningham said. ‘He’s had a couple of knockouts, but they’ve not been legal.’

    “Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, when asked for a response, told the media in Miami Thursday, ‘I don’t know what you are talking about.'”

    Cunningham’s attitude is both a blessing and a curse in that I can actually see him doing that if provoked.

    • Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel thinks that Matt Flynn could carry on the Green Bay tradition of developing quarterbacks by becoming a valuable commodity for the Packers after his solid start against the Patriots.
    • Silverstein covers the league “by the numbers” with this telling statistic:  “24 Difference in the amount of sacks the Minnesota Vikings defense had in 2009 (48) and this year (24).”  The Viking defensive ends in particular just aren’t what they were last year though I really can’t tell why.
    • Brian Murphy at the Pioneer Press points out that the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson hasn’t had a fumble this year.
    • Bob Sansevere, also at the Pioneer Press, gets an interesting comment from Vikings linebacker Ben Leber on whether a player can try “extra hard” in an effort to get Leslie Frazier the head coaching job (the post is short and I didn’t want to quote the whole thing).
    • Vikings defensive coordinator Darrell Bevell didn’t exactly rule out the possibility that Brett Favre could start this weak in an interview with Sansevere:

    “BS: Are the chances remote that Favre will play?

    “DB: Last week was miraculous (when Favre started despite a sprained shoulder). I don’t even know how that happened. It was amazing. Concussions are different. There are all the protocols you have to pass, and I don’t think he has passed those yet.

    “BS: So right now, you’re planning on Joe Webb being your starter?

    “DB: Right now, yes.”

    One Final Thought

    More from Rosenbloom:

    “Cutler said he has seen a different side of Bears coach Lovie Smith this season:  ‘(He’s) more assertive. He knows what he’s doing, he’s leading us.’ He was coaching to keep his job, hel-lo. He finally held people accountable based on play, not pay, hel-lo. Amazing how productive a win-or-go threat can be, huh?”

    Points of View, December 22, 2010

    Bears

    • David Haugh at the Chicago Tribune mentions that Virginia McCaskey was at the game in Minnesota and was apparently quite lively.   Kudos to her.  My grandfather is 89 and let me tell you, there’s no way I’d be able to get him out in that kind of weather to watch a football game.
    • I’m not one to criticize referees but I thought the officiating was uneven to say the least in the Vikings game.  It didn’t cause anyone to win or lose the game but the guess here is that the film won’t look good on review at the league office.
    • After Brett Favre came back to start on Monday, most people attributed it to his miraculous healing powers.  I doubt that his shoulder got better quite as fast as his desire to try to play through it did.  With the Bears getting ready to take the field I’m guessing that the old blood got flowing and Favre decided to try one more time to prove to himself that he could or couldn’t play.  In the end, he couldn’t survive it.

    I wouldn’t have a problem with this is it weren’t for the fact that it sets a dangerous precedent.  “Out” really should mean “out”.  I couldn’t prove that Favre was better physically than he appeared Saturday.  But given his history, I think its safe to say that he got the benefit of the doubt because he is who he is.

    “The Bears won’t acknowledge it, but there is a direct correllation between Devin Hester’s reemergence as a lethal kick returner and his diminished role on offense.”

    “Take it for what it’s worth that ESPN analyst Matt Millen enthusiastically endorsed the Bears as Super Bowl contenders, saying they could beat the Saints or the Falcons on the road in a playoff game. Millen was one of the best analysts in the game in his first stint on TV, but his credibility took a hit with the disastrous run as president of the Lions.”

    Say what you want about Millen but his credibility can’t possibly be any worse than Bill Cowher‘s.  Last week Cowher not only predicted that the Bears would miss the playoffs but said that they wouldn’t win another game all season.

    • The Bears attracted the usual large TV audience (via the Chicago Tribune) we’ve come to expect for their national games.  I always take pride in this but at the same time it does nothing to help the cause of keeping Bear games on Sunday afternoon and out of prime time.

    “Not much in the way of a Bernard Berrian sighting, was there? Look for the ex-Bear to potentially become an ex-Viking in the offseason. He has fallen way out of favor there.”

    I’m not sure what Berrian’s problem has been.  Its possible he could become a Bear again if he came at the right price.  But if he does he’s going to have to be more physical.  Ask Devin Aromashodu.

    Elsewhere

    • Biggs also mentions some of the political talk that went on this week as the Vikings seek a new stadium:

    “Certainly NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was on hand trying to get support lined up.

    “‘I think there’s a recognition that we need to find a long-term solution for the Vikings here to get a new stadium built,’ Goodell said. ‘We met with the business community. We met with the legislators. And we met with the governor-elect. So we’re all going to be working hard to try to find the best solution to keep the Vikings here in Minnesota.’

    “Keeping the Vikings in Minnesota would be good for the rivalries in the division, that is for certain.”

    I would agree.  But I’m not holding my breath that a deal will be made unless the Vikings and the NFL kick in a substantial portion of the money needed to build a stadium.  It’s a bad time to be asking for money at any level of government, let alone from the Minnesota legislature with their impending $6 billion deficit.  The state isn’t going to put money in unless they are absolutely convinced that they will break even in terms of job creation and tax revenue.  Its a tough sell.

    “‘Football should be played outdoors,’ Wilf said before the 40-14 loss to the Bears, ‘and for the Vikings in the past, the weather has given the Vikings a big advantage.'”

    • Aaron Rogers has passed all of th necessary test and will be back for the Giants game according to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com via Greg Rosenthal at profootballtalk.com.  They’re going to need him.  They need to win their last two game sot make the playoffs, starting with the Giants this week.  The Giants will certainly have sufficient motivation themselves.  They are in the playoffs with a win.
    • Kevin Goheen at the Cincinnati Enquirer reports (via benmaller.com) head coach Marvin Lewis‘ response to a profootballtalk.com report that the Bengals were considering making Terrell Owens inactive for the last three games because of his attitude and performance:

    “Lewis denied the report, which was attributed to an anonymous league source.

    “‘Pro Football Talk? Enough said. I don’t need to address it,’ said Lewis. ‘Have I ever addressed anything in here from Pro Football Talk? No. I don’t even know where it is.'”

    Lewis has apparently been taking lessons from Lovie Smith on how to answer reporter’s questions.  This could have easily come from him.

    In any case, even though the reporter called it one (twice), those of you who are paying attention might note that failing to address the report is not a denial.  Just sayin’.

    • Donovan McNabb feels “disrespected”.  But presumably not enough to quit and give up any money he might have coming to him.  Mike Shanahan waited until Thursday evening to tell him he wouldn’t be starting last weekend.  Maybe McNabb should get on board and do what the offensive coordinator asks him to do.
    • The Lions won a road game last weekend and, though the significance of it went by most of us, Jamie Samuelson at the Detroit Free Press points out that they did it with their third string quarterback.  With three quarterbacks who can play ball, the Lions enjoy a luxury most teams would love to have.

    The Lions are a team worth keeping an eye on the last two games.  If they finish strong it could be taken as an indication that they will be ready to turn the corner next year.

    One Final Thought

    Its Potash day here.  He got this interesting comment from Rashied Davis regarding Devin Hester after he set the record for career returns for a touch down:

    “Asked the best thing he could say about Hester, Rashied Davis had an interesting answer:

    ‘‘’He’s a good dude,’ Davis said. ‘He respects what we do, which makes us play harder, because he doesn’t think it’s all him. He knows we have a huge part of it and gives us credit. So we definitely. appreciate his attutude toward what he does.'”