Month: January 2011

Game Comments: Bears V. Seahawks, January 16, 2011

Defense

  1. The Bears came out with lots of single coverage with nickel personnel.  They did a good job doing, it, too.
  2. A key to the defensive effort was the ability of the Bears to stop the run with seven in the box.
  3. The Seahawks were doing a lot of things right.  For instance, with the exception of a brief period in the second quarter, they were mixing it up well with some good play calls.
  4. The Seahawk plan was obviously to attack the edges.  They also came out and showed some good misdirection plays.  As most fans know, speed defenses like the Bears are susceptible to this.
  5. Having said that, without looking at the actual statistics, I thought maybe the Seahawks could have run the ball more.  Admittedly when they did they weren’t effective.
  6. The Bears did start to blitz a lot in spurts when they were reasonably sure the Seahawks were going to throw.  It was effective in that it did throw Matt Hasselbeck’s accuracy off a bit and that allowed them to fake the blitz and pull out effectively at other times.  But in truth, Hasselbeck wasn’t bad.  His receivers just killed him by dropping too many balls.
  7. I know it didn’t look like Julius Peppers and the defensive line was getting that much pressure but they were.  Peppers was regularly pushing Russell Okung back into Hasselbeck’s lap.

Offense

  1. Gutsy call by Mike Martz throwing the bomb with 3rd and short on first possession.  Greg Olsen – touchdown.  Heck of a throw by Jay Cutler.
  2. The offensive line provided good protection for Cutler.  But the Bears were keeping a lot of blockers in to do it.
  3. Most of us thought the Seahawks would come out blitzing.  They did do much of it.  But note that when they did do it, they were getting pressure.  I’m sure the Green Bay Packers noticed.
  4. Of course, as everyone saw, the Bears just ran over them.  As I’ll note below, the Seahawks looked flat from the time they walked on to the field.  Nevertheless, the offensive balance is back.
  5. The Bears were drawing that eighth guy down into the box on first down occasionally but really, it was probably their stubborn refusal to do it more often that kept the Bears running the ball at them.  Seattle insisted on playing straight up cover two with little blitzing.  The Bears took what they gave them.
  6. Some of the worst tackling I’ve seen all season from Seattle today.
  7. Was that Cutler throwing the ball out of bounds in the second quarter?  Was it snowing in hell, too?
  8. Big, big game for Greg Olsen.
  9. We all thought that Seattle would be the team that would pull out all the stops but it was the bears who pulled out a few special plays like the wildcat.  They were the ones throwing the bomb on third and short.  It did bite them when Matt Forte threw his interception but the point it that the Bears were teh ones that played it more loose.

Miscellaneous

  1. I was told during the week that I’m too nice when it comes to evaluating announcers.  Sorry.  I still think Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa did a solid, if not spectacular job.  They hit on many of the points above during the broadcast.  Admittedly they didn’t teach me a lot, today, but I was happy.
  2. Generally speaking the Bears covered kicks pretty well today.  Both Leon Washington and Devin Hester ripped off one good run.
  3. I thought that Jon Ryan generally did a good job of handling Devin Hester.  Good high kicks with lots of hang time.
  4. Hard to believe Seattle punter Ryan drove Hester out of bounds in first quarter.  They were basically one on one.  I don’t know how to put it but something was off about Hester today.  He was generally hesitant.
  5. Generally speaking I didn’t think either team had too many penalties.
  6. Corey Graham, Corey Graham, Corey Graham and some more.
  7. The Bears had one turnover but didn’t get any.  Lovie Smith won’t be happy with that.
  8. It was nice to see the other team slipping around more than the Bears for once.
  9. A surprising number of Seattle players went down with injuries.  The hits weren’t dirty but perhaps it was a sign of how physically they were treated.
  10. Tweet of the game from BradBiggs: “#Bears lead 21-0 with 10:01 left in 1st half. Prices for Packers Bears NFC title game tix gotta be skyrocketing.”
  11. Two minutes left in the third quarter and the Seahawks kicked a field goal.  Johnston called it an “interesting decision”.
  12. I’ve been extremely vocal about the fact that the Bears haven’t been able to play effective man defense.  Today the Bears flipped the finger at me and everyone like me.  They won the game playing tenacious Packers style man-to-man defense.  I was holding my breath every time Hasselbeck threw at Tim Jennings and only a little less so when he threw at Charles Tillman trying to get the ball to the sizable Mike Williams.  But they held up.  Kudos.
  13. The minute they hit the field, before even the first snap, you could see that Hasselbeck looked excited but everyone around him looked dead.  The Seahawks came out sluggish after last weeks big game.  They let down and the Bears literally just ran over them.  Now lets hope the Bears can avoid doing the same thing next week.

Playoff Atmosphere More Intense at Soldier Field or on Saturn? And Other Points of View.

Bears

“What is different about playoff football is there is no letup. Every play is played like it’s the last play. That isn’t always the case in the regular season.

“‘The tempo in the playoffs is a 10, but the tempo in a normal regular-season game (can be) a 10, especially if it’s a big game,’ one general manager said. ‘If the tempo is off, it may be as low as a seven. But it’s not like playoff football is played at a tempo you never had played before, especially if you are a team that made the playoffs.'”

“How the week off affects the Bears: The last time the team received significant time off, it struggled in its return. Coming off a bye in October, the Bears faced the Buffalo Bills in Toronto and won 22-19. But with 10 minutes left to play, the Bears trailed to a Bills team that racked up 340 yards of offense and converted 63 percent of third downs. Although Chicago owns the obvious home-field advantage, the way it starts out Sunday’s game could ultimately determine the victor. The Bears can’t afford to get off to a sluggish start against the Seahawks, which enter the game riding a wave of momentum. “

Both the Steelers and the Falcons looked rusty to me yesterday at the beginning of their respective games.

  • The Seahawks don’t even think their own fans believe in them:

  • This Seahawks fan would seem to share the same goals that his team has:

  • Bill Cowher expresses doubts about Chicago as he continues to hope in vain that the coaching position comes open.  Perhaps I’m exaggerating:

  • And, of course, The Onion gets into the act with their keys to victory for the game.  This would seem to be an important one for the Seahawks:

“There must be a way to give Leon Washington room to run, perhaps by devising a method to obstruct defenders attempting to tackle him.”

“Although Urlacher claimed that the high concentration of hydrogen and trace amounts of methane, ammonia, phosphine, and acetylene would leave players gasping for breath, quarterback Jay Cutler insisted the thin Rocky Mountain air made INVESCO Field at Mile High a harder place to play.”

“After a great 1949 season, [Luckman successor Johnny] Lujack earned All-Pro honors in 1950 although he threw 4 touchdown passes and had 21 interceptions, largely because the Bears went 9-3. Future Bears quarterbacks took Lujack’s example to heart, striving to achieve victory while committing as many turnovers as possible.”

“[Jay] Cutler, like [Billy] Wade and [Jim] McMahon, is just competent enough to not hinder the Bears during a championship run. In the 60 years since Luckman, that is the highest praise any Bears quarterback has earned.”

Don’t speak too soon, Mike.

  • Here’s some surprisingly good betting advice for today’s Bear game.  The one who knows what he’s talking about is Marco D’Angelo, the guy in the tie:


Elsewhere

  • More Raji from Kareem Copeland, also at the Press Gazette:

“Let me say this about No. 34 the fullback (Ovie Mughelli). He was talking real crazy about how soft we were and we came in here and showed him. That’s what happens when you talk a big game.”

  • Tramon Williams thought the Falcons were predictable:

“I’m proud of our coaching staff because it’s not an easy thing to keep bringing new guys in and getting them ready.

“But our coaches and players have handled this extraordinarily well. I’m proud of that.”

The Packers coaches have done an unbelievable job this year.

  • Most of us understand that the Packers-Bears rivalry is pretty intense.  But they don’t have anything on the Steelers-Ravens.  Yesterday’s game was classic (via the Associated Press):

“‘What better way to put the Ravens out of the tournament,’ Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said. ‘They keep asking for us and we keep putting them out of the tournament. They’re going to be ticked about this for a long time.'”

  • Give Terrell Suggs credit for at least knowing where to pint the finger after the loss:

“‘I just heard the most inspirational message of my life from former Jet Dennis Byrd,’ wide receiver Braylon Edwards tweeted.

“In a follow-up tweet, Edwards added, ‘As God is my witness, I have never been more ready to perform in my life. Dennis Byrd, I respect, salute and honor you.'”

It certainly sounds like Edwards isn’t the only one ready to play as the hype continues to increase as game time gets closer:

  • So you non-Bear fans are wondering who to root for in the playoffs.  Once again, we turn to The Sports Pickle for this handy chart.  (I think you Falcons and Ravens fans may still be in a bind, though):

One Final Thought

I found video of one young fan who seems to be pretty excited about today’s game:

Fans About to Find Out Who the Bears Really Are

Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com writes about the difference between the Atlanta Falcons and the Green Bay Packers after yesterday’s domination:

“Widely regarded as the best young quarterback in the game, the man known as Matty Ice [Matt Ryan] goes liquid-nitrogen cold when it counts the most.  Two years ago, a superior Falcons team lost in Arizona during the wild-card round.  This year, with a 13-3 record and the top seed in the NFC playoff field, the Falcons and Ryan were dismantled by a Packers team that suddenly looks a lot like the Super Bowl favorite that so many thought they would be before the season.”

“Said [Green Bay quarterback Aaron] Rodgers after the game, to Pam Oliver of FOX:  “To be able to put up that kind of performance as an offense, it’s incredible.”

“It was the kind of spanking that the top seed in a division-round game is supposed to periodically administer to the visiting team.  Instead, it was the worst loss by the NFC’s top seed in the division round since 1987, when the Vikings shocked the 49ers in San Francisco, 36-24.”

Basically, Florio is saying that the Falcons are a good team but that they don’t have the intestinal fortitude to do it when it counts.  The Packers, on the other hand, rose to the occasion for the third week in a row.

Merril Hoge and Trent Dilfer at ESPN totally agree and put it more bluntly than usual in this nice video breakdown of the game:

I’ve been writing one thing consistently since the season began in September – that the Bears are a high character team.  Now, today, is when they really start to prove it.  Tomorrow writers in Chicago and elsewhere will be characterizing the Bears one of two ways – like the Falcons or the Packers.  The ability to create that distinction is in their hands and its in their hearts.

Cutler Needs to Care if He Wants to Lead

Edward L. Flom once said “One of the hardest tasks of leadership is understanding that you are not what you are, but what you’re perceived to be by others.”

I find the differing views of Bears quarterback Jay Cutler in the media interesting in this regard.  ESPN writer Rick Reilly threw the first salvo:

“If he’s not The Most Hated Man in the NFL, he’s in the running. His expression is usually that of a man wearing sandpaper underwear. He looks everywhere but into your eyes. It’s a tie as to which he enjoys more — smirking or shrugging.

“It’s hard to say what interests Cutler, but it’s definitely not you.”

I documented the response of David Haugh at the Chicago Tribune.

Bob Legere at the the Daily Harald defends Cutler:

“Does Cutler come off as arrogant and disinterested during press conferences? Absolutely. Does he have any use for the media? Doubtful. Does he fail to look people in the eyes when he’s talking? Sometimes, maybe a lot of the time, but he’s getting better.

“Does he limit his accessibility to once a week and after the game? Yup. But he’s not uncooperative. For the record, I’ve gotten a decent answer to every decent question I’ve ever asked Cutler.

“But then again, I wasn’t trying to psychoanalyze him, and I didn’t have an agenda.”

To my surprise, Vikings fan Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com also comes to Cutler’s defense (probably because he dislikes Reilly even more than Cutler):

“Reilly’s effort to paint Cutler in a bad light has backfired like a ’71 Vega, exposing more about Reilly than he ever would want his audience to know. To Reilly, pro athletes should seek out as much attention as possible. To Reilly, pro athletes should lend their names and likeness to any and all companies that will pay them even more money and provide them even more attention. To Reilly, pro athletes should do charitable works in that same spotlight, so that everyone will see it and, in turn, love them.”

Before moving on, I’d like to mention here that both Florio and LeGere miss the main point.  Reilly isn’t just talking about self-publicity and charity work.  He’s talking about how Cutler treats other people.  He documents atrocious incidents with former NFL players John Lynch and John Elway that fit in exactly with Cutler’s personality.  This isn’t just a case of wanting to stay out of the lime light.  It goes much deeper than that.

The fact that Cutler did the charity work is laudable.  It shows that he really is a nice guy.

But beyond that, the truth is that Cutler just doesn’t want to deal with the publicity because he doesn’t like the work associated with it.  He doesn’t do endorsements not because he’s a private guy who like to do things in secret rather than being a self-promoting jerk.  He’s a guy who’s just too lazy to go out of his way to do something he doesn’t want to do.

Then there’s Mark Potash at the Chicago Sun-Times who probably hits closer to the point I’d like to make (though its going to be extremely unpopular amongst the fans I interact with):

“I know, I know. As long as Cutler wins football games, nobody cares that he doesn’t look me in the eye when he tells me he doesn’t have the time to list all the areas of his game that have improved since Week 1. Or that he looks and sounds uninterested whether he’s interested or not. Or that nobody in the Halas Hall press room really knows him. Or that he doesn’t care that nobody in the Halas Hall press room knows him.”

“But before you endorse that popular line of thought, you might want to consider this: How many quarterbacks as awkward as Cutler in public forums have won the Super Bowl? How many quarterbacks as overtly disdainful — purposely or inadvertently — of the media process that molds much of his public image as Cutler have sustained success in the NFL?”

“I don’t think Tom Brady gives a damn about Antonio Cromartie popping off this week or anything Rex Ryan says or does. I think he has better things to do and other things on his mind. But he still spent most of his news conference Wednesday addressing the Cromartie and Ryan issues with substantive answers that at least on paper made it look like he actually cared.

“In reality, what Brady cares about is that other people care about it. Not just the reporters asking the questions, but the people who read the newspapers and websites and listen to the radio and watch television.”

“Ryan Leaf and [Peyton] Manning were 1a-1b on everybody’s draft charts in 1998. Maybe it was just a coincidence that the polished Manning is going to the Hall of Fame and the jerky Leaf was 4-17 as a starter and out of the league at 25.”

No, it wasn’t a coincidence.  Potash knows it.  I know it and everyone reading the entry knows it.

Ryan Leaf failed in the NFL because an immature player who didn’t do what he didn’t want to do.  One of those things was prepare for football games.  Another was to make himself into a leader for the people around him – most importantly the players.

Fortunately Cutler isn’t as bad as Leaf.  But he’s got a lot of that in him and its probably limiting his success.  When asked by Reilly to defend Jay Cutler by telling him what kind of guy he is, Cutler “friend” Greg Olsen said this:

“He is what he is.”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Its not that I think Cutler’s teammates dislike him like Leaf’s teammates did him.  But it obvious that he’s not exactly friendly, either.  That’s bad if you need to lead a team.

Here’s the key statement in Potash’s article:  “In reality, what Brady cares about is that other people care about it.” Contrast this with the sentiment that Reilly expresses so well:  “It’s hard to say what interests Cutler, but it’s definitely not you.”

In fact, Cutler doesn’t need to care about the media or even the fans they represent.  But he should care that other people care about their questions.  The fact that he doesn’t is an indication of something much more insidious in terms of team performance – if he doesn’t care about you then the likelihood is that he doesn’t care enough about the concerns of his teammates, either, particularly if they don’t directly effect him.  And unfortunately if you are going to be a leader of a group, you have to care about the concerns of the group, not just your own.  That means that sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do.

The central problem is that, as Dan Pompei at the Chicago Tribune put it so well, Cutler “has very little patience for doing things he has no interest in.”  It is fortunate for us that Cutler is interested in playing football.  But it is highly unlikely that he’s interested in doing all of the things associated with it, particularly – but not limited to – things that involve interaction with others.  I don’t know if this will keep Cutler from winning a Super Bowl with the Bears.  But it does seem clear to me that it might be hurting them.  If he really wants to give himself and the team the best chance to win, I think its a problem he needs to work to overcome.

What is in the Future for Guard Chris Williams?

Dan Pompei at the Chicago Tribune answers 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.

Finally Someone Breaks Down the Patriots-Jets Matchup ON THE FIELD and Other Points of View

Bears

“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 Brady on 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:

  • and the Ravens-Steelers:

“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.'”

Kudos.

What Coaches Should Really Say and Other Points of View

Bears

“‘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.’
“I feel shame.”

“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.
  • Profootballtalk.com‘s Mike Florio picks the Seahawks to win:

“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.

Elsewhere

  • The Browns hired Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur as their new head coach:

  • And the Broncos hired John Fox:

One Final Thought

Kyle Koster at the Chicago Sun-Times provides 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.”

Young Bears Have to Match Playoff Intensity

Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune quotes Bears wide receiver Johnny Knox:

“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.

Jay Cutler Dazzles with His Usual Rainbows and Sunshine at the Podium And Other Points of View

Bears

  • 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.

“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.”

Elsewhere

  • 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.'”

“[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:

Ryan, Belichick and the Fine Art of Leadership

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.'”

Belichick‘s response (via ESPN):

“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.’

“Okay, what kind of guy is Brady?

“‘An ass—-.

“‘—- him.'”

Brady’s response (via ESPN):

“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.”

Or perhaps more humorously according to Ian Rappaport:

“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.