BearFan PHX

8 years ago id take Belichick all day, but he's not gonna coach for that much longer. I think he has it in him, he knows how to win, but his roster is currently depleted, i think he could build another winner. I just dont know how many years he is gonna coach for. Meanwhile Harbaugh is under some fire that could result in sanctions against Michigan. That might be a good moment to leave? I havent looked deeply enpugh into who the good coaching options are out there. I know a few names, but I am totally open to learning about others.

I dont have a lot of faith that Fields is gonna ascend, but I totally agree there's no point in shutting him down now - he can have the rest of the year to show himself, or increase his trade value or whatever. Just as I am also 100% now on firing Eberflus, but I dont mind waiting until the season is over, theres really nothing to be gained by doing it now? And technically, we still have Fields cheap next year too. In terms of that, theres nothing wrong with keeping him next year. But I think it'd be a mistake to miss taking a first QB this year when we have the high pick(s), and I don't see Fields thriving if he knows hes a placeholder for a competitive rookie. Thats why I see us moving on from Fields after this year, but youre both compeltetly right, theres no need to end the experiment now. Im just saying Im doubful it will work out, but thats just my guess, I hope Im wrong too, because Fields with rhythm like Bagent would be a killer. Id be a major fan, and sign him to a top deal then...

Oh Im not calling anyone out on this board personally at all. I'm just saying that in order to build a winning team, a GM has to make heartless decisions. Im definitely not saying anyone, including a GM, should be rooting against Fields or any player or coach. Its only to our benefit to have players succeed and grow. And I also agree with you that just because a GM cuts or trades someone doesnt mean its the right decision! What I AM saying is that we've endured crappy teams so long, we tend to accept mediocrity, or small slivers of hope as if they were progress. And I am as guilty of that as anyone. But Im sick of losing. And while I cannot possibly predict when or if Justin Fields will grow and read defenses quickly, or whether Eberflus will learn and become a great head coach, I CAN say that right now, they aint it, and there is no trend line that tells me they are going to be it either. Its totally good for us to root for all the players and coaches this year. No reason not to - Carolina has our #1 pick, we dont need to tank for it. I was thrilled to see Bagent this week. Finally we looked like actual football. But come the offseason, I hope we are ruthless and use the position we currently have with draft and salary cap capital to find players and coaches who can be winners for us. And I also think it's time for a tough disciplinarian coach who doesnt sound as if he is the head of the HR department speaking corporate platitudes. Maybe that's Jim Harbaugh, maybe it's someone else, but i want a real leader at HC and QB who inspires everyone to be better, and who instills fear in anyone that isnt giving their all. Oh and PS, when I was a little kid and Fran Tarkenton was playing, I liked the Vikings too, much to my dads unhappiness LOL

Loyalty is a great attribute to have in a spouse, partner, neighbor, friend. Its a great thing for a fan to have too. But it's death for a GM. At some point you have to ask yourself whether you are a fan of a player or of the team. if it's the team, then you have to make the tough decisions about getting rid of players and coaches who might be nice, and trying really hard but who are not helping the team win.

And like Alex Smith, maybe you can draft a young guy behind him to sit for a year, and do it right?

I feel like Bagent is as competent and capable and winnable as any NFL backup could be while still not being courted as a starter on another team. In other words, we may have found our backup for a long time. That'd be great.

RIght. Bagent is not a great elite athlete, but he is a very good quarterback. It's better to have an elite athlete who is also a great Quarterback, but i think this experience is proving that it is better to have a good QB, than a great athlete who isnt a good QB playing QB.

we may be talking past each other. I'm saying the HC and OC are flawed and should be fired at the end of the season. I could make arguments pro and con for Morgan, but I wasn't even thinking of him when i said what I said, other than the generic thought that if we have a new head coach, they will almost certainly bring their own position coaches in?

I agree. Bagent did a great job in pre snap reads and changing plays at the line. It was most obvious on a bunch of the outside runs, but this play is an example too, except he didnt verbalize it, and just took it himself.

yes, the same ones who mishandled the timeouts at the half.

Weve outsourced our tankathon to Carolina, so it's Ok to root to win

Fields lack of presnap reads and quick deliveries is pudding us in a position to lose games.

Im still not sure. He threw a go ball way short last week, but it could also have been because he had a hard rush coming in his face. Today they took Bagent off the field for the hail mary because of his arm, but then again I think our coaches are idiots. I would love to see Bagent show me some deep balls. That would help my question a lot!

cuz our coaches suck?

That's what I think too. If Bagent had a real long ball, he'd be a contender to be Bears starter next year, passing on the rookie QBs. He is an excellent backup though, I expect us to keep him for quite a while.

Interesting that on the last play of the half - a hail mary - they put Peterson in instead of Bagent. I suppose thats a partial answer to the question of Bagents arm strength on long passes.

right, and this is just base competence! thats how bad we've been for so long.

Exactly. When you look at QBs like Montana and Marino - they played calm and fast. The numbers are flashy, not the athletes. Bill Walsh would love Bagent. Meanwhile, Eberflus mismanaging the clock again.

Right. I'm not saying Bagent is, or ever will be a top NFL QB. I'm saying being a game manager is the floor one should accept for a QB. If you cant do that, all the extras and intangibles in the world dont matter enough to win games. That's what we need to have learned. Bagent is very crisp. And suddenly normal things like slant routes work.

Yeah, Bagent may not be a superstar in the making, but the ball is coming out on time and it makes ALL the difference. It looks like a regular football team. When Fields is in there it never looks like regular football. Its always a crisis. Sometimes Fields does amazing things to win in those crisis moments. But it never looks calm and regular with 7 yard passes in rhythm. Bagent's performance is telling us something about how Fields isn't the guy. Whatever other skills our new QB has, I want him to have that kind of calm quick release.

shit, but yeah.

There was an article about Davis in the Tribune where they slipped and said that Davis' mother died - that's what that was all about. He was going to see her as she was dying etc. Why the hell they didnt tell us that and made Davis look like a head case is beyond me. Just more of that great non communication from the Bears office...

Thank God. I had read (or misread) that it was Poles - maybe the source i read it from had it wrong, or maybe I just misread it. But given that, then I am fully in support of Poles - he's done a lot of good things. The only way he goes is if a hot shot coach wants control or his own guy, and if Poles doesnt want to play ball with that. I dont anticipate that though, so yeah, let's keep him. Thanks for setting me straight DABEARS and Stinger.

I'm with you on Poles, but don't forget he had a trade signed and delivered to send THREE of our first rounders for Russell Wilson. Pete Carroll nixed it at the last minute or else we'd have no DJ Moore, no Darnell Wright, no first round picks at all this year or next...

yeah the OL is starting to take shape for sure. we still need a couple players. But overall the roster is starting to fill out I agree. We still need a top 10 QB, and there are only 10 of those in the world, and half of them are gonna be top 20 next year LOL