AZ54

That's funny. It's much easier to just say he's getting old.

That sums up nicely why Lovie Smith was fired.

There isn't much to dispute about that statement as anybody would be faster running in a straight line but Hester does not have Jacoby Jones' speed. He never really had elite top speed and for proof of that watch some past highlight videos of other players escorting him into the endzone. What he used to have was elite quickness and the ability to cut in one motion, one step, in a different direction. He still has most of that quickness but no longer uses it correctly in decisive moves and so he's easy to tackle.

Maybe he reads the writing on the wall with a new head coach who expects everyone to know their job and run their routes correctly. Come to think ofi t, Cutler had that same expectation too. Add in the other post's comments about Marshall and Jeffrey and it seems Hester just doesn't like the competition on the roster. Lovie and Drake coddled him for years (he's a #1 WR before he even played WR) and he's going to struggle to find that kind of affection anywhere else. I'm all for a trade.

If this is the Saints philosophy -- focus on getting above average OG/C to protect the middle of the pocket and worry less about the edge rushers so the QB can step up if need be, or slide protection to the outside via TE/RB -- then I have to think this comes to Chicago along with Kromer. Add to this the interview comments from Anthony Calvillo about how Trestman fixed their blocking scheme: http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/...o-bears-offense ------------------------------------------------------------- So what did he do? "There's a standard practice in our league on how to block certain blitzes, popping out offensive linemen to block linebackers and leaving the middle pocket vulnerable to one-on-one battles with guys you don't want to block one-on-one. "So he had them protect from the inside out, with as many double-teams inside as possible. Our protections changed week in and week out, but the base was inside-out." No other team in the CFL was blocking like this, Calvillo said. But it worked. -------------------------------------------------------------- Despite all the chatter on here about bad Oline protection our biggest issues were with the middle of the line when considering both run blocking and pass protection. There are many concerns across the board on the Oline but this discussion is largely focused on LT and perhaps the Bears will be more focused on OG/C. With Louis coming off a serious knee injury there is literally nothing in the hopper at OG right now. Between the philosophy and need If past is prologue then I'd say we're more likely to invest in a FA OG to shore up the inside. Since they are cheaper than OTs that should also leave more cash for signing Melton. We might grab another OG in Rd 1 or 2 depending how the first round goes down. If one of the top 3 LTs are there for us then I think we're taking him, otherwise we go with the same 4 we finished with and that includes James Brown. Or will the new coaches consider Brown as a OG?

I believe he was comparing the draft rounds the players were selected in, not their performance on the field.

Don't see anything that makes him better than the 3rd or 4th QB we already have so why waste a pick?

One at least one of the Matthews sacks Webb and whoever LG we had at the time double teamed the DT while Matthews held back for a second. Then Matthews rushed the edge and Webb never left the double team to pick him up. How much more help does he need to read a simple play like that?

Interesting reading. I wasn't so much interested in our rankings as much as the the rankings of some of the FA OL I saw on that list. Bushrod...not so great. Levitre pretty good. Andre Smith...pretty good. I also noted some of the other top ranked Oline on their respective teams weren't what I'd call household names. Talent can be found and developed outside the top 20 picks. We just haven't done it.

Sounds like a good pickup for competition for the bottom of the roster. Is he a faster version of Steltz?

He still has good speed but he is not elite anymore. I agree on the routes you describe for him but then again a lot of players can be successful on those routes if there is plenty of time in the pocket.

I agree. Just watch any game in the last two seasons and tell me who Hester has beaten in a one-on-one situation? He always gets tackled by the first guy and most of the time loses yards (loses as in - does not gain what could be had) by dancing when he should just hit it hard and take what he can get. These are 3rd and sometimes 4th CB on the opponents roster, or a safety. Nobody is worried about covering him. In fact I'm more worried that we'll give him the ball on another stupid reverse and that I'll have to watch him dance around until he runs out of bounds.

Because finding good NT is difficult. Which goes back to my point that many teams now run the 3-4 so finding the right talent for the scheme is harder than it was 10 years ago.

I'm with you on this one. We can't give up everything for one LT when we have so many needs. Signing one of the second tier FA OTs give us room to fill out the roster and still makes our Oline much better.

There is wisdom here. Years ago teams like New England switched to a 3-4 in part because it was easier to find players that fit that system. That was due to the fact that most 4-3 defenses had no use for a huge NT who could do little more than play run defense and force double teams. Same with the LBs who often were labeled as tweeners (too big and slow to be a 4-3 MLB or too small to be a DE in most schemes). The back end (DBs) of these defenses is, as far as I know, interchangeable with a 4-3 depending on what scheme that coach wants to run. Now that so many teams want to run 3-4 many have trouble finding the NT. Supply and demand. Or they struggle to find the pass rushing LB. So yes it comes back to personnel as usual. One plus for having the 3-4 is having someone able to cover TEs or rush the passer on the field at all times. Guys like Gronkowski get open anyway. Teams have countered that with looking for safeties who are better in pass coverage and less like mini-LBs. The way the NFL rules are structured now for offense I am of the mindset that the only real way to stop an offense is to get after the QB. Doesn't matter if you can't rush the passer out of a 3-4 or 4-3 you are going to struggle all day.

That would be rushing the passer and occasionally dropping back into coverage? Which is exactly what he did last year. What you really mean is that you wish SMC could rush the passer like Clay Matthews.

It will depend on who his coach is but I see no reason a WR couldn't make the occasional pass coming off a reverse or bubble screen. Walter certainly did enough passing in his career as a RB. These plays aren't a staple of the offense but are run once every few games, just enough to keep defenses alert to the possibility of it on certain plays.

Late in the season I can remember him throwing over a wide open Rodriguez with 10 to 15 yds open space in front of him to pass to a double covered Marshall or Jeffrey in the endzone, a pass that went incomplete. With just 10 yds to go for a first down in the red zone and a couple plays to get it, taking the shorter option would have been the wise thing to do. Cutler was moving out of the pocket to his left due to pressure so he had to see Rodriguez right in front of him. In the first Green Bay game how many guys were covering Marshall? Always at least two and often three. Given that, it's hard to believe we couldn't get someone else open. A big chunk of that problem goes to Tice who upon seeing that heavy focus on one player couldn't scheme to take advantage of what they were doing but Cutler shares part of that responsibility too. Regardless the Packers knew where Cutler was looking to first and second option so they just stuck with it.

That's correct whereas it seemed on each play one of our Olinemen would mess up their assignment the Packers could more often string together several good plays. They had protection issues but it wasn't consistent on every play like Cutler faced. Cutler always knew there would be a breakdown he just never knew where it was coming from. I do think some of that stabilized the last few games of the season (i.e. Scott was better than Carimi at RT) but by then it was too late.

During his initial press conference Trestman said one line that stood out among many (paraphrasing): The QB must take what is there and live for the next play. This is one of Cutler's weaknesses as we have often seen him overlook wide open options on short underneath routes only to throw into coverage 15-20 yards down the field.

No it's not better than Cutler sulking on the sideline it's the same thing but your pretty boy will get treated with kid gloves for his tears. His goatiness needs to be fined for trying to blow out the knee of that Raven's defender. That guy should have been right in his face after that cheap shot. By the way, is the goat's girlfriend making excuses for his sulking this year or is the goat stepping up and taking the blame for throwing so many passes into the dirt or his game ending INT?

It's always enjoyable watching Tom Brady sulk on the sidelines. I'm quite sure the media will be all over him for that when there were still almost 3min left in the game. Anyway, this game was where finesse met brute force and lost.

No news on the much anticipated new WR coach. I guess it's addition by subtraction with Drake being gone.

Yes, that is the only way to ignore what your eyes see. I'll take him as a H-back or TE once he comes to his senses.

No on Te'o in the 1st Rd. I'd take Ogletree and I have only seen his highlights but he certainly looks more athletic and is a better fit for defending the passing game in the NFL.