AZ54

Lovie already has been contacted by 4 teams lining up interviews for head coaching positions. While many were thinking it would be hard for the Bears to pay him the last year on his contract (myself included) it's possible the Bears suspected he'd be in demand elsewhere in the league. A gamble perhaps but with 10 HC openings around the league it's quite likely Lovie ends up somewhere at least as a DC if not HC. That softens the financial impact.

While you are busy criticizing me for wanting my team to go in a new direction you should put together a similar paragraph on Lovie's offensive success, if that's possible. Credit due: Lovie has put together some good defenses while at the same time he's put together some of the worst offenses in the NFL...despite having some Pro Bowl talent on the roster. I believe last offseason Lovie was allowed to prioritize what we did. We went after DE talent and bypassed good Oline talent that was available both in FA (pursued Jaguars DE) and draft (took SMC converted LB to DE). He went after building an elite defense believing that would get him back to the playoffs while neglecting the most glaring need on offense. We'll never know what was said in those private meetings but from all reports last offseason Lovie and Tice were relatively content with our Oline roster as it was. You may be correct on Cutler, he is not an elite decision maker. However, that's what you need a coach to help him become. It hasn't happened under Lovie, time to try someone else.

Lovie got Lovie fired. Too many years of inept offense despite enough talent to at least be average. Other teams have Oline problems too, no different from us yet they find ways to put points on the board. As far as yelling at his players, no that's not necessarily needed but this is a passionate game and quite often over the years Lovie has not been good at holding players or his assistants accountable and it showed on the sideline. He only forced accountability when he was on the hot seat the last couple seasons but even then the elite players seemed to be safe from that including Cutler who often needed someone in his face reminding him to take the easy plays and stop forcing the ball upfield. While Bates and Tice have filled that role this year if the HC is not echoing their efforts it won't work. I have no problem at all with the decision to move on.

I too think Lovie should be gone but won't be surprised at all if he and his staff are back for their last year.

While I respect what Andy Reid has accomplished overall in Philly his last few seasons leave me to wonder what he has left in the tank. He has not shown the ability to adapt to his team's talent at times similar to Lovie with his team often looking unprepared to play. He has also had recent troubles finding or hiring the right assistants falling prey to hiring his buddies similar to what Lovie did here with Babich. Ruling out college coaches is ridiculous too IMO when you consider what Jim Harbaugh has done in SF. That doesn't mean I'd go for the guys that run gimicky offenses in college even if they are successful. That stuff doesn't translate to the NFL. Find a coach who knows how to win with the talent he's given and knows how to make those athletes better football players. I don't think we should rule out college coaches but if we look in that direction I prefer someone who has some NFL background as well. I'm not saying I want him here but Dirk Koetter is an interesting name in this sense having seen him here at ASU and then what he's done at the NFL level. He hasn't had great success at either level but has always been respected for his ability to run an offense and has the HC experience here at ASU. Would he have be ability to hire the right DC? I could see him keeping Marinelli while he focused on fixing the offense. Having said this I'm reminding myself that Lovie and Mike Martz also came up through ASU.

Wow, I wake up and here the Bears have not one but two Pro Bowl CBs and a Pro Bowl WR. Never in my lifetime did I think this would happen. Kudos to all 5 of our Pro Bowlers. Not to take anything away from the other three but it's really nice to see Jennings and Melton rewarded after they worked very hard to improve their game to this level.

I'll always take wins and playoffs, and hopefully more wins in the playoffs.

For the Oline specialists out there what are your thoughts on James Brown? In his first couple games he was getting pushed around a lot, he still needs to improve his strength IMO. Lately he seems to settling into the role at LG and I thought he played ok today. Cutler had a lot of time to throw throughout the game and as someone who has watched more Cards games than most they do have a good pass rush. We still can't open holes inside for the running game but did seal the edge a few times for some nice gains. Is there potential for this guy to be on the roster next year? Better than Spencer/EWilliams at LG?

Just to comment on Bell...I like the way he ran the ball today. He often had nowhere to go but still fought forand got positive yards, plus he protected the ball well. I expect he'll be our #2 next week ahead of Allen.

I didn't state that either. Stop reading so much into what isn't written. Never have I said Oline is all we should draft, nor is it our only problem. I even said that in what I originally wrote ("we are in a spot where we have to throw number at some positions" ..... note the "s" on the end of that word) and Oline is just one of those positions. I think LB is another that needs a couple new bodies in the mix and one of them needs to be a high draft pick. Add TE to the list as well, we need more versatility out of the spot than we have now. Adams can't block but can catch and run. Spaeth can't run or catch. KDavis is not worth the contract we gave him and has no fluidity when he runs (meaning he can't cut nor does he have a feel for running routes). We can't go into next season with two stiffs as our top two TEs. I'm open to FA and/or draft to fixing these spots. If Lovie is gone chances are good that we won't draft a safety.

I said I'd rather take a chance on an Oline prospect with a 5-7th round pick than draft any punter. That statement, in and of itself, does not mean that is the only action I want the team to take regarding fixing our Oline problems. I also said that we should be throwing numbers at the problem which does mean that we'd have to be taking other actions to fix the Oline besides using just a late round draft pick on one.

I did say "most likely" there is a small chance he remains and I think that chance is smaller than what you believe. In other words this team will need a significant improvement not only getting into the playoffs but probably winning a playoff game. From Emery's perspective, he has to decide if it's a lack of talent on this roster or a lack of coaching. If it's talent then he's hitching his wagon to Lovie for another 4 years. If he has even some hesitancy on the coaching aspect then he has to wonder if he really wants to work with Lovie for another 4 years. For Lovie's entire tenure our offensive game plans have never been good and quite often don't (or can't) take advantage of the other team's weakness. Good coaches win without elite talent, maybe not in the playoffs but they can still win. Does anyone think Lovie can win games with average talent?

The fact this is being talked about publicly means around the league people know Lovie is most likely headed out the door.

With Podlesh's injury early in the year clearly affecting him in the first few games, then it appeared he had some bad form (maybe from compensating from the injury). Lately he's corrected that and appears to be punting better. With so many issues on our roster giving up a draft pick to grab a punter seems like a waste and I don't care what the odds are of a "hit" on a late round pick. We are in a spot where we have to throw numbers at some positions like Oline.

I think you are right on this one. Except for the "tag" I'd rather not go down that path with a QB. If he's ok then you offer him Ok money and structure the deal so we can break away after a couple years with minimal hit. 1) We have too many pressing needs right now and despite the questions around Cutler QB is not one of them. We must fix our LB depth, Oline, Oline, Oline, and TE. I can't see drafting a QB high this draft so at best we're looking for another backup QB if Campbell leaves. 2) I wouldn't mind a two year extension to his deal this offseason if he'd agree to one. Gives us time to draft a replacement QB after the 2013 season and let him learn from the bench for a season or two. If Cutler turns it around then we just trade the backup QB as the Packers have done a couple times. For his part Cutler would still be young enough to command a solid new deal on the FA market. Need to add that if we were to go with a new HC then it gives the new HC a decent QB to start with and that's better than nothing. He'd also have his shot at finding Cutler's replacement over a year or two, if that's the route we decide to go.

While Briggs and Urlacher are bashing the fans in the other corner has been Jay Cutler admitting: "We haven't given the fans much to cheer about".

I like Tebow as a TE as well, or as an H-back ..one who can occasionally pass. However, I don't want the Tebow circus. Tebow is a great football player but he should read the writing on the wall and give up on his QB fantasy and go to a position where he can have a productive career.

Yes it does sum it up nicely. Not all failure but a playoff capable team is the limit of Smith's capability. Teams that just scratch the surface of the playoffs are not capable of winning the Superbowl. We've never shown the ability to go out and match up with the heavy weights of the league, no matter who they are in each season. On the flip side his system won't bring you total failure either ala Detroit under Marinelli. There's always just enough to tease you but never enough to satisfy.

Briggs is right, when he was at Univ of Arizona fans didn't boo, they just quit going to the games.

Your right, most DBs don't flop and whine like the Packers DBs.

If Urlacher doesn't want to play in front of Bears fans, as he insinuated, then it's time for him to go.

Horrible game by the replacement referees and the vast majority of bad calls went GB way as usual. We got one bad call on the PI down the sideline. I don't disagree on a couple of Jeffrey's OPI calls but the one on his TD catch was a bad call, that stuff happens every play in the endzone. Other than that clearly the Packers DBs were allowed to get away with a lot of contact beyond 5 yds all game, why? Either it is or it isn't a penalty .... call it the same way for both teams.

If fans don't boo how are we supposed to express our displeasure of the poor offense we've been subjected to year after year? I'm supposed to accept mediocrity because the players accept it? Should I cheer the defense after it gave up two long drives to Seattle and after I spent $1000 to visit the city, attend the game, and cheer these guys on? Maybe he wants a more European approach and we should throw stuff like flares and metal objects onto the field at the players? He doesn't think the fans know football? I guess we should follow his naive approach to believing the Bears are headed toward a 16-0 record and will go the Superbowl. It is correct, everyone has a choice here. If Ulracher doesn't like football fans in Chicago he never had to sign a contract for millions of dollars to play here. Fans don't have to pay to watch him play either. Since, according to some, Urlacher is the bigger man in this argument (not physically), I hope he votes with his feet and follow his convictions this offseason then I'll believe him. Take your wares to the FA market after this season. I'll do my part too and stay home next year. Even better, I won't spend money to see him stand on the sidelines in AZ this week.

IMO Tice's main deficiency is that he hasn't done enough to emphasize the run. It started in week 2 against the Packers and has continued off and on throughout the season. We don't have the best Oline but we aren't that bad in run blocking, at least some aspects of it. Results have been far lower than I expected considering the addition of Marshall to what is basically the same offense as the year before.

Seeing what we have in place to determine the value of Hester for next year.