jason

But since JA has done nearly nothing successful to address the two major areas of need for the Bears (i.e. OL & WR), and those deficiencies directly affect any OC's ability to implement their complete system (regardless of what it is), it's an even more positive sign that JA is gone. Seriously, imagine being told you are the OC of an NFL team, but then being forced to use only half of your playbook because when you try the other half the team shits the bed? Many like Martz leaving, but the fact that JA got fired should have a more positive impact.

And as long as the Bears have a HC like Lovie Smith (unless the new GM ignores his HC), there will be significantly more focus on defense than offense, a desire to shorten the game as it compliments Lovie's defense, and a problem with any OC that attempts other than a vanilla offense intended to burn time more than score points.

Phillips - Hell yes. GM - I'd still prefer a proven guy. Offensive minded coach - HAHAHAHAHA...C'mon...the Bears don't do that. The last two guys, who weren't even the HC, that tried anything other than "3 yards and a cloud of dust" were almost universally hated by Bears fans.

I'm happy with the JA firing, and lukewarm on Martz resigning (mostly because I believe JA's failures have made it nearly impossible for Martz to truly succeed or implement a complete offense). However, there is still quite a bit of cause for concern. 1. Ted Phillips is apparently in charge. He is not a football guy. 2. Any new GM will be forced to take Lovie. Most superiors don't like subordinates forced upon them. This is especially true in the world of GMs. 3. Any new OC will almost certainly be weak. They won't want to be under a HC on thin ice with a new GM who will probably want to hire his own guy quite soon. 4. Number 3 makes "Mike Tice named the new Chicago Bears' OC" a likely scenario in a future press conference. This is problematic for two reasons: 5. He has never called offensive plays. 6. If he actually believes the OL is good, then he's either blind, an idiot, or a bad talent evaluator. Hopefully he was just saying what needed to be said in press conferences, but it's nonetheless disconcerting. 7. Cutler has to learn yet another offense. 8. The offensive scheme will change, and may not suit what little talent is on the offensive side of the ball. 9. Forte has to begin contract negotiations anew. 10. While many had issues with the offensive scheme, the defensive scheme has just as many problems, if not more. It has been exploited numerous times. It has been figured out. And it will remain the same next year.

I don't know if that's the entire picture. His son didn't become GM until 2009. Also, you left out the following Polian picks: 98 - Peyton Manning 99 - Edgerrin James 00 - Rob Morris 01 - Reggie Wayne 02 - Dwight Freeney 03 - Dallas Clark 04 - Bob Sanders Aside from 2000, that's a first round stud in every draft. Manning, Wayne, Freeney, and Clark probably go to the Hall of Fame. James might have if not for injuries and a horrible decision to go to Arizona. Bob Sanders has the talent but not the health. That's 7 good ones out of 8 picks. Factor in 2 out of 6 from the above selections (the two, right now, are Brown and Castonzo), and you have 9 out of 14. Pretty good in my book, even if he is in a slump.

Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...Please let it be Polian...

YES!!!!! Late Christmas present!!!

I never said it wasn't a risk. I just said that if we wanted a stud WR, we could have had two future hall of famers multiple times. And at one point in time, we could have had both of them on the same team.

That was easy enough... http://walterfootball.com/draft2012.php (old order) http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2012...-first-20-picks (current) One of the bottom two will probably be there at 16. At 19 there's less chance since the Jets might be having problems with Santonio Holmes and the Chargers might have to part ways with Vincent Jackson via FA. Either could get a WR to fill the potential void.

Do I believe we would have been 12 and 4 with Cutler? Yes. The Bears hung tough with some bad teams, and having Cutler would have been the difference. Were the Bears close to a Super Bowl winning team? It would have been very unlikely, but it was possible. The problem is, Lovie Smith teams just don't stomp a mudhole in opponents. They let bad teams hang around, and they turn games with great teams into ugly games. It's the Love-2 philosophy. Bend but don't break, make the opponent fight for big gains, hope for a mistake/turnover. I actually think losing out the way they did was much better for the team because they are better than 8-8, and getting better draft picks will help the team overall. It's just too bad the coaches were too stupid/stubborn to realize the last game didn't matter, and winning it would hurt the team more than losing it.

Maybe if they were smart they would. Knowing you can't make the playoffs this year should make you think about how you can make the playoffs, or have a better chance of going deep in the playoffs, next year. Nobody likes to lose, but sometimes it pays to think forward and plan ahead for the long haul. It's about the war, not the battle.

Just for the record, if someone has a torn MCL or torn ACL, they can walk right afterwards if able to withstand the pain. Mobility won't be the same, but it's possible. I should know, because I tore mine snowboarding and not only got down the rest of the slope, but also walked quite a bit afterwards. Whether or not he walked after the injury is virtually meaningless. The MRI is the real indicator.

And I still disagree. Webb was atrocious today and the others weren't that great...which is a lot like all but 4 or 5 games this year. Maybe it'll be way different when Carimi and Chris Williams get back, but unless C.Williams gets one last try at LT, there is still a massive problem on the left side, and uncertainty pretty much everywhere else.

Yes. Incredibly maddening. F' this talk about 8-8 is better for a team's psychology and mindset. That's just stupid. The players all know the last game was meaningless and ended up screwing them out of draft position.

That would be a stupid move for two reasons. Now that the Bears draft position is lower, the cost to move up just went up. It would require at least the first-rounder and the 1st third-rounder to move up. Second, it's a bad move because one of the WRs you so highly covet will almost certainly be there when the Bears select in the first round. No way Floyd and Jeffery go before the Bears pick. Trading up for a WR would be a waste unless some team was stupid enough to give the Bears a great deal on a move up for Blackmon...which isn't happening.

Unfortunately higher. Way to go Bears, you always know how to win that meaningless game towards the end of the season that gets you just outside of a superstar first rounder.

It depends on which first round picks and how far up you want to go. For instance, the Bears current pick and the last pick in the first round would get you as far as the top 6 or so. To get that additional first rounder, the Bears would probably have to give up their second rounder as well as the later third round pick. To recap: #2 & #3.2 for a late #1 Both #1s for a top 5 #1 Too rich. Especially for a team with multiple glaring needs.

Obviously, I like this idea.

Agreed. But not as full-time starters.

Which is why I said for years and years that the Bears should have picked up Terrell Owens and Randy Moss. Both could have been had for much less than they were worth, and both would have benefitted the Bears tremendously. But the Bears' FO wants boy scouts.

No. The thought is nice but the price is way too steep. Especially in a year deep with WR talent.

It wouldn't upset me a whole lot, but I don't necessarily agree. Being an OC is a tough enough job already, but when hindered by a GM and team that gives you one of the worst OLs in the NFL (I'd argue they're the worst since they are so inconsistent and penalty-prone) and one of the worst WR corp in the NFL (many here argue they're the worst), it's pretty difficult to have consistent success.

HAHAHAHA....nice. Funny because it's probably in the back of JA's mind.

If Toub leaves, it will be yet another reason JA needs to be sent packing.

The funny thing is, I don't know if you're BS'ing or if that's an actual quote that came out recently. Lovie is so bland that it's impossible to decipher the made up quotes from his actual quotes.