jason

LOL. Just wait until Marion Barber gets playing time.

I'm certainly not a fan of that wildcat or that gadget play they ran, but I don't like the "we are up big, drain the clock" philosophy when previous to that they were destroying the Falcons D with regular play-calling. Why let off the gas? There is no need. You pour it on by doing the same thing that got you the lead. Step on their necks. I've noticed a DRASTIC change in performance and aggressiveness since the Bears got the big lead and someone, somewhere (I'm guessing Lovie) decided it was time to hold on to the lead. The play calling looks different, the play is different, and the execution is underwhelming. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Yes...you're right, 300+ yards passing, nearly 100 rushing, and Martz is the one being clowned. This is not pee-wee football; he can't just go 100% run. The Falcons are more than capable of scoring more than two touchdowns in 10 minutes. It's a little too early to let the foot completely off the gas, and the Falcons' DL just happened to make a good play on a fluke blocked pass.

That was a very unfortunate break on that play. Just the way the ball bounces. Earlier Peppers batted a ball and it went straight to the WR. Bad luck is all. There is still a ton of time on the clock. Over 10 minutes. This is not a time to completely shut down the pass, but the passes should certainly come from run first formations. Play action pass works wonders in this situation. As we can see from this current drive, the Falcons D is loading up on the run.

And a SUPERB spin move. The play after he got props from the announcers he displayed it, and my god it is fast.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! PEPPERS AND URLACHER! What an awesome display of what happens when you have talent on the team. BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS!!!

Oh, you KNOW I'm not a big fan of the OL, but at this point their flaws are not significant enough to stop them from bending the Falcons D over the table like Ving Rhames in Pulp Fiction.

Like I said earlier, SOMETHING feels different about this offense right now. They have the Falcons on roller skates. The quick hitter WR screens are working because the prior quick fake. The RB screen works. The blocking is excellent. The PLAY ACTION TO SPAETH is awesome. Something is different, and I like it.

Busted tackles or just a gaping hole?

WTF just happened!? I walked away for like 5 minutes and the Falcons are 1st and Goal.

There is so much good to that first half. I'm ecstatic. -Cutler is throwing lasers -The OL is doing a pretty good job of creating pockets -The offensive play calling has been imaginative and has exploited the defense -Kellen Davis looks like a suitable replacement for Olsen -Urlacher looks great -The D is swarming -Tillman still has his ball-stripping magical skills -Hester looks a step away from busting a long one on every return -Gould's leg looks strong -Even a punt got downed deep GREAT FIRST HALF!

It's halftime. Rewind your DVR and go watch the play again. I did. It's the first play of the second quarter. You may be done talking about that play, but you shouldn't be. You're dead wrong. It's a 7-step drop, and as soon as Cutler plants his back leg he's within arm's reach of being sacked. If Cutler had stayed on his plant leg, he would have been sacked. Hence, Webb got blown by and it screwed up the play. After that Cutler was forced up - into nice protection from the other four, I might add - and when he didn't see anyone open he should have thrown it away. But make no mistake, Webb screwed that play up - a play designed for a 7-step drop - first and forced improvisation.

Look, I'm not trying to be sour with you, despite how you're replying. I honestly don't think we see things the same way. Is the sack Jay's fault? Yes, he could have thrown it away once he stepped up and nothing else was there. But the fact that the OT got burned changes the entire dynamic of the play. Everything at that point is a step off, a second late. There is a reason why they have 3, 5, and 7 step drops, and you've never heard of a 5-minus-1 step drop. The design is for the QB to plant his back foot on that final step and fire the pass in. If he plants and there is someone about to drill him, that sorta, ya know, changes things. To reiterate: Sack is on Jay, but the busted play is on the OT.

Great, stable pocket for Jay on that laser to Knox. There is definitely something different this year already. Jay is freaking carving the Atlanta secondary apart with a variety of passes and the WRs are finding holes.

Wow. Can Forte get a damn hole? He's had zero chance to run this first half. Glad he got his legs stretched on that screen pass though.

Yes, I am worried about his desire to force it into Hester at this point. I hope they make an adjustment where Hester crosses, Cutler pumps, that DB bites again, and Hester goes downfield.

I guess we just have philosophical differences then. If a QB goes back on a 5 or 7 step drop and there is immediate pressure from the end, I don't view that as giving the QB a real chance. He stepped up because of distress, not comfort. On the plays in the earlier part of the game he stepped up because the whole OL did a good job of creating the pocket. But on that play, the immediate pressure caused him to step up in a rush, and the rest of the OL was not solid enough to make up for the OT's weakness. Not that I blame the other guys, they held their initial blocks plenty long for Cutler to have a chance.

So what is Cutler supposed to do on that one? Seven step drop, he plants, and the route is covered. What then? There is no time for a second route because Carimi got blown up on that play and the rest of the OL didn't do all that well.

Agreed...he has to get rid of the ball...but it's not like Webb really gave him a chance.

Love the pressure the front four is getting thus far. Peppers, Melton, Big Toe...looking great.

No way!!!! Carimi didn't do great on that play, but his performance had ZERO to do with the fact that Webb's guy burned his ass, got around the corner, and hit Cutler clean. You can't blame Carimi for not having the opening for Jay to step into on a play that Webb got completely destroyed. If so, then you have to blame the rest of the OL for the sack as well...which is stupid. That was Webb 100%. And just as I hit "Complete Edit" Webb gets his ass burned again, in the exact same way.

Side Notes: -Goose is a moron. Webb got burned on the sack, but he kept blaming Carimi. -Johnston is a moron. He said the Bears have always been a good RB screen team. That shows a criminal level of stupidity and lack of preparation.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! AWESOME PLAY CALL, FINALLY GOT A RB SCREEN TO WORK, AND GREAT DOWN FIELD BLOCKING!!!

And the NFL continues a bullshit double-standard with protecting QBs. If it's a megastar they want to promote, a butterfly landing on his shoulderpad draws a roughing penalty. If it's Jay Cutler and he gets hit OBVIOUSLY late, he needs to "toughen up and quit whining."

I also noticed that there was a convenient space for Cutler to step into as the DEs came crashing around. That is promising because that means the interior of the OL isn't getting caved in. Now if we can just get some holes opened up for Forte the rest of the NFL will be shitting themselves about this offense.