jason

I like this new guy. I wouldn't mind a probowl WR, but A] It ain't Brandon Lloyd, and B] I don't think the OL will provide Cutler enough time to properly utilize a probowl WR. Until that's fixed, we'll continue to wish we had a #1 WR, because even #1 WRs brought here will flounder. Remember what MuhMuh said, "Where WRs go to die."

You know, some of those are GREAT IDEAS! 1) He'd suck there as well. And he'd take away valuable time from a better player. 2) Great idea! 3) Great idea! And he's tall! 4) Great idea! Could be the hard-nosed backup needed. 5) So-so idea. I still have hope for Melton 6-8) Dislike 9) Bad idea, but funny. "Interception AGAIN from Cutler! Tillman strips and recovers, AGAIN!" 10) I say keep him as ST Coach, but make him the advisor for the OL, just to see if he can get things rolling. Making him the OC implies that he still lets Tice have some freedom with the OL, which is a bad thing.

Has Peppers been on vacation, or has the system and coaching limited him? It's not like he had a ton of talent around him in Carolina, but he seemed to put up ridiculous stats. Now in Chicago he has much better talent around him, but the stats diminish. Double digit sacks pretty much every year before he came to the Bears. And it's not like he wasn't being double-teamed before coming to Chicago. I'm convinced the Bears' coaches ask the DEs to rush to the outside 99% of the time, and probably tell them that containment of the outside edge is more important than pressuring the QB. To the cover-2 coaches, the DTs are supposed to cause pressure when the DEs shorten the length of the pocket. The problem is (if they are doing anything like that), it severely limits an athletic freak like Peppers to just go out there and beat his man. The only things that have changed are the city, the teammates, the field, and the coaches. I don't think the city has anything to do with it and the teammates are improved. Since he's not racking up sacks during away games, I can't blame Soldier Field's sod. So pretty much all that's left is the coaches.

He needs to sit down with Marinelli and look at these two websites: This is one of the ways in which the Bears' defense gets exposed http://smartfootball.com/passing/how-do-yo...-count-the-ways This is almost exactly how the Lions got their second passing TD: http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle...the-dig-pattern

Well, for starters, they could have thrown the checkbook at either Logan Mankins or Matt Light. Or both. It would have been tough for NE to compete in a bidding war with another team for two of their players. I'd go into more detail, but the possibilities are nearly endless. The point is, more could have been done. A lot more. This is a good source (just look for OG, OT, C): http://walterfootball.com/freeagents2011recap.php

Thank you for saving me the time of replying. Anyone rationalizing this OL into something other than "one of, if not the worst in the NFL" is either not watching the games or completely lying to themselves.

I'm positive I've seen a few guys in a few semi-pro games that are better, more aggressive, and more fundamentally sound than Frank Omiyale.

I agree, which worries me. Because then the Bears will skate by, the management will probably think all is great, all the coaches will probably get extensions, and we'll have a virtual repeat of everything from this year. The following could easily happen: Minnesota W (3) TB W (4) Philly L Detroit W (5) SD L Oak L KC W (6) Den W (7) Sea W (8) GB L Min W (9) That does nothing but give the Bears an early exit in the playoffs and a middle-late draft pick.

If that's the truth, then it shocks me.

1. The OL sucks. This is not up for debate. 2. JA should at least be on the hot seat for not addressing the problem. 2a. Tice should be on the hot seat for not producing more. 2b. Martz should be on the hot seat for not calling plays that mask the inadequacies of Tice and JA, but he shouldn't be blamed as much. 3. The cover-2 defense, or whatever variation the Bears run, is flawed and has been for quite some time. 4. The Bears still don't have a FS. They have a bunch of SS wannabes. 5. Marinelli is not a DL genius. If anything, the Bears have regressed under his tutelage. 6. Lovie and his staff are player's coaches, meaning the players love playing under them. Most likely it's because they are moderately demanding, and choose to be friends first and coaches second. 7. Omiyale should be cut. ASAP. 8. Webb should be told he's close to being cut. 9. Hester should be exclusively used on kickoffs and punts. Enough with the WR stuff. Concentrate on your specialty, and remember to run forward, not laterally. 10. The Bears + MNF = Bad Games. This seems to have been the truth for quite some time.

Yeah. I highly doubt Lovie goes over to Tice and tells him when to put players in and out. If so, he'd have to do that the entire game with multiple positions. If that's the case, then why would you have assistants? Sorry Brian, but Tice has the handle on who is in and out on the OL.

The guy's nickname is False Start Frank for goodness sakes. That sounds like something either the coach addresses, or he benches the player for not addressing. The fact that Omiyale continues to get put out there, and false starting, is a direct reflection on Tice's coaching, or lack thereof.

You're dead on. What we should hear: "Ya know, the cover-2 has holes that everyone knows about, and when we play it we just hope the opponents don't exploit those holes. Didn't work today when Calvin Johnson got a huge touchdown, and it didn't work on the short one of the middle to their Tight End. As for the offense, well, we don't have an OLine. It's hard to run when the hole you plan for is blocked and you have to bounce everything outside. And it's even harder to pass when your quarterback plants his back foot and is contacted almost directly thereafter. Thank God for Toub, because without him we'd have nearly no success tonight. Also, I have to give Jay serious credit for keeping his cool; I'm sure he personally hates every guy on the offensive line. I'm personally thrilled Jay isn't injured; Lord knows the line has tried their damnedest to put him on IR. I'm just glad Martz didn't get pass happy tonight, because Jay would probably need a colostomy bag by now." Something like that would be nice.

Indeed. And just think, there are a few on this board who were actually trying to talk themselves into the concept that Omiyale and/or Webb don't suck just this past week.

Again. Cutler getes some time, gets to plant his foot, connecting to Johnny Knox.

Gruden: "The Lions are eating Frank Omiyale alive right now. They gotta get help for Frank Omiyale right now. He's not able to get out of his stance and block...any of these Lions right now."

There have been a few times this game when Cutler has had time...in those plays the results have been pretty good. -- Like the play just now when Cutler had time...11 yards to Roy Williams.

Care to retract the initial statement after the worst OL performance I've ever seen?

I'd still rather see another stud OL drafted early to actually, ya know, consistently give the QB time to throw the ball. Notice that the few times Cutler has had time tonight, he has been able to make a few good throws. It would also be cool if they could run block consistently, instead of forcing Forte to bounce everything to the outside when the runs are called inside. BTW - 7 False Starts this game (two on Davis, not three like Jaws said)

I like the results thus far, but I just wish that same style of play and play-calling could give the Bears a big enough lead to feel comfortable. I know I don't feel comfortable yet, and the Lions could be ahead with a single play.

I suspect sarcasm, but the problem is, everything I said is FACT. The defense they play often asks the DB to pass off the WR to the Safety and play in a little zone. The flaw is, there is a spot between the DB and the safety. This is such a known fact that you could easily google the flaws in the cover-2. That is, when the Bears play the cover-2. For that TD, they were in at least a variation of the cover-2; this was apparent when P-Nut(?) let Calvin Johnson go. The other flaw is, the safety is not a DB, and can't adjust to a stud WR making a move. All of this happened on the Johnson TD. Thank goodness the OL gave Cutler some time on the one play that mattered thus far in the first half. Great patience by Cutler, good blocking, and a catch by Davis.

Love the defensive scheme that always leaves the designed holes in the exact same places on just about every play. This is something that even Lovie has admitted. Built in flaws allowed Megatron to drop behind a DB who PURPOSEFULLY let him go, at which point he was one on one with a short safety. Brilliant.

Please, someone, PLEASE, stand up for this OL? A few people tried to say something this week about how they're actually a good run blocking line, or some such nonsense, but this is indefensible. They can't run block very well. And they certainly are the worst pass blocking OL I've ever seen. Cutler doesn't even have time to plant his back foot on a single pass play.

Good post, but let's not overlook the fact that Roach is as good a LB as probably any of the OLinemen are at their position, and 1 Urlacher = 14 Omiyale, or 1 Briggs = 9 Webb (more or less). Not to mention the fact that it's a lot easier to take an athletic guy and turn him into a good LB, than to take a big guy and make him into a good OL.

Look like Tarzan, play like Jane. I sure hope you mean they "look" like a pretty strong offensive line from a run blocking perspective, because other than the last game, their performance doesn't support that statement.