jason

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.

Appreciate the link, but what I don't get is WHY people started singing? Why did the crowd start getting amped up? It's so unique and I wonder why exactly fans started cheering so widely during the NA.

Love the play calling for the most part, but an end-around to Sanzenbacher is a horrible call. If it doesn't work with the fastest WR, it certainly won't work with the slowest WR.

Remind me again how the whole phenomenon of everyone cheering while he sings it starts again?

I don't even understand why it's a move! It should have NEVER CHANGED!

I can live with you having your own version, since it's essentially the same analogy I used. Although, I think Crowton also ends up with an edible dish, but there's probably not enough chives (e.g. run) to counteract the metric ton of cheese he used (e.g. pass). The only thing you forgot is that Shoop DEFINITELY burns himself somewhere during the contest. (There is no way I can let him off the hook for the countless plays that everyone in the universe knew were wrong for the down, distance, game situation, personnel, defense, weather, Farmer's Almanac, and stellar alignment.) Shoop definitely burns himself. I'm thinking at least a square foot of 2nd degree burns to his hand, arm, or face.

The rise is minimal. But I will provide these analogies... Crowton = The guy who tries to compete in a cooking competition, only has 2 eggs and a potato, and insists he's going to make chili. He's destined to fail, but at least he's trying. Shoop = The guy who, despite having 2 eggs and a potato, is too dumb and/or afraid to actually compete in a cooking competition after signing up for it, so he decides to boil water and ends up scalding his hand when he repeatedly checks the water temperature. Both are probably going to fail, but only the former has the possibility of making someone happy with the ingredients provided. And since we Bears' fans have been starving for offense for so long, I was/am happy to have at least a baked potato and scrambled eggs. Personally, I'm tired of boiled water. Side note: The Crowton analogy can be applied to Martz to some extent.

Of course...this would be the first year in a long time that I wasted a high pick on a QB. I hope it's a bogus report.