The good, the bad & the Ugly

[nfoligno]

The good (yes, there were some good things, just not many)

 

1. Toeaina. First game, matching up w/ a pair of the best inside OL in the game (Hutch & Burk) and he not only held his own, but made some plays and busted some runs, forcing AP to alter coarse into the arms of waiting tacklers. Walker who?

 

2. Maynard. He had some huge kicks. One was a huge 55 yarder w/ great hangtime from our own 3 yard line. Several other big kicks, and w/ great hangtime.

 

3. Numerous areas of defense. We passed up the cover 2 (as we should have the first game) and stacked the box. We did well against their run game, made plays and forced turnovers.

 

4. Coverage units did a great job getting downfield and limiting Minny as well. As poor as our offense played, the score could have been much worse if not for the great play by the special teams.

 

The bad.

 

1. Jamar Williams. He did not look good last night. I believe he played much of the game, as we gave up a safety and played a 4-4-3 alignment, adding the extra LB in the box. On both AP's long gain of the night, and a cut back TD run, Jamar left his assignment. Jamar is supposed to stay outside to prevent just the sort of cut backs AP so often uses, but he went inside and was out of position. Can't write him off based on one game, but last night sure gave little confidence in the idea of his replacing Briggs w/o too great of a dropoff.

 

2. Once again, tackling. While better for the most part, as usual, it seems we come up w/ blown tackles when we need to stops most. That long catch and run saw McGowan make a pathetic diving tackle attempt as he bounced off the receiver, also knocking his own man off.

 

3. Blitz pickup. For so long I heard about how great AP was at blitz pickup. Much of the year I watched him and simply do not see it. I will say that he does make the right read far more than Benson, but he simply does a poor job of engaging. AP too often simply dives at the defenders ankles, only to see the defender jump over him and barely lose momentum on his way to the QB. AP reads the blitz well enough, but simply is not strong enough of a blocker to keep the QB clean.

 

The Ugly

 

1. Penalties. The defense had to play a perfect game, and simply could not afford to give Minny free yards. On the other side, our offense was seriously out-matched, and could not afford all the false starts and holding penalties, putting themselves in down/distance they simply were not good enough to convert.

 

2. Cont off the above, but at the end of the half, the late hit on Tillman was inexcusable. That extra 15 yards was huge, as it allowed Minny to get into field position for a last second FG. W/o that penalty, Minny would have been forced to make a deep pass in order to get in field goal range, but because of that penalty, Minny only needs a short pass. That 3 points wasn't the difference in the game, but hurt none the less.

 

3. Something i did not understand was the end of the game. Minny is taking a knee to run out the clock. We had one timeout left. After the final knee, we could have used the TO to stop the clock w/ around 8-10 seconds left. W/ Devin Hester on the team, why would you not take the TO. Even if they kick away from him, in doing so, you have the chance of getting improved field position. Point is, anything can happen. W/ the time remaining, we would have had an opportunity for a punt return, as well as one play, depending on how long the punt play went. Very unlikely we would have done anything w/ the extra play, but why simply give up.

 

4. While the D played pretty well most of the game, at the end, the failed. After a great punt and play, we had them at the 2 yard line. We should have been licking our chops thinking either safety, or at minimum, making a stand and getting good field position. Instead, on the first play, we give up a 28 yard run, as well as another 1 down. Minny moves the ball to mid field, using up nearly 5 minutes, and our offense takes over at the 10.

[flea]

Am I the only one who was shouting for Hester not to go in on Offense as the game progressed? He doesn't look near ready & it's as if they are trying to force him into the line-up.

 

Orton wasn't awful, he had some bad throws but it's hard to evaluate when the lines so bad & AP is your starter

[azbearsfan]

Flea--agree with your point. Hester can't block and when he is in the no huddle it takes time to get him into position. But he is getting better at the catch and run. He is, at least, improving.

 

 

nfo--agree with most of what you said. Agree with the AP stuff especially. He is supposed to be this great 3rd down back, but his blocking has been crappy and his running is bad. He does ok with the catch and run, but I think Wolfe would be better at that.

[Controlled Chaos]

Hester is a couple beers short of a six pack. The guy just isn't bright, but his talent is worth those risks. They have to bring it down to his level. I don't care how...make it someone's responsibility to get the play to him in terms he can understand. Hester Deep Fly. Hester 10 yard out. Hester 20 yard in. Whatever...if they continue to use him on offense, they should just take the extra step to let him know what he has to do. Otherwise get him off the field.

[Lucky Luciano]

3. Something i did not understand was the end of the game. Minny is taking a knee to run out the clock. We had one timeout left. After the final knee, we could have used the TO to stop the clock w/ around 8-10 seconds left. W/ Devin Hester on the team, why would you not take the TO. Even if they kick away from him, in doing so, you have the chance of getting improved field position.

 

clock management from this coaching staff has been atrocious. there is NO excuse for what we see week in week out, year in year out. as you stated, in this game there was time for the punt and probably a couple of plays to go with the return with >>15 SECONDS

 

add to this crap is week after week i see us kneel on the ball or some idiotic run up the middle to end the first half. these instances we even have good field position and a half a minute left. it is just plain gutless to play this way when you NEED any kind of spark to ignite your offense or your team is already on the ropes for the season. it's just mindboggling!!!

[Bears4Ever_34]

I think Jamar was only in for like 1 or two plays and had a tackle.

[nfoligno]

I have no issue w/ Hester being in there on offense. The season is over, and at this point, our best coarse is development. As bad as Jamar Williams played, I like that he was on the field. I like that I saw Bradley. I would have liked Hass in there too.

[adam]

Toeaina is a prime example of what the Bears need to do the next 2 weeks. Play guys like this and see what they can do. He seems like a keeper.

[nfoligno]

I'm not going to knock AP too much for his running. We have a weak OL and were facing the best run defense in the game. W/ Orton at the helm, it isn't like Minny feared the pass either. And frankly, I never got caught up in the AP hype. So many felt he could start for many other teams, and I never did. So to me, his running is what it is. Average.

 

I like what he does as a receiver. He catches the ball well, and showes vision and good moves to squeeze out extra yards.

 

Pass blocking though.... This is an area he is supposed to be so good at, and I simply have not seen it all year. When he tries to block straight up, he gets knocked over or pushed aside. So instead, he most often dives at the ankles, doing even less. He is the anti Benson. Benson did not always make the right read, but when he did, I more often than not saw him flat out standup the defender.

 

Can we put AP's mind in Benson's body. And before any here add it, I will. Can we add AP's heart as well.

[nfoligno]

Reminds me of years ago when Jauron called for us to take a knee on 4th down to run down the clock, not realizing the clock would automatically stop w/ the change of possession.

[nfoligno]

Jamar had one solo and 3 assists, so he was definitely in there for more than a play or two.

 

Quite a few times, Minny only used one WR, lining up two TEs, a FB and a RB. Anytime they did this, we countered by sending in Jamar Williams in place of Vasher/McBride. There were other times McGowan moved to FS, DM took a seat, and we used Jamar Williams as a 4th LB instead of a SS.

 

I do not know exactly how many plays Jamar was in there for. But I did not think he played well, and several of AP's bigger runs were created by Jamar being on the outside, and moving inside, leaving his cut back assignment.

[nfoligno]

Agreed. Due to injuries, we are already playing quite a few young players, but there are some more we need to see.

 

QB - Orton - Regardless how he plays.

RB - Wolfe

WR - Hass, Bradley, Hester

TE - Olsen

OL - I would like to see Beekman and St.Clair

DL - Toeaina, Anderson

LB - Jamar Williams

DB - McBride, Graham.

[adam]

Hass definitely needs to play. Great hands and runs decent routes. Why not?

[Pixote]

Hass definitely needs to play. Great hands and runs decent routes. Why not?

 

Exactly, we have nothing to lose by giving him a shot, if he is as good as many of us think, he may be one of many missing pieces to solving our Os problems. I did say one of MANY pieces.

[brletich]

Exactly, we have nothing to lose by giving him a shot, if he is as good as many of us think, he may be one of many missing pieces to solving our Os problems. I did say one of MANY pieces.

 

I can see him being the outlet valve that our QB's need when the OL breaks down after 1 or 2 seconds. He isn't fast, but he can run routes and catch. Make him a possession guy and see if he can fill a Tom Waddle role, where if we need a catch on 3rd down he will make it.