As of right now

[Guest TerraTor]

I think we are in for a shootout our offense wont be able to keep up with. Honestly was any reciever ever open other than Olsen? Cutler moved around and was able to connect with the ever smothered Earl Bennett and Hester wasnt much better. Can these guys stay on their feet when they catch a ball? Beyond the TEs and Forte of course, its not looking good to me. And please abandone the slant on the left side of the field, yikes!! One slight hint of hope was DA getting some separation, especially in the deep pass.. 1 foot to the right and it was a perfect TD throw . Oh well.

 

Anyone notice how hester went back to normal influencing the punts? forget the few that were inside the 10, but the deep punts he took back over 50 and the earlier punt went about 25yard and OOBounds. I remember that guy now...

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

So wait, let me see here. First it was- why did we trade for JC? We have nobody to catch the ball. And now, it's- these guys catch the ball but then they just fall.

 

I could give 2 s***s what Earl Bennett does after he catches the ball. All the current great WR's catch the ball and fall unless they catch it on the run across the middle or on a bomb. Ever see Randy Moss catch a 10 yard pass standing still and try to run with it after? Me neither.

[AZ54]

Amazing, we've had about 5 quarters of play with this new QB, new WR, rebuilt Oline, and already the panic is setting in. If anything, given the circumstances I'm amazed at how productive this group has been. There's only one reason for that and it's Cutler.

[CrackerDog]

Amazing, we've had about 5 quarters of play with this new QB, new WR, rebuilt Oline, and already the panic is setting in. If anything, given the circumstances I'm amazed at how productive this group has been. There's only one reason for that and it's Cutler.

 

Why does anyone take anything TerraTor says as meaningful? I don't see anyone in a state of "panic". Terra just says things to piss the other members of this board off. If you read his comments in that light, you'll find it easy to just laugh them off and move on.

 

By the way, I agree with you on everything else you said above, other than the "panic" part. As to panic, I'm a lot more worried about our D secondary than anything else on this team.

[nfoligno]

Terra actually has legit points.

 

He isn't necessarily saying our offense is going to stink. I think he is saying our defense will stink, and questioning if our offense, as capable as it may be, is going to be good enough for shoot outs. That is a legit question.

 

Further, he isn't just being negative w/o backup. IMHO, it is a very valid point questioning what our WRs did. In preseason thus far, we have seen our WRs make some great catches, but it is a legit point to point out that Cutler is often forced to thread the needle as our WRs do not seem to be getting very open. W/ as much focus as our run game and TEs are getting, I think it fair to expect our WRs to find more space. Especially in the last game, w/ Denver blitzing like crazy, you would think our WRs would have been more able to get open.

 

That is something I noted as well. Numerous times, Cutler seems to be spending a lot of time looking for an open WR. This has been an issue in the past, and needs to get corrected. We all love watching our WRs making great catches, jumping over a DB or fighting for the ball, but it should would be nice to see our WRs wide open once in a while too.

 

Why does anyone take anything TerraTor says as meaningful? I don't see anyone in a state of "panic". Terra just says things to piss the other members of this board off. If you read his comments in that light, you'll find it easy to just laugh them off and move on.

 

By the way, I agree with you on everything else you said above, other than the "panic" part. As to panic, I'm a lot more worried about our D secondary than anything else on this team.

 

[CrackerDog]

Further, he isn't just being negative w/o backup. IMHO, it is a very valid point questioning what our WRs did. In preseason thus far, we have seen our WRs make some great catches, but it is a legit point to point out that Cutler is often forced to thread the needle as our WRs do not seem to be getting very open. W/ as much focus as our run game and TEs are getting, I think it fair to expect our WRs to find more space. Especially in the last game, w/ Denver blitzing like crazy, you would think our WRs would have been more able to get open.

 

I'm not saying you're totally wrong. Or that he is. But he doesn't say it the same way you did either. His comments are often very clearly meant to piss off members of this board. I ignore most of his posts these days.

 

That said, I think our receivers are still developing. I've always said I'm not sure Hester will ever get there. I hope he does but the kid isn't very sharp. Physical skills are only part of that position.

 

Your point about Denver blitzing can actually be taken the other way though. With shorter time frames in which to work, our WR's have to find holes more quickly. Those are often tighter throws for the QB since the routes are shorter, nearer to the LB's and other congestion.

 

I recall lots of "open" receivers and I recall Cutler overthrowing one, specifically, and another where Hester misjudged the ball. These are things I think they can improve on and will. I'd like to see more slants. Turner may be shellshocked because those passes seemed to get picked off more often than not with Grossman and Orton. If they're not throw accurately they tend to bounce off receivers and land in the hands of safeties. Cutler has that level of accuracy.

 

And I've actually been impressed with the hands our receivers have dispalyed thus far. It goes with better throws, I suppose, but these guys are hanging onto the ball really well.

 

So, I guess what I'm saying is, if you're going to talk about the negative side, at least give them credit for what they've done well too. We completed 21 passes against Denver and they weren't all tight throws. That's BS.

[nfoligno]

Yea, I get that Terra often throws stuff out there to get others riled up, but as opposed to the "Rex Sucks" posts, I thought he did have some valid points, and did actually offer some supporting comments.

 

No question I have been impressed w/ the hands of our WRs. Further, i would also so our WRs have been impressive w/ their tracking ability. I have been impressed by what our WRs have done after the catch as well. Hell, there has been a lot to like about our WRs.

 

At the same time, I do think it a valid concern about their getting open. They are young, and this is to be expected, but it is still a concern.

 

An example is the quick slant. I heard one of the announcers mention this in the NY game, and saw it again against Denver. On a quick slant, you don't worry about selling the go route. You don't worry about running a few yards upfield and then breaking on. On the quick slants, you immediately turn your body and run a slant route. But what our WRs have been doing is running a few yards downfield before cutting. When they do this, they are giving the DBs an opportunity to jump on the route, which I have seen 3 times now. Luckily, the ball bounced off the DBs hands each time, but it is scary as hell to see none-the-less. This is the sort of thing that takes time, and we have young WRs, so it is not totally unexpected. Regardless, it is something to watch.

 

I like our young WRs. I also think that having a pair of TEs such as we do, combined w/ Forte (rushing and receiving) gives us more room to develop younger WRs. At the same time, I do think it fair to point out our WRs are not getting open very well. You talk about this play or that play, but a couple here and there is not what I am talking about. Look at Olsen. He is a known centerpiece in our system, and yet he seems wide open quite often. That is because he sells one route, makes a good cut, and finds space.

 

We have the potential for a good offense, but if we want to really score w/ the big boys, we are going to need more consistent help from the WRs. For that to happen, they are going to need to develop their route running better.

I'm not saying you're totally wrong. Or that he is. But he doesn't say it the same way you did either. His comments are often very clearly meant to piss off members of this board. I ignore most of his posts these days.

 

That said, I think our receivers are still developing. I've always said I'm not sure Hester will ever get there. I hope he does but the kid isn't very sharp. Physical skills are only part of that position.

 

Your point about Denver blitzing can actually be taken the other way though. With shorter time frames in which to work, our WR's have to find holes more quickly. Those are often tighter throws for the QB since the routes are shorter, nearer to the LB's and other congestion.

 

I recall lots of "open" receivers and I recall Cutler overthrowing one, specifically, and another where Hester misjudged the ball. These are things I think they can improve on and will. I'd like to see more slants. Turner may be shellshocked because those passes seemed to get picked off more often than not with Grossman and Orton. If they're not throw accurately they tend to bounce off receivers and land in the hands of safeties. Cutler has that level of accuracy.

 

And I've actually been impressed with the hands our receivers have dispalyed thus far. It goes with better throws, I suppose, but these guys are hanging onto the ball really well.

 

So, I guess what I'm saying is, if you're going to talk about the negative side, at least give them credit for what they've done well too. We completed 21 passes against Denver and they weren't all tight throws. That's BS.

 

[CrackerDog]

An example is the quick slant.

 

I agree, we need to work on this. And perhaps it's an opportunity for Cutler to ream a WR or two again. Tell them what they're supposed to do if the WR's coach isn't making the point clear enough.

 

At the same time, I do think it fair to point out our WRs are not getting open very well. You talk about this play or that play, but a couple here and there is not what I am talking about. Look at Olsen. He is a known centerpiece in our system, and yet he seems wide open quite often. That is because he sells one route, makes a good cut, and finds space.

 

Warner is a very good QB with great WR's. They played the Packers this weekend and they're not known for having a very good secondary. I don't know the details of every play in that game but I do know that Warner completed 62% of his passes while Cutler completed 72% of his. Somebody is getting open guys! And it was while the Denver front was blitzing on every freaking down. You have to get rid of the ball fast in those situations and they aren't going to WR's, usually, unless you've got a slant or an out called. Maybe it's that our Wr's aren't reading the blitz very well or that the plays called weren't allowing for adjustments. I don't know, you don't know and Terra doesn't either.

 

I want to see Hester hit in stride. I want to see slants that hit the mark and don't allow the DB to jump the route. I actually, believe it or not, want to see the bubble screen to Hester. It was all we used to call and now I can't recall it being used at all. I also want to see how much more open things are when we establish a sound running attack. We didn't do that against Denver. Things tend to open up a little when you've got the ground game working.

 

Oh, and I'd like to see us run a RB screen play ala Dorsett on the Cowboys or Levens on the Packers. It kills me that in my entire life I've never seen the Bears use this play consistently. With a good QB now, there's no excuse! Hell, old man Favre ran a great one last night and he's been with the Vikings for less than two weeks!

 

My hope is that all of the things I mention above in my last two paragraphs are in the playbook for week one and we're holding them back. If so, you'll be amazed at how freaking open Bennett will be on some of his routes. You hit Hester deep a few times, you'll be amazed at how big a cushion he's given by corners. So, let's let this play out a tad before we start declaring that the Bears will lose to Green Bay in Week 1. If the things I mention above aren't in the gameplan, that's not our WR's fault, that's Turner's fault. And he should be fired for wasting our talented QB. I want to see how things transpire before I call for his head but he's got no excuses anymore.

[BigDaddy]

I agree, we need to work on this. And perhaps it's an opportunity for Cutler to ream a WR or two again. Tell them what they're supposed to do if the WR's coach isn't making the point clear enough.

 

 

 

Warner is a very good QB with great WR's. They played the Packers this weekend and they're not known for having a very good secondary. I don't know the details of every play in that game but I do know that Warner completed 62% of his passes while Cutler completed 72% of his. Somebody is getting open guys! And it was while the Denver front was blitzing on every freaking down. You have to get rid of the ball fast in those situations and they aren't going to WR's, usually, unless you've got a slant or an out called. Maybe it's that our Wr's aren't reading the blitz very well or that the plays called weren't allowing for adjustments. I don't know, you don't know and Terra doesn't either.

 

I want to see Hester hit in stride. I want to see slants that hit the mark and don't allow the DB to jump the route. I actually, believe it or not, want to see the bubble screen to Hester. It was all we used to call and now I can't recall it being used at all. I also want to see how much more open things are when we establish a sound running attack. We didn't do that against Denver. Things tend to open up a little when you've got the ground game working.

 

Oh, and I'd like to see us run a RB screen play ala Dorsett on the Cowboys or Levens on the Packers. It kills me that in my entire life I've never seen the Bears use this play consistently. With a good QB now, there's no excuse! Hell, old man Favre ran a great one last night and he's been with the Vikings for less than two weeks!

 

My hope is that all of the things I mention above in my last two paragraphs are in the playbook for week one and we're holding them back. If so, you'll be amazed at how freaking open Bennett will be on some of his routes. You hit Hester deep a few times, you'll be amazed at how big a cushion he's given by corners. So, let's let this play out a tad before we start declaring that the Bears will lose to Green Bay in Week 1. If the things I mention above aren't in the gameplan, that's not our WR's fault, that's Turner's fault. And he should be fired for wasting our talented QB. I want to see how things transpire before I call for his head but he's got no excuses anymore.

 

I'm probably in the minority here but I'm kinda finished with the Devin hester experiment. Ok, he's fast as hell and has good hands. Great, but he is as dumb as a box of rocks and I believe alot of the reason he isn't getting open more is because he is forced to think about different coverages and how to react. Anytime you ask this guy to think thru something, that ain't good. He is a reactive type of player. He was a great return guy because all he had to do was look for a block and see the field and react. Asking him to make reads and adjust his routes accordingly is simply asking too much. I am hoping that Turner will install a handful of offensive plays for him where he only has to do one thing and then he'll be fine but frankly, and I believe Cutler knows this as well, he will NEVER be a #1WR, maybe not even a good #2. He can go back to earning his keep on returns and be far more productive for this team than he is now. Right now, he's occupying a spot for a true WR, maybe not as fast but certainly one with better instincts of a WR than his.

 

[CrackerDog]

I'm probably in the minority here but I'm kinda finished with the Devin hester experiment.

 

I believe Cutler knows this as well, he will NEVER be a #1WR, maybe not even a good #2.

 

I'm not giving up yet for only one reason: Lots of WR's don't "get it" until their 3rd or 4th year. And this isn't even his natural position. So while I'm convinced he's a pretty dumb guy, I'm not convinced that means he'll never get there. I still have some hope that he can. Slim...

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

Why does anyone take anything TerraTor says as meaningful? I don't see anyone in a state of "panic". Terra just says things to piss the other members of this board off. If you read his comments in that light, you'll find it easy to just laugh them off and move on.

 

By the way, I agree with you on everything else you said above, other than the "panic" part. As to panic, I'm a lot more worried about our D secondary than anything else on this team.

[defiantgiant]

I'm not giving up yet for only one reason: Lots of WR's don't "get it" until their 3rd or 4th year. And this isn't even his natural position. So while I'm convinced he's a pretty dumb guy, I'm not convinced that means he'll never get there. I still have some hope that he can. Slim...

 

Right, most receivers don't make the jump until their 3rd year. And those are guys who played the position in college. Hester's going to have an adjustment period. I don't think he's nearly as dumb as everybody makes him out to be; by all accounts, he has a good grasp of the playbook. It's just that he has to learn all the basics of the position at the same time. Who knows how long that's going to take.

 

I mean, Hester's a mixed bag at this point. On the one hand, he's already a nightmare to cover. On the other hand, he's not that great at tracking the ball over his shoulder, and he's not going to win any jump balls. I think an ideal playbook for Hester would consist of a lot of quick slants and screens, and probably some plays where he lines up in the slot. That way you could capitalize on his separation ability, get him the ball in space, and also put him in a position to make catches in front of his body, instead of over his shoulder or above his head.

[jason]

Why does anyone take anything TerraTor says as meaningful? I don't see anyone in a state of "panic". Terra just says things to piss the other members of this board off. If you read his comments in that light, you'll find it easy to just laugh them off and move on.

 

By the way, I agree with you on everything else you said above, other than the "panic" part. As to panic, I'm a lot more worried about our D secondary than anything else on this team.

 

I usually view them as if they are from someone who hasn't seen the games, and only the highlights on Sportscenter.

 

Cutler's good, but he isn't THAT good. The receivers on this team have been doing pretty well this preseason when Cutler has been in the game.

[AZ54]

Lost in all this is the point that our TEs are open, a lot! I realize our WR aren't getting open as often as we'd like (myself included) but I don't care how we move the football. If a D is giving us open TEs for 20 yards gains then I'll take it all night long. At some point teams are going to have to address this or Greg Olsen will beat them. That's one thing (among many) I like about what Cutler has done the last two games, he's spreading the ball around. While our WR might not be in the top half of the league, we have so many weapons and a QB who knows how to use them all over the field. It'll be reception by committee this year but I think it will work just fine. Hopefully by the second half of the season a WR or two have become more consistent threats for Cutler.

[Mongo3451]

Lost in all this is the point that our TEs are open, a lot! I realize our WR aren't getting open as often as we'd like (myself included) but I don't care how we move the football. If a D is giving us open TEs for 20 yards gains then I'll take it all night long. At some point teams are going to have to address this or Greg Olsen will beat them. That's one thing (among many) I like about what Cutler has done the last two games, he's spreading the ball around. While our WR might not be in the top half of the league, we have so many weapons and a QB who knows how to use them all over the field. It'll be reception by committee this year but I think it will work just fine. Hopefully by the second half of the season a WR or two have become more consistent threats for Cutler.

Jumping in all of the commentary here: I have a question. How many times have we seen play action? I don't recall seeing it. Once we establish this portion of the offense and the short game; the other stuff will open up. This is something we're going to have faith and watch develop. Hester will be fine as he and Cutler will find a connection in a few "whole" games. He's a slow starter, but seems to finish well.