FML, Entire staff is back for next year minus DL Coach...

[madlithuanian]

I personally think the decision to keep him is coming from Trestman.

 

Ownership, with a DC or OC, could probably care less. Emery may have a say as well, but I think it's Trestman. I hope he saw things that we all didn't and the DL and LB coaches that were canned were the ones that dropped the ball...

 

I wanted him gone, but pining for that now is moot. All we can do is hope that it was a mix of the following:

 

1. Injuries

2. Inhereted scheme that was flawed for the personnell

3. Lack of buy-in from vets

4. DL and LB coaches sucked

5. Didn't run his scheme

 

Here's hoping all those issues go away...

 

Really? I know the biggest issue was rush D but damn if they couldn't get off the field on 3rd down (or 4th down against the Packers). No pass rush to speak of, poor tackling. I know there were injuries but Jesus man, this was supposed to be a bend but don't break D and it broke all season long. If Tucker wasn't smart enough to run it and get the basics right, why should we feel confident he'll get a D of his own creation right? What from his past gives you confidence in this guy?

 

I know why the Bears organization (in this case it's, IMO, coming from the top, not necessarily Trestman or Emery but from ownership) is sticking with him. But I wonder why a fan of the team would want another ride on the Tucker-Go-Round after that absolutely abysmal season.

 

[scs787]

My point is I don't think he was making the calls in important situations and after his "mentor" left and he didn't have that crutch to fall back on and tell him what to do, he failed, and his track record continues to show it everywhere he has been. I too hope I am wrong and he turns things around, but if it looks like crap and smells like crap...well you know.

 

 

Maybe, but he was doing something right because he was in the hunt for the head coaching job after the year.

 

 

I just can't imagine anyone being able to turn what we put out on the field look any better than what they were. I'll reiterate the fact that for the better part of the year our DL consisted of an aging and declining Julius Peppers, and undersized and out of position Corey Wootton, a guy dealing with a turf toe injury Stephen Paea, and a guy that even the beloved Lovie Smith got nothing out of Shea McClellin. That just has disaster written all over it no matter who the coach is.

 

 

Da Coach was on ESPN1000 and brought up a good point. Coaches devise a game plan and the players execute. We can't put all of the Bears execution woahs on Mel because like Ditka said, at the end of the day it's the players who have to execute.

[GakMan23]

Maybe, but he was doing something right because he was in the hunt for the head coaching job after the year.

 

 

I just can't imagine anyone being able to turn what we put out on the field look any better than what they were. I'll reiterate the fact that for the better part of the year our DL consisted of an aging and declining Julius Peppers, and undersized and out of position Corey Wootton, a guy dealing with a turf toe injury Stephen Paea, and a guy that even the beloved Lovie Smith got nothing out of Shea McClellin. That just has disaster written all over it no matter who the coach is.

 

 

Da Coach was on ESPN1000 and brought up a good point. Coaches devise a game plan and the players execute. We can't put all of the Bears execution woahs on Mel because like Ditka said, at the end of the day it's the players who have to execute.

 

 

Tons of teams have injuries and not had such epic failures in regards to players getting the right play calls or in the rookies case not improved as the season has gone on. As you seem to have ignored, I stated the fact that they are using injuries as an excuse, to keep one defensive coach while firing other defensive coachs, seems to be a talking out of both sides of your mouth excuse. Just because he was interviewed for a head coach vacancy doesn't make him a good coach. Don't want to bring in the Rooney rule as I don't like race being used as a reason for something happening, but in this case it may have been. His entire coaching history has never warranted his consideration to be a head coach as he hasn't done ANYTHING ever in his career as a coach to show he has the ability to teach, let alone come up with a scheme. Every place he has been he has run someone elses schemes, and they have each gotten worse under him and when he didn't have a system already in place, was fired the very next year.

 

Sorry I love Ditka, but he is one of the main reasons the Bears only won 1 superbowl with that team. So what he thinks in regards to coaching, doesn't hold much merrit in my eyes.

[killakrzydav]

I may get ripped here but I'm all for giving this defensive staff another shot. First off, injures killed our front and I'd like to see what a healthy line and some potential new faces could do. Secondly, we could face an more significant regression if we try to force a move to a 3-4 without 3-4 talent. Of the front 7, a maximum of three current bears could potentially be a viable option in this proposed new defense. One who may be cut(Pep). We simply don't have the money or enough draft picks to overhaul this defense in a year.

 

That being said, a middle of the pack defense and our current offense is a serious Superbowl contender.

 

And to the posters who think that Trestman should be on the hotseat if the defense fails, well your just plain delusional. It's quite possible that we hit a homerun with this guy and yall want to toss him after a year? WTF? We've been bitching since I've joined this site that we needed an offense well now we have it and you want to boot him. Re-freakin-tarded!

 

 

[scs787]

Tons of teams have injuries and not had such epic failures in regards to players getting the right play calls or in the rookies case not improved as the season has gone on. As you seem to have ignored, I stated the fact that they are using injuries as an excuse, to keep one defensive coach while firing other defensive coachs, seems to be a talking out of both sides of your mouth excuse. Just because he was interviewed for a head coach vacancy doesn't make him a good coach. Don't want to bring in the Rooney rule as I don't like race being used as a reason for something happening, but in this case it may have been. His entire coaching history has never warranted his consideration to be a head coach as he hasn't done ANYTHING ever in his career as a coach to show he has the ability to teach, let alone come up with a scheme. Every place he has been he has run someone elses schemes, and they have each gotten worse under him and when he didn't have a system already in place, was fired the very next year.

 

Sorry I love Ditka, but he is one of the main reasons the Bears only won 1 superbowl with that team. So what he thinks in regards to coaching, doesn't hold much merrit in my eyes.

 

 

Again, show me a team who suffered the types of injuries the Bears have and tell me how good they were. Yes injuries happen and they have happened to other teams, but to the extreme that the Bears went through??? Again, for the Tampa 2 to be successful you HAVE to get pressure from your front 4. When that goes in the shitter like it did for the Bears it makes every other unit on the field look bad.

 

 

And you can't say he hasn't done ANYTHING because we truly don't know how much he was doing in 2011 when he was calling plays on a horseshit Jags team and made them a top 5 defense. If you wanna be naive and think that it was all JDR even though all reports say it was Mel then fine.

 

 

As for firing the DL and LB coach, ya you do have a point there. FWIW before being a DC Mel was a DBs coach so maybe they feel he needs better help in the DL and LB area.

 

All I know is that there is obviously something about him that the Bears like. Trestman had no problem firing people in Canada so I don't think it's a "Oh Trestman is just too nice to let him go" type situation.

 

If you look back at the Green Bay game when we had Ratliff and Briggs out there the run D was MUCH better. Yes, they gave up 2 big plays for 58 yards, but once you eliminate those 2 (I know I'm cherry picking here) they only gave up 3 ypc the other 32 carries.

[Pixote]

I cannot say that I am a big supporter of Tucker, however, several things I would like to bring up.

 

1) We started the season with some significant injuries on defense, but were able to overcome the initial onslaught. In week 4 power rankings we were, by most experts, considered #5 - So before we started to accumulate more and more injuries, this defense was playing pretty damn good. I remember thinking at that point we had something special and was going to have a great year in all 3 phases of the game.

 

2) Some have said that Tucker threw his coaches under the bus. I doubt very much it was Tucker's decision. I assume that either Trestman, Emery or both felt that for one reason or another these two position coaches who were let go failed to perform. Maybe these two guys were malcontents with Lovie's firing? Maybe it was felt the lack of fundamentals by the "replacement" players were significantly attributed to these position coaches. I do not know.

 

3) Emery has already fallen on the sword. He admitted that in his haste to improve the offense, he failed to provide the team with enough quality depth on defense to overcome the injuries we were saddled with in 2013. In his defense, I do not know of anyone who would have predicted the type of injuries we saw on defense. I can also not blame him, at that point, concentrating on the OL and offensive in general. He could only do so much in one year. Now, let's see what he can do with the defense.

 

If Emery can do for the defense line what he did for the offensive line last year, and get a solid draft to shore up the LBs & secondary, it will be interesting how this will turn around.

 

[CrackerDog]

I personally think the decision to keep him is coming from Trestman.

 

Ownership, with a DC or OC, could probably care less. Emery may have a say as well, but I think it's Trestman.

 

It's all guesswork but you and I feel very differently on this. I think Bears ownership doesn't want to be perceived as one that doesn't give people a chance to prove themselves. I'm sure they looked at the season and thought the same thing SCS and others did, that this guy was doing the best he could with a bad hand.

 

I therefore think that even if Trestman wanted to move on, ownership would've said no. And it isn't even really abojut money although you have to consider it. No team wants to be saddled with paying guys they no longer employ. Obviously I'm not in the inner circle so it's all just an opinion. But Trestman has the reputation for dumping DC's so it wouldn't have suprised me if he did it again. Results are in!

 

I think Emery and Trestman had an incentive to keep Tucker around. They don't want it to look like they made a decision just last year that's already proven to have been a bad one. So, you're probably right, they'd like to see this guy succeed to make themselves look better. But I still think the ultimate call here was probably at the McCaskey level.

[madlithuanian]

Great take Pix...

 

I cannot say that I am a big supporter of Tucker, however, several things I would like to bring up.

 

1) We started the season with some significant injuries on defense, but were able to overcome the initial onslaught. In week 4 power rankings we were, by most experts, considered #5 - So before we started to accumulate more and more injuries, this defense was playing pretty damn good. I remember thinking at that point we had something special and was going to have a great year in all 3 phases of the game.

 

2) Some have said that Tucker threw his coaches under the bus. I doubt very much it was Tucker's decision. I assume that either Trestman, Emery or both felt that for one reason or another these two position coaches who were let go failed to perform. Maybe these two guys were malcontents with Lovie's firing? Maybe it was felt the lack of fundamentals by the "replacement" players were significantly attributed to these position coaches. I do not know.

 

3) Emery has already fallen on the sword. He admitted that in his haste to improve the offense, he failed to provide the team with enough quality depth on defense to overcome the injuries we were saddled with in 2013. In his defense, I do not know of anyone who would have predicted the type of injuries we saw on defense. I can also not blame him, at that point, concentrating on the OL and offensive in general. He could only do so much in one year. Now, let's see what he can do with the defense.

 

If Emery can do for the defense line what he did for the offensive line last year, and get a solid draft to shore up the LBs & secondary, it will be interesting how this will turn around.

 

[Wesson44]

Again, show me a team who suffered the types of injuries the Bears have and tell me how good they were. Yes injuries happen and they have happened to other teams, but to the extreme that the Bears went through??? Again, for the Tampa 2 to be successful you HAVE to get pressure from your front 4. When that goes in the shitter like it did for the Bears it makes every other unit on the field look bad.

 

 

And you can't say he hasn't done ANYTHING because we truly don't know how much he was doing in 2011 when he was calling plays on a horseshit Jags team and made them a top 5 defense. If you wanna be naive and think that it was all JDR even though all reports say it was Mel then fine.

 

 

As for firing the DL and LB coach, ya you do have a point there. FWIW before being a DC Mel was a DBs coach so maybe they feel he needs better help in the DL and LB area.

 

All I know is that there is obviously something about him that the Bears like. Trestman had no problem firing people in Canada so I don't think it's a "Oh Trestman is just too nice to let him go" type situation.

 

If you look back at the Green Bay game when we had Ratliff and Briggs out there the run D was MUCH better. Yes, they gave up 2 big plays for 58 yards, but once you eliminate those 2 (I know I'm cherry picking here) they only gave up 3 ypc the other 32 carries.

 

With better players you get better results. If we had a faster FS we could have made more tackles and passes broken up...how many times did you see Conte a step late on pass coverage. Hell in the last game against Green Bay he missed and INT that would have sealed the game and had a blown coverage that gave the game to the Packers. The bottom line is the players play the game...coaches just put them in the positions to win. If the coach tells a player over and over to go 10 steps and make a left...and the players goes 15 steps and makes a right....is that the fault of the coach or the player. They preach stay in your gaps to the D line......they preach fill your gaps and read your keys to the LB's and stay with your man to the secondary and stay deeped than the deepest man.....but does this happen every play....no they do what they feel is going to make a play. Down and distance is taught by the coaches...but how many times when its 3rd and three the DB is playing 7 yards off the ball thus allowing the inside slant for a first down?

[scs787]

I cannot say that I am a big supporter of Tucker, however, several things I would like to bring up.

 

1) We started the season with some significant injuries on defense, but were able to overcome the initial onslaught. In week 4 power rankings we were, by most experts, considered #5 - So before we started to accumulate more and more injuries, this defense was playing pretty damn good. I remember thinking at that point we had something special and was going to have a great year in all 3 phases of the game.

 

2) Some have said that Tucker threw his coaches under the bus. I doubt very much it was Tucker's decision. I assume that either Trestman, Emery or both felt that for one reason or another these two position coaches who were let go failed to perform. Maybe these two guys were malcontents with Lovie's firing? Maybe it was felt the lack of fundamentals by the "replacement" players were significantly attributed to these position coaches. I do not know.

 

3) Emery has already fallen on the sword. He admitted that in his haste to improve the offense, he failed to provide the team with enough quality depth on defense to overcome the injuries we were saddled with in 2013. In his defense, I do not know of anyone who would have predicted the type of injuries we saw on defense. I can also not blame him, at that point, concentrating on the OL and offensive in general. He could only do so much in one year. Now, let's see what he can do with the defense.

 

If Emery can do for the defense line what he did for the offensive line last year, and get a solid draft to shore up the LBs & secondary, it will be interesting how this will turn around.

 

 

Good post

 

People tend to forget that we held 4 of our first 5 opponents under 4 ypc, that included Peterson, 3.8ypc, if you take out his 36 yard run that number goes down to 2.4 on his 25 other carries. Saints averaged 2.2 ypc on 29 rushes. Bengals benefited from a 14 yard end around but sans that the Bears only gave up 2.4 ypc that game. In the Steelers game Dwyer had a 25 yard rush, the other 20 carries went for 2.7ypc.

 

They were suspect to a big play once a game but overall they were very solid up until Collins went down late in week 5. That was the point where they had to play an undersized Wootton inside and forced to play SMC, who even Lovie got nothing out of, more at DE. It should come as no surprise that they started to struggle from then on.

[jason]

Da Coach was on ESPN1000 and brought up a good point. Coaches devise a game plan and the players execute. We can't put all of the Bears execution woahs on Mel because like Ditka said, at the end of the day it's the players who have to execute.

 

That's not a good point. It's an incredibly stupid point. If you have Garrett Wolfe, I don't give a damn how many times you run him dead center into the line, he's not going to get you results. This example works with just about any other player whose skill-set translates specifically to a style of play. Randy Moss in his prime doesn't work on a power-run or option offense if they never pass to him and he's used to block. You don't install the Wildcat when Marino is your QB. Maybe the Bears can use Forte as a FB next year clearing holes for Bush? See how that works out and then we can say, "Well, they didn't execute." I could go on and on.

 

Simply saying "the players need to execute" reeks of Lovie, and a lack of responsibility. Good coaching is taking your players' talents and molding your system to best exploit their abilities.

[GakMan23]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2014...ercome-injuries

 

The Saints had the most defensive injuries in the league and didn't almost break the record for the worst defense in history, WHY? coaching that is why. Ryan, who we could have gotten, was able to ADJUST the defensive scheme to compensate for injuries, for the 4th ranked D in the NFL, while Chicago, flaundered. Tucker doesn't have the knowledge to adjust his defensive scheme and has made his career off of other people's systems.

[jason]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2014...ercome-injuries

 

The Saints had the most defensive injuries in the league and didn't almost break the record for the worst defense in history, WHY? coaching that is why. Ryan, who we could have gotten, was able to ADJUST the defensive scheme to compensate for injuries, for the 4th ranked D in the NFL, while Chicago, flaundered. Tucker doesn't have the knowledge to adjust his defensive scheme and has made his career off of other people's systems.

 

Exactly. The article nails it with the first sentence:

 

When Rob Ryan took over what was statistically among the worst defenses in NFL history, the Saints' first-year coordinator promised a flexible scheme which he could adjust to suit the strengths of whichever players he had.

[scs787]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2014...ercome-injuries

 

The Saints had the most defensive injuries in the league and didn't almost break the record for the worst defense in history, WHY? coaching that is why. Ryan, who we could have gotten, was able to ADJUST the defensive scheme to compensate for injuries, for the 4th ranked D in the NFL, while Chicago, flaundered. Tucker doesn't have the knowledge to adjust his defensive scheme and has made his career off of other people's systems.

 

Like I previously said, they still had play makers on the field week in and week out. David Hawthorne, a pro bowl caliber LB, played every game. Curtis Lofton, a pro bowl caliber LB, played every game. Cameron Jordan, a pro bowler, played every game this season. Junior Galette, who Saints fans are calling a pro bowl snub, played every game. Keenan Lewis, another guy Saint fans are calling a pro bowl snub, played every game. Kenny Vaccarro, their first round pick, only missed 2 games.

 

And those guys aren't random guys off the street that Rob Ryan turned into gold, they're all really good players.

 

[scs787]

That's not a good point. It's an incredibly stupid point. If you have Garrett Wolfe, I don't give a damn how many times you run him dead center into the line, he's not going to get you results. This example works with just about any other player whose skill-set translates specifically to a style of play. Randy Moss in his prime doesn't work on a power-run or option offense if they never pass to him and he's used to block. You don't install the Wildcat when Marino is your QB. Maybe the Bears can use Forte as a FB next year clearing holes for Bush? See how that works out and then we can say, "Well, they didn't execute." I could go on and on.

 

Simply saying "the players need to execute" reeks of Lovie, and a lack of responsibility. Good coaching is taking your players' talents and molding your system to best exploit their abilities.

 

 

Fantastic argument here. A whole lot of irrelevant references. And if it "reeks of Lovie" isn't that a good thing since ya know, everyone wishes Lovie was still here calling the D?

 

What system best fits a team that ran out a DL of an aging/declining Julius Peppers, an undersized Corey Wootton playing DT, Stephen Paea who was dealing with turf toe issues, and SMC who not even the almighty Lovie Smith got shit out of?

 

Should they have switched to a 3-4 mid season? Has that ever even been done??

 

 

[GakMan23]

Tim Jennings probowl player, Julius Peppers, probowl player, Tillman for most the season, probowl player, 2nd round pick Bostic, first round pick Shea Mcclellon Funny how you pick and choose what to remember. And those snubs weren't anything last year until they were taught and put into position to succeed by the DC, which didn't happen in Chicago with JMarcus Tucker running things.

[scs787]

Tim Jennings probowl player, Julius Peppers, probowl player, Tillman for most the season, probowl player, 2nd round pick Bostic, first round pick Shea Mcclellon Funny how you pick and choose what to remember. And those snubs weren't anything last year until they were taught and put into position to succeed by the DC, which didn't happen in Chicago with JMarcus Tucker running things.

 

Peppers hasn't been near a pro bowl level the last 2 years, even last year under Lovie Smith.

 

Tillman only played half the season and was dealing with injuries in a few of the games he did play.

 

Even the almighty Lovie Smith got nothing out of SMC so he's pretty much a bust

 

I'll give you Bostic, he was out of position more often than not, and that looks like a knock on him coming out of college too...

 

Weaknesses

Thickly built chest and shoulders but quickness is lacking. Won't be able to makes wasted moves after first step due to lack of burst. Has difficulties consistently get off better offensive lineman blocks and can be stiff-armed by longer ballcarriers. Hits with shoulder too often against the run, allows him to get sucked into offensive lineman's block rather than being able to make a play on the football. Overrun plays at times, lacks elite change of direction ability to recover. Closing speed to the ball is average, quicker ballcarriers elude his advances through the hole and mobile quarterbacks can run away from him. Almost gallops in the open field, won't catch pro backs and receivers from behind without help. Cut blocks at the second level give him issues. His eyes move faster than his feet can in terms of diagnosing the play and reacting.

 

 

Mel wasn't able to fix that, but maybe that's because he was a DBs coach previously, and that is why the LB coach got the axe.

[GakMan23]

But Mel Tucker is the DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, not the DB coach. If he can't figure out where to put players in his defensive schemes how can he be running the defense? Again SMC was completely out of his position, playing DE. I think he is a bust as well but throwing out when someone was drafted and using that as the reason the player did well and not COACHING, as proven by your own statements, doesn't work.

[madlithuanian]

I follow, but just don't see it.

 

Any McCaskey involvement I would think would be at the HC and GM only. I would imagine they'd let those 2 positions figure out what coordinators and coaches they want. The only way I see them involved is if a particular coordinator were so good, they'd want to maybe groom for replacement. Otherwise, I just don't see them that involved in the gory details. In fact, the opposite would seem to make more sense to me...that if they really wanted someone gone, they'd urge it.

 

I suppose anything is possible.

 

I think they are getting more flak for keeping him than jetisoning him. But, I'm ready to give the guy every opportunity to prove himself. The clock is ticking!

 

I won't care about the past if the present and future are good.

 

It's all guesswork but you and I feel very differently on this. I think Bears ownership doesn't want to be perceived as one that doesn't give people a chance to prove themselves. I'm sure they looked at the season and thought the same thing SCS and others did, that this guy was doing the best he could with a bad hand.

 

I therefore think that even if Trestman wanted to move on, ownership would've said no. And it isn't even really abojut money although you have to consider it. No team wants to be saddled with paying guys they no longer employ. Obviously I'm not in the inner circle so it's all just an opinion. But Trestman has the reputation for dumping DC's so it wouldn't have suprised me if he did it again. Results are in!

 

I think Emery and Trestman had an incentive to keep Tucker around. They don't want it to look like they made a decision just last year that's already proven to have been a bad one. So, you're probably right, they'd like to see this guy succeed to make themselves look better. But I still think the ultimate call here was probably at the McCaskey level.

 

[madlithuanian]

I keep seeing these stats of injuries from other teams. But I'm not sure it's apples and apples.

 

We lost pro bowlers at every level of the D. Melton, Briggs, and Tillman. Then volume at DL. I really don't want to go through the excercise of breaking each team down. But I'd imagine the folks lost from the other clubs weren't quite as integral to their overall well being as us missing those 3 and the extreme depth at DT.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not pleased with Tucker. But, there is a case to be made that just because someone had more injurues doesn't mean they were as important to their D's as ours. Cincy lost their top DL. But they didn't lose back-ups galore on top of that. Nor did they lose a pro bowl LB or a pro bowl CB. At least I don't think... I think the same could be said for NO and NE.

 

Tucker is on the clock. Regardless of injuries now, he either delivers or is ousted I think. Trestman and Emery will at minimum get 3 years. Possibly as much as 5. THis is if the ineptness and lack of a playoff spot keeps happening only. Every playoff berth buys a year up until that 5 year mark. After 5, a SB should be had.

 

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2014...ercome-injuries

 

The Saints had the most defensive injuries in the league and didn't almost break the record for the worst defense in history, WHY? coaching that is why. Ryan, who we could have gotten, was able to ADJUST the defensive scheme to compensate for injuries, for the 4th ranked D in the NFL, while Chicago, flaundered. Tucker doesn't have the knowledge to adjust his defensive scheme and has made his career off of other people's systems.

 

[madlithuanian]

Let's not forget, Tucker did not get the sign off to fit the strengths of his players. He was ordered to cheme Smith's scheme. At some point, management should have let him off that, but it was probably too late.

 

I'm still with you guys that the flags are glaring red...but I'm willing to let this play out one more season. Hell, what choice do we have?

 

Complaining endlessly about it won't reverse the decision. Given our hand, how do we make it work? I'm hoping we have better than a Jack high when so many others at the table are holding full houses or more.

 

My hope will turn to venom quickly if our D contonues to be horrid. But until then, I'm going to continue to hope there will be enough change to make us a salvagable D.

 

Exactly. The article nails it with the first sentence:

 

When Rob Ryan took over what was statistically among the worst defenses in NFL history, the Saints' first-year coordinator promised a flexible scheme which he could adjust to suit the strengths of whichever players he had.

 

[madlithuanian]

Let's not forget the age factor...

 

Also, some of these vaunted vets could have been jaking it because they had such a hard on for Smith. No evidence...just suspicion.

 

Tim Jennings probowl player, Julius Peppers, probowl player, Tillman for most the season, probowl player, 2nd round pick Bostic, first round pick Shea Mcclellon Funny how you pick and choose what to remember. And those snubs weren't anything last year until they were taught and put into position to succeed by the DC, which didn't happen in Chicago with JMarcus Tucker running things.

 

[madlithuanian]

Yup...

 

 

 

Peppers hasn't been near a pro bowl level the last 2 years, even last year under Lovie Smith.

 

Tillman only played half the season and was dealing with injuries in a few of the games he did play.

 

Even the almighty Lovie Smith got nothing out of SMC so he's pretty much a bust

 

I'll give you Bostic, he was out of position more often than not, and that looks like a knock on him coming out of college too...

 

Weaknesses

Thickly built chest and shoulders but quickness is lacking. Won't be able to makes wasted moves after first step due to lack of burst. Has difficulties consistently get off better offensive lineman blocks and can be stiff-armed by longer ballcarriers. Hits with shoulder too often against the run, allows him to get sucked into offensive lineman's block rather than being able to make a play on the football. Overrun plays at times, lacks elite change of direction ability to recover. Closing speed to the ball is average, quicker ballcarriers elude his advances through the hole and mobile quarterbacks can run away from him. Almost gallops in the open field, won't catch pro backs and receivers from behind without help. Cut blocks at the second level give him issues. His eyes move faster than his feet can in terms of diagnosing the play and reacting.

 

 

Mel wasn't able to fix that, but maybe that's because he was a DBs coach previously, and that is why the LB coach got the axe.

 

[GakMan23]

Point being, when injuries happen, other coaches adjust the scheme to fit what they have left. Continuing to try to pound a square peg into a round hole, isn't going to fix it. It suggests the person running the show doesn't know enough to change things to maximize the talent they have left on the team. So now there is a conspiracy, that players tanked on purpose to prove what, that they don't want a large payday next time they are free agents? The Bears went from one of the best Defenses in the NFL to one of the worst of ALL time. The Saints had a horrible defense and even with injuries, was able to become one of the best in the NFL. Hopefully he rights the ship but based on his previous track record and lack of improvement by ANY of the players on the defensive side of the team speaks volumes.

[scs787]

Point being, when injuries happen, other coaches adjust the scheme to fit what they have left. Continuing to try to pound a square peg into a round hole, isn't going to fix it. It suggests the person running the show doesn't know enough to change things to maximize the talent they have left on the team. So now there is a conspiracy, that players tanked on purpose to prove what, that they don't want a large payday next time they are free agents? The Bears went from one of the best Defenses in the NFL to one of the worst of ALL time. The Saints had a horrible defense and even with injuries, was able to become one of the best in the NFL. Hopefully he rights the ship but based on his previous track record and lack of improvement by ANY of the players on the defensive side of the team speaks volumes.

 

But what exactly is he supposed to do? How should he have adjusted schematically? You guys keep saying this without backing it up with any logic.

 

How do you maximize the players he had to work with?? Should he have shifted to 3-4 midseason even though he didn't have the parts?

 

How do you max a team who is running out Peppers-Wootton-Paea-SMC as their best 4 guys. How can you possibly make that look good.

 

THE SAINTS HAD GOOD PLAYERS THAT PLAYED ALL SEASON, THE BEARS HAD BEAR POO.