Put myself through the pain of watching the game a second time today. I have a lot of thoughts and I'm going to share them with you now.
The Positives
1. Bears fans dominated the crowd - most people saying it was 75% us.
2. Thomas Jones continued to be brilliant in the postseason. How can they trade this guy?
3. Robbie Gould looked more comfortable and poised kicking in those conditions than Vinatieri did.
4. Devin Hester is hot shit.
The Negatives
1. Rex Grossman stinks. On that stupid 2nd and 1 call, all he had to do was throw the ball to his right - Jason McKie is standing right there. The worst thing that could have come from it: 3rd and 1.
2. Not exaggerating: the Bears missed 371 tackles.
3. I can't tell if Ron Rivera's defensive gameplan was arrogant or stupid. When all eleven defenders are retreating on every play, it makes being aggressive difficult. I've never seen this defense play so lazy.
4. I didn't have the notebook out but Phil Simms confirmed it on the telecast. When the Bears blitzed Peyton Manning, he looked rattled and rushed throws. So why did they blitz on about 4% of downs?
5. Hunter Hillenmeyer just missed another tackle.
6. Wait...maybe that was Danieal Manning. No...it was both.
7. I don't want to hear any bullshit about the snaps from Olin Kreutz. Both CBS replays clearly show the ball hit Moron McGee in the hands.
8. Remember the play where Grossman scrambled around, could have run for a first down but instead threw a flat-out psychotic pass to the Des Dispenser in double coverage. Yeah...Rex Grossman stinks.
9. Why even bother to dress a third and fourth receiver?
10. I read that a judge said Tank could play in the Super Bowl. Did he actually make the trip?
11. Ian Scott, welcome to free agency.
12. I guess Brad Maynard used up all his great kicks in the championship game.
13. Would somebody cover Joseph Addai coming out of the backfield? Please!
There's probably more. I'm tired.
#2 The Pack is Back said . . .I'm sure they lost because it was a meaningless game and rex was too preoccupied with groundhog day and all.
February 5, 2007
#3 Megan said . . ."So why did they blitz on about 4% of downs?"
Because on an early rush, Peyton threw a huge gainer for a TD.
February 5, 2007
#4 Megan said . . .I screamed at the TV.. "Look, there goes Addai AGAIN out of the back field.. why is this a surprise AGAIN and why aren't we covering him AGAIN??"
That many missed tackles, huh?
After Hester's 92 yard run for TD...
"you never scream like that for me!"*sigh*
February 5, 2007
#5 The Pack is Back said . . .My husband said that.. I forgot to mention that.. lord. I wasn't in a bar or anything... gosh that could have been taken WAY wrong!!
February 5, 2007
#6 The Pack is Back said . . .I'm just glad that rex has such an impressive record. That should gaurantee his return as a starter.
February 5, 2007
#7 MVP Payton? said . . .Are bear fans proud that their players get cleared to play by judges in the criminal defense system?
February 5, 2007
#8 jeff said . . .You have many negatives!
ok
14. Payton Manning got the MVP (wtf was that all about)
must have been a truely shity game for this to happen.February 5, 2007
#9 BRIANsong said . . .hey pack. the touchdown wasn't scored because of a blitz. it was scored because of a blown coverage in the secondary.
February 5, 2007
#10 The Pack is Back said . . .I don't think the team that signed Koren Robinson while he was awaiting sentencing can trash talk about players and breaking the law.
February 5, 2007
#11 jdawg said . . .I think that the bear's offense and defense should have shared the MVP award. Without them, INDY would have had a tough time beating the bear's special teams.
February 5, 2007
#12 MVP Payton? said . . .I'm stating the obvious:
1) Man did we miss Brown and Harris
2) Man did we miss Ced
3) We didn't deserve to win the game, but we could have.
4) It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Colts were determined to stop the run. Correct me if I'm wrong Jeff, but didn't they have 8 in the box almost the entire game?
February 5, 2007
#13 mysideofthecreek said . . .Jeff,
Does PIB Live here year arround to harrass you all?
February 5, 2007
#14 jeff said . . .There is more. It's called coaching. The offesive calls were atrocious. All week you heard the only way to beat the Colts was to run the ball...did they run the ball? No. On the 3rd and 1 play you speak of...You do 1 of 2 things...You run it hard up the middle to pick up the 1st, or you take a shot downfield...What did Turner do? He put Jones in motion to completely give away the fact that they were doing a pass play...Blitz is on...Rex is done. Rex did not have time all night...it was a nightmare...
On the defensive side, we played scared. We let Peyton just dump the ball off all night long because we were afraid of the big play. Oh yeah, and pressuring the QB...sure would have been nice to do that a bit...
February 5, 2007
#15 Sweetness said . . .they did. the bears made it very easy by almost refusing to go to three wides.
February 5, 2007
#16 jeff said . . .I don't think I could take watching the game again. I'm not even going to turn on Sportscenter for another week or two.
You do have quite a few negatives on there, but they're mostly true. The D did give up some big yardage because of missed tackles, but a lot of that had to do with exhaustion, even in the first half. Rivera had them so spread out that everybody had to run at least 20 yards on every play just to cover or prevent. And one other thing I noticed was that Urlacher wasn't audibling nearly as much as in a regular game. It seemed like he was told to stick with the defensive call unless it's absolutely necessary.
Oh, and another thing: Lovie was crazy with timeout stunts all season, so why didn' t the Bears even use them yesterday? It boggles the mind.
February 5, 2007
#17 MVP Payton? said . . .i just deleted it off my tivo. once was enough. it was a little cathartic though.
February 5, 2007
#18 Lazarz said . . .5. You also forgot to mention that no one cares about the bears loss right now!
That would go on your positive list!The media as of today is still all about the colts! They will assist you with blaming Rex for this loss!
February 5, 2007
#19 jeff said . . .Where the hell was Mark Bradley?
February 5, 2007
#20 craig said . . .i dont even want to kill rex too much. though i think he's going to have a lot of pressure on him this summer.
February 5, 2007
#21 Mikey said . . .so... what are your gut feelings people?
1) will Briggs be back?
2) are they going to trade Jones?
3) what moves get made in free agency?
4) what to they do in the draft?
5) what about Lovie and the Rons? Are they all back next season?February 5, 2007
#22 Midway Monster said . . .Sorry, but you're stuck with Grossman. Who's out there in free agency? Not a single QB.
February 5, 2007
#23 Sweetness said . . ....still in psychoanalysis. Todays development: I've noticed they locked all the windows above the 2nd floor and are monitoring the ledges.
--Midway--
February 5, 2007
#24 jdawg said . . .Craig, my opinion on your questions:
1) The Bears would be crazy not to make Briggs an offer he can't refuse. The team is in good shape with the salary cap and have some money to play with, so I don't see them losing Lance.
2) are they going to trade Jones?
This will probably come down to the prognosis of Benson's knee. We'll just have to wait and see what kind of shifts they make this year. Personally, I think it would be foolish to let him go, but I'm not in the front office.3) what moves get made in free agency?
That's a big unknown right now, but I imagine they'll just do some minor plugging of holes here in there. The Bears will probably pick up some offensive line talent and beef up the depth on defense. They saw how losing two of their best defensive players and not having reliable backups can affect the team. The core of the Bears seems good as long as we don't lose anyone to injury or trade. I think it's mostly about the draft right now.4) what to they do in the draft?
And speaking of the draft... I have absolutely no idea. I would imagine they'll try to pick up some hot defensive talent that they can mold, as well as a good receiver, if they can manage it.5) what about Lovie and the Rons? Are they all back next season?
Lovie will be, with a big fat raise. There's no way management is going to let Lovie loose. Ron Turner? Probably. Unfortunately. Ron Rivera? I'd say it's good odds that he'll be somewhere else next season, most likely the Cowboys.February 5, 2007
#25 Da ..... said . . .sweetness:
Benson described his injury as a minor tweak, but enough to keep him out.
They'll either make Briggs an offer or franchise him. There is no way he's walking for nothing.
I think they need help at receiver. Moose is old and the other guys can't get separation.
Lovie will be back with a big fat pay raise.
And let's all keep something it mind here -- Lovie was hired 3 years ago and we played in the Super bowl yesterday. How long has Dungie been in Indy and Tampa before that? Don't forget Belicheck's time with the Browns when he wasn’t a genius but sucked. Lovie's still learning and he got a big lesson yesterday, as did the whole team. And make no mistake -- Grossman will be back. That crunching sound you will hear shortly from Lake Forest will be his neck as his head is screwed back on straight.
My biggest hope is that these guys come back this summer even more pissed off than they were last year -- and Brown and Harris should be extra hungry.
February 6, 2007
#26 Hester 4 President said . . .Were the Colts who we thought they were? I hate people making excuses. They played the game on the field and the better team won. I believe several players on our own team said that. Oh, and Grossman sucks some serious ass. That too.
February 6, 2007
#27 Chin up Chicago said . . .I'm with you on the 2 and 1 being a negative. Why not run the ball or at least do something that can't hurt you.
I blame this loss just as much on Tunrer as I do Grossman. What a bunch of stupid playcalls.
February 6, 2007
#28 Hester 4 President said . . .I was admittedly a neutral on the game, but I'm also a big time Ohio State fan when it comes to college football. Parts of what happened to the Bears last night reminded me of what happened to my team in the BCS Championship; and you know what, yes, it hurts like crazy. But you guys had a great season and just need to turn the screws and twist the knobs a bit, and you'll get it right. The best part...as bad as things were for a lot of the game...you were just ONE play from the lead for long stretches of the night. Way to stick around (my guys never showed up). Good luck next year!
February 6, 2007
#29 Sweetness said . . .I should also say that even with the loss I'm very happy with this season and I hope people don't overlook how great the Bears were this season and how much fun they were to watch.
February 6, 2007
#30 Geo said . . .Chin Up and Hester 4 President, great comments. I think this was a great season, as well, and I had more fun watching my Bears this year than I have in a long, long time.... probably since the times that Walter was still running.
jdawg, thanks for the info. I agree that we need some help on the receiving side, but whether we get that in the draft or free agency, I'm just not sure yet.
I, too, think this team is going to come back hungry next year. To play as hard and as well as they did throughout the season, there's no way they're going to let a second chance slip past them.
February 6, 2007
#31 brianO that was sweet said . . .Rex does not belong in the NFL. The Bears lost because the defense was on the field 70% of the time because of rex. The Bears must find a nw QB. They will never go anywhere with that BUM
February 6, 2007
#32 Ted in IA said . . .too bad the bears lost - Lovie and team are the only class acts left in soldier stadium these days...not that ALL the fans were obnoxious or violent to the saints fans, but those who were not, were very complicit...and you know you were...you watched it, and just grinned...even the violence...
Is it the bitter cold that frustrates you all so much...midwestern values, huh?..you killed that image for ever...
now you're worried your QB can't handle it and you're probably calling for his head like a bunch of ungrateful juviniles...
saints fans are content and thankful that our QB has it...ahhh and it will be so nice hearing you all complain next year when you're fuming over your self-imposed self-destruction and Rex and Lovie check out, disgusted by the tone set Wednesday when Lovie almost lost it...and you know why...don't try to hide it...back to the old days for you...
oh when the colts, oh when the colts go marching in, oh how we enjoyed being in on that number...bye bye Chicago fans! your hibernation is on the way...maybe you'll wake up on the right side of the class-room next time!
Happy Mardi Gras by the way!!!!
February 6, 2007
#33 Ted in IA said . . .I just LOVE to see Packisback whine.. don't you ? He is such a predictable loser. Gear up for next year, Pack, when we rub your green and gold shit into the turf again.
February 6, 2007
#34 TDB1 said . . .Awwww... BrianO.. were the mean old Bears fans nasty to the hallowed Saints who must be genuflected to at every appearance? Must be rough to have to play in the NFL where real men make the plays, not a twinkie who does a back flip when he is LOSING.
February 6, 2007
#35 BvC said . . .Re:...it was the worst of times - it is so refreshing to hear someone tell it like it is after losing. The Bears' failure to blitz and pressure Manning shocked me. How bad is Grossman? Maybe the Quick-Kick should have been put in the game plan after Half. The Colts won because they dominated both lines of scrimmage and tackled - pretty simple.
February 6, 2007
#36 Max said . . .The Bears got outcoached and outplayed. Can't spin this one, folks.
February 6, 2007
#37 Pack this... said . . .Ok, we keep Rex as a starter. He has one more year on his contract. Lets see how he does starting off the year. Griese is still under wraps for nother 4 years and Orton could be the future if Rex craps out.
Bring back TJ. Thunder and lightening.
Rashied and Bradley (not necessarily in that order) are capable third and fourth receivers
Draft should focus on O-Line and Defensive Backs. Thats just me though. If we lose Briggs, then maybe look at another linebacker
I am not ready for the old, "It was a good year" shit yet. This lose is gonna leave a bad taste in my mouth for another solid month. Until then im gonna be a bitter and spiteful person
On the flip side, I rocked out the Big Cat jersey all day today. I caught alot of shit for it, but i had to keep the colors flying. I still love em, even though they lost
February 6, 2007
#38 Hexed in CA said . . .I like Lovie Smith but his defensive game plan cost us the game. You can't retreat into a zone and challenge Manning to beat you with long drives because he will. This resulted in the Indy offense being on the field all night, the Bears D getting worn out and the Bears O getting no rhythm. How is an adjustment not made mid-game?
February 6, 2007
#39 The Pack is Back said . . .Long-time Bears fan, first time poster here. I just read a column in the Trib talking about "staying the course" with Grossman and I snapped. What is it that these columnists see in Grossman that I don't? They persist in calling him "GoodRex/BadRex" when frankly, he's been "MediocreRex/PutridRex" since the San Francisco game. If a couple of good games is all it takes to build up infinite credit, why wasn't there a GoodCade/BadCade and GoodChad/BadChad? If having a winning record erases all of a QB's faults, why isn't Kyle Orton still the QB?
I realize that Grossman's early season explosion was history by Chicago standards, but I don't see that as being enough to justify staying the course with him on a championship caliber team. Here's why I have very little optimism about Rex:
-- Physical limitations. Great arm, but I think the lack of height hurts him. Have you noticed that when the pocket is collapsing aound Brady or Manning, you can still see them? I really think that Rex can't see certain spots on the field unless he's got a clean pocket. I don't know enough about his ability to run because he refuses to...which brings me to my next point:
-- Lack of toughness. I've heard too much about Rex being mentally tough & dealing with criticism well. He's been afraid to run the ball all year. He's constantly backpedaling in the pocket to avoid hits (and thus throwing off his back foot). Have the brutal string of injuries he had earlier in his career left him afraid of taking a hit?
-- Ego. "It's like we suck, man." Mike Brown, 2005. An honest assessment of a Bears team that had just lost to Cleveland, by a player that everyone on the team respected. Rex needs to say this, but replace "we" with "I". But he won't. He'll talk aboout how "he'd like to have one or two throws back". "WE missed SOME crucial plays" (emphasis added) , he said after the Super Bowl. Rex really believes that he's a tweak or two away from playing in the Pro Bowl. He's not. Someone -- and maybe Wade Wilson and Ron Turner aren't the right people for this -- needs to revamp his game from the ground up. Footwork, decision-making, release -- the whole 9 yards. The unconditional support he gets from Lovie isn't helping him.
I say open up the job at training camp and keep it open the first 3rd of the season. Griese's not Drew Brees, but he did take a Tampa Bay team with less talent than this Bears one to a 5-1 record last year. Hell, Kyle Orton doesn't even seem that bad in retrospect. If Grossman wins and keeps the starting job, so be it. Any more of this unconditional "Rex is our quarterback" shit, though, and I'm going postal.
February 6, 2007
#40 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . ."[the bears] needs to revamp [rex's] game from the ground up. Footwork, decision-making, release -- the whole 9 yards"
I think that's what they should do too. Keep him starting, with his winning record and all, but rework him for six or seven seasons. If his record drops to 3-13 or something like that, you know it must be the other players because this year he was 15-4. We all know the 15-4 record was due to rex and that the bears would have lost alot more with someone like Garcia, who was available.
February 6, 2007
#41 Phil from SATX said . . .Let's compare apples to apples.
Rex could consider this his rookie year, since it's his first full year starting and healthy. He threw 20 interceptions and his team made it to the Superbowl.
Manning: His rookie year he thew 28 interceptions and it took him an additional 8 years to make a Superbowl apperance.
Rex may have made a poor performance Sunday and he needs more experience, somewhere not in Chicago, but I gotta give him a little bit of credit for doing his job and getting to the big game. Just sucks the entire team lost it.
February 6, 2007
#42 DAKUBS said . . .Hexed, you are brilliant. That was a perfect dead-on post. Where have you been? If I may, a few tweakings -
don't forget about his small hands - they go along with his short body - and his small hands contributed to the inability to handle the wet ball
after defending Rex all year (or almost all year - was ready to change there in the middle for a bit) I now realize something different - those first 5 games in the year, where he was brilliant, was rookie honeymoon Rex, before teams realized how to beat him. When everything is perfect and the rush is not strong, Rex is great. It was the Cardinals who created the game plan that every team tried to follow thereafter, and we saw Rex under tremendous pressure, and he may be one of the worst quarterbacks ever when faced with pressure. So the pressure will not go away. What is the stat? something like 28 turnovers from him in the last 14 games? It's time we all forget about those first 5 games, they were a chimera, a mirage, fool's gold. The real Rex is the one we've seen in the last 14 games. Not good enough, not even close to being good enough.
A Texan with no dog in the hunt told me this morning exactly what you point out in your second point - he is scared of being hit and it impacts his game. Understandable, perhaps, with all of his season ending injuries, but he cannot keep his head when under pressure and is in pure panic mode (many examples abound in this SB game) and he absolutely refuses to run for forward progress no matter what. That play Jeff references is Exhibit 1 - where he scrambles like a madman (which I was at the time appreciative of because he never really does it) and then whips it toward a flash of blue (Des Clark) which unfortunately peeks through a sea of white (double coverage by Colts) - that should have been a pick right there. He plays scared, no matter what his later reassuring words say. And I can't see that changing.
The emperor has no clothes. I hope that the Bears organization sees it. I am okay with keeping him in the last year of contract, but I sure hope Plan B is in the works (is Griese a real plan B? I don't know) and the first signs next year that the Rex of the last 14 games is the same Rex next year, make a change and give it up. We can win next year with a QB.
February 6, 2007
#43 Pissed off said . . .Wait it gets worse ! A lot of Rex backers saying how great he played early (Do you remember that D early ?)
Sure he played OK the D made him look good .... this guy Never Was or Never Will be ..
but guess what he has the Hearts and minds of the decision makers.February 6, 2007
#44 Pissed off said . . .Some posts are too long to read.
I agree with everything in #24 jdawg said.
Rex played is first full year, whoever says he doesnt belong in the NFL doesnt know shit about football, you know who you are, also those who want to get another free agent QB, you dont know shit about football either, if they were that good they'd be starting in the NFL not waiting for the starter to get hurt.
I made the early career comparison b/w Rex and Manning on the last blog yesterday, so I'm not going to repeat what I've said there but Rex was a middle of the road starting QB this year......better than half of the starting QBs in the league. Yeah thats right, about half of the teams in the league had a worse QB than Rex so dont tell me how he doesnt belong in the NFL or how we should get someone else. It was his first full year people, look at Mannings stats and how long it took him to get to the SB. If you dont like Rex then we should use Griese, thats why we have him and paid him all that money, he's the best available for us after Rex.
February 6, 2007
#45 Phil from SATX said . . .I like how the loyal Bear fans, Phil, etc, are throwing Rex under the bus. We havent had this good of a QB since......a long time. You all just go ahead and try to find someone else who's better then you'll be throwing them under the bus after next year too.
This is the NFL, nothing is guaranteed. I'm glad the coaching/owners arent as absent minded as some of you or else this team would be in the shitter every year.
February 6, 2007
#46 Pissed off said . . .PO'd, check the top of this blog, Jeff too says Grossman is awful. You can say all you want that people who disagree with you don't know shit about football - watch the tape again. I was a Rex supporter right up until the Super Bowl game, and the truth hurts, it's hurting me right now. I don't want to go back and start over, I wanted to believe that Rex was the future. If he's the future, it's too far in the future to be a good future and one that will help us now. It's great to be loyal, but sometimes we have to GET REAL. Read Post #38 by Hexed - I know it's long, but you're a grown man and you can handle it. What do you disagree with there? Even Nicole, big Bear fan she is, says he needs more experience, BUT NOT IN CHICAGO. We don't have the time to give this kid right now. As soon as he proves he's the same guy next year, get him out, and make sure a good Plan B is in place.
February 6, 2007
#47 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . .Hey Phil, I'm well aware of the people I've talked about, I dont need you to repeat their names for me, Thanks. Just because Jeff or you or anyone else says he's awful doesnt mean I cant have an opinion, your not God and I dont have to believe what you say!
First of all Plan B is Griese. Second of all I agree Rex wasnt very good in the Super Bowl. That doesnt mean I want him off the team and it doesnt mean I think we should get someone else. I still support him and think he's better than anyone out there we can get. I know I'm a grown man but I cant quit my job to read you or anyone elses boring novel-length blogs.
If he is the same guy next year as he is this year, then no I dont want him either cuz he's too inconsistent but unlike you I think he'll get better with more experience and age, etc. and be more consistent and then his "bad Rex" games wont be as bad as they were this year (0.0, 1.3 rating)
February 6, 2007
#48 Bill said . . .What is this, peewee t-ball league where everyone plays equal time and we make sure no feelings get hurt? Common! We're talking about millions of dollars here. No disrespect to the Cubs or their fans, honest it's not my intent, but I do not want the Bears and the fans to be another Chicago team that starts saying "Next Year" the day after the big loss. It's embarassing.
February 6, 2007
#49 Pissed off said . . .All good points about Rex - he IS an NFL caliber QB; if the Bears cut him tomorrow he'd be picked up in an instant; and "PAck is Back", you should know (if you're a true Packer fan) that the Packers were considering him that year as an eventual replacement for Favre. Not saying they'd take him now, but they'd consider it.
He has talent; his problems are mental. The Trib article refereced by one of the posters made sense to me. Morrissey - the writer - is typically one of the negative, sarcastic writers but he does make good points from time to time. Take a look at his article today on the Trib's web site.
Rex is not a rookie - but he is not experienced either. His cockiness and confidence betray him - he has a lot to learn that has nothing to do with understanding the offense.
In a word, what he lacks is poise. He has to get that; and it's a mystery to me how he doesn't have it. Bears QBs with far less talent had it more - Miller and Kramer certainly - but even Orton.
I have no idea how he gets that - you can't really practice it or teach it. The fear of injury MUST be a factor though. It's INSANE that he didn't take off with an open field and a blocker on that one. It's INSANE that he runs backwards when under pressure. It's INSANE that he trips over himself and also drops snaps in such a big game - UNLESS plain and simple he is scared/nervous/rattled.
That's his problem, and the press hounding him affected him. He selfishly tried to win the game himself. His friends and relatives do him no favors by compatring him to other QBs in their first year. Even with Manning - we forget that most of those 1st year QBs were playing for bad teams - they were drafted high because their team was bad the previous year. Manning and the Colts grew together, like Aikman and the Cowboys did - the Bears are way ahead of Rex right now and he refuses to acknowledge that.
One main point made by one of the Trib writers - Lovie does Rex no favors with this unconditional support. They said that the competition shoudl be open next season with Griese (no reason to bring in another "Griese" like Garcia. If Rex is as good as Lovie thinks, he'll win the ompetition. If he can't handle the pressue of a QB competition, then that tells us all something about his poise and ability to handle pressure.
February 6, 2007
#50 Phil from SATX said . . .All great points Bill
February 6, 2007
#51 Coxy said . . .Great points, Bill, and especially the fact that the difference between other teams with young quarterbacks and the Bears is the degree of urgency. There is a huge degree of urgency here - we have a Super Bowl caliber team that should be able to have a chance to be in the same position next year. We need someone who can win a Super Bowl now. Will Rex get the poise he needs to perform well under pressure next year? My new opinion after the Super Bowl is no, but it should become evident pretty quickly during next season. More importantly, will the coaches be ready to assess him accurately? I think they've already made up their minds about who is better between Rex and Griese and Orton, which is why sticking with the existing crew worries me. This squad will likely be winning a lot of games next year no matter who is at the helm - so how will the analysis change next year if Rex is doing the same things - inconsistent play with lots of turnovers - but the team is still winning the majority of its games and cruising towards a division title?
February 6, 2007
#52 Pissed off said . . .Orton blows. Get serious. That guy has a limp noodle of an arm and I have spent enough years seeing the 2 yard pass to the running back on 3rd and 9. Rex is inexperienced. Of course he shits himself in the pocket a little bit. It's his first full year after some brutal injuries.
I think this is a huge offseason for Rex. I worried before the game that if he somehow played nasty in the bowl, he would not work himself in the offseason as much as he should. When you shit the bed like he did, the taste in your mouth is going to make you work so much harder. I want the preseason to be more of a competition btw Griese and Rex (not grizzley adams Orton). You shall see that Rex brings it next year.
February 6, 2007
#53 jeff said . . .Great points Coxy.
I'm done with the Rex talk for a while. I cant keep reiterating my points from yesterday and today cuz it appears no one wants to actually consider them for a second they just want to keep saying "rex sucks" "get someone else", typical fair weather fans.
February 6, 2007
#54 Bill said . . .rex stinks, get someone else. i'm just kidding. i'd like to see how he responds from this but you have to challenge him in camp next season - with griese and orton - don't bring anyone in.
February 6, 2007
#55 Q said . . .Challenge him in camp - yes.
With Griese - yes.
With Orton - no.
I say draft a QB with a mid-round pick; we know Orton won't be a great QB - just a servicable backup. Letting him go in favor of a rookie with some possible upside someday if Rex doesn't lose his pocket jitters won't hurt.
February 6, 2007
#56 said . . .We definitely made mistakes as a TEAM. A loss of this magnitude falls on many shoulders, not just those spotlight players. Rex just can't get it through his head that he needs to take what the d gives him, to throw it away when everyone's covered, and to run (like that crazy pass play screamed in that dumb throw to Clark) if it's open.
Rivera played way too conservative. Remember in 86' the defensive all out assault of blitzes? Urlacher was pissed and I don't blame him. Prevent D always is a bad idea. As a high school defensive coach, I always think it better to blitz and make a mistake, than to do the opposite. Pressure Manning! Poor adjustment to Addai and shitty tackling helped none.
Ron Turner is a joke! Who throws passes on 2nd and 1? As a Hawkeye fan I loved seeing his schitzophrenic play calling, each wacky play ending up in failure. Then he managed to be on the Bears staff! God.
Watch, Turner will stay, Rivera will go, and we'll suffer through QB controversy and more shitty play calling and this season will be seen as an anomaly. I love our team but somehow weird things happen. Can't wait to be there though.
February 6, 2007
#57 Philly Mike said . . .Phil, good point about the rookie honeymoon -- and there was also an interesting post down there that talked about how the monster D made Rex look good early in the season. 2 last comments about Rex:
-- I don't look at this as a rookie year. He'd played games, and watched a ton of them. Philip Rivers is in the same boat as him. I know, I know, Rivers wasn't in the Super Bowl. But you can't hang the loss to the Pats on him, and New England was head and shoulders above all non-Chicago NFC teams.
-- Even if we call him a rookie, we should have seen him get better over the year. If anything, he regressed as the year went on. And frankly, Super Bowl teams don't have the luxury of playing QBs who play like rookies.
I don't think that he's not an NFL-caliber QB, or that he should be cut. However, someone in coaching or the front office needs to stop coddling him so we can find out what his ceiling is.
February 6, 2007
The Bears defense was not the problem. The missed tackles were not the problem. Your QB has small hands and a weak arm. But, even that wasn't the biggest problem. Lovie Smith proved why he is a defensive coach when he decided on numerous occasions on 2nd and 3rd and short. Lovie has got to know that he shouldn't have put that much of the game on Grossman's tiny shoulders. Now, maybe he will be a decent QB one day....but right now, it is well known he's not a big time playmaker....so I ask Lovie Smith again: WHY WOULD YOU PUT THE GAME ON HIS SHOULDERS....he made no attempt to shorten the field and eat clock...too many 3 and outs due to terrible play calling. I am a Bears fan, however, I'm an Eagles fan first. But, I was rooting so hard for the Bears because they've always been my second squad. The Bears had the game, but Lovie Smith tried to play the Colts game instead of what has worked for him in the past: Keep the ball on the ground and don't let Little Rex kill you. The defense always makes plays and with Hester returning, you have plenty of fire power. I don't get it. But, I do know that if the Bears had a half way decent QB no doubt they win that game.
As an Eagles fan, I feel your pain Bears fans! Don't worry, with the core you have on that team you will be back in the playoffs. Hopefully the Eagles will be there too and maybe an NFC Championship game between the two is in the future!!!
Sincerely,Philadelphia's only intelligent fan
February 6, 2007
Here at DaBearsBlog, you are free to kill us or the Bears as you so wish. You are not free, however, to be an asshole. So if you spew racism or ill-meaning foul language (cursing about football is just fine) or anything of that ilk, your comments ain't gonna last long, jerk.