I didn't want to write about the hiring of a new defensive line coach because - let's face it - it's the hiring of a new defensive line coach. But Rod Marinelli doesn't come to the Chicago Bears to adjust Anthony Adams' three technique or teach Alex Brown a swim move. He comes to the Hall of Halas to breathe life into a group that (aside from Brown) is as dead as dead can be.
Here's a stat. Of the teams finishing in the top 12 in sacks this season, 9 made the playoffs. The other 3? Dallas and the Jets choked away playoff bids and the Seattle Seahawks have been a terrific pass rush club for years. 9 of the top 12 made the playoffs. The Bears finished 22nd. (Note: the only playoff team that finished below the Bears was San Diego. 1. They went 8-8. 2. They lost their best pass rusher in September.) Stopping the pass is about pressuring the quarterback and the Bears don't do it.
This is how Rod Marinelli will be judged in the navy and orange. This and only this. If the Bears get to the quarterback more in 2009, we'll credit the most popular Rod in Illinois. If they don't, Lovie will fire anybody he can not named Bob Babich.
#2 The Ghost of Halas said . . .FIRST!
Not sure how I feel bout this....
Guess we'll see next season...
Again, nice write up Jeff!Bear Down!
January 11, 2009
#3 Spanish Bear said . . .If the Bears are not successful in 2009 I don't think Lovie Smith will have any say at all over who is fired and who is not fired.
Because in 2010, he'll be the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
January 11, 2009
#4 Well that was the point of Marinelli said . . .Terrible day yesterday: both Fisher and Carolina out.
I´m rooting today for NYG and PIT
January 11, 2009
#5 Maybe we could just have a 5 TE set every down said . . .He was Tampa Bay's defensive line coach for a decade. The Buccaneers' line racked up 328.5 sacks under Marinelli, the most in the league during that span.
January 11, 2009
#6 Ooops wrong QB, still drunk I think said . . .Justin Gage had 10 catches for 135 yards in a playoff game and his QB had 5 picks, even sexy would have a hard time topping that.
Why do we hate developing offensive talent in Chicago?
January 11, 2009
#7 Rancid said . . .Jake Delhomme had the 5 picks and it was for Carolina not Tennessee. Doh! My point is that lots of teams that end up making the playoffs don't have spectacular QB's. Ours is somewhere between decent and very good. Let's see him on a healthy ankle with camp and the whole preseason with the job and how he performs. If we fall into a QB, great. It is not even a top 5 priority this season.
January 11, 2009
#8 Rancid said . . .Had Marinelli been hired as a Coordinator or head coach somewhere it would be big news. Jeff keeps it in perspective. This is a guy who once had a small yet important job and he was very good at it. So someone had the bright idea to give him a huge job and see if he would be good at it too. He wasn't. Now he has his small job back. I expect him to still be good at it. The personnel is on the roster for a good rush. Here's to not making Brian Griese look like Peyton Manning in 09.
January 11, 2009
#9 jeff said . . .Also, I don't totally understand the Lovie will coach Dallas line. I know he's from texas, but isn't Wade just keeping that spot warm for Jason Garrett anyway?
January 11, 2009
#10 Murph said . . .the new rumors in dallas are wade may be keeping the spot warm for mike shanahan.
January 11, 2009
#11 CA BEAR FAN said . . .Titans vRavens.......two mediocre QB's but awesome defenses. Flacco may not be mediocre one day but he is now, they wont beat a team with a good QB unless that teams D just plain sucks....Warner sure out did JakeD, the better QB play was huge. All the bird teams are winning, Ravens, Cardinals...hmmm how does this look for the giants today against the Eagles? Will the birds come through again?
January 11, 2009
#12 Al In WI said . . .I want arizona to go all the way......I would like to see the Ravens and AZ in the superbowl...im tired off the Steelers Ben Rothlisberger is an overrated much like tony Homo. Giants they are the new Patriots which i hate...and the Eagles well i just dont like them...Chargers well i live in san diego so im hate the chargers
January 11, 2009
#13 Al In WI said . . .Wow, we have added the coach of the team that lost all 16 games. The first team/coach in NFL history to do so. I feel better about this team already.
Oh and the great fearless leader of our "offense," Ron Turner is coming back for yet another season.
Not to mention that Smith BFF Babich is returning.
Super Bowl-Super Bowl-Super Bowl!!!!!!!!!!
Ugh............
January 11, 2009
#14 jdawg said . . .BTW, of the NFL's 12 playoff teams 9 of them featured 1st round picks at the QB position.
January 11, 2009
#15 NittyGritty34 said . . .man -- Didn't Dick LeBeu (sp?) coach the Bengals? I think a lot of the asst. coaches on the Rams (during the great years) were ex lousy coaches.
We're not bringing him in to run the team, just make the d-line better. he should be able to do that.
January 11, 2009
#16 Who's Laughing Now said . . .Please tell me we're not hiring all of Rod's in-laws. Please, please, please. Does anybody remember that fuzzy feeling we had around say mid -05, off season before '06 when the training camp huddle break featured chant: "World Champs" and we believed it. I mean, I knew, I just knew that that was our year and we would be contending for at least the next 3. We had a young dominant Tommy Harris, a D player of the year in Urlacher. A young stud in Briggs. A still hopeful Mike Brown. Two great (we thought) corners in Vash and Peanut. We were very exited about Rex and Moose and T.J. and Benson and Bernard and Kruetz and we had the steadfast leadership of Ruben "Space Mountain" Brown. Everybody had "another year in the system". Then we had the 7-0 start absolutely dominating opponents. We had the unforgettable feeling of destiny in Arizona. We weathered erratic play from Rex to make the Championship game where we won in the snow against New Orleans. We had an up an coming head coach in Ron Rivera. A coach of the year in Lovie Smith. We had the most exciting player in the world in Devin Harris. Promising young players in C. Harris and Bradley and on and on it goes. What a feeling that was. Then superbowl comes and it's raining cats and dogs and we all have that feeling that "this is bear weather" (which I never fully believed (are we the Seahawks?)). Then Devin Hester, amidst the myriad of flashing cameras and raindrops, become the first player ever to return the opening kickoff of the Superbowl for a t.d. giving us a quick six and changing the field position battle for the rest of the game. This was followed by a quick Manning interception by the up and coming, hard hitting Chris Harris, which was followed by.....nothing. Thud. It all ended there.
I just wonder, how could things have changed so much so fast? With the players we had and the lengths of their contracts and the coaching I thought we had and the youth, how could this have happened?
I'm depressed.
January 11, 2009
#17 The Ghost of Halas said . . .You'd have to think that what happened was Babich. In 06 under Rivera it was talent + aggressive Buddy Ryan-style coaching = dominant d. In 07, injuries. But in 08, we had all the pieces. I'm not smart enough to know all the ways coordinators impact a defense's success and failure. But I can look at the big picture. Rivera turned around the Chargers D and has them looking like legit contenders. Babich couldn't motivate or scheme this unit. Why were Peanut and Vasher considered two of the best corners under Rivera? because they didn't give up 10 yards and get put into single coverage because the linebackers are blitzing on every play. I think we have three key personell issues we didn't have in the first half of 06 - Urlacher is broken, Mike Brown is done and Tommie's been playing hurt. We need a safety in the draft, we need to switch 54 to the outside, and we need Tommie to be healthy and show defensive player of the year potential. But even all of that won't matter if we keep getting crappy scheme from Babich. All of Buddy Ryan's boys (Frazier, Rivera, Fisher, Ryan's son) coaching playoff teams while we are stuck at home because of Babich is really beginning to bother me.
January 11, 2009
#18 jdawg said . . .Couple of things,
Is anyone watching this game and wondering how the hell the Eagles played so bad that the Bears beat them in September? What the hell happened to them?
Also, hate to disagree with you Jeff, but Mike Shanahan doesn't seem like Dallas material. At least that's my view. I mean, the Jerry Jones Cowboys are primadonas and hired guns. Hessian mercenaries and assholes. I believe you, that that is the rumor, but I'll believe it when I read it.
January 11, 2009
#19 Ron Rivera is the Hispanic Ghandi! said . . .I think we're remembering Rivera with maybe not rose-colored glasses but at least maybe rosé-colored glasses. I don't think anyone here was singing his praises after the SB. Also, he was on a constant HC hunt and I think JA and Lovie grew weary of it.
That doesn't excuse the state of the current D by any means. My point is I think we're giving Rivera too much credit.
I think the biggest problem this year was the D line, specifically Ogun and Harris and, as a side note, starting Dusty over Adams.
I think we could be better next year with Mari coaching that bunch but we'll have to wait and see.
January 11, 2009
#20 So.Ill Bears Fan said . . .A bunch of midget Ron Riveras vs. a team of Ents from the Lord of the Rings movie: Riveras 104, Ents 0.
January 11, 2009
#21 animal said . . .well said NittyGritty....well said
I too share the same feelings!January 11, 2009
#22 BearDownInMoco said . . .Lets bring in Martz to coach the Wide Receivers now.
How about Romeo to coach the O line.
Fuck.Im actually excited about this- seems to be an upgrade to me. Maybe he'll start by pulling Tommie's head out of his ass, and getting Mark Anderson back to 06 form.
Actually, all he has to do is get them all to play with the passion and intensity of Alex Brown.I picked the Eagles to pull this off- the G men have been lost since Plax shot himself... genius. I called Baltimore yesterday too, but nobody could have called Arizona. My SB picks were Baltimore and Carolina.
January 11, 2009
#23 NY Bears Fan said . . .does this mean we aren't firing babich?
January 11, 2009
#24 John said . . .BearDownInMoco yes Babich is back for sure next year.
January 12, 2009
#25 animal said . . .Wow, it's only fitting the head coach of the first 0-16 team in nfl history decides to join "da bears". Well, actually you guys are used to losing, so its probably a good fit. LOL
January 12, 2009
#26 C. Howitt Fealz said . . .crazy blog today.
Lovie coaching the cowboys. Rivera and midgets. Collins throwing 5 picks. Justin Gage=Randy Moss.
Best line? "All of Buddy Ryan's boys (Frazier, Rivera, Fisher, Ryan's son) coaching playoff teams while we are stuck at home because of Babich"
Good insight.
The point was made in the Tennessee game that good teams dont have to blitz a lot (and expose their coverage constantly). Good teams start with good lines on both side, and the D line gets the QB out of sync themselves. Our D line failed miserably this year, and it is inexcusable because of the talent there. If Marinelli gets that fixed he is ok in my book, 0-16 or not.January 12, 2009
#27 CA BEAR FAN said . . .Why should we trust Lovie with any decision regarding his coaching staff?
January 12, 2009
#28 Al In WI said . . .TO: JOHN! you are mizerable that you are NOT a Bear Fan....you probaly come in here everyday and read all of our posts...and then you say to yourself " Damn I wish I could just be a Bear Fan" .....stop lieing to yourself! dammit! you know you love the Chicago Bears!
haha BEAR DOWN JOHN!January 12, 2009
#29 CSauce said . . .Bob Babich = The new John Shoop.
January 12, 2009
#30 NittyGritty34 said . . .In the grand scheme of things - and Jeff is completely right - this just is not that significant. We got a new D-line coach - possibly one of the better ones the league has seen in the past few decades, but he's still just the D-Line coach. I'm curious to see how he functions in his 'assistant head coach' role. He's much more fiery than Lovie (well, who isn't..) and I wonder if he could get a fire lit under some players - even outside of the D-line.
Speculation aside, the problem last season wasn't Brick Haley, the previous D-line coach. It was a matter of poor coordinators, zero talent at a few key positions, and (I mean this in all seriousness) Kyle's ankle injury. If he was at 100%, we win another 2 games AND the division.
Well done, Jeff.
January 12, 2009
#31 John who? said . . .Can we just pretend John doesn't exist. He's trying to get your attention. I know. I have a three year old.
January 12, 2009
#32 who's laughing now? said . . .x
January 12, 2009
#33 animal said . . .Herm Edwards will be the next Tampa pal to join the Bears staff. I think he'll be a great addition as secondary coach.
January 12, 2009
#34 animal said . . .draft talk is all Im interested in.
We need to be looking at the best DE, Safety, WR and RBs.January 12, 2009
#35 animal said . . .Beanie Wells.
6'1" 235 lbs.
Our bashing second option to spell Forte. ESPN says he should be available when we draft.
They have Rey Maualuga ranked 20. Right in our range. Brandon Spikes from Florida or Laurinaitis are options. What about Michael Oher the T from Mississippi?
The top QBs and WRs will probably be gone.
Vote- new franchise MLB? Or the two in the 1-2 running back punch? OR upgrade the O-line again?January 12, 2009
#36 CA BEAR FAN said . . .I hate it when I want to talk Bears and nobody is online. We need to have discussions and not dispense random thoughts independent of each other. I usually make an effort to answer the thoughts of recent posters.
CSause and Jeff are wrong- it IS significant that our underachieving D-line is now coached by the guy who coached Sapp and Rice and the dominant Tampa D-lines that made their Lovie-2 work.
Herm Edwards? Not a chance, but that would be sweet.
John? what kind of nuts are found on the wall? Walnuts. What kind of nuts are found on John's chin? or so the joke goes?
Jdawg- we remember Rivera that way because our Defense was so good then, period.
Who's laughing- I already gave props.Arrrgh! Taylor Mays is ranked 6 on ESPN!! There is no way we get him now- the secret is out!!! F@(%.
January 12, 2009
#37 animal said . . .Where did you hear that the Bears will get Herm Edwards?
January 12, 2009
#38 Who's Laughing Now said . . .CA I was responding to Post 32.
Who are we drafting?
January 12, 2009
#39 southsidetommy said . . .I didn't hear anything about Herm, only speculating because we're reassembling the old Tampa D staff in Chicago and it looks like Herm will need a job soon.
January 12, 2009
#40 Rancid said . . .it starts and ends with the o-line and the d-line thats bears football. Next year is coach smiths make it or break it year. It is time for a bear to be head coach how about leslie frazier!
January 12, 2009
#41 Butkus,Buffone, & Gunn, LLC said . . .animal- I wouldn't worry about Mays being ranked anywhere right now. At this time last year Andre Woodson was projected as our likely first round pick. I think he got drafted in the seventh round and then got cut, or something like that. It'll all depend on the workouts.
January 12, 2009
#42 Worm0922 said . . .OK- here's the latest from the NFL off season - (figure out which one of these teams is headed downhill)
1. KC is getting 43 year old Scott Pioli to run their personnel operations with $30 million of cap room to play with - with a 4o something owner and a 40 something president who can't wait to work with him.
2. Denver is getting a 32 year old head coach - Josh McDaniels - who just pulled off an 11-5 record with a quarterback who hasn't taken a meaningful snap in over seven years.
3. Chicago has hired a defensive line coach whose most recent efforts created an 0-16 team and a career record of 10-32.
Let's all applaud our management's aggressive attempts to excel, shall we? I know it's "just a d-line coach", but what does it really say to the players and the rest of the league? Commitment to mediocrity, period.
January 12, 2009
#43 Anonymous said . . .Herm Edwards as a Secondary coach would rock! Imagine the sound bites!!! What do you think of Leftwich? He's as health as he has been since his draft. And with upgrades to the line( since he's not mobile) he has the arm to hit the deep ball and screens.
January 12, 2009
#44 Albert in Tucson said . . .#41
You are as wrong as two boys fucking.
January 12, 2009
#45 Albert In Tucson said . . .Regarding Rod, remember what a GREAT DQ Buddy Ryan was? And remember what an absolute disaster he was as a head coach., ESPECIALLY when he came out here to Arzina and dismantled the #2 offense in the league prior to his arrival so he could sign his crony, has-been free agents, like Seth Joyner from his Philly squad. Hopefully Rod's just another example of the "Peter Principle" and just overreached his skill set when he became a head coach. He was VERY well-respected as a Defensive Line coach.
In other news...Steeler back-up QB and free agent to be, Byron Leftwich, was musing yesterday about the possiility of joining the Bears next season. He said he was a" big fan of Lovie Smith's" (well, we all know THAT is a big part of getting ahead on the Bears) and "always wanted to be part of that history and tradition".
Apparently, Byron has no clue that the Bears "tradition" with QBs is that they are "history" in fairly short order.
Not to mention that he is another QB with all the mobility of the Sears Tower. I'll pass on his services, thank you. And...Nice game Saturday Mushin Muhammed. Especially the three play sequebnce where you:
A) went to sleep on a pass route that was thrown to you, then
B) dropped a pass, (THERE'S a stunner)then
C) went one way while the ball went another.THAT'S the Moose WE know and love!
January 12, 2009
#46 Albert In Tucson said . . .As someone who has the Cardinals FORCED upon them regularly because the NFL made an exception to the "90 -mile" rule and includes Tucson as part of the Cardinals market, my only comment on their performance Saturday is: "Who are you people and what have you done with the Arizona Cardinals?"
January 12, 2009
#47 Urlacher FTW said . . .Anyone who wonders about the value of a lethal prescence on the outside need look no further that the New York Giants.
11-1 with Plexico. 2-3 without him.
Eli Manning's completion percentage went from the mid-60s% into the low 50s.
His QB rating WITH Plexico was over 90 and dropped precipitously over the last 5 games.And sacks? Check the Giants again. NO sacks yesterday. No sackls in EITHER loss to the Eagles.
January 12, 2009
#48 zisk said . . .Albert, wouldn't the Giants have had to be credited with 1 sack... Int Ground in the end zone, isn't that credited as a sack/safety?
I am ok with this Rod thing, he did a great job in TB, and he can't do worse. I would have like to see the axe cut the DC out as well, just not sure who would be hired to fill, and like they say, don't fire until you have someone to hire. One thing I don't get here; they go out of the way to say line coach AND assistant, aren't all the position coaches considered assistants? Or is this a specific indicator of him being higher in the food chain than you standard position coach and where does that put his word in order of the DC and Lovie?
January 12, 2009
#49 Idonije said . . .Albert, I think leftwich would be about the best option for a backup. A couple times this year roethlisberger got injured and he looked pretty decent to me. If we let go of grossman I'd like to see leftwich take his place.
January 12, 2009
#50 Albert In Tucson said . . .What happened to Earl Bennet this year? Is he the new Mark Bradley?
January 12, 2009
#51 Rancid said . . .Urhlacher, your premise makes sense to me, of course I also feel that when the play clock hits zero that delay of game should be called so what do I know.
I checked the final stats on NFL.COM and the Giants were not credited with a sack.Zisk, for me, Leftwich's recent history makes him the Mike Brown of QBs.
January 12, 2009
#52 Da Bearz said . . .That should be a no sack with an asterisk as they did get the safety in the end zone for intentional grounding. Regardless though, the pass rush isn't the same as it was earlier in the year.
If people don' t like Leftwich, which veteran QB do you like for KO's backup?
Losman, Garcia, Boller, who?January 12, 2009
#53 Phil from SATX said . . .Ive been a fan of the Bears for 41 years, and driven 10 hours to not miss a home playoff game. The tradition is the best in the NFL and we need to get all the pieces together. I see it as a new FS, DT, and WR and we are back in the hunt. It drives me crazy all of the Orton bashing. He was the man with all of the Bears fans until the ankle. At least he sucked it up and came back, give him a break , we ruined Rex by not giving him time to develop.
January 12, 2009
#54 Bill From SATX said . . .Urlacher, I think Marinelli being named Assistant Head Coach is VERY significant here - an Assistant Head Coach is different than an Assistant Coach, and in this case, considerably.
Haugh, I think, mentioned that the food chain is now Lovie > Rod > Babich. It's essentially a demotion for Babich with face-saving involved. I think it's great for the Bears - Rod's very highly regarded defensively and he will be given lots of latitude to change things. Probably at least as important, since Lovie's running the show, is that Lovie believes in him, so when Marinelli changes things up, Lovie'll let him.
Still looking for similar help for Ron.
Albert, 3 great posts in a row. I had the same thought from the Giants-Eagles result - how much Plaxico meant to that team - one guy. It makes me hopeful because maybe one great FA signing of WR and a great FA signing of pass rusher could transform us - although we still need a better offensive line. I think I'm one of the few who still believes in our corners - I just think they were given bad scheme this year, and both were hurt at various times, particularly Vasher (who now always seems to get hurt, so maybe that's now to be expected).
With a better scheme and a real impact rusher to add to Alex Brown, I truly believe the rest of the D could stand pat and still get back to top 5 D. Maybe I'm dreaming. Maybe I just don't want to give up on Mike Brown yet, and I know I don't want to give up on Brian.
Speaking of stud receivers, how about that Larry Fitzgerald? My God. Neither Jeremy Maclin nor Michael Crabtree will be around when we pick. We're going to have to buy somebody. Sure hope it's Anquan.
January 12, 2009
#55 marce said . . .I agree with Da Bearz and let Kyle develop into a quarterback. He threw for as many if not a few more TD's that Big Ben and Flacco and fewer INT's than Ben. How is that not improving the position. If he gets an improved line, we may see alot more games like the first 8. In Zisk's statement, I don't like Leftwich. He can't run and is probably slower that Orton. I wouldn't mind David Carr. He has started before and he may settle down since he would have a better line that what he had in Houston. He is mobile and needs to develop as well. But, I would like to see 18 run the offense. With Marinelli, I see a better line by a long shot. We need Babich out of there, but like Phil, he has been sent down the food chain. Hopefully, in the near future, the name Babich will not be anywhere near any Bears news.
January 13, 2009
saludos
January 30, 2009
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