How Bout Dem Bears?

bannerman2005

Well better to let Trubisky get the reps now as he could not be much worse. In the grander scheme of things it would have been better if Glennon had performed better and no panic requiring a switch. Its Fox's last throw of the dice anyway and if Trubisky succeeds it might prolong his job.

Realt Dearg Sec

bannerman2005 wrote: »

Well better to let Trubisky get the reps now as he could not be much worse. In the grander scheme of things it would have been better if Glennon had performed better and no panic requiring a switch. Its Fox's last throw of the dice anyway and if Trubisky succeeds it might prolong his job.

Yeah I couldn't watch another week of Glennon fumbling and throwing interceptions at the rate he did last week, so that's good. What worries me is if Trubisky starts to get killed or pressured too much this early in his career it might damage his long term development, but as long as Whitehair improves his snaps, which have been a disaster this season, we have a pretty good Oline when healthy. Would have been nice to let him stay on the bench longer but he looked like a guy who can learn on his feet in the preseason so hopefully that translates. Hopefully Fox is out at the end of this season, I think his race is ran anyway. Promote Fangio maybe, so we aren't starting from scratch again next year and waiting for another new HC to bed in his system (again, I think this year was the time to bring in the new HC, but that's water under the bridge)

Oat23

Eddie Jackson comes out of a great program and was considered a 1R selection before his injury problems. I've been containing my excitement about getting him in the 4th for months but I can't anymore. What a steal. He's a future pro bowler if he stays healthy.

Fans are saying we have a new Mike Brown but please don't let him have MB's injury problems. He has a broken leg and torn ACL on his records already.

Realt Dearg Sec

A win is a fantastic thing and undoubtedly the D looks like it might well be dominant this year.

But Fox and Loggains...I know Fox probably decided that because we were winning he could go ultra conservative on O and prevent any turnovers. That doesn't make it OK. That was a second half where it was screaming out for a Panthers comeback, and all of the weight of preventing that fell on the D. Pace can take some blame too: he dropped Deonte Thompson, whose stats up to now are better than ALL of the remaining receiving corps COMBINED. How on earth can he be so consistently bad at evaluating receivers (he fluked with Cam Meredith, imo)? Ludicrous stuff. And whatever about Trubisky, he didn't have a good game today, but two things: 1. His passer rating is over 100 today because he didn't have many passing plays at all and 2. He was only ever asked to pass in bad situations created by incredibly predictable playcalling. I don't think it's a fluke that he made a massive completion on the one first down where he was tasked with throwing the ball (he had another pass on first negated for an illegal formation by the WR brought in from the practice squad to replace Deonte Thompson)

SameOleJay

If you are not reading this guy's thoughts every week you're doing it wrong

http://www.chicitysports.com/forum/showthread.php/92096-Thoughts-and-Observations-Week-7-Panthers

Having so many drafted players you need to re-sign is a feeling I'm not accustomed to whatsoever. The defence looks the goods at all levels.

Won't be too concerned about the playcalling and Trubisky's development unless it continues into the losses. It is incredible that it has come to this at receiver though. Cohen is, BY FAR, our best wide-out which is just ridiculous. Saints game will be very interesting.

Realt Dearg Sec

I'm not worried about trubisky developing at all. I think Fox is so conservative that he just won't let him play, because that would involve him making mistakes, and Fox hates turnovers, more than most people hate stubbing their toe in the dark. I don't think that's good for him longer term (and my suspicion is loggains would let him their way more if he was really in charge of things) but it's not catastrophic either. But I fail to see how it WOULDN'T eventually continue into losses, we're not going to get to defensive touchdowns every week. But you're right, the D looks tremendous now, Fangio has been holding together a dodgy team to look respectable despite a talent deficit and injuries before, but now he has them about motoring. If they continue as they have been, they'll be thoroughly dominant. I think we need to make Fangio HC this off season or we'll lose him to someone who will.

thomond2006

Credit to Pace for getting two starting calibre running-backs in the 4th and 5th rounds over the last few years. I'm sure it helps to fund spending at other positions.

As for right now I hope the Bears put in a trade offer for Martavis Byrant. If he wants out of there asap perhaps the Steelers will let him go on the cheap. It's a contract year for Bryant.

Oat23

25 years old. Suspended twice already for drug violations. Refusing to work after the Steelers stuck by him after multiple f*ck ups.

Veyr high risk and after some of the fantastic picks Pace has made in later rounds I am starting to value late picks a lot more now than before.

He comes across as a bad teammate and not someone Pace would want in the locker room.

Oat23

We've traded a 7th rounder to the Chargers for Dontrelle Inman.

58 receptions for 810 yards last season even though he has only 2 catches this year. 6'3" so a nice target for Trubisky outside the numbers. Better than what is available anyway.

Contract is up after this season.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/923249495269433344

thomond2006

Nice!

Oat23

Loggains has to go. As does Barth.

Anyone who thinks Loggains is a decent playcaller but his hands are tied because of our lack of receiving talent is blind. He hasn't got a clue. If he stays after this season I give up.

thomond2006

Jerrell Freeman suspended again for PEDs: 10 games.

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thomond2006 wrote: »

Jerrell Freeman suspended again for PEDs: 10 games.

I'm not surprised at all. Huge loss and we can presumably cut him altogether at this point (no idea what the cap implications are but whatever). Makes it a big priority position for the draft.

thomond2006

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

I'm not surprised at all. Huge loss and we can presumably cut him altogether at this point (no idea what the cap implications are but whatever). Makes it a big priority position for the draft.

What on earth was he taking?!

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thomond2006 wrote: »

What on earth was he taking?!

Adderall, like everyone else!

thomond2006

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Adderall, like everyone else!

I see. Do they think they won't get caught or something? He was already on the radar anyway.

Realt Dearg Sec

Ah I dunno, but his whole career is dodgy, spent most of his youth in the Canadian football league then comes to the NFL AFTER his prime years and somehow becomes one of the best linebackers in the league? Doesn't add up.

Oat23

It sounds like Freeman is still suffering the affects of the concussion he suffered in September so I wouldn't be so quick to judge him given I haven't ever been in a situation like that myself. It must be terrifying given everything going around about concussions these days.

thomond2006

The Bears should have the beating of this Green Bay team.

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thomond2006 wrote: »

The Bears should have the beating of this Green Bay team.

Definitely SHOULD, but whether we will or not is another matter.

I read an interesting article about John Fox that details some of the common threads of his coaching career. His defining characteristic is that he seems to prefer pre-Teddy Roosevelt football, and dislikes the forward pass. When he has a rookie QB, regardless of potential ability, he absolutely DESPISES the forward pass, and relies almost exclusively on running and D to win games. At Carolina, in 9 years, he only had a top-half of the league offense ONCE. In NINE years. In his whole career he only has had FIVE top-half of the league offenses, and three of those were with Peyton Manning in Denver, when Fox had virtually no control over how the offense was run, and Manning basically did what he wanted.

This is the same guy that, faced with a rookie QB with raw talent and few receiving options, actually got rid of one of the few receivers he actually seemed to have some chemistry with, Deonte Thompson. not exactly an All Pro, but looking at some of the scrubbers he kept around, you start to wonder what on earth Fox's game plan is.

What's becoming clearer every week is that Fox has no interest in the development of Trubisky as a passer, and along with Loggains has developed an approach to the game where opposing Ds can stack the box on first down and usually second down, knowing we will run straight into the wall (Howard is so good that he still sometimes makes some yards on these but he's being completely misused in this as well), then only give Trubisky passing opportunities in obvious passing situations, often 3rd and long, where his chances of succeeding are hugely reduced and where he is facing much more pressure. It's a farcical way of working with someone who is talented but raw, because it transmits the message that mistakes are absolutely unacceptable ever, and that your HC and OC don't trust you whatsoever.

If he's not fired by the end of the year and they are planning on proceeding with him as the man to develop the QB of the future, I give up.

Realt Dearg Sec

Anyone any predictions for Sunday? I think this is a serious make or break game for us. We aren't used to being favourites against the Packers and even if neither team are making the playoffs this year I don't think losing to them when Rodgers is out is acceptable. My suspicion is that if we lose this one then Fox will be on the way out. Weather for Sunday looks shocking, snow and rain. So, Jordan Howard to the rescue.

bannerman2005

I think if they lose to the Packers minus Rodgers then Fox will definitely be gone. Or at least I would do that. From reading a few pieces Fox was not Pace's choice of coach but McCaskeys pick. Loggains can't be far behind Fox either in the race for the door. With the weather forecast bad I think its going to have to be the Jordan Howard show. I know this game was leading the poll to be shown on Sky Sports but when will that be finalised.

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bannerman2005 wrote: »

From reading a few pieces Fox was not Pace's choice of coach but McCaskeys pick.

If true, it makes some sense, but the endless tinkering by the family in the football side of things has been a huge part of the problem over the years. If you hire a GM, you have to let him do his job. He's the one answerable for whatever happens. Was the same with Emery, when they forced him to keep Lovie. Now, we know he tied his own noose when he picked Trestman instead of Arians (eugh), but either trust the GM or hire someone you do...

Fox was a safe pair of hands, I get the logic in hiring him, but at this point he is doing damage to the development of this QB. I wouldn't even wait til the year is out. Fire him now, let Loggains run the O as he sees fit and if it's still as terrible and predictable as it has been then run him out of town at the end of the year as well (I have a feeling Fox is handcuffing him, but I think he's an awful OC anyway, but he's shown some creative playcalling in the past).

Main issue is what's going to happen with Fangio. There are indications he wants to leave, Shanahan wanted him back in SF this year and we simply blocked the lateral move, but his contract is now up. So I think the chances of him staying as a DC are very small. So do you offer to make him HC? I dunno, I think it's the right thing to do, but it's not a popular opinion for some reason.

Oat23

We all know what the main problem with this team is so there's no point me mentioning it again.

One of the very few things I liked today was Inman. He had a poor drop on the last drive but almost 90 yards in his first real game albeit against a poor D.

Looking forward to seeing him play the next few games. He could turn out to be a really solid trade.

bannerman2005

After that game I suppose there are a few questions.

1. How long more will they give Fox?
2. Is there any point in persevering with Loggains as OC. I don't know how much influence Fox has on play calling .
3. How can we keep Fangio. Head coaching job or nothing I think.

I am sure that with decent weapons Trubisky can be dangerous but he is still very raw as a QB. The offensive line made a few bad errors yesterday.

Onwards and upwards

thomond2006

As it stands the Bears have the 6th pick in next year's draft.

6
37
102
103 (via Arizona)
133
165
198

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thomond2006 wrote: »

133165

You won't get much with that pick.

Oat23

We finally have a new kicker. Cairo Santos.
He's pretty good too. Chiefs waved him in September because of an injury. I believe he was at Halas 2 or 3 times already for a physical before signing.

https://twitter.com/BradBiggs/status/932665550504972288

Realt Dearg Sec

Oat23 wrote: »

We finally have a new kicker. Cairo Santos.
He's pretty good too. Chiefs waved him in September because of an injury. I believe he was at Halas 2 or 3 times already for a physical before signing.

https://twitter.com/BradBiggs/status/932665550504972288

Good news, hope he works out. It always seems unfair to say you're losing games because of a kicker, when there's so many other things that are wrong, but things like yesterday are a kick in the gut when your rookie QB took the team on his back up the field in a crunch situation. You couldn't just be looking at him...

Realt Dearg Sec

Halas Hall apparently stank of rotten fish today, because if bad sushi left over the long weekend. In so very, very many ways this is a magnificent symbol of the state of our franchise this morning.

In other news apparently media could hear a massive fight amongst the players going on next to the media room too. So if you're still playing "at least they're not doing that thing that happened under Trestman" bingo, you can scratch "locker room bust ups" off the list.

I don't see how keeping Fox on to the end of the season will do anything other than damage the development of younger players.