SB Nation - Greg Olsen

Chris Williams: Left Tackle

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:00:19 -0000

by Nam Y. Huh - AP

Sunday saw the long anticipated debut of 2008 first round (#14 overall) draft pick Chris Williams at left tackle for the Bears. He had a chance to play against another member of that draft class, number 2 overall selection to the St. Louis Rams, defensive end Chris Long. Long picked up a sack, but overall, how did Williams fare? I'll try and dissect his game against the Rams and look at why he's a better fit on the left side rather than the right. First up I'll tackle the left side vs. the right...

Number one he's naturally left handed. Something you may not think makes much of a difference, but it's all in their stance. Players that line up on the left side of the offensive line use a left handed stance. The lefty three point stance is the exact opposite of the righty stance most of us that grew up playing football are accustomed to. Years back coaches would simply have players get in which ever three point stance they were most comfortable with. These days many high schools are teaching to change the stance depending on which side of the line you play.

The left handed stance is as follows; feet shoulder width apart, left foot slightly back (usually lined up with the right instep), left hand on the ground, right arm on right thigh. Yes that is Hall Of Fame left tackle Anthony Munoz over there in his left handed three point stance. The point of the left handed stance on the left side is it allows better pass blocking technique. When pass blocking you push off with your inside foot while reaching back with your outside foot. By starting this way your hips are in a better position as you don't have to turn them to get settled into proper pass blocking technique. With the hips in place, and already slightly facing the usually lined up outside pass rusher, you are in better position to deliver the hand punch as well. The less a player has to move to get in position the better.

Number two his athleticism makes him a better fit on the left side. So much emphasis is placed on protecting a right handed quarterbacks blind side, so you want a tackle with quicker feet on the left. The more mauling, road grader type is usually on the right side.

And number three, and most importantly, Williams is more comfortable on the left. At Vanderbilt he was on the left side, last year (when healthy) he was on the left side, and before Orlando Pace was signed this year his reps were on the left side.

When looking at the Rams game in detail, and trying to grade out his performance, keep in mind that I have no idea his exact responsibilities from play to play. Therefore my analysis could be slightly skewed. I made my best guess on his assignments based on my years playing, coaching, and watching football, but unless I'm invited into Halas Hall, I really have no way of knowing for sure. I graded him out using the most basic of grading systems, on every offensive snap I gave him a plus (did his job) or a minus (didn't do his job). When grading him out he ended up with a +46 out of 57 plays. I'm sure he'd be even harder on himself than I was, and I'm sure the coaches were harder on him as well.

I'll give some observations on his overall performance then I'll break down some individual plays.

The good thing is on all the plays I gave him a minus it was due to something that could be fixed through coaching. He was never out classed on any plays, never over powered, just simple youthful mistakes. He'll improve. He did get off balance at times and his hand punch could use some work, but overall it was a solid debut. I didn't see any tenacious aggression from Williams, but that isn't really his game, he more a technique guy that will shield off the defender. One constant throughout the game I picked up on was he didn't stay with his blocks. Most times the play was past him when his guy got off the block (so no harm done), but I'd like to see him lock on the defender til the whistle blows when ever possible. Nothing frustrates a defensive lineman more that a guy that is constantly in your face.

I won't go into every play in detail, but I'll pick out a few of the good and a few of the bad.

Play #1 - The 1st play of the game is a good snapshot of the kind of player Williams is. It had Williams seal the defensive end, James Hall, inside. It was only a two yard gain for Matt Forte, but Williams used good technique to seal his man.

Play #3 - The long pass to Devin Hester saw the Bears keep Greg Olsen in on the left side to help pass protect. They had a double tight formation as Kellen Davis also stayed in to help on the right side. It was a fake counter to Matt Forte (with Frank Omiyale pulling to the right) so Williams had to read the defensive line. Williams first set up as if to block the DE, but when the DE went outside to Olsen he moved in and took the DT which Olin Kreutz passed off to him.

Plays #6-#8 - On 3 consecutive plays on the goal line Williams drove James Hall back into the end zone. On 1st down Hall made the tackle after slipping off the Williams block and because of the slow cut back by Forte (but Williams should have sustained the block). On 2nd down Forte again ran inside but for no gain. Then on 3rd down the Bears ran off left tackle and Forte scored practically untouched.

Play #12 - On 1st and 10 after the long play to Earl Bennett the Bears again passed and the Rams ran a stunt. The DE went inside, and Williams passed him off to Omiyale, then LB James Laurinaitis looped outside and Williams picked him up. Good awareness by Williams.

Play #24 - On a 3rd and 4 Jay Cutler rolled out to his right and Williams only had to cut off his man from backside pursuit, he missed. He tried to reach block him to seal him off but he couldn't get there, he ran with him but couldn't keep up. I think he should have cut him initially or at least got into the defenders legs since it was a hard block to execute. His man had a long chase and never made it to Cutler, but Williams has to find a way to cut him off.

Play #27 - This was the 1st down end around to Devin Hester. Williams looked lost on the play. He immediately went to the 2nd level looking for a LB, but ended up watching LB Paris Lenon run by him and make the tackle on Hester.

Play #29 - This was the sack by Long. Earl Bennett motioned from wide left towards the right and it appeared he was supposed to chip Long before he turned back to the left sideline. Bennett was wide open on the out route, but Cutler had no time. If Williams was expecting the chip it makes sense why he was beat to the outside. Williams set up and looked as if he were expecting Long to come inside, if Bennett hits him it pushes Long to an inside move. Cutler may have snapped the ball a split second too early. Either way Williams can't get beat and should have recognized the missed chip block, a better hand punch would have left him in a better position. (I really liked the design of this play and expect to see Chicago run it this Sunday)

Play #35 - On 1st and 10 they ran Kahlil Bell around the left side for 7 yards, Williams and Olsen executed a combo block on the DE, then after the defender was secured Williams slipped off to block a LB.

Play #51 - This is the 8 yard run by Forte that the FOX crew replayed with a spotlight on Williams. Williams again made a textbook seal block on Long, he didn't drive him back very far, but simply got his hands on Long, moved his feet, and sealed him from the play.

If Williams gets the nod at LT again this week he'll have a different challenge against the Packers and the 3-4 defense. He'll have more reads to make as the Packers will zone blitz from time to time. He'll be matched up with an outside linebacker as much as, if not more than he'll be on a defensive end. It will be a good test for Williams and the Bears offense.

Looking for the Bright Side of the Chicago Bears: Week 13

Sklz711 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:00:20 -0000

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Another day, another dollar, and another season where if nothing else we can say we are better than the other team that wishes it could call Illinois its home. In a league now built around parity between teams no win is guaranteed, so even against a terrible Rams team we as fans can enjoy the fact that our losing streak is now broken.

If you think any win is guaranteed in the NFL, just have a talk with the Steelers fans about how that guaranteed W against the Raiders went this week. So in a week that saw the undefeated Saints get pushed to the brink against a hapless Redskins team, let us kick back for a few days and bask in the glow of a much needed win.

Now that we all have a fresh reminder of what the letter W actually looks like next to the word Bears, we'll sit down and examine the good things that happened on the field.

C Dub appeared to be a definite improvement at LT, even in his first game, and while we're talking about blocking Kellen Davis has stepped his game up.

Don't get my sunny disposition wrong, I sat down and watched this game looking for a reason to bring down a hate storm upon CDub, but I just couldn't find a reason to. The few times I was ready to throw a tomato in his direction, upon re-watching the tape it wasn't really his fault Cutler got nailed. Take the first quarter on the Hester deep ball, Cutler got squished, but the man that pummeled him was actually being blocked by none other than Greg Olsen.

In fact, the only really bad play I think I saw out of CDub was on a Cutler sack blocking Long solo, and just getting absolutely beat. However, if in his first outing at LT the worst that happened was a single bad play and absolutely zero penalties if my memory serves then I'm feeling good about him getting some playing time and seeing what he has.

Also, on at least three runs that I saw Kellen Davis in on he laid a massive block on all three. I've got to say Kellen Davis continues to impress at his improving blocking game and really makes me feel a lot better about the impending loss of Desmond Clark. Keep an eye on this man, he's really answered the call and solidified his position as the number two TE, and number one blocker.

The Chicago Bears WR corps as whole looked like a strength instead of a weakness.

Getting back to that Hester deep ball in the first quarter, it really showed a lot of what I want to see out of Hester as a number one, and it's something he's shown more than a few times this year. He showed awareness of the ball, awareness of the defenders, used his speed and the threat of his speed to create a window of separation, and finally jumped up and made a sure handed catch in traffic. Does he need to work on his blocking during runs, sure why not. Does he need to get a bit more consistent, no argument from me. However, to continue the litany of the never going to be a number one crowd is to set yourself up to look foolish. If he continues to improve at the rate he has in his first two seasons at wide receiver, you could be looking at a pro bowl WR in 2011.

Fort Knox has shown the same thing he has shown all year, absolute flashes of speed/brilliance that you want to see out of a deep threat, and a gameness that you rarely see in rookie wide receivers, let alone later round picks. The pass interference call in the first quarter was yet another example of a player you usually see coming from a veteran coming from this rookie. Knox fights his way down field against the CB, has his man beat, sees that the ball is going to be short, and creates the contact coming back to the ball against the CB looking the wrong way making it a very easy PI call. I'm impressed more and more by the maturity of this rookie every game.

Earl Bennett is really establishing himself this year as what we always wished Rashied Davis could be, a reliable receiver that's not afraid to go over the middle, can make some good catches, and can get a bit of YAC in a pinch. He needs to protect the ball a bit better, but I'm loving the Vandy connection at #3.

Some of our young DB are starting to show real promise.

Both Kevin Payne and Al Afalava looked pretty good today, with Payne finally showing some improvement in coverage which had been his real Achilles heel. Payne of all people was shown a few times wrapping up the runner from behind instead of just going for the big hit. Afalava had lots of extra effort plays including coming real close to the interception on a Jamar Williams tip in the second quarter. Good heads up play from the rookie. Not too long after that there was a great tackle by Bowman who laid a shoulder directly into the ball and once again Afalava keeps that nose for the live ball and makes a good return.

While the Safety position is still on my wish list, if Payne and Afalava continue to play at the level they did today, and improve the rest of this year and in the off season we might just have found a nice little safety combo already on our team.

Jamar Williams took the opportunity given to him to show he has what it takes to be an eventual starter.

Wow, just wow. If you would have told me that Williams would have exploded like this in what I believe is his second start I would have called you crazy. Coverage, run stopping, you name it, Williams was there. It's really a hell of a compliment when your best LB is out for the game and you don't have a huge talent drop off at the position. Tons of great plays for Jamar all game long including TFL, tipped balls, extremely close to interceptions and more. Just an absolutely fantastic game for Jamar Williams, and so good that it overshadowed what was a fairly good game for Nick Roach as well.

If our top 4 LB go into next year as Briggs, Urlacher, Jamar, and Roach, I'll be a damned happy man.

----

So did anyone else see a player that impressed them today that I didn't mention, or any stand out plays I didn't call out?

The 5 Things the Bucs need for a happy 2010

Niko Houllis — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:50:52 -0000

What the Bucs need to do to have a better 2010...

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In no particular order, here are five things the Bucs need to do to insure a happy Buccaneers 2010 season; with an extra point after the jump.

Continue to show improvement in play- The Bucs have been blown out by double digits in 5 of the first 7 games. In the last four? The Bucs lost one big, but won one, and lost the other two by a combined 5 points!.... in the last minute of each game! Josh Freeman is outplaying the other two big named rookie quarterbacks, as Josh is now 69 out of 125 (55.2%) for 793 yards 7 TDs and 5 Ints. His 76.5 QB Rating is higher than the 62.4 for Stafford or 62.1 for Sanchez. Both of those QBs have thrown for less completion %, and have a higher interception rate too.
Maintain continuity- Many fans want to see Bill Cowher coach this Bucs team. Yet Cowher's success comes from his ownership giving him 15 plus years to run the team, and not let him go at the first sign of a poor record or poor showings. The Quick Pull that fans want to do with Raheem is exactly the thing that would have ruined Cowher. Redskins QB Campbell is a fine example of what happens to a QB who gets a new Coordinator each year. Closer to home Bucs Shawn King had a new coordinator each year, Shula in '99, Les Steckle, Clyde Christianson, Jon Gruden was no. 4 in 4 years. Keep Raheem Morris, Greg Olsen, and remove the Bates defensive coaches so everyone is on the same page. We are seeing this improvement we have been looking for all year. If it continues, this offseason isnt the time to do it.s
Import more defensive talent, starting with the Defensive Line- Now that its obvious the Bucs return to the Tampa Two is a little more long term, the restocking of the Bucs defense is now on a lesser scale. Before the season is over, the defensive coaches need to assess if anyone on the roster is capable of taking over the undertackle 3 technique. If not, then this is a critical position on the roster that must be addressed in the NFL Draft, and Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh is a popular choice for that particular need. The secondary will need some attention too, as Ronde Barber is not getting younger, and Sabby Piscitelli needs to be assessed if he is the man to take the free safety position for the Bucs.
Punting is fundamental- Its not FUN though for Bucs fans, watching Dirk Johnson punt that is. The Bucs 'for real' punter Josh Bidwell's condition must be assertained to determine if his season ending injury is going to hamper his efforts in 2010. The last thing a struggling defense needs is a poor punter. Connor Barth seems to be the real deal in the place kicking department. When he misses, he misses by feet, not stadiums. Matt Bryant was similar.
Find a franchise running back- Take a moment to get your breath back after reading this one...and tell everyone which of the three running backs is a real, bonafide franchise back, that can be relied upon in a pinch. Cadillac? Love the whole story, its a great one, but he is 90% of what he was. A franchise back can break a 45 yard TD. Which one of our Backs do you see doing that? Derrick Ward has been a disapointment, but will be given another chance next year. Earnest Graham may be the real deal, but we need an LT, a Bettis, an........Alstott, to go with our Freeman.

OK OK, Extra Point- It may not sound popular. But number 5 + 1; Re-sign Antonio Bryant- Forget the injury. They happen. Its not a career bug, but it was bad enough that it affected most of he season. Not really his fault. What did he do with it? Did he cause a disruption in the lockeroom? Wasnt that the worry after all about AB? Not that he could do the job, but that he wouldnt turn into a head case. Two seasons now, and the worse we have is Bryant saying throw the ball more please. Tell me he is wrong first before you let him go, because you can bet there will be a line at the Free Agency window if he is not given a long term contract. Also...start Sammy Stroughter and Maurice Stovall so 1) Sammy can show he is a serious #2 guy, or 3) Stovall can finally show us he is more than a special team star.

How the Bears can move up in the 2010 NFL Draft

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:00:16 -0000

by Jason DeCrow - AP

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With no first or second round picks thanks to the Jay Cutler and Gaines Adams deals, getting an impact rookie will be challenging, but not impossible. The Bears need to find a way to get into the first or second round, and then of course, not whiff on the picks. The Bears currently have one pick in the third through seventh rounds for a total of five picks. As far as I can tell the most picks you can start draft day with is ten, but you can wheel and deal once the draft starts to get as many as you want. The Bears need to do what ever they can to get ten draft choices before draft day in order to maximize their dealing capabilities.

Looking over the Bears roster you'll see plenty of players under contract that shouldn't be a part of their future. Some players will have to be cut, but some have enough value to pick up a late round pick. Jerry Angelo (if he's still the GM this off season) has to deal away some dead weight. Just remember, making trades in the NFL isn't like other sports, player movement through trades just doesn't happen that often, but Angelo will have to thoroughly explore all possibilities. And the biggest thing he must consider is he may be drafting for the last time in Chicago, so if the opportunity arises use some of the 2011 draft choices to help get some picks in 2010.

One thing to keep in mind when dealing away some of your depth is the special teams will suffer. But with Dave Toub coordinating that phase of the team it's a chance you have to take. I'll speculate on some possible moves the Bears could make.

A) Nathan Vasher has a big money deal, but could be moved because he has had some past success. All you need is one GM to think a change of scenery could revive his career. Someone will want a former Pro Bowl corner, and a change just may do him good. Depending on the timing of the deal you could possibly get a fifth or sixth round pick for him. If the Bears could squeak out a few reps at free safety for the "Interceptor" it could help his trade value or if he fills in adequately at corner for a game or two they'll see his value go up, maybe as high as a fourth round pick.

B) I know the Bears were burned by trading away a safety a few years ago in Chris Harris, but it's clear the Bears are moving forward with Al Afalava as the strong safety. He outplayed Kevin Payne to win the job, but Payne has starting experience on his resume. He has some value around the league. The Bears seem comfortable with Craig Steltz backing up SS, so moving Payne makes sense right now. Depending on team needs this off season the Bears might end up with as high as a fifth round pick for him.

C) With Greg Olsen winning the starting tight end job from Desmond Clark, and with the emergence of Kellen Davis as a serviceable back up, Des Clark is expendable. Neither Olsen or Davis can block as well as Clark, but blocking is something they can improve on. Remember Clark was a wide receiver at Wake Forest and worked to become a better than average blocker. You need your reserve tight ends to be core special teamers and Clark doesn't fit that. If he fully recovers from this years injuries and finishes strong he might bring you a fourth round pick. Besides this season, he's been a reliable starting tight end for the Bears, and even though Clark is an 11 year vet he could be a starter for another team.

D) Garrett Wolfe, currently on IR because of a lacerated kidney, is expected to be ready for full participation come this off season. It should be with another team. For what ever reason the Bears have never been able to find a way to fit him into the game plan. He's excelled on special teams the last couple years and in his limited time with the ball in his hands this year he's been ok. With Jones expected back next year in some role and Khalil Bell able to fill the special teams spot of Wolfe, the Bears need to float Wolfe's name out there to gauge his value. At most I think they could get a fifth round pick for him, but their probably more likely to get a sixth.

The next two players I'll throw out there I really can't see traded, but you never know. Trading away players of their stature is difficult because one side will never feel truly compensated in any deals that may get to the table.

E) A popular name that is mentioned in trade speculation by many fans is Tommie Harris. With his production coming no where near his contract, moving him could be next to impossible. He has however, started playing better of late. Here's the question to ponder; If Harris is 100% and playing like the Tommie of old do you still want to trade him? If he has a strong finish to the year and they decide he isn't worth the risk, they could get a third (maybe a second) round pick for him if the right situation arises.

F) Before the recent drama surrounding Brian Urlacher I never would have even considered trading him away. But with him dropping those quotes for the Yahoo Sports piece, I could see him moved. Now finding someone that would want to take on that contract is another thing entirely. With his recent injury history teams may shy away from him, but there will be a few organizations that'll show interest. If his wrist heals properly, and all indications are that it will, he could fetch as high as a second round pick.

* Of course any of these players and any future draft choices could be used to pick up a legit number one wide receiver. In that case, picking up a guy like Brandon Marshall or Anquan Boldin would trump any plans I touched on above.

But if the Bears do stockpile lower round picks they'll then need to be used to move up in the draft, something Jerry Angelo hasn't done much of in the past. Using an NFL Draft Pick Value Chart, one of which every GM in the league uses, you can see the points needed to move up in the draft. If you've never seen the chart go take a look so what I say next makes sense (well... I'll try and make sense).

There are always teams looking to trade down, whether to save on the first round draft pick contract or because of how the draft is falling they realize "their guy" will be available later. The Bears would need between 600-900 points to get into the bottom half of round one. Many times the team trading up will have to overpay to make the move. I won't take into consideration any picks potentially obtained by moving Harris or Urlacher (like I said, it's unlikely they'll be moved).

OK, so in the scenarios outlined above the Bears would have their own 3rd-7th round picks plus two 4's a 5 and a 6. I'll look at some draft day deals that could move them into day 1 (1st round) or day 2 (2nd and 3rd round) of the 2010 NFL Draft.

1) The three 4th round picks (approximately worth 200 points) could get them into the 3rd round.

2) They Bears could package their third and fourth round picks (about 300 pts.) and move into the lower end of round two.

3) To get into the latter part of the 2010 1st round they could always move their '11 #1 pick and a handful of late '10 picks. There seems to always be a team picking in the late 1st round that is looking to get out of that pick.

4) If the Bears finish 10th worst this year their 3rd round pick (220 pts.), their 4th round pick (82 pts.), and their 5th round pick (37 pts.) could move them up to the bottom third of the 2nd round. That 2nd plus their 2011 2nd could get them into the 2010 1st round.

5) We'll call this the "Ditka Deal"; If the Bears trade every single one of their 2010 picks, their 3rd-7th (375 pts.), plus their 4 picks acquired in my moves above (approximately 200 points), they could jump up near the top of the 2nd round.

You can see how a creative GM could work the phones to move up. All you need is a willing partner and the guts to pull the trigger on numerous deals. With day 1 of the draft limited to the 1st round this year there will be more time to work the phones before day 2 and the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

Cutler Not Being Coached Up

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:00:11 -0000

by Nam Y. Huh - AP

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Listening to former Bears QB Jim Miller on the Comcast post game after the Eagles loss, it became even clearer, the Bears are simply not coaching Cutler up. Miller questioned what's being taught to Cutler, both the mental aspects of the position and his fundamentals. To paraphrase Miller, ‘you can't trade for a good QB and expect him to be good without constant coaching', or something to that extent.

He called into question both Ron Turner and QB coach Pep Hamilton, while reflecting on his time in New England spent under then QB coach (and current Denver Bronco head coach) Josh McDaniels, and then Patriot offensive coordinator (and current Notre Dame head coach) Charlie Weis. Every QB meeting he had in N.E. was spent with these two coaches along with head coach Bill Belicheck. Compare that brain trust to Turner, Hamilton, and Lovie Smith.

I can't honestly say I know that much about Hamilton other than his bio, but I've never seen him described as a "wonder kid", "up and comer", "future head coach material", or stuff like that. He very well could be a burgeoning offensive mastermind, and I hope he is, but looking around the NFL and all the publicity surrounding many young coaches prior to them getting a head job you have to wonder if Hamilton were that good, wouldn't there be someone singing his praises by now? Josh McDaniels, Mike Tomlin, Raheem Morris, Eric Mangini, Todd Haley, and Jim Schwartz were all heralded as hot young coaching commodities before getting their big break. Does anyone have Hamilton on a hot potential coaches list?

Jay Cutler is a 26 year old talent that needs to be coached up to reach his full potential. I feel last year in Denver he merely scratched the surface of what he'll eventually become, but he'll need the right offensive coaches surrounding him.

Getting back to Miller, the particular play that got Miller all riled up was the missed TD on the Greg Olsen overthrow in the second quarter. First off, shouldn't Olsen have dove for the ball? Antonio Gates makes that catch. Tony Gonzalez makes that catch. As does Vernon Davis. If Olsen wants to be an elite tight end then at least give an elite effort. But it wasn't the miss by Olsen that Miller didn't like, it was Cutler not throwing to Jason McKie in the flat. He pointed out that as soon as the Eagles blitzed from the right side his immediate hot route should have been the fullback in the flat. There should have been no back foot throw, there should have been a simple set up and toss to a wide open McKie.

Miller also wondered if when the play call is coming in from Ron Turner, if Turner drops some tidbits of info with the play. For example, after the play call does Turner mention; "OK, it's 2nd and 10, if the play isn't there throw it away" or the occasional, "We're in the Red Zone, don't force anything, we'll take the 3 points!", I guess no one really knows except those with access to the radio feed, but we have to wonder.

If the right coaches aren't surrounding Jay Cutler, and some offensive stability isn't put around him, I fear his play may continue this trend to mediocrity. Get a system in place next year that fits his talents, and stick with it. It's pretty much a given that Turner can't be allowed to come back next year, and with the way the Bears have operated in the past in terms of Lovie Smith and his coaching hires, you have to wonder if the new offensive coordinator is on the current staff. Could Pep Hamilton be promoted? If so I'm all for Jim Miller as the next QB coach.

And by the way... Have a Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!!

Another Possible Ron Turner Replacement

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:00:32 -0000

My plan was to have this post up on Thursday, but after another tough loss, with another bunch of questionable calls by Ron Turner, and after seeing the regression of a Pro Bowl quarterback, I had to chime in early. The Bears offense is in desperate need of a coach that can coach.

Last week I speculated the Bears could hire Charlie Weis as offensive coordinator if the Fighting Irish let him go. After losing again this weekend that possibility is gaining momentum. I honestly think Weis would be a great fit as the OC in Chicago, but it's still a far fetched idea. After the jump let's look at another possible replacement for Turner...

Since Lovie Smith isn't going anywhere and he has final say so in regards to his staff, I thought the next best place to look for a replacement for Turner is in Smith's past. Mike Martz is widely regarded as a great offensive mind (and a slightly warped mind); his "Greatest Show On Turf" Rams offenses won a Super Bowl with him as the OC and were NFC Champs in 2001 with him as the head coach and Lovie as his defensive coordinator. Martz and Smith are good friends, yes even with Martz's critical words about Cutler a while back, and don't forget it was Martz that was highly complimentary of Smith while he was pursuing a head coaching job.

Can a Mike Martz offense work in Chicago? Martz likes to use 4 and sometimes 5 wide receiver sets to spread out a defense. His takes part of his philosophy from coaching legends Sid Gillman and Don Coryell (Wiki-links provided), and is without a doubt a pass first coach. But don't forget what incredible numbers running back Marshall Faulk put up in his offense, if he has the talent he'll use it.. Martz will stretch a defense vertically as well as horizontally so a solid pass blocking line is critical. As is solid footing, something that was again called into question Sunday night.

* Allow me to go on a tangent for a sec... It's time to install Field Turf at Soldier Field. With the Tampa 2 style of defense that values speed first and foremost it's a wonder Field Turf hasn't been installed. And now with an offense that looks like it'll get away from the running mentality. Is there a better time to go artificial than the 2010 season? OK, back to Martz...

With the potential for bad weather in Chicago, I'm not sure a pass oriented offense will ever work. Definitely not on natural grass, but with the investment you just made in Jay Cutler, you have to make him the focal point of the offense. Then again, a pass happy offense worked in Buffalo to the tune of four straight AFC titles, Brett Favre made a name for himself winning games on the frozen tundra, and I'll even throw in the Patriots outstanding cold weather play with Tom Brady under center. Finding the right compliment to a passing game in Chicago for those December/January games could be done, but could they be done with Martz as OC?

A Mike Martz offense hasn't in the past asked the QB to roll or bootleg much, two things we all want to see more from Cutler, but instead is a timing offense that requires the QB to hit his spots on the field. Cutler has the arm strength and accuracy to succeed in any offense and I think Martz is smart enough to tailor some stuff to his personnel.

With so many players running around it puts the receivers in position for a lot of yards after the catch, something Devin Hester should excel at. His offenses haven't utilized the tight end much, but Greg Olsen is athletic enough to be used all over the field, and could find a place in the offense.

When Martz was OC in San Francisco for his one season in 2008 he guided their offense to their best output in five years. When in Detroit he coordinated Jon Kitna to a 4,000 yard season in 2006 even though the Lions only won 3 games, and in '07 Kitna again surpassed 4,000 yards and the Lions improved to 7 wins. Martz wasn't brought back in '08 and the Lions failed to win a game and their offensive numbers plummeted.

Martz is admittedly a little odd, a little egocentric, and sometimes hard to get a long with, but his friendship with Lovie and his familiarity with Rod Marinelli, not to mention his strong desire to get back into the NFL, and I think Mike Martz would be a good fit in Chicago.

Week 11 Preview: Eagles (5-4) @ Bears (4-5)

SackMan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:15:10 -0000

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The Bears get to "show off" once again on national TV Sunday night vs the Eagles. Maybe the rest of the country will learn from last Thursday night's ugliness, and watch something else.

Week 11 Recap

The Eagles: Donovan McNabb threw for an incredible 450 yards, but the Eagles were trading field goals for touchdowns and lost on the road to San Diego 31-23. That's the second trip Philly has made coast-to-coast this year, and they've lost both contests (losing also to the terrible Raiders in week 6). With McNabb completing 35 of 55 throws... Jason Avant (8), DeSean Jackson (8), Jeremy Maclin (6) and Brent Celek (6) each caught at least 6 passes. Neither defense had much of an impact in this game, as both McNabb and his counterpart Phillip Rivers (20/25, 231, 131.8 QB rating) had plenty of time to throw. The biggest news of the game was Brian Westbrook's second concussion in recent weeks, which could threaten to end his season.

The Bears: Jay Cutler and company embarrassed themselves on prime time television again... this time in an ugly 10-6 road loss to the 49ers on Thursday night. The Bears defense actually put up a very strong effort, holding the 49ers to just 216 yards of total offense. But, Jay Cutler threw 5 friggin interceptions, including one in the end zone with time expiring, failing at chance to win the game. As if the game wasn't bad enough, there were 19 penalties called between the two teams, giving viewers plenty of time to complain about the previous Cutler interception. One of the lone bright spots was Zachary Bowman, who had his 3rd INT in his last 5 games... however, he left the game with abdominal injury and never returned.

Quick Numbers:

17: Jay Cutler INTs on the year.
194: Receiving yards for Matt Forte in the last two weeks.
46: Receptions for TE Brent Celek, leading the Eagles in that category.
29: Sacks by the Eagle defense, tied for second in the NFL.

Key Injuries:

PHI RB Brian Westbrook (concussion) O
PHI WR Kevin Curtis (knee) O

CHI C Olin Kreutz (back) Q

When the Eagles have the ball.
Donovan McNabb is enjoying more weapons than he's ever had in his long career as QB of the Eagles. Second year WR DeSean Jackson has been among the most explosive playmakers in the NFL this season, and rookie 1st round pick Jeremy Maclin is proving to be an exceptional threat himself. In past years, RB Brian Westbrook was the man McNabb would lean on, but in an injury plagued season, Westbrook's targets are going to TE Brent Celek, who leads the Eagles in receptions. Filling in for Westbrook is rookie LeSean McCoy, who now leads the team in rushing and also has 23 catches. This is a very potent offense... led by a great QB: exactly the kind of team that exposes the Bears defense (see the first half of the Bengals and Cardinals games). With the Bears pass rush disappearing after week 4, McNabb will have plenty of time to throw the football. The one trouble spot for the Eagles has been running in the red zone (sound familiar?). In fact, the last time these two teams met, the Bears put up a key goal line stand late in the 4th quarter to win the game.

The key match-up for the Eagles: WR DeSean Jackson vs the Bears safeties
Jackson is second in the NFL at 18.3 yards per catch... because he beats safety help every week. The Bears play a lot of cover 2, and rely on their safeties to limit big plays. I see the Bears safeties getting a big serving of burnt toast this Sunday night.

The X factor on offense for the Eagles: WR Jeremy Maclin
The rookie receiver has been gaining the trust of his QB and getting more and more involved. He's another explosive player, who should pose big match-up concerns vs the Bears safeties.

When the Bears have the ball.
This is now officially a one-dimensional offense... as Matt Forte's 194 receiving yards in the last two weeks has waived the white flag on the running game. No run game vs a blitz heavy defense that is tied for second in the NFL with 29 sacks is a very, very bad match-up. Not having to worry about the run, the Eagles can blitz at will vs Cutler and his porous O-line. Expect to see Dez Clark on the field plenty in this one, to aid in pass protection vs the Eagles blitz. The Bears can counter the blitz with a big dose of screen passes to Matt Forte, and if they can pick up the blitz, it could create opportunities for speedsters Devin Hester and Johnny Knox to get open vs less men in the secondary.

The key match-up for the Bears: LT Orlando Pace vs DE Trent Cole
Cole leads the Eagles with 7.5 sacks, and Pace has been losing some favor with the fans and media, despite (in my account) a solid, if unspectacular performance.

The X Factor on offense for the Bears: WR Devin Aromashodu
This spot is usually reserved for Greg Olsen, but Jay Cutler has been campaigning to get his favorite pre-season target on the field more often. Let's see if that helps Jay in the red zone.... not.

Side notes from the NFC North:

Vikings: Division leading Minnesota will host the Seahawks on Sunday. This could be another cakewalk for them, but watch out for a re-juvinated Seattle running game behind Justin Forsett, vs a Vikings D allowing 4.2 yards per carry.

Lions: The Lions and Browns square off in the battle of crud near the lake in Detroit on Sunday. Nobody needs to watch this game. And if you're starting someone in fantasy football... you've already lost.

Packers: Aaron Rodgers was sacked another 4 times last week by the Cowboys, boosting the league leading total to 41. This Sunday, the 49ers will get their turn in Lambeau.

Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams: 5 Keys to Success

Andrew602 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:08:13 -0000

More photos » by Paul Connors - AP

Having linebacker Gerald Hayes back from injury will be key for the Cardinals run defense to contain Steven Jackson.

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When the Arizona Cardinals take the field at the Edward Jones Dome to face the division rival St. Louis Rams, a 6-3 record and the possibility of going 3-1 in the division will be on the line. After nearly blowing another home game to the lowly Seattle Seahawks last week, the Cardinals know that they can't take any opponent for granted, no matter how bad their season has been. So far this year, the Cardinals haven't fell asleep on the road, starting 4-0. Let's take a look at the keys to the game.

1. Slow Steven Jackson: We all know that the Rams best player is running back Steven Jackson. He's currently third in the NFL with 915 rushing yards and has played even better the last few weeks. The one area the Cardinals have struggled at the last 3 weeks has been defending the run. They allowed a whopping 270 rushing yards to the Panthers, and 140 yards to the Seahawks - however, both games were at home. One important stat to take notice of, is that Jackson has only 2 rushing touchdowns on the year. He may get his usual yardage, but if the Cardinals can keep him out of the end zone they'll have a better chance of winning the game.

2. Get rid of them penalties!: The Cardinals committed 11 penalties against the Seahawks last week, for 136 yards, which was 12.3 yards per penalty. As we all know, penalties are drive-killers/momentum-killers. Ken Whisenhunt was on top of his team midway through last season, as the team cut down on committing them. This season is different, and the Cardinals will need to play smarter on Sunday, and for the remainder of the season.

3. Go for the kill: It may sound cliche, but the Cardinals typically keep games a lot closer then they should. Facing a team like the Rams is like corning an animal in desperation - they'll do anything they can to stay alive. The Cardinals need to keep their foot on the neck(not the elbow) and not let the Rams back into this game. And as a note for Ken Whisenhunt, please don't put Matt Leinart in unless the game is completely out of reach.

4. Solid play from secondary: The defensive backs have each had their issues this year, whether it be DRC early in the season, Wilson against Greg Olsen, or Bryant McFadden last week. On Sunday, they need to establish some consistency and not give up the big play. The Rams could use the same game plan the Seahawks used, and attack McFadden. He'll need to get back to what he does best, which is being a physical corner, and know where the ball is at all times. The Rams have burners at receiver, so the Cardinals must be ready.

5. Balance on offense: In the last two wins the Cardinals have relied heavily on their offense to win the games. Part of that has been possible because of the new found rushing attack. They've had over 100 yards rushing two straight games for the first time this year. The name "wear and tear", given to Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower by linebacker Clark Haggans has some meaning. Hightower opens the game and wears out the defense with his relentlessness, pass blocking, and receiving, while Wells comes in the game to tear through the defense as he did last week. With a running game in tact, the Cardinals can air it out to their receivers much more effectively.

If the Cardinals can make these keys to the game possible, they should win on Sunday against a weaker Rams squad. Winning Sunday will also keep them further away from the San Francisco 49ers, who play on the road as well against the Green Bay Packers. What are your keys to the game and why?

Pick 6: Impact Players In 2010

Dane Noble — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:12:26 -0000

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

You didn't make the cut, bud. If you play well a few more times this year, maybe a team would be willing to give us a 2nd round pick for you. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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Not much going on in Bearville this evening, but I was wondering your thoughts on something. How many "impact players" do the Bears have right now, on each side of the ball?

And by "impact", I mean players that will make a significant difference for the 2010 Chicago Bears. Here's my top-6 players for each side of the ball:

Offense:

Jay Cutler: Has the tools, is young enough to improve.

Matt Forte: Great vision, excellent shiftiness. Very young...will only get better. Great receiving threat.

Greg Olsen: Rare receiving talents for a TE. Still needs improvement, but challenging for any defense he faces.

Devin Hester: All-world game breaking ability. Exponential growth as WR this year, and can only get better.

Johnny Knox: Very similar to Hester, but a truer WR. Looking forward to his progression. Big things from this kid.

Chris Williams: Despite rough patches this year, has the talent for a solid LT. I'm predicting Pro Bowl in 2 years.

Defense:

Lance Briggs: Established himself as someone who isn't going away. Tough, athletic, leader. In his prime.

Alex Brown: Seems to be tougher and faster this year. Really benefitting from Marinelli's tutelage.

Danieal Manning: Developed under Lovie Smith's personal guidance. Will be a great safety next year.

Al Afalava: Tough, fast, technical. Has faultered at times, but will benefit greatly from another year of experience.

Anthony Adams: Seems much stronger and faster this year. Is he even at his upside yet?

Brian Urlacher: Although he will be a year older, his body is getting a full year's rest this year. Can't wait...

Sure, there are other players that could make the list, and maybe there is someone that you don't think should be on my top-6. The way I see it, there are 11 starting positions, and 6 would mean that we have more than half our bases covered for each side of the ball going into next year.

Since I've done more than half the work for them, the team can take care of the rest. You're welcome Jerry Angelo!

Bears Effective With The Screen

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

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The screen pass is an essential weapon in any team's playbook. It can be used as an extension of the run game or in place of an ineffective run game (in the Bears case). This year, even with all the offensive problems the Bears seem to have, I've been impressed with their screens.

The Bears will hit defenses with a variety of screen passes. The traditional running back screen down the line of scrimmage, the bubble screen, the slip screen, and the occasional middle screen have all been run with varying degrees of success. I'm sure most of you already understand the concept of the screen, but I'll look at these screens passes a bit more in depth.

When a team struggles with the run game, like our Bears, defenses spend a lot of time defending the pass. In this situation the ineffectiveness of the offensive line actually works to their benefit when running screens. Defenders get so amped up looking to sack Cutler they sell out to get him.

* In the most common screen pass (to a back sneaking out of the backfield and down the line of scrimmage), the play side tackle and guard (and sometimes center) will block for a brief moment (a second or two) then pull to set up blocking for the play. You want to lure the defense up-field with the thoughts of an easy sack. With the Bears pass protection performing as it is all Cutler typically gets is a second or two, so the deceptiveness of the screen play, in theory, is perfect. Most teams run this type of screen to their left side, this is for a few reasons.

1) Most defenses have their best pass rushing defensive end to the offenses left (to attack the passers blind side), so he's usually quicker up-field. Many teams will also blitz from the blind side too. So as an offense you want the aggressive rush, the more defenders rushing up-field the better.

2) Most offenses have their more agile tackle on the left side. So if given a choice on which tackle to pull you want your better athlete out in space blocking.

3) Even in the NFL some QB's tend to get away from proper technique when being rushed. When throwing to the left side a right handed QB is forced to turn the hips, open the shoulders, step and throw. It's nearly impossible to use poor fundamentals when throwing left (for a righty). But when throwing right it's easy to just chuck it to evade the rush. And QB's are always more accurate when they are fundamentally sound.

I'm not saying teams don't run this screen to the right, it's just all about your personnel and field position. The Bears had a lot of success last week hitting Matt Forte on the screen. He's a good receiver and the more you can get him the ball the better. Now if only he had the same burst as last year... but that is for another blog...

* The bubble screen is usually run to a slot wide receiver, with the player in the slot moving away from the QB. The hope is you can get the ball to a playmaker in space. The key block is from the WR or WR's split furthest out. In a 2 WR set the slot receiver will take the pass while the split end tries to seal the CB inside allowing the slot guy to get around him down the sideline. I'd like to see the Bears run this play with their TE's split wide. They trot out that formation quite a bit and teams usually keep a DB on Greg Olsen. Put Devin Hester in the slot with Olsen split wide and throw the bubble to Hester with Olsen providing the stalk block on the corner.

The Bears finally ran a fake off this play last game. Cutler faked the bubble then tried to hit a slanting Johnny Knox. I liked the variation on the play, but I'd prefer to see the split end run a fade or a go route instead of the slant. If you catch the defense cheating the bubble or biting on the fake to the bubble they could still get close enough to disrupt the slant, but if you pump fake the slant then look for the split end down the sideline he should be in a one on one situation.

* On a slip screen teams are looking to create a seam on one side of the field for the split end to run through. Again you are looking for the WR to get in space to make a play, but the QB is throwing to the furthest split out WR as he comes back to the ball then up the seam. The play side offensive line (and sometimes center) will pull and look to seal all the flowing defenders inside, while the slot receiver (or two slot receivers in a trips formation) will look to block out towards the sideline creating a seam for the player to run through.

Hester, Knox, and Earl Bennett are all pretty good at both of these WR screens. The thing we as fans need to remember is these short throws are an extension of the run game. We're accustomed to looking for big plays when ever a QB completes a pass, but a 4 or 5 yard gain is perfectly acceptable. Getting a big gainer from time to time would be nice, but getting those little chunks of positive yardage keeps you in third and manageable situations, and ultimately it's about keeping the chains moving.

* Finally on a middle screen you are looking for your intended receiver to catch the ball behind the offensive line. The idea is to allow all the defensive linemen to rush up-field then dump the ball over their heads to the awaiting receiver. Usually this play is to a running back, but I'd love to see the Bears utilize this play to the tight end. Slipping the back into the flat on the tight end middle screen will cause the linebackers that read screen to flow to the back, thus allowing the TE to slip to the middle for the ball. Greg Olsen is athletic enough to make a play on the ball and get some good yards after catch. Chicago has run this screen to Forte and they've tried to get Garrett Wolfe involved at times. The small stature of Wolfe is ideal for the middle screen as he can get lost among the o-line.

The main objective of screen passes (besides gaining yardage) is to slow down the pass rush, but if you run them too often defenders will read the play and slip over to throw off the timing or worse yet jump the route and intercept the pass. This is why teams don't run screen after screen. Teams want to catch a defense playing aggressively and hit them with a screen pass. Then the next time they get a free lane that defender might slow up just a split second allowing the QB to go to his next progression and make a big play. With the way the Bears are pass blocking any edge they can get the better.