No Love for Lovie Smith

Mike Mikeloson — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:24:06 -0500

Originally Written on Nov. 16, 2008:

On Sunday, Aaron Rodgers joined the only club easier to get into than Devry. The same club that Matt Ryan, Brian Griese, Kerry Collins, Dan Orlovsky and Gus Ferrotte belong to. The "I am a Pro-Bowler against the Bears Club." They have all torched the Bears secondary. On Sunday, Rodgers, Ryan Grant and the Packers made the Bears look as if they have been in hibernation for years.

The defense looked as if it was defeated before the game started. While the offense, led by wounded Bear Kyle Orton, was out of sync all game, the Bears simply sucked. In back-to-back weeks, we have seen two Bears cornerbacks give up inside position in the red zone, which expectedly lead to a TD pass.

Two weeks in row the Bears have lacked any kind of pass rush. All season the Bears have not been able to stop the pass. Every major media outlet in Chicago reports that the Bears defensive players believe in their scheme, the problem has been execution.

Really? What professional football player can possibly believe that you can stop a five-yard out pattern while giving the receiver an eight to 12-yard free zone?

Bears Saftey Mike Brown is quoted, “Once we come to grips our defense isn’t what it’s supposed to be, then we’ll all be better off, the perception is we have a good defense."

It's bad enough that they are terrible, now they are delusional. Good defense? It is sad, truly sad. Brown later says, "The reality is that we don't."

Defensive Coordinator Bob Babich said, “There are a lot of things that went wrong and it starts with me, I’m in charge of the unit, but we’ve got to play better."

Inspiring words by a coach that can clearly inspire (right?). Babich needs to go, Lovie needs to go. There are a number of bad decisions made throughout the duration this year, week, and as well as the game that are simply unacceptable.

Playing Kyle Orton: Though unwilling at first, I am a Kyle Orton supporter. (kind of) However, I was able to easily recognize on the first possession this week that Orton needed to be benched in favor of Grossman. Grossman this week, and most likely in the next two weeks, gives the Bears the best chance to win. Orton is hurt! It is completely obvious by his lack of mobility and accuracy. Though a healthy Orton gives us the best chance to win (maybe), he was hurt! This is common sense. How does a NFL coach fail to recognize this!
“The Cover Zero”: We have seen this same nonsense all season. I challenge anyone out there to explain how a pass rush is even possible while giving every receiver a 10 yard walk in the park before he meets a corner. Urlacher looks like a center fielder in this defense. Dan Orlovsky (WHO!?) of the Lions threw for 292 yards against this supposed NFL defense. This scheme has made some Bears fans regret the Brain Griese trade after he torched us. Enough is enough, great NFL coaches (as well as any logical human) have the ability to suck up their pride and recognize that something is not working, Lovie nor Babich have this ability. They need to go!
Devin Hester: During the organizations attempt to turn Hester into a No. 1 receiver, they have been successful in diminishing his skills as a special teams returner. Yet again, the coaching staff has failed to recognize what does not work. As much as it kills me to admit it, Hester is not the best returner in the league. Hell! He’s not even the best on the team. When Hester was out with the rib injury, Daniel Manning showed us that he can be successful as a returner. During this weeks blowout in Green Bay, he showed that same flash. Make a change! Hester has gone soft!
The Continued Play of Charles Tillman: It has been widely reported that Tillman has two injured shoulders, yet Lovie continues to play him even though he is physically incapable to jam a WR at the line. Tillman should have been placed on the inactive list weeks ago in favor of Corey Graham who, for the most part, looks to be a capable corner.

The list goes on and on. Over the course of the last couple seasons they have proven to be nothing more than mediocre. I would hope someone or something can inject this coaching staff with some form logic, so we can at least salvage this season. However, from this point on, I (and hopefully other Bears fans) will dreaming of Bill Cowher in Chicago for the 2009 season.

Rex Grossman: Life after Chicago?

Mike Mikeloson — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:05:36 -0500

It is well known that Rex Grossman has no chance to return to the NFL next year as a Chicago Bear. However, there will be plenty of teams in desperate need of QB help. The most likely place Rex lands next season in my estimation is Minnesota.

Whether Bears fans like to admit it or not, Rex has the ability to take over a game. Though he has went through his fair share of struggles, he has also had his successes.

During the Bears' Super Bowl run in 2006, Grossman had eight games with a passer rating of over 100 while playing a vital role in the two playoff wins that got the Bears through the playoffs.

On the other hand, we have also seen bad Rex. The Rex that "unleashes the dragon" into opposing teams' secondaries, the Rex that drops back and back and back before taking a 25 yard sack. There is no doubt that the man has had his successes and failures in his short career.

Why would Minnesota risk bringing Rex Grossman on board? Why not? Their QB situation is inept at best. I hate to break it to Vikings fans, but neither Tarvaris Jackson nor Gus Frerotte are the long term (or short term) answer. Is Rex? Who knows; however, it would make sense for Grossman to land in Viking territory.

Last I checked, the Bears may be the worst in the league at developing or evaluating the talent they have on their roster. For sake of example lets examine Mark Bradley and Thomas Jones.

Bradley, whom the Bears concluded was not worthy of their practice squad, is now catching TD passes in Kansas City. While Jones, who was traded in favor of Cedric Benson (since cut), is going Bonkers in New York with Favre.

I would not be the least bit surprised to see Rex Grossman as a perennial Pro-Bowl QB as long he is not dropping back in a Bears uniform.

Rex would be comfortable in Minnesota behind that huge offensive line, and the familiar down field threat in Bernard Berrian, not to mention AP to loosen up the coverage. Rex has the tools to be a high-caliber QB, and scouts will notice this.

After two disastrous runs on two different teams, David Carr has still managed to find work, why not Grossman? There has been this assumption in Chicago that Grossman is not worthy of being an NFL third string QB.

While I am not here to argue his struggles, I will say that assumption is beyond stupid. Has he struggled? Yes. Yet, we must remember (especially Chicago) that the embattled Rex Grossman brought the Bears one game short of Super Bowl victory.

While a lesser fan will claim that only Devin Hester and the Bears' supposed dominate Defense was responsible for the Super Bowl run, I claim otherwise. Grossman played just as an important role as the defense. The Bears' defense became undone during the end of the '06 season. In the playoffs, Grossman stepped up.

Grossman, like it or not, will have an opportunity to prove himself in the NFL once again next year. Don’t be surprised if he is the next mediocre type quarterback that is torching the Bears next season.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Mike Mikeloson

No Love for Lovie Smith

Rex Grossman: Life after Chicago?