Chicago Bears: 7 Corrections They Must Make During the Bye Week

Last year, it was much more obvious that changes were needed at the bye week, and needed very badly.

While some of those same issues still surface in 2011, they do not appear to be as pressing as they were last year at this time.

In 2010, the Bears had lost consecutive games heading into the bye week. They were too pass-happy, and the line couldn't block at all. Jay Cutler was getting killed.

Now, contrast that situation with the team's status coming into this year's bye. The Bears are coming off consecutive wins, and while the play-calling is still in question (after all, Mad Mike Martz is still here), things don't seem as dire.

But don't let that fool you. Lovie Smith points out that the Bears have the same record as last season after seven games,

But how likely is it that they will once again reel off a five-game win streak after the bye?

Plus, there are two teams ahead of the Bears in their own division.

Recognizing that, this is no time for complacency. The Bears need to address their concerns as best as possible prior to facing the Eagles on Monday night in two weeks.

Fortunately, I'm here to help.

First Off, Get Healthy

One thing that will help the Bears is the return of some players who have been injured.

Earl Bennett (chest injury) practiced last week, and Lovie says he's close to being able to return. Bennett should be out there when the team takes on the Eagles on Monday Night Football.

This is important, because I feel that he is the Bears' best pure receiver. No, he's not a deep threat, but he is a guy who can be trusted to catch the ball. Cutler has confidence in him.

Bennett will be a welcome addition at the slot, allowing Cutler to have a safety valve that he trusts.

Gabe Carimi (partial dislocation of kneecap) is also expected to return to action after the bye.

The Bears will have a decision to make with Carimi, as Mike Tice is happy with the way the line is playing and probably doens't want to move Chris Spencer or Lance Louis.

But Carimi is a key part of the Bears' future, so I believe you have to start him. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing them try him at left tackle, the position he played at Wisconsin.

Scouts say he lacks the athleticism and footwork to protect Cutler's blind side. Webb is a good athlete, but he has struggled.

Meanwhile, Major Wright is also slated to be ready to return. Chris Harris looks like he will go back to the bench.

Matt Toeaina and Corey Wootton have been out nursing injuries and the time off should also help Julius Peppers (knee) to heal up.

Fix the Play-Calling, Especially Near the End Zone

Matt Forte is already a huge part of the Bears' offense, and had 25 touches on Sunday against the Bucs.

But in the second half, he carried the ball just 10 times as opposed to 15 in the first half. Normally, you'd expect a team protecting a lead to run the ball even more, but apparently Martz had other ideas.

The problem that I want corrected with the run game is particularly startling in goal-line situations. On Sunday, at the Bucs four-yard line, Martz called three straight pass plays.

When the Bears get close to the goal line, it seems that Martz wants to spread the field. Creating match-ups using combination routes can be effective, but I'd run Forte and Marion Barber out wide in those situations.

One thing they must do is to continue their use of shorter drops, get help from their tight ends and keep running backs in the backfield on passes to chip block.

Look, Lovie Smith should have an electronic buzzer so that whenever Martz turns into Mad Mike, Smith can send volts of electricity through his offensive coordinator's body.

Is there an app for that?

Of course, with Mad Mike around, we know the the complicated crossing routes (Hi-Lo), bunch looks and gadget plays will continue.

But knowing when to use them is key.

Can We Stop the Game of Musical Safety Chairs?

You have to wonder if the Bears carousel will continue after the bye week.

First, Chris Harris is the missing savior of the secondary. Then, he comes back, plays poorly and isn't even allowed to dress for the following game.

He asks to be traded. Then, last Sunday, he finds himself starting at safety again, even though Major Wright had been listed as probable on the injury report.

I don't know about you, but my head hurts just thinking about it.

Harris did not play well again, and he was beat badly for a touchdown by Bucs WR Dezmon Briscoe on Sunday.

Rookie Chris Conte made some plays, including an interception. But he got beat on a touchdown to TE Kellen Winslow.

But he will likely keep his starting job, and my guess is that Wright will start at the other safety position.

But who knows? This has the ugly stamp of Jerry Angelo all over it, and it stinks. But someone has to play, and the Bears could do worse than try to figure this out during the bye week.

Find More Uses for the the Dallas Duo

Roy Williams and Marion Barber were signed by the Bears before the season, and the ex-Dallas Cowboys form what is known as the "Dallas Duo."

A lot was expected of each, but Sunday was the first time that both made significant contributions in the same game.

Barber had his best game in a Bears uniform when he broke off a 32-yard run in the second quarter, and later scored from 12 yards out.

Meanwhile, Williams put on a clinic on how to beat the press on a touchdown catch that shows just what a receiver needs in order to succeed in a Mike Martz offense.

He did have a bad drop, but he seems to be improving.

If he can help the offense by making the easy plays, it will help this team going forward.

Williams caught his first touchdown of the season among his four catches and totaled a season-high 59 yards.

Was this a fluke or a sign of things to come? The Bears need to find out.

Use Cutler's Mobility to Avoid Costly Mistakes

Jay Cutler played an efficient game in London, and on top of the success they had running the ball and their takeaways, it was enough.

But there are some things that concern me. Cutler seems to be reverting back to his old form of throwing off his back foot.

He threw two more interceptions on Sunday, bringing his season total to six.

One way to possibly avoid this is to let Cutler roll out more, and use his legs to bail out of trouble if the receivers aren't open or the line doesn't pass protect well.

He has done some of this already, but sometimes it has been the result of poor protection and desperation, or "happy feet" caused by all the hits he's absorbed.

Meanwhile, I'm talking about designing plays that utilize his athleticism.

Allowing Cutler to scramble in and out of the pocket goes against the Martz scheme, so this is where the head coach and Mike Tice have to step up like they did at the bye week last year to make this happen.

Give Themselves a Better Chance on Third Down

Coming into the game, the Bears had converted just 9-of-45 third downs through the first six games in situations they needed eight yards or more. 

This almost cost them against the Bucs in London.

The Bears converted only 1-of-5 third downs in the second half, with Cutler throwing away a third-quarter possession on an interception.

The way to improve this situation is to cut down on the third-and-long situations. Those often require a pass play, and the defense can pin their ears back and go after Cutler.

Instead, third-and-short situations can utilize Forte and Barber, either on runs off-tackle or short screen passes. This gives the Bears a far greater probability of success.

Finish Games Strong

The Bears have had a bad habit of closing out games in the wrong way. By that, I mean that when you have a lead, you need to chew up the clock, and that happens by running the ball.

I understand wanting to put your foot on the throat of the opponent, but in reality, teams are better off eating-up the clock and not taking unnecessary chances.

Defensively, I am a big advocate of an attack-style defense, having grown up with the 1980s Bears.

But with this group, and in this defensive scheme, I feel it would be better if the Bears didn't blitz as much, especially late in the game.

The reason I say that is that, at most, the Bears rush five or six guys, while some teams rush as many as seven or eight.

These zone blitzes often leave receivers in man coverage, and to be successful, you have to get to the QB in three seconds.

But when the Bears rush five guys they don't often do that, so they allow opposing quarterbacks time to find the soft underbelly in the defense.