Windy City Gridiron

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

2009-11-20T21:15:10Z

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

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.

Garrett Wolfe Out For the Year (Updated)

2009-11-20T15:40:19Z

Garrett Wolfe has a lacerated kidney that will sideline him the rest of the year. So who is out there? Larry Johnson looks very tantalizing right now but our old nemisis Cincinnatti picked him up. We are getting really thin at this position. Can you say Tiki Barber?

Trade deadline has passed so if Matt Forte gets hurt, we are in deep trouble. It looks to me like the Bears are going to have to scour the practice squads of every team in the NFL to find some back-ups. This is due to their reluctance to sign NFL players that become available. I guess they figure they will never need the help.

UPDATE: Bears officially place Wolfe on IR. We should see someone replace him soon, so as not to have to reduce the number of players on the practice squad. Helmet-tip to Brad Biggs!

UPDATE #2: Kahlil Bell upgraded from practice squad to 53 man roster.

Comcast Red Zone: Keys to Victory

2009-11-20T15:22:07Z

More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP

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This post is sponsored by Comcast's Red Zone. Catch Every Touchdown From Every Game. Every Sunday Afternoon.

Starting off the season winning three of the first four games was a great feeling. Since then, losing four of the next five has been gut-wrenching.... but, it has taught us a lot about our football team. We've definitely got plenty of talent to build around for years to come, but we've also got some glaring issues that have to be addressed.

And when we play a team like the Eagles on prime-time television, the keys to victory aren't that hard to figure out.

Possibly the weakest link on the Chicago Bears football team is the offensive line. And one of the most successful pieces for the Philadelphia Eagles is their blitzing defense.

Key #1 to victory: Protect Jay Cutler. How will the Bears protect Cutler? At this point, I really, honestly, have no idea. Luckily for you all, I'm not an OC.

Also on the docket: the Bears lack of pass rush. Rod Marinelli's big guys up front made their presence known in the first 4 games of the year. Since then, not much has happened. And in the meantime, while not getting pressure on the QB, we are getting gashed for close to 4,000 rushing yards per game (okay, maybe an exaggeration).

Key #2 to victory: Don't let our DL get dominated by Philly's OL. The Eagles have a ton of offensive weapons, so the Bears defense will have to be on their "A" game for 4 quarters if they expect to win... epecially the guys in the trenches. Here's lookin' at you, Tommie.

The Bears Den: 11/20/09

2009-11-20T10:00:28Z

Ready for SNF? I am...Prime Rib and Prime Time!

The Bears will be preparing for the "Blitzing Birds" of Philadelphia. Think we can handle it?

6 reasons why the Bears' franchise is inept. What would your top-6 be?

Yesterday's injury reports.

SBN's week 11 Power Rankings. Adam, how high did you put the Bears on your ballot?

Bob LeGere says to throw it to Forte.

LeBron James to the Browns. Any Chicago athletes you'd like to see on the Bears?

Earl Bennett says that Cutler will bounce back. What about the OL Earl?

Chicago Rush returning in 2011. Do you watch the arena league?

Bob Costas: "It's obvious that they have decided that there is nothing that they can add to it. What else can they say? The team has been playing poorly."

Charles Tillman on facing McNabb: Keep it simple, stupid.

Cedric Benson talks about the addition of Larry Johnson. A wee bit concerned there, Ced?

Sunday is a must-win for both the Bears and the Eagles.

Brad Childress extended through 2013 in Minnesota. I'm glad he's not our coach.

If you come across anything Den-worthy, let us know!

Not Bears related, but I'm dropping it in here anyhow. Georgia's mascot UGA VII died of a heart attack. He was 4 years old.

NightLinks: Turner Says Cutler's Struggles Aren't Vision-related

2009-11-20T00:24:59Z

More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP

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In what has been a hot topic for both main-stream media and small football blogs, offensive coordinator Ron Turner addresses the speculation that Jay Cutler's struggles this year could be sight-related.

''I think it is totally a coincidence, I really do,'' Turner said. ''It's not a situation where it's night, it's prime time and maybe he's trying to force the issue too much. That is not the case. I went back and looked at all of them -- that hasn't been the case. I don't know.''

When one reporter brought up the fact that Vinny Testaverde was color-blind, and also had trouble throwing picks, Turner responded:

''I will ask Jay if he's colorblind. I have never asked him that,'' Turner said with a laugh. ''I really will go ask him. I appreciate it.''

Dan Pompei also gets in on the action, and provides a statistical look at Cutler's career at night. Make sure you check it out.

In his four-year career, Cutler has played in 13 night games and is 4-9, even though his numbers with the Broncos at night mirrored his daytime career statistics. Still, what stands out most is Cutler has thrown one interception for every 20.3 attempts in night games, compared with one interception for every 34.6 attempts in day games. And yes, those numbers are a bit skewed from last Thursday's five-interception evening in San Francisco.

Honestly, what do you make of this idea, that Cutler's struggles could be sight-related? We have to assume that medical professionals would have a better understanding of a player's situation than a layperson, but this certainly has gained a lot of attention.

Some will say that when there's smoke, there's fire. Then again, when the media is the one setting the fire, you have to consider the source.

My medical diagnosis: It's the OL people!

QuickHits: Bears-style

2009-11-19T20:55:34Z

We got a couple of things to bring your way this afternoon...

Center Olin Kreutz returned to work this afternoon, after missing the first two days of practice this week, but Desmond Clark remains sidelined. And not only is he still sidelined, he may miss Sunday's game against the Eagles.

Also, from the Bears vs NBC silliness that has been a focus of interest, the team issued a statement this afternoon.

"Nobody had any issues on either side," Bears spokesman Scott Hagel said. "We love working with NBC, and we love having our games on national television. NBC and the Bears have always been on the same page."

The issue arose after the network informed the Bears of a planned piece on Cutler's rocky season, and how expectations were so high at the beginning of the year. NBC wanted to speak with the quarterback, Smith and Angelo for the segment.

"What else is left to be said about the subject?" Hagel said. "We just need to play better."

Chicago MSM and Cutler

2009-11-19T19:30:11Z

This is something that's been on my mind for a while.

Usually, I collect Den articles throughout the day. This morning, I was checking my usual sources when I ran across this article from Rick Telander in the Chicago Sun-Times. The title? "Word of caution for Cutler: Don't make media your enemy." Essentially, Telander rips Cutler for him, Lovie, and Angelo not talking to NBC prior to their Sunday night game. Instead of finding out first-hand why they aren't talking to the media giant, Telander places all the blame on Cutler.

I don't blame Cutler for not talking to NBC. Not in the damn least. If you read Cutler's comments from yesterday, he innocuously said that he'd like to see more of Devin Aromashodu. There was nothing in his tone that made it sound like he was angry with anyone that DA hasn't been on the field. Then, the Chicago Tribune posted a story (it's in today's Den). The title? "Cutler makes a big pitch for Aromashodu." No, he didn't. He said he'd like to see more of him; he didn't make some big pitch.

I have no idea why, but the Chicago MSM and the meatball fans love to over-sensationalize everything Cutler says. I guarantee that some people will look at what Cutler said about the running game and believe that he's complaining about the running game. And that's just the Chicago media....NBC would find little quotes and snippets and proclaim him as a diva.

Cutler talks with the media, so why are we nitpicking here? Cutler doesn't talk with NBC and all of a sudden, Telander's giving him a "warning."

I'm starting to believe that Chicago has some of the most immature, moronic mainstream media members. First, Fred Mitchell goes and talks to Dan Grossman, which was 1) a sign of a slow football week, and 2) incredibly immature. Rick Telander blames Cutler (and not Lovie or Angelo) for not talking to NBC. Rick Morrissey is the Chicago MSM Official Nonverbal Communication Expert.

Bottom line: There is no need to over-sensationalize everything Cutler does, Chicago MSM.

Let me also make a few points about the Den, as long as I'm here:

- The last time I check for Den articles is around 9:30 PM CDT. The Sun-Times usually posts new stories right around midnight; thus why those articles don't make that day's Den.

- I reserve the right to screen articles for the Den. I'm not going to link to intellectually-challenged articles (like Gene Wojciechowski's article about benching Cutler). I'm a big believer in the 1st amendment, so outside of Rick Morrissey's articles and now screening Rick Telander's articles, all articles that I see in my sources will be posted.

Who Could Replace Ron Turner Next Year

2009-11-19T16:00:12Z

More photos » by Joe Raymond - AP

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I think most of us Bears fans are resigned to the fact that Lovie Smith isn't going anywhere. Barring a disastrous finish to the 2009 season the Chicago Bears will move forward with Lovie Smith as Head Coach again in 2010. But unless the Bears make a dramatic turnaround and fight their way into the playoffs at least one head will roll. The head most of us would like to see chopped is offensive coordinator Ron Turner, although quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton might be the scapegoat.

If Turner is jettisoned the Bears will eat the final year of his contract. He signed a one year extension before this year locking him up through the 2010 season. So will the Bears organization take the salary hit? If Turner is fired the Bears will need to chose the next OC carefully, he'll need to be an established offensive mind (no John Shoop types please) with a proven track record in the NFL. If the Bears fire Turner and replace him with an unknown, with thoughts of going cheap, the fan base should revolt and march on Halas Hall. Potentially, this hire could be franchise altering decision.

In this semi-regular series I'll look at possible replacements if Turner is canned. First up a name that has been floated on this very site, but one that I think is highly unlikely, a lot of things must fall into place for him to be available, and that's Charlie Weis.

Would I like to see this hire? Oh. Hell. Yes. But like I said, it's highly unlikely. I think Weis has one of the best offensive minds in football, but his arrogance isn't the best fit at the college game. Reports of his living room demeanor on recruiting trips suggests he's out of his element at Notre Dame as does his so-so record, and I think he may be out of place as a head coach entirely.

But in the NFL and running an offense, he'd be at home. He has the experience, from 1998-2004 he was an NFL offensive coordinator, the first two years with the Jets and the final four in New England. He helped groom Tom Brady into "Tom Brady", so working with Jay Cutler would be appealing to him. Especially if Cutler continues to struggle, Weis could lay claim to "fixing" his career. If you're wondering how he is at developing talent, other than Brady, the following is from his bio on the Notre Dame website;

In Weis' first tenure with the Patriotsfrom 1993-96, he assisted in the development of some of New England's all-time best individual season performances from Coates, Martin and Terry Glenn, respectively. During his first four seasons in New England, he coached three different positions. In 1993 and `94, Weis served as the Patriots' tight ends coach and, in his second season at the position, Coates set an NFL record for receptions by a tight end with 96 and earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl. In `95, Weis coached the Patriots' running backs and was credited with developing Martin, a third-round `95 draft pick, into one of the premier running backs in the NFL. That year, Martin won league rookie-of-the-year honors and set franchise rushing records with 1,487 yards and 14 TDs. In `96, Weis coached the New England receivers, with Glenn leading the team and setting an NFL rookie reception record with 90 catches for 1,132 yards and six TDs.

From 1997 to '99 (with Parcells as head coach and Belichick as assistant head coach), Weis called offensive plays for the New York Jets... In `98, Weis was named the offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach. By season's end, his offense ranked among the greatest in franchise history and led the Jets to their first division title. The team scored 416 points, second-highest total in franchise history (after 419 points in `68) and averaged 357.2 yards per game. It marked the second-best total-offense season average in Jets history (368.5 yards per game in `85). Both of Weis' starting receivers, Johnson (1,131) and Wayne Chrebet (1,083), eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving plateau for the first time in their careers.

He has 4 Super Bowl rings (1 as a Giant assistant & 3 in N.E.) and would bring instant credibility to the locker room. Name me one offensive player that wouldn't be jacked up to play for him?

Even with the struggles he's had in South Bend, his offense has produced the two greatest passing numbers in school history in ‘05 and ‘06, and in 2008 his offense scored the most points ever at Notre Dame.

It's looking more and more likely that Weis could get the boot from Notre Dame, but will he be looking to jump right back into coaching? More often that not coaches elect to take a year or two off to refresh the batteries. And would he be willing to take on the roll of an OC after being in the spotlight as the head coach?

Weis would bring a lot to the Bears; calling a game, developing a game plan, nurturing talent; three things we haven't seen in Chicago in a long time. So what do you guys think? Could you see a scenario where Charlie Weis will replace Ron Turner?

The Bears Den - 11/19/09

2009-11-19T06:00:13Z

....where we damn near choked on our dinner when we heard Lovie say that the Bears are still a running team.

ChicagoBears.com

Jerry Angelo's weekly Q&A.

Cutler is working to reduce interceptions in the red zone.

Chicago Sun-Times

Neil Hayes: We deserve better than this.

Mike Mulligan: Hey Bears, running is passe.

Dan Cahill: Is there one positive thing to say about these Bears?

The Bears turned to Omiyale at a key point in the SF game.

Simms and Fencik weigh in on Cutler's struggles.

Andy Reid believes that Dave Toub is cut out to be a head coach.

Olin Kreutz has been sidelined again.

Bears - Eagles injury report for this weekend.

Donovan talks about Cutler's INT streak.

Chicago Tribune

Dan Pompei: The Bears' QB's more the problem than the organizational philosophy.

Q&A with McNabb on the Bears.

Cutler talks about reducing his red-zone picks.

Cutler makes a big pitch for Aromashodu. Really, Chicago MSM? Big pitch? Way to be overzealous, numbnuts.

Olin Kreutz missed practice but should face the Eagles.

Comcast SportsNet Chicago

Jay will be fine; he's just dealing with a rough stretch.

Cutler wants to see more DA.

Will the Bears see more of Michael Vick on Sunday?

ESPN Chicago

Donovan McNabb still hears the rumors that he'll end up as a Bear.

Will Dave Toub be a head coach soon?

Cutler wants DA to get some more playing time.

Kreutz should play on Sunday night. Huzzah!

Ron Turner: 3 of Cutler's picks against SF weren't his fault.

Pick 6: Impact Players In 2010

2009-11-19T02:12:26Z

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!

QuickHits: Bears Style

2009-11-18T19:40:08Z

Taking a stroll around the interwebs this afternoon...

The Detroit Lions signed DeAngelo Smith (DB) off the Bears practice squad. He was then replaced by DE Joe Clermond, who is seeing his second or third stint on the practice squad with the Bears.

Andy Reid thinks that Bears ST coach Dave Toub would make a good NFL HC.

Olin Kreutz sidelined for the second straight practice.

And Brad Biggs tweets that Jay Cutler would like to see more of Devin Aromashodu during games.

Cutler's weekly press conference... good seeing him able to laugh a bit. (Helmet-tip to pierzynskirules)

Matt Forte: Where's He Running? Volume II

2009-11-18T16:17:28Z

More photos » by M. Spencer Green - AP

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A few weeks ago, we broke down some rushing stats for Matt Forte, focusing on the success he was having in each hole, as well as the "by down" success rate (1st down runs, 2nd down, etc.).

Since then, we've played four more games, and have seen a change at the left guard position during that time. Josh Beekman replaced Frank Omiyale after the game in Cincinnati... we've updated our numbers, so come inside and take a look.

First, a look at the 4 games since the last article was written.

In those 4 games, Matt Forte has rushed the ball 57 times for 188 yards (3.3 avg) and 2 TDs. Where is he running the ball?

LE: 8 rushes/ 42 yds/ 0 TDs/ 2 first down runs/ 5.25 avg

LT: 2 rushes/ 1 yd/ 0 TDs/ 0 first down runs/ 0.5 avg

LG: 15 rushes/ 77 yds/ 1 TD/ 3 first down runs/ 5.13 avg

Mid: 8 rushes/ 9 yds/ 0 TDs/ 1 first down run/ 1.13 avg

RG: 14 rushes/ 43 yds/ 1 TD/ 1 first down run/ 3.07 avg

RT: 7 rushes/ 13 yds/ 0 TDs/ 0 first down runs/ 1.86 avg

RE: 3 rushes/ 15 yds/ 0 TDs/ 0 first down runs/ 5.0 avg

Now, these numbers do not necessarily tell the complete story... for example: @ Cincy, Forte only ran the ball 6 times, and vs Arizona, only 5 times. Therefore, most of the work came in the other two games, vs Cleveland and @ San Francisco.

And, just for comparison's sake, here are these breakdowns from the first time we looked at them:

LE: 12 rushes/ 64 yds/ 1 TD/ 1 first down run/ 5.33 yd avg. (includes a 37 yard TD run)

LT: 12 rushes/ 23 yds/ 0 TD/ 0 first downs/ 1.92 yd avg.

LG: 16 rushes/ 85 yds/ 0 TDs/ 2 first downs/ 5.31 yd avg. (includes a 61 yard run)

Mid: 18 rushes/ 40 yds/ 0 TDs/ 2 first downs/ 2.22 yd avg.

RG: 14 rushes/ 40 yds/ 0 TDs/ 3 first downs/ 2.8 yd avg.

RT: 5 rushes/ 24 yds/ 0 TDs/ 1 first down/ 4.8 yd avg.

RE: 9 rushes/ 19 yds/ 0 TDs/ 0 first downs/ 2.11 yd avg.

Now, let's combine these two pieces, and get a summary of what Forte has done through 9 games this season.

LE: 20 rushes/ 106 yds/ 1 TD/ 5.3 avg

LT: 14 rushes/ 24 yds/ 0 TDs/ 1.71 avg

LG: 31 rushes/ 162 yds/ 1 TD/ 5.23 avg

Mid: 26 rushes/ 49 yds/ 0 TDs/ 1.88 avg

RG: 28 rushes/ 83 yds/ 1 TD/ 2.96 avg

RT: 12 rushes/ 37 yds/ 0 TDs/ 3.08 avg

RE: 12 rushes/ 34 yds/ 0 TDs/ 2.83 avg

The left guard and left end spots are still benefitting greatly from the long run Forte had, but since we covered that in the first article, I won't look at it too much today.

I will say, however, that our OL remains our largest issue on offense. With our season basically on the line this week (if it is still alive at all), we have to expect to see some changes, and some wrinkles, from Ron Turner. Because if we continue to do what we have been doing all along, we will continue to get the same results that we have seen so far.

I'm no NFL coach, and I certainly don't pretend to know more than Turner... but when you look at how poor our OL is performing, I would think that we would need to do something different.

The Bears Den - 11/18/09

2009-11-18T06:00:13Z

....where we can't see at night and we move too much during press conferences.

ChicagoBears.com

The Bears Network won four Emmy Awards. Huzzah!

Tommie Harris wants to help the Bears win for Lovie Smith.

Chicago Sun-Times

Tommie Harris: The Bears have no room for error.

Ten thoughts on the Bears.

A Steelers fan claims a Bears fan drugged his drank and now he's blind because of it.

Chicago Tribune

Devin Hester is focusing on getting back in the groove.

Steve Rosenbloom: Grossman's dad was right.

David Haugh: Bears' handling of Grossman is more about bad judgment than bad intentions.

Comcast SportsNet Chicago

The coaches are practicing accountability by practicing it.

John Mullin's Week 11 NFC North Power Rankings.

John Mullin: Let's compare Jay Cutler and Donovan McNabb.

Daily Herald

Lovie and the Bears aren't about to give up. Thanks!

Josh Beekman is working to improve his game. I sure hope so....

Barry Rozner: The Bears' blame goes all the way to the top.

Bob LeGere: Cutler can and should control his picks.

ESPN Chicago

Jeff Dickerson discusses the 2009 and the 2007 Bears' squads.

NightLink: A Deviation from the Standard Norm

2009-11-17T23:00:22Z

Usually, the NightLink is a pretty serious topic among us writers; we want to make sure that we have good Bears information up here. Never fear, WCG'ers, I'm here to break up the monotony.

1st order of business: New changes to WCG

As of around 4 PM today, Dane nominated me as the Official WCG Body Language Coach. If anyone has any qualms with any Bears players, coaches, or front-office managers, please let me know and I'll give 'em a call and coach em up. With fire and passion.

2nd order of business: Jay Cutler and Diabetes

If you haven't checked this out yet, please do. Al from the North Side called Boers and Bernstein this afternoon and berated the two about Cutler's diabetes. They calmly (as much as they could) tried to talk to the man, but it was a struggle. Absolutely hilarious, and for the record, Gesiakob, I thought of you. Click this link, download the 2-3 PM hour of B&B, and start it at 13:47. It goes on for a good seven minutes, but it's totally worth it. Trust me, you'll thank me later.

3rd order of business: Pro Bowl Voters not showing up for the Bears

The Sun-Times brings us this piece. Apparently, us Bears fans aren't showing enough fire and passion in the Pro Bowl voting, so get on it. (For the record, I'm only voting for Lance Briggs).

4th order of business: Brett's Groin

And, just to add a nice cherry on this post, here's Brad Childress talking about Brett Favre's groin. Happy Tuesday!

Jay Cutler Has To Stay Busy During Games- Checking His Sugar Levels

2009-11-17T21:24:40Z

More photos » by Nam Y. Huh - AP

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I came across this article, which is another Jay Cutler/ Diabetes piece, and there are some interesting tidbits of info:

Jay has had to drastically change his diet and takes insulin shots daily, but he said the hardest part is monitoring his blood sugar levels during games. He pricks his fingers 10 to 15 times to make sure his levels are ok.

"Immediately after I come off from the first series of a game we check it (blood sugar levels) because that is when I am the most anxious and the most stressed. I usually drop 50 points in five minutes," Jay said.

Cutler's parents also provide some insight, so make sure you check out the original story.

Former Bears Coach Dick Jauron Fired In Buffalo

2009-11-17T20:11:18Z

The Bills continue to clean house in Buffalo, as head coach Dick Jauron was reportedly fired this afternoon.

The Buffalo Bills have fired coach Dick Jauron, a team source told NFL Network's Jason La Canfora.

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is expected to become the Bills' interim head coach, a Bills source told NFL.com's Vic Carucci.

In just short of four seasons with the Bills, Jauron compiled a record of 24-33 (.421 winning percentage). The Bills failed to make the playoffs in each season under Jauron. Buffalo has not made the playoffs since 1999, tied with the Lions for the longest active streak for a non-expansion team.

Bears Effective With The Screen

2009-11-17T16:15:09Z

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.

The Bears Den - 11/17/09

2009-11-17T06:00:14Z

....where the Chicago MSM are really starting to make my ass weary.

ChicagoBears.com

The Bears are still confident despite their recent losses. They shouldn't be, Larry.

ChicagoNow

Adewale Ogunleye blogeth! He breaks down the loss last Thursday.

Chicago Sun-Times

Offensive penalties are killing the Bears.

Cutler's nightmarish game isn't as bad as it looked - take a look at this article.

Mark Potash: The Bears' problems are bigger than Cutler.

Brian Westbrook's status for Sunday's game is uncertain.

Apparently, the Sun-Times staff believes that because Jon Gruden signed a broadcasting contract, he won't be a coach soon.

Did Pace suffer a concussion? He suited up yesterday.

At least Lovie didn't say that the Bears get off the bus running.....

Chicago Tribune

Rex Grossman's dad rips the Bears' handling of Jay Cutler. Hey, Dan, here's my response to you: ,,I,,

Dan Pompei's mailbag.

Comcast SportsNet Chicago

John Mullin: Momentum is an elusive intangible for the Bears. C- effort, John.

Daily Herald

Bob LeGere: NFC parity means that the Bears are still in it.

Barry Rozner: Cutler's struggles aren't as scary as Forte's.

Pace, Afalava, and Bowman all practiced on Monday.

ESPN Chicago

Westbrook's status for Sunday is uncertain.

Josh Beekman is the starting LG, kids.

Kevin Payne sat out of yesterday's practice.

NightLink: Can the Bears Still "Salvage the Season"?

2009-11-17T00:22:20Z

More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP

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We all know that teams will have mandatory "diplomacy" rules when speaking to the media, but sometimes it can be entertaining to hear what they are saying.

Tommie Harris:

"We have to win out," said defensive tackle Tommie Harris. "We have no room to get any more losses. If you lose again, you’re going to be hoping that another team loses for you to get in. You don’t want to be in that position. We were in that position last year. It’s basically in our hands right now."

When Lovie Smith was asked what message he delivered to his players, he said:

"Just continue to keep playing hard. Stay focused. Keep believing in this team."

Okay, so maybe Lovie isn't exactly shooting for the stars there, but I laughed when Larry Mayer said:

The Bears hope that following that sound advice will help them snap a two-game losing streak.

Look, I know that it can be tough sometimes to put the right words together, or to try and spin something the right way when writing an article. And no doubt, Lovie Smith is not going to provide you with a lot of insightful sound bytes... but still, Larry, you made me LOL.

Okay, moving on to some more quotes...

Lovie:

"Can we still make the playoffs?" Smith asked rhetorically. "We have five losses. Five losses don’t keep you out of anything. Our players realize that. It’s a big game coming up. We realize the position we’re in right now. There’s not a lot of room for error. That’s why we’re back on the practice field today."

Coach, do you honestly think this team has the talent to make the playoffs? Do you honestly think this team would have a chance to win in the playoffs? Do you honestly think that... well, it doesn't matter. One game at a time, huh coach? That's good enough for me I guess. At this point, I have no reason to expect anything different anyhow.

Fan Feedback Thread: Chicago Bears

2009-11-16T19:38:05Z

A lot of websites run an "approval rating" poll periodically to gauge the fan base's opinions on the football team. I thought, instead of running a poll, why not have a feedback thread? Tell us what you think so far of each key member of our coaching (and managing) staff, and what you think their future will be with the team.

- Jerry Angelo

- Lovie Smith

- Ron Turner

- Rod Marinelli

- Bob Babich

If you'd like to throw in other coaches as well, like Harry Heistand, Darryl Drake, or Pep Hamilton, feel free.