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The offseason in Chicago usually leaves fans cringing and complaining about what the team did (or didn’t do) to “get better”. This offseason, however, has set the Chicago Bears up to take a huge leap forward this season and for many to come.
Part 3: NFL Draft
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The rush of free agency has come and gone, and the NFL Draft has come to pass with mixed reactions about how the Bears decided to approach their first round pick. Way before all of that happened, the coaching staff was completely gutted and replaced.
There’s no doubting the Bears improved this offseason. The question now is “by how much?”
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Breaking up is hard to do. After a 10-6 season that will leave the Chicago Bears watching the NFL Playoffs from their couches, the team cut their ties with head coach Lovie Smith after 9 seasons.
Many players have already voiced their displeasure with GM Phil Emery’s decision to fire Smith. Devin Hester is even threatening retirement now that Lovie will no longer be calling the shots.
But as Emery stated in his press conference this past Tuesday, a lack of offensive consistency and playoff appearances are what did Lovie in. The Bears only managed 3 postseason berths, a 3-3 postseason record, and ranked in the top half of the NFL in yards per game just once (15th in 2006) in the past 9 seasons.
That track record would’ve done anyone in, not just Lovie. Despite being a defensive genius and a true “leader of men”, Emery knows that it’s in the best interest of the team to find a coach who will bring the offensive production to the same level that the defense has been producing at for decades.
Finally, someone understands.
The Bears will now be testing the free agent coaching waters for the first time since 2004. There are 7 names that have already emerged as candidates for the job, most of them being offensive coordinators.
While it’s nice to imagine all of the big name coaches on the market in blue and orange, I’m going to stick to the 7 men who have been granted permission to interview for the job.
My apologies to anyone hoping to hear Nick Saban or Andy Reid.
Emery has a lot of deciphering to do in the coming weeks, but he hopes to have picked his replacement before the East-West Shrine Game (college football’s “all star game”) on January 19th.
Without further ado, let’s meet the contestants.
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There’s been enough written and said about the job security of Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith. If he’s gone, which is quite likely, time to move forward and think ahead to his replacement. Oregon Ducks head coach Chip Kelly is being recruited by the NFL once again.
He turned down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head job last year and rumors are abound that he’ll replace the soon to be fired Andy Reid in Philadelphia. With a record of 45-7, the highest winning percentage in all of college football, third in the nation in wins over that span, and he’s made a BCS bowl every year he’s coached in Eugene. He’s a hot coaching commodity. And he endorses this website, which is very important.
But will his coaching style translate to the NFL?
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If the Bears fall to Detroit in Week 17, will it be better for the team in the long run?
It’s that time of year again Bears fans. No, I’m not talking about making New Year’s preparations and looking forward to a nice long bye week heading into the playoffs. It’s time to look back on what was once a promising season, and hurriedly scramble together a scenario that has the Bears backing into the playoffs as the 2nd Wild Card team.
This year, the equation isn’t all that difficult: take care of business against Detroit at Ford Field, and then hope for a little help from “our friends” from Green Bay as they take on the Vikings.
But in the grand scheme of things, would it actually be better for the Bears to lose this Sunday and miss the playoffs all together?
I can hear all the diehards yelling at me through their computer screens. But hear me out.
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Injuries have played a role in the Bears recent struggles. But this version of the Bears yearly collapse has many other factors.
One way or another, the Bears always seem to find a way to fall short of their potential. Whether it be injuries, play calling, personnel, or Father Time, every aspect seems to make a yearly appearance at one point or another and derail the season.
This season has been no different. It is actually one of the most drastic “tale of two seasons” stories I’ve ever witnessed. Even though the Bears struggled mightily and finished the season 1-5 last year, the 1-4 stretch they are going through right now seems much worse.
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What else must Lovie Smith do to win over the Bear’s fans and front office?
Don’t become a prisoner of the moment and scoff at the title of this article simply due to the fact the Bears lost to the Texans this past weekend. Lovie Smith has proven to be one of the best coaches in Bear’s franchise history, and he deserves to be rewarded with a long term contract before his current one expires at the end of the 2013 season.
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With win number 5 in the books after Monday night, the Bears are enjoying an early 1.5 game lead on the rest of the NFC North through 6 games this season. Fortunately for us Bears fans, we don’t have to go too far back in our memories to find the last time the Bears started out this hot.
Flashback to 2006: the Bears steamrolled through their first 6 opponents to a 6-0 record and actually ended up winning 7 straight before dropping their first game of the season against the Miami Dolphins in week 9 (I’d say the Dolphins have ruined their fair share of Bear’s perfection over the past few decades).
There are clear similarities between the 2006 team and the 2012 team, the most glaring of which is their suffocating defense. But it’s the differences between these two teams that may surprise you.
And if the numbers hold true, this year’s team may actually go farther than the team that won the NFC Title in ’06.
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I’ll admit it: it’s way too early to predict who will make the final roster and who will be on the outside looking in come September. It’s only the middle of week 2 in Bourbonnais.
But a few players have been making headlines at Bears camp for different reasons. Let’s take a look at who’s getting camp off on the right foot and who might be on the bubble after a poor start.
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With many big names off the NFL free agent block, teams are still putting pieces in place. The New York Giants tell Osi Umenyiora he’s off the trading block. Will Barack Obama become a Green Bay Packers Fan? What is next for former Chicago Bears C Olin Kreutz and Braylon Edwards? What NFL Free Agent signings remain? Trade Rumors? NFL News?
The sportsbank’s all-pro section reveals the latest for you.
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The Green Bay Packers ended up on the right side of a defensive struggle Sunday afternoon when they edged out the Chicago Bears 10-3. The game was a must-win as it propelled the team to the NFC’s second and final wild-card berth.
The Packers will meet the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday, January 9th at 3:30 PM CT.
By: Nick Grays
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Lovie Smith’s Non-Challenge Decision Grounds for Dismissal
Temporarily forget the fact that Jay Cutler has been sacked 19 times in three games. For a moment, overlook how Chicago Bears Coach Lovie Smith brought in a new offensive coordinator to build a pass-happy offense around linemen that are allergic to pass protection and wide receivers that are too mentally challenged to execute their routes efficiently. Or that the front office spent money on a valuable weapon like Chester Taylor, only to have him see minimal carries and scant playing time.
Lovie has allowed all these problems to occur on his watch, and he should be held accountable for his negligence. But the most fireable offense of all, he committed today in the 17-14 loss to Washington. Because he failed to challenge a call that he would have easily won, and that call would have been enough to change the L to a W.
[Read more…]
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