Systems of Football: The All-Purpose Bears Game Thread

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I mean there's nothing inherently broken with the scheme, there's just no pass rush. You get no pass rush with your front four and the team's mediocre safeties get exposed by actually having to do something other than sit back in a two deep zone, and the deep plays rain in bunches. I'd like to firebarn Wright and Conte right now but odds are if the defensive line was playing anywhere close to what it did last year they wouldn't be having this problem.

True, but on the ridiculous lame duck sorta-Hail Mary in which Conte PANKED himself and fell down, that was all secondary. 

[SKO]

At this point my best-case scenario if Cutler is OFY is that they re-sign him with a lower price tag thanks to the injury and re-sign Slauson, getting the entire offensive unit under contract for next year. Then Emery can toss whoever he'd like from this year's defense and make devote all of his FA and draft efforts to rebuilding that side of the ball. One guy I'd like them to target is DE Michael Bennett, who was great last year for Tampa and is doing very well for Seattle on a one year deal this year, and he's also Marty B's brother, so I am hoping they can maybe lure him to restore some life to the pass rush.

[SKO]

I mean there's nothing inherently broken with the scheme, there's just no pass rush. You get no pass rush with your front four and the team's mediocre safeties get exposed by actually having to do something other than sit back in a two deep zone, and the deep plays rain in bunches. I'd like to firebarn Wright and Conte right now but odds are if the defensive line was playing anywhere close to what it did last year they wouldn't be having this problem.

True, but on the ridiculous lame duck sorta-Hail Mary in which Conte PANKED himself and fell down, that was all secondary. 

It was. I'm not defending Conte or Wright. Just stating that they are Cover 2 safeties who are serviceable when protected by a pass rush (last year) and horribly exposed when not. I'll shed no tears if Emery shoots them both, but I just think the #1 priority is restoring the pass rush.

[Eli]

At this point my best-case scenario if Cutler is OFY is that they re-sign him with a lower price tag thanks to the injury

Even if he's re-signed, don't the Bears have to start the process of finding/developing their next QB? Cutler will be 31 next year. That's not exactly old, but he's certainly approaching the final few years of his prime.*

Which basically means he is who he is at this point. And while I like Cutler and think he's good, I don't know that he's good enough (or will be good enough) to just sign for five years and then forget about the QB position.

* This suggests that 32 is when most QBs start to decline. Not a hard-and-fast rule, but seems to make sense for the non-Mannings and non-Bradys of the world.**

** Good grief, this is depressing.

[Internet Apex]

At this point my best-case scenario if Cutler is OFY is that they re-sign him with a lower price tag thanks to the injury

Even if he's re-signed, don't the Bears have to start the process of finding/developing their next QB? Cutler will be 31 next year. That's not exactly old, but he's certainly approaching the final few years of his prime.*

Which basically means he is who he is at this point. And while I like Cutler and think he's good, I don't know that he's good enough (or will be good enough) to just sign for five years and then forget about the QB position.

* This suggests that 32 is when most QBs start to decline. Not a hard-and-fast rule, but seems to make sense for the non-Mannings and non-Bradys of the world.**

** Good grief, this is depressing.

The can franchise him and draft/sign defensive players while letting the QB Whisperer do whatever did to Josh McCown to a third or fourth round draft pick every year until they either hit on one or two or bottom out and get everybody fired.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

One guy I'd like them to target is DE Michael Bennett, who was great last year for Tampa and is doing very well for Seattle on a one year deal this year, and he's also Marty B's brother, so I am hoping they can maybe lure him to restore some life to the pass rush.

The Bears should get ALL the Bennetts.

(Which would also mean targeting these guys in the next draft.)

[SKO]

At this point my best-case scenario if Cutler is OFY is that they re-sign him with a lower price tag thanks to the injury

Even if he's re-signed, don't the Bears have to start the process of finding/developing their next QB? Cutler will be 31 next year. That's not exactly old, but he's certainly approaching the final few years of his prime.*

Which basically means he is who he is at this point. And while I like Cutler and think he's good, I don't know that he's good enough (or will be good enough) to just sign for five years and then forget about the QB position.

* This suggests that 32 is when most QBs start to decline. Not a hard-and-fast rule, but seems to make sense for the non-Mannings and non-Bradys of the world.**

** Good grief, this is depressing.

They could tag him, as Pex said. I'm not worried about a decline yet considering arm strength is usually what starts to decline, and Jay's arm is as good as it has ever been. A legitimate prospect behind him wouldn't be a bad idea, but a 5 year extension that,  like most NFL deals is probably more like a 3 year deal, is probably fine.

[Eli]

The can franchise him and draft/sign defensive players while letting the QB Whisperer do whatever did to Josh McCown to a third or fourth round draft pick every year until they either hit on one or two or bottom out and get everybody fired.

Cool. That sounds good to me.

[CubFaninHydePark]

I mean there's nothing inherently broken with the scheme, there's just no pass rush. You get no pass rush with your front four and the team's mediocre safeties get exposed by actually having to do something other than sit back in a two deep zone, and the deep plays rain in bunches. I'd like to firebarn Wright and Conte right now but odds are if the defensive line was playing anywhere close to what it did last year they wouldn't be having this problem.

True, but on the ridiculous lame duck sorta-Hail Mary in which Conte PANKED himself and fell down, that was all secondary. 

P'Nut also badly misjudged the ball on his leap and should have had the pick too.  That play was just ugly, from the throw, to the secondary whiffing on it.

I don't think I've ever seen a defensive player have a worse game yesterday than Conte.  He couldn't cover.  He got blown up or trapped out of position on just about every run.  He might have put together the authoritative film on "how NOT to play safety in the NFL."

Also, since I was at the game and didn't get a replay, were the Bears actually offside on the surprise onside kick?

[Internet Apex]

I mean there's nothing inherently broken with the scheme, there's just no pass rush. You get no pass rush with your front four and the team's mediocre safeties get exposed by actually having to do something other than sit back in a two deep zone, and the deep plays rain in bunches. I'd like to firebarn Wright and Conte right now but odds are if the defensive line was playing anywhere close to what it did last year they wouldn't be having this problem.

True, but on the ridiculous lame duck sorta-Hail Mary in which Conte PANKED himself and fell down, that was all secondary.  

P'Nut also badly misjudged the ball on his leap and should have had the pick too.  That play was just ugly, from the throw, to the secondary whiffing on it.

I don't think I've ever seen a defensive player have a worse game yesterday than Conte.  He couldn't cover.  He got blown up or trapped out of position on just about every run.  He might have put together the authoritative film on "how NOT to play safety in the NFL."

Also, since I was at the game and didn't get a replay, were the Bears actually offside on the surprise onside kick?

P'Nut was clearly injured when he tried to jump and had not the vertical leaping ability or the desired depth of field to get there.

/Tillman Apology

Yes, Weems was over the 35 by a cunt hair according to replays. A non-call would never have raised a single eyebrow but the refs called it because of course they fucking did.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

Also, since I was at the game and didn't get a replay, were the Bears actually offside on the surprise onside kick?

Maybe. Weems' feet were clearly onside. But he was leaning forward and possibly across the plane of the 35 and the moment the ball was kicked, which Mike Pereira said is the standard by which officials are instructed to judge.

[Internet Apex]

Just heard in a couple of different places that Briggs is out 4-6 weeks but won't require surgery.

Sorry no link right now. I looked. I promise.

[Tony]

Just heard in a couple of different places that Briggs is out 4-6 weeks but won't require surgery.

Sorry no link right now. I looked. I promise.

Just heard the same. Can they sign Tim Shaw to replace Blake Costanzo who is going to be replacing Briggs?

There's no point in stressing over Cutler's injury at this point. If he's out for the year they should franchise him, and we can spend the rest of the fall watching DRose and hockey.

[flannj]

Just heard in a couple of different places that Briggs is out 4-6 weeks but won't require surgery.

Sorry no link right now. I looked. I promise.

Just heard the same. Can they sign Tim Shaw to replace Blake Costanzo who is going to be replacing Briggs?

There's no point in stressing over Cutler's injury at this point. If he's out for the year they should franchise him, and we can spend the rest of the fall watching DRose and hockey.

By Dan Wiederer, Tribune reporter
11:53 a.m. CDT, October 21, 2013



Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs will be out 4-6 weeks because of a shoulder injury he suffered in the third quarter of Sunday's 45-41 loss at Washington, a league source confirmed Monday.

Briggs is not expected to need surgery on the shoulder but no further detail on the specifics on the injury were known.
More details to follow.

[Internet Apex]

Cutler is out four weeks per the internet, television and the radio on my desk. Listening to the TrEmstink press conferences, I'm convinced that nothing is fucked here and the Bears are totally going to rip Green Bay a new asshole in two weeks.