Bears 2015 Draft Discussion

[SKO]

The most amazing thing to me about how poor a job Marc Trestman has done is that he's been a head coach before.  Yes, the CFL is different, but is it THAT different?  Don't the people skills it takes to manage CFL players pretty similar to managing NFL players?  Are the players in the NFL that much more of divas than the guys in the CFL?  Marc's apparent inability to manage a locker room makes it appear he's never been around pro football players.

Very surprising to me.

I'm...with Chuck?...on this one.

I honestly felt the hiring of Trestman was inspired at the time, and the stint in Canada would've filled some sort of "leadership credbility" gap which, when wedded to his skills as an offensive innovator, meant he came across the Bears at the right time, but obviously this hasn't been the case.

SKO--I never want to hear about Canadia football again.

For the record, my occasional "bored as hell in the summer" viewing of the CFL did not mean I bought that Trestman's head coaching experience there meant much for down here. He was going to sink or swim based on his offensive scheme, which last year seemed not only effective but based on sound, fundamental principles. This year I see him way too scared to run his bread and butter plays (and this includes running Forte early and often, not just letting Jay throw it downfield) and relying instead on constraint plays. There've been plenty of hopeless WR screens, quick hits, and various other plays that rely on an abundance of YAC. Those really only work when you have a defense that is cheating by playing back off of  the ball to prevent deep passes. If you're not threatening people deep you can't move the ball against them in the short passing game. Trestman's just lost his edge. It's sadly not that unusual, apparently, as the biggest knocks I heard about him when he was hired were that he overthinks things and that he had a tendency as an OC to freeze up in big moments.

[Oleg]

The most amazing thing to me about how poor a job Marc Trestman has done is that he's been a head coach before.  Yes, the CFL is different, but is it THAT different?  Don't the people skills it takes to manage CFL players pretty similar to managing NFL players?  Are the players in the NFL that much more of divas than the guys in the CFL?  Marc's apparent inability to manage a locker room makes it appear he's never been around pro football players.

Very surprising to me.

I'm...with Chuck?...on this one.

I honestly felt the hiring of Trestman was inspired at the time, and the stint in Canada would've filled some sort of "leadership credbility" gap which, when wedded to his skills as an offensive innovator, meant he came across the Bears at the right time, but obviously this hasn't been the case.

SKO--I never want to hear about Canadia football again.

For the record, my occasional "bored as hell in the summer" viewing of the CFL did not mean I bought that Trestman's head coaching experience there meant much for down here. He was going to sink or swim based on his offensive scheme, which last year seemed not only effective but based on sound, fundamental principles. This year I see him way too scared to run his bread and butter plays (and this includes running Forte early and often, not just letting Jay throw it downfield) and relying instead on constraint plays. There've been plenty of hopeless WR screens, quick hits, and various other plays that rely on an abundance of YAC. Those really only work when you have a defense that is cheating by playing back off of  the ball to prevent deep passes. If you're not threatening people deep you can't move the ball against them in the short passing game. Trestman's just lost his edge. It's sadly not that unusual, apparently, as the biggest knocks I heard about him when he was hired were that he overthinks things and that he had a tendency as an OC to freeze up in big moments.

It kind of has the sound of Gary Crowton to me.  Maybe.  Seems the NFL has figured him out?

[SKO]

The most amazing thing to me about how poor a job Marc Trestman has done is that he's been a head coach before.  Yes, the CFL is different, but is it THAT different?  Don't the people skills it takes to manage CFL players pretty similar to managing NFL players?  Are the players in the NFL that much more of divas than the guys in the CFL?  Marc's apparent inability to manage a locker room makes it appear he's never been around pro football players.

Very surprising to me.

I'm...with Chuck?...on this one.

I honestly felt the hiring of Trestman was inspired at the time, and the stint in Canada would've filled some sort of "leadership credbility" gap which, when wedded to his skills as an offensive innovator, meant he came across the Bears at the right time, but obviously this hasn't been the case.

SKO--I never want to hear about Canadia football again.

For the record, my occasional "bored as hell in the summer" viewing of the CFL did not mean I bought that Trestman's head coaching experience there meant much for down here. He was going to sink or swim based on his offensive scheme, which last year seemed not only effective but based on sound, fundamental principles. This year I see him way too scared to run his bread and butter plays (and this includes running Forte early and often, not just letting Jay throw it downfield) and relying instead on constraint plays. There've been plenty of hopeless WR screens, quick hits, and various other plays that rely on an abundance of YAC. Those really only work when you have a defense that is cheating by playing back off of  the ball to prevent deep passes. If you're not threatening people deep you can't move the ball against them in the short passing game. Trestman's just lost his edge. It's sadly not that unusual, apparently, as the biggest knocks I heard about him when he was hired were that he overthinks things and that he had a tendency as an OC to freeze up in big moments.

It kind of has the sound of Gary Crowton to me.  Maybe.  Seems the NFL has figured him out?

It does look very Crowton 2000-esque this year, but that's what threw me to begin with. Trestman last year didn't really run anything gimmicky (unless you consider packaged plays gimmicky, which I don't, and they've been noticeably absent this year despite being very successful last year). Mostly just straight-forward, drop back and pass West Coast stuff, and the zone blocking scheme Kromer introduced really made them look great in the run game. He did some innovative stuff to get guys open downfield but still, nothing gimmicky. This year he's been a lot more about trying to steal "easy yards" that just aren't there than just, say, playing 11 on 11 and picking a man.

Crowton in 1999 took the NFL by storm by introducing the WR screen and stuff, but once teams figured out his teams couldn't beat you deep if you just sat on those, he was fucked. Trestman beat a bunch of teams deep and now has seemingly abandoned it in lieu of trying Crowton-level bullshit at times.

[SKO]

The most amazing thing to me about how poor a job Marc Trestman has done is that he's been a head coach before.  Yes, the CFL is different, but is it THAT different?  Don't the people skills it takes to manage CFL players pretty similar to managing NFL players?  Are the players in the NFL that much more of divas than the guys in the CFL?  Marc's apparent inability to manage a locker room makes it appear he's never been around pro football players.

Very surprising to me.

I'm...with Chuck?...on this one.

I honestly felt the hiring of Trestman was inspired at the time, and the stint in Canada would've filled some sort of "leadership credbility" gap which, when wedded to his skills as an offensive innovator, meant he came across the Bears at the right time, but obviously this hasn't been the case.

SKO--I never want to hear about Canadia football again.

For the record, my occasional "bored as hell in the summer" viewing of the CFL did not mean I bought that Trestman's head coaching experience there meant much for down here. He was going to sink or swim based on his offensive scheme, which last year seemed not only effective but based on sound, fundamental principles. This year I see him way too scared to run his bread and butter plays (and this includes running Forte early and often, not just letting Jay throw it downfield) and relying instead on constraint plays. There've been plenty of hopeless WR screens, quick hits, and various other plays that rely on an abundance of YAC. Those really only work when you have a defense that is cheating by playing back off of  the ball to prevent deep passes. If you're not threatening people deep you can't move the ball against them in the short passing game. Trestman's just lost his edge. It's sadly not that unusual, apparently, as the biggest knocks I heard about him when he was hired were that he overthinks things and that he had a tendency as an OC to freeze up in big moments.

It kind of has the sound of Gary Crowton to me.  Maybe.  Seems the NFL has figured him out?

It does look very Crowton 2000-esque this year, but that's what threw me to begin with. Trestman last year didn't really run anything gimmicky (unless you consider packaged plays gimmicky, which I don't, and they've been noticeably absent this year despite being very successful last year). Mostly just straight-forward, drop back and pass West Coast stuff, and the zone blocking scheme Kromer introduced really made them look great in the run game. He did some innovative stuff to get guys open downfield but still, nothing gimmicky. This year he's been a lot more about trying to steal "easy yards" that just aren't there than just, say, playing 11 on 11 and picking a man.

Crowton in 1999 took the NFL by storm by introducing the WR screen and stuff, but once teams figured out his teams couldn't beat you deep if you just sat on those, he was fucked. Trestman beat a bunch of teams deep and now has seemingly abandoned it in lieu of trying Crowton-level bullshit at times.

Fuck you, Pen, I'm posting again.

but basically, the thing that pisses me off about the NFL "figuring Trestman out" is that it implies that last year he tried a bunch of sneaky shit and got away with it when really he didn't. Most of his scheme was just basic fundamentals using the size of his receivers to take advantage of matchups downfield. This year he seems reluctant to ever use Alshon or Brandon like the man-monsters they were last year. I can't remember the last back-shoulder throw. Hell I can't remember the last goddamn slant route.

[InternetApex]

The most amazing thing to me about how poor a job Marc Trestman has done is that he's been a head coach before.  Yes, the CFL is different, but is it THAT different?  Don't the people skills it takes to manage CFL players pretty similar to managing NFL players?  Are the players in the NFL that much more of divas than the guys in the CFL?  Marc's apparent inability to manage a locker room makes it appear he's never been around pro football players.

Very surprising to me.

I'm...with Chuck?...on this one.

I honestly felt the hiring of Trestman was inspired at the time, and the stint in Canada would've filled some sort of "leadership credbility" gap which, when wedded to his skills as an offensive innovator, meant he came across the Bears at the right time, but obviously this hasn't been the case.

SKO--I never want to hear about Canadia football again.

For the record, my occasional "bored as hell in the summer" viewing of the CFL did not mean I bought that Trestman's head coaching experience there meant much for down here. He was going to sink or swim based on his offensive scheme, which last year seemed not only effective but based on sound, fundamental principles. This year I see him way too scared to run his bread and butter plays (and this includes running Forte early and often, not just letting Jay throw it downfield) and relying instead on constraint plays. There've been plenty of hopeless WR screens, quick hits, and various other plays that rely on an abundance of YAC. Those really only work when you have a defense that is cheating by playing back off of  the ball to prevent deep passes. If you're not threatening people deep you can't move the ball against them in the short passing game. Trestman's just lost his edge. It's sadly not that unusual, apparently, as the biggest knocks I heard about him when he was hired were that he overthinks things and that he had a tendency as an OC to freeze up in big moments.

It kind of has the sound of Gary Crowton to me.  Maybe.  Seems the NFL has figured him out?

It does look very Crowton 2000-esque this year, but that's what threw me to begin with. Trestman last year didn't really run anything gimmicky (unless you consider packaged plays gimmicky, which I don't, and they've been noticeably absent this year despite being very successful last year). Mostly just straight-forward, drop back and pass West Coast stuff, and the zone blocking scheme Kromer introduced really made them look great in the run game. He did some innovative stuff to get guys open downfield but still, nothing gimmicky. This year he's been a lot more about trying to steal "easy yards" that just aren't there than just, say, playing 11 on 11 and picking a man.

Crowton in 1999 took the NFL by storm by introducing the WR screen and stuff, but once teams figured out his teams couldn't beat you deep if you just sat on those, he was fucked. Trestman beat a bunch of teams deep and now has seemingly abandoned it in lieu of trying Crowton-level bullshit at times.

Fuck you, Pen, I'm posting again.

but basically, the thing that pisses me off about the NFL "figuring Trestman out" is that it implies that last year he tried a bunch of sneaky shit and got away with it when really he didn't. Most of his scheme was just basic fundamentals using the size of his receivers to take advantage of matchups downfield. This year he seems reluctant to ever use Alshon or Brandon like the man-monsters they were last year. I can't remember the last back-shoulder throw. Hell I can't remember the last goddamn slant route.

I wonder if Marshall's ankles and Bennett's ribs are robbing them of some of those options. I mean, maybe guys aren't open and Jay's checking down and they stop calling some of the deeper routes.

[SKO]

The most amazing thing to me about how poor a job Marc Trestman has done is that he's been a head coach before.  Yes, the CFL is different, but is it THAT different?  Don't the people skills it takes to manage CFL players pretty similar to managing NFL players?  Are the players in the NFL that much more of divas than the guys in the CFL?  Marc's apparent inability to manage a locker room makes it appear he's never been around pro football players.

Very surprising to me.

I'm...with Chuck?...on this one.

I honestly felt the hiring of Trestman was inspired at the time, and the stint in Canada would've filled some sort of "leadership credbility" gap which, when wedded to his skills as an offensive innovator, meant he came across the Bears at the right time, but obviously this hasn't been the case.

SKO--I never want to hear about Canadia football again.

For the record, my occasional "bored as hell in the summer" viewing of the CFL did not mean I bought that Trestman's head coaching experience there meant much for down here. He was going to sink or swim based on his offensive scheme, which last year seemed not only effective but based on sound, fundamental principles. This year I see him way too scared to run his bread and butter plays (and this includes running Forte early and often, not just letting Jay throw it downfield) and relying instead on constraint plays. There've been plenty of hopeless WR screens, quick hits, and various other plays that rely on an abundance of YAC. Those really only work when you have a defense that is cheating by playing back off of  the ball to prevent deep passes. If you're not threatening people deep you can't move the ball against them in the short passing game. Trestman's just lost his edge. It's sadly not that unusual, apparently, as the biggest knocks I heard about him when he was hired were that he overthinks things and that he had a tendency as an OC to freeze up in big moments.

It kind of has the sound of Gary Crowton to me.  Maybe.  Seems the NFL has figured him out?

It does look very Crowton 2000-esque this year, but that's what threw me to begin with. Trestman last year didn't really run anything gimmicky (unless you consider packaged plays gimmicky, which I don't, and they've been noticeably absent this year despite being very successful last year). Mostly just straight-forward, drop back and pass West Coast stuff, and the zone blocking scheme Kromer introduced really made them look great in the run game. He did some innovative stuff to get guys open downfield but still, nothing gimmicky. This year he's been a lot more about trying to steal "easy yards" that just aren't there than just, say, playing 11 on 11 and picking a man.

Crowton in 1999 took the NFL by storm by introducing the WR screen and stuff, but once teams figured out his teams couldn't beat you deep if you just sat on those, he was fucked. Trestman beat a bunch of teams deep and now has seemingly abandoned it in lieu of trying Crowton-level bullshit at times.

Fuck you, Pen, I'm posting again.

but basically, the thing that pisses me off about the NFL "figuring Trestman out" is that it implies that last year he tried a bunch of sneaky shit and got away with it when really he didn't. Most of his scheme was just basic fundamentals using the size of his receivers to take advantage of matchups downfield. This year he seems reluctant to ever use Alshon or Brandon like the man-monsters they were last year. I can't remember the last back-shoulder throw. Hell I can't remember the last goddamn slant route.

I wonder if Marshall's ankles and Bennett's ribs are robbing them of some of those options. I mean, maybe guys aren't open and Jay's checking down and they stop calling some of the deeper routes.

That's possible, I suppose. Certainly those guys haven't been who they were last year, that's for sure. It just seems like even if they're going with the short stuff the stuff they are going with is bad. Almost everything involves receivers turning and facing the QB. That's an easy stop for the defense. Not much as far as deep ins or slants or anything designed to hit a moving target.

[InternetApex]

A turnover or two in the Buffalo and Carolina games have cost the team two wins. If they were 7-4, we'd be looking at a winnable game on Thanksgiving and hoping for solid playoff positioning for the stretch run. But the reality is that those two Green Bay games and the New England game happened. Which means even that scenario would be bogus. The Bears are awful. And I hate them.

[Saul Goodman]

Marc Trestman may be thankful for screen passes, but I'm not.

[BBM]

I can't wait till 2015 we have mike singletary is our coach and jameis is our QB

[Richard Chuggar]

done

[SKO]

done

Fire everybody and then draft defenders who can do their jobs well. Short and to the point. I like that.

[PenFoe]

done

Fire everybody and then draft defenders who can do their jobs well. Short and to the point. I like that.

And hire Rex Ryan. 

And make him and Trestman live in the same apartment and turn it into the greatest reality show in TV history.

[SKO]

done

Fire everybody and then draft defenders who can do their jobs well. Short and to the point. I like that.

And hire Rex Ryan. 

And make him and Trestman live in the same apartment and turn it into the greatest reality show in TV history.

There's no time to waste. We have to  save football in Chicago.

[InternetApex]

Robbie Gould is out with a quad injury and the Bears have signed Jay Feely. The former New York Giant is best remembered in my household for booting the ill-fated field goal attempt that Devin Hester ran back for a record-tying long touchdown. On the way to the goal line Hester was approached by a desperate Feely who was promptly obliterated by a lead-blocking Helen Huntermeyer. They kept showing Feely on the bench as the Bears pulled away en route to a blowout victory and I remember him looking so sad and defeated - literally butthurt, having been deposited so swiftly on his can by Devin's convoy.

Picture me at my desk right now looking exactly the same way. 

[Saul Goodman]

Robbie Gould is out with a quad injury and the Bears have signed Jay Feely. The former New York Giant is best remembered in my household for booting the ill-fated field goal attempt that Devin Hester ran back for a record-tying long touchdown. On the way to the goal line Hester was approached by a desperate Feely who was promptly obliterated by a lead-blocking Helen Huntermeyer. They kept showing Feely on the bench as the Bears pulled away en route to a blowout victory and I remember him looking so sad and defeated - literally butthurt, having been deposited so swiftly on his can by Devin's convoy.

Picture me at my desk right now looking exactly the same way. 

Pretty brilliant casting: Dane Cook as Jay Feely.