Bears Struggling To Find a Pass Defense

by Adam T on Nov 14, 2008 7:41 AM CST Comment 26 comments

With a remaining schedule that has the likes of the Green Bay Packers (twice), New Orleans Saints and the Houston Texans, the Bears pass defense will be tested. Since completely retooling the roster isn't likely or even possible one would think the Bears might decide to switch up the schemes a bit, but they won't. Instead they will just continue the ever rotating merry go round starting line up.

Corey Graham will get the call at right corner back, replacing oft injured Nathan Vasher. Vasher will be used in the nickel package. Against a Packers team that has run the ball only 39 times in the last 2 games, he will see plenty of action. I haven't heard who will start at which safety spot after they rotated Kevin Payne and Mike Brown last week. Danieal Manning, back from injury, and rookie Craig Steltz could both play into the plan.

The Bears have no pass rush and despite an apparent Lovielicous "very good practice" it is time for Tommie Harris to turn up the heat. He is the lynch pin of this defensive line. If he plays better the other guys play better by default. He needs to stop with the "I'm not Superman" stuff and play better. We paid him to be Superman, at least try to act like him. If Harris plays better the entire D gets better as a whole. Consistent pressure on the QB makes everybody's job easier.

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Dear Lord...

I forgot about the Saints coming to town in December. If there isn’t inclimate weather to slow Brees down, I’m just gonna go to the mountains that week. After what Orlovski and Collins did, can you imagine what Brees will do?!

You know what, f*ck it, INCLIMATE WEATHER EVERY GAME FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR! Even if we play in a dome… maybe they’ll have the A/C turned on really high… Then we can grind it out on the ground, and not have to worry about comments like “Even Rex Grossman would fare well against the Bears’ pass defense” (ESPN Power Rankings)

Residence: Portland, Oregon Pro Team: Da Bears NCAA Football: LSU Baby!! Make sense?

by Dane Noble on Nov 14, 2008 9:11 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Pass Rush might be the bigger problem

Just because so much of the scheme revolves around pressure from the front four. Ugh, I hope Wale, Brown, Harris and Dvorcheck turn it up or we will be screwed!

Fire Ron Turner!!!
Fire Angelo!!

by GallopingGhost on Nov 14, 2008 9:34 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Lovie-Babich-Turner

If it was my choice these three guys can go #$ck themselves and live happily ever after in Lovies fantasy world of nothing can ever go wrong. I really don’t know how this worthless coach can ever rally up his team. Does he not know that football players can be motivated by talks of encouragement or anger? Has anyone ever seen Lovie pump up his team on the sidelines? His philosophy allows his players to “hope to play well” As we have seen, how many times do we come out flat on offense and defense? Fire this 3-headed dumbass monster that we unfortunatly have to call our coaching staff.

by stumpo on Nov 14, 2008 12:07 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

As it has been said before

the “rah-rah” of HS and college coaches doesn’t really work in the NFL.

Do you just really hate the coaching staff? Hasn’t been the first post you’ve wanted them all gone.

I'M A MAN! I'M 22!

by ChiFan13 on Nov 14, 2008 12:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

I’ve hated that coach ever since he lost to Carolina a few years bcak in the playoffs when he could not stop ONE player. we all know who it is. How do let one receiver walk all over a defense and win?
Lovie has shown nothing since then to change my view.
Super Bowl – Oh lets take out Thomas Jones who just ran for 30 yards and starting to get comfortable and put in Benson.
Lovie took over a good defense with a good cordinator(Rivera) now he has “his team” and look at us now. If it wasn’t for Orton, Lovie would be out a job by now(hoping/wishing)

by stumpo on Nov 14, 2008 1:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Kinda harsh there...

But not altogether out of line. Lovie is a great football mind, and the players’ respect for him is a lot more than you see from many other organizations. Just because you don’t see something happening on the sideline doesn’t mean there isn’t something going on. Lovie is incredibly private when it comes to his locker room… and other coaches should take that example to their’s. Transparency with coach-player- locker room relationships is for the birds. I don’t think the public should see too much of what goes on outside of practices and games.

But I do think something needs to happen with the coaching unit as a whole. The fluidity isn’t there… not a lot of cohesion between coach’s game plans and execution on Sunday.

As I stated in another comment, the idea behind “Hey, this is our game plan, and it will work if our players follow it” is not working right now. Lovie can create a great system and great game plan, but it doesn’t seem like the coaches are making enough adjustments for player (lack of) execution.

Residence: Portland, Oregon Pro Team: Da Bears NCAA Football: LSU Baby!! Make sense?

by Dane Noble on Nov 14, 2008 12:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Adjustments?

I have never seen Lovie make any adjustments during a game. At best, he makes a halftime adjustment and that’s it. If something isnt working, drop it.Example – run up the middle. When we find something that does work, we use it once. We don’t exploit weaknesses until a defense picks up on it….ever. It’s a sad time to be a Bears fan, with these guys heading up our team.

I can see, keeping personel issues behind closed doors, and I can respect that. But to NEVER show emotion throughout a game???? Come on…

by stumpo on Nov 14, 2008 1:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Post I wrote below should have been in reply to stumpo, by the way.

Residence: Portland, Oregon Pro Team: Da Bears NCAA Football: LSU Baby!! Make sense?

by Dane Noble on Nov 14, 2008 1:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL @ you.

Sounds like you have a lot of insight there… although most people would agree that it is easy to be on the outside looking in and pointing fingers all day long.

Maybe you could be an advisor if they just fired everybody, and let them know who they should hire. There have to be some hot-heads out there who would like to work for the Bears. Maybe put in your application…?

Residence: Portland, Oregon Pro Team: Da Bears NCAA Football: LSU Baby!! Make sense?

by Dane Noble on Nov 14, 2008 1:34 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Sure

Hell yeah I’d take the job and I garuntee I’d do a better job, or at least surround myself with quality people.

R u kidding??? As a fellow Bears fan, you’re telling me you have been satisfied with how the team has been run this year and the past couple years?

by stumpo on Nov 14, 2008 1:46 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Am I kidding about what...?

No, I am not satisfied. But I also will avoid making statements about how things are being done when I really only see what’s on TV. I don’t sit in on meetings with coaches, players, management, administration, etc. So I don’t really know what exactly the deal is.

The fun part about this game, and having a team that you love, is the ability to analyze things, provide your own opinions, play arm-chair-coach, celebrate during wins, and make excuses for losses (lol). That’s what being a fan is about. And that is something that this website provides.

But to make condemning statements, insulting statements, and narrow-minded assumptions about someone’s coaching methods based on your own perception of a coach’s level of emotion, you take the fun out of being a fan. I can only assume that you have no stock of ownership in the Bears, and your life is not directly affected by any decision the front office or coaching staff makes… so take it easy… don’t take things so personally.

None of us are on the inside… none of us are professional football people (unless you are Lance Briggs undercover as stumpo…lol)… and none of us are as smart as they are as far as running a NFL team. We are fans, they are professionals. Hopefully, we can get our stuff together as a team and get us a Lombardi trophy sooner than later.

Residence: Portland, Oregon Pro Team: Da Bears NCAA Football: LSU Baby!! Make sense?

by Dane Noble on Nov 14, 2008 2:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

“I garuntee [sic] I’d do a better job,”

nice. i love when people on blogs think that they would be better NFL coaches than real NFL coaches.

Bringing moderation to a place I don't moderate.

visit the mindful mission

by big_lowitzki on Nov 14, 2008 11:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

??

So as a fan I have to make politically correct statements? You just said that having a say is part of being a fan, well then why are you bashing me for what I said. Am I not allowed to make a comment without proven statistics? I’m not allowed to hurt anyone’s feelings?

Part of this site and being a fan is to vent your frustrations, right?
we just say what we are feeling.
By the Way, for a TRUE fan, YES my day does suck when the Bears loose, and when we win, my Sundays are filled with joy.

by stumpo on Nov 14, 2008 2:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Okay, then I give up.

To hell with our coaches, to hell with anyone trying to keep it civil, to hell with the past, to hell with the present…. to hell with everyone. Except you.

“Lovie-Babich-Turner
If it was my choice these three guys can go #$ck themselves and live happily ever after in Lovies fantasy world of nothing can ever go wrong. I really don’t know how this worthless coach can ever rally up his team”

Hopefully, this has been an opportunity for your anger and hate to be downgraded to just frustration.

Have a nice weekend, and Geaux Bears!

Residence: Portland, Oregon Pro Team: Da Bears NCAA Football: LSU Baby!! Make sense?

by Dane Noble on Nov 14, 2008 3:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You really want to fire Turner and Lovie?

Babich I understand. I totally understand Babich. Turner? He’s only made us offensively successful when we’ve had a POS WR and OL corp. Lovie? Only took us to the Super Bowl.

I'M A MAN! I'M 22!

by ChiFan13 on Nov 14, 2008 3:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly.

Residence: Portland, Oregon Pro Team: Da Bears NCAA Football: LSU Baby!! Make sense?

by Dane Noble on Nov 14, 2008 3:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Good

You and Lovie have fun in your little fantasy world where nobody is allowed to hurt anyone’s feelings.
It is frustration and ager when your favorite team has lots of talent that is misused.
By the way, isn’t Titan’s running back about the same as G. Wolfe and look at what he has done. No we decide to run him up the middle all day then move him to special teams(yes I know he has been doing good there)
Bottom line, as fans we should be allowed to vent without “restrictions” heaven forbid I upset anyone or hurt someone’s feelings.

by stumpo on Nov 14, 2008 3:21 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Sorry, wanted you to have the last word, so as not to anger you more...

But Wolfe is as good as LenDale White? Or Chris Johnson? Really??

//Facepalm

Residence: Portland, Oregon Pro Team: Da Bears NCAA Football: LSU Baby!! Make sense?

by Dane Noble on Nov 14, 2008 3:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Mismanaged

mismanaged players is all i am trying to point out. Have you seen how good he could be? Not saying he is our savior, just poor coaching strategies.

Point – How come most other teams when they blitz wait a split second for the “lanes” to open up then they crash. No, we hug the line game after game and then run into linemen as soon as the ball is hiked.
Be creative, you saw our offense potential when we are creative, then we fall right back into our old self(run, run, pass) when we score.

By the way, I will always stay angry as long as Lovie is the Bears coach.

by stumpo on Nov 14, 2008 3:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I'd love to see how pissed you'd get if we won the Super Bowl again. lol

I'M A MAN! I'M 22!

by ChiFan13 on Nov 14, 2008 4:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Last SB

Last Sb I didn’t talk to anyone for two days. Lovie owes us one after blowing our last chance

by stumpo on Nov 14, 2008 4:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

LOL Again

We were up against a far superior Colts team. Yes we could have won, maybe, but they would have beat us 9 games out of 10.

The only reason we were in that game, albeit a decent defensive showing, was the opening kickoff.

Peyton Manning is a god. Period.

God versus Dit-ka… I go Dit-ka.
Peyton versus Da Bearsss… dang, my head asploded

Residence: Portland, Oregon Pro Team: Da Bears NCAA Football: LSU Baby!! Make sense?

by Dane Noble on Nov 14, 2008 4:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Accepted

We were a little mis-matched, they were a better team but we were in it til the fourth quarter.

I just don’t like what Lovie has done since Rivera left and I’m tired of a defensive minded coach in Chicago, WE need an offense. Hopefully our offense can continue to develop, but you still have Turner calling the plays. G. Olsen should be dominating NFL and Fantasy states. And how come others team can develop players and Chicago just lets them go – then they become studs elswhere.

We have a decent team that has the capability of playing good ball, misused talent and bad play calling has killed this team the last two years.

by stumpo on Nov 14, 2008 4:28 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

This

Is the most intelligent post you have made today. The only thing I would comment on is the fact that you say other teams can develop players and we can’t. We are in a rebuilding stage (what’s new), and unfortunately, that takes time. We are doing a lot better job developing our young players (with of course a few exceptions) than we have in the past, but we definately aren’t where we need to be yet. And that means we will have a few defectors here and there. As long as we keep drafting well, things will look up in a couple of years as far as getting talent on the field to be productive.

Vick to the Lions in 2009?

Residence: Portland, Oregon Pro Team: Da Bears NCAA Football: LSU Baby!! Make sense?

by Dane Noble on Nov 14, 2008 4:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

so...

… maybe you could try the reply button?

Bringing moderation to a place I don't moderate.

visit the mindful mission

by big_lowitzki on Nov 14, 2008 11:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Vick

to the bears and run some wildcat w/ him. LOL. Lovie is not the problem. If u want a coach that shows his ass after a loss and blows up in front of the media and fans then go root for the 49ers stumpo(even tho i like singletary). Lovie handles himself the right way when shit is going wrong AND the exact same way when it is going right. The defense will step it up at some point, hopefully. They’re all veterans and have played w/ each other in the same system for 5 yrs. Lovie deserves his job, Turner is earning his, and Babich has sucked since he got here. Like GeauxBears said, we’re in a rebuilding stage. We don’t have a great Oline, our WR’s are less than average, and our QB is developing. Some youth and speed should be added to our defense, the ends in particular. It’s all about the pass rush in this system and it’s not happening right now, but it will.

"URLACHER IS GOD"....."PLAY-MAKERS STAND UP!!!!!"

by Acreman20 on Nov 14, 2008 8:11 PM CST reply actions 0 recs