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INTERVIEW - Brad Biggs

I had the pleasure of talking with Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times late Tuesday night.  He runs the Inside the Bears blog for the paper's web site.  Let me start by saying this was by far the best interview I'd ever given or taken.  Brad was an easy to talk to guy and I actually found myself verring off of the questions I wrote just wanting to continue more into the topics we were on.

This interview is not word for word.  I couldn't type fast enough to keep up, but the opinions expressed are accurate.  I hope you enjoy it and look forward to your thoughts.

Two games in we have seen two sides of Kyle Orton.  Against the Colts he played game manager and did well.  Toward the end of the Panthers game we needed more from him and he showed he could not throw the long ball accurately and the team was hurt because of it.  Is Kyle Orton the best guy for the job and how far do you think he can take us?

Yes, he is the best guy for the job.  Orton had  Booker and barely missed hooking up on the long ball.  He probably would have scored.  He at  least tried to take some deep shots.  Orton's performance wasn't really different then the Colts.  Greg Olsen's fumbles are really what undid us.  Had he held on Orton's number would include some more yards and potentially a few TDs, then he wouldn't be taking such criticism.

Orton made a bad decision with an almost int.   What needs to happen is they have to develop an intermediate game.  Davis numbers were not what they should be.  They need to start working down the field, involving Olsen.  This will be tough against the Bucs.  They defend the pass well.

Tampa can be beaten with the TEs.  Kyle has a groove with Lloyd and the tight ends.  Fumbles by Olsen was disconcerting, they weren't caused they were carelss.  He didn't secure the ball..

He seemed to have a connection with Davis in the pre season , I would have expected to see more from him and Orton. 

I think Rashied Davis is the best in the slot.

So they need to move Hester to #2 or down the depth chart? 

They have to find the right place for him.  They are not hitting their mark of touches a game.  An end around to Rashied, that was well designed, in open space, they need to find a way to get Hester the ball other than the screens.

The pass game had positives.

Star-divide

Matt Forte looks to be all everybody expected.  How well do you think he can do behind this line and with a pass game that may or may not be working from game to game?

Forte is running with vision.  He has a good feel about how things are going to setup.  He has a good idea of where the defense is going to be.  He is much more intiutive than Cedric, but it will  take time.

They don't need him to be great to be successful.  He needs to be dependable and needs to pick be able to pick up blocks make some yards on his own.  He will be alright. I'm Impressed so far.

Staying on the offensive side of the ball.  How bad did the Bears hurt themselves by letting Bernard Berrian go and not finding a true #1 receiver?

Yes, they have a poor crew of receivers.  That is why it is difficult to hang a lot of what is happening with the passing game on Kyle.  Even if they wanted to go after another receiver.  Who were you going to go get?  Moss was never coming to Bears.  Parick Crayton signed early.  That left Bryant Johson or DJ Hackett and they wouldn't be #1 receivers.   When they say wide receiver by committee, it means we are rolling with a bunch of 3s.  It is difficult, WR is more prone to first round busts, but they do need a receiver a #1.

Moving forward shouldn't the Bears at least have looked at guys in a bad situation like Ocho Cinco and Boldin? 

Boldin is a great recieving, he is very physical.  The problem is the free agent system.   They have to want to come.  Farve doesn't want to come to Chicago.  He is going to look at it and see he is going to be handing off to rookies and throwing to rookies.  If Chad came here he would be hot being here in a matter of days.  You almost have to draft a guy.  The have to make judgement on Orton right now.  He is signed through 2009.  You have to make the descion at the end of the season and if he is the guy you have to sign him to another contract.  If they don't they are telling him they don't have any confidence in him.  We need to see more.

Jerry Angelo has a rep for building through the draft.  Will we have to go through the Hanie years or the Tebow years or will they ever just go out and get the guy?

Who are they going to get?  Brady Quinn.  Why?  

 What about Derek Anderson?

Why would they trade him?  If they trade him it is because he crashed and burned.

So realistically we have to hope Angelo drafts the right guy and wait at least 2 to 3 more years until we have a franchise QB?

Yes!

Since he became the Bears Offenisve coordinator, Ron Turner has taken his share of criticism.  He added to that this past weekend with some questionable calls on a 3rd and 1 and a 4th and 1 late in the game.  Is Ron Turner good enough or creative enough to get this offense sailing?

Well, you have to look at the pieces he has to work with.  It isn't Turner's fault that our offensive line got old semmingly over night.  Angelo didn't take many linemen in the first 3 rounds for the majority of his time here.

The majority of the resources have gone into the defense.  Their model is to win on defense and special teams and run game.

Teams like Baltimore and Tampa Bay have won Super Bowls with that model, but Dilfer and Johnson were decent QBs and had some really big games and made some really big throws. Do they thing Orton can be a Difer?

They are hoping Kyle can be better than Dilfer.  It will have to be examined  after the season.  He is still a guy who hasn't made that many starts.  They have to see where they are at and if they are on the right past. 

Do you think Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith are on the hot seat?  Would a deep run in the playoffs take them off?

I don't think they do.  Lovie is signed through three years after this.  Signed through 11, Angelo signed through 2013.   That is what they are used to, not fixing the QB, situation.  I dont' think that will happen.  The McCaskey's dont' have a history of eating contracts like that.  They were in a Super Bowl a few years back. 

Most thought the Bears could come out of the first 4 games 0-4.  If we come out 2-2, how likely they make a run for the playoffs?

We have to see about what they do in the diviions.  But consider they would be in decent position.  They should be able to control their own destiny.

Speaking of the division, looking at Minnesota.  Is Tavaris Jackson just that bad? 

Well he isn't that good.  I don't know enough about him to say how bad.  Vikes can go as far as Jackson can't hold them back.  The oline will get better.  McKinnie will be back.  Taylor is the best #2 back in the game.  They signed Bernard to loosen up the offense, but Jackson has to be able to take advantage of that.  I wouldn't write them off.  Ferrotte could do well.  With Adrian Peterson they will always be dangerous.

This week the Bears welcome Tampa Bay to Solider Field for their first home game of the season.  The Bucs are led by Bears castoff Brian Griese.  The Bucs have looked strong so far this year.  What will be the key to the game for the Bears to get a win?

They have to be able to run the football and get a little pressue.  The Bucs WR situation isn't as bad as the Bears, but they are old and banged up.   They need to run the ball and think they can do.  Play good field position.  The over under has to be low 30s.  It is a game where somebody will have to make a play to win it.  Griese is a decent QB,  because he knows what he can't do.  You talk to scounts, the big problem with a lot of QBs is that they don't know their limitations.  They try things and hope they blow up on them.  Griese played against the Bears D, so he knows the defense.  It will be interesting.  Not surprised they went with him,  they never wanted to get rid of him.  It was just a salary cap issue.  The have a very good defense.  They can create some turnovers.  Brooks is not the player he once was.  Monte Kiffin  is a remarkable defensive coordinator.

0 recs  |  Comment 14 comments

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What???

If Olsen holds on to a couple of <10 yard receptions all of a sudden Orton throws for 3 TD’s???

by bfos7215 on Sep 18, 2008 10:10 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Opportunity for a couple. I understand your point, but your taking him out of context.

He doesn’t guarantee two TD’s, but we had momentum on both those drives and one we’re were getting close to scoring already. I doubt he throws 2 TD’s, maybe one or maybe we run it in, but enough to win. His point was two drives ended short that could have mad Orton’s stats look much better in the game.

Kick it to me... I'm open!

by #23 on Sep 18, 2008 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Right

and he might not have even thrown the TDs, but if the Bears put up two extra TDs regardless of how they get in, we win the game and aren’t having the discussion of whether Orton is good enough.

Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!

by Adam T on Sep 18, 2008 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

well...

… being that the Bears only scored one TD on offense, I am not sure how it one can say that Orton would have had “a few TD’s” without the two fumbles.

And the quote on the Book play is odd. The problem is that Orton MISSED that play. Biggs seems to imply that Orton did something good there, but barely missed.

by big_lowitzki on Sep 18, 2008 11:49 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Exactly

Biggs is talking Orton up more than he needs. I imagine it’s because everyone has been a bit too hard on Kyle, so he’s overcompensating. But, that’s not really good journalism (or whatever you want to call it).

He says Kyle may have thrown for 3 TD’s if Olsen didn’t fumble twice to make it seem that Orton was very close to be good, which he wasn’t. Big_lowitzki picked up on it with his Booker comment, too. The pass wasn’t close to a WIDE open receiver. Nor was his pass on the last 2nd down of the game. Orton was flat out bad whether we win or lose that game. But, I do agree that his performance wouldn’t be quite as big of a story had we won.

by bfos7215 on Sep 18, 2008 12:01 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

yeah and i didnt hear

any comments about ortons inability to convert any 3rd and longs. what was he like 1 for 9 or something.

by rahulsriram on Sep 18, 2008 12:25 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

1 for 9 was on passes 15 yards or greater

On third and long, Orton was 1 for 3 with a sack when passes were called

--Torch

by torch on Sep 20, 2008 8:17 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

at the very least....

Robbie Gould kicks a field goal…. and with our offense, those 3 points would be huge

Bear Down, Chicago Bears!

by topdoggkyle on Sep 18, 2008 12:01 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Olson fumbles lost the game.. Biggs is right

When Olson fumbled on both offensive drives, Orton was playing very sharp with good vision and under pressure. Olson took momentum out of the Bears drives not Orton. It is true that Orton is not the kind of quarterback that has the explosive pass game that can dig them out of a hole, and maybe thats his biggest deficit right now. But in terms of Orton starting off the Bears with good tempo, clean offensive drives, and an effective passing game he has done that consistently for the last 4 consecutive regular season games. Against 4 high rated offensive teams, Packers, Saints, Colts, Panthers, Orton’s play execution jumped the Bears ahead with a lead on all those games and it was up to the offense and defense to hold the lead. Sunday was Ortons fifth start since coming off a 2 season benching. He has been consistently improving and his positives outweigh his negatives.

by Oso Monstar of Midway on Sep 18, 2008 12:23 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Wait, Biggs writes for a paper?

Is he the anti-Mariotti? I thought this was coming from a Chicago Bears organization spokesman. All the “we’s” and “us’s”. The ridiculous confidence in Orton. “They hope he can be better than Dilfer?” Dilfer of 2000 w/ Baltimore? Seriously? They hope he can be better than the guy who passed for 136 ypg and had a 76 QB rating over 11 games? Yeah, I suppose I would hope he’ll be better than him, too.

by tyger1147 on Sep 18, 2008 1:23 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Again

this was me transcribing my quickly typed out notes while he was talking. Whether he used the we’s and us’s or I did I don’t recall.

Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!

by Adam T on Sep 18, 2008 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

You have to do both

In order to increase their chances of success, the Bears have to draft a QB and sign a FA if Orton doesn’t work out. There’s no assurance that Cleveland won’t move Anderson. He doesn’t look good so far, and may come a little less expensive to any bidder during the off season.

A lot of things caused the Bears to lose. If Booker comes up with the grab they win the game. Plain and simple. Fumbles will happen and somebody needs to step up and make a play to pick up Olsen.

"I'm not so mean. I wouldn't ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something." - Dick Butkus

by propheteer on Sep 18, 2008 9:33 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Wrong.

The D’s gimmicky 10 man line got adjusted to, but we never adjusted out of it.

TEs? TB has great linebacking. TEs is a horrible way to attack them.

Week 2, ATL 0 yards
Week 1 NO 54 yards (Shockey)
WC 07 NYG 14 yards
Week 17 07 CAR 43 yards
Week 16 SF 53 yards
Week 15 ATL 0 yards

Draft a Franchise QB? No! Not only is it rare, but our organization has no history of being good at teaching good QBing. I dont want to toss out our coaches. I like em, so we need to get an experienced free agent QB (Schaub, Brees, Favre, Kitna, Hassleback, and Warner all were FA pickups who would be superior to what we have now), or let a talented rookie spend 3-4 years learning the system here.

Reed Ballgame - best CF in the MLB

by californiachicagoan on Sep 20, 2008 2:46 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Nope

The law of averages say that the Bears will eventually get lucky and draft a better than average QB. Even the imcompetent (on evaluating QBs) have fortune every once in awhile. Again, you need to have both a gritty veteran and a young QB on your team almost every year. Just look at the good offensive teams around the league. They usually draft one almost every year, unless of course your team has Big Ben, Brady, Manning, McNabb, or Romo.

"I'm not so mean. I wouldn't ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something." - Dick Butkus

by propheteer on Sep 20, 2008 5:41 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

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