Mr. Martz or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
by Jacob Hayes on Feb 4, 2010 7:00 PM CST
in Notes
87 comments
Well then Bears fans, we actually have a legitimate Offensive Coordinator and he goes by the name of Martz. He has a scheme that he runs, and a play book that more closely resembles a phone book than an instruction manual. He comes with a history that has both good (The Greatest Show on Turf) and the bad (49ers and Lions), but this hire isn't so much about history as it is abandoning it, in large part. Follow me below the fold for the three key things that need to happen to start a new era in Chicago, and for the reason it doesn't matter even if that new era turns out to be just a dream.
1. Martz must learn how to incorporate the TE position into his offense in some way, shape, or form.
Is Martz capable of properly employing a Tight End? He should be, known around the league as an offensive mad scientist, it defies all logic that someone with his offensive mind can't wrap his head around a tall powerful receiver that can sometimes be employed to block.
The reason this is incredibly important is that Greg Olsen is a fantastic young football player, and despite a few minor issues has been one of the most reliable receivers and a near constant draw of double teams. Without him on the field our extremely young wide receivers are going to find themselves under more and more pressure while learning a new scheme and to a great extent still learning the finer points of their position.
2. Martz must learn how to take advantage of a mobile quarterback.
Everyone is well-versed in the idea of Martz's scheme and how it places an incredibly large burden on the offensive line as they rarely receive help from extra blockers of any kind. On top of this, in the past Martz has had a lot of quarterbacks generally referred to as pocket passers. Kurt Warner, Bulger, even Kitna, none of them are well known for their ability to move in the pocket. So you generally saw one of two things, either the offensive line was dominating or the QB was tasting the turf all day long.
Last I checked, while our offensive line is looking better and could look a lot better by the start of the first game, it's still anything but dominating. However, the one thing we do have is a quarterback that is extremely mobile, throws well on the run, and can occasionally make a defense pay for not keeping an eye on him as he can gut out some tough first downs and go for the end zone.
Now, both of these things can be used together to our advantage. For instance, if implemented well a mobile QB can reduce the reaction time of the defense - giving the offensive line an advantage in the trenches. Forcing the opposing defense to stay aware of one more thing while they are playing is inherently good for us, but that's why this is something that Martz must show us he can do. He's never done it before and it's absolutely necessary if we're going to keep Cutler from getting planted 20+ times in the first six weeks of the season.
3. Martz must learn how to properly instruct extremely young players in his system.
Simply put, there are more than a few stories of Martz being not only stand-offish, but outright rude and uncooperative with young players that are struggling to one extent or another with learning his system. Now since the majority of our offense is full of young guys, this is going to have to change and change extremely quick. If there has ever been a teacher's bone in this guy's body he better start using it because our best four wide receivers don't have a guy with more than two years experience starting in the league. That guy is Hester, who is known himself for not being the smartest guy in the world picking up new things, and didn't even play WR in college...
If Martz takes his same borderline hands off approach with the wide receivers on this team he's doomed to failure before he even calls his first play.
---
Now then, all of this stuff is incredibly important, but at the end of the day it isn't anything to stress out over. This is a simple case of testing the old maxim of: "Can an old dog learn new tricks?" If he can, then I have no doubt that Martz will be fairly successful, if not, Martz is going to get clean sweeped out of the league right along with Lovie.
So at the end of the day, even Martz's detractors only have to put up with him in protest for a single year. Either he'll prove you wrong, or prove you right, but it won't be a long term learning experience. That much is guaranteed. However, even if things don't entirely pan out with Martz, and we miss the playoffs next year, we should come out in a great position barring a lock out. Our extremely young wide receiver corps, even if they don't entirely do well with the Martz offense, are going to get a massive crash course on route running and timing, something that should help no matter what offense we end up running. Also, we should be grabbing at least one, if not multiple, young offensive linemen this year, so putting them into a fiery crucible that is a Martz offense should get them to gel fairly well going into the season post-Martz.
So everyone, just sit back and enjoy the show as we'll either be an extremely different team next year, or a much better team the year after.
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I wish they would've hired him a year ago...
The offense would be soaked in by now.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.
Interesting points...
1. The Air Coryell system doesn’ t necessarily leave out TEs. Another disciple of the system, Norv Turner, has used the TE extensively, especially when said TE is particularly athletic like Antonio Gates. Will he incorporate him? I don’t know. He would be wise to do so, of course.
2. This one is tough. Who knows how this aspect will play out? Will there be designed roll-outs or will Jay just end up on the run after protection breaks down? Stay tuned…
3. Martz has done this in the past. the ’99 Rams were a pretty young and inexperienced group, and Martz developed the key components nicely. In fact, because Martz is so forceful as a personality, it might work out better. Why? Because young players may be more willing to listen to forceful direction, whereas an established star could push back. I read one article that credited Martz with the development of Isaac Bruce and Ricky Proehl. We will have to see which way it ends up.
Its not so much “Can an old dog learn new tricks?” It’s more like “Can Martz go back to what made him so successful in the first place?”
I agree with ya on 1 and 3.
If Martz playbook is as big as they say, he better have some stuff in there for a moving pocket. I dont want him to try and change Jay to make him a pocket passer only. He better design quite a few plays where the pocket is moving to be really successful imo. He’s a genius they say, we’ll see.
Walter Payton lives on!!!
Got an itch to scratch....
The Air Coryell system doesn’ t necessarily leave out TEs.
Of course it doesn’t… Don Coryell nurtured one of the most prolific receiving TEs in the history of the NFL: Kellen Winslow.
But, to my greater point… Mike Martz isn’t Don Coryell. And, while he may favor spreading the field vertically, that’s where any comparison to their playbooks should end.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.
Something tells me that...
if Olsen doesn’t go anywhere, which I don’t think he will eventhough the idea has been tossed around on this site, he will be utilized by Martz to his fullest potential. He isn’t a typical TE, he’s more of what I think Martz would like. Not as a blocker, because that he isn’t, but more as a WR.
Walter Payton lives on!!!
He already stated
that he intends to implement him in the offense. Every good coach has to cater to the personnel in which they’ve inherited.
"The country is full of good coaches. What it takes to win is a bunch of interested players." -Don Coryell, ex-San Diego Chargers Coach
+1
I’d call him a genius because I don’t know where he made it up.
Formerly Scespy12... needed a better name!
by Eaten by Bears on Feb 4, 2010 8:53 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
This is interesting...
Elaborate a little more on why they are so different. Sure, the Martz version is a variant, but it IS the same system. Perhaps the personnel Martz had to work with is what dictated him not using a TE extensively in STL?
Unless you have more info on the subject? …
the system is basically the same
Similar terminology & similar routes, but like everything it evolved. Martz has a bunch of different pass protections, he has more sight reads for QB/WR, but it’s the same attacking philosophy.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Feb 5, 2010 9:25 AM CST up reply actions
Don Coryell stopped coaching football in 1986!
A lot has changed since then. The game has evolved. General philosophies are shared, but creativity breeds changes.
Coryell liked to spread the field vertically… Walsh liked to spread the field horizontally… and their understudies learned from them and adapted, and evolved, and created new things, based on the basics of attacking and defending.
When someone has a new offensive idea that’s successful, there are copycats… and there are defensive minds creating ways to stop it. It’s a back and forth counter punch… and it’s what leads to all of the creative X’s and O’s.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.
Yes, SackMan, I understand that teams continually innovate strategies
and tactics in a never-ending struggle etc… I wanted to know if you had some additional knowledge of the system or if you were speaking in generalities. It seems you were speaking in generalities.
But as Wiltfong said, the system is basically the same. All I was referring to was the fact that using the TE is not something that is foreign to the Coryell concept. Just as Norv Turner has “evolved” the scheme to incorporate the tight end, a coordinator of Martz’ caliber should have no problem doing the same.
martz worked for norv turner
i’m sure he understands how to use a TE if he wanted to.
Proehl had been in the league for almost a decade before he was with Martz.
I can see crediting him with Bruce and Holt’s development, but not Proehl.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
Hey, don't shoot the messenger! lol
That’s just from an article I was reading a few days ago. But in light of Proel’s vet status at the time, it may have read more like: “developed bruce, resurrected Proehl” or something similar. I wish I could remember which article it was, I would clarify…
No problem.
Didn’t mean to seem like I was attacking you.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
Not before they actually WON stuff.
Who guarantees you Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher, Jay Cutler, Devin Hester, Tommie Harris won’t be hall of famers one day ?
The offense is such a young team, all of them still have shots at it, if they have it inside them.
So, they might not have HOF now. Nothing stops them from having them in the future.
Because
Mike Martz did not turn Marshall Faulk, Trent Green, Kurt Warner into superstars in less then a year. He wasn’t even the head coach in 1999. Martz got lucky. He was a perfect fit for that level of talent.
Urlacher could be a hall of famer, Briggs and Cutler have the potential. Harris is a head case and Hester will not be able to learn the Martz playbook.
You might be right about hester.
But he still has value as a Slot receiver in go-ahead routes and once back in the groove of Kuck Returning, he will be back as a threat.
BEAR DOWN!!
Problem is
The Martz system relies on precise placement, something Hester is not going to be able to do.
Hester does have great athletic ability of course… he is going to end up going back to doing alot more return work.
Sure hope so!
Man, i miss seeing people stand up while he got closer and closer to the endzone.
“There he goes, and going and going and going AND HES GOOONE! DEVIN HESTER!” hahaha
aah..good ol’ times.
BEAR DOWN!!
Devin Hester...
you are ridiculous
"Hey, the offensive linemen are the biggest guys on the field, they're bigger than everybody else, and that's what make them the biggest guys on the field." -Madden
by BearNecessities on Feb 5, 2010 5:45 AM CST up reply actions
I love the guy as a return specialist.
Best that I have ever seen. Use him in special situations as a WR out of the slot or in the wildcat formation even. In other words, we don’t know exactly what they will do with him next season, but the potential is there for him to do a lot. Hester wants to get back to returning everything, I say….Hells Yeah!!
Walter Payton lives on!!!
I have a problem with this comment
The Martz system relies on precise placement, something Hester is not going to be able to do.
Not sure how you can predict something like this. If Hester has the right teacher and he puts his best foot forward i don’t see how he can’t learn it eventually. The guy is a professional football player, it is his JOB to learn the offense.
Don’t write him off when you don’t even know him as a person or player.
by Chitownproduct on Feb 5, 2010 3:46 AM CST up reply actions
Here's the logic behind it...
We have seen Hester not be in sync with Cutler on timing and route adjustments. We have not seen Hester and Cutler improve on the timing and accuracy during the season. Thus, we can be more sure that it is likely that Hester is not going to be able to attain the accuracy than the opposite. No one knows the future, but we can use the past as a guide.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO FIRE LOVIE!
I seem to remember
a few of 3rd and 4th down catches in important situations that Hester made while adjusting to the defense. I think the “Hester is dumb” thing is starting to reach mythical proportions. Yes I’d like to see him get his return duties back and yes I’d like to see him used more in the slot and out the backfield and a little less at WR, but the complaint that Hester is dumb (Not implying that you are saying it) is getting old really fast right now.
I think a rigid game plan with boundaries for Cutler and receivers are going to help these guys this year. I’m starting to feel good about where this thing could head offensively.
I remember Moose having to show Hester where to line up
as the QB was starting his cadence. Just sayin’….
If you can't laugh at yourself you must not be very funny.
Dude that was 3 years ago, are you ever going to let him live that down?!?!?
That was his first year of playing WR since high school, not easy to learn on the fly at the highest level, yet he figured out how to do it because all hes done since then is be our best WR that we have.
"How sad, another victim of the Night Nurses from Jersey."
Yet Igleasis and Bennett NEVER saw the field as rookies because they were unprepared?
If you can't laugh at yourself you must not be very funny.
Thats fine and Bennett proved himself as Hester did.
Yes the Iglesias is still a question for sure, but you cant just focus on the negatives to prove your point, you have to give them credit when they deserve it as well.
"How sad, another victim of the Night Nurses from Jersey."
What did Bennett and Hester prove ?
That they’re below average receivers ? Lazy, take plays off, drop routes, fall over themselves trying to jump out of bounds ?
by Irish Bears Fan on Feb 10, 2010 3:04 AM CST up reply actions
Thanks we all know your take by now Irish, you are a HATER.
How bout you post another link of that moron doing a breakdown of Hester not blocking Asante Samuel.
HATER
"How sad, another victim of the Night Nurses from Jersey."
wait wait wait
since when are you miss cleo? can you tell the future? Let’s just wait it out and see. Who knows what Hester can do.
Makin' Copies
in the offense's defense especailly hester ron turner didnt have a playbook to learn!
this i can almost gaurantee martz will put the best players regardless of draft status or anything else on the field come sept mainly because this is his last shot at coaching agian. that in its self makes a huge difference
by Ghost07rider on Feb 5, 2010 12:38 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Um
The Rams had 4 or 5 hall of famers
Martz had a lot to do with them becoming HOFamers.
"The country is full of good coaches. What it takes to win is a bunch of interested players." -Don Coryell, ex-San Diego Chargers Coach
they were not HOF's when martz got them
kurt was on the practice squad and holt and bruce had only been in the league a yr or two his system helped make them great
by Ghost07rider on Feb 5, 2010 12:02 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I think the Blog Entry says it all.
Martz can rely on his intelligence but not on his stubborness.
That approach failed twice already because he didn’t have the right tools.
Now he possibly has everything he needs (save a LT that still needs to be further tested, but looking good as it is, i mean Chris Williams)
He has an smart QB who can make all the throws and all the bombs.
He has a talented group of young receivers to turn them into the next Isaac Bruces and Torry Holts.
He has an dedicated no-bull RB who also catches the ball really well.
And extra stuff.
Like 2 very decent and one possible star Tight End who can actually play like an WR.
I think alot will come to about who can actually learn his ridiculously big Playbook.
BEAR DOWN!!
I think even mentioning our receivers
in the same breath as Holt and Bruce is a bit optimistic at this point.
Now he possibly has everything he needs (save a LT that still needs to be further testedExcept for RT, RG, C, LG, and a legitimate #1 WR. That’s assuming Williams pans out and Forte’s horrible sophomore slump was an aberration. Other than that, he’s got it made.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
I don' think
It’s so farfetched.
What did those 2 did after Martz left ??
Not much. After Martz left St. Louis, Bruce dropped from several 1000+ yards seasons to none after that.
Holt held up better.
But hasn’t been the same in a loooong time.
BEAR DOWN!!
Holt had two more 1000+ seasons after Martz left, and Bruce had one more,
but it’s irrelevant. Torry Holt is almost a lock for the HOF. He put up outstanding numbers year after year. Holt just had his worst season ever with David Garrard throwing to him, and it was very comparable to Hester’s season, which was his best as a receiver. Hester is not even close to being in the same league as Torry Holt. And it’s only been two seasons since he was over 1100 yards, and that was with the team having already fallen apart.
I’m not saying Martz isn’t capable of raising their play, but you can’t seriously start comparing Hester/Knox/Bennett to either of those guys.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
hester is better than bruce, holt, hakim combined.
there i said it. now eat it. Also black is white, red is left, and north is ohio.
Makin' Copies
Don't think this is very accurate
and the bad (49ers and Lions)
Statistically speaking, he significantly improved both offenses very quickly.
"The country is full of good coaches. What it takes to win is a bunch of interested players." -Don Coryell, ex-San Diego Chargers Coach
Statistically speaking...
Cutler threw for the most completions in Bears history, and was second in TD passes. I still don’t want to see a repeat performance this coming year. Both of those offenses improved to a point, but not to the level we want to see our Bears at next year.
Basically, just improving isn’t good enough when you’re taking over for a terrible OC, and I think Martz would take both of those as bad since he was essentially fired from both. A repeat performance of his effectiveness in SF and DET will make it his third strike.
Associate Writer - WindyCityGridiron.com
That's why I said statistically
While I never was a true supporter of Turner, the players still have to make plays. Cutler didn’t by throwing very untimely INTs all throughout the year. You can only blame the coaches so much. Martz will have the same issue this season if he can’t correct Jay’s mistakes in the red-zone. I’m fine with him throwing INTs down the field trying for a big play, but him disregarding coverages, and not checking off his progressions are what concern me.
"The country is full of good coaches. What it takes to win is a bunch of interested players." -Don Coryell, ex-San Diego Chargers Coach
Ja, agreed.
You’re going to have some of those “I think I can fit it in there” INT when you have a QB like Cutler, it’s to be expected, however he definitely has to throw it away more and get rid of those plays where he is just throwing it to no one but a defender.
Associate Writer - WindyCityGridiron.com
I think Martz
helps him tremendously with his footwork. That may cut down on a lot of his bad-decision making.
"The country is full of good coaches. What it takes to win is a bunch of interested players." -Don Coryell, ex-San Diego Chargers Coach
Martz will help him with his footwork...
But so will not expecting to get blind sided every other play.
Poor Sizzle :(
Associate Writer - WindyCityGridiron.com
Yea but the QB clearly wasnt the problem in Detroit, two straight years of 4,000 yards
He isnt the head coach. He can only control soo much and that second season they got off to a great start, heck even beat the Bears twice that year remember, but I felt it was the defense that let him down.
"I'd buy that for a dollar!"
with horrible personal
except kinta he was decent to begin with
by Ghost07rider on Feb 5, 2010 12:20 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I know I'm being completely optimistic, but...
- in this post has me excited. If Martz adapts his system (how likely?? IDFK), and incorporates some moving pockets, roll-outs, waggles, whatever..dangerous comes to mind when describing the offense. Optimistic? Hell yes! But hey..what else does a Bears fan have at this point?
by Ortons Neckbeard on Feb 4, 2010 11:05 PM CST reply actions
Oddly enough, Martz was a Tight End in college.
"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST
Dr. Strangemartz...
will improve the offense. If nothing else it will be less predictable than Turner’s was and the novelty of a pass first, pass often Bears will be both entertaining and will throw the NFC North DCs for a loop. My aversion to bringing him in was centered around the fact that the Bears do not have the talent necessary to run the offense he has run in the past. That, and he’s a giant jackass who publicly came out in sharp criticism of the the best offensive player on the team. I do see Martz as a brilliant offensive mind and I believe he is smart enough to both use the talent he does have and move the offense toward his style at the same time.
Let’s hope Tice can get some improvement out of the O-line because Cutler may just get killed if Martz pushes the offense to the 7-step, timing route, pocket passing style he prefers. Lastly, I do have concerns about Martz’s personality being a divisive force inside the Bears organization. Let’s hope also that the humility of few other job prospects encourages Martz to be less of a dick than he is known to be.
Now…if we can just get a great DC that can pry Lovie away from the rigid adherence to the Tampa2 (Cover-who?) scheme long enough to actually play aggressively and not just catch the guy with the ball 9 yards down field on every 3rd and 4.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO FIRE LOVIE!
by now the criticism he gave Cutler is behind them
He was an analyst for the NFL Network, calling out players and coaches was his job. If every former coach that was in the media worried about hurting the feelings of players and coaches that they analyze, they wouldn’t be in the media for long.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Feb 5, 2010 9:55 AM CST up reply actions
I commed Martz for doing his job...
my concern was about the egregious nature of the criticism. It was simply disproportional to what Cutler actually did. I liken it to a a 15 year jail sentence for j-walking. I, unlike many in the media, do not have a perception of Cutler as petulant and childish. I think he’s more than capable of handling the pressures of his role as QB. His aversion to McDaniels, IMO, was never about having his feelings hurt, but rather having to fight with a coach who has no interest in anyone else’s opinion. In my mind, a team has to have a strong leader, but not a despot. It’s the difference between a monarch and a president. There’s no point in being an elite talent in a system that does not value it. It’s what I see happening to the defense of the Bears because Lovie (and JA) have this “plug-and-play” mentality with their strict adherence to he Tampa2. Inflexible systems that assume success are doomed to failure. The adage is “you don’t plan to fail, you fail to plan!”.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO FIRE LOVIE!
love the internets
Sklz711 telling Martz what “he must learn to do.”
It's his opinion
An opinion shared by most Bears fans.
And it’s why Windy City Gridiron is the premier Bears site on the web!
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Feb 5, 2010 9:57 AM CST up reply actions
when you say greg olsen
is a “fantastic young football player,” you lose any credibility with me.
Good to know that top 10 in the league at his position...
Doesn’t count as fantastic, and being 24 doesn’t count as young.
Associate Writer - WindyCityGridiron.com
the only thing he's tenth in is yards
if you look at blocking ability, % of balls caught, YAC, he is well below avg.
unfortunately these stats aren’t available for free, but jurko was going these these a while back on WMVP. he was making the case that olsen was one of the worst TE’s in the league.
the guy appears to have some raw skills, but he’s hardly terrific.
if he’s terrific, what is antonio gates, ultra-super terrific?
Antonio Gates
is a great estabished TE who has been around four more years than Olsen. There is a lot to be said for experience in a game like football, and younger players are judged by a different measuring stick because they are still growing as players.
You can pick and choose stats all you want to, Olsen also was 4th in TD’s by a TE and 10th in 1st downs, so it wasn’t just balls caught, or yards that he excelled at.
He’s a fantastic young player, and should grow into one of the best TE in the league.
Associate Writer - WindyCityGridiron.com
Olsen is a bust.
“Olsen’s total numbers were fine, but they didn’t represent all-star quality. Here’s how he stacked up with other tight ends around the league:”
*60 receptions (league rank 10th).
*612 yards (league rank 11th).
*10.2 yards per catch (league rank 19th).
*8 touchdowns (league rank T-4th).
The man caught TEN PASSES after the first four weeks of the season. I rest my case.
by Irish Bears Fan on Feb 10, 2010 3:06 AM CST up reply actions
And take out the Arizona game ...
…which was a blowout. That leaves 5 TDs apread over 15 games. 1 TD every 3 games. legendary.
by Irish Bears Fan on Feb 10, 2010 3:07 AM CST up reply actions
I'm eating an apple right now...
… does that count? :P
"A lot of fans were drawn to me because they knew that whatever the score was, I was going to run as hard as I could on every play. You don't have that now, you have guys waiting for next week or even next year." - Walter Payton
I could have clarified a bit more, but I thought it was clear enough.
Martz must learn to do those things, or his offense could be even worse than Turner’s and he will find himself permanately out of the league.
You generally don’t get more than three chances when you’re a rigid adherent to a single scheme as the team failures are more often seen as the failure of your implementation of your scheme. You’re not worth much as a position coach, and no one is going to give you a HC job if you’re failing at the only thing you’re known for.
I just thought that “Martz must do X unless he never wants to coach again professionally after this year,” was a bit too wordy.
Associate Writer - WindyCityGridiron.com
Nice article
I think most readers understood what you were saying.
I find this kind of funny.
Everyone talks about Cutler,Hester,Martz,Forte,and yet the most important player in are offense next season,isn’t even being mentioned.
The Rams Succeed because Warner had time to drop back 7 steps because he had Pace.
If Chris Williams doesn’t play well next year,and adjusts then no one will be any good.
Chris Williams will most likely make or break this season……..
Bit of an exaggeration wouldn't you say?
If Williams does his job but the other OLs fail, the offense also fails.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Feb 5, 2010 12:03 PM CST up reply actions
I agree and disagree.....
While the hyperbole of Williams making or breaking the team might be overstated, it does hold some water, as well. And Considering that Olin Kruetz will still anchor the line, and Roberto Garza will still be standing next ot him, the rest of the line isn’t likely to completely either.
Reality lies somewhere in the middle. Kevin Shaffer can only improve on last season, especially with Tice coaching, and the same holds true for Omiyale and Beekman. I’d like to see Omiyale and Shaffer battle it out for the right tackle spot and for the Bears to bring in another guard out of FA to shore up the left side and draft another fro reserve. Schaffer has proven with the Browns that he can be a decent to good tackle, so at worst, I think the Tackle spots will be fine. Kruetz is aging by wily and I wouldn’t count him out, yet. Garza has been good but not great at the RG spot and will likely continue that trend. Omiyale has great athleticism for a tackle, and the Bears would be better off moving him back to his natural position. The Bears would do well to groom Beekman to be Kruetz’s replacement, considering he’s a natural center and was drafted for thatt purpose. And they need to quit trying to play musical linemen with their positions. The rest of the Line should be OK.
But Chris Williams will be the keystone without which the rest of the line will crumble, at least in theory. This style of offense requires the blindside to be protected. Williams is that required guy, along with whoever plays LG. So the theory holds some merit. But I also agree that if Williams is great, but all the other cogs jam up, the offense fails as well. Williams just happens to have the most to live up to in the most important position on the line while being the biggest question mark at least in terms of what we have seen thus far. I think he’ll be fine, though. I’m probably more optimistic about him than most are, and I liked the development he showed late last season, especially against Jared Allen.
Some days it's not worth chewing through the restraints - T-Train.
Two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity. And I am not sure about the universe. - Albert Einstein.
I totally agree
And thank the Lord he had that performance against Jared Allen. It let us know that maybe just maybe he’s the answer there.
From where we stand today....
Chris Williams is the most (make or break) player on are offense right now right ? If he fails and we get Pace too back him up (shakes head and prays) then are offense will fail bc Pace looked terrible for 14 games.
"Chris Williams is the most (make or break) player on are offense right now right ?"
Wrong. Cutler is still the make or break guy.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Feb 6, 2010 10:15 AM CST up reply actions
Like it or not, Jay won't be doing anything from his back.......
And most of those INTs are the result of poor decisions made while running for his life. Ask Tom Brady whether protections matters to his production (see Super Bowl XLII) or Peyton Manning (see Super Bowl XLIV) or ask Brad Johnson whether a quality line can make up for a crappy arm (See Super Bowl XXXVII) a Super Bowl Champion. Talk about the Tampa defense all you want (and rightly so) but Johnson also threw 2 TDs in that game and was well protected all day.
Chicago needs to learn that the game is won in the trenches. The difference between a average QB and a great QB is readily apparent with equal lines. But you give that average QB a great line and that great QB a poor line, and the divide between them closes quickly.
I’ve said it before and I’ll keep repeating it. All dynasties start with the line.
’70s Steelers
’80s 49ers
’90s Cowboys
’00s Patriots
All had GREAT lines.
Some days it's not worth chewing through the restraints - T-Train.
Two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity. And I am not sure about the universe. - Albert Einstein.
I hope Garza doesn't get old over night.
Like Fred Miller did a few years back. Great one season, terrible the next.
If you can't laugh at yourself you must not be very funny.
They should've...
hired him on at the same time they got Cutler. Might have made a difference this past season.
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