The Inside Scoop: A Few Moments With Bears Beat Writer John 'Moon' Mullin

Doshi, the OL has been THE question ever since Jerry Angelo tried and couldn’t find any help for the group. Omiyale was the biggest of the unknowns, only because he struggled at guard last year, was handed the RT job and didn’t play well early in camp, but then a light seemed to go on. He does not have the height of Williams, being 6-4 rather than 6-6, but he has a better punch and arguably quicker feet. This is the spot to watch for however long the Williams-injury window is open. If he performs very well, look for Williams to go back over to RT where he started last year. As a pairing, I liked 68 at LT and Kevin Shaffer at RT; Shaffer graded out second only to Kreutz last year and he is very underrated.

we shoot for the “Moon”

Mike -
I just posted a blog on the Martz Factor at CSNChicago.com and the stubbornness you mention is part of what I was looking at as well. It was interesting this offseason to learn how much the players considered Turner the inflexible one and Martz, the do-it-MY-way guy, has been the paragon of perception and listening to his players. You have to give some shared credit here as in most things, Lovie for leaving the offense largely alone and Martz for listening to Tice as well as Kreutz et al and making the changes. Huge stuff.

It’s really a good long-term question, Spongie, but Harrison is pretty secure this year. Coaches have just fallen in love with Melton and Toeaina and where Melton has helped himself is on special teams, where he’s become a pocket-Izzy. Not a lot of progress relative to his comnpetition, which is disappointing to more than a few people after he came on strong last year.

A good pre-game prayer.

Kidding, WB34 – but I will say that this is an extremely difficult matchup for the Bears because of Rodgers’ ability to hurt them. The Bears probably wish Favre were still there, after gouing 6-2 against him as a Packer under Lovie. The difference in this game will be if the Bears can disrupt Rodgers’ game now that they don’t have Ryan Grant to worry about, unfortunately. Rodgers does not throw interceptions (best % in NFL last year) and the Bears could use his help. But the real game will be whose lines can dominate the others’

Wow, a multi-pack…
I don’t know if it’s ‘regret’ on 86 if only because they’re 2-0 and Manumaleuna is an effective blocker.
It will be a surprise if Williams is back from a hamstring injury in less than three weeks. Those just are too easy to re-injure and the Bears cannot affort that. If his psyche is an issue, Kevin Shaffer should stay.
And definite ‘yes’ on The Colonel. Not as a fan speaking here. The guy was a dominant player in his era. Period

Davis is one of my personal favorites. He’s just a quality person. But his serious value is as a total player, not spectacular at anything but on the radar everywhere, and he is a consistent special-teams player. He’s 31 and ST coordinator Dave Toub and WR coach Darryl Drake love him. Those are two big voices for him. And Cutler grew to really trust him in camp.

Wright’s an outgoing guy and in that respect very much like DJ Moore. But he is definitely not a lead dog with this pack. Not in the least. Peppers, Urlacher, Briggs, the Harrisses, Tillman….Major has kept his mouth shut, which makes vets like you.

there’s very little difference between them, because they are as in lockstep on philosophy and scheme as any coaches I’ve seen – and a perspective on Rod; he’s never been a coordinator before – if he’s smart, he’s listening to Lovie, who was one before Chicago. But they are of one mind, which is why Lovie wanted him in the first place in 2004

DOn’t think there’s much chance of Williams coming back this week, Ghost. He had his right hamstring wrapped after Monday and even though he was walking without crutches, hammy’s take time because you can really make them worse if they’re not healed and you start jamming on it too soon.
The Aromashodu thing has two answers – one is, when he convinces coaches that his drops week one were flukes, and two, when coaches decide that he offers something that Earl Bennett doesn’t – Bennett’s quicker and you can figure Cutler has a voice in this decision. Fact is, Jay likes all of his receivers a LOT.

Moon partly covered this in his latest article.

Jerry Angelo is the final say in draft picks and a lot of signings but nothing happens in a vacuum and there’s no real instances where he and Lovie have been a serious odds. Jerry staffed the Tampa defense when Lovie was there and they think alike. The one area that is dicey, to me, is the lack of attention to the offensive line in draft rounds that mnatter. As I wrote in the Omiyale story for CSNChicago.com, they could’ve drafted Omiyale several years ago and took Airese Curries instead. Yikes!
And you tell me – with something like 50% of first rounders ‘bust’ or near-bust, it’s a sloppy business for more than just the Bears.

I’ve thought it was because Peanuts spikes were worn down. I was going to suggest he get lawn aerator shoes.

Kev -
some slipping was due to spikes – but you better get comfortable watching Tillman for this year. He’s exponentially better at this juncture than what’s behind him. And to be fair, is he really a bad No. 2 corner? I don’t think so. The real question might be if Bowman is a true shut-down guy as the No. 1

This OL is simply not a group of power blockers and that’s a problem with running the ball. Plus, Dallas is a seriously good front so let’s hold off on trashing the run game against that bunch. ANd I’ll throw a different angle here – backs accounted for 47% of the touches vs Dallas, including Cutler’s one (successful) sneak. Screens and throws underneath to Forte and Taylor put them in space, which they won’t be as often inside with the line as it is. Not a bad distribution; heck, Martz is downright West Coastian that way.

I’d be surprised if Green Bay does too much overreacting to the Bears’ showing in Dallas. Clay Matthews is still coming throttle wide open – what I would look for is better DB coverage, which was a weakness with Dallas but is not with the Packers, so tighten down coverage and make Bears wides beat the DBs sooner than Matthews etc can get to Cutler.

there’s not a lot they can do personnel-wise – this offense likely will tilt more and more toward using the pass to set up the run/short passing backs – what they’ve got up front is it for now

We con’t get to watch practice as we did in camp so rep distribution is withheld. But COllins himself said backups get virtually nothing and the most a Bears backup has ever gotten was maybe 20 percent – there’s just too much needed by the starter.
Hanie is throwing and getting healthy -= nobody likes to sit but he’s smart enough to know he’s not in the class of either guy ahead of him

I think that’s really the franchise question, Kev. Personally I was incredibly impressed by the calm he exhibited Sunday, in situations where he would’ve melted down and thrown balls to different laundry than his own. The biggest thing to me is believing in Martz, something he did not do with Ron Turner – plus, and this is huge, Cutler and associates now have seen Martz not only do good game planning, but more important, seen him get them out of very serious trouble. They believe in him and that lets Cutler exhale. He doesn’t want to let Martz down, either.

Caution to the window? What does that even mean?

WIth Craig STeltz as depth, they’re not in dire need, plus they believe Josh Bullocks can play – they won’t hyperventilate about Wright being out for a while.

I’m on record as picking Hester to have a true breakout season. He was solid last year; I think the catches in Dallas were just a taste. What you may see are teams rolling coverage toward him the way Detroit did but this offense will be fine with that. As for career, I would stay with Hester. He’s the most rounded of the group and that’s with as little real background as a receiver; I see him just getting better.

I’ll give you Hunter’s number, David. He told me he needs a job! Seriously, I will be surprised if he’s back. He’s had a very good career and knows it, and knows the severity of the demon he’s dealing with. I don’t see him coaching and am not sure he relishes the poilitics of labor work all that much.

After watching the Chargers with the whole Jackson business, do YOU want to call AJ Smith? Good luck!

Wow, and I thought I was a draftnik!! Let’s wait on that one. Personally I WOULD go OL. That’s where the Bears got Marc Colombo, who was certainly not a bust, just a victim of horrendous knee injuries early. Jerry Angelo himself has spoken on the difficulty of 32 teams staffing offensive lines with quality (they can’t – there aren’t 160 of those guys out there) – but let’s see what’s coming out and what develops with Omiyale and Williams as the year goes along.

I would have to look very, very hard at that ‘09 year. He finished ok but I’m not sure ‘solid’ is good enough at that position in general. He is simply not a physical player in the mold of Pace, Munoz, Covert, Jones, Clifton, Long and a lot of the very, very good ones. You can be a sound player but at some point you need to be a glass-eater and I’m not sure Williams is at heart. I do, however, think Omiyale is, and he’s one of the truly nicest guys you’ll find in that locker room.

excuse me, underperform

Harris has been one of the ‘surprises’ of the first two games to me, and not in a good way. I don’t have an answer but Harris better find one or your scenario will very likely be the case. And it may not be dramatic – snaps here, snaps there….. but that’s a franchise DT and he’s not playing like it yet.

Mankins was THE target before the CBA issues came to be – but no, I don’t like what you’d have to give up, which would possibly be a 1 or a 2 and the Bears already have hurt themselves without those. But I have liked Mankins ever since he came into the league and said NE hit gold when they got him late in the first round.

I wouldn’t fixate on any one of these receivers getting balls or time. He’ll get chances, probably more than Dallas, but they wanted quickness in Dallas, which was one factor pro-Bennett. Aromashodu simply needs to have a great week of practice because this staff always has the grade meter on their guys.

I don’t think they ‘regret’ not getting a G at No. 3 – they thought the ‘value’ picks were better after that, and they REALLY needed a safety up first, but there were possibilities that frankly I was surprised they passed on for players like Josh Moore and even Dan LeFevour.

Thanks.

Truly a treat!

Really appreciate your time.

Appreciate the insight.

I did notice when you answered mine you totally ignored the Ditka love, I’ll let that slide this time.

I honestly haven’t studied the GB DB’s but here’s the deal – they may have an idea on who can be exploited but what you’ve seen Cutler and this offense do brilliantly (and I don’t use that word lightly) is ID who’s got single coverage. Whoever that is, that DB will be in the crosshairs (although I’m not sure anybody ‘picks on’ Charles Woodson – he LOVES that )

Thanks for dropping by.

You pretty much answered all of the questions which with your likely busy schedule that’s very nice of you.

Thanks for the time.

feels like you’ve been here forever.