McClure: Tim Jennings benched in favor of Zack Bowman

by Dane Noble on Dec 23, 2011 4:31 PM CST in News

One thing Lovie Smith has proven during his tenure in Chicago is his propensity to pull the trigger when a player is not meeting expectations. Sure, there have been times when his decisions were questionable, but he has shown year after year that he isn't afraid to sit a starter, or deactivate them if needed.

The Tribune's Vaughn McClure first reported that there will be yet another change in the Bears secondary this week, with CB Tim Jennings being replaced in the starting lineup by Zack Bowman.

We could delve into a bit of analysis on the reasoning, but this may actually be yet another instance of the Bears defensive backs being exposed in coverage due to a lack of pass rush up front. I've said it a hundred times before, and will say it again: Our defensive backs are supposed to be physical and keep everything in front of them, and wait back for opportunities to create turnovers due to the front four getting to the QB before routes can develop.

If the DL creates pressure, then our DBs have the chance to come up with a turnover. In the meantime, when the pass rush isn't there, they are expected to play hard, tackle hard, and not give up the big play.

Unfortunately, the Bears have had dry spells from their front-4 throughout this season (and over the past 3-4 seasons), and our DBs just don't have enough talent to hang with average or better WRs.

So, Tim Jennings, we bid you adieu, if only for now. You played hard, and made some things happen, but your lack of coverage skills was exposed... And now we get to see Zack Bowman come in and play hard. Something tells me that the Jennings-Bowman swap won't be that big of a deal. After all, our DBs are who we think they are.

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This game is Zach Bowman's last chance

Otherwise it looks like we’ll be searching for a new starter adjacent of Tillman in the offseason…if we weren’t already.

Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that

by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Dec 23, 2011 5:12 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions

Yup...

I think the Bears want to see what Bowman has left. If he can not completely suck, he might be retained as a #4CB. Either way, If the Bears just got a quality starter opposite Tillman, I wouldn’t mind seeing Bowman and Jennings as the back-up CBs.

There's a fine line between stupid...and clever!

by LostInSTL on Dec 23, 2011 6:39 PM CST up reply actions

I'd be in favor of moving Peanut to SS next year.

So, CB would be one of my priorities in the draft or free agency.

by mick11 on Dec 24, 2011 11:44 AM CST up reply actions

Oh and who's staring at FS now that Conte is on IR? Meriweather?

Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that

by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Dec 23, 2011 5:13 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions

Starting****

Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that

by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Dec 23, 2011 5:13 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions

Roy E. Williams. He can signal first down for the other team when he gives one up.

When I assume, I'm not "making an ass out of u and me"... I'm actually putting u between me and an ass.

by Spongie on Dec 23, 2011 6:10 PM CST up reply actions

Anything is better

Than that punk Brandon Meriweather’s nappy dreads flying around the field followed by a barrage of yellow flags.

"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."

by GriggsBriggs on Dec 23, 2011 6:33 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Merriweather just seems to always be 3 steps late

no matter if its a run or pass he is perpetually 3 steps from the play. Not sure if he just doesn’t accept coaching or what but he just doesn’t have to brain stem for the safety position. You have to have a fair amount of g2 (intellegence) back there or you can be out of position on every play.
Also I expect Conte to take it to the next level next season. He just has a knack for being in the right place and with a year to think about it all he is going to be the next Archuleta (That’s Archuleta 1.0 circa 2002). Great draft pick no matter what anyone thinks.

White Sox fans need not apply.

by Bears-Cubs Bulls on Dec 23, 2011 7:52 PM CST up reply actions

I say he turn Merriweather into a RB.

That way it’s not a personal foul when he leads with his helmet.

Cacti are prickly.

by crackedcactus on Dec 23, 2011 9:59 PM CST up reply actions

Since he's afraid of the big brown thing coming his way

His natural reaction is to bat it away.

Cacti are prickly.

by crackedcactus on Dec 23, 2011 9:58 PM CST up reply actions

good

if were going to go a different direction this offseason, see if Bowman shows a spark

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to be as bad a WCG Contributor as you are an announcer/authority on anything. Peace be with you. " (JoetheBoss)

by ThorCo on Dec 23, 2011 8:13 PM CST reply actions

I don't like the Bowman move.

Jennings had a bad game. So what. He’s been far better than advertised and Lovie Smith seems to have no patience with defensive backs at all. One of his douchier qualities, if you ask me, and one that has hurt the Bears repeatedly.

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Dec 23, 2011 9:04 PM CST reply actions

It doesn't make a lot of sense to me

I thought Jennings was putting together a pretty decent season. Maybe they want to see how Bowman does and then decide what priority they need to put on adding depth to the position during the off-season.

by JimmyMack on Dec 23, 2011 9:48 PM CST up reply actions

It's called accountablity

take a game off and spend the next one on the bench.

. "Most football teams are temperamental. That's 90% temper and 10% mental."
--Doug Plank

by ed_brown on Dec 23, 2011 9:56 PM CST up reply actions

agree completely

Lovie has been doing this all season for better or worse, personally I like it. These guys make so much money there should be more accountability. Now he just needs to apply the same policies to the offensive players, get with it or sit and if you bitch about sitting see you in Detriot next season (sorry Chris Harris).

White Sox fans need not apply.

by Bears-Cubs Bulls on Dec 23, 2011 10:19 PM CST up reply actions

Bullspit.

“took a game off” my ass. The guy got burned on one play, not a whole game. I’m so sick of people making excuses for Smith’s impatience in the secondary.

Tell me this, why hasn’t Briggs sat yet?? He was horrible in coverage for the past three weeks and is a big, if not the biggest part of the Bears problems against tight ends? He also leads the team in missed tackles. If performance is the key, then why hasn’t Briggs, who is having possibly the worst year of his career (after making all of that stink in the offseason) sitting after one of his worst games?

Because it’s hogwash. Jennings has allowed the lowest catch percentage on the team and the second lowest quarterback rating while he also is one of only 10 starting corners and nickels in the league who has allowed one or fewer touchdown, all while providing fantastic run coverage from the secondary.

If those numbers and screwing up one play in one game on his way to allowing the only touchdown of the year he’s given up is cause for punishment in the name of accountability, then Charles Tillman and the rest of the secondary should have been sitting in favor of Bowman a long time ago.

But hey, blind faith in a system that’s failed to develop players in the secondary for nearly a decade is the way to go. Go Lovie!

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Dec 25, 2011 6:53 PM CST up reply actions

And it's working to a tee, so far.

With Bowman giving up three toucdowns already. That would be three times the number that the guy who needed to be held accountable gave up in 15 games. Perfect. When does Bowman get held accountable?

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Dec 25, 2011 9:47 PM CST up reply actions

Jennings got the job

When Bowman had a bad game…

When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends.

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Dec 24, 2011 1:46 AM CST via iPhone app up reply actions

If Bowman has a bad game..

Then, it’s Jennings ball.

Five foot three seems to thrive on his misery...

by awfullyquiet on Dec 24, 2011 8:58 AM CST up reply actions

And it was a good move.

And this wasn’t.

in•san•i•ty \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ noun
1 : The practice of repeating the same action while expecting different results.

by Timothy Hockemeyer on Dec 25, 2011 6:56 PM CST up reply actions

Jennings has been more consistent than Bowman ever has.

Plus this is making my decision ever harder on whether to start the Bears or Cowboys D this weekend.

"You have a young group and if they start feeling too good about themselves, that’s not a good thing. So it’s my job not to let them. So probably they will hate me. But that’s OK too. My wife hates me and she’s still married to me." - Mike Tice

by badsamaritan on Dec 23, 2011 9:37 PM CST reply actions

You can't pick neither and start someone else

Where the white women at?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGQ-ISsDm8M

by parkernutws05 on Dec 24, 2011 2:24 AM CST up reply actions

The other good defenses are taken, though in hindsight starting the Colts wouldn't have been horrible.

by badsamaritan on Dec 24, 2011 10:29 AM CST up reply actions

Doesn't GB use a lot of 4 WR sets?

Or does that just mean more (and Moore) of my man Corey Graham? Actually, how often do the Bears even put 4 CB’s on the field? I’m having a hard time picturing #55 (and of course #54) NOT on the field. Is this why our 2min defense or prevent defense sucks?, Whatever you want to call that ugliness that got shredded by Tyler Palko (2nd Qtr) or that unnerving sundering by the hand of Tim Tebow (4th Qtr.) But (I’m making myself sick reliving those experiences…) my question is now, do the Bears often use a 4 CB personnel set?

Bearsh!tt!n It ain't obscene- I'm a Bears fan that likes hittin and exclamation points.

by Bearsh!tt!n on Dec 23, 2011 11:28 PM CST reply actions

Our D didn't get shredded by Palko, they lucked out on one play.

by badsamaritan on Dec 23, 2011 11:43 PM CST up reply actions

Shredded might be too strong a word

But using Caleb Hanie’s QB play for some relevant perspective, maybe not. That 38yd epic bomb, yes a 38 freakin yard Hail Mary. Was preceded by:
On a drive that began at their 13yd line!
Completions of,
10yds
14yds
13yds
7yds
5yds
By Tyler “Wannstedt-thought-I-was-better-than-Flacco” Palko!

Bearsh!tt!n It ain't obscene- I'm a Bears fan that likes hittin and exclamation points.

by Bearsh!tt!n on Dec 24, 2011 12:18 AM CST up reply actions

But I guess my question was

Against 4WR sets do the Bears usually use 4CB’s? Or is it just 3 with Briggs and Urlacher?

Bearsh!tt!n It ain't obscene- I'm a Bears fan that likes hittin and exclamation points.

by Bearsh!tt!n on Dec 24, 2011 2:03 AM CST up reply actions

3 with Briggs and Urlacher

acouple yrs ago Lovie was asked this question by the media when the bears were facing a team that liked to go with 4 WR (dont remember the team) and he said something like no defense is better with Briggs on the bench.

Unless there’s an injury to Briggs, Lacher or maybe safety we probably wont see 4 CB’s on D.

by mooseknucks on Dec 24, 2011 8:03 PM CST up reply actions

This move should of been made two years ago when we brought in Jennings from Indy.
Still the Bear’s really need an up grade here with maybe a 4th rounder with some size.
Left ~~over~~ talent ( Players that didn’t get drafted) from the WR position might put some fruit in development. There are a lot of WR coming out of college that will be lucky to make a roster. So those players will have an option of development. These areas haven’t been a concern to Chicago because" The Angler" is always in a quick fix mode. So development is needed here also as for a number of positions that lack depth.

by mcrann on Dec 24, 2011 7:33 AM CST reply actions