The 10 Most Important Bears for 2012 - #4 Mike Tice

The first and only coach to make my list this year is first time offensive coordinator Mike Tice. He's charged with implementing an offensive system that is Jay Cutler-friendly, and luckily he's got some help in new quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates. The Tice/Bates combo is putting in a system that is part Martzfense, part Broncos Shanahan O, and part Tice's philosophy. The 7-step drops are gone for the most part, more play action passes and more moving pockets are in.

And as I alluded to last time out in #5 of my series, Mike Tice will be responsible with aiding his offensive line via better play calling. A tight end chip here and a running back chip there will go a long way in keeping pass rushers wary. If an edge rusher has to think about where and when some pass block help is coming, that's less time he can just pin it back and go. I hope to see some edge help for the tackles, with a late flat route by the TEs and RBs. Having that check down place to go with the ball is a way to keep the offensive flow going and to keep the QB sharp with some easy completions.

The biggest change in this system to the old one is having audibles back in the mix. Mike Martz didn't allow them, and Tice will. But to be honest Martz's theory of 'no audibles' was sound for the passing game if, and this is a big if, but if all the offensive players read the defense the exact same way, and they all understood their adjustments, then there really was no need to audible. The problem arose when Cutler read one thing and his receiver read another thing. In my opinion the entire thing was more about Mad Mike's ego in wanting to prove he could make his "Greatest Show On Turf" offense work in Chicago. The most effective offense the Bears had during the Martz era, was when he scaled things back.

Now with Tice running the show expect the scaled back part to remain intact, only Jay Cutler will be happier. While I don't expect it to be all 'ice cream and cake' between the O.C. and the QB, I don't think they'll be any on camera F-Bombs dropped.

The List so far;
The 10 Most Important Bears for 2012 - #10 Shea McClellin
The 10 Most Important Bears for 2012 - #9 Stephen Paea
The 10 Most Important Bears for 2012 - #8 Matt Forte
The 10 Most Important Bears for 2012 - #7 Chris Conte
The 10 Most Important Bears for 2012 - #6 Julius Peppers
The 10 Most Important Bears for 2012 - #5 J'Marcus Webb