Thread: Bears bungled O-line from the start

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Bears bungled O-line from the start

Knowing it was a weakness, they should have pushed the linemen harder in training camp

Dan McNeil

8:39 PM CDT, October 14, 2010

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As the Bears scramble for ways to keep their knocked-loopy quarterback vertical, it's laughable coaches are being praised for "adjusting." Guys with whistles are being termed "flexible."

I think a better word is desperate. Slap 'em on the back if you want, but all I see is the rearranging of deck chairs on the Titanic that is the Bears' offensive line. The nine first-half sacks allowed against the Giants two weeks ago was the first iceberg of note.

What the Bears are doing is conducting training camp more than six weeks after it closed. Applaud nothing.

This week's game of "Musical Bears" is merely another exhibit of general manager Jerry Angelo's poor draft record and Lovie Smith not making use of his training camp at Olivet Nazarene Country Club.

The biggest concern of the offseason — and by a mile — was protecting Jay Cutler. Smith, Mike Martz and Mike Tice whiffed by not having their big uglies get nasty in Bourbonnais and prove themselves. A little live action between the bags instead of "thud" would have served well for a team with inexperience and positional changes up and down the offensive line.

So here it is Week 6 and Tice is singing the praises of Chris Williams, his left tackle turned right tackle turned left guard, as a potentially fine run-blocking guard. Good to know it took only 2 1/2 years to find a job befitting the 14th player chosen in the 2008 draft.

And it's by necessity, not because Williams has done anything noteworthy. Roberto Garza (out with a knee) has played poorly but at least has a few skins on his wall during his pro career.

Williams doesn't. In many ways, he's a rookie. He spent his first year in the tub with back issues. He played some right tackle last year, until late December when it occurred to the Bears that Orlando Pace was a bad idea.

Now he's a run-blocking stalwart at guard. Sure he is.

We haven't seen Williams since he strained a hamstring in Week 2 against the Cowboys. I don't know how one injures a hamstring without moving one's feet, but he did. And the Bears protected Cutler better after Frank Omiyale shifted from the right side to the left.

If that's where Williams remains, he effectively becomes a guard drafted in Round 1. You know the type of players who've been worthy of that? Guys like Alan Faneca, Steve Hutchinson and Logan Mankins. Dollar to a doughnut says Williams never will be mentioned with that company again.

It's a good thing the Bears have another NFC punching bag on their itinerary this weekend. The Seahawks are a bad team and the Bears will get an even firmer grip on the North title when they jump to 5-1 Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Packers continue to trot out replacements for their offensive stars, and the Vikings are trying to overcome Brett Favre on the field as much as off it.

Remember that lucky horseshoe Dick Jauron had in pocket in 2001, when the Bears won 13 games before getting smoked by the Eagles in the playoffs? He loaned it to Smith this year.

Enjoy the gift horse when it arrives, but it would be a good thing if Coach Smugly — almost a lock to return for the final year of his deal next season — doesn't count on it again.

If you're going to pack up all of the football gear before hitting I-57, use it. Find out who's who.

Week 6 is a little late on the draw.

Dan McNeil hosts "The Danny Mac Show" from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays on WSCR-AM 670.

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