Thread: bears, fans should have 2 words for tice- tha

Originally Posted by The Benjamin

I think I owe Tice one more thank you.

Thank you for making the offensive line worse, and getting our QBs sacked MORE than last year, with pretty much the same crap.

2009, the line gave up 35 sacks
2010, the line gave up 56 sacks (more than the packers line did last year... and remember how everyone made fun of them for their line?)


I am sure if someone looked up QB hits, I am sure Cutler got hit more than last year as well.

You can say its due to the Martz system, and that may be the case, but he still allowed his QB to get sacked MORE than last year.

The problem Benjamin is that Angleo got fooled last year when the bears OL did show up week 15 and actually looked good. This was enough proof for Jerry to focus on the defense more but for shits and giggles he signed a blocking TE. The sacks are up but the INTs are down.

Originally Posted by Jimmors

I never said "no improvement," i said HORRIBLE. And i can probably count the number of times they "opened up holes" for Forte on one hand. Has it happened? Sure...on rare occasions. But the vast majority of the time, Forte and taylor get hit IN THE BACKFIELD before even sniffing the LoS on plays up the gut, or anywhere between the tackles. Forte has most of his success when he bounces to the OUTSIDE, and/or makes people miss a tackle and books it upfield.

Ive seen this play out way too many times, and each time it gets more frustrating to watch. Seeing other backs pound it up the gut for a respectable 4 yards while watching our backs pound it for a loss, 0 yards, or 1 yard if were lucky.

But thats ok, my guess is the OL will be priority #1 this offseason.

its more than your hands and toes actually..esp on the counters and sweeps.. if being realistic and not just looking to find the most negative thought

Tice says line didn't play poorly against Packers

Offensive line coach defends unit and absolves it, mostly, from blame


What at first looked like the kind of snarled effort from the line that crippled the Bears offense earlier in the year may not have been nearly as bad you think.

The Bears capped a season in which they led the NFL with 56 sacks allowed by surrendering six in the 10-3 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field. It raised questions about a young offense entering the postseason because quarterback Jay Cutler was rocky and a repeat effort in the divisional round of the playoffs could ensure a quick exit.
But after the players reviewed game film Wednesday morning with coach Mike Tice, they didn't' think it was as bad as it looked.

First, the Bears rushed for 110 yards on 20 carries, creating questions why offensive coordinator Mike Martz went pass happy. Second, all six sacks can't be pinned on the line.

Cutler held the ball for six seconds on one and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna missed a block on one by Charles Woodson. Tackles Frank Omiyale and J'Marcus Webb were late out of their stances for a sack each, something that can be attributed to the crowd noise that was a significant factor. Webb gave up another when he was asked to solo block Clay Matthews on a third-and-18 play, a call the coaches surely wish they had back.

"There were 65 plays … and I told the guys I thought we had eight bad plays," Tice said. "What I was happy about, and maybe it didn't appear that way to the naked eye, we didn't get hit by any schemes."

What hampered the Bears was the fact they used the same hot reads they had in the Week 3 meeting with the Packers. Their defense was onto them. That may prove to be a smart move from Martz if the teams meet for a third time for the NFC championship. But it didn't help in this game.

Tice gave high praise to running back Matt Forte for his work in pass protection and said it might have been the best game of the season for Webb.

"I had all five guys grade out winning for five weeks in a row," Tice said. "So I am continuing to build on what they've been able to do and that's get better every week.
"(Center Olin Kreutz) called a great game. He was turning protection into the fire zones. He called his best game of the year because they brought some (stuff). They were bringing cross dogs, adding a safety, cross dogs bringing (Woodson). He kept turning protection into the blitzes. He was good."

The question now is whether a unit that has been so maligned at times can be better in the playoffs when the intensity goes up.

"We can definitely all get better," left tackle Frank Omiyale said. "(But) we definitely feel like we're playing at a level where we can succeed."

Webb knows he will be targeted in the playoffs as a rookie, but "I take that into account every week," he said.

"I've grown up a little bit since we played Green Bay the first time," Webb said. "I feel like I have gotten better and I've had to step up these last few weeks so that I won't hurt the team."

The bottom line is the kind of errors made at Green Bay can't be excused away the next time out.

"You can't make those mistakes," Tice said. "Those are the kinds that get you beat in playoff football. We feel like we can get better. We can clean that up."
bmbiggs@tribune.com

Horn got practice squad raise to stay with Bears

January 5, 2011 6:40 PM | 1 Comment

By Brad Biggs
While the Bears were unable to convince wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias to stick around last week when the Minnesota Vikings came calling, they did have success keeping offensive lineman Levi Horn.

The Miami Dolphins tried to sign Horn off the Bears' practice squad and to their 53-man roster before Week 16, meaning he would have received two game checks had he gone, according to multiple NFL sources. Iglesias chose to sign with the Vikings, turning down an offer from the Bears to stay.

Horn declined the Dolphins' offer, however, and the Bears in turn gave him a substantial raise over the minimum for practice squad players of $88,400. In staying, Horn left money on the table.
"Levi could have made more money going to the Dolphins," said his agent Cameron Foster. "But he sees a future for himself with the Bears and that's where he wanted to stay."

Foster declined to reveal specifics on the raise for his client. Horn is an undrafted free agent from Montana. The Bears liked him entering the draft, sending line coach Mike Tice to put him through a private workout. It is expected the Bears will sign Horn to a futures contract when the season ends.

The Dolphins signed offensive tackle James Marten, who spent most of the last two seasons with the Bears, to a futures contract.

I didn't know that giving up six sacks wasn't playing poorly.

The wonders of low expectations!!!!!!

Originally Posted by The Benjamin

I didn't know that giving up six sacks wasn't playing poorly.

The wonders of low expectations!!!!!!

if the 6 sacks were the cause not of the o-line but let' say a Qb holding the ball too long a TE missing his block or a RB missing their's Yes it is entirely possible for a team to give up 6 or mroe sacks but not have the oline playing poorly. Not saying this was the case last sunday- just saying "possible".. 2 of the sacks were IMo on cutler for holding the ball too long, 1 on knox/DA for not getting off line and having no receivers to pass 2 and 1 on manu for whiffing.. so if have 2 on the oline.. that's isn't horrible would be the point- esp when had close to 50 drop backs

Originally Posted by dabears54

its more than your hands and toes actually..esp on the counters and sweeps.. if being realistic and not just looking to find the most negative thought

The "most negative" thought happens to be the one that happens over and over and over, week after week after week. After awhile, it gets annoying to watch. As a team that "gets off the bus running" it gets damn frustrating watching them get tackled IN THE BACKFIELD as they get the ball. At that point, has absolutely zero to do with the RB, and EVERYTHING to do with OL. If it happened once or twice, sure, we can chalk it up to a blown block up front, or getting outplayed...but unfortunately, it has become a common occurrence with this team.

Point is...the Running game has very little to do with anything near an "improved OL," and everything to do with Forte and even to some degree Martz and his play calling.