A Fair Assessment of OC Mike Martz...........

**soulman** · 07-14-2011, 04:54 PM

Grizz made the point to me in another thread that I might be being a little too critical of Mike Martz. It's a point well taken so I thought I'd dig up this layman's opinion of Martz and his contribution to the Bears potential success this year. This is the opinion of a guy no different than any of us and I thought he made some very good points.

My thinking really isn't much different than this and that's what I've been trying to express about Senor Martz. (see highlighted sentences) How we do depends a great deal upon which side of his OC personality dominates. The shrewd genius or the riverboat gambler. Enjoy the read.

Will the Chicago Bears Have a Winning Season? Depends on Who Shows Up.

by Just Dave on Jun 29, 2011 1:00 PM CDT in Roster Analysis

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First of all I should preface this by saying I'm assuming we have a season. And you know what they say about people who assume things? That's right, they're flipping idiots. However, since the alternative is far too unpalatable I'm going to stay on this side of the optimistic scale. Secondly, anyone who watched the Bears last season got a real "Jeckyll and Hyde" show. Several key components on this team were inconsistent at best. Take our own controversial quarterback, Mr. Cutler. On one play the guy would look brilliant and everyone would be thinking he's the next great Bear and then on another play everyone would be wondering what he was possibly thinking when he made that play. Not consistent. But I believe the key for this team lies in being consistent next season. The same team needs to show up every week and play at the same high level and for that to happen, one man needs to decide if he wants to be Dr. Jeckyll or Mr. Hyde.

I believe that the key to the Bears being good next season is getting a more consistent performance from Mike Martz. There are a few reasons why I believe consistency from our offensive coordinator will vastly improve this team. Look no further than last season for reason number one. Mike Hyde started off last season kicking the tires on his new toy, Jay Cutler. He really wanted to see what he could get out of the young man. What we as fans found out was that if you pass far more than you run eventually you put your team into some highly predictable passing situations allowing defenses to tear through an already porous line and give Mr. Cutler nightmares. We also learned that five step drops don't work too well for 2 1/2 step drop offensive lineman. But then around the bye week something happened. Some rumors have Mike Hyde having a come to Halas meeting with Lovie Smith in which Lovie said, "Thou Shalt Run the Ball." Others speculate that Mike Hyde simply woke up and smelled the coffee. Either way the offense began to show a more consistent approach to the running game and the team got better. Mike Jeckyll was now at the helm for most (most) of the rest of the season.

Next, this is everyones second season in the same system. More familiarity with the system should make for vastly improved play. If Mike Jeckyll can continue to realistically assess his teams strengths and weaknesses he might be able to expand the playbook somewhat this year. But making those levelheaded assessments will be the key. If, oh say a rookie left tackle, were to struggle in pass blocking Mike Jeckyll may want to give some added protection to that side and make sure he sprinkles in enough running plays (perhaps behind a rookie left tackle who's supposedly good at run blocking) to keep the defense honest. If teams are dropping seven defenders back in pass coverage perhaps we need to stuff the ball up the gut a little more. And maybe, occasionally, we run in a passing formation and vice versa. When we did those things last season this was a fun team to watch.

The last reason I think we need to see some consistency from Mike Martz is because when he changes into Mike Hyde he not only endangers our quarterback he ignores one of the best weapons on our team. After a rocky sophomore year Matt Forte really bounced back under Coach Jeckyll and I really look at that as a sign of things to come. When we stay balanced and consistent Matt Forte is a bona fide stud in the NFL. A potential game changer in my mind. Plus he forces teams to focus on him in the backfield allowing Mr. Cutler to feel a little less pressure and be a little more of a threat himself. Matt Forte can really open things up for a play caller when he's getting his carries. So, will the Bears be successful next season?

Let's see who shows up

**short faced bear** · 07-14-2011, 04:56 PM

I'm hoping the tweaking of the playbook will help as well. Maybe the extra time will help him become more objective.

**Blue Horse-shoe** · 07-14-2011, 05:02 PM

Geniuses are supposed to be smart right ? So I guess we're gonna find out if we have a smart genius or a stubborn idiot.

**soulman** · 07-14-2011, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by short faced bear

I'm hoping the tweaking of the playbook will help as well. Maybe the extra time will help him become more objective.

I thought this guy Just Dave did a good job of hitting the nail on the head. Which Mike Martz do we get? Even with another year to teach his system to the team if the system doesn't take into consideration the haves and the have nots on his roster we're still in for trouble.

If he adapts his scheme to what he has great, but if not we'll continue to struggle offensively. That's something we can't afford to do if we want to continue to compete for a Super Bowl. We don't have to match the Packers offensively but we do need to get a hell of a lot closer than we got last year IMO.

**Blue Horse-shoe** · 07-14-2011, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by soulman

I thought this guy Just Dave did a good job of hitting the nail on the head. Which Mike Martz do we get? Even with another year to teach his system to the team if the system doesn't take into consideration the haves and the have nots on his roster we're still in for trouble.

If he adapts his scheme to what he has great, but if not we'll continue to struggle offensively. That's something we can't afford to do if we want to continue to compete for a Super Bowl. We don't have to match the Packers offensively but we do need to get a hell of a lot closer than we got last year IMO.

Sure much of this depends on how Martz calls games. But alot will depend on whether or not Cutler cuts down on the bad throws , which is something Rodgers does not do. Cutler has more talent but Rodgers is smarter. Eliminate this from Cutlers game and we get closer .... automatically. Plus we have the better all around running back.

**Riczaj01** · 07-14-2011, 05:44 PM

That being said, Martz last year said he wasn't worried about int's; and his QB back in they hey days in St Louis said that you're going to see a lot of int's in that system.
My problem w/Martz is he's not trying to build his system around the players he has. Cutler, his qb, likes big wr's to throw the ball to when he's in trouble. It doesn't matter if they don't fit your system, your qb's natural intuition is to find that big bodied go up and get it wr. And if they are not there the qb is going to fail the system.
The Turf of SF is not suited for fast/agile/quick cut wr's...if your system is built around the field you play on 8 games a year is going to hamper your players.

Hopefully the other coaches get in his grill and let him know what needs to be done in comparision to what he does.

**lklrlolnlilklsox** · 07-14-2011, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by Blue Horse-shoe

Geniuses are supposed to be smart right ? So I guess we're gonna find out if we have a smart genius or a stubborn idiot.

There is such a thing as a stubborn genius. Hell, Einstein was adamant that the math behind the atomic bomb was flawed until three other geniuses force fed him the correct math. That's how I see Martz. His scheme is legit and his plays are the stuff that RT couldn't draw up on his best day. Problem is, it takes him a while to recognize a slump in style as failure and adjust his gameplan. It took him five games last year to start using Forte correctly, but now that he has recognized that asset, I look for him to already be ahead of the game this year in his play-calling tactics. Now we just need an OL that can hold up for the seven-step drops so we can utilize his playbook to its full extent.

**Dagan81** · 07-15-2011, 08:17 AM

I'm a stubborn genius. I'm in one of those societies for people with high IQs (no lie). I believe I'm right all the time...lol.

But all kidding aside, to use an example out of that one society for people with high IQs that I'm in, the people on the website's forum are so stubborn and stuck in their ways that it's sickening. I remember one time, I submitted some poetry to be analyzed, and what analysis I got back was astounding: they said that I had "no real talent" other than the fact that I wanted to write, and that everything I write is a cliche. My response back to them was that they simply don't understand the art of poetry and the freedom of expression that comes with it.

On the topic of Martz, he is like those people in the forums on the International High IQ Society web forum. He is so cock sure that based on past experience in one setting with success, that he's going to enjoy the same success in Chicago as he did in St. Louis. The fact is that the Bears aren't as good as those Rams teams were in the late 1990s/early 2000s, especially on the offensive line and at wide receiver. He needs to acclimate his playcalling to his personnel and sometimes I think that he believes that this Bears team can automatically live up to those standards set by his Rams teams. It didn't work in Detroit or San Francisco, and it hasn't worked in Chicago yet either.

**short faced bear** · 07-15-2011, 02:34 PM

Martz as a offensive mastermind? Fine. Martz as a genius? I don't know about all that. Sustained success it would seem to me would be a hallmark of weather or not someone is a genius on the football field. I think he is a great tactician and a questionable strategist. Intelligence is like a lightbulb-a 20 watter can outshine a 100 watter if it knows when and where to shine.

**GrizzlyBear91** · 07-15-2011, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by short faced bear

Martz as a offensive mastermind? Fine. Martz as a genius? I don't know about all that. Sustained success it would seem to me would be a hallmark of weather or not someone is a genius on the football field. I think he is a great tactician and a questionable strategist. Intelligence is like a lightbulb-a 20 watter can outshine a 100 watter if it knows when and where to shine.

anyone gonna argue Buddy Ryans Genius? did he ever repeat the success of the 46..... No. did he still succeed as a great defensive minded coach?....

same thing. we're not going to see 500 point season, or anything close to the GSOT. that doesn't mean we aren't going to see some great offensive work. the first year with Martz was a bit rocky, but with Carimi and Webb (Hopefully) locking up the outside like they should will not only give Martz some felixibilty to get his long ball fix, but it will also open up the running game and give Cutler a CHANCE to use his mobility by design and not so much as Improv.

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