Martz's Hate Affair With Hanie Surfaces Again? Enderle Gets 2nd Team Reps

**soulman** · 08-15-2011, 09:33 PM

ESPN

Updated: August 15, 2011, 8:29 PM ET

Nate Enderle takes second-team reps

Comments 16

By Jeff Dickerson
ESPNChicago.com
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BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- In a surprise move, Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Nate Enderle handled all the reps with the second team, instead of No. 2 Caleb Hanie, during practice on Monday.

Enderle, the Bears' fifth-round draft pick out of Idaho, was 7-for-10 for 110 yards and one interception in the team's preseason opener versus the Buffalo Bills last Saturday night.
Hanie completed 3-of-7 passes and scored the team's lone touchdown on a 4-yard run.
"It's no punishment, it's no rewards," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "You look at how a guy played and that determines what types of reps he gets the following the week. Nate hasn't gotten hardly any reps in practice. He did a few things and we want to see what he can do when he gets a few more reps at practice.
"Caleb didn't play as well as I thought he did initially. But (it was the) first preseason game and all the guys will get better."

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Hanie's position on the depth chart has been in constant flux ever since the Bears hired offensive coordinator Mike Martz prior to the 2010 season. After the former undrafted free agent got hurt last year in the Bears preseason opener in San Diego, Martz pushed for the organization to sign a veteran quarterback. The club eventually settled on Todd Collins, who turned in a disastrous performance (four interceptions) filling in for a concussed Jay Cutler Week 5 at Carolina. Martz then promoted Hanie back to No. 2 only to re-insert Collins in the backup role for the remainder of the season following the Bears' bye week in November.
That depth chart tweak by Martz cost the Bears dearly in the NFC Championship game, when Collins once again turned out to be ineffective in relief of Cutler. Hanie eventually came off the bench and nearly led the Bears back from a 14-0 fourth-quarter deficit. He was 13-of-20 for 153 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions against one of the NFL's top defenses.

Hanie had a rough last week of practice with several interceptions on consecutive days in the red zone.

"We're trying to work through some new plays so it's not going to time up right sometimes," he said. "Bad throw, bad route, everything that can happen in practice. ... You don't want to throw picks ever, but sometimes it's necessary (in practice) for the learning process. Or not necessary but you're glad that it happens sometimes because looking back on it, you learn a lot from them."

The Bears' second official depth chart is due out later this week in advance of the second preseason game against the Giants on Monday night at New York.

Enderle's first inkling the coaching staff planned to make the change came in Monday's practice "when Coach Martz yelled out my name."
"I just go in when they tell me to go in," Enderle said. "It's good to get the mental reps in, sitting back and watching the older guys do it, but it's also nice to get in and also physically get the reps."

Getting some early reps helped Enderle be ready for his first professional game experience on Saturday.

"The first week (of training camp) was good," Enderle said, "because Caleb being (a veteran free agent) had to sit out that first week, so I got a lot more reps than I thought I was ever going to get, so that helped a bunch. Now it's kind of what I expected in practice.

"The speed of the game isn't so much different but you have to be more precise. Everybody is a good athlete and everybody's doing their job right, so it's just who has better technique."

Hanie left the practice field without comment. Martz only addresses the media one time per week on Wednesday.
Jeff Dickerson covers the Bears for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000. Melissa Isaacson contributed to this report.

**short faced bear** · 08-15-2011, 09:36 PM

Hell I expect Martz to do that type of thing. At least Hanie will be sacked less.

**soulman** · 08-15-2011, 09:44 PM

I may be reading way too much into this but then again I don't think so. It seems to me that since Hanie just isn't a "Martz Club Member" that Martz will use about any excuse he can find to demote him regardless of what he's proven about his abilities so far. This sound like still more of the same old "Todd Collins practiced better" bullshit we heard as last years excuse for why Collins was allowed to fvck up another game only this one was the NFCC Game.

Hanie came in an almost saved Martz's ass but now because he had a bad week of practice and didn't sparkle on Saturday (even though he's the one who put 6 points on the board) he get demoted for a rookie? Enderle played against 3rd and 4th string talent, got 1/3 of his passing yardage on one play and didn't get us into the endzone although I blame Martz's playcalling for that. Hanie had a well thrown ball sail right through the normally sure handed Earl Bennett's hands or his passing stats would have been much better. You can't blame Hanie for a blown catch.

Both QB's held onto the ball too long and Enderle, while far better as a rookie than Todd Collins was as a vet, is a statue in the pocket. He's totally incapable of making plays with his feet. Hopefully this switch is a very short term affair because so far Enderle has done little to earn the number two spot and Hanie has done nothing to lose it. JMO.

**blinddeafmute** · 08-15-2011, 10:05 PM

I don't mind competition. I hope like hell that this is just giving enderle a chance to prove his worth. We all know Hanie should be in the #2 spot.

**soulman** · 08-15-2011, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by blinddeafmute

I don't mind competition. I hope like hell that this is just giving enderle a chance to prove his worth. We all know Hanie should be in the #2 spot.

I know I'm predjudiced because Hanie is a CSU guy and I followed him in college but damn the guy has got to feel totally jacked around with by Martz and if it keeps up I think he'll leave after this year when he becomes an URFA. That would be a shame because I think he's the perfect #2 for Cutler and I think he'd play behind him too just like Kubiak did behind Elway but not if Martz keeps dicking around with him.

I feel another Greg Olsen like thing happening here and I hope like hell we toss Martz after this season. I'll never believe he's the right OC for the Bears and I hate the way that Lovie seems to refuse to stand up to him. Every time he makes one of these moves Lovies comments sound unconvincing and more like he was Martz's press agent than his boss.

**4th and 26** · 08-16-2011, 04:48 AM

I trust Mike Martz more than any other coach on this team but JA needs to get him talent so he can work his magic again like he did in St Louis.

**Henry Burris** · 08-16-2011, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by 4th and 26

I trust Mike Martz more than any other coach on this team but JA needs to get him talent so he can work his magic again like he did in St Louis.

If JA had 3 wishes, and one of them was to know who he should draft each year, he'd still **** that up.

**Riczaj01** · 08-16-2011, 11:22 AM

Haine held onto the ball way to long in that pre season game; maybe he's just sending him a message of get the F'n ball out of your hands!
I don't know if it's just Martz, again Haine time and time again made this coaching staff look stupid for not playing him, and we all know this coaching staff hates to be proven wrong.

**4th and 26** · 08-16-2011, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

Haine held onto the ball way to long in that pre season game; maybe he's just sending him a message of get the F'n ball out of your hands!
I don't know if it's just Martz, again Haine time and time again made this coaching staff look stupid for not playing him, and we all know this coaching staff hates to be proven wrong.

The coaching staff has looked stupid for years yet the ownership is even more stupid to keeping these coaches.

**soulman** · 08-16-2011, 11:52 AM

Hanie bounces back from early sacks

By Sean Jensen sjensen@suntimes.com August 14, 2011 6:50PM

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie (12) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in the first half an NFL preseason football game in Chicago, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Updated: August 15, 2011 2:11AM

Few Bears had a rougher week of practice than backup quarterback Caleb Hanie. And it hardly was an ideal way to start the preseason Saturday, by taking two sacks on his first two drop-backs. But Hanie regrouped, leading the Bears on the game’s only touchdown drive. He completed an 11-yarder to receiver Johnny Knox, and then scored on a four-yard keeper.

“It was kind of middle of the road for me,” Hanie said. “I missed a couple of things that I’d like to have back.” The key was no turnovers. Hanie did a nice job of moving the offense last week during practices, but he soured many drives with red-zone interceptions. Against the Bills, Hanie was a modest 3-for-7 for 32 yards, but he didn’t have any turnovers.

“I just wanted to show some poise, move the team down the field and score,” Hanie said. “I’m not worried about the numbers — that’ll come with execution.” Hanie was encouraged by the team’s ability to run the ball. The Bears pounded 164 rushing yards, averaging 4.7 yards per carry.

“That’s a good base to have, a good start,” he said.

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