Thread: NFP:Five adjustments to Offensive Game Plan

Originally Posted by BearStuff

Five adjustments I would make to the game plan in Chicago. Matt Bowen
September 27, 2011, 11:00 AM EST


From my perspective, this Bears’ offense under Mike Martz is broken. No other way to say it after seeing this unit struggle to execute, put together drives and score points in consecutive losses vs. two pressure defenses: New Orleans and Green Bay.
But how do you fix it? Because with the style of defense the Bears play under Lovie Smith, they will have opportunities. Here are five adjustments I would make this week in practice before the Panthers come to town on Sunday.
ICONTime to make some adjustments to the offensive game plan in Chicago.
1. Change the run game: Martz wants to use his O-Line to pull on the Stretch G (front-side guard pull strong), the Counter OF (front-side guard pull weak), etc. Why not get back to basics, run the Lead Open, Lead Strong or the quick inside trap out of the one-back look? Matt Forte can hit the hole, get up field and produce. Win up front, put a body on the linebackers and play some physical football. Quick, downhill plays.
2. Give Cutler some options: Going to take a dedication to the run game, but when you can test a defense up front, it gives the QB some opportunities to throw the vertical route tree off of play action, use the boot (or swap boot) and get outside of the pocket in the sprint game. What I am talking about here is creating opportunities to pick up explosive gains in the passing game. Isaac Bruce, Az Hakim and Torry Holt aren’t going to play for the Bears this weekend. Time to set up the WRs on this roster to make some plays.
3. Align Hester inside of the numbers: This has been talked about since Martz arrived in Chicago, but why aren’t we seeing more of it? Think about this: Hester vs. a No.3 CB from the slot. With his lateral quickness, a two-way go (work both inside and outside release) and open field ability, there is no question I would have him working inside. Run the option route, the seam and the 3-step game. That’s where he belongs in this system.
4. Forget the gadget plays: Aligning in the Wildcat, the reverses, added window dressing on route concepts, etc. I understand that offensive coordinators can’t help it when they draw up these exotic plays on the chalkboard, but this offense isn’t good enough to waste field position or to set up adverse down and distance situations. Run the offense that you have practiced since early August.
5. Set up third and manageable situations: When your offense is (consistently) in third and 8-plus, the playbook shrinks. There are three to four routes you can run to move the sticks—and the defense knows it. This offense needs to have the ability to run the 3-step route tree, throw the flat, use the running game or take a shot vs. an 8-man front. No question Cutler has to throw the ball better, but it helps when you have the entire game plan to work with on thrid downs.

And every single one of these things have been talked about by us rank amateurs and arm chair QB's for as long as I can remember. So why is that a guy who makes a million a year and wants more can't figure this out and just do it?

I think I know why. Martz stuck his neck out when he refused that extension this past offseason. He knows that the Bears can win games behind their defense with a half way decent balanced ball control attack that utilizes more 3 and 5 step drops, play action, rollouts, shotgun sets and a more direct simplified running attack that takes advantage of the size we've added in the Oline.

The real problem is that it's pretty unlikely that would boost the Bears offense much farther up the charts than it did last year. With our defense we don't need a top 5 or even a top 10 offense to compete for another Championship. What we need is a lower risk more consistent one that can routinely put 24 to 30 points on the board and win TOP battles, turn back big plays, and hold teams to FG's two out of three trips to the redzone.

That will win us games but it won't get Martz the raise he's looking for since once again he'll be told that the Bears won't pay top dollar for an offense that's only rated in the top 20 somewhere. He knows JA will use the very same excuse he's now trying with Matt Forte denying that he's an elite back. Martz will be thanked and given some credit but will be told he hasn't provided an elite offense so they can't pay him like he has.

Some of you may think this is a little crazy but think about it for just a minute. We made it to the NFC Championship Game in 2010 with the 30th ranked offense and because of that Martz got stiffed on his extension while at the same time watched Tice get a nice raise and a promotion. Now consider Martz's ego. What has his playcalling so far this year indicated? So far despite losing 2 out or three games Jay Cutler is still averaging nearly 300 yards per game and once again Matt Forte's average is back down to 3.4 YPC. Somethings wrong with this picture.

When Jay's average per game was closer to 200 yards than 300 and Forte's average YPC was a good yard per carry higher we were winning two out of three games instead of losing two out of three. Martz is right back to his early 2010 offense because he hopes it will boost the yardage which is how teams are rated, not by wins. Truth be told I think Martz is so arrogant he thinks he can win with anyone so long as they will play his system the way he wants it played and he refuses to see reality. He doesn't have the horses to make it work.

So the Bears drop back to an 8-8 or a 9-7 year but if he can push that yardage number, especially the passing yards, up he wins. That as much as anything is what is behind his hopes for RWill. Just his talk about him getting 70 or 80 catches in this system said it all. He's trying to regain his rep, his glory and a nice pay raise and if the Bears won't give it to him he leaves and rises to the top of somebody else's list. Mike Martz is playing this for Mike Martz and that's why in my opinion he needs to go now.

This offense is in complete disarray and when your QB doesn't even have a clue as to how to go about making it better then there's trouble right here in River City, and starts with an M and it rhymes with farts and that stands for Martz.

Originally Posted by motownbear

1. Damn soul you just wrote an article for a response lol

2. Get a number one wr

3. Admit Hester is just a gimmick player and knox is a slot wr an put Bennett as the number two guy

4. Cut Roy Williams

5. Get a lg

6. Get a rg

7. Get a c

8. Get a lt

Now that you realize we have that many holes on the offense ask yourself why our gm still has a job after ten years of the same bullshit

I do that often but so far none of your fvckers will hire me full time.

2) Or a better #2 than Roy F'n Williams which leaves me to agree with #4 too. This year we could have lived with receiver by comittee but one of the members should not have been that asshat.

3) I disagree. We should put Hester in the slot 20 -25 times per game when were between the 20's. In the red zone put Sanz in since hands and a good precision route trumps Hesters speed. Right now Knox and Bennett should get the starts at SE and Flanker just as soon as Bennett is healthy. Begin to phase RWill our and Hurd in on 3rd downs along with Bennett and either Knox or Hester. Sanz in a 4 WR set.

5-7) Nothinh we can do anymore this year so we wait to see where we are by years end with these guys. Carimi and Louis haven't played enough to know how they'll work out and I'd say so far Webb and CWill have been serviceable. I wouldn't hesitate to replace one or the other though with whoever is replaced becoming the utility guy.

Sorry about the length but Matt Bowen is spot on and right now I'm developing a really hard ass attitude towards Martz. To me he's an arrogant asshole.

Agree with 1,2,4,5. #3 won't work because Hester is timid with over the middle routes. Sorry but it's true. He doesn't like playing with his head turned. Looking straight ahead , returning punts/ ko's, he's fearless. When he can't see whats coming, he get's the jitters.