This Weeks Ten Observations................
10 observations on the Bears
BY MARK POTASH mpotash@suntimes.com November 28, 2011 1:01PMView Gallery
Updated: November 28, 2011 9:19PM
Caleb Hanie lost a game that Jay Cutler would have won. But until he loses a game that Caleb Hanie should have won, there’s no reason to get too panicky over the performance of the Bears’ back-up quarterback. (I think this is a good way to put it. With Cutler playing his usual game we win this one hands down but we knew it was 50-50 with Hanie because it was his first start. That's Hanie's one gimme. This week it's HIS game to win)
If Hanie had started strong and thrown three interceptions in the second half with a chance to win the game, you might have something there. But almost every mistake he made was pretty typical for a young quarterback making is first NFL start against a good pass-rushing team on the road. (I'm not so sure we could have survived three picks no matter when they came but I do know that the last one was the pivotal one as far as winning or losing the game was concerned and I think most of immediate football watching world knows that too.)
The big question is how quickly he learns. Hanie’s second NFL start will be at Soldier Field on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs — who rank 20th in yards allowed, but more importantly are last in the NFL with 13 sacks in 11 games. If he throws three picks and has a sub-80 passer rating in this game, the Bears have a problem. (The weekly "no shit" statement from the Sun-Times own Captain Obvious, lol)
(Though it’s worth noting that Ben Roethlisberger — a quarterback even more accomplished in the NFL than Cutler — had an 81.8 rating against the Chiefs on Sunday night on 21-of-31 passing for 193 yards, a touchdown and an interception.)
Maybe 11 weeks of Lovie Smith is wearing on me, but all the Bears have to improve from top to bottom this week, not just Hanie. Mike Martz has to call a better game. Special teams has to give Hanie better field position. And the defense has to create more than one turnover. That’s the formula that’s going to carry the Bears through the Cutler injury. (Well the play calling issues are an obvious problem and all we can hope for is that Lovie jumped all over Martz about that again!!!!!! this week. Special teams (I think he means Hester) couldn't do much against the best punter in the NFL. An 80 yard punt???? Come on man that's inhuman! Turnovers? Well we had our chances if only Tim Jennings could cover a ball up as well as he covers most WR's. Two missed chances there to prevent FG's by my count.)
But the bottom line is that nothing happened in Sunday’s loss to the Raiders that altered the Bears’ course this season. This was expected to be a difficult one. The real test for the Bears in the post-Cutler phase of their season begins Sunday. (I agree 100% with this statement. The Raider game was a somewhat anticipated bump in the road. As long as we get back on track again this Sunday it remains a bump in the road.)
And now the slide show;
CLICK HERE for 10 other observations from the Bears-Raiders game: