Thread: Tice A Better Match For Run Oriented Bears............

I think this article makes two thing fairly clear. 1) That Mike Tice was always in Lovies plans as the OC after Martz left, and 2) That we lose the least amount of ground offensively by promoting him over hiring someone else.

It's a fact that Tice knows not only the talents and limitations of his offensive line but those of Jay Cuter, Matt Forte and especially the teams bevy of WR's. There's really no question about the lack of top flight talent at WR and along with whoever is hired as the passing game coordinator elevating that part of the offense and better support for Jay Cutler should be one of the first things on his "to do list".

Fortunately it looks as if there will be a good supply of veteran WR hitting the free agent market this March so let's hope that Tice in congress with the new GM will go out and find the best one they can and finally give Jay Cutler that elusive #1 pass catcher he needs. Outside of a better LT than Webb there is no other position on the Bears that needs upgrading more than WR. The added benefit is that in addition to free agents the draft also has any number of WR who might also be a good fit and with 4 picks in the first 100 we should surely be able to nab one there as well.

One thing I didn't realize about Tice was just how well his Vikings offensives performed when he was the HC there. He coached top 10 offenses in 4 out of his 5 years as the Vikes HC so his reputation for success is encouraging. Personally I think the promotion of Tice was the best route to follow and the one that made the most sense. The only thing left to do so as to not drop the ball on Cutler again is to get him the QB Coach and Passing Game Coordinator that he prefers to work with and that big target WR to throw to.

My feeling is that if they can get this done we won't see the Bears offense kicked around in 2012 the way it has been in the past. We have a franchise QB, a franchise RB and a young and developing OLine so just by adding that franchise WR and some additional depth we should make a nice leap forward.

I'm so glad we pursued and landed Cutler a QB that can flat out sling the rock and then decided to surround him with a garbage line and a run-first mentality. At least grab someone he can chuck it up in the air to that will go and get it.

I understand you have to run to win the game, but we have a proven QB that's just aging with nothing to show for it.

That is why they need weapons for Jay.. I know Forte is a beast, but it's time for Jay to consistently get some 300+ yard passing games with lots of touchdowns. He can do it, but he needs some help.

I personally have no qualms with Lovie Smith's "get off the bus running" mentality. This philosophy has won a lot of games for us over the last few years against these teams that throw for 300+ yards per game and don't run the football nearly as much. If we can balance it better with more consistent passing performances out of Cutty by building up the OL with better tackles and get him a couple of WR to throw to, I think we'll do just fine. Let's just pray to Jesus that whomever this new GM is doesn't leave $19 million in cap money leftover.

Originally Posted by Bear Goggles

I'm so glad we pursued and landed Cutler a QB that can flat out sling the rock and then decided to surround him with a garbage line and a run-first mentality. At least grab someone he can chuck it up in the air to that will go and get it.

I understand you have to run to win the game, but we have a proven QB that's just aging with nothing to show for it.

You're right kegger. No doubt that's the biggest need as far as any skill position goes. The two best things we have going for us are the fact that there should be a fair number of #1 WR's in FA and we should soon have a new GM who won't be shy about spending the $$$ to get one of them. I just don't want to trust any first round pick to be an immediate difference maker no matter how good he may have looked in college.

Tice had Randy Moss on his team when he coached the Vikes so surely he knows the advantage of what having a receiving threat like that can mean to overall balance. I don't see him ignoring the pass but I do see him greatly simplifying the pass routes and the dependency on such precise timing that the smallest miscue results in picks the way it seemed to work out all too often under Martz. Like many former coaches and players have said any system which requires a QB and the WR's two years to learn is worthless in today's game. You don't get two or three years to install an offense.

I think the key to the success of his offense is to go back to using a strong run game to set up the pass. To make play action and rollouts more effective. That's the kind of an offense Cutler can thrive in because that's what he had in Denver. Cutler needs the freedom to create with his arm and his feet and I hope Tice gives him that.

Originally Posted by Jimmors

lol..."we get off the bus running" while the rest of the league moves towards a pass-happy league.

Originally Posted by gammabears

That is why they need weapons for Jay.. I know Forte is a beast, but it's time for Jay to consistently get some 300+ yard passing games with lots of touchdowns. He can do it, but he needs some help.

Well it's for sure Tice's Vikings didn't put up those kind or yardage and scoring number with a 3 yards and a cloud of dust style offense. In those days they killed that Bears far more with guys like Moss, Burleson, and Kliensasser than they did with Robert Smith.

I think what they're pointing out is that Tice's offensive style is based off of the run and the deep passing game. It's not a WCO that moves the ball through the air coupled with a downfield passing game and it's not a pass happy "Air Coryell" offense like Martz was trying to run without the players to run it with. That's what it's telling me at any rate.