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Covert offers suggestions to improve Bears' pass blocking
Covert offers suggestions to improve Bears' pass blocking
Former lineman thinks Cutler could have quicker release sometimes and left tackle could use help from tight ends and running backs
Fred Mitchell
6:29 p.m. CDT, June 8, 2012
Jay Cutler caused a stir last month when he publicly questioned the development of the Bears' offensive line.
Jim Covert, considered the best left tackle in Bears history, has a different slant on the situation — especially with regard to oft-criticized J'Marcus Webb.
Covert believes Cutler sometimes holds the ball too long and he has other suggestions for the Bears to assist their linemen.
"(Webb) did pretty well (at left tackle)," Covert said. "It's a very difficult position to play. I've seen guys who played left tackle in college that the pros move to guard (Chris Williams, who's now moving back to left tackle).
"Or a guy gets drafted as a left tackle (Gabe Carimi) and they move him to right tackle. (The Bears) have a couple of those, right? A lot of that stuff happens. ..."
"(Webb) did an admirable job with a pretty good quarterback who maybe held on to it a little bit last year," Covert said. "But (Cutler) is a great player and if he gets rid of the ball. … he probably has one of the best arms in the league."
Covert, left tackle on the Super Bowl XX champs, was named to the NFL All-Decade Team in 1990. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Covert's NFL career was cut short in 1991 after back surgery.
He says offensive coordinator Mike Tice should be able to help Webb and the rest of the linemen with more creative schemes. Webb caught the brunt of the blame for sacks last season.
"You can run double tight (ends) every once in a while. … Or you can keep a (back in to block)," Covert said. "I mean, the Redskins did it for years with (coach) Joe Gibbs and they used two tight ends. That's why they didn't give up a lot of sacks.
"Everyone was saying: 'Well, that's a great offensive line.' Well, they were pretty good, but they (mostly) kept their tight ends and a back in there. A lot of times their job was to chuck the defensive end coming off the ball.
"(Fans) are thinking the left tackle is protecting people by himself all of the time, but really he isn't. You have to keep people honest. You can't have guys teeing off on you, especially on third-and-long."
Overall, Covert said he's disappointed when he watches most current NFL linemen.
"The technique nowadays is dreadful," said Covert, now president and CEO of The Institute for Transfusion Medicine. "You very rarely see guys punch(-block) people with their hands, get separation.
"In these days of the three-step drop … the short passing game … you can essentially shock the guy at the line of scrimmage and almost fall down and (the defender) won't get to the passer. Yet these (offensive linemen) continually back up and catch people and it is just frustrating to watch.
"You can't catch people, you have to shock people at the line of scrimmage. You have to stop them. Pass blocking is controlled aggression."
Covert singled out current offensive line coaches Pat Flaherty (Giants), Russ Grimm (Cardinals) and Paul Dunn (Falcons) as "good teachers who know the game well. But as a whole, (line play) is not very good."
"I was quite fortunate, I played left tackle in high school (and) in college (at Pittsburgh) for three years in a pro-oriented offense," Covert said. "We threw the ball about 40 times a game … with Dan Marino. I learned how to pass-block early (and) had a great teacher. Joe Moore, I think, was the best offensive line coach who ever lived."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...5119509.column
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I'm glad Jimbo agrees with what I've been saying all along about Webb. 
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Sometimes Cutler did hold on to the ball to long, and sometimes he failed to just chuck the ball safely out of bounds if nobody was open. Our WR's were part of the problem last year. They often had poor separation, poor route running & often there wasn't much for Cutler to throw to. Our WR upgrades, better scheme, and the use of TE's as receivers, should all help Cutler in this area. He WILL have great targets to throw to - early and often - all season long.
Cutler was simply trying to make "something out of nothing" and often it just wasn't there. Between the poor oline, poor WR corps, poor play calling -- it was almost criminal what we did to Cutler.
Last edited by JustAnotherBearsFan99; 06-08-2012 at 09:26 PM.
Brian Urlacher
Thanks For The Memories
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Originally Posted by
BigBadPapaBear 
I'm glad Jimbo agrees with what I've been saying all along about Webb.
It isn't that Webb has zero talent it's that he's not consistent and he makes too many mental mistakes. He needs to clean up those problems as much as anything but I do think Covert has a point. There are times when plainly he's over matched, like the second Viking game, and that's when he should get some help.
I do think there were times when Cutler held onto the ball too long but I attribute that more to the slow developing pass routes in Martz's offense than his indecision. I think that will change with this new offense. The ball will be coming out quicker, more play action to hold the rush for a moment, rollouts to his right away from the left side rush.
One way of the other either from Webb, CWill, or shifting Carimi to LT we'll see better pass blocking on that side of the line then we did last year.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. 
Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Well that's it then. We hire Covert as a mentor for LT's. 
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I didn't see this posted yet. It's from today on ESPN Chicago. Thought it might be worth putting here:
LINK to the article Cutler stands by offensive line concerns Chicago Bears quarterback
Jay Cutler might have raised some eyebrows when he said last month that the offensive line was "definitely going to be a concern," but he found one important supporter in veteran center
Roberto Garza.
"I talked to Garza about it and asked if anyone was offended. He said no. He agreed with me," Cutler said Friday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "(I) didn't throw anyone under the bus, didn't name anybody specifically and say that they are a weak link. I just said until we get that front five we'll see what happens. And I want those guys to push each other. I want them to compete and try to get in that starting lineup. Once we get those front five down and get a few weeks under their belt we're going to be fine."
Cutler has been sacked 110 times in 41 regular-season games with the Bears. His 52 sacks in 2010 were a league high, and he was sacked 23 times last year in just 10 games before a thumb injury ended his season.
"The people in the Bears building are sometimes a little bit sensitive," Cutler said. "You always want to be pro-Bears and compliment your teammates and stuff but ... over a three-year career here (the offensive line is) definitely at the forefront of my mind ever year. Until we get those front five hammered down we're still kind of up in the air offensively even though we've got some really, really talented guys on the outside."
Brian Urlacher
Thanks For The Memories
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Originally Posted by
soulman It isn't that Webb has zero talent it's that he's not consistent and he makes too many mental mistakes. He needs to clean up those problems as much as anything but I do think Covert has a point. There are times when plainly he's over matched, like the second Viking game, and that's when he should get some help.
I do think there were times when Cutler held onto the ball too long but I attribute that more to the slow developing pass routes in Martz's offense than his indecision. I think that will change with this new offense. The ball will be coming out quicker, more play action to hold the rush for a moment, rollouts to his right away from the left side rush.
One way of the other either from Webb, CWill, or shifting Carimi to LT we'll see better pass blocking on that side of the line then we did last year.
Soul plenty of guys on that line made mental mistakes last year. All the sacks that Cutler took didn't just come as a result of Webb getting beat. Heck some people make it sound as if we have 4 Pro Bowlers handling the other 4 spots on that line. And I agree they should provide Webb some help when he faces off with the premier pash rushers. Not many can handle Jared Allen one on one.
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Originally Posted by
BigBadPapaBear Soul plenty of guys on that line made mental mistakes last year. All the sacks that Cutler took didn't just come as a result of Webb getting beat. Heck some people make it sound as if we have 4 Pro Bowlers handling the other 4 spots on that line. And I agree they should provide Webb some help when he faces off with the premier pash rushers. Not many can handle Jared Allen one on one.
I know one thing BBPB. I'm hoping you are right about Webb, and I think you could be. He could still end up being "The Guy" at LT. I hope so anyway.
If Webb does end up being solid this season, proving you right, I think the message board folks here need to chip in and buy you a Webb jersey to celebrate. I'm serious. IF Webb works out this year we're going deep into the playoffs. It will be a GREAT year to be a Bears fan. I know I'll be happy as a clam to see Webb be successful.
Brian Urlacher
Thanks For The Memories
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Originally Posted by
JustAnotherBearsFan99 I know one thing BBPB. I'm hoping you are right about Webb, and I think you could be. He could still end up being "The Guy" at LT. I hope so anyway.
If Webb does end up being solid this season, proving you right, I think the message board folks here need to chip in and buy you a Webb jersey to celebrate. I'm serious. IF Webb works out this year we're going deep into the playoffs. It will be a GREAT year to be a Bears fan. I know I'll be happy as a clam to see Webb be successful.
JABF, while everyone is focused on Webb they better pay attention to the other guys on the line. We still have to see how Carimi plays this year as well as whoever ends up being our LG. Garza and Louis are the only two that I'm personally not worried about in terms of how they will play. With a new offensive scheme being put into place, I'm not as concerned about Webb as I would be if Martz was returning. People need to put that Martz nightmare in the back of their heads because we aren't going to be running these pass plays that take forever to develop. We're not going to be seeing a game called liek we did that Monday night when the Giants cleaned Cutler's clock.
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Originally Posted by
short faced bear Well that's it then. We hire Covert as a mentor for LT's.
We could do worse. That guy was one hell of a LT. He and Kurt Becker, before Becker was inured and Thayer took his spot, where two mean ass SOB's. If you beat them they took it as a personal insult and would beat the shit out of you the rest of the game. Becker was a mad man.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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