Bears roundtable: 'They're going to run the ball like crazy'

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,4794457.story

Bears roundtable: 'They're going to run the ball like crazy'

Tribune report 9:25 a.m. CDT, August 13, 2012


The buzz about the Bears this season is strong, panelists on Monday morning’s Bears Roundtable on WSCR-AM 670 agreed, and the biggest difference will be the offense.

“I think they’re going to run the ball like crazy,” Matt Bowen of the Chicago Tribune said. “That’s coach (Mike) Tice. ’’

“They have to,” the Tribune’s Brad Biggs agreed. “It’s important to protect the defense. Run the ball. Run the clock.

“We’re seeing a transition from a defensive team to an offensive team.”

“That’s how you win in the NFL,” the Score's Zach Zaidman said. “They have to score points.”

Seven NFL experts dissected the team during the 2012 Bears Training Camp Roundtable, which featured experts from the Tribune and the Score. It aired on WSCR-AM 670.

Joining the Tribune's Biggs, Fred Mitchell and Bowen were the Score's Mike Mulligan, Brian Hanley, Zaidman and Laurence Holmes. It followed on the heels of the popular NFL Draft Roundtable last April.

To conclude the show, panelists were asked to give their quick assessments of the team, after seeing almost three weeks of training camp.

Bowen: "I've been paying a lot of attention to the secondary. I like Chris Conte. ... I think we're going to see a lot of cover-2, because they don't have the corners to match up with Green Bay."

Holmes: "I hold them to the standard they hold themselves this year. Everyone on this team seems to be excited ... so I'm gonig to hold them to it. I think it's fair to expect them to be better than what they did last year. ... That left tackle thing is a real, real problem. ... If they don't have something to fix that problem, it lessens the excitement. But no one should lower their expectations."

Zaidman: "I expected to see Brian Urlacher. I haven't. That's a big deal."

Mitchell: "This season is going to be about the playmakers, about Peanut Tillman punching the ball out. Devin Hester returning a kick. The big plays. Those guys have to come through."

Biggs: "I was expecting to see a different offense when I got here and I think we've seen that with the change in the wide receivers. ... There's going to be questions about the defense this season. There have been moments in training camp where wide receivers have gone right past Charles Tillman. ... It will be interesting to see how the defense holds up, especially with Urlacher and his balky knee."

Didn't catch the show? You can still get their insights at chicagotribune.com/sports.
Copyright © 2012, Chicago Tribune

When it comes to running, I agree and I've been saying it since before the Forte signing.

4:32 PM CDT, August 11, 2012
Time to start seeing results from Webb

What stuck out more than poor play Thursday night wasJ'Marcus Webb's presence in the huddle in the fourth quarter of the exhibition opener.

http://www.trbimg.com/img-5026d661/t...20811/187/16x9 4:32 PM CDT, August 11, 2012
Jeffery off to a strong start

In an early August exhibition game, young talent is the focus when key veterans are given the night off. I look for technique, fundamentals and signs of development from rookies who should play a role this season.


http://www.trbimg.com/img-5026d802/t...20811/187/16x9 4:32 PM CDT, August 11, 2012
Woeful running game won't cut it

So what was learned from the first exhibition game, other than the NFL should be sued for fraud for charging regular-season prices for a glorified scrimmage?


http://www.trbimg.com/img-5026d83f/t...20811/187/16x9 4:32 PM CDT, August 11, 2012
Bears' true nature remains hidden

Preseason is illusion. Trying to figure out what's important from the practice fields in Bourbonnais takes up a ton of mental space and then poof, the regular season comes along and Shangri-La disappears. Under Lovie Smith, the Bears keep their plans clandestine and their looks vanilla. The team you see now won't look anything like the finished product.


http://www.trbimg.com/img-5026d7d2/t...20811/187/16x9 5:09 PM CDT, August 11, 2012
Developing depth should be Bears' top priority

Bears fans seek outright perfection from an imperfect team.


http://www.trbimg.com/img-5026d87a/t...20811/187/16x9 4:33 PM CDT, August 11, 2012
Mike Mulligan: Bears must avoid key injuries for any chance at success

It always has been about gifted front-line players in the Lovie Smith era. A dreadful 31-3 exhibition opener Thursday simply served as a reminder of that indisputable fact.


http://www.trbimg.com/img-5026d8b3/t...20811/187/16x9 4:33 PM CDT, August 11, 2012
Bears' prospects are all about the offense

Since Lovie Smith became head coach in 2004, the Bears have allowed the third-fewest touchdowns in the NFL and held opponents to just 19.4 points per game.


http://www.trbimg.com/img-502135a0/t...20807/187/16x9 August 11, 2012
Join us for a Bears roundtable discussion

Seven NFL experts. One hour, 8-9 a.m. Monday on WSCR-AM 670. It's the 2012 Bears Training Camp Roundtable, featuring experts from the Tribune and the Score.


Copyright © 2012, Chicago Tribune

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Preseason is illusion. Trying to figure out what's important from the practice fields in Bourbonnais takes up a ton of mental space and then poof, the regular season comes along and Shangri-La disappears. Under Lovie Smith, the Bears keep their plans clandestine and their looks vanilla. The team you see now won't look anything like the finished product.

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This.

Every year fans get their shorts in a knot thinking we're actually seeing something indicative of the "real" season, in these pre-season games.

Not under Lovie Smith. It just isn't so. It's all a glorified practice session, but against "real" competition from opposing teams.

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“I think they’re going to run the ball like crazy,” Matt Bowen of the Chicago Tribune said. “That’s coach (Mike) Tice. ’’

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Here's the deal. Tice isn't going to ignore the passing game talent we have. The game has evolved considerably in recent years. That old "three yards running and a cloud of dust" is dead. The NFL has evolved into a passing game, whether we like it or not.

Tice isn't stupid.

He will have a balanced offense. Plenty of running. Plenty of passing. But that bull crap of thinking we're going to "run like crazy" is just that. Crazy.

JABF, I didn't say he was going to ignore the run, or not have a balanced attack; that's actually what I've been saying..but compared to what many fans think they are going to see...that's going to be running the ball like crazy.

Many fans think we are going to be putting up NO's/GB passing #'s, and we're not.

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Originally Posted by Riczaj01

JABF, I didn't say he was going to ignore the run, or not have a balanced attack; that's actually what I've been saying..but compared to what many fans think they are going to see...that's going to be running the ball like crazy.

Many fans think we are going to be putting up NO's/GB passing #'s, and we're not.

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I understand and agree 100% with you. I was just commenting on the quote from the reporter. They're trying to spin some excitement with all these pre season things (and I "get it" that it's their job to do so). No problem with them either..

But there's no way we're going to magically become a "run like crazy" team. (if so, then somebody better get a copy of that memo to the oline :smile: who didn't exactly look like the Monsters of the Midway run blocking last Thursday :lol-032:)

That ol was atroushious on both sides...I watched the first qtr, and then stopped paying attention it was awful. I cannot imagine trying to watch that 2-3 times.

Pound the ball with the run and tire the other team out. Mix in passes to keep then honest. When the other team is good and tired, take to the air!

I think the bootleg was the only thing worth noting on offense from that game. If memory serves me well, it was perfectly executed from a blocking standpoint, but the pass wasn't intended to show what they're doing from there...

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Originally Posted by Riczaj01

That ol was atroushious on both sides...I watched the first qtr, and then stopped paying attention it was awful. I cannot imagine trying to watch that 2-3 times.

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I think that ever since my son was a LT, I got "hooked" on watching the oline. I learned from him, just how complex a great oline is, and how dependent each player is on the others. He teases me all the time because now I watch the oline MUCH more than I focus on the skill players. One of my wife's best friends has three sons who played for years as offensive linemen in the NFL after great college careers. Anyway, I'm all about the oline.

Even when the Bears oline stinks, I still like to watch and try to understand the facts of what's going on. The "talking heads" really don't always report accurately. And a lot of fans are clueless parrots repeating the erroneous information (player "A" sucks, is read in an article, and automatically, in THEIR mind player "A" always sucks). It's sad because fans can "brand" a player as a loser, and not recognize that players DO improve. Especially oline guys in their first 3 years.

I don't claim to know anything more or less than the next fan. So I don't take offense if folks disagree with me on this oline thing. That's fine. Maybe they're right and I'm wrong. BTW, I'm usually a "glass half full" guy on stuff.