Thread: Fact or Fiction: Mike Tice is in over his head as a playcaller.

I'll go along with Greenberg here but my answer is half yes and half no. The problem is that he's an inexperienced play caller whose learning as he goes. One of these days it would be nice to be out of the mode of having to struggle offensively due in part to our OC and his play calling.


Jon Greenberg: Fiction.He's pretty tall. Tice hasn't been the savior we all wished for in replacing Mike Martz. He's definitely still in a transition phase calling plays for the first time as an offensive coordinator. Martz was legendary at designing plays to get guys open, but he couldn't adapt to a changing league and the Bears' limited personnel. Tice doesn't quite have the feel for this team yet, and the Bears' first-quarter woes signify his struggles to formulate a game plan. Maybe he doesn't have the creativity for this job, but I'd like to think he's getting better every week, and hey, his guys on the line didn't give up a sack last week against Houston, so some things are improving. It'll be interesting to see how he calls plays if Campbell starts in San Francisco.

The statement I bold faced in black is exactly what I see as the problem. Too little experience and too much learning on the job. I think we'd be better off if he turned that part of the job over to Bates but apparently his ego prevents that. I see that as his biggest failing so far.

Still Greenberg is correct. There were some signs of improvement and that he's learning from his past mistakes. Now if he can just keep improving and undo some of his horrible personnel decisions he may actually give himself and his offense a better shot at winning games.

Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

t'll be interesting to see how he calls plays if Campbell starts in San Francisco.

Yes it will be interesting because he will be forced to run the ball more than 12 times and we will win because of it.

I really can't get on board with anything these guys are saying. They all went fiction out of respect and self preservation, self preservation coming from the fact that they have to work with Tice in the media and what not. They know he reads this crap, all the staff and players read it.

"Tice's playcalling didn't result in Brandon Marshall dropping a catchable ball in the end zone, Kellen Davis' fumble or Cutler's two interceptions in the first half against the Texans. Tice can dial up the plays, but it's up to the players to execute them."

Coulda fooled me, we fired Martz because the players didn't execute, why not Tice? Moreover, Kellen Davis is being misused and I blame Tice for his fumble. Everyone on this board knows that Davis is a Red Zone threat only. He makes that exact same play in the End Zone and everything is fine, ball caught, play over, touchdown. But genius Tice decides to call his number at mid field where he has been ineffective all year. Not surprised something like that happened at all.

The fact the line didn't give up a sack caused a pause. Carimi was much improved.

fiction, but I think the truth is in the middle

Tice is doing fine. He does need to adjust slightly better, but his system is one that allows Culter to Audible.

I do not want to compare Tice to Martz but they both held the same job.

How Tice does against the 9ers will be a big factor. I hope Cutler can be back, but I don't want them to rush him just because Tice does not think that he can call the right plays with a back-up QB.


I sure hope that Tice sets up the run with some long passes early. Campbell has the big arm just like Cutler and if he can complete a long pass or even come close to completing a long pass it will keep San Fran from stacking the box.


Tice must do a good job of conveying the strategy to Campbell so he knows that a longer pass is vital to setting up the game plan.


I think Cutler and Tice worked well together to make up a game strategy, but the test will be if Tice can do that Campbell also.


I did not like the fact that Tice did not see that Bush's running style was better for the bad field than Forte's style. He should have stayed with Bush on a couple more series than he did.