Thread: I'm here to eat my crow.

I thought we would win. Didn't think we would dominate, but thought we would win.

It was pretty painful to watch. It was like men against boys. We actually let them break our will. You could see that we were lost and most of the team was only half hearted after a while. Urlacher, Tillman, Briggs, Marshall -- those guys never quit, but the rest of the team seemed like they folded after they started to get spanked.

The line was horrible, and we were so outcoached -- we didn't have a clue how to mount an offense or how to stop them. I am disappointed in Marinelli. I don't expect much from Tice, but our defense is better than that and we made no effective adjustments.

And I hat to say it, but that young QB put ALL of our QBs to shame. Either they can really pick them, or they have a real QB factory down there. It seemed like they had our heads spinning with all their different looks. We can't even seem to get basic plays down, and the volume of different looks and plays these guys had was too overwhelming for us.

They are the best team we have played to date. The players were great and the coaches were even better.

Unless something changes drastically, we are going to need both tackles replaced. The thing is -- the rest of the teams we play will not be as good as these guys, so our illustrious coaching staff may think we are getting better when the difference is the level of competition.

I don't think we lose this bad again, but the post season could get really ugly -- assuming we get there. Did I mention the line was horrible? Thankg God Cutler did not play. Coming in right after a concussion, he might have ended up with some serious injury.

Originally Posted by Boochee Man

I truly believed that Bears defense would dominate and Alshon's return would jump start this offense. I was completely wrong. This Bears team will be lucky to win half of the games remaining on the schedule.

I'm here to eat some serious crow too...on 2 counts.

A) When Tice was elevated to OC, I was fully supportive. I actually hoped for it in advance in the name of "continuity" as someone who was in the system, knew the personnel, had been grooming the OL, and would be in an ideal position to learn from Martz's mistakes, especially when Bates was also brought in to assist with the passing game. I was totally wrong. Completely. He has been an abject failure and the offense has actually regressed even with the addition of 2 damn good WRs in Marshall and Jeffery and a complimentary RB (Bush) for Forte. Never would have believed that was possible. It is WORSE. Way worse. Tice's playcalling/gameplanning has been nothing short of terrible and he's been out-thought and out-coached week after week. Continuity be damned, I want him gone from the OC position for 2013...which of course only guarantees he will be kept on to get a "second chance" to wreck another season offensively.

B) JABF99, I owe you an apology, my friend. When you were all pessimistic and "sky is falling" about the OL in August and September I thought you were being too harsh and cynical. I thought the OL would be rough at first but "gel" with some personnel tweaks and time and good playcalling/scheme-ing to become better than last year. I thought it would by this point be damn good at run blocking and at least serviceable at pass protection. I didn't accept your prophecies of doom that the OL would unravel the season, despite adding some new offensive weapons. You were right and I was wrong. Completely wrong. The OL has been terrible with rare exception pretty much all along. Can't run block for more than a series or two and the pass pro has been pathetic.

I'm sure it has happenned somewhere sometime and correct me if I am wrong, but in 30 years of watching NFL football I can't recall ever having seen before a 2 second QB sack by a 3-man rush. I really can't remember ever seeing that and that's no joke. Maybe a 3-man rush that results in a very delayed "coverage sack", yes. But never an immediate pocket-collapsing sack with only 3 rushers. Yes, folks, we gave up a 2 second, sack-fumble-safety against a 3-man only rush. Digest that one for a minute. Pretty much says it all.

The formula for any decent team to beat the Bears is now well established on tape. You can bet it will be repeated in coming weeks.
1) D: Sell out early to contain Forte. Tice will pass. The Chi OL can't pass block. The playcalls will be predictable and unimaginative anyway. Marshall is the only guy you really need to worry about. All other "weapons" are either ineffective or won't be used correctly.
2) O: Just don't take chances and turn over the ball on offense. The Bears require turnovers to win. And you don't need to score all that much since the Bears O is impotent and can't come from behind. If you get up 7, the game is all but over as long as you protect the ball.
3) ST: Hester is a mere shadow of the threat he once was. Nothing much to worry about there if your punter and coverage teams are decent. He did almost break one in SF though...but it was in the wrong direction.

I don't see this team winning more than 9 games now.

Mr. Emery, at least 2 new starters on OL and a new OC please for 2013. Thank you.

This crow tastes like chicken if you use enough salt.

I haven't seen anyone panic. But to say we only lost a few games is to count up how many trees you have to sell when some are on fire and some are riddled with disease. It's not just about how many wins and losses you have -- sorry I know people think it is, but it's also about how you won or lost and who you won or lost to.

The only time the wins and losses are the only stats that count is when the season is over. Up until then, you have to weigh how you won or lost, who you won or lost against and then who you are playing next to gauge what might be the results. The only time that is not a valid course of action is after there are no more teams to play and gauge against -- after the season is over.

Originally Posted by Henry Burris

Plus, just about EVERY team has a horrible loss or two each year. This is ours. The other two losses were winnable.