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Finally, a use for Bears tight ends
Steve Rosenbloom
The RosenBlog
9:31 a.m. CST, December 6, 2012
The more Bears receivers who go down with injuries and struggle to return, the more embarrassing Lovie Smith looks with his Kellen Davis nonsense.
Truth is, even with a full complement of receivers, Smith looks embarrassing with his Davis nonsense.
The Bears coach talks up his big, useless, starting tight end all the time, obviously unconcerned with the massive hole where his credibility used to be.
Smith’s deathless quote is that Davis “can do all the things the good tight ends can do.’’
Except block, remain upright and catch the stinkin’ ball.
Smith’s laughable description of Davis ranks right up there with “Devin Hester is a No. 1 receiver.’’
Then again, that’s what you’d expect from an addled coach who said he erred in going for it on fourth-and-inches against Seattle and immediately said he would do it again. Wait, you’d choose to make a losing mistake again?
Some would argue that Smith makes that kind of mistake everytime Davis is on the field.
Davis has 14 catches and seemingly as many drops. He has 185 yards and two touchdowns, but the catches are the big thing. Or the little thing -- Davis’ total ranks behind 40 tight ends.
Yes, 40. In a 32-team league. That means some teams have two tight ends who are more productive than the Bears’ starter.
The issues of Smith’s ragged player evaluation and Davis’ ragged performance become particularly acute this week in the wake of the injuries to wide receivers.
Hester, the previous example of Smith’s offensive cluelessness, is coming back from a concussion and a demotion. Earl Bennett, who replaced Hester, suffered a concussion himself. Alshon Jeffery is coming back from his latest injury, meaning he’s just a couple plays away from his next one.
So, the Bears are down to, what, Eric Weems and Dane Sanzenbacher? I’m not sure who Weems scares, but I know that Sanzenbacher had one of the highest drop rates in the league last season.
No wonder Jay Cutler throws to Brandon Marshall even if he’s quintuple-covered. And no wonder Marshall is talking about bringing in receivers Joe Anderson and/or Michael Sims-Walker.
Someone.
Anyone.
I get that. I also get that the Bears’ passing game wouldn’t rank among the worst in the league if the coach knew what he was doing at a position that the rest of the NFL considers vital.
A couple weeks ago, the Bears faced Minnesota with an offensive line in chaos and a quarterback returning from a concussion. The game plan was reduced to quick, short passes and a commitment to the run even when the run was picking up less than three yards a carry.
The plan worked, with a lot of help from Vikings coach Leslie Frazier’s stupidity in putting the ball in Christian Ponder’s hands instead of Adrian Peterson’s inside the Bears’ 10-yard line.
As the Bears head to Minnesota this week, things seem more dire with Brian Urlacher’s injury to a defense that was sputtering even with him. The offense is expected to make up the difference, but that unit, too, has been ugly most of the season.
And now the offense is going into a place where audibles go to die. The Vikings' defense will be faster on the turf, so a quarterback needs a reliable safety valve. That’s usually the tight end, but the Bears have largely forfeited a position that would help Cutler greatly, especially this week.
But here’s the thing: There is a way Davis could help the Bears. Yes, staying in Chicago is a good answer, but it appears he will be making the trip, much to everyone’s chagrin.
So, he must make himself useful, and I have an idea that plays to Davis’ strengths, or at least his natural tendencies on the field:
If you’re going to fall down repeatedly, then use that 6-foot-7, 267-pound body to fall down repeatedly on Jared Allen’s knees.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...5927141.column
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
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in all fairness to lovie many bears fans thought davis was a stud and laughed at those saying we need an upgrade......
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It'll be interesting to see these bums come to life towards the end of the season to prove their worth. Even if Davis was used correctly by Tice he would still whiff on blocks and drop passes.
Hell, I would have settled for Clutts at TE. Could catch better than Davis and can at least block.
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
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Ouch. That was brutal. I think we need to replace Lovie, but don't think he is bad enough to crucify him like that. I'd agree with what he says, but boy, he sure twisted the knife pretty good.
I also had better hopes for Davis. The bad part -- (once again it sucks to have to say it) is why isn't he getting any better? I mean, I don't think he is as bad as he has been playing. Can't we bring him along even a LITTLE bit?
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I was one of the guys fooled by both K.Davis AND Hester, because they both looked like absolute studs in training camp. Seriously. I posted it here, and folks here (who were right) told me both of these guys were not good. I didn't believe them. Hester looked like the 2nd best WR after B.Marsh in camp. K.Davis made circus catches look easy. Seriously. But I was wrong.
I think that's why I get so hyped up upset with both of them. I'd be fine if we cut both of them today. But here's where I differ with the writer (Rosenbloom). Expecting the Head Coach to trash his players publicly during the season, just to make Rosenbloom feel good, is probably not going to happen. I just don't see that as Lovie Smith's style of coaching.
We desperately need a "real" offensive coordinator. We need to upgrade several positions in this post-Jerry Angelo era. But I don't think it helps anything for the head coach to start publicly throwing his own players under the bus. We are still in the hunt for a playoff berth this year. We are still in a position to be Division Champions. Why tear your own players apart now?
I don't agree with Rosenbloom at all. Yes, Emery has a lot to fix in this off season. No, it's not going to get fixed now.
Last edited by JustAnotherBearsFan99; 12-06-2012 at 02:56 PM.
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Originally Posted by
JustAnotherBearsFan99 
I think that's why I get so hyped up upset with both of them. I'd be fine if we cut both of them today. But here's where I differ with the writer (Rosenbloom). Expecting the Head Coach to trash his players publicly during the season, just to make Rosenbloom feel good, is probably not going to happen. I just don't see that as Lovie Smith's style of coaching.
No, I agree. It's definitely not, and I'm glad it's not. You shouldn't trash one of your players in public. Nor should you stick with them when everyone else can see they stink. That part he has a problem with.
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I agree with that BIH. He is overly loyal to players and coaches. It is a fault he has.
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Originally Posted by
bearsinhouston Ouch. That was brutal. I think we need to replace Lovie, but don't think he is bad enough to crucify him like that. I'd agree with what he says, but boy, he sure twisted the knife pretty good.
I also had better hopes for Davis. The bad part -- (once again it sucks to have to say it) is why isn't he getting any better? I mean, I don't think he is as bad as he has been playing. Can't we bring him along even a LITTLE bit?
Harsh words but well justified when it comes to the offensive side of the ball. This entire franchise has been a laughingstock on O for many years now. And there's no doubt that O hasn't been the focus or the strong suit of the GM or coaching staff either.
For years and years we flailed around with mediocre to terrible QBs as the league became more and more QB-centric.
When we finally secured a good one in trade, he was thrown in to "make do" with a pathetically bad WR corps.
As the NFL became more and more of a passing league, the obvious need for a big "go to" #1 wideout was dismissed and ignored year after year.
We were lied to as fans like we were children in being told over and over that Hester was a big-time flanker and that the puny other targets bought in would somehow magically work.
All along, the OL was neglected until it became one of the worst pass protecting units in the NFL 3 straight years running.
This year, after it took a new GM to finally start turning the ship around, the coaches told us again that the OC would have a "better scheme", there'd be a "package" for Hester, and (I really promise this time!) players like KDavis would be "developed".
Never happens. Despite the heroic efforts of Cutler and Marshall, it's hard to overcome a surrounding cast of players and coaches constantly under-performing on O. We still can't score on good teams and we still lose pretty much every such game unless the D holds them to 10 or puts points on the board itself. I'm sick of it.
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Kellen Davis is a wimp football player . I've seen his kind before . The guys who get up from practically every catch with that wounded 'ouch' look on their faces , would actually prefer not having to do it (and block one on one ) and are the kind who truly hate Sundays - when it's not practice and your opponent is playing for keeps .
It sux cuz the talent actually is there - but ( like a boxer who doesn't like getting hit ) it's NEVER gonna work with him . He doesn't like the pain and can't man up for 60 minutes on Sundays . If I was GM I'd have cut him 3yrs ago . You know it when you see it . I can't wait till he's off this team .
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Originally Posted by
Alf The Ref Kellen Davis is a wimp football player . I've seen his kind before . The guys who get up from practically every catch with that wounded 'ouch' look on their faces , would actually prefer not having to do it (and block one on one ) and are the kind who truly hate Sundays - when it's not practice and your opponent is playing for keeps .
It sux cuz the talent actually is there - but ( like a boxer who doesn't like getting hit ) it's NEVER gonna work with him . He doesn't like the pain and can't man up for 60 minutes on Sundays . If I was GM I'd have cut him 3yrs ago . You know it when you see it . I can't wait till he's off this team .
Might this also apply to Hester when he springs up from every incomplete pass he failed to position and fight for and then gestures adamantly for a PI call?
I'm sick of that shit too.
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