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***2011 Chicago Bears Regular Season Thread*** (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter CutlerToCutler
- Start date
boubucarow
Footballguy
I was certain they would try to get as well. They think that they can teach any DE how to as great as they can be.'flapgreen said:Tribune reporting Bears interested in Maybin. I called it, not that it was difficult.
DoubleG
Footballguy
Ummm...Flap, you realize the season hasn't started yet, right? That was 1 preseason game after maybe a very shortened training camp. I don't think it's time to cut anyone for being a little ill-prepared and not being up to speed...that's kinda why they have 4 preseason games. The only mistake Tice made, imho, was to hand Webb the LT job right away. What would have been better (especially if he suspected Webb was a little more immature or taking things for granted) would have been to anounce that Carimi and Webb were competing for a single spot (whether it was to be LT or RT is irrelevent). They seem reluctant to hand Spencer (a veteran - albiet a younger one) the starting center job - why they didn't do the same with Webb at LT is beyond me.Now he's practicing with more of a purpose? It's a little late for that now. If he wasn't practicing with much of a purpose before, he doesn't need to be on the team. His technique isn't going to improve in a week. Where's Al Davis when you need him? J'Marcus Webb is a great player.
flapgreen
Footballguy
I don't know about that one. How about handing the job to Louis and Webb right way? Louis is an embarrassment to the sport of football. Now Edwin Williams's name is in the mix. wtf. Makes absolutely no sense. Most coaches say that there's always a competition at most positions, not announcing the starting lineup before the first preseason game. Outside of Garza and Carimi, none of our offensive linemen would even be starting in the NFL. Another Tice quote: "If a guy continues to practice well he's going to play well," Tice insisted, pointing to Guard Lance Louis as an example. Louis was beat twice for sacks yet has had a great training camp. "We don't want to play musical lines right now, and we don't want to hit the panic button, the numbers are what they are," he said.Ummm...Flap, you realize the season hasn't started yet, right? That was 1 preseason game after maybe a very shortened training camp. I don't think it's time to cut anyone for being a little ill-prepared and not being up to speed...that's kinda why they have 4 preseason games. The only mistake Tice made, imho, was to hand Webb the LT job right away. What would have been better (especially if he suspected Webb was a little more immature or taking things for granted) would have been to anounce that Carimi and Webb were competing for a single spot (whether it was to be LT or RT is irrelevent). They seem reluctant to hand Spencer (a veteran - albiet a younger one) the starting center job - why they didn't do the same with Webb at LT is beyond me.
Sounds like a guy totally out of touch with the situation he is in, or a guy who has no control or say so over anything being done. I'm lost. If the line has anywhere near the same performance on Monday night as they did last game, you put in Spencer and move Garza to RG. For the life of me, I can't figure out why they didn't from the start. So Louis is more ready to start RG than Spencer is at center and Garza is at RG? Pathetic. Can't wait until next season. "Loius and Webb have trimmed down. They're in the best shape of their lives. They need more to to gel" blah blah blah
As far as the statements by Tice and Webb go, it had nothing to do with a lack of preparation or being out of game shape. It was a lack of intensity and in essence a lack of heart. When you're a 7th rounder, you better go all out on every down and work your butt off year round if you want to have a chance to start on an NFL team, unless you play in Chicago it appears. The entire side of the offense is not only the weakest part of the team. It's now became a point of distraction because of all of Martz's and Tice's antics. It's very unfortunate because that's no how Lovie has handled business up until this point. Sad. :(
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twistd
Footballguy
What I find curious is that the general consensus is that Mike Tice is a great line coach and a good developer of young talent. I've believed that too. But there seems to be some sort of disconnect. Last year the Bears were one of the worst lines in the league. They gave up the most sacks. They did get better as the year progressed, but when you are the worst to start with you can't go anywhere but up.
Webb, Chris Williams, and Louis are all young talent that got playing time last year. Webb graded out as the worst RT in the league last year, but now he is moved to LT. I saw almost no improvement in his play last year. Williams is mediocre at best, seemingly a better guard than tackle, but not very good at either. He doesn't seem to have improved at all. And Louis has been pretty bad too. Now if Tice is such a great developer of young talent than why have these guys not gotten any better? And if Tice is such a great line coach than why is this line one of the worst in the league? Either they have given him extremely poor talent, or he is vastly over-rated.
The Bears felt comfortable enough with the talent on the roster that they didn't go after anyone other than Carimi, Spencer and Colon. So they must believe that their guys are better than the free agents that were out there. So apparently the front office believes that the talent that is there is all right. So either the front office is way off in their talent evaluation, and they are asking Tice to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, or there is talent there and Tice is doing a poor job of coaching.
Webb, Chris Williams, and Louis are all young talent that got playing time last year. Webb graded out as the worst RT in the league last year, but now he is moved to LT. I saw almost no improvement in his play last year. Williams is mediocre at best, seemingly a better guard than tackle, but not very good at either. He doesn't seem to have improved at all. And Louis has been pretty bad too. Now if Tice is such a great developer of young talent than why have these guys not gotten any better? And if Tice is such a great line coach than why is this line one of the worst in the league? Either they have given him extremely poor talent, or he is vastly over-rated.
The Bears felt comfortable enough with the talent on the roster that they didn't go after anyone other than Carimi, Spencer and Colon. So they must believe that their guys are better than the free agents that were out there. So apparently the front office believes that the talent that is there is all right. So either the front office is way off in their talent evaluation, and they are asking Tice to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, or there is talent there and Tice is doing a poor job of coaching.
DoubleG
Footballguy
I think it's that one - to an extent.First off, I don't think this offensive line is particularly talented as a group. However, they are also very young (as a group) - you have to remember that a majority of the line is either 2nd year players or rookies. So honestly, I don't think the Bears know what they have yet. Tice gets a pass, because at least they showed some improvement last year (even Webb did - yes he graded out horrible, but he did get better at the end)
Secondly, even a good offensive line will give up sacks in Mike Martz's offense. Ironically, if the offensive line can play well - with Cutler at the helm - the Martz offense could do well - especially with the right amount of Matt Forte/MBIII sprinkled in to keep defenses honest. The other irony though, is that if the offensive line doesn't improve and plays poorly, it could be the perfect storm of bad (i.e. Martz 7-step-drop offense + bad o-line = dead QB) This feared perfect storm of bad is what we saw in the first preseason game (And what we saw in the Giants game last season).
IMHO, if the O-line doesnt play better (during the regular season), Tice will be strung up with the rest of the coaching staff/front office at season's end. If the O-line plays well or gets decently better (say, keeping the sack total under 40), you will also have your answer on Tice (and likely the team will end up back in the playoffs).
Statcruncher
Footballguy
One of my grandfather's favorite sayings was "you can't polish a turd". That's exactly what Chicago has been forcing Tice to do. I don't know if he's a capable coach or not, he's not had much to work with.As for picking up Leonard Davis I would have been excited about it a couple of years ago, but his recent play in Dallas hasn't been inspiring. Regardless he's probably still be an upgrade for Chicago. How ridiculous is it that 3 players the Cowboys outright cut are upgrades when plugged into Chicago's roster?
On a side note:
How is he not on the Chicago roster if he was willing to sign a 1 year minimum contract?
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flapgreen
Footballguy
Because they're freaking morons. If the Bears would've just went out and got a couple more guys on the O-line in FA, there wouldn't be such a huge uproar and no one would be questioning them. I mean Gaither for league minimum? Lol. Any fool off the street or on a messageboard can see that carried no risk, but instead they sign guys like Gholston and Roy. somebody's head should roll for that nonsense. You're offensive line sucks! Bring in some freaking people instead of no talent young players. It's not that hard!
somebody's head should roll for that nonsense. You're offensive line sucks! Bring in some freaking people instead of no talent young players. It's not that hard!
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We get it, you hate jerry angelo and martz and the entire offensive line. Can we move on? I keep coming to this thread to check on bears news, but keep finding this...lets just agree that the line needs to improve.'flapgreen said:Because they're freaking morons. If the Bears would've just went out and got a couple more guys on the O-line in FA, there wouldn't be such a huge uproar and no one would be questioning them. I mean Gaither for league minimum? Lol. Any fool off the street or on a messageboard can see that carried no risk, but instead they sign guys like Gholston and Roy.
flapgreen
Footballguy
ok. I post a lot of links from the Times and Tribune in here. Just ignore my rants and read the articles. I'm the first to praise the Bears when they make good moves, but also the first to criticize when they make terrible moves. Since most of the talk has been about the offense and offensive line this offseason, that's what I usually talk about. The defense and special teams are great, not much to say about them.We get it, you hate jerry angelo and martz and the entire offensive line. Can we move on? I keep coming to this thread to check on bears news, but keep finding this...lets just agree that the line needs to improve.'flapgreen said:Because they're freaking morons. If the Bears would've just went out and got a couple more guys on the O-line in FA, there wouldn't be such a huge uproar and no one would be questioning them. I mean Gaither for league minimum? Lol. Any fool off the street or on a messageboard can see that carried no risk, but instead they sign guys like Gholston and Roy.
[/hijackinordertobringsomelevityintothisthread]We now return you to your regularly scheduled negativity thread.
twistd
Footballguy
I agree with a lot of what you have said. There are a lot of young players on the line, so maybe the Bears don't know what they have. Hopefully these guys have shown a lot more in practice than what we've seen. You would think they are basing the opinion of value on something they have seen. Webb got a little better at the end of the year, but he was still bad. It kind of looks like he is a guy who they should still be developing, rather than starting.And I agree, that for this Martz offense to succeed they need good play out of the line. Just as the Bears were ready to cut ties with Olsen because he didn't fit the scheme, they should be ready to bring in the caliber of linemen that can be effective in this scheme. I would say the Bears have a very short window of time to improve this line dramatically or they risk Cutler getting hurt. He can't take a beating like he did last year. Although I also think they intend to run the ball a lot more. Adding Spaeth, and Barber, in addition to the guys they have on the line are much better at run blocking than they are at pass blocking. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bears run the ball a lot more than they did last year despite the expectation of a Martz offense.'DoubleG said:
I don't think this coaching staff is in trouble, regardless of how the team performs. I think their success last year has bought them a couple of years. And I don't necessarily think that if the o-line improves that the Bears automatically get in the playoffs. I don't think they win the division. Unless the Packers have a hailstorm of injuries the Packers are just better than the Bears. I think the Packers are the best team in the NFC, if not the entire league. Atlanta, Philly, New Orleans, the Giants, and the Cowboys, all look solid. So I think, if things come together for the Bears, they are fighting it out for a wild card spot with three of those teams.
flapgreen
Footballguy
Another interesting stat I came across last year: The top 8 defenses in fewest points allowed made the playoffs last year. If that continues, I'd say our chances of making the playoffs are good, unless Cutler has a traumatic brain injury.
What do you think makes the offense worse this year? I dont see that they really lost anything. Olsen, maybe, but they say davis is pretty good. Its not like olsen put up star numbers last year. Kruetz played.pretty poorly last year...
Statcruncher
Footballguy
People keep saying Spaeth over Olsen is going to make a difference in blocking. I made a post a few pages back with a Pro Football Focus Tight End Blocking Efficiency link that appears to blow that theory out of the water.
PASS BLOCKING EFFICEINCY (2010 only)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated lower than the #15 best and higher than the #15 worst pass blocking TE. (not specifically listed)
PASS BLOCKING EFFICIENCY (2008 through 2010)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #7 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Manny had a track record as a bad blocking TE before the Bears paid him $7 mill to bring his no-blocking skills to the Windy City.
The Bears shipped out the better blocker and light years ahead receiver Olsen because they don't want to pay him next year.
The Bears signed Spaeth specifically for his blocking prowess, even though he was the 4th worst blocking TE in 2010.
Honestly it's like Bears management is run by Packers fans.
PASS BLOCKING EFFICEINCY (2010 only)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated lower than the #15 best and higher than the #15 worst pass blocking TE. (not specifically listed)
PASS BLOCKING EFFICIENCY (2008 through 2010)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #7 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Manny had a track record as a bad blocking TE before the Bears paid him $7 mill to bring his no-blocking skills to the Windy City.
The Bears shipped out the better blocker and light years ahead receiver Olsen because they don't want to pay him next year.
The Bears signed Spaeth specifically for his blocking prowess, even though he was the 4th worst blocking TE in 2010.
Honestly it's like Bears management is run by Packers fans.
flapgreen
Footballguy
Rex is our quarterback.
Clifford
Footballguy
Lovie and Angelo are plantsPeople keep saying Spaeth over Olsen is going to make a difference in blocking. I made a post a few pages back with a Pro Football Focus Tight End Blocking Efficiency link that appears to blow that theory out of the water.
PASS BLOCKING EFFICEINCY (2010 only)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated lower than the #15 best and higher than the #15 worst pass blocking TE. (not specifically listed)
PASS BLOCKING EFFICIENCY (2008 through 2010)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #7 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Manny had a track record as a bad blocking TE before the Bears paid him $7 mill to bring his no-blocking skills to the Windy City.
The Bears shipped out the better blocker and light years ahead receiver Olsen because they don't want to pay him next year.
The Bears signed Spaeth specifically for his blocking prowess, even though he was the 4th worst blocking TE in 2010.
Honestly it's like Bears management is run by Packers fans.
Our cheap backup tight end isn't as good as the one the one we just traded for a 3rd round pick. So what? Kellen davis will be the starting te for the bears. From the sounds of it, he may be almost as good in the pass game as olsen was, but a better blocker.People keep saying Spaeth over Olsen is going to make a difference in blocking. I made a post a few pages back with a Pro Football Focus Tight End Blocking Efficiency link that appears to blow that theory out of the water.
PASS BLOCKING EFFICEINCY (2010 only)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated lower than the #15 best and higher than the #15 worst pass blocking TE. (not specifically listed)
PASS BLOCKING EFFICIENCY (2008 through 2010)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #7 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Manny had a track record as a bad blocking TE before the Bears paid him $7 mill to bring his no-blocking skills to the Windy City.
The Bears shipped out the better blocker and light years ahead receiver Olsen because they don't want to pay him next year.
The Bears signed Spaeth specifically for his blocking prowess, even though he was the 4th worst blocking TE in 2010.
Honestly it's like Bears management is run by Packers fans.
twistd
Footballguy
People keep saying Spaeth over Olsen is going to make a difference in blocking. I made a post a few pages back with a Pro Football Focus Tight End Blocking Efficiency link that appears to blow that theory out of the water.
PASS BLOCKING EFFICEINCY (2010 only)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated lower than the #15 best and higher than the #15 worst pass blocking TE. (not specifically listed)
PASS BLOCKING EFFICIENCY (2008 through 2010)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #7 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Manny had a track record as a bad blocking TE before the Bears paid him $7 mill to bring his no-blocking skills to the Windy City.
The Bears shipped out the better blocker and light years ahead receiver Olsen because they don't want to pay him next year.
The Bears signed Spaeth specifically for his blocking prowess, even though he was the 4th worst blocking TE in 2010.
Honestly it's like Bears management is run by Packers fans.
The spencer reps weren't planned. Murphy got sick (insert joke here) and left practice early.Edit: louis was sick, not murphy. Sorry.
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DoubleG
Footballguy
Yep - there is no excuse for that. He's coming to a new team and by his own admission knows that in the Martz offense you have to be able to "run all day" - and yet he's out of shape.
So he'll be up to game speed when the real games start was his joke. Great - 4 weeks of getting familiar with a new team and new QB...wasted at half speed. This will not sit well with any Chicago fans. In general, we don't care if you aint the most talented, but don't be lazy.Now the pressure on Williams to produce just got turned up a notch...by him. Idiot.
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Yeah, I guess in his "defense," if there is any, he didnt know dallas was going to cut him or the bears were going to sign him for very long before training camp started. He was probably.out of shape because he was deflated about being wr3 in dallas. Still not acceptable.Yep - there is no excuse for that. He's coming to a new team and by his own admission knows that in the Martz offense you have to be able to "run all day" - and yet he's out of shape.
Statcruncher
Footballguy
They traded Olsen because he was more of a skill player, not the solid blocking TE that Martz's offensive scheme needs. I hated to see Olsen go but I understand the need to have the correct personnel for the scheme. After searching to fill the important blocking TE slot they settled on Spaeth. They were willing to sacrifice receiving for a blocking upgrade, but it appears all they did was give up receiving without upgrading the blocking. Last year Spaeth was rated a worse pass blocking TE than Olsen, and over the last 3 years their pass blocking efficiency is about identical.Our cheap backup tight end isn't as good as the one the one we just traded for a 3rd round pick. So what? Kellen davis will be the starting te for the bears. From the sounds of it, he may be almost as good in the pass game as olsen was, but a better blocker.People keep saying Spaeth over Olsen is going to make a difference in blocking. I made a post a few pages back with a Pro Football Focus Tight End Blocking Efficiency link that appears to blow that theory out of the water.
PASS BLOCKING EFFICEINCY (2010 only)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated lower than the #15 best and higher than the #15 worst pass blocking TE. (not specifically listed)
PASS BLOCKING EFFICIENCY (2008 through 2010)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #7 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Manny had a track record as a bad blocking TE before the Bears paid him $7 mill to bring his no-blocking skills to the Windy City.
The Bears shipped out the better blocker and light years ahead receiver Olsen because they don't want to pay him next year.
The Bears signed Spaeth specifically for his blocking prowess, even though he was the 4th worst blocking TE in 2010.
Honestly it's like Bears management is run by Packers fans.
Remember those decisions were made by the same masterminds that actively sought out, signed, and payed the league's worst pass blocking TE Manumaleuna 7 million dollars. So now Lovie and Martz are pumping up Kellen Davis? Sorry, but I'm going to wait for Davis to prove himself on the field. One thing he has going for him is that with basically the same offensive line from last year Cutler will have to unload on short routes often.
The "so what?" is this: They know they have needs to fill and they don't do it. They needed a blocking TE and got one that was worse than the one they let go. They clearly needed multiple upgrades on the o-line and instead they might actually be worse than last year. I've never seen such a disparity in evaluating/obtaining talent, for the most part the offensive moves suck and the defensive moves are great.
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but the te they signed wasnt signed to be the primary te. He will play in 2 te sets and maybe a little extra (barring injury). I havent heard the.coaching staff say.much about davis. The beat writers are the ones I hear pimping him. We'll see how it works out.'Statcruncher said:They traded Olsen because he was more of a skill player, not the solid blocking TE that Martz's offensive scheme needs. I hated to see Olsen go but I understand the need to have the correct personnel for the scheme. After searching to fill the important blocking TE slot they settled on Spaeth. They were willing to sacrifice receiving for a blocking upgrade, but it appears all they did was give up receiving without upgrading the blocking. Last year Spaeth was rated a worse pass blocking TE than Olsen, and over the last 3 years their pass blocking efficiency is about identical.Our cheap backup tight end isn't as good as the one the one we just traded for a 3rd round pick. So what? Kellen davis will be the starting te for the bears. From the sounds of it, he may be almost as good in the pass game as olsen was, but a better blocker.People keep saying Spaeth over Olsen is going to make a difference in blocking. I made a post a few pages back with a Pro Football Focus Tight End Blocking Efficiency link that appears to blow that theory out of the water.
PASS BLOCKING EFFICEINCY (2010 only)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated lower than the #15 best and higher than the #15 worst pass blocking TE. (not specifically listed)
PASS BLOCKING EFFICIENCY (2008 through 2010)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #7 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Manny had a track record as a bad blocking TE before the Bears paid him $7 mill to bring his no-blocking skills to the Windy City.
The Bears shipped out the better blocker and light years ahead receiver Olsen because they don't want to pay him next year.
The Bears signed Spaeth specifically for his blocking prowess, even though he was the 4th worst blocking TE in 2010.
Honestly it's like Bears management is run by Packers fans.
Remember those decisions were made by the same masterminds that actively sought out, signed, and payed the league's worst pass blocking TE Manumaleuna 7 million dollars. So now Lovie and Martz are pumping up Kellen Davis? Sorry, but I'm going to wait for Davis to prove himself on the field. One thing he has going for him is that with basically the same offensive line from last year Cutler will have to unload on short routes often.
The "so what?" is this: They know they have needs to fill and they don't do it. They needed a blocking TE and got one that was worse than the one they let go. They clearly needed multiple upgrades on the o-line and instead they might actually be worse than last year. I've never seen such a disparity in evaluating/obtaining talent, for the most part the offensive moves suck and the defensive moves are great.
Statcruncher
Footballguy
Spaeth was signed because the Bears he's supposed to be a good blocker. He's not. Neither was Manny. It concerns me that they seem to be swinging and missing on such a simple position as blocking TE. Especially when the O-line needs all the help they can get. As for Kellen Davis these didn't come from the press:"He’s blocked well and he has the ability to do everything we want our tight end to do,” said coach Lovie Smith. “He’s got speed to get down [the field]. He’s running good routes. He can catch the football. We expect plays like that from him.” (talking about 2 long catches in practice)but the te they signed wasnt signed to be the primary te. He will play in 2 te sets and maybe a little extra (barring injury). I havent heard the.coaching staff say.much about davis. The beat writers are the ones I hear pimping him. We'll see how it works out.'Statcruncher said:They traded Olsen because he was more of a skill player, not the solid blocking TE that Martz's offensive scheme needs. I hated to see Olsen go but I understand the need to have the correct personnel for the scheme. After searching to fill the important blocking TE slot they settled on Spaeth. They were willing to sacrifice receiving for a blocking upgrade, but it appears all they did was give up receiving without upgrading the blocking. Last year Spaeth was rated a worse pass blocking TE than Olsen, and over the last 3 years their pass blocking efficiency is about identical.Our cheap backup tight end isn't as good as the one the one we just traded for a 3rd round pick. So what? Kellen davis will be the starting te for the bears. From the sounds of it, he may be almost as good in the pass game as olsen was, but a better blocker.People keep saying Spaeth over Olsen is going to make a difference in blocking. I made a post a few pages back with a Pro Football Focus Tight End Blocking Efficiency link that appears to blow that theory out of the water.
PASS BLOCKING EFFICEINCY (2010 only)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated lower than the #15 best and higher than the #15 worst pass blocking TE. (not specifically listed)
PASS BLOCKING EFFICIENCY (2008 through 2010)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #7 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Manny had a track record as a bad blocking TE before the Bears paid him $7 mill to bring his no-blocking skills to the Windy City.
The Bears shipped out the better blocker and light years ahead receiver Olsen because they don't want to pay him next year.
The Bears signed Spaeth specifically for his blocking prowess, even though he was the 4th worst blocking TE in 2010.
Honestly it's like Bears management is run by Packers fans.
Remember those decisions were made by the same masterminds that actively sought out, signed, and payed the league's worst pass blocking TE Manumaleuna 7 million dollars. So now Lovie and Martz are pumping up Kellen Davis? Sorry, but I'm going to wait for Davis to prove himself on the field. One thing he has going for him is that with basically the same offensive line from last year Cutler will have to unload on short routes often.
The "so what?" is this: They know they have needs to fill and they don't do it. They needed a blocking TE and got one that was worse than the one they let go. They clearly needed multiple upgrades on the o-line and instead they might actually be worse than last year. I've never seen such a disparity in evaluating/obtaining talent, for the most part the offensive moves suck and the defensive moves are great.
"Kellen [Davis, the starting tight end] has stepped to the forefront and established himself not just as a blocker, but also a pretty dynamic receiver in practice. There are some things coming out of this that you get pretty excited about." - Mike Martz
I'm not saying Kellen isn't good, I just don't believe a word out of the Bears mouths.
If you don't believe the words the Bears are saying, then why do you believe Spaeth was signed for his blocking ability when he can't block?Spaeth was signed because the Bears he's supposed to be a good blocker. He's not. Neither was Manny. It concerns me that they seem to be swinging and missing on such a simple position as blocking TE. Especially when the O-line needs all the help they can get. As for Kellen Davis these didn't come from the press:"He’s blocked well and he has the ability to do everything we want our tight end to do,” said coach Lovie Smith. “He’s got speed to get down [the field]. He’s running good routes. He can catch the football. We expect plays like that from him.” (talking about 2 long catches in practice)but the te they signed wasnt signed to be the primary te. He will play in 2 te sets and maybe a little extra (barring injury). I havent heard the.coaching staff say.much about davis. The beat writers are the ones I hear pimping him. We'll see how it works out.'Statcruncher said:They traded Olsen because he was more of a skill player, not the solid blocking TE that Martz's offensive scheme needs. I hated to see Olsen go but I understand the need to have the correct personnel for the scheme. After searching to fill the important blocking TE slot they settled on Spaeth. They were willing to sacrifice receiving for a blocking upgrade, but it appears all they did was give up receiving without upgrading the blocking. Last year Spaeth was rated a worse pass blocking TE than Olsen, and over the last 3 years their pass blocking efficiency is about identical.Our cheap backup tight end isn't as good as the one the one we just traded for a 3rd round pick. So what? Kellen davis will be the starting te for the bears. From the sounds of it, he may be almost as good in the pass game as olsen was, but a better blocker.People keep saying Spaeth over Olsen is going to make a difference in blocking. I made a post a few pages back with a Pro Football Focus Tight End Blocking Efficiency link that appears to blow that theory out of the water.
PASS BLOCKING EFFICEINCY (2010 only)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated lower than the #15 best and higher than the #15 worst pass blocking TE. (not specifically listed)
PASS BLOCKING EFFICIENCY (2008 through 2010)
Brandon Manumaleuna was rated the #1 worst pass blocking TE.
Matt Spaeth was rated the #7 worst pass blocking TE.
Greg Olsen was rated the #4 worst pass blocking TE.
Manny had a track record as a bad blocking TE before the Bears paid him $7 mill to bring his no-blocking skills to the Windy City.
The Bears shipped out the better blocker and light years ahead receiver Olsen because they don't want to pay him next year.
The Bears signed Spaeth specifically for his blocking prowess, even though he was the 4th worst blocking TE in 2010.
Honestly it's like Bears management is run by Packers fans.
Remember those decisions were made by the same masterminds that actively sought out, signed, and payed the league's worst pass blocking TE Manumaleuna 7 million dollars. So now Lovie and Martz are pumping up Kellen Davis? Sorry, but I'm going to wait for Davis to prove himself on the field. One thing he has going for him is that with basically the same offensive line from last year Cutler will have to unload on short routes often.
The "so what?" is this: They know they have needs to fill and they don't do it. They needed a blocking TE and got one that was worse than the one they let go. They clearly needed multiple upgrades on the o-line and instead they might actually be worse than last year. I've never seen such a disparity in evaluating/obtaining talent, for the most part the offensive moves suck and the defensive moves are great.
"Kellen [Davis, the starting tight end] has stepped to the forefront and established himself not just as a blocker, but also a pretty dynamic receiver in practice. There are some things coming out of this that you get pretty excited about." - Mike Martz
I'm not saying Kellen isn't good, I just don't believe a word out of the Bears mouths.
Statcruncher
Footballguy
I believe them when they say "we're doing this because". I don't believe them when they say "XXX is a great player". You sign a tight end to block or to catch. I'm just spitballing here but I don't think they signed Spaeth because of his career per game average of .6 receptions for 4.6 yards.
CutlerToCutler
Footballguy
#####esIf Spencer went in, wouldn't it be Louis who was out? Neither Spencer nor Garza is going to play LT.Or did you mean bench Webb AND Louis?I hope the line gets totally blown up tonight. Maybe they will put in Spencer and get rid of "J'Marcus is a great player" Webb.
flapgreen
Footballguy
Yes. Both. By "get rid of", I meant find another LT. Just bringing in Spencer and moving Garza to RG would be a big improvement. I'm not sure what Tice is even doing now anyway.If Spencer went in, wouldn't it be Louis who was out? Neither Spencer nor Garza is going to play LT.Or did you mean bench Webb AND Louis?I hope the line gets totally blown up tonight. Maybe they will put in Spencer and get rid of "J'Marcus is a great player" Webb.
flapgreen
Footballguy
Cutler appears to have worked on his footwork and balance, which should serve him well in being more consistent, but he was still inaccurate. Carimi looks like our RT for years to come. Our receivers suck. Our O line sucks, even though it wasn't as bad tonight. Their is also zero depth at O line. We didn't score a td. To save face, Martz won't put in Knox regardless of how bad Roy sucks, even if it means his job. Although he had a nice catch on a deep route, Hester is the same receiver he always was and had two possible tds that he blew two plays in a row. Of course, Lovie will ride that train until the very end. Why jump off now. Our redzone offense is no better than last year, which was worst in the league. Basically, the offense is the same as last year, except that Cutler looks much sharper, which could mean the offense has the potential to improve. Due to the O line not sucking as bad tonight, Tice will leave Spencer on the bench for most if not all of the season and that will be more money down the drain. Louis is the worst lineman in the NFL. Moving Garza back to RG and bringing in Spencer would be too difficult for a genius like Tice. Webb still sucks and got beat twice along with having a false start, par for the course. We have two 7th round picks on our O line, not a recipe for success, morons!We have a ton of cap space but won't end up spending it. It sounds like Forte and management are far apart on a contract extension. Basically, it appears ownership is more interested in making more money than winning a championship. Oh, and Jumping Jerry is a complete pos. If by some miracle that JA gets piss drunk and signs a guy like Brian Waters, the line would be much better. He's too damn ignorant to do that, though.
Defense is solid. I think the defense along with the D line could be even better than last year, provided we have no major injuries. I still hope we bring in Hayden for size and depth. Very pleased. Special teams was atrocious tonight, which is a big part of our success. 0 sacks on the night for the defense.
Just my prediction from 2 preseason games. 8-8 this season.
eta: You suck Lance Louis!
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DoubleG
Footballguy
This is spot on. Roy looks mediocre at best. Martz/Lovie can't really think that fans are that dumb. Fine, you brought in 11, gave your old buddy from Detroit a shot to rekindle some sort of spark - it doesn't look likes it working...move on.Barber signing - very nice. Carimi - excellent. But Roy W....it's okay, mistakes can happen to anyone (I heard that in a song once) Just don't make it worse by not admitting it was.Knox relegated to late 4th quarter team in 2nd preseason game, while Roy dropping balls and getting no separation and getting no separation on routes. Thanks, Martz.
you make me want to punch myself in the.face to cheer myself up after reading your posts...you really need to spend some time thinking.about something besides the bears offensive line...like anything... They really looked pretty good tonight. The bears pulled both urlacher and.peppers sometime in the first quarter and briggs didnt play at all. The offense looked pretty decent outside of horrible redzone play. Cutler looked good, he had a lot of time all night. I'm pretty encouraged by team overall.Preseason game or not, 41-6 is an absolute embarrassment, but I'm sure Lovie will spin it.
