Question for Bear Fans (re: Lovie)

[Mr. Scot]

From Florio...

PFT: New coordinator hasn't improved Bears defense

Since losing to the Colts in the Super Bowl three years ago, the Bears have defined mediocrity. They have won 20 games, lost another 20, and tried out three starting quarterbacks before landing Jay Cutler.

The rotating signal callers have distracted attention from Chicago's biggest problem: Lovie Smith's defense isn't very good.

The unit was below average in 2007 and 2008. With practically the same personnel back this season, Smith's big gamble this offseason was to appoint himself defensive coordinator. He was counting on coaching rather than players to fix things.

And now Chicago's defense looks worse than ever.

The Bears gave up 45 points to the Bengals in Week Seven, then 41 to the Cardinals in Week Nine. NFL Network's Mike Lombardi spoke this week that the Bears have been struggling just to get lined up correctly of late. That's coaching.

...

While the heat is on offensive coordinator Ron Turner, it's fair to ask what's Chicago's biggest flaw. They have a defensive-minded head coach running a defense that has been below average for three years running. There is very little young talent to get excited about.

Yes, the Bears ownership won't want to eat the end of Smith's contract. But they might not have any choice if Smith's defense keeps giving up 40 points anytime they face a decent quarterback.

(I wasn't actually aware Smith was acting as his own DC)

So is this a fair assessment, or is it off base? If it's off, why?

[dimbee]

I posted this in a different thread, but I think it equally applies here...

Our D Line has been horrible, though they showed some life tonight, our LBs are just not good enough and frankly, I think our Cover 2 scheme is too predictable. Our CBs aren't what they were, our safety's are average if not below average, and that's the bottom line. Our defense played OK against a mediocre offense tonight and lost thanks to our QB turning the ball over. I won't give credit to the SF defense because I just don't feel like they really earned it- it was given to them. 1 pick was due to a WR slipping, another pick was obviously pass interference and the other 3 were just horrible passes by Cutler, Grossmanesque even. Our "window of opportunity" has closed with this current platoon and it's time to infuse some youth on the defensive side of the ball.

You really didn't know was calling the defensive plays, Mr Scot? I thought you were the NFL savant!

[Mr. Scot]

Makes me wonder if Jerry Angelo is the real problem.

Lovie Smith is a guy I like. He's got high character and sticks to what he believes in. Unfortunately, in some regards he can be a lot like John Fox, and not in the areas you'd want him to be.

That said, I'd hate to see him lose his job, but it sounds like the proverbial "seat warmer" may have been turned on.

[Hawk]

thanks for losing to Zona and San Fran in back to back weeks.....damn you Bears!

[Mr. Scot]

While I'm at it, another question.

There is, of course, a chance that Jeff Fisher may be unemployed next year.

Given the choice, who do you prefer as a coach: Lovie or Fisher?

[dimbee]

I love Lovie, I really do. I think he's a great coach. I just think his scheme and the players that are running it are both out of date

[Mr. Scot]

I'm also a fan of Smith, though I'll admit "diminishing returns" are beginning to catch up to him.

Still, I have to think that having a member of the 85 Bears team return as head coach - especially one who already has a decent track record as a head coach on his resume' - would be something that the average Bear fan could really get excited about.

Granted, it might not be the level of excitement that getting Singletary would generate, but still...

[dimbee]

Now, if we were talking Jim Harbaugh...

(and yes, I know he wasn't on the SB team)

[Epistaxis]

I'd be much more interested in Holmgren or Dungy.

Lovie is fine, I like him, but I think he tends to hire his buddies.....to a fault. And he sticks with his views/system.....to a fault.

I like the idea of the Holmgren/Cutler pairing.

I am completely DONE with the '85 Bears nostalgia crap.

It is time for this city to get over it and move on.

[Mr. Scot]

Lovie is fine, I like him, but I think he tends to hire his buddies.....to a fault. And he sticks with his views/system.....to a fault.

That sounds familiar

In fairness though, don't most head coaches tend to hire guys they've worked with, had some acquaintance to, or had a mutual friend of, generally speaking?

[Epistaxis]

Sure.

But the best ones seek out the best talent available, rather than sticking with what is comfortable.

It bit Lovie in the butt in the exact situation you posted at the top.

Lovie had to take away Babich's role, he was clearly in way over his head, and it didn't help perceptions when Rivera left.

I would have been cool with it had Babich been up to the task.

It reflects on Lovie's judgment.

Just because "everybody does it" doesn't make it right.

[Mr. Scot]

Valid.

Do you think he's in danger at this point?

[Epistaxis]

Very much so.

As is Turner, Angelo, and Ted Phillips.

They need a change from top to bottom IMO.

I was one of the very few not in the "pay da man" crowd when it came to Lovie. Not because I don't like him (I do), but because Dick Jauron had a good year too, and then got a big, stupid payday.

I believe you build this team around Jay Cutler, so you need to bring in a guy like Holmgren and allow him to build a staff and draft talent and acquire FAs to construct and offensive line to protect him, and a defensive line to get pressure on the opposing QB.

Call me old fashioned, but I like building teams from the trenches out, and you already have the toughest part away from that, the QB, nailed down.

Just my opinion, and nobody at Halas Hall cares much what some toof carpenter thinks.

[Mr. Scot]

I believe you build this team around Jay Cutler, so you need to bring in a guy like Holmgren and allow him to build a staff and draft talent and acquire FAs to construct and offensive line to protect him, and a defensive line to get pressure on the opposing QB.

Call me old fashioned, but I like building teams from the trenches out, and you already have the toughest part away from that, the QB, nailed down.

Just my opinion, and nobody at Halas Hall cares much what some toof carpenter thinks.

Interesting you should say that.

PFT has a piece - quoting a Chicago Tribune article - from Rex Grossman's dad of all people, criticizing the Bears.

Papa Grossman says the problem isn"t Jay Cutler, or his son Rex. It's the organization around them.

PFT: Rex Grossman's dad lets Bears have it

As the first true franchise quarterback (supposedly) for the Bears since Sid Luckman is generating a performance more similar to those of most of the team's quarterbacks since then, the father of one of the recently failed signal-callers is sounding off.

"It's a self-perpetuating problem that is not Jay Cutler's fault," Dan Grossman tells Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune. "It's not Rex Grossman's fault. It's not Kyle Orton's fault. It's not every other quarterback who has been through that system's fault. It's the fault of the organization for not understanding what a quarterback needs."

...

"What's amazing to me is, here we go again with Jay Cutler," Dan Grossman said. "He came in and he was going to be the franchise quarterback and lead the Bears. I heard some people say they were going to the Super Bowl this year. And here we are, back in the situation where . . . because the team is not really built around a passing game, he has struggled. I don't really blame it on Jay Cutler."

Dan Grossman, who played quarterback at Indiana University in the 1960s, thinks that the Bears need to get with the times and shed their commitment to the run.

"I believe that the NFL is a passing league," Dan Grossman said. "It has been for the last 20 years. Chicago continues to use the phrase, at least Lovie Smith continues to use the phrase, 'We get off the bus running.' They need to abandon that concept. Running is obviously a very important part of the offense. But the best teams in this league are prolific passing teams.

"And for a team to be effective at passing, in my opinion, you have to build your offense around your quarterback. You have to commit to the quarterback: 'You're our guy.'

"You don't bring your quarterback in and say: 'We're going to get off the bus running. But on third-and-10, you've got to come through for us now!'"

There's more. But that's the gist of it.

And it's hard to argue with him.

Of course, none of this means his son isn't a human turnover machine.

As an aside, similar criticisms have been leveled against John Fox.

Does he have a point, or is he just an angry dad making excuses for his screw-up kid?