Bears Win Finale; Still Need Overhaul
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed today's Bears win over the Lions. It wasn't like season's past where they'd be out of the playoffs, and you'd mostly be rooting for a loss in a meaningless game to improve the team's draft position. With the first and second round picks gone, there ain't no draft status to root for. I enjoyed watching the win, and I enjoyed watching Cutler bring his season TD total to 27, one more than his INT total of 26. I loved seeing Aromashodu make big plays, and I thought it was cool seeing Tim Shaw be a commando on special teams. (Give him a shot at LB!) What I'd like to do is talk about something I heard on the postgame shows. Specifically:
Ron Turner should be back in 2010.
What? That's what Dan Jiggetts and Jim Miller on Comcast think. Now that Cutler has had success and they've built some momentum, now is not the time to change offensive coordinators and bring in a new system.
Poppycock. While Turner is the least of the reasons for the 2009 debacle, he still needs to go. It took him 14 games to realize Cutler is best when he rolls out. It took him 14 games to give Aromashodu (probably the best wideout on the team) an expanded role in the offense. It took him 10 games to get Chris Williams on the Left (his natural position) and Shaeffer in the lineup on the Right (where he's been somewhat adequate) and Pace on the bench (where he should have been after the disastrous preseason). Williams finally started looking competant against Jared Allen in, whaddya know, his 4th game back at his natural position. (Lovie Smith might have had something to do with this last decision -- not Turner.)
Turner needs to go because he's sticking to the classic goal of "balance". We get off the bus running. You run to set up the pass. Really? Not in today's NFL. This is the 2010's, bro. Look at the Saints. The Patriots. The Colts. The Cardinals. The Steelers. The Cowboys. The Eagles. Top teams. You pass, pass, pass, your way to success. You've gotta be able to run the ball in short yardage and goal line situations, and you need to mix it up sometimes, but really. You've got a high-powered QB. Use him.
Lovie still needs to go as well. The Bears started 3-1. They finished 2-0. It's the ten games in the middle, where they went 2-8, that can't be ignored. They were a complete disaster this season, even during that 3-1 start. Here's the complete list of all times the Bears looked prepared to play this year:
That's it. The Browns and Rams (and Lions, for that matter) beat themselves. Garbage teams that barely belong in the NFL. (And I tell you what, the Bears would have a hard time beating Cleveland these days...I guarantee it.)
Why should Lovie be off the hook for this giant disaster because he surprised a limping Vikings team and beat a horrible Lions team when his team had nothing but pride to play for? Win when it counts and you get to keep your job.
Especially when you're calling the plays on defense. When did the defense look good? The first half of the second Vikings game? The San Fran game? Against Derek Anderson and Kyle Boller? Bleh.
Everything I said about Angelo in my last post still applies. Horrible horrible drafts the past three years. Zero-impact free agents. Yada yada yada.
Here's my chopping block, in order:
Yeah, I'm cleaning house. Unfortunately, I'd put their odds at keeping their jobs as follows:
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Phillips - 99% - The McCaskeys love him.
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Angelo - 95% - He's under contract til 2013. He did a nice job in building the 2006 Super Bowl team. I'd truly be shocked if he was fired.
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Smith - 75% - He's under contract til 2011 and he just won two meaningless games. I had him less than 50% just 7 days ago.
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Turner - 25% - Cutler looking good in his last two games just might save Turner.
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Pep Hamilton - 5% - Worthless QB Coach, easiest guy to drop.
The bad news about just firing Turner is you're going to get a crappy guy to replace him. Who wants to come to coordinate in Chicago with a lame duck head coach? That's why Smith needs to go, too.
Ugh, the Bears won two in a row and I'm pissed again. Bear down.