science experiment gone wrong.
While many Bears fans hope that formula will cause a more productive offensive explosion, the smart money says that cartoon is right on target.
Yes, the Bears made some nice moves on the offseason. They finally hired Martz, which we’ve advocated on this blog since last October. Rod Marinelli is now calling plays on the defense instead of Coach Lovie Smith, who was a disaster trying to wear two hats last year.
Other good moves: Adding Julius Peppers to the defensive front, adding Chester Taylor to the backfield, trading for Chris Harris, and drafting Major Wright.
But the Martz-Cutler pairing – which has had its highs and lows in training camp – is only one issue the Bears are dealing with entering a season that could be Smith’s last.
So in honor of Cutler’s jersey number, here are six reasons why the Bears will go 4-12 this season:
1. The atrocious offensive line.
The Bears brought in a franchise quarterback two years ago, then the offensive genius in Martz. But the one thing they didn’t do is fix the offensive line, opting to shuffle Frank Omiyale to right tackle, start Lance Louis at guard and put Roberto Gaza at left tackle.
Orlando Pace fell apart last season, so the Bears are stuck with former first-rounder Chris Williams at left tackle. He played well at the end of 2009, but if the preseason is any indication, the Bears had better hire Sandra Bullock to come in and coach up Williams on how to protect Cutler’s blind side.
Shuffling the deck chairs isn’t enough to win in the NFL, as the Bears are starting to learn. Oakland’s Kamerion Wimbley recorded 3 ½ sacks going head-to-head with Williams, and the Raiders recorded five as a team in week 2 of the preseason.
Part of the blame falls on Martz and new offensive line coach Mike Tice, who should have moved a tight end over to help Williams. But in Martz’s system, pass protection and timing are keys. Cutler can’t lead a receiver if a defensive end is draped on his back.
That was never more evident in the Arizona game, when Cutler was sacked four times and picked twice. The second pick came on the play after Cutler was blindsided on a sack given up by Williams.
2. Will Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris improve with Peppers on board?
Urlacher missed 15 games last year after breaking his wrist in the opener against Green Bay. He was back all of one preseason game before leaving the Oakland game with a calf strain and sitting out the Arizona game. Something tells us that ‘ol No. 54 is breaking down. He sets the tone for the defense along with Harris, who showed flashes of his old self at times last year, but also drew ire for his boorish behavior and fighting in the Arizona game.
Hopefully, the addition of Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
Peppers to the defensive line and the emergence of some younger players (Jarron Gilbert, are you listening?) can restore some luster to the Bears’ front seven.
3. Who will catch the ball?
Isaac Bruce, who thrived in Martz’s system in St. Louis, is helping coach the wide receivers. We’re wondering if he can suit up. The Bears did nothing in the offseason to add to its receiving corps, instead staying the course with its young group of Devin Hester (57 catches last year), Johnny Knox (45), Earl Bennett (54) and Devin Aromashodu (24 catches). Tight end Greg Olsen, the team’s leading receiver last year with 60 catches, is wondering if he even fits into a Martz system.
Among this group, someone must emerge as the go-to threat that every other team in the league seems to has. The Hester experiment has produced only flashes of success, and it appears Cutler favors Knox as a go-to threat over his former Vanderbilt teammate, Bennett.
Martz’s system is based on receivers running precise routes and Cutler delivering the ball before the receiver makes a break. Training camp has provided some comical moments. After one breakdown, Cutler fired a ball into a VIP tent in frustration. We feel the same way, Jay.
4. The play of the cornerbacks.
The big question entering last season was the safety positions, but the Bears have shored that up with Harris, Wright and Danieal Manning.
But one of our biggest concerns this season is the play at cornerback. Peanut Tillman and Zack Bowman have played well at times, but clearly struggled in man coverage outside of Smith’s Cover 2. Chad Ochocinco and Larry Fitzgerald torched both Bear corners in their respective games. And Tillman, at 29, isn’t getting any younger or faster. Bowman has battled knee injuries. Backups D.J. Moore, Corey Graham and rookie Joshua Moore haven’t thrilled us, either. Moore seems to have the advantage over Graham at nickel back, but that’s nothing to boast about.
This offseason, expect the Bears to spend a high draft pick on a corner (now that they have high picks again) or pursue one through free agency. They need a lock-down corner, even with the Cover 2.
5. The tough December-January schedule.
The meatheads who call into Chicago sports talk radio stations always refer to December as “Bears football” season. They assume every team that wanders into Soldier Field is going to lay victim to the snow and cold. Sure, the Bears win one they shouldn’t (Minnesota last year) now and then. But, this year, the homestretch looks like a death march with home games against the Patriots and Jets, and road games at Minnesota and Green Bay. In our book, that’s 0-4.
6. Will the real Matt Forte please stand up?
Maybe the presence of Taylor has snapped Forte out of Minnesota Vikings jersey
his sophomore slumber that burned many fantasy football owners last year. He ripped off a nice 88-yard run around the right side against Oakland, but those will be few and far between against this woeful offensive line. Forte appears healthy this season after last year’s hamstring issues, but with little running room, it won’t matter how good he feels.
In Martz’s system, look for Forte and Taylor to catch a few balls out of the backfield and even run some downfield routes. (Taylor ran some nice ones in Minnesota last year.) But as far as a serious running attack, we just don’t think this line will give either back much of a chance.
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