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Speak Up: Marc Trestman Talks Draft Strategy and Much More at NFL Combine

21st February 2013 by under Bears News     
Head coach Marc Trestman of the Chicago Bears addresses the media at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 21 in Indianapolis, Ind. (AP Photo/Johnny Vy)

Head coach Marc Trestman of the Chicago Bears addresses the media at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 21 in Indianapolis, Ind. (AP Photo/Johnny Vy)

New Chicago Bears head coach Marc Trestman talked to the media at the 2013 NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Thursday.

Here’s a brief summary of his Q&A session with the media, via NFL.com.

On how the last few weeks have been:

“Let me just start by telling you I’m unbelievably excited about being the Chicago Bears’ head football coach, and that’s a great way to start the day. A little bit about what we’ve been doing over the last five weeks. We started immediately on putting a staff together. I think we’ve done a fantastic job collectively and organizationally putting together a group of men who are not only great teachers but guys with great people skills.”

On what the main focus is of the coaching stuff is right now:

“Our coaches have spent a tremendous amount of time watching tape of our players and evaluating them as much as we can without having the opportunity to spent time with them on the practice field and meetings. Secondly, we’ve also done a very diligent job—our staff and our personnel people—evaluating the free agents that are out there as well. The process for both is ongoing and certainly that information will be kept internally as we move on into the offseason and we can get closer to those dates.”

On what he hopes to get accomplished at the NFL Combine:

“Early on the excitement is always to come to the combine to get a first look at these guys from my standpoint and from every organization’s standpoint. This is where it gets started. Certainly it’s been ongoing relative to the personnel department and our scouting department and things like that. But this is a first look from a coaches standpoint.”

On if Brian Urlacher will be brought back next season:

“You know, that is an ongoing process. We certainly have evaluated our entire football team as much as we can without seeing them work, having a chance to spend some time, some formal time with him on the field and again as we move forward in this process through the combine and through the spring, obviously all of these things are going to be resolved. But right now between Phil and the personnel department and myself and the coaching department, we continue to talk about these things and process the information. But at this time we are not going to go any farther than that in our discussions.”

On contract talks with Jay Cutler:

“I haven’t discussed any of that with Jay or Phil up to this point.”

On what he thinks about Cutler’s body language on the field:

“Everybody has an opinion on that. I am excited to coach Jay. I have had a couple of opportunities to talk with him on multiple levels and am excited to work with him in all facets of his game, I really am. He’s an extremely bright guy. He loves football. He’s got a great skill set. We’ve got to work hard to provide him the resources he can to maximize his ability and that goes into everything we’re doing in all three phases with personnel department and with our coaching staff.”

Emery Speaks:

In other news, Chicago Bears’ GM Phil Emery indicates that the team wants to re-sign Israel Idonije, Lance Louis, Jonathan Scott, all unrestricted free agents. This doesn’t mean the team isn’t looking at other top free agents Henry Melton, Brian Urlacher, Nick Roach or Kelvin Hayden at this point.

More news to come out of the NFL Combine this week.

 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Chicago Bears.

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Super Bowl XLVII Talk: Should The Bears Add Aging Ed Reed This Off-Season?

29th January 2013 by under Bears News     

Ed ReedWith Super Bowl XLVII coming up this weekend many questions surround the game and the players in it.

Many of the players will be free agents once the big game is finished.

One of those players is 34-year old safety Ed Reed.

Reed has spent all of his 11 NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.

He was a first-round pick out of the University of Miami in 2002.

He has played 160 regular season games making 608 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 61 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and nine defensive touchdowns. He has eight interceptions in 14 post-season games.

He’s well on his way to being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But the question remains to be seen if he will play another season.

Would he retire alongside LB Ray Lewis if the Ravens do indeed win the Super Bowl or will he keep playing?

He mulled over retirement this past off-season as well.

Despite all of those questions, Reed figures to be moving on this off-season to a new franchise.

The Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots are reportedly interested in his services.

Should the Chicago Bears take a chance on an aging superstar like Ed Reed?

Reed ranked just 59th among 88 safeties this season, according to Pro Football Focus. He missed a seventh-worst 15 tackles and allowed 17.3 yards per catch this season.

He won’t demand a big contract if indeed he plays next season, but he will likely want to be a starter on the next team he plays for.

Chris Conte and Major Wright are the current starters at safety for the Bears with Craig Steltz, Anthony Walters and Brandon Hardin providing depth.

Hardin was a third-round pick in the draft last year who suffered a season-ending neck injury in the pre-season. The Bears are very high on him and think he can compete for a starting job.

So with Conte, Wright and Hardin competing for two starting spots would the Bears even consider a guy like Ed Reed?

Reed would be able to be a solid coach on the back end for the young secondary. It just remains to be seen if the Bears are considering adding veteran players to their aging defense.

Some big questions still remain for this Bears’ defense. Will LB Brian Urlacher be back for 14th season? Will up-and-coming star DT Henry Melton be re-signed? Will DE Israel Idonije and LB Nick Roach be back?

With all of those questions up in the air for new head coach Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery it will certainly be a tough off-season.

Maybe adding Ed Reed to the mix is another big question. He is a player that could arguably take this Bears’ defense to the next level.

Time will help decide the fate of the Bears’ free-agents mentioned above and possible free-agents brought in this off-season.

What do you think about the possible addition of Ed Reed to the Bears in 2013?

 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Chicago Bears.

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Marc Trestman Introduced As The New Chicago Bears Head Coach

17th January 2013 by under Bears News     

This afternoon at Halas Hall, Marc Trestman was introduced as the new Chicago Bears head coach.

General manager Phil Emery took a good 15 minutes to introduce Trestman as he talked about the interview process and what he liked the most his talks with Trestman.

Here’s some quotes from Trestman’s presser this afternoon:

“We have to play tough physical football because in this league we have 31 other teams with great coaches and great players,” said Trestman via ChicagoBears.com.

 

“Our players have to understand continuity football and the quarterback must play at an efficient level.”

 

“You have to love football and be hardworking in this locker room in order to succeed.”

 

“Our players are going to compete on a daily basis and everyone will have sense of accountability.”

 

“I’m going to be responsible for keeping Jay safe in the pocket.”

 

“I had a chance to meet with Jay 10 years ago. We basically sat in a room for two days since it was raining, but when I sat with him I found out quickly that he was tough, smart and loved football.”

 

“We’re going to hip-to-hip with the quarterback, “It’s going to be intense.”

 

“Rod [Marinelli] has made up his mind to move on and we will make up on our mind on who to fill that void.”

 

“This guy [Cutler] loves football and he wants to be great. Hopefully we can give him some direction and some protection to help him succeed.”

 

“The No. 1 marriage in all of sports is the marriage between the starting quarterback and the head coach.”

 

“I will be calling the plays. I will be working with Aaron [Kromer] and the rest of the staff during the week so we’re prepared.”

 

“I’ve watched the man [Urlacher] play for many years and he exemplifies want it means to be a Chicago Bear. When we get done here we will try to answer some of those questions and figure out where he fits.”

 

“I want to make sure I talk to Phil and give these guys  [other coaches] the respect they deserve as we move on.”

 

“I have final say on the staff. I want Phil’s input when it comes to that. There will be some guys coming down from the Montreal staff joining us.”

 

“I’m looking forward to find out. I’ll sit with Phil and watch some tape. We will put him [Forte] in position to maximize his talent.

 

“The only point of the offense is to score touchdowns”

 

“We want to be capable of being a very good running team and capable of being a very good passing team.”

 

“My No. 1 job is to keep our players safe. Safe in practice and safe on game days.

 

“We’ve seen some transitional phases at the tight end position. Certainly the tight end has become more of a feature player  as of late.”

 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Chicago Bears.

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Trestman Becomes 14th Head Coach In Chicago Bears History

16th January 2013 by under Bears News     

The Chicago Bears announced early Wednesday morning that Marc Trestman has been hired as the head coach. Trestman replaces Lovie Smith, who spent the last nine years in charge.

Trestman becomes the 14th head coach in Chicago Bears history. He was one of three finalists for the job alongside Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.

“I absolutely love the hire,” WR Brandon Marshall said via Chicago Sun-Times, “and the few guys I’ve talked to love it too. Hearing from guys who have played for him and been around him, he’s a guy that’s innovative.”

 

“He [Trestman] knows the west coast offense, I’ve never looked at Jay Cutler being a west coast offensive kind of guy,” former WR Tim Brown said via ESPN Chicago. “Its going to be a very interesting transition for Cutler.”

So who is Marc Trestman you might ask?

He started his coaching career at the University of Miami in 1981. He helped turn QB Bernie Kosar into a star as the Hurricanes won the national championship in 1983. He left for the NFL in 1985 and stayed there until 2004.

Some highlights of those years in the NFL include guiding the Cleveland Browns to the AFC Championship as the offensive coordinator with Bernie Kosar under center. As the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers in 1995 he helped them lead the league in points (457) and passing yards (4,779). He spent 1997 as a quarterbacks coach with the Detroit Lions and helped QB Scott Mitchell pass for 3,484 yards which was second in team history. From 1998 to 2000 he was the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals, where he helped guide them to their first playoff win in 51 years with QB Jake Plummer under center. He served as the offensive coordinator of the Oakland Raiders from 2001-2003. In 2002, the Raiders led the league in total offense as QB Rich Gannon won the MVP award and the team reached the Super Bowl.

He left the NFL for college in 2005 as he became the offensive coordinator of North Carolina State. He won two championships as the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes from 2008-2012. He has trained quarterbacks Jay Cutler, Jason Campbell, Tim Tebow, Jimmy Clausen, Brandon Weeden and Brock Osweiler as they prepared for the NFL Draft.

He is a quarterback guru who has spent 27 years coaching football.

He interviewed for the Indianapolis Colts head coaching job last year.

Trestman joins Marv Levy (Bills, Chiefs) and Bud Grant (Vikings) as former CFL head coaches that made the jump to the NFL. Levy and Grant both helped their teams reach the Super Bowl.

Trestman will retain the services of defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli to keep some continuity on the Bears’ defense. It was said he would depart if Lovie Smith gets a head coaching job, but as of now it seems as Marinelli will be back in 2013.

Aaron Kromar will be named the offensive coordinator. Kromar was the Saints’ interim head coach for the first six games of the 2012 season. He spent 2001-2004 with the Oakland Raiders as the offensive line coach with Trestman. He coached the offensive line in Tampa Bay from 2005-2007 then moved to New Orleans, where he’s been since 2008.

Kromar gets the title of offensive coordinator, but he will be in charge of the offensive line as Trestman calls the plays.

Joe DeCamillis comes over as the new special teams coordinator. He replaces Dave Toub, who left for the Chiefs to join Andy Reid in Kansas City.

He’s been a special teams coach in the NFL since 1988. He bounced from the Broncos, Giants, Falcons and Jaguars until landing with the Cowboys in 2009. He interviewed with Phil Emery for the head coaching gig, but he was happy to come over as the special teams coordinator.

Also quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates will likely be back coaching up Jay Cutler and the rest of the Bears quarterbacks.

The Bears announced that the press conference introducing Marc Trestman will take place at 10 am CT on Thursday.

What do you think about the hiring of Marc Trestman as the new Chicago Bears head coach?

 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Chicago Bears.

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An Inside Look At All 13 Head Coaching Candidates For The Chicago Bears

15th January 2013 by under Bears News     

The Chicago Bears have interviewed 13 candidates for their head coaching position since general manager Phil Emery fired Lovie Smith the day after the Bears fell short of the playoffs at 10-6.

It appears as if the Bears have strong interest in three of the 13 candidates (Darrell Bevell, Marc Trestman, Bruce Arians). All three are expected to come to the Chicago area for a second interview. Here’s a look at all 13 candidates starting with the three who are considered as the finalists for the job.

Darrell Bevell (Offensive Coordinator, Seattle Seahawks)-NFL.com’s Albert Breer is reporting that Bevell is coming Tuesday to Chicago to meet with Emery for the second time. He first met with Emery in Atlanta on Saturday.

Bevell has become a hot commodity because of his great work with QB Russell Wilson and the Seahawks offense this season.

Bevell, 43, started his NFL coaching career with the Green Bay Packers in 2000 as a quarterbacks coach helping Brett Favre continue his stardom. He stayed there until 2005 until he left town to become the offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings. He worked again with Brett Favre for a couple seasons helping the Vikings become a contender. He left Minnesota and came to Seattle to take over as the Seahawks offensive coordinator in 2011.

He has done a good job running offenses since becoming an offensive coordinator in 2006. He has great knowledge of the game and would be a nice addition in Chicago.

Marc Trestman (Head Coach, Montrael Alouettes)-He was at Halas Hall all day Monday, according to a source. The Chicago Tribune’s Vaughn McClure believes he is the “heavy favorite” for the head coaching gig in the windy city.

He started his coaching career at the University of Miami in 1981. He helped turn QB Bernie Kosar into a star as the Hurricanes won the national championship in 1983. He left for the NFL in 1985 and stayed there until 2004.

Some highlights of those years in the NFL include guiding the Cleveland Browns to the AFC Championship as the offensive coordinator with Bernie Kosar under center. As the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers in 1995 he helped them lead the league in points (457) and passing yards (4,779). He spent 1997 as a quarterbacks coach with the Detroit Lions and helped QB Scott Mitchell pass for 3,484 yards which was second in team history. From 1998 to 2000 he was the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals, where he helped guide them to their first playoff win in 51 years. He served as the offensive coordinator of the Oakland Raiders from 2001-2003. In 2002, the Raiders led the league in total offense as QB Rich Gannon won the MVP award and the team reached the Super Bowl.

He left the NFL for college in 2005 as he became the offensive coordinator of North Carolina State. He won two championships as the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes from 2008-2012. He has trained quarterbacks Jay Cutler, Jason Campbell, Tim Tebow, Jimmy Clausen, Brandon Weeden and Brock Osweiler as they prepared for the NFL Draft.

He interviewed for the Indianapolis Colts head coaching job last year. He has interviewed so far with the Bears and Browns this year.

Bruce Arians (Offensive Coordinator, Indianapolis Colts)-He is believed to be a finalist for the head coaching job, according to a league source. He has interviewed with the Bears and Chargers so far.

He started his coaching career with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989 as the running backs coach. He stayed there until 1992. He served as the offensive coordinator for Mississippi State and as offensive coordinator for Alabama after that. He then returned to the NFL as the quarterbacks coach of the Indianapolis Colts (98′-00′). He went on to serve as the offensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns (01′-03′). Then he served as the wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers until he was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2007. He left the Steelers to take the same position with the Colts. He served as an interim head coach for 12 games and posted a 9-3 record.

Arians, 60, knows what he is doing. He helped groom Peyton Manning, Derek Anderson, Ben Roethlisberger and most recently Andrew Luck. He knows how to coach up quarterbacks and he knows the ins-and-outs of offenses.

He would be a very good option for the Bears’ head coaching position. He would certainly help the Bears’ offense and Jay Cutler take the next step.

Tom Clements (Offensive Coordinator, Green Bay Packers)- The former CFL QB has been an NFL coach since 1997. He spent time with the Saints, Chiefs, Steelers and Bills as a quarterbacks coach. He was the Packers quarterbacks coach (2006-2012) until he was promoted to offensive coordinator this season.

He knows offense and that’s something the Bears are looking for. He might be better suited as an offensive coordinator at this point in his coaching career though.

Rick Dennison (Offensive Coordinator, Houston Texans)- A former NFL linebacker for the Denver Broncos, Dennison spent 1995-2009 coaching the Broncos in various positions (offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and special teams coach). He has been with the Houston Texans offensive coordinator since 2010.

He has a different background than any of the Bears’ candidates considering he’s coached almost every position and has played on the defensive side of the ball when in the NFL as a player.

He is more suited for a role as a coordinator not as a head coach. The Houston offense was rather disappointing to say the least towards the end of the 2012 season.

Mike McCoy (Offensive Coordinator, Denver Broncos)- He spent 2000-2008 as an offensive coach for the Carolina Panthers. He went to Denver in 2009 where he took over as the offensive coordinator. He’s credited for helping Kyle Orton enjoy a career year and guiding Tim Tebow to the playoffs.

He is the hottest name out there right now. The Chargers, Eagles and Cardinals all are said to be interested. The Bears seem to have moved on from the offensive specialist. He just isn’t proven enough to earn a head coaching job in a big city like Chicago just yet.

Pete Carmichael Jr. (Offensive Coordinator, New Orleans Saints)- He came into the NFL as an offensive assistant with the Cleveland Browns in 2000. He then took the same job with the Redskins and Chargers until he found a home with the Saints. He was the quarterbacks coach in New Orleans until 2009 when he took over as the offensive coordinator. He helped guide the Saints to a Super Bowl victory in 2010.

He would be a nice fit for the Bears based on his success with NFL offenses. Is he more than an offensive specialist tho? I think the Bears would prefer a more polished candidate than Carmichael. He should be an NFL coach very soon however.

Mike Sullivan (Offensive Coordinator, Tampa Bay Bucs)- He served as wide receivers coach for the New York Giants from 2004-2009. He became quarterbacks coach the following year in New York as he helped QB Eli Manning throw for a franchise record 4,933 as the Giants won the Super Bowl. He served as the Bucs offensive coordinator this season and did a solid job grooming QB Josh Freeman.

He is another guy who is better suited as a coordinator or quarterbacks coach. Down the road he might have a shot at a head coaching position.

Mike Singletary (Linebackers Coach, Minnesota Vikings)- The former Chicago Bears star became a linebackers coach with the Baltimore Ravens in 2003. He then moved on to coach the linebackers for the San Francisco 49ers in 2005. He became the head coach of the 49ers in 2009, but was fired the following season. He’s currently the linebackers coach for the Minnesota Vikings.

He showed he didn’t have the proper knowledge needed to be a head coach. He might be a defensive coordinator soon.

Joe DeCamillis (Special Teams Coordinator, Dallas Cowboys)- He’s been a special teams coach since 1988 in the NFL. He bounced from the Broncos, Giants, Falcons and Jaguars until landing with the Cowboys in 2009.

He has experience, but it might not land him this gig.

Mike Priefer (Special Teams Coordinator, Minnesota Vikings)- He’s coached special teams in the NFL for 11 years serving as the Broncos and Chiefs special teams coordinator. He came to Minnesota in 2011.

Here is another guy who seems to be on his way up, but just isn’t head coach material just yet.

Dave Toub (Special Teams Coordinator, Chicago Bears)- The Bears decided to interview from within. Toub was interviewed last season for the head coaching vacancy in Miami. He came into the NFL as the special teams coach of the Eagles in 2001. He’s served as the special teams coordinator in Chicago since 2004.

He has shown that he is a very savvy coach. He will be an NFL head coach very soon. The Bears should feel lucky they still have him as their special teams coach.

Keith Armstrong (Special Teams Coordinator, Atlanta Falcons)- The 49-year old coached the Atlanta Falcons secondary (94-95), then spent the next four years coaching the special teams for the Chicago Bears (97-00). He coached the Miami Dolphins special teams from 2001-2007 before returning back to the Atlanta Falcons in 2008 coaching the special teams.

He is a veteran coach, but the Bears are looking for an offensive minded coach and Armstrong isn’t that.

 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Chicago Bears.

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Head Coach Lovie Smith Out After Nine Seasons With The Bears

31st December 2012 by under Bears News     

Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith walks onto the field before a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, December 30, 2012. (Chris Sweda/ Chicago Tribune)

The Chicago Bears announced Monday morning that head coach Lovie Smith was fired after nine seasons with the team.

The Bears did their part on Sunday beating the Detroit Lions 26-24, but it wasn’t enough to clinch a playoff spot as the Vikings got by the Packers 37-34 later in the day.

Since becoming the Bears’ head coach in 2004, Smith put together an 81-63 record. He led the Bears to the playoffs three times including a Super Bowl appearance in 2006.

He was named the AP NFL Coach of the Year in his second season with the Bears (2005) as the Bears won the NFC North posting a 11-5 and clinching a first round bye.

The Bears hadn’t made the playoffs five of the last six years under Smith.

Despite posting 7-3 and 7-1 records to start the 2011 and 2012 campaigns, the Bears failed to punch in their ticket for the postseason in both seasons.

Smith consistently had the Bears’ defense ranked in the upper half of the league, but too many times did this Bears’ offense fail.

He gave Terry Shea (2004) Ron Turner (2005-2009), Mike Martz (2010-2011) and most recently Mike Tice (2012) the reigns to run the Bears’ offense.

He was owed $5.5 million in 2013, all of which is still guaranteed. He should find a job somewhere as a defensive coordinator.

The big reason this firing occurred was the change that took place in the front office this off-season.

With GM Phil Emery coming in he wasn’t attached to Lovie Smith from the start. The Bears’ management informed Emery that Smith had to be kept for the 2012 season, but after that Emery was free to do what he liked.

The Bears have reportedly requested the permission to interview Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, according to Fox Sports.

The Bears were allowed to do this because according to NFL rules, assistant coaches whose teams have a first-round bye are allowed to interview for head-coaching jobs this week. They can take part in a second interview either after their team loses or following the conference championship games.

McCoy has spent 13 years in the league. He was an offensive specialist with the Carolina Panthers for nine years being apart of the 2003 Super Bowl run and the 2005 NFC Championship appearance.

He has spent the last four seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos. He helped the Broncos get to the playoffs a year ago with Tim Tebow and has turned things around once again with veteran Peyton Manning.

It’s nice to see the Bears already interviewing candidates. Is McCoy the right guy for the job who knows? It’s way too early to speculate.

I wouldn’t mind seeing the Bears move towards a more offensive minded approach. The bulk of their defense should stay together.

Defensive tackle Henry Melton and middle linebacker Brian Urlacher are both free agents. It will be interesting to see if the Bears opt to bring the aging Urlacher back. Melton should be in line for a generous deal as he was named to his first Pro Bowl this season.

The Bears are close on offense. They are a couple of pieces away. They need two solid offensive linemen, one steady tight end and perhaps another receiver besides Devin Hester to complement Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. That would certainly make quarterback Jay Cutler happy.

The Bears have the talent and GM Phil Emery has made great moves since he landed the job a year ago.

The arrow is pointing up for the Bears. The Bears’ defense certainly isn’t getting younger however. I believe they have about a two year window.

Firing Lovie Smith was a needed move as the Bears are trying to prove they are ready to become contenders rather than pretenders next season.

It was certainly tough seeing the Bears start 7-1, then win just three of eight to finish 10-6.

10-6 is a good season, but to not make the playoffs is tough and I think that’s what ultimately forced Emery to fire Lovie Smith.

Sometimes change is good especially for a team that was so stuck in its ways. Those ways weren’t always the best at times.

Thoughts?

 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Chicago Bears.

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Did You Know? 12/28/12

28th December 2012 by under Bears News     

30 of 35 teams (85.7 percent) that have finished with 10-6 records have made the playoffs since the NFL realigned into eight four-team divisions in 2002.

If the Bears win and the Packers win on Sunday, the Bears will play the 49ers in the first round of the 2012 NFL playoffs.

Green Bay (11-4) currently owns a half-game lead over San Francisco (10-4-1) for the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.

Barring a loss by the 49ers this Sunday to the Cardinals, the Bears will be set to play their first round game in San Francisco if everything falls in place for them.

The Bears, Packers, 49ers and Vikings have tons to play for this week.

Week 17 will decide many things for teams around the NFL.

The Bears just have to hope they can go to Detroit and win.

Then they have to pull for the Packers to take down the Vikings in Minnesota.

As wrong as it sounds, Bears fans have to pull for the Packers this week following their early Sunday afternoon battle with the Lions.

 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Chicago Bears.

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Five Players to Watch: Week 17

28th December 2012 by under Bears News     

After starting the season 7-1, the Chicago Bears have struggled in recent weeks, going just 2-5 in their last seven games. The team now needs a win against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, coupled with a Minnesota Vikings loss, to make the playoffs as a Wild Card team.

The Lions have been a major disappointment, sitting at the bottom of the NFC North with a 4-11 record after going 10-6 last season and clinching the team’s first playoff berth for the first time since 2000.

The two teams squared off on October 22 on Monday Night Football with the Bears coming away with a 13-7 victory to improve to 5-1.

With so much at stake on Sunday, the Bears will have to play one of their best games of the season against a fierce rival.

Here is my list of the five Chicago players to watch this Sunday:

Anthony Walters

Following a hamstring injury last week to Chris Conte, Anthony Walters found himself in the lineup for the Bears at free safety.

It does not appear that Conte will be ready for this Sunday, ensuring that Walters will likely get his first career start against the Lions (h/t SB Nation).

Walters has been a solid contributor on special teams, currently sitting third on the team with 10 special teams tackles. He likely will not be asked to do the same things that Conte has done this season as far as showing blitz at the line of scrimmage or coming down to aid in the running game, but Conte will likely be assigned to deep coverage and tasked with keeping himself between the receiver and the endzone.

With Calvin Johnson trying to reach 2,000 yards, he could be in for a long day. For the Bears to win. Conte will have to always keep the receiver in front of him and make solid tackles.

Earl Bennett

Earl Bennett returned to the lineup last Sunday after missing a couple weeks with a concussion.  He continued his trend of underwhelming play, hauling in just one catch for 16 yards.

Prior to the arrival of Brandon Marshall this offseason, Bennett was viewed as quarterback Jay Cutler‘s go-to guy but has been anything but that this season.  In 11 games, he has just 24 catches for 266 yards and one touchdown.

Many opposing teams have focused on shutting down Marshall, and, although few have been successful, Bennett needs to step up to help relieve the pressure on Marshall.

Bennett started the season with a solid game against the Colts, bringing in three catches for 50 yards. He was expected to be a factor on third downs this season but has been average at best when he has played.

The Lions have a suspect secondary and will likely do all they can to shut down Marshall, leaving opportunities for Bennett to make an impact. If they do make the playoffs, Cutler will need his other receivers to step up, and a strong showing by Bennett on Sunday could carry over into the any potential playoff games.

Jay Cutler

Despite the fact they were facing a talented Arizona Cardinals defense, the Bears and Jay Cutler once again struggled to move the ball up and down the field last week.

Cutler has been average at best this season with a quarterback rating of 80.2, while also throwing 18 touchdowns to 14 interceptions.  A new offensive coordinator and a terrible offensive line have not helped the situation, but although he can make some amazing throws, Cutler also makes some decisions that make you scratch your head in disbelief.

Sunday will be an opportunity for Cutler to show that he can lead his team into the playoffs—and possibly make some noise once they get there.  The Lions have been able to pressure him in the past, and he will have to be quick and smart with his decision-making. Most of all, Cutler must realize that, in some cases, it is okay to throw the football away rather than forcing it into a tight window.

Roberto Garza

Fresh off his Pro Bowl snub, Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will give Bears center Roberto Garza all he can handle.

Suh bounced back from a disappointing sophomore season, recording seven sacks (up from four last season).  He still is one of the most gifted and talented defensive players in the league but has to work on controlling his aggressiveness and playing with better awareness.

The Bears have struggled all season to keep Jay Cutler upright, and if they have any chance at winning on Sunday, he will need time to throw the ball downfield.

Suh will play relentlessly, and Garza will spend much of his time helping out rookie left guard James Brown, with both attempting to slow the Lions’ defensive tackle down.  If Garza can force Suh out of his gap in running plays and keep him away from Cutler, the Bears have a good chance to come away with a victory on Sunday.

Charles Tillman

Last Saturday night, Calvin Johnson broke Jerry Rice’s long-standing record for most receiving yards in a season.  Johnson has been incredible in his last eight games, hauling in over 1,200 yards, averaging 156 yards per game and averaging nearly 16 yards per catch.

One of the few instances this year in which Johnson has been shut down was the Monday night meeting against the Bears and Charles Tillman.

Tillman held Johnson to just 34 receiving yards on three catches and made a great play in the endzone to knock the ball away from and prevent a sure touchdown.

Despite his incredible numbers this season, Johnson has struggled to get himself in the endzone, only registering five touchdowns.  He will likely be trying his hardest to reach 2,000 receiving yards and help the Lions knock the Bears out of the playoffs.

Tillman will have to contain Johnson like he did in their meeting by playing technically sound, not letting him beat Tillman deep and getting physical and aggressive with him at the line of scrimmage. If Tillman can keep Johnson at bay, the Bears have a good shot at winning and getting a step closer to the playoffs.

Matt Eurich is a contributor to Bearsbacker.com. Follow Bears Backer on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minute news about the Bears. Also, check out Matt’s work on BleacherReport.com and follow him on Twitter @MattEurich.

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Key Matchup: Matt Forte Against Arizona’s Defense

21st December 2012 by under Bears News     

The Arizona Cardinals defense allow 335.8 ypg which ranks 11th in the league. They allow 21.6 ppg as well.

They’ve done a solid job at stopping the pass allowing just 199.3 ypg through the air, which ranks fourth.

However they haven’t found a way to stop the run this season. They rank 28th allowing 136.5 yards per game on the ground.

The Chicago Bears need to capitalize on the Cardinals weaknesses early and often on Sunday afternoon.

This is a must win game for the Bears, who are calling the next two weeks a “tournament.”

Matt Forte and recently re-signed Kahlil Bell will be called upon to rack up some big yards in this game.

Forte has 903 yards and three touchdowns on 212 carries. He is averaging 4.3 ypc. He also has 41 receptions for 312 yards and one touchdown.

He is averaging just 65.5 ypg and 3.9 ypc in his last four games as the Bears have gone away from the running game rather early in games.

He has to be a focal point of the offense this week. It seemed as if he was going to be against the Packers a week ago, but the Bears’ offensive line once again failed to give Forte many open running lanes.

Bell returns after spending the last month with the New York Jets. He appeared in two games with the Bears earlier this season rushing 12 times for 32 yards, averaging just 2.7 ypc.

He could earn time in goal-line situations with Michael Bush (ribs) out for the season. Also, Forte has failed to capitalize to punch touchdowns in as of late, so that could mean more carries for Bell in the redzone.

They could also bring Armando Allen into the mix this week. The 5’8″ speed back has 22 carries for 100 yards and one touchdown this season.

He was used in the screen game for the first time a week ago reeling in one pass for 15 yards. Don’t be surprised to see them use Allen  a bit especially in passing downs.

The Bears have a big task ahead of them this Sunday against a Cardinals team that have gone 1-9 in their last 10 games.

Nothing will be easy for the Bears. They’ve scored 20 points or more just once over their last six games.

Jay Cutler and the Bears’ offense have to make sure they get things going on first and second down or they could be faced with long third downs yet again.

Long third downs have plagued the Bears’ offense all season long. They went failed to convert a single third down a week ago against the Packers in nine attempts.

With the return of wide receiver Earl Bennett to the offense it will certainly help out Cutler in those third down situations.

But the key to this game is getting Forte going in the running game. Bell and Allen will be leaned on at times and they’ll have to make the most of their opportunities if they want to win.

The Bears have take control of the game from the start. The Cardinals defense isn’t as bad as many think, but their run defense is very vulnerable.

 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Bears.

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Bears Place Bush On Season-Ending IR And Welcome Back Bell To The Roster

18th December 2012 by under Bears News     

Running back Michael Bush was placed on season ending injured reserve on Tuesday with a ribs injury. He becomes the eighth Bear to be placed on injured reserve this season.

The injury is being referred to as cartilage damage in his ribs rather then broken ribs.

The Bears announced the signing of running back Kahlil Bell as well on Tuesday.

Bush hurt his ribs in the Bears’ 23-17 loss to the Seahawks in Week 13.

He appeared in 13 games this season, rushing 114 times for 411 yards and five touchdowns.

Bush had one carry in Week 14 and zero carries last week. He was dressed this past Sunday and wasn’t used in goal-line situations due to injury.

“He was in uniform but still we were going to use him only if we had to,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said via Chicagotribune.com, explaining the reason for not using Bush at the goal line. “Still wasn’t quite ready to go.”

Bush signed a four-year deal worth $14 million with $7 million guaranteed.

Bush’s injury is a tough loss for the Bears’ offense. We saw how weak they were in goal-line situations without him.

With Bush out for the year and Bell back will the Bears be able to run effectively down the stretch?

Bell has shown great speed and agility out of the backfield. He is a solid runner and receiver out of the backfield. The knock on him is his pass blocking abilities.

He spent the last month with the New York Jets after the Bears released him for the second time this season. He appeared in three games, reeling in one pass for two yards, while losing one fumble.

He appeared in two games with the Bears earlier this season, rushing 12 times for 32 yards. This is a big chance for Bell to prove his worth for the future whether its with the Bears or not.

It certainly won’t be easy without Bush, but Forte and Bell can carry the load. Also, second-year back Armando Allen showed some great skills on a screen pass last week against the Packers.

The injury bug has really hurt the Bears here lately, but they’re going to have to fight through it if they want to have a chance at the 2012 postseason.

 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Bears.

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