I mentioned this on the game thread, but honestly, I expected progress this year. I don't think we've really seen it. I know teams can turn it around in year or two, but it seems like we have needs fucking everywhere. And I'm beginning to think one of those needs might be fucking GM-- after Coaches, CBs, WRs, TEs, LBs at the least. So how far away are the Bears, in your estimation? Will they even be fucking COMPETITIVE next year? How many years are we away from playoffs? Seems like the only interesting thing to read about the Bears is patg's draft thread. The BYE WEEK thread from years ago. That's how long the Bears have been complete shit. Is this what the 90s was like? I honestly don't remember. But hey, we cut our punter, to get another one who immediately misses a 54 yarder and it's not even close. Go Bears.
We are a lucky coin toss and 2 Jordan Howard broken overtime runs from being a 1-win team right now... I am still befuddled on how this crap team was able to compete with the Steelers and Panthers.
The 90s was way better because of Michael Jordan and the Bulls. And we (the Bears) did manage 3 playoff appearances and two playoff wins, one over a division rival. Right now as it stands we're on pace for the worst decade in franchise history. Even in the 70s and 90s we had more playoff appearances than we've had, and will likely have, in this decade. That's in addition to the worst 16 game record in franchise history.
This team is as far away as Trubisky is from being a franchise QB. At this point I would have hoped to be more convinced that he is. All the positive vibes of him being an accurate athletic QB are disappearing by the game. He has been way too inaccurate and takes too many sacks. Yes his WR’s are pedestrian but he’s throwing too high and behind the receivers too much for my liking. I would hope he finishes strong and gives the new coaching staff something to be excited about. Pace will get another HC and it has to be the right choice. Although Pace hasn’t done an excellent job by any stretch he has been adding talent via the draft on a consistent basis. Another good draft and and the right coaches to get the most out of them and this team can compete next season. He has to open the wallet for some legit WR’s and a RT in FA as well. It’s hard to see progress after a game like this but there has been and should continue to be progress on the defensive side of the ball. I don’t think you need to move heaven and earth to keep Fangio but he could be an attractive DC for an offensive minded HC. It’s easy to beat up the DB’s after a game like this but Wentz had all day to pick apart the secondary. First round pick needs to be a hit on a top notch CB1 or edge. I could live with Amukamara or Fuller as a #2CB. My personal choice right now would be to bring in Josh McDaniels. From what I have read he has learned a great deal from his 1st stint as a HC and his return to NE.
I’m not going to unload on the players. They’re playing their hearts out. They’re simply reflecting how poor coaching manifests itself come game day. This is realistically a mediocre team offensively with a mind-numbing lack of NFL-level WR talent but a promising defense. Until HC, Offensive and ST coaches and assistants are sent packing AND replaced with competent coaches Bears will remain uncompetitive. Just about any other coaches running the show with this team’s existing personnel and Bears likely double their win total this year and we’d call that progress. Fox will be gone this year. And I’m legit concerned for Trubisky’s development and confidence in the meantime. That’s the scariest part for me and I’m convinced for Pace as well. For as much as Pace gave to acquire him I can’t see Pace keeping Fox on and ruining his career as a GM. Pace will be defined by the success or failure of Trubisky going forward. I don’t know the formula on how to bring in a new HC who keeps Fangio and keeps a similar scheme for Trubisky’s growth. Seems most successful QBs have the luxury of playing in the same system most of their career. Maybe Vic and Ryan are sharing some Thanksgiving leftover viddles right now discussing who Vic would consider bringing in as OC and DC as he ascends to HC or who he’d be comfortable with as new HC. For consistency sake I’d hate to lose Fangio. I don’t know how that plays out in the NFL but I do know how it plays out in real life. Fox will be long gone--SOON.
I think a lot of players quit today. Or quit last week and were just on the field today. Showed up. Got out there... Didn't really play to compete. I read somewhere, years ago, that on every play, every player is in a competition. He is trying to win a battle. (I'M paraphrasing). Every play, a player has an assignment and his objective is to win his assignment.. An Olineman will battle a Dlineman. A receiver will battle a CB... etc... Today, I felt that while many guys were battling, many were just hoping for a draw. Most were not out thereto win their individual battle. This team quit today.
This team quit back when I should have- after the Packers game. Having Fangio step in and be interim HC wouldn't be that unusual, hell isn't that how Jason Garrett got the job in Dallas? He's still their coach right? Why not see if I can right the ship a bit? blang is right though, shit will happen after the year. Their firing this time was Barth, heh. But I was trying to gauge how long, I, as a fan of forever, have to put up with this crap? Because I will, I am a damn fan. A damned fan. I want to be able to say the needle is pointed up but I'm not sure it is. Wolf makes a good point new mgmt might get more out of this lot. Fangio did that to the D.
On a completely different note did any of you see that Trestman coached the Toronto Argonauts to a Grey Cup victory yesterday?
I can only put it this way , if you were to stop on Lake Shore Dr and look out as far as you can on Lake Michigan you will see nothing all the way to the horizon . That's how far away they are from being a " legit " team , we all knew yesterday's game was going to be a disaster so I am not surprised at the results. As everyone has stated above Fox should be gone at years end at worst so that issues should be taken care of , who's the replacement ????????????????????? That brings us to the Pace issue , will he hire the right guy ??? will he continue to draft unknown's from small colleges and try and tells us how much of a " genius " he is for making those moves . Show me a team that's built around drafted unknowns , injured prior to the draft , one year deals for FA and I show you a guy who's going to be selling cars soon. The one thing I am tired of hearing is what I heard today for Hicks on the radio , as players we need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves what can I do better ??? it's the same BS line for last 4 years ... I went to the Tampa game and really , really , really wanted to leave at halftime , that itself is fn pathetic . This organization is years from being a playoff contender , it showed yesterday and don't be surprised if it shows Sunday when SF comes into town with their new QB and cleans their clocks.
Saw this today at a blog I stumbled across. I have no idea who this writer is and what his credibility is but the following is what his sources have told him about John Fox's status: http://dabearsblog.com/2017/six-tho...-in-2018-based-on-actual-reporting#more-17385 Spent all day Monday reaching out to every single contact I have in the NFL. All four of ’em. Why? Because I was angry, frustrated, tired of writing about a losing team…etc. I figured I could only spend so much time yelling at my cats about the Bears’ misuse of Tarik Cohen so I might as well use the energy for good. Here’s what I know. (None of this is based on guesswork. This is stuff I was actually told.) (1) There is a roughly .01% chance of John Fox being the coach on January 2nd 2018. Ryan Pace will hire his replacement. (2) There was consideration given to firing John Fox after the Green Bay game but ownership/Pace don’t believe there’s a good interim option on the staff. This includes Vic Fangio who, I’m told, would not be super keen on the assignment and has turned down extension offers from the team to stay on as defensive coordinator. (3) George McCaskey idolizes how the Giants and Steelers are run and has decided to emulate their approach. He does not want to fire a coach in-season. This does not mean he would never do it. But, honestly, emulating the Giants and Steelers is never a bad thing, folks. (4) If Fox loses this week to the 49ers, don’t be surprised if his tenure ends Monday morning. If he loses to the Browns on Christmas Eve, he won’t coach the finale. I don’t know why so much emphasis is being put on two meaningless games against awful opponents, other than their being at home, but that’s what I was told. (5) I asked two bigwig personnel men (and friends) to rank the following prospective openings: Browns, Bears, Giants, Bengals, Colts, Bucs. Both…both…put the Bears at the top of the list. It should be noted that they are Trubisky fans and both expressed concern about Andrew Luck returning to previous form. Any coach that believes in Trubisky is going to see the Bears as a team ripe for a quick turnaround. (6) Quote from a source: “Ownership does not blame Ryan for the Fox hire. It made sense to everyone in the building at the time. They were all enthusiastically on board.” This confirmed to me what I’ve always been told: ownership never thrust Fox onto Pace. He wanted a coach he wouldn’t need to keep tabs on as he went through this process for the first time. It turned out to be a mistake.
Anytime you have a good QB....you're a lot closer than you are far away from being a playoff team and a contender. There is no position in any other sport that has as much impact on the outcome of a game and the success of a team as QB does. Now...I'm not calling Trubisky I good QB. I don't know if he's the franchise guy. I know he has franchise guy potential and great QB tools. But what we've seen on the field hasn't been much. This team is short on talent and even shorter on good coaching. I don't understand the gameplans...I can't wrap my mind around anything when I look at the individual snap counts after the game. Our two minute personnel packages are mind boggling. George McCaskey might idolize the Steelers and Giants, and that's fine, but when will he start to run his franchise like the legit, big city, charter franchise that it is? The McCaskey family are, in my mind, the worst owners in all of sports. How far are we? Right now we need.....a legit left tackle, a legit right tackle, a #1 wide receiver, a #2 wide receiver, a #1 corner, an outside pass rusher, another good run stuffing rotation tackle, a kicker, a kick returner, a HC, an OC, and a new ST coach. Now if Trubisky can blossom from year 1 to year 2 he can cover up some of those holes himself with good QB play. If the team can someday stay healthy...that will also help. But there are holes all over this franchise. From the front office to the coaching staff to down on the field. It's a god damn mess.
Greg Gabriel and one idiot, Hub Arkush both reporting Fox done at end of year, bears/Pace have 5 HC candidates, Fangio not included among said 5. http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/article_56bd04e1-522d-5fde-b556-84c06ac8f4f2.html Marc Trestman, anybody?
Funny thing about Trestman. When the Argos were down his face looked pensive, sad and scared.When the Argos won the Cup, Trestman's face was pensive, sad and scared.
They can take the "exactly" out of that statement and it'd be more perfect. However, since Pace makes the roster moves, is he ripping on Pace in this case?
