Easy Schedule in 2009 Answer to Bears Woes?

The Bears schedule for the upcoming 2009 season was released a while ago, but with the end of the playoffs, ESPN has done some research on the NFL schedule. Although the Bears play 9 playoff teams, they have the easiest schedule in the league according to 2008 winning percentages. Their schedule is at .414.

The only problem with this is that playing the Lions twice really drags down that opponents' winning percentage. 9 playoff teams? That seems tough. While this analysis of the schedule is intriguing, it seems very deceptive to me. Either way our schedule won't matter too much if Angelo and Lovie don't do something meaningful to shake things up at Halas Hall this offseason.

A Concise and Effective Plan for the Chicago Bears Offseason

Obviously we have a few months to analyze what the Bears needs are in the off-season. I have heard a lot of talk about quarterbacks, receivers, defensive backs, etc. Without doing any in-depth research, my initial conclusions are short and sweet, but don't hold me to them:

• We need a premier wide receiver. Trade for Anquan Boldin or sign a free agent. (NOT an overpaid veteran on the downslope of his career i.e. Mushin Muhammed).



• This goes against what I just said, but if Jeremy Maclin is on the board at 18, how can you not take him?



• Do not spend a lot of money on a quarterback! Get a decent backup (Leftwich or Chris Simms maybe?), but do not overspend on someone who may or may not be more effective than Neckbeard. I'm looking at you Matt Cassel, Kerry Collins and Kurt Warner! Stay away from Chicago.



• Let Jerry Angelo do what he does best, improve the defense through the draft. Most of the effective players that made the Bears defense great these last few years were drafted in middle and late rounds by Jerry. He is a great talent evaluator when it comes to defensive playmakers that fit the Cover 2 system. Let him do his thing. My top suggestion is to draft an entirely new secondary. Even though I still like Peanut, we need depth at all 4 defensive back positions.



• That being said, maybe bringing in Julius Peppers to replace an aging Ogunleye isn't a bad idea.



• Is Urlacher's day done? Not quite, but maybe it's time to look for a legitimate replacement for him in the draft for 2-3 years from now. If you're one of those people that wants to move Briggs to the middle, then look for Briggs replacement.

The biggest changes that need to be made are obviously with the coaching staff. If Lovie can't change the mindset of the defense, then it won't matter what personnel they bring in. More draft coverage to come as it draws closer.

I Thought Everyone Was Taking Crazy Pills, But Then Lovie Restored My Faith

This entire season I have been saying that Bob Babich is terrible. I said it before the mainstream media picked up on it, and I continued harping on it all season. I wasn't exactly being extremely insightful or anything. It was obvious to everyone that the Bears defense was not what it used to be. But why? Babich was bad for one of two reasons, or maybe both.

The first is the system. Rivera brought his own flair to the Cover 2. He clearly wasn't a Cover 2 guy, as seen by his success in San Diego in a completely different system. Either way he threw in different coverage schemes, different stunts on the line, and generally was very creative. Babich was the opposite. He threw a basic Cover 2 out there and didn't mix up the schemes at all. Opposing teams knew what was coming for the most part, and picked apart the Bears in the seams of the Cover 2. The only thing Babich tried to do was put everyone on the line to try to confuse quarterbacks. The only problem with that was they did it EVERY TIME so teams were able to adjust. Not only that, but it gave tight ends and running backs coming out of the backfield an extra step as Urlacher and Briggs tried to drop back from the line.

The second reason was motivation. The Bears defense that had been ferocious and opportunistic turned into a lifeless bunch that was painful to watch. Babich could not seem to instill the fire and aggressiveness that had defined the Bears in previous years. They were still able create a lot of turnovers this season. Where they differed from past years is when their backs were up against the wall, it seemed like they couldn't get the big stops. There was no real spine.

Did Lovie not see it? How could he have missed it? It seemed like he was oblivious, or else he realized it but he was going to protect his boy Babich. Well I have good news for Lovie, Babich, the Bears, and Chicagoans; Lovie is going to take over the play-calling on defense:

Smith will handle play-calling duties this coming season with Bob Babich remaining the defensive coordinator while returning to his roots as the team's linebackers coach. The staff was filled out Tuesday morning with the addition of Jon Hoke as secondary coach.

"I have been involved a little bit,'' Smith said this afternoon on a teleconference. "My involvement will be a lot more now. For some reason offensive coaches, there are quite a few offensive coaches that [call plays]. There are not a lot of defensive guys. I think this is what will help us get back to where we need to be.''

This is a great solution for all parties. Babich does not take a ceremonial demotion and stays defensive coordinator, at least in name. The defense gets new life from Lovie, who knows the Cover 2 and how to make it work from his days in Tampa and St. Louis. It's win-win for everyone. While my faith in Lovie has wavered at times this season, he has once again proven how he is a great manager of people. Babich keeps some pride, while at the same time the defense gets better play-calling.

With Marinelli at his side, hopefully Lovie can turn this defense around. Whew. I don't think I could have put up with another season of Babich.

What Does Ditka Think About Rumors He Will Coach The Bears? (Circa Early 1980's)

This video comes via Top Ten Chicago Sports. It is an interview with Da Coach when there were rumors he would be the next coach of the Bears. Not to say I don't like Lovie, but Ditka just embodied this City's gritty attitude. Too bad he was totally insane.

If We Fire Babich (Fingers Crossed), There Are Some Good Options Out There

Unimaginitive, boring, unprepared, unable to make adjustments, weird-looking. All words used to describe Bob Babich, our defensive coordinator. Ron Rivera, Babich's predecessor, was a great defensive coordinator. He bought into Lovie's Cover 2 but was able to make adjustments that were tailored specifically to the personnel he was working with. In all fairness to Babich, the talent level on this defense is significantly less than it was under Rivera. What made Rivera great, however, was his ability to change the game plan to utilize his players' strengths. Babich has struggled with that.

Anyways, Windy City Gridiron made some interesting suggestions about who would be a good replacement, IF the Bears were to can Babich. With all the firings that just occurred in the NFL the last few weeks, there are some very appealing options:

Rod Marinelli: I know I know, the Lions were 0-16. Marinelli was not entirely to blame for that. If you want to talk about a lack of talent to work with, no one had it tougher than Rod. Also, the players never quit on him, they played hard for 17 weeks, even through an abysmal season. The Bears defense has looked uninspired at best for most of the season, and someone who could get them to play with more heart may resolve a lot of the issues.

Eric Mangini: The Mangenius choked in New York, but he was known as a defensive mastermind with the Patriots and even had some good Jets defenses the last few years. He might be a possibility. The only issue with him was his disloyalty to the Patriots and of course his involvement with spygate.

Romeo Crennel: Another former Patriots defensive coordinator, Romeo struggled in Cleveland (as most coaches have the past 50 years). I don't know too much about him, but he seemed to thrive as a defensive coordinator in New England and there's no reason to think he couldn't do that in Chicago.

Overall, I think the main issue will be Lovie's adherence to the Cover 2. I'm not sure that any of these guys are married to it like Lovie is. Whoever comes in would have to understand that the majority of things that are run in Chicago are run out of a base Cover 2. I assume all of these defensive minds would be capable of putting their stamp on the Cover 2 and working within it, but I'm not sure. No matter what happens, we can all only hope that this was Babich's last season.

One Question Mark Down, 73 to Go; Neckbeard to Start in 2009

According to the Chicago Tribune, Kyle Orton will be the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears next year:

After Sunday's season-ending 31-24 loss to the Texans, offensive coordinator Ron Turner said Orton will head into training camp next July as the unchallenged starting quarterback for the first time in his career.
"No question about it," Turner said. "He played really well [in 2008]. It took him a while to get back in the groove because of his ankle [injury Nov. 2]. I still don't think he's 100 percent."
"All players will have competition … everybody is in that same group," Smith said. "But Kyle Orton is our quarterback."

So that answers that question I guess. Turner's rationale for keeping Orton as the starter is that he was still hurt for most of the second half of the season and that hindered his development and performance. Personally I have been in favor of keeping him all along, if only for lack of better options. If the Bears can just get him a good free agent WR like Boldin I think he will really shine.

Today's Links-Bears Break My Heart Edition

• Bears lose in a nailbiter. Just kidding everyone, it wasn't a nailbiter. Bears just flat out lost, and it sucks.
• Akinori Otsuka a Cub? If he has recovered from that surgery it would be perfect. Sorry if I'm not totally sold on Bob Howry 2.0 (Kevin Gregg)
• Ben Gordon passes Scottie Pippen on the all-time Bulls 3 pointers made list.
  
• The Hawks are playing dominant hockey right now, extending their win streak to 9. Maybe they earned this Karma from the famous "Funeral Burger" incident?
  
• At least we aren't the Lions, 0-16 is epic in it's own way though.
• Illini get a win against Eastern Michigan. I'm just wondering what the deal is with Alex Legion? He's barely getting minutes and when he does he isn't exactly producing.
• Lovie thinks the Bears are "close". Close to what? He is living in a fantasy world.
• Bulls are struggling with Deng AND Gooden out, especially on defense.

What They Are Saying Out There In Media-Land About The Bears This Week

A lot has happened in the last 2 weeks that have changed the fortunes of the Bears season. Although hope is still alive, they have gone from the driver's seat to the playoffs, to hanging on to the back bumper and being dragged through the street. Here's what some top Chicago and other mainstream media outlets are saying about them:

CBS Sports: Apparently there are some different options in the wildcat set. For instance, Forte or Hester could throw the ball. Also how both Adams and Harrison stepped up in Dusty's absence last week.

Daily Herald: Someone must be blamed for the way the Bears have been playing. This guy wants to blame the front office, Lovie, or the lack of execution by players.

Chicago Sun-Times: Yeah, we totally got screwed by having to face the Vikings before the Williams's were suspended, but look at the other guys that got suspended. The league's ruling was actually pretty favorable for the Bears in terms of who they play the rest of the way.

Chicago Sun-Times: Sure, the Bears could win 4 straight and make the playoffs. One problem though; they haven't won 2 straight since 2006.

Chicago Tribune: Feel free to blame Orton for this loss, but please get him some help!

Chicago Bears Website: Wait a minute, the Bears got stopped on another huge goal-line stand against the Falcons, and they went to that same fullback handoff that time too. Don't worry though, Lovie wouldn't change his playcalling if he could do it again.

Well that is a pretty positive tone. The Bears better get their shit together soon, because the playoff picture in the NFC is very tight.

The Neckbeard Will Heal All Wounds

It looks like Kyle Orton will be starting on Sunday, unless there are some unforeseen circumstances. Thank god:

Orton jogged off the field on his taped-up right ankle, proof that even if he was limited in the workout, he felt just fine.

''He's a lot better today than he was [Wednesday],'' coach Lovie Smith said. ''If he continues to make the same type of progress, hopefully we'll have him available.''

Barring a setback, count on it.

We're going to need him against the Packers.

Lovie Protects Team Full of Pussies With Squib Kick

Lovie apparently is trying to justify squibbing the kickoff at the end of the 4th quarter by saying he didn't trust the physical condition of his team at the juncture of the game:

Smith said after the game the reason for the squib instead of a conventional deep kick was what he perceived as the state of the injury-riddled coverage team.

"Hindsight is always a lot better," Smith said. "I feel like I could have helped our team a lot better if we had just kicked the ball off deep, but it just didn't work out that way."

None of that takes away from the poor execution of the squib by Gould, but regardless, it was unusual to see Lovie throw his team under the bus like that. I blame the whole team, but it would have been nice to see Lovie handle this with his usual level of tact and professionalism.

Sun-Times Calls For Tillman's Head...Literally

I hate sportswriters that just write for shock value instead of actually covering the team. Well Mike Mulligan of the Sun-Times is one of those writers. Everyone saw what Tillman did yesterday, coming to the aid of his teammate that was under attack. Trueblood of the Bucs tried his best to snap our D-lines' necks, literally. While what Tillman did was foolish, it is at worst something he should get a slap on the wrist for. The Bears bleww plenty of opportunities that game. Here's what Mulligan thinks:

The coach must be feared in the NFL. Players have to know that one dumb, costly, selfish mistake can mean the loss of a starting job or a chunk of their paycheck or public humiliation. Fear is a wonderful deterrent. And the time has come for Bears coach Lovie Smith to put some fear into his team and punish cornerback Charles Tillman, whose absurd personal foul in overtime Sunday effectively cost the Bears a game.

Yeah! Lets suspend him or chop off his hand or something. That will show him not to stand up for his teammates anymore!

Today's Links--Holiday Weekend Edition

• Wages of Wins explains why Ben Gordon being the leading scorer is not indicative of his real contributions (or lack thereof). Also a look at some other Bulls issues by the numbers.
• Two retarded Cubs fans fight after a game. The best part is that you can hear the "Go Cubs Go" song in the background as they are trying to kill each other.
• Maybe the Bears aren't good because Lovie isn't pushing them as hard in camp and practice? Sounds possible, though it is more likely a combination of factors.
• Northwestern spanks 'Cuse. Sutton with 144 yards on the ground. It's a good start, but lets see them do that in the Big Ten.
• C.C. did not throw a no-hitter. Stop whining Milwaukee.
  
• Crack in the armor? The weekend goes poorly for the Cubs. Get ready for the roller coaster.
  
• Thome reaches home run milestone. The Mick has a beer in his honor. Boy did that guy like to party.
• Illinois loses, but big year may still be ahead.
• Sox end up winning Sunday, but the real show was Dustin Pedroia. He looks like Teddy Ballgame these days.
  

Today's Links--Rammy's Granny Edition

Finally! An analysis of the Dream Team vs. the Redeem Team that is based on empirical evidence. Dream Team wins by the way.

CUBBIES!!! Sorry, I was at the game last night. Recap: Hamels was untouchable, but the second he came out it was HR, double, single, walk, granny. Rammy is the man. Apparently it was Lou's birthday as well.

An explanation of how and why Deng cannot play in FIBA games because of his back, and what GB can do to make this go away. I'll give you a clue: It costs 2.5 million dollars.

Cubs v. White Sox World Series? It's possible, but Phil Rogers claims it would be a bad thing for the Cubs.

Hilarious exchange between a Sun-Times reader and the editor of the Times, along with other reader reactions (via deadspin). Oh and Ozzie seems pretty excited about Mariotti, but that's no surprise.

Roger Ebert weighs in on Mariotti leaving. He isn't happy with the "rat" either.

Apparently there was some kind of Bears game last night. Whatever. Wake me up when the regular season starts so our offense can put me right back to sleep.

Lovie is pissed about reports that Daniel Manning is out at nickelback. Ok Lovie, we get it. Daniel is your nickelback.