Hampton: Game-Planning Needs To Change Without Cutler
Without Jay Cutler, it's clear the Bears play-calling and game-planning needs to be adjusted.
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Without Jay Cutler, it's clear the Bears play-calling and game-planning needs to be adjusted.
Here are the good, bad and ugly from this week's Bears-Raiders game.
You hate to pin a loss on one play but it would be easy if you want as the Bears lost to the Raiders 25-20 out here in Oakland.
Try to remember how you felt as soon as you got the news about Jay Cutler's broken thumb, and how long he'd be out. Dig deep, and access that moment – recapture the feeling like a trained method-actor.
Among the list of quarterbacks the Bears could bring in with Jay Cutler sidelined, Kyle Orton clearly tops that list.
While Lovie Smith said the Bears plan to bring in a veteran quarterback to backup Caleb Hanie, one NFL expert cautioned fans not to get too excited.
After two-plus seasons of up-and-down play by the Bears quarterback, Cutler has put together a string of six straight above average games, none better than his effort Sunday afternoon in the Bears' 31-20 win over the Chargers at Soldier Field.
During the Bears current four-game winning streak, the offensive line has been a bright spot, protecting Jay Cutler and paving a way for Matt Forte. Now, with Williams lost for the season with a wrist injury, the Bears must regroup and work with a new left guard, Edwin Williams.
With a 30-24 victory over the heavily favored Philadelphia Eagles, the Bears put themselves on track for their second straight playoff appearance.
Yes, he's maddening. And he looks like that guy in college who you always wanted to punch in the mouth, just because. But Jay Cutler has also proven himself as the best QB in Bears history.
The Eagles are the best three-win team in the NFL, which along with the Saints, is talented enough to take down the Packers.
Former Bears quarterback Jim joined The McNeil and Spiegel Show to discuss Mike Martz, Jay Cutler and the rest of the Chicago Bears after their 24-18 win over the Bucs in London.
You can add Bears great Doug Baffone to the list of those who aren't too thrilled with the play-calling by offensive coordinator Mike Martz.
They haven't looked truly remarkable since their Week 1 thrashing of Atlanta, but in running the ball better of late and an improved defense, the playoffs don't seem as far fetched as they did after the Green Bay and New Orleans debacles earlier in the year.
Though a loss to the Bucs would have fluttered the dovecoats, the message sent from London was plain as a pikestaff: keep your wig on, and your chin up. 24-18.
When Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz found out his quarterback directed an obscenity his way during the Bears' win Sunday, he did just as one would expect -- he downplayed it.
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler admitted he directed an obscenity at offensive coordinator Mike Martz in Sunday's win over the Vikings and said he didn't regret it.
At this point it's no secret that Jay Cutler and Mike Martz aren't getting along, but now there appears to be some obvious video evidence.
Lovie Smith does appear to have his own supply of paper towels, though, that he's been able to pull out of the supply closet, to unroll as needed to mop up the pessimism (and who would engage in that, dare I ask?) and keep his team from slipping into the abyss.
If Monday was a "must have", then Sunday is a must win. If the Bears were to lose against Minnesota, they would drop to 2-4, with all four losses coming in the NFC. It would also make them 0-3 in the division. When it comes to tie-breaker math, that ain't good. So here's what I'm watching for Sunday night:
The final score reads 24-13, but it might as well have been 240-13. As poor as the Lions played, nobody in the Chicagoland thought the Bears had a snowball's chance in pulling that one out after the Lions went up 21-10. The offensive line was outmatched, and almost the entire defense failed to show up Monday night. From there, the rest just fell into place.
Bad drafts, bad signings, desperate trades and hamstrung, stubborn coaches have the Bears staring at a dark road.
Lovie Smith evaluates the regular season in four quarters, so let's evaluate Lovie's crew in the same fashion.
During the Bears' 34-29 victory on Sunday, the offense wasted two timeouts on one drive in the second half -- former quarterback Jim Miller breaks it down.
This one was a must-must, a necessary condition for continuing one's emotional investment in a severely flawed Bears team, even if one may know better.
