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.
The sudden and unexpected death of Spencer Leak Jr., vice president of Leak & Sons Funeral Home, has many in the Chicago community in mourning, but none as much as his own family.
Legislation protecting Illinois customers receiving professional massages from sexual assaults and harassment is now on its way to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature.
Could banning cell phones make Illinois classrooms better places to learn? State lawmakers are betting on it, sending a bill to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk to do exactly that.
The Justice Department said it will stop work on the $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund following a district judge's decision temporarily blocking the program.
Illinois could soon reform the state's regulations on delinquent property tax sales after the House approved a bill 80-35 along party lines Saturday evening that lets homeowners keep their equity.
The Justice Department said it will stop work on the $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund following a district judge's decision temporarily blocking the program.
Illinois could soon reform the state's regulations on delinquent property tax sales after the House approved a bill 80-35 along party lines Saturday evening that lets homeowners keep their equity.
The liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court said it will hear an appeal seeking to redraw the state's Republican-friendly congressional map, a move that could open a path for Democrats to gain seats in 2028.
The Illinois General Assembly approved Gov. JB Pritzker's nearly $56 billion budget for 2026 early Monday morning. It's the largest budget in state history.
A last-minute push in the Illinois Senate passed to keep the Chicago Bears stadium in the state failed, at least for the moment, when the House adjourned without a vote. So what's next?
A new study from the Cook County Treasurer's office underlines growing concerns about the impact the Illinois megaprojects bill could have on the county's property tax base and overall fiscal health.
As thousands of Chicagoans wrap up road trips over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, gas prices in the city have reached the highest levels seen in four years.
Consumer and environmental advocates said Monday that they found overcharges buried in the most recent rate-hike request by Nicor.
One week away from Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of the summer travel season, with gas prices remaining high, negotiations were set to resume Monday at the largest oil refinery in the Midwest.
Chatham residents say they're losing a vital resource as Walgreen's prepares to close its store near 86th and Cottage Grove.
June is World Infertility Awareness Month, and Northwestern Medicine on Monday shared the story of a woman who is celebrating the birth of her second child after a tumor disrupted her fertility.
The Centennial Park Aquatic Center in the southwest Chicago suburb of Orland Park has been closed to the public after two recent cases of E. coli infection.
Menopause can feel like a major turning point for millions of women, with symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog can make women feel like their bodies aren't their own.
The head of the World Health Organization says Ebola has killed at least 7 people in Congo, but the U.N. agency says it knows the epidemic "is much larger."
A person suspected of having hantavirus in Winnebago County, Illinois, turned out to be a false alarm, officials said Monday.
The owners of Gene & Georgetti steakhouse are suing a concessions operator over their expansion at Midway International Airport.
DraftKings announced Monday that it is closing its sportsbook operation at Wrigley Field after only about two years.
After more than 80 years, there will be no Ann Sather restaurant location in the 900 block of West Belmont Avenue in Chicago's Lakeview community, effective in June.
Flight attendants at Chicago-based United Airlines have approved a new labor contract, marking their first pay increases in six years.
The Chicago Fire FC announced Wednesday morning that its new stadium in the South Loop will be named McDonald's Park.
Joe Negri, known to many as Handyman Negri on "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood," has died at the age of 99, just days shy of his 100th birthday.
President Trump said he is considering replacing the Freedom 250 concert series with a rally after many artists dropped out.
Sonny Rollins, the legendary tenor saxophonist known for his bold tone and constant experimentation, has died at 95.
Former CBS Chicago anchorman Bill Kurtis has signed off from his role as the judge and scorekeeper on the NPR weekly news quiz show "Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me!"
Pop star Britney Spears said she was "totally fine" to drive and had not had a drink for about six hours when she was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol.
A new drug to treat pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancers, could change the lives of patients and families. Dr. Audrey Kam of Rush University Medical Center explains this new medication and what to expect.
The man charge with murder in Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman's death was in court Monday for a status hearing. Gorman's family attended.
The sudden and unexpected death of Spencer Leak Jr., vice president of Leak & Sons Funeral Home, has many in the Chicago community in mourning, but none as much as his own family.
Clear and cool Wednesday night. Lows in the mid-50s.
Legislation protecting Illinois customers receiving professional massages from sexual assaults and harassment is now on its way to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature.
The Illinois Senate passed a bill geared toward keeping the Bears in-state, but the Illinois House adjourned without voting on the measure.
The sudden and unexpected death of Spencer Leak Jr., vice president of Leak & Sons Funeral Home, has many in the Chicago community in mourning, but none as much as his own family.
The Illinois General Assembly approved Gov. JB Pritzker's nearly $56 billion budget for 2026 early Monday morning. It's the largest budget in state history.
Feel Free, a kratom drink, is easy to buy and increasingly popular, even as doctors and medical experts grow more concerned about its health impacts, addiction rates and deaths.
Legislation protecting Illinois customers receiving professional massages from sexual assaults and harassment is now on its way to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature.
Legislation protecting Illinois customers receiving professional massages from sexual assaults and harassment is now on its way to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature.
Could banning cell phones make Illinois classrooms better places to learn? State lawmakers are betting on it, sending a bill to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk to do exactly that.
Feel Free, a kratom drink, is easy to buy and increasingly popular, even as doctors and medical experts grow more concerned about its health impacts, addiction rates and deaths.
A long stay in the neonatal intensive care unit can be one of the most difficult journeys a parent can face, but starting next week, Illinois becomes only the second state in the nation to offer NICU-specific leave for moms and dads.
Chicago has the largest air quality monitoring network in the country thanks to a partnership between the city, the University of Illinois Chicago, and local community groups.
A last-minute push in the Illinois Senate passed to keep the Chicago Bears stadium in the state failed, at least for the moment, when the House adjourned without a vote. So what's next?
Matthew Liberatore took a shutout into the sixth inning and Masyn Winn hit a two-run single as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night.
Colson Montgomery homered and Tristan Peters' RBI single put Chicago ahead as the White Sox rallied with two runs in the seventh inning to beat the slumping Detroit Tigers 2-1 on Sunday for their fifth straight win.
Dennis Hull, a hockey pro who spent 13 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, died late last week.
The Cubs finished with 12 hits while winning for the third time in four games.
Police on Monday were seeking help from the public in finding two suspects in a robbery on a CTA Red Line platform along the Dan Ryan Expressway last week.
A man was killed in an Oak Park police shooting after officers pulled over an SUV and struggled with the driver over a gun.
The man charged with the murder of a Loyola University freshman was back in court Monday for a status hearing.
A Walgreens drugstore was robbed at gunpoint in Chicago's Logan Square community early Monday morning.
A man and woman were shot and killed early Monday morning in the west Chicago suburb of Bellwood.
