Chisoxfn

Is this cause of Covid or something else? If it's s because of COVID than fine...but otherwise...what the heck.

Spectacular.

Yeah - I think BOB the front office exec was a disaster. BOB the head coach was pretty good. In fact -he is an intriguing candidate I hadn't thought of, if he actually learned from his experiences. He clearly was an above average head coach (unless I'm forgetting some off the field or other incident with him)? His issues were entirely how he ran that front office.

I also should note - I still love Rick Smith (who built Texans prior to Bill O'Brien gaining control after Smith retired due to health/family reasons (don't remember which) being involved in the front office (as GM or president - don't really care which).

The college coaching list actually looked better than I expected. I do think Bowles might actually be my favorite, although if the Bills turn things around I would also remain intriguied with Daboll and I still can't ignore what Roman has done (but don't know his broader skillset). I do think there is something to be set for a coach that was a great coordinator, who was okay as a HC (but largely limited by personell), who than goes back into the assistant ranks having gained valuable perspective, partnering with a quality HC - who than becomes really well positioned to make big strides. I think Bowles will get the players behind him - will drive an innovative & aggressive defense - and I think allow for the right type of offense to be built around a young QB. Quite frankly - the Bill Belicheck approach around Fields wouldn't be a bad thing next year. Really focus on limiting the times he is put in positions to failure - rather - ensure the 25 times you do drop him back - you are putting him in a position to excel the vast majority of those dropbacks and really maximizes that position to build on things.

Huge difference.

Quinn is an interesting one - I think I prefer Bowles if they go retread DC route, but I wouldn't have a massive issue with Quinn. I do think the one rumor that has me most excited is the Trace Armstrong one. And that IS NOT because I have any idea that Trace Armstrong would be amazing - I do think his connections to football as an agent and obviously his tie-in with the Bears is at the very least intriguing. But more importantly it would imply that George is actually laying the groundwork and working on developing a targeted plan prior to letting go of Pace. My biggest fear is McCaskey hasn't made up his mind and therefor is just sitting spinning his wheels waiting on that decision before actually coming up with the broader more important plan. If McCaskey truly is back-channeling and looking and evaluating football czars and rethinking everything and reassesing it - it would be a great sign that this off-season would actually be different. Right now I don't expect that because until the McCaskey's show that type of foresight I won't believe it - but if the Armstrong report is accurate - it would be a really good sign in the right direction. I do think we will know pretty quickly - but I'm hoping they have the equivalent of a Chicago Bulls front office/head coaching off-season like 2 years ago - where candidly that groundwork for the new vision and starting point was made throughout that season when they were moving forward with different directions. I am okay if the new football person decides to take a wait and see approach with Pace (I see no reason they would) - but if they take that first step in the right direction and show real foresight - that is still a massive win in my book (and it also kind of implies the new head coach would at least have clarity in terms of alignment with the president). That said - at this point - it has to be a reset - but the reset has to start from a thoughtful and strategic place and can't be George and Ted in 3 weeks going - okay, so we just canned them - now what should we do. If that happens - a broken clock is right twice a day so it could still work, but it would just be more of the same and the probability of making the necessary progress becomes ever more unlikely. Trace Armstrong, Rick Smith, Dorsey (who I know has issues but can scout talent), Riddick, McKenzie, etc are all good names for various roles in the front office (plus I'm sure a ton of other names I'm not thinking including Champ within the Bears org...although they clearly have to bring in some outside presence to make and influence real change as well). Note: The funny part is - I think the McCaskey's actually got Pace & Nagy decently right (but the rot of the org and their own fatal flaws got in the way). I think Pace back as a personnel guy is going to be excellent and he might have another shot 10 years from now. Nagy, similarly, I think has a ton of qualities you like in an HC - but he has to fail and innovate and work through some more stuff as an OC first before being positioned again. But they both will, in my opinion, have pretty long careers in the NFL and at relatively high levels.

Damn - I though this was going to be a thread about a new and improved Texsox .

So with Bmags talking about front office people - I'll throw out head coaching candidates and who people have. Thought this article was pretty decent. https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/6-bears-head-coach-candidates-if-matt-nagy-fired-including-ryan-day I think the big thing to me is - I think I've gained an appreciation for experience, finding a coaching candidate who has seen the rodeo and understands and has showed a skillset to consistently evolve in the league (this doesn't mean old - just means someone who has demonstrated a real ability to be agile and evolve and continue to innovate/stay ahead of the league/respond well to adversity). When the Bears went with Nagy - I really couldn't argue the hire. Pace went the way the league was going and found a young, innovative, up and coming mind who had the personality to succeed as a head coach. I think Pace got MANY of those traits right - however, what we didn't yet know was how said individual would handle adversity and be able to adapt. The biggest issue with Nagy has been his inability to make adjustments and continue to meld his offense so that it stays ahead of the league. Once the league got the book on what Nagy did - he basically just kept doing the same (but slightly different). He struggled to create a vision / style that went with the team because quite frankly, in his early coaching tenor he hadn't had to go through those challenges. Where he missed was he didn't have the right coaches around him (or trust in those coaches) nor did he have the right skillets (at least not yet) to lean in and pivot and make appropriate adjustments. With that in mind - I think of Joe Brady & Daboll as two people who have yet to show any ability to make real adjustments. Brady is so raw that we really don't know what he is at the NFL level and Daboll, as awesome as his work was with Josh Allen - we have seen the league make adjustments this year and have not YET seen him adjust back. I think it will be interesting to see how he finishes the season - if he can work with the offense to make the necessary adjustments - HE IMMEDIATELY jumps to the top of my list. Other people who fit on my list are Greg Roman - who clearly has demonstrated an innovative way to consistently stay ahead of the league in his ability to optimize the run game, which I think is a really good asset when it comes to developing a young QB. He also has twice shown an ability to adapt offenses around raw, athletic QB's (Kap & Jackson). I don't know whether he has the other traits - but he has also had a chance to work with two elite head coaches (Harbaugh's) which at the very least is a plus. I also am good looking at Dave Toub as well as other defensive coordinators that we think are seasoned and have right fit/personality (Leslie Frazier getting a 2nd chance wouldn't be terrible). The other spot I have no interest in is going to the college ranks. From Ryan Day to Fitzpatrick (Northwestern) - I just see the risk as too great. A few other names that I don't know what to think of, but I could get on board with: Byron Leftwich - Seemed to do a lot to blend the Arians style with Brady. Liked what he did there - but its still Brady so I don't know what to really think of Leftwich. Eric Bienemy (Chiefs OC) - Like that he has more experience than Nagy and I still believe heavily in the Andy Reid tree/system. The plus is there is consistency/similarities that come with Eric, but that is also a potential downside element. Todd Bowles (Bucs DC) - Not much I don't like with Bowles. He may be my favorite candidate. He has had innovative, aggressive defenses everywhere he has been and in hindsight, his tenure with the Jets (given their personal & fact they are the Jets) was a lot better than he initially got credit for. I think he's learned a lot in his subsequent ventures as well and has clearly shown an ability to adapt and evolve in the league and has gotten to spend the past few years working with an offensive guru in Arians, so I think he's positioned to understand what it takes to find the right OC. Josh McDaniels - So this is hard for me to write. The way he did the Colts rubs me the wrong way and I can't forgive it and there is the Cutler fiasco. But this is a guy who has shown an innate ability to adjust his offense to reflect various personell and is doing an amazing job positioning a young QB to exceed. His resume is fantastic - but the intangibles get in the way and as much as I love his performance and how good he can be, its the personality that is making me have an ugly face as I type this. Sean Payton - Obvious answer - but if he is interested - I'd give him a blank check to drive change

You might be right - maybe I need to change my hope down to win 2 out of 4.

A really all around good dude - RIP.

Hopefully Bulls do right and you end up winning in the long-run cause you can see them play with their actual squad vs. the dleague squad. Still - I get it - bummer cause those moments are precious. At least he understood.

I do still look forward to the final 4 games. I would like to see the team run the table and end on a nice positive note - ideally driven by improving play out of there younger players. I say this knowing the fate de complit has been made on most of the front office/coaching staff and they don't have a first overall pick, so I do want to see this team win some more games vs. going into an ugly death spiral.

At this point - I am fairly certain there are going to be massive changes at Halas Hall. The Trace Armstrong report was, if nothing else interesting. We have seen the agent route work a lot in the NBA - not sure how it would play out in football - but he clearly has connections and knows people so see some aspect of why the move to bring him in as president could work out. However - if Bears are going to act in this department - they need to get to work relatively fast.

I definitely am still in the glass half full vs. glass half empty camp with Fields. His athleticism alone gives me reasons to think he can be good fast while the rest of the passing game comes. To me what that athleticism does is it gives him more time to get better at reading defenses and improving the other parts of his game because pure athleticism will work and create enough explosive plays (once he becomes "serviceable" as a passer). To me it all comes down to him trusting his eyes. He doesn't trust his eyes yet as a passer - which can throw off his timing a lot. When he shows conviction - that is when he plays at his best. Doesn't help that he was pressured on over half of his drop backs - although I still think some of those are on him.

Oh and Fields has to learn to make plays on schedule. Not shocked cause he is a rookie but he still stares down guys a ton and took a few too many unnecessary hits. His ability to run is awesome though.

Fields put up yards but he still showed a ton of rust. I hope to see a couple good games down the stretch now that the schedule gets easier. One week closer to new regime.

I do want to see Fields get a garbage touchdown or two.

Yeah - that was horrendous. I expect at least one crazy bad call against the Packers each week. It was also cowardly to punt in that situation. Nagy is a loser and has a loser mentality. He has so many spots he doesn’t go for it on 4th that are cowardly. Team was dying - only chance was to convert and hope to get some momentum.

I feel like this is like the 3rd or 4th time he has taken down his own mate.

This is crazy - first off - wishing everyone speedy recovers but at some point doesn’t league step in and delay some games given how much it keeps spreading on Bulls.

I agree - my point was if somehow Payton wants pace fine. That is about the only way I see Pace sticking out since it seems like the whole move him to president thing isn’t happening.

This has to be about as bad of any report I have seen. It can’t be true can it?

By the way - I hope the Bears first hire is Rick Smith as president - he picks a gm and than hires the head coach. Shake everything up and go from there - unless Pace can pull Payton over to Chicago.

Yeah - he is signing in offseason….fingers crossed nothing blows up between now and than.