Official 2009-2010 NFL Thread

[EvilJester99]

With Martz as the OC, how long b4 they name Marinelli their DC??

[Steve9347]

They could have hired Martz a month ago. Obviously they struck out on every other option.

[nitetrain8601]

Well, it wasn't particularly unforseeable that it would happen. It was a pretty obvious hire, in my opinion.

 

Now let's get the field turf and reinstate the greatest show on turf, baby.

 

Yep. That may be most important!

[iamshack]

They could have hired Martz a month ago. Obviously they struck out on every other option.

I think they were trying to appease Jay a bit, then looking at some guys Angelo wanted to. I don't necessarily disagree that they may have struck out, but it seems wise to interview other candidates if you know Martz isn't going anywhere. I think, despite the hits they have taken on the process, the two hires so far have been good ones.

[witesoxfan]

Considering the other QBs Martz has had to use during his past couple stops - Jon Kitna/whoever, Alex Smith/JT O'Sullivan/Shaun Hill - I'd say that having a QB of Cutler's talent will make his job quite a bit easier.

[iamshack]

Considering the other QBs Martz has had to use during his past couple stops - Jon Kitna/whoever, Alex Smith/JT O'Sullivan/Shaun Hill - I'd say that having a QB of Cutler's talent will make his job quite a bit easier.

I dunno if it is bs or not, but he's claiming Cutler will be the most talented QB he will have ever worked with.

[MurcieOne]

With Martz and Marinelli in place, I wonder what it would take to get Millen to become head of player development.

 

I kid I kid, I actually like the hire. I love Jay, but I think he may be the kinda guy who needs someone to ride his ass every once in awhile. The question (as Mike aptly pointed out earlier in this thread) is whether or not Jay will be receptive to Martz's tactics.

 

I think if Jay comes into this situation with an open mind he will be a pro bowler next year, and not a David Garrard style pro bowler - an actual pro bowler.

[MurcieOne]

I dunno if it is bs or not, but he's claiming Cutler will be the most talented QB he will have ever worked with.

 

Martz has said repeatedly that he rated Cutler the highest of any QB coming out of college, but he said that while he was campaigning for the job back in December.

[GoodAsGould]

Martz has said repeatedly that he rated Cutler the highest of any QB coming out of college, but he said that while he was campaigning for the job back in December.

 

Worse case, Jay is the 2nd most talented QB that Martz has ever had a chance to work with and I think on talent alone Cutler > Warner. As for the Bears "striking out" on all their other candidates, I honestly don't think after interviewing them and whatnot any of the potential candidates sparked the Bears interest, maybe Greenbays QB coach but that was blocked. The only coach that the bears wanted and missed was Perry Fewell.

[MurcieOne]

Worse case, Jay is the 2nd most talented QB that Martz has ever had a chance to work with and I think on talent alone Cutler > Warner. As for the Bears "striking out" on all their other candidates, I honestly don't think after interviewing them and whatnot any of the potential candidates sparked the Bears interest, maybe Greenbays QB coach but that was blocked. The only coach that the bears wanted and missed was Perry Fewell.

 

I think you are probably right, except I think Bates was going to get a really strong look if he didn't go with Carroll to Seattle. I actually think they probably would have offered him the job. I'm not sure it would have been the right decision, but I still think he was there #1 guy coming into this offseason.

[The Beast]

Ready to take the dive with Smith after '10 campaign.

 

I like the hire, but I still see the deficiency of the offensive line being a problem. The fact that Cutler doesn't have all of the time in the world doesn't bode well for this team. I'm curious to see what personnel changes occur on offense as a result of Martz's presence. Does it mean that Kruetz is gone (because Angelo is a b****)? Do the Bears make a move to up the offense again? The hiring of Martz is interesting although I don't think that he alone can save this team.

 

What do you all think? (And who will be their defensive coordinator?!)

[iamshack]

Ready to take the dive with Smith after '10 campaign.

 

I like the hire, but I still see the deficiency of the offensive line being a problem. The fact that Cutler doesn't have all of the time in the world doesn't bode well for this team. I'm curious to see what personnel changes occur on offense as a result of Martz's presence. Does it mean that Kruetz is gone (because Angelo is a b****)? Do the Bears make a move to up the offense again? The hiring of Martz is interesting although I don't think that he alone can save this team.

 

What do you all think? (And who will be their defensive coordinator?!)

Not that this does not deserve its own thread, but there is commentary in the NFL catch-all thread if you're interested.

[bmags]

why would kreutz being gone be a bad thing?

[Steve9347]

why would kreutz being gone be a bad thing?

No legitimate successor?

[MurcieOne]

On whether he got impatient waiting for the opportunity after putting his name in the mix early in the process:

 

"Lovie (Smith) was very clear at the very beginning that this was going to take some time and he was going to go through it step-by-step. Still, that's always difficult (to wait around). But he did it the right way, especially since I got the job."

 

On the perception that he's not a great fit for the Bears because he likes to throw the ball:

"You know, (I'm) very pragmatic in the approach. And I think that you have to analyze your personnel, the circumstances and situation like Soldier Field, and look at what you have with the conditions and then proceed from there.

 

"Really, it's about winning games and just doing whatever it takes to take advantage of your strengths."

On his meeting with Jay Cutler on Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.:

"It was even better than I anticipated. There was an instant connection. You know, that happened to me and (former Lions quarterback) Jon Kitna the first time I met him.

 

"This was really interesting because we just were on the same page in so many things. In fact, I really got excited. We were in a little classroom down there at Vanderbilt, and we were just kind of talking football. And he asked about special plays. I put a play up that was designed specifically for the Tampa Cover-2. I told him this is how we put it in, ran it through, hit a touchdown on it. He asked a question about that play, a wide-receiver split, that kind of just stopped me dead in my tracks. It just showed that he's so far ahead and on top of this type of thing, that veteran quarterbacks generally don't even asked that.

 

"We had a real good dinner. Enjoyed each other's company. It was a good chance just to kind of get acquainted."

 

On his negative comments regarding Cutler's postgame news-conference demeanor after the season-opening loss in Green Bay:

 

"The thing I told Jay, the things I felt when I watched that: I felt like I knew who he was. The integrity, the dignity he has, how classy a guy he is. How he misrepresented himself with that (demeanor), totally out of frustration with that game. It was a difficult situation for hm, difficult to go through. I didn't think he demonstrated who he was in there. It was a learning experience."

 

On whether it will take a long time for the Bears' players to learn his offense:

"We'll be running on all cylinders by opening day, I can guarantee you that. ... The challenges ahead are just getting them the information that they need. ... They'll be ready to go. They want to learn it, that's the biggest part of that."

 

On how his style meshes with Lovie Smith's "get off the bus running" philosophy:

"It depends on who you're playing. The physical part of it is what Lovie is addressing. Everything starts in the offensive line, keeping (your) defense off the field. It's about doing what you want to do on offense."

 

On how he might use the Bears' receivers:

"Well, they've got some speed. And that really is kind of a diamond to me. When you look at that group, it could be a real strength of this football team. With (Devin) Aromashodu -- I hope I pronounced it right. (Johnny) Knox is really a diamond to me. And Hester, with what he can do whether he's outside or in the slot. The matchups on these guys are extreme.

 

"When I went to St. Louis from Washington, Isaac Bruce was too skinny. They weren't too happy with him. He was always hurt. Had this little guy, Az Hakim, and they didn't know what they were going to do with him. Rick Proehl, slow white guy. This is three-quarters of the Greatest Show on Turf.

 

"And really, what we'll do with these guys, I think there's plenty of talent there. I'm really excited about their speed and the potential. And what we'll do is give them every opportunity to explore that and not make a definition on what any one of those guys can do, but let them prove to us and put no limits on them."

 

On whether he has a different view of the game after being out of coaching for a year:

"What shocked me was how many elite quarterbacks were in the league. I just couldn't believe when I looked at teams play, the level of the passing game throughout this league right now. It's never been like this. If I'm not mistaken, I think during the season, there were 25 Pro Bowl quarterbacks on rosters. There so many guys playing at a high level."

 

On the Bears' offensive line:

"I think the biggest issue here is Mike Tice. What I know of him as a coach, and being able to visit with him, I think this is just a terrific hire. ... This guy will get this group squared away and going good. A tough, physical group. They'll be attentive to all the little details. This will be a really well-coached group."

 

On running back Matt Forte:

"There's so many thing you can do with him. He has the same kind of multi-abilities as (former Rams star) Marshall (Faulk). Soft hands. Change of direction. Good route runner. He's a very unselfish pass-blocker, so he's willing to stick his nose in there. He's the complete package. And the formation to get him matched up inside on linebackers and, on occasion, safeties will be a good part of what we do."

 

Ok, Martz can talk the talk because I am totally pumped about watching this offense next year.

[The Beast]

I didn't realize that this was somewhere else. If anyone feels the need to delete or merge it, go ahead - my apologies.

 

As for Kruetz, I always thought he was one of the great leaders of the team. The fact that he had a closed door meeting with Angelo spoke volumes to me about him actually giving a s*** and standing up for either him or some personnel. Maybe I'm looking too far into it, I'm not exactly sure. All I know is that there is a void at one of the tackle positions and at left guard and it needs to be fixed. Is Omiyale a bust? Can Beekman step up and help anchor a weak Bears o-line? Should the Bears trade Hester? I'm sure that I'm just speculating and analyzing here.

[GoodAsGould]

why would kreutz being gone be a bad thing?

 

In my opinion part of the decline of Kreutz has more to do with the 2 guards we have been putting next to him, the OG's that have been starting for this team the past couple of seasons have been pathetic.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Well, it wasn't particularly unforseeable that it would happen. It was a pretty obvious hire, in my opinion.

 

Now let's get the field turf and reinstate the greatest show on turf, baby.

 

And after that all we have to do is somehow reincarnate prime Orlando Pace, Marshall Faulk, Issac Bruce and Tory Holt then we're all set!

[StrangeSox]

In my opinion part of the decline of Kreutz has more to do with the 2 guards we have been putting next to him, the OG's that have been starting for this team the past couple of seasons have been pathetic.

 

That's my opinion as well. Kreutz clearly isn't as good as he once was, but his weaknesses are magnified by having to make up for the crap around him.

[SoxAce]

I don't mind getting a younger Josh Beekman at Center which he was drafted and groomed for. If that means Kreutz (and other guys old/still younger I.E. Hester) are gone for draft picks to help, then I would not mind at all. Of course that won't happen though.

 

I gotta say I like the hire too, but what does this mean for Greg Olsen? In a Martz run offense, TE usually catch/see only about 40 balls receiving a season. (most of the time they are blocking in his scheme) I don't think Greg will be catching 60+ again next season, but hopefully it's enough to give him some touches since he is a very good match-up threat.

[southsideirish71]

I don't mind getting a younger Josh Beekman at Center which he was drafted and groomed for. If that means Kreutz (and other guys old/still younger I.E. Hester) are gone for draft picks to help, then I would not mind at all. Of course that won't happen though.

 

I gotta say I like the hire too, but what does this mean for Greg Olsen? In a Martz run offense, TE usually catch/see only about 40 balls receiving a season. (most of the time they are blocking in his scheme) I don't think Greg will be catching 60+ again next season, but hopefully it's enough to give him some touches since he is a very good match-up threat.

 

I woudl turn Greg Olsen into a WR. He has the speed and the height to be a nice receiver. He can't block that well and hasn't transitioned that well to being a blocking TE. I think just allowing him to focus on running routes and catching the ball will turn him into something pretty good.

 

Devin Hester must be traded. As great as his physical skills are, there is no way he is grasping this complex offense. He had a hard time picking up a generic offense.

 

Ditch the painted dirt and get field turf in here. Whats the point of drafting all of these fast guys only to watch them slip and fall the minute a concert happens in late October.

 

Edited February 2, 2010 by southsideirish71

[GoodAsGould]

I woudl turn Greg Olsen into a WR. He has the speed and the height to be a nice receiver. He can't block that well and hasn't transitioned that well to being a blocking TE. I think just allowing him to focus on running routes and catching the ball will turn him into something pretty good.

 

Devin Hester must be traded. As great as his physical skills are, there is no way he is grasping this complex offense. He had a hard time picking up a generic offense.

 

Ditch the painted dirt and get field turf in here. Whats the point of drafting all of these fast guys only to watch them slip and fall the minute a concert happens in late October.

 

I think Hester would be fine as a 3rd WR, lets him focus mostly on special teams as well. Greg Olsen would be fine he can mask as a TE and option out into the slot often. The Bears do need to add one impact WR though, Aroshmadu(sp?) can be the 2nd guy but whether its TO, Marshall, or whoever we need a number 1 for the offense to work.

[southsideirish71]

I think Hester would be fine as a 3rd WR, lets him focus mostly on special teams as well. Greg Olsen would be fine he can mask as a TE and option out into the slot often. The Bears do need to add one impact WR though, Aroshmadu(sp?) can be the 2nd guy but whether its TO, Marshall, or whoever we need a number 1 for the offense to work.

 

This offense is extremely difficult in the verbage it uses as well as the large amount of plays/motion/ and formation. Hester had a hell of a time getting the generic west coast offense down, and it was dumbed down for a while for him. This is a completely different beast. He is getting paid too much as a special teams/3rd receiver type. If he is that to you, then he will get you more value in a trade that he will provide returning kicks on your team. Daniel Manning and Johnny Knox did a pretty good job returning this year.

 

TE's in Martz's system block, and thats about it. There is no masking as a TE, you block because you need to give Cutler as much time as the receivers run deep complicated routes. I would love a true number one WR. I just dont see where that comes from.

[GoodAsGould]

This offense is extremely difficult in the verbage it uses as well as the large amount of plays/motion/ and formation. Hester had a hell of a time getting the generic west coast offense down, and it was dumbed down for a while for him. This is a completely different beast. He is getting paid too much as a special teams/3rd receiver type. If he is that to you, then he will get you more value in a trade that he will provide returning kicks on your team. Daniel Manning and Johnny Knox did a pretty good job returning this year.

 

TE's in Martz's system block, and thats about it. There is no masking as a TE, you block because you need to give Cutler as much time as the receivers run deep complicated routes. I would love a true number one WR. I just dont see where that comes from.

 

Coaches adjust to the players they have, in a trade you arent going to get anything back worthwhile for Hester plus I thought a lot of his contract was incentive based on how he performs as a WR, obviously as a 3rd WR he wont really reach those. No point in debating it though, this is an important off-season for the Bears in terms of the f/a market so lets hope they have a good one.

[DBAHO]

For this offense, the Bears are definitely going to have to upgrade on the O-Line in this off-season.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing how Jay and Martz get along with each other as the season goes on though, consdering Martz's comments about Cutler.