Toub was the same situation as Marinelli, both of them felt it would be awkward staying with Trestman after Lovie got fired so the Bears allowed them to move in if they wanted to/had offers.

 

The Bears should have offered Toub however much money it took to relieve the awkwardness. Both the importance of special teams and the brilliance of Toub are vastly underestimated.

On the play GB scored the TD on the fumble, even they had no idea the play was still live, although there may be some merit in the Bears perhaps scoring there if Lovie was still coaching. Anderson was the guy who could have picked it up and ran. He wasn't coached by Lovie and his group.

 

I have bashed Cutler plenty, but I thought he played a really good game yesterday. There were a couple of throws a bit off, but conditions weren't ideal. He also had a couple of drops, and the final throw for an INT was nothing you could hold against him.

 

I don't know if Mel Tucker is an answer, but if you have to play guys like Conte and Steltz, and don't have much of a pass rush, I think there are a lot of coaches considered defensive geniuses who would look like fools.

On the play GB scored the TD on the fumble, even they had no idea the play was still live, although there may be some merit in the Bears perhaps scoring there if Lovie was still coaching. Anderson was the guy who could have picked it up and ran. He wasn't coached by Lovie and his group.

 

I have bashed Cutler plenty, but I thought he played a really good game yesterday. There were a couple of throws a bit off, but conditions weren't ideal. He also had a couple of drops, and the final throw for an INT was nothing you could hold against him.

 

I don't know if Mel Tucker is an answer, but if you have to play guys like Conte and Steltz, and don't have much of a pass rush, I think there are a lot of coaches considered defensive geniuses who would look like fools.

 

The drop by Marshall at the 25 or 30 with ~10 seconds was huge. If he makes the easy catch there, they use the timeout and Cutler has time to likely throw two darts in the endzone, instead of one desperation heave. And shut up already, Brandon, with the Ray Lewis/LeBron analogies - those guys lost on the brink of championships, you didn't even make the playoffs, again.

Shanahan and Frazier given their walking papers

Shanahan and Frazier given their walking papers

 

No big surprise on either, but it did seem like Frazier had a lot of support from his players. I would have given him another year.

Did the Browns coach really get fired too?

Did the Browns coach really get fired too?

 

 

Yup. Apparently it's his fault that Brandon Weeden & Jason Campbell are bad at football. The last 4 coaches fired in the AFC North have all been by the Browns.

Did the Browns coach really get fired too?

 

Yes. As much as the Bills have become a running joke around the league, they'll never be worse than the Browns. I really thought the Browns and Chud had a good thing being built, but at some point, you need talented players. They ran all year with Weeden, Campbell, and Hoyer.

No big surprise on either, but it did seem like Frazier had a lot of support from his players. I would have given him another year.

 

I agree. I don't think he was the problem, but obviously that's how it goes in the NFL.

I agree. I don't think he was the problem, but obviously that's how it goes in the NFL.

 

Frankly, I think being an NFL head coach would be one of the most stressful jobs you could have. Frazier gets fired, but what more could he have done? Spielman gave him a pile of s*** for a roster with jack squat for QBs...what do you expect to happen?

Not enough people realize what this means. I know "next man up" is a favorite phrase in football, but eventually, it doesn't matter who the next man is when you're down to guys who have no business playing major minutes on a NFL defense. It might not be an excuse to have a record-setting worst defense in Bears' history, but it goes a long way in explaining what happened.

 

Between getting healthy, free agent signings, and the draft, I think the defense can be much improved next year.

 

The Bears played a vast majority of the season with a practice squad for a defense.

Fun fact: The Bears finished the season 4-8 vs. the NFC.

Bears road opponents next year:

 

Lions, Packers, Vikings, Falcons, Panthers, 49ers, Patriots, Jets.

 

1-7 or 2-6 on the road?

Bears road opponents next year:

 

Lions, Packers, Vikings, Falcons, Panthers, 49ers, Patriots, Jets.

 

1-7 or 2-6 on the road?

 

Jets blow, Panthers could be a fluke this year, I say 4-4.

 

Depending on who is back, of course.

Edited December 30, 201312 yr by Brian

Bears road opponents next year:

 

Lions, Packers, Vikings, Falcons, Panthers, 49ers, Patriots, Jets.

 

1-7 or 2-6 on the road?

 

So much could change between now and then. And really, a lot WILL change

So much could change between now and then. And really, a lot WILL change

 

 

True. I also didn't take into account how many collarbones Shea McClellin will break next season.

Would you rather Lovie get hired in Detroit or Minnesota, in the hypothetical world where he has to get picked by one of them?

 

As much as I'm sick of Lovie and glad he's gone, I really think he's a fine coach. It wouldn't surprise me to see him get a ring one day.

Would you rather Lovie get hired in Detroit or Minnesota, in the hypothetical world where he has to get picked by one of them?

 

As much as I'm sick of Lovie and glad he's gone, I really think he's a fine coach. It wouldn't surprise me to see him get a ring one day.

I wouldn't mind Minnesota. Allen is a FA and the defense in general is pretty bad.

 

The Lions are a different story. That defense might be tops in the NFL with Lovie.

Would you rather Lovie get hired in Detroit or Minnesota, in the hypothetical world where he has to get picked by one of them?

 

As much as I'm sick of Lovie and glad he's gone, I really think he's a fine coach. It wouldn't surprise me to see him get a ring one day.

 

The last thing I want to see is the Bears going up against a Lovie Smith turnover defense twice a year.

I dont think Lovie will ever win a ring if he is allowed to pick his own offensive coordinator.

It doesn't matter, but on that Rodgers touchdown to Cobb, a cornerback for the Bears just flat out tackles Jordy Nelson about 12 yards down field. It would have been interesting had Cobb dropped that pass.

 

 

 

 

It doesn't matter, but on that Rodgers touchdown to Cobb, a cornerback for the Bears just flat out tackles Jordy Nelson about 12 yards down field. It would have been interesting had Cobb dropped that pass.

 

Yeah, Major Wright laid him out for some reason

It doesn't matter, but on that Rodgers touchdown to Cobb, a cornerback for the Bears just flat out tackles Jordy Nelson about 12 yards down field. It would have been interesting had Cobb dropped that pass.

 

I don't know if tackle is the word, but he definitely dropped him. That was Major Wright, the other safety. They both worked hard to f*** up that play.

I dont think Lovie will ever win a ring if he is allowed to pick his own offensive coordinator.

 

Which he won't get coming into a new job. Having a GM come in after your coach isn't good for the GM.

I don't know if tackle is the word, but he definitely dropped him. That was Major Wright, the other safety. They both worked hard to f*** up that play.

At the same time, the refs weren't calling any of the holding or delay penalties on the Packers, so I could give a s***.