Angelo, Lovie not to blame for current state of Bears

When the dust finally settled from Sunday's embarassing, awful, terrible, no good, very bad (you get the idea) loss to the Seahawks, the Bears were left at 7-7 on the outside of the playoff picture looking in with little to no hope things could be saved.

After winning five straight games and sitting at 7-3, things looked great, but starting Caleb Hanie at quarterback with Jay Cutler on the sideline and Matt Forte joining Cutler on the sideline a couple weeks later and all playoff hope has left Chicago. Now, Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune, starts firing people. Well, I can't say I'm surprised, but I wouldn't go as far as he does.

Rosenbloom is pretty good with what he does at the Trib, but he's off on this one. He wants to get rid of Hanie and Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo. The Hanie move has obvious reasoning, but the Angelo one struck me. His reasoning? He is the guy that brought in Hanie and stuck with him over the last four years as the backup quarterback.

Well, Hanie should probably go. But that isn't necessarily on Angelo or even Lovie Smith and Mike Martz. Most fans don't realize the backup quarterback gets the least practice and reps of anyone on the team. That's why teams across the league don't spend big money on their backup QBs and most go with rookies or guys that have started somewhere else, even if they have struggled. You know what you are getting and those guys know what to expect when they are stepping in. The first-string QB takes every rep in practice while the backup may take reps, but running the opposition's plays for the scout team. Not the same, at all and he's not being evaluated on things properly that way. Look around the league and you will notice this.

As for Angelo, I would have been fine with him "retiring" or being fired years ago, but if you are going to fire him and/or Lovie after this season, Bears ownership would be off base. The season was going smoothly at 7-3 with the team winning five straight and looking to be on the brink of something special. As I told a fellow bar patron yesterday, you don't fire management over injuries, and that's what you'd be doing if you let Angelo or Lovie go after this.

The arguement is that they should have brought in a veteran QB to take over after Jay. Well, I'm with them for not bringing in someone. Despite losing out on Kyle Orton (props for beating the Pack bro!), Hanie was probably their best bet, even in front of Donavon McNabb. You only need to look to Carson Palmer in Oakland to see how that went when he got to town and there just wasn't enough time left in the season after Jay went down to work out the kinks with a completely new quarterback.

Jerry's drafts haven't exactly yielded talent that has stuck with the Bears. To be honest, free agency has bailed him out over the years. When the team needed a playmaker and Tommie Harris was past his prime, the Bears went out and got the biggest fish on the market in Julius Peppers. When the team needed a quarterback, he did make the big trade for Jay Cutler, too. That move didn't have immediate impact, but for nothing of Jay's doing, the offensive line was in shambles and he couldn't stay on his feet long enough to make a worthwhile decision. And when he did he threw interceptions because he was trying to carry the team and do too much.

Lovie has shown time and time again that this is his team and every single player on the roster respects him. The old phrase goes "A team is the sum of all of its parts" and he has done more with so little in years past than anyone in the NFL. Again, I think Martz and Cutler were finally starting to go places and think you shouldn't mess with much at the top.

This team needs more offensive line help. Gabe Carimi will be a force when he gets healthy next season and Roberto Garza is the backbone of the line. They just need some quality guards. I'm still thinking a true No. 1 receiver is what the team is lacking. On the other side of the ball, there's no getting around the age of the defense. So Angelo will have to draft well for once and get depth at safety and on the defensive line.

So no, Steve Rosenbloom, don't line up the firing squad and start sending everyone packing. Just trim the fat and shore up some places. The team you want to evaluate is the one after 10 games not the one these last four weeks.

With Forte out, Bears playoff chances slim to none

If you know me, you know I'm usually one of the most optimistic and positive people you will meet. I'm that way with the Brewers and in the rest of my life. The recent turn of events with the Bears has the realist coming out of me and seeing the possibility of the Bears earning an NFC Wildcard spot fading fast.

I am the same person that said after the Jay Cutler injury Caleb Hanie could lead the team to three wins in six games and get the team into the playoffs and hand things back over to Cutler to lead a magical playoff run. But with Matt Forte now down for 2-3 weeks (Lovie Smith said he expects him back before the end of the regular season in his Monday presser), the possibility of the Bears winning three of their final four games seems like a bit of a reach right now with their second biggest offensive weapon on the sideline.

With one or the other of the Cutler/Forte combo on the sideline the Bears could win for a short period of time. I actually think Cutler could sustain a season without Forte playing like he had during the team's five-game winning streak, but is made vastly better by the production of Forte on the ground (he has 997 yards on the season) and as a safety valve passing option out of the backfield. That said, the offense should have leaned on Forte and Marion Barber more over the last two weeks, but instead Mike Martz chose to stay pass happy.

Hanie has six interceptions after two games as a starter (his third Sunday was on the last play of the game) and aside from one drive which ended on a drop by Roy Williams that turned into his second INT, he could not move the ball. That proof lies in the 11 third downs that were not converted by the Hanie-led offense and the man calling the plays, Martz.

Minus the remaining best threat the offense has, Hanie will have no choice but to put the ball in the air, which scares the hell out of me. There is, however, a little hope in the work Barber and Kahlil Bell did in carrying the ball after Forte went down, combining for 77 yards on 18 carries. They were effective at times and broke off some solid runs. But you give a team a chance to scheme for them during the week and know that Hanie is not much of a threat with this offensive line and things look pretty meek going forward in these final four games. Just like the story in the Chicago Tribune today, the offense is pretty weak right now.

The formula for beating the Bears is now very simple. Keep the ball away from Devin Hester in the kicking game and wear down the defense with a run game that sustains long scoring drives and get after the quarterback and force Hanie to make quick decisions. Wait, that sounds like the formula John Fox and the Denver Broncos have used with Tim Tebow to win five straight games. Yeah, it's not going to get any easier going forward.

Looking at these final four games against the Broncos, Seahawks, Packers and Vikings, only one is at home (Seattle). I'd be happy now with a 2-2 finish. The Bears defense does match up well against the Broncos in trying to stop Tebow, but he only ran the ball 10 times this week and continues to get better throwing the ball and being more selective on running the read option. With an offense that generated just three points the defense has little room for error and I'm not sure how long they can sustain things without scoring points themselves. This could be one the Bears steal, but the Broncos are rolling right now.

It's hard to find many positives in the Bears final four games right now. Yes, every other NFC Wild Card team did lose yesterday keeping them in the No. 5 spot in the playoff hunt, but they all can't lose these final four weeks and you'd hate to have it end that way anyhow. It's going to be tough to watch down the stretch. I can only wish the Bears prove me wrong.

Blame for Bears loss to Raiders goes beyond Hanie

A fake pass, leading to a "clocking" of the ball which led to an intentional grounding call was a fitting end to the first chapter of the Caleb Hanie Experience for the Chicago Bears this season. It was a rough day for Hanie, and in talking with all non Bears fans today, they are leaving the team for dead. Newsflash to the uninformed: This team will bounce back and in a big way.

I make it sound like I'm a big homer and a fan, but in the first start of Hanie's career, you almost have to expect some growing pains, not only for him, but for the play caller, who, in this case, is Mike Martz. Late in the game, Hanie finally showed the flashes the Bears coaches had been talking about, connecting on an 81-yard pass that set up a touchdown. Prior to that, he started making great connections with Johnny Knox that kept the team in the game.

That said, there was more negative than positive to take away from this game for Hanie and it has to be expected. This is a guy who has been the backup quarterback for four years and hasn't played a meaningful minute in a game aside from the NFC title game last season when he had a touchdown and two interceptions. We'll have to give him some time to get things together. Another week of taking the reps in practice and getting the work in the meeting room and I expect to see vast improvements. I'm sure playing this week's game at home against the Chiefs should help, too.

As for the blame going beyond Hanie, Martz shares quite a bit of that with Hanie. With a guy making his first start one would think you would work with him and simplify things, especially early in the game when he's still getting his bearings in the game, and focus on the running game. The fact that Matt Forte had just 12 carries for 53 yards and Marion Barber 12 carries himself, says otherwise. That has to be the strength of the offense right now. Hanie showed Sunday he can throw the ball and down the field, but cannot be asked to shoulder the load.

The goal for Hanie is simple, just don't lose the game. Martz's playcalling on the seven yard-line didn't do Hanie any favors and led to the interception and 90-yard return that set up a Raiders field goal at the end of Sunday's first half. When you have one of the best running backs in the NFL you have to utilize him. Barber was effective between the tackles on Sunday, as well, creating quite a double threat that should have been utilized more.

Do you want me to heap any blame on the defense? Sorry. they forced six field goals, but did allow the Raiders to get inside the 30 yard-line seven times. That's bending, sure, but when they were on the field as much as they were they were gased and tested against a physical group of Raiders. It's a product of the offense not being able to move the ball, going three-and-out on five of the first nine possessions (Of the other four, three resulted in interceptions).

Of course, Peanut Tillman and Brian Urlacher took some of the blame in the media. It shows what kind of team this is, taking some of the pressure off Hanie and the offense now that Jay Cutler is out. But it was unnecessary. They did their job, for the most part. they gave up one touchdown and the offense had chances throughout to seize this game.

Looking forward to the Chiefs, you have to expect a similar game. Close to the vest and defensive dominated. The Chiefs are in the same boat as the Bears and Kyle Orton could be making his return to Soldier Field. One thing we know, he doesn't make mistakes with the ball which forces Hanie and the offense to take care of things and not turn it over.

I'm not all out on Hanie, but he needs to remember the simplest things that the end of the game showed. He doesn't have to do it all. He just can't lose the game for the Bears.

Note to Bears fans: Save the doom and gloom

I went to bed last night with the thought on my mind that hopes were not as bright for the Bears as I thought they were moments after cinching up a big 31-20 victory over the San Diego Chargers at Soldier Field. When I awoke this morning that thought was still there, but I was reminded of the 2005 season and where that season ended up.

That season, Rex Grossman was injured in preseason and Kyle Orton, then a rookie drafted in the fourth round stepped in and set a team record for 10 wins by basically just not losing the game. That is basically the task put in front of Caleb Hanie when he makes his first NFL start Sunday in the Black Hole against the Raiders. Hanie will have Matt Forte carry much of the load and just have to worry about complete the short to medium passes while the defense and special teams do the rest.

That said, while I am super disapponted by this injury, made as Jay was making a tackle that saved a touchdown and was followed by Philip Rivers throwing an interception in the end zone, I'm not thinking the season is completely lost.

Just as I was about to write this, I combed the Interwebs and came across Melissa Isaacson's story on ESPNChicago.com where she basically said what I wanted to say only better and with quotes from Halas Hall today.

Can the defense carry things? Brian Urlacher thinks so and he volunteered that answer. "Our mindset now is that we are going to have to carry the team." His unit certainly has the playmakers to do it and anything to lessen the presser on Hanie is good in my eyes. Having teams dumb enough to kick to Devin Hester.

Lovie did sound rather optimistic Cutler could be back before the end of the regular season, but I wouldn't want him to rush back. I know a lot of morons in the media questioned his toughness, but the fact that he has to go under the knife to heal his broken thumb speaks to teh severity of the injury.

At 7-3, the Bears realistically need just three more wins to at least think about the playoffs. We won't worry about tie breakers and scenarios for this exercise, but about the final six games and what they have to do looking at what lies ahead.

This week the Bears go to Oakland to take on a surging Raiders team. This one could be tough for a couple reasons. First, it's Hanie's first start and the Raiders are actually playing well. This one is going to test the defense and offense. My gut even before the Cutler injury said the Bears were going to have their hands full. So now, I'm actually thinking it might be a loss.

Week 13 has the Bears hosting the Chiefs. With Matt Cassel on IR and the Chiefs falling to pieces, I'm thinking this could be Hanie's first win as a starter. This is Thomas Jones' first game back against the Bears since he was let go which should stir up some stories, but I see this one as the game they get back on track.

The final AFC West game for the Bears was set to be epic with Cutler going back to Denver to play the Broncos and show them what a real quarterback can do. Well, that's not going to happen now, but I still think this game is winnable. Then again, hasn't every team that has played Tim Tebow and he's made them pay for it? Still, I like the Bears defense against him. It won't be a pretty game, but should be another win.

The final home game of the season follows that one with Seattle coming to Soldier Field. This one is a home game, but against a Seahawks team that beat the Ravens a couple weeks ago. I'm not sure which Seattle team will show up.

The Christmas day game at Green Bay was one that scared me all season. With things rolling with Jay, I actually expected this one to be a battle. But without Jay, I don't see it being more than tough for the Bears to move the ball. The defense can slow Rodgers down, but you have to be able score points to keep up.

The season finale is at Minnesota and whether or not Cutler is healthy enough to play in this one could decide the winner. Either way, the Vikings won't have anything to play for and the Bears should. Lovie is one of the best motivators in the game and you can rest assured he'll have them ready for this one with the playoffs hanging in the balance. That's why I'm thinking they win this one.

So there, 10-6. Will it be good enough to make the playoffs and allow Cutler to make his triumphant return to the lineup? Only time will tell.