Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2017 0:02:32 GMT -6
Bears Q&A: Playing the blame game, coaching candidates, a too cautious QB and more
Brad BiggsBrad BiggsContact ReporterChicago Tribune
Link: www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-bears-blame-game-mailbag-biggs-20171115-story.html
The Tribune's Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly.
Ryan Pace has been quiet these past few losses as well as George McCaskey and Ted Phillips. Do they share the same disappointment as the fans? It doesn’t show. — @michaelpamoore
I certainly understand how fans would feel better if the general manager, chairman of the board and president and CEO expressed their frustration in a disappointing season following a lackluster loss to the Packers on Sunday. The Bears are 3-6 and appear destined to miss the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year. It also looks as if they will finish without a winning record for the fifth consecutive season. The second-half schedule appears to be easier, but you can’t get carried away projecting success for the Bears when they have two games remaining with the Lions and road games against the Eagles and Vikings. In the past, Bears general managers have assessed the season during the open date, but Pace did not do that this year. The Bears have chosen to make Fox the singular voice for the organization since the opening of training camp, when Fox and Pace made a joint media appearance. It’s fair to assume McCaskey and his family and Phillips are not happy with the Bears being at the bottom of the NFC North and potentially headed toward a fourth consecutive last-place finish. From their standpoint, I think they don't feel anything constructive is accomplished by weighing in with their thoughts at a time when things are not going well. Upper management likes to review complete seasons, and with seven games remaining, a lot of football remains. What if the Bears get hot and go on a run? Sure, it seems unlikely. But the point is they generally wait until after the season to weigh in. For those thinking the Bears would consider a coaching change, I think those folks have missed the boat. The Bears have never made an in-season coaching change, and at the end of the day, what were the expectations for the Bears at the start of this season? I think most folks had them pegged for 6-10 or right around there. They seem to be on course to win six games, right? Let’s see what shakes out over the next two months. If it isn’t pretty, there is a very good chance there will be changes.
When Lovie Smith was fired, Rod Marinelli didn't interview for the head-coach position out of loyalty for Smith. Do you think Vic Fangio has that same respect for John Fox? Hiring Fangio at least keeps some continuity on the defense, whereas going outside means hitting the reset button on the whole thing ... again. — @t_reuther
Let’s be real here: I don’t think Marinelli was a realistic option to become the head coach after the Bears fired Smith following the 2012 season. Yes, general manager Phil Emery went far and wide in conducting a search for the next coach, a process that eventually led him to Marc Trestman. But I can’t imagine the Bears would have eventually settled on Marinelli given the failures he experienced as the head coach of the Lions. I’m quite sure Fangio would like to be considered for a head-coaching position, and it’s probably fair to wonder why he hasn’t gotten more traction in the past. Fangio doesn’t strike me as much of a self-promoter, and that probably works against him a bit. He’s well-liked and certainly well-respected. But I think you’re missing the most important factor that will be in play if the Bears decide to replace Fox after the season. If they go in that direction, the No. 1 factor has to be finding a coach who outlines a plan for building the organization around quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Could that lead the Bears to Fangio? That’s possible if he has an offensive coordinator in mind who really impresses everyone. But the continuity of the defense isn’t nearly as significant as the plan on offense. Teams cannot compete on a consistent basis in the NFL without a top-caliber quarterback, and until the Bears get that figured out, they’re going to be treading water. Fangio could be in play, but keep your eye on what will be most important here: the quarterback.
Who are the hot offensive coordinators out there who could get an interview for the head-coach job next year? — @kezzy143
That’s a good question. There don’t appear to be red-hot names as there were at this time a year ago when Kyle Shanahan was a slam dunk to be hired and Sean McVay was gaining steam as a potential candidate. I’ll offer a list of 10 offensive coordinators who could get attention at the end of the season, including four who have previous experience as a head coach. Those first four names are Josh McDaniels of the Patriots, Todd Haley of the Steelers, Pat Shurmur of the Vikings and Mike McCoy of the Broncos. The other six are Jim Bob Cooter of the Lions, Frank Reich of the Eagles, Pete Carmichael Jr. of the Saints, Darrell Bevell of the Seahawks, Harold Goodwin of the Cardinals and Matt Nagy of the Chiefs.
Week 10: Packers 23, Bears 16
The Bears play in too big of a market with too many resources to have such little success over the last 25 years. What are the systemic issues this franchise faces that prevents it from winning consistently? — @chrisfjensen
I think you’re missing the mark a bit here. Market size really doesn’t provide much of an advantage in the NFL, and I offer you the Green Bay Packers as a prime example of why. In the 2010 census, Green Bay was the 262nd largest city in the United States. Long ago the NFL realized that revenue sharing was a key to growing the sport, and Bears founder George Halas was a principal factor in making that happen. So what advantages do the Bears have playing in Chicago, the largest city in the NFL with only one franchise? It should appeal to players in free agency. It should appeal to coaches and front-office personnel who have other options. But beyond that, I don’t know that there is any great edge the Bears have over other teams. The issues with the Bears’ lack of success in the Super Bowl era is attributable to a number of factors, the greatest of which has been poor drafting and poor quarterback play. The Bears have bungled the quarterback position for a long, long time. The Packers have had Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre for more than a quarter-century. We’ve gotten an up-close look at what kind of difference that makes, right?
We’ve been sold a lot of “culture” talk with the John Fox regime. Would a team with great culture come out of bye weeks sloppy, flat and undisciplined as did Fox’s Bears? Aren’t they 0-3 after byes? The more time his staff has to prepare, the worse they play. That can’t be a good sign. — @billmiller1991
That’s certainly a fair criticism, but I think that culture and the performance of a team coming out of a bye week are different subjects. Not to defend Fox, but three games coming out of a bye week is a mighty small sample size. Granted, the Bears were terrible after the open date last season when they went to Tampa, Fla., and were plastered by the Buccaneers. They were sloppy Sunday in the loss to the Packers. There is no way around that. But extra time to prepare and culture aren’t necessarily linked. I would reference players' failed tests for performance-enhancing drugs when it comes to talk of culture. The Bears have had more of those in the last of couple years than they had during the Dick Jauron and Lovie Smith eras, and that’s a little concerning to me. But I don’t link performance after the bye and culture.
I was hoping the days of throwing the ball to Josh Bellamy were over. Touchdown catch notwithstanding, why didn't Tre McBride get more snaps? — @traderjoeyg
I saw several questions about this in the mailbag this week and I’ll start by saying I think this was the best game for the position group as a whole. Bellamy had 40 snaps in the loss to the Packers compared with only seven for McBride. The best answer I can give you is Bellamy does a better job of getting open than McBride. It has been a matter of consistency for McBride, which is what offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains explained when I asked him about McBride last week.
“I want to see more,” Loggains said. “He has some route-quickness stuff. He has enough that catches your eye. Against Minnesota, I was like, ‘OK, great.’ And then (against) Baltimore he didn’t play as well. I saw separation. I saw movement skills. OK, this is good. There is some hope there. There is some stuff there if mentally he is prepared to take the next step, that he has some tools he could have a chance to be a solid receiver.”
Here’s the bottom line with the Bears receivers: If Bellamy is logging any significant playing time next season, he either has made major strides in his game or the franchise has failed to completely overhaul the position group. I don’t know that there is a player in the mix right now who figures into the team’s plans for 2018. Yes, Bellamy has had issues with drops, but if he can get open and provide some big-play ability for quarterback Mitch Trubisky, it makes sense to have him on the field.
All three phases this last week were playing poorly and the game was poorly managed. Are all four coaches to blame? Or is Dowell Loggains handicapped by John Fox and Vic Fangio can only do so much when they're constantly on the field? — @tommeismer
For starters, I thought the Bears played pretty well on special teams with the exception of the long kickoff return to open the third quarter after the poor penalty by Bradley Sowell on the field goal that ended the first half. There was a delay of game on an extra point, but Connor Barth still hit the kick. Barth also made three field goals from more than 40 yards. I think the coaches certainly have to take responsibility for the loss. The defense didn’t do a good job against the run and didn’t force enough three-and-outs. The offense moved the ball through the air in the second half but didn’t play well enough.
Why are so many people high on Vic Fangio? Tampa and both Packers games have not been very impressive. Seems like his "D" is as inconsistent as the "O." — @hallballz
Fangio is very well-respected. The Buccaneers game was a bad outing. The first Packers game was against Aaron Rodgers. The defense has played pretty well for most of the season and I would say Fangio has gotten more out of the secondary than anyone really expected. The defense isn’t going to be elite every week, not with the personnel the Bears have right now. Reality is if the offense had performed to the level the of defense for most of the season, the record would look significantly better than 3-6.
Has Markus Wheaton been abducted by aliens? — @jimgottberg
Wouldn’t that create a media circus at Halas Hall. Wheaton had only two snaps Sunday, and with him returning from a significant groin-muscle injury, I imagine the Bears were working him back into the mix slowly. Wheaton has been a major disappointment this season because he simply hasn’t been able to get on the field. He has been on the field for 125 snaps, logging 39, 38 and 46 in the first three games. I think it’s fair to say Wheaton is unlikely to be on the roster next year unless he’s far more productive -- and healthy -- the remainder of the season. Wheaton has a base salary of $5 million in 2018, and the Bears can’t justify paying that if he’s not going to be a legitimate vertical threat, something he hasn’t been so far.
Assuming the Bears make a coaching change, what’s the likelihood Vic Fangio and crew stay on board, assuming he’s not promoted to head coach? — @dleto88
That’s difficult to say. What you need to realize is that most head coaches when they take over want to bring in their own staff. Will they consider a handful of assistants to retain? Sure, that happens. But generally, you’re talking about a position coach here or there and not a coordinator. Plus, Fangio is in the final year of his contract and he might look to leave after the season no matter what happens with coach John Fox.
Who is to blame for all of the negative-yardage running plays? Offensive line? Dowell Loggains? Running backs? — @_D_R_R_
All of the above. Add the wide receivers and tight ends to the mix as well. The Bears will need to become more effective throwing the ball in order to loosen up opposing defenses. They’ve been facing loaded boxes for much of the season, which will remain the case until they can do more damage through the air.
It seems Kyle Long misses games because of injuries that players past and present play through. Those are the players fighting for a job or fighting to keep the spot they’ve earned. Would it make sense for the coaching staff to stop penciling in Long as the de facto starter whenever he feels he is available? I think if he were demoted to the backup/swing tackle, it might light a fire under him, and maybe we’d get to see the player drafted in the first round again. — Doug, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.
Boy, I don’t think that is very fair. Long played in 47 of 48 games in his first three seasons and did not suffer a significant injury until last season, when his right ankle was rolled up on from behind against the Buccaneers. That play basically shredded his right ankle and led to significant surgery that required Long to rehabilitate for the entirety of the offseason program and cast into doubt his availability for the start of the season. It wasn’t a surprise when he missed the first two games, and he certainly wasn’t at 100 percent when he started in Week 3. He suffered a left hand injury in the Week 8 loss at New Orleans, which led to him not playing on on offense in Sunday’s loss to the Packers. He was on the field for one snap -- the field goal on the final play of the second quarter that occurred right after Josh Sitton went out with a minor injury that forced him to miss one play. I don’t know all of the specifics with Long right now, but with a torn labrum in his left shoulder that has not been repaired and an injury to his left hand, perhaps there was concern he was weak on that side. I know Long badly wants to be on the field.
How attractive is the Bears' head-coaching job to potential candidates? — @snoman1983
Depending on how a potential candidate feels about quarterback Mitch Trubisky, probably quite attractive. We’ll have to see what other job openings there are should the Bears make a move with coach John Fox after the season. Other factors include how the potential coach feels about general manager Ryan Pace, assuming he still oversees the football operation. It’s a big city with an ownership group that might not be viewed as being as patient as it once was, but it’s a good job with a rabid fan base. The Bears typically aren’t out in front in terms of compensation for coaches, but I believe Vic Fangio is one of the highest-paid coordinators in the league.
Any explanation for the play in which Mitch Trubisky rolled out and didn't throw to a wide-open Josh Bellamy instead taking a sack? — @masonmdubbswest
There isn’t a good explanation for that sack, and Trubisky can’t make that mistake again. He said Bellamy wasn’t as open as he appeared but the quarterback needs to make a quicker decision on either delivering the ball to the wide receiver, throwing the ball out of bounds or pulling the ball down and running. I am sure offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has reviewed that play with Trubisky.
Why has Tarik Cohen disappeared from the offense after being called the team’s best playmaker just weeks ago? Even if he’s double-teamed in the passing game, he needs to be on field to open opportunities for others. — @tixblitz
That’s a fair question. But keep in mind Cohen is a joker back, which is a part-time player in the scheme. The Bears have been using him more at wide receiver because they need help there. I don’t think he’s being double-teamed very often in the passing game, but opponents certainly are mindful of him. Cohen got into a bad habit of trying to hit a home run every time he touched the ball in the running game. Also keep in mind the Bears believe they need to ramp up Jordan Howard’s touches in order for him to be most effective. They need more sustained drives to get the ball to Cohen more frequently. A scout with another team told me he believes Cohen isn’t as explosive as he was at the start of the season and said that happens to undersized players during the grind of the year. I expect the Bears to put an emphasis on getting Cohen the ball, but he’s not a magic cure for what ails them on offense.
Are the Bears coaching Mitch Trubisky into becoming too cautious? — @mosconml
That’s a fair question. My best answer: I think you’d rather have that than have a rookie who is slinging the ball all over and throwing too many interceptions. I thought Trubisky was pretty solid with his decision-making against the Packers with the exception of taking two or three sacks that definitely were avoidable.
bmbiggs@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @bradbiggs
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Copyright © 2017, Chicago Tribune
Brad BiggsBrad BiggsContact ReporterChicago Tribune
Link: www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-bears-blame-game-mailbag-biggs-20171115-story.html
The Tribune's Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly.
Ryan Pace has been quiet these past few losses as well as George McCaskey and Ted Phillips. Do they share the same disappointment as the fans? It doesn’t show. — @michaelpamoore
I certainly understand how fans would feel better if the general manager, chairman of the board and president and CEO expressed their frustration in a disappointing season following a lackluster loss to the Packers on Sunday. The Bears are 3-6 and appear destined to miss the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year. It also looks as if they will finish without a winning record for the fifth consecutive season. The second-half schedule appears to be easier, but you can’t get carried away projecting success for the Bears when they have two games remaining with the Lions and road games against the Eagles and Vikings. In the past, Bears general managers have assessed the season during the open date, but Pace did not do that this year. The Bears have chosen to make Fox the singular voice for the organization since the opening of training camp, when Fox and Pace made a joint media appearance. It’s fair to assume McCaskey and his family and Phillips are not happy with the Bears being at the bottom of the NFC North and potentially headed toward a fourth consecutive last-place finish. From their standpoint, I think they don't feel anything constructive is accomplished by weighing in with their thoughts at a time when things are not going well. Upper management likes to review complete seasons, and with seven games remaining, a lot of football remains. What if the Bears get hot and go on a run? Sure, it seems unlikely. But the point is they generally wait until after the season to weigh in. For those thinking the Bears would consider a coaching change, I think those folks have missed the boat. The Bears have never made an in-season coaching change, and at the end of the day, what were the expectations for the Bears at the start of this season? I think most folks had them pegged for 6-10 or right around there. They seem to be on course to win six games, right? Let’s see what shakes out over the next two months. If it isn’t pretty, there is a very good chance there will be changes.
When Lovie Smith was fired, Rod Marinelli didn't interview for the head-coach position out of loyalty for Smith. Do you think Vic Fangio has that same respect for John Fox? Hiring Fangio at least keeps some continuity on the defense, whereas going outside means hitting the reset button on the whole thing ... again. — @t_reuther
Let’s be real here: I don’t think Marinelli was a realistic option to become the head coach after the Bears fired Smith following the 2012 season. Yes, general manager Phil Emery went far and wide in conducting a search for the next coach, a process that eventually led him to Marc Trestman. But I can’t imagine the Bears would have eventually settled on Marinelli given the failures he experienced as the head coach of the Lions. I’m quite sure Fangio would like to be considered for a head-coaching position, and it’s probably fair to wonder why he hasn’t gotten more traction in the past. Fangio doesn’t strike me as much of a self-promoter, and that probably works against him a bit. He’s well-liked and certainly well-respected. But I think you’re missing the most important factor that will be in play if the Bears decide to replace Fox after the season. If they go in that direction, the No. 1 factor has to be finding a coach who outlines a plan for building the organization around quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Could that lead the Bears to Fangio? That’s possible if he has an offensive coordinator in mind who really impresses everyone. But the continuity of the defense isn’t nearly as significant as the plan on offense. Teams cannot compete on a consistent basis in the NFL without a top-caliber quarterback, and until the Bears get that figured out, they’re going to be treading water. Fangio could be in play, but keep your eye on what will be most important here: the quarterback.
Who are the hot offensive coordinators out there who could get an interview for the head-coach job next year? — @kezzy143
That’s a good question. There don’t appear to be red-hot names as there were at this time a year ago when Kyle Shanahan was a slam dunk to be hired and Sean McVay was gaining steam as a potential candidate. I’ll offer a list of 10 offensive coordinators who could get attention at the end of the season, including four who have previous experience as a head coach. Those first four names are Josh McDaniels of the Patriots, Todd Haley of the Steelers, Pat Shurmur of the Vikings and Mike McCoy of the Broncos. The other six are Jim Bob Cooter of the Lions, Frank Reich of the Eagles, Pete Carmichael Jr. of the Saints, Darrell Bevell of the Seahawks, Harold Goodwin of the Cardinals and Matt Nagy of the Chiefs.
Week 10: Packers 23, Bears 16
The Bears play in too big of a market with too many resources to have such little success over the last 25 years. What are the systemic issues this franchise faces that prevents it from winning consistently? — @chrisfjensen
I think you’re missing the mark a bit here. Market size really doesn’t provide much of an advantage in the NFL, and I offer you the Green Bay Packers as a prime example of why. In the 2010 census, Green Bay was the 262nd largest city in the United States. Long ago the NFL realized that revenue sharing was a key to growing the sport, and Bears founder George Halas was a principal factor in making that happen. So what advantages do the Bears have playing in Chicago, the largest city in the NFL with only one franchise? It should appeal to players in free agency. It should appeal to coaches and front-office personnel who have other options. But beyond that, I don’t know that there is any great edge the Bears have over other teams. The issues with the Bears’ lack of success in the Super Bowl era is attributable to a number of factors, the greatest of which has been poor drafting and poor quarterback play. The Bears have bungled the quarterback position for a long, long time. The Packers have had Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre for more than a quarter-century. We’ve gotten an up-close look at what kind of difference that makes, right?
We’ve been sold a lot of “culture” talk with the John Fox regime. Would a team with great culture come out of bye weeks sloppy, flat and undisciplined as did Fox’s Bears? Aren’t they 0-3 after byes? The more time his staff has to prepare, the worse they play. That can’t be a good sign. — @billmiller1991
That’s certainly a fair criticism, but I think that culture and the performance of a team coming out of a bye week are different subjects. Not to defend Fox, but three games coming out of a bye week is a mighty small sample size. Granted, the Bears were terrible after the open date last season when they went to Tampa, Fla., and were plastered by the Buccaneers. They were sloppy Sunday in the loss to the Packers. There is no way around that. But extra time to prepare and culture aren’t necessarily linked. I would reference players' failed tests for performance-enhancing drugs when it comes to talk of culture. The Bears have had more of those in the last of couple years than they had during the Dick Jauron and Lovie Smith eras, and that’s a little concerning to me. But I don’t link performance after the bye and culture.
I was hoping the days of throwing the ball to Josh Bellamy were over. Touchdown catch notwithstanding, why didn't Tre McBride get more snaps? — @traderjoeyg
I saw several questions about this in the mailbag this week and I’ll start by saying I think this was the best game for the position group as a whole. Bellamy had 40 snaps in the loss to the Packers compared with only seven for McBride. The best answer I can give you is Bellamy does a better job of getting open than McBride. It has been a matter of consistency for McBride, which is what offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains explained when I asked him about McBride last week.
“I want to see more,” Loggains said. “He has some route-quickness stuff. He has enough that catches your eye. Against Minnesota, I was like, ‘OK, great.’ And then (against) Baltimore he didn’t play as well. I saw separation. I saw movement skills. OK, this is good. There is some hope there. There is some stuff there if mentally he is prepared to take the next step, that he has some tools he could have a chance to be a solid receiver.”
Here’s the bottom line with the Bears receivers: If Bellamy is logging any significant playing time next season, he either has made major strides in his game or the franchise has failed to completely overhaul the position group. I don’t know that there is a player in the mix right now who figures into the team’s plans for 2018. Yes, Bellamy has had issues with drops, but if he can get open and provide some big-play ability for quarterback Mitch Trubisky, it makes sense to have him on the field.
All three phases this last week were playing poorly and the game was poorly managed. Are all four coaches to blame? Or is Dowell Loggains handicapped by John Fox and Vic Fangio can only do so much when they're constantly on the field? — @tommeismer
For starters, I thought the Bears played pretty well on special teams with the exception of the long kickoff return to open the third quarter after the poor penalty by Bradley Sowell on the field goal that ended the first half. There was a delay of game on an extra point, but Connor Barth still hit the kick. Barth also made three field goals from more than 40 yards. I think the coaches certainly have to take responsibility for the loss. The defense didn’t do a good job against the run and didn’t force enough three-and-outs. The offense moved the ball through the air in the second half but didn’t play well enough.
Why are so many people high on Vic Fangio? Tampa and both Packers games have not been very impressive. Seems like his "D" is as inconsistent as the "O." — @hallballz
Fangio is very well-respected. The Buccaneers game was a bad outing. The first Packers game was against Aaron Rodgers. The defense has played pretty well for most of the season and I would say Fangio has gotten more out of the secondary than anyone really expected. The defense isn’t going to be elite every week, not with the personnel the Bears have right now. Reality is if the offense had performed to the level the of defense for most of the season, the record would look significantly better than 3-6.
Has Markus Wheaton been abducted by aliens? — @jimgottberg
Wouldn’t that create a media circus at Halas Hall. Wheaton had only two snaps Sunday, and with him returning from a significant groin-muscle injury, I imagine the Bears were working him back into the mix slowly. Wheaton has been a major disappointment this season because he simply hasn’t been able to get on the field. He has been on the field for 125 snaps, logging 39, 38 and 46 in the first three games. I think it’s fair to say Wheaton is unlikely to be on the roster next year unless he’s far more productive -- and healthy -- the remainder of the season. Wheaton has a base salary of $5 million in 2018, and the Bears can’t justify paying that if he’s not going to be a legitimate vertical threat, something he hasn’t been so far.
Assuming the Bears make a coaching change, what’s the likelihood Vic Fangio and crew stay on board, assuming he’s not promoted to head coach? — @dleto88
That’s difficult to say. What you need to realize is that most head coaches when they take over want to bring in their own staff. Will they consider a handful of assistants to retain? Sure, that happens. But generally, you’re talking about a position coach here or there and not a coordinator. Plus, Fangio is in the final year of his contract and he might look to leave after the season no matter what happens with coach John Fox.
Who is to blame for all of the negative-yardage running plays? Offensive line? Dowell Loggains? Running backs? — @_D_R_R_
All of the above. Add the wide receivers and tight ends to the mix as well. The Bears will need to become more effective throwing the ball in order to loosen up opposing defenses. They’ve been facing loaded boxes for much of the season, which will remain the case until they can do more damage through the air.
It seems Kyle Long misses games because of injuries that players past and present play through. Those are the players fighting for a job or fighting to keep the spot they’ve earned. Would it make sense for the coaching staff to stop penciling in Long as the de facto starter whenever he feels he is available? I think if he were demoted to the backup/swing tackle, it might light a fire under him, and maybe we’d get to see the player drafted in the first round again. — Doug, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.
Boy, I don’t think that is very fair. Long played in 47 of 48 games in his first three seasons and did not suffer a significant injury until last season, when his right ankle was rolled up on from behind against the Buccaneers. That play basically shredded his right ankle and led to significant surgery that required Long to rehabilitate for the entirety of the offseason program and cast into doubt his availability for the start of the season. It wasn’t a surprise when he missed the first two games, and he certainly wasn’t at 100 percent when he started in Week 3. He suffered a left hand injury in the Week 8 loss at New Orleans, which led to him not playing on on offense in Sunday’s loss to the Packers. He was on the field for one snap -- the field goal on the final play of the second quarter that occurred right after Josh Sitton went out with a minor injury that forced him to miss one play. I don’t know all of the specifics with Long right now, but with a torn labrum in his left shoulder that has not been repaired and an injury to his left hand, perhaps there was concern he was weak on that side. I know Long badly wants to be on the field.
How attractive is the Bears' head-coaching job to potential candidates? — @snoman1983
Depending on how a potential candidate feels about quarterback Mitch Trubisky, probably quite attractive. We’ll have to see what other job openings there are should the Bears make a move with coach John Fox after the season. Other factors include how the potential coach feels about general manager Ryan Pace, assuming he still oversees the football operation. It’s a big city with an ownership group that might not be viewed as being as patient as it once was, but it’s a good job with a rabid fan base. The Bears typically aren’t out in front in terms of compensation for coaches, but I believe Vic Fangio is one of the highest-paid coordinators in the league.
Any explanation for the play in which Mitch Trubisky rolled out and didn't throw to a wide-open Josh Bellamy instead taking a sack? — @masonmdubbswest
There isn’t a good explanation for that sack, and Trubisky can’t make that mistake again. He said Bellamy wasn’t as open as he appeared but the quarterback needs to make a quicker decision on either delivering the ball to the wide receiver, throwing the ball out of bounds or pulling the ball down and running. I am sure offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has reviewed that play with Trubisky.
Why has Tarik Cohen disappeared from the offense after being called the team’s best playmaker just weeks ago? Even if he’s double-teamed in the passing game, he needs to be on field to open opportunities for others. — @tixblitz
That’s a fair question. But keep in mind Cohen is a joker back, which is a part-time player in the scheme. The Bears have been using him more at wide receiver because they need help there. I don’t think he’s being double-teamed very often in the passing game, but opponents certainly are mindful of him. Cohen got into a bad habit of trying to hit a home run every time he touched the ball in the running game. Also keep in mind the Bears believe they need to ramp up Jordan Howard’s touches in order for him to be most effective. They need more sustained drives to get the ball to Cohen more frequently. A scout with another team told me he believes Cohen isn’t as explosive as he was at the start of the season and said that happens to undersized players during the grind of the year. I expect the Bears to put an emphasis on getting Cohen the ball, but he’s not a magic cure for what ails them on offense.
Are the Bears coaching Mitch Trubisky into becoming too cautious? — @mosconml
That’s a fair question. My best answer: I think you’d rather have that than have a rookie who is slinging the ball all over and throwing too many interceptions. I thought Trubisky was pretty solid with his decision-making against the Packers with the exception of taking two or three sacks that definitely were avoidable.
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