Pompei: Observations From Bears-Cowboys

Count me as one whose stumped by the decision, whose ever it was, to cut Terry Williams a legit 6'1" 320lb NT and keep Will Sutton whom I really like but not as a 6' on tip toes 290 something pound 3 tech DT playing out of position.  It made no sense then and after last night is makes even less.  Is the "Swamp Monster" still out there somewhere and unsigned?

Glenn and Porter were both shown up at times last night and while I'm not at all impressed with Porter's ability to play man coverage I am with Glenn's.  Beasley beat him for a score but only after a clever pick move by Witten that we should have been looking for since they ran it against us all night long.  Come on Fangio and Donatell.  You guys should be sharper than that.

But that brings me to this point.  Without a pass rush I don't care who you have playing CB they're gonna get beat at least some of the time.  Dez Bryant is an even better WR than AJ and when either are on their game and connected to their QB they're not gonna be stoppable all game long. Four lousy sacks in three games.  I've seen more pressure on the checkers at Safeway during the 5:30 PM rush to pick up groceries for dinner than I've seen us put on three inexperienced QBs.

This may seem to be like beating a dead horse but based on the above it's a horse that needs beating.  I practically screamed so loud they could have heard me in Chicago NOT to draft Floyd.  Other than his game speed there was nothing about his college career that spelled out dominant pass rusher in the making.  Those writing they've seen signs of it must be the same as those who commented on the splendor of the emperors new clothes.  Floyd is as devoid of great pass rushing skills as the emperor was of clothing.

Right now this kid has all the signs of being just one more SEC "tweener" OLB who will never become the rusher he was drafted to be.  So what are our choices?  I'd say we either figure out some way to get this kid to gain 20-25lbs and keep it on so he can actually play as a 3 down OLB or we let him play at 230lbs like he did in college but as a rover type SS similar to Kam Chancellor.  If he keeps playing at his present weight as an OLB he's gonna be a bust.  Write that down.  I'll be more than happy to admit I'm wrong provided I even am.

Brian Hoyer did what any #2 QB should be able to do.  Run the offense without looking like a complete doofus doing it but then so can Cutler with as little pressure as Hoyer was under last night so nothing was proven one way or another except this.  How come there's not one one word being said or little criticism being leveled at Hoyer for his fumble while trying to sustain a drive that would have made it a one score game.  Hoyer didn't get even have the all punched out or jarred loose by impact.  He tried to break his fall using the damn football!  If this isn't a clear example of the double standard surrounding Cutler I don't know what is.

In fact several NFL QBs stepped directly on their dicks big time yesterday including two crucial turnovers by Big Ben which led to a trouncing by Philly and six....yes count 'em six picks thrown by Fitzy in NY, three of them on scoring drives in the end zone.  Will we be reading about those all week the way we would if Cutler had been the guilty party?  No need to answer.  We already know it.  Ryan Pace.....please trade they guy so I don't have to point this shit out any longer.  My fingers are getting sore typing about it.

I saw Kevin White make one rather ridiculous catch yet drop two more long passes that went right off or through his hands and not once did I see him get any separation with his legendary 4.3 speed.  He's still averaging about 10 ypc which is not the kind of stats you'd like to see from a kid who was drafted to take the top off of defenses and he still can't even run a go route up the sideline and create enough cushion for a completion unless there was a way to drop a ball to him from out of the sky directly above his head.  He only got the number of targets he got because by the second half AJ could barely run any longer on his bad knee.  I'm still not impressed.

Bobby Massie finally was able to block a DE who scores even worse as pass rusher than he does as a pass blocker and for this we should congratulate him? We can't play Dallas every game ya know.

Let's not write Jeremy Langford off?  I'm sitting here hoping it is an Achilles injury so Fox is forced to play Howard and also hoping like hell Carey is back next week.  Other than his one big play per game the guy is averaging about 2 ypc and he's useless unless he finds a lane big enough to drive a semi through.  We should have given Matt Forte $12 mil of the $18 mil we've agree to pay Massie over three years and simply drafted a mid or late round RT.

I'd love to see what a backfield of Forte and Howard could do.

Zach Miller is the only replacement for a productive vet we either traded or released whose proving to be a smart move.  He's a far more intelligent and athletic TE than Marty B and much less of a mouthy PIA.  It's just too bad most weeks we can't provide enough protection to our QB to use him effectively.  If we go back to facing a pass rush or blitzing we can't block again Zach's effectiveness will decline to.

So while I agree with some of what Dan wrote and some I don't the one thing I do agree with wholeheartedly is that this bunch does look a lot like the early '70s Abe Gibron coached Bears.  So for those of you too young to have enjoyed that era to quote Yogi Berra.....it's deja vu all over again.  LOL

 It's really that sneaky behind the scenes guy Jerry Phil Emfoxelo.

Ric pointed out that the scuttlebutt coming out of the guys he's heard talking about it is that Fox has been calling the shots as far as personnel moves and roster decisions and the truth of it is it looks like it.

He's had the good fortune to see some mid round draft picks and UDFAs develop nicely here in Denver but tends to forget it's because he had more than his fair share of Pro Bowlers and All Pros as well that Denver either drafted or Elway bought for him.

So while we got a Bobby Massie as an OT he got a Demarcus Ware at DE/OLB.  We got a Porter and he got a Talib.  Denver drafted QBs like Osweiler and Siemian and we got Fales.  The roster decision become less puzzling when compared to a similar pattern Lovie used to surround himself with as many of "his guys" as he can and send those who might question or have loyalties to a previous regime packing.

That only works if you win and I think this approach will catch up with him before he ever does.  That's why I say Pace needs to step back from him.  Fox will ask for time and use Pace as his foil for as long as he can but if he's willing to admit some mistakes and take his shots now he'll leave Fox holding the bag and survive it whereas Fox won't.  The media is already beginning to turn on him and if the NFCN teams all kick our butts too it'll be open season before they bye week.

I think it's no more than the media going off on their Cutler's gone tangents because he's hurt but Hoyer did nothing last night to prove he's a better alternative as a seat warmer until we find that magical QB of the future we're always so good at finding.  We tripped over better ones we've ignored than we've ever drafted so the very thought of risking a 1st round pick on one gives me nightmares.

Besides Cutler is only a very small portion of the problems at best.  It's far more systemic that than and not getting better with Fox running the show.  Hell Hoyer made a worse fumble last night than Cutler did while he was trying rally the team and the only reason he never got picked was he threw about a half dozen balls so far OB no one had a shot at 'em least of all his intended receiver.

That's a great way to avoid picks......and points too. (add rolleyes here) LOL

I'd be a lot more peaceful trading Cutler if we had HC who knew his head from is ass about offensive football and had an idea of how to develop a young QB.  Why do think Elway wanted Kubiak here.  He didn't want Fox anywhere near Osweiler once he took over for Manning and John Elway always gets his way.

What I'm looking forward to is after both Fox and Pace gave their full support to Cutler earlier in the year and promised they would continue to build around him for now and eventually draft a young QB to understudy behind him (using the Rodger/Favre approach) what kind of spin they'll put on it if after this year they decide to trade him or worse yet simply release him like they did with Forte.  They'll need to hire some of the PR folks our Presidential Candidates have putting a positive spin on their lies to get out from under that.