I guess if we're getting a clown show, they should be wearing clown clothes too. (sorry, but I hate the orange jerseys)
Although, MAYBE it'll help Fields see open guys?
Maybe it will help psychologically to be out of town and in the different uni's. Fresh start, new beginning stuff. J.T. O'Sullivan's video said to just burn the film and move on. It was a horrible game but hopefully we see something better Sunday. I have to believe some things will be better. I'm even good with a loss on Sunday if we are at least seeing the team fixing some of what looked broken last Sunday... and some of that should be fixable, even in one week. The penalties should be one area of improvement. That's fixable. And while I don't expect the OL to be fixed I do think that the unit should be able to work better together in a second game... really they were starting the GB game with having minimal experience together as a unit. We can quibble about "why" that happened, but at least they have a real game under their belt and can improve - maybe improve more than we think. One can hope anyway.
And surely both coordinators can do better with the game plan this week and call a better game. I don't know how they could do worse, but these are the Bears and so who knows, right? But yeah, get out of town and play with a fresh start attitude in the orange jerseys. I don't like 'em either (orange jerseys) but if the Bears do better I'm good with whatever... if they wear real clown suits I'm good if they play better :-)
Withouth injury related subs, like Gordon, I would like to see 3 statement subs. 1. Claypool out, EQ in (we have no better blocker and rec is apparently not important) 2. Lucas out, Feeney in at C (or LG if Whitehair will drop at C, will give another chance to Davis to get into gameshape) 3. Jones out, Pickens/Gervon in.
Withouth injury related subs, like Gordon, I would like to see 3 statement subs. 1. Claypool out, EQ in (we have no better blocker and rec is apparently not important) 2. Lucas out, Feeney in at C (or LG if Whitehair will drop at C, will give another chance to Davis to get into gameshape) 3. Jones out, Pickens/Gervon in.
And LFG
I posted my take on #1 in the "Where we are" thread. Won't repeat it here.
Completely agree on #2. I get they brought LP in here last year in a tank season as an inexpensive vet to stabilize the middle. It just hasn't worked out and that stuff happens. Patrick is fine as a swing backup iOL (he plays all 3 positions just not very well) but he's shown nothing as a starter. If Feeney is ready with the line calls then yeah I make that move.
I freely admit I was surprised that Poles neither signed a FA Center nor drafted one (there were several good options available in both). They have shown way more faith in Patrick and Kramer than I would have. Both have been made of glass last season and this one.
Re #3, Pickens has looked good lately. Justin Jones sucked hard on Sunday. More reps for the rooks, less for JJ plz.
Oh and one more thing--RoJo needs more touches and snaps earlier. He's your best all-around RB. Use him
I freely admit I was surprised that Poles neither signed a FA Center nor drafted one (there were several good options available in both). They have shown way more faith in Patrick and Kramer than I would have. Both have been made of glass last season and this one.
Just a side note on the C position. Ideally you want your QB to have the same guy snapping that ball to you. Flipping people around at center is hard on Fields, and he doesn't need any additional challenges this year. I do wish the Bears had put a solid center in that spot for camp/PS/regular season. If Patrick can't improve they will be forced to make a move at C mid-season. It really hurts the offence overall, but Fields in particular. This is one of those areas where the Bears should have focused like a laser on the offense this year (like riczaj01 has been saying for months).
I freely admit I was surprised that Poles neither signed a FA Center nor drafted one (there were several good options available in both). They have shown way more faith in Patrick and Kramer than I would have. Both have been made of glass last season and this one.
Just a side note on the C position. Ideally you want your QB to have the same guy snapping that ball to you. Flipping people around at center is hard on Fields, and he doesn't need any additional challenges this year. I do wish the Bears had put a solid center in that spot for camp/PS/regular season. If Patrick can't improve they will be forced to make a move at C mid-season. It really hurts the offence overall, but Fields in particular. This is one of those areas where the Bears should have focused like a laser on the offense this year (like riczaj01 has been saying for months).
I agree. But I hope you (we) are all aware that they brought 2 new guys (top FA sign and top pick) into that OL. So then you have 2nd Braxton, basically 2nd Jenkins on left side. New guy and rookie on the right side. Do you really really want to add another rookie or new guy in there? Not entirely sure imo. Thats why they wanted some consistency and veteran guy at C, preferably Whitehair who used to be decent there.
I freely admit I was surprised that Poles neither signed a FA Center nor drafted one (there were several good options available in both). They have shown way more faith in Patrick and Kramer than I would have. Both have been made of glass last season and this one.
Just a side note on the C position. Ideally you want your QB to have the same guy snapping that ball to you. Flipping people around at center is hard on Fields, and he doesn't need any additional challenges this year. I do wish the Bears had put a solid center in that spot for camp/PS/regular season. If Patrick can't improve they will be forced to make a move at C mid-season. It really hurts the offence overall, but Fields in particular. This is one of those areas where the Bears should have focused like a laser on the offense this year (like riczaj01 has been saying for months).
There were a bunch of us here pounding the table to either sign a FA Center (Bozeman/Pocic) or draft one like Tippman/JMS/Stromberg...somebody!
Just a side note on the C position. Ideally you want your QB to have the same guy snapping that ball to you. Flipping people around at center is hard on Fields, and he doesn't need any additional challenges this year. I do wish the Bears had put a solid center in that spot for camp/PS/regular season. If Patrick can't improve they will be forced to make a move at C mid-season. It really hurts the offence overall, but Fields in particular. This is one of those areas where the Bears should have focused like a laser on the offense this year (like riczaj01 has been saying for months).
I agree. But I hope you (we) are all aware that they brought 2 new guys (top FA sign and top pick) into that OL. So then you have 2nd Braxton, basically 2nd Jenkins on left side. New guy and rookie on the right side. Do you really really want to add another rookie or new guy in there? Not entirely sure imo. Thats why they wanted some consistency and veteran guy at C, preferably Whitehair who used to be decent there.
Makes sense on paper.
You either go youth movement and let them all gel over a season, or you can bring in a mix of vets via FA and draft. Lucas has no business being on this team, and Whitehair is a close 2nd to him. FA/FA/draft to start, draft to start next year and this OL has a clearer way forward; even if you keep Whitehair as the swing OG/OC.
W/Fields here, probably don't want to go to young, there were names in FA that could have come in to solidify the OL. It won't get better in the next few weeks either. TB Def is going to lite up this OL and Fields w/how they attack, and KC is going to throw points on the board like it's basketball and allow its def to pin their ears back and attack.
