He's Baaaaack

You can never say that Phil Emery is lazy. When he makes up his mind, he gets things done--fast.

Today, as you undoubtedly know, Phil opened his end of the year press conference with the nonchalant announcement that the team had agreed to deals with Matt Slauson, Tim Jennings, and some jerk with bad sideline demeanor. Then he dropped the mic and walked off stage.

I'm kidding. Because this is Phil Emery, he talked for 90 more minutes and left no doubt that he was undoubtedly the smartest S.O.B. in the room. Because of that, he made the smart move and brought back his franchise quarterback for at least three more years (yes, the deal says 7, but if there's no guaranteed money after year three it's a 3 year deal, folks. The rest is monopoly money).

Sure, there are questions about this. Was Jay worth $18 million a year? Probably not. Few people are. But you pay to play in this business, and  if you can honestly say you don't think Jay's market value was right where he landed (somewhere between Tony Romo and Matt Ryan in terms of guaranteed cash), you're a fool. Can Jay stay healthy? I'll admit that's certainly my biggest concern.

Despite this, I am obviously in favor of the extension. I'm not going to lay out the financial arguments since I have no idea where exactly the the 2014 cap hit will fall and I am interested in seeing what else Phil is able to do in free agency after this. I will say that Phil Emery is as straightforward and honest as a general manager gets, and if he says the team will have the flexibility to sign who they want in free agency, I believe him.

From a football standpoint, Jay is worth the money. Jay had his best year this year in many categories, with a career high QB rating of 89.2 and a completion % of 63.1, his highest since 2007. He also had a career high TD% of 5.4, putting him on pace for 30 TD passes had he played the whole season. If you're into advanced metrics like myself, Jay finished 10th in the NFL with a +13.7 grade from Pro Football Focus and finished 6th in their adjusted QB rating statistic (takes into account dropped passes, throwaways, passes where the QB was hit before throwing, and more) at 91.7. If you're into weird statistics invented by Trent Dilfer that put way too much emphasis on Clutchitude, he was 8th in the NFL in Total QBR.

To me, the most encouraging thing was Jay's growth in the offense as the season went along. After he compiled an 85.7 passer rating and 6.8 YPA through the first four games as his comfort level in the offense and his protection grew, Jay and Trestman unleashed the deep ball as the season went on. In his final 6 full games as a starter (excluding the 8 passes he threw vs. the Redskins before the groinsplosion) Jay completed 63.3% of his passes for 264 YPG, 8.0 YPA, 11 TDs, 5 INTs, and a 95.9 rating. Provided he stays healthy, I'd expect those numbers to be what we can expect going forward in year two of this offense (and it's worth noting this is just the third time in Jay's career he will be in the same offense for two straight years). That's worth paying for.

Putting aside any kind of argument whatsoever, I'll admit that I am happy about this because I like Jay Cutler. I like rooting for him, and I think he's fun as hell to watch, especially when he's in an offense like this that let's him thrive. I am glad I won't have to spend next year watching Josh McCown regress to the mean or some potentially hapless rookie and wonder what Jay could have done with another offseason of Trestman's tutelage. For better or for worse, we're going to get the definitive answer to what Jay is capable of in the years to come. The debate is now over. All that's left is to ride that beautiful armcock to the Superbowl.

Oh, and good job on the Slauson/Jennings thing, Phil. Those guys are good too. Go Bears.


Unrelated: if you're wondering when the hell we're going to do a SKOdCast and discuss all of the exciting shit that's gone down lately, the answer is soon. We're working on a new day of the week now that our schedules have changed once more. You'll not miss us for much longer, I assure you.

Packers 33, Bears 28- A Fitting End

The most surprising thing is the lack of anger. Not during the game, of course. No, then I screamed so much (particularly at That Goddamn Fumble) that my beloved family dog hid under the table and nearly wet herself. The surprise is that now, a whole day removed, there is no anger.

What could I be mad at? Chris Conte? What could he be expected to do there, other than to be Chris Conte? There was nothing shocking about it. Hell, the greater surprise is his excellent read and interception of Rodgers in the end zone. That last play? Anger seems misplaced at this point. Fatigue, certainly, but anger comes from some kind of surprise, some kind of expectation that wasn't met leading to disappointment. It all came down to one of the most dangerous quarterbacks ever versus the worst defense, and arguably the worst player on the worst defense, in the NFL. The result shouldn't merit anger. Sky is blue. Water is wet. Chris Conte sucks. So we move on.

In the end, the Bears did more than I expected, if you'd asked me to tell you the truth. They led in the fourth quarter. They made me believe for more than a goddamn second that they'd pull it off. Their highly-touted offense actually showed up in a game that mattered and gave me hope that, in the future, with a better defense, they could truly, finally, stop being Green Bay's little brother. We knew that day wasn't going to be yesterday, though, and so there is no anger here. Today they are what they were always meant to be with an offense that good and a defense that bad: 8-8.

Now begins what may honestly be the most interesting offseason the Bears have had in my lifetime, and that's including last year's turnover. Phil Emery has decisions to make, and, fortunately, has the cap room to make them. His entire tenure as Bears GM will be defined by the moves he makes in the next few months. As a believer in Phil Emery, I think this is, oddly enough to say after a gut-wrenching lost to Those Mother F*&kers, a good time to be a Bears fan.

The Good:

Matt Forte: perhaps the most refreshing thing about Trestman's approach to the Packers this year has been that he, of all the Bears offensive minds to tangle with Dom Capers in the last few years, has been the first to have the novel idea of running the damn ball. Forte this year rushed for 235 yards on 46 carries against the Packers. In this game alone he had 157 yards from scrimmage and 3 TDs. Green Bay had no answer for him. Matt, kind of quietly (and that's odd to say for a guy who made the Pro Bowl) had the greatest year of his career with 1931 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns. I love you, Matty.

Jay Cutler: He had easily the best game of his career against the Packers, completing 15 of 24 passes for 226 yards and 2 TDs with a 103.8 rating. His only turnover came on a desperation throw on the last play of the game, and while some have complimented him for being a "game manager" in this game, he did most of his damage downfield, with a 37 yard strike to Marshall setting up one touchdown and a 67 yard bomb to Jeffery setting up another. You'll all no doubt be surprised to know that I hope this is Not Jay's last game in a Bear's uniform, and I don't think it is.

Brandon Marshall: He had a painful drop on the last drive, but was otherwise brilliant, and he and Cutler combined for one of the more impressive TDs in Bears memory, with the two of them communicating silently on an hot route on what was supposed to be a run play.

Tim Jennings: He had a nice interception and Rodgers passer rating when throwing into Tim's coverage was just 54.6. Thanks for not sucking as much as everyone else, TJ. See you next year, I hope.


The Bad:

Mel Tucker: I was reluctant to board the fire Mel Tucker train. I'm generally loathe to blame a coach when his players clearly suck, but I've yet to see Mel Tucker do anything this year that inspired me to think he'd be more than average at best even if he was given the 2012 Bears defense. That last play was an abominable call, and the fact that three of the four members of the secondary (all veterans, mind you) played the wrong coverage on a 4th and 8 in week 17 of the season has to fall on him. He can go.

Chris Conte: Just. Go. Away.

Every One of You Assholes Who Just Watched that Ball: Seriously, f*&k you.

Chris Conte: You are a crime against humanity.

Officiating: Jay Cutler himself said there's no way that penalty on McClellin would have been a penalty if it had been a defender gently wafting over His body instead of Aaron Rodgers. That was terrible. So was what was clearly NOT  a touchback. I'm kind enough to attribute these mistakes to mere incompetence rather than any form of corruption, but they did the Bears no favors.

The Ugly:

The end of the season: the worst day of my year, every year. Provided no relative has died. Even then it might depend on the relative.

That's all for now. There will be  much, much more to come as the offseason generally gives me the chance for long-winded reviews and monologues on various topics, and this offseason especially will provide plenty of fodder for discussion. I'll see you all later. Until then, Go Bears.













Chris Conte sucks. 

Eagles A Lot, Bears 11- Forget What I Said About Fun

As of right now the Eagles have 54 points. They may hit 60. I'm going to go ahead and write this recap now. It'll be quick.

This sucked. Oh my God did it suck. Yet next week we could forget all about it if they beat Green Bay. Or not. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

THE GOOD:

The Lions and Packers: They lost. The Bears still control their own fate and Rodgers isn't playing next week. I guarantee it. He's not going to magically heal in another week, folks. If Green Bay wasn't going to risk him this week they won't next week. The Bears can still easily make the playoffs. Not that we'll want to see what's going to happen when they do.

The Bad: 

The offensive line: I'm going to start here, because we expected the defense to suck. Odds are there was no fucking way the offense at it's best could win a shootout with a team that was going to run for 300 yards, but they couldn't even get started in that direction thanks to an abysmal performance in run and pass blocking by the line and Matt Forte. I got horrible flashbacks to OL's of recent memory, and I didn't like it.

Devin Hester: God. Dammit. Devin.

The Wide Receivers: I refuse to believe that the 31st ranked pass defense in the NFL improved so much that Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery were suddenly incapable of getting open. They dropped several passes as well. It was embarrassing to see the strength of the team fail to show up at all tonight.

Marc Trestman: The game plan was terrible. The short passing game that had worked so well all season was nowhere to be found as Trestman called mostly deep drops and slow-developing routes against a defense blitzing on every down.

Mel Tucker: I know there were injuries, I know guys like Peppers and Briggs are just older and slower, but this was the closest the team came to playing with a full-deck in months, with Ratliff, Paea, Briggs, all playing, and they were utterly destroyed on every play. There's no way coaching doesn't play Some factor in a team that is fooled by every single play-action, every misdirection, and every screen. He may just be a scape goat, but something tells me even at his best Mel Tucker is probably not a great defensive coordinator, and they're going to need one of those going forward.
  
Lance Briggs: Jesus, what did you eat while you were out, Lance?

Shea McClellin:  Just stop with this. He's not getting any better. He's the worst defensive end in the NFL and I can't even pretend that's hyperbole. Get rid of him.

And the Rest: You all suck.

Adam Podlesh: I won't pretend that the Eagles wouldn't have scored on that first drive even if Podlesh had booted it seventy yards, but he sure didn't help. He's been mediocre at best the last two years.

The Ugly:

Fuck you, NBC: In case you didn't notice Michael Bush, Eric Weems, and Dante Rosario came in at the same time as Josh McCown. The fucking quarterback controversy graphics can go straight to hell. That was just Remember the Maine-level media bullshit.

Well, I'll see you all next week for the NFC North title game. With any luck we'll all be here commiserating Cam Newton/Colin Kaepernick or whoever else wins the wild card running roughshod over this defense in a few weeks as well. It's not over yet, even if we might want it to be after this.

Football is Fun Again

It's funny how much a year can change things. Last year the Bears entered the last two games of the season at 8-6, needing two wins and a lot of help to get into the postseason. This year they find themselves in the same situation, and yet the mood is completely different.

Last year's team found itself in desperate straits through its own incompetence. The offense that could never get out of its own way had sputtered in a late season death spiral against the Texans, 49ers, Seahawks, Vikings, and Packers. The offensive coordinator and the quarterback weren't even on speaking terms. A defense that had been so brilliant to start the year saw its takeaways decrease, it's rushing totals increase, and it's leader depart for good with a final injury. The head coach who had survived against all odds on multiple occasions would finally run out of time. There was no excitement left for the stretch run because we were too damn mad that a stretch run was even necessary.

This year it all seems different, at least to me. I don't know if this defense, held together as it is with duct tape and spit, can do a damn thing to slow down LeSean McCoy. All of the excitement of this week may go right out the door with a loss to Chip Kelly's seemingly unstoppable offense. All of this could just be setting up a colossal nutpunch at the hands of Green Bay in week 17, but that doesn't really seem to matter right now.

The Bears, by all rights, shouldn't be in this situation. There's not a Bears fan alive who could possibly have assumed that this team would be in first place in week 14 if you'd told them that Jay Cutler would miss a month and that Charles Tillman, Lance Briggs, Henry Melton, and Nate Collins would miss even more than that. Given the scope of the injuries that this team has faced this year, Trestman and Co. are playing with house money. They've got no business making the playoffs, and so the sense of disappointment if they fail pales in comparison to the sheer dumb joy of the idea that it's even still possible.

I have enjoyed watching this team this season. They're often outmanned and outgunned, they've alternated between brilliant and pathetic (typically on opposite sides of the ball), and they've never yet been boring. I've spent much of the year trying to simply evaluate this team without even considering playoff possibilities. This offense has given me so much hope for 2014 that I hadn't really considered that they could still make something happen this year. Perhaps they won't, but these last two games, regardless of outcome, should be fun.

That's the thing about football that I often lose sight of in my obsessive focus on this team every year. Since the 2005 Bears first gave me hope, and especially since Jay Cutler's arrival, I've gotten caught up in debates over championship windows and "elite" quarterbacks and have spent so much time pondering end game scenarios and feeling the disappointment of the last few years so bitterly that I've sometimes failed to just enjoy the 16 weeks of football I'm guaranteed. That's not been the case this year. These Bears are fun to watch. They're not elite. Hell, they may not even be good, but they've given me 14 weeks of watchable football. Hopefully there's at least three games left. Go Bears.

Episode 30 of the SKOdCast is now up!

Nobody Expects the SKOdCast Episode 30!

On a Wednesday night, that is, but we've had to move up a day because things.

LINKAGE

Listen in as we laugh at Detroit and enjoy the strange twists of fortune that have landed the Bears in first place.

Bears 38, Browns 31- Something for Everyone

Do you hate Jay Cutler? I bet you enjoyed those two interceptions then, my frent. Josh McGowen wuddena made dose trows. Good ting da Bears defense bailed 'em out with dat pick six.

Do you love Jay Cutler? Hard not to when the guy completes 71% for 264 yards, 3 TDs, and a 102 rating in leading his team to a comeback win.

Do you love Marc Trestman? Well the guy showed some tremendous balls, stuck with his QB through a firestorm and came out of it on the right side of the victory column. His vaunted offense looked like total shit for large parts of three quarters and still sleepwalked their way to 440 yards and 31 offensive points against the #7 defense in the NFL, and they get a matchup next week against a defense that just allowed 48 points to Matt f*&king Cassel.

Do you love the Bears? Well, the best offense in franchise history managed to overcome it's own issues to keep the team in playoff contention. It was a banner day for everyone. Except Chris Conte. F&%k that guy.

The Good:

Jay Cutler: yeah, yeah, meatball. Eat it. When you complete 71% at 8.5 YPA and have 100+ passer rating, you wind up in the good column. I don't care how good Josh was, the offense is more fun to watch with Jay at the helm, even if it's not always for the right reasons.

Run-blocking: Matt Forte rushed for 127 yards, including *gasp* an easy 3rd and 1 conversion to keep a scoring drive alive. Michael Bush picked up yards, amazingly enough. They iced the game late and kept the chains moving most of the day.

Alshon Jeffery: Holy shit, kid. What did we ever do to deserve you?

Brandon Marshall: 6 catches for 95 yards and a TD, the TD and a beautiful 41 yard jump ball both coming on plays where Brandon flat-out schooled one of the best corners in the NFL in Joe Haden.

Zack Bowman: they were both gift-wrapped, horrid lobs by Jason Campbell, but with this defense you take what you're given.

Chud and Norv: thanks guys. We might have been in trouble there if you had tried running at all against the worst run defense in the NFL. Good thing you didn't.

The Bad:

Turnovers: Oh God, those picks. Neither was a particularly bad read, especially by Cutler standards, but one was underthrown and the other was way too high. Hopefully that was just the proverbial "rust". Then the Marty B fumble that was just depressing because I really never want to be mad at that handsome sonofabitch.

Chris Conte: WHAT PURPOSE DO YOU SERVE?! You can't tackle. You got beat deep for a Josh Gordon TD on a play where getting beat was utterly inexcusable. You let an interception on a game-tying drive bounce right off your chest. I hate you.

The Ugly:

My state of mind: Jesus Christ, me. Take a chill pill. Jay had plenty of time to right the ship and he did, you lack-of-faith having me. I hate me.

That's all for now. Let's root like hell for Baltimore tomorrow night. Go Bears.

Episode 29 of the SKOdCast is Now Up!

 The SKOdCast! Now with 100% more Damon Huard!

Bears 45, Cowboys 21- Sure, Why Not?

Well, that was a pleasant surprise. After a week of angst over missed opportunities and trepidation regarding the seeming mismatch between the Cowboys potent offense and the Bears woeful defense, the Bears somehow managed to come up with their most dominant win of the season. The offense scored on seven straight possessions, protecting the defense by keeping the ball out of Romo's hands all night. Josh McCown was as efficient as ever, Matt Forte had holes all night, and Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery made a mockery of Dallas' attempts to play man coverage against them. By the time it was all over the Bears managed a season-high 45 points and kept their playoff hopes alive.

The Good:

Alshon Jeffery: At what point is it OK to start comparing him to the AJ Greens and Calvin Johnsons of the world? Because I'm not seeing a whole lot that they can do that he isn't doing right now. What an absolute monster.

Matt Forte: 20 rushes, 102 yards, 9 catches, 73 yards, 1 TD. Forte went over 1,000 yards for the season tonight as well. This offense is really special. I just hope they don't waste it.

Brandon Marshall: 6 catches, 100 yards, over 1000 yards on the season as well, the first time the Bears have had two receivers and a runningback over 1000 yards each since 1995. This is fun.

Josh McCown: I wish this didn't have to be a debate. I wish I didn't have to keep pointing out the logical arguments in favor of Cutler, the talent disparity, the fact that the offense wasn't exactly unproductive under Jay. I wish it was simple for me just to admire the amazing story that Josh McCown really is. What a night for the guy. 5 touchdowns. Five.

Kyle Orton: did you see him? Glorious.

The Bad:

Run Defense: Historically bad! Huzzah! Never half ass it, boys.

The Ugly: 

Dallas in December: Hahaha. You guys suck.

That's all for now. The Bears stay alive. This week should be interesting, considering we'll all have to take shelter from the rage of a million meatballs when/if Trestman names Jay the starter for the game against Cleveland. Until then, let's enjoy this one.

Episode 28 of the SKOdCast is Now Up!

However, Kyle seems to have failed to embed it correctly. Jesus Christ can nobody around here do anything but me. Talkshoe is experiencing some sort of difficulty at the moment, I'll rectify his grievous mistake as soon as possible.

Episode 28 of the SKOdCast is Live at 6:15 PM

How angry is Iggins! at Marc Trestman? SO ANGRY.

LINKATIVITY

Episode 27 of the Start Kyle Orton Podcast WAS Live, but Nobody Told You About It.

Though you may not have known, Travis and I did do a podcast last Wednesday in anticipation of Thanksgiving and the Vikings game. Both of my cohorts said they would post it and neither of them did, because nobody but me does a Goddamn thing around here. Take this link.

Progkakke Week 13

Iggins!: 94-52-1

Mrs. Code Red: 94-52-1

Code Red: 93-53-1

Erik: 86-60-1

Green Bay Packers (5-5-1) @ Detroit Lions (6-5)

Iggins!: Look, normally we don’t do contingency picks here, but in this case it is absolutely necessary. If Rodgers plays, Green Bay wins. If he does not, Lions win.

Erik: I might still pick the Lions, honestly, the Packers are just absolutely ravaged by injuries right now. I’m going to do it. Lions.

Code Red: They already said it's Flynn, so Lions it is.

Mrs. Code Red: Lions.

Oakland Raiders (4-7) @ Dallas Cowboys (6-5)

Erik: Barf. Cowboys.

Code Red: Barf indeed. Cowboys.

Mrs. Code Red: Cowboys.

Iggins!: Cowboys it is!

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-6) @ Baltimore Ravens (5-6)

Iggins!: Mediocrity abounds. Home team, I guess. Ravens win.

Erik: I would not be at all surprised to see the Steelers win, but the Ravens should.'

Code Red: Ravens?

Mrs. Code Red: Ravens at home, I suppose.

Chicago Bears (6-5) @ Minnesota Vikings (2-8-1)

Erik: There is not depth to which I do not believe this Bears defense cannot sink anymore. They are dead last against the run, and middle of the pack against the pass. But I believe the latter is only true because teams are getting 200+ yards on the ground and don’t need to pass. Still, Bears 24-17.

Code Red: So, so happy I get to watch Adrian Peterson do unspeakable things to this defense live. Bears 

win, 33-28.

Mrs. Code Red: Bears 34-30.

Iggins!: Like I said on the podcast, my official pick is Bears, but I have a strong feeling that the Vikings are going to take this one.

Rams 42, Bears 21: It was even worse than it looked

By the numbers, the Bears hung in that game until the last five or so minutes of the fourth quarter. But actually watching it, there was no point at which "it is still mathematically possible for them to win" was a comforting thought to me. Despite heroic efforts from some of the offensive players, bad playcalling and an essentially nonexistent defense killed any hypothetical chance they had of staying in it.

They're still tied for first in the NFC North by dint of the Lions Lionsing and the Packers and Vikings managing a tie, but at this point winning the division is the only way this team makes the playoffs. The NFC is just too stacked at the five and six seeds for a 10-6 team with this many NFC losses to get in the back door.

The Good

Matt Forte mostly:  Other than a fumble on the first play from scrimmage that led to an early 14-0 Rams lead, Forte did everything he could to give this team a chance. He turned several plays that should've been losses into gains, sometimes pretty substantial ones. Whatever was causing his inability to evade a tackler in recent weeks has clearly been dealt with, his evasiveness was in full effect today. He evaded six tackles for an easy touchdown that Earl Bennet got called back on a totally unnecessary block in the back, and put together 77 yards with a respectable 4.8 ypc average. He would've had better numbers, too, if not for the bizarre appearance of Michael Bush, but I'll get to him later.

Progkakke Week 12

Progkakke Standings:

Iggins!: 90-43

Mrs. Code Red: 88-45

Code Red: 86-47

Erik: 81-52

New Orleans Saints (8-2) @ Atlanta Falcons (2-8)

Iggins!: Well, Saints win.

Erik: It is strange that this game is so little of a contest, but yeah Saints.

Code Red: Atlanta sucks. Saints win.

Mrs. Code Red: Saints.

San Diego Chargers (4-6) @ Kansas City Chiefs (9-1)

Erik: The Kansas City Star did a lovely job of collecting the filth about the Chiefs “being exposed” and how their “season is over” because they lost to the Fucking Broncos, but that’s whatever. They are still a very good football team that can’t overcome a deficit, and they are not going to experience once en route to victory here. Chiefs.

Code Red: Erik, are you so hungry to bitch about the stupid media that you've gone national in your quest for butthurt? Chiefs win.

Mrs. Code Red: I have this really gut feeling that the Chargers might win here. But I just can't pick them. Chiefs win.

Iggins!: Well, I love me some Chiefs, so Chiefs win.

Chicago Bears (6-4) @ St. Louis Rams (4-6)

Iggins!: I have no goddamned confidence in the outcome of these games, but I think MCCOWN can shepherd us to another close win. Bears win 27-20.

Erik: I am perpetually optimistic about the Rams because, as they demonstrated against the Colts, that defense is ever-hungry and even anemic offensive production can carry them to victory. McCown is taking care of the football extremely well to this point, though, and I think his Shredded Wheat Offense can grind out a boring win here. Bears, 30-17.

Code Red: Bad defense can make any “sure win” a questionable proposition, but I think the Bears should pull this one out. Bears win, 24-20.

Mrs. Code Red: Bears 24-21.

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-6) @ Cleveland Browns (4-6)

Erik: Baaarf. The Steelers have remembered how to pass the ball for a few weeks now, and the Browns don’t even remember what an offense is. I guess the Steelers.

Code Red: Years from now Browns fans will tell their grandchildren that for like a month or so there in 2013 the Browns were semi-competent. But no more. Steelers win.

Mrs. Code Red: Steelers look better, Browns look worse. Steelers win.

Iggins!: The Browns and Bengals always have strange games, that Steeler win against the Lions was a fluke caused by coaching incompetence on the other sideline. Browns win.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-8) @ Detroit Lions (6-4)

Iggins!: The Bucs have been way better lately, and I mean… fuck Detroit. UPSET SPECIAL BUCS WIN.

Erik: I really do believe Schwartz can throw this game away, but the Bucs are just so fucking bad. I want to do it. But home field is pretty big for Detroit, especially against a rookie QB. Lions.

Code Red: Detroit isn't going to fuck away two in a row, even if I wish they would. Lions win.

Mrs. Code Red: I'm picking Detroit, but it'll be closer than everyone but Iggins! seems to think.

SKOdcast Episode 26: This one's personal

Because tonight'll be a short one, what with me being the only one here!

LINKS N STUFF

Episode 25 of the SKOdCast is Now Up

SKOdcast Episode 25

Come as we discuss how nothing happened this past week, really. Right? Nothing eventful or anything.

LINK

Is Jay Cutler's Job in Danger? No. No It Is Not.

I know we get down on Bears fans for being dumb a whole lot, but I really don't think I've heard anything dumber in my time overreacting to fan and media opinions than the idea that Josh McCown should be the Bears' long-term starter.  Nevermind that he's older than Cutler and half as talented, the mere fact that he has only even played more than 10 games in a season once at the age of 34 should be a dead giveaway.

Mark Potash of the Sun-Times disagrees with that idea, as well. But not as much as he should, apparently, because he let this nonsense see the light of day. "Josh McCown's Success Makes Jay Cutler Expendable" may be the single biggest concentration of stupidity in a single sentence ever written by a Sun-Times reporter, and it wasn't even somebody named Rick!

I had intended to do this column in customary point-counterpoint style, but there’s just not enough substance there to bother with. It’s just a few tepid arguments that kind-of-support the headline, it’d be like fighting a handicapped man. And not like that guy from Eagle vs. Shark that kicked the shit out of Jemaine Clement. 

Pictured: Not Mark Potash

Lions 21, Bears 19. Brutal

I like Marc Trestman a lot. He's smart, he's generally a certifiably brilliant offensive game-planner, and I like the Bears future in his hands going forward. Today was a day I hope we'll soon forget, but I doubt it, because Marc Trestman threw first place away today.

Not a soul would have argued if Marc Trestman had told Jay to sit for one more week. Not a soul would have argued if Trestman had sat Jay at halftime when he appeared considerably slower than he did in the first half.

I wouldn't have argued if he'd left Jay in all game. Jay is your starting quarterback, and must be going forward. The team can't waver on this, as there's no future with Josh McCown, even if you're the meatballiest meatball who ever meatballed. If Jay finishes out a gutsy but ultimately futile effort, you just have to roll with it and hope he gets better next week.

The one thing you can't do? That. Now Cutler's status as the starter will be questioned. Josh McCown will grow in meatball legend. Back to back 2 pt conversion attempts failed on awful calls that made no sense. Why bootleg and willingly limit yourself to half a field on a do or die play? Why run up the middle against a defensive line that whooped your ass every snap? Things just got very, very ugly. This season will kill us all, I swear.

The Good:

The Defense: Corey Wootton was stellar. The run defense held up for all but two drives. They held the Lions to 21 points, practically a miracle by their standards this year. It was truly upsetting to see their effort wasted.

Brandon Marshall:  He caught 7 of 12 targets for 139 yards and 2 TDs. It was an impressive effort as always.

First Half Jay Cutler: I don't know what kind of fatigue set in at half time, but it's a damn shame. Jay was near perfect to start the game, completing the first drive with a beautiful 32 yard strike to Marshall and moving the ball at will. An unfortunate tipped pass killed a TD drive and then everything went to hell. When healthy, however, Jay is still this team's best option. I don't really care if you disagree.

The Bad:

Alshon Jeffery: He had 114 yards, but caught just half his targets and had several brutal drops, including what should have been a TD pass on the Bears first drive after halftime. The overturned TD catch was a tough play, but it wouldn't have been necessary if Alshon had made the play the first time around.

Matt Forte: the run-blocking was awful, but this offense is designed around Forte managing to make at least one guy miss. He failed to do that at all today, and it killed them.

Run-blocking: Good god, guys. Detroit is stout up front, but 38 yards rushing? 38? 

 The Ugly:

This week. It's going to suck. Think I'm going to just avoid the radio as much as possible. Guh.