Any thoughts? Comments? Did Shea deserve the blame? Do you like Ron Turner or do you want someone else? What should they do with the #4 pick? What are the most glaring holes? And last, but not least, what do you expect for 2005?
I just wandered into the uncharted regions of the board and noticed your post. Good questions.
Shea by and large deserved the blame and Turner will be an improvement. Shea was certainly not alone taking some blame, though. I would like to know how much influence Lovie had on play-calling and players, especially with the use of Anthony Thomas, who I think could have been much more of a contributor. It would have sucked from a fantasy standpoint, but it would have been nice to see Thomas get some more time to change things up a little for the opposing defense.
Glaring holes: receivers and offensive line. Bernard Berian and Bobby Wade were adequate at best, I don't think either can step it up into a top receiver. David Terrell hopefully will be gone - all the ego of Randy Moss and half the talent. Or maybe even a lot of the talent except for his hands. On the O-line, no matter how much blame was heaped on the Bears QBs, some had to go to the line. Yeah, Hutchinson held the ball too long, but that still doesn't excuse the wave of tacklers coming at him. Yeah, the defenses starting keying on TJones but that doesn't excuse the lack of holes for him to run through.
Less glaring holes: QB and TE. I don't have the confidence in Grossman many Bears fans seem to have, hope I'm wrong on that. The TEs are adequate but there really isn't any big-play possibility there.
On defense, if everyone is healthy it's darn good, so maybe the need would be for better depth.
Prediction? I don't think the Bears can top 8-8 even with some improvements. Probably more like 6-10 I'm afraid.
A friend of mine and an avid Michigan fan brought up a point to me that made some sense so I was just wondering what others thought of it.
If the Bears were to take Edwards with the #4 overall pick, do you think that would help Terrell. We all know about the tradition of wearing #1 at Michigan and they both have. I think Terrell has the talent and the hands deep down, but obviously something is missing. Could Edwards possibly force Terrell into shut up and put up mode instead of this speak up and screw up role he's been in.
If someone, anyone could get Terrell to just shut up and play, I think Edwards, Terrell, Berrian/Wade/Gage combo as our three or four WRs would be a pretty nice combo. Edwards could be a huge playmaker, Terrell could be the across the middle sure-handed guy, Berrian has lights out speed. I mean that could solve the WR problem.
At tight end, I don't think the problem is so much D. Clark, but rather how we use him. Besides that, Bubba Franks, Ken Dilger, and Anthony Becht will all be free agents.
I am not sold on Grossman, but I am confident that he is better than Hutchinson, Quinn, or Krenzel. I think he could be as good as Pennington or K. Collins with some work which would be more than enough to open the run game.
My thoughts on offensive line is similar to your thoughts on defense. When they are all 100% healthy I think we're pretty good, but we have zero depth. If they were to stay healthy, I think only an improvement at Tackle would be needed.
Defense has the potential to be awesome if they stayed healthy and actually had an offense that could eat some time and give them a rest every once in a while.
kevinoc81 wrote:Terrell could be the across the middle sure-handed guy
AAAUUUGGGHHHH!!! My head is exploding from seeing the words "sure-handed" and "David Terrell" in the same sentence!!!!
Seriously though, you make some good points but I just don't think Terrell has what it takes in Chicago. He seems like a guy who needs to be traded to the Raiders, maybe he'll fit in there with their tradition of head-cases.
kevinoc81 wrote:Terrell could be the across the middle sure-handed guy
AAAUUUGGGHHHH!!! My head is exploding from seeing the words "sure-handed" and "David Terrell" in the same sentence!!!!
Seriously though, you make some good points but I just don't think Terrell has what it takes in Chicago. He seems like a guy who needs to be traded to the Raiders, maybe he'll fit in there with their tradition of head-cases.
I see what you're saying about Terrell. Until he does anything good, I agree with you. I just think we're kind of stuck with him for now. I mean who would want him? I thought the Raiders would have been a good place to send him and A-Train in a package for Porter and........ Now, we held A-Train and he was useful for what, three games? Why didn't we try to get something for him? I just don't get it.
BTW, that is not a bash on A-Train. I liked him, but it was obvious we weren't going to keep him, so I don't understand why we didn't trade him instead of holding onto him and just losing him to free agency anyways.
I think Terrell and Freddie Mitchell have a secret bet going for who of the first round receivers in that draft class can have the most mediocre career.
How much longer does Chicago give Terrell before scrapping him? Berrian and Gage will have another year under their belt and could easily pass him by soon.
ironman wrote:I think Terrell and Freddie Mitchell have a secret bet going for who of the first round receivers in that draft class can have the most mediocre career.
Damn, that's really an underachieving draft class when you add Rod Gardner and Koren Robinson to the mix.
ironman wrote:How much longer does Chicago give Terrell before scrapping him? Berrian and Gage will have another year under their belt and could easily pass him by soon.
I think this is going to be it for Terrell. 128 receptions, 1,602 yards and nine touchdowns in four seasons is crap for any reciever, let alone a guy drafted in the first round. I thought Berrian showed some strides as a deep threat, but had little time to show anything without a decent quarterback to toss him the rock.
Justin Gage disappointed and struggled with injuries, catching more than one pass in a game only twice all season. I think a healthy Gage, with a healthy Rex Grossman, could equate to a decent year out of the slot, but little more.
Bobby Wade is the only reciever on the team that impressed me much, catching at least three passes in eight contests. His 42 catches for 481 yards may not seem like much, but he showed some consistency and looks like he could take another step with Grossman coming back.
In all, the Bears have a lot of work to do in the passing game. I doubt they'll take a step backwards, but that's not saying much considering Terrell was their best reciever with a paltry 699 yards recieving. If Grossman can take the next step, and Thomas Jones can handle the running game, the Bears could have some success on offense. Personally, I'm hedging my bets.
If they don't dump that turd in pads Terrell,I may not be able to watch another game.Did the Bears do something to piss off the gods that we can't find a single guy that can consistently catch a ball?Say goodbye to Terrell,and I hope he takes McQuarters with him for good measure.
Dear McCaskeys,
Sign either Muhsim Muhammed or Derik Mason and bring in randel el. randel el will be enourmous for punt returns, since i hear, and pray, that you will be cutting or trading r.w. mcquarters. Sign a stud o-lineman at the 4 spot and sign some talent to improve that line.
I think this is a nice move, but knowing bears managment we'll sign jerry rice and terry glen and draft a quarterback.
The Miner Part 2 wrote:Dear McCaskeys, Sign either Muhsim Muhammed or Derik Mason and bring in randel el. randel el will be enourmous for punt returns, since i hear, and pray, that you will be cutting or trading r.w. mcquarters. Sign a stud o-lineman at the 4 spot and sign some talent to improve that line.
I think this is a nice move, but knowing bears managment we'll sign jerry rice and terry glen and draft a quarterback.
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by kevinoc81 » Fri Jan 07, 2005 10:20 am 
