Read opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan.
It all started in the first half of the first game of the 2009 season. Chicago Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher – the cornerstone of the Bears’ defense and hopes for the season – left the game against the Green Bay Packers with a wrist injury. It seemed impossible that on a fairly innocuous play early in the season a player of such importance to a team can be lost for an entire season, but that is exactly what happened. Next, each element of the team began to crumble without the foundation on which it was built able to take the field. In essence, the 2010 offseason began for the Chicago Bears on a still warm Fall Sunday night in September.
And, that early offseason got off to a rocky start since head coach Lovie Smith did not appear able to right the ship after losing Urlacher so early. Without Urlacher’s fast and versatile game, and the coach/defensive coordinator’s inability to gather the defense and mount a consistent effort, the Bears season derailed beyond recovery. The negative perception that formed about Smith – which was augmented thanks to general manager Jerry Angelo’s vocal lack of confidence in the coach when Smith was stripped of defensive coordinator duties – resulted in difficulties when trying to fill out the coaching staff after the predictable firings at season’s end. After offensive coordinator Ron Turner was fired as soon as humanly possible after the final game of the season, the search began for a replacement. Because Smith is viewed by the majority of the league as a lame duck coach, few coaches are willing to step out on a limb and risk a career move that could leave them jobless again after another poor campaign in the 2010 season.
Faced with a crucial offseason where the Bears must turn their fortunes around or search for a new head coach, Smith turned to friend Mike Martz to run the Chicago offense. Martz is a controversial character in his own right, and considered a failure at his most recent employer, the Detroit Lions. Nevertheless, Smith is willing to tie his future to Martz, and the pressure on Martz is to successfully install his offense during the upcoming offense and get the personnel he needs in Chicago to make his offense successful. In one offseason. Or else.
The personnel issues are particularly challenging for Martz and Chicago. Virtually the only solid aspect of the team’s offense in 2009 was the consistent performance of tight end Greg Olsen. The only problem is that new offensive coordinator Martz is not exactly Mr. Tight End. Martz prefers to chuck the ball downfield early and often. Martz’s offense demands a great offensive line because so many of the plays either require lineman to hold blocks for a long time while players get open downfield or to get out in front blocking on screen plays. In short, Martz prefers a solid blocker capping the line, not a pass catcher. Changing the personnel around on offense is as challenging as it is vital this offseason.
Also on offense is the issue presented by Jay Cutler’s rather inauspicious start under center in Chicago… after sky high expectations and plenty of pressure from a general manager that staked his career and reputation on the acquisition of Cutler.
While the Urlacher injury hurt the team because Urlacher is such a special player, it also exposed a lack of depth on the Bears that Angelo is mostly responsible for. Trading several draft picks for several years has left the team without young talent on both sides of the ball. The Bears are currently on a path that is difficult to sustain with the stars getting older and few young players capable of stepping up and filling big shoes. The Bears have a lot of holes to fill on the team and few options. Oh, and all that pressure to succeed for Angelo and Smith and his revamped coaching staff.
The team aging is also a problem especially at the all-important linebacker position. The Tampa 2 defense requires linebackers to cover a great deal of ground. Urlacher’s aging, and a lack of depth, drastically diminishes the effectiveness of this defense.
Cutler unfairly took a lot of fire for the team’s offensive struggles this season. In his defense – though the turnovers in the red zone cannot be explained away – it is difficult to throw from the ground… a place he spent a great deal of time in 2009 due to repeated failures from both tackles, including future hall of fame left tackle Orlando Pace. Sure, Cutler needs to get better. But that starts with the offensive line, so Cutler does not feel pressure to throw the ball into places he should not because he does not have enough time for his receivers to get open.
The Bears have a lot of questions and few options to answer them. Without a doubt, the Chicago Bears are facing the most important and difficult offseason of any team in the NFL.
