The NFL 2014-2015

[XXXIV]

Cutler played after it was 35-7 and then when they had a glimmer of hope he threw yet another retarded int.

Thirty two years old next year and he will be the same as he has been the last thirty one. A waste of millions.

[RobVarak]

Cutler played after it was 35-7 and then when they had a glimmer of hope he threw yet another retarded int.

Thirty two years old next year and he will be the same as he has been the last thirty one. A waste of millions.

He was a solid 10/13 for 110 yards and a TD at halftime. Not bad considering they'd run the ball 9 times for -5 yards at that point. But don't let the facts get in the way of your narrative, Alex. You're ready to be an NFL commentator on TV.

[Danimal]

Cutler played after it was 35-7 and then when they had a glimmer of hope he threw yet another retarded int.

Thirty two years old next year and he will be the same as he has been the last thirty one. A waste of millions.

He was a solid 10/13 for 110 yards and a TD at halftime. Not bad considering they'd run the ball 9 times for -5 yards at that point. But don't let the facts get in the way of your narrative, Alex. You're ready to be an NFL commentator on TV.

Don't worry Alex you're right on point, I'm pretty sure Rob has a Cutler blow up doll.

The guy is garbage and we're stuck with him for the foreseeable future. As bad as the defense is the offenses showing this year is worse. The D is full of no talent, the O is full of talent on paper that has never actually produced on the field. Emery set this franchise back and it's going to get worse before it gets better.

[RobVarak]

Yes, I believe my statement was "Cutler played pretty well."

Hot stuff. He and I should get a room.

He wasn't in the top 10 problems with that team last night. (Can someone make a Vine of Conte spinning around like a top in pass defense on that TD where Romo scrambled before throwing? It was like he was stunned at the physics of what goes on in a football game.)

Not saying Cutler's great. Not saying he's worth the money, although that's arguable. Just saying he played well and there were other, much more significant causes of their turd laying last night.

And I'm not buying the "offense is full of talent" trope either. They have skill position talent, but that OL is still pretty much patchwork, especially after the injuries this year. Plus, if the QB is so shitty, how can they be so talented on offense?

[Danimal]

And I'm not buying the "offense is full of talent" trope either. They have skill position talent, but that OL is still pretty much patchwork, especially after the injuries this year. Plus, if the QB is so shitty, how can they be so talented on offense?

Simple the QB has talent but no brains. I don't even need to provide examples just watch about every game he has played. I'm also not saying he is the main problem but wake me up when he wins a meaningful game.

Emery is the problem ever move he has made has failed. You get rid of a coach who went 10-6 (and I thought he had to go) and at best after 2 years you're new genius no one heard of is .550. You get rid of your defensive leader in the shittiest way possible. Regardless of whether he could play full time or not, he would of been a leader in the locker room. Shea and Bostic look like busts, you keep Conte after last year a fireable offense right there, you draft a f***in punter, you sign Jared Allen, you sign Tillman who has been injury city, you give Cutler elite money.

Firing Mel Tucker and other supporting coaches ain't fixing s***. The Bears are incapable of making the moves they need to make to turn this around before it not only hits bottom but shatters on the ocean floor.

[Brando70]

Defense and coaching are what's killing the Bears the most. Cutler is reckless with the ball, but I think they are failing offensively because Trestman's schemes aren't that hard to figure out. It's Gary Crowton all over again -- what fooled defensive coordinators briefly is not fooling them again. Tucker is also terrible as is nearly every defensive player they have, but at least losing games last night 41-38 would be entertaining.

Trestman and his staff are also horrendous at making in-game adjustments, even worse than Lovie was. The Detroit game last week is a good example -- the screens and short passes were a clever way to counter a tough Lions D, but there was no adjustment after that.

Even with the offensive line issues and Cutler's turnovers, this is a team that should be able to move the ball against most of the other bad defenses in the league. Their inability to do so has a lot to do with how that offense is being managed in my opinion.

[RobVarak]

And I'm not buying the "offense is full of talent" trope either. They have skill position talent, but that OL is still pretty much patchwork, especially after the injuries this year. Plus, if the QB is so shitty, how can they be so talented on offense?

Simple the QB has talent but no brains. I don't even need to provide examples just watch about every game he has played. I'm also not saying he is the main problem but wake me up when he wins a meaningful game.

Emery is the problem ever move he has made has failed. You get rid of a coach who went 10-6 (and I thought he had to go) and at best after 2 years you're new genius no one heard of is .550. You get rid of your defensive leader in the shittiest way possible. Regardless of whether he could play full time or not, he would of been a leader in the locker room. Shea and Bostic look like busts, you keep Conte after last year a fireable offense right there, you draft a f***in punter, you sign Jared Allen, you sign Tillman who has been injury city, you give Cutler elite money.

Firing Mel Tucker and other supporting coaches ain't fixing s***. The Bears are incapable of making the moves they need to make to turn this around before it not only hits bottom but shatters on the ocean floor.

I've got no problem launching anyone: Trestman, Emery...whomever. They've all clearly lost the plot. I think the real mistake was expecting the OL to perform as well as last season without any meaningful reinforcement. Last year's model was good only as compared to the completely unacceptable previous 3-4 seasons.

It was surely a bit of wishful thinking in that regard, but clearly the D needed the attention it was given in the offseason. I had zero problem with launching Urlacher, who despite his status as a fan favorite, was utterly finished. Indeed, in retrospect Briggs should've been put on the same bus. I don't think losing Urlacher as the leader was the problem, it was allowing Briggs to fill the vacuum. They should've done a clean sweep of all of the Lovie cabal.

Hiring Tucker was a disaster. He had no track record of success and he compounded things by caving to Briggs and the other Lovie devotees and allowing them to run a system that they clearly lacked the talent to execute.

He was such a bad hire that this alone could get Emery fired. His draft record is patchy. Some good stuff: Alshon, Long, Fuller seem like solid picks. McClellan is clearly an outright bust. I think it's too early to write off Bostic, but agree it doesn't look good. I'm disappointed that his DL picks haven't made an impact yet, but the Ratliff signing was astute and cheap.

I could take or leave him at this point. Same with Trestman, who seems unable to adapt to the tactical challenges of the league. Tucker just absolutely, positively must go.

[RobVarak]

Unrelated observation from last night. Romo looks awful. I don't mean his play, which was good in the second half after a very patchy first. I mean he's hobbled and obviously in a great deal of pain. I don't know how much of this was discernible on TV, but his getting on and off the field, picking himself up from hits all demonstrated he is a very hurt dude.

If I were a betting man, I'd wager he got a nice shot at halftime. Maybe he just got loose, but in the first half he wildly missed 4-5 wide open receivers while under no duress whatsoever. Cowboy fans around me, and there were many, were horrified. As good as that OL is, they're caught between a rock and a hard place. Either keep giving the ball to Murray at an unsustainable rate or put the ball in Romo's hands more and risk seeing the season go up in smoke with one solid hit.

[Rodster]

Unrelated observation from last night. Romo looks awful. I don't mean his play, which was good in the second half after a very patchy first. I mean he's hobbled and obviously in a great deal of pain. I don't know how much of this was discernible on TV, but his getting on and off the field, picking himself up from hits all demonstrated he is a very hurt dude.

If I were a betting man, I'd wager he got a nice shot at halftime. Maybe he just got loose, but in the first half he wildly missed 4-5 wide open receivers while under no duress whatsoever. Cowboy fans around me, and there were many, were horrified. As good as that OL is, they're caught between a rock and a hard place. Either keep giving the ball to Murray at an unsustainable rate or put the ball in Romo's hands more and risk seeing the season go up in smoke with one solid hit.

It could be related to this: http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/i ... ack-issues

"CHICAGO -- Tony Romo has been dealing with the effects of back surgery this past offseason and two transverse process fractures, and the Dallas Cowboys quarterback let it slip Thursday night that he also has been playing through a broken rib for the better part of two months."

[dbdynsty25]

Either keep giving the ball to Murray at an unsustainable rate or put the ball in Romo's hands more and risk seeing the season go up in smoke with one solid hit.

As long as Murray holds up for another two weeks...you know, my fantasy playoff run in both my leagues...I'll be a happy dude. I hitched my wagon to DeMarco before the season started and damn has it ever paid off. Next year...you're an idiot if you draft him. No way this can end good for a back who had a hard time staying on the field PRIOR to this beast of a season.

And it definitely was apparent Romo was hurt on TV...he did look awful. The one that really sticks out is the third down pass to Witten in the 2nd quarter where he overthrew him by 5 feet when he was 5 yards away. Just wasn't following through on his throws at all.

[XXXIV]

Cutler leads the league in turnovers and is the highest paid player for this season.

I will argue he is not worth the money.

If you guys pay half his salary I would take him on the Rams. Cause shotty is the ONE who will finally fix him.

I wish the Rams had a qb to bash.

[RobVarak]

Two different reports echoing some of what I said above about the Bears:

Greg Gabriel on the problems of the Lovie reactionaries:

A problem Trestman had when he took over was this was a veteran-laden team that was extremely loyal to former coach Lovie Smith. Most of these veterans had played a good part of their careers under Smith, and they didn’t like it that Smith was dismissed. It has shown in their play.

In hindsight, Trestman and general manager Phil Emery should have gotten rid of most of that veteran crew, as it has done Trestman no favors. I’m not blaming the players, but they were Smith’s guys and have resisted change. No matter what the reason, the players haven’t bought into Trestman, and a team can’t win under those circumstances.

Tim Baffoe on Urlacher:

This is no longer about the pettiness of Urlacher, who just won’t let it go that the Bears made one of the few intelligent moves in recent years by not offering him a contract he wasn’t worth and that Urlacher chose to reject their reasonable one. It’s not about the jilted revenge porn he throws into the media every few months with his hatred of Phil Emery, Cutler and coach Marc Trestman. (Though he says his saltiness with the organization doesn’t have to do with money, Urlacher doesn’t hesitate to criticize Cutler for how much money he makes.)

Brian Urlacher is a big baby, and that’s well-established.

The larger point is that despite all of Urlacher’s personal shortcomings, he has become a symptom of a malignant disease that’s now the Bears. It’s easy to look at the current football aspect of this team and point out every glossy canker on offense and festering sore on defense and oozing pustule on special teams. Bears football is very sick right now.

I think Trestman expected to take over a locker room of professionals, but what he got instead was an insular cult with a serious persecution complex that had just lost their leader. He and Emery needed to do better to address this problem and they failed.

[Danimal]

The media and "fans" hang on Urlachers every word and then say he should go away and he doesn't matter. All because he speaks his mind and is getting the last laugh. Team has gotten worse, defense is worse, paying a QB who has done nothing a ton of money. Instead of focusing on these issues they care more that Brain is being a cry baby. Petty media, petty fans.

As long as were throwing out quotes.

The architect, the man who hired the coach and committed $100 million to the quarterback -- general manager Phil Emery -- has to answer to this, too. It's a coach/quarterback league, and how do you make the case, at 5-8 coming off 8-8 a season ago, that the Bears have the real answer at either position?

Cutler leads the league in turnovers, with 15 interceptions and six fumbles lost. To recap: The franchise quarterback has turned it over 21 times in 13 games. Just wow.

[Danimal]

Marshall done for the year. Bring on 5-11!

[MizzouRah]

Two shutouts in a row! Yes, two bad teams.. but I'll take a Rams win anytime I can get them!

Time for revenge against the Cardinals this Thursday night!

[10spro]

Two shutouts in a row! Yes, two bad teams.. but I'll take a Rams win anytime I can get them!

Time for revenge against the Cardinals this Thursday night!

I'll be rooting for you. Some of you thought that Stanton was better than Palmer which I did not agree, and sure enough they've dropped a couple of games since his injury. At least they look beatable now.

[XXXIV]

Two shutouts in a row! Yes, two bad teams.. but I'll take a Rams win anytime I can get them!

Time for revenge against the Cardinals this Thursday night!

I'll be rooting for you. Some of you thought that Stanton was better than Palmer which I did not agree, and sure enough they've dropped a couple of games since his injury. At least they look beatable now.

10s we were talking about in the Rams game not Palmer Stanton in general... Palmer was shitting his pants when he got hurt in the fourth qtr... and then bam stanton goes deep for a Td and flips the Game to the cards from the Rams...The end of the Austin davis experiment.

Mizzou right on...Two straight shutouts is great no matter the opponents.... First time since the 1945 the Rams have done that.

SHUT OUT THE CARDS!!!!

[Diablo25]

LOVE the Rams D!!!!!!!! (Fantasy )

[XXXIV]

They have joined the battle.

The Tavon Austin punt return was cool too!

[icvu42]

Well the Dolphins are done. With the Pats next week, beat they can finish is 9-7. I assume that will get Philbin canned. So who coaches them next year? Ross likes Harbaugh ( he is a Michigan alum). But reports have Harbaugh in Oakland.

Rick

[XXXIV]

Well the Dolphins are done. With the Pats next week, beat they can finish is 9-7. I assume that will get Philbin canned. So who coaches them next year? Ross likes Harbaugh ( he is a Michigan alum). But reports have Harbaugh in Oakland.

Rick

I dont know if I would do that.

Unlike some other teams who have digressed from where they were when they hired a new coach ...they seem to be improving to me, albeit very slowly but Im not a Dolphins fan.

[Rodster]

Well the Dolphins are done. With the Pats next week, beat they can finish is 9-7. I assume that will get Philbin canned. So who coaches them next year? Ross likes Harbaugh ( he is a Michigan alum). But reports have Harbaugh in Oakland.

Rick

No doubt, Philbin needs to go. I think the Dolphins new GM hire has been an upgrade from Jeff Ireland. If Philbin gets canned, Stephen Ross will load and backup the money truck and put it Harbaugh's driveway. The Dolphins have enough talent now to do some damage. This is a least a 10-6 team but it's still playing like a mediocre team.

[Diablo25]

The Seattle D is as advertised. Impressive. Just wish the officials wouldn't be sucking their dicks for them. Hard enough dealing with them on a level field.

[Rodster]

Looks like SF is on it's way to getting beat by Oakland.

[MizzouRah]

I'll be rooting for you. Some of you thought that Stanton was better than Palmer which I did not agree, and sure enough they've dropped a couple of games since his injury. At least they look beatable now.

It's a winnable game for sure, I hope the fans pack the stadium.. but I'm sure there will be plenty of Cardinals fans there.

Our defense has finally come together behind Gregg Williams and our offense has some pop to it.