2010 Chicago Bears
wmljohn - Nov 24, 2009 10:17 am
Edited by Phill23 Jan 18, 2010 5:56 pm
(1990 previous messages)navigator
- Mar 11, 2010 12:03 pm (#1991 of 2006)
my only thing about Wolf is that aside from ST, his best role is as was mentioned earlier, a gadget player or 3rd down back type of guy. To me, that same guy is Hester if they aren't going to use him as a full time WR. I would much rather Hester catch a ball in the flat than Wolf, nothing against Wolf, it is more about Hester's ability.
yapper
- Mar 11, 2010 1:28 pm (#1992 of 2006)
Nav, I have had similar thoughts in the past.
If they were wanting to give Hester more touches beyond return duties, it would have been a lot better for everyone to make Hester our 3rd down/gadget RB (a role he totally fits from a physical perspective at 5'11 and 190), than a #1 WR (a role he is too small to play).
Grizzlybear34
- Mar 11, 2010 1:50 pm (#1993 of 2006)
I disagree. While Hester is arguably our most explosive player, it is his combination of speed and timing that makes him such a threat as a returner. But as a receiver, he isn't an open field "Barry Sanders". He doesn't set up blocks, he reads the field and makes a cut and then it is straight line keep away.
Wolfe is a running back. He has cut his teeth in the trenches and knows how to read the blocks better in the flow of an offense. Every time he is given the opportunity to execute a well designed screen pass, it is always a substantial gain.
That was one of my biggest beefs with Turner. Watching how the Eagles used Desean Jackson, I was like, that is how we should use Hester. Deep posts, fly patterns, crossing patterns where he runs across the zone and runs away from the defender, let him run, he's a freakin gazelle. Wolfe couldn't execute those plays like Hester, but Wolfe can change direction and has the great habit of always going forward. He is a smarter football player than Hester, understands to cut behind that blocker, gear it down a sep, and then explode. They are two different players and a good coordinator should be able to find a way to use them both. Knox is more like Wolfe, than Hester is.
And please don't run up the middle, unless it is a 3 and forever and it is a draw play, like the Bears used to run with Gentry. McMahon drops, Gentry back to block. 2 or 3 seconds pass as McMahon sells the pass play only then to hand it off to Gentry and let him take off. How some of these plays escape the playbook are fascinating.
That always worked...
dallasbear - Mar 11, 2010 2:02 pm (#1994 of 2006)
Pretty much agree with Griz. If you line up a HB he better be able to run it up the gut, block a blitzing LB, run a draw and catch a swing or a screen.
If Hester can't do all that he has no business playing HB.
yapper
- Mar 11, 2010 2:17 pm (#1995 of 2006)
I wonder now with Martz if we will finally execute screen passes that actually work more than once every 8 or 10 times?
AmazinGrace
- Mar 11, 2010 2:33 pm (#1996 of 2006)
I watched that '85 Bears-Packers game the other night too. Wow, what a hard-hitting game that was. The thing that stood out to me watching that game again 25 years later (other than the obvious dirty plays by the Packers) was just how badly the Packers wanted to win that game. It was their superbowl and they went all-out. You could see the intensity in Forrest Gregg's face every time they showed him on the sideline. He looked like he personally wanted to go on the field and murder every Bears player. And their definitely was some foreshadowing with Charles Martin. What a dirty S.O.B. After every tackle he was laying on Bears players an extra 2-3 seconds talking trash, pushing facemasks into the ground, etc. Just a complete prick.
Pekin - Mar 11, 2010 3:43 pm (#1997 of 2006)
This last year was the first year our RB screens actually worked. Only took turner how many years to get them taught?
- Mar 11, 2010 3:50 pm (#1998 of 2006)
I am still waiting to see the Bears go after a FA FS. That should be a priority
yapper
- Mar 11, 2010 3:53 pm (#1999 of 2006)
This last year was the first year our RB screens actually worked. Only took turner how many years to get them taught?
Not to make excuses for Turner but you also had Kreutz playing on a bad foot, Garza with only one working knee and Pace having all he could do to fall backwards on his fat ass, much less move laterally. When 3 of your 5 OL are so old and gimpy they can't get out of their own way it is going to be very hard for screens to work.
- Mar 11, 2010 3:54 pm (#2000 of 2006)
And FWIW neither Hester or Wolfe can block a blitzing LB or lineman. Thomas Jones did the best I saw. Benson was the worst at pass protection in the backfield, not that Martz's system incorporates a blocking back.
yapper
- Mar 11, 2010 3:55 pm (#2001 of 2006)
Forte is pretty shaky on blitz pickups as well. He's so damn lanky you might as well have one of our WRs back there trying to pass protect. There are a lot of reasons I'm glad we got Chet Taylor in here but that's one of the biggest.
- Mar 11, 2010 3:57 pm (#2002 of 2006)
Taylor is a good blocker as a back
yapper
- Mar 11, 2010 4:02 pm (#2003 of 2006)
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/03/11/bullocks-signs-bears-tender/
Can someone explain to me why we're keeping this guy's ass around? He's like the defensive version of Jason McKie.
He's gonna get almost $1.3 million this year for being a special teams player and not even a very good one at that. Meanwhile we're not doing jack to sign a legit FS. WTF?
Pekin - Mar 11, 2010 4:12 pm (#2004 of 2006)
yapper, Our RB screens WORKED this year. They never did before. I think the reason was it was such a jail break every play the DL bit hard every time. We got some very nice gains on RB screens this past year.
In the past they never worked.
hibernationsuxs
- Mar 11, 2010 6:51 pm (#2005 of 2006)
We actually had a QB this year that could throw down the field. Defenses had to come after us (plus they knew they could with our shitty D).
dallasbear - Mar 11, 2010 7:37 pm (#2006 of 2006)
And FWIW neither Hester or Wolfe can block a blitzing LB or lineman.
I guess you never noticed who was assigned to be Maynard's personal protector on punt plays...#25.
2010 Chicago Bears