Bears Blitz

Published by Aris Theotokatos on July 22, 2011
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

It’s time for a coaching change in Chicago.

Or at least a change of expression on Lovie Smith‘s face.

An easily exposed Cover 2 defense and a illogical persistence to refuse to blitz has downgraded the Monsters of the Midway to something closer to annoying domestic cats. 

Listen, I’ll be the first to applaud Lovie Smith for making the Bears relevant again, but they’ve been stuck a notch or two below the elite teams in the NFL for a decade.

I know he guided the Bears to two NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl (a loss to the Indianapolis Colts).  I get it. Thank you Lovie Smith but it’s time to move on.

Tony Dungy did the same thing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that Smith has done for the Bears, but it wasn’t until John Gruden replaced him that the Bucs turned their talent into a Lombardi Trophy.

And that’s what counts right? You think Dan Marino would trade a couple passing records for just one Super Bowl? Would Peyton Manning care how many consecutive 12-win seasons he’s lead the Colts to if he didn’t have a ring to show for it?

No, he wouldn’t and it’s time the Chicago Bears management showed some guts, grew a pair, and start accepting responsibility.

Two contract extensions and zero Super Bowls to show for it.  No other team (save the Titans and Jeff Fischer, who is one heck of a coach) would even consider paying a coach for this long.   

Getting franchise quarterback Jay Cutler was step one (and despite his being prone to turnovers, he’s still the best quarterback the Bears have had since Sid Luckman), but now step two is to get a coach that can maximize the talent on this team, not just improve it. 

The Bears need a spark.  Smith’s calm demeanor put the right mindset in the Chicago players, but that same calm demeanor is also the team’s biggest weakness.  There’s no fire in that locker room and to fans such as myself, the hunger to win seems to have been somewhat satisfied.  

I feel like I want the Bears to win more than they want to win and, for obvious reasons, that’s not good. 

I’m not saying all the Bears need are some Mike Ditka-like tantrums on the sideline and everything will be alright.

But it wouldn’t hurt. 

Neither would some swagger, confidence and personality.  None of which are oozing out of Smith’s emotionless face.

It worked for Tony Dungy.  It certainly worked for the Buccaneers.  And it most definitely worked out for the Colts, so on behalf of the city of Chicago, or maybe just on behalf of me, because I know not everyone agrees with me, thank you Lovie Smith, really, but it’s time we moved on.

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