Despite recent struggles, boss believes Chicago can compete as is Brad Biggs
The Chicago Bears are 4-5 heading into Sunday night’s clash with the Philadelphia Eagles, and they’ve lost four of their last five games.
The Bears have been blown out of the NFC North picture by the surging Minnesota Vikings, and even a victory over an Eagles team that is suddenly slumping having lost two in a row, a victory will not guarantee them anything. They’ve been unable to sustain any level of consistency this season, defeating the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers and then allowing Cincinnati and Arizona to combine for 86 points against them.
Quarterback Jay Cutler has been very good and very bad, and the bad is what has come of late as he leads the NFL with 17 interceptions coming off his five-pick meltdown last week at San Francisco. A team that figured it would be in the hunt in the NFC looks to be smack dab in the middle of a cluster of mediocre teams. The running game is nonexistent, the defense is shaky and Cutler is up and down.
Where will the help come from? The team is already without its first- and second-round draft picks in 2010 as a result of trading for Cutler and defensive end Gaines Adams. Basically, who you see playing now is who you’re going to see playing moving forward.
“I am not alarmed,’’ general manager Jerry Angelo told the Sun-Times. “If we have to go on with this football team, I am fine with that. There is nothing wrong with continually developing and coaching and bringing your players along. There is nothing wrong with that at all.
“Our football team is still a good football team. We just have to play better. And we can, and I am counting on that. ... I am not worried about the end of the season (to get better). We can do that right now.”
The Bears have dealt with some injuries this season. Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher was lost for the season with a wrist injury in the opener. Strong-side linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa played in only two games and he was lost for the season with a knee injury. But Angelo sees the team, as it is constructed, competing.
“If we continue to develop our young players, play good on both sides of the line—the quarterback has to play well—I don't see why we can't compete with just about anybody,’’ he said. “There are some teams, obviously, that really have it going, but there are always going to be those two or three teams. And we would certainly like to be one, but we're not at that level now. Do I think we could be? Yes. But we're not.”
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Blah, blah, blah. Jerry Angelo is pretty much useless. I wish we had a competent GM.
Jerry is saying that his current players are good enough to win. If that is the case then who is accountable for the team being under .500? If you give the team enough talent to win and this is the results you get then shouldn't the coaching staff be held accountable? Who else can you blame Jerry? Or are we as fans just supposed to shrug our shoulders and hope for better results no matter how embarrassingly bad our beloved Bears play? Oh darn, well maybe next year right? Well the truth is NO real Bears fans will ever except mediocrity. We expect more, and will not settle for less.
I honestly don't think the Bears will ever get to the next level under Jerry Angelo and Ted Phillips. If the McCaskys really wanted a winner they would hire a president who actually knows how to run a football team.
Man, lighten up on Jerry Angelo. He seems to be a person of integrity and football acumen and well respected by his players, coaches., etc. The trade for Cutler was a bold move and will pay dividends and this team is in much better shape than before Angelo took over. No question about that.
At least the Bucs are getting him back out there because rookie quarterback Josh Freeman needs all the help he can get. A legitimate No. 1 target is always a good thing.
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Nov 20, 2009
11:08 AM
Jerry, oh where have you lost your head? Continually develop players--how many has the team developed over the past 5-6 years, any? Face it, the mostly 'virginal' coaching staff that Lovie has put together on the mend regularly isn't equipped to do much more than try and plug holes. An 'unimaginative' Offensive Coordinator isn't necessarily bad, but is Turner even close to being on the same page as Cutler? And how about our QB mentor 'Pep Hamilton'.....if he was let go by the Bears would he even get a College job?
Lean years ahead Jerry, lucky you got that contract extension.