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Most relieved with the Chicago Bears' stunning 33-to-7 victory over the nonetheless woeful Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday? Indeed, the New York Giants . . .
. . . After all, the Giants have brought in fat, dumb and happy "executive consultant" "Uncle" Ernie Accorsi to rebuild their woebegone franchise in the wake of Head Coach and General Manager firings. It was Accorsi who foisted arrogant, crotchety John Fox on the Bears and neophyte GM "If I'm Lyin' I'm" Ryan Pace; after which the Foxster has rewarded Accorsi's strongarming with a historically poor 13-and-32 record as Bears' Head Coach.
But now, with the Bears dismantling the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday, everything seems to be fixed in Chicago. Fox and his staff have surely shown they have plenty left in the tank. Sure, it took 45 games to get there, but the Bears are respectable again. And Giants fans can breathe easy, as Accorsi will take care of them with all of the expertise he did the Bears. Right, Foxy?
Hardly. Fox's Bears were the recipient of one of the most listless efforts put in by an NFL team since, well, since some of Fox's own efforts in recent weeks as Head Coach of the Bears, as the Bengals phoned in their effort against the Bears from the get-go. Sunday's victory against the Bengals means nothing for John Fox's future; in fact, it damns him further by exposing just how limiting and damaging his leadership has been to the team in general and to Pace's high-profile bonus babies in particular. And thus does the shoopster break it down . . .
It begins, as always, with the quarterback. "Frisky" Mitch Trubisky, despite respectably efficient passing numbers in recent weeks, had presided over some of the most anemic offensive efforts since the real shoopster, John Shoop, left town. Much of the blame for that no doubt belonged with the conservative Fox and his slovenly subjugate, Offensive Coordinator Duh-well Loggains, both of whom insisted on scared-to-death gameplans designed to slow the pace of the game down enough for the talent-challenged Bears to hang close to better opponents with the hope of sneaking out an undeserved win at the close. But much of the blame too belonged to The Frisky One, who had shown himself repeatedly to be sloppy with his footwork, skittish in the pocket, and unwilling to pull the trigger on receivers without yards of freedom around them.
Against the Bengals, there was suddenly a new offense and a new Trubisky. Both worked hand-in-hand to not only produce an offensive explosion not seen by the Bears in over 3 years, but also renew faith in the anointed quarterback of the future as a true quarterback of the future. Trubisky played a near-perfect game against the Bengals and finally started showing difference-making - rather than just game-management - ability. There will be missteps in the future as the talent remains raw and undeveloped, and the quality of opponent will no doubt be improving. But against the Bengals, Trubisky finally looked like what he was purported to be when brought in by the wide-eyed Pace at this year's draft . . .
. . . Jordan "Hubba Hubba" Howard too - one week of an uninspired and unacceptably lazy performance against a bad 49ers team - came out of the tunnel with purpose. Quietly, Howard has become one of the most punishing and dominating runners in the game. But his atrociously bad pass-catching skills - if you can call them that - threaten to turn him into a two-down back. Howard needs to come to camp next year having spent the off-season working on his pass-catching. It's time to get it fixed . . .
. . . Tandem running mate Tarik "The Freak" Cohen continues to exhibit game-breaking ability, but then who wouldn't when the Bears hold every time his number is called. When the Bears don't break Cohen free dishonestly, he shows himself to be a shifty but equally if not moreso stupid version of Devin Hester. Cohen ran out the clock for the Bears at the end of the game and did so running sideways more than anything else. the shoopster isn't sure what yet to make of Cohen, who still isn't disciplined enough to qualify as anything more than gimmick in the shoopster's eyes. It's up to Cohen to change it . . .
. . . Kendall Wright - referred to repeatedly by the Fox news broadcasters as "Kevin" - also came to play. But that's about all that can be said about the Bear receivers. They have already shown themselves a ragtag collection not worthy of praise, having earned the blame from most of Beardom for The Frisky One's early struggles. The fact that Josh Bellamy started - STARTED - says all you need to know about this bunch. It wouldn't trouble the shoopster if they were all jettisoned in the offseason, though I suppose Wright could be invited back if Pace continues to mightily struggle as he has to man the wide receiver spot ("Mucus" Williams, Foxy has forgotten thee . . . ) . . .
. . . Adam "Ice Cream" Shaheen's pale white arms look like overcooked noodles hanging out of the white bear jerseys, but when he gets on the field he makes plays. The lament, then, is why isn't he there more. Shaheen didn't start, and ceded Tight End-centric third downs to Daniel Brown of all people - why? Bear fans want to blame this on Fox's notoriously stubborn refusal to play rookies, but perhaps as with the aforementioned Cohen the fact is that the two young rookies aren't prepared enough to participate more than they are. If that's truly the case, as Fox has hinted in previous post-game pressers, then yes the blame goes to the individual, but also to the coaching staff for not recognizing their struggles and doing what needs to be done to prepare them properly to get on the field . . .
. . . Which brings the shoopster to the only individuals not worthy of praise for this unexpected rout - the coaches. Indeed, the Bears came out of the tunnel flat and unprepared again. The first half comedy of errors that resulted in over 50 yards of penalties was unacceptable and another indicator that this coaching staff does not know how to instill a sense of discipline in their charges. The lack of awareness that saw Cohen step lazily out of bounds on a big gainer that had to come back, that saw Brown step out of bounds on a third-and-long pass a good 7 yards before the first down marker, and defenders like Kyle Fuller drop more interceptions reinforce the fact that these players are lacking the fundamental discipline needed to turn potential to progress. That is on the coaching.
The schemes too, were curious. Again, "Vaunted" Vic Fangio came out of the tunnel flaccid, backing his defenders off the football and putting them on their heels. What Vic was afraid of who can say, as the Bengals are of course the Bengals. Fangio gets little credit from the shoopster for today's effort, but I suppose he can ride on the coattails of defenders like Eddie Jackson who rose above the limitations of the scheme to help the Bengals look foolish.
Duh-well Loggains exposed John Fox with a quality offensive gameplan that makes it clear he and the Foxster have been holding back. Plays never seen before suddenly appeared out of thin air to the astonishment of Bear fans everywhere. Loggains no doubt wants credit for today's showing, but all the shoopster can muster is anger and frustration that he and Fox have conspired to neuter the Bear offense due to their own fear of failure.
A special mention again goes to the Special Teams. For the second straight week, they were awful. Flags fly on nearly every play when this unit is on the field. Mike "Cat Scratch Heaver" Nugent missed an extra point, for Halas's sake. How Special Teams Coach Jeff Rodgers keeps his job the shoopster will never kno - wait a second, you say Rodgers coached with Fox in Denver and Carolina? Ah, that explains it . . .
. . . We end with the Foxy one himself. Surprisingly, Fox was humble after the game, sparing Bear fans from any crowing. Then again, when you're 13-and-32 as Head Coach, one victory doesn't earn bragging rights. With this win, Fox climbed back over Abe Gibron and is no longer the worst Bear Head Coach of all time. Whatever that's worth. Too much losing has occurred for Fox not to get fired on Black Monday, and with today's offensive gameplan exposing his defeatist coaching approach, the emperor has no clothes. Black Monday can't come soon enough for this franchise or for "Frisky" Mitch Trubisky, who is fighting valiantly to preserve his individuality within a system that seeks to destroy it. Can he survive four more games of John Fox and Duh-well Loggains? Sunday showed The Frisky One is going to do everything he can to try to . . .
. . . After all, the Giants have brought in fat, dumb and happy "executive consultant" "Uncle" Ernie Accorsi to rebuild their woebegone franchise in the wake of Head Coach and General Manager firings. It was Accorsi who foisted arrogant, crotchety John Fox on the Bears and neophyte GM "If I'm Lyin' I'm" Ryan Pace; after which the Foxster has rewarded Accorsi's strongarming with a historically poor 13-and-32 record as Bears' Head Coach.
But now, with the Bears dismantling the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday, everything seems to be fixed in Chicago. Fox and his staff have surely shown they have plenty left in the tank. Sure, it took 45 games to get there, but the Bears are respectable again. And Giants fans can breathe easy, as Accorsi will take care of them with all of the expertise he did the Bears. Right, Foxy?
Hardly. Fox's Bears were the recipient of one of the most listless efforts put in by an NFL team since, well, since some of Fox's own efforts in recent weeks as Head Coach of the Bears, as the Bengals phoned in their effort against the Bears from the get-go. Sunday's victory against the Bengals means nothing for John Fox's future; in fact, it damns him further by exposing just how limiting and damaging his leadership has been to the team in general and to Pace's high-profile bonus babies in particular. And thus does the shoopster break it down . . .
It begins, as always, with the quarterback. "Frisky" Mitch Trubisky, despite respectably efficient passing numbers in recent weeks, had presided over some of the most anemic offensive efforts since the real shoopster, John Shoop, left town. Much of the blame for that no doubt belonged with the conservative Fox and his slovenly subjugate, Offensive Coordinator Duh-well Loggains, both of whom insisted on scared-to-death gameplans designed to slow the pace of the game down enough for the talent-challenged Bears to hang close to better opponents with the hope of sneaking out an undeserved win at the close. But much of the blame too belonged to The Frisky One, who had shown himself repeatedly to be sloppy with his footwork, skittish in the pocket, and unwilling to pull the trigger on receivers without yards of freedom around them.
Against the Bengals, there was suddenly a new offense and a new Trubisky. Both worked hand-in-hand to not only produce an offensive explosion not seen by the Bears in over 3 years, but also renew faith in the anointed quarterback of the future as a true quarterback of the future. Trubisky played a near-perfect game against the Bengals and finally started showing difference-making - rather than just game-management - ability. There will be missteps in the future as the talent remains raw and undeveloped, and the quality of opponent will no doubt be improving. But against the Bengals, Trubisky finally looked like what he was purported to be when brought in by the wide-eyed Pace at this year's draft . . .
. . . Jordan "Hubba Hubba" Howard too - one week of an uninspired and unacceptably lazy performance against a bad 49ers team - came out of the tunnel with purpose. Quietly, Howard has become one of the most punishing and dominating runners in the game. But his atrociously bad pass-catching skills - if you can call them that - threaten to turn him into a two-down back. Howard needs to come to camp next year having spent the off-season working on his pass-catching. It's time to get it fixed . . .
. . . Tandem running mate Tarik "The Freak" Cohen continues to exhibit game-breaking ability, but then who wouldn't when the Bears hold every time his number is called. When the Bears don't break Cohen free dishonestly, he shows himself to be a shifty but equally if not moreso stupid version of Devin Hester. Cohen ran out the clock for the Bears at the end of the game and did so running sideways more than anything else. the shoopster isn't sure what yet to make of Cohen, who still isn't disciplined enough to qualify as anything more than gimmick in the shoopster's eyes. It's up to Cohen to change it . . .
. . . Kendall Wright - referred to repeatedly by the Fox news broadcasters as "Kevin" - also came to play. But that's about all that can be said about the Bear receivers. They have already shown themselves a ragtag collection not worthy of praise, having earned the blame from most of Beardom for The Frisky One's early struggles. The fact that Josh Bellamy started - STARTED - says all you need to know about this bunch. It wouldn't trouble the shoopster if they were all jettisoned in the offseason, though I suppose Wright could be invited back if Pace continues to mightily struggle as he has to man the wide receiver spot ("Mucus" Williams, Foxy has forgotten thee . . . ) . . .
. . . Adam "Ice Cream" Shaheen's pale white arms look like overcooked noodles hanging out of the white bear jerseys, but when he gets on the field he makes plays. The lament, then, is why isn't he there more. Shaheen didn't start, and ceded Tight End-centric third downs to Daniel Brown of all people - why? Bear fans want to blame this on Fox's notoriously stubborn refusal to play rookies, but perhaps as with the aforementioned Cohen the fact is that the two young rookies aren't prepared enough to participate more than they are. If that's truly the case, as Fox has hinted in previous post-game pressers, then yes the blame goes to the individual, but also to the coaching staff for not recognizing their struggles and doing what needs to be done to prepare them properly to get on the field . . .
. . . Which brings the shoopster to the only individuals not worthy of praise for this unexpected rout - the coaches. Indeed, the Bears came out of the tunnel flat and unprepared again. The first half comedy of errors that resulted in over 50 yards of penalties was unacceptable and another indicator that this coaching staff does not know how to instill a sense of discipline in their charges. The lack of awareness that saw Cohen step lazily out of bounds on a big gainer that had to come back, that saw Brown step out of bounds on a third-and-long pass a good 7 yards before the first down marker, and defenders like Kyle Fuller drop more interceptions reinforce the fact that these players are lacking the fundamental discipline needed to turn potential to progress. That is on the coaching.
The schemes too, were curious. Again, "Vaunted" Vic Fangio came out of the tunnel flaccid, backing his defenders off the football and putting them on their heels. What Vic was afraid of who can say, as the Bengals are of course the Bengals. Fangio gets little credit from the shoopster for today's effort, but I suppose he can ride on the coattails of defenders like Eddie Jackson who rose above the limitations of the scheme to help the Bengals look foolish.
Duh-well Loggains exposed John Fox with a quality offensive gameplan that makes it clear he and the Foxster have been holding back. Plays never seen before suddenly appeared out of thin air to the astonishment of Bear fans everywhere. Loggains no doubt wants credit for today's showing, but all the shoopster can muster is anger and frustration that he and Fox have conspired to neuter the Bear offense due to their own fear of failure.
A special mention again goes to the Special Teams. For the second straight week, they were awful. Flags fly on nearly every play when this unit is on the field. Mike "Cat Scratch Heaver" Nugent missed an extra point, for Halas's sake. How Special Teams Coach Jeff Rodgers keeps his job the shoopster will never kno - wait a second, you say Rodgers coached with Fox in Denver and Carolina? Ah, that explains it . . .
. . . We end with the Foxy one himself. Surprisingly, Fox was humble after the game, sparing Bear fans from any crowing. Then again, when you're 13-and-32 as Head Coach, one victory doesn't earn bragging rights. With this win, Fox climbed back over Abe Gibron and is no longer the worst Bear Head Coach of all time. Whatever that's worth. Too much losing has occurred for Fox not to get fired on Black Monday, and with today's offensive gameplan exposing his defeatist coaching approach, the emperor has no clothes. Black Monday can't come soon enough for this franchise or for "Frisky" Mitch Trubisky, who is fighting valiantly to preserve his individuality within a system that seeks to destroy it. Can he survive four more games of John Fox and Duh-well Loggains? Sunday showed The Frisky One is going to do everything he can to try to . . .
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