About last night... (Rivera)

[trickblue]

I didn't see a multitude of Bear games this year, but I was disturbed to see what seemed like a lack of adjustments by the Bears defense last night after halftime...

Can any of you Chicago are fans that see the Bears tell us if that is an anomaly or was it business as usual...

I've seen enough of lack of defensive adjustments in Dallas already...

 

[superpunk]

That is Chicago's defense. Now, whether that's Rivera's defense, I dunno. They weren't pressuring with the front four, but they didn't go balls to the wall blitzing, even though that was effective.

The Bears live off turnovers. They expect to get them, and score in more ways than offensively. If you don't beat yourself, all year, the Bears are infinitely beatable. They faced a similar collapse to us defensively late in the year - which some attribute to injury, particularly of Tommy Harris, but it is what it is. They live and die by the turnover.

The saving grace is, of course, our offense is much more competent. But if Rivera comes here, and brings Lovie's defense, I wouldn't expect a big change from what we've been doing. Just more focus on turnovers, and less on playing the run.

 

[Cliff]

I didn't see a multitude of Bear games this year, but I was disturbed to see what seemed like a lack of adjustments by the Bears defense last night after halftime...

Can any of you Chicago are fans that see the Bears tell us if that is an anomaly or was it business as usual...

I've seen enough of lack of defensive adjustments in Dallas already...

I wouldn't read too much into last night.... from chicago - HATE the bears - that said the d and special teams CARRIED that team all season....

 

[1fisher]

butttt............Rivera is "Young and Hungry"............

 

[BulletBob]

That is Chicago's defense. Now, whether that's Rivera's defense, I dunno. They weren't pressuring with the front four, but they didn't go balls to the wall blitzing, even though that was effective.

I think that pass to a wide-open Reggie Wayne in Q1 gave them reason to pause on the amount of blitzes called.

Still in all, the Bears D gave up 22 points to the Colts O. Not great, but not horrible either.

If the Bears had any offense at all in that game, I believe that the D would have been a bit fresher down the stretch, and the game may have been a bit tighter. Tough to say, though, because I had the feeling that Dungy never really opened the throttle on the Colts' O - he played conservative, because he did not fear the Bears scoring on his D.

Look for the Bears to go after Garcia hard ... that could be the final piece to the puzzle for them. I hate to say it, but with that defense, all they need is a bus driver to give the defense a long rest between series.

 

[YosemiteSam]

It was two fold. The Bears couldn't tackle, but when you're on the field for 38+ minutes because of your inept offense, thats going to happen. They kept the Bears in it in the first half with the turnovers, but everytime that offense ground to a halt (everytime they touched the ball almost) the Bears defense was back on the field. You just can't expect a defense to dominate when they spend two-thirds of the game on the field. (Time of Possession. Colts 38:04 Bears 21:56) Just plain ugly.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I'm not sold on Rivera.

 

[superpunk]

I think that pass to a wide-open Reggie Wayne in Q1 gave them reason to pause on the amount of blitzes called.

Are you suggesting that play was a blitz? I don't think it was. The safety just left his responsibility and trailed the WR crossing, instead of staying home where he would have been in perfect position to make a play against Wayne.

Look for the Bears to go after Garcia hard ... that could be the final piece to the puzzle for them. I hate to say it, but with that defense, all they need is a bus driver to give the defense a long rest between series.

Unless they change their offense, Garcia wouldn't make any sense, IMO. Grossman is the TYPE of QB they need - maybe a year's experience will remove him a little more from Suckdom.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Who ever said the Bears live off turn overs is absolutly correct. That defense is designed to create TOs. Having said that, the Bears dropped two INTs early in the game. They make those plays, which they typically do, and last nights game is very different IMO. You must also remember that the Bears lost there Starting FS earlier in the year and there Best Defensive player in Tommie Harris. Not making excuses but imagine how we would have looked if our best defensive player went down along with our FS, if we had one.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Who ever said the Bears live off turn overs is absolutly correct. That defense is designed to create TOs. Having said that, the Bears dropped two INTs early in the game. They make those plays, which they typically do, and last nights game is very different IMO. You must also remember that the Bears lost there Starting FS earlier in the year and there Best Defensive player in Tommie Harris. Not making excuses but imagine how we would have looked if our best defensive player went down along with our FS, if we had one.

There is some merit in that.

 

[Hunter71]

Bears made it to the SB with Rex as QB...

Enough said...

 

[Pappa Cheeto]

So we are judging Rivera based on one game against the best offense in the NFL?

One game? What about Turner's seasons of ineptitude?

The Bears have a great defense. They wouldn't have reached the SB without it.

 

[austintodallas]

I think it's time to reconsider Wade Phillips.

 

[superpunk]

I think it's time to reconsider Wade Phillips.

cosigned. I'm "leaning" towards him. But that may just be the gravitational pull.

 

[smarta5150]

Bears made it to the SB with Rex as QB...

Enough said...

The problem last night was the control by the Colts.

Any defense no matter how good they are will get worn down with that kind of TOP disadvantage.

Everytime the Bears got a takeaway Rex just gave it right back to Manning.

Along with the 42 rush attempts by the Colts it was impossible for a defense to stop that kind of offense.

(the absense of Tommie Harris and Brown really hurt the Bears also... like us missing Ferguson and RW - even though some may argue that would have made us better )

 

[THUMPER]

Isn't this Lovie Smith's defense? I was under the impression that Rivera coaching under Smith was the equivalent of Sean Payton coaching under Parcells. It's the HC's scheme and the coordinator is just running it as designed.

I wouldn't be too quick to throw Rivera under the bus just yet, particularly based on one game.

 

[superpunk]

The problem last night was the control by the Colts.

Any defense no matter how good they are will get worn down with that kind of TOP disadvantage.

Well, it was kind of their fault. They couldn't get the Colts off the field, so that their offense, however inept, could at least get a chance. Weren't the Bears off the field for an hour at one point?

Everytime the Bears got a takeaway Rex just gave it right back to Manning.

That only happened once - speaking about Rex. The other time it was other players fumbling.

 

[smarta5150]

Well, it was kind of their fault. They couldn't get the Colts off the field, so that their offense, however inept, could at least get a chance. Weren't the Bears off the field for an hour at one point?



That only happened once - speaking about Rex. The other time it was other players fumbling.

:laugh2:


Rex had 2 INTs and 1 lost fumble.

Another bonehead drive was the fumbled snap and falling down after a 2nd and 1 creating a 3 and out.

So 3 turnovers, and 1 implosion resulting in a 3 and out.


How can you expect the Bears defense to do anything more? They created TOs and held the Colts to 22 points.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Well, it was kind of their fault. They couldn't get the Colts off the field, so that their offense, however inept, could at least get a chance. Weren't the Bears off the field for an hour at one point?



That only happened once - speaking about Rex. The other time it was other players fumbling.

I don't know Punk. I honestly thought the Bears did a pretty good job for the first half. I just thought there inability to stop the run up the middle and the passes to the backs mounted. You just can't leave your guys in those situations time after time with an offense like Indy's. I just think it's a tough road to hoe if your saying your going to stop Indy all game long without the support of you offense protecting the ball or your field position. I don't know of anybody or any coaching staff who could have done that against that team.

 

[DizzG]

I'm not sold on Rivera.

not to single you out but there has been one single person mentioned on this board the last weeks or so (including even Bill Cowher) that at least someone said they are not sold on.

the bears didnt lose last night due to defense...hell they created lots of turnovers. Their QB is a clown and couldnt do anything last night. I thought the Colts were going to win from the start but put a decent QB in there for the bears last night and that game is a dogfight till the end

The bears have also been missing two of their better defensive players for the last several weeks yet still got to the superbowl