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No Moose is bad news
More offensive weapons have limited Muhammad's production, Lovie says
September 19, 2007
WITH MIKE MULLIGAN
Muhsin Muhammad entered the season needing 636 receiving yards to become the 28th player in NFL history with 10,000 for his career. At the rate things are going, he'll reach that plateau just past the midpoint of the 2012 season.
Muhammad's two catches for 15 yards are emblematic of the Bears' struggles in the passing game. It's his lowest two-game total since 1998 and raises the age-old chicken-vs.-egg question about what makes a passing offense go: the quarterback or the wide receivers.
Muhammad is supposed to be the top weapon in the passing game -- at least that's why the Bears got him in the free-agent market in 2004, after he produced one of the great seasons in league history, catching 93 passes for 1,405 yards with 16 touchdowns. In 33 games with the Bears, he has only 223 more yards and seven fewer touchdowns.
Most disturbing is the way his production has dropped off since around the midpoint of last season. Muhammad averaged 4.6 catches and 62.9 yards and had four touchdowns over the first nine games of 2006. In 12 games since, including the playoffs, he's averaging 2.4 catches and 33.7 yards with two touchdowns.
''For whatever the reason, the ball hasn't been coming my way,'' Muhammad said. ''But I keep pressing toward my goal and find a different way to stay involved in the game. It's hard to put up big numbers if the ball is not coming your way. It's not something I can control. I don't worry about stuff I can't control.''
Two veteran NFL personnel bosses gave completely different opinions on Muhammad's situation. One said Muhammad has lost a step and can't get open anymore, which is why he's not getting the ball. The other said it's on quarterback Rex Grossman, that Muhammad is the same player he has been but no longer is getting opportunities.
It's easy to blame age as the reason for the slip in Muhammad's numbers. He's 34 and in his 12th pro season. But Muhammad was part of the vaunted receiver class of 1996 that has plenty of members still putting up massive numbers, including Marvin Harrison, Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens, whom the Bears will face Sunday night when the Cowboys come to town.
Owens -- picked in the third round by the 49ers in '96, 46 players after the Panthers took Muhammad in the second round -- has eight catches for 184 yards (23.0 average) with three touchdowns in two games. The 6-3, 218-pounder is seven months younger, an inch taller and three pounds heavier than Muhammad, and he has shown no sign of tailing off.
Bears coach Lovie Smith said Muhammad hasn't lost it physically and his lack of production can be attributed to developing other weapons in the passing game. Muhammad has been listed as probable on the injury report with a sore ankle the last two weeks and has missed three practices in that stretch. Smith said Monday that's not an issue in his lack of production.
''We have more weapons now,'' Smith said of the disparity. ''Initially, we were trying to figure out who was going to play with Moose. Bernard [Berrian] has moved into that position. Rashied Davis has done some good things. You have Devin Hester, who you would like to get a few plays. Des Clark has been a bigger part of things, and we have Greg Olsen coming in, too, hopefully this week.
''Sometimes one guy's production will drop off, but others' will pick up. That is a part of the plan. Moose is still a big part of what we're going to do. There are some games when we'll go to him more. We just have to see what [opponents are] doing.''
Muhammad made a big block that freed Berrian for 10 extra yards in Sunday's victory over the Chiefs, and he said he's trying to contribute in every way possible. He said he has no plans to go to offensive coordinator Ron Turner or Grossman and ask for more throws his way.
''I am not in the business of complaining,'' Muhammad said. ''I just do what I can to help this team win games. I don't have an explanation for why we haven't moved the ball very well, other than we haven't played as consistently as we should.''
And what does he say to those who figure he has lost it?
''I don't think it's a question of how I'm playing right now,'' Muhammad said. ''I don't think that is a factor.''
Failing class
Greg Olsen's expected season debut Sunday night promises to jump-start the Bears' 2007 draft class, which has been one of the least productive in the league. The Bears have a combined two tackles from the six rookies on their roster, both coming on special teams by safety Kevin Payne against the Chiefs.
Josh Beekman and Corey Graham have been inactive for both games, Olsen has been out with a knee injury, Trumaine McBride has played on special teams without making the stat sheet and Garrett Wolfe didn't even get credit for a miscellaneous tackle when he brought down Napoleon Harris after the interception of a screen pass.
Meanwhile, 25 teams have started a rookie. But the Bears returned 20 of 22 starters this year and lost two rookies for the season: second-round pick Dan Bazuin (knee) and third-rounder Michael Okwo (shoulder).
Manning the job
The Bears lost their best leader and a great player when free safety Mike Brown went down with a knee injury in the opener at San Diego, but they were lucky to have a good athlete in Danieal Manning waiting in the wings. Back in the starting lineup against Kansas City, Manning finished third on the team with nine tackles (seven solos) and had an interception.
''It's a privilege to come out of that tunnel,'' he said. ''Starting and making plays and having fun with the guys felt great.''
Had Manning played a little better in training camp, it might have been Adam Archuleta and Brown competing at strong safety with Manning starting from Day 1 at free safety. Manning said he was careful to understand his role to preserve team chemistry.
''I did everything I could to become the starter, but when you get into it, some players can mess up the camaraderie of the team,'' he said. ''If I wasn't going to start, I wanted to be the best four-phase player on special teams that I could be. I knew my role.''
Gotta have Pope
The Bears signed P.J. Pope -- their leading rusher in the 2006 preseason -- to the practice squad. Pope started out on the developmental squad last season before the Packers signed him to their 53-man roster. He injured a knee early in camp and was waived/injured, but he passed his physical Tuesday. Wide receiver David Ball, the record-setter from New Hampshire, was let go.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mulligan/563343,CST-SPT-bearin19.article
More offensive weapons have limited Muhammad's production, Lovie says
September 19, 2007
WITH MIKE MULLIGAN
Muhsin Muhammad entered the season needing 636 receiving yards to become the 28th player in NFL history with 10,000 for his career. At the rate things are going, he'll reach that plateau just past the midpoint of the 2012 season.
Muhammad's two catches for 15 yards are emblematic of the Bears' struggles in the passing game. It's his lowest two-game total since 1998 and raises the age-old chicken-vs.-egg question about what makes a passing offense go: the quarterback or the wide receivers.
Muhammad is supposed to be the top weapon in the passing game -- at least that's why the Bears got him in the free-agent market in 2004, after he produced one of the great seasons in league history, catching 93 passes for 1,405 yards with 16 touchdowns. In 33 games with the Bears, he has only 223 more yards and seven fewer touchdowns.
Most disturbing is the way his production has dropped off since around the midpoint of last season. Muhammad averaged 4.6 catches and 62.9 yards and had four touchdowns over the first nine games of 2006. In 12 games since, including the playoffs, he's averaging 2.4 catches and 33.7 yards with two touchdowns.
''For whatever the reason, the ball hasn't been coming my way,'' Muhammad said. ''But I keep pressing toward my goal and find a different way to stay involved in the game. It's hard to put up big numbers if the ball is not coming your way. It's not something I can control. I don't worry about stuff I can't control.''
Two veteran NFL personnel bosses gave completely different opinions on Muhammad's situation. One said Muhammad has lost a step and can't get open anymore, which is why he's not getting the ball. The other said it's on quarterback Rex Grossman, that Muhammad is the same player he has been but no longer is getting opportunities.
It's easy to blame age as the reason for the slip in Muhammad's numbers. He's 34 and in his 12th pro season. But Muhammad was part of the vaunted receiver class of 1996 that has plenty of members still putting up massive numbers, including Marvin Harrison, Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens, whom the Bears will face Sunday night when the Cowboys come to town.
Owens -- picked in the third round by the 49ers in '96, 46 players after the Panthers took Muhammad in the second round -- has eight catches for 184 yards (23.0 average) with three touchdowns in two games. The 6-3, 218-pounder is seven months younger, an inch taller and three pounds heavier than Muhammad, and he has shown no sign of tailing off.
Bears coach Lovie Smith said Muhammad hasn't lost it physically and his lack of production can be attributed to developing other weapons in the passing game. Muhammad has been listed as probable on the injury report with a sore ankle the last two weeks and has missed three practices in that stretch. Smith said Monday that's not an issue in his lack of production.
''We have more weapons now,'' Smith said of the disparity. ''Initially, we were trying to figure out who was going to play with Moose. Bernard [Berrian] has moved into that position. Rashied Davis has done some good things. You have Devin Hester, who you would like to get a few plays. Des Clark has been a bigger part of things, and we have Greg Olsen coming in, too, hopefully this week.
''Sometimes one guy's production will drop off, but others' will pick up. That is a part of the plan. Moose is still a big part of what we're going to do. There are some games when we'll go to him more. We just have to see what [opponents are] doing.''
Muhammad made a big block that freed Berrian for 10 extra yards in Sunday's victory over the Chiefs, and he said he's trying to contribute in every way possible. He said he has no plans to go to offensive coordinator Ron Turner or Grossman and ask for more throws his way.
''I am not in the business of complaining,'' Muhammad said. ''I just do what I can to help this team win games. I don't have an explanation for why we haven't moved the ball very well, other than we haven't played as consistently as we should.''
And what does he say to those who figure he has lost it?
''I don't think it's a question of how I'm playing right now,'' Muhammad said. ''I don't think that is a factor.''
Failing class
Greg Olsen's expected season debut Sunday night promises to jump-start the Bears' 2007 draft class, which has been one of the least productive in the league. The Bears have a combined two tackles from the six rookies on their roster, both coming on special teams by safety Kevin Payne against the Chiefs.
Josh Beekman and Corey Graham have been inactive for both games, Olsen has been out with a knee injury, Trumaine McBride has played on special teams without making the stat sheet and Garrett Wolfe didn't even get credit for a miscellaneous tackle when he brought down Napoleon Harris after the interception of a screen pass.
Meanwhile, 25 teams have started a rookie. But the Bears returned 20 of 22 starters this year and lost two rookies for the season: second-round pick Dan Bazuin (knee) and third-rounder Michael Okwo (shoulder).
Manning the job
The Bears lost their best leader and a great player when free safety Mike Brown went down with a knee injury in the opener at San Diego, but they were lucky to have a good athlete in Danieal Manning waiting in the wings. Back in the starting lineup against Kansas City, Manning finished third on the team with nine tackles (seven solos) and had an interception.
''It's a privilege to come out of that tunnel,'' he said. ''Starting and making plays and having fun with the guys felt great.''
Had Manning played a little better in training camp, it might have been Adam Archuleta and Brown competing at strong safety with Manning starting from Day 1 at free safety. Manning said he was careful to understand his role to preserve team chemistry.
''I did everything I could to become the starter, but when you get into it, some players can mess up the camaraderie of the team,'' he said. ''If I wasn't going to start, I wanted to be the best four-phase player on special teams that I could be. I knew my role.''
Gotta have Pope
The Bears signed P.J. Pope -- their leading rusher in the 2006 preseason -- to the practice squad. Pope started out on the developmental squad last season before the Packers signed him to their 53-man roster. He injured a knee early in camp and was waived/injured, but he passed his physical Tuesday. Wide receiver David Ball, the record-setter from New Hampshire, was let go.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mulligan/563343,CST-SPT-bearin19.article
