Mike Martz

r the top of the organization with the removal of Jerry Angelo and the “resignation” of Mike Martz. No time to waste in breaking these moves down!

 

Bears release General Manager Jerry Angelo

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The execution was bad but the play-call was even worse. I have no idea what Mike Martz was thinking, I only know that it was utterly idiotic. The only positive on that play was the all-out hustle from Lance Louis, who ran down Wimbley from behind and horse-collared him for the touchdown-saving tackle.

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While it could affect Mike Martz’ gameplan, he’s got Matt Forte. It should greatly hinder Matthew Stafford and Calvin “Megatron” Johnson.  As good as Stafford’s arm is, he’s not typically accurate enough to make up for this kind of outside variable. Since running back Jahvid Best will be inactive today (big surprise), the Detroit running game will be non-existent. There will be no big plays on the ground this time around from the Lions. Julius Peppers has to take advantage of his superior athleticism against the Lions’ stout tackles and put Stafford on the ground early and often. Like any QB, Stafford can get rattled if you cramp his space. So I want Peppers in his jock.The Odds:

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(1-4) Minnesota Vikings at
(2-3) Chicago Bears 

Mike Martz just can’t seem to catch a freaking break. After weeks of having to deal with outside blitzes and skilled rushers, the trend continues against the Vikings. Ends Jared Allen and Brian Robison have been terrorizing quarterbacks this season and have the speed on the edges to get around J’Marcus Webb and newly minted right tackle Lance Louis. Why can my Jay never stay safe? In order to keep Cutler upright, Martz has to remain committed to the run with Matt Forte. Exploit Allen’s aggressive nature and get draw plays with Forte up the middle where the Vikings are weakest. There are going to be opportunities to take in the passing game, especially if Cutler gets the play-action going. The question remains: which wide receiver besides Dane Sanzenbacher will actually step-up and make a play? Roy Williams or Johnny Knox have to make a statement tonight, assuming they can get on the field for more than four snaps.

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Oh what a let-down that was. In their second game, the Chicago Bears managed to flat-line against the Saints, getting their quarterback Jay-Roughed in the process. Chicago’s offense held serve with the high-powered offense for about a half, and then Sean Payton let loose the entire playbook, taking the Bear defense to school like a game of Madden.

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r />Don't question the Genius.

When delving into the Bear’s schemes, you have to start with Mike Martz, Super-Genius. Taking the helm of the offense last season, Martz had to adapt on the fly as he saw his franchise quarterback planted to the turf again and again. Though what Martz will never admit to is that his persistent calling of seven-stop drops was the reason Cutler was getting pummeled. When the Bears finally righted the ship, it was because Martz finally figured out that getting a semblance of balance would lead to better opportunities downfield. My only question is why did it take him that long to figure it out? This year Martz can’t take three or four games to figure out how to best call plays for this offense. Chicago comes right out of the gates against quality opponents and if the offense doesn’t find its stride early they could be in a hole after only 4 outings.

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On the whole, Mike Martz’s offense looked crisp while the starters were on the field, converting five of their seven third down chances. Jay Cutler’s offseason work is clearly evident in his play. His footwork is as clean as I’ve ever seen it, making his delivery clean and on-target. On several drives on Saturday, Jay stepped up in the pocket and made quick decisions followed by accurate throws. He hit eight different receivers in the first half while never taking a sack. He’s ready for the regular season.

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That could have gone… better.

Four years after the Bears made their run to a Super Bowl loss, Lovie Smith had his boys back in an NFC championship against the rival Packers. The stage was set for an epic win… or deflating defeat. Well, the latter came to fruition as the Bears dropped a heartbreaker on their home turf (re: dirt.)

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a sturdy defense with multiple play-makers, fantastic special teams and the mid-season changes from Mike Martz and Mike Tice, they’re a game away from that title. However, standing in their way are the streaking Green Bay Packers, a far cry from the craptastic Seattle Seahawks Chicago trounced in the divisional round.

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their last eight games, Chicago’s offense is balanced yet dangerous under the instruction of Mike Martz and his excellent play-calling. Martz will need that today if the Bears are going to out-shoot the Packers with a likely limited number of plays with Jay Cutler. Cutler will obviously be pulled from the game at some point, especially if there’s no chance of improving their standings. Be prepared for a very conservative gameplan from Martz, who will be under strict orders to keep Cutler healthy. So only a few seven-step drops will be on the docket for today against Clay Matthews and a Dom Capers defense. Matt Forte and Chester Taylor will get the bulk of the action today, but Taylor really needs to see serious action before the playoffs start. He’s been under-used this season and it’s been a shame that he never sees the holes that Forte gets. Today has to be a work-out for Taylor if nothing else.

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Hester and Daniel Manning set up the offense with excellent field position time after time, which Mike Martz’s offense took advantage of (for the most part.) Robbie Gould was a perfect 4 for 4 on a night when the turf was less than ideal for footing.

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After getting ahead Mike Martz can pound away on the Vikings’ front seven with Matt Forte and Chester Taylor. Honestly, he should take a cue from the way the Patriots dismantled the Bear defense a week ago. Short, crisp passes over the middle to the tight ends and slot receivers will keep the offense on the field and control the clock. That’s how you win in the elements. The Odds:

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as the Patriot defense looked last week, you must remember it was against the woeful Jets offense. Mike Martz’s balanced attack should keep Belichick’s defense honest, preventing them from dropping too many back into coverage. The Patriots’ Tully Banta-Cain is undoubtedly their best pass-rusher, but they don’t send many defenders to the quarterback. Jay Cutler has to do his best Brady impression today and find his speedsters over the middle and on the outside. Those short, accurate passes have been giving the Bears the edge as of late, propelling them on this five game win streak. Keep an eye on corner Devin McCourty, who has been making a name for himself with timely interceptions. Chester Taylor must continue to be showcased alongside Matt Forte in the running game in order to pound away at the Pats’ young defense. (Though running to the outside is best, since big Vince Wilfork is a black hole in the middle of their 3-4 defense.) Brandon Spikes it out because of a PED violation, weakening the line-backing unit. Game on.

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t an 80% completion percentage for 234 yards and a fourth quarter touchdown to Brandon Manumaleuna. Mike Martz stuck to another balanced gameplan this week, calling 26 passes and 27 runs (not counting one Cutler scramble). And while the running game wasn’t overpowering, Chicago controlled the ball down the stretch to seal the victory with over 33 minutes in time of possession.

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p>(7-3) Chicago Bears 16
(5-5) Miami Dolphins 0

Following the typical Lovie Smith gameplan, Mike Martz called a balanced offensive attack from the sidelines, using short passes to the outsides to take advantage of the Dolphin secondary. Jay Cutler had plenty of protection for most of his 25 pass attempts thanks to an improving offensive line. Martz called 68 offensive plays on the night, controlling the time of possession (37 minutes) and keeping Miami's defense on their heels. Thanks to Matt Forte's 97 yards and the only touchdown of the game, Martz was able to stick with the run all night and wore down defenders in the second half. Cutler tore apart the defense on third down and picked the perfect spots to scramble down the field. Solid field position from Devin Hester returns (or opponents kicking away from him) put the offense in charge on each drive. I'd like to see less field goals and more touchdowns, but I'll take a win like this any day.

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Let's break it down!

(3-5) Minnesota Vikings at
(5-3) Chicago Bears

For Mike Martz and the Chicago offense, they're getting a mixed bag from the Vikings. The defensive line which is normally tenacious has been lacking this year. Normally Jared Allen would easily get the better of Frank Omiyale at left tackle, but it hasn't been a normal year for Allen. Jay Cutler will get his chances on drop-backs as long as there isn't another collapse of monumental proportions. Unfortunately, the pass rush for the Vikes has been slow but their run defense is just as stout as ever. With the Williams boys in the middle of the line, running Forte and Taylor to the outside is strongly advised. Olin Kreutz will start at center today despite some nagging injuries, but he never has his best days against Minnesota. They're too good in the middle.

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I was tempted to just give them an incomplete, but for a team with Mike Martz as offensive coordinator, the production simply hasn't been good enough. While Jay has limited his turnovers compared to last season, he still gave a mind-numbingly careless performance in the Washington game, where one less interception to DeAngelo Hall likely meant a win. As I maintain however, the blame for the offensive struggles cannot be laid at Jay's feet.

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Early on it was easy to see the effect all the criticism had on Mike Martz's play-calling. Three straight runs on the opening drive set the tone early, followed by short pass calls in the form of slants and screens. Matt Forte and Chester Taylor got their work-outs in early, getting plenty of rushing attempts for unimpressive yardage and short catches in the flats. Chicago got on the board early in the second quarter with an awkward pass to Greg Olsen in the end zone on a 14-play, 81-yard drive. I say awkward because Earl Bennett was right next to Olsen and nearly made his own play on the ball. Bennett had to over-run his coverage which put him in an odd position. Regardless, it was great to see Olsen get on the board after being forgotten these past few weeks.

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litzes are coming on almost every down in an effort to confuse Cutler and the line, which will test Mike Martz's stubborn play-calling. Will we run the ball today? Not likely, if Martz has anything to say about it. Brian Orakpo and linebacker London Fletcher are play-makers across the line. If they're going to have any success there must be better blitz recognition and an effort to find the open receiver quickly, whoever they are. No more seven-step drops today. A quick three-steps is all I want to see from Cutler on the day. If Matt Forte and Chester Taylor aren't in Martz's doghouse, they have the opportunity to have huge games against a 'Skin defense that is giving up tons of yardage. Keep an eye on DeAngelo Hall at DB for the Redskins, who will likely see Johnny Knox for most of the day.

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Cutler was under assault for the entirety of the game thanks to an inept and stubborn gameplan from Mike Martz, who is showing move Lovie Smith personality traits every week. Martz refused to establish the run at any point on Sunday, putting Jay at risk behind a line that never picked up an outside blitz. Every time a corner or linebacker rushed from the outside, there was Frank Omiyale or J'Marcus Webb looking to the inside towards defenders that were already engaged. A week after Matt Forte ran for 166 yards and two scores, he gets eight carries for 11 yards today. Unacceptable.

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True to form, the Chicago Bears came out after a great win with an equally horrific loss to the New York Giants Sunday night. Concerns abound for Lovie Smith's team, who never got in sync on offense and lost Jay Cutler to a concussion at the end of the first half. There are plenty of areas to pick on, but here's what I noticed from Sunday night's debacle.

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(3-0) Chicago Bears at
(1-2) New York Giants

Mike Martz's offense never really got going Monday night thanks to the Packers' ball control offense. This week Jay Cutler will face the fourth ranked pass defense in the NFL, but that stat is marred since the Giants give up more than 135 yards on the ground per game. If Matt Forte and Chester Taylor are going to find their rhthym, this is the game to start looking. With defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka out, the Bears have one less end-rusher to worry about. Kiwanuka has accounted for four of the Giants' six sacks this season, so Perry Fewell's defense is going to have trouble generating pressure from the front four. Add in Osi Umenyiora not playing at 100% thanks to a knee injury and the Bears shouldn't have problems blocking even without Chris Williams. If they can handle the gammut of pass-rushers that Green Bay threw at them, Mike Tice and the Bears will be fine against the 4-3 scheme of the Giants.

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0) Chicago Bears

With the best QB rating in the NFL through two weeks, Jay Cutler is handling the Mike Martz offense as well as could have been expected. Tonight that offense faces its toughest test in a Green Bay defense that features stand-outs at key positions. Starting up front, B.J. Raji will cause all sorts of trouble for center Olin Kreutz and guards Roberto Garza and Lance Louis. Defensive ends Cullen Jenkins and Ryan Pickett are coming off of injuries and won't be 100% if they can make it on the field tonight. With Chris Williams out with a hamstring injury, Frank Omiyale will again start at left tackle with Kevin Shaffer replacing him at right. Where line coach Mike Tice and the Bears are going to be preoccupied is with Clay Matthews, the stand-out second year linebacker that has racked up six sacks in the first two games of the season. Keeping him off of Cutler will be integral in the offense's success, but there may not be as much max protection as you'd expect. Martz may continue his gameplan from last week with more quick passes to the receivers and tight ends to take pressure of the offensive line and to keep the flurry of Dom Caper's blitzes away.

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Chris Williams will have his hands full. Look for plenty of Mike Martz screen passes to the running back to off-set and take advantage of the 'Boys' rush, but eventually he'll have to take his shots downfield. Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins have speed and toughness at the corner position, but they will be out-of-place on occasion. Devin Aromashodu should be able to take advantage of his size as Knox may struggle to get open if Newman's on his back.  As much as he avoids it, Martz can't ignore the running game today, or Jay Cutler will get smacked around even more than he already will. Hand-offs and screen passes will be Jay's Best friend. Getting Greg Olsen in mismatches against safeties or 'backers will be another outlet for Jay if he's in trouble.

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Well that was fugly. Fans may say a win is a win, but I'm awfully concerned with the results of Sunday's 19-15 win over the Detroit Lions. For a team that completed dominated their opponents statistically, the Bears just barely found a way to win in the final two minutes. Oh yeah, and they almost gave that slim lead up to an offense that hadn't scored or even netted a first down since the second quarter.

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Coordinator Mike Martz brings his ballyhooed playbook with him to Solider Field while Mike Tice takes his hard-nosed approach to coaching the offensive line. Martz's "genius" was not on full display during the preseason, but I don't doubt he will unveil his best when the season starts. Unfortunately, I'm not entirely convinced it will work exactly the way he intends. With the offense asking the quarterback to throw at a spot on the field rather than technically at the receiver, I expect to see some growing pains and miscues early.

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All of Mike Martz's bells and whistles won't be on display, but the basics of the system should come into view.

-Devin Aromashodu

Aromashodu had a solid game last week against the Chargers with 4 catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. This week pay attention to the chemistry between he and Cutler on passing plays. We all know Jay lobbied for Devin to play last season, so let's watch if D.A. takes a few receptions away from Johnny Knox as Cutler's go-to guy.

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Further than that, he drafted a Mike Martz side project in QB Dan LeFevour. It doesn't exactly scream "need to win" like his free agent signings. Angelo, Mike Martz and Lovie Smith may not be here in four years when LeFevour's ready to see the field.

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Completing the circle of "Lovie's guys," Bears defensive line coach Rod Marinelli was promoted to assistant head coach and defensive coordinator on Friday. The move was among many staff decisions made by Smith and GM Jerry Angelo. Shane Day, quality control coach with the San Francisco 49ers, was hired to become the new quarterbacks coach and Eric Washington was promoted to defensive line coach. Seattle's Mike DeBord was signed on Tuesday, assuming the tight end coaching vacancy. 

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The polarizing Mike Martz will step into what boils down to be the offensive head coaching job.

 

Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith exhausted a list of potential candidates which included: Jeremy Bates (Seattle), Rob Chudzinski (San Diego), Ken Zampese (Cincinnatti), Kevin Rogers (Minnesota) and Hue Jackson (Oakland) over the month-long PR debacle. Candidate after candidate turned down the Chicago job for (supposedly) greener pastures all while

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Charlie Weis has expressed his interest in the job (I don't want to see him on my sideline) as has Mike Martz. The newest  tidbit has former Broncos O-coordinator and current USC coordinator Jim Bates heading to the windy city. This makes a lot of sense because Bates was the coordinator during Jay Cutler's Pro Bowl season. Cutler loves working with him and it could make tremendous strides in improving an under-performing unit.

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