Bears Blitz

Published by Max Kienzler on July 27, 2009
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

Yes, Lovie Smith’s job could very well be on the line this season, depending on the success of the Chicago Bears. But he isn’t the only one.

Offensive coordinator Ron Turner has come under scrutiny ever since being signed five years ago. With a few minor exceptions, most of Turner’s playbook has evoked groans of dismay from both fans and media members alike.

While the Bears have showed some impressive flashes of offensive punch the past few seasons, they have yet to put together a consistent enough threat to really be taken seriously. I mean, the offense has disappeared for quarters and full halves at a time. It is embarrassing.

Before this year, one could always blame the struggles on a lesser talented quarterback. Whether it was the good Rex/bad Rex, Kyle Orton, or Brian Griese, fans could still point to them and scream, “WHY? WHY DID YOU MAKE THAT THROW!?”

Now the Cutler Era has begun in Chicago and with the expectations being as high as they have been in years, don’t pretend to believe that Bear fans are going to be patient.

They might blame Cutler if he makes poor passes, but their rage will be focused on Turner and his inability to coach on the fly. He has done decently when the plays are scripted out, but once it gets into him actually having to make split second choices, he continually falls short.

The Bears offense always looked its best in either the first 20 plays of the game or during the two-minute drill, where most of the decisions were being made by the quarterback behind center.

But let’s not blame just Turner. There is another coach (well, there is more than one, but I want to keep this under 10,000 words) who has underachieved to the point that I don’t know why he still has a job—wide receivers coach Darryl Drake.

Let’s see how Drake grades on the Bear receivers he has had time to help:

Bobby Wade, Justin Gage, Bernard Berrian, Mushin Muhammad, Mark Bradley, Rashied Davis, Devin Hester.

Well, Wade was cut from the Bears, but is now a starter and produces on the Vikings (Drake:0 , Opposing WR Coach:1).

Gage showed some flashes on the Bears but flamed out for some unknown reason. Then, he turned up in Tennessee and was their leading receiver (Drake:0, OWRC:2).

Berrian came into his own with Rex Grossman launching him the ball. However, the Bears wisely did not match the $49 million offer, as Berrian hasn’t improved that much since leaving (Drake: 1, OWRC:2).

I hate Moose, I really do. The man was miserable for us. He dropped a lot of passes, he complained too much and was a waste of space.

However, in the season before coming to Chicago, he caught 93 passes for over 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Panthers. In the season following his departure, he recorded 65 receptions, 923 yards and five touchdowns.

In his three years with Chicago, the highest amount of catches he had in one year was 64 receptions. His highest yardage total was 863 yards and his highest touchdown total was five.

What does that tell me? I am not sure, but I know it isn’t good for Drake (Drake:1, OWRC:3).

In 17 games with the Bears, Mark Bradley caught six receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown.

In 10 games with the Chiefs, he had 30 receptions for 380 yards and three touchdowns (Drake:1, OWRC:4).

Shoot, I will give Drake another point for Hester and I won’t dock him points for Rashied, and he is still two behind. Game over.

This year, the receiving corps needs to mature and grow with the help of Drake. Hester is primed for a breakout year, while Earl Bennett and Igelsias are two sure-handed young guns. In Drake’s tenure, no Bears receiver has had over 1,000 yards receiving, which is unacceptable.

So let me make a declaration, and this is regardless of the final record. If the Bears offense finishes 15th or lower in the NFL and none of the Bear receivers get better as the year goes on, Turner and Drake are fired. End of story.