Bears stun no one with promotion of Marinelli to defensive coordinator posted by Joe Anello

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. 

Let's just get this right out of the way: I don't like Marinelli as my defensive coordinator, but he's not going to be. This is still Lovie Smith's defense and that will never change as long as he is the head coach. Marinelli will barely call plays since he's never been a coordinator before in his lengthy football career. Is the promotion ridiculous? Yes. Significant? No.

After Perry Fewell chose to become the coordinator of the New York Giants, the Bears obviously had no recourse except promoting from within. No legitimately established coordinator would come here and merely call Lovie Smith's defense. Now all the hire does is confirm Lovie's stubbornness and insistence on hiring "his guys." Now that his job is tied to this season's performance, he's going to the men he trusts most.

There's not a lot of history on Shane Day, but he worked in San Fran for three years, one of which was under Martz. He also worked with DeBord at Michigan in 2005-06. I hope he ends up being more useful to Cutler than the cardboard cut-out that was Pep Hamilton. Regardless, Martz will be the coach primarily communicating with my franchise QB, as it should be.

The Five Best Super Bowl Winners Since 1985 posted by Colin Linneweber

The New Orleans Saints will play the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV Sunday at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The Colts (16-2) are currently favored by nearly six points to defeat the underdog Saints (15-3) this weekend.

No matter what the ultimate outcome is, fans can expect to witness a thrilling game between the offensively explosive Saints and Colts.

In tribute to this weekend’s championship matchup, I have decided to rank the five best Super Bowl winners of the past quarter-century.

1)      The 1989-1990 San Francisco 49ers- The dominant 49ers (17-2) absolutely destroyed the overmatched Denver Broncos (13-6) by a score of 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV to repeat as champions at the Superdome in New Orleans.

To this very day, the 49ers lopsided margin of victory over the Broncos remains the biggest blowout in Super Bowl history.

Legendary Niners quarterback Joe Montana was justifiably named the game’s MVP after he completed 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards and five touchdown passes.

San Francisco’s underrated defense stifled John Elway’s aerial assault and they managed to limit Denver to a paltry 167 yards on offense.

Joe Montana is a four-time Super Bowl champion and he has been the focal point of many tremendous squads.

Still, the 1989-1990 49ers unit was the greatest one that Montana ever played on.

2)      The 1985-1986 Chicago Bears- The Bears (18-1) humiliated the New England Patriots (14-6) 46-10 in Super Bowl XX at the Superdome in New Orleans.

Mike Martz: New Offensive Coordinator posted by richard Kagan

A few years back Mike Martz was hailed as the new genius in offense.  St. Louis had Kurt Warner and fleet receivers and won a Super Bowl.  But that seems a long time ago.  The Bears just need someone to help QB Jay Cutler to keep his sanity, not get injured, and throw more touchdowns than interceptions.  Especially less interceptions.

We know Cutler has an arm, we saw that in the last two games of the year.  Now, if he can do that more consistently, and if the Bears can find a running game, any running game.  Then the Bears may have a semblance of an offense.

Mike Martz has his work cut out for him.  And, so the the Chicago Bears.

Bears finally hire Mike Martz for offensive coordinator position posted by Joe Anello

After a 27-day germination, the Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator search finally bore fruit. Oddly enough, the man chosen for the job was rumored to be a front-runner as soon as Ron Turner was released. 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 Mike Martz sat idly by, waiting for even an interview. Last Friday, Martz finally sat down with Bears brass, followed by a trip to Tennessee to have dinner with Bears franchise QB Jay Cutler. After Jay expressed his support for Martz, Lovie Smith hired the man he wanted all along.

After reaching success as the OC of the Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams, Martz took over as head coach and took the Rams back to the big game but fell short of the promised land. During that tenure he groomed Kurt Warner into an MVP and brought Marc Bulger to a Pro Bowl level. (Where he hasn't been since.) After an unceremonious dismissal (drama I won't get into), he had brief stints in Detroit and San Francisco as OC. Then he took a job as an analyst on the NFL Network, where he made some comments about Cutler's composure that may have ruffled a few feathers and necessitated the Tennessee meeting.

Big Daddy Exhales a Painful AARGH! posted by Les Leonard

     Back-to-back Saints’ losses has Big Daddy incensed. Even though the Saints clinched home field advantage for the first time in franchise history. The Saints reached this unprecedented milestone thanks to their recent nemesis, the Chicago Bears, who knocked off Minnesota in 2009’s final Monday Night Football game. The improbable overtime victory allowed the Black ’n’ Gold to back into the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Imagining this day in past years, Big Daddy envisioned popping champagne (like Tim Whitmer must have each time he landed a lucrative insurance deal as the Jefferson Parish CAO) to commemorate such a monumental achievement. In this week’s edition of the Section 645 Saints Beat, Big Daddy celebrates New Year’s Eve at Tipitina’s, reports live from Section 645, recaps the Tampa Bay game, covers the Sugar Bowl, explains the demise of the Mid-City Bonfire, and releases his World Famous Pregame Information.

     Tune in to next week’s Section 645 Saints Beat when Big Daddy recaps the Carolina season finale, gives the last regular update from the Kingpin, covers the BCS Championship, and road trips to the Dockside Night Club in Westwego. Chunky soups season long contest is winding down so lets not fumble the ball now. Please log on to: www.chunky.com/ClickforCansLanding.aspx to cast your vote in the Click for Cans competition. With the playoffs approaching, who wants to be the sap whose Saints knowledge is not up to par. If you’re that guy, check out:

Bears End Season on Winning Note posted by richard Kagan

The Chicago Bears defeated the Detroit Lions 37-23 last Sunday to finish up at 7-9.  The win most likely saves head coach Lovie Smith's job.  QB Jay Cutler threw for four TD's looking like the QB fans thought he would be.  Devin Aramashado scored twice on passes.  He should be a featured wide receiver, not Devin Hester.  Hester is a valuable player and should be retured to his best position, running back kickoffs and punts.

Bears were leaky on defense this season, giving up huge yards in the passing game.  It certainly wasn't the Bears defense of old, and this needs to change if the Bears want to be competitive.  But the team did win its last two games, saving the season from sure disaster.  Now, one could say the season was disappointing.  And, Cutler's performances the last two games raises hopes among the Bears' faithful.  He finally seemed to get the hang of it in the end.  The Bears need a true power back, some good blockers, a few good linebackers, and at least two good defensive cornermen.  Other than that, the team looks good.  There will be some changes in the off-season, the question remains, who stays and who goes?

Joe's Gameday Preview: Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions posted by Joe Anello

 With both teams out of the playoffs and nursing plenty of injuries, today's NFC North meeting between the Bears and Lions won't be aesthetically pleasing. Regardless, I'll tell you what to watch for at Ford Field. Get your Gameday Preview on! (6-9) Chicago Bears at(2-13) Detroit Lions The Lions won't have first overall pick Matthew Stafford on the field after his recent knee surgery, so Daunte Culpepper will start under center. He's nowhere near the talent he used to be, but he will be fired up and looking to impress the other 31 teams in the league. Without a consistent running game though, he'll have a hard time fooling the Bears' defense. (I hope anyway.) Marred by injuries (Charles Tillman and Israel Idonije out, Danieal Manning doubtful), Lovie Smith's defense will need to fill their gaps and avoid giving up big plays. If they can, it shouldn't be difficult keeping the lowly Lions under 17 points. Calvin Johnson will get 100 yards in receiving today. Take that to the bank. That should be more than low enough. Jay Cutler and the offense should have no trouble tearing apart the second-worst defense (worst pass defense) in the NFL. Matt Forte should get a ton of carries and a rare 100-yard game to end the regular season. Johnny Knox is doubtful with his ankle injury from last week, but Devin Hester will return to the field in his absence. Devin Aromashodu is going to see plenty of balls his way in the season finale. Odds: Chicago is favored by 3.5 on the road.  Prediction: The Bears Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Preview: Chicago Bears ..."

What I learned from the Bears' 36-30 win over the Vikings posted by Joe Anello

I know the game was meaningless for the Bears. There's not a huge difference between 5-9 and 6-9. Lovie Smith's job status could have been decided already. Jay Cutler was going to have a poor season either way, right? That being said...

Eff you Minnesota. Seriously. Take that Brett Favre. Hope you enjoy playing the first weekend of the playoffs because you just lost out on the number two seed in the NFC. 

Monday night's shocking overtime win over the much ballyhooed Vikings gave Bear fans something to cheer about at the end of this massively disappointing season. Minnesota came out flat as can be while Chicago started quickly, something they have rarely done in 2009. There were a few too many injuries for the Bears, as Charles Tillman, Israel Idonije, Danieal Manning and Johnny Knox all went down at one time or another.

While the win does nothing to alleviate my desire to see Lovie Smith fired, it did give fans hope for next season and beyond. 

-The much-maligned Jay Cutler was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his 273-yards and four touchdown performance in which he rolled out and picked apart a suspect Vikings secondary. It was the best we've seen from Jay all season and certainly the quarterback I think we're in danger of losing out on without the right offensive coaching staff. Despite my fears, it was beyond sweet to see Jay succeed. I expect a few bad throws each game, but I want those bad throws coupled with at least three touchdowns. His throws make me giddy. And that run where he plowed over safety Madieu Williams? I peed a little. I've staunchly defended Jay all season because I know he can play like he did on Monday night.

Is Jay Cutler destined to become the next Jeff George? posted by Colin Linneweber

The Chicago Bears defeated the struggling Minnesota Vikings 36-30 in overtime Monday night at Soldier Field. 

Much-maligned Bears quarterback Jay Cutler tossed a 39-yard touchdown pass to Devin Aromashodu to secure the victory. 

“It’s good for the team, it’s good for the morale of going out there and putting up points and answering the bell, especially in the fourth quarter and overtime when you have to do it,” said Cutler, 26, who went 20 of 35 for 273 yards and four touchdowns. 

After a scorching start to their season, the Vikings lost for the third time in four games and their record fell to 11-4.  

On the flipside, Chicago’s win improved their disappointing mark to 6-9. 

Many Chicagoans had high-hopes for the Bears entering the 2009 campaign after they acquired Cutler in an April trade with the Denver Broncos. 

Unfortunately for Bears fans, Cutler has largely floundered in “The Windy City” and been a complete and utter bust. 

To date, Cutler has been intercepted an unsightly 26 times and he has registered a paltry 73.6 quarterback rating. 

Cutler, who was selected by the Broncos out of Vanderbilt University with the 11th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, has a tremendous arm and his skills on the gridiron can’t be questioned. 

It is very possible that Cutler could still become the signal-caller that Chicago’s brass envisioned when they dealt for the 2008 Pro Bowler and subsequently signed him to a two-year contract extension worth $30 million. 

Cutler, Bears Make Enough Big Plays To Upset Vikings, 36-30 in OT posted by richard Kagan

When receiver Devin Aromashado grabbed QB Jay Cutler's 39 yard heave in OT, for the winning score, Soldier Field erupted in joy.  An OT win over the Vikes, now that tastes good for the holidays.

If this happened more often.  Cutler and the Bears played tough, hard nosed football, and in the first half, looked like "Monsters of the Midway" when they took a 16-0 lead.  But the Vikings with Brett Favre, a sure hall of famer, rallied the team for a late score to tie the game.  Favre, had one bullet let to tie the game on a great corner grab by Simon Rice.

OT was a chess match and the Bears made the final winning move.

In all, four different receivers caught balls for TD's, from the maligned Cutler.  Last night, he looked the part of a QB who could do some damage.  ESPN made a typo on their summary which had the Bears at 6-9.  I believed that, and said to my step-father, another Bears loyalist, "if they beat Detroit, that would make a terrible season, bad."  Then I realized the Bears had five wins. and if they win in Detroit it would be six.  Yikes!  That's a tough season, no getting around it.  But the Bears showed that they can play and frozen fans had plenty to cheer about.

Bears promote Marinelli to D-coordinator

Unable to find outside help, the Chicago Bears have promoted RodMarinelli to defensive coordinator while rounding out theircoaching staff. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for NFL

Bears' Marinelli now def. coordinator (AP)

Unable to find outside help, the Chicago Bears have promoted Rod Marinelli to defensive coordinator while rounding out their coaching staff. Marinelli, who retained his assistant head coach title, worked with the Bears' defensive line this season after spending three years as the Detroit Lions' head coach. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Bears name Martz offensive coordinator (AP)

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Mike Haynes, Hillenmeyer donating brains (AP)

Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Haynes and current Chicago Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer are among more than a dozen NFL players who have pledged to donate their brain and spinal cord tissue for concussion research. Retired players Zach Thomas, Kyle Turley and Conrad Dobler also have said they'll help the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University School of... [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

NFL considers use of echocardiograms (AP)

The NFL's medical committee is discussing giving players echocardiograms following the death this month of Chicago Bears defensive end Gaines Adams. Adams died of an enlarged heart, something an echocardiogram can detect. NFL teams already give extensive physicals to players. Stress testing and echocardiograms are conducted when the results of the physical, an EKG and family history indicate the... [read full article]

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