Timing has become the Bears' biggest issue at the most critical time of the season. Jay Cutler doesn't have enough time one play and takes too much the next. Receivers aren't where they should be when they are supposed to be there. The offensive linemen don't know whom they are supposed to block. Holes open and close before running backs can exploit them.
There are a lot of explanations for why the offense has flopped. What former St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner thinks has been lacking most of all, however, is what Mike Martz's offense requires above all else: timing. Through the first seven games, the offense has been marching to one tune while the band plays another.
The problem is glaring enough for Warner to make his strongest statements yet about Cutler and the offense.
''It's all based on timing,'' he said. ''The timing comes with the understanding of what's going on around you. It comes with the pieces around you being in the right place at the right time. The quarterback has to understand how that timing relates through [his] drop and decision-making.
''From what I've seen up to this point, that's where I see them missing it. Jay has always been a guy that could rely on his physical skills. He could let a guy come open and still get the ball there. Not everyone has that ability. This offense, because of the timing orientation of it, is built around taking a seven-step drop. On your first hitch, you throw to receiver A. If receiver A is not there, you go to receiver B, then receiver C. It's set up that way to keep the spacing of the offense and allow that spacing to give you big plays.''
While Martz has been scrutinized for what his unit hasn't accomplished, defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli quietly has maximized his talent and is getting production from young, developing players such as Matt Toeaina, Henry Melton, Corey Wootton and D.J. Moore.
Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs should be healthy to start the second half of the season. Julius Peppers is Julius Peppers. The secondary has held up better than anybody expected it would. More important, Marinelli has struck the right note, and his players have responded. He is keeping it simple, stressing the combination of effort and fundamentals required to make the Tampa-2 defense successful.
Dave Toub's special teams outperform the opposition virtually every week, which means the Bears can avoid the second-half slide many anticipate if the offense turns things around. But it needs to start during the game Sunday against the Buffalo Bills in Toronto because time is running out.
''Where I see Jay struggling right now is with the confidence and understanding, whether it be his part of the system and the whole realm of that or the guys around him not necessarily being there on time,'' Warner said in a conference call for the NFL Network. ''I see hesitation in Jay on the back end of his drops and in the pocket. He wants to get back there, hitch a couple of times, see something come open and make the throw. In this offense, it's not built that way. That's the biggest struggle they're having. The timing orientation of it is off right now.''
Former Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann, who will be Warner's broadcast partner during the NFL Network's telecasts on Thursday nights, was more blunt in his assessment.
''The problem with Jay Cutler in a nutshell is he makes bad decisions with the ball in his hands,'' said Theismann, who outspokenly supported the Martz-Cutler union before the season. ''He makes his mind up where he wants to go with the football at times, and he doesn't throw it away.
''The first interception to [Redskins cornerback] DeAngelo Hall last week is just a great come-around-the-receiver [play], an absolutely great interception. The one-handed one is a great interception. The last one he throws ... your receivers have to be on the same page as you are.
''One of his big crutches has been Greg Olsen. His tight end was his go-to guy last year. Now all of a sudden you don't see him as part of the offense.''
Warner said breakdowns on the offensive line and the overall lack of timing have caused the type of negative plays that have resulted in Cutler second-guessing himself, which he can ill-afford to do in an offense that must be executed with precision for it to be as successful as the Bears need it to be.
''[Cutler's] a perfect fit from a confidence and ability standpoint,'' Warner said. ''Where he has to adjust is he has to anticipate within that offense and see things ahead of time and throw the ball before a guy gets open, trust a guy to come open and get to his next read. That's where I see him struggling right now.''
First and foremost, let me just say, for being a Vandy product, Jay Cutler makes some bonehead throws. OK, the puny wide receivers have a tendency to reroute anything blocked in any way, the offensive line is, well, OFFENSIVE, and Martz calls plays at critical times that have Vince and George scratching their spirited heads; but come on now, how many INT's has this guy thrown right at the D with not a defensive soul near his feet, let alone in his visual path. His shoulders garner the bulk of the blame.
Why call a 6 step drop, with no backs or tight ends to sturdy the fort, and your team has already given up 6 sacks and the HALF still isn't over?!? Oh yeah! I forgot, that's Mr. Martz we're talking about. Talk about throwing gas on the fire. Quick slows down quicker when you have the advantage, and offense should always have the advantage.
The size of Knox and Hester come into play for at least 20% of Cutlers' INT's; I believe that should be Aromashodus' calling card. Jay thinks so, too.
The screens have been very successful of late, and the tight ends catch the ball very well right off the line. A heavier dose of the two until the 'D' adjusts would be fine with me.
Then again, a heavier dose of stubborness will never be fine!
Bottom line from what Warner said: It's fixable and the talent is there. It will get better as time and game-reps go on.
Bottom line from what Theismann said: As usual Joe the talking head uses all the latest watchwords to say nothing much. He always just repeats tired old themes that were already out there. Worst analyst in the NFL.
In other words Jay, interpret where your first two reads are instantly and let the ball go! Either they work or not. If able to get to the third receiver it is because the O-Line has given extra time.
When it is a three and out, go to the sidelines and talk with the receivers where you expected each to be on a route because this is where the ball is coming!
STOP sitting on the sidelines by yourself! You are supposed to be communicating with your receivers and offensive line during this time.
COMMUNICATE JAY!!
Cutler pointed out the same things on a previous blog, so at least awareness is there. Now the trick is to do something about it.The season is almost half over, so at this stage the learning phase should have been completed. The defense seems to have gotten the system down pat, but the offense is clearly lagging behind.At least coming off the bye week against a weaker team allows a degree of optimism that the Bears will have another game to get their timing and pass protection working a bit better. Wouldn't it be nice to have a laugher in which the Bears score fifty or so points with their offense showing what a well-oiled and totally grasped Martz system can establish?
The timing will be better next year because, with any luck, there will be a new GM,HC and staff in place. One that knows what the heck they are doing.
Sean you really won't be able to tell if the Bears have improved in the Bills game. Look at the Carolina game. Run game looked just fine against one of the three worst teams in the league. Play a team like Miami or NY and all of a sudden they suck. Beating Buffalo should not be tough. Beat Miami and have the offense show up there and that's a start. Beating a 0 win team coming off your bye should be cake walk.
MS the talent is not on that line. Not even close. And Hester is not a reciever. If the yused him like Harvin is used that would be one thing, but they made him a primary reciever which is all kinds of wrong. Simply put the offense needs an infusion of talent to run this or any offense.
I hope you are right about the Bears beating Buffalo not being tough, Creighton. Buffalo was pretty tough last week against a good team lucky to beat them, and they have not been blown out of many games. Everything looks to be in the Bears' favor,and I hope it breaks that way, but my confidence has been shaken. Three wins in a row would restore it.