If You Want to Run with the Big Dogs...You Have to Piss on the Big Trees

Bears 3-Chargers 14

With a night to sleep on it and some a.m. reflection, I will convey my disappointment. When you get an opportunity to play a game against an elite team, you must bring all the ammo in the arsenal. You play to win and in order to do that you must be bold in your planning and dynamic in your execution. I saw that on the defensive side of the ball. On offense, I saw caution and unimaginative play-calling.

The turnovers were costly, and lost them the game. But do you really feel that the Bears played to win on offense? If the turnovers had not happened, did you get the sense that the Bears would go for the kill? I did not. I never get the feeling in a really big matchup that the Bears staff has the confidence to let it all hang out and play to win on offense. The tentative play-calling is a problem. You don't slay the dragon with a dull, small blade. It is a philosophy that does not win championships. You can beat the Lions, Vikings and Packers with this unimaginative style, but it fails against the elite, the Chargers, the Patriots and the Colts.

It is the same feeling I got with the New England game last year. They want to hang around until the end, and maybe they will pull it out. That's weak. Do they really think Rex can pull out a close one at the end? Yesterday, they certainly did not give him the chance to win the game. Many people think that Rex is not that kind of quarterback. The people who really count are the Bears and their coaches. If they think Rex is the guy, then call that kind of game. If not, put in Griese and grind out the wins. Certainly, don't pay Rex for "managing" the game. That is not why you draft a QB in the first round. Either believe in him or let him go.

The defense was awesome. They were on the field way too long in the 2nd half. Note to Ron Turner, when the Chargers Hall of Fame running back, LaDanian Tomlinson was shut down, they let him throw a pass, near the goal line, for a touchdown. That is dynamic. Ron, you get paid to make the adjustments, so adjust. If it's broken, fix it. Or be gone.

Did you all think that the Bears were going to run all over SD? C'mon, they also have an elite defense. There are signs of a problem, though. The offensive line is not that good. I don't understand how the "expert media" gets this so wrong. Olin Kreutz is a player. The rest of those guys are old and more worrisome, slow. That is why the Bears have trouble with the 3-4 defense. Those defenses are fast. The line's heavy feet is why the pass protection is so bad against the good defenses. Couple that slowness with Benson's running style and you see the problem. Cedric shows no vision as a runner; he is all one hole and downhill. I hate to say it, but Thomas Jones made that line look better. He gave the line the comfort of not being perfect. Without that vision, the Cedric running game becomes one dimensional. That being said, AP ran well, quick to the hole and elusive with over 4 yards a carry. Its the fumbles.

The Chargers eliminated the special team threat. If the Chargers are not going to allow Hester to return punts, why didn't the Bears let him return the kickoffs? The defense did not score. They have got to score on offense. At least, they have got to try.

The Bears can make the playoffs in their weak division. That is not what we are looking for. We need to be a great team. This first test for greatness was a failure.