DMN: Cowboys’ next opponent struggling on offense

[Irving Cowboy]

Cowboys’ next opponent struggling on offense
By Mark Francescutti
4:52 pm on September 27, 2012

LAKE FOREST, Ill.— The Chicago Bears entered the season wanting to have a potent offense that would leave opponents struggling as they piled up the yards and the points.

This is not what they had in mind.

The Bears (2-1) will try to get their offense going again and shake off two bad performances when they visit the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night.

Chicago’s offense ranks 27th overall and 28th in passing. All of this comes after a busy offseason and a promising opener against Indianapolis.

“Every time our offense goes out, some kind of way we expect to score 50 points, rush for 300 yards and pass for 500,” coach Lovie Smith said this week. “That’s not going to happen.”

Even so, they need to perform better on offense than they have of late.

The Bears expected big things from their offense after acquiring Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall from Miami in a trade that reunited quarterback Jay Cutler with his favorite target in Denver.

They also landed running back Michael Bush to team with Matt Forte in the backfield and backup quarterback Jason Campbell, giving them the depth to withstand the sort of injuries that wrecked them a year ago.

But clearly, this is a work in progress.

A familiar pattern appears to be unfolding after the offense struggled in the early going the past two years.

The Bears rebounded in 2010 to go on a run to the NFC title game, and they appeared to be in good shape before Cutler broke his right thumb late in a win over San Diego that put them at 7-3.

From there, they stumbled to an 8-8 finish that cost general manager Jerry Angelo his job, with Forte missing the final four games because of a sprained ligament in his right knee.

They also parted ways with offensive coordinator Mike Martz and promoted line coach Mike Tice to take his place.

One area they didn’t really address was the shaky offensive line, but things looked good for the Bears in the opener against Indianapolis.

Since then?

They stumbled badly in a 23-10 loss at Green Bay in which Cutler got sacked seven times, threw four interceptions and bumped left tackle J’Marcus Webb on the sideline.

That incident along with some pointed comments he made after the game seemed to undo the good will he earned last season, when he performed well despite taking a beating in Martz’s system.

Things weren’t much better last week, with the defense leading the way in a 23-6 win over the Rams.

Cutler was off target, completing 17 of 31 passes for 183 yards, and the offense in general just seemed out of sync.

Marshall had trouble hanging onto the ball at times and wound up with five receptions for 71 yards after catching just two passes the previous week. Bush ran for 55 yards and a touchdown with Forte sidelined by a sprained right ankle, and the Bears just never really found their rhythm.

“We’ve just had a couple of slow starts,” tight end Kellen Daivs said. “It’s kind of been our M.O. this season, something we’re trying to get away from. Get back to being explosive early on in the game, and we’re going to look to do that on Monday night.”

Getting Forte back would help.

He practiced Wednesday for the first time since the Green Bay game and expects to be ready to play against Dallas, even though Smith tempered that a little bit.

Even so, Forte practicing was a good sign for the Bears, and the Pro Bowl running back’s return this week would be a huge boost for the offense.

“So it’s real big to get in synch with the running game as well as the passing game so we can help the defense out,” Forte said. “The defense has been playing lights out. So we need to put a lot of points on the board so they can at least rest a little bit and continue to play good.”

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Cowboys should be concerned about Bears’ kicker
By Mark Francescutti
4:51 pm on September 27, 2012

Robbie Gould attempted only two field goals of 50 or more yards in his first four seasons. Now he’s closing in on a record from long distance.

Gould has made nine consecutive field goals of 50-plus yards, the longest active streak in the NFL. The record is 11 by Tony Zendejas from 1988 to 1993 with the Oilers and Rams. Gould’s streak began in Week 11 of 2010 at Miami.

Gould tried just two field goals from 50 and out in his first 63 regular-season games. He has attempted 14 in his last 49 games, connecting on 12, including a 54-yarder in the Bears’ 23-6 victory over the Rams on Sunday at Soldier Field.

Overall, Gould is 12-for-16 from 50-plus, and at 75 percent he ranks third in NFL history with a minimum of 10 attempts. George Blanda is tops at 80 percent (8-for-10).

Health beat: Defensive end Julius Peppers (foot) and fullback Evan Rodriguez (knee) were the only players to sit out with injuries Wednesday, which was an extra practice with the game not until Monday. Peppers has been getting rest each week, and Rodriguez could miss a game or two with a sprained left MCL.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said there is some hope Pro Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff could return from a high ankle sprain suffered in the third exhibition game. But he has yet to practice, and even if he’s cleared, it’s unlikely he would be at full strength. Safety Gerald Sensabaugh (calf) and center Phil Costa (back) also did not practice Wednesday.

Faith and work: Bears right tackle Gabe Carimi, who was observing the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur, arrived at Halas Hall shortly before the afternoon practice. He did not participate because he was fasting.

“You’re not supposed to work. You’re not supposed to turn on lights (if you follow close religious doctrine),” Carimi said. “I am reformed. I still drive. I feel like going to work and watching practice and going through the mental reps is not work. I’ll watch. I would be too thirsty if I actually did anything.”

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Matt Forte eager to get back in action against Cowboys
By Mark Francescutti
4:50 pm on September 27, 2012

If it’s up to Matt Forte, the Pro Bowl running will be in the starting lineup for Monday night’s Bears-Cowboys showdown in Dallas.

Coach Lovie Smith and the training staff, however, are certain to have the final say concerning Forte’s injured right ankle.

“I would hold off on … he has a long way to go still, but he is making progress,” Smith said. “And hopefully we can get him out there.”

Forte was back on the practice field Wednesday for the first time since spraining his ankle in a Sept. 13 loss to the Packers in Green Bay. He appeared to run and cut without issue during individual drills — the only portion of practice open to the media. Forte, who acknowledged being able to sprint, said those drills were the extent of his participation.

His limited role Wednesday didn’t make Forte any less optimistic about Monday night.

“As long as you know how to take care of your body, that’s how you get back on the field,” he said. “I’ve had ankle injuries before and I know how to work with them. You have to want to get back on the field.”

Forte figured he would be back sooner rather than later because his ankle never became extremely swollen. He used a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and teammate Charles Tillman’s Arpwave device — an electrical stimulus unit — to help expedite the healing process.

When asked point blank if he would be ready to play against the Cowboys, Forte responded, “Yeah.”

The Bears running back situation, as a whole, will be worth monitoring the rest of the week. Backup Michael Bush, who started for Forte last Sunday, apparently sustained a shoulder injury against the Rams. When approached, Bush declined comment. He did practice Wednesday.

The Bears worked out running backs Ryan Grant and Jacob Hester Tuesday, fueling speculation about the status of both Forte and Bush. Grant reportedly was offered a deal but signed with the Redskins, citing them as a better fit for him. Hester remains a free agent.

Smith admitted Bush took a few hard shots against the Rams but stopped short of calling his veteran running back injured. The coach said it was good to get third back Kahlil Bell extra reps against the Rams.

Bell wouldn’t speculate on how much playing time he might get Monday night.

“I just stay ready and try to make plays when they call my number,” Bell said. “I can’t worry about how many reps I’m going to get or who they’re bringing in to work out.”

The Bears need to work out their offensive kinks, running game included. They sit a respectable 13th in the league with 103.7 rushing yards per game and face a Cowboys team ranked 19th in rushing defense (113 yards per game) but ranked first overall in total defense (250 yards).

Offensive coordinator Mike Tice’s offense stands 27th in the league after three games with an average of 290 yards.

The last time the Bears played at Cowboys Stadium, Forte carried the ball 10 times for 29 yards in a 27-20 Bears victory. He was asked about the importance of getting the running game and passing game in sync Monday.

“It’s real big, especially (for) me — I have missed a game,” he said. “(But we need) to get in sync so we can help the defense out. The defense has been playing lights out. We need to put a lot of points on the board so that they at least can rest a little bit.”

 

[Irving Cowboy]

The Other Side: ESPN Chicago's Michael Wright
September, 27, 2012
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com

The Cowboys host Monday Night Football this week, taking on the Chicago Bears at Cowboys Stadium. For more on the opponent, we talk with ESPNChicago.com's Michael Wright, who has covered the Bears for the last three seasons.

Q: How are the Bears in their new offense?
A: They're playing in a new offense, so they’re going to have to deal with the inevitable growing pains of implanting their third system in four years. Offensive coordinator Mike Tice wants to play what he calls a “duh” offense. That means he wants to exploit advantageous matchups, especially when it comes to the box count which will determine what checks they make at the line. The key early on is for this team to be able to establish the run first, and then work play action off that so they can take a few shots downfield. Because the offensive line struggles tremendously, Tice will look for ways to get the ball out of Jay Cutler’s hands quickly with three-step drops. He’ll also employ tons of max protection in the passing game, in addition to keeping in tight ends on the left side and sending running backs over to chip block.

Q: Is Jay Cutler beloved in the locker room and in the Chicago community?
A: He's taken a lot of heat for how he reacts on the field. There’s probably about a 50-50 split in the locker room and a 70-30 in the Chicago community. Within the locker room, Cutler certainly isn’t the most beloved figure. But at the same time, the team totally supports him. Ultimately in the NFL, players don’t necessarily have to like one another to perform once the lights come on. In the community, there’s an interesting dynamic at play. It seems that Chicago considers itself a blue-collar, working community. So Cutler’s body language, aloof demeanor and tendency to shirk responsibility for shoddy performance don’t sit well with a certain segment of the fan base. But there’s also a segment of the fan base that recognizes that Cutler is arguably the best quarterback to ever play for a team that traditionally has endured horrible play at that position.

Q: The Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall connection has struggled at times. Can it get better?
A: Yes, it can improve. But they need the pieces around them to do their parts. At this point it seems that Marshall and Earl Bennett are the only receivers Cutler totally trusts. So obviously, they’ll get the majority of looks from the quarterback. Once the Bears get the running game popping to take some of the pressure off Marshall, and allow for more diversity in the offense, you’ll see the Cutler-Marshall connection become more impactful. But at this point, Cutler forces too many throws to Marshall, who already has a penchant for making the circus catch, but drops routine passes.

Q: So is Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher on the decline?
A: He’s 34, so that’s inevitable. But Urlacher still possesses the physical attributes to make this team’s Tampa 2 system go. Urlacher is coming off arthroscopic knee surgery performed in August, and the team has been adamant about limiting his practice repetitions so the linebacker can make it through a 16-game season. So he’s still playing his way back into shape after missing about 95 percent of training camp and the entire preseason. But if you go off his performances thus far, you’ll see that every game he’s gradually improved and is trending toward more improvement.

Q: If Matt Forte can't play, who's the starting running back?
A: Forte recently returned to the practice field and said he expects to be healthy enough to play against the Cowboys. But Bears coach Lovie Smith cautioned against being overly optimistic about a Forte return for Monday night’s game. So if Forte can’t go, they’ll ride with Michael Bush, who they signed to a four-year contract in March worth $14 million. Bush started in Forte’s place last week when the Bears faced the Rams, and Smith acknowledged he took some hard shots in that game, including one that forced him out and thrust third running back Kahlil Bell into action. The word around Halas Hall is that Bush suffered a shoulder injury against the Rams. But the extent of the injury at this point is unclear, and he did attend practice Wednesday. So while it appears Forte might be set for a return, look for Bush to play if he can’t go. If Bush’s shoulder isn’t sufficiently recovered for Monday night though, you’ll likely see Kahlil Bell in the lineup.

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Cowboys vs. Bears, Week 4: Scouting Report on Chicago
By Jonathan Bales
Thursday, Sep 27, 2012

3-1 vs. 2-2. That’s what the Cowboys are playing for on Monday night, and the psychological difference between those two records is astonishing. Here’s what the Cowboys can anticipate from the Chicago Bears as they try to remain atop the NFC East.

Passing Offense
The Bears bring a formidable set of skill position players to the table, led by quarterback Jay Cutler, wide receiver Brandon Marshall, and do-it-all running back Matt Forte. Despite their weapons, Chicago ranks just 28th in the NFL in passing yards. The reason is that the Bears’ offensive line has provided Cutler with absolutely no time to throw the football. They’ve yielded a sack on 10.6 percent of their pass plays—almost double the rate we’ve seen in Dallas.

Left tackle J’Marcus Webb has been decent, allowing five pressures on the year, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s three fewer than what I’ve assigned to Tyron Smith. Right tackle Gabe Carimi has struggled mightily, however, with only four offensive tackles allowing greater than his 11 pressures. With Anthony Spencer likely lining up over Carimi on around three-quarters of passing downs, I expect a big game from the Cowboys’ “other” starting outside linebacker.

Passing Defense
Julius Peppers. Julius Peppers. Julius Peppers. That name needs to be on the mind of every Cowboys’ offensive player all week and throughout the night on Monday. Stop Peppers, and you’ll have a chance to do some things through the air. If he gets isolated on any player for more than a few snaps, it could be a long night for Tony Romo. The Bears lead the NFL in sacks (14)—twice as many as the Cowboys—and they are fourth in net yards-per-attempt, i.e. you aren’t throwing on them very easily.

Rushing Offense
The Bears have compensated for their pass protection woes by running the football. They’re one of the few NFL teams that have remained balance through three weeks, rushing the ball on 49.1 percent of their offensive plays.

A major part of Chicago’s game plan will be dictated by the presence of Forte, who now looks as through he’ll play after appearing doubtful earlier in the week. Forte adds a unique dimension to the Bears’ offense as a receiver out of the backfield. He’ll be able to potentially beat the Cowboys in a way that fellow running backs Michael Bush and Kahlil Bell probably wouldn’t, so it’s imperative that the Cowboys monitor him as the Bears’ second-largest big-play threat.

The Bears have found some success running behind Webb. They’re averaging 4.89 yards-per-carry behind their big left tackle, compared to only 3.62 behind Carimi. Overall, however, the Bears are totaling the same 3.5 YPC as the Cowboys. If Dallas can halt Chicago’s rushing attack to put them in obvious passing situations, they shouldn’t have trouble reaching Cutler.

Rushing Defense
Brian Urlacher receivers the publicity, but Lance Briggs is Chicago’s best linebacker. Briggs has played all but five of the Bears’ defensive snaps, and he’s always around the football. The entire defense can stop the run, though, as evidenced by the 3.8 YPC they’ve allowed. It could be a huge boost for the Cowboys if they can get something going on the ground, but as I noted in Tuesday’s breakdown of the ‘Boys’ running game, they’ll need to run more counters, draws, and other misdirection plays to use Chicago’s defensive speed against them.

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Running the Numbers: Cutler’s Stats Hampered by O-Line
Posted Sep 26, 2012
By Jonathan Bales

Heading into their Monday night showdown with the Chicago Bears, the Cowboys find themselves at an extremely pivotal point in the season. There’s a massive difference between 2-2 and 3-1, even if it’s more mental than anything else. Let’s take a look at some of the interesting stats the Bears bring to Big D in Week 4.

Offense
5.4: The Bears’ net yards-per-attempt on passing plays.
The Bears have a quality quarterback in Jay Cutler and some weapons on the outside, but the offensive line hasn’t been able to provide Cutler with proper protection. Chicago has posted the sixth-worst net YPA in the NFL through three weeks.

10.6: The percentage of Jay Cutler’s dropbacks that have resulted in a sack.
If the Cowboys can force the Bears into a lot of obvious passing situations, they’re going to get to him. If you think the Cowboys’ offensive line has been poor this season, consider that the Bears’ line has allowed a sack at nearly twice the rate.

3.5: Chicago’s yards-per-carry through three games – the same number as Dallas.
Neither the Bears nor Cowboys have been able to get much going on the ground thus far in 2012. Nonetheless, both teams rely on the run to set up the pass, which is why the lack of rushing success is reflected in the passing stats for both squads.

1.4: The drop in YPC from Matt Forte to Michael Bush.
Running back Matt Forte may or may not play for Chicago this week, and his absence would be a huge one. When healthy, Forte is one of the most complete running backs in all of football and a major upgrade over Michael Bush.

6.5: Percentage of Jay Cutler’s passes that have been intercepted.
No quarterback has thrown an interception at a higher rate than Cutler.

27.6: Jay Cutler’s passer rating when pressured.
Cutler hasn’t been his usual self so far this season, but he isn’t totally to blame. He’s getting pressured at an alarming rate, and he isn’t making the best decisions when he senses that pressure. No quarterback excels with defenders in his face, but consider that Tony Romo’s passer rating when pressured is still 88.6. Cutler has been pressured on an incredible 40.6 percent of his dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.

11: Number of pressures yielded by rookie right tackle Gabe Carimi.
Carimi has been Chicago’s worst offensive lineman through three weeks. The rookie, who has committed three penalties and allowed more pressures than all but four offensive tackles, will be matched up primarily on Anthony Spencer.

19.4 percent: Percentage of Cutler’s passes thrown 20-plus yards.
One of the reasons the Bears have been incapable of keeping Cutler upright is that they love to take shots downfield. Cutler has thrown more deep passes than any quarterback in the NFL, and the number would likely be more if he wasn’t sacked 11 times. Look for the Bears to adjust with a lot of bubble screens, slants, and other quick-hitting throws.

Defense
4.8: The net yards-per-attempt allowed by Chicago on passing plays.
While the Bears have struggled throwing the football, their defense has stifled opposing offenses’ passing attacks as well. Only three teams have allowed fewer YPA than Chicago. One of them is Dallas (4.7 net YPA).

3.8: Yards-per-carry allowed by Chicago.
It isn’t like running the ball on the Bears is a piece of cake, however. The defense has allowed next to nothing on the ground, including only one rushing touchdown.

9: Turnovers forced.
Only one team has forced more turnovers than the Bears. While takeaways are often a rather volatile statistic, Chicago has proven year after year that they’re adept at stripping the ball-carrier and picking off the quarterback.

14: Sacks by the Bears’ defense.
No team has compiled more sacks than the Bears. Julius Peppers is the obvious playmaker for Chicago, but the Cowboys will need to keep an eye on rookie Shea McClellin as well. Dallas has garnered half as many sacks as Peppers & Co.

74.7: The percentage of snaps that Julius Peppers has lined up on the right side of the defense.
In most passing situations, Peppers will be stationed right over left tackle Tyron Smith. Smith has struggled in two of the Cowboys’ three games this season, so you may see a lot of “left-handed” formations from Dallas that allow tight end Jason Witten to line up next to Smith to help him control Peppers.

27: The number of times cornerback Tim Jennings has been targeted.
Jennings has been thrown at more often than any cornerback in the NFL, but he also may be playing better football than just about any cornerback. Jennings is allowing only a 33.3 percent completion rate, 3.52 YPA, and get this, a 4.9 passer rating. Yup, on the 27 throws to Jennings’ receiver, opposing quarterbacks have posted just a 4.9 passer rating, due in large part to Jennings’ four interceptions.

Special Teams
1: The number of plays it takes Devin Hester to change a game.
The ultimate X factor. It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys punt to Hester. If they do, they’ll need to make sure they do everything in their power to corral him before he gets into the open field. No player has a superior ability to alter the course of a game than Hester.

 

[Mr.Po]

Cowboys’ next opponent struggling on offense

Cowboys are not exactly firing on all cylinders as well.

I think 21st overall and 29th in the league in rushing ypg.

Bears lead the leauge in sacks with 14 so Romo will need to have his scrambling shoes laced tight come Monday night if the ground game doesn't kick it up a notch.