Even with a cast, is Jay Cutler not better than...
...This? Caleb Hanie needs to stop thinking he can win the Bears games.
Do you remember what I wrote last week about Caleb Hanie just not being awful for the Bears to remain in playoff contention? Well, Hanie was every bit the risk taking bum that went undrafted in the Bears 25-20 loss to the Raiders. Hanie (18-36, 254 yards, 2TD’s & 3 killer INT’s) talked a big game during the week, and it made you think that he was determined to show the world that he wanted no part of the “game manager” tag that so many quarterbacks look at like a bad case of herpes.
And there it was, Hanie playing street ball in the first half, and putting the Bears in a hole to a team that so desperately wanted to get beat. How do I know this? Because the still shitty Raiders converted just one of their first 13 3rd downs. Hanie was also called for intentional grounding when he tried to fake like he was spiking the ball. I’ve never seen a game end like that, so thanks for that, Caleb.
There was some good from Hanie though, including reading a blitz and delivering a strike to Johnny “slippy” Knox, a scramble for a 1st down on 3rd & 18, the bomb to Knox late & when he kept a play alive before finding Kellen Davis for a touchdown. Those are the positives that he can build on going forward, but the real optimism is who the Bears play in the next three weeks.
They get this awful Chiefs team I’m watching right now, Lord Tebow & the option Broncos & the putrid Seahawks. That’s three wins as long as Hanie finally gets the memo that he isn’t Jay Cutler. Sunday was a winnable game, but it’s not demoralizing for a team that’s still slated in the 5th spot in the NFC playoffs.
The defense did it’s job, especially the defensive line. Julius Peppers recorded two sacks, and Henry Melton & Amobi Okoye also tallied one apiece. Corey Graham, who has filled in nicely for D.J. Moore, picked off Carson Palmer. That unit will play like champs for the duration. That being said, Hanie needs an intervention. And someone get a hold of Mike Martz too.
It’s like a broken record, but Martz needs to lose the ego and feed Matt Forte & Marion Barber more. Including #12′s scrambles, they ran for 172 yards. More runs, please. 36 attempts is an insane amount for Favre Jr. Oh, and lose the throw back screen pass that showed the world nothing but how athletic Lance Louis is.
So yes, Hanie was bad, but we already knew that. We can’t be totally surprised, even though he still had us throwing things. He played like he doesn’t get reps in practice, but he’ll improve as Cutler is hopefully going through a miraculous recovery. It’s not blind confidence in a backup that you’re hearing, it’s the three extremely flawed teams the Bears play in the next three weeks that is breeding confidence.
@Louie_Ruffolo8
