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Bears Must Cover for Overmatched Shaffer

| September 23rd, 2010

From Neil Hayes’ Inside the Bears section at the Sun-Times:

Olin Kreutz seemed to indicate that Frank Omiyale will be starting at left tackle against the Packers on Monday night.

Then again, I could be reading too much into it.

Kreutz was asked if he was confident in whomever ends up playing left tackle. Here’s what he said: “It’s always an adjustment. I think Frank can do the job. I believed in him last week and I believe in him this week.”

Bears coach Lovie Smith will likely shed more light on the situation when he meets with reporters after practice.

The concern here is not Omiyale who, excepting too-early release of Anthony Spencer on a screen, looked in control on the left side of the line.  The concern is Kevin Shaffer.  Having re-watched the Cowboys game, Shaffer was blown off the ball repeatedly in the second half and I expect Clay Matthews to spend most of the game at that end of the line.  Brandon Manumaleuna needs to do a far better job than he’s done thus far if Jay is going to make it through the night.