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Audibles From the Long Snapper: Mitch, Mitch, Mitch & More!

| October 3rd, 2017

A Note on Mike Glennon

Despite the belief of many, I never had a dislike for Mike Glennon the person. I simply had no faith in Mike Glennon, NFL quarterback. And I am not in the business of sucking up to the Chicago Bears organization around here. They got their Glennon evaluation horribly wrong and I said that from the moment they inked the deal. Said it when many others were rushing to give them the benefit of the doubt. But I’m elated to never write about him again.

Tweet of Monday

There were several players in the defensive meeting rooms comparing what they saw from Trubisky in practice to what they were seeing from Glennon in games. They were incredulous at times. Didn’t add up. That’s how you lose a locker room.

Read all of Adam Jahns’ thoughts on the decision to start Trubisky HERE.

Around the League Thoughts

Watched a lot of football Sunday. Some thoughts:

  • Pats have allowed 42, 20, 33, 33 in four games. How did Belichick let this defense get so downright awful? Couldn’t they use Chandler Jones? Or Akiem Hicks? In the same way front offices are hurting the careers of Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, it’s remarkable how Tom Brady has bailed out Belichick’s evaluative missteps. Pats should probably have one win at this point.
  • There was a point during Houston v. Tennessee where I thought the NFL was changing before my eyes. Watson and Mariota were essentially playing a college game and damn was it exciting. Then Mariota got hurt. Why? Because the style they were playing is not sustainable in this league.
  • George Godsey and Bill O’Brien called a masterpiece for Deshaun Watson, catering the offensive game plan to what he does well. What I loved is how they used Watson’s running ability primarily down around the goal line, not out in the open field. Shorter runs in smaller spaces will limit the explosion in the hits he takes.
  • In a year it was thought the Jets would go 0-16 and draft their quarterback of the future, it’s a bit ironic that the Giants may scoop them and find Eli’s replacement.
  • I know why the Giants offense stinks. But why can’t they cover anybody?
  • Nick Folk can’t be the Bucs kicker next weekend. He almost single-footedly cost Tampa an easy win Sunday, leaving a touchdown of easy kicks on the table with dead shanks. If I were Tampa, I’d call the Niners and offer a mid-round draft pick for Robbie Gould. Bucs can win the NFC South. Why risk that with a shaky kicker?
  • Dallas can’t play defense.
  • Baltimore can’t play offense.
  • Not sure there’s ever been less athleticism on display at the quarterback position than Carson Palmer v. Brian Hoyer.

  • It’s remarkable how many good teams have NO shot when their backup QB is forced into action. Matt Cassel and EJ Manuel were completely useless Sunday.
  • Everybody loves Adam Gase. I don’t. His offense is just too reliant on the bubble screen game. Feels like he spends all his time designing pass plays meant to gain 8 yards.
  • Is Denver the best defense in the league? Probably. But don’t sleep on Buffalo. Sean McDermott has turned that unit around overnight.

Kyle Long For Puerto Rico Relief

Otis Wilson v. Ditka?

From Wilson and Chet Coppock on something called ThePostGame:

If you tell me you’ve heard this story, you’re conning me. In 1987, two years after the Bears left the New England Patriots crushed and red-faced in Super Bowl XX, Wilson pulled up lame after he was leg whipped by a rival Green Bay Packer at Lambeau Field.

Otis had to give up the last four weeks of the regular-season schedule (the Bears finished 11–4), so Ditka inserted Ron Rivera in the “Sam” or strongside linebacker spot. Rivera, a solid player and stand-up guy out of Cal, was a good football player — just that; no more, no less. Ron would tell you he was never in Otis’s league.

So, naturally, Big O expected that after his injury healed, Ditka would follow his edict that “No player loses his job due to injury” and return him to the starting lineup as the Bears got ready to begin what was a one-game playoff  nightmare vs. the Washington Redskins. Now, during a previous run-in, Wilson had let Ditka have it when he asked the boss in a voice as unyielding as iron, “Why don’t you treat me like a man?” We should also note that Wilson was a disciple of Buddy Ryan, the architect of the Bears monstrous 46 defense.

O will also tell you without hesitation that if Ryan had been the Bears head coach during the 1980s the Bears would have won multiple Super Bowl titles. You can comfortably assume that Wilson thought the crusty Ryan was really his “unofficial” head coach. So, we come to the days before the Bears are to meet the Skins, and Wilson went up to Ditka’s office in Halas Hall to confront the coach about his refusal to return him to the starting lineup.

Ditka heard Wilson out, then responded in blasé fashion that he liked the way thing were going, meaning, in Ditka-speak: Rivera stays. You’re his caddy.

Wilson, justified in taking the demotion personally, told Ditka he could see “what things are all about” or in other words, that Ditka was playing favorites by going with Rivera.

Wilson then spouted, “Bullshit. I’m going back on that field whether you like it or not.”

Ditka then told Wilson to get the hell out of his office while threatening to “blackball” Big O.

By now, these two knockout artists were jaw to jaw. Otis claims the two guys were ready to slug it out. Mike’s secretary, the squeamish type, was so startled by the confrontation that she began to dial the Lake Forest Police. Truthfully, I would have paid $500 to see O and a still fairly young Mike Ditka slap leather for 12 rounds — or less. Wait! Who am I kidding? Otis would have ended the bout 30 seconds after the referee tossed out instructions about “rabbit punches” and “neutral corners.”

Wilson has compiled his Bears adventures into a poorly-titled book, If These Walls Could Talk. Buy this book HERE.

Links!

  • “What we know is the sound of a war zone. We know the sound of bullets flying so fast you might think it’s a rusted and ragged zipper.” The Sun-Times says if we continue to do nothing about guns, our teams are fraudulent. They’re right.
  • From Albert Breer at SI: “What’s remarkable about the Bears’ decision to turn to first-round pick Mitch Trubisky, just four games into his rookie season, isn’t that Mike Glennon left the door ajar for this to happen. It’s that Trubisky was in a position to kick it in.”
  • Greg Gabriel, a frequent sparring partner on Twitter, makes the case (later in this piece) for the Bears promoting Mark Sanchez to backup quarterback. I have advocated the same once this move to Trubisky became official. Simply don’t see what role Glennon serves backing up Trubisky.
  • My buddy Rich Cohen in the New York Times: “I don’t know how closely Mr. Trump even follows baseball, but if he does, he’s probably a Yankees fan — because that franchise, with its pinstripes and nonstop talk of winning, is Donald Trump all over. It’s good for fans but bad for humans, as it teaches the wrong lessons. What we want for a president is a person who grew up in the bleachers of Wrigley Field, learning humility and loss, the fleeting nature of glory.”
  • Morrissey in the Sun-Times makes the same tired argument, while saluting the decision to sign Trubisky: “It would have been better if Trubisky had spent the season on the sidelines, watching and learning. The Bears are in a rebuild, after all.” (1) There are no football rebuilds. There are teams with QBs and teams without them. (2) Trubisky does not need time on the bench. He needs time on the field. And a lot of it.

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