By Brad Biggs
INDIANAPOLIS -- John Lynch, who starred as a safety in the Tampa-2 defense and counts Lovie Smith among his friends, says he was surprised that the Bears' defense slumped for a third consecutive season.
"I am because I have so much respect with Lovie and he got involved (as the play-caller) last year," said Lynch, the longtime Buccanners and Broncos safety who worked the AFC title game as an analyst for Fox. "Having played in that defense, it all starts up front, and they thought bringing (Rod) Marinelli in there would really have the impact and I think it did in a certain way.
"But for all the people that say that defense doesn't work anymore, people have figured it out, I don't think that is true. You may have to make tweaks and things --and people are -- but I am still very partial to it."
INDIANAPOLIS -- John Lynch, who starred as a safety in the Tampa-2 defense and counts Lovie Smith among his friends, says he was surprised that the Bears' defense slumped for a third consecutive season.
"I am because I have so much respect with Lovie and he got involved (as the play-caller) last year," said Lynch, the longtime Buccanners and Broncos safety who worked the AFC title game as an analyst for Fox. "Having played in that defense, it all starts up front, and they thought bringing (Rod) Marinelli in there would really have the impact and I think it did in a certain way.
"But for all the people that say that defense doesn't work anymore, people have figured it out, I don't think that is true. You may have to make tweaks and things --and people are -- but I am still very partial to it."
The Colts are running a revamped form of the base cover-2 scheme.
Not only did Tony Dungy depart after last season and get replaced by Jim
Caldwell, the AFC champions also got a new defensive coordinator
when Larry Coyer came on board to replace Ron Meeks. Lynch played for
Coyer in Denver and is impressed with what he has done.
Sure, it's easy to play defense when Peyton Manning is your quarterback, but the Colts have been solid on defense and they did a good job handling the New York Jets' top-ranked rushing attack Sunday.
"You have to look at the Colts, who have made little tweaks," Lynch said. "They brought in Larry Coyer and they got more aggressive. I played for Larry and he essentially watched eight years of Tampa video and tried to emulate what they were doing and then added his own little flair to it. Those are the kinds of tweaks you need to make, but you can still be extremely successful living by the principles of that defense."
One of the primary issues for the Bears has been their play up front. They haven't been able to create a consistent pass rush with their four down linemen and that has put pressure on the rest of the unit. Marinelli was brought in to bring out the best in those players and now, after Perry Fewell turned down the Bears' overtures to become defensive coordinator, it remains possible that the search for that person will take Smith through Halas Hall. Smith has said that Marinelli wants to coach the linemen, but when he assembled his original staff in 2004, Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo both wanted Marinelli as the defensive coordinator.
"Marinelli could succeed in that role, but I am not so sure that is what he would want to do," Lynch said. "He loves coaching D-linemen. After head coaching for a while, that may be what he wants to stay with."
Sure, it's easy to play defense when Peyton Manning is your quarterback, but the Colts have been solid on defense and they did a good job handling the New York Jets' top-ranked rushing attack Sunday.
"You have to look at the Colts, who have made little tweaks," Lynch said. "They brought in Larry Coyer and they got more aggressive. I played for Larry and he essentially watched eight years of Tampa video and tried to emulate what they were doing and then added his own little flair to it. Those are the kinds of tweaks you need to make, but you can still be extremely successful living by the principles of that defense."
One of the primary issues for the Bears has been their play up front. They haven't been able to create a consistent pass rush with their four down linemen and that has put pressure on the rest of the unit. Marinelli was brought in to bring out the best in those players and now, after Perry Fewell turned down the Bears' overtures to become defensive coordinator, it remains possible that the search for that person will take Smith through Halas Hall. Smith has said that Marinelli wants to coach the linemen, but when he assembled his original staff in 2004, Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo both wanted Marinelli as the defensive coordinator.
"Marinelli could succeed in that role, but I am not so sure that is what he would want to do," Lynch said. "He loves coaching D-linemen. After head coaching for a while, that may be what he wants to stay with."
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I'm reading these highly intelligent comments to learn that the problem isn't Lovie's Cover-2 Scheme but Lovie's lack of fire and passion.
If only we had a real man as a coach, someone who yells and screams on the sidelines insetad of maintaining a stoic demeanor. Someone who tells it like it is during press conferences instead of evasive coach speak. Someone who isn't afraid to get in players' faces. Someone with facial hair.
In short, hire Cowher or bring back Da Coach. We may not win any more games but at least fans will feel better about the team.
After 30 years I'm DONE BEING A BEARS FAN! I'm free to enjoy and root for real organizations now.
Hahaha!! Watch Marinelli be drafted to be DC.
its amazing how after watching the playoffs how inept the bears organization is.. ive always been loyal to a fault but you dont have real " football people running the show" they need a football ex coach minded GM like parcells and a fire in the belly coach.. not a pencil necked guy like angelo who was hired by a consulting firm that the macidiots hired i mean comeon!!!
also a talent evaluator.. and the lack of interest of coaches wanting to play under lovie says it all.. peter king also mentioned it on SI this morning..
hope springs eternal but i dont see the bears being much better next year at least not superbowl bound thats for sure!!
Lynch is right. But it doesn't matter. You can run the "Cover 2" or Buddy Ryan's "4-6", it depends on the fire in the belly of the players and thats a reflection of the head man on the field - Lovie Smith. If he's lacking it, then the players will be lacking it. So, enjoy the 2010 season Bears fan's, its the beginning of the end.
Comparing the Bears and the Colts is ridiculous.
#1 - their defense has good personnel. Who on the loser Bears comes anywhere close to Freeny and Mathis? Those guys have 3-4 times as many sacks as our ends.
#2 - their offense can hold the ball because they have outstanding talent - Manning and crew
#3 - the Colts D can afford to take more chances because Manning can bring them back
#4 - the Colts D is frequently playing with the lead, a big lead. If the Bears get behind by more than a TD, about 98% of the time, it's over.
Of course all the other teams' coaching staff people love Lovie and his Cover 2 scheme. Who wouldn't want to play against the Barez' decrepit defense? For any opponent with more firepower than a Div III college team, it's a guaranteed win! Wake me up for the 2012 season.
As Lynch indicated, "You may have to make tweaks and things --and people are ...". Unfortunately it isn't the Bears making the tweaks, it's the opposing offenses. Until someone who can make a good decision and modifies the game plan throughout the game is hired, the Cover 2 as the Bears run it will SUCK!
Wow Lovie's friends love the Tampa 2. Lynch points out that the Tampa 2 can work if you make some changes. The Colts have made more than just tweaks as he has put it and also happen to have Mathis and Freeney.
Lovie openly refuses to make changes to his scheme. Guess what when you start rushing more than 4, shorten the LB's zones, bring up the Safety's more and have your corners playing bump and run, you are no longer playing the Tampa 2. The Tampa two is based on rushing 4. When you start rushing more 4 down linemen, then you are not playing the Tampa 2.
So while he is saying he think the Tampa 2 works, he is also saying change it and don't use the same philosophy.
Best part about this is the fact that Mrinelli doesn't even want to call plays for his good friend, Hahahahahaha.
To Really RIGHT THIS BS, we're are going to Suffer (Have to) another miserable year. Then the McCashkeys can fire all Three Stooges(Phillips, Angelo, Lovie) Then and Only Then will we Have the True Possiblility to Progress with an opportunity to get Real Management in here!
Of course Lovie's friends love the Cover-2. And Lovie. And his sub-.500 record since the Super Bowl. That's nice...the rest of us don't. We've seen enough of the holes all over the field and the 15-yard cushions given to receivers. How good might Urlacher have been had he not spent his career sprinting 40 yards backwards into empty space half the time?
Maybe Lynch would be a good addition to our coaching staff.
Please reverse your position and fire that idiot. This is going to be a four win season next year. The players and quit on Lovie and they are not going to wake up next year.