By Brad Biggs CLEVELAND -- Jerry Angelo would like for you to believe the preseason performance was part of a growing process that will have the Bears ready come Sept. 12.
That's what the general manager is hoping. Whether he's operating on blind faith here or has optimism rooted in progress he's measured in other ways, it's hard to say. But the standings are reset to 0-0 and an offseason that looked very good for the Bears in March with major additions, none bigger than defensive end Julius Peppers, is now over.
The exhibition season came to a close Thursday night as the Bears lost to the Browns 13-10 at mostly empty Cleveland Browns Stadium, finishing 0-4 in preseason for the first time since 1998, the final year of the Dave Wannstedt era.
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Photo: Todd Collins pass against the Browns. (Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)
Todd Collins, starting in place of Jay Cutler, completed 10-of-15 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown to tight end Greg Olsen, likely cementing his role as the No. 2. The starting defense played one snap, a fumble by Browns quarterback Colt McCoy.
"There was some frustration last week, but it's not we're defeatist, things aren't going to happen," Angelo said. "I've seen teams go 0-4 and have great seasons, and I've seen teams go 4-0 and have bad seasons. Let's not overrate it. It's important, yes, but the season is when you get the real identity of your team and we feel good about that and we'll just see when we play Detroit."
The next step will be a final personnel meeting on Friday. Final cuts to form the 53-man roster are due by 5 p.m. Saturday.
Angelo said decisions for final cuts could be more difficult this year, perhaps because he faces the prospect of having to waive third-round draft picks from 2009, defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert and receiver Juaquin Iglesias. Safety Al Afalava, a starter for 13 games last season, is in jeopardy. Injuries have made it difficult to fully evaluate the safety position and could lead to an extra one making it like Josh Bullocks.
Offensively, the Bears are concerned about the play of the line after Cutler was sacked 10 times and threw just 37 passes through the first three exhibitions. Nothing the starting unit did or didn't do against the Browns will ease concerns. Angelo says things can be done to shore up deficiencies within the scheme, but will it take the Bears away from doing what Mike Martz wants? If you can't consistently operate with deep drops, can you run the offense?
"We're not really throwing everything we have at teams," Cutler said. "I think Mike is still holding back a lot of stuff. When this stuff gets rolling Mike is really going to be on fire."
"There was some frustration last week, but it's not we're defeatist, things aren't going to happen," Angelo said. "I've seen teams go 0-4 and have great seasons, and I've seen teams go 4-0 and have bad seasons. Let's not overrate it. It's important, yes, but the season is when you get the real identity of your team and we feel good about that and we'll just see when we play Detroit."
The next step will be a final personnel meeting on Friday. Final cuts to form the 53-man roster are due by 5 p.m. Saturday.
Angelo said decisions for final cuts could be more difficult this year, perhaps because he faces the prospect of having to waive third-round draft picks from 2009, defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert and receiver Juaquin Iglesias. Safety Al Afalava, a starter for 13 games last season, is in jeopardy. Injuries have made it difficult to fully evaluate the safety position and could lead to an extra one making it like Josh Bullocks.
Offensively, the Bears are concerned about the play of the line after Cutler was sacked 10 times and threw just 37 passes through the first three exhibitions. Nothing the starting unit did or didn't do against the Browns will ease concerns. Angelo says things can be done to shore up deficiencies within the scheme, but will it take the Bears away from doing what Mike Martz wants? If you can't consistently operate with deep drops, can you run the offense?
"We're not really throwing everything we have at teams," Cutler said. "I think Mike is still holding back a lot of stuff. When this stuff gets rolling Mike is really going to be on fire."
Because we are not the Pittsburgh Steelers Toby. It's a joke to compare this team to Pittsburgh. Their organization cares about winning and they prove it. When Halas passed away and the keys were handed to the McCaskeys that spelled doom for the franchise. This is just a family business for the McCaskeys they don't give two spits about being a winner. Nothing will change that. Bears fans are stuck. This team will go a hundred years before they resemble a championship team again.
The team has an 0-16 clown as their Defensive Coordinator. Enough said.
I thought this was going to be a 9-7 team. But after watching them play and the progress or lack thereof. This team will finiash 3-13 this year. They suck.
Todd Collins came out of retirement to help this team. I repeat OUT OF RETIREMENT to help this team. Jay Cutler does not make the Bears better. Tom Brady, Ely Manning and several other Super Bowl winning premier NFL quater backs played in their teams final NFL preseason games to show their teams they are leaders. Although Brady and Manning who are both Super Bowl winning QBs and did not play long in their final preseason games they wanted to show their respective fan base that they were ready to own their offense and lead their teams to a successful 2010 season or die trying. I do not get this feeling with this guy Cutler his body language is so bad in the huddle that he does not look like a winner. Cutler does not know Mike Martz's playbook and it shows. Collins, Hanie, and even the rookie LeFevour are catching on and it shows. Any of these three at least give the Bears a fighting chance, and Cutler does not give us a fighting chance. The reason Cutler did not play is because he is not ready to play does that make since well it should because it is as simple as that. Cutler is not mentally prepared to run and lead my Bears. The Broncos witnessed these mental break downs and the Broncos dumped Cutler's salary on the Bears whose front office did not do their home work and now feel they have to start Cutler at QB to save face and cover up their mistake. Lovie Smith is being given a raw deal with Cutler as he was with Rex Grossman another mental midget. The Bears are the worst team in the NFC North with Cutler starting as our quarter back and that is a fact the numbers BEAR it out. The reason Cutler did not want WR Terrell Owens on his team is that T.O. is a big mouth but he knows his job and how to run all the routes T.O. with his big mouth would have called Cutler out for not knowing Martz's play book in front of the media. T.O. is not a Bear because Cutler doe not know his job T.O. knows his job and that is why Cutler really did not want T.O. The Bears simply cannot start this guy Cutler in front of Todd Collins who they hired out of retirement (16 yrs experience) and he looked beter that Cutler and Collins just walked in off the street and into the Bear's offense Cutler IS A BUST ADMIT IT BEARS and stop covering up for this guy Cutler!!! Even Detroit is going to beat the Bears this year if we start Cutler over Collins.
A horrible offensive line, an aged defense that can't get off the field, a starting QB that people wonder what he's thinking, a mild-mannered coach that doesn't raise his voice and has been to a recent Super Bowl but has had some down years since, a team that gets off the bus running but hasn't been able to run the football recently.....who am I describing? The Bears? No....the Steelers!
In Pittsburgh the fans give the staff slack. In Chicago they don't. This team has improved in EVERY area they needed to from a 7-9 season. Why wouldn't we expect 10 wins minimum from this team?
green bay may set a franchise record for points scored when they play. and dopey will just look all confused like usual.
Two Wong's don't make a right, It's because Bear fans know a bad team when they see it. I stress this team was not one defensive player away from a Superbowl, and you have a head coach that looks lost on the sideline every time the cameras pan to him. And this team will not stop any passing team, I live in Dallas and I hate the Cowboys, but they will drop 35 points on this team with no problem!
The Bears fans are worse then the team. They haven't even played a game that counts yet. It's not like they are starting Jamarcus Russell or something. You guys are killing me.
Gone are the days when you loved your team and rooted for them with loyalty, even if they didn't go to the playoffs, as long as they gave it everything. What this boils down to is character-- in the players as well as the fans. I know that the loyal fans will root for the Bears as long as they give it up for the team and the fans. If the Bears show true grit and don't stop playing, I wonder if if that will be enough for the fans and opposition- or if we have finally reached an era where only the bottom line counts. Sure, We're all frustrated with ownership, [rightfully!] and the staff [this year will tell everything] but the atmosphere has been so hateful and condemnitnory going in that it really destroys the the whole idea of sports going in. To the johnnie come lately fans I say,REALLY!, If you have one iota of character- take a long look at yourselves. I wonder if you're capable. To the haters, I say- Look out! Don't underestimate the power of something bigger than you'll ever be.
Well, that was a waste of a few hours. Then I Turn on the NIU Huskies, only to see them get beat.
I have never went into a season so confused as to how I felt the team's prospects were gonna be.
Detroit won't be some pushover, and Green bay can put some points on the board, in a hurry. This ain't looking good at all.
I'm gonna kep thinking positive...
The Bears should forget the NFL and join the WAC. With Boise gone they might have a chance at three or four wins.
@Mastrick: "George Halas was a poor owner...." Right, he was one of the major forces behind the creation of the NFL, played and coached, and his franchise has the most Championships of any team. Because his inept heirs to the franchise have screwed everything up since 1985 does not make Papa Bear a poor owner.
@bearhaterz...why would we want to become fans of a another team that has only won ONE superbowl in the last 30 years?
Yes, Unfortunately for you Chicago people..the bears suck...Come hang out with us packer fans..it's gonna be a fun year!!! AND the packers wil smoke the bears twice..you can bet on it!!! Angelo wants you to reserve ur judgement until after the lions game...please do..I watched the lions this pre season ...yes it's just pre season...but they are vastly improved...I watched all the bear games too...All I got to say is..don't cry too much after the lions beat you....LMAO!!!
Angelo's a DOPE, and so is Lovey..please keep both for the next 10 yrs..so the packers can keep kicking ur ass...LMAO!!
The Bears are going to reap what they have sown this year - Angelo went into this year with issues on the offensive line. He needed a tackle (or two,) a guard and a center to replace an aging relic. He ignored these needs and the Bears will finish last in the division with Cutler throwing on two steps into coverage and leading the league again in interceptions. Fire the management, and hopefully the incompetent ownership will go too. George Halas was a poor owner and his heirs have followed in his footsteps.
How do you spell "stinker?"
Da Bears?
This team did not play well last season. The new parts that auditioned this pre-season did not play well.
There is absolutely no reason for optimism this year. If you see something different, you're really just not paying attention.
I'm sure glad they don't charge full price for these meaningless, don't play your best guys preseason games.
it means they are going to win the super bowl
It means GO BLACKHAWKS!