Bears 9.0: Thomas Brown HC audition, offseason/draft prep

[Dresden]

Good game tonight between DEN and CLE. Jameis Winston and Bo Nix are putting on a show. I remember someone on here saying Bo Nix wasn't even an NFL QB. He looks like a 10 yr vet out there. And Jameis Winston looks rejuvenated in CLE.

[fleet]

I just don’t understand what there is to explain to perspective candidates. This is a business. It happens this way sometimes. It just is what it is. The timing was crazy and had they cancelled the presser, it would have brought about the very situation that they were trying to avoid. And that was the media vultures trying to scoop the story before they themselves had gotten a chance to inform Flus themselves. If you ask me, it was actually the stand up thing to do. Nobody ever complains when players fly to a city only to find out that they’ve been traded. This is honestly a nothing burger. And if a coach wants to get their undies wadded up over this, then they can’t possibly be the leader of men that we’re looking for anyway.

Sometimes. Or with the Bears…all the time. Everything they do in the front office is the worst possible scenario. Always too late, too unprofessional, and wrongheaded in specifics. Your objection is for a team that doesn’t make all the wrong moves. Kevin Warren was supposed to turn this franchise into a Swiss watch of a franchise. Like the teams we admire. What’s he done but continue to run the team as it always has been run as the rest of the NFL STDH

While I can value your opinion, it is just that…an opinion. I don’t like the McCaskeys any more than the next person. But that doesn’t have a lot to do with what Poles and Warren have done. It seems like most of the people that have an issue with this are engaging more in an airing of grievances than really noting what Warren and Poles are doing wrong. Poles needed to tear it down, that’s exactly what he did. He tried to make the best of an arranged coaching situation. He determined that going forward with Flus wasn’t part of his vision and so he executed the change. He saw that moving forward with Fields wasn’t part of his vision, he executed that change as well. I feel like Poles has done more right than he has wrong.

And as far as Warren goes, the jury is still out. But if nothing else, he’s stood with Poles the whole way. We can’t go changing leadership regimes every 3 to 4 years just because we don’t like team ownership. That’s not a winning formula either.

Tearing down leadership regimes is an effect, not a cause. And as far as “winning formula”, Bears have repeatedly used the same dysfunctional pattern concerning their leadership alignments with quarterbacks over and over, not a winning formula. The current leadership regime just. Did. It. Again.

Your reply was a glass half full rendering of the job done, assigning credit for a recognition of mistakes made. Fair enough. The Bears WILL have earned their record at the end of the year. #Acountability.

As far as “airing of grievances” goes, overlooking poor performance is certainly an alternative. Some folks have repeatedly chosen to do that for 10 years now. Anyway I would just like to mention a little about the standards we expect. Doing more good things than bad things does not get you to a Super Bowl. Question if it even gets you a playoffs win during your tenure as a GM. This fanbase needs to shoot waaay higher, all due respect. Expecting a much better record of accomplishments going forward is in order. Teams in our division are hitting way better than us. Granted, it’s a damn good division

Read on Twitter

[Dresden]

Sometimes. Or with the Bears…all the time. Everything they do in the front office is the worst possible scenario. Always too late, too unprofessional, and wrongheaded in specifics. Your objection is for a team that doesn’t make all the wrong moves. Kevin Warren was supposed to turn this franchise into a Swiss watch of a franchise. Like the teams we admire. What’s he done but continue to run the team as it always has been run as the rest of the NFL STDH

While I can value your opinion, it is just that…an opinion. I don’t like the McCaskeys any more than the next person. But that doesn’t have a lot to do with what Poles and Warren have done. It seems like most of the people that have an issue with this are engaging more in an airing of grievances than really noting what Warren and Poles are doing wrong. Poles needed to tear it down, that’s exactly what he did. He tried to make the best of an arranged coaching situation. He determined that going forward with Flus wasn’t part of his vision and so he executed the change. He saw that moving forward with Fields wasn’t part of his vision, he executed that change as well. I feel like Poles has done more right than he has wrong.

And as far as Warren goes, the jury is still out. But if nothing else, he’s stood with Poles the whole way. We can’t go changing leadership regimes every 3 to 4 years just because we don’t like team ownership. That’s not a winning formula either.

Tearing down leadership regimes is an effect, not a cause. And as far as “winning formula”, Bears have repeatedly used the same dysfunctional pattern concerning their leadership alignments with quarterbacks over and over, not a winning formula. The current leadership regime just. Did. It. Again.

Your reply was a glass half full rendering of the job done, assigning credit for a recognition of mistakes made. Fair enough. The Bears WILL have earned their record at the end of the year. #Acountability.

As far as “airing of grievances” goes, overlooking poor performance is certainly an alternative. Some folks have repeatedly chosen to do that for 10 years now. Anyway I would just like to mention a little about the standards we expect. Doing more good things than bad things does not get you to a Super Bowl. Question if it even gets you a playoffs win during your tenure as a GM. This fanbase needs to shoot waaay higher, all due respect. Expecting a much better record of accomplishments going forward is in order. Teams in our division are hitting way better than us. Granted, it’s a damn good division.

Read on Twitter

You keep talking about accountability and expectations, that's fine. But what if the team falls short (or the GM or the HC or the owner, or whoever you want to pin the blame on)? Do you fire them and start over? That's the real question. You can stomp your foot and demand accountability all you want, but either you think Poles should get fired (or Warren), or you don't. And the answer to that question is: do you think Poles, based on what he's done so far, is capable of building a championship team, or don't you? I think he's gotten the Bears in a much better place than when he took over, and I can see us having a much better record with a few changes, that are realistically doable this next offseason. And from there, I don't see any reason why we can't be one of the top teams in the league in a year or two, and more importantly, be consistency good for a the next 5-7 years.

[fleet]

If we win 2 out of 3 of our remaining division games when those teams have proven to be good and our giving us their 100% effort fighting for playoff seeding/playoff spot, I'm not sure how you don't bring him back next year.

He basically would be proving he can do the job that everyone "hopes" another coach can do.

If we go 3-2 or worse while only winning 1 out of 3 games then I think there is a conversation to be had for bringing him back versus going in another direction. Going 4-1 or 5-0 should guarantee him the job going forward. It seems there is nothing he could do this season that would satisfy some posters. Strange.

If TB is able to beat SF, Seattle, and close out the season beating the Packers while Caleb and the team is looking good with Bears fans and the Bears locker room in his corner, it’ll be very difficult not to keep him at his price. But there will be a lot of unknowable circumstantial context to look at in that scenario.

[TheStig]

What exactly don’t you like about Warren? Because I’ve gotta be honest, the reasoning seems rather shallow at this point.

I don't know why a non football person would say he's in charge of making a key football decision. And the thing he is in charge of, picking a new stadium location and getting it built has made little to no progress in 2 years. His accomplishments and his belief in his staff seem shallow at this point. Don't really trust him to pick an HC and he should let the football people do their thing.

Didn't he say that Poles would have the final say?

I don't know. The clip that was originally posted said he would be running it and poles would assist.

[CROBulls]

If we win 2 out of 3 of our remaining division games when those teams have proven to be good and our giving us their 100% effort fighting for playoff seeding/playoff spot, I'm not sure how you don't bring him back next year.

He basically would be proving he can do the job that everyone "hopes" another coach can do.

If we go 3-2 or worse while only winning 1 out of 3 games then I think there is a conversation to be had for bringing him back versus going in another direction. Going 4-1 or 5-0 should guarantee him the job going forward. It seems there is nothing he could do this season that would satisfy some posters. Strange.

If TB is able to beat SF, Seattle, and close out the season beating the Packers while Caleb and the team is looking good with Bears fans and the Bears locker room in his corner, it’ll be very difficult not to keep him at his price. But there will be a lot of unknowable circumstantial context to look at in that scenario.

Bears need to play consistently well like through all quarters as you wanna see defense and offense through all game. You cannot have quarters where you not producing and then try climb up from deficit.

If he can do that we can talk about keeping TB otherwise you might as well go get best coach on market inluding ones who already have a contract.

[Jcool0]

Good game tonight between DEN and CLE. Jameis Winston and Bo Nix are putting on a show. I remember someone on here saying Bo Nix wasn't even an NFL QB. He looks like a 10 yr vet out there. And Jameis Winston looks rejuvenated in CLE.

QBs threw a combined 5 INTs and Winston had 2 pick sixes. Putting on a show is one way to describe it.

[Almost Retired]

Is it just me but they should really fire Kevin Warren. He's not a football guy and he's going to be leading the coaching search and has been here for 2 years and doesn't even have a place he's committed to build the stadium. He comes across as the guy that just likes to run staff meetings. I've seen a few of those videos.

Warren is impressive but I see him more as a politician or a lobbyist. I don't necessarily want him picking coaches or players. He should stick to his lane and get a stadium deal done. That's a tall order considering neither the state nor the city of Chicago have any money to throw the Bear's way. He needs to decide on a location, a design, and secure some kind of corporate sponsorships to help with the money end. As Belichick would say "Do your job."

[Almost Retired]

Good game tonight between DEN and CLE. Jameis Winston and Bo Nix are putting on a show. I remember someone on here saying Bo Nix wasn't even an NFL QB. He looks like a 10 yr vet out there. And Jameis Winston looks rejuvenated in CLE.

Nix played a ton of College games. His accuracy was top tier. And he gets the ball out quick. There were questions about his arm strength with deep balls but in today's NFL how many deep bombs are you seeing being completed? Between sophisticated coverage schemes and pass rushes the more successful teams are chain movers using a balanced attack of running and quick throws under 20 yards. Nix is perfect for that.

[Chi town]

https://www.dabearsblog.com/2024/poles-warren-brown-meet-the-media-random-thoughts

Basically where I’m at.

Although I think Poles is deflated because he wanted to fire Flus after the Patriots game (per report) and knew then that he could save the season. Instead it was Waldron games later and finally Flus after a 6 game skid of ineptitude.

Poles biggest mistake was keeping Flus. Many of us said it over and over. His bigger mistake was letting Flus pick Waldron instead of Kingsbury.

[molepharmer]

... But they've never had a QB like Caleb Williams, they've never had a receiving group this talented (although the ones Cutler had might be), their defense has the potential to be an elite unit, and they're mostly young. I don't really understand all the hand wringing about things right now.

Add in the likelihood of three draft picks in the top 45 selections and this right here is why coaching candidates aren't going to be put off by a supposed poorly run organization. According to the players poll, Bears offer some of the best facilities in the league and ownership graded out a B+. The worst run facility and owner was KC at F-. Pittsburgh and Ari ownership also received a Fs Anybody think a head coach candidate would turn down the opportunity to coach the Chiefs because the facilities and ownership sux.

[Charlesareed]

Stacy said Brown felt like there were "too many cooks in the kitchen". Probably saw what was going on with the Panthers and learned a lesson. So he decided to be in the background. But he was still paying attention and as soon as he became OC, started pointing things out to Williams that he was doing poorly. Things like footwork and how he hands the ball off. Something that apparently wasn't happening with Waldron

I think we are just going to hear more and more ridiculous dysfunction and incompetence leak out about Waldron and Flus.

Bears want a leader of men and from first signs it seems TB is that. Can’t wait to watch him on the sidelines the rest of the season. He knows his job is dependent on CW’s development. I think we will see lots of interaction with them.

Hope to see an energized football team flying around and executing.

If we win out do we still have a shot at the WC?

we'd be 9-8 and the only team we have a realisitc chance of catching is the Commanders who are 8-5. they have four games left and are unlikely to go 1-3 against the saints, eagles, falcons, and cowboys - especially now the Daniels looks healthy again. They also have the tie break against us.

The bucs are 6-6 and I think they win the division. The falcons are also 6-6 but I wouldn't be surprised if they only win one or two more games. I think other then the Commanders, the Cardinals and 49ers are our biggest concerns. The cardinals have a tie breaker over us but they seem to be trending downwards. The 49ers have been terrible but I won't be surprised if the flip a switch and win out , which would give them a tie breaker over us as well, but it wouldn't matter becuase that means we don;t win out. Rams could be in that convo as well but we have the tie breaker over them.

Im not sure if i want them to win out. We probably miss the playoffs anyway and it would just emphasize what a wasted season this has been. If Brown can go 5-0 against three of the top 6ish teams in the NFL (one of which is probably going to win the SB), a tough and probable division winner in the Seahawks, and a team that was in the SB last year, what does that mean If we had an competent coach from the start? we wouldn't even be concerned about making the playoffs - just playing for seeding

Unfortunately it’s too late to make the playoffs/ wildcard thanks to flus they 3 division losses cost us plus we still have 3 more division games no tell his those will go but we had they others won until we didn’t

[Charlesareed]

Probably the first time in American sports history: the Bears are the first team ever to have a Black CEO/President, General Manager, Head Coach, QB, Offensive Cooridnator, Defensive Coordiantor, Special Teams Coordinator.

Wow I never knew this

[fleet]

Nix played a ton of College games. His accuracy was top tier. And he gets the ball out quick. There were questions about his arm strength with deep balls but in today's NFL how many deep bombs are you seeing being completed? Between sophisticated coverage schemes and pass rushes the more successful teams are chain movers using a balanced attack of running and quick throws under 20 yards. Nix is perfect for that.

The youngers Caleb and Maye will be the best quarterbacks from the draft. I like the way the trend lines are moving, and how Caleb and Maye are looking against defenses that have been doing homework on these guys now.

[jnrjr79]

I should correct myself.

It was as direct of an answer as he could have given to what was essentially a hypothetical question. I took it as though they will go through the process as a team but that the final call would be Poles’. And I’d like to think that’s the way it should be.

It was not as direct of an answer as he could give - the one I suggested would be more direct.

But sure, he may just mean "hey, it's all moot if we agree on the guy, but if we disagree, we'll talk about it and it's ultimately Ryan's call." But it can also be read as "it's Ryan's call, but I might try pretty hard to talk him out of it if I don't agree," and given that Warren is Poles's boss, how do you think that might go?

It was just more than it needed to be, and in today's Bears media environment, fairly inevitable that people would pick it apart.

Meh, it’s all semantics to me. If someone asks me a hypothetical question, I then have to give a hypothetical answer. His answer was one that basically said that it’s gonna be Poles’ call and that if there were disagreements, they’d work through them if that need were to arise. It felt pretty direct to me. But that’s just me.

"Who has the final decision" is not a hypothetical question.

[jnrjr79]

Is it just me but they should really fire Kevin Warren. He's not a football guy and he's going to be leading the coaching search and has been here for 2 years and doesn't even have a place he's committed to build the stadium. He comes across as the guy that just likes to run staff meetings. I've seen a few of those videos.

I have no real opinion of Warren, but the fact that there's not more progress on the stadium seems to be exclusively because Bears' ownership is only willing to fund a portion of it and is insisting on public funding for the remainder. That's non-palatable, politically. That's not Kevin Warren's fault.

[Chi town]

Feels like Warren likes to hear his own voice.

I’m hoping TB takes the reins and doesn’t let go. I like his approach. I’ve been screaming a for a football coach leader of men coach for decades. We haven’t had one since Ditka.

[fleet]

Is it just me but they should really fire Kevin Warren. He's not a football guy and he's going to be leading the coaching search and has been here for 2 years and doesn't even have a place he's committed to build the stadium. He comes across as the guy that just likes to run staff meetings. I've seen a few of those videos.

I have no real opinion of Warren, but the fact that there's not more progress on the stadium seems to be exclusively because Bears' ownership is only willing to fund a portion of it and is insisting on public funding for the remainder. That's non-palatable, politically. That's not Kevin Warren's fault.

Somehow Warren gained a couple inches on Poles

[Dresden]

Good game tonight between DEN and CLE. Jameis Winston and Bo Nix are putting on a show. I remember someone on here saying Bo Nix wasn't even an NFL QB. He looks like a 10 yr vet out there. And Jameis Winston looks rejuvenated in CLE.

Nix played a ton of College games. His accuracy was top tier. And he gets the ball out quick. There were questions about his arm strength with deep balls but in today's NFL how many deep bombs are you seeing being completed? Between sophisticated coverage schemes and pass rushes the more successful teams are chain movers using a balanced attack of running and quick throws under 20 yards. Nix is perfect for that.

He's a perfect fit for Sean Peyton's system. But I was surprised to see him throwing the ball so accurately on a few deep balls yesterday. One of them did get picked off, but the throw would have been perfect if the receiver had kept running.

[patryk7754]

Good game tonight between DEN and CLE. Jameis Winston and Bo Nix are putting on a show. I remember someone on here saying Bo Nix wasn't even an NFL QB. He looks like a 10 yr vet out there. And Jameis Winston looks rejuvenated in CLE.

I was definitely someone who thought he wasn't going to be a starter. I thought his best case scenario would be a better version of Taysom Hill. He's been extremely impressive.