The 49ers play the Bears Monday night at Candlestick. In the meantime, I’ll break down five key matchups. Offensive coordinator Mike Tice vs. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio This matchup isn’t even close. It’s like Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks. Fangio is a good defensive coordinator and Tice is not a good offensive coordinator. Tice isn’t going to have anything creative or unusual in the Bears offensive game plan. He’s going…
Now that Jason Campbell has officially been named the starting quarterback against the 49ers, the Bears’ passing game definitely will be impacted and mostly restricted to a conservative, low risk play calling style by offensive coordinator Mike Tice. Campbell’s release is nowhere as quick as Cutler’s, and Campbell’s ability to extend a play is marginal when compared to Cutler’s, so the Bears’ run game must keep the down and distance…
Earlier I wrote that Bears offensive coordinator Mike Tice has been too focused on passing this season. One poster on this blog cited Tice’s 50-50 run-to-pass ratio as a counterargument. A 50-50 run to pass ratio does not prove anything other than a coach in the press box tracking runs and passes, for whatever inane reason. Calling plays is not like handing out M&Ms – one for you, one for…
A quarterback’s best friend is a good running game, and although the Bears have two decent running backs in Matt Forte and Michael Bush, offensive coordinator Mike Tice often has strayed from attempting to establish the ground game, and is way too focused on passing. The biggest weakness for the Bears from an offensive-structure standpoint is their pass protection. They continually expose Jay Cutler, or subsequent QBs, to hits, knock downs and…
