He seems like a good guy and has an understanding of how this game works: If you don’t perform, it doesn’t matter what kind of person you are, the fans will get frustrated with you. Obviously the most disconcerting thing here is his sense that the organization “hung him out to dry”. He makes a good point. If he was really playing through injuries, where were Lovie, Jerry, or anyone else saying that he was hurt? I mean for the most part we knew he wasn’t 100%, but without knowing more we understandably just thought he wasn’t as good as he used to be.

I’m not sure what this says about the Bears organization or Tommie Harris, but its definitely not positive.

h/t: Mouthpiece Sports

Meanwhile, Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris was fined $7,500 for unnecessarily striking an opponent. He was ejected just 65 seconds into the game for slugging Cardinals offensive tackle Deuce Lutui.

So Tommie Harris punched a guy in the face, on camera, with most of the country watching, and got slapped with a $7,500 fine.  Cutler on the other hand, was fined $20,000 for “verbal abuse”?  Anything short of “I know where you live and I’m going to kill you and your whole family” does not deserve a larger fine than the one for punching someone in the face on purpose.  Right?  Am I taking crazy pills?  Does anyone else think this is odd?

Apparently the NFL would rather encourage people to utilize a more violent approach to conflict resolution, and are willing to make incentives to promote that behavior.  Hmmm, after reading that last sentence I just realized how naive I am.  It’s the NFL, of course they would rather encourage people to act like steroid-filled animals than try to talk things out like human beings.  My bad.  Next time Cutler should just jack the line judge in the face.  It would save him about $12,500 by my calculations.

Jerry Angelo: Trading more picks for useless garbage?  I have yet to see Gaines Adams do anything.  And remember how we used to love this guy for drafting so much defensive talent so late in drafts?  Been a few years since that happened, huh?

Lovie Smith: This is the official beginning of NQTC turning against Lovie.  I think he’s a great guy and his Cover 2 was a great system.  The problem with that sentence? WAS! Everyone gets it now.  The seams are huge, you don’t have the best personnel to run it, and you are too stubborn to mix in a few other packages to at least keep offenses a little off-balance!  If he can’t adjust to the NFL the way it is played today, then he needs to go.  There, I said it.

Bob Babich: I’m still unclear about what this guy’s role is, but whatever he is supposed to be doing I’m pretty damn sure he’s not doing it well.

Rod Marinelli: Fire up the goddamn defensive line!  Our front four get absolutely no pressure.  That is the main reason you were brought in to Chicago, to make the line play with more energy and intelligence.  Haven’t seen that in a month, at least.

Tommie Harris: Cut him.

Anthony Adams and Marcus Harrison: You were supposed to be run-stoppers.  That means you fill gaps and allow the linebackers to come in and make tackles.  Why are offensive linemen upfield laying blocks on our linebackers?!

Ogunleye, Brown, Anderson: DO SOMETHING! Honestly it looks like they aren’t trying, agreed?  They don’t run hard, and the second they get blocked, that’s it.  They are out of the play.  Keep f#$%ing fighting to get to the QB! After the snap, I could go make a panini on my George Foreman, come back and sit down and look up, and Kurt Warner would still be standing there looking downfield for receivers in a sparkling clean jersey.

Hunter Hillenmeyer: Gets the system, has ZERO talent.

Nick Roach: Has the talent, doesn’t get the system.  Oh and eat some Wheaties or something, you are way too small to be a linebacker in the NFL.

Lance Briggs: Step up!  Why can’t you play the middle?  Why? I don’t understand.  Do you not understand the Cover 2?  Are you that bad in coverage?

Afalava and Payne: I get it.  You guys are both run-stopping safeties and that’s why you SUCK in coverage.  Here’s the bigger problem than the coverage: You aren’t stopping the run.  Figure that out, okay?

Vasher and Tillman: Cut. Cut.

Danieal Manning: The best athlete on the team, huh? A smart football player, huh?  Stop going for the strip on every f#$%ing play, how about that? Here’s some advice: if a running back has both hands on the ball wrapped up tight and you are the only one in his way, go for the tackle.  I’m sick of hearing the announcers go “so-and-so dragged Manning on his back for an extra 9 yards on the play” because he was going for the strip.  Make the goddamn tackle!

Any other things that pissed you off?  I have about 20 more but I’m already in a bad enough mood.  The season is basically over and the most amazing thing about it is not how bad we are, but that somehow we have a 4-4 record even though we have an 0-8 defense.

• Jay Cutler looked excellent.  After looking  like garbage in the first quarter, he took off finishing with 236 yards on 27/38 passing.  Oh and don’t forget the 2 touchdowns and 0 picks.  His QB rating was 104.7, which is significantly closer to his 86.2 career average than that 43.2 he dropped last week.  Kool-Aiiiidddd.
• Johnny who?  Knox?  The rookie proved why the Bears kept him on the roster this season with some spectacular catches.  Although he dropped a few passes early and still has a long way to go, there’s no reason to think he won’t develop into the kind of mediocre receiver we love to get excited about in Chicago.
• Tommie Harris did something.  I know it was just one tackle for a loss, but it was awesome.  Although the defensive line was not perfect, it sure looked good against the run (besides that one big gain by Mendenhall).  Alex Brown had a hell of a game, but he sprained his ankle towards the end of the 4th.  Rod Marinellil for MVP after making the 2008 Bears defensive line look like the 2006 Bears defensive line?  I would say so.
• Greg Olsen and Matt Forte–Non-factors.  Some combination of Ron and Lovie entirely abandoning the running game (38 passes and 18 rushes), and defenses double-teaming Olsen and/or stacking 8 in the box is completely taking these two out of the game.  If Cutler can make defenses pay for this strategy with his arm, then so be it.  I mean its hard to complain after last night, but couldn’t we run just a little more than 1/3 of the time?  Maybe like 40%?  Or even 50%?
• Fine, I’ll admit Pittsburgh blew a few opportunities, but credit goes to the Bears defense for standing them up for some tough long field goals in sideways Soldier Field rain.  Some national media members are saying the Bears stole this one from the Steelers, but the Bears created the opportunities they had, and took advantage of them.  Pittsburgh did the opposite.  Give credit where credit is due.
• Robbie Gould does it again.  I love that guy.  My brother and I always marvel at his pre-game warm-up rituals which are evidence of why and how he has been so successful and accurate.  He lines up the ball in the back corner of the endzone parallel with the goal-posts and kicks ball after ball at the post to practice accuracy.  He rarely misses.  We saw him hit 12 in a row once.
• Hunter Hillenmeyer is not Brian Urlacher.  He’s not great, or even good really.  That being said, he is definitely serviceable, and proved that he can plug the whole decently in the absence of the great #54.  Roach also did a good job, although hopefully we get Pisa back soon.

Next week the Bears travel to Seattle for a winnable game against the Seahawks.  While the Vikings won again, Green Bay took a loss to Carson Palmer and the Bengals.  If the Bears can get to 2-1, they will be in great shape going forward in the NFC North.  Bear Down!