Chicago Bears Offense Protection Problems Due To Martz Design - REPEAT!

The Chicago Bears are behind the New York Giants 10 to 0 with 13:50 as of this writing and Bears Quarterback Jay Cutler is out of the game with a concussion. The result of being sacked a record nine times in the first half.

This blogger is not surprised.

Bears fans were warned about Bears Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz and his offensive scheme. They were warned in this space, with a blog post titled Chicago Bears Offense Protection Problems Due To Martz Design.

Given current events, the blog post is worth repeating:

Mike Martz offensive design got 49ers Alex Smith injured
Is Bears  Jay Cutler next?

The Chicago Bears lost to the Oakland Raiders 32 to 17 and while it was a preseason game, its still important from the perspective of evaluating players and schemes. The Chicago Bears Offense under Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz can move the ball, but it comes with the protection problems that have always plagued Martz offenses.

According to ProFootballTalk.com, Bears Quarterback Jay Cutler claimed the team "had a few protection issues." Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith said that Left Tackle Chris Williams performance was "Not good enough," and added, "It's as simple as that. Whenever you give up a couple of sacks as an offensive lineman, that is not good. Chris is a better player than that."

Exactly.

But it's hard to be a good offensive tackle when your offensive coordinator has you retreat-blocking, rather than fight-blocking. The signature problem with the Mike Martz Offense is the offensive line pass pocket retreats faster than is necessary to run the patterns Mike installs.

Mike, for some weird reason, has never corrected that problem.

It's the same issue that caused San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Alex Smith to be sacked into near oblivion in 2008, then get injured.

And it is the same problem that had Detroit Lions Quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan taste Ford Field turf over 50 times in 2007. But guess what? When Martz came over from the Lions, where he lasted for two years, and to the 49ers, he brought J.T. with him and the same offensive line blocking problem.

Martz lasted one year in San Francisco.

If Mike Martz wants to last longer than the 2010 Season with the Chicago Bears, he needs to correct his design problem. And the NFL must stop giving Martz a pass by continuously hiring him and calling him a genius. Martz will be a genius in this space after he fixes the O-line blocking problem.

Otherwise, Jay Cutler may become another Alex Smith of 2008.

So who's going to send another ridiculous email now?  Martz has paid no attention to my constant criticism of his system.  Now, Jay Cutler's on the  bench with mixed up marbles.

Wild.