Third String Offense

By:  Kevin Anderson

        Kandrsn11@yahoo.com

  Cutler didn’t get his man in Jeremy Bates.

  The Packers refused the Bears permission to interview their quarterbacks coach Tom Clements. 

  Mike Martz is a long shot to land the Offensive Coordinator job with the Bears (deep sigh of relief). 

  Well where does that leave the Bears in their hunt for the ‘savior’ of the Bears offense? 

  Here is an updated list of the past two candidates to interview for the job:

Mike Tice: (AP / Jim Mone) 

• Mike Tice (Jaguars Assistant Head Coach/ Tight Ends Coach)

  The former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings was given permission by the Jacksonville Jaguars to interview for the OC position.  Tice has been the Jaguars Assistant Coach/ Tight Ends coach for the last three years.

- Pros:  Tice has experience calling plays for an offense.  His main area of NFL expertise is the offensive line, which I think we all know is what the Bears need to fix the most.  From 2002 to 2004 the Vikings had a top five offense in every season (2^nd in 2002, 1^st in 2003 and 4^th in 2004).  In 2005, that ranking dropped to 25^th in the league and Tice was let go after failing to make the playoffs. 

- Cons:  Tice hasn’t proved to be a winner as a head coach and has yet to form a top five offense in Jacksonville.  Granted, the Jaguars QB situation has been just as bad as the Bears (not as bad) and their draft picks have been very questionable (like the Bears), but they are a run first offense, which is what the Bears want in their next OC.

Ken Zampese: (Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

• Ken Zampese (Bengals QB Coach)

  Ken Zampese is regarded as an up and coming coach in the NFL.  The 42 year old QB coach for the Cincinnati Bengals has been praised for his work with Pro-Bowl QB Carson Palmer and his knowledge of an elite NFL offensive system.

-  Pros:  Zampese knows how to create an elite NFL quarterback.  He has been praised by former Rams head coach and offensive ‘genius’ Mike Martz and has worked with Lovie Smith.  When Palmer took the QB position full-time in 2005, the Bengals ranked 6^th in total offense and 8^th in 2006. 

-  Cons:  Zampese is still very young and has never held a play calling position.  Before this season, the Bengals were a run and gun offense.  Would Cutler mesh well with an inexperienced offensive coordinator?

  My choice here is Tice.  That is not because I don’t believe Zampese can get the job done; it’s just not his time yet.

  This is a ‘do or die’ season for Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith.  It not only would be a mistake to bring in an inexperienced OC for the season, but for all three of their careers.  If Smith gets fired, his whole staff goes out the door with him, including the offensive staff.

  I remember when Tice was head coach of the Vikings.  He ran the drills during training camp with his players, had fire during the games and knows the importance of an elite offensive line.  This sounds like a perfect fit for the Bears. 

  I can only write about this, with the hope that Angelo and Smith make the smart and safe hire.