NFC North was just given a late Christmas present...

[BlueBrewer]

Bears make Mike Tice OC

[Tarlam!]

Bears make Mike Tice OC

A promotion from within. No doubt at bargain basement prices. This might not be a bad move; if Tice simplifies Martz' playbook and elaborates on some of his own ideas the transition should be seemless. I looked at his bio and note he has never held an OC position*. He was in over his head as HC, but maybe he will be a good OC.

Not sure if this is Xmas present.


*On Wiki.
Amusing to note the promotion has already been entered into his bio!
Hilarious: " On September 29, 2010, against the Green Bay Packers, his line held Clay Matthews, who was leading the NFL in sacks at the time, sackless." (lol)

It was actually MNF on 09/27 and it was Week 3. O.K., CMIII did have 3 each against Philly and Buffalo respectively. I just think that's funny, the way it is a career highlight enough to find its way on his bio.

[George Cumby]

lol

[pbmax]

Tice is a good position coach and I bet he makes more sense for the Bears than Martz. The only question is QB coach and whether that guy can get the most out of Cutler. I think this may turn out to be a solid move.

[Joemailman]

I agree with pbmax that Tice seems a better fit with the Bears than Martz ever was. Tice did some odd things as a HC in Minnesota, but he'll stress the running game more as an OC than Martz did. Time will tell if it's a good move, but it seems a logical one.

[Upnorth]

I wonder if any of the bears owns a boat?

[King Friday]

It will be interesting to see how this influences Forte staying in Chicago. Gotta think Forte liked Martz's RB friendly scheme. Forte is more of a Martz RB than a Tice RB.

[MadtownPacker]

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any dumber, you go and do something like this...






and totally redeem yourself!"

[mraynrand]

My understanding was that Tice was pretty much the OC already. Martz kept pushing the bears to be the vertical passing teams he coached in St. Louis, but they just couldn't do it. Cutler gets sacked repeatedly, throws tons of picks, and the offense stalls for stretches of games. Then Lovie says "WTF are we doing Martz?" and Tice says: "We have no talent at WR, but we have a solid running back and a fair QB and solid defense. Let's haul in tight and run a conservative offense." Suddenly, the Bears are more competitive. This scenario has played out at least twice in the past two years. Martz and Chicago's offense are incompatible. Either the new GM goes out and gets some offensive firepower or they play a conservative, Forte-heavy Tice offense. They made their choice.

Martz was our ace in the hole and now he's gone. Too bad.

[MJZiggy]

Well, there's always the idea that Forte will ruin the Forte-heavy Tice offense...Seems there's always hope in Chicago...

[Guiness]

I find the comment that they probably got him at bargain basement prices funny.

When Tice was HC in Minnesota, it was widely reported that he was the lowest paid HC in the league, to the point of it being embarrassing within the fraternity (not that I wouldn't mind being embarrassed with that much money). Now he gets a promotion, but again underpaid.

What does the guy have to do to get a little respect?

Oh, wait, I know. Not suck, which means he has to leave that sucky franchise!

[red]

was he ever a good OC before being a head coach? i know he was a good o-line coach, but i don't know any more then that

[Bossman641]

I don't believe he has ever been an OC before

[Old School]

From what I read in a Chicago outlet, there will be co OC's. Tice will be in charge of the running game and a CTBNL (coach to be named later) will handle Cutler and the passing attack. Sounds like the Cubs' old college of voaches might make a comeback. What's old is new again. LOL

[Smidgeon]

I don't believe he has ever been an OC before

He wasn't. Position coach to HC and back.