A sports writer's redemption

It was good to see Dan Pompei providing cogent insights into the problems and challenges faced by the Chicago Bears offensive line as opposed to his piling on article after last week's game. He starts off giving some credit to the left guard:

The good news is Chris Williams wasn't the problem Sunday. The bad news is he didn't solve the problem, either.

In his initial assignment as the Bears' left guard, Williams appeared to hold up well enough in protection, and he didn't commit any penalties. But he was part of a unit that failed to affect the game in a positive manner.

Having accurately identified the problem, he leaves open the possibility that it might improve:

The Bears' 2010 offensive line, fourth generation, still is not good enough. Or at least it wasn't Sunday.

Then Pompei offers us some more about Chris Williams, including an assessment by the man Williams was tasked with blocking, as well as Williams own self-assessment:

Williams started a game at his third position in nine games dating back to last year when he played right tackle. But he said the transition from left tackle to guard wasn't a problem.

"It's all football, it's all technique and fundamentals," he said.
Williams did acknowledge playing guard was different.

"There are bigger guys," he said. "There are a lot more moving parts in there. I won't know until I watch the tape what happened."

One of those bigger guys, 6-2, 328 pound defensive tackle Colin Cole, said Williams did all right at guard.

"He was strong, he had some inside punch," Cole said. "He did a good job in the passing game."

Williams' own succinct assessment was harsher.

"I obviously didn't play well enough to win," he said.

Finally, Pompei cuts to the heart of the problem and gets quarterback Jay Cutler's realistic analysis.

Part of the problem with the Bears offensive line is guys like Williams haven't been in one spot for long enough. The line hasn't had continuity, and continuity is next to godliness for offensive lines.

"Obviously there is going to be a learning curve with those guys," quarterback Jay Cutler said. "You would like to see an offensive line all the way through in training camp, then get to know each other in preseason, then going into the season and learning from there. We haven't had that luxury, which is difficult on those guys. But we have to do it. That's part of the NFL. We have to figure it out."

We are then treated to real news, real information, that pinpoints and quantifies the extent of the discontinuity:

In six games, Bears have had two players start at left tackle, two at left guard, two at right guard and three at right tackle. Only center Olin Kreutz has started every game on the line, and he predictably took the blame for some of the problems.

"The breakdowns in communication, and the communication is my job," he said. "It's my job to get everybody on the right guys and I didn't get it done today. So, I have to go back and work and try to get everybody blocking the right guys."

There's a subtext working it's way through the comments of the players quoted, one that I think is extremely important. The players are taking personal responsibility, manning up, for their disappointing showing. There is NO whining. There is an acceptance of the realities of the situation, the difficulties. But it is what it is, and to succeed it must be faced and overcome.

What this article says about the honesty and character of these Bears players is that these are MY Chicago Bears once again.

Thanks Dan. Job well done.