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Sorry Jay Cutler, but Rod Marinelli is the Best Bears Acquisition This Offseason
Published: June 7, 2009
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On April 2, 2009, the fans of the Chicago Bears became anxious for the upcoming 2009 season as Jerry Angelo pulled off the unthinkable.
You guys know what it was…
Anyway, my first reaction to it was “Oh please oh please, don’t let this be like the Herschel Walker trade.” (Ha-ha Vikings).
But for me, I became excited for the 2009 season on January 10, 2009 when the Chicago Bears Organization signed former Detroit Lions head coach Rod Marinelli.
After this move was made, I became very hopeful that the Bears could make it into the playoffs in 2009. Even with the players and personnel we had at the time, I was very hopeful and excited.
When news of Marinneli signing on to be the team’s DL coach broke, there was a good share of negativity from Bears fans.
When a coach is hired after leading his own team the first ever 0-16 record, why would you hire him? Many were saying that he can’t help our DL because he couldn’t help his own team. Well, I think this judgment on Rod is a whole bunch of you-know-what.
First off, I want to say that the Detroit Lions Organization completely let Marinneli down. They couldn’t get the needed players from free agency and the draft, the Lions personal were completely awful, and lastly, the Detroit Lions team gave up on him.
I know Rod has taken his fair share of the blame, but sometimes there are guys that can head coach and guys that can’t. In Rod’s case, he was one of those who can’t.
But before his non-glory days of Detroit, he was a highly successful DL coach. Marinneli played a pivotal part in the Tampa Bay Bucs Super Bowl season in 2002, as he helped regular players like Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp become All-World players.
Sapp was so high on Rod that he stated wherever he was hired at, he would help him out. Even Simeon Rice stated that he would like to come and play for the Bears simply for the fact that Rod could be coaching. When quality players like those two say that about a coach, you know he’s good at what he does.
An argument can be made about why he couldn’t make the Detroit Lions DL into stars. Rod couldn’t coach one unit, he had to coach the whole team as what he was hired to do. He had to cover not only the DL, but the secondary, the offensive line, receivers, personal, linebackers, etc.
He couldn’t command his whole team, but like I said earlier, some guys can head coach…
The addition of Rod Marinneli to the Bears coaching staff was big for our team. I would say just as big as getting Cutler and Pace. Why? Well Lovie Smith always states in his interviews about the Tampa-2, that it all starts with the front four. And he is right.
The effect on how the Tampa-2 is executed relies on the defensive line, and as you all saw last season, our line has definitely underachieved. For what Rod did in Tampa Bay, he can definitely do in Chicago where defense means everything here.
His priority should be to get the DL to be the reckless, ruthless line it once was and turn each player on the line into high-quality players.
The guy that needs it the most is Tommie Harris. His knee injuries have been a problem since college in the 2006 season and has been an excuse for him to sit out practices, thinking that he will be able to give it his all come game time. That hasn’t been the case for a couple seasons now.
So what Rod can do that Babich should’ve done is giving Harris a swift kick in the behind. Tommie needs a reality check on why he was drafted, not a paycheck. Former Rams DE and Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood played in his only Super Bowl on a broken leg. He even played in the Pro Bowl that next week with little treatment on it at all.
And here we have one of the best players on our defense and he’s sitting out practices because his knees are nagging him? Please…
Rod, put Tommie in his place and make him a football player.
Secondly, Rod can actually make Alex Brown and others into the Pro Bowl DEs that they can be.
The proper coaching can get Alex to be that type of player. Ogunleye is in a contract year so he should have no reason to level off this season. If Rod can’t get him to be the stout player he once was, then odds are he won’t get that contract that he so desperately wants.
Mark Anderson looked like an All-Pro his rookie season and a rookie for the past two seasons. Though coming into his fourth season, he still hasn’t hit his prime yet. Rod can easily mold him into the player he once was and can stay that way.
Can Rod make Dusty Dvoracek not injury-prone anymore? Probably not, but he can get the best out of him for the season until he goes down again.
At Tampa Bay, Sapp and Rice were Rod’s new toys to play with and help turn them to great players. Jarron Gilbert and Henry Melton are now those two guys. With no NFL experience for both, Rod can teach them both the fundamentals of playing DL and both rookie have a very great chance of contributing to line in a year or two.
Lastly, not only Rod’s coaching can make the line better, but the whole defense as well.
When the DL is top notch, the Tampa-2 will work greatly. Our safeties and corners will definitely look and player better.
In conclusion, what Jay Cutler will be to our offense, Rod Marinneli can do for our defense.
Our defense was what brought us down last season and the last I checked, Jay Cutler plays QB. So with Rod’s guidance and wisdom to the defensive line, our defense will be significantly better. Marinelli’s addition to our team was definetly a need by all means.
So when you see Chicago Bears’ DL coach Rod Marinneli walking the sideline in the season opener, forget the past three lowly years he had in Detroit. Remember the times he was a heralded DL coach in Tampa Bay by making a few of the best defensive line players in NFL history.
And he is now part of our team.
I have faith in you Rod! GO BEARS!
My Analysis Of The Chicago Bears 2009 Season Part 1
Published: May 9, 2009
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As of 5/9/2009, This is my analysis of the the Bears 2009 schedule. I’m a rookie writer by the way and this is my first article 
9/13/2009-@ Green Bay Packers
Rivalry games are always great so I think it is absolutely awesome that we get to see how our new team will do against a division rival. Its always best to win out your first game but that first win against a rival will be even sweeter.
The downside to playing Green Bay this year though is that we will have no old defensive tapes of Green Bay since they now switched into the 3-4. It will also be interesting to see how they will execute.
Most teams don’t execute new schemes well their first time but I could be wrong. In the end, it will be how well Green Bay can do the new 3-4 and how well Chicago can counter it.
On a side note Jay Culter vs. Aaron Rodgers (the two best QBs in division) will face off. There was no reason for this game not to go primetime!
9/20/2009-Pittsburg Steelers
The last time these two played, the Steelers were FOUR-time SB champs. Now with a two more and a pretty scary defense led by Dick LaBeau, this game looks bleek for us to win out. But it we do have a shot.
Defensively, Pittsburgh goes by 3-4 so after we play Green Bay we should have a good feel of how it works but its different with Harrison and Woodley charging at both ends. To win this game, the Bears defense needs to execute and have heart. Big Ben is never easy to take down and can take a hit.
Their offensive line was never fixed during free agency and the draft so blitzing may be easier. But with the 1-2 punch of Willie Parker and Rashad Mendenhall, we shouldn’t blitz to much.
Overall, the defense needs to play with heart and maybe have a little luck to pull this one out because if they don’t, Cutler may have to go back to old bronco mode and try to win the game pass happy against a strong defense like this. But it will not be easy.
9/27/2009-@ Seattle Seahawks
With T.J. Housh on offense and and Aaron Curry on defense, the Seahawks now look like a very competitive team, and playing at Qwest Field is never easy. Hasselback is looking to have a great comeback year with all his returning receivers and Housh.
Housh is definetly gunna get the Bears defense attention but they should also keep a sharp eye on John Carlson the Seahawks tight end. He was the team’s all time leading receiver last year and will being looking to get over the sophomore slump.
Other then the running back issues, the Seahawk offense will look explosive. Defensively, the now look a lot better with Curry now beside Tatupu and Hill.
Their defensive line isn’t anything to be scary about though and their secondary has performed well either but they all do their jobs. This we be a good test to see how far has the new Bears offense has clicked during their time playing together.
This could also be a big game for Hester as the Seahawks secondary does cover the deep pass well. A few great plays by both Bears offense and defense can help the Bear get over this team.
Note to offensive line: NO FALSE STARTS!
10/4/2009-Detroit Lions
I don’t care whatever writer of ESPN, NFL, Bleacher Report, etc, say because I believe the Lions has upgraded their team a lot so something good should come out of it. Getting Stafford was big but he’s ho Flacco or Ryan so I don’t see him starting right away.
Culpepper will start and with the WR corp of Calvin Johnson, Bryant Johnson, Ronald Curry and newly required Derrick Williams, New Tight End Brandon Pettigrew and up-and-coming Kevin Smith in the back field.
The offensive line though raises big questions marks as they haven’t done a lot to fix it and it possibly may be their undoing for another season.
The Lion Defense looks like the new Over-the Hill gang. The lions upgraded with Foote, Grady Jackson, Julian Peterson, and Philip Buchanon and newly acquired Louis Delmas.
The passing defense was what killed the Lions last year so they will be a little better this time around so it will be Matt Forte’s time to shine. If the bear can get a steady running game early on, then this game is the Bears to lose. Kevin Smith’s hopeful involvement can make Forte’s job easier
10/11/2009- BYE WEEK
A little too early for me honestly but it will be good rest time. Also last minute trades happen around this time so if the Bears see someone out there that they can use, they can get him and use the two extra weeks to prepare.
Part 2 coming soon…
