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NFL executives and coaches descended on their annual meetings last week, just three months removed from the most prolific passing season in NFL history. Quarterback play has never had a more direct link to team success, and Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith could stride confidently through the halls of the Breakers Hotel knowing he has a high performer who should be entering the prime of his career.

Which brings up an interesting dichotomy. Smith, of course, is the coach who for years described his team as one that "gets off the bus running." He appeared to change course in 2010 by hiring pass-happy offensive coordinator Mike Martz, but for two years he and Martz played tug-of-war over the Bears' schematic focus. Martz is now retired, replaced by former offensive line coach Mike Tice -- who once famously referred to Chicago as a "tough guy town" that required a power running game to succeed -- and the Bears appear headed for another offensive re-set.

So here's the question: How much will the Bears pull back on their passing attack to satisfy Smith's philosophical requirements in the running game? The Bears' offseason moves to this point don't give us a clear idea, so the owners meetings seemed like a good time to ask Smith directly.

Yes, the Bears acquired Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall, giving quarterback Jay Cutler the first true downfield threat of his Bears tenure. But they also guaranteed $7 million to their new backup tailback. New general manager Phil Emery would not have allocated the resources it took to sign Michael Bush if he weren't confident that Smith needed two high-quality running backs (along with starter Matt Forte) for his offense.

He didn't say it in so many words last week, but it seems clear that Smith wants to open the 2012 season with the compromise he eventually worked out with Martz in each of the past two seasons. In 2011, in fact, it led to almost a 50-50 pass-run ratio that corresponded with a five-game winning streak.

"During the course of the season," Smith said, "our offense had a different look from time to time. When we leaned on the run, we could move the ball as well as anyone. … As far as how much different it will look, I think we'll just see consistently what we want to be, a little more than occasionally. More that as much as anything."

You might remember that the Bears threw on a higher percentage of their plays last September than any team in the NFL. Smith and Tice eventually persuaded Martz to balance his play-calling, and as the chart shows, the Bears didn't throw more than 32 passes in any game during that winning streak. But they also didn't tilt too far toward the run, with the exception of a windy Week 10 blowout of the Detroit Lions.

If I had to guess what the Bears will try to accomplish this season, that five-game window is the snapshot. If anything, Smith wants to maintain the course correction that Martz accepted only in fits and starts over the past two years. Tice has a professed love for the power running game, and Smith said simply: "Our philosophies mesh."

Smith added: "[Martz] and I had a long background together. So I knew what I was getting at the time. So, when I say 'philosophies mesh,' I'm talking about the direction I want to go now as we go forward. I knew what we were getting into. I wanted Mike, and I knew exactly what he would bring to the table. No more than that. Going forward, I felt like that was the direction we wanted to go with personnel and our running back position, and what I felt we needed to do to get back to where we belong. So, no more than that."

That's about as close as you're going to get to hearing Smith say he plans to do something differently. I don't mind saying I was in favor of Smith's initial decision to hire Martz, mostly because the Bears weren't in a position to make a gradual shift to an untested offensive coordinator or scheme. I just thought Smith would achieve better and more consistent oversight than he did.

That shouldn't be a problem with Tice, who is as strong-willed as Martz but more likely to push in Smith's direction.

The Bears are competing in a division that features two of the most explosive passing offenses in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. I'm not sure whether the Bears will be able to compete throw for throw with either team, but I'm positive they don't want to. What the Bears hope to achieve is the NFC North's most balanced offense. They are well on their way.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk fiercely defended his former St. Louis Rams coach and ex-Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz, saying the now retired playcaller was forced to work with "lesser talent" during a two-year stint with the Bears.

Read the entire story.

It appears the Chicago Bears were the last stop on Mike Martz's 20-year NFL coaching career. The architect of the St. Louis Rams "Greatest Show on Turf" offense, Martz never found the same success in stops in Detroit, San Francisco and Chicago.

But will the 60-year-old coach really retire? Our Four Downs panel weighs in on that and more:

Fact or Fiction: Mike Martz will never coach again in the NFL.

Jeff Dickerson: Fact. This is not a voluntary retirement. Martz certainly did not sound like a coach who wanted to call it a career after the 2011 season. In fact, his name continued to pop up in connection with college and NFL jobs up until last week. But let's face it, Martz's best days are behind him. Nobody can take away the success he had in St. Louis as offensive coordinator and head coach, but the Mike Martz system did not work in Chicago, and he proved incapable of adapting. His total disregard of the tight end position in the passing game seems out of touch with the current landscape in the league. Still, Martz will be remembered as a brilliant offensive mind who helped guide the Rams to two Super Bowl appearances and one championship during his time there. It's just too bad we never saw that Martz in Chicago.

Michael C. Wright: Fact. Interestingly, Bears coach Lovie Smith receives tons of criticism for his defense being supposedly outdated (although there are still successful teams running very similar schemes). But it’s Martz’s system that seems to be outdated. The Greatest-Show-on-Turf days passed Martz by a long time ago, and he never exercised the flexibility to make that pass-happy scheme jibe with the talent on the roster. In my mind, Martz has committed one of the cardinal sins of today’s NFL, and that’s placing importance on the scheme over the players executing it. That approach just doesn’t work in today’s NFL, and is part of the reason Martz’s name hadn’t come up for any potential openings prior to him announcing his retirement. Had Martz demonstrated a desire to be more flexible with his scheme when he met with Smith, I’m almost certain he’d still be with the Bears today.

Melissa Isaacson: Fact. Otherwise, we’re calling him a liar, right? I suppose if the right offer from the right team comes along, Martz, like anyone, could be convinced to go back on his word that the Bears offensive coordinator position is his last job. Football coaches don’t tend to retire easily. But making it easier for Martz is that he isn’t likely to be offered a head-coaching position again, and even he seems to realize that his best coordinating days may have passed him by.

Jon Greenberg: Fact. I just don’t see who would hire him. He has very few allies and no coaching tree fraternity. He’s not that old either. But he refused to change. Good coaches grow and evolve with the time, but Martz was adamant that his system was the best, and the only way he would work. His offense does work, but his rigidity just doesn’t fly in the NFL. We groused a lot about Martz, but before his injury, you could see Cutler was pretty comfortable in the offense, sideline expletives notwithstanding.

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Fact or Fiction: There is a large gap between the Bears and the eight NFL teams in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

Jeff Dickerson: Fact. Sorry, but it all comes down to offense, or a lack thereof right now with the Bears. Even defensive- and special teams-minded San Francisco was able to outscore the high-powered Saints offense because of dynamic tight end Vernon Davis. The Bears had Kellen Davis, not Vernon, on the roster this season. Sure, the Giants can run the ball with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, but New York also has serious threats in the passing game with Hakeen Nicks and Victor Cruz. In fact, Mario Manningham would look pretty good in a Bears uniform next season, and he's the Giants' third option at receiver. The Bears already lost in the regular season to Green Bay (twice), New Orleans and Denver, albeit an argument could be made the Bears might be better than the Broncos. The Texans also appear to be a more complete team than the Bears, and New England is head and shoulders better than Lovie Smith's crew. But the good news is the Bears have an opportunity to make the necessary upgrades in the offseason, but much work needs to be done to bridge the gap.

Michael C. Wright: Fiction. Absolutely not. The Bears defeated Atlanta and Detroit in the regular season and took the Broncos to the wire on the road with a backup quarterback and a running back that somehow lost all common sense in the clutch. I’ll buy that a talent gap exists between the Bears and most of those teams, but I’m not quite ready to call it a large one. Because of the team’s disappointing finish, it’s easy to lose sight of its 7-3 start. What this season has taught everyone more than anything is that the Bears need depth and youth in a few spots, a weapon or two for quarterback Jay Cutler, and a legitimate backup for him. But this team isn’t far off from being where it needs to be, and I sense ownership is committed to doing what’s necessary to make that happen.

Melissa Isaacson Fiction. Obviously it depends on which playoff team we’re talking about and which Bears team we’re talking about. But if we’re referring to the worst of the playoff bunch -- Denver -- and the Bears as they looked before Jay Cutler’s injury, then no, they’re not far off at all. This should not, however, be interpreted as a vote of confidence for a Bears team as currently constructed. Gaping holes, which still includes the front office, will need to be filled before even a smaller gap can be closed at all.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. The Bears were right there after week 11. But great organizations can overcome injuries, and the Bears couldn’t do that. Still, how many teams can survive six games without their starting quarterback? Quick, name New Orleans’ backup? I had to look it up. It’s Chase Daniel. The Bears have their fair share of depth issues, but if Cutler had played the last six games, the Bears would have made the playoffs.

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Fact or Fiction: Ex-Bucs OC Greg Olson would be a good choice for Bears quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator.

Jeff Dickerson: Fact. The Bears would be wise to continue interviewing candidates once the coaching staff returns from vacation, but Olson represents a solid upgrade over what the Bears had at that position the past few years. Olson, the former offensive coordinator for Detroit, St. Louis and Tampa, brings an impressive amount of experience to the table, plus a track record of installing easy-to-understand and easy-to-install passing game concepts. The shakeup Tuesday in Indianapolis might give the Bears an expanded pool of candidates to choose from, but Olson is without doubt a qualified contender to fill the vacancy.

Michael C. Wright: Fact. But is a “good choice” the best choice? That’s the question the Bears need to answer in making a decision on that position should recently-promoted offensive coordinator Mike Tice remain with the team after his interview with the Oakland Raiders. Olson definitely built a track record of success on the collegiate level, where he worked with Saints quarterback Drew Brees at Purdue, and in the NFL, with multiple teams. Olson directed an offense the last three years for a Tampa Bay team which fielded one of the youngest rosters in the league, and was led by standouts such as quarterback Josh Freeman, receivers Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn and running back LaGarrette Blount. So undoubtedly, Olson would be a good choice for this team. Bears receiver Roy Williams worked with Olson in Detroit and called him a “great teacher.”

Melissa Isaacson: Fact. OK, sure. Olson has some decent credentials, having developed Brees at Purdue and Freeman in Tampa Bay, and he would be helpful in working with the Bears backup, whomever ends up in that role. But frankly, based on the track record of Bears quarterback coaches, it doesn’t seem to matter who they hire as long as he can get play calls in on time and generally stay out of the way of Cutler.

Jon Greenberg: Fact. Cutler and Olsen got along well early in their shared Bears career … Oh wait, this is the other guy. Yeah sure. He sounds great. The Buccaneers had a pretty efficient offense in 2010, judging by Football Outsiders’ numbers, but were subpar in 2009 and 2011, which spans his three-year reign as offensive coordinator there. Really, it doesn’t matter about the numbers or what scouts say about him. It’s all about his relationship with Cutler. Is he a guy who speaks Jay’s language? Do the Bears know how to work for their quarterback? These are big questions.

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Fact or Fiction: The Bears were wrong to prevent Jon Hoke from interviewing for the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator position.

Jeff Dickerson: Fact. Hoke will probably get over it. He seems to enjoy coaching in Chicago, has a family that has begun to put down roots in the area, and will more than likely get a nice pay bump out of the whole deal. But the concept of preventing a coach from potentially advancing up the ranks is unsettling. I realize Minnesota is a division rival, but to deny somebody the chance to interview for a better job seems unfair. The NFL needs to look into changing that rule in the future.

Michael C. Wright: Fact. And I’m only saying this is fact because the team’s decision to prevent Hoke from interviewing totally defies what Smith said in his season-ending press conference. Smith said that “every coach on our staff … you would like to see them take another step. Hopefully we’ll have guys on our staff get an opportunity to move up, whether that’s assistant coaches moving into coordinator roles.” Well, that’s exactly what Hoke was attempting to do by interviewing with the Vikings. Now on the flip side of that, it’s certainly understandable for the organization to prevent a coach from joining a divisional rival. There are just too many trade secrets Hoke could give up to the Vikings that would put the Bears at a competitive disadvantage. I’m a little on the fence about this one. But ultimately, a man’s word is his word. Smith said he wanted to see his assistant coaches move up the coaching ladder, and that’s not what the team is doing by stopping Hoke from interviewing elsewhere, division rival or not.

Melissa Isaacson: Fiction. Morally wrong or ethically wrong? Obviously you don’t want to help a division rival in any way, but Smith has always preached that he wants the best for his staff and whoever made the decision not to let Hoke interview for a better job in Minnesota was not exactly making Halas Hall look like a swell place to work. This is particularly the case now that they have denied staff members a chance at career advancement for the second year in a row after telling the Titans they could not interview Tice. Bottom line, however, is that Hoke is still under contract and the Bears have every right to hold him to it.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. Let’s not pretend the NFL is the real world. It’s a secretive and gossipy, congenial and cutthroat. As a scout told me the other day, to succeed in the NFL, you have to be a different breed. And most front offices are so wary about their secrets spilling out, they don’t let coaches go to rivals when they can help it. And since Hoke is under contract, it’s no surprise the Bears blocked him from a promotion in Minnesota. It’s sad, sure, but it’s not unfair given the law of the jungle.

Former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz resigned his post with the team on Jan. 3, and is now retiring from the coaching profession, according to a report by the NFL Network.

A 20-year NFL coaching veteran, Martz -- who also served as head coach of the St. Louis Rams -- directed Chicago’s offense to a pair of mediocre seasons in which it ranked 24th in total offense in 2011 and 30th in 2010, culminating in the coach leaving the Bears over what team president Ted Phillips called “philosophical differences.”

Read the full story.

There was once a time when the Bears' tight end position averaged roughly 87 catches and 883 receiving yards over a span of three years.

It was 2007-2009.

Not long ago, the Bears had on their roster the most productive tight end duo in franchise history: Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark.

Olsen, Chicago's 2007 first-round draft choice, saw his receptions steadily rise under former offensive coordinator Ron Turner, going from 39 as a rookie to 54 in 2008 then a team-high 60 in 2009. Clark, the ninth all-team leading receiver in team history, suffered through an injured-plagued 2009 campaign, but was still considered an effective option for the Bears in the passing game -- the veteran averaged 43 catches and 513 yards the prior three seasons (2006-2008).

So with Olsen and Clark firmly in the mix, the Bears could finally consider tight end a strength of the offense moving forward.

Then Mike Martz was hired as the team's offensive coordinator on Feb. 1, 2010.

It was like the day the music died.

Here is a quick run-down of what happened at tight end the next two years:

Martz pushed for the Bears to sign Brandon Manumaleuna, who caught five passes for 43 yards and a touchdown in 2010. He was cut after failing his physical in July 2011.

Clark had his role reduced to the point that he dressed for a mere five regular-season games in 2010. He was brought back as a free agent the following year then suffered a minor injury and was released prior to the beginning of the regular season. The team instead opted to keep undrafted rookie free agent Kyle Adams, who eventually landed on injured reserve.

Olsen's production declined dramatically in 2010 – his receptions dipped from 60 the year prior to Martz's arrival to 41 in the new offense. Olsen was then traded to Carolina for a third-round pick prior to the 2011 season.

The Bears signed another blocking tight end in Matt Spaeth to replace Manumaleuna. Spaeth had seven catches in 2011.

The end result of Martz's vision: a combined 25 catches for 256 yards from Kellen Davis and Spaeth in 2011.

While Martz and the Bears succeeded in turning the tight end spot into a complete nonfactor on offense, others around the NFL took a much different approach to the position. Coincidently, or maybe not, several of those teams qualified for the divisional round of the postseason, where they continued to feature their tight ends and use them as vertical threats down the field.

It should be noted Martz, oddly enough a former tight end himself at Fresno State, worked with Davis in 2008 while offensive coordinator of the 49ers. Predictably, Davis languished in Martz’s system, catching a mere 31 balls for 358 yards a pair of touchdowns.

However, once San Francisco fired Martz, Davis exploded the following year and posted a career-best 78 receptions for 965 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Coincidence? Hardly. Just another example of how Martz selfishly and stubbornly chooses his "system" instead of properly evaluating the talent on his roster and coaching to their strengths, not his own.

Now comes the question of how the Bears are going to salvage the neglected tight end position. Obviously, getting rid of Martz and elevating Mike Tice was the first step, but are the Bears in need of a serious personnel upgrade?

Maybe not, according to Bears head coach Lovie Smith.

"We have an excellent tight end," Smith said at his end of the year press conference. "We brought Matt Spaeth here to primarily be a blocker for us and he filled that role well. Kellen Davis can do anything the good tight ends in this league can do. As a catcher if we focus in on him, we can make him more of a guy that people are talking about just based on throwing him the ball more. So I think we have an excellent tight end with good speed, size. I think we had a combination of as good a tight end, the makings of, as anyone around in Kellen."

Sounds as if Smith expects a Vernon Davis-type leap from Kellen Davis, an unrestricted free agent, in 2012.

While it's an interesting premise laid out by Smith, just remember, Vernon Davis is a former first-round pick (No. 6 overall in 2006) with first-round talent.

Kellen Davis went in the fifth round. Some would argue for good reason.

The Chicago Bears will promote offensive line coach Mike Tice to offensive coordinator, replacing Mike Martz, according to a source familiar with the situation.

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Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz resigned on Tuesday, hours after the team announced general manager Jerry Angelo was being relieved of his duties, and the organization also let go of quarterbacks coach Shane Day, according to multiple sources.

Read the entire story.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The future of offensive coordinator Mike Martz remained one of the top storylines in the wake of the Chicago Bears' season-ending 17-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings, but it's clear the team's three top receivers want the assistant back in 2012.

Read the entire story.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Here are five things we learned following the Bears 17-13 win at the Metrodome.

1. Mike Martz failed to help his cause: The Bears started a policy in 2010 prohibiting members of the media from talking to any assistant coaches after games, so it was impossible to ask Martz why it took so long to give left tackle J'Marcus Webb some help with Vikings defensive end Jared Allen. I wish I knew. When the Bears finally began to double- and triple-team Allen with tight ends Matt Spaeth and Kellen Davis, he became a nonfactor. But before that switch occurred in the second half, Allen had 3.5 sacks, destroying Webb in the process. I just don't trust Martz. He did the same thing in those early-season losses at New Orleans and Detroit: repeatedly calling for deep drops without even the benefit of a chip. I'll give Martz some credit for helping get Josh McCown game-ready the past two weeks, but the coordinator's overall body of work has been below average. There is no need for the Bears to embarrass Martz, just let him gracefully drift off into the sunset and not offer him a new contract. With all the turnover this year in the NFL, maybe he'll be able to land on his feet. If not, it's been a good run.

2. The Bears need to sign Kyle Orton: I think McCown did a solid job given the circumstances. His reward for the last two starts should be the Bears' No. 3 quarterback job next year. The No. 2 quarterback, if possible, needs to be Kyle Orton. That might not happen if Orton gets an offer to start somewhere in the league, but if he is available, pay the man to be Jay Cutler's primary backup. Orton wants to come to Chicago. He is held in very high regard by the veteran players in the Bears' locker room. It's the perfect fit. Time for the Bears to make that happen. They tried to claim Orton off waivers, and it didn't work out. But if Orton hits free agency, the first number to pop up on his cell phone should be from Halas Hall.

3. Tim Jennings made a strong case: Just when it looked like Jennings would not be re-signed, he went out and had a really good game in Minnesota. Jennings always tackles well, but he drops too many easy interceptions. That, and his lack of height are his most notable limitations as a player. Of course you'd like to have more size at cornerback, but shouldn't the Bears at least make Jennings an offer and see what happens? Odds are he'd like to test the open market, so maybe he goes elsewhere based on his personal preference. But based on his play the last two years, I wouldn't be so quick to push Jennings out the door. He's a good player.

4. Kahlil Bell is not ready to be a full-time starter: This is not meant to slight Bell. Like McCown, he made the most of his opportunities the final few weeks of the regular season. But he put the ball on the ground three times the past two weeks. That can't happen. If contract talks with Matt Forte go sideways, the Bears need to bring in another veteran to start or at the very least split time with Bell. Bell, set to be a restricted free agent in the offseason, is a promising player who deserves a more prominent role in the Bears’ offense in 2012. But I would not feel comfortable with him as the Bears' feature back next fall. He should be penciled in as the No. 2 and let's see how things play out with Forte.

5. Brian Urlacher's injury could be a blessing in disguise: Urlacher's left knee injury looked horrible when it happened in the fourth quarter, but thankfully he was able to walk off the field under his own power. However, there has been a trend recently with Urlacher: he's had two great seasons coming off an injury and a lockout. Maybe the time off is good for the middle linebacker. Obviouslyy, Urlacher is going to have to rehab the knee, so it's not as if he's going on some sort of vacation. But would it be the worst thing in the world for Urlacher to rest up and miss the offseason training program and organized team activities? Didn't seem to hurt him this year. Just a thought, because I have a feeling the Bears are going to need Urlacher more than ever in 2012, especially when you take into account the uncertain status of Lance Briggs and the Bears' struggles to draft at the linebacker position.

Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith turned down two opportunities this week to support offensive coordinator Mike Martz, once in a teleconference with Minnesota reporters and a second time when queried by Chicago-area media. Smith, in fact, angrily questioned why the topic was germane before the season ends.

Smith's rare loss of public composure suggests Martz's status is a sensitive subject, both for him and within the Bears organization. I suppose it's possible that Smith hasn't begun the process of evaluating Martz, whose contract expires after the season. But generally speaking, it's not a good sign for an assistant coach when his boss won't say anything comforting about his future.

So as the Bears presumably mull a future without Martz, they'll have to weigh his performance versus the value of continuity. They'll need to decide which is more important, and if there is a way to maintain what they did well this season even while hiring a new coordinator.

As rumors of Martz's demise swirled this season, I wrote several times about the collateral damage of regularly swapping offensive coordinators. The value of continuity within a scheme is reflected annually in the NFL's best teams. As the chart shows, eight of the nine teams who have qualified for the 2011 playoffs have employed the same offensive coordinator and/or used the same scheme for at least the past three seasons.

Martz has certainly displayed some pocks since the Bears hired him in 2010, most notably by opening each season with a skewed pass-run ratio that needed substantial adjustment by midseason. Would Martz's well-known stubbornness outweigh the detriment of starting over? Remember, the Bears' offense was humming in November before quarterback Jay Cutler suffered a season-ending thumb injury. In a subsequent interview, Cutler made clear he doesn't want to start over.

"If you look at the offenses around the league that are really good -- Green Bay, the Patriots, the Saints -- there is consistency there," Cutler said. "They've been in the same system. They've had the same offensive coordinator. They've had the same receivers, tight ends, guys around them that have grown up in the system.

"If you want to be an elite offense in this league, that's what you have to do. You can't keep shipping guys in and out. You can't keep doing different offensive coordinators left and right. It's hard on quarterbacks and it's hard on everyone to learn that kind of stuff."

Cutler offered the quintessential argument for maintaining continuity, and the Bears have had enough success under Martz to make it a reasonable possibility. But if Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo decide to hire a new offensive coordinator, is it possible to maintain most of their scheme?

The answer is maybe, with several caveats and an acknowledgement that I don't know how interested the candidate would be. But if the Bears elevate offensive line coach Mike Tice, they'll have a chance to build off their midseason success in 2011 and minimize the teardown that usually occurs in coordinator transitions.

Tice and Martz have much different personalities and personal histories, but their football backgrounds aren't as dissimilar as you might think. They both have roots in the Don Coryell "three-digit" offense, a scheme Tice learned while playing for ex-Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs. Similar to Martz, Tice likes to throw downfield and isn't interested in the shorter passing routes featured in West Coast offenses. With Tice as their offensive coordinator, the Bears could build off the terminology and scheme they have installed over the past two years.

And if his time as the Minnesota Vikings' head coach is any indication, Tice also values some of the adjustments the Bears have made in the past two seasons: Balance with the running game and more liberal use of tight ends to block and provide important outlet receivers against pressure.

Over four seasons with the Vikings, Tice's teams produced 8,140 rushing yards, an average of 2,035 per season. And in half of those years, Tice's leading receiver was tight end Jermaine Wiggins, who caught a combined 140 passes in 2004 and 2005.

Based on Cutler's public request for more balance, quicker drops and better protection, my guess is that he would be on the same philosophical page as Tice. And after being on the same team for the past two years, they should have at least some level of personal acquaintance and be ahead of where a coordinator from outside the building would start.

And now, the caveats. Tice was a quarterback at the University of Maryland, a tight end for 14 seasons in the NFL and has been a long-time offensive line coach. But despite that pedigree, he has never been an offensive coordinator and has never been the primary playcaller of a team. That's not to say he couldn't do it. It's just that after 15 years as an NFL coach, he hasn't done it yet. (We should note that the same was true for current Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli when he was installed in 2010.)

Second, Tice has restored his reputation over the past two years as an exceptional offensive line coach. Elevating him to offensive coordinator almost certainly would rob the Bears of that drill-by-drill expertise. It's difficult, if not impossible, to do both jobs. They would have to hire a new offensive line coach to replace him.

The Tennessee Titans were prepared to offer Tice their offensive coordinator job last offseason. The Bears denied the Titans' request for an interview, giving Tice a new contract instead. For that reason alone, I would imagine the Bears would at least discuss Tice as a possibility if they let Martz go. It wouldn't be a slam-dunk hire, but it would fall well short of starting over. That alone would make Tice worth careful consideration.

The Bears enter their fourth game with Caleb Hanie as their starting quarterback still looking for their first win under the backup quarterback. If Hanie and the Bears can't deliver a victory on Sunday against Seattle, their playoff hopes are all but dead.

Would the Bears' situation be different if general manager Jerry Angelo had acquired a veteran backup quarterback either before the season or when Cutler went down on Nov. 20? Our Four Downs panel weighs in on that and more:

Fact or Fiction: Jerry Angelo’s biggest mistake was not having a proven backup quarterback this season.

Jeff Dickerson: Fiction. Caleb Hanie's performance in the NFC Championship Game last year earned him the right to serve as the Bears No. 2 quarterback heading into 2011. While Hanie deserves some blame for the Bears' three-game losing streak, he is not the sole reason for the club's decline since Cutler broke his right thumb against San Diego. The Bears' quarterback mistake came when the team failed to sign Donovan McNabb after he was released by the Minnesota Vikings. McNabb would have provided a quality option after Hanie on the Bears' depth chart, an option that does not exist on the 53-man roster.

Michael C. Wright: Fact. Sure the Bears drafted Nathan Enderle, but the team needed to acquire someone experienced to compete with Hanie for that No. 2 job. Competition likely would have even made Hanie a better player. Perhaps the lockout affected Angelo’s decision-making process somewhat. Maybe he figured that bringing in someone new with no offseason, no organized team activities or minicamp would be worse than not acquiring someone at all. But the team should have learned from last season’s NFC title game that Cutler isn’t invincible, despite his reputation for toughness and durability. So it wouldn’t have been a bad idea to make a move for a quarterback. Surely the team couldn’t have been convinced that Hanie was a legitimate No. 2 based solely on practice and his limited action in the playoffs last year. But I do understand the team’s thinking on this. More and more around the league, teams are carrying just two quarterbacks on the roster. The Bears started the season with three, and I’m pretty sure they didn’t want to do that.

Melissa Isaacson Fiction. This has been a weakness of the Bears GM since he has been here. But unfortunately, he has made bigger mistakes than that this season like failing to strengthen the wide receiving corps. Roy Williams wasn’t much of an investment, but it still hasn’t exactly paid off like Angelo thought it would. The offensive line is actually over-achieving. Linebacker is thin. Marion Barber had been OK, but if the final analysis says that he cost the Bears a shot at the playoffs, that isn’t OK.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. Look around the league. Every so often, there is a T.J. Yates, or a Matt Cassel-type or even Kurt Warner, but there’s also no shortage of awful quarterbacks. It’s mystifying why, in a country that treats football as the official religion, there aren’t enough quarterbacks for the highest level of football. I blame it on the complicated offenses that teams run, and in this case, Mike Martz’s system. Warner was a once-in-a-lifetime type backup. Hanie is more of the reality. Angelo’s biggest mistakes were not paying for better receivers and linemen.

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Fact or Fiction: The Bears should bench Caleb Hanie.

Jeff Dickerson: Fiction. With Cutler on the shelf, Hanie remains the best healthy quarterback in the building. Despite all the poor passing numbers, the Bears have been in position to win every game with Hanie under center. Of course, the Bears need better play from the quarterback position, but it's not coming from Josh McCown or Enderle. This is where the Bears need a veteran such as McNabb on the bench in the event Hanie starts to turn the ball over against Seattle. That could work and be a way for the Bears to stay afloat until Cutler is ready to return. But given how the roster stands, the Bears need to stick with Hanie and hope for the best.

Michael C. Wright: Fiction. What other options are there other than a rookie (Enderle), and a guy that hasn’t played in the NFL since 2009 (McCown)? If the Bears decide to bench Hanie, it’s my opinion that it would come off as an admission the season is over. Well, there are still three games left to play, and the Bears aren’t out of contention. So the Bears shouldn’t rock the boat now because, believe it or not, Hanie played better against the Broncos than he did in his first two starts. Now, if the Bears end up losing Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, in my opinion, all bets are off. You might as well see what you’ve got in Enderle.

Melissa Isaacson: Fiction. What, and start McCown -- who obviously hasn’t been good enough to this point to convince coaches he has to be in the lineup -- from scratch, where he is bound to similarly struggle for the first few games? The problems with Hanie are no different than with most quarterbacks making their first NFL starts but obviously, there is no room for growing pains. Unless there is a clearly better alternative, however, I say stick with him and hope he -- and Martz -- can pull themselves together while also hoping the defense can continue to put the team in position to win.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. For whom? Hanie is the ugly reality of this season, as we’ve seen how valuable Cutler really is. McCown isn’t going to run the table. Hanie is doing the best he can. Unfortunately, we’re seeing the results of that effort. Reality, in this case, bites.

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Fact or Fiction: Kahlil Bell should get the majority of carries over Marion Barber.

Jeff Dickerson: Fiction. Bell needs more carries, but not the majority of the attempts. Barber ran for 108 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Broncos, so to remove him from the game plan this week might be a rash decision. Three brutal mistakes in the span of two weeks should result in Barber losing playing time, but Bell has never been a featured back in the NFL. Can he handle 20-25 carries in a game? Will he be productive? If the Bears were totally out of it, I'd bench Barber, but the playoffs remain technically within reach. Barber can still be the No. 1 running back with Bell taking on an increased role.

Michael C. Wright: Fiction. Barber’s miscues (three big ones over the last two games) are inexcusable for a seven-year veteran. But the team has to go with Barber’s experience in the heat of battle. Besides that, I’m not sure Bell is built for 20-plus carries. Barber pounded the Broncos for 108 yards on 27 attempts, and his style wears down opponents. But I’d like to see Barber’s attempts come down some and have Bell’s increase. Bell gives you that elusive, home run element that Barber doesn’t demonstrate consistently. So while Bell -- who actually speaks with the media, win or lose -- deserves more carries, I don’t think he should get more than Barber. I understand Barber has played a role in costing the Bears two games in a row. But he’s also part of the reason the team was in striking distance in those games.

Melissa Isaacson: Fiction. Why? Because of Barber’s boneheaded moves from last week? If you don’t trust him anymore, you cut him, you don’t reduce his carries. And while Barber never was a featured back, he can still gain 100 yards as he has proven. Giving Bell more carries wouldn’t be a bad idea, if only to keep defenses off balance. And if Bell continues to earn it, give him more carries.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. Barber was running hard all game until his late meltdown cost the Bears the win. Even after that game, and skipping out on his duties with the media, Barber can be very effective, and he and Bell should be sharing the carries. Bell should be getting around 10 a game, though, if not more. Let’s see what he can do.

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Fact or Fiction: Jay Cutler made Earl Bennett.

Jeff Dickerson: Fiction. I have no idea what's happened to Bennett the past three weeks, but he can still play regardless of who's lining up at quarterback every week. Sure, Bennett is Cutler's preferred target, especially on third down, but it's not as if Bennett depends on Cutler to be an NFL receiver. Cutler and Bennett spent just one season together at Vanderbilt before the quarterback was selected in the first round of the 2006 draft, which means Bennett had two highly productive years in college after Cutler left school. It's difficult on the receivers when a team is forced to turn to its No. 2 quarterback. Just look at Reggie Wayne in Indianapolis. He caught at least 100 balls from Peyton Manning in three of the past four years. This year he's made 56 receptions through 13 games. That's simply life in the NFL.

Michael C. Wright: Fiction. But it sure looks that way, doesn’t it? Bennett caught 14 passes for 251 yards in the last three games that Cutler played. In the three games Cutler has been out of the lineup, Bennett has caught just two passes for 10 yards. A big part of Bennett’s lack of production is the fact teams are now gearing up to shut him down. Because of his unbelievable chemistry with Cutler, Bennett has been an integral part of the offense, despite being a supposed lesser talent. But make no mistake, Bennett is a self-made guy. If you look at a lot of the receptions he’s had over the past two years, many of them have been short-to-intermediate passes that Bennett turned into big gains. So in a way, I think both Cutler and Bennett make one another. It’s just a shame that Hanie doesn’t look Bennett’s direction more often.

Melissa Isaacson: Fact. Not a bad theory. While Bennett is certainly a pro’s pro, Cutler has brought out the best in him, often finding Bennett on second and third options because he simply did not trust his other receivers. Because the two developed a rapport at Vanderbilt, they had a headstart and Cutler made it possible for Bennett to become the go-to receiver he has become. Would he have achieved that under any other quarterback, or been rewarded with a four-year, $18 million contract (as he was earlier this month)? Not likely.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. It’s not Bennett’s fault that Hanie isn’t very good. He’s not even getting looks, because Hanie can’t handle the pace of an NFL game. Earl is probably getting overpaid in his new deal, but he could be a solid option on any team. He just can’t get the ball.

DENVER -- Speculation circulated recently linking offensive coordinator Mike Martz to various college job openings, and one spot -- Jacksonville -- in the NFL. In fact, some reports -- which the coach denied last week -- actually indicated Martz was interested in leaving Chicago.

Interestingly though, such rumors have subsided for the most part. Bears general manager Jerry Angelo touched on Martz’s situation prior to Sunday’s game, and mentioned that several coaches in the final year of their contract worked through the ends of the deal, only to have the agreement renewed at the conclusion of the season.

Angelo insisted that Martz’s future won’t be addressed until after the season.

“All that will be addressed at the end of the season,” Angelo said. “Our focus right now is on today’s game, and next week’s game. The business will take care of itself.”

It should, given what appears to be an overall lack of interest in Martz around the NFL and college ranks. Bears coach Lovie Smith indicated he’d be interested in bringing back Martz for the 2012 season.

The front office likely feels the same because of the need to maintain continuity for quarterback Jay Cutler. Cutler has said he’d prefer to not have to learn his third offense in four seasons with a new coordinator. So count on the front office working hard this offseason to bring back Martz.

The Caleb Hanie era has been long on turnovers (six interceptions) and short on points (23) and wins (zero). Now that we've seen him start two games, did the Bears overvalue what they had in Hanie?

Our Four Downs panel weighs in on that and more:

Fact or Fiction: The Bears misjudged what they had in Hanie.

Jeff Dickerson: Fiction. The Bears knew exactly what they had in Hanie -- a quarterback light on experience who has the ability to make plays, but has also shown a tendency to turn the ball over. Obviously Hanie must perform better Sunday in Denver, but it would be nice if the rest of the offense helped him out. Don't forget that if a seven-year veteran running back (Marion Barber) knew how to line up properly or if an eight-year veteran wide receiver (Roy Williams) would have caught a perfectly thrown ball in front of the end zone, the Bears beat the Chiefs, despite pass protection issues up front. The Bears continue to believe they can win games with Hanie at quarterback, otherwise Lovie Smith would have made a switch this week.

Michael C. Wright: Fiction. The Bears used the only measuring they could in judging Hanie’s potential to fill in for Jay Cutler, and that was his practice performances over the years and how he played last season in the NFC title game. Going off those criteria, the Bears didn’t expect Hanie to be the team’s savior. But they certainly expected to him to get the club a few victories with Cutler out. I haven’t yet given up on Hanie because I believe he’s got it in him physically to lead this team where it needs to go. Now it’s just a matter of doing it. Hanie has put together two horrid performances so far. After three it’s no longer aberration. It becomes your body of work. So hopefully, Hanie makes me look smart this week.

Melissa Isaacson Fiction. According to Smith, the Bears knew exactly what they have in Hanie, and they are satisfied that he is a better alternative than anyone else on the market. Although I thought Hanie would look better than he did in the loss to the Chiefs, I don’t necessarily disagree. And while last year’s NFC Championship game is probably not a fair gauge of Hanie’s true ability, it obviously showed enough, along with his work with the scout team, to tell them he is an adequate No. 2. This is a tough test for any backup, and while Hanie has not been impressive, I believe the Bears thought that with support, he would be enough to get them to 10 wins.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. I think Mike Martz was pretty sure what he had in Hanie. He’s an undrafted free agent playing behind a pretty durable quarterback (these last two injuries notwithstanding). There aren’t a lot of really good backup quarterbacks out there, and Hanie benefited from, well, already being here. It’s not for nothing the Bears have drafted quarterbacks the last two drafts.

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Fact or Fiction: Josh McCown is still a better fit as a backup for the Bears at this point than Brett Favre or Donovan McNabb.

Jeff Dickerson: Fiction. Forget about Brett Favre. Even though the future Hall of Famer had been sniffing around the Bears quarterback situation the past two weeks, he was never seriously considered. However, I can make a strong argument the Bears depth chart against the Broncos should read: 1. Hanie 2. McNabb 3. McCown. I hope Nathan Enderle turns out to be an excellent NFL quarterback, but after dropping two straight, the Bears simply can't afford to turn the offense over to a rookie. McCown has value because of the experience factor and familiarity with the Martz system. But if Hanie ever got hurt, McNabb would be the best choice to step in and finish out a game, regardless of the fact he spent his career in a West Coast offense. He's Donovan McNabb. He can run 10-15 plays in an emergency appearance in his sleep.

Michael C. Wright: Fiction. This comes off like we’re bashing McCown, but that’s really not the case here. Ultimately at some point it comes down to the players more than systems or their familiarity in those systems. Much is made of McCown’s experience in Martz’s system. But how much experience did McCown actually gain? McCown worked just one year under Martz (2006), and actually caught more passes (2) as the third receiver than he threw (0) as a quarterback. So in my estimation, that doesn’t give McCown much of a leg up on Favre or McNabb in Martz’s scheme, which moves us to the next tie breaker: big-game experience. Favre has seen it all and done it, but may be washed up at 42 years old. McNabb, meanwhile, has also participated in several big games. Regardless of McNabb and Favre’s lack of familiarity in Martz’s system, I’d rather go down with them than McCown if my playoff life is on the line.

Melissa Isaacson: Fiction. The fact that Smith still considers Enderle to be the Bears’ No. 2 quarterback, ahead of McCown, is not exactly a ringing endorsement for McCown, even after just two weeks on the roster. An emergency signing is just that and should be able to come in with minimal preparation and manage the team well enough to win. That is not to say McNabb (Favre is a flier in every sense of the word) would march the Bears to the Super Bowl, but his experience and professionalism alone makes him worthy of at least the No. 2 role.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. I know both quarterbacks would be a major PR hassle for the team, and possibly one of those dreaded “distractions,” but either of those guys, even at their current stages of decay, could fake their way through Martz’s offense better than McCown. I know I’m in the minority here, but I’d like to see this ship really hit a iceberg, rather than sink quietly in the sea.

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Fact or Fiction: Matt Forte will play again this season.

Jeff Dickerson: Fact. This type of MCL sprain usually takes four weeks to heal. However, the Bears don't have that kind of time, so I expect Forte to return to action well before the knee is 100 percent. Extension or no extension, Forte wants to keep playing and will do whatever rehab is necessary to be active in a few weeks. I can't guarantee Forte is going to play well with a sprained knee, but I'd be surprised if he didn't at least give it a try against Green Bay or Minnesota.

Michael C. Wright: Fact. But I think that’s contingent upon the Bears winning their next two games against the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks. If the Bears fall out of the playoff hunt, then you have to question what incentive Forte has to return. Forte suffered a similar injury in 2009 and played through it, only to undergo arthroscopic surgery -- according to the Chicago Tribune -- at the conclusion of the season. Forte certainly won’t let his contract situation affect his decision making about returning from the injury. But if the team is out of contention, why lay it on the line for the team when in the offseason it could turn around and use the knee injury to devalue you?

Melissa Isaacson: Fact. Tough one to guess unless you are actually inside Forte’s head (and knee). But if he recovers quickly from a Grade 2 sprain and the Bears can still use his help, the latter of which is likely, I think he could return for the last game against Minnesota, if not sooner. If he is not risking serious injury -- which does not seem to be the case -- he’ll be back.

Jon Greenberg: Fact. I believe Forte will rejoin the team in Green Bay on Christmas Day. If he was the recalcitrant sort, he would have held out in training camp. Forte is a gamer, and he wouldn’t let down his teammates. He will do two weeks of rehab for his sprained MCL and then try to give the Bears a little help for their final two games.

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Fact or Fiction: Martz will not be back next season.

Jeff Dickerson: Fact. Why else would Martz's name begin to surface for job openings at UCLA, Arizona State or the Jacksonville Jaguars? It's not like he's done a smashing job calling plays for the Bears the last two years. By allowing his name to be floated out there, Martz is likely preparing himself for the next stage of his career. Make no mistake about it, Smith is loyal to his friends and has control over the coaching staff. But this scenario is a tad different because Martz's contract expires following the season. That makes parting with the veteran coach much easier.

Michael C. Wright: Fiction. Martz’s name has been linked to seemingly every coaching vacancy out there, but something about it all seems manufactured, which is something that often takes place at this time of year. Martz’s offenses with the Bears haven’t ranked in the top half of the league in two years. So what makes him such a hot coaching commodity that someone would want to bring him in as a head coach? Smith called the rumors “made up” on Monday, and has intimated that he’ll look to bring back his entire coaching staff -- if they’re not poached by other NFL teams or colleges -- for 2012. The Bears don’t want to put Cutler in a situation where he’d be forced to learn his third offense in four years, and the quarterback even expressed reservations about being thrust again in such a scenario. So although Martz’s contract expires at the end of the season, I see the Bears making an effort to bring him back. Besides that, there might not be many options out there for Martz, regardless of what’s being said.

Melissa Isaacson: Fact. It seems an odd fit to picture Martz as a head coach of a major college program at this stage of the game. But it would be even odder for the Bears to make a strong contract offer to have Martz back after two years of tension and uneven results on offense. Even Cutler made it sound like he’d be OK with Martz moving on and if Mike Tice steps up, which would be more in line with Smith’s vision, it wouldn’t have to be a difficult transition.

Jon Greenberg: Fact. Martz’s contract is up and the offense has never really coalesced, has it? In fact, the Bears’ offensive troubles are even more frustrating, given the presence of Cutler and Forte, before now anyway. Sure he’s only had two years to instill his byzantine system, and the so-called mad scientist has been given a second-hand laboratory, but the fit isn’t quite there. Where do you think all those college coaching interest leaks are coming from? I think everyone is pretty aware this is Martz’s last stand. I’m on the Norv Turner bandwagon, once he gets fired from San Diego. It’ll be Norvember four to five months a year!

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz declined to discuss rumors linking him to college and NFL head coaching vacancies.

Read the entire story.

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler admitted Wednesday that he was a little surprised by how much of the offense Mike Martz threw at Caleb Hanie in his first NFL start Sunday.

Hanie, who threw three interceptions and two touchdowns in a 25-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders, was starting in place of the injured Cutler and attempted 36 passes, compared to 27 rushing attempts.

"A little (surprised)," Cutler said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "But looking back at it now, that's how Mike operates. He felt probably deep in his heart that Caleb could handle it, that he's been in this system long enough (four years).

"But it's one of those things that until you really go out and experience a play, it's totally different than the classroom. You can sit in the classroom all day and there's a bunch of quarterbacks who can tell you the reads, ‘I'll go 1, 2, 3 here. Here's different coverages, here's what I do.' Until you're out there on the field and mess up and see it on film, and repeat the process, and get that ingrained into your brain, it's a totally different ballgame out there when bullets are flying."

Cutler, who directed an obscene remark toward Martz during a recent nationally televised game, was asked if he felt like grabbing a headset Sunday and telling the offensive coordinator to scale back.

"You guys have seen me say some things to Mike," Cutler said. "Mike's going to do what Mike does. He gets in a zone up there and he's going to call the plays he wants to call.

"We'll see how it goes this week. We'll get Matt (Forte) involved and Caleb will be better. He'll get more confident. Things are going to start to slow down for him."

Not surprisingly, Hanie said he had no issues with the play-calling.

"I feel confident with whatever Mike brings in," Hanie said. "He's been around here a long time. He's got great respect around the league as a play-caller, and he knows better than I what we should run.

"I just trust what he calls and roll with it. If the game is calling for more passing, then we'll see more passing. If the game is calling to get Matt and Marion (Barber) the rock and let them work, then let's do that. So, whatever he calls, I feel good with."

Hanie said he feels more confident heading into his second start on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, and Martz also is encouraged.



"The good news is he got better as the game went on," Martz said. "He had some miscues there early. Smart guy. Those things he's gonna have as he plays. But he has to memory bank that stuff and fix it. He'll do that. I was really pleased with him in the second half. He did a much better job."

Interestingly, Martz said Hanie was better with the more complicated calls.

"We were probably a little more conservative with him than we probably needed to be," Martz said. "We gave him some complicated stuff there and he just did marvelous with it. That touchdown he threw that first one was a sight adjustment involving multiple receivers. He saw it beautifully and just hit (Johnny Knox) in rhythm, and that was a full blitz. Everybody was coming.

"Right before that on third down we ran everybody out of there. It was only a five-man protection. He got to his third receiver on third down and made a big throw. So he sees things well. He gets through everything. He can do what we do. He just needs to play. I would expect him to start off where he left off [against Kansas City] in that game. I feel confident that he will."