The Bears have fired Lovie Smith

[tishaLA]

I'm really surprised. I'm not from Chicago, so I don't know what people there think, but he's always struck me as a good coach. I hope he finds another position soon.

Missing the playoffs for the second straight year has cost Bears coach Lovie Smith his job.

The Bears have fired Smith this morning, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The move comes a day after the team finished its second consecutive season out of the playoffs.

Although the Bears won their final two games to finish 10-6 and remain until playoff contention until Sunday afternoon, the Vikings beating the Packers to take the final wild card spot sealed Smith’s fate.

Smith made the playoffs three times and reached the Super Bowl once in Chicago, but he missed the playoffs in five of his last six seasons, and as a result he will not be back. Chicago will look for a new coach, and Smith will look for a new job.

ProfootballTalk

[Scuba]

1. They should fire many of their players instead.

Plus the guy who traded Kyle Orton and two, count 'em, two, first-round draft choices for Jay Cutler.

[Son of Gob]

6. The guy who traded Orton and the picks was fired last season

and it wasn't for that trade. That was the best move he ever made. What is Orton doing? What did the draft picks amount to? Nothing is the answer. Orton is a backup and draft picks are a crapshoot.

The Bears gave Lovie nine years. It's time to try someone else.

[Scuba]

8. Orton is a backup and Cutler is a ???

[ProfessorGAC]

10. A Starter

See how easy this is.

Come on, if you are a fan of this team, you know Cutler is better than Orton. His stats are better, his winning percentage as a starter is better, and he's more physically gifted.

The Cutler hate among Bear fans eludes me. Worst offensive line in the NFC, just one receiver, and a running back who got his money and then underperformed, and it's Cutler's fault?
GAC

[Son of Gob]

12. The Cutler hate among Bear fans is virtually nonexistent.

He's the best QB the Bears have had in almost 70 years. There are very, very few meatballs clamoring for the days of Rex Grossman/Orton or the litany of other shitty QB's that have passed through before the Cutler trade.

[RockaFowler]

2. Why??

I know a lot of Chicago fans that thought they needed to clean house. Not sure why. But OK. A guy has a winning record. Doesn't make it to the playoffs. Gets fired. Why does Rex have a job again??

[TheBadWolf]

3. Stupid, stupid decision.

I don't understand how a 10-6 coach can get canned. Smith will find work again in no time.

[fishwax]

4. there were bears fans hoping they wouldn't make the playoffs because that might save Lovie's job

I've been listening to Chicago sports radio on occasion for the last few weeks, and heard several callers (and even hosts) expressing that opinion. He won more than he lost and did take them to the Super Bowl a few years ago, but he's only made the playoffs three times in nine years, and has missed on five out of the last six. Most importantly, he's made questionable decisions in building an offensive coaching staff. He's obviously built a great defense, but that hasn't been enough.

They had the worst offense in the league his first season, so he fired the OC and brought in Ron Turner. Turner had been the Bears OC in the 90s, and they had some good offenses, but he'd been out of the league for about ten years, and times had changed. They had a good scoring offense the year they went to the Super Bowl, but it was smoke and mirrors provided mostly by good field position from special teams and defense. They were 2nd in scoring but only 15th in yards. And that was the only year (up until this one, when they finished 16th) that they finished in the top half of the league in yards.

After firing Turner he hired Mike Martz to coach the offense. Based on his success with the Warner/Faulk Rams, I guess? Nine years before? Yeah, those offenses were great, but his stints as OC in Detroit and San Francisco were not successful. So he lasted two years in Chicago and then they promoted Mike Tice. It hasn't worked.

Apparently they want to interview Broncos Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy. Given what he's done in making the playoffs for two straight years with two very different QBs, I think he's a great candidate.

[HughBeaumont]

5. Come to the Browns!!

Most Clevelan_ Br_wns fans would give their entire porno cache for 9-7 at this point.

Of course, he'll need a better quarterback. And receivers. And a defensive line.

Oh, and corners who won't get continually burned.

[madinmaryland]

7. Hey Auggie: Is this you??

[Upton]

9. Missed the playoffs 5 out of the last 6 years..

Bears started this season 7-1, and managed to lose 5 of their final 8. If Smith had been coaching the 49ers, he would have already been gone...and justifiably so..

[ProfessorGAC]

11. It's The Five Of Six That Cinched It

Also, the GM was told he had to keep Smith for at least one year when he got hired. Smith was not his choice for coach, so Lovie had the sword of Damacles over his head since last January. This is a matter of the other shoe dropping.