Blocking out criticism
By TOM MUSICK -- Shaw Suburban Media
LAKE FOREST – Go ahead and take your shots at the Bears offensive line.
The unit’s captain, center Olin Kreutz, refuses to flinch.
“[Fans can] be as critical as they want,” Kreutz said this week at Halas Hall. “We want to improve, too. We’re more critical on ourselves than anybody could be on us, anyway.”
That seems hard to fathom. The Bears offensive line has emerged as a whipping post for an underachieving running game, bad penalties and pressure on quarterback Jay Cutler.
On sports talk shows, callers have labeled left guard Frank Omiyale as a “turnstile” and slammed 34-year-old left tackle Orlando Pace for being too old and slow to react. Critics also have targeted right guard Roberto Garza and right tackle Chris Williams for their roles in shaping the NFL's 27th-ranked rushing offense.
Is all of that criticism fair?
“It is what it is,” said Omiyale, who signed a four-year, $11.5 million contract in February. “We know that all in all, we’re all we’ve got. We’ve got to stick together throughout thick and thin.”
If fans were hoping to see reserve guard Josh Beekman replace Omiyale, keep hoping. Bears coach Lovie Smith said he would make no changes to the offensive line Sunday at Cincinnati.
“We’re a 3-2 team that has made some mistakes in all areas,” Smith said. “But we like the group that we’re putting on the field.”
The front five has changed by 60 percent this season, with Pace, Omiyale and Williams each new to the starting lineup. After five games, Kreutz described the line as a work in progress.
“It’s mostly learning each other,” Kreutz said. “We have to learn exactly where every guy is going to be. When we get to that point, we’ll be where we want to be. But we have to get there pretty soon.”
Apparently, more than six weeks of training camp and seven weeks of the regular season has not been enough time for the offensive line to connect. Coaches and players insist that they are not concerned by the team's trouble running the football for first downs and touchdowns.
The Bears have only three rushing touchdowns to go with 10 passing touchdowns. They have passed for 74.4 percent of their first downs after managing a 60-40 balance of passing first downs to running first downs in 2008.
“We’re not going to overreact on it,” Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. “Obviously, it’s not where we want it to be. But it’s going to get there. We’ve got a lot of confidence in our offensive line and our running backs and in what we’re doing."
Omiyale said the problems quickly could be fixed by staying lower and blocking at better angles. He moved from offensive tackle to guard this season, which has required extra work.
“The biggest adjustment has just been learning how to work with the center and the tackle,” Omiyale said. “Whereas [at] tackle, you’re more out by yourself.”
Although critics have bashed Omiyale, the 26-year-old Tennessee native has tried to stay positive. He reviewed tape this week of the Bears' game at Atlanta, in which Matt Forte managed only 23 yards on 15 carries.
“There are some things I definitely could have done better, but there are some other good things I did,” Omiyale said. “So that’s what I’m trying to build on.”
Fortunately, the Bears still have time.
“We do have to improve in a lot of areas,” Kreutz said. “After a loss, you take your criticism and you go back to work. But the great thing about the NFL is there’s a game coming up Sunday.”
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