Ron Turner did not look or sound like an offensive coordinator working his last game for the Bears even if Sunday’s game plan looked at times like one devised by someone playing with nothing to lose.
“I expect to [be back],” Turner said. “I’m looking forward to moving forward and taking the next step.”
Turner has two years remaining on the three-year contract he signed this year. Coach Lovie Smith, while not ruling out staff changes entirely, said, “As far as major changes, no.” As far as having plans to make a change at coordinator? “No, I don’t,” Smith said.
Turner is no stranger to criticism and had vultures circling over his job during his last two years as Illinois’ coach, as well as this year in Chicago. He did not necessarily throw caution to the winds Sunday, but he did have the Bears throwing just about everything else.
Devin Hester was sent in to run a flanker-option pass. Tailback Adrian Peterson found time among his 21 carries to throw a halfback option pass to Bernard Berrian for a touchdown.
Kyle Orton managed the offense to 10 conservative wins in 2005 under Turner. Turned loose Sunday with a go-deep game plan, Orton completed a modest 12 of 27 passes but had two TD passes vs. one interception and an average of 6.8 yards per pass attempt, with six receivers making at least one catch of 12 yards or longer.
Orton will return in 2008 with a chance at winning the No. 1 job. He is not in the business of staff recommendations but left no doubt he would like it to be for Turner.
“Someone coming in with a new system would be tough,” Orton said. “Ron’s had a lot of success in his career, he’s a good coach and a lot of guys have his back.”
Turner has been criticized this season for being too conservative and for any number of other offenses that go with a 7-9 record. But if he can be faulted at times for not letting certain elements of the offense loose, it has not been for a lack of wanting to.
The Hester option pass, intended as a first-down play, was to be the call five times at Minnesota. All five times, the Bears failed to convert and set up the play. On Sunday Turner simply ran it to open a possession. The difference: The Bears were averaging 2.9 per carry against the Vikings; they were averaging 5.5 at the time against New Orleans. Never mind that Hester was sacked for a 15-yard loss.
“If you’re not moving the chains, not getting first downs, not executing the base part of the offense, it’s hard to get in rhythm to do stuff like that,” Turner said. “Devin was supposed to throw it. We didn’t get the coverage we wanted. They gave us Cover-2 to that side and the safety did a good job of reading it.
“I figured when Devin got the ball, everybody would come running up on him, but the safety stayed back deep. [Devin] was trying to direct some traffic and get Bernard going. He’s got a great arm, something we can and will use.”
Turner said he was not looking over his shoulder Sunday. “I’m coming in tomorrow,” he said, “ready to start addressing 2008.”
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jmullin@tribune.com
