Chicago Bears
NFL Team Column
By Bryan Dietzler
2011 NFL Draft Review
Losing Cutler doesn’t Mean It’s the End for the Bears
Every Bears fan knows by now that the chances of quarterback Jay Cutler coming back this season are slim to none. He has admitted that the injury was a little more serious than was first thought and this might keep out the rest of the season. This will be a downer to Bears fans because they could use Cutler to help them win some of their upcoming games much more effectively and could even help them beat the Packers in that Christmas contest.
Now the Bears are being quarterbacked by four year player Caleb Hanie. Hanie has very limited starting experience and while he may not be the ideal quarterback for the Bears right now he’s what they have and Chicago is going to have to deal with it.
In their first game with Hanie at the helm, we saw what the actions of an inexperienced quarterback can do. Hanie had the turnovers that we might have expected from a quarterback that’s never started an NFL game but those turnovers could have been avoided. He also failed to manage the game well in terms of what decisions he made and could stand to make better decisions.
But some of the decisions that he made were made for him by the coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz called some odd plays during the course of the game leaving some to wonder if he thought Cutler was still in the lineup. The one play on a fake reverse made a drive stall. Martz has to be much better with what he calls.
The Bears can win with Hanie, there is no doubt about that. Their schedule will allow them to win just about every game (perhaps not against the Packers) and they should be able to make the playoffs. All they have to do is win but that’s easier said than done.
But the Bears can win with Hanie and it’s going to be proven soon. Hanie has what it takes to fill in nicely for Cutler while he’s out and can lead this team to wins. He will have to get help from all of his teammates especially from his receivers. If they can help him out he will succeed.
Another way that he can succeed is to be able to benefit from the running game. In their game against the Raiders, the Bears had a lot of rushing yards and that just about led them to a win. If they can use the running game to help set things up for Hanie in the future then they will find themselves in a much better situation.
Chicago can win with Hanie? And yes they can and they will make the playoffs with him at the quarterback position.
How Carimi’s Loss has hurt the Bears
The Bears offensive line has managed to protect quarterback Jay Cutler much better over the past three games but they are still missing something. What could that something be?
In the 2011 NFL Draft, the Bears drafted offensive tackle Gabe Carimi out of the University of Wisconsin to help them shore up their offensive line. This was the same offensive line that allowed Bears quarterbacks to be sacked 56 times last year. Carimi was a model of good healthy in school and was known as one of the best offensive linemen in the nation.
With the lockout shortened offseason, Carimi never really got a chance to get a lot of work with the team and came in underdeveloped. Despite that, he won the starting right tackle job in training camp and began the season as the starter at that position.
He had his faults but he was learning quickly but just a few games into the season, Carimi ended up suffering a dislocated knee cap and has been out for a while. It was thought that he would make it back in time for the Bears game against the Eagles but he didn’t make it back and that leaves a hole still at the right tackle position.
In order to try to stabilize that position the Bears stuck Frank Omiylae there in the spot and the results were disastrous. Omiyale could do nothing to stop the rushers ahead of him and they ended up replacing him with guard Lance Louis. Omiylae will set foot on the field again only after the Bears went through all of their options at the position.
It’s amazing that he is still on the team.
And Louis isn’t bad (he has been playing pretty well) but Carimi is much better and gives the Bears exactly what they need at the position.
But there is one more unfortunate thing that the Bears re suffering from with Carimi being out. Actually it’s more of what Carimi is missing while he is out and that’s his development as an NFL offensive lineman. The Bears are going to need him to keep developing because they need his kind of talent on the offensive line. With him sitting on the bench injured he’s not developing at all and therefore will be behind the curve when he returns when the Bears need him most.
Injuries happen to everyone but it is particularly frustrating for rookies. Rookies need all of the experience that they can get and losing time sets them back. And depending on what position the player plays or what kind of team they are on, missing any amount of time could be very detrimental to their career.
The Bears need to hope that Carimi makes it back from his injury soon so that he can continue his development and make a difference on the line. Right now, the Bears are just injury away on any position on the line (except perhaps at center) from disaster so getting Carimi back will help add depth. But he has to be healthy enough to play.
The Bears Defensive Line: There's work to do:
The Bears have usually had a pretty strong defense over the course of their long history but as has happened in the past the defense has become somewhat suspect. Granted, they were going against some of the better offenses in the NFL (the Saints, Packers and Lions) in their three losses but we have to wonder what happened against a rookie quarterback in Cam Newton and the near successful comeback by the Buccaneers in London.
What is happening to the defense?
You know that it all starts up front and the Bears haven’t been playing that well on the defensive line. Things have gotten better over the last two games but they have had their struggles and it’s caused them problems winning games and holding leads. Julius Peppers is playing injured but he’s playing well although imagine how much better he would be if he was playing healthy.
Israel Idonije is holding his own for the most part but hasn’t had the kind of impact that he had last season. The Bears are rotating in some other defensive ends and while they have had flashes of brilliance they haven’t established themselves yet.
Perhaps were the problems on the defensive line lie is in the interior. They lost Matt Toeaina to an injury a few games ago and have been using a combination of Stephen Paea, Henry Melton and Anthony Adams in there ever since. There are times when the combination is good and other times where it doesn’t work that well.
Is there anything that the Bears can do to fix their defensive line this season? One thing that would help would be to get healthy. No one plays well when they are injured so hopefully the bye week will have helped guys like Peppers and Toeaina get healthy and thus be more productive. A healthy Peppers is vital to making the whole thing work.
The Bears got some good play out of Henry Melton in their first game (against the Falcons) but he has since gotten lost and hasn’t performed as well as he had in that first game. If Melton isn’t the answer then the Bears need to do something else at the position.
But still, if he doesn’t perform the Bears may need to think about getting someone in there to replace him on a much more regular basis.
At the end position, the Bears have been trying to give Nick Reed some time in the lineup and he’s had his moments. He’s not a permanent solution by any means but if the Bears can switch things up a little bit and get something different going on defense with him in the lineup then they will be better off for it.
The Bears defensive line has been the focal point of the Bears defense for many years now. Even before the Bears brought Lovie Smith into Chicago the Bears defensive line has been an important part of making things work. The Bears need this to happen this year, with good performance from the line, to make their defense work properly and help them win games.
Is It Time for Another Quarterback?
You have to admit, things haven’t been so good since Jay Cutler arrived in Chicago a few years back. In this first season with the Bears he was picked off so many times you wondered if he was playing for the other team. Yes, the Bears didn’t have that good of an offensive coordinator at the time (Ron Turner was the offensive coordinator when Cutler first arrived in Chicago) and after that one season a new offensive coordinator was in town.
That offensive coordinator was Mike Martz and with his experience in offenses, it was thought that he would be able to take Cutler and turn him into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Butso far only negative things have happened with Cutler. He’s been unable to become the quarterback that the Bears had thought that he would be when they brought him in (and traded the house to get him). And yes there are several things that were out of his control that have contributed to his inability to be the quarterback that everyone thought that he would be.
But still, he could be playing much better than he has been in during his three plus years in Chicago.
So what should the Bears do? Granted, they aren’t going to be doing anything this year but when the season comes to an end they may have some decisions to make.
It’s very unlikely that Martz is going to be back again next year so the Bears are going to have to bring in their third offensive coordinator in the Cutler tenure. We have seen the effect of what happens when a quarterback is exposed to too many different systems over the course of time (see guys like Jason Campbell and Alex Smith for perfect examples of what happens when you aren’t able to have consistency at the offensive coordinator position). So could Cutler be ruined by all of these changes?
Depending on whom the Bears decide to get as their offensive coordinator it may be of some benefit for the Bears to think about what they want to do with Cutler. It’s going to take another year in another system for Cutler to get the experience he will need to run the offense well and with that Cutler could be coming out of his prime.
Would the Bears want to do in this instance? Would they end up trading Cutler to another team for a player or a draft pick that might help them bring in a quarterback that may be able to fit their new system better? Or would they try to keep Cutler and let him learn another offensive system?
It’s unlikely that the Bears would trade Cutler as long as head coach Lovie Smith is still around and since he signed a contract extension it’s likely that the Bears aren’t going to get rid of Smith anytime soon. But would it be good for the Bears to let him go and start over?
The Bears got a good quarterback when they got Cutler but he has just had a rough time developing as the Bears starter. The Bears have never had great success at the quarterback position having seen success only in short spurts. Their greatest success has come with the running game and on defense.
So is it time to get rid of Cutler? Not just yet but when the Bears select their next offensive coordinator at the end of the season, they need to keep his interests in mind.
Can the Bear’s Repeat in the NFC North in 2011?
It’s hard to believe that the Bears actually won the NFC North last year whereas the Green Bay Packers entered the playoffs as wild card and then won it all. With the Packers seemingly getting better along with the Detroit Lions looking good is it even possible that the Bears will be able to repeat as NFC North champs yet again this coming season?
It seems that every year since head coach Lovie Smith came to the Bears we have been talking about problems on offense, in particular, with the passing game. This year it appears as if those problems in the passing game may have and could give Chicago problems in 2011.
The problems on offense for the Bears begin at the front with their offensive line. With plenty of opportunity to improve the line during the offseason the Bear essentially made just two acquisitions for that unit. One was to bring in rookie Gabe Carimi to play the right tackle position while the other move was to bring in center/guard Chris Spencer.
It’s still too early to tell but it appears as if the Bears offensive line may still have problems this year despite the fact that they had a decent enough preseason. They haven’t been able to get the chemistry on that unit that is required to help make it solid and hopefully they will be able to get things put together and have a strong season.
The wide receiver position has come under some scrutiny this preseason after the Bears ended up signing former Detroit Lion and Dallas Cowboys receiver Roy Williams. It was thought that the acquisition of Williams would solve the Bears problems of not having a number one wide receiver but Williams play this preseason has been suspect and the Bears may end up having some problems at the receiver position if he doesn’t pan out.
The running back position may actually be better this year than it was last year. Matt Forte will remain the starter and be ready to have a stellar season. It looks as if former Dallas Cowboy Marion Barber is going to supplant Chester Taylor and he will see a lot of action this season.
At the tight end position, with Greg Olsen gone, it looks like Kellen Davis is going to be the starter with Matt Spaeth and quite possibly Kyle Adams backing him up.
On defense, the Bears will see some additions on their defensive line. We can expect pretty much the same group back along with a few additions including second round draft pick Stephen Paea and the ever impressive former Houston Texans Amobi Okoye. The defensive line should be even better than it was last year.
At linebacker, the Bears will return middle linebacker Brian Urlacher and outside linebacker Nick Roach back as starters but their other starter from last season, Lance Briggs, has thrown a wrench into the Bears plans and may or may not be there to start the season. If he ends up either holding out or being traded the Bears are going to struggle here.
Beyond that this group is pretty thin. Special teams ace Brian Iwuh will provide backup.
The secondary will be without safety Danieal Manning as he’s moved on to play for the Houston Texans. Major Wright and Chris Harris will take over and if they can both stay healthy then the Bears should be set at safety. Chicago also nabbed Brandon Merriweather and he will help solidify the position this season.
The cornerback group will stay pretty much the same and Tim Jennings, the often maligned starting cornerback from last year appears to be ready to start again. Charles Tillman is starting to show some signs of age but is still very effective at the position.
Punter Brad Maynard is no longer with the team and the Bears are going to go with Adam Podlesh as their starter at the position this season. Robbie Gould remains the kicker while Podlesh will be the holder.
Devin Hester will see action on punt returns while it appears as if Johnny Knox is going to be their main kickoff return specialist. You can expect to see Hester on kickoff returns as well.
The Bears have high hopes that the combinations that they put together will get them back into the playoffs and on into the Super Bowl. They have a lot of the same players back this year and with another year in the offensive system (known as the Mike Martz system) the Bears offense should be ready to go.
Their defense, with some added depth this preseason, looks even better than they did last year and as long as they stay healthy they should be able to dominate.
A repeat performance of last year is definitely not out of the question for the Bears.
After All of the Changes can the Bears win again in 2011?
If you have been keeping up with the Bear’s this offseason, you know that there have been several changes that have taken place that will make the Bears a different team compared to last year’s squad.
So what are some of the key changes that the Bears have gone through during the past couple of weeks? What kind of impact will the changes that this team has gone through have on the team as a whole during the season? Will the additions make up for the losses or will the losses be too much for the Bear’s to overcome?
Let’s find out as we take a look at some of the key moves that the Bears have made this offseason.
Loss of Olin Kreutz
Center Olin Kreutz has been the starting center for the Bears since before head coach Lovie Smith took over the team and now he’s gone. The Bears decided to go for youth at the position and let Kreutz walk (he has now signed with the Saints). Without Kreutz there to help keep their offensive line together and solidified the Bears may struggle on that all important unit and they cannot afford to have problems on their offensive line in 2011.
Loss of Rashied Davis
While this may not seem like that big of a loss, especially since the Bears did re-sign special teams ace Corey Graham, the loss of Davis does hurt them at the wide receiver position. With no real outstanding signings taking place at the position, which is probably the neediest position on the team, there could be trouble. The loss of Davis doesn’t make anything better for the Bears.
The trade of Greg Olsen
Olsen was one of the Bears best pass catchers last season but in offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s offense tight ends are there to block and do little else. So, Chicago traded away a valuable asset in the passing game leaving them open for issues this season if they aren’t able to find some upgrades at the wide receiver position.
The re-signing of Desmond Clark and signing of Matt Spaeth
As a result of the trade of Greg Olsen the Bears found it prudent to re-sign Clark. Clark wasn’t used that much last season but, if he makes it through training camp, he should be able to be a limited target in the passing game. Former Pittsburgh Steeler Matt Spaeth was also brought in to be a blocking tight end (after the Bears let last year’s “big” acquisition Brandon Manumaleuna go) so the Bears appear to be set at the tight end position.
Roy Williams will try to give the Bears what they haven’t had in a while and that’s a true number one wide receiver. Williams struggled in Detroit and Dallas but the Bears hope that he will be able to pick it up and play better in Chicago. Can he end up being the number one wide receiver that Chicago has been looking for? This is his third and final chance to make an impact in the NFL so hopefully he will be able to do that in Chicago.
Chicago signed William’s teammate from Dallas, running back Marion Barber as well and he should figure into the Bear’s plans at running back. With Chester Taylor considered somewhat of a “failed experiment” from last year, the Bears may decide to keep Barber and let Taylor walk. Barber, providing he can stay healthy, would be an excellent goal line option for the Bears and could give them a hard running back for short yardage situations.
Some of the other players that the Bears signed include defensive tackle Amobi Okoye and defensive end Vernon Gholston. The Bears may be able to get some use out of one or both of these players during the regular season the Bear’s defensive line should be even better. The Bears did bring back both Brian Iwuh and Nick Roach at the outside linebacker position and Roach looks as if he will win the job opposite Lance Briggs.
Center Chris Spencer, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, was signed by the Bears to take over for former center Kreutz. Chicago also brought in wide receivers Sam Hurd and Dane Sanzenbacher among others.
Chicago re-signed special teams ace Corey Graham, running back Kahlil Bell, quarterback Caleb Hanie and defensive tackle Anthony Adams along with guard Edwin Williams.
The Bears did let tight end Brandon Manumaleuna go after he failed to impress last season.
So with all of the changes that have taken place this offseason are the Bears better or worse off than they were last year?
Right now it would appear that the Bears are better off going into 2011 but they have a lot to prove. They need to prove that they are much better on the offensive line and that the addition of Williams will help them in the passing game. If they can get good production at both of those spots (the offensive line and at wide receiver) and keep things going well on defense the Bears could end up right back where they were last season.
Can the Bears Win the North Again in 2011?
The Bears were not the favorite to win the NFC North last year. It was expected that the team would have a long road ahead of them learning the new offense and having to deal with a lack of talent at the wide receiver position as well as the offensive line. Anyone who watched the Bears during the preseason (which is essentially worthless but still used as a barometer for teams) may have been scared at what they saw with Bears quarterbacks getting sacked many times over.
Not that they didn’t really improve that in the regular season but the Bears appeared to be headed on a downward spiral as they prepared to start the regular season.
What happened next? Chicago went 11-5 and got all the way to the NFC Championship game where they lost to division rival Green Bay. No one expected them to get so far in 2010 and now we ask, can they do it again in 2011.
In order for the Bears to have success next season they needed to take care of some key needs on the team. First, they needed to get some help on the offensive line, then they needed to add a number one wide receiver and add some depth and a possible starter at the outside linebacker position. They also needed to find a more than adequate replacement for the departed Tommie Harris.
Chicago did make an improvement to their offensive line and got that defensive tackle to replace Harris. They didn’t get all the pieces that they needed to help improve their offensive line but they definitely did something to help move themselves in the right direction. The also ended up getting a very effective replacement for Harris so there should be no worries there.
The Bears did not get the number one wide receiver that they need to help make their offense work but still have a shot to get one in whatever free agent period the NFL might have. Without that number one receiver the offense will not be able to work as well as it could.
But there are other factors involved as to whether or not the Bears will be able to repeat as NFC North Champions next year and they are not within the Bears control.
Their division has gotten better and the Packers will be hot once again next season while the Lions, who have really improved themselves are not going to be an easy two wins for the Bears any longer.
And the teams that they play in 2011 have gotten better as well. So can the Bears push through and get to the Super Bowl or will they have a much more difficult time getting there this year?
The Bears did some nice things during the offseason but may not have done enough (and with the restrictions on free agency they may not have been able to do enough) to improve and continue to make themselves competitive. They got one player for their offensive line and while he’s good and will help them improve they could have added some additional talent in the draft. This means that the Bears will be walking into the 2011 season with essentially the same group of offensive linemen that they had last year.
The failure to get a number one wide receiver is also something that is going to make things difficult for the Bears and their offense next year. We saw that without that number one guy they cannot stretch the field and defenses have a much easier time defending against the passing game.
So the Bears will definitely not have an easy time of it this season. Unless they can (and are able) to make additional adjustments to their team in free agency they aren’t going to be able to fill some of the holes remaining on the team.
And with the Lions getting better and no longer being a push over as well as the Packers getting all of their players back and healthy it’s going to be a much tougher year for the Bears. But they can do it and hopefully they will be able to.
Chicago Bears Post Draft Review
The 2011 NFL Draft has come and gone and like we have had with most any NFL Draft, there were a few surprises in this one. The Bears went into this year’s drafts with some specific needs and walked out a couple of nice players and some head scratchers.
Their needs on the offensive were partially met with their first round pick and that was a good move by the Bears. They didn’t reach with that pick and got a guy that doesn’t come pre-injured like they did when they brought in Chris Williams. This pick really helped them out.
Their need to replace the departed Tommie Harris was met soundly with a guy that could have easily gone in the latter part of the first round in Stephen Paea. This was an excellent pick.
Things got a little bit dicey from there on out as the Bears selected a safety with one starting college season, a quarterback and someone that shouldn’t have even been drafted so the tail end of the Bears draft was not as good as it should have been.
Let’s take a look at the Bear’s five draft picks giving them each a grade and then one final grade for their draft overall.
Round 1, Pick 29: Gabe Carimi-OT-Wisconsin-Chicago had needs on the offensive line and they took care of at least one of their most important needs by taking him. Carimi has been projected to be a right tackle in the NFL and this presents the Bears with an interesting situation. For one, they could go ahead and let him try out for the left tackle position where current starter Frank Omiyale isn’t cutting it.
Or they could move starting right tackle J’Marcus Webb over to the left side and let Carimi complete for the right tackle spot where he would almost assuredly win. This seems like the most likely scenario especially since the Bears like Webb and think that he can play the left tackle position.
Overall this is a great pick and one that will help the Bears out for many years to come.
Grade: A
Round 2, Pick 53-Stephen Paea-DT-Oregon State-The Bears ended up with a player that they coveted before the draft and got him in a great spot in the draft. It was surprising to see Paea fall into the second round of the draft and the Bears just couldn’t pass him up.
Paea has the size and the speed that the Bears covet in their defensive tackles and gives them a lot of strength at the point of attack which is exactly what they need. Not only can he play the run well but he can also get up the field and rush the passer. He’s the ideal fit for the Bears.
Grade: A
Round 3, Pick 93rd-Chris Conte-S-California-This became the Bear’s first head scratcher in this year’s draft. While Conte had been advancing up draft boards and could have been a solid late round prospect the Bears defined convention and selected him in the third round of the draft. Conte had only started his senior season at California and while he did receiver All Pac-10 honors he doesn’t have the experience that is needed to play the position.
Couple that with poor pass protection skills and the Bears may have gotten much less than they bargained for. Unfortunately they will have to keep him on the roster (at least this year) because of his draft status. And someone will have to leave to make room for Conte and so it will be interesting to see who the Bears let walk.
Grade: D
Round 5, Pick 160-Nathan Enderle-QB-Idaho-As the draft drew closer we started to hear rumors that the Bears could be in the market for a quarterback in the draft and sure enough the Bears lived up to the hype and took Enderle in the fifth round. This pick seemed like a mistake at first but the more that you evaluate this pick the more that you see that it does actually make sense.
If the Bears can get offensive coordinator Mike Martz signed to a longer term deal (this is currently something that the team is working on) he will have the time he needs to develop Enderle and make him a potential starter either for the Bears or for another NFL team. There is no rush to get Enderle into starting shape so he won’t be forced into anything.
Keep an eye on his development as he could become an important part of the Bear’s future later on down the road.
Grade: C+
Round 6, Pick 195-J.T. Thomas-OLB-West Virginia
The Bears went into this draft needing some help at the outside linebacker position because both Nick Roach and Pisa Tinoisamoa remained unsigned heading into the draft period. What they came out with was a guy that was rated by most as an undrafted free agent and would have a long way to go to make the roster.
The Bears may have been thinking special teams here with this pick because it’s difficult to think that Thomas is going to be able to be a starter at some point in his career. He doesn’t have the mechanics to rush the passer (which is something important in the outside linebacker position) and he could be a liability if he makes the roster.
The Bears certainly could have done something better here.
Grade: F
Overall:
The Bears failed to address needs at the center, guard and cornerback position in this draft and if free agency works out the way that everyone thinks that it will they won’t find any help there. It doesn’t come as a surprise that the Bears didn’t adhere to trying to fix some of their holes in the later rounds of the draft as Jerry Anglo tends to lock onto players he likes, no matter what their value and selects them later on in the draft.
The Bears got two great players to start and this helps make their draft get a much higher draft than they would have had if they hadn’t had drafted these two players. Enderle is a nice prospect and one that they can develop for the future but Conte and Thomas may not help them that much.
Overall Grade: B-
Chicago Bears Draft Possibilities: A Full Six Round Mock Draft
(Note: Chicago doesn’t have a seventh round pick so this is only a six round mock).
If ever there was a time where the Bears needed to have a solid draft in order to stay in the hunt for the playoffs and maintain what their team has been doing that time is now. Chicago had a surprising run to the NFC Championship game last year and you can’t find anyone who will tell you that this is exactly what they expected Chicago to do. Everyone felt that Chicago would either just miss the playoffs or not even come close to making them so needless to say, this season was a surprise.
Chicago could have had a much better season had they been able to protect quarterback Jay Cutler. All of their losses can be traced to their lack of pass protection and had they had better pass protection we might be talking about the Bears as a Super Bowl winner and not a team that fell just short of getting there.
So pass protection is something that the Bears have to concentrate on in this draft and they need to strike early and often there.
The defensive line could also use some help and the Bears may juggle with picking an offensive linemen or a defensive tackle right up until they make their pick in the first round. Depending on who you listen to the Bears may be leaning towards taking a defensive tackle with that first pick but will probably wait to see who is there at number 29 before making a clear decision as to who they are going to draft.
As the draft approaches we are now starting to get a better look at which teams are interested in which players and what positions team is looking at drafting. The Bears have shown us their cards just a little bit in saying that they are very interested in drafting a defensive lineman but they could be just using that as a smokescreen to help hide their real intentions.
The following is a full six round mock draft for the Bears heading into the month of April with a pick for each round and some reasons why this pick makes sense.
Round One, Pick 29: Mike Pouncey-G/C-Florida-This would be the ideal pick for the Bears if he was around when Chicago made their pick at number 29 (odds are he will probably be gone by then). Chicago has openly stated that that they may not be looking for an offensive lineman in the draft and this may have been something created so that other teams don’t think that they are going to choose an offensive lineman and he slides to them.
If they miss on Pouncey than Wisconsin offensive tackle Gabe Carimi would be their next best option if he is there.
Round Two, Pick 30 (62nd Overall): Jarvis Jenkins-DT-Clemson-If the Bears don’t get a defensive lineman in the first round then they will most likely try to get one in the second round and with there being some good possibilities here, they may want to go for someone like Jenkins. Jenkins is a guy that could fit pretty well in the Bear’s 4-3 Cover Two defensive scheme and with a little work could be a good prospect to have in their tackle rotation.
Round Three, Pick 29 (93rd Overall)-Clint Boling-G-Georgia-The Bears need to add some help at the guard position and may want to take a look at Boling, a guy that could fill that need. With the status of Chris Williams up in the air (in playing the guard position) and Roberto Garza getting older now is the time for the Bears to start getting some help at the guard position. Boling would be a nice addition to the team and could learn behind Garza replacing him, eventually in the lineup.
Round Four, Pick 30 (126th Overall)-Jah Reid-OT-Central Florida-Reid is an interesting prospect that has given NFL scouts and general managers something to talk about and it’s possible that the Bears could show some interest in Reid. He had a very good combine and has impressed in workouts so if the Bears are interested they may want to try to pick him up and develop him as a future starter.
Round 5, Pick 29 (157th Overall): Doug Houge, LB, Syracuse-The Bears have expressed a lot of interest in Houge this offseason and may try to select him at this stage in the draft. With both Nick Roach and Pisa Tinoisamoa not having signed contracts as of this writing the Bears could struggle with depth and starting potential there. Getting some help in the draft will at least assure them that their depth will at least look better but it may not give them the immediate starter that they are looking for.
Round 6, Pick 30 (190th Overall): Ronald Johnson-WR-USC-The Bears may try for wide receiver earlier in the draft but if they are concentrated on the more pressing needs on the defensive and offensive lines as well as at outside linebacker they may choose to take a developmental player that could contribute sometime in the future.
Chicago Bears News and Notes
Even though it’s the offseason the Bears are making news on a weekly basis. So far, some of the biggest news to come out of Chicago had to do with the release of three veteran players defensive tackle Tommie Harris, linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer and offensive tackle Kevin Shaffer.
The release of Harris should come as no surprise as it was expected that the Bears would let him go after he struggled through the last three seasons with injury, ineffective play and problems with the coaching staff. This former Pro Bowler has been a mere shadow of his earlier years with the Bears and had signed a huge contract that he wasn’t living up to. The Bears let him go in hopes of bringing in someone else that can help fill his place and perhaps eventually take over in the rotation.
Hillenmeyer had missed just about the entire 2010 season with a concussion and with his health status up in the air Chicago decided it was ok to move ahead without him. Hillenmeyer’s departure will leave a hole behind the starters at the linebacker position because of his ability to play and play well at all those positions. Chicago will miss Hillenmeyer.
Releasing offensive tackle Kevin Shaffer will leave the Bears some room to bring in another offensive tackle during the offseason and probably someone through the draft. Shaffer had seen some action with the Bears but he didn’t do too well in the limited action that he did see and the Bears did well by cutting him loose.
Hopefully the Bears will be able to fill their roster with some replacement players in the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft as there is plenty of good young talent there at their needy positions. An offensive tackle would be the best position to try to take care of in the first round as long as some of the premier talent at that position is there when the Bears make their pick at number 30 in the first round.
A defensive tackle could be a position that they think about in the second or third round and there would be some interesting talent around when they make their pick in those two rounds. They will need to add someone that can play right away because, with the departure of Harris, they need to have a player that will be able to come in on rotation and help out.
The cornerback position is another position on the team that the Bears need to consider finding some additional depth in. They have some decent starters but with Charles Tillman aging and Tim Jennings playing up and down at times adding some depth here may be a priority in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft.
The linebacker position may see some decreased depth with the departure of Hillenmeyer as well as the possibility that they may not get backup Nick Roach signed to a contract. That position may need some attention if they don’t get Roach signed to a contract.
The Bears did offer contracts to safety Danieal Manning, quarterback Caleb Hanie, linebacker Nick Roach, cornerback Corey Graham, running back Kahlil Bell and guard Ed Williams. It’s likely that all will sign except for Manning perhaps who, depending on how much he got offered, may try to go find more money which is a very likely scenario since he feels that he may be more talented than he actually is.
One other position of note, one that will need some attention this offseason is the third string quarterback position. The Todd Collins experiment was a disaster and they won’t be bringing him back so the Bears will need to go out and find someone to replace him.
Right now, the Bears, along with the rest of the NFL, are waiting to see what happens with the talks that are ongoing regarding the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement. A lot of what they do this offseason depends on what happens with that so until that gets signed expect a lot of things to be up in air at this time.
Chicago Bears Draft Insider:
Offensive linemen that could interest the Bears in the First Round
As fans and members of the media, we can all see where the Bear’s problems lie on the team. It’s clear to see that the Bears need a lot of help on the offensive line so that is where they should spend a majority of their time, in the draft, trying to rebuild and restructure. As discussing in the past, general manager Jerry Angelo is not very well adept at drafting offensive linemen and has failed with most of his picks in that area.
If Chicago is going to have any success in 2011 they need to have a very good draft this April. This means that they need to work on their neediest places first and make sure that they draft well there. Their biggest need is on the offensive line so that is where they need to spend most of their time evaluating talent and drafting.
If the Bears were smart they would draft and offensive tackle or guard in the first round of the draft as not only would there be plenty of those guys available but they would also help fill a big and pressing need. There would be several players that the Bears could be interested in with their first round pick and there could be a number of them around when they make their selection in the latter part of the first round.
Here are three guys that just might be there when the Bears make their pick in the first round with some insight into how each player might be able to help the Bears out on the offensive line.
Mike Pouncey-G/C-Florida
The Bears need help at both the guard and the center position and if they were able to get Pouncey they could kill two birds with one stone. Incumbent center Olin Kreutz, who is a free agent and getting older by the year could be resigned and man the center position while Pouncey took over for Roberto Garza at guard position (he could gradually work into taking over for Garza who is suffering from problems with his knees and age.
Pouncey would solve a lot problems for the Bears if her were available and if they ended up drafting him. At the very least they should consider him if he is available when the make their pick in the first round.
Anthony Costonzo-OT-Boston College
Costonzo had a pretty decent showing at the scouting combine this past weekend and may have upped his draft stock in the eyes of many NFL scouts. The only problem is that is that he may have raised it so much he could be out of reach of the Bears when they make their first round pick. After getting beat up by the media following a pretty sketchy performance in the Senior Bowl Costonzo showed himself to be pretty nice mechanically (and with his measureables).
The Bears need a left tackle and Costonzo could be their guy if he manages to fall to them in the first round. He could be worked into the lineup slowly (with Frank Omiyale backing off while Costonzo comes in) and could eventually be a solid player for the Bears on their offensive line.
Tyron Smith-OT-USC
There are a lot of mixed feelings about Smith depending on many NFL scouts and the media. There are some that feel that he isn’t athletic enough to play the left tackle position while there are others that feel that he could be the best left tackle in the draft this year. Smith is athletic but after looking at some tape he’s not athletic as some might be looking for in a true starting left tackle.
He’s definitely got skill and could develop into a pretty good offensive tackle but can he play left tackle for the Bears?
They need a left side guy much more than they need a right side player (J’Marcus Webb manages the right side right now and has been getting better but still needs some addition development) but if Smith could prove that he can work the left side then the Bears might take some interest in him.
Chicago cannot let this draft go by without picking up some kind of help on the offensive line. The help that they do pick up must also be serviceable and have some quality because the guys that Angelo has picked up in the past haven’t been good enough in most cases to even stick with the team. Chicago cannot waste its draft picks in this draft because they won’t be getting back to the playoffs if they do.
Looking at the Chicago Bears Biggest Draft Needs
After surprising a lot of people this past season in making the playoffs and advancing to the NFC Championship game the Bears need to make some changes to their current roster to ensure that they don’t miss out on making the playoffs again.
One very obvious need that the Bears have heading into the 2011 NFL Draft comes along their offensive line and that’s not just at one position. Each position on the offensive line either needs depth or someone to step in and start so the Bears should look at those positions first in the draft. But will they?
The offensive line’s performance can directly linked to the Bears struggles on offense this season and the team has to do something about it immediately if they want to have any kind of success next year or in future because of the time that it takes to develop an offensive lineman.
The problem is, general manager Jerry Angelo has a problem evaluating talent on the offensive line (rookies coming out in the draft) and has struggled to find players that can fit and start on the offensive line. His first round selection at the offensive tackle position a couple years ago, Chris Williams, spent a majority of his first season on the sideline with an injury and then was switched to the guard position last season because he couldn’t cut it at offensive tackle.
Will Angelo take a chance on an offensive lineman early in the draft? He almost has to in order to keep the Bears a winner and make them better in the future.
Defense has always been Angelo’s forte and you can expect the Bears to look at the defensive side of the ball early and possibly often in this draft. The need at defensive tackle is going to be paramount especially if Chicago decides to let Tommie Harris go in a money saving venture. The depth will be damaged and they will want to bring in someone that can start a majority of the time working in a rotation with the other players at the position.
Knowing how Angelo works we may be seeing the Bears take a defensive lineman with their first pick in the draft (or they could end up trading that pick which seems very likely) and this would be a disappointing thing for them to do especially if there is a good offensive lineman still available at that point in the draft. Failure to draft an offensive lineman would be a huge problem.
There is another possibility for the Bears at number one and that’s drafting a wide receiver. The Bears don’t have a true number one wide receiver on the team and could look for one early in the draft. While this would be a step in the right direction for the Bears it would still be bad for them to pass up an offensive lineman in the first round.
Think of it like this, if you can’t protect the quarterback he’s not going to be able to get the ball out to his wide receivers. The Bears need to worry about protecting the quarterback first before worrying about giving him additional weapons to throw the ball too. He’s not going to complete a lot of passes lying on his back.
So Angelo and the rest of the decision-makers on the team need to think about what they need to do before they head into the 2011 NFL Draft. They need to realize that the most important need on this team (and the need that would make or break this team) is the offensive line so hopefully they will spend some time and some picks there in the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft.
The Chicago Bears Update: Leading the North
No one thought that the Bears would be where they are at right now. After having such a bad preseason on both sides of the ball the Bears have come into the season and shown us that all of that may have been a mistake. Granted, they still can’t protect their quarterback but this team has played very well in other phases of the game and that is why they are tops in the NFC North at this time.
The Bears have had some luck in winning some of these games but the best teams will create their own luck and Chicago has done their share of that as well. But when they lose, they create those problems on their own and they have lost two games that have left everyone scratching their heads. The Bears have had some good games on defense but their offense has struggled greatly despite their 4-2 record.
The biggest problem on this team is pass protection. The offensive line has been suffering badly since preseason and despite the Bears shuffling players in and out nothing is working. They haven’t had a lot of continuity on the line and this has caused them many problems so far this season. What can the Bears do to fix it?
First they need to have consistency on the offensive line. Granted, there have been some injuries on the offensive line that have forced the Bears to use different players on the line but they have also inserted players into the lineup in hopes of finding the right combination to make the line work.
What the coaching staff hasn’t realized is that this is doing nothing more than destroying the Bear’s offensive line (as well their quarterback) and so the coaching staff must realize that there has to be some continuity there. They have to leave the same guys in or else this unit is never going to mesh together and never play as well as they possibly can.
There are some other things that the Bears can do to help their passing offense come alive and protect their quarterback. They need to run the ball much more often than they have before. Yes, they had a big rushing day against the Panthers a few weeks back but they need to be much more consistent running the ball. Running the ball will do so many things for them on offense. They need to do a lot more of that.
Using quick three step drops would help out as well. You don’t want to give the defense a chance to get to Cutler and if he took three step drops with his wide receivers, running backs and tight ends getting out quickly and running short routes that allow them to be ready when the quarterback throws the ball. These kinds of things would really help the Bears out on offense.
They did end up doing some of these things in their game against the Redskins this Sunday and they had some success. You could see that keeping up the pace, using quick three step drops and short routes by the wide receivers works well. Hot routes run by the tight end also work but what really killed the Bears were turnovers.
Remember last year when Cutler threw all of those interceptions especially those drive killing ones in the red zone? That came back to haunt the Bears against the Redskins this past Sunday. Granted, some of those weren’t his fault but it was more than enough to put the nail in the Bears coffin and give them a loss.
Chicago is on a bye week this week and needs to try to figure out how to fix their problems on offense. Already, during the off week, we have heard the coaching staff say how they plan to use the run to help offset the problems in the passing game. We will see if they stick to what they say and actually run the ball to help the passing game.
If they can (and will) run the ball then this offense will be much better than it has been for most of the season. We saw what they were capable of doing in Carolina in using the run so if they can repeat that same kind of success as they had in that game then they should be able to have success the remainder of the season.
Let’s see what the Bears do the rest of this season.
Chicago Bears August Update
The Bears, along with the rest of the NFL’s teams are continuing to practice and prepare for the upcoming 2010 NFL season. They are trying to take care of any issues that they have before starting the regular season and the Bears continue to have major issues on both sides of the ball.
The Bears have several issues that they need to take care of. Perhaps the biggest issue is pass protection. Granted, a typical NFL team may not be as prepared to protect their quarterback at this point in the preseason as they would be during the regular season but most teams appear to have things put together and are now just doing some fine tune-ups before the season starts.
The Bears? They appear to be going nowhere. Their offensive line alone allowed five sacks (on quarterback Jay Cutler) leaving many to wonder just how far the offensive line had come in a year. Granted, there is a new player on the offensive line (guard Lance Louis) and there has been some position switching going on but this line should have come together much better than it has so far this preseason. They have to get better before the season starts.
On defense, the Bears are still struggling with allowing opponents to convert long third down situations and that begins where everything else begins and that’s up front. Early in the Raiders game, Oakland quarterback Jason Campbell completed a short pass which turned into a long gain (on third down) and it showed us that the Bears still have trouble keeping their opponents from converting third down opportunities.
If the Bears haven’t figured out how to accomplish this by the time this new season starts then they will have some serious issues. One of the things that they need to do in order to help overcome this problem is to get pressure on the opposing quarterback. Getting pressure will help cure a lot of the Bears problems on defense.
Chicago still has a lot of things to work out (before the regular season starts) in order to have success this upcoming season. A lot of their success hinges on what both the offensive and defensive lines do, how healthy they remain and how well both can adapt to being under the tutelage of new coordinators.
The Bears play in one of the toughest divisions in all of the NFL and need to be much more competitive than they have been so far this preseason. They have to face two of the toughest teams in the NFL (the Packers and the Vikings) as well as an up and coming and quite possibly improved team in the Detroit Lions. Can the Bears overcome these three teams to take the NFC North?
With the regular season just a little over a week away the Bears still have a lot of work to do in order to get ready for the regular season. If they can continue to get things figured out on offense and protect Cutler then they should see some success in the passing game. This means that they will have to get some help for those offensive linemen that are struggling (such as having a running back help offensive tackle Chris Williams) and that should help things out. They have to find a way to protect the quarterback.
As the Bears head into their last game of the preseason, they still have a lot of work to do in all three phases of the game and if it doesn’t happen by their first regular season game then they may not be able to do it at all in the regular season.
We shall soon see what happens as the Bears open the regular season and hope to play much better than they have in the preseason.
The Chicago Bears Training Camp Review
The Chicago Bear’s training camp is underway now and we are all starting to get a better idea about how things look as the long hot days move forward. There has been a lot of anticipation leading up to training camp for the Bears because they are installing a new offense, one which promises to see a lot of passing and hopefully a lot of scoring.
Preliminary reports out of camp say that quarterback Jay Cutler has been looking pretty good in terms of getting a firm grip on the offense. He is also working well with his wide receivers including Johnny Knox and Devin Hester. Knox has become Cutler’s favorite target this summer and Knox isn’t letting him down as he is catching most everything that has been thrown his way.
The tight ends had a great first two days in camp but it looks like they are slowly being phased out of things in practice. Perhaps this will signify the end of the tight end position as a pass catching feature in the Bears offense but time will tell. Both Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark have made some decent catches but are seeing their opportunities drop.
While both running backs, Matt Forte and Chester Taylor have easily cemented roster spots, there is a battle going on for the third and fourth spots between Kahlil Bell, Harvey Unga and Garrett Wolfe. The Bears seem to like Unga a lot and may keep him as their third running back which leaves both Bell and Wolfe to try to earn the fourth roster spot. Bell has been doing very well in camp so far this summer and looks like the front runner.
No one really talks about the offensive line that much and perhaps that’s because they are too afraid to. So far nothing has really stood out on the line except for a rash of false start penalties during practice the other night. Will new offensive line coach Mike Tice be able to get anything out of this group? Let’s hope so.
As always, the defense has been ahead of the offense early in camp but injuries haven’t helped their cause out that much. In fact, two very key players, safety Chris Harris and safety Major Wright have missed significant time with injuries and will be behind in things when they finally get back on the field healthy. This will definitely affect performance at the safety position.
The addition of free agent defensive end Julius Peppers has made a difference on defense even in training camp. He is clearly the best player on the defensive line and has helped make defensive tackle Tommie Harris look better at least in practice. Let’s hope that it transfers to the football field.
Granted, there will be more to come in the next few days as training camp continues and preseason games start to get going but at least on its face, the Bears look like they are off to a good start in camp. Now if they can just transfer that over to the regular season then things could end up being much better for the Bears than they were last season.
The Chicago Bears Pre-Training Camp Preview
It’s almost that time of year football fans. It’s time for your favorite team to head into training camp beginning their shot (or long shot) at getting to the Super Bowl. The Chicago Bears are just like any other team out there. They have high hopes of getting to and winning the Super Bowl this coming season. The big question is, can they do it.
We all know the Bear’s history since 2006. They haven’t been back to the playoffs since going to the Super Bowl that year and now the coaching staff as well as most of the key front office personnel are banking on this season to be a winner so they can keep their jobs and keep the Bears on the right track.
You could tell in the postseason press conferences that the Bear’s held that there was a lot of strain on management to make things right. They decided to keep head coach Lovie Smith for another season to see if he could bring the Bears out of the basement and back into the Super Bowl. They have given him one more season to see if he can do it. Can it be done?
The Bears went out and acquired some solid talent in free agency for both sides of the ball. On offense, the grabbed former Minnesota Vikings running back Chester Taylor and blocking tight end Brandon Manumaleuna. Both of these guys should be able to help out the Bears on offense immediately and give them a boost.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bears brought in free agent defensive end Julius Peppers and cornerback Tim Jennings to help them out on defense. Peppers promises to make an immediate impact on defense as a pass rusher and will be able to generate enough of a pass rush to help take pressure off of the secondary and make it easier for the Bears to defend against the pass.
Jennings, a part time starter with the Colts, could challenge for a starting job in the secondary (at the cornerback position) if he gets the opportunity. The Bears will need all the help that they can get in the secondary this year and if there is a weak point on defense, it’s at the cornerback position.
In the draft, the Bears took safety Major Wright and he is expected to compete for (and probably win) one of two starting jobs at the safety position. They also added some depth at cornerback and defensive end but didn’t do much to help themselves out on offense, in particular the offensive line.
The offensive line could be another weak point on this team in 2010 and without a good working offensive line this offense isn’t going to work at all. There aren’t any real talented backups and the starters, at least some of them, leave a lot to be desired. One injury on this unit could ruin the season for the Bears.
It’s a make or break year for the Bears coaching staff and some of its players. If this team doesn’t make the playoffs then there could be a big housecleaning during the offseason. A new coach and a new philosophy may be headed to Chicago which means two or three years of rebuilding before the team becomes competitive again.
So get ready Bears fans. Another season is here. Let’s just hope that it isn’t a season of bitter disappointment.
Chicago Bears Update for June
The Chicago Bears held a rookie min-camp and a full squad mini-camp during the month of May and all indications are that things are going pretty good for the Bears. Although the transition to a new offense has been a little rocky to start things do look like they get better with each play that they run. If things look this good during the 2010 season the Bears could be a tough team to beat.
In their usual manner, the Bears have signed almost all of their draft picks early and should have nearly all of them in training camp (there is no reason to see why they won’t have their first pick in the draft, Major Wright, signed and ready to go for training camp either) so the Bears will be sitting pretty there. Chicago has usually always been very good at getting all of their players into training camp on time so that they don’t miss a beat.
The Bears will see battles at several positions on the team during this summer but no one single battle will be more important than the battle at the wide receiver position. Chicago has a glut of talent at the position but as we all know there is only room for a few guys so the competition here plans to be fierce. Ideally, the best combination to have on the field at the same time would be Devin Hester, Devin Aromashodu and Earl Bennett. Let’s see how it turns out.
Another position that should see some competition is the outside linebacker position opposite Lance Briggs. The race will tight as we will see Nick Roach and Pisa Tinoisamoa compete against one another to start at that outside linebacker position. Right now, it looks like Tinoisamoa has the edge here because of his experience and the fact that the team may want to keep Roach on the side to help fill in at the middle linebacker position if needed. It will be an interesting competition to watch.
One place where the Bears need some competition but probably won’t have too much of it is on the offensive line. This group is thin on talent and if any of the starters get injured next year, not only is there a lack of depth but there is serious lack of talent. The Bears offensive line isn’t going to hold up that much longer after the 2010 season and if there is an injury to any of the starters it’s going to be some big issues on the line.
The safety position is going to be interesting in training camp because the Bears drafted Major Wright to start but they also brought in Chris Harris and have an experience starter in Al Afalava as well. Look for both Wright and Harris to end up starting at the safety position in 2010 making it see stability that hasn’t seen in quite some time. With stability at the safety position, things should turn out to be much better in the secondary in 2010.
One more thing, a little bit of news from training camp. There have been conflicting reports stating that the Bear’s wide receivers were running poor routes during the mini camp causing a lot of frustration for the offense and offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Depending on whom you talk to some say that the Bear’s receivers did a fine job but others say that there were a lot of bad things happening on the field. We will get a much better idea of what is going on with the team when they hold their next mini-camp in June.
The Chicago Bears 2010 Post Draft Review
The Chicago Bears, with less draft picks than they have ever had in their long and storied history, managed to add depth to some key positions but may have failed to land the knockout punch that could push them into the playoffs. But what can you expect when you don’t have a first or second round draft pick? The Bears had to make due with what they had.
The following is a quick look at each player that the Bears drafted in the 2010 NFL Draft. We will take a more in depth look at these players with positional reviews coming up soon.
Round 3-Major Wright-FS-Florida-The Bears needs at the safety position were well documented heading into the 2010 NFL Draft and they took care of some of that by drafting Wright. He was a player that had flown under the radar of many teams in this draft and could have been a late second round pick. The Bears had targeted Wright and after seeing three of the four defensive backs that they had been looking at go off the board before they picked they decided to get Wright while they could and hope that he can help them out in the secondary. It’s a good pick but one that might not pay dividends until later on.
Round 4-Corey Wootton-DE-Northwestern-The Bears feel that they landed their biggest draft prize here with Wootton. Wootton was passed by a lot of teams because of a knee injury he suffered and surgery that he had to undergo but if he can come back healthy he could be a contributor and eventual starter at the defensive end position for the Bears. He has all the tools needed to become a solid player in the future and may even be able to contribute in certain situations this season. Keep an eye on Wootton because he has they potential to be a future starter.
Round 5-Joshua Moore-CB-Kansas State-The Bears needed some depth at the cornerback position after the release of Nathan Vasher and they got just what they needed with Moore. Moore has the skill to get on the active roster (with a little help from his being able to play on special teams) and should be able to contribute some on defense in his first year as a Bear. Look for Moore to surprise a lot of people in the future and make them wish he had been selected earlier in the 2010 NFL Draft.
Round 6-Dan LeFevour-QB-Central Michigan-There were many experts that felt that LeFevour would go much earlier in the draft especially after some good workouts but he fell and the Bears picked him up. This most certainly spells the end for Brett Basanez and may even set Caleb Hanie back to third string but there is a possibility that the Bears could use LeFevour for trade bait in the future as long as he shows Chicago and the rest of the NFL something. He will be an interesting player to watch now and in the future.
Round 7-J’Marcus Webb-OT-West Texas A&M-Chicago finally took care of it’s need for depth on the offensive line by taking Webb with their last pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Even though he is a seventh round pick, Webb has strong chance of making the team as a reserve this season but at the least, he should be able to make the practice squad and could become part of the team in the future. He has good raw skills that, if developed properly, could turn him into a solid backup and fill in starter in future.
If you take and average out the grades given to the Bears for their drafts by football experts, you will see that the average grade for the Bear’s draft this year is a C. Thanks to not having a first or second round pick this draft may seem a little slim but they got some good value and could develop most of these picks into starters at some point in the future.
Overall Draft Grade: C+
Chicago Bears Draft Preview: Possible Draft Picks.
In my last posting, I outlined the positions that the Bears needed to worry about in the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft. We saw that the Bears needed some help at the offensive tackle and guard positions, the safety position and the cornerback position. Now, let’s take a look at some of the possibilities that the Bears may have when they start making their picks in the 2010 NFL Draft.
Offensive Tackle-Depending on what happens with their current crop of starters, the Bears may not shoot for an immediate starter at the position although they could use one. At the point in the draft where they start making their picks, starters are going to be few and far between and as history tells us, Angelo isn’t that good at drafting offensive linemen. So, keeping this in mind, three guys that Angelo might be interested in that are borderline starters and could be available in the third or fourth round include West Virginia’s Selvish Capers, Abilene Christian’s Tony Washington and Miami’s Jason Fox. Either of these guys could become solid contributors in the Bears offensive system.
Offensive Guard-The Bears look to have one position locked up but need some depth at Roberto Garza’s spot and he isn’t getting any younger so they might want to start looking for his replacement now. Some of the guys that could add additional depth to the position and be a starter in the short term include Utah’s Zane Beadles, Mississippi’s John Jerry and Arkansas’s Mitch Petrus. Any of these guys could really help the Bears out at the guard position.
Safety-This position will either be the first or second position drafted by the Bears in the 2010 NFL Draft as they really need some help at the free safety position. There are some decent players that have graded out to be third and fourth round picks in this draft and most any player could be a good fit in Chicago. Three of the players that the Bears could find there in the third or fourth round at the free safety position include LSU’s Chad Jones, Kansas’s Darrell Stuckey and Mississippi’s Kendrick Stewart. Any of these guys could help the Bears out either immediately or sometime in the near future.
Cornerback-The release of Nathan Vasher, despite the fact he wasn’t contributing too much towards the end of his time in Chicago, left a bit of a hole at the cornerback position in terms of depth. Knowing that both Zachary Bowman and Charles Tillman are injury risks the Bears will be forced to look for some help at the cornerback position in this draft. Some of the guys that might be available in the third and fourth round for the Bears include Kentucky’s Trevard Lindley, Michigan’s Donavan Warren and California’s Syd’Quan Thompson. The Bears could be looking at one of these players to help add some depth at the cornerback position.
Chicago might also look at a center to help them prepare for the inevitable retirement of Olin Kreutz. While this may not a position of great need, it is one that could be addressed in the later rounds of the 2010 NFL Draft. A couple of center prospects that Chicago could be interested in later on in the draft include SUC’s Jeff Byers and UNLV’s Joe Hawley. Perhaps Chicago will take a look at these two guys later on in the 2010 NFL Draft.
The thing about this draft for the Bears is that with the current win or else situation that the coaching staff and upper management has been put in the Bears will be looking for players that can help them right away. Granted, there aren’t going to be too many instant starters in the lower rounds of the draft that will be instant impact players but the Bears, through good scouting and a little bit of luck, may be able to find several players that can help them out immediately. They have to be spot on in this draft or there could be some major changes coming next year.
Pre Draft Needs for the Chicago Bears
Chicago has had a pretty significant offseason already this year after making a huge splash in free agency along with some roster and coaching moves that are sure to make things different for the Bears when they start training camp next season.
In free agency, the Bears picked up three key players that will help them out on both sides of the ball. Their biggest acquisition was defensive end Julius Peppers. Peppers, one of the highest paid players in the league now, should give the Bears defensive line the pass rushing presence that it hasn’t had since Richard Dent and Trace Armstrong played on the line way back when. The biggest worry is that he won’t be consistent but just having him on the field should make a huge impact for Chicago’s defense.
On offense, the Bears signed former Minnesota Vikings third down running back Chester Taylor and former San Diego Chargers Tight End Brandon Manumaleuna. Taylor figures to work with current starter Matt Forte as the Bears try a two back system and will be a reliable pass catcher and blocker in new offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s offense. Manumaleuna has a body almost as big as an offensive guard has so he will be a vital member of the blocking schemes that Martz brings to the Bears this season.
Chicago has also let go of a few players including fullback Jason McKie and cornerback Nathan Vasher and it doesn’t look like they will keep defensive end Adewale Ogunleye or Arian Peterson around when it’s all said and done either. It looks like there will be several changes on the Bears heading into training camp this summer and unfortunately there are still some holes to fill.
Going into the 2010 NFL Draft, the Bears need to concentrate on four main areas. First, they need to add some depth at the offensive guard position. With starter Roberto Garza not getting any younger and without real solid depth at the position, getting a guard that they could eventually develop into a good starter at Garza’s position would be a plus. They may also want to consider another player at that position a little later on in the draft as a developmental prospect.
The offensive tackle position is another position that the Bears will want to take a look at to add some depth and get a future starter in the fold. Chris Williams is a lock at the left tackle position but Kevin Shaffer isn’t exactly a well groomed starter so Chicago may want to take a look at getting someone else to backup at the right tackle position and eventually start. That would go a long ways towards helping out the offensive line long term.
Safety, in particular the free safety position, is a need position for the Bears and they will look hard to find someone to help fill the position. Not only do they need a safety that can cover receivers in the pass happy NFL but they also need someone who isn’t afraid to play the run (which is a key part of the cover two defense). Right now, with the players they currently have at the safety position Chicago doesn’t have the kind of guy that is going to make a difference back there.
Finally, Chicago could use some help at the cornerback position now that Vasher is gone and both Zack Bowman and Charles Tillman are injury risks. There should be some good value in the third and fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft so perhaps the Bears will be able to find someone there.
So which position mentioned here should the Bears be most concerned about? What players available in the 2010 NFL Draft would be of the most interest to the Bears? We will find out in our next installment as we head towards the 2010 NFL Draft.
Chicago Bears Post Season Review: The Wide Receivers
The wide receiver position was one of interest heading into the 2009 season and many thought that Chicago didn’t have the kind of wide receivers that would help make quarterback Jay Cutler an effective quarterback. This premonition was half right. Some of the receivers stepped up and played very well this season (Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett) but others had injury problems and made mistakes along the way. The Bears don’t have the true threat at the wide receiver position that would give cornerbacks someone to worry about and they probably won’t be able to get that in the offseason this year thanks to a weak free agency class and few draft picks. We may be seeing this same group next season.
The following is a look at each player the Bears have at the wide receiver position. There is a look back at their production in 2009, how they played in 2009 and what this offseason holds for them. There is also some insight into whether or not they will be with the team in 2010.
Devin Aromashodu-Aromashodu burst onto the scene later on in the 2009 season after Cutler asked the coaching staff numerous times to put him in the lineup and he performed very well in the short amount of time that he was on the field. All together, Aromashodu caught 24 passes for 298 yards with an average of 12.4 yards per catch with a long of 39 yards. He caught four touchdowns as well playing in ten games while starting two of those games. With Aromashodu, the Bears get a big body target that can catch the ball up high and has enough speed to make cornerbacks think. Hopefully the Bears learned their lesson in 2009 and will feature Aromashodu at the wide receiver position, perhaps at the number one spot. Time will tell but one this is for sure and that is that this guy has a promising future in Chicago and should have a great 2010 season.
Earl Bennett-After not catching a single pass in his rookie season Bennett stepped up and played pretty well in his first real season of action in Chicago. During the 2009 season, Bennett played in 16 games in 2009 starting 15 and caught 54 passes for 717 yards averaging 13.3 yards per catch with two touchdowns. He also fumbled twice but didn’t lose any fumbles. Bennett played football with Cutler at Vanderbilt for one season and it was thought that the two could find the kind of magic that they had when they played together previously but that was not meant to be at least until later on in the season. Chock that up to inexperience and poor play on offense so perhaps with some time the Cutler to Bennett connection will be better in 2010. Look for Bennett to remain a starter in 2010 and increase his 2009 numbers as well as become a much better receiver.
Rashied Davis-Davis was thought to be a goner when the final roster came out at the start of the season but something (like good special teams play) kept him on the roster and he lasted the entire season with the Bears. While with the Bears this year, Davis played in all 16 games for the Bears but didn’t start any of those games. He caught five passes for 35 yards and didn’t have any touchdowns. As mentioned, Davis was used primarily special teams and was very valuable in that capacity but with the talent that the Bears have ahead of him at wide receiver, it may be difficult for him to stay on in 2010. If the Bears bring in some additional talent at the wide receiver position during the offseason, Davis will probably not be on the roster at the start of the 2010 season. It is probably his last year in Chicago.
Devin Hester-Hester was the Bears number one wide receiver in 2009 but didn’t perform like a true number one. Perhaps still learning the position hampered him a little but he also suffered by the ineffective offense that the Bears exhibited game in and game out. Hester was also the victim of injuries that kept him out of several games last season. All together, Hester played in 13 games starting 12. He caught 57 passes for 757 yards with an average of 13.3 yards per catch with a long of 48 yards. Hester had three touchdowns and a long of 36 yards. Hester also had six rushing attempts for minus one yard and fumbled three times losing one. (Hester’s special teams statistics will not be included here but will be included in the special teams section later on). Taking Hester out of his “natural” position as a kick and punt returner has hurt the Bears and Hester in terms of his usefulness and effectiveness and depending on who the Bears get in as their offensive coordinator they may choose to shift him back to special teams but due to a lack of talent at the wide receiver position they may have to keep him there. Look for Hester to continue to learn and grow at the wide receiver position and make a bigger impact on offense in 2010.
Juaquin Iglesias-Iglesias, a rookie receiver, didn’t see the field that much this year and there are several questions as to why the Bears didn’t allow him to get on the field sooner than he did. All together, Iglesias played in one game for the Bears starting none of those games. He didn’t have any statistics for the season due to his not being used by the team but should get a chance to display more of his skills in offseason workouts and in training camp this summer. Look for Iglesias to have a sold shot at making the team in 2010 and contributing as a wide receiver.
Johnny Knox-Knox really burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2009 and was even selected to the Pro Bowl for his special teams efforts. There were some that felt that Knox was too “green” to contribute to the offense in 2009 but his speed and ability to grasp the offense got him on the field early and he didn’t disappoint. Knox played in 15 games for the Bears but didn’t make a start. He had 45 catches for 527 yards and an average of 11.7 yards per catch with a long of 68 yards. He had 5 touchdowns along with three fumbles with two of those fumbles lost. (Knox’s special teams statistics will be included in the special team section of the season end reviews). Knox was a reliable receiver but there were times when he showed his youth showed however as he cut routes short or didn’t come back for the ball but with another year under his belt Knox should end up being that much better. His speed is vital for the Bears who don’t have a true speed threat at the receiver position.
It was an up and down season for the Bears receivers as problems on offense prevented them from having a strong season. In Cutler’s first season, it was expected that there would have to be some time to adjust but the receiving corps didn’t do as well as would have been ideal and there were problems all season long. They lack a player who would scare an opposing defense and draw the attention away from other receivers but with the lack of draft picks that the Bears have going into the 2010 NFL Draft as well as the projected poor free agent class it could be another year before the Bears get that true threat. Until then they will have to make due with what they have.
The Chicago Bears Report Card: The Running Backs
In 2008, Chicago drafted what would end up being one of the best running backs in the NFL (for that year) in Matt Forte out of Tulane. But Forte, as many predicted, didn’t have a good second season in the NFL and it was just recently admitted that Forte played most of the season with a sprained knee. In the preseason, the Bears had stated that they were going to use Kevin Jones much more this season but unfortunately Jones got hurt in the preseason (against Cleveland) and was lost for the season. The Bears stuck with backups Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe (along with practice squad member Kahlil Bell) and didn’t really use anyone to give Forte a rest until later on in the season.
The following is a player by player look at all of the players at the running back position for the Bears during the 2009 (and into the 2010 offseason) season. There is a look at how they did in 2009, how they look heading into 2010 and whether or not they will remain with the team in 2010.
Matt Forte-Forte was the Bears number one running back heading into the 2009 season and there were high hopes that he would have a repeat (and quite possibly and even better) season like he did in 2008 and become a focus of an offense that was thought to have a great passing game. Unfortunately for Forte and the rest of the Bears he didn’t have the same type of season and didn’t look that good running the ball. All told, Forte had a total of 929 yards on 258 attempts with four touchdowns. He also caught 57 passes for 471 yards and no touchdowns. Forte also fumbled six times losing three including critical red zone fumbles in the Bears game against the Falcons. Forte may have hit the well phrased rookie wall this season but another reason why he wasn’t as productive was because the Bears had quarterback Jay Cutler at the helm and they felt that they could pass the ball much more (and be effective). Also, as stated, he played with a bad knee for most of the season which limited his effectiveness. The Bears will be crossing their fingers in hopes that he comes back strong this offseason and can help contribute a lot of offense hopefully having a season like he did as a rookie.
Adrian Peterson-Peterson spent most of his time on special teams for the Bears where he excelled often but did suffer some injuries that kept him out of some of the action this season. In 2009, Peterson played in 14 games starting none of those games. He had seven rushing attempts for 51 yards and no touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 11 yards. As mentioned, Peterson is mostly a special teams guy and didn’t see much action anywhere else. He plays well on special teams but the Bears may not end up keeping him next season as they may wish to move a younger running back into his spot but his value on special teams can’t be denied so he may stick around one more season.
Garrett Wolfe-Wolfe had a rough end to the season as he missed the tail end of the year with an internal injury and really hasn’t had a chance to make an impact with the team. All together, Wolfe played in eight games this season starting none of those games (he played primarily on special teams). He carried the ball 22 times for 120 yards and had one touchdown. He caught the ball two times for six yards. The Bears had hoped that Wolfe would be a third down running back but he never developed into that and was seldom used on offense. He, instead, carved out a role on special teams where he has become one of the better special teams players on the team. Unless the Bears and their new offensive coordinator can figure out how to use him more on offense, it’s unlikely that the Bears will keep him around much longer (even if he does play well on special teams) and will probably look for some other help at the running back position.
Kahlil Bell-Bell stormed onto the scene in the Bear’s game against the Eagles this past season when he burst through the line on his first NFL carry and went 72 yards. All together, Bell played in seven games for the Bears but didn’t start a single game. He rushed 40 times for 220 yards averaging 5.5 yards per rush with no touchdowns. He also caught one pass for four yards and didn’t have any fumbles. Thanks to the loss of Kevin Jones, Bell got to see some time spelling Forte and he produced very well when he was given the opportunity but his opportunities were limited. Depending on what the Bears do to bring in more help at the running back position, Bell could find himself part of the mix at the backup spot and with a solid training camp he could make the active roster next season.
Kevin Jones-Jones didn’t get a chance to play in the regular season as he was injured in the Bear’s final preseason game (against Cleveland) and has a lot to prove coming back off the injury. Being an ankle injury, it’s going to be challenging for Jones to come back but he is a player who has come back from adversity before and may not be as bad off as some people think. He did sign a two year deal this past offseason so with another year left the Bears are most likely going to keep him about and use him to back up Forte in 2010. Look for Jones to stick with the team and make an impact in 2010.
It was a disappointing year for Bears running backs but it was a disappointing year for the offense as a whole as well and you know that things will change come next season. With a new offensive coordinator and a new philosophy things could be interesting for the running backs on the roster and a good running game would really help things out. Forte needs to get back to his rookie form and stay healthy and the Bears need to get someone in there to help spell him from time to time. If they can do that and give Forte some rest to help him stay fresh their running game should see a resurgence in 2010.
The Chicago Bears Report Card: Quarterbacks
The end of the season is here and the Bears failed to make the playoffs for the third straight year. If you are a dedicated Bears fan and remember all of the excitement last April when the Bears traded for Jay Cutler this was thought to be a great season but as it has turned out, it wasn’t. There was a lot of confusion on offense and Cutler ended up leading the league in interceptions. Some of it was his fault and some of it was his receivers fault but this was clearly a trying season for a quarterback who is just one year removed from making the Pro Bowl.
Things will be changing on the offensive side of the ball for the Bears and this will, of course, have a direct impact on what happens next year on offense. There may be a new scheme coming to the offense and this scheme should take full advantage of the abilities of Cutler who was not used properly in 2009. It will be interesting to see who the Bears bring on as an offensive coordinator and what this person decides to do with the offense.
Here is a review of the quarterbacks on the Bears roster for the 2009 season, a look back at their stats, how they played and where they stand for the 2010 season.
Jay Cutler-We all know what Cutler did for the Bears this season and we can look at his statistics to see what he did right and what he didn’t. Cutler played in every game this season, unusual for Bears quarterbacks but encouraging to see after such a long history of having poor play at the quarterback position. Cutler threw an NFL high 26 interceptions and most of them came at critical moments when either the offense was heading in to score of the game was on the line and the Bears needed to score. Some of his problems can be traced to poor route running and poor decision making by some of his wide receivers but Cutler needs to be much more careful when throwing the ball especially in critical situations. Cutler also displayed a problem with his attitude at times (especially towards officials) and will need to keep that under control in the future.
With a system designed around Cutler and his abilities, the Bears should be much better on offense next season. They have to take advantage of his ability to throw the ball deep but in that Cutler has to learn to make better decisions. He also needs to get some help from his wide receivers who are still learning and need to eliminate the critical mistakes.
Caleb Hanie-Hanie didn’t see much action this season playing in just two games throwing seven passes while completing three for 11 yards and one interception. This is Hanie’s second season with the Bears and Chicago likes his ability to manage games and in preseason game she has shown flashes of decent ability. He will face an annual ritual of trying to make the team (or at least having a harder time than most at trying to make the roster) and should be able to make it providing that the Bears don’t bring in a good veteran quarterback as a backup.
Brett Basanez-Basanez was placed on the practice squad after training camp after the Bears decided to keep just two quarterbacks on their roster. Basanez didn’t see any action during the regular season and had a so-so training camp and if the Bears decide to bring in someone else (like a veteran) during the offseason to compete for the second or third quarterback spot Basanez may find himself out of a job.
Overall, the performance of Cutler during this season was poor but it was his first season in a new system and there were problems with the offensive play calling during the year. Look for things to get much better for Cutler in 2010 but a lot of that depends on who the Bears next offensive coordinator will be and how well his receivers develop this offseason. Unfortunately for the Bears, they don’t have a lot of ammunition (draft picks) to bring in a big time wide receiver but they may be able to do some wheeling and dealing to get someone in as a free agent and help out the Bears and Cutler. They must do something to get him better weapons or he will suffer another bad season with the Bears.
Bears End the Season on a High Note
The Chicago Bears travelled to Detroit to take on the lowly Lions in a division game and managed to come out with their second win in a row by defeating the Lions 37-23. The Bears finish the season with a record of 7-9 while the Lions finish their season with a record of 2-12.
The scoring started out early in the first quarter when, on their first drive of the game, Bears kicker Robbie Gould kicked a 44 yard field goal to put Chicago up by three. The Lions would add a field goal of their own when kicker Jason Hanson booted a 42 yard field goal to tie it up at six. In the second quarter, Gould would kick a 28 yard field goal to put the Bears up 6-3. The Lions would make it 10-6 (in their favor) when quarterback Daunte Culpepper hit wide receiver Bryant Johnson on a 12 yard touchdown pass. The Bears would go ahead 13-10 when quarterback Jay Cutler hit tight end Greg Olsen for a seven yard touchdown pass to end the half.
In the second half, the Bears would pull ahead 20-10 when Cutler hit wide receiver Devin Aromashodu for a nine yard touchdown pass. Detroit would add a field goal of 48 yards (their only score of the third quarter) to make it 20-13. Wide receiver Chris Johnson caught a five yard touchdown pass from Culpepper in the early moments of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 20-20. Chicago would make it 27-20 when Cutler hit tight end Desmond Clark for a one yard touchdown. The Lions would add a 32 yard Hanson field goal to make it 27-23 but the Bears would seal the deal with two scores, one a 12 yard pass from Cutler to Aromashodu to make it 34-23 and a 34 yard Gould field goal to ice the game 37-23.
Stud of the Game-Aromashodu did it again for the Bears and has to be considered the best choice for the number one wide receiver on offense heading into the 2010 season. Where was he earlier this season?
Dud of the Game-Experienced cornerback Nathan Vasher played a bad game and doesn’t look anything like he did just a few seasons ago when he made the Pro Bowl. The Lions game may have been his last game as a Bear.
Analysis: This game was a little bit closer than many thought that it would be but the Lions always play the Bears tough and in the end the Bears won their second game in a row and exhibited the kind of offense that many thought that they would have before the season began. Things do look better when you compare them to how things looked in the middle of this season but there is still a lot of work to do and a lot of questions to answer. Did this win and their last (against the Vikings) save head coach Lovie Smith’s job? We will find out soon but one thing is certain and that is that there will be changes coming to the Bears very soon and these changes are clearly necessary. The biggest question is, just how much change will there be.
Next Up: This was the Bears last game of the season and they will head into an offseason of rebuilding and trying to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. A Bears report card will be forthcoming along with several articles on free agency and their rebuilding as the offseason progresses. Needless to say it should be an interesting offseason for the Chicago Bears.
Bears Futility Continues in Snowy Baltimore
The Bears, coming into this game 5-8 and fresh off of a 21-14 loss to division rival Green Bay the week before while the Ravens came into this game 7-6 and had beat the Detroit Lions the previous week 48-3. The Bears wouldn’t prove to be much of a challenge to the Ravens in this game as Baltimore downed the Bears 31-7. This game saw a lot of mistakes by the Bears as well as some of the worst play on both sides of the ball this season. The Bears continue their slide and with a loss like this, it’s possible that the Bears could be seeing a lot of changes next year including the possibility of a new head coach.
The scoring started early in the first quarter as the Ravens got their first touchdown (following a Jay Cutler interception) when quarterback Joe Flacco hit tight end Todd Heap for a 14 yard touchdown pass to put the Ravens up by seven. They would go up 14-0 (again after another Cutler interception) following another touchdown pass from Flacco to Heap for seven yards. Chicago would finally get on the board after wide receiver Earl Bennett ran a punt back 49 yards to make it 14-7. The first half would end with the Ravens ahead 14-7.
The second half of the game saw Baltimore take a commanding lead early in the half. Baltimore got their first score of the second half after wide receiver Demetrious Williams snagged a 32 yard touchdown pass from Flacco to make it 21-7. Flacco would toss another touchdown pass, this one an 18 yarder to wide receiver Derrick Mason to make it 28-7. The Ravens would add a Billy Cundiff field goal (40 yards) in the third quarter to make it 31-7.
Stud of the Game-The only player to score in this game was wide receiver Earl Bennett and his score came on a punt return which also came at a good time for the Bears. He had the only real highlight of the game and looks like a promising prospect heading into next season.
Dud of the Game-Most every other player (aside from Bennett) on the Bears had a bad game especially Cutler who threw three interceptions during the game. The defense did play well at times but the offense didn’t put them in any position to win. It was a bad effort all the way around.
Analysis: Typically when you watch a football game you will see players pumped up and inspired to play. You will see offensive and defensive players huddling with coaches talking about the last series of plays and what they can do during the next series of plays. You didn’t see this on Sunday with the Bears. They are a team that has given up and resigned themselves to defeat. There is no inspiration here. And it’s very disappointing. The Bears are a team in need of some major changes both in personnel and on the coaching staff and those changes may be coming soon. In this game, Cutler once again proved that he doesn’t have the offensive talent that most quarterbacks get to work with as he had problems with getting the ball to his receivers and didn’t get good pass protection (which forced him to throw the ball too early thus causing the turnovers) and this has been the case the entire season. This team is clearly on its way down and may not be able to recover for some time.
Next Up: The Bears will host division rival Minnesota on Monday night football next. A full preview of this game is shown below.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Minnesota Vikings
The 5-9 Chicago Bears, coming off of a 31-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens will host the 11-3 Minnesota Vikings this Monday night on Monday night football. The Vikings were beat by the Carolina Panthers 26-7 on Sunday night football but managed to win the NFC North (thanks to a loss by the Packers). These two teams met back in week 12 and the Vikings smashed the Bears 36-10 in one of the worst offensive efforts in Bears history.
When the Bears have the Ball-The Vikings put the screws to the Bears offense in their last game and will do the same thing to the Bears in this game. Chicago cannot run the ball effectively even though running back Matt Forte has been steadily improving his game over the past three weeks and when thrown into passing situations the Bears struggle more. Minnesota will seek to get pass pressure on quarterback Jay Cutler which will force him into making mistakes at inopportune times. And the wide receivers aren’t running the proper routes either and a lot of work needs to be done there. The offensive line isn’t protecting Cutler and not opening holes for the running game. If the Vikings defense can play to its usual level of play in this game it will make things very difficult for Chicago.
When the Vikings have the Ball-The last time these two teams met the Vikings had a lot of success passing the ball and they should be able to have the same success against the Bears this time as well. Chicago did keep running back Adrian Peterson at bay for the most part in the first game and will probably concentrate on doing that again in this game so the Vikings will try to pass the ball much more. If this game ends up being a blowout, it could be possible that the Vikings coaching staff will pull quarterback Brett Favre out of the game and put in either Tavares Jackson or Sage Rosenfels. The way things look on paper for the Bears this game could almost easily be a blowout.
Potential Stud of the Game-Cutler doesn’t have much time left this season to redeem himself at least a little bit so he may be looking to do something spectacular in this game. If he can get the ball to his receivers he might be able make this a much closer game than it could be.
Potential Dud of the Game-The Bears pass defense was shredded in the first meeting and could be blown up again. They need to play their best in order to keep the Vikings from passing on them all day long and beating them by a wide margin.
Injury Update-Devin Hester, who has been nursing a bad leg, could play in this game. Defensive end Adewale Ogunleye is out with a broken leg.
Fantasy Spin-You may not want to start any of your Bears players in this game but if you must tight end Greg Olsen may be the only start you want to make.
Analysis: The Bears season is pretty much over and what they play for now is pride and quite possibly for head coach Lovie Smith’s job. The Vikings still wish to clinch a first round bye so they will be playing tough and if everything is like it was in the first game then this will be a blowout. A lot hangs on this game for the Bears though especially for Smith who may need to finish strong in this and their next game in order to keep his job. It will be interesting to see how Cutler plays in this game after having a bad outing in Baltimore last week. Hopefully he will be able to eliminate his mistakes and keep his team in the game. It would be great if the team could finish strong but it’s likely that won’t happen.
Prediction: The Vikings really need a win in Chicago and while they will be a dome team playing outside in the cold (it’s estimated that it could be 15 degrees at kickoff on Monday night) they still have too many weapons for the Bears to overcome. Chicago will be playing for pride but as was seen in the Baltimore game they aren’t playing that hard or with that much emotion any longer.
Minnesota 31 Chicago 13.
Bears Season Folds in Loss
The Chicago Bears, fresh off of a 17-9 victory over the St. Louis Rams took on the Green Bay Packers who themselves were coming off of a 27-14 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night and in true Bears fashion for the year, lost the game 21-14. Chicago allowed the Packers to seize the lead on their first offensive play of the game and muddled through most of the game doing nothing spectacular on both sides of the ball. Penalties hurt the Bears a lot in this game and seemed to come in critical situations and most likely cost the Bears this game. However, there is one positive out of this and that is that Chicago didn’t lose the game by as big a margin as many people thought that they would. That is one of the only positives to come out of this game for the Bears.
The scoring started out early in the first quarter when, on the first offensive play of the game for the Packers, running back Ryan Grant rumbled 62 yards for a touchdown to put the Packers up by seven. The Packers would go up 10-0 following a 33 yard field goal by kicker Mason Crosby still in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Packers added another field goal by Crosby (26 yards) to make it 13-0. The Bears did manage to get a score before the half ended when quarterback Jay Cutler hit wide receiver Johnny Knox for a 19 yard touchdown that made it 13-7 going into halftime.
The Bears would get their second touchdown of the game and their first (and only lead) in the third quarter when Cutler hit wide receiver Devin Aromashodu on a 10 yard touchdown pass to make it 14-13. The Packers would go up 21-13 and get the last score of the game when Grant punched it in from one yard out (the Packers made the two point conversion). That’s how the game would end.
Stud of the Game-In his first start, Aromashodu came up big catching eight passes for 76 yards and a score. The Bears may want to look at him more down the stretch.
Dud of the Game-Head Coach Lovie Smith made a confusing call by not electing to challenge a play when the Bears had already called a timeout thus wasting another time out since the play was overturned. The coaching staff is doing a very poor job of getting this team ready for games as well as calling plays during those games. This loss may have sealed the fate of several coaches on the coaching staff including that of Smith.
Injury Update-There were no glaring injuries for the Bears in this game but wide receiver Devin Hester and offensive tackle Orlando Pace didn’t play in this game.
Analysis: The Bears had a myriad of errors in this game and that eventually led to their loss to the Packers. The penalties that the Bears incurred were almost all mental and came at bad times. The offensive line was guilty of false starts and illegal procedure penalties while the defense, although having less penalties called against them, clearly had their problems as well. Cutler threw two interceptions in this game (and could have easily had two more picks) and he and his receivers are not on the same page a majority of the time. The coaching staff is not doing a good job of preparing players for these games (see all the penalties as a reason for that) and this team is clearly in a state of flux. There were a few good things to come out of this game though. The Bears didn’t get blown out like many had suspected that they would and they were able to apply a lot of pressure to Packer’s quarterback Aaron Rodgers which helped keep the score down but Chicago was unable to stop the Packers running game and couldn’t figure out the Packers defense.
Next Up: The Bears will travel to Baltimore to take on the Baltimore Ravens. A full preview of this game is shown below.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Baltimore Ravens
The 5-8 Chicago Bears, coming off of a 21-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers at home will travel to Baltimore to take on the 7-6 Ravens who beat the Detroit Lions this past weekend 48-3. The Ravens are fighting for a playoff spot in the AFC while the Bears are just marking time until the end of the season when it’s possible that some wholesale changes could occur on the team. The Ravens have a great running game with running back Ray Rice leading the way but their passing game can be good at times as well with second year quarterback Joe Flacco at the helm there. The Ravens also have one of the NFL’s toughest defenses and this won’t bode well for the Bears.
When the Bears have the Ball-The Bears have the 32nd ranked rushing offense in the NFL and won’t be able to run the ball that much against the Ravens. So this means that they will have to go to the air more often and they could have some success doing that as long as Cutler can stay upright. The Ravens are great at getting pass pressure on quarterbacks and this could cause a lot of trouble for the Bears on offense. They have to figure out how to eliminate that pass rush and give Cutler time to throw the ball. Getting the running game going would help as well but it’s likely that won’t work against the Ravens.
When the Ravens have the Ball-Ray Rice has been tearing teams up on the ground and if the Bears concentrate on shutting him down they would force Flacco to win the game and Flacco just doesn’t have the weapons to do it. The Bears have been good, at times, at stopping the run and knowing that Rice could tear them up they will most likely be able to limit him in this game. This leaves Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton as Flacco’s preferred targets in the passing game and if the Bears can cover those two guys well then it could end up being a much closer game than it looks like on paper.
Potential Stud of the Game-The Bears defense-If the Bears defense can hold Rice back and give Flacco some problems passing the ball then as long as the offense doesn’t give the ball away a lot the Bears could easily win this game.
Potential Dud of the Game-The Bears, in particular Cutler, cannot turn the ball over in this game. If there are a lot of turnovers the Bears will lose this game.
Fantasy Spin-You may want to keep running back Matt Forte on the bench but starting Johnny Knox may be a good idea.
Injury Update-It’s not known yet whether or not wide receiver Devin Hester will start this game and the Bears may choose to keep left tackle Orlando Pace on the bench in favor of Chris Williams.
Analysis: The Bears are out of the playoffs for the third straight season and the biggest question now is who is going to get the ax at the end of the season. This game may determine whether or not head coach Lovie Smith ends up keeping his job but there are already some saying the offensive coordinator Ron Turner will be out at the end of the season. The Bears should start to look at some of the younger players on their roster now and get some idea of the talent that they have but Chicago will also be looking to win this game and if they can take Rice out the equation, they could quite possibly win this game. It all comes down to what Cutler can do through the air and if he and his receivers finally get on the same page in this game they could win. It will be an interesting game.
Prediction: The Bears are a team that is sloppy (see all the penalties they have gotten this season) and not well put together but it’s possible that they could be playing for their head coach’s future so they should be up for this game. The Ravens are playing for a playoff spot and could be in position to win their division so they are going to be up for this game and it’s in Baltimore so that gives them even more of an advantage.
Baltimore 26 Chicago 17.
Chicago Snaps their Losing Streak By Beating the Lowly Rams
The Chicago Bears, victims of a 36-10 loss in Minnesota to the Vikings hosted the then 1-10 St. Louis Rams, they themselves 27-17 losers to the Seattle Seahawks and broke a four game losing streak by defeating the Rams 17-9. This game should have been a blowout by the Bears but due to their recent problems on both offense and defense there was much less scoring than was thought. Also, the Bears were lucky to even get a win as they let the Rams hang around close throughout the game and one big play could have easily changed the outcome.
The scoring began in the first quarter when the Bears, thanks to some great long pass plays by quarterback Jay Cutler as well as a pass interference call on the Rams made it 7-0 when running back Matt Forte ran the ball in the end zone from one yard out. Chicago would go up 10-0 still in the first quarter following a 27 yard field goal by kicker Robbie Gould.
The Rams would get their first score after kicker Josh Brown booted a 20 yard field goal to make it 10-3 in the second quarter. Brown would add another field goal in that same quarter, a 48 yarder, to make it 10-6 still in the second quarter. Chicago would tack on their third and final score of the game after quarterback Jay Cutler hit wide receiver Earl Bennett in the end zone for a three yard touchdown pass. That made it 17-6.
The Rams would get the only score of the second half as both teams seemed to slow down on offense. The Rams made it 17-9 on a 50 yard field goal by Brown in the fourth quarter. That was the final score of the game.
Stud of the Game: Johnny Knox had some good plays during this game and continues to show his improvement. He will have a great career in Chicago.
Dud of the Game: Despite the fact he ran well Forte’s fumble to start the game was a sign of the futility of the Bears offense this season. He was very lucky that it didn’t turn into something bigger than it ended up being.
Injury Update: Devin Hester left the game with a calf injury and there is no update on his status as of yet. Linebacker Lance Briggs and offensive tackle Orlando Pace did not play in this game.
Analysis: The Bears finally got a win after losing four straight but the Rams are a bad team all the way around. The running game got going in which helped keep the pressure off of Cutler who had been making a lot of mistakes prior to this game. He didn’t make any in this game. The defense did a pretty good job holding the Rams out of the end zone and came up with some critical turnovers during the game.
This game would have meant a lot more had they been playing a team with more than one win however and they even didn’t play that great when you look at it. But still, it’s a start and it could be the game that helped save the job of head coach Lovie Smith. One nice thing to see in this game was wide receiver Earl Bennett getting his first career touchdown but overall it was a game that Bears fans couldn’t get too excited about.
Next Up: The Bears will host the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field this coming Sunday. A full preview of this game is shown below.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Green Bay Packers
The 5-7 Chicago Bears will host the 8-4 Green Bay Packers this Sunday afternoon in Chicago. The Bears are coming off of a 17-9 win over the St. Louis Rams while the Packers beat the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night football 17-14. These teams have met once already this year during a week one contest where the Packers, after being behind in the game went ahead on a long touchdown pass by Aaron Rodgers and then ended up winning that game 21-16. The Bears will want to win this game to keep things positive heading towards the end of the season but the Packers have improved a lot since their first meeting and will present a lot of problems for the Bears.
When the Bears have the Ball: Chicago is trying to run the ball more often to help take some of the pressure off of quarterback Jay Cutler and they ran it with some success against the St. Louis Rams. However, that was the St. Louis Rams and not the Green Bay Packers who have the number one defense in the NFL right now. They will be fully able to stop the run and put pressure on Cutler which could lure him into making mistakes. The Bears may want to think about using a short passing game to help them set things up and then make long strikes down the field much like they did against the Rams to start their game this past Sunday. If the Bears can’t run the ball then they could be in trouble and it could be a long day for them.
When the Packers have the Ball-The Packers offense has been hot and cold this year but has seem some success in recent weeks and will give the Bears some problems. The Bears must get pressure on quarterback Aaron Rodgers and they can get pressure on him because the Packers offensive line has been horrible so far this season. With a good pass rush and good coverage by the secondary, Chicago could keep Rodgers and the Packers receivers tied down a bit.
Green Bay will probably try to get their running game going first however and Chicago can be run on although they have done well at stopping the run at times this season. Getting linebacker Lance Briggs back would be a good and could help them stop the run but Chicago may not choose to bring him back so soon after his injury. One thing that the Bears need to be careful of is making sure that the Packers don’t get a big lead and it will be up to their defense to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Potential Stud of the Game-Matt Forte-If Forte has a big game the Bears will win this game. If he does poorly and the Bears are forced to throw the ball a lot then they will probably not win this game.
Potential Dud of the Game-The Bears coaching staff-You can blame a good bit of what has happened to this team on what the coaching staff has done and if they don’t have this team ready to go and call some better plays, it will be another loss for Chicago.
Injury Update: The status of Briggs, wide receiver Devin Hester and offensive tackle Orlando pace are still up in the air right now. More about their status will be available towards the end of the week.
Fantasy Spin: Starting Forte may not be a bad idea. Cutler could be a good start but do that at your own risk and with that, starting tight end Greg Olsen could be a risky thing especially if Cutler doesn’t throw the ball that often.
Analysis: The Bears would like to continue building on their win against the Rams with a win against the Packers and its not impossible but not that likely. The Packers have been playing great football lately and in addition to having the number one defense in the NFL their offense is one of the best as well and has traditionally given the Bears fits over the past few years. If the Bears can get their running game going and not force Cutler to have to make a lot of plays through the air then they will have a good chance to win this game. Chicago’s defense has their work cut out for them but in their first meeting this season, the Bears found out that if they could get pass pressure on Rodgers, they could keep things close so they will look to do that in this game. That pass rush along with great coverage in the secondary could give the Bears a chance to win this game.
Prediction: The Bears need win to help keep their coaching staff intact for the 2010 season as well as keep their pride up. The Packers are going to be looking to secure a playoff spot and will be playing their best for sure. Chicago has to play their best football in order to win this game but the Packers are playing very well and may just be too much for the Bears. Home field advantage or not the Bears just don’t have enough to stop Green Bay this Sunday.
Green Bay 31 Chicago 21.
The Old Man Blasts Chicago Again
The Bears faced a familiar face this Sunday afternoon when they took on the then 9-1 Minnesota Vikings who had beaten the Seattle Seahawks the previous week by the score of 35-9. Minnesota had former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre at the helm in this game, a guy that the Bears are all too familiar with. Chicago came into this game with a record of 4-6 and were coming off of a 24-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.
The prognosticators felt that the Vikings would be able to easily win this game and they did as they pounded the Bears, at home, 36-10.
Chicago’s offense never really got into a rhythm in this game and their defense just couldn’t stop the Vikings offense in a game that was almost laughable. The Bears hopes for making the playoffs have now disappeared and now Chicago may even see a change in their coaching staff at the end of this season.
The first score of the game came in early in the second quarter when Vikings quarterback Brett Favre tossed a 15 yard pass to wide receiver Percy Harvin to put the Vikings up 7-0. Chicago, on their next possession, marched down the field to tie it up after quarterback Jay Cutler hit wide receiver Johnny Knox on a 24 yard pass to tie it up at seven. The Vikings would get hot however, before the end of the half as quarterback Favre connected with running back Chester Taylor to make it 14-7. The Vikings would add a 52 yard field goal by kicker Ryan Longwell to make it 17-7. Following Cutler’s second interception of the game, Minnesota went up 24-7 when Favre hit tight end Visanthe Shiancoe on a six yard touchdown pass. The half would end 24-7.
The Bears scored first in the second half when kicker Robbie Gould nailed a 38 yard field goal to make it 24-10. The Vikings would add a field goal of their own when Longwell hit a 37 yarder to make it 27-10 still in the third quarter. Minnesota would go up 30-10 on another Longwell field goal this one from 20 yards. The Vikings would get the last score of the game when running back Adrian Peterson punched it in from five yards to make it 36-10 (the two point conversion failed). That was the last score of the game.
Stud of the Game-It’s is so hard to find anyone on the Bears that really stood out in this game but perhaps wide receiver Johnny Knox deserves this honor. He had the Bears lone touchdown and a big kickoff return but he also fumbled one kickoff and gave it back to the Vikings. No one really played that well in this game.
Dud of the Game-The whole roster played this game horribly allowing the Vikings over 500 yards on offense (thanks to the defense). They were also unable to move the ball on offense except for a few drives in the second quarter of the game and everyone played poorly. This team is clearly regressing and it looks like there will be no end to their poor play.
Injury Update: The Bears suffered several key injuries in this game. Linebacker Lance Briggs left the game with a knee injury while offensive tackle Orlando Pace left the game with a groin injury. Cornerback Charles Tillman suffered a mild concussion and Zachary Bowman left the game temporarily but came back later on.
Analysis: The Bears are in a world of trouble on both sides of the ball. Their defense can’t stop anyone and their offense can’t move the ball and this spell trouble. This game saw Cutler forced to endure relentless pressure while the running game just couldn’t get anything going. Had they been able to get the running game going and get some of that pressure off of Cutler, they might have done much better than they did against the Vikings. The defense just couldn’t figure out what Favre and his wide receivers were doing and the Minnesota Vikings just moved the ball seemingly at will. Penalties also hurt the Bears in this game and this is a reflection of the Bears coaching staff and their discipline of the players (right now there doesn’t seem like there is any). This was a bad effort by a bad team and as a result of this loss, the calls for a new head coach (and front office) are getting louder.
Next Up: The Bears will host the 1-10 St. Louis Rams in a game that they must win if they want to at least salvage some of their season (and possibly save head coach Lovie Smith’s job). A full preview of this game is included below.
The Chicago Bears vs. The St. Louis Rams
The 4-7 Chicago Bears, fresh off of a 36-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings will host the 1-10 St. Louis Rams this Sunday in a game that is important for the Bears as they need some kind of positive in what has been one of their worst seasons in the last few years. Head coach Lovie Smith would surely like to win this one in an attempt to keep himself out of the doghouse (and quite possibly off of the chopping block). While this game may seem like a mismatch with the Bears having the advantage, the Rams have been playing some decent football lately and could take advantage of a weakened Bears team.
When the Bears have the Ball-The Bears have had a lot of problems moving the ball both on the ground and through the air. Running back Matt Forte just hasn’t had any luck getting anything going on the ground this season and is not running like the same player that he was in 2008. The Bears need him to get going to help take some of the pressure off of quarterback Jay Cutler and if they can finally get their running game established, it will be a much easier game for the Bears. Chicago will be going up against a pretty poor rushing defense so they may have some success running the football. The Bears should also be able to air it out, providing that Cutler can connect with his receivers. If everything is in rhythm the Bears could have a good game on offense.
When the Rams have the Ball-It's possible that the Bears could be missing both linebacker Lance Briggs and cornerback Charles Tillman for this game and that will hurt their defense a lot. The Bears have allowed opponents a lot of yards through the air and with Marc Bulger out, the Rams will rely on Kyle Boller to throw the ball and while he has had some good games he has had many more bad games and the Bears need to take advantage of this. This defense has to create some turnovers in order to win this game and they can do that against Boller. The Rams do have a great running back in Steven Jackson and he may shoulder a big load in this game. The Bears will have to concentrate on shutting him down.
Potential Stud of the Game-Cutler-If Cutler wants to start getting things back to normal, he will need to use this game as he will face weak Rams pass defense. It would be nice to see him toss a couple of touchdown passes to get his confidence back.
Potential Dud of the Game-The Bears defense-Their defense desperately needs to play well in this game but if they don’t it could be bad. The Rams are not the offensive juggernaut that the Vikings or the Bengals are so they should be able to play well against this team. If they don’t then this defense will have sunk to a new low.
Injury Update-The status of Briggs and Tillman is still up in the air at this time. Offensive tackle Orlando Pace may be out but tight end Desmond Clark should play in this game.
Fantasy Spin-It wouldn’t be a bad idea to start tight end Greg Olsen and you may want to consider starting Cutler against the poor Rams pass defense.
Analysis: The Bears are a mess but hopes are high that hosting the 1-10 St. Louis Rams will at least help them earn a win and get their confidence back. The team is going through turmoil off the field as well (thanks to comments made by linebacker Brian Urlacher) and this only goes to show just how many problems this team has. Chicago needs the win this Sunday and if they can play well they will earn it. St. Louis is a team that is a state of disarray as well with a second string quarterback starting and a poor pass defense. The Bears need to play their best to win this one and with all of the pressure that the coaching staff and players are under. Chicago should win this game in what might end up being their last win of the season.
Prediction: Chicago 21 St. Louis 9.
Bears Playoff Hopes Sink with Another Loss
The Chicago Bears, coming off of a 10-6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers hosted the Philadelphia Eagles who themselves were coming off of a 31-23 loss to the San Diego Chargers and the Bears losing streak continues as they lost to the Eagles 24-20. Quarterback Jay Cutler, who has been playing poorly the previous few weeks, ended up playing even worse than anyone would have thought in this game despite the fact he threw just one interception. The Bears needed a win in order to keep their slim playoff hopes alive but in the end, they just couldn’t seal the deal.
The Eagles scored first in this game when kicker David Akers nailed a 25 yard field goal in the first quarter to make it 3-0. They had driven down to towards the goal line on their first drive but the Bears held tight and allowed just the field goal. The Eagles would make it 10-0 however when wide receiver Jason Avant caught a 13 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Donavan McNabb. The Bears would get three field goals, all in the second quarter (45, 28, 28) from Robbie Gould to make it 10-9 going in at the half.
Chicago would go up by two following another field goal by Gould (49 yards) early in the third quarter but the Eagles would answer when wide receiver DeSean Jackson caught a 48 yard touchdown pass from McNabb to make it 17-12. Cutler would throw his first and only touchdown pass of the game shortly after when he hit tight end Kellen Davis on a 15 yard touchdown pass to make it 20-17 (Chicago went and succeeded in getting a two point conversion). The Eagles would add the go ahead score on a ten yard touchdown run by running back LeSean McCoy to make it 24-20. That’s how the game would end.
Dud of the Game-Cutler only threw one interception but that paled in comparison to the inaccuracy that he suffered from during the game. He overthrew receivers on three occasions (all three could have easily gone for touchdowns) and he just didn’t seem like he was into the game. It’s too early to call the Cutler trade a bad move but he has to show the Bears and their fans something to make them feel better after mortgaging their future for him.
Stud of the Game-This is a tie.
Running back Kahlil Bell gave the Bears and their fans some hope as he helped revive a stagnant Chicago running game and reeled off the Bears biggest run in several decades. Linebacker Lance Briggs kept the defense going and exhibited the kind of leadership and solid play that this team needs. He may not get voted to the Pro Bowl but he’s well deserving of the honor. You can also throw in cornerback Charles Tillman who had three forced fumbles during the game.
Injury Update: The Bears suffered no major injuries during this game but tight end Desmond Clark sat out with a neck injury and Kevin Payne was inactive for this game.
Analysis: What more can you say about the Bears. They are a team seriously on the decline and are a mere shadow of themselves since reeling off three straight wins earlier this season. The defense is good but definitely not good enough to keep opponents from winning games and is horrid and preventing teams from converting on third down. The offense is clearly getting worse by the week and if Cutler isn’t making mistakes by throwing interceptions he is overthrowing receivers and making bad choices. His receivers aren’t helping him out that much either. The Bears do continue to have some of the best special teams units in the NFL though and their defense does have a few stars. The loss to the Eagles has pretty much taken the Bears out of the playoffs this season and now the questions arises, will the ownership keep head coach Lovie Smith around for 2010?
Next Up: The Bears will travel to Minnesota to take on the red hot NFC North leading Minnesota Vikings. A full preview of that game is below.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Minnesota Vikings
The 4-6 Chicago Bears will travel to Minnesota to take on the 9-1 Minnesota Vikings. The Bears are coming off of a 24-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles while the Vikings won big and beat the Seattle Seahawks 35-9. The Vikings could tie up the NFC North very soon while the Bears continue their free fall and may watch their super slim playoff hopes disappear with a loss to the Vikings in this one.
When the Bears have the Ball-The Bears have had trouble both running the ball and throwing it and with the kind of defense the Vikings have it’s going to make it even more difficult for the Bears. If they can do it, they have to establish the run in order to not only wear out the Vikings defense but also keep quarterback Brett Favre and running back Adrian Peterson off of the field. The more they are not on the field the better chance the Bears have of scoring points. On pass protection, the Bears have had their struggles keeping defenders off of Cutler and with the league’s best pass rusher in Minnesota’s Jared Allen, the Bears will have their hands full. It could be a long day for Cutler and the Bears offensive line.
When the Vikings have the Ball-The Vikings have so many weapons on offense it’s going to be hard for the Bears to contain them all. Defending the Vikings running game, led by Peterson, has been a problem for the Bears for the Bears since Peterson came to Minnesota and if he has a big day, the Bears will lose. Wide receiver Sidney Rice has become Favre’s favorite target and will draw coverage from the Bear’s best cover cornerback, Charles Tillman and could see less than normal catches in this game. There is still wide receiver Bernard Berrian and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe to worry about as well. It could be a very long day for the Bear's defense.
Potential Stud of the Game-The Bears defense needs to step up big against the Vikings this coming Sunday and if they can at least keep things close the Bears will have an outside shot to win the game. If they let Favre and Peterson run the tables, it will be a long long day.
Potential Dud of the Game-Cutler-If Cutler continues to regress it’s going to be a bad day for the Bears. He needs to get going and get the ball to his receivers if he has time to throw. Cutler will find himself scrambling around a lot to avoid the Vikings pass rush as he will face a lot of pressure. He will have to know when to take a sack or throw the ball away or else he could make a ton of mistakes in this game.
Injury Impact-The Bears expect to have tight end Desmond Clark and safety/cornerback Kevin Payne back for this game.
Fantasy Spin-Starting anyone on the Bear’s offense could be detrimental to your hopes of winning this week but Greg Olsen is always a good start and could be started this week.
Prediction: The Bears will be desperate for a win and their coaching staff needs to get their players motivated for this game. It shouldn’t be hard as the Bears and the Vikings always play each other tough when they get together but the Vikings are just too powerful on both sides of the ball for this weak Chicago team. This game will probably not be that close especially of the Bears defense plays like it against teams like the Bengals and the Cardinals but if the defense can step it up and the offense can help them out at least a little bit, this game could be a little bit closer than some think that it will be. It is a key game for Cutler as well who has to show his teammates, the coaching staff, the fans and the rest of the league that the trade the Bears made for him wasn’t a mistake. Prediction: Minnesota 34 Chicago 21.
The Chicago Bears in Season Preview: The Special Teams
The Chicago Bears have had one of the best special teams units in the NFL every year since head coach Lovie Smith took over the team and feature some of the better players in the NFL on special teams. When he gets a chance, Devin Hester can be a game changing player while both Danieal Manning and Johnny Knox can be unstoppable bringing back kicks. The coverage units have been solid but have had their problems at critical times (see both this year’s and last year’s games against the Falcons for proof of that) and this has been a problem. There have been a few other breakdowns at critical times this year which are uncharacteristic of this normally strong unit.
The following is a look at each player that the Bears have on special teams (minus obscure coverage unit players). There is a look at how their 2008 season went, how their offseason was handled and how they have done so far in 2009.
Robbie Gould-K-The Bears put a lot of money into Gould just a few seasons ago and he hasn’t disappointed them in the least. Gould is accurate on his field goals (and was so in 2008) but still lacks the ideal distance you would like on some of his kickoffs. He is a vital cog in the wheel known as the Bears and will become an asset as the weather gets colder in Chicago.
Brad Maynard-P-Maynard has quietly become one of the best punters in the NFL and is an asset when trying to get the ball inside the 20 yard line. His punting average so far this season is (through eight games) is 40.7 and he has put 18 punts inside the 20. That is pretty good for a punter and this is why is one of the most valuable players on the team. Look for Maynard to continue to have a solid season and quite possibly make the Pro Bowl.
Devin Hester-In order to keep up with his duties as a wide receiver, Hester has been relegated to punt return duties only and while he has done well at times he still hasn’t recaptured that same magic that he had doing that just a few short seasons ago.
So far this season (through nine games) Hester is averaging 9.9 yards per return this year but hasn’t had too many chances to return punts thanks to the ineffective play of Chicago’s defense. If he gets more opportunities to return punts he just might be able to break one for a touchdown and at least show a flash of the same form he did just a couple seasons ago. Still, Hester is dangerous enough that team’s game plan around him when punting the ball and this often works to the Bear’s advantage.
WR Johnny Knox-Knox stepped in to take over kickoff duties after safety Danieal Manning suffered an injury in training camp and all Knox has done is managed to post the best kickoff return average in the NFL for a period of time this season (right now his average is 27.4). He was also voted special teams player of the week and special teams player of the month but hasn’t had the opportunities that he had during his run as the best special teamer in the NFL. He should continue to improve as the season goes on and should play an important part on special teams next season.
DB Danieal Manning-Manning has had his opportunities to return kicks this season but not as many as he got last season. The reason for this is that Manning has been playing safety and nickel back a lot and the Bears don’t want to string him out too much. Manning is still a serious threat whenever he is back there to return kicks but with Knox looking good and Manning playing much more on defense, it is more likely that he will be taken off kick return duties this season.
Patrick Mannelly-Mannelly has been the Bear’s long snapper for a long time and is perhaps the most consistent player on the team. However, he did have a hiccup this season as he snapped the ball to the up back on a punt thinking that there were 12 men on the defense when there were not. The Bears didn’t get the first down and Mannelly got blamed. Perhaps that’s the only thing that he’s done wrong since coming to Chicago but he is a solid long snapper and a good blocker. The Bears may want to start thinking about finding a replacement for Mannelly though as he is getting up there in age.
The Bears special teams units this season perhaps aren’t as good as they have been in years past but they are getting better as the season goes on. One thing that has hurt this unit is that some of the more productive players on special teams, such as Hunter Hillenmeyer, have been trust into starting roles on offense and defense due to injuries. However, the Bears just keep on plugging players into their special teams system to make it work and it’s working pretty well. Someday though, this may catch up to them.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Philadelphia Eagles Game Preview
The 4-5 Chicago Bears, coming off of a 10-6 loss in San Francisco, will host the Philadelphia Eagles who themselves are coming off of loss following a 31-23 outing in San Diego. The Bears problems are well documented as they haven’t been able to generate a consistent offensive or defensive effort for the past few games and have a daunting task ahead of them in facing the Eagles. The Eagles have a lot of offensive weapons for the Bears to worry about and Chicago will have to play one of its best games of the season in order to come out with a much needed win.
When the Bears have the Ball-The Bears have buried their running game in the last couple of weeks and replaced it with the passing game which has been less than effective. One problem with their passing game is that they turn the ball over too much, especially in the red zone as we saw last week against the San Francisco 49ers. Quarterback Jay Cutler has to make better decisions in the red zone and his receivers have to run better routes. If they can connect in the passing game the Bears could make it a close contest. Chicago’s running game hasn’t been doing much of anything in the past few weeks partially because the Bears have been behind and had to throw the ball a lot but also because it appears as if running back Matt Forte isn’t running as well as he did in 2008. Something looks wrong with his running style (he is doing a lot of dancing before he hits the hole) and it looks like he might have gained some weight which may have an effect on how he runs. The offensive line is also not blocking well for the run (or for the pass) so as a whole, the Bears offense is in a severe state of disarray and will face a tough test against the Eagles who have one of the better defenses in the NFL.
When the Eagles have the Ball-A lot of how the Eagles do on defense will depend on which Bear’s defense shows up. If the same defense that played against the Browns and the 49ers shows up then the Bears will have a chance but if the defense plays like they did against the Bengals and the Cardinals then it’s going to be a long night for the Bears. They have to get pass pressure on Donavan McNabb and force him into either making mistakes or get him on the ground for a sack. The Bears have traditionally done well against running back Brian Westbrook but with injuries at the linebacker positions, it might be difficult to take him completely out of the game. At wide receiver, the Bears secondary will have to contend with DeSean Jackson and an emerging Jeremy Maclin. This is why it is important for Chicago to get pass pressure on McNabb so that he doesn’t have time to throw to these two very capable receivers.
Potential Stud of the Game-Cutler-This game promises to be a near shootout of the Bears can score and if Cutler can limit his mistakes and get the ball to his receivers, they have a good chance to win this game.
Potential Dud of the Game-Chicago’s defense-If Chicago’s defense plays like it did against the Cardinals and the Bengals, Chicago’s offense will have to win this game and as we have seen, they would have trouble doing that. They need their defense to play like it did against the 49ers and the Browns in order to win this game.
Fantasy Spin-It might be wise to sit your Bears starters this week except perhaps Devin Hester and Greg Olsen. Hester has been turning in some solid performances lately and Greg Olsen has finally started to become the player we thought that he would be.
Analysis-This is more than a must win game for the Bears (so that they can keep their slim playoffs hopes alive) because they have to prove that they can win. Winning has become a problem for the Bears recently and they must play well and win. Cutler has to keep his mistakes to a minimum because the Eagles defense will take full advantage of any mistakes that he makes and this could make it a long night for the Bears. The defense has to step up and play well or the Bears could suffer yet another loss.
Injury Update-Right now the only player who will be out for sure is running back/special teamer Garrett Wolfe. The status of Kevin Payne and Al Afalava is still up in the air. Look for tight end Desmond Clark and offensive tackle Orlando Pace to play in this game.
Prediction: Chicago is a team that is in a serious state of disarray and needs to win this game worse than the Eagles do. Chicago will be at home and that will give them somewhat of an edge so if their defense can at least hold the Eagles to 14 points or less, Chicago should be able to win this game. The team that gets the early lead in this game will win the game but the Eagles may just be too much for the Bears to handle. Prediction: Philadelphia 23 Chicago 17.
San Francisco Strikes Gold Against the Bears
The Chicago Bears, coming off of a loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals, travelled to San Francisco to take on the San Francisco 49ers, who themselves were coming off of a loss to the Tennessee Titans, lost a close one 10-6. This game was one that saw the Bears defense, which was torn apart by the Cardinals just four days prior to this game, step up and play well but the problems in this game lied with the Bears offense. In particular, five interceptions from quarterback Jay Cutler helped to lead to the Bears demise this Thursday night.
The scoring started off in the second quarter when the 49ers, following a Cutler interception, punched the ball into the end zone on a 14 yard run by running back Frank Gore. The Bears would get a field goal from kicker Robbie Gould (50 yards) before the end of the half to make it 7-3.
The Bears would add another Gould field goal in the third quarter (38 yards) to make it 7-6 in the third quarter. San Francisco would get the final score of the game when kicker Joe Nedney hit a 21 yard field goal to make it 10-6. That’s how the game would end.
Dud of the Game-Cutler-After a dismal performance the previous week, the defense finally stepped up and did their part but the offense gave it away and they were led by Cutler and his five interceptions. You have to give him credit, two of those interceptions were not entirely his fault but his interceptions in the red zone killed the Bears chances of scoring and winning this game.
Stud of the Game-Lance Briggs-Briggs played like a man possessed and was all over the field making plays and helping the defense turn in a pretty decent game. He is probably the only player on the roster right now who could be considered for the Pro Bowl.
Analysis: Cutler continues to make mistakes in the red zone and cost the Bears at least 14 points on touchdowns and six points on field goals. You can’t blame him entirely for some of this because his receivers had their faults in this game as well. The defense showed up finally but didn’t have to go against a quality quarterback like they faced in Kurt Warner or Carson Palmer so that helped them out a lot. Penalties also killed the Bears at critical times almost to the point it was comical. This team looked like a team that had not real coaching staff, or at least one that cared and looked like a team that never got rid of former Bear’s quarterback Rex Grossman. Chicago is now destined to miss the playoffs again and wallow in mediocrity.
Injury Report: Safety Al Afalava didn’t play in this game and Kevin Payne was out as well. Nick Roach was temporarily out with a near groin injury and Orlando Pace missed most of the fourth quarter after getting the wind knocked out of him. Tight end Desmond Clark also suffered a neck stinger in this game.
Next Up: The Philadelphia Eagles will travel to Soldier Field to take on the Bears next Sunday night. A full preview of this game will come early next week.
Cardinals Fly Away with a Win in Chicago
The Chicago Bears, coming off a victory at home against the Cleveland Browns the week before hosted the Arizona Cardinals, coming off of loss at home to the Carolina Panthers, laid a big egg in a big way losing to the Cardinals 41-21. The Bears defense was virtually none existent in this game as they allowed the Cardinals to score almost at will. The game didn’t start out well for the Bears either as just a few plays into the game, defensive tackle Tommie Harris was ejected from the game for punching Arizona offensive lineman Deuce Lattui. Couple that with several key injuries and it was one big bad day for the Bears.
Arizona got on the board first in the first quarter when Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner threw an 11 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald to put the Cardinals up 7-0. Chicago answered on their next possession when quarterback Jay Cutler threw a 33 yard touchdown pass to tight end Greg Olsen to tie the game at 7. The Cardinals answered that touchdown with another one of their own on the next drive when Warner hit tight end Ben Patrick to make it 14-7 still in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Arizona made it 21-7 when Warner hit Fitzgerald on a 17 yard pass. They would do it again when tight end Anthony Becht caught a 15 yard pass from Warner to put the Cardinals up 28-7. The Cardinals would close out the half on a 43 yard field goal to make it 31-7 at the end of the half.
The only score of the third quarter came on a 30 yard field goal to make it 34-7. In the fourth quarter, the Bears mounted what could be considered to be a mini comeback when Cutler drove the team down the field capping off the drive with a three yard pass to Olsen to make it 34-14. Chicago would score again shortly afterwards when Cutler hit Olsen again for a 20 yard touchdown pass. This would make it 34-21. The Cardinals iced the game following a four yard pass from Warner to wide receiver Steve Breaston to make it 41-21. That’s how the game would end.
Stud of the Game-For the Bears it is hard to find anyone but Cutler that could be considered because he never gave up and kept the offense moving. Olsen could also be considered as well but without Cutler Olsen wouldn’t have had such a solid game.
Dud of the Game-Tommie Harris-Harris’ ejection from the game was a foolish mistake and only compounds all of the problems that the Bears have had with him. It’s likely he may not be around after the season is over but perhaps only if the Bears can find someone to replace him.
Injury Report-Cornerback Charles Tillman injured his shoulder in the first half and missed the rest of the game. He will play when the Bears face the 49ers on Thursday night. Running back and special teamer Garrett Wolfe suffered a lacerated kidney and will miss a month. The jury is still out on safety Al Afalava who will undergo some tests to see how bad his injury is.
Analysis-This was a complete breakdown by the Bear’s defense as it could not stop Arizona both on the ground and through the air. The tackling was poor and the pass coverage was even worse and is reminiscent of their game against Cincinnati. It’s hard to tell exactly what they Bears can do to fix their problems and they may not get it taken care of this year. The offense looked better than it did against the Browns although Cutler got beat up again thanks to good pass pressure by the Cardinals. There is a lot of work to do in Chicago. Finally, the ejection of Harris has proved to many that there is something wrong with Harris and may serve to be his end in Chicago.
Key Stat-3-This is the number of touchdown catches that tight end Greg Olsen had during the game as it appears that Cutler has finally found what many felt would be his favorite target this season.
Next Up: The Bears have a short week before traveling to San Francisco to take on the 49ers. A full preview of this game is below.
The Chicago Bears vs. The San Francisco 49ers
The 4-4 Chicago Bears, fresh off of a 41-21 loss to the Arizona Cardinals will travel to San Francisco to take on the 3-5 49ers who are coming off of a 34-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans. This game is the first meeting between these two teams since head coach Mike Singletary took over as head coach of the 49ers. For anyone who doesn’t know this, Singletary used to play middle linebacker for the Bears during the 80’s when Chicago went to and won the Super Bowl.
When the Bears have the Ball-Chicago seemingly abandoned the run, even early, against the Cardinals last week and went with quarterback Jay Cutler throwing the ball and this seemed to work pretty well for them. They may want try to get the run going though so as to keep it out of the hands of the 49ers offense and running back Frank Gore who is a player that can be a game changer. If the Bears fall behind, which could easily happen, they have the weapons to get the ball moving through the air and mount a comeback. Devin Hester has come on strong as of late and Earl Bennett had a solid game against the Cardinals.
When the 49ers have the Ball-The 49ers made a quarterback change recently by taking Shaun Hill out and putting Alex Smith in. Smith had a decent first game but didn’t do well against Tennessee and so the 49ers passing game isn’t anything to be too afraid of. The guy the Bears need to worry about is Gore. Gore is a big time game changer and can run through the Bears defense if they don’t tackle better (or tackle like they did against the Cardinals). Look for the Bears to try to focus on containing Gore and dare the 49ers to beat them through the air. If they can eliminate Gore then the Bears have a good chance to win this game.
Potential Stud of the Game- QB Jay Cutler. Cutler may have to air it out a lot if the Bears fall behind and if he and his receivers can get on the same page, they all could have a big game.
Potential Dud of the Game-The Bears rushing defense. If the Bears allow Gore to keep the ball in the hands o f the 49ers offense and breaks some big runs, it’s going to be yet another long day for the Bears. They have to focus on containing him.
Fantasy Spin-You might want to take a look at starting Cutler and Hester in this game along with tight end Greg Olsen. They could have a pretty productive game.
Prediction: The Bears and the 49ers are both going to have a short week after having played a game on Sunday only to turn around four days later and play a game on Thursday night. Both teams will be tired but the 49ers will be playing at home and this will give them some advantage. If the Bears can shut down Gore it will be a Bears win but if they can’t it could turn into a shootout and the Bears have the quarterback and weapons to win if it does.
Prediction: Chicago 21 San Francisco 17
The Chicago Bears In-Season Preview: The Cornerbacks
Coming into the 2009 NFL season, there was a lot of concern at the cornerback position for the Bears especially after such a poor performance by that unit in 2008. They return almost all of their players at that position from last year and even have a few new faces to help add some depth at the position. Charles Tillman is one starter who is consistent and when healthy one of the best players that the Bears have on the team. Zachary Bowman is another starter who has been given the job over former starter Nathan Vasher who has lost a step or two over the past couple of seasons.
The following is a look at each player at the cornerback position on the Bears in season roster. There is a quick look back at how they performed in 2008, how they are doing so far this season and where they stand for the rest of the 2009 season.
Charles Tillman-Tillman’s offseason started out shaky as he missed the entire preseason after having back surgery but has been back and playing well so far this season. In 2008, Tillman played in 15 games last season and posted some strong numbers but had some problems with injuries that kept him out of parts of some contests and all of one. Tillman has had a decent start to the season so far and is solid but not spectacular. He remains the best cornerback on the Bears and one of the best in the NFC North. As long as he cans stay healthy he should have a good season in 2009.
Nathan Vasher-Vasher has fallen out of favor with the Bears coaching staff after two straight seasons of injury and ineffective play. In 2008, Vasher played in eight games starting seven of those games and while he was in he was picked upon often and failed to cover as effectively as he had in the past. Vasher looked decent in training camp but was supplanted as the starter by Zachary Bowman and has only seen some situational duty so far this season. He did have a key interception in the Bears loss to Atlanta and could be used more often in special situations. If he fails to contribute much more this season, he may not see another season as a Bear.
Zackary Bowman-Bowman is somewhat of a surprise in just his second season as a Bear. He played sparingly in 2008 due to an injury he suffered in what could be considered to be a “dream” first game in the NFL but came into camp with a lot of promise and the possibility that he could end up taking the starting job from Nathan Vasher. After suffering a hamstring problem in training camp, Bowman has come back in the regular season, seized the starting job and has played fairly well in that starting role. Granted, he has had a lot of learning to do but he looks like the better option at cornerback (better than Vasher) at this time. Keep an eye on this youngster as he should be a solid player by the end of this season.
Corey Graham-Graham was thought to be in the race for a starting spot (Vasher’s) going into the preseason but something happened to Graham and he didn’t perform as well as many people thought that he would. In 2008, Graham played in all 16 games in 2008 starting nine of those games and was pretty productive as a fill at the position. So far this season, Graham has seen some action on special teams and hasn’t cracked the lineup thanks to the health that is still maintained in the secondary. If he does get his chance, at least he has some starting experience to make the transition much smoother.
D.J. Moore-Moore, a rookie out of Vanderbilt, was retained on the active roster after having a solid training camp and he gives the Bears some options both in terms of depth and on special teams. Moore might have a slight height disadvantage against a lot of wide receivers but he still has the ability to cover and can play special teams if needed. If Moore gets a chance to play this season it will be because there are a lot of injuries or the team is so far ahead allowing him to play won’t matter. Keep an eye on him however as he may make some kind of an impact in the future.
DeAngelo Smith-Smith, a rookie out of Cincinnati was originally drafted by the Cowboys during the 2009 NFL Draft but was let go in final cuts. The Bears signed him to the practice squad and hope to develop him over time. While in college, Smith was considered to be one of the better cornerbacks in the nation and has a lot of talent that the Bears will hope to develop over time.
Woodny Turenne-Turenne, a rookie out of the University of Louisville, sits on the Bears practice squad this season and is another player that the Bears will look to develop and possibly bring into the mix at some point in the future. Turenne had a pretty good preseason and got high marks from the coaching staff due to his hard hitting style and raw talent. Look for his name to come up again next season.
The Bears hope desperately to get better play out of their cornerbacks this season and so far they are doing well but maybe not as well as the coaching staff would have liked. Health has always been an issue and right now the Bear’s cornerbacks are in pretty good shape. Along with that, the Bears are getting good pass pressure on the quarterback which also helps these guys out. If the starters in this group can stay healthy all season than the Bears pass defense should be pretty solid.
Chicago Bowls Over the Browns Big Time
The Chicago Bears, coming off of their worst loss in almost ten years, faced the 1-6 Cleveland Browns and beat them soundly 30-6.
This game may look like it was a blowout by looking at the score, but the Bears were not as good as the score may indicate. Their offense was ineffective for a majority of the game and had to rely on the defense to not only help keep them in the game but give them pride field position from which they could score.
The scoring started off in the first quarter after both teams could barely move the ball when the Bears got a 37 yard field goal from kicker Robbie Gould to make it 3-0. Chicago would get one more field goal in the first quarter (a 29 yarder) to make it 6-0 at the close of the period. Chicago would go up 9-0 on another field goal (32 yards) before finally getting in the end zone on a one yard run by Matt Forte to make it 16-0. The half would end with the Bears up 16-0.
The Browns would finally get on the board in the second half following a one yard touchdown run by quarterback Derek Anderson (the kick was blocked by Israel Idonije) to make it 16-6. Chicago, however, wouldn’t allow the Browns to score again and following the Browns score Chicago scored again on a ten yard run by Forte to go up 23-6. The Bears would add one more touchdown in the fourth quarter when cornerback Charles Tillman intercepted Anderson and ran the ball into the end zone to go up 30-6. That is how the game would end.
Stud of the Game: The Bears defense not only helped keep the Browns from scoring a lot of points (although the Browns did a good job of keeping themselves out of the end zone) but they also came up with a ton of turnovers that helped the Bears offense gain good field position and score more points. Granted, there were a few shortcomings on defense but they looked a lot better than they did against the Bengals last week.
Dud of the Game-The Bears offensive line was horrible in this game as quarterback Jay Cutler had not time to throw the ball and was either harassed, hit or sacked multiple times in this game. Cutler was even the victim of a roughing the passer call that was a result of him being hit in the head by a defender. After that, he had a bloody tongue and looked a little dazed and confused. If the Bears don’t find a way to protect him better, especially with the Vikings on the schedule, Cutler won’t be healthy enough to finish the season.
Analysis-The Bears offensive woes continued in this game as they were unable to convert red zone opportunities into touchdowns in this game and could not provide pass protection for Cutler. The running game did improve a little bit as Forte got in the end zone twice and had a couple of nice runs but overall, the play of the offensive line prohibited the Bears offense from doing anything spectacular.
The defense did very well and was at its most opportunistic. Fumble recoveries and interceptions helped them keep the Browns at bay but still have some work to do. There was just one sack in 17 pass attempts but pressure was generated. The secondary did well and the linebackers looked much better than they did against the Bengals. This team is still in a state of disarray however and may not be as good as their record indicates.
Next Up: The Bears will host the 4-3 Arizona Cardinals at Soldier Field this next Sunday. A full preview of this game is below.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Arizona Cardinals Game Preview
The 4-3 Chicago Bears, fresh off of a 30-6 victory over the Cleveland Browns will host the 4-3 Arizona Cardinals who are coming off of a 34-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers. This will be an interesting matchup as the Bears have been suffering from problems on both sides of the ball while with the Cardinals, you don’t know what you will get from week to week.
When the Bears have the Ball-The Bears first priority is to protect quarterback Jay Cutler from the Cardinal’s pass rush. Cutler has had little time to throw lately and won’t make it much longer if he continues to get beat up like he has. Along those same lines, the Bears need to get their running game going and it started to get moving more in their game against the Browns. They will need to continue to get running back Matt Forte and the running game moving. If the Bears running game stalls and Cutler gets under heavy pressure when passing the ball then it will be a long day for the Bears.
When the Cardinals have the Ball-The Bears got a lot of turnovers in their game against the Browns and the good thing for the Bears is that Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner is prone to throwing interceptions so if the Bears can get pressure on him they may have some luck. Arizona’s running game is led by rookie Chris Wells and he is load so the Bears defense will need to be at their best stopping him and trying to bring him down early. They have been decent against the run but if you remember the kind of game that Cedric Benson had against them two weeks ago, their run defense is a cause for concern. One good thing for the Bears going into this game is that it appears as if Cardinal’s wide receiver Anquan Boldin will be out for this game.
Fantasy Spin: Starting Forte would be a good idea and you might want to consider starting Cutler and hope that he can keep his mistakes to a minimum. It could end up being a shootout and if it is Cutler could be pretty productive.
Injury Analysis: Safety Craig Steltz has an arm injury and may or may not play. This would only affect special teams play. There are some minor bumps and bruises but it appears that the Bears should have most of their players ready for this game. The big injury problem for the Cardinals (as mentioned) has to do with Boldin’s ankle and he may not be available for this game.
Prediction: The Bears need this win to keep pace with the Packers for second in the NFC North while the Cardinals will look to pad their lead in the NFC West. The Bears are a team in a state of disarray and have to turn things around quickly if they hope to make the playoffs. The biggest question is, will Cutler have enough time to throw the ball? If he does, then as long as the Bears defense doesn’t suffer a big breakdown, they could very easily win this game. If not, it will be a long day for Bears fans.
Prediction: Chicago 23 Arizona 21.
