Chicago Bears
NFL Team Column
By Bryan Dietzler
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.
Benson Burns The Bears Big Time
The Chicago Bears, coming off of a 21-14 loss to the Falcons travelled to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals who suffered their second loss of the season to the Houston Texans and got blasted 45-10. This was one of the worst losses in Chicago Bears history and what made it even worse was the fact that former Bears running back, Cedric Benson, ran all over the vaunted Chicago Bears defense making them look like one of the worst in the league. The offense failed to move the ball well and the Bears failed to take advantage of a loss by the Minnesota Vikings to move within one game of the division leaders.
The Bengals scored five times before the Bears managed to get on the board. In order, the Bengals scored touchdowns on passes from Carson Palmer to Chris Henry (nine yards), Chad Ochocinco (eight yards), J.P. Foschi (three yards) and Laverneous Coles (eight yards) all in the first half. They also added a field goal by kicker Shayne Graham before the Bears got a field goal at the end of the half. The half ended with the score 31-3.
The scoring started out in the second half when Palmer tossed another touchdown pass, this one 13 yards, to Ochocinco. That put the score at 38-3. That was the only score of the third quarter. The Bengals would get their final score of the game when Benson got into the end zone on a one yard touchdown run to put the score at 45-3. Chicago would get into the end zone, finally, when wide receiver Devin Hester caught a five yard touchdown pass from Jay Cutler to make it 45-10. That would end up being the final score of the game.
Stud of the Game-Hester caught eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown but fumbled the ball at a critical point in the game. Still, he has come a long way as a receiver and is starting to look more and more their number one at the position all the time.
Dud of the Game-Every single player on this team, especially the defense, earns this dubious honor but this week we will also include the coaching staff in on this. Lovie Smith and his stable of coaches failed to have this team ready for this game and they failed to call better plays on both sides of the ball but mostly on defense.
There are no more excuses for the Bears who should have been up for this game following all of the pregame talk by Ochocinco and Benson but they dropped the ball in a big way.
Fantasy Spin-Running back Matt Forte failed to get anything going and Cutler threw three interceptions making disgruntled fantasy owners even more than they have been. Hester should have pleased his owners though after having his best game of the season.
Analysis-Chicago’s defense got destroyed and we now know that the cover-2 defense just isn’t working any longer. The Falcons chewed it up last week and the Bengals destroyed it this week so the Bears need to look at playing more man to man coverage. Their pass pressure, very good the first few games of this season, was nonexistent and they just couldn’t find an answer for the Bengals rushing attack which gashed them deeply. If they can’t fix the problems that they have on defense they will see a few more games like this one.
Next Up: The Bears will host the Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field this next Sunday. A full preview of this game is written below.
The Chicago Bears vs. the Cleveland Browns Game Preview
The 3-3 Chicago Bears, coming off of a horrible 45-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, will host the 1-6 who are coming off of a 31-3 loss at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. The Browns have had issues at quarterback, receiver and on defense and may be just what the doctor ordered for a Bears team that is ailing big time after their loss to the Bengals. The question is, can the Bears take advantage of this.
When the Bears have the Ball-The Bears absolutely have to get running back Matt Forte established early and often in this game not only to keep the ball in their hands but help get Forte’s confidence back and get him into a rhythm which will become vital as the season goes on. Cutler needs to limit his mistakes, especially in the red zone and his receivers need to step up. Devin Hester looked almost great against the Bengals so Cutler should look his way more often. They also need to get tight ends Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen more involved in the passing game.
When the Browns have the Ball-The Bears defense was shredded through the air and on the ground by the Bengals but the Browns are only one quarter as good as the Bengals are on offense so if the Bears defense is up for this challenge, they should be able to keep them at bay. Quarterback Derek Anderson is a decent quarterback but he can be forced into making mistakes and this all goes back to pass pressure. The Bears need to get pressure on him in order to keep him from making long gains down the field. The linebackers, Lance Briggs, Nick Roach and Hunter Hillenmeyer need to play much better as well and the safeties need to support the run better as well.
Potential Stud of the Game-Cutler. If Cutler has a big day, which he should, then the Bears will win this game easily. However, if he gives up the ball at critical moments the Bears will struggle.
Potential Dud of the Game-The Bears front seven-The Bears got no pass pressure on Carson Palmer last week and will have to get pressure on Anderson to help ensure that they aren’t beaten in the passing game. The Brown’s running game is in a state of flux right now and is most likely not going to shred the Bears defense like the Bengals did. As long as the defense doesn’t give up the big play, they should be able to shut down the Browns and come out with a win.
Fantasy Spin-It’s hard to tell anyone to start Forte or Cutler especially after the past two games so if you want to start someone from the Bears this week, start Hester. Hester had a breakout game of sorts last week and is becoming the most reliable receiver on this team.
Prediction-The Browns may just be what the doctor ordered for a team in a serious state of disarray. With teams like the Cardinals and the Eagles on the schedule this team has to start getting things together quickly if they want to even think about winning those games. The Browns are inept of both sides of the ball and even with just a little more effort than they put forth last week, the Bears should win this game.
Prediction: Chicago 17 Cleveland 7
Falcons Down Bears 21-14
The Chicago Bears, coming off of a bye week and a win over the Detroit Lions just two weeks ago, travelled to Atlanta to take on the Atlanta Falcons who were coming off of a big 45-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago walked away losers 21-14. This game was a comedy of errors by the Bears on both sides of the ball and on special teams and left a lot more questions than there were answers at the conclusion of the game.
The Bears failed to take advantage of three straight Atlanta three and outs to start the game which ended up being one of many nails in their coffin. The first score of the game finally came when quarterback Jay Cutler hit wide receiver Johnny Knox on a 23 yard pass to put the Bears up 7-0. The Falcons would tie the game after quarterback Matt Ryan threw a 40 yard pass to wide receiver Roddy White to tie it up at 7-7. The Falcons would make it 14-7 towards the end of the half following a ten yard touchdown pass from Ryan to tight end Tony Gonzalez. The half would end with Atlanta in the lead 14-7.
In the second half, the Bears would tie things up when Cutler hit tight end Greg Olsen on a two yard touchdown pass. The Falcons however would go up 21-14 when running back Michael Turner ran the ball five yards into the end zone and that’s how it would end.
Stud of the Game-It's hard to find anyone on the Bears who stood out in this game but you have to give rookie wide receiver Knox a lot of credit for doing what he has done as a rookie. He was definitely a great find for the Bears.
Dud of the Game-There are several. Cutler threw two interceptions at critical times in this game keeping the Bears out of the end zone. Running back Matt Forte had critical fumbles at critical times and his fumble along the goal line really put the dagger in the Bears heart. Chicago’s special teams really laid an egg when they allowed a long kickoff return which setup the Falcon’s final touchdown and starting left tackle Orlando Pace gets the honor thanks to his false start on fourth and one as the Bears made an attempt to come back and tie the game.
Observations-The Bears defense looked horrible when the Falcons offense started to use the no huddle offense. The defense, in particular Nick Roach, failed to get the signals in on time and thus this led to the breakdown that allowed White to score his touchdown. The Bears firmed things up in the second half however and looked much better on defense.
Fantasy Spin-If you had Cutler or Forte, you are probably a little disappointed in their showing. Look for much better times ahead from both players.
Next Up: The Bears will travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals. For more on this game, please see the game preview below.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Cincinnati Bengals
The 3-2 Chicago Bears, coming off of a 21-14 loss to the Falcons, will travel to Cincinnati to take on the 4-2 Bengals in a game that will feature the first meeting of these two teams since the Bengals signed former disgruntled Bear’s running back Cedric Benson. Benson has been tearing things up on the ground so far this season and the Bear’s defense will have their hands full with him. Chicago’s defense should be up for the challenge however as they have done well against the run so far this season.
When the Bears have the Ball-Running back Matt Forte has had a down season so far and has made some critical mistakes at critical times. He is sure to have learned his lesson though and should be relied upon to keep the ball on the hands of the offense which is going to be key for the Bears in this game. Cutler has to limit his mistakes, especially in the red zone and needs to become more productive if the Bears are to win this game. Chicago’s offensive line has also struggled at times as we saw in the Falcons game and they need to get much better at blocking and cutting out critical mistakes at critical times.
When the Bengals have the Ball-The Bengals offense is nothing without Benson running the ball effectively and Chicago will work to shut down their rushing attack. The Bears have been pretty good at limiting the rushing attack of opposing teams and the Bengals may have to look to their passing game to get things done. With this, the Bears need to get pressure on quarterback Carson Palmer who will make mistakes when pressured. The Bears secondary must be up for the challenge and their linebackers, which could see the return of Hunter Hillenmeyer, will have to be playing their best.
Potential Stud of the Game-Look for Cutler to keep the ball moving when needed, through the air but Forte has to be able to get going and keep the ball out of the hands of the Bengal’s offense. If they can do that, they will win.
Potential Dud of the Game-Watch out for the defense getting things mixed up a little bit and having breakdowns in coverage. They have to be playing their best from here on out if the Bears are to win the game. There shouldn’t be much of a problem getting pressure on Palmer and the Bears will need this to succeed.
Fantasy Spin-Although you may be hesitant to do so, starting Forte would be a good idea this week. Give Cutler and Knox the nod as well.
Injury Update-The Bears should get Hillenmeyer back in the mix and will need him as Pisa Tinoisamoa is now out for the season. Everyone else should be available and ready to go for this game.
Prediction: The Bears are hurting after their loss on Sunday night and will be prepared for this game. The Bengals are dangerous and if they can get their ground game going, which is highly unlikely against a tough Bear’s defense, it could be a long day for Chicago. Still, the Bears have what it takes to win and should be able to win this one. Prediction: Chicago 27 Cincinnati 17.
Chicago Bears vs. The Atlanta Falcons Game Preview
The 3-1 Chicago Bears, fresh off a much needed bye week will take on the 3-1 Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta this Sunday night. The Bears beat the Detroit Lions two weeks ago 48-24 while the Falcons smashed the San Francisco 49ers 45-10. This promises to be a close contest especially now that the Falcons appear to have their running game going again and are getting great production through the air from their quarterback.
When the Bears have the Ball: Speaking of getting running games going, the Bears finally got theirs going against the Lions two weeks ago and will try to establish the run once again against the Falcons. Atlanta hasn’t been allowing a lot on the ground but if the Bears can get something established with running back Matt Forte, then they would be able to control the ball and keep it out of the hands of the Falcon’s potent offense. If they fall behind, the Bears have a reliable quarterback in Jay Cutler who is someone that can bring this team back from a deficit if needed. If the Bears find themselves behind at any point in this game, Cutler can easily bring them back.
When the Falcons have the Ball-The Bears defense has been able to get a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks and they will need to do this against the Falcons. If they can get consistent pressure, they should be able to force quarterback Matt Ryan into making mistakes which they can take advantage of.
Chicago should be able to shut down the Falcon’s rushing attack as they have been very good against the run so far this season. However, if the Falcons are able to chew up large chunks of yards in this game, it will be a long day for the Bears.
Potential Stud: Matt Forte-Getting something going in the running game will be vital for the Bears and if Forte can get something going on the ground he could have a big day.
Potential Dud: The Bears pass defense-If the Bears are able to stop the Falcons rushing attack Atlanta will be passing the ball a lot and if the Bears can’t get a pass rush going Ryan will pick their defense apart. The defensive backs need to play at their very best in this game because the outcome could hinge on them.
Fantasy Spin: There are a couple of choices for players that you could start in this game. Cutler should have a solid game but beware of his tendency to force things and make mistakes. Starting Forte could bring some benefit as well as he could quite possibly have a big game.
Prediction: This is another one of those games that could be too close to call. There are too many things that could go wrong for the Bears on defense especially since their secondary is in a state of flux and the Falcon’s passing game is going good right now. If the Falcons can move the ball through the air the Bears will lose this game.
Prediction: Atlanta 21 Chicago 17.
The Chicago Bears Season Preview: The Safeties
No longer will Bears fans see the familiar face and jersey number “30” of Mike Brown in the Bears secondary. Brown, a consummate defender but often injured leader of the Bears defense has been let go and now is making tackles in Kansas City. The Bears need to have some stability at the all important safety position and feel that they have found it with some of the current starters that they have at both safety positions going into the season but there may be some movement before the season is complete.
The following is a look at the players that the Bears have brought into the season at both the free and strong safety position. There is a quick look back at their performance in 2008, some insight into how they have done during the offseason and how they may do in 2009.
Al Afalava-Afalava, a rookie draft choice out of this year’s draft, has ended up becoming the starter after having played pretty well during the preseason. Afalava still has a lot to learn but he has helped the Bears defense out immensely with his speed and tackling ability. He’s a smart player who could end being a long term solution for the team at that safety position.
Josh Bullocks-Bullocks, a free agent signed this past offseason, lost out on the starting job but will remain with the team as a backup and could serve some purpose as a fill in should injuries arise. Bullocks was not resigned by the New Orleans Saints this past offseason and has come to Chicago for a new start but just didn’t work out for him.
Danieal Manning-Manning was tabbed to be a starter at the free safety position at the start of training camp but a hamstring problem kept him out and caused him to lose his starting spot. But just three games into the season, Manning has earned his starting spot back and this athletic and talented safety will try to remain the starter for the entire season. One thing that has plagued Manning since coming to the Bears has been the fact that he makes serious mental errors at critical times. If he makes too many of these mistakes during the season, he could find himself replaced in the starting lineup. This would not bode well for Manning who is going to be looking to get a new contract soon.
Kevin Payne-Payne started out the season as the starter at the free safety position, mainly because Manning was injured through most of training camp so Payne stepped in and ended up being the starter at least for a short amount of time. Payne will see some action in relief at times and will also play on special teams where he could excel. If Manning gets injured or falters, Payne will be right back in the mix as a starter.
Josh Bullocks-Bullocks came to the Bears as a free agent signing but wasn’t able to crack the starting lineup that the team had thought that he would and now he sits in as a backup at the free safety position. Bullocks has some of the skills that the Bears would desire at the free safety position but the talent ahead of him will keep him back. He has started to contribute some on special teams which will be a big plus for both the Bears and Bullocks. Look for him to remain with the team throughout the remainder of this season and contribute on special teams.
Craig Steltz-Steltz, a reserve at the free safety position, was thought to have the inside track on being a starter at the position going into training camp but the play of Kevin Payne erased those thoughts and now he sits behind Payne and Manning on the depth chart. Steltz could use some additional development time as it is anyway so perhaps he can make his move into the starting spot next year. For now, he will excel on special teams and provide good depth.
Letting Mike Brown go after the season was a good idea for a team that has been able to develop some solid talent at the safety position and have gotten some surprises with the play of rookie safety Afalava. This position has some good depth as well and if there are any injuries they should be able to recover nicely without too much of a loss in play. Overall this is a good group of safeties that will only get better as time goes on.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Detroit Lions
The Chicago Bears, coming into this game with several injuries on defense hosted the now not so winless Detroit Lions and after a tight first half pulled away in the second half and beat the Lions 48-24. This game featured a lot of points in the first half but thanks to some adjustments in the second half as well as some luck, the Bears overcame a solid Lions team and got their record to 3-1. This was the Bear’s third win in a row.
As mentioned, the first half was a virtual shootout as both teams scored six touchdowns and ended the half tied at 21 apiece. The first half featured some remarkable plays by both Jay Cutler and Matt Forte as well as a solid effort from Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. However, in the second half, the Bears broke away from the Lions and scored 27 points (to the Lions three) and beat them by 24 points.
The tone for the second half was set with the opening kickoff when wide receiver Johnny Knox, fielding the kickoff two yards deep in the end zone, took off and ran it back all the way for a touchdown. This seemingly set a fire under the entire Chicago team and they went out and played very well the rest of the game. Forte rushed for 121 yards and one touchdown but surprisingly, Cutler passed for just 141 but he threw for two scores and ran the ball in for another. What was most important is that he didn’t have an interception in this game.
As mentioned, the Bears defense was pretty porous in the first half but reigned things in during the second half and allowed the Lions just three points in the second half. They defense got a lot of pressure on Stafford and even knocked him out of the game showing that pass pressure can do all sorts of wonders for a defense. With five and a half sacks in this game, the Bears did very well putting pressure on the quarterback, something they failed to do in 2008.
Stud of the Game: WR/KR Johnny Knox: His game changing kickoff return really swung momentum in the Bears favor in the second half and helped seal it for Chicago. Knox has been a pleasant surprise for the Bears since being drafted this April.
Dud of the Game-The Bears Secondary-This group gave up a ton of yards in the first half and allowed the Lions to keep pace with them throughout the first 30 minutes of the game. However, they did tighten things up in the second half allowing Detroit just three points in the second half.
Injury Concerns: It was once again another injury filled afternoon for the Bears as wide receivers Knox and Devin Hester left with injuries as did running back and special teams ace Adrian Peterson. Knox and Hester appear to be fine but not much is known about Peterson’s injury yet. Defensive tackle Israel Idonije had surgery on his knee Monday but is expected to return in time for the Bears next game in two weeks.
Next Up: Da Bears will travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons who had a bye week this week.
There will be a full game preview coming early next week.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Seattle Seahawks Game Review
The Chicago Bears, coming off of a last second victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers, travelled to Seattle to take on the ailing Seahawks and once again, needing some last minute heroics, they won this one 25-19.
The Bears were behind 13-0 to start but rallied back thanks to some solid passing by quarterback Jay Cutler and a defense that just wouldn’t give up. However, this wasn’t to be a victory without some cost as Chicago suffered injuries at the linebacker position (Hunter Hillenmeyer) and at the running back position (Matt Forte).
As mentioned, the Bears fell behind 13-0 thanks to an ineffective offense that featured more mistakes by Cutler. The defense also let them down allowing running back Julius Jones a breakout run which netted Seattle seven points. But things started to come together for the Bears on both sides of the ball at the end of the first half as they made it 13-7 following a touchdown pass from Cutler to tight end Greg Olsen. The Bears would make it 14-13 following a touchdown pass from Cutler to wide receiver Johnny Knox. Knox has been a surprise for the Bears and could end up being their second biggest acquisition of the offseason.
Bears kicker Robbie Gould would add three more points to make it 17-13 but the Seahawks would come back and get two field goals from Olindo Mare to make it 19-17. The Bears needed a miracle to come back and win and that miracle came from the miracle man himself, Devin Hester. Hester, on a perfect pass from Cutler, took the ball into the endzone on a 36 yard pass to put the Bears up 23-
17. Chicago then went for two to make it 25-19. With plenty of time left on the clock, the Seahawks tried to go down the field to win the game but a fourth down pass from Seattle quarterback Seneca Wallace to Julius Jones fell incomplete.
Stud of the Game-The Bears defense deserves a lot of credit for keeping the offense in the game because early on, the offense was not doing much of anything. Even though there were breakdowns, the defense did a pretty good job of keeping things close so that the offense could take over and the Bears could win.
Dud of the Game: Cutler-Cutler seemingly did what he could to give the game away throwing one interception and fumbling the ball once. But despite his poor play he did lead the Bears back and helped them win this game.
Key Stat: 2-This was the number of times that Cutler gave the ball over to the Seahawks. Cutler played a mistake free game against the Steelers but reverted back to his old form and lost it twice against Seattle and almost helped the Bears lose the game.
Next Up:
The Bears will host the 1-2 Detroit Lions. A preview of this game is below.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Detroit Lions Game Preview
The Chicago Bears, sporting a 2-1 record will host the now not so winless Detroit Lions in a game pitting two NFC North rivals. Games between these two have always been good and lately they have been pretty close. There is an upset factor in this game and the Bears can’t afford a let down against what has become an improved Lions team. They will need everything that they have in order to win this game and these have been traditionally close games in the past.
When the Bears have the Ball-The Bears have been finding a lot of success getting the ball downfield to it’s receivers and Devin Hester, Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett have really started to play much better than many had thought that they would. Getting the running game going is going to be huge for this team and after some success against the Seahawks, the Bears are poised to have a big game running the ball. The Lions defense may be just what the doctor ordered.
When the Lions have the Ball-Even though quarterback Matthew Stafford is a rookie, he has been playing well and with protection from the Bears pass rush he could do some damage. The Bears will have to put pressure on Stafford and force him to make mistakes which will help change the game for the Bears. The more mistakes the Lions make the better off the Bears will be.
Injury Note-There are two key injuries for the Bears that will be worth watching. Alex Brown is still hurting following an ankle injury and this limited him in Seattle. Hopes are that he will be able to come back from that injury and get back to the way that he was playing during the first couple games of the season. Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer suffered a rib injury but it isn’t broken and he should be ready for this game.
Prediction: Believe it or not, this will be a tough game for the Bears but playing at home and having developed the kind of pass rush that they have in the past three games, it will be vital that they get something going against the Lions. If they can create a lot of turnovers and get their running game going strong, they will win this game. Prediction: Chicago 23 Detroit 10
The Chicago Bears Training Camp Preview: The Linebackers
The Bears may end up having one of the best groups of linebackers in the NFL this season thanks to the signing of Pisa Tinoisamoa as well as the overall health of Brian Urlacher in training camp. This group has some solid depth to it and could almost easily overcome an injury to one of its star players. It’s a good sign that the Bears have a solid and healthy linebacking group because they will need it to help offset other possible shortcomings on other parts of the defense.
The following is a player by player look at all of the players at the linebacker position for the Bears (current as of the end of August). There is a quick look back at how they did in 2008, how their offseason and preseason has gone so far and where they stand going into the 2009 season.
Brian Urlacher-Urlacher has had a strong offseason so far after what many consider to be a sub-par 2008 season and could very well have somewhat of a renaissance season if he can stay healthy enough. Urlacher’s 2008 season, while not bad, wasn’t his best by any means and he is clearly on the downside of his career but if he can come back and play at a high level in 2009, the Bears defense will be that much better. Look for Urlacher to have a solid 2009 season, barring any kind of injury and help lead this team on defense.
Nick Roach-Roach has become somewhat of an afterthought thanks to the signing of Tinoisamoa and will most likely be relegated to second team duty now that Tinoisamoa is projected to be the starter. Roach came in last season and played in 14 games staring nine of them and played pretty well in place of Hunter Hillenmeyer. Roach should remain the backup to Tinoisamoa and contribute on special teams as well. If Tinoisamoa gets hurt, Roach should see some action but until then he will be a quality backup and a solid special teams player.
Pisa Tinoisamoa-After being cut by the by the St. Louis Rams, Tinoisamoa has found a nice fit with the Bears and will almost assuredly be starting in 2009. He had a good season with the Rams in 2008 but just wasn’t a proper fit in their new defense and Chicago is now lucky to have him. There is some concern about his size but he has held up well enough in the past and has the speed that the Bears like at the position. Tinoisamoa not only will start this 2009 season but should also be one of the better players on defense for the Bears this season.
Hunter Hillenmeyer-Hillenmeyer suffered some injuries in 2008 and missed some time then watched this offseason as the Bears signed Tinoisamoa effectively ending his shot at cracking the starting lineup at his old linebacker position. Hillenmeyer didn’t participate in many of the offseason activities and some of training camp which set him behind the curve so to speak and now he has even fallen behind Nick Roach on the depth chart. However, the Bears plan to use Hillenmeyer as a backup to Brian Urlacher this season meaning he is going to stay with the Bears and contribute where he can.
Lance Briggs-Briggs has taken over as the top linebacker in Chicago now that Urlacher has dropped off a little bit and his play has earned him several Pro Bowl and All Pro honors during his career. Briggs may be the finest tackler on the team as well and reads plays very well. If Briggs can help take on more of a leadership role with the team this season, especially on defense, he should be able to raise the play of those around him and could quite possibly have his best season as a Bear.
Jamar Williams-Williams will backup at Briggs spot and contribute on special teams where he has excelled in previous seasons. Williams had some problems with his foot this preseason but appears healthy and ready to go for the season and should contribute greatly on special teams.
The Bears are pretty well stocked at the linebacker position and have enough depth that if an injury happens, they will be able to adapt and overcome. Chicago expects to get a lot out of players like Briggs and Urlacher this season and if these two players can step it up and play well enough, the defense, at least up front, could have a solid season. If anything, Chicago needs to have its linebackers get some work in rushing the passer to help out their secondary. Urlacher has been used to rush the passer in the past and this may be something the Bears look to do with him this year. It’s a good group and one that could almost easily produce two Pro Bowlers and be known as one of the best in the NFL.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Seattle Seahawks Game Preview
The 1-1 Chicago Bears, coming off of a last second win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, will travel to Seattle to take on the 1-1 Seattle Seahawks who are coming off of a 23-10 loss to division rival San Francisco. The Seahawks had a good first game however while the Bears stumbled in their first game but look like they are getting things put together and are finally getting what they want out of their quarterback, Jay Cutler.
When the Bears have the Ball: Chicago finally saw some good play out of Cutler, especially in the second half of their game against the Steelers and it looks like he is finally starting to get a rhythm going with his receivers. However, the passing game may take a bit of a back seat in this game as the Seahawks have given up a lot of yards in the running game and the Bears would love to get Matt Forte established finally this season. Chicago will most likely try to establish the run in this game not only to keep the ball out of the hands of the Seahawks offense but keep their weakened defense off the field. If the Bears do need to pass the ball then Cutler has a sure fire target in Johnny Knox who has come a long way so far this season. Tight end Greg Olsen will also be a target as the team hopes to get him more involved in the offense.
When the Seahawks have the Ball: The Bears defense did a little bit better against the Steelers than they did against the Packers and appear to be overcoming some of the injuries that hurt them in their first game. Hunter Hillenmeyer, who took over for an injured Brian Urlacher, had his moments but played pretty well. He looks like he will be an adequate fill in for Urlacher for the remainder of the season. As starting linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa is still week to week with a knee injury, the Bears will continue to rotate Nick Roach and Jamar Williams to help fill the void. The Bears have been able to get some decent pass pressure so rushing the Seahawks quarterback (at this time it looks like Seneca Wallace will be starting in place of Matt Hasslebeck) will be key.
Potential Stud of the Game: Matt Forte-If the Bears can run the ball as well as the 49ers did against the Seahawks, Forte could have a big game.
Potential Dud of the Game: The Bears linebackers. They are still going to be without Tinoisamoa for this game and so both Roach and Williams will have to step it up and play well. Chicago also needs to continue to rush the passer whoever that may be.
Prediction: The Seahawks will be hurting at the quarterback position and can’t seem to stop the run which bodes well for the Bears who will want to get their ground game going. Look for Cutler to get better throwing the ball and take advantage of the Seahawks secondary.
Prediction: Chicago 23 Seattle 14.
Chicago Bears vs. The Pittsburgh Steelers Game Review
The Chicago Bears, fresh off of a heartbreaking loss against division rival Green Bay, hosted the 2008 World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in their first home game of the season and won 17-14.
The victory came on the heels of a last second field goal by kicker Robbie Gould and exhibited the play of the quarterback that the Bears thought they got when they made the trade for Jay Cutler this past offseason. While it wasn’t pretty, it was a win and it helps keep the Bears on the right track towards winning the NFC North.
The first half of the game was almost all Pittsburgh as the Bears defense, minus Brian Urlacher and Pisa Tinoisamoa marched down the field and connected on a fourth and goal pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to tight end Matt Spaeth to go up 7-0. Chicago would even things up in the second quarter following a touchdown pass from Cutler to tight end Kellen Davis. The half would end with both teams tied up at seven a piece.
The Steelers managed to go up 14-7 following a two yard touchdown run by Roethlisberger. Chicago would tie it up after Cutler hit rookie wide receiver Johnny Knox through the air for a seven yard touchdown pass.
The game came down to a field goal attempt by Gould in the final seconds of the game to ice it for the Bears. However, this might have been a different outcome had the Steelers been able to make two field goals that they attempted both of them missing their mark. On the ensuing kickoff (following Gould’s field goal) the return specialist was stripped by safety Craig Steltz and the game was over.
Stud of the Game: WR Johnny Knox- The rookie wide receiver out of Abilene Christian had a big game and has come a long way since the preseason. With his speed and improved route running, Knox is starting to look like a real number one wide receiver.
Dud of the Game: While the Steelers Kris Brown deserves this honor, for the Bears, you have to look at the defense and their inability to keep teams from completing short passes. Short passes killed the Bears in Green Bay and almost killed them again against the Steelers.
Key Stat-104. This is the passer rating that Cutler had for this game. He is improving as is the Bear’s offense.
Next Up: Chicago will travel to Seattle to take on the 1-1 Seattle Seahawks. Look for a preview of this game coming up later on the week.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Pittsburgh Steelers
The Chicago Bears, coming off of a heartbreaking 21-15 loss against the Green Bay Packers, will host the world champion Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. The Steelers are coming off of a 13-10 overtime win against the Tennessee Titans and are looking to continue their winning ways against a Bears team that has had so much happen to them and it’s only week one.
The loss of linebacker Brian Urlacher is definitely going to hurt this team on defense and the possibility that another linebacker, Pisa Tinoisamoa, could be out for an extended period of time doesn’t help matters either. Neither does inconsistency on offense and that’s exactly what the Bears got in the first week from quarterback Jay Cutler. The Bears and their fans hope that Cutler’s first game as a Bear was just a fluke and that there will be much brighter and better days ahead.
When the Bears have the Ball-The Steelers have a very tough defense but they will be missing one of their best players in Troy Polamalu. The Bears can take advantage of this by getting the ball to their tight ends more, in particular Greg Olsen and work the middle of the field where the Steelers will be their weakest. The offensive line must also neutralize the Pittsburgh pass rush which can be deadly. Keeping the likes of Lamar Woodley and James Harrison at bay is going to be difficult but if the offensive line can do it then the Bears may end up winning this game. Another factor and probably the most important one is that Cutler calm down and not make so many mistakes.
When the Steelers have the Ball-Pittsburgh’s running game didn’t show up for their game against the Titans in week one and they will want to get something there against the Bears because the Bears pass rush has improved. However, Chicago’s secondary is somewhat suspect and can be caught out of position and picked on. If the Bears can get pressure on Steeler’s quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and force him to make bad throws, they will stand a chance to win this game.
Potential Stud of the Game-Jay Cutler-After a bad performance in his first game as a Bear, Cutler should be able to be much calmer against the Steelers and not make as many mistakes as he did against Green Bay. Hopefully. Establishing the running game may be difficult against the Steelers but if the Bears can they will be much better off.
Potential Dud of the Game-Cutler again. If he has another game like he did in Green Bay, the Bears are going to lose and lose bad. Cutler has to keep from making mistakes.
Fantasy Fact: It may not be a good idea to start Matt Forte in this game. The Steelers play the run tough and Forte may not get a lot of opportunities to run the ball in this one.
Prediction-The Steelers are still as good as they were in 2008 and their defense is too tough for the Bears to overcome. Unless Cutler can get back to the way that he played in Denver last season, Chicago is going to have a rough go of it. Prediction: Pittsburgh 21 Chicago 13.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Green Bay Packers Game Review
The hopes and dreams of the Bears coaching staff and its fans rode into this game on the arm of newly acquired quarterback Jay Cutler and he went out and laid a big egg as he and the Bears lost to the Packers, 21-15. The Bears defense played pretty solid football except for one back breaking play and proved that they still have some concerns in the secondary. And now, after this game, the Bears have bigger concerns on defense.
Star linebacker Brian Urlacher will miss the seasons with a dislocated wrist and this will take a lot out of that defense. Pisa Tinoisamoa, another starter at the linebacker position, went out early with a knee injury and didn’t return.
Dud of the Game-Jay Cutler-Of the four interceptions that Cutler threw against the Packers, two of them were clearly his fault while the other two were a product of bad route running by his receivers. Cutler looked quite a bit unsettled to start the game with and did look better in the second half of the game but his receivers did let him down. He needs to get more in sync with the receivers and they need to learn how to run proper routes.
Stud of the Game-Adewale Ogunleye-Ogunleye’s two sacks helped keep the Packers offense off of their game plan a bit and rattled Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers quite a bit in the first half. The Bears needed to get pass pressure on Rodgers and they did that but weren’t able to close the deal in the secondary.
Highs-Daniel Manning’s safety (on Rodgers) was a work of art and the defensive line got some solid pass pressure for most of the game.
Lows-Cutler’s interceptions, the inability to run the football, breakdowns in the secondary and the injuries suffered by Urlacher and Tinoisamoa are all things that can be considered negatives for the Bears coming out of this game. This team has a tough test ahead of them with the Steelers coming to town and need to play much better than they did against the Packers.
Next Up-The Bears will host the Pittsburgh Steelers who are fresh off of a 13-10 overtime win over the Tennessee Titans. A full preview of this game will be forthcoming.
The Chicago Bears vs. The Green Bay Packers Game Preview
The first game of the season for the Chicago Bears puts them up against their most hated rival, the Green Bay Packers and this game promises to be one of the best of the season. Chicago will feature their new quarterback Jay Cutler for the first time in a regular season game while the Packers bring back Aaron Rodgers and a new 3-4 defense. With the game being played at Lambeau Field this promises to be a great one and the first game of what many Bears fans are calling “The Cutler Era”.
When the Bears have the Ball-It’s Jay Cutler time for the Bears and hopes are high that his receivers will be able to step up and catch the ball allowing the Bears offense to be much more powerful than it has been in recent seasons. If the Bears can advance the ball well enough through the air it will make things interesting on defense for the Packers. Chicago will also look to establish the ground game with Matt Forte leading the charge there and Chicago should be able to do that now that they have a balanced offense.
When Green Bay has the Ball-Despite only playing one season, Rodgers is already playing like a seasoned pro and with the wide receiving corps that he has it’s going to make things hard on the Bears secondary. Chicago has to do something that they struggled with in 2008 and that is to get a pass rush on the quarterback. If they can rush Rodgers and force him to make mistakes, the Bears could keep the rest of their defense out of trouble. One key thing in all of this that doesn’t help the Bears cause is that cornerback Charles Tillman, who missed all of training camp, is coming off an injury and won’t be up to speed going into this game.
Potential Stud of the Game-Jay Cutler-Cutler may end up being the star of this game especially if the Bears end up getting into a shootout and have to pass the ball a lot. If Cutler has to pass his way to a victory, this will prove that he is the real thing but it will also show that the Bears defense is not as good as everyone hopes it will be.
Potential Dud of the Game-The Bears Defense-The defense has to show that it can stop the passing game and their first test will be a tough one. If they can’t keep Rodgers and his receivers at bay it’s going to be a long game for the Bears and they will probably end up losing.
Prediction-It’s the first game of the season and it’s the Bears versus the Packers so it promises to be a high energy game. With issues on defense for both teams it could end up being a high scoring game but the team that controls the ball on the ground will win this game. BEARS 28 GREEN BAY 23
The Chicago Bears Training Camp Preview: Defensive Tackles
The Chicago Bears have always prided themselves in having some of the best defensive tackles in the NFL at any given time. The Bears have been blessed with players such as Tommie Harris, someone who has had a good career in Chicago despite the injury issues he has suffered from. They also have some fine depth at the position and have even drafted some additional help with Jarron Gilbert, a player who could play both defensive end and tackle. As long as this unit remains healthy during the season and they, along with the defensive ends get a pass rush going, things should get much better on defense.
The following is a look at the players that the Bears are taking into training camp at the defensive end position. There is a look back at their performance in 2008, a look at how their offseason has gone and a look ahead at where they should end up at the end of training camp this summer.
Tommie Harris-Some have questioned Harris’ ability to stay healthy even going as far as to say that he has the body of a 40 year old and while he has had some injury issues in the past and it has been recently announced that Harris underwent knee surgery during the offseason which makes his health status even more of a question mark. He has also suffered from hamstring problems and now it’s unclear whether or not he may be healthy when the season starts.
It is imperarative that Harris remains healthy in 2009 for the Bears to have success along the defensive line. His presence alone makes other teams rethink their offensive strategy and so if he is out for any length of time, it really hurts the Bears defense. If he can go a full season without any problems, the Bears defense should be much better and should be able to get a much better pass rush going in 2009.
Marcus Harrison-Harrison had a decent season in 2008, especially at the beginning of the season but has started off training camp on the wrong foot coming in overweight. Following a great start to the season last year, Harrison got behind a little and wasn’t as active as he had been to start but if he can get his weight under control and get into playing shape, he would be an asset in rotating in at defensive tackle. As long as he can get things together, Harrison should make it through training camp, get on the final roster and become a vital part of the Bears defensive line.
Anthony Adams-Adams had an up and down season in 2008 thanks to the coaching staff not deciding to use him for several games. This move was strange but eventually the coaching staff worked him into the lineup and he was able to contribute. Adams has had a decent offseason and if the Bears want a solid defensive line, especially when going up against running teams like the Minnesota Vikings. Adams should be able to contribute greatly and should easily be able to make the team at the end of training camp.
Jarron Gilbert-Hopes are high for this newly drafted defensive tackle and with the size and speed he possesses, it may not be long before he is a permanent fixture on the defensive line in Chicago. As mentioned, he has great speed and long arms which should be able to help him move through the offensive line and get up the field in a hurry. He also has a good motor and an intense drive. While he may not have played against the best competition while he was in college, he should be able to learn and thrive in the Bears system. Look for Gilbert to become an important part of the Bears defensive tackle rotation in 2009.
Dusty Dvoracek-Dvoracek was done before the season even started this year tearing his ACL. He has now wound up finishing the season on injured reserve all four years and this may be his last with the Bears depending on what they decide to do with him. This will thrust Toeaina into a reserve role with the Bears providing they don’t sign anyone else during the preseason.
Matt Toeaina-Toeaina may end up the benefactor of Dvoracek’s injury and should be able to make the team now as a reserve defensive tackle. Toeaina hasn’t shown too much since joining the Bears but he hasn’t had a lot of opportunity either and it looks like he will get his chance now that Dvoracek is out for the rest of the season. Look for Toeaina to make the roster and contribute a lot in 2009.
Israel Idonije-Idonije has been moved around a little during his career with the Bears and finally lands back at the defensive tackle position where he will contribute after signing a contract extension during the offseason. Idonije saw some action in 2008 and when he played he played pretty well and is also an important part of the Bear’s special teams. Look for Idonije to be called upon to contribute on defense from time to time and contribute well on special teams once again.
Getting a good pass rush is vital in order for the Bears defense to get better and improve on what it did in 2008. An improved pass rush will not only make things easier on the defense as a whole but also help out a secondary that may end up being less than adequate this season.
The health of Tommie Harris will dictate just how well the defensive line does this season but with some new blood at the tackle position in Gilbert, there might not be as many issues as one might think on the defensive line in 2009.
Chicago Bears Training Camp Preview: The Defensive Ends
One of the biggest problems that the Chicago Bears defense had in 2008 was the lack of pass pressure. This left a weakened secondary vulnerable to attempting to ward off opponents passing attacks. This lead to disaster on defense for the Bears. Things have changed since the last game of the 2008 season as Chicago made some moves to help enhance their pass rush and get the most out of the talent that they have at the defensive end position.
The hiring of former Detroit Lion’s head coach Rod Marinelli should bring out the best in all of the pass rushers on the Bears while the drafting of Jarron Gilbert (who can be used at both an end and a tackle and will be included in the defensive tackle preview coming next) made a lot of sense for the Bears. Now they should be able to get some more production out of their defensive ends which should really help out their defense.
The following is a look at all of the players at the defensive end position that the Bears will take into training camp. There is a quick look back at their performance in 2008, a look at how their offseason has been so far and a look ahead at where they may end up at the end of training camp this summer.
Adewale Ogunleye-This may be a make or break season for Ogunleye as his contract ends at the end of the 2009 season and needs to play very well if he plans to stick around in 2010. Ogunleye is a good pass rusher but has lost a step or two and in 2008, while he was solid, he was unspectacular. He has had a decent offseason and should get better thanks to the arrival of Marinelli but he has to be much better than he has been in order for himself and the Bears to have success. Ogunleye will remain with the team thanks to his ability but he may be on his way out at the end of 2009.
Alex Brown-Brown was steady and solid for the Bears in 2008 but, like Ogunleye, unspectacular. While Brown plays the run very well, he is actually a little bit weak when it comes to rushing the passer and after some tutoring from Marinelli, Brown may be able to capture some of the pass rushing skill that he displayed earlier in his career. He has had a productive offseason and shouldn’t worry about losing his starting job in 2009 as he will surely remain the starter.
Israel Idonije-After switching back and forth from defensive end to defensive tackle and back again, the Bears have finally decided to settle on having Idonije fix himself at the defensive end position. Idonije played tackle for the most part in 2008 and played well when called upon and should be able to make the transition to defensive end successfully. Idonije will be a backup in 2009 and will see a lot of action both on the defensive line and on special teams.
Mark Anderson-This may be the last chance that Anderson gets to stick with the Bears. After a strong rookie season, Anderson virtually fell off the face of the earth and hasn’t been nearly as productive since. Hopes are high that he will get some inspiration working with Marinelli and if he does, he might be able to get back the form that he displayed in 2006. If he isn’t able to get back the production that he had, he may be out of a job at the end of training camp this summer.
Henry Melton-Melton, a 2009 draft pick out of the University of Texas, comes in, for the most part, as an athlete first and a pass rusher second and may end up being on the outside looking in when it comes to making the team this season. A converted running back, Melton displays great athleticism and with a good training camp could quite possibly find himself earning a backup spot on the team. This, of course, provided that he has a solid training camp.
Ervin Baldwin-Baldwin, a second year end out of Michigan State, will probably have to make the roster this season if he wants to end up being with the team beyond 2009. Baldwin has a lot to offer the Bears but may get lost in the numbers and will have to have a spectacular training camp if he is to make the roster at the end of training camp this summer. The odds are somewhat stacked against him but if he fails to make the active roster he could end up on the practice squad.
Joe Clermond-Clermond stands to be farther outside looking in when it comes to making the active roster at the defensive end position but could end up on the practice squad. If anything, Clermond will be able to provide some competition for those seeking a backup role at defensive end but he will most likely not make the active roster at the end of training camp.
The Bears have to get a lot out of their pass rushers this season if they hope to keep offenses from picking them apart through the air like they did last season. The hiring of Marinelli should be able to get a lot out of the current group of defensive ends and if they can improve over last year, the Bear’s defense will be that much better. Look for Brown and Ogunleye to step it up next season and with help from some of the backups, give the Bears defense a boost in 2009.
The Chicago Bears Training Camp Preview: Offensive Guards
Just like the tackle position, the Bears weren’t too comfortable coming into 2009 with the guards they had on the roster in 2008 so they set out to do some things to fix that. They signed former Carolina Panther offensive guard Frank Omiyale (initially he was brought in to play right tackle thanks to the retirement of Jon Tait but when the Bears acquired Orlando Pace he was allowed to move to the guard position) to help out at the position but will rely on Roberto Garza to man the other guard position.
The depth at this position is ok but the Bears will need to add some additional depth next season and the next as well as some starting power to ensure that the offensive line remains stable for the next several seasons.
The following is a look at each player at the guard position on the roster as they prepare for training camp. There is a look back at their 2008 performance, a look at their offseason so far and how things might turn out for them at the end of training camp.
Roberto Garza-Garza, one of the two starters at guard last season at the guard position, will return as one of the starters this year unless one of the backups has an outstanding training camp and he gets beaten out (not likely to happen). He is solid but not spectacular but does give the Bears some stability on the offensive line and can help make it one of the better offensive lines in Bears history.
Josh Beekman-Beekman, the other starter at the other guard position was adequate in his role last season but not spectacular and will probably be replaced by Omiyale this season. Beekman could then work harder on becoming a backup center and perhaps eventually replace Olin Kruetz at the position when he retires. There will be a battle with Omiyale for the guard position but Omiyale has the upper hand and should win leaving Beekman as a reserve guard this season.
Frank Omiyale-Omiyale, the Bears first free agent signing this offseason, was originally brought in to compete for the right tackle spot following the retirement of Jon Tait but as it turned out, the Bears were able to sign left tackle Orlando Pace, shift Chris Williams to right tackle and Omiyale will now be able to compete for Beekman’s old spot and he should be able to win it. He didn’t get a lot of starting time in 2008 (Omiyale came over to Chicago from Carolina) but when he did start, he played pretty well. Look for him to be the starter heading into the 2009 season.
Dan Buenning-Buenning was brought in from Tampa Bay last season (via trade) to help bolster what was considered to be a weak guard position and while he didn’t see much action, he is at the least a capable backup who could step in the game if needed. He will battle it out with some of the younger guys the Bears have brought in to compete for a backup spot but in the end Buenning should be a Bear as the season starts in September.
Lance Louis-Louis, a seventh round draft pick, is listed as a tight end and a guard but will be looked at as a guard for the most part. He is a project player and while he will compete for a backup spot, don’t look for him to make it on the active roster because he is a project player that needs a lot of work. He could earn a spot on the practice squad if he can show that he is useful as a lineman. He’s a project but a decent enough talent.
Tyler Reed-Reed, in his second season with the Bears, Reed has a clear shot at being a backup at the guard position and with the depth and talent currently on the roster, he, Beekman and Buenning should be the only guards the Bears carry at the backup position this year if they take three backup guards into the season. Look for Reed to make the final roster if they do that or, if they only carry two backups, land on the Bear’s practice squad.
Johan Asiata-Asiata, a rookie out of UNLV, will compete for a backup spot at the guard position. He has decent enough size and played pretty well at UNLV but is someone who can’t help them out in the short term and won’t be able to unseat any of the backups that they currently have on the roster. He is destined to either be a practice squad player or a journeyman guard at the end of training camp.
Dennis Conley-Conley, a rookie out of Hampton, lacks the ideal size that you would like to see at the position but still has some skill and may be a good candidate for the practice squad. Look for Conley to put up a good fight for a backup spot in training camp but not make the final roster when it’s all said and done.
The guard position was a real point of concern as the season ended but thanks to the addition of Frank Omiyale, things are looking much better now and the Bears could have one of the better offensive lines in the NFL in 2009. As long as the starters remain healthy, this could be a decent starting unit.
Bears 2009 Training Preview: Offensive Tackles and Centers
Following the 2008 NFL season, it appeared as if the Bears wouldn’t have such an urgent need to upgrade the offensive tackle position but when Jon Tait announced his retirement, the Bears were thrown into a bit of a scramble to find some good talent at the offensive tackle position. They managed to work some magic in free agency and got some depth and talent to help them out at the tackle position including former Cleveland Brown Kevin Shaffer and Orlando Pace, a former Pro Bowl tackle from the St. Louis Rams.
They now have solidified the position for at least a year or two and given the offensive line a boost.
Olin Kruetz still mans the center position but he isn’t getting any younger so the Bears may look to add some youth there in the near future. He is still a rock at the position but may have slipped a little bit last year.
The following is a player by player look at all of the players the Bears have at the offensive tackle and center position going into training camp this summer. There is some insight into how they played in 2008, how their offseason has been going so far and where they may end up when training camp is over.
Orlando Pace-Aside from the acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler, this may have been the Bears other big acquisition of the offseason. If he can stay healthy, Pace will bring an element at the left tackle position that the Bears haven’t had there in a long time. He played with the Rams last season but had some injury problems that held him out of a few games and this, in turn, hurt the Rams. Also, Pace is a much better run blocker than he is a pass blocker but he should be able to do enough to keep Cutler protected. It’s a no brainer that Pace will end up being the starter and will become a fixture on the Bears line for at least a couple of seasons and help make this a strong offensive line.
Kevin Shaffer-Shaffer was originally brought in to help solidify the right tackle position while Chris Williams was slotted to play left tackle. This changed when they brought in Pace so now Shaffer will compete with Williams for the right tackle position. Shaffer hasn’t been spectacular during his career in the NFL but he has enough that he could contend for the right tackle spot and if he loses, could be a good backup if the Bears need him in that capacity. Look for Shaffer to be edged out by Williams in that battle for left tackle but become a valuable backup at the left tackle position.
Chris Williams-After a shaky rookie season in which he was hurt for most of it then only saw action on special teams, Williams is ready to make a run at playing right tackle now thanks to the acquisition of Pace. As previously mentioned Williams will battle it out with Shaffer for the starting job at right tackle and he has the edge in that battle and should win the starting job. He has looked good in offseason workouts and looks to put a much maligned 2008 season behind him and be the Bears starting right tackle in 2009.
Cody Balogh-As can be seen, the Bears are pretty light at the reserve offensive tackle position with Balogh and Shaffer being the only real backups at the position. With that said, Balogh, who hasn’t seen any live action yet, should remain as a backup on the roster and could quite possibly contribute on special teams in 2009.
Centers:
Olin Kreutz-Kruetz failed to make the Pro Bowl last season and this is a sign of his decline which has been evident over the past couple of seasons. While he had a solid 2008 season helping to hold the line together he didn’t have a great one and is clearly in decline. The Bears only have one other player capable of backing up at center is Josh Beekman and he is much more of a guard prospect than a center so if Kruetz goes down, the Bears could be in trouble. Look for Kruetz to have a solid season but one where he really shows his age and then, next offseason, see Chicago get a center that will eventually be his replacement.
Thought to be a weak position on the team, the left tackle spot is now secure as long as Pace can remain healthy. Williams should be a good fit on the right side with Shaffer being an adequate enough backup if needed. The Bears are a little thin with depth but could do some work during the preseason to find some talent to help backup at the tackle position. Kruetz should have a solid season but the Bears may be getting a little bit nervous about what would happen if he were to go down. They need to find someone to replace him soon.
The Chicago Bears Training Camp Review: The Wide Receivers
There isn’t a football expert or a fan out there that doesn’t realize that the weak point on the Bear’s offense is in its wide receiving group and this may just end up being true. As of this writing, the Bears are only brining in two wide receivers that have ever started a game into training camp meaning that there are going to be a few guys that see the field this season who have no starting experience in the NFL.
Many people have felt that the Bears needed to get someone for newly acquired quarterback Jay Cutler to throw the ball to (a veteran receiver) and they ended up not doing that so now Cutler will have to make due with what the Bears have and if you ask anyone, it’s not that much but there may end up being some surprises out of this group.
The following is a look at each player, at the wide receiver position, that the Bears will be taking into training camp this summer. There is a little bit of insight into how they looked in 2008, how things have one for them so far this off season and where they might end up after training camp ends this summer.
Devin Hester-Every Bears fan is aware of the experiment that continues in making Hester the Bear’s number one receiver and it is an experiment that continues. He is one of only two Bears wide receivers to ever start a game and he brings a lot to the table in terms of speed and ability but still has a lot to learn about the position. While he did do some good things in 2008 (see the Bear’s second game against the Vikings) he still has a lot to learn but it appears as if the acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler will help make Hester a better wide receiver and we may finally see him turn into that number one wide receiving threat that we thought he would be when he was converted to wide receiver. Look for Hester to have a very productive training camp and end up building a strong chemistry with Cutler that will allow him to be one the better receivers in the NFC North and quite possibly the NFC.
Rashied Davis-Davis is the other Bear’s wide receiver with starting experience but he is facing an uphill battle in training camp thanks to several critical drops last year as well as the fact that he hasn’t been that productive for the team in the past. Reports from OTA’s state that Davis has dropped a few passes during the practices also and that he may be seeing his last days in a Bears uniform depending on some of the rookie talent behind him. If Davis doesn’t have a good showing in training camp, he could be on his way out of Chicago but with his starting experience, he might just save himself and end up being on the active roster in 2009. This one is going to be a toss up.
Earl Bennett-Bennett reunites with his first college quarterback in Cutler and while the two were together, Bennett led the Southeastern Conference in receiving as a freshman which bodes well for the Bears thinking that he can becoming a productive part of the offense. Bennett didn’t see any action in 2008 but has been getting a lot of reps during the offseason practices and should see the field, quite possibly as a starter, when the Bears open the season in September. The familiarity that Bennett and Cutler have between each other should be very beneficial and if Bennett can pick up the offense he might just be one of the best performers on the team in 2009.
Johnny Knox-Knox, a rookie out of Abilene-Christian will attempt to make the roster and contribute during his first season with the Bears. Knox boasts a lot of speed but isn’t a polished route runner and needs to learn the finer points of the game. Still, with a solid training camp, it’s not out of the question to think that Knox may be able to crack the starting roster and contribute at the wide receiver position as well as help out on special teams (quite possibly as a return specialist). If he can learn the system quickly, he will be a safe bet to make the roster in 2009.
Joaquin Iglesias-Iglesias is another one of the Bears draft picks that has a chance to make the opening day roster at the end of training camp. Iglesias is a big target with some speed and reliable hands but just like any other rookie, he has a lot to learn. Of the rookie receivers, Iglesias has the best chance of making the roster thanks to his experience and the fact that he played in a big time program (at Ohio State). So look for him to make the roster and be a first year contributor on the team thanks to his experience and solid ability. The only way he won’t make the active roster will be if he completely falls flat on his face in training camp.
Brandon Rideau-Each time you think that Rideau is gone for good, he comes back again and even inched his way onto the active roster for a short amount of time in 2008. Rideau, a practice squad player, has shown a lot of promise in training camp but can never quite make the active roster and get some reps and now it’s his time shine. If he doesn’t get on the roster in this training camp, he most likely won’t be with the team when they make their final cuts in September. He has good size and good (but not great) speed and has flashed some nice ability but if he doesn’t make it this year he won’t be around for the next year.
Derek Kinder-Kinder, a seventh round draft pick out of Pittsburgh, is a project player that will most likely end up on the practice squad where he can develop his skills and contribute sometime down the road. While Kinder is built well for the position and has decent speed, he is still very raw and needs a lot of work in order to be an effective contributor on the team. Look for him to try to make the active roster in 2010.
Devin Aromashodu-Aromashodu was signed towards the end of the season last year and will at least get a chance to compete for a spot on the roster but looks to be one of the few odd men out this summer. Even though he is in his third year in the league, Aromashodu doesn’t have any starting experience and doesn’t bring a lot to the table for the Bears in the passing game. He will help to provide some depth and competition in training camp but won’t be on the active roster to open the season.
John Broussard-Broussard, a second year receiver out of San Jose State, will get one final shot at making the roster in training camp and while the team likes his size he hasn’t really shown enough in OTA’s to warrant any thinking that he will be competing for a starting spot this summer. If he can shine in training camp, he could secure a backup spot but that isn’t likely. Look for him to wind up looking for work elsewhere at the end training camp.
Eric Peterman-Peterman, a standout wide receiver from Northwestern, seems to be a pretty popular signing for the Bears and they like his speed. Being a rookie means that he has a lot to learn and needs to get much more polished and will do that on the practice squad over the next season. He will provide some great competition but just doesn’t have enough experience to make it onto the final roster at the end of training camp.
Tight Ends
Desmond Clark-Clark’s 2008 season was as good as it could get being that the Bears passing game wasn’t the best in the NFL and he did contribute greatly to the team. Clark is a fine pass catching tight end, a guy who can come up with the clutch catch and is a very reliable receiver. He may see his playing time cut just a bit due to the emergence of tight end Greg Olsen but he will remain a mainstay on the team and with the addition of Cutler, could have a very productive season.
Kellen Davis-Davis has been put on notice so to speak thanks to the signing of former Detroit Lions tight end Michael Gaines. Gaines is a solid blocking tight end and Davis hasn’t been too willing as a blocker in the past so during training camp, he will have to show that he is not only willing but able to block in the Bear’s offensive scheme. If he can improve his blocking and show the team that he has some decent receiving skills, he just might be able to beat out Gaines and remain on the roster. If Chicago decides to keep four tight ends, he could end up being the fourth tight end on the roster.
Michael Gaines-Gaines, a free agent acquisition from the Detroit Lions, isn’t coming to Chicago for his pass catching ability but instead he is coming to the Bears as a blocker. The Bears would like to add a solid blocking tight end to their offense and Gaines was brought in to do just that. He will battle it out with Davis but in the end, if the Bears want a good blocking tight end on the team (and they do) and they decide to keep just three tight ends, Gaines should make the team.
Greg Olsen-While Olsen had a decent season in 2008 it promises to be an even better season this year thanks to the Cutler trade. Olsen has all the tools necessary to be a great pass catching tight end as he possesses speed and great size and makes it difficult for linebackers and safeties to cover him. The other thing that’s interesting about Olsen and Cutler is that they are developing quite the relationship on the field as well as off the field and this could pay dividends for the Bears in the future. Look for Olsen to have his best season yet and become a Pro Bowl tight end in 2009.
Fontel Mines-Mines will probably be the odd man out when it’s all said and done at the end of training camp. He did stick with the team for a year but with the signing of Gaines as well as the four very competent tight ends ahead of him, it will be difficult for him to make the final roster. They may want to stash him away on the practice squad and keep him around to compete next season.
It’s easy to see why Chicago Bears fans are a little bit frightened at what might happen in the passing game in 2009 despite the acquisition of Cutler. Still, with a good quarterback and a system that allows the receivers to run good routes the Bears might be able to prove everyone wrong and get good production out of this group. If they can, it could be an easy march to the NFC North title. If they can’t, it’s going to be a long season.
Chicago Bears Training Camp Preview: The Running Backs
Going into the 2008 campaign, the Bears had a lot of uncertainty at the running back position. They had released Cedric Benson and put all of their faith in rookie running back Matt Forte. They had signed Kevin Jones and taken a risk that he would hold up following serious knee surgery. They had Adrian Peterson, the guy who had filled in for Benson after he was injured at the end of the 2007 season and Garrett Wolfe, an undersized running back who hadn’t seen a lot of action. It looked like the Bears running game would suffer greatly but in their first game rookie running back Matt Forte showed that he was indeed going to be the savior for the Bears running game. After that, it was all history.
The following is a player by player look at the players at the running back position currently on the Bears roster. There is some insight into how they played in 2008, how their offseason has been and where they stand going into training camp in July.
Matt Forte-Ever Bears fan knows what the Bears got when they drafted Forte in the second round last season. They got a durable running back (at least for now) and a guy who could (and would) end up carrying the load for them all season long. Forte ran for well over 1000 yards and caught over 60 passes for the Bears in 2008 and for a rookie, he stayed healthy and didn’t run out of gas. The concern going into this season is that Forte may be so worn down from his 2008 season, he may not be able to carry the load like he did last season. So, Chicago will have to get someone in there to help him out and share the load a little bit. If he can get through an entire season and play as well as he did last year, there is no reason why he wouldn’t make the Pro Bowl this coming season. Look for him to be solid if not spectacular and help the Bears win.
Kevin Jones-Chicago resigned Jones to another contract following his first season with the team seeing the need to keep him to help spell Forte. Jones was used sparingly in 2008 but some believe that was because he wasn’t fully healed from his previous injury (as some people had indicated) and therefore the Bears didn’t want to cause him to injure himself again. The good news is that Jones is ready to go and will be used a lot more this season and could have a decent season backing up Forte and playing on special teams.
Adrian Peterson-Peterson has become the Bears senior running back but he won’t see much running in 2009. Peterson was used sparingly at the position in 2008 and is much more valuable on special teams than he is at the running back position. That value will keep him on the team in 2009 where he should be pretty productive.
Garrett Wolfe-Wolfe has turned into a valuable special teams players as well and this was shown several times last season. He did end the season injured (with a hamstring) but the word from OTAs is that he is feeling great and ready to play. However, Wolfe’s talent has largely gone unnoticed as he hasn’t been used effectively on offense since coming to Chicago and would be ideal for being that third round back that can also catch passes. With quarterback Jay Cutler there now, perhaps the Bears will think about using him more in the passing game as a pass catching running back out of the backfield.
Fullbacks:
Jason Davis-Davis was brought in towards the end of the season to help fill in for an injured Jason McKie and turned in a somewhat of a disappointment as he failed to get in the end zone on a couple of opportunities that the Bears had. Davis will be back in training camp with the Bears and will compete with McKie for a spot at the fullback positions (it’s likely that the Bears will only carry one fullback on the roster this season) and won’t beat McKie out (if McKie stays healthy). If the Bears, for some reason, keep two fullbacks he will probably make the roster but it’s more likely that he won’t be with the Bears at the end of training camp.
Jason McKie-McKie ended up injured at times towards the end of last season but the Bears still feel that he is their best option at the fullback position. The injury issues aren’t that serious and shouldn’t preclude him from participating in training camp and it’s hoped he remains healthy for the entire 2009 season. Look for McKie to win the starting job and become a productive part of the Bears new high powered offense.
Will Ta’ufo’ou-Ta’ufo’ou is the newest fullback on the team and will get a chance to compete for the starting spot (or the second spot if the Bears decide to open one up) but may not have the talent to surpass McKie as the starter. Ta’ufo’ou, a rookie from Cal, is only in his first season in the NFL and this lack of experience may be what keeps him off the active roster in 2009.
With the acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler, the Bears now have a very capable passing game which should take some pressure off of the running game. This will be good news to Forte who was virtually run into the ground last season. Although he still will be an important part of the offense, he won’t see as many carries as he did in 2008 although he could see an increase in passes caught. Chicago needs to get Wolfe involved more in the offense and have him catch passes out of the backfield more. Overall, this is a good group but one that isn’t as deep as some of the other running back groups on other teams in the NFL but they are a very efficient and effective group.
Chicago Bears Training Camp Preview: The Quarterbacks
For the first time in a long time, the Bears won’t be holding a quarterback competition in this year’s training camp thanks to the acquisition of Jay Cutler which was probably the biggest acquisition for the Bears since they drafted some of those great players in the early 1980’s to make up that Super Bowl team in 1985.
Cutler gives the Bears something that they haven’t had since perhaps Jim McMahon in the mid 1980’s, a quarterback with a strong arm and a decent head on his shoulders. This should help the Bears offense grow into one of the best in the NFC in time.
The following is a look at the quarterbacks that the Bears have on the roster heading into training camp this summer. There is some worry, coming mostly from those in the media to include some former NFL coaches, that state that Cutler has a lot to prove and he really does especially on a team with the kind of talent that the Bears have at the wide receiver position. Needless to say Cutler and the Bears offense have a lot to prove but it will be a much better unit than it has been in the past.
The following is a player by player look at all of the players that the Bears will take into training camp at the quarterback this July. There is some insight into last season’s performance, how they have fared this offseason and what their lookout is for 2009.
Jay Cutler-The buzz around the Bears these days has centered a lot around Jay Cutler. Cutler was traded to the Bears from the Broncos in exchange for some first and third round draft picks as well as former starting quarterback Kyle Orton.
Now, the Bears have something that they have been searching for since Sid Luckman played for them a long time ago, a reliable quarterback with a strong army and good intangibles. Now Cutler hasn’t stepped onto the field in a game yet and still has a lot to prove but he has already helped make this team better. Last season, with the Broncos, Cutler had a Pro Bowl season although his team fell short of making the playoffs with most of the blame there going to the defense and their many issues in 2009. Cutler will be able to add fire to an offense that had little and if his wide receivers can run the right routes and catch the ball in 2009, the Bears could be the team to beat in the NFC North.
Caleb Hanie-Hanie had a remarkable preseason last year and stuck with the team as a result. He didn’t see any playing time during the regular season and comes into training camp as the number two quarterback behind Jay Cutler. You can liken Hanie a little bit to Kyle Orton, a game manager who wouldn’t be asked to do too much if he did have to play but Hanie doesn’t have the experience or the intangibles to come in and win games if he is asked to. The only way he will see the field is if Cutler gets hurt or the Bears are so far ahead, they don’t want to risk getting their starter injured. He should see a lot of action in preseason however and most likely will supplant himself as the number two quarterback.
Brent Basanez-Basanez, a former Northwestern Wildcat and Carolina Panther, was signed by the Bears this offseason to provide some competition for the number two position but most likely won’t beat out Hanie who has quite a bit more to offer than Basanez does. However, Basanez does have some skill and could step into a game in a pinch but wouldn’t win too many games as a starter if the need were to arise.
Going into training camp with three quarterbacks on the roster is kind of scary but with Cutler at the helm, the Bears don’t have to worry about having a quarterback competition like they have had in year’s past so perhaps having three quarterbacks will be ok. There could be more competition for the number two spot but the Bears and most fans, are satisfied with having Hanie in there at number two. As long as Cutler stays healthy, things should go well at this position for the Bears in 2009.
The Chicago Bears Review for Early June
Every team in the NFL is on a break right now as they get prepared for training camp which opens at the end of July. The Bears made one move at the end of May, signing linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa to help compete at the position held by Hunter Hillenmeyer. He will also join Nick Roach, another player who is competing for the same position. Tinoisamoa played with head coach Lovie Smith when he was in St. Louis and Smith could end up the starter at the strong side linebacker position if he can beat out Hillenmeyer and Roach. The issue with Tinoisamoa is that he is a bit undersized for the linebacker position playing at only 225 pounds but he was a consistent playmaker in St. Louis and could do the same thing for the Bears.
Chicago has signed all but two of their draft picks and promise to have the other two (Jarron Gilbert and Joaquin Iglesias) signed by the middle of June. This would give the Bears 100% participation in training camp, not only by the rookies but by the veterans as well. Heading into the July camp, the Bears look to be free of any contract disputes (unlike last season where they went in with contract troubles centering around linebacker Brian Urlacher and wide receiver Devin Hester) making it so that there should be no contract trouble in training camp.
Chicago also signed defensive end/tackle Israel Idonije to a long term deal securing his future in Chicago for the next few years. With Idonije in the mix, the Bears have all of their players on defense signed and ready for the 2009 NFL season.
There has been some talk about the Bears possibly trying to acquire former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress. After a season of problems and then finally a big legal issue (shooting himself in the leg in New York City where guns are outlawed) Burress faces jail time and suspension by the NFL but there are still teams interested in him, including the Bears. Chicago may have to wait for him to contribute but it just might be a wise move if Burress can stay out of trouble and contribute.
The Bears are continuing on with their OTA’s and will open training camp at the end of July. There probably won’t be too many other signings in the near future unless the Bears are able to swing a trade or sign a veteran wide receiver which is not out of the question.
NEXT UP: Position by position reviews prior to training camp are starting! The quarterbacks are up first and we will take a look at Jay Cutler and the rest of the Bear’s quarterbacks currently on the roster heading into training camp.
The Chicago Bears Update for May
The 2009 NFL Draft is over and the Bears have settled in to starting to prepare for the 2009 NFL season with several different pieces in place and a few more to work on. For the first time since this writer can remember, the Bears will head into training camp with no quarterback controversy or competition to talk about which will make it a much different offseason for the Bears. However, there are still some other positions on the team that need to be solidified and there will be some interesting training camp battles to watch.
In terms of signings, the Bears had a flurry of signings a little bit after the start of free agency and haven’t really been too active since. The offseason addition of Michael Gaines, a former tight end from Detroit, should help them out immensely in the running game by giving them a tight end that can block effectively.
Rumor has it that they are also keeping their eyes open for a veteran wide receiver who can come in and help out the younger guys and one name that has come up has been New York Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer. Toomer is an older veteran player who might be able to bring some experience to the club but it appears as if the Bears aren’t pursuing him too aggressively. Former Indianapolis Colts star wide receiver Marvin Harrison is still out there but he may not be exactly what they Bears are looking for in terms of a veteran wide receiver. He has too many injury problems and may want too much money.
The Bears did do a few things on defense to help shore up some of the concerns at a few of the positions on that side of ball although they may have taken the focus off of defense this off season and concentrated more on offense. Their first pick in the draft, defensive end Jarron Gilbert, has a lot of promise both athletically and mechanically and could be a real surprise this first season. Some of the other rookies that are coming in to help include Henry Melton, a defensive end out of Texas who, although a project player, could turn out to be a promising player in the future.
Some of the other things that the Bears did to help fix some of the problems that they had on defense included signing safeties Glenn Earl and Josh Bullocks. Both players should help make up for some of what the Bears lost in letting Mike Brown’s contract expire but it is going to take a lot to replace such an inspirational leader like Brown was. They drafted Oregon State safety Al Afalava to try to help get this position strengthened but he is a ways away from being effective.
Back on offense, OTA’s have started and the word is that Cutler has displayed a strong arm as well as uncanny accuracy which is something that the Bears haven’t seen out of a quarterback in decades. As long as the receivers come along well and can catch the ball effectively, this might end up being the best passing offense in the NFC North.
The Bears have also brought in former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Rod Hood and former St. Louis Rams linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa to talk with them but so far, nothing has developed out of that. It would be nice to have both players on the team heading into training camp to get some added competition and good depth.
One final word about the Bears and their offseason activity, signing Orlando Pace now gives them the option of moving last year’s first round draft pick, offensive tackle Chris Williams over to the right side to compete for the right tackle spot. If Pace can stay healthy, the Bears have now found themselves a Pro Bowl caliber player on the offensive line but most important, the found someone that can protect their new investment at quarterback.
The 2009 Chicago Bears Fan Expo: A Writers View
I had the honor of attending the 2009 Bears Fan Expo at Soldier Field May 17th and have to admit, out of all of the Fan Expo’s that I have attended in the past, this one was clearly the best. The convention moved (last year) to Soldier Field taking it out of the downtown Hilton hotel where I have to admit, it was always crowded and hard to get around. Being at Soldier Field, with all of the wide open space, the event was easily able to hold its 5000 fans and make things much easier.
The event featured many of the same things that past fan expos featured including sit down seminars with current and former players, radio and television personalities as well as the leadership staff of the team. I was excited to see some of the players that had just signed with the Bears, guys like quarterback Jay Cutler and offensive tackle Orlando Pace as well as some of the newly drafted guys including Johnny Knox and Marcus Freeman. Attending the seminar portions of the Expo are always something that I look forward to doing and I feel that I get a lot of information out of these seminars.
I attended several seminars during the Expo including one held by several local Chicago sports radio show hosts to include Ron Gleason, Zach Zaidiman, Tom Thayer and Jay Hilgenberg. They discussed some of the current issues with team and the arrival of new quarterback Jay Cutler, a player who basically took center stage both in name and in person throughout the entire expo. I have always enjoyed listening to these guys on the radio and to get a chance to listen to them in person (and see how they are looking) was great.
In the next seminar, General Manager Jerry Angelo, team President Ted Phillips and Head Coach Lovie Smith took the podium (actually a table) and answered questions from the announcer and fans about the upcoming season. The fans gave all three a lot of praise for the offseason acquisitions that they had especially Cutler and were generally pleased with the upper management’s performance. I had never really realized this about Smith but he is very to the point and tactful. He doesn’t sugar coat a lot of things and will answer your question straight and two the point. He is a very good speaker and a master of words.
I didn’t attend the assistant coaches seminar which featured assistant coaches (special teams) Dave Toub, (defensive line) Rod Marinelli, (offensive coordinator) Ron Turner and (linebackers coach) Bob Babich but head some of what they had to say on my way to attend the biggest and best seminar of the day. I did hear Turner state that they were going to reconfigure some of their playbook for Cutler and his abilities which should mean that the Bears will go ahead and open up the offense a lot in 2009.
The next seminar that I attended featured quarterback Jay Cutler, tight end Greg Olsen, running back Matt Forte and offensive tackle Orlando Pace. Forte was a very soft spoken individual who seemed to be the most shy of the group. Both Olsen and Cutler were far from shy however and the two made up quite the comedic team. Some of the questions that the fans asked were a little off the wall and some of the answers that the two gave were a little off the wall as well but it was a good seminar and a great time to learn more about the faces behind the helmet.
The last seminar that we attended featured some of the rookies that had just been drafted. They were wide receiver Johnny Knox, linebacker Marcus Freeman, defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert and cornerback D.J. Moore. Out of all of these players, I have to say that Freeman reminded me a lot of the Bears head coach because of the way he spoke and articulated his answers. Another tactful and to the point person. Gilbert was also very well spoken and seems to be a great selection for the Bears.
Of course, no Bears Expo would be complete without getting some autographs and I managed to get several without having to wait in line for too long. I even managed to get an autograph from Richard Dent, my favorite living ex-Bears player. And you cannot forget that there are plenty of items for sale at this event and this year’s event seemed to have more vendors than years past. Almost everything you could image was there including $10 jerseys featuring names like Grossman, Muhammad and Berrian. A good deal if you wanted to have a jersey with an ex-Bear on it.
Overall, I walked away not only with a good feeling for the Bears season in 2009 but a little better understanding of some of the players and coaching staff. I think that things are different when you see people that you normally see on television up close and personal and listen to them talk. While they may be superstar athletes, these people are indeed people too and it helps to put it in a whole new perspective.
Also, just like when I left past Expos, I felt that I had a great respect for those players and coaches and what they do each and every Sunday.
The 2009 NFL Draft Review Part Two
We covered the Bears first five draft picks in the last article, now we will cover the rest of them.
Marcus Freeman-LB-Ohio State 5th (154th)
Freeman, thought to be a third round pick going into the 2009 NFL Draft, ended up slipping down into the 5th round where the Bears grabbed him in hopes that he might be able to compete for the outside linebacker spot which is currently being held by Hunter Hillenmeyer and Nick Roach. It was his injury history that kept Freeman from getting picked higher and the Bears will be crossing their fingers in hopes that he stays healthy enough to compete for the starting job opposite Lance Briggs.
The upside to Freeman is he is built well for the position and is very athletic. Freeman is intelligent and can read plays well and gets to the ball carrier quickly. He is a polished tackler and doesn’t miss too many tackles. He has the ability to get into coverage as well and could be an asset on special teams for the Bears. The downside to Freeman is that he has been hurt in the past and missed some significant time. Being 6’0” he is a little bit small for the position and doesn’t try to knock the ball away when covering receivers.
Freeman also doesn’t take on blockers well. Chicago should give Freeman a shot at trying to earn a starting spot at the outside linebacker position that is currently being manned by Hillenmeyer and Roach. It’s not out of the question to think that he couldn’t step into that starting role either this year or next providing he can stay healthy and that will be the key, can he stay healthy. This is a good pick and one that could pay off in the future.
Al Afalava-FS-Hawaii 6th (190th)
Chicago decided to take care its need for depth at safety by picking up Afalava with a later round pick. The Bears will be minus Mike Brown now and needed the help but it’s too bad that they went for it so late in the draft. What Afalava brings to the Bears is someone who is good at reading the offense and at making the necessary adjustments to get himself in position to make the play. He can also play against the run very well and is an aggressive hitter who isn’t afraid to pop someone. He has remained relatively injury free also which is a plus for the Bears. On the downside, Afalava doesn’t have great overall speed but that means that he could work well in the Bears cover 2 defense (where speed is not a huge requirement). He also needs to learn the finer points of the position. He also has some character concerns that the Bears hope won’t show up again while he is with the team.
Afalava is not quite ready to tackle the starting safety role yet but with some development he might be able to fill in because of injury or ineffective play. He has a lot of promise and should develop well in the Bear’s system. He also needs to stay out of trouble or his career will be very short with the Bears. Look for Afalava to be playing on special teams to start then possibly work his way into the lineup at the free safety position sometime further down the road.
Lance Louis-OG-San Diego State 7th (246th)
With Louis being a former tight end, the Bears have managed to grab one of the more athletic offensive linemen in the 2009 NFL Draft. Even though he may be a developmental prospect, there is a chance that Louis could make an impact in a couple of years. What he brings to the Bears is, as mentioned, solid athletic ability which is becoming much more desirable in offensive lineman. The also moves well down field and is a strong run blocker. He gets out of his stance quickly and engages the defender well enough to move him off the ball at times. His mechanics are good, not great but still good and he can control smaller defenders at times.
The downside to Louis is that he doesn’t have a lot of experience as an offensive lineman meaning he will have to work on things in order to get ready to play the guard position in the NFL. He also has problems maintaining his weight which may be an issue. He isn’t mechanically sound and needs to develop but has the attitude to develop under the direction of the Bear’s offensive line coach and could pick up those skills over a year or two. He does have an injury history as well and tore his left ACL in 2006 missing the entire season.
The Bears needed some help on the offensive line and while Louis is a serious project player, he just may be able to add some depth to the offensive line, a unit that has some good starters (right now) but is devoid of solid depth. Look for Louis to make it through training camp and end up on the practice squad where he will get an opportunity to learn and grow and then make a run for a roster spot in 2010 or 2011.
Derek Kinder-WR-Pittsburgh 7th (251st)
The Bears added yet another wide receiver for a grand total of three (in the draft) by taking Kinder with their final pick. While Kinder may not be that well known, he is actually a much better prospect than his seventh round designation may indicate. Kinder brings good size (6’0”, 202 pounds) to the position and is able to use his body to gain separation from defenders. He sees the ball well and knows how to find holes in zone coverage. He has good leaping ability and can often outmatch defends when the ball is up in the air. The downside to Kinder is that he isn’t as fast as you would like to see in a wide receiver and doesn’t run disciplined routes. He also needs to work on his blocking.
Kinder is definitely a developmental prospect that has a lot of upside but may not have enough of it to stick with the team and be on the active roster in 2009. The team will have to see how he develops first but with the talent standing ahead of him, it might make it difficult for him to crack the roster this season. The Bears will most likely do what they can to see that he gets a spot on the developmental roster and sticks with the team and gets a shot at the active roster in 2010.
The Chicago Bears 2009 NFL Draft Review: The First Five Picks
The Bears, in an effort to get quarterback Jay Cutler, traded away their first round pick in this year’s draft leaving them with just one pick on the first day. Seeing that some of the players that they had wanted to take with that pick went off the board before they could make their pick (Ohio State wide receiver Brian Robiske and Ohio safety Michael Mitchell) they traded that pick for some second day picks to help enhance their roster. As a result, the Bears didn’t pick until the third round of this year’s draft. They did have some good picks however and it’s time to take a look at some of those picks, those first five picks, and see who they are, what they have to offer the Bears and how they may fit in Chicago’s system.
Jarron Gilbert-DE/DT-San Jose St-3rd Round (68th)
With their first pick in the draft, the Bears went ahead and selected defensive end/defensive tackle Jarron Gilbert out of San Jose State. Gilbert is somewhat “famous” after having a video of himself, posted on YouTube, jumping straight out of a pool onto dry land showing his athleticism and he is a very good athlete. The upside to Gilbert is that he is indeed an athlete and possesses the size and strength that the Bears will look for in a defensive end/tackle (although it is believed that Gilbert was brought in to be a defensive end). He stands 6’ 5” tall and weighs 288 pounds and runs a 4.87 40 which is pretty good for a defensive end prospect. Martin also has good balance, is pretty strong and makes good tackles. The downside to Gilbert is that he didn’t play against the toughest competition while in college and may struggle against the elite offensive linemen in the NFL. As a defensive tackle, Martin found it hard to get enough leverage on the inside which probably means Chicago will use him on the outside. He will need some refinement but there is no better coach than Rod Marinelli to help get the most out of Martin.
The Bears needed to upgrade their defensive line because their pass rush was lacking in 2008 but the question is whether or not he will end up supplanting either Alex Brown or Adewale Oguleye as a starter. Right now, he appears poised to at least begin his career as a situational pass rusher but if he can prove that he can play well against the run (which he did in college) he may end up being Ogunleye’s replacement if the Bears decide to let him go in 2010. At any rate, the Bears did find a good athletic guy who needs some development as football player but could pay dividends for the Bears as early as 2009.
Juaquin Iglesias-WR-Oklahoma 3rd Round (99th)
The Bears went for help at the wide receiver with their second pick in the 2009 NFL Draft and picked up former Oklahoma standout Juaquin Iglesias. The 6’1”, 210 receiver may not possess blazing speed (at the combine he ran a 4.54 40) he is an improvement overall when compared to some of the Bears wide receivers who remain on the roster (Rashied Davis and Brandon Rideau). The upside to Iglesias is that he knows how to run routes and has the ability to get space between himself and the defender to catch the ball. He rarely drops passes and keeps hold of the ball well despite some big hits. He can also find the ball easily in the air and is tough. What he lacks is overall great speed. He also hasn’t worked as a primary receiver but won’t be used that way, at least at first, in the Bear’s offense. While some feel that he will never develop into number one receiver, in the Bear’s system, he could easily flourish.
Iglesias ended up being a very wise choice for the Bears especially since they missed out on their primary target at receiver, Ohio State wide receiver Brian Robiske.
This is going to be a pick that pays dividends for the Bears especially if Iglesias can come in and learn the offense quickly. Already, he is better than Rideau and quite possibly Davis and could be one of the most NFL ready players the Bears picked up in the draft. Look for him to step in and contribute in his first year and quite possibly grow with the offense.
Henry Melton-DE-Texas 4th (105th)
Chicago continued to make an attempt to fix their pass rushing issues by drafting Texas defensive end Henry Melton. Melton has quite an athletic history as he not only ran an amazing 4.65 at his pro day but he also played running back at Texas before being switched over to defensive end. The Bears hope that Melton will be able to compete for a spot at the defensive end (in a rotation) and help provide a boost with their pass rush.
The upside to Melton is that he has decent size standing 6’3” weighing 260 pounds (but may be a little short of the position) and he can get up the field quickly. He does have some room to grow which will be good and although he is a developmental prospect, he could at least contribute on special teams right away. Melton is also very strong and displays some nice pass rushing moves. The downside to Melton is that he is not very experienced and can sometimes get eaten up by blockers. While he has decent straight ahead speed, he isn’t that quick. He is definitely a developmental prospect.
Melton is someone that the Bears will look to develop into a pass rusher over time and could quite possibly be a situational pass rusher as needed. The drafting of Melton should serve notice to Mark Anderson that he had better start producing or he may be gone at the end of training camp.
D.J. Moore-CB-Vanderbilt 4th 199th
Imagine the Bears surprise when the Bears saw that D.J. Moore, a player who had first or second round potential heading into the draft, was sitting there in the fourth round. Chicago snapped him up quickly and he’s now ready to try to supplant Nathan Vasher as the starting cornerback opposite Charles Tillman. Some of the upside to Moore is that he is that he is built pretty well for the position but doesn’t have outstanding height (at the combine he measured out at 5’9” weighing 192 pounds) and thus may get beaten at times by taller receivers.
Moore has good instincts and plays the game smart. Moore also has good body control and does have good straight ahead speed (at the combine he ran a 4.56 40) and reads receivers very well. His upside is much better than his downside. Speaking of downside, the downside to more is, as previously mentioned, is his height. This can cause him difficulty in tackling bigger receivers and running backs as well as make him easily blocked out of the play. Although he is aggressive, there are times when he can be too aggressive and over pursue on a play. He also has problems with getting the ball knocked out when playing on special teams.
Moore was looked upon to be a late first to middle second round pick in this year’s draft but he fell very far and basically wound up being a pretty sizeable gift for the Bears. If he can overcome his issues with his size, which will be hard but not impossible, he could have a bright future with the Bears. Chicago may already be planning to set him out to compete with Nathan Vasher but that remains to be seen. Moore is the kind of talent that could be good or he could be a bust. Let’s see how he does in Chicago’s system.
Johnny Knox-WR-Abilene Christian 5th (140th)
The name Johnny Knox will be remembered as being one of the people who had a super fast time in the 2009 NFL Combine. At the combine, Knox ran a 4.34 which is great by wide receiver standards but playing at Abilene Christian really didn’t thrust him into the national spotlight and he does have an uphill battle in order to make the team but with speed like that, if he can develop the rest of his receiver skills successfully, he could be a solid performer. The upside to Knox, aside from his speed, is that he decent size for the position and is strong. He is quick off the ball and catches the ball well dropping very few passes. Knox isn’t afraid to go up and get the ball out of the air and sees the ball (in the air well enough) and can pick and choose where he wants to run after the catch well also. He will block and isn’t too bad of a blocker.
The downside to Knox is that doesn’t have the bulk to stand up to the NFL pounding that he is sure to get on a regular basis. He is also not too mechanically sound yet but will learn a lot in the Bear’s system.
It can be assured that the Bears were pretty happy to see Knox there when they picked him and will do everything that they possibly can to get him to be a solid wide receiver. If he can develop into a reliable pass catching receiver, he will not only give the Bears another option but also give them someone with speed who can stretch the defense. If Knox develops well, look for him to become a key part of the Bear’s offense for several years to come.
NEXT UP: We will take a look at the last few picks that the Bears made in the 2009 NFL Draft.
The Chicago Bears Draft Review: 2009 NFL Draft
The Chicago Bears, without a first round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft ended up having no first day picks after they traded away their second round pick after a couple of players that they had targeted (Ohio State wide receiver Brian Robiske and Ohio University’s Mike Mitchell) were already taken so they traded out of the second round and grabbed some additional picks.
The following is a quick rundown of the players that the Bears drafted in the 2009 NFL Draft. A much more detailed look at these picks a little bit later on.
3rd round (68th) Jarron Gilbert-DT-San Jose State-Kind of a confusing pick but the Bears could use the depth at the defensive tackle position. However, Gilbert is a bit of an underachiever and will need some motivation, which he will get, when he comes to the team.
3rd Round (99th) Joaquin Iglesias-WR-Oklahoma-The Bears lost out on Brian Robiske but picked up Iglesias another player that they coveted and will help them out at the wide receiver position.
4th Round (105th) Henry Melton-DE-Texas-The Bears took care of one of their biggest needs and got Melton, a player who can help them improve their pass rush. He will be somewhat of a project but Chicago might be able to get something out of him.
4th Round (119th) D.J. Moore-CB-Vanderbilt-Many had thought that Moore would go either in the late first or early second round of the draft but he took a free fall and landed right in the Bear’s laps. This may be the second biggest steal of the draft for the Bears.
5th (140th) Johnny Knox-WR-Abilene Christian-Knox was very impressive at the combine and has great speed. If he can develop into a top flight wide receiver, the Bears may have found their biggest steal of the draft with him.
5th (154th) Marcus Freeman-LB-Ohio State-Freeman is another player that slipped a bit but could be a big find for the Bears if he can unseat Hunter Hillenmeyer and Nick Roach at the outside linebacker position opposite Lance Briggs.
6th (190th) Al Afalava-S-Oregon State-Afalava was someone that the Bears coveted going into the draft and was a player that they did manage to get. He has a chance to be a starter in a year or two but at least adds some depth for them at the safety position.
7th (246th) Lance Lewis-TE-San Diego State-The Bears will try to push Kellen Davis a little bit with Lewis but he is somewhat of a long shot to make the team.
7th (256th) Derek Kinder-WR-Pittsburgh-This could be another big time steal for the Bears if he ends up panning out. He has a good combination of size and speed and although he is a developmental prospect, he could end up being a surprise at some point in his career.
Overall: Trading away their second round pick was somewhat of a shocker but they did manage to turn it into some worthwhile picks that can come in and help out virtually right away. Other experts are calling this one of the better drafts this year and with the addition of Jay Cutler, the Bears could be set up well to win their first Super Bowl in over 20 years.
Coming Up: In depth analysis of the Bears first five picks in the 2009 NFL Draft.