LINK
no comments on that. I think we all know Bill Barnwell is staking his claim that the Bears suck and will keep this up until the point the Bears give him a game to prove him right.
On other news, this was a great read I forgot to post a few weeks ago.
Showing posts with label Chicago Bears. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago Bears. Show all posts
Monday, September 12, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Peter King Explains Bears and Ravens Non-Trade
Peter King led off his article today discussing the Bears and Ravens trade that didn't happen.
Chicago, picking 29th, and Baltimore, at 26, finalized a trade that would have had them switch slots, with the Ravens getting the Bears' fourth-round pick in return. Chicago would take Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi, and the Ravens, if Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith was still on the board, would take Smith at 29. With two minutes left in the Ravens' period, the deal was done.
Under NFL rules, each team has to report the trade to NFL draft headquarters at Radio City Music Hall. The Ravens called it in. They assumed Chicago called it in, but due to a miscommunication in the Bears' draft room, no one from Chicago ever called the league. As the clock ticked down to zero, and with Chicago on the phone with Carimi to tell him he was going to be their pick, Baltimore noticed no one at the league had announced the trade and Chicago's pick of Carimi. Meanwhile, Kansas City, with the 27th pick, rushed its card to the desk at Radio City, taking Pittsburgh wideout Jonathan Baldwin.
Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, on an open line to New York, demanded to know why the trade hadn't gone through. Chicago never called to confirm it, Newsome was told. Baltimore was infuriated. The league didn't allow the trade. The Ravens picked Smith at 27 (not 26; Kansas City was awarded the 26th pick and took Baldwin, because the Chiefs got the pick in before the Ravens did), and the Bears got lucky, getting Carimi at 29.
"Whatever you hear, Baltimore did everything the right way," Bears GM Jerry Angelo told Chicago media. "There were a lot of things happening in the draft room. We were getting a lot of calls, we just ... dropped the ball. I dropped the ball. I can't say anything more than that."
All's well that ends well, you say? Not so fast. Angelo called Baltimore owner Steve Bisciotti to apologize, but Bisciotti wanted the fourth-round pick anyway, claiming it was part of the deal they'd agreed to. In fact, I'm told Bisciotti today will push to get the fourth-round pick, or to make the situation right in some way.
The league is under no obligation to do so, because the trade was never official. And maybe all's fair in love and draft-night trades, but as far as Baltimore's concerned, I don't think this one's over. I think the Ravens will ask the league to award them some compensation from Chicago before the draft resumes at 6 p.m. Eastern today. Stay tuned.
Chicago, picking 29th, and Baltimore, at 26, finalized a trade that would have had them switch slots, with the Ravens getting the Bears' fourth-round pick in return. Chicago would take Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi, and the Ravens, if Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith was still on the board, would take Smith at 29. With two minutes left in the Ravens' period, the deal was done.
Under NFL rules, each team has to report the trade to NFL draft headquarters at Radio City Music Hall. The Ravens called it in. They assumed Chicago called it in, but due to a miscommunication in the Bears' draft room, no one from Chicago ever called the league. As the clock ticked down to zero, and with Chicago on the phone with Carimi to tell him he was going to be their pick, Baltimore noticed no one at the league had announced the trade and Chicago's pick of Carimi. Meanwhile, Kansas City, with the 27th pick, rushed its card to the desk at Radio City, taking Pittsburgh wideout Jonathan Baldwin.
Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, on an open line to New York, demanded to know why the trade hadn't gone through. Chicago never called to confirm it, Newsome was told. Baltimore was infuriated. The league didn't allow the trade. The Ravens picked Smith at 27 (not 26; Kansas City was awarded the 26th pick and took Baldwin, because the Chiefs got the pick in before the Ravens did), and the Bears got lucky, getting Carimi at 29.
"Whatever you hear, Baltimore did everything the right way," Bears GM Jerry Angelo told Chicago media. "There were a lot of things happening in the draft room. We were getting a lot of calls, we just ... dropped the ball. I dropped the ball. I can't say anything more than that."
All's well that ends well, you say? Not so fast. Angelo called Baltimore owner Steve Bisciotti to apologize, but Bisciotti wanted the fourth-round pick anyway, claiming it was part of the deal they'd agreed to. In fact, I'm told Bisciotti today will push to get the fourth-round pick, or to make the situation right in some way.
The league is under no obligation to do so, because the trade was never official. And maybe all's fair in love and draft-night trades, but as far as Baltimore's concerned, I don't think this one's over. I think the Ravens will ask the league to award them some compensation from Chicago before the draft resumes at 6 p.m. Eastern today. Stay tuned.
Noffke’s NFL Draft Round 1 Recap
Before I dive too much into this I first have to state I really don’t like instant analysis on the draft. Really we should wait a year or two to analysis who had a good draft. Too often I hear, “You know who had a good draft? The Patriots! They got good players, and filled some needs.” Well yeah, when a team has 6 picks in the top 90 I hope they have a good draft. So I don’t want to hear any of that crap. I am just going to go through some quick thoughts.
Cam Newton being the #1 pick: I think he could be good, but I don’t trust him. He was a 1 year wonder, and he has a very checkered past. He got in trouble while at Florida or he never would have left, then he “shopped” around for a new team to play for, but didn’t know about it. Great. I just heard Mike Lombardi from the NFL network say, “With one year guys, you don’t look forward, you look backwards. You look at what reasons made the guy a 1 year wonder.” I think that’s the case here, let’s see why he wasn’t better longer.
Also, TMQ brought up an interesting point. Look at BCS winning quarterbacks in the pros? Here’s a list of the 12 BCS winning QBs who have played in the NFL.
1. Tee Martin – Tennessee: Never did anything in the pros
2. Chris Wienke – Florida State: Never did anything in the pros
3. Josh Huepel – Oklahoma: Never did anything in the pros
4. Ken Doresy – Miami: Never did anything in the pros
5. Craig Krenzel – Ohio State: Started a few games for the Bears
6. Matt Mauk – LSU: Never did anything in the pros
7. Carson Palmer – USC: Good NFL Career with multiple pro bowls.
8. Vince Young – Texas: Started off promising, but didn’t sustain his level of play
9. Matt Lienart – USC: Never did anything in the pros
10. Chris Leak – Florida: Never did anything in the pros
11. Matt Flynn - LSU: Never did anything in the pros
12. Tim Tebow – Florida: Won two games as a rookie in limited action.
We’ll let Tebow be TBD and not count him. So 1.5 out of 11. Not a high success rate. These guys had great players around them which helped them thrive. Brees carried Purdue around for 3 years. Tennessee was good, not great when Peyton was there. Brady had great players around him at Michigan, but had to constantly fight with Drew Hensen for a starting job. These players learned how to play in tough situations which made them better. So needless to say, I’m penciling in Newton as a mediocre, but never great player.
While we are in Auburn, let’s talk about Nick Fairly to Detroit. Instantly everyone is excited to see Fairly play with Suh. I don’t think Fairly is anywhere near as good as Suh, and I am not convinced he’s going to be a good player in the NFL. He’s a one year player, and let’s take Lombardi’s advice and look back. He had to go to Jr College for 2 years before he could get into to Auburn cause he didn’t have the grades (think about that). He plays very high and tries to avoid contact, neither of which you want to see out of an interior lineman. If he plays high, the O-line will beat him up which could lead to injuries. He has to engage a player (or two) and then beat them to help the linebackers stay clean and flow to the football. He has a questionable work ethic, and we know how that turns out right after you pay that type of player a lot of money. I am predicting a very short NFL career for Mr. Fairly.
The Cardinals were smart, there was an obvious need for this team at QB in a very winnable division. However, they saw this draft had quarterback depth and didn’t value any of the top guys as high, so they took the best player in the draft in Patrick Petersen. I think Petersen is going to be a star, and playing inside can only help him utilize his speed. I see them grabbing Dalton or Mallet with their 2nd round pick.
The more amusing parts of the night came when the Falcons traded a whole bunch to get Julio Jones. Way to hold the Jersey the right way buddy. I can’t understand trading that much to get a WR. WR are a benefit, not a need. A smart d coordinator can eliminate a WR’s impact on the game easier then any other position. Unless they feel this guy is going to be a Randy Moss like talent (he’s not) or a Jerry Rice like work ethic (he won’t’) then I can’t see him making a big enough impact to warrant trading as much as they did. As ACSS draft expert Ryan Parrent pointed out, the Bears traded less for Jay Cutler, a proven NFL player. I don’t get it.
The dumbest part of the night came when the Vikings selected Chris Ponder with the 12th pick. I thought I had blacked out for 24 hours and it was the 12th pick of the 2nd round. I was just dumbfounded by this pick. I saw him play live against a very sub-par Boston College team, and I was not impressed. He doesn’t have the arm strength necessary to throw the 15-20 yards out which are necessary for playing in the NFL. He also has not proven to be durable, missing time in his final two years at FSU. While I am glad the Vikings took him, so they can waste 3-4 year figuring out he’s not that good, I don’t understand the pick.
Finally to the Bears. I think the trade they were trying to get through with Baltimore was to get Smith from Colorado, I don’t see any other reason why they’d try to move to that spot. Taking Camri at 29 is a good choice. He’s a solid offensive lineman who can play either tackle or either guard. I think they are going to try to get him to start at LT, but if he can’t beat out Williams or Omieyle then they can play him somewhere else until he gets the confidence and the ability to make that spots his a year or two down the line.
Looking at the Bears line I see positives and negatives now. The positives are we have 3 guys who can play both guards and both tackle spots (Omieyle, Williams and Camari) along with Garza who can play either guard, Webb who proved he can at least hold his own for a full 16 game season, and one last run for Kruetz (still think the Bears should get an interior lineman 4th or 5th round to be his eventual replacement). So the Bears will have depth and flexibility on the line that will give Mike Tice the ability to find the best fit for the team. The problem with all this flexibility is there are no players who own the position. Knowing from day 1 where they are going to play and building together from there. I think if Tice gets these guys in defined roles early in Camp (if there is one) it will be better for the team as a whole.
Cam Newton being the #1 pick: I think he could be good, but I don’t trust him. He was a 1 year wonder, and he has a very checkered past. He got in trouble while at Florida or he never would have left, then he “shopped” around for a new team to play for, but didn’t know about it. Great. I just heard Mike Lombardi from the NFL network say, “With one year guys, you don’t look forward, you look backwards. You look at what reasons made the guy a 1 year wonder.” I think that’s the case here, let’s see why he wasn’t better longer.
Also, TMQ brought up an interesting point. Look at BCS winning quarterbacks in the pros? Here’s a list of the 12 BCS winning QBs who have played in the NFL.
1. Tee Martin – Tennessee: Never did anything in the pros
2. Chris Wienke – Florida State: Never did anything in the pros
3. Josh Huepel – Oklahoma: Never did anything in the pros
4. Ken Doresy – Miami: Never did anything in the pros
5. Craig Krenzel – Ohio State: Started a few games for the Bears
6. Matt Mauk – LSU: Never did anything in the pros
7. Carson Palmer – USC: Good NFL Career with multiple pro bowls.
8. Vince Young – Texas: Started off promising, but didn’t sustain his level of play
9. Matt Lienart – USC: Never did anything in the pros
10. Chris Leak – Florida: Never did anything in the pros
11. Matt Flynn - LSU: Never did anything in the pros
12. Tim Tebow – Florida: Won two games as a rookie in limited action.
We’ll let Tebow be TBD and not count him. So 1.5 out of 11. Not a high success rate. These guys had great players around them which helped them thrive. Brees carried Purdue around for 3 years. Tennessee was good, not great when Peyton was there. Brady had great players around him at Michigan, but had to constantly fight with Drew Hensen for a starting job. These players learned how to play in tough situations which made them better. So needless to say, I’m penciling in Newton as a mediocre, but never great player.
While we are in Auburn, let’s talk about Nick Fairly to Detroit. Instantly everyone is excited to see Fairly play with Suh. I don’t think Fairly is anywhere near as good as Suh, and I am not convinced he’s going to be a good player in the NFL. He’s a one year player, and let’s take Lombardi’s advice and look back. He had to go to Jr College for 2 years before he could get into to Auburn cause he didn’t have the grades (think about that). He plays very high and tries to avoid contact, neither of which you want to see out of an interior lineman. If he plays high, the O-line will beat him up which could lead to injuries. He has to engage a player (or two) and then beat them to help the linebackers stay clean and flow to the football. He has a questionable work ethic, and we know how that turns out right after you pay that type of player a lot of money. I am predicting a very short NFL career for Mr. Fairly.
The Cardinals were smart, there was an obvious need for this team at QB in a very winnable division. However, they saw this draft had quarterback depth and didn’t value any of the top guys as high, so they took the best player in the draft in Patrick Petersen. I think Petersen is going to be a star, and playing inside can only help him utilize his speed. I see them grabbing Dalton or Mallet with their 2nd round pick.
The more amusing parts of the night came when the Falcons traded a whole bunch to get Julio Jones. Way to hold the Jersey the right way buddy. I can’t understand trading that much to get a WR. WR are a benefit, not a need. A smart d coordinator can eliminate a WR’s impact on the game easier then any other position. Unless they feel this guy is going to be a Randy Moss like talent (he’s not) or a Jerry Rice like work ethic (he won’t’) then I can’t see him making a big enough impact to warrant trading as much as they did. As ACSS draft expert Ryan Parrent pointed out, the Bears traded less for Jay Cutler, a proven NFL player. I don’t get it.
The dumbest part of the night came when the Vikings selected Chris Ponder with the 12th pick. I thought I had blacked out for 24 hours and it was the 12th pick of the 2nd round. I was just dumbfounded by this pick. I saw him play live against a very sub-par Boston College team, and I was not impressed. He doesn’t have the arm strength necessary to throw the 15-20 yards out which are necessary for playing in the NFL. He also has not proven to be durable, missing time in his final two years at FSU. While I am glad the Vikings took him, so they can waste 3-4 year figuring out he’s not that good, I don’t understand the pick.
Finally to the Bears. I think the trade they were trying to get through with Baltimore was to get Smith from Colorado, I don’t see any other reason why they’d try to move to that spot. Taking Camri at 29 is a good choice. He’s a solid offensive lineman who can play either tackle or either guard. I think they are going to try to get him to start at LT, but if he can’t beat out Williams or Omieyle then they can play him somewhere else until he gets the confidence and the ability to make that spots his a year or two down the line.
Looking at the Bears line I see positives and negatives now. The positives are we have 3 guys who can play both guards and both tackle spots (Omieyle, Williams and Camari) along with Garza who can play either guard, Webb who proved he can at least hold his own for a full 16 game season, and one last run for Kruetz (still think the Bears should get an interior lineman 4th or 5th round to be his eventual replacement). So the Bears will have depth and flexibility on the line that will give Mike Tice the ability to find the best fit for the team. The problem with all this flexibility is there are no players who own the position. Knowing from day 1 where they are going to play and building together from there. I think if Tice gets these guys in defined roles early in Camp (if there is one) it will be better for the team as a whole.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Bears 2011 Schedule
As I am sure some of you are aware, the NFL just announced its 2011 schedule (assuming there is a season). I have pulled up the Bears Schedule and am going to do a quick breakdown Lovie Smith style, breaking the season into quarters
1. Falcons, @Saints, Packers, Panthers
Wow, talk about getting the NFC south out of the way. Three of the first four games are against the NFC south including both home games. This is a bummer as the Bears can’t take advantage of Warm weather teams come up North in the Winter. I am glad the Falcons are coming to Chicago though, the Georgia dome has become a house of horrors for the Bears. I see the Bears beating the Panthers, and winning at least 1 of the other 3. I could see them winning more, but to be conservative
Bears Record 2-2
2. @Lions (MNF), Vikings (SNF), @Bucs (In London), Bye, @ Eagles (MNF)
Interesting stretch here for the Bears with 4 high profile games. The Bucs make their 2nd trip to London to play while for the second straight year the Bears will play internationally (Maybe next year they can play Arizona in Mexico City and keep it going). Luckily, the Bucs are the team that are losing the home game and not the Bears. After the London trip, the Bears have 15 days off with the bye week and then MNF, so hopefully they will be fully over the jetlag. Also, it’s another year the Bears are playing the Eagles in a primetime game, that seems to happen every year. I see the Bears beating the Lions and Vikings, then splitting the Bucs and Eagles.
Bears Record 3-1
3. Lions, Chargers, @Raiders, Chiefs
The Lions then a run of the 4 AFC west teams seems odd to me. Why would the NFL schedule all the AFC games back to back? Even with all 4 teams improving (maybe not the Chiefs) I still see the Bears sweeping this part of the season, at worst dropping 1.
Bears Record 3-1
4. @Broncos, Seahawks, @ Packers (SNF *subject to change), @Vikings
The end of the season is a little rough with 3 of 4 on the road and playing in 3 of the most difficult stadiums. Luckily the Bears don’t have to make the trip to the great Northwest with the Seahawks coming to town. The Broncos game will get more attention if Captain NeckBeard is playing, but most likely the Bears will have to stop Tebowmainia? I have a feeling the Bears will lose 2 of the road games even though they should probably only lose 1.
Bears Record 2-2
Overall Record: 10-6
NFC Central: 2nd Place
NFC Playoffs: 5th Seed
With the 5th seed the Bears will defeat the NFC West Champion Rams and after that, who knows what happens.
If the season happens, it should be a fun one for the Bears. A trip to London and San Diego, I don’t think you can get any further apart?
1. Falcons, @Saints, Packers, Panthers
Wow, talk about getting the NFC south out of the way. Three of the first four games are against the NFC south including both home games. This is a bummer as the Bears can’t take advantage of Warm weather teams come up North in the Winter. I am glad the Falcons are coming to Chicago though, the Georgia dome has become a house of horrors for the Bears. I see the Bears beating the Panthers, and winning at least 1 of the other 3. I could see them winning more, but to be conservative
Bears Record 2-2
2. @Lions (MNF), Vikings (SNF), @Bucs (In London), Bye, @ Eagles (MNF)
Interesting stretch here for the Bears with 4 high profile games. The Bucs make their 2nd trip to London to play while for the second straight year the Bears will play internationally (Maybe next year they can play Arizona in Mexico City and keep it going). Luckily, the Bucs are the team that are losing the home game and not the Bears. After the London trip, the Bears have 15 days off with the bye week and then MNF, so hopefully they will be fully over the jetlag. Also, it’s another year the Bears are playing the Eagles in a primetime game, that seems to happen every year. I see the Bears beating the Lions and Vikings, then splitting the Bucs and Eagles.
Bears Record 3-1
3. Lions, Chargers, @Raiders, Chiefs
The Lions then a run of the 4 AFC west teams seems odd to me. Why would the NFL schedule all the AFC games back to back? Even with all 4 teams improving (maybe not the Chiefs) I still see the Bears sweeping this part of the season, at worst dropping 1.
Bears Record 3-1
4. @Broncos, Seahawks, @ Packers (SNF *subject to change), @Vikings
The end of the season is a little rough with 3 of 4 on the road and playing in 3 of the most difficult stadiums. Luckily the Bears don’t have to make the trip to the great Northwest with the Seahawks coming to town. The Broncos game will get more attention if Captain NeckBeard is playing, but most likely the Bears will have to stop Tebowmainia? I have a feeling the Bears will lose 2 of the road games even though they should probably only lose 1.
Bears Record 2-2
Overall Record: 10-6
NFC Central: 2nd Place
NFC Playoffs: 5th Seed
With the 5th seed the Bears will defeat the NFC West Champion Rams and after that, who knows what happens.
If the season happens, it should be a fun one for the Bears. A trip to London and San Diego, I don’t think you can get any further apart?
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Tom Brady Laughing At the Bears
I was in attendance on Sunday and I'm glad to find out that I wasn't the only one laughing while Deion Branch ran 59 yards for a score as time expired in the first half.
The follow quote is from this article.
"We kept talking ... before the game, if we had an opportunity and they were in a Cover 2 look, we wanted to try to get [tight end Rob Gronkowski] up the seam, and then the outside receiver up the sideline," Brady said Monday during his weekly interview on Boston sports radio station WEEI. "And I looked at the safety [Major Wright], and he was backing straight up. He wasn't wide at all. I kind of looked at him and just gave him a little pump to kind of hold him, and to hold the corner [Charles Tillman] a little bit, and Deion raced by him. And I threw it out there. Deion made a hell of a catch and run.
"I was almost laughing. I couldn't believe it."
The follow quote is from this article.
"We kept talking ... before the game, if we had an opportunity and they were in a Cover 2 look, we wanted to try to get [tight end Rob Gronkowski] up the seam, and then the outside receiver up the sideline," Brady said Monday during his weekly interview on Boston sports radio station WEEI. "And I looked at the safety [Major Wright], and he was backing straight up. He wasn't wide at all. I kind of looked at him and just gave him a little pump to kind of hold him, and to hold the corner [Charles Tillman] a little bit, and Deion raced by him. And I threw it out there. Deion made a hell of a catch and run.
"I was almost laughing. I couldn't believe it."
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
How different this year is...
I saw this picture and had to post it as it sums up how odd this year has been in the NFL this year. I think because it has been so I I have enjoyed it so much. The way to read the chart is clockwise the score underneath each team is the score that they beat the team to their right.
So this kills any college like reasoning of why 1 team is better than another.
Looked at the rankings today and the playoff picture would be fun. Jets and Ravens would get the bye in the AFC with Kansas City and Jacksonville winning the other two divisions and Pittsburgh and New England being the Wild card teams. This is especially interesting because I would think that the wild card teams would roll through that first round but who knows (refer to above chart).
On the NFC side of things the Falcons Bears Eagles and Seahawks all win their divisions with Philly ad Atlanta getting the byes. The two wild cards currently are Green Bay and Tampa Bay. If I did my playoff picture correctly this sets up a third Bears Packers match-up with higher stakes than usual. This also illustrates the importance of the game this weekend because its essentially a huge stepping stone for a first round bye.
With that go Bears and whoever is playing green bay, tampa bay, new york and philly.
So this kills any college like reasoning of why 1 team is better than another.
Looked at the rankings today and the playoff picture would be fun. Jets and Ravens would get the bye in the AFC with Kansas City and Jacksonville winning the other two divisions and Pittsburgh and New England being the Wild card teams. This is especially interesting because I would think that the wild card teams would roll through that first round but who knows (refer to above chart).
On the NFC side of things the Falcons Bears Eagles and Seahawks all win their divisions with Philly ad Atlanta getting the byes. The two wild cards currently are Green Bay and Tampa Bay. If I did my playoff picture correctly this sets up a third Bears Packers match-up with higher stakes than usual. This also illustrates the importance of the game this weekend because its essentially a huge stepping stone for a first round bye.
With that go Bears and whoever is playing green bay, tampa bay, new york and philly.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Monday Night Football: Don’t bet on them next Sunday
Last night, Chicagoans all saw what I have noticed as a trend this season. Teams that play on Monday Night Football do not play well the next week. The Bears showed this as they embarrassed themselves in front of a national audience on the Sunday Night Game of the week. Let’s look at the rest of the MNF teams
Week 1
Baltimore @ New York Jets
&
San Diego @ Kansas City
Week 2 Performances
Baltimore: Lost to Cincinnati in a game they were favored to win.
Kansas City: Beats Cleveland by 2, doesn’t cover the spread.
Chargers and Jets won and covered
Week 2
New Orleans @ San Francisco
Week 3 Performances
New Orleans: New Orleans Loses by 3 in OT in a game they were favored to win.
San Francisco: Loses to Kansas City by 21
Week 3
Green Bay @ Chicago
Week 4 Performances
Green Bay: Beats Detroit by 2 but fail to cover the double digit spread
Chicago: Lost by 14 and allowed 3 times as many sacks as points they scored.
Week 4
New England @ Miami
Lucky For New England and Miami they both have bye weeks coming up after their games.
Why are the teams playing poorly after their Monday Night Football games? I believe a lot of it has to do with screwing up the schedule of practice for the week. NFL teams are so regimented today, that losing one full day of preparation time or even resting time hurts the team. Also, for road teams, jet lag becomes a factor. Games are not ending until Midnight EST. The away team then has to shower, talk to the media, get to the airport, fly back home, then get back to their homes. When New Orleans was flying back from San Francisco, they didn’t get land until around 7 in the morning. Add another hour to get home and they aren’t going to bed until almost 8 AM. Most NFL teams get Tuesdays off, but New Orleans needed that entire day Tuesday just to recover from their flight.
Also, teams don’t physically recover in enough time. Older lineman need every minute of the NFL week to get their body healthy enough to play again on Sunday, Losing 36 hours in that week hurts how much they can recover.
I am sure there are other reasons why teams are not playing well following Monday Night Football. It could just be random luck and not a trend, San Diego and New York Jets played well after their MNF games. Until I see reasons to change my mind, I will not be wagering on any teams that played on MNF the week before.
Week 1
Baltimore @ New York Jets
&
San Diego @ Kansas City
Week 2 Performances
Baltimore: Lost to Cincinnati in a game they were favored to win.
Kansas City: Beats Cleveland by 2, doesn’t cover the spread.
Chargers and Jets won and covered
Week 2
New Orleans @ San Francisco
Week 3 Performances
New Orleans: New Orleans Loses by 3 in OT in a game they were favored to win.
San Francisco: Loses to Kansas City by 21
Week 3
Green Bay @ Chicago
Week 4 Performances
Green Bay: Beats Detroit by 2 but fail to cover the double digit spread
Chicago: Lost by 14 and allowed 3 times as many sacks as points they scored.
Week 4
New England @ Miami
Lucky For New England and Miami they both have bye weeks coming up after their games.
Why are the teams playing poorly after their Monday Night Football games? I believe a lot of it has to do with screwing up the schedule of practice for the week. NFL teams are so regimented today, that losing one full day of preparation time or even resting time hurts the team. Also, for road teams, jet lag becomes a factor. Games are not ending until Midnight EST. The away team then has to shower, talk to the media, get to the airport, fly back home, then get back to their homes. When New Orleans was flying back from San Francisco, they didn’t get land until around 7 in the morning. Add another hour to get home and they aren’t going to bed until almost 8 AM. Most NFL teams get Tuesdays off, but New Orleans needed that entire day Tuesday just to recover from their flight.
Also, teams don’t physically recover in enough time. Older lineman need every minute of the NFL week to get their body healthy enough to play again on Sunday, Losing 36 hours in that week hurts how much they can recover.
I am sure there are other reasons why teams are not playing well following Monday Night Football. It could just be random luck and not a trend, San Diego and New York Jets played well after their MNF games. Until I see reasons to change my mind, I will not be wagering on any teams that played on MNF the week before.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Bears vs. Cowboys Recap
I hate to say I called it, but I pretty much did. My prediction was a 27-21 Bears victory if the Cowboys were completely healthy. They were. The final score was 27-20 Bears. It's okay to be impressed.
Some things I noticed last week: the Bears offensive line sucked at first, and wasn't even that great at the end. However, some great adjustments by Mike Tice and the line cooling down helped them play well enough against a great pass rushing team. Saying that, I think the o-line could definitely witness some improvements this year, and continue to get better. I don't think they can be dominant, I'd like to draft a lot of young talent there next year, but overall, I think they can be a little above average this year. Which says a lot.
Mike Martz is a genius. The adjustments he made. It was like wow, if this were Ron Turner we'd be running the same damn plays over and over without any adjustments. We would have definitely lost that game.
Jay Cutler is who we thought he was. Over the first two games he has 649 passing yards, 5 tds 1 int, a 68.8 completion percentage, and a rating of 121.2. That doesn't include his gaudy average of 10.1 yards per attempt. That means everytime he gets the ball out he's averaging a first down. While not true, he is putting up massive yards and I honestly wouldn't be shocked if he did get to 5,000 passing yards this year with 35+ tds.
Matt Forte is going to be deadly this year. There is a realistic shot that he could get just over 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving. Granted his rushing will have to improve in order to meet the rushing total, but he is certainly on pace in the receiving department with 188 yards receiving already. His current pace: 632 yards rushing 0 tds, 1,504 yards receiving 24 tds. Of course I could see his rushing yards increase and his receiving yards decrease. Which is why I'm meeting halfway: 1,000 rush yards 1,000 receiving yards. He would be only the third player ever to do that.
Wide Receivers look damn good. The tight ends, mainly Greg Olsen, are playing okay but not great. Yeah he had the long touchdown scamper but overall he isn't really getting that many grabs. His blocking has improved though.
The defense is playing well, especially the linebackers. I don't know if it was made apparent how well the linebackers are playing but they completely shut down Dallas' run game. The secondary is out there hitting hard, and so far the defense seems to be very opportunistic with 6 turnovers in 2 games. They are looking good again. My only issue so far has been the play of the d-line. I don't think they are getting as much pressure as I'd like to see. Only one player on the D-line has a sack, and that was against Detroit. Yes, Tony Romo is very elusive but I'd like to see the d-line get more pressure.
Next week, if we see the d-line play better, which I think we will b/c I don't see the Packers line being great, than I think we win the game. It doesn't matter if one team sucks and the other team is on the way to the Superbowl, this matchup almost always comes down to the wire. So, no blowouts here. I think you'll see the Bears win one at soldier field for the division lead. Bears 31-20.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Bears vs. Lions Recap
Okay, so, the Bears start out 1-0. Great. They beat the Detroit Lions 19-14. We all have probably heard plenty of times about the controversial call at the end of the game. Megatron made what appeared to be a catch, then as he fell he used his hand to stop his momentum and the ball squirted loose for an incompletion and what ultimately cost the Lions the game. I don't think it should be considered a controversial call, but rather the right call. The rule is just fine the way it is also. If it weren't for that rule there would be many discrepancies as to what was an actual catch. You'd have refs calling some plays right and others getting it wrong b/c there was no clear guideline. Thus, it eliminates far more controversy than it creates. The rule maybe should be improved but watching that catch in full speed shows that he clearly uses the ball to protect himself when he's going down and thus loses control of the ball. It was an incomplete pass.
As far as the rest of the game goes: it was sloppy. The Bears offense showed that it could move the ball whenever it wanted to against the Lions amassing 450+ yards of offense. The defense completely shut down the Lions allowing only 160 yards of offense. This score should have been something like 37-10. However, the defense couldn't stop the Lions once they got into the redzone. And the Bears offense seemed to fumble the ball away every time they drove down for a TD. Issues with the O-line seem to be there. A great example is the Bears starting at the Lions 1 and being unable to score a single point. How does that happen? Why wasn't a QB sneak ever called? Things like that need to be worked out.
But, it doesn't seem like its anything too serious. A lot of it seemed like it had to do with rust, and thank god we got the Lions week one at home to get rid of the rust. Matt Forte looked like he had completely regained his speed and burst again amassing over 200 yards of total offense and 2 tds. Jay Cutler looked elite completing 65% of his passes for 372 yards and 2 scores. Julius Peppers showed why we paid him so much money getting a sack and forcing a fumble. And the Linebackers were just outright dominating. This Bears team looks like they are going to be a force to be reckoned with assuming they can iron out the little miscues they had.
Next week will be a great test. The Bears versus the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas' new stadium. The Redskins beat the Cowboys last night on a holding call by Alex Barron. The Cowboys are also missing two of their best offensive lineman and Ware may also be sidelined for the game. If that is the case, I expect the Bears to win by two or more scores. If both teams are at full strength then I see a 27-21 Bears victory. This is going to be a good year for the Bears. I'm really excited for the potential of this offense.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Chicago Sports Power Rankings
Our fine city by the Lake has gone through some tough times in the last decade in sports. Without exception, every single team representing the Chi has absolutely stunk at one time or another. The Sox winning it all in 2005 and the Bears' Super Bowl in '06 were high points, but other than that, the mid-2000s were a bit of a struggle for Superfans.
Now that we're in the offseason for the NHL, NBA, and NFL, and in the stretch run for baseball, it's a good time to see which organizations are doing well, and which ones are flailing.
1. Chicago Blackhawks - They just won the Stanley Cup, and have an excellent young group of stars to build around. New management has turned around fanhood with more accessible games on TV, and hey, everyone likes to back a winner. The 'Hawks bandwagon has never been more full.
On the downside, all of the cost-cutting moves this offseason, while necessary, have left something of a bad taste in fan's mouths. Losing Niemi and Byfuglien reminds me of the Sox having to dump Rowand after the World Series. Still, things are looking good for the Blackhawks going forward.
2. Chicago Bulls - Despite losing out on LeBron James and the rest of Miami Thrice, the Bulls have a new coach, lots of fresh blood, and emerging superstars in Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.
Top to bottom, this might be the best roster in the NBA (at worst, it's still Top 10), and Tom Thibodeau knows what to do with good depth. (DEFEND! PRESS!) Also, the Bulls have made the playoffs the last two seasons in a row, and fan support barely even wavered during the crappy years.
I expect the Bulls to be a fast-breaking, fiercely aggressive team this year, a joy to watch even if they don't get to the Finals.
3. Chicago White Sox - Ozzie Guillen is the best coach in Chicago, and with his seven years' experience, the dean of Windy City coaching. He has his team, once again, in position to battle it out down the stretch with the Twins for the AL Central crown.
Is this a dominant team? No, but quality pitching and steady leadership (not just Oz, but also Buehrle, Don Cooper, Paul Konerko) make being a Sox fan easy these days. Also, US Cellular has the best food in town, ballpark-wise.
4. Chicago Bears - No doubt, this is OUR team, the team that every sports fan in Chicago really cares about. So why No. 4? Well, they were 7-9 last year. Lovie Smith is gone if they don't make the playoffs. Key players, like Brian Urlacher and Olin Kreutz, but including many others, are getting old.
This is a make-or-break year for the Bears. Succeed, and reclaim the top spot in Chicago fan's hearts. Fail, and we know we're in for a rough 2010-2020 at Soldier Field.
5. Chicago Cubs - Yes, it warms the cockles of my evil lil' heart putting the Cubs down here. Seriously though, they are overpaid and terrible, and Lou Pinella is on his way out.
On the bright side, Wrigley still fills up for games, Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin look like they'll be good, and new ownership is willing to spend.
6. Chicago Rush - In case you hadn't heard, they just got eliminated from the playoffs. You hadn't? Oh. Right.
7. Chicago Wolves - I'll be honest. I have no clue how the Wolves did this year, or are doing. But I do know they signed Chelios for a minute there, so that counts for something. And they've always been a decent AHL/IHL team.
8. Chicago Fire - Technically they play in Naperville, so that's Strike One. Also, they have a losing record this season and are scuffling in their international league. Strike Two. I'm not ready to give up on the Fire yet, but with solid soccer teams emerging in LA, New York, and even Salt Lake City, it looks as if the Fire may be stuck in reverse.
9. Chicago Sky - We have a WNBA team? Yes, and they stink.
Did I miss anything? Lacrosse? Rugby?
Now that we're in the offseason for the NHL, NBA, and NFL, and in the stretch run for baseball, it's a good time to see which organizations are doing well, and which ones are flailing.
1. Chicago Blackhawks - They just won the Stanley Cup, and have an excellent young group of stars to build around. New management has turned around fanhood with more accessible games on TV, and hey, everyone likes to back a winner. The 'Hawks bandwagon has never been more full.
On the downside, all of the cost-cutting moves this offseason, while necessary, have left something of a bad taste in fan's mouths. Losing Niemi and Byfuglien reminds me of the Sox having to dump Rowand after the World Series. Still, things are looking good for the Blackhawks going forward.
2. Chicago Bulls - Despite losing out on LeBron James and the rest of Miami Thrice, the Bulls have a new coach, lots of fresh blood, and emerging superstars in Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.
Top to bottom, this might be the best roster in the NBA (at worst, it's still Top 10), and Tom Thibodeau knows what to do with good depth. (DEFEND! PRESS!) Also, the Bulls have made the playoffs the last two seasons in a row, and fan support barely even wavered during the crappy years.
I expect the Bulls to be a fast-breaking, fiercely aggressive team this year, a joy to watch even if they don't get to the Finals.
3. Chicago White Sox - Ozzie Guillen is the best coach in Chicago, and with his seven years' experience, the dean of Windy City coaching. He has his team, once again, in position to battle it out down the stretch with the Twins for the AL Central crown.
Is this a dominant team? No, but quality pitching and steady leadership (not just Oz, but also Buehrle, Don Cooper, Paul Konerko) make being a Sox fan easy these days. Also, US Cellular has the best food in town, ballpark-wise.
4. Chicago Bears - No doubt, this is OUR team, the team that every sports fan in Chicago really cares about. So why No. 4? Well, they were 7-9 last year. Lovie Smith is gone if they don't make the playoffs. Key players, like Brian Urlacher and Olin Kreutz, but including many others, are getting old.
This is a make-or-break year for the Bears. Succeed, and reclaim the top spot in Chicago fan's hearts. Fail, and we know we're in for a rough 2010-2020 at Soldier Field.
5. Chicago Cubs - Yes, it warms the cockles of my evil lil' heart putting the Cubs down here. Seriously though, they are overpaid and terrible, and Lou Pinella is on his way out.
On the bright side, Wrigley still fills up for games, Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin look like they'll be good, and new ownership is willing to spend.
6. Chicago Rush - In case you hadn't heard, they just got eliminated from the playoffs. You hadn't? Oh. Right.
7. Chicago Wolves - I'll be honest. I have no clue how the Wolves did this year, or are doing. But I do know they signed Chelios for a minute there, so that counts for something. And they've always been a decent AHL/IHL team.
8. Chicago Fire - Technically they play in Naperville, so that's Strike One. Also, they have a losing record this season and are scuffling in their international league. Strike Two. I'm not ready to give up on the Fire yet, but with solid soccer teams emerging in LA, New York, and even Salt Lake City, it looks as if the Fire may be stuck in reverse.
9. Chicago Sky - We have a WNBA team? Yes, and they stink.
Did I miss anything? Lacrosse? Rugby?
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Yahoo! Fantasy on the Bears
If you play fantasy football (and hey, who am I kidding, nine out of the ten of us who read this thing do), then you probably are familiar with Yahoo's Juggernaut Index, written by Andy Behrens. If not, you can find all the entries here at Roto Arcade.
Behrens ranks every team in the NFL for the coming season, not by hopes for a good year in the wins column, but by how useful their players will be on your fantasy squad.
The countdown has now reached No. 20, the Chicago Bears. Much of the analysis is based on the new Martz system and how well the Bears' personnel can handle it - one stat I thought was interesting is that in every year with Martz as the OC, his teams have given up a lot of sacks, and thrown a lot of INTs. More details are over at Yahoo.
One Bear who Behrens trashes is Matt Forte:
"Forte was of course a fantasy star in his rookie season, thanks largely to the 379 total touches, but as an actual NFL talent he appears to be just another guy. He still hasn't averaged 4.0 YPC over a full season, and it may not happen this year. He certainly looks like a runner who needs an outstanding O-line and an old school lead-blocking fullback; in Chicago's offense, he'll have neither."
But he does wrap up by noting that, "This was the most difficult JI of all," so maybe there's still hope. Personally I'm looking at drafting at least one of the Bears' WRs, whichever one falls to a convenient position to be my third or fourth option.
Behrens ranks every team in the NFL for the coming season, not by hopes for a good year in the wins column, but by how useful their players will be on your fantasy squad.
The countdown has now reached No. 20, the Chicago Bears. Much of the analysis is based on the new Martz system and how well the Bears' personnel can handle it - one stat I thought was interesting is that in every year with Martz as the OC, his teams have given up a lot of sacks, and thrown a lot of INTs. More details are over at Yahoo.One Bear who Behrens trashes is Matt Forte:
"Forte was of course a fantasy star in his rookie season, thanks largely to the 379 total touches, but as an actual NFL talent he appears to be just another guy. He still hasn't averaged 4.0 YPC over a full season, and it may not happen this year. He certainly looks like a runner who needs an outstanding O-line and an old school lead-blocking fullback; in Chicago's offense, he'll have neither."
But he does wrap up by noting that, "This was the most difficult JI of all," so maybe there's still hope. Personally I'm looking at drafting at least one of the Bears' WRs, whichever one falls to a convenient position to be my third or fourth option.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Walter Payton Runs the Wildcat
I wouldn't recommend watching the entire 10 minutes of the video, but it appears the Bears were 25 years ahead of their time by running the wildcat with Walter Payton. Wait, maybe they were behind the times since this formation has been around since basically the begining of football.
Anyways, please enjoy.
Anyways, please enjoy.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Da Bears at Da Flags
While working my job at Six Flags Great America I had a unique experience. I was operating the Giant Drop when the VIP tours people came by and said they needed all 12 seat on the next cycle. The guys walked in and I was like, that guy looks really familiar. Then as he sat down I said to myself, "Holy crap that's Devin Hester!" Upon further review, I see the other "better" Devin that being Aromashodu. One guy was super hesitant about riding and asked me how tall the ride was and then ended up chickening out. I tried to tell him it wasn't bad but he said it was OK he would sit out anyway. The gentleman was none other than our star halfback Matt Forte. I have operated rides for other celebrities such as Jordin Sparks and the group Danity Kane, but by far this one ranks at the top of the list for me.
Here is the link for the Six Flags facebook page where they have some pictures posted of the Bears during their day.
Here is the link for the Six Flags facebook page where they have some pictures posted of the Bears during their day.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Ranking the Bears Roster
I always love when newspapers do the thing before the Super Bowl where they rank each team's players from 1-53. Well, the Bears bloggers just took a stab at it over at espn.com/chicago, and I think they screwed it up pretty badly. Jay Cutler at No. 1? Robbie Gould all the way down in the 30s? Um, sorry guys, but this is insane.
Here are my corrected rankings of the Bears, top to bottom. Where I disagree with the ESPN guys, I will note their ranking.
1. Lance Briggs (3)
2. Julius Peppers
3. Jay Cutler (1)
4. Brian Urlacher
5. Tommie Harris
6. Charles Tillman (7)
7. Devin Hester (9)
8. Robbie Gould (33)
9. Olin Kreutz (6)
10. Chris Williams
Briggs is the rock of this team and the emerging leader of the defense. Cutler still has a lot to prove. Urlacher and Kreutz are on the decline and may be overrated this high, while rating Robbie "Good As" Gould at 33 was an absolute travesty - he has been easily one of the best Bears over the last several years.
11. Matt Forte
12. Chester Taylor (14)
13. Chris Harris
14. Israel Idonije (29)
15. Greg Olsen
16. Johnny Knox (12)
17. Devin Aromashodu (21)
18. Josh Beekman
19. Nick Roach (19)
20. Anthony Adams (23)
Idonije is a stalwart on this Bears team -- he hasn't been *just* a special teamer for years, and even when he was, he was still crucial. It's great to have Chris Harris back. Adams' play was underrated last year.
21. Earl Bennett (25)
22. Roberto Garza (16)
23. Zach Bowman (8)
24. Desmond Clark (22)
25. Brad Maynard (40)
26. Frank Omiyale (17)
27. Mark Anderson (24)
28. Pisa Tinoisamoa (19)
29. Hunter Hillenmeyer (31)
30. Patrick Mannelly (53)
Again, the ESPN guys undervalue special teams. I had to bump Mannelly and Maynard, they've been great for the Bears for years. I dropped Bowman because although he's talented, he has gotten hurt way too often. The kid's gotta start more than a few games in a row before I'm ready to have much confidence in him.
31. Kevin Shaffer (35)
32. Corey Wootton (42)
33. Danieal Manning (27)
34. Major Wright (26)
35. Corey Graham (39)
36. Rashied Davis (50)
37. Caleb Hanie (30)
38. Marcus Harrison (32)
39. Brandon Manumaleuna (28)
40. Al Afalava (54)
These are a lot of guys who will either end up having to start a game or three at some point, or make a surprise impact, or excel on special teams. As for the rest of the roster, other guys I think can contribute include...
41. Tim Shaw (38)
42. Tim Jennings (41)
43. J'Marcus Webb (57)
44. Jarron Gilbert (36)
45. Kellen Davis (37)
Here are my corrected rankings of the Bears, top to bottom. Where I disagree with the ESPN guys, I will note their ranking.
1. Lance Briggs (3)
2. Julius Peppers
3. Jay Cutler (1)
4. Brian Urlacher
5. Tommie Harris
6. Charles Tillman (7)
7. Devin Hester (9)
8. Robbie Gould (33)
9. Olin Kreutz (6)
10. Chris Williams
Briggs is the rock of this team and the emerging leader of the defense. Cutler still has a lot to prove. Urlacher and Kreutz are on the decline and may be overrated this high, while rating Robbie "Good As" Gould at 33 was an absolute travesty - he has been easily one of the best Bears over the last several years.
11. Matt Forte
12. Chester Taylor (14)
13. Chris Harris
14. Israel Idonije (29)
15. Greg Olsen
16. Johnny Knox (12)
17. Devin Aromashodu (21)
18. Josh Beekman
19. Nick Roach (19)
20. Anthony Adams (23)
Idonije is a stalwart on this Bears team -- he hasn't been *just* a special teamer for years, and even when he was, he was still crucial. It's great to have Chris Harris back. Adams' play was underrated last year.
21. Earl Bennett (25)
22. Roberto Garza (16)
23. Zach Bowman (8)
24. Desmond Clark (22)
25. Brad Maynard (40)
26. Frank Omiyale (17)
27. Mark Anderson (24)
28. Pisa Tinoisamoa (19)
29. Hunter Hillenmeyer (31)
30. Patrick Mannelly (53)
Again, the ESPN guys undervalue special teams. I had to bump Mannelly and Maynard, they've been great for the Bears for years. I dropped Bowman because although he's talented, he has gotten hurt way too often. The kid's gotta start more than a few games in a row before I'm ready to have much confidence in him.
31. Kevin Shaffer (35)
32. Corey Wootton (42)
33. Danieal Manning (27)
34. Major Wright (26)
35. Corey Graham (39)
36. Rashied Davis (50)
37. Caleb Hanie (30)
38. Marcus Harrison (32)
39. Brandon Manumaleuna (28)
40. Al Afalava (54)
These are a lot of guys who will either end up having to start a game or three at some point, or make a surprise impact, or excel on special teams. As for the rest of the roster, other guys I think can contribute include...
41. Tim Shaw (38)
42. Tim Jennings (41)
43. J'Marcus Webb (57)
44. Jarron Gilbert (36)
45. Kellen Davis (37)
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Bears trading to get Chris Harris Back
ESPN Chicago is reporting that the Chicago Bears are trading with the Carolina Panthers to get Chris Harris.
Chris Harris was on the Bears and was traded to Carolina. At the time, I couldn't blame the Bears for trading him because he was 4th or 5th on the depth chart and looked like he would not be seeing the field much. Since his departure, the Bears have suffered at the safety do to injuires and inability to perform. I am happy the Bears are getting him back.
UPDATE
ESPN Chicago's and ESPN Radio1000's Jeff Dickerson is reporting that Jamar Williams is going to the Panthers in the trade.
I like Jamar Williams but I think the Bears like Nick Roach better then him. Williams leaving will give IU Alumnus Mayberry a chance to make the team.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Bears Sign Free Agent Rookies: Some Good Names In There
Christmas Three has come and gone, and I feel like the Chicago Bears did okay. Major Wright may or may not be the answer at free safety, but getting an actual position-appropriate guy late in the third round is a pretty serious achievement for Jerry Angelo, who seemed to be under the impression for the last four years that strong safeties were all you needed.
Obviously I love the Corey Wootton pick, especially getting a first-round calibre talent in the fourth. The last defensive end I was excited about in the fourth? Alex Brown, who also dropped because of non-football concerns. Though in his case, it was more marijuana than a leg injury. Either way, I think Corey will do well.
Anyway, let's get to the point. After the draft, the Bears went shopping for guys who didn't get picked, and I think they may have found a few gems, especially in Bowling Green wideout Freddie Barnes and Nebraska defensive end Barry Turner.
Barnes was probably the best wide receiver in college football last year, but fell because of a lack of measurables and elite speed. However, he's a polished player and I think he has a good chance to stick. I expect Mike Martz to give every WR on the roster a shot to compete this year. Oh, and he played his high school ball at Homewood-Flossmoor!
Turner had the benefit of playing alongside blue-chipper Ndamukong Suh on the Cornhuskers defensive line, but is it possible that Suh also benefited from Turner? Watching Nebraska last year, I saw a whole lot of Turner in opposing Big Twelve backfields, alongside his superstar line mate. I'm excited to see if Suh's dominance may have masked a good talent in Barry. He had some legal trouble, but also sixteen tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
There were several other signings that were relevant to our interests here at the Armchair. Indiana LB Matt Mayberry will be coming to camp with a contract, joining fellow Big Ten alums Lawrence Wilson (LB from Ohio State) and Greg Mathews (WR from Michigan). All three were productive collegiate players and I think have a chance to make the roster.
Non-signed free agents are also coming to camp, and include even more names that get my attention. Zeke Markshausen, with his difficult-to-spell name and Wes Welker-esque game, had himself a great year at Northwestern, and will join Eric Peterman, also a Wildcat, in a Bears uniform. Juice Williams, the erstwhile Illini QB, will be scrapping for a shot in the league, but I don't think he has much of a chance.
I think it's crucial for the Bears to find some of these guys who can excel on special teams. Having lost most of our quality gunners, tacklers, and return-blockers in the past couple years, I think our return game would greatly benefit from an infusion of new talent, guys that are hard workers and can make their mark under Dave Toub.
Mayberry, Wilson, and Turner could fit that mold. So could any number of other rookies. The full list of minicamp attendees is here, at the Tribune.
Obviously I love the Corey Wootton pick, especially getting a first-round calibre talent in the fourth. The last defensive end I was excited about in the fourth? Alex Brown, who also dropped because of non-football concerns. Though in his case, it was more marijuana than a leg injury. Either way, I think Corey will do well.
Anyway, let's get to the point. After the draft, the Bears went shopping for guys who didn't get picked, and I think they may have found a few gems, especially in Bowling Green wideout Freddie Barnes and Nebraska defensive end Barry Turner.
Barnes was probably the best wide receiver in college football last year, but fell because of a lack of measurables and elite speed. However, he's a polished player and I think he has a good chance to stick. I expect Mike Martz to give every WR on the roster a shot to compete this year. Oh, and he played his high school ball at Homewood-Flossmoor!
Turner had the benefit of playing alongside blue-chipper Ndamukong Suh on the Cornhuskers defensive line, but is it possible that Suh also benefited from Turner? Watching Nebraska last year, I saw a whole lot of Turner in opposing Big Twelve backfields, alongside his superstar line mate. I'm excited to see if Suh's dominance may have masked a good talent in Barry. He had some legal trouble, but also sixteen tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
There were several other signings that were relevant to our interests here at the Armchair. Indiana LB Matt Mayberry will be coming to camp with a contract, joining fellow Big Ten alums Lawrence Wilson (LB from Ohio State) and Greg Mathews (WR from Michigan). All three were productive collegiate players and I think have a chance to make the roster.
Non-signed free agents are also coming to camp, and include even more names that get my attention. Zeke Markshausen, with his difficult-to-spell name and Wes Welker-esque game, had himself a great year at Northwestern, and will join Eric Peterman, also a Wildcat, in a Bears uniform. Juice Williams, the erstwhile Illini QB, will be scrapping for a shot in the league, but I don't think he has much of a chance.
I think it's crucial for the Bears to find some of these guys who can excel on special teams. Having lost most of our quality gunners, tacklers, and return-blockers in the past couple years, I think our return game would greatly benefit from an infusion of new talent, guys that are hard workers and can make their mark under Dave Toub.
Mayberry, Wilson, and Turner could fit that mold. So could any number of other rookies. The full list of minicamp attendees is here, at the Tribune.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
NFL Schedule Released Today
Today the NFL Schedule releases. We already know who the Bears are playing, but now the big questions are dates and times. Below are a list of things I am going to be looking at.
Philadelphia Eagles
Will the NFL make it 5 straight years of the Bears playing McNabb, umm I mean Kolb & the Eagles on Sunday Night on the lake front? I am going to say yes. The Bears had a subpar season, but will still likely land 1 or 2 prime time games because they are still a big ratings draw.
How Many Primetime Games?
Building on what I was just saying, the Bears are a big draw for ratings (especially with people who want to see Jay Cutler fail, btw HAPPY JAY CUTLER DAY!). I expect them to land 2 or 3 prime time dates this season. Yes I know Sunday Night Football has flex scheduling subject to change, but you get my point.
Games I can make
@Cowboys
I am going to try to go to Jerry’s World and see the Bears play the Cowboys in Dallas this season (Maybe Turkey Day!?). I am already lined up to go to 3 Indiana football games this year (@ Ohio State, Iowa and @Purdue) and if any of those games fall on the same weekend as the Bears’ trip to Dallas I will be unable to attend. So I am crossing my fingers.
Patriots
One of Ryan’s favorite past times is giving Patriots fans crap about 46-10. I am trying to get tickets to this game with a Patriots fan so I can do just that. I know they will be hard to get, but hopefully I will find something.
When are the Vikings coming to Town
I want to see Old Man Favre and the dome sweet Vikings come to town in late December when it's snowing at about 3 degrees out. Knowing the NFL, the Vikings will get us and the Packers on the road before October.
Those are the things I’m keeping an eye on, what about you?
Friday, April 16, 2010
Jerry Angelo's Poker Face for the Draft
So, I was thinking about this year's draft and wondering if the Bears are going to stay pat, or make a move. It seems like Jerry Angelo is keeping his cards, as usual close to his chest. Will we move up? Will we trade our 3rd round pick for more picks? Will we stay pat?
Moving Up
In order to move up we would have to trade someone. I guess the leading candidate happens to be Greg Olsen. How far could that move us up? Probably a mid-to-late second round pick. However, with Santonio Holmes only garnering a 5th it may hurt Olsen's trade value. With that said, Marshall did go for 2 2nd Round picks, which was more than I had him pegged for. I had him going for a 2nd and a 4th earlier this year. Who would Olsen go to? Perhaps the Patriots who have 3 2nd round picks. But the Patriots did just sign Alge Crumpler, so I am not too sure they are in the market for a Greg Olsen anymore. My guess is we do not move up. If we do though, I think you have to look for a quality RT in the second round. Schaffer played okay, but he certainly isn't any sort of answer at RT.
Moving Down
In order to do this the Bears would have to trade their early third round pick, and probably move it to the latter part of the third round. Maybe they'd get an extra 5th or 6th round pick. I do not really think it is worth it. There may be someone who drops from the second to the early third round that can help you immediately. Remember this years first two rounds are generally more talented than other years because of the potential of a lockout and a rookie salary cap. So, I would not want the Bears to trade out of their current position to later in the draft because of the chance of missing out on a potential first round talent in any other draft slipping to the early third.
Staying the Course
This is the Bears best option in my opinion. However, you never know, Jerry does have his poker face on. I think the Bears should remain in their position and draft either the best guard or FREE safety, unless of course someone really drops like a rock. I capitalized free safety because it seems like the Bears have done nothing but draft strong safeties the last few years: Craig Steltz, Al Alfalava, and Kevin Payne. I mean it's pretty clear that Daniel Manning sucks at free safety, which really stinks because he has all the tools to excel at the position. Elite speed, great hands, and he can make tackles. He just can't cover worth crap and is constantly out of position.We haven't had a viable option back there since Mike Brown pre-injuries. I say pre-injuries because let's face it, he was getting injured every year and we could not count on him.
(Jerry's Pokerhand)
So, to sum it up I say that the Bears stay pat and draft either the best available free safety or guard in the third round. With the obvious caveat that if someone drops like a rock for no explainable reason, we take them. Here is to hoping that happens!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Pisa Tinoisamoa Resigns with Bears
So, according to ChicagoBears.com the Bears have resigned Pisa to a one year deal. I think this is a good thing seeing as how in the 1 quarter we got to see him, Pisa did look great. Lets just hope the injury bug stays away this year. We certainly have the best LB corp in the league now, at least in my opinion.
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