Chicago Bears

My Chicago Bears ended up going "hog wild" in free agency after all, signing defensive end Julius Peppers, running back Chester Taylor and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna on Friday.

It was a complete departure from the norm for a Bears front office that is very particular about spending money on players it doesn't know. Anyone who says the Bears are cheap hasn't been paying attention. They shell out the money, but only for players they already have under contract. This year it was different. With no first or second round draft picks, Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith had to swing for the fences in free agency or they'd be on the chopping block for sure after the 2010 season. After a fantastic Friday, it's time to examine the moves the Bears made and how they improve the team going forward.

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Completing the circle of "Lovie's guys," Bears defensive line coach Rod Marinelli was promoted to assistant head coach and defensive coordinator on Friday. The move was among many staff decisions made by Smith and GM Jerry Angelo. Shane Day, quality control coach with the San Francisco 49ers, was hired to become the new quarterbacks coach and Eric Washington was promoted to defensive line coach. Seattle's Mike DeBord was signed on Tuesday, assuming the tight end coaching vacancy. 

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After a 27-day germination, the Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator search finally bore fruit. Oddly enough, the man chosen for the job was rumored to be a front-runner as soon as Ron Turner was released. The polarizing Mike Martz will step into what boils down to be the offensive head coaching job.

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Get your Gameday Preview on! (6-9) Chicago Bears at(2-13) Detroit Lions The Lions won't have first overall pick Matthew Stafford on the field after his recent knee surgery, so Daunte

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I know the game was meaningless for the Bears. There's not a huge difference between 5-9 and 6-9. Lovie Smith's job status could have been decided already. Jay Cutler was going to have a poor season either way, right? That being said...

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, have given up on their coach and may not win another game this season.

Baltimore Ravens 31
Chicago Bears 7 

Two fumbles and four interceptions completely destroyed any possibility of a decent outing. Joe Flacco took advantage of the non-stop turnovers and cashed in on four touchdown throws, the first two of which went to tight end Todd Heap. The lone Bears score came on special teams thanks to an Earl Bennett 49-yard punt return to the endzone in the second quarter. Even at 14-7, I never for once thought my Bears could pull out a victory. I know better by now.

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After much delay and a postponed game time thanks to an intense eastern snowstorm, the Chicago Bears finally landed in Baltimore last night. Now they have to deal with the snow AND the frothing Ravens, who are still fighting for their post-season lives. While a winnable affair, today's contest with the aggressive birds will surely leave the Bears battered and bruised. 

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I feel teased. I feel like a perfect 10 didn't bother giving me the time of day when I walked past her at the bar. No big whoop. I wasn't going to think twice about it. But then she starts coyly smiling at me an hour later while drinking a cocktail through a straw. A half hour later SHE comes over to me and asks if I'm single, causing me to wonder whether or not I cleaned my bedroom and stashed my Spider-man pillow in case of a female presence. All of a sudden, when I feel like she's giving me the all-clear, she walks away to chat up douche number six and leaves me high and dry. That's how the Bears' 21-14 loss to the Packers made me feel.

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Why is it that recent late-season meetings between the Bears and Packers hold little to no significance? Oh wait, I remember now. Because one of these teams decides to be out of it by week ten. This year its the Bears' turn. Each squad has gone through their own specific roller-coaster rides, but while the Bears have been on the The Whizzer and are in the midst of projectile vomiting, the Green Bay Packers have ridden Batman: The Ride six times and are ready for more. How's that for an analogy? Sunday's divisional match-up at Soldier Field will feature two teams going in opposite directions.

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After a still-ongoing bevy of computer issues, I'm back with a classic-text version of my Bears blog. I may have missed a Gameday Preview, but let's face it, did you need one? Every Bears fan knew their team HAD to beat the lowly Rams or face the embarrassment of losing to one of the worst teams in football. Thankfully, that didn't happen as the Bears put up 17 points at Soldier Field, more than enough to dwarf the offensively-challenged Rams. So what did I learn from this much-needed win?

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Continue reading "Bears are demolished by Vikings 36-10"

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Well, it wasn't a barrage of Jay Cutler interceptions that led to Chicago's loss to Philadelphia at Soldier Field Sunday night. Instead of tossing red zone picks, Cutler played smart and checked down to his receivers, setting up four Robbie Gould field goals. Thing about field goals is, a touchdown's better than two of them. That simple math led to the demise of Lovie Smith's team and the deflation of their playoff hopes as they fall to 4-6.

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The Chicago Bears are losers of four of their last five contests. Their three primetime games this season have all resulted in losses, two of which were especially rich in turnovers. So why am I not convinced the Bears will lay an egg when they play the Eagles this Sunday night? Easy: they're playing at home.

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I won’t bother boring you with the minutiae.  The final score: San Francisco 10, Chicago Bears 6.

The offensive line was atrocious. Jay Cutler wasn’t sacked all night, but he was constantly running for his life and hit six times. Matt Forte saw no rushing lanes whatsoever, racking up 41 yards on 20 carries. His lack of production caused Ron Turner to call 52 pass plays. Most of the Bears’ ten penalties could be attributed to the offensive line. Orlando Pace was on the sideline towards the end of the game and honestly, I never noticed when he went out. It didn’t matter. It was that bad. 

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Let’s get to it!

Chicago Bears (4-4) at
San Francisco 49ers (3-5)

49ers tight end Vernon Davis recently made headlines with his bashing of the Bears’ once-vaunted defense. "I think we can destroy their front. The guys up front, I think we can destroy them. “I don't see anything spectacular about their front line. Their linebackers, I think we can handle them pretty well.” Hmm. While insulting as those comments may be, Davis is spot-on. The Bears haven’t pressured much of anybody and their pass coverage has been mediocre at best. They’re even being gouged by the run. Still, Niners QB Alex Smith can hurl interceptions with the worst of them, so I doubt another total domination is in the books.

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Despite being out-played, out-coached, and out-classed in the first half, the Chicago Bears mounted a valiant comeback before falling to the Arizona Cardinals 41-21.   

The first half looked painfully similar to the first half of the Bengals disaster, with Chicago’s defense unable to provide opposition to Kurt Warner and the explosive Cardinal offense. With four first half touchdown passes (two to Larry Fitzgerald), Warner all but obliterated any chance of a second straight win for Lovie Smith. Chicago looked lost defensively, as if they did not expect Larry Fitzgerald to be Warner’s top target. Nice job guys. With Anquan Boldin a late scratch, Fitzgerald caught 9 passes, most of which were 8-12 yards in length. The Cardinals didn’t need Boldin, with Warner finishing the game with 5 TD’s through the air. What didn’t help was losing corner Charles Tillman and safety Al Afalava through the course of the game, leaving an already struggling secondary without key performers.

Continue reading "Bears can't catch up to Cardinals, lose 41-21"

It wasn’t pretty, but I’ll take it. The Bears put down the Cleveland Browns by a final score of 30-6 Sunday at Soldier Field. While a 24-point win against a number of other teams would have been memorable, that margin wasn’t enough for Bears fans who wanted to see domination like they saw in Cincinnati. Instead, they saw Lovie Smith’s squad do little more than take advantage of Cleveland’s never-ending mistakes.

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In the 2009 NFL, there are more teams at the bottom of the scrap heap than I can ever remember. Three (Tampa, Tennessee, St. Louis) are still winless, and another three (Detroit, Cleveland, Kansas City) have only managed one victory. It’s not just that these teams are bad; they’ve been downright awful this season. That’s why the Bears should (note I said should) have an easy day this Sunday when they welcome in the Cleveland Browns.  

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I won’t punish you by going over every thing the Bears did wrong on Sunday. I don’t have that much time to write and I already punished myself by watching the game off my DVR after having heard the slaughter on the radio Sunday. Instead, let me explain what you can learn from their 45-10 beatdown at the hands of Carson Palmer, Cedric "holding a grudge" Benson and the Bengals. 

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At 3-2, my Chicago Bears are in better shape than I would have predicted going into the season. That being said, I’ll still be upset if they lose in Cincinnati Sunday afternoon. Despite holding a lead in the AFC North, the Bengals are a beatable team. Let’s get right down to it in my Gameday Preview! 

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everal occasions in the red zone and leading a possible game-tying drive to the five-yard line, the Chicago Bears rightfully lost a game they had no business winning.

Let’s just get the ugly stuff right out of the way. The Bears had nine accepted penalties Sunday night against the Falcons, including three on their final drive of the night. Eventual Hall of Famer Orlando Pace committed the most costly of infractions, when he moved prematurely on a fourth down and one from the Falcons’ five yard line, cutting down on Chicago’s possible play-calls.

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After a well-needed bye week, the Chicago Bears are back in action tonight, heading to the Georgia Dome to take on Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. Coming off a 45-10 beatdown of the San Francisco 49ers, the Falcons could not be flying higher. After a heart-breaking loss in Atlanta last season, the Bears are ready for some payback. 

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It was unimpressive statistically, but Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears dominated the Detroit Lions in the second half en route to a 48-24 win on Sunday. 

Even though Detroit’s offense ran 76 plays compared to Chicago’s 50 and racked up nearly 400 yards, it wasn’t enough to overcome losing the field position battle. All of the Lions’ 13 drives started from within their own 30-yard line. Out of the Bears 13 drives, only three started behind the 30. With that kind of field position, Jay Cutler didn’t have to throw for 300 yards to get the victory.  

Continue reading "Bears Demolish Lions in Second Half of Blowout Win"

Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz is hoping to turn it into a streak, with the Chicago Bears playing their second victim.  

For Jay Cutler and the offense, it should be a fairly simple philosophy: don’t turn the ball over. Detroit’s defense is allowing an average of close to 29 points a game and 400 yards to their opponents this season. Options on the ground or through the air should be open to Ron Turner and this still-developing offensive system. The wide receivers must continue to make strides with Cutler, but their progression has been a pleasant surprise after the fervor from writers (including me) over the off-season. 

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It was tougher than it should have been, but the Chicago Bears left Seattle with a 25-19 victory over the Seahawks. Despite a Jay Cutler interception and fumble, the Bears found a way to win. After three heart attacks and defibrillator attention, I found a way to write this story. 

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After winning a game no one expected them to win, the Bears are now widely expected to travel to Seattle and defeat the injury-battling Seahawks. Which Seahawk is injured you ask? Someone pretty important…

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Critics be silenced! The Chicago Bears have defeated the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers!

A week after his less-than-stellar outing against the Green Bay Packers, Jay Cutler came home to Chicago and proved to be worth the king’s ransom that was paid for his services. Though there is certainly room for improvement, this is a win the Bears desperately needed.

Continue reading "Bears Shock Steelers with Late Field Goal"

This certainly has been a troublesome week for Bears fans after a confounding opener in which Jay Cutler threw four interceptions and Brian Urlacher dislocated his wrist, ending his season. With a load of criticism being heaped Jay’s way and a depth chart shuffle since Monday, the Bears now have to focus on Sunday’s match-up to avoid starting this season 0-2. Unfortunately their mountain to climb is steep, as the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers are coming to town.

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possible just to get the taste out of my mouth.

A positively putrid performance was put on by the Chicago Bears offense in what ended up being a defensive battle. Like it goes in the NFL, the quarterback is going to get most of the blame. Jay Cutler threw four interceptions in Chicago’s 21-15 loss to the rival Green Bay Packers Sunday night.

Continue reading "Cutler tosses 4 INT's as Bears fall to Packers"

Maybe you didn’t know the Chicago Bears are headed to Lambeau Field to play the Packers on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. What I’m pretty sure you heard is that Jay Cutler is a Chicago Bear. 

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nly preseason people!

Check back soon for the first installment of the Opening Drive for the 2009 Chicago Bears regular season, where I’ll examine the Sunday night opener against the Gr

Continue reading "Bears Answer Few Questions in Victory Over Browns"

The game’s over. Can you shut up about it now? As the most exciting and drama-filled preseason game I can remember, Sunday night’s Bears v. Broncos match-up didn’t disappoint. Well, unless you’re a Broncos fan that is.

Continue reading "Cutler Embarasses Broncos in Denver"

After last week’s impressive performance, the Chicago Bears are looking to improve on the little things and settle some key position battles. This week, they visit the mile-high city for one of the most hotly anticipated preseason match-ups in recent memory. As much as Jay Cutler and Josh McDaniels say this game doesn’t matter, you know they’re itching to embarrass the other guy just a little bit. I personally can’t wait to see our defense pick off Kyle Orton, but that’s just me.

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Not this time.

With the Chicago Bears next preseason game coming in primetime on Sunday night in Denver, the buzz will be hard to ignore. I’ll be back later in the week to give you what

Continue reading "Cutler and Bears Dominate Giants"

Not that you should be too concerned with the outcome, but the Chicago Bears lost in their first preseason outing last night to the Buffalo Bills in a score of 27 – 20. It was an inconsistent performance at best from the Bears, who were without key pieces on both sides of the ball.

Continue reading "Cutler Doesn't Meet Hype Against the Bills"

The Chicago Bears have had a lot going on this off season. More changes came this week. Reports from msnbc.com have confirmed that the Bears main man on special teams will no longer be out on the field returning. Devin Hester will no longer be on the receiving end of kick and punt returns. The 26 year old speedy wide out is now focuses all his attention to becoming a better all around receiver. Hester had 11 special teams touchdowns in the 2006 and 2007 seasons. With such success, more teams started to avoid kicking to Hester which lowered his stats last season. Hester did not return kicks the final four games of the 2008 season, with him emerging as a reliable wide receiver.  

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ow that he won’t join the most dangerous running back in the league, how does this impact the Chicago Bears? 

In my opinion, not a lot. Chicago still has a great chance to win the division behind Jay Cutler (giggity) and Matt Forte. Minnesota is still their main competition, as any team with Adrian Peterson is dangerous. Green Bay will be much improved, but it they get over nine wins I’ll be shocked. Detroit… well they’re Detroit. I doubt this will be the year they finally break through. But at least it can’t get any worse, right? 

Continue reading "Brett Favre to Stay Retired"

I can’t remember a busier or more significant Chicago Bears offseason. After the miraculous acquisition of Jay Cutler (which I still can’t believe happened), and then the signing of Orlando Pace, Jerry Angelo could have sat out the rest of free agency and skipped the draft and Bears fans would have been content. Not one to rest on his new QB’s laurels, Angelo refuses to let up.

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With nine picks in the final six rounds, the Chicago Bears addressed their most pressing areas of need. Wide receiver, the defensive line, and safety were all points of focus for the Bears, who used six of their nine selections in those areas. It was a solid draft if nothing else, getting value late in the draft.

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five hours to make their only pick of the day at number 17 in the second round (49th overall), the Chicago Bears made a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. The Bears sent their 2nd round selection to Seattle and received the Seahawks’ 3rd round (68th overall) and 4th round (105th) choices, both of which will be on Sunday.

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Mmm… draft weekend. I live for it. Call me crazy, call me an NFL freak, but I simply can’t get enough Mel Kiper or Todd McShay spouting off intangibles of some cornerback out of Florida State in the fifth round. I will be pasted to my couch this weekend, analyzing every Bears selection and dutifully following the ticker at the bottom of the screen.

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Bears fans rejoice. We have a quarterback.

Check back soon for my Chicago Bears 2009 Draft Preview! 

Continue reading "Chicago Bears Trade for Cutler, Sign Pace"

I know, you’re shocked. Jerry Angelo is usually so busy during this hectic time of player visits, physicals, and contract negotiations. Oh wait, I think this is annual vacation. My mistake. Like clockwork, the Bears have effectively disappeared from the free agent landscape, instead waiting for the second or third-tier talent to begin finding homes. The Bears have only made one acquisition so far: back-up offensive lineman Frank Omiyale. It’s a solid move for Angelo and his porous offensive line, but it’s nothing ground-breaking. Omiyale signed a four-year deal that will end being worth around 12 to 14 million dollars. He’s a versatile talent, evidenced by his last season in Carolina, where he was used all over the Panthers’ offensive line. He comes into Chicago expected to start at a guard spot (probably on the right side), leaving last year’s first round pick Chris Williams at left tackle. I’ll quickly run through the news regarding Chicago and their molasses-like talent search. 

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After a disappointing 2008 season where the Chicago Bears were apparently a few plays away from 11-5 (also a few away from 7-9 in that same ideology), fans are growing restless with the Jerry Angelo / Lovie Smith regime. With NFL free agency starting tonight at 12:01 am and around twenty million in cap space, the Bears have the opportunity to fill holes and bolster their biggest roster weaknesses. I’ll shoot you through some of their trouble spots and whose services they should be pursuing.

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Well fans another Bears season has come to an end with no postseason play. Although The season wasn't a total loss, there are some issues that need to be resolved. However it is now time to prepare for the monotonous routine of off-season chaos. The owner's meetings start next month, followed by the rookie combine, and then the draft is right around the corner. plus we must not forget the free agency calamity that ultimately finds out who has the deepest pockets.

Continue reading "Chicago Bears Looking Ahead"

Now that I’ve had some time to cool off, I can now address the Chicago Bears’ heart-breaking loss to the Houston Texans last Sunday. Chicago entered Sunday’s must-win contest with two possible scenarios to make it into the playoffs. If they won and Minnesota lost to the Giants, the Bears would claim the division title and host a wild-card game. If the Vikings won, the Bears could still make it in as a wild-card with losses from Dallas and Tampa Bay. Minnesota ended up beating New York with a last-second field goal, Tampa Bay ended up losing a fist-fight with the Raiders of all teams, and Dallas fell into despair thanks to the Eagles in the afternoon game. Of course, all of these possibilities required a Bears win in Houston that never happened. Lovie Smith’s crew never showed the desperation and intensity you would expect of a team fighting to make it into the post-season.  

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While in the midst of watching the Bulls-Pistons game, my mind keeps tracking back a little bit to last night's thrilling Bears-Packers MNF game. It was great to see the Bears win, even though they

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It seems only fitting that what could end up as the Chicago Bears’ final game of significance this season comes against their biggest rivals the Green Bay Packers. If you choose to recall week 11’s trouncing at Lambeau Field, revenge would be that much sweeter. Oh, I hear revenge is a dish best served cold. Well, with an expected high of only seven degrees in Chicago, it could be on the menu Monday night. This time around, the Packers have been eliminated from playoff contention, and the Bears are the team fighting to stay alive. Since the Vikings chose to lose four fumbles to Atlanta yesterday, the Bears are playing with a purpose. 

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They needed two clutch Robbie Gould field goals in a comeback effort to survive, but the Chicago Bears defeated the New Orleans Saints in overtime last Thursday night. It was by no means a pretty victory, but when you’re in the midst of a playoff race, winning is the only thing that matters. 

Continue reading "Bears Rebound in OT to Beat Saints"

The Saints are marching in to Solider Field tonight. Ugh. (That exclamation is directed at both the overused lyric reference and the impending contest.) In the midst of a fight for their playoff lives, the Bears and Saints can ill afford another loss on their records. One team is going to walk off the field wondering what went wrong this season while the other will keep fighting to extend theirs. If the Bears expect to defeat the top-ranked aerial assault that is Drew Bress and the Saints, Lovie Smith’s defensive expertise must be in full effect.

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It may not have been a lop-sided blowout, but it certainly wasn’t a heart-stopping, vomit-inducing rollercoaster either. The Bears came out on top of the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-10 in what ended up being a relaxing Sunday afternoon competition. Chicago put themselves on top early and held firm against the Jags, careful not to blow another fourth quarter lead this season. 

Continue reading "Bears Avoid Drama by Handily Defeating Jaguars"

Louis, and were underfoot again versus Minnesota. Following that pattern, the Chicago Bears should whip out their steel-toed boots when the Jaguars come to town this Sunday. Then again, when do these Bears ever follow the formula?  

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The Chicago Bears, up 7-3, had first-and-goal inside the five-yard line of the Vikings and looked ready to take a 14-3 lead in what could be a defining game of their season. Following an incompletion over the middle to Greg Olsen, a Matt Forte run off left tackle, a Jason Davis run up the middle, and a Forte run up the middle, the Bears turned the ball over on downs. On the very next play, Gus Frerotte found ex-Bear Bernard Berrian on the sideline behind broken Charles Tillman coverage for a 99-yard touchdown pass. Minnesota went up 10-7 and proceeded to humiliate the “Mediocre of the Midway” for the rest of the night. 

Continue reading "Bears get Roasted in Minnesota"

Two minutes. That’s how long it took the Chicago Bears to jump out to a lead over the St. Louis Rams. That lead was never relinquished or even close to being in question for the rest of the afternoon, as the Bears pounded the Rams 27-3. Fans of the Bears had a relaxing afternoon as their team took apart one of the worst in football. Don’t jump off the Super Bowl cliff though, this was only the Rams.  

Continue reading "Bears Defense Shines in Win Over Rams"

the defense’s issues, but it could be a step in the right direction. 

In reality, the Chicago Bears coaching staff can make all the personnel changes they want, come up with any g

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So this is my first official blog entry for this site.  Pretty exciting huh?  Yeah, not too exciting for me, either.  So in the rare occurance that by happenstance someone stumbles across my posts, I tip my virtual cap to you.  I hope to be updating this relatively frequently. 

Continue reading "Just Starting out"

As far as I know, the Chicago Bears were supposed to play a game on Sunday. They were supposed to travel to Lambeau Field for a key contest that will surely factor in when determining the NFC North champion. Apparently, Lovie Smith’s team decided to take the day off. There is no other reason for only putting three points on a suspect Packer defense while giving up an astounding 200 rushing yards to a team that had an at-best average ground game. The Bears didn’t show up to play and the Packers took advantage.  

Continue reading "Bears Get Blown Out in Green Bay"

One thing they can expect to see is Kyle Orton under center for the visiting Chicago Bears. After missing the loss against the Titans with an ankle injury, Orton will try and keep his team in first place with a win over the Packers. 

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After the first offensive and defensive possessions for the Bears on Sunday, fans naturally felt more relaxed at the prospect of facing the undefeated Tennessee Titans. The Bears forced a three-and-out on the Titans’ opening drive, then took the ball and went 75 yards to the end zone, taking the early 7-0 lead. It’s just too bad they had to play the rest of the game.  

Continue reading "Bears Latest to Fall to Superior Titans"

If Lovie Smith and his Bears want to be among the elite in the NFC, their match-up versus the unbeaten Tennessee Titans on Sunday is the perfect opportunity to show it. Jeff Fisher’s Titans have been the most consistent team in the NFL in 2008, winning each week with a combination of hard-nosed defense and an outstanding running game. They are what the Bears often claim to be, but this season Chicago holds down first place in their division because of its passing game, which is in jeopardy due to the loss of Kyle Orton.  

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Bears fans almost witnessed a complete disaster on Sunday. As it turned out, it was only a mild one. As Kyle Orton left the field near the end of the first half against Detroit, the collective hopes for this team left with him. Everyone knew what was coming. Kyle’s injury meant the return of Rex Grossman, otherwise known as the most scrutinized quarterback in NFL history (he also goes by “Sexy Rexy” and ‘Wrecks” Grossman).  

Continue reading "Rex Returns to Lead Bears Over Still-Winless Lions"

Bears fans rejoice, for the winless Detroit Lions are coming to town. After week five’s utter domination of the Lions at Ford Field, Kyle Orton and the Bears are hoping for a repeat performance here in week nine. It’s a huge game for Chicago, as they’re tied with Green Bay atop the NFC North at 4-3. Since the Packers are going to be in a fight for their lives against the unbeaten Tennessee Titans, the Bears are staring at a perfect opportunity to regain sole possession of first place.

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The big question around Halas Hall, is whether or not, first round draft pick Chris Williams will make his season debut on Sunday. Williams who has yet to take a snap in an NFL contest (due to back surgery), was drafted number 14 overall in this years draft. Williams was expected to be a huge contributor on the this offensive line that struggled mightely a season ago.

Continue reading "Chris Williams Debut"

Thanks for checking in. I could make easily make this weeks "Watchlist" the same as last weeks. That would be lazy however, I'm still watching Vasher, Tillman, & Hester in terms of thier health. This "Watchlist" is going to focus more on performance and less on health. Let's get things started, shall we?

Continue reading "Will's Watchlist Week 9"

I just wanted to give our tight end unit a little love in this blog. When you have Greg Olson and Des Clark both on the field you are going to cause some serious mis-matches. These guys can flat out play. Olson is going to be a star in this league and a large part of that is because he's so versatile. Olson alone is a deep threat with his speed but he can also get the yards after the catch. He isn't perfect however. In his short career he has established himself as a fumbler of the football. With time, Olson will improve on his ball handling and will blossom into a huge part of the offense.

Continue reading "Showin' some tight end love..."

Okay guys, I'm going to try doing something new in order to keep my blogs fresh. I call it Will's Watchlist. Each week, I will give three Bears to keep an eye on for the following week. This week is easy, since the Bears are on their bye week.

Continue reading "The Watchlist : Week 8"

Due to the number of injuries to the secondary, the Bears signed veteran safety Terence Holt to the 53 man roster.

Earlier the Bears placed, Zach Bowman on the injured reserved list. Bowman is out for the season with a bicep injury. It's a shame too, because Bowman was just signed off of the practice squad and had a game to remember. Bowman scored a touchdown on special teams and sealed the victory against the Vikings with a game ending interception. This is even more remarkable due to the fact that Bowman was already injured and reportedly talked himself into the game. That's something that we don't see very often anymore.

Continue reading "Bears sign veteran safety Terrence Holt"

o;s nice to see them try something different, even if they only do it three times a game.

Being a Chicago Bears fanatic, I’m not used to being on the winning side of a shoot-out. Heck,

Continue reading "Bears Give up 41 Points to the Vikings ..."

Coming off of a thrilling win over our division foe, the Vikings, the Chicago Bears have a well deserved bye week. The bye couldn't come at a better time. With what seems to be our entire secondary banged up, we need to get healthy but must remain sharp. Just because we play the laughable Lions after the bye, doesn't mean that we can sit back and relax. Who would of thought that the Cowboys would lose to the Rams? It's just another example of how on any given Sunday, any football team can come out and beat a "super bowl" team.

Continue reading "Let's get Healthy"

Nothing makes Bears fans forget about a tough loss better than a win against a division opponent. The Bears will get the chance this Sunday when they host the Minnesota Vikings in the first of their two meetings this season. Both teams, along with the Green Bay Packers, are tied atop the NFC North with matching records of 3-3. One team must make a move to get ahead of the pack now (no pun intended), or they will still be trapped in a three-team dogfight for one playoff spot. If the Bears intend to claim that spot, beating the Vikings at Soldier Field is they way to start.

Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Preview: Vikings at Bears"

That one hurt. The Bears had no business winning that game, and after taking the lead with eleven seconds left, they proved that ideology correct. There are plenty of issues to be taken up with Lovie Smith and his coaching staff regarding the decisions made late in that game, but the blame must be shared equally with the players on the field. Their execution (or lack thereof in the case of the defense and special teams) let the Falcons steal back their victory from the Bear jaws of defeat.

Continue reading "Bears and Falcons get Crazy in Atlanta"

After taking the week off in Detroit, the Chicago Bears are facing some stiff competition this Sunday in the form of the resurgent Atlanta Falcons. Each team sits at 3-2, but while Atlanta is looking up at Carolina in the standings, Chicago is perched alone at the top of their division. Both are coming off of impressive victories against NFC North opponents and need to continue building momentum towards successful seasons.

Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Preview: Bears at Falcons"

It was just the Detroit Lions. As excited as fans are after yesterday’s insanely lop-sided victory (and understandably so), they must remember one thing: it was just the Detroit Lions. This was a game they should have won, but complete and utter domination wasn’t as expected. Their team wasn’t perfect, but Chicago fans are allowed to revel in the bye week that was the 34-7 pounding of the winless Lions. It was a win that put the Bears in sole possession of first place in the NFC North.

Continue reading "Bears Maul the Defenseless Lions"

With that in mind, the Chicago Bears need to avoid being embarrassed by the dregs of the NFC North.

Offensively, the Detroit Lions are the opposite of the Philadelphia Eagles offense that the Bears met last week. Their quarterback Jon Kitna is average, but they have perhaps the best wide receivers in the league with All-Pro Roy Williams, emerging Calvin Johnson, and dependable Mike Furrey. Their running back is unproven rookie Kevin Smith, but despite claims of a new orientation towards the run, the Lions always revert to the passing game when they need a win. Why wouldn’t they? That’s what their personnel would dictate. The Bears secondary is going to have a hard time keeping those wide-outs under wraps, even with Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher expecting to play. Each were injured in the game with the Eagles but returned to practice on Thursday. The Bear defense behind All-Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher is known for shutting down the run but being vulnerable to the pass. They simply don’t get enough pass rush on opposing QB’s while their coverage schemes allow for the underneath throws. With defensive tackle Tommie Harris suspended for Sunday’s game for disciplinary reasons, it’ll be even harder to bring Jon Kitna to the ground. Kitna may have a big day if defensive coordinator Bob Babich isn’t careful.

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Who doesn’t love it when the Bears prove you wrong? Despite being plagued by some of the same problems we’ve seen all season, Chicago held on to beat a solid Philadelphia Eagles ballclub. It was a game filled with great plays and absolutely mind-numbing ones. Luckily, The Bears left Solider Field with a much-needed win. It was a tale of two halves on both sides of the ball for Chicago, but luckily it was in an order that allowed for the victory.

Continue reading "Bears Overcome Four Turnovers To Defeat the Eagles"

That will place them just above the bottom rung of NFL teams.

The last two games for the Chicago Bears turned out to be hard-fought losses. A play here or there would have completely changed the outcomes. I don’t feel as confident going into this Sunday night’s game against Philadelphia. Even if Donovan McNabb is hurt, he’s going to play, and at probably a very high level. McNabb is playing this year to show everyone in Philly that he is the same great quarterback that took them to the Super Bowl. He gets a little help this week in the form of an awfully shaky Bears defensive unit that let Brian Griese pick them apart. Imagine what an actual Pro-Bowl level quarterback will be able to do against Lovie Smith’s cover two scheme. This “bend but don’t break” ideology will be put to the test on Sunday as the Eagles should “break” the Bears defense a few times.

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won’t happen, but I just thought I’d mention the idea.

In the end, this was a typical Chicago Bears game. The defense plays well in the first half and causes turnovers, but the of

Continue reading "Griese Returns with a Vengeance in Bears Loss"

Otherwise the Bears should just sit him for the week and prep him for the next game.

The Chicago Bears always manage to play well in their home openers, and while I’m sure they won&rsqu

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Too many things infuriated me as I watched my Chicago Bears lose to the Carolina Panthers Sunday afternoon. The two Greg Olsen fumbles are obvious, the lack of offensive production is just as problematic, but honestly, the offensive play-calling is my real issue with this Bears team. They often fail to put their personnel in the best position to win games.

Continue reading "Bears Didn't Deserve the Win"

This Sundays showdown of 1-0 teams to me is an example of a game no one should bet on. It has way too many wild-cards for any prediction to be safe. That being said, I'll let you know the keys to this Sunday's match-up.

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There was always the chance that the Bears defense would return to form against the Colts and put the pressure on a surely rusty Peyton Manning. There was always the chance that Kyle Orton would play mistake free football behind a solid running game provided by Matt Forte and Kevin Jones. And in a league in which upsets are common place, there was always the chance that the Chicago Bears would beat the Indianapolis Colts in their brand new stadium.

Continue reading "Bears dominate in regular season opener"

Brett Farve looked damn good in a Jets' uniform, Tom Brady may have torn his ACL, a Kyle Orton-led Chicago Bears team crushed the Colts, Kurt Warner led the Cardinals to a win, Donovon McNabb threw for 361 yards in an easy Eagles' win, and the Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills looked dominant, the Jacksonville Jaguar's preseason sluggishness was confirmed in a troubling 17-10 loss to its division rival and nemesis-in-the-making, Tennessee Titans. It was the second straight season Tennessee handed Jacksonville a season-opening loss. The effort came after former Broncos all-pro Tight End Shannon Sharp predicted the Jags would win the Super Bowl this year. Though an opening loss is no reason to panic, much work is left to be done and gaps left to be filled. 

Continue reading "Jags Lose on Eventful Opening Weekend"

Another preseason Bears game, another loss in the books. Who really cares, its the preseason! Right? Not so fast there buddy. If you weren't paying attention last Thursday, let me run down what you should have taken from this latest outing.

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Well, the second Chicago Bears pre-season game is in the books. It was a fairly interesting game, as far as pre-season affairs go. It actually went into overtime, which I'm convinced is exciting (though it might just be watching scrubs with even more pressure before they get cut).

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Well, Jerry Angelo sure didn't mind spending any money this off-season. The Chicago Bears general manager managed to find all sorts of creative solutions to sign his key players to long-term deals. When the season ended, there were plenty of question marks concerning the Bears' roster. Lance Briggs, Alex Brown, Tommie Harris, Brian Urlacher, and Devin Hester were all looking for new contracts or extensions. 

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r and away more talented and suited for the role.

His signing is important news for the Chicago Bears, as it leaves only first-round OT Chris Williams unsigned from their rookie class of '08. GM Jerry Angelo is consistently ahead of the curve in the NFL when it comes to addressing rookie contracts. He does not wait for the market to establish itself for any position or round, instead choosing to dole out contracts he deems fit for each player. It is surely working in his favor. I expect Chris Williams to be signed within a week, and that is a conservative estimate on my part. There shouldn't be any significant disagreements from the 14th overall pick. The only real issues come from the top 10 picks in any given draft, and 3 of the top 4 are already signed, so be prepared for a fairly drama-free draft class in general.

Continue reading "Bears are Fast-Movers with Their Rookies"

The Chicago Bears don't care who you are, if you show consistently poor judgement , you will not be playing for their team, period.

Tank Johnson and Cedric Benson are the prime&n

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Open competition for quarterback. That's the best Chicago Bears news I've heard in a long time. Lovie Smith has decided to let Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman battle it out for top dog in this year's training camp. I'm excited. Aren't you?

Continue reading "Chicago Bears Quarterbacks and I"

The NFL’s been buzzing with activity the past week. As if mock drafts, roster breakdowns, and morbid obsessions with Mel Kiper’s hair weren’t enough, many high-profile names have been exercising their freedom of speech. Here’s a quick rundown…

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*Editor's Note: This piece was written Tuesday night but, due to Internet problems, is being posted just now.

Only the NFL can make headlines with the release of its regular season schedule. Granted, there are only a handful of games for fans to absorb, so the attention given to each week is natural. However, this speaks increasingly to the booming popularity of the league.

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The Bears emerged victorious from the courtroom earlier this week with a decisive off-the-field victory over the embittered 49ers. According to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, San Francisco illegally contacted Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs’ uber-agent, Drew Rosenhaus, during the 2007 season – a “blatant, outright, stupid, stupid, stupid violation of NFL anti-tampering policy,” he remarked. “We basically caught [San Francisco GM] Scot McCloughan with his hands in the proverbial cookie jar. If you know what I mean.” This attempt at humor left many witnesses baffled and appalled, especially when the commissioner followed it up with a series of erratic winks.

Continue reading ""Get Your Hands Off My Linebacker!""

ESPN columnist KC Joyner took a statistical look at the route-running efficiency of Hester a few days ago, compiling a table that breaks down his experience as a receiver and basically reinforcing how I feel about Chicago’s new #23. Unfortunately, in order to view said table, one must be privy to the world of the ESPN Insider ( http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/columns/story?columnist=joy). If you aren’t, it highlights three things: (a) Hester is at his best running on the go and double-move go routes, catching Griese’s 81-yard bomb at the end of the Minnesota game and Orton’s 55-yarder in the final game. Obviously, this is where he’s his most explosive -- burning defensive backs and hauling in the long ball. He is the heir apparent to Berrian in this capacity and the Bears seem confident enough in this ability to pencil him at #2 on the depth chart for now. However, as Joyner also points out, (b) Hester is suffering from a low YPC on quick hitches and screens. He’s caught eight balls using these two routes but managed a paltry 27 yards total -- only 3.4 yards per catch. Hester needs to learn how to create some space between him and defenders, like Steve Smith (or perhaps Steve Smith of 2005). Working on separation tactics will boost his potential for short yardage situations. And obviously, (c) the kid just lacks overall experience. It should be interesting to see how he adjusts to his new role come September. I still think it’s too early to put him at #2, but it seems the Bears (for better or worse) have their minds set on this.

Continue reading "The Devin Hester Experience"

The ceremonial fireworks of the opening weeks of free agency have finally started dying down and there’s a lot of dust to clear through. A few teams have made some big strides, immediately raising their hopes for 2008 with key acquisitions and retainers. I’m pretty sure we can all agree that the Browns are probably the poster child for this offseason. On the heels of a ten-win season in which they were unfortunately robbed of a playoff spot, the team too good for a logo had much to look forward to – rising young talent in Edwards (who finally learned how to catch short passes over the middle) and Winslow (who finally realized it wasn’t a good idea to pop wheelies on your bike in May), a terrific offensive line with a young left tackle quickly making a name for himself, a defense that could only really improve. Now, they’ve set themselves up for great success by bringing in talent on both sides of the ball. Re-signing Anderson was a must in my opinion, and the Browns will be all the happier seeing him rather than future franchise QB Quinn trying to direct the offense. Giving Quinn more time as a spectator will aid the transition from college and help him adjust for when he eventually makes his debut. Sure, some would argue that Quinn deserves his shot now, but no one can say that the extra time won’t hurt – two years on the bench is the most valued experience for a fresh QB. With Anderson, even if he does prove to be nothing more than a flash in the pan (as we might suspect from the closing weeks of last season), Quinn is waiting in the ranks. The Browns’ offense also became much more explosive with the addition of Stallworth, a legit speedster who seems to be on a new team each season. The Saints, Eagles, Pats -- can’t we get some consistency? Millions of fantasy owners don’t want to gamble on you each year! We like sure things! (Ironic side note: There are no sure things in fantasy football.)

Continue reading "Browns No Longer Committed to Sucking; ..."

The Bears gave Brandon Lloyd a one-year contract last week, reeling in a cast-off from the Redskins who’s been plagued by injuries and questionable locker room chemistry the past two seasons. Lloyd’s production will be a complete gamble, but there are some good reasons to like this deal. First off, he’s coming incredibly cheap, dime-store, like we just snatched him up off the shelf at that seedy bodega down the street. There’s basically nothing to lose, am I wrong? Anybody is an upgrade at this point. I remember a time when Lloyd impressed me mildly – two 40+ catch seasons in San Fran, great hands, good burst off the line, strong vertical leap, mediocre blocking, a propensity for SportsCenter Top-10 one-handed catches. When I read about him being traded to Washington, I pictured him working the middle of the field, Santana Moss putting some double-moves on the outside and burning the safety with an inside post pattern, Antwaan Randle El drawing up in a hitch – the near-mechanized cogs of Al Saunders’ vaunted offense in perfect syncronization. Well, we all know how that turned out (Did he really think every one of those players could digest a 700-page playbook? Didn’t he check their Wonderlic scores?).

Continue reading "Lloyd Reunited with Turner, Hugs and Tears Abound"

At last! I’ve come across some breaking news to legitimate this website’s reputation as the forefront for all news regarding our beloved Bears (save for ChicagoBears.com, from which this information has been culled) – Angelo has attempted to inject some life into the offense by bring back the club’s last 1,000 yard receiver, the wily veteran Marty Booker. Booker has been a virtual non-factor the last few years in the league, stuck catching balls thrown from the latest projects to emerge from the Miami Dolphins’ QB University (an institute of uninspired complacency with lots of bright graduates – Cleo Lemon, John Beck, what was left of Daunte Culpepper and Trent Green, and the older, more brusque McCown brother). I’m sure the main reason Angelo brought Booker back was because, naturally, he let perhaps the last intriguing free agent WR walk off to another team earlier today. With Javon Walker off the market, our trusty GM dusted off the old depth charts to see exactly who could be brought in to salvage the O.

Continue reading "The Triumphant Return of Marty Booker"

Brian Griese was traded back to his old team today for an undisclosed 2009 draft pick. We all knew this was coming, especially since he was due a $300,000 roster bonus tomorrow and wouldn’t have stayed on the roster even if he hadn’t been traded. This is comforting news for Angelo, who got something, anything, for Greesee rather than just giving him the ol’ das boot. I don’t really understand what the Bucs were thinking. Take a gander at their current QB roster for ‘08:

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So the prodigal son has returned without ever having left. Lance Briggs agreed to a six-year contract with the Bears today worth about $36 million with $13 million in guaranteed bonuses. After all the fuss and drama of last season, it’s good to see Briggs finally get the huge contract he deserves. Briggs played like a possessed man in ’07, ranking second on the team in tackles with 140, including ten tackles-for-loss. He also added two sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. If you watched any game last year, you know this guy was always leaving it all on the field every game, holding down the weak side position and providing a great complement to Urlacher. And now that he’s coming back, we can be certain Lovie will keep Urlacher in the middle instead of experimenting with him on the weak side (He’s also incredibly smart. Remember when he crashed his Lamborghini on the Edens at 4 AM the night before practice and inexplicably left the scene? I mean, come oooonnnnn, talk about intangibles). More importantly, with a healthy Harris and Dvoracek holding down the interior of the D-Line, Urlacher and Briggs will be able to move more effectively throughout the second level instead of constantly having to inch up and provide run support. Come to think of it, this should come as no surprise. Briggs had stated a desire to remain in Chicago towards the end of the season, and the front office is famous for its loyalty and inclination to re-sign players rather than explore options through free agency. You had Tillman and Vasher re-signed during the regular season and now Briggs, in addition to Grossman, Orton, Clark, and Brown over the past few weeks. Clearly, they’re viewing consistency as the best course of direction for the immediate future and I think it will serve us well (That is, except with Benson, who as one enlightened colleague notes should just be flat-out dropped, like a bad habit).

Continue reading "Briggs decides to stay in Chitown, ..."