I've thought about it a lot this morning. Thought about Sunday night in the Meadowlands with the winds gusting from the swamps I call home. I've thought about it and I've made a decision...
It is time to start Cedric Benson.
Not because I believe he's capable of altering the Bears over-exaggerated running game problems. But more because I know what Thomas Jones is capable of and I think it's time for an identity switch. TJ is good back but watching Mercedes Benson run live on Sunday was like watching a truck drive 90 down a San Francisco street. He doesn't hit holes. He punches holes in the face and talks trash about their mothers.
I want to see what this guy is capable of over the long-haul of a football game. Let's see him wear down a front seven. Forget this six carry bullshit. Let's see what he looks like on the 26th carry. What better place to experiment than in the swirling winds of North Jersey. TJ is a good back...but if Benson can be great, it might just be the thing that saves the Chicago Bears offense over the next 8 games and beyond.
#2 District Selectman said . . .Right on.
Near freezing, windy, and rainy Sunday night.
It's time to see what we have, take the game off of Rex a little.November 8, 2006
#3 Jamie said . . .The Giants have a pair of fatties in the middle of the D-line. If the past is anything to go by, they'll eat TJ up. Gotta double up that beef, get McKie on a linebacker, and let CB come screaming out of there.
November 8, 2006
#4 Still said . . .it was time to start cedric benson two games ago, in my opinion. thomas jones looks like a tap dancer out there in the backfield, like he can never make up his mind where he wants to go. Cedric just drops his shoulder and goes.
November 8, 2006
#5 jeff said . . .I won't matter who starts if they don't run the ball. Ron Turner is to blame. He is using the run only to kill clock, not as a weapon. In the wins, they have been over 30 rushes - many in garbage time to kill clock. In the losses or near losses, around 20. He would never even consider running the ball on every down on a drive. He is OVER THINKING and lacking discipline. Let either Jones or Benson run 30 times before it is over, I dare you Ron. Just once.
There was no reason to abandon the run on Sunday. The fish were trying as hard to give the game back as we were to give it to them. There was ample time to run on every down until they proved they could stop it sufficiently. I'm not saying I want 3 yards and a cloud of dust. I'm saying I want an average of 3.8 yards (Jones current AYPC) and chains moving.
Pack - 36 carries
Lions - 34
Vikes - 21 (this was a close game - it wasn't like we were coming back from 3 touchdowns)
Seahawks - 38
Bills - 39
Cards - 16 (and I'm counting the Grossman sacks)
49ers - 33
Fish - 28 (this one should have been WAY higher - we were not behind by much)See the trend? I know Ron Turner does, but he doesn't have the discipline during the game.
Too damn fancy...
I'm a big fan of the forward pass, however, if you can run...run. If you can't, lose.
November 8, 2006
#6 Pissed off said . . .i am in agreement..."run the ball" and "throw it away" are the two things i yell the most during a bears game
November 8, 2006
#7 jonathan said . . .I will respectfully disagree on replacing Jones with Benson. Benson has been a pile all the way back to his training camp holdout. I would agree that I would like to see someone get 30 carries instead of 15-20 for Jones and 5-10 for Benson. I do want ALL those carries to go to Jones though. Benson is good in certain situations and maybe next year is his coming out party but lets stick with what works. Jones carried us last year, he accounted for a ridiculous amount of our total offense last year. If Turner would give him the chance he could do it again this year even with a passing game that CAN be potent. I would like to see more runs on first down...not all the time so its predictable but right now its almost predictable that they will pass on every 1st down. Pick up a few yards on first and then do it again or go for a good deep pass (10-20 yards) if its 2nd and short. As Jeff said I find myself yelling "run the ball" more often.
November 8, 2006
#8 Pissed off said . . .Don't make the switch, at least not yet. Both Jones and CB have been off-and-on, but on the whole Jones has been better. Benson did look good against the Fins but he's looked crappy just about every other time on the field. I can see giving him a few more carries, and not just in the 4th quarter, to see what he does.
If Benson steps up, and TJ continues to struggle, then sure, make the change. But at this point, it's too early.
I do however, wholeheartedly agree that the Bears need to be running the ball more often, as a general principal. This used to be our bread and butter. You want to give Rex some time to throw and take a little heat off him? Have a running game that can consistently dish out 4-6 yards a carry and everything gets better.
November 8, 2006
#9 dan said . . .I am a bit distant from the Chicagoland area as I live in North Dakota so I find myself checing out Chicgaobears.com on a daily basis as my main source for info on the team. I really feel like there has got to be a better source....the website seems virtually the same as it was before the big change prior to this season. And what is the deal with that Larry Mayer guy, WOW is he a bootlicker. I have never seen someone who is such an apologist for a team. If the Bears went 0-16 he wouldnt have anything bad to say. His crap on there is unreadable and the homers who write to him must know they wont be getting an impartial answer. He must get paid to be positive, I like a little constructive criticism once in a while..geez! Anyway, being about 800 or so miles from Chicago I am a bit removed but feel very strongly that my Bears knowledge is up to par. Does anyone have any suggestions as to a good sports radio show I can listen to online or a good columnist I can read online who's not an asskisser. I occassionally check out suntimes.com but since I'm not plugged in I would take some suggestions. Thanks
November 8, 2006
#10 jeff said . . .I just heard on espn that Amani Toomer is out for the season. This could be a great game to play right now for the Bears. The Giants are missing a ton of key players, but a win would still be a big win against the new "favorite" in the NFC.
November 8, 2006
#11 jeff said . . .bears defense needs to stop the run sunday night. with a banged up plex and no toomer, the giants are going to be extremely limited with their receiving options.
November 8, 2006
#12 Still said . . .PO'd...Rosenbloom and Salisbury do a show on ESPN 1000 in Chicago every day at 10 o'clock. It's available on the internet. For columnists who don't kiss ass, Mariotti in the SunTimes seems to hate the Bears and David Haugh in the Tribune is the new shit.
November 8, 2006
#13 Still said . . .You should also listen to the Score at
http://www.670thescore.com/There are enough guys on there that will either piss you off more or give you the fix you need. The callers want to talk Bear 90% of the time this time of year.
November 8, 2006
#14 Pat said . . .The thing I yell on the bad days too often is TACKLE HIM!!! WRAP HIM UP!!
This I uttered far to much last week.
November 8, 2006
#15 Max said . . .The thing I yell way too often on bad days is:
"WHY DO YOU PEOPLE ALWAYS SEND ME A PUERTO RICAN GIRL WHEN I ASK FOR A RUSSIAN GIRL? IF YOU DO IT AGAIN I'M GOING TO SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT TAKING MY BUSINESS ELSEWHERE."November 8, 2006
#16 jeff said . . .i agree with Still. 670thescore.com is good stuff.
In regards to running backs, I continue my trend and i say keep TJ starting. Benson will be good, but this is TJ's team. He carried them last year and i think if we keep feeding him the ball, good things will happen.
And god damn it, if we get first and goal from inside the 5 yard line this week we give the ball to TJ at least two times if not three. Turner pisses me off sometimes.
November 9, 2006
#17 Fred said . . .lovie said mark bradley looked good in practice today. sounds like he's going to see the field.
November 9, 2006
#18 Midway Monster said . . .Come on Bradley!
Link to the score if you don't want to give info...
http://tuner1.dc1.sonixtream.com/solon/media/tuner/Tuner?aff=670thescore&useSame=true&type=IENovember 9, 2006
#19 jeff said . . .Yeah the Giants are hurting on defense, but sometimes that causes a team to "rise to the occasion". Giants offense has sooo many ways to attack. Key will be to keep Tiki from the sweep. We'll need Urlacher to stop that. And gibe Eli a lickin'
This will be a good game for the Bears to stick to the basics: block & tackle... block & tackle....
This is a must win -- beat the Gmen!
November 9, 2006
#20 District Selectman said . . .tell you though...no toomer, no healthy plex...they have far fewer ways to attack. i think they're going to do their best to control this game on the ground. we need to force them into sure passing situations and then force eli into bad decisions. he'll make them. he's a manning.
November 9, 2006
#21 District Selectman said . . .Seems as though we have a few non-native Chicagoan Bears fans lurking here.......
Well, if you have Netflix, queue up Chicago: City of the Century on the double quick. No, there is not one goddamn football related tidbit in there, but shit if it don't make you swell with Chicago pride. Fuck all the rest. Chicago is America writ small, and therefore the Bears are America's team, regardless of what ESPN may have told you. We're going to crush the G-Men as though they were Haymarket rioters.
This message brought to you by Old Grand-Dad Whiskey. Dzienkuje, I like!
November 9, 2006
#22 UKBear said . . .This just in: Poland is the most fun place to visit anywhere. Czesc! Jak sie masz!
November 9, 2006
#23 Pat said . . .Non-native Bears fans are lurking all over the world, imcluding right here in the UK.........long live No. 9, the Punky QB.....my hero!!!
November 9, 2006
#24 jeff said . . .I'm not non-native, but I do lurk. Does that count?
November 9, 2006
#25 Midway Monster said . . .peter king today:
Here's the thing about the Bears. If they don't turn it over, they're going to the Super Bowl. Plain and simple. That gets drilled in Rex Grossman's head all week and the Bears begin the Amtrak Road Trip of the Year (at Giants, at Jets, at Pats) with a rock-solid defensive win.November 9, 2006
#26 paytonrules said . . .So, what's the local news saying about Urlacher's foot- Is he "good to go"?
November 10, 2006
#27 cedric benson " nuff ced" said . . .Sorry but he can't - until he blocks.
Remember what Rex Grossman said after the SF game? "I wasn't touched." Well when Benson and Griese came in, Griese was immediately sacked as Benson gave a look-out block to SF defensive lineman.
You might say he can learn on the job, and you'd be right if this team didn't have a shot at the brass ring, but the fact is the way to beat the Bears is to get in Grossman's face. Putting Benson in will make that much easier, and in exchange you'll get a mild improvement in the running game. And I'm not the fan of Thomas Jones most fans seem to be, since he's had all of one above-average season.
November 11, 2006
#28 Robforhq said . . .Look what cedric did vs. the pack.. 13 carries 109 yards. he was rowdy on sunday night while Thomas Jones looked on nervously despite the loss. We all saw what cedric did in college and when you can gethim 20-25 carries great things will happen. Jones is overrated because he had one good season.
January 5, 2007
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Great SolutionDecember 1, 2007
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