ESPN is reporting that Brian Griese will start Sunday for the Chicago Bears in Detroit. The story is set to be confirmed on the practice field this afternoon.
So what does it mean? It means the Bears have realized that nagging defensive injuries have left the team almost no room for error on the offensive end of the ball. They must limit turnovers and they believe Griese will do that. Do the Chicago Bears believe Brian Griese is the quarterback of the future? Absolutely not. But they certainly believe they can win with BG and they need to start winning Sunday in Detroit.
The Bears have a chance to get on the right offensive path Sunday but - more importantly - they have a chance to get to 2-2 and make next Sunday night's showdown at Lambeau Field a joust for the rights to division supremacy. Brian Griese doesn't need a quarterback rating over 100 or 300 yards passing. He needs a 0 in the most important category: INTs.
Whatever happens, I've got a fire in my stomach that I wouldn't have had with #8 lining up behind center Sunday. Maybe Griese's not the answer. But maybe...maybe...he is. Who wishes it was Sunday?
#2 Midway Monster said . . .HA! First!
--Midway--
September 26, 2007
#3 Pissed Off said . . .Okay so the Rex era seems to be at a close. After a moment of silence and an amen; it's time to focus on winning 3 in a row. We're lucky, we get to start with the Lions. This ought to be a good tune up - refocus - get back to 500 win.
--Midway--
September 26, 2007
#4 JL said . . .Let the Griese era begin......it will be ending soon. Then we can start the Orton era.......or the ReRex era.
Jeff is there anywhere we can see the press conference today or podcast it/watch it online?
September 26, 2007
#5 jeff said . . .Yes, I was a Grossman supporter...And I am HAPPY to move forward with Brian Griese, Kyle Orton, whomever. I admit, I illogically stated that Grossman should get one more game, but realized that delaying the inevitable was just that.
The Lions will be tough. With Vasher and Tillman out and Archuleta playing with a broken hand (as if he needed further reason to stink) the pass-happy Kitna could go nutty against a secondary that's promoting people from the practice squad this week.
Which is why keeping the ball out of Kitna's hands is paramount. And so the onus falls on Benson to play like a #4 pick this week, burning the Lions D for tough yards, clock, and POSSESSION - HOLD ONTO THE BALL YOU FOOL!!!
September 26, 2007
#6 JL said . . .not live. chicagobears.com used to put them on live but they've really slacked off this year. but that'll be the best place to go unless you're in chicago. if you're near a television, espn news might be on top of it.
September 26, 2007
#7 Da Coach said . . .All NFL press conferences should be available in their entirety on NFL.com, which is also the only place to get full video highlights of all games. The conferences won't be live but by mid to end of day you should be able to see them there.
September 26, 2007
#8 BRIANsong said . . .Man has this season gotten really bad so quick. Spiraling downhill faster then a rollercoaster.
Defense keeps losing players at a record pace, RB who can't hold onto a ball and now back to starting over looking for a new franchise QB.
What are the chances our bears even make the playoffs this year? I am so depressed after thinking we really had a chance at getting back to the superbowl this year.
September 26, 2007
#9 Nicole is broken said . . .It's going to be a fight week in and week out. I'm in.
September 26, 2007
#10 Da Coach said . . .They're talking about it on the station I listen to- it's not a sports station but it's out of Chicago. The general vibe is that a change was needed and a W is a W.
September 26, 2007
#11 Pissed Off said . . .As a bear fan I will support Griese, but does anyone on this site actually believe he will be our answer/savior for this year & years to come?
Why can't Chicago ever get a REAL QB!
September 26, 2007
#12 Starbuck said . . .Thanks for the info guys, do you know what time the press conference will be scheduled for so I know when to start looking for it.
Also I hear you da coach, this season is spiraling downward, its almost surely the end of the Rex era and the search for a new franchise QB begins. Not only that sad note but now we have so many guys out on D its rediculous. When the Lions send out 4 WRs who the hell is going to cover them, Manning Jr, Graham, McBride etc....I think the Lions will be passing all over this team Sunday.
September 26, 2007
#13 jdawg said . . .Griese is only a band aid for the Bears, which is what they need for this season if they want to make the playoffs.
The real issue with the Bears' QB position is whether they will be able to try Orton again before the end of the year. All accounts reflect that Orton recommitted to his craft this last off season and looked good in training camp. If Orton looks better than average, the Bears may not need to dig for a QB as hard in the off season. The drawback with playing Orton is that the Bears would likely have to be in a position record-wise this year such that they would be out of the playoffs and Orton would be put on the field.
What kind of record am I talking about for Orton to play? - perhaps like 4 and 7 or 5 and 8. Let's pray that the Bears don't arrive at that position this season.
September 26, 2007
#14 jeff said . . .Unfortunately, given who will line up on D against Detroit, our offense will have to score over 30 points to win.
I can't see that happening.
1-3
September 26, 2007
#15 Midway Monster said . . .naysayers! we're winning sunday. it ain't gonna be pretty but we're winning sunday.
September 26, 2007
#16 beardown1982 said . . .PO -- best place to get near live updates is right here :)
--Midway--
September 26, 2007
#17 Mike said . . .Our entire starting secondary from week one will not play against the Lions. Plus, Harris will be out and Briggs may be out as well. This is very, very bad.
Maybe it is a good thing I will be in NYC this weekend and probably not able to watch the game.
Losing to the Lions will essentially make the Green Bay game a must win.
Also, did anyone hear Hub on 670 yesterday say that the Bears of 2001 were more talented than the Bears of 2006??? Is it just me, or does that seem way off??? I was very surprised by that.
September 26, 2007
#18 JL said . . .Observations--
A. The Rex Grossman era is mercifully coming to a close in Chicago. His contract is up at the end of the year. In 2008, he'll be frustrating the beejezus out of another organization.
B. Losing Tommie Harris, Lance Briggs and Nathan Vasher for a few weeks is a big blow. I wouldn't presume victory over the lowly Detroit Lions.
C. It is time for Bernard Berrian to step up in the passing game. He needs to become reliable and a legitimate threat, or else this offense will continue to struggle. Mushin Muhammed all of a sudden looks like an old man out there.
September 26, 2007
#19 Da Coach said . . .Jeff, I'm with you...Sunday's a must win and we're taking it against the Lions. The best thing for this team right now is to feel like they need to prove they're more than mediocrity. I think part of the malaise of Superbowl losers is that they focus on winning it the next season instead of merely getting there...that, and injuries of course. But Vaughn Mclure still holds out hope that Tommie Harris can play and Jon Kitna has been sacked like a thousand times already this year. He was sacked 9 times against a weaker Philly D! How many near sacks did we have on Romo? I think we get pressure to Kitna and force some of his Grossman-esque INTs, and hope that Benson pounds through a weak Lions Defensive Line. 28-7 Bears win.
September 26, 2007
#20 Mike said . . .My concern is with the defense right now, they are always the foundation and heart of this team. With so many injuries you can only do so much. Now we are supposed to rely on an offense that has yet to prove anything all year, regardless who is at QB, I just do not see it. Turner needs to rip open the reigns and let them at least make some plays!
Just goes to show how much you cannot take anything for granted in the NFL, it was a magical ride last year and they stayed reasonably injury free most of the year but its catching up with them this year.
September 26, 2007
#21 jeff said . . .Fearless prediction for Sunday...
Lions 31
Bears 17The Bears have no defensive secondary. The most important defennsive player, Tommie Harris, is out. Mike Martz, Jon Kitna, Calvin Johnson, Roy Williams and company will likely have a field day.
September 26, 2007
#22 Rancid said . . .no calvin johnson i'm hearing.
September 26, 2007
#23 JL said . . .1. jeff, thanks for writing BG. I am sick of writing "Griese" over and over.
2. I am not confident that Griese won't throw picks. Historically he has. He just doesn't throw 6 for each touchdown. Hence the switch. He seems to throw about even numbers of TDs and INTs. I think we are fools to think he won't throw a few. Problem is, for that to work we need a solid run game. I'm not ready to throw Benson to the curb but I am worried.
3. The words "Griese" and era shouldn't be used together. I don't think anyone is thinking that. I think after this season we'll have Orton, Griese, and a draft pick and we'll go into camp with open competition
September 26, 2007
#24 Mike said . . .Kitna's not throwing for 31 points from his backside. Look for Ogunleye, Alex Brown, and Mark Anderson to get off the snide this week and tee off against the feces Lions O line. Even with Harris out, we should have no problem controlling the line of scrimmage and should get some big sacks and forced fumbles. Remember, even the injured Bears D is way better than any D the Lions have faced.
Also, the Lions Special Teams is garbage. I expect a big day from Hester, and likely a score.
September 26, 2007
#25 Mike said . . .Nobody suggests that Brian Griese is the long-term answer. He is merely a stopgap, and should be judged accordingly. Nobody knows who will be the QB next year. It might be Griese, or it might be Kyle Orton. Or it might be someone from a group that includes Daunte Culpepper, David Carr, Joey Harrington, Jake Plummer, Josh McCown.
September 26, 2007
#26 Rancid said . . .Nobody suggests that Brian Griese is the long-term answer. He is merely a stopgap, and should be judged accordingly. Nobody knows who will be the QB next year. It might be Griese, or it might be Kyle Orton. Or it might be someone from a group that includes Daunte Culpepper, David Carr, Joey Harrington, Jake Plummer, Josh McCown.
September 26, 2007
#27 Northside Superfan said . . .The only guy friom Mike's list I would even remotely consider is Carr. I actually gag reflexed when I pictured Harrington in a Bears jersey. But I don't think we need to talk about this now. We still have a shot at playoffs, let's not write the season off already.
September 26, 2007
#28 Phillip said . . .I'm predicting a victory and a rejuvenated offense starting Sunday. I'm not saying BG will be a miracle, but I think people are assuming the best he can do is an adequate job and that isn't true. Have you forgotten...the guy was a really good quarterback just a few years ago and looked excellent in pre-season. He's going against a soft defense, so this should be a good chance for him to find a groove and throw some good passes.
I also think it's very important to set the record straight about all the anti-Benson propaganda we've been hearing on this site and from that moron Jay Mariotti (who is further from being a football expert than the most uninformed poster to this site). The problem is not Benson--it's the O-line, which has been absolutely terrible these first three games, at least on run blocking. I think Fred Miller needs to be replaced--he is way to slow and he can't move anyone backwards. Tait and Brown have done a lousy job too--it's a miracle that Benson has gotten as many yards as he has with the blocking being the way it has.
And to all you people who are calling him "soft"...have you actually been watching the games or just looking at the stats? He never gets moved backwards, he pushes the pile, even when four or five defenders are brining him down together and he's still running over people, even when he only gains 2 or 3 yards on the play.
He's also been catching just about every pass thrown his way and doing a good job blocking in passing situations. I'm not happy about the fumbles (even though the one last Sunday was a bullshit call), but give him a chance to rectify that.
With Detroit's lackluster D-line, we should see a big game from Cedric. If the O-line can't run-block these clowns, then the season is probably over. But it's not.
2-2
September 26, 2007
#29 Don K. Balls said . . .Jeff, I ALWAYS wish it was sunday.
September 26, 2007
#30 Phillip said . . .Folks, the Bears are without their entire starting secondary right now. To go along with Briggs and Harris being out. Sunday will not be pretty.
Detroit -- 35
Chicago -- 23September 26, 2007
#31 StartOlsen said . . .Hey BearDown1982,
There are a couple of great options for watching da bears in NYC - Jeff chills at Josie Woods pub in the village with a bunch of people, and I've got a crew of about 50 to 70 on the UES at The Gael. No reason you can't see it :)
September 26, 2007
#32 Max said . . .MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS IS A DISASTER.
Yes, he should start. The problem is, one year from a SB trip and a future filled with hope, our QB of the future has fallen apart, and with it, OUR FUTURE. We need a franchise guy, the one we have sought forever. Griese will be ok, probably good.
He is 32. He is Jim Miller. He is Eric Kramer. Good, older, journeyman. Best case scenerio is we get 2-3 good years, and that is a wild dream of a scenerio.
MAKE NO MISTAKE- disaster has struck. We are, once again, a rudderless ship.
Look around the league, and so many teams have promising young guys to lead them into the future...
Leinart. Young. Cutler. Lossman, etc.
WE GOT NOTHIN'
This is not great news, it is depressing. Not because I love Rex or hate Griese- Because we NEEDED Rex to succeed. We just conceeded defeat on a large scale.
And, fuck you if you think Orton will be the answer. Get a fucking clue.September 26, 2007
#33 Max said . . .I aint makin a prediction yet. A) im depressed B) I dont wanna predict a lose so im hoping that i change my mind over the next couple days. C) We are missing 5 of our original 11 defensive starters from week 1. . . its week 4. D) BG will be rusty and its gonna be a shootout.
Could we win? Hell yeah. Will we win? god i hope so
September 26, 2007
#34 Al In WI said . . .I think Orton could be the answer, so shove it.
Heck, if things dont go well this weekend. (and maybe the following weekend) then i say we start Orton for the remainder of the year and see what the kid has because frankly we are running out of options. Maybe you think we should call Chris Leak back and bring him back in? cause i dont
September 26, 2007
#35 Pissed Off said . . .Well said Start Olsen. You have captured the point so many dumb asses fail to even grasp.
That said, don't write Rex off just yet. There are 13 games left in the season, Griese is very injury prone, and our line/running backs can't block so there is a decent chance that Rex will get another look. Also, several other qb's have been benched only to have the light come on when they get back out there; Hassleback, Brees, Garcia and others for example.September 26, 2007
#36 Mike said . . .StartOlsen and Al in WI....you're my boys man...I can tell you feel the same pain I do right now regarding Rex. It hurts bad, and I cant even predict a win at this point for the first time since last year started. This team is sinking.
Best case scenario, we win enough dogfights throughout the year to back into the playoffs and we get healthy as we do that so we can be primed for a run. I dont think BG can do what Rex did last year in the playoffs when we beat NO and more importantly Seattle. He will not even get us to the SB.
September 26, 2007
#37 Pissed Off said . . .It's correct to say that Brian Griese is the next Jim Miller. Yet another band-aid to stop the bleeding of a wound that needs major surgery instead. If Kyle Orton were the long-term answer then it is doubtful he would still be languishing as third QB in this his third year. Especially in light of the on-the-job training he received his rookie year.
So what do the Bears do? Well, they likely bring in one or two guys from the list of usual suspects during the offseason. A list to include perhaps Daunte Culpepper, Josh McCown, Kurt Warner, David Carr, Joey Harrington. A name or two from that list, combined with Brian Griese, will probably form the competition pool to be starting QB in 2008.
The Bears will also no doubt draft a QB. But given the franchise's abysmal history in this department??? And the fact that Jerry Angelo hasn't been too good in drafting skill position players on offense??? Plus the reality that the Bears also need to address offensive line and wide receiver in the high rounds??? It all adds up to the Bears taking a QB project in the 3rd or 4th round and hoping that individual magically transforms into something special a few years down the road.
"Depressing" is the operative word of the day.
September 26, 2007
#38 StartOlsen said . . .I so hope your right Al regarding Rex. I hope Rex's benching is a wake up call. I also hope this offense improves in the WR, RB and O-line dept. I can just see now BG throwing to a wide open BB and he drops it and BG screaming at him.
September 26, 2007
#39 Bill said . . .good- someone needs to scream at those assholes for dropping easy balls. If Griese comes out and shows balls and leadership, completes 60% and has very limited turnovers, he'll win me over.
September 26, 2007
#40 Mike said . . .I like what PO said about Griese screaming if Berrian drops another wideopen pass. He sort of has a "mandate" now; without the constant criticism that Rex faced, the other problems take more importance.
Also - I agree that Benson is not (necessarily) a problem. I don't like him for some reason that's hard to put my finger on - but he's not a fumbler and he needs holes just like any other RB, including Payton.
I'm sort of going back on what I posted yesterday, but I think Lovie should bench on of the O-Line guys also.
I'm hearing that our entire game 1 secondary will be out, except Archuletta (who can't tacklt with 2 good hands, so now he's going to try it with one??)
September 26, 2007
#41 beardown1982 said . . .Top 5 QB prospects likely to be in the 2008 draft...
1. Brian Brohm - Louisville (will be picked in top 10)
2. Andre Woodson - Kentucky
3. Matt Ryan - Boston College
4. John David Booty - USC
5. Eric Ainge - Tennessee
September 26, 2007
#42 Mike said . . .Thanks for the heads up Philip...I will most certainly head to one of those spots if I can.
With BG now the starter...does anyone think it is about time Bradley finally gets some playing time? He seems much more suited to catch the short pass and create some YAC than even Moose would at this point. Get the man in there, what have we got to lose at this point?
September 26, 2007
#43 Shady McBears Fan said . . .Mark Bradley is in Lovie's doghouse. Lovie has publicly labeled him the 5th receiver, which is a direct slap at Bradley. Lovie very rarely calls out specific players. I suspect Bradley's work ethic leaves something to be desired. If he is 5th receiver among a group that includes the washed up Mushin Muhammed, a slot receiver project in Rashied Davis and another project in Devin Hester??? Then that tells me the Lovie and company thinks he is shit. Bradley is in his third season folks. If he hasn't made an impression and can't overcome the guys ahead of hin on the depth chart?? B.U.S.T.
September 26, 2007
#44 Nicole is broken said . . .Lovie today: Brian is our quarterback. (And we'll go from there...with a breath of fresh air.)
Mark Schlereth says this move makes the Bears #1 again in the NFC. You guys agree?
Griesie says he has a lot of respect for the way Grossman handled this whole situation, even though he had every right to be angry. They also showed a statistic in which Rex Grossman, since week 6 of 2006, has the lowest completion percentage (51) passer rating (53) with the most INTs (26). Tough for Grossman to take. But at least he understands why a change HAD to be made.
Griese promised to work hard and hopes to bring a different ATTITUDE to the offense which he hopes will be 'good enough'. I'm pretty damn excited about Griese starting on Sunday I gotta say. These next few games against Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota are BIG division games they need to win, NOW.
The Bears are favored by about 3pts in Detroit. Sound right to you?
PNSE reports 'breaking news' Michael Vick tested positive for Marijuana. Is that really breaking news to you?
September 26, 2007
#45 Mike said . . .Bears were also favored 3 against Dallas.
I'd buy a Booty jersey :)September 26, 2007
#46 JL said . . .Mark Schlerth needs to put the crack pipe down. Best team in the NFC?!?! Please. Look at this team's o-line, running back situation and receiving corp. To go along with our new journeyman starting QB and a significantly injured defense.
September 26, 2007
#47 JL said . . .Hey Bears fans, think we made the right decision? Here's a stat line for you:
Rex Grossman (last 7 games including playoffs):
Touchdowns: 4
Interceptions: 12
Fumbles Lost: 3
Passer Rating: 51I welcome the Griese era.
September 26, 2007
#48 allen said . . .Sorry, didn't mean to say "Griese era." I meant "Griese period"
GO BEARS! Right on about Schlereth. The NFC is wide open right now.
September 26, 2007
#49 Rancid said . . .mark schlereth is nuts. but i still think the bears will beat the lions; come on its the lions on the other hand the packers remind me of the of the 90s OUCH
September 26, 2007
#50 Pissed Off said . . .Interesting to see that the last time that Griese was given the starter position (TB 05) He went 5-1 before going down to season ending injury. I'm not getting too excited as it was 2 years ago, but it does show he isn't the total wash-up some portray him as.
September 26, 2007
#51 Phil from SATX said . . .JL why dont you go ahead and post Rexs stats like that for his entire career instead of just his last 7 games?
Coxy, are you as excited as I am to start bashing Griese? Its going to be fun.
September 26, 2007
#52 Rancid said . . .Gone all morning. PO'd, StartO and Al, I typically respect your opinions, but you're all living in the past about Rex Grossman. You need to get over it. Everyone else has, and you can call me Benedict Arnold or any other silly thing you want, but those stat lines say it all.
I am a Bearimist, and hold out the hope that Rex's absence from the lineup is going to do more for our offense, and for our whole team for that matter, than we can even imagine. I don't think Rex has had the confidence of his teammates for some time now. And if a QB doesn't have the confidence of his teammates, he's lost already.
Who cares if BG is the future? Mike, if he is Jim Miller, I'll be ecstatic, because Jim Miller would have won us a Super Bowl last year. I really know nothing about how BG plays, he does throw interceptions, I think the key will be how well does he move inside the pocket and how improvisational can he be. Don't know, looking forward to finding out. I can't believe opposing defenses will change their philosophy now that Rex is gone, it will still be the Lion's game plan to rush the crap out of BG and see what he does. He CAN'T be worse than Rex at avoiding pressure and improvising, and while we can't hope for a Tony Romo, hopefully he's much better at what we had.
I heard on national radio them talking about how it's going to be hard for the Bear offense since opposing defenses know that Griese can't throw deep. To that I will comment that I didn't see Romo throw one deep ball, but I saw an amazing amount of success hitting Witten and TO in the short to intermediate zone. Don't know why we can't do that too.
Northside Superfan, welcome to the site, and thanks for the lone assist on helping me with my thumb in the dike against all the anti-Benson tide. I appreciate it.
Any end of an old era is the beginning of a new one. And while I am very sad that the Rex Grossman era didn't work out, I am pleased that the coaches made the move when they did, against our expectations. It gives me hope.
We WILL beat the Lions. Go Bears, go BG!
September 26, 2007
#53 Bill said . . .POed - If you're pulling for BG to fail so you can have fun "bashing" on him in here, then you're as bad as every Rex hater you've ever called out in here for not being a true fan. I agree that JL's post was incomplete and designed to make Rex look worse than he was, but I can't believe you would write that you are looking forward to BG potentially playing poorly. Will you now be disappointed if he plays well? Seems like a dumb thing to say to me.
September 26, 2007
#54 Al in WI said . . .JL's point was that Rex had fallen significantly and showed no signs whatsoever of recovering, despite an entire offseason, preseason, and three regular season games. He got more chances than Tank Johnson.
September 26, 2007
#55 JL said . . .If you have the time, everyone should check out Hub Arkush's interview from wscr (www.670thescore.com) yesterday afternoon. There is some Cub talk and some off topic stuff, but he hits some key points on the Bears offense. Most notably how underachiver puke Moose threw Grossman under the bus again this week just as he did Orton in 2005. And what to expect from Griese.
Thanks for the props Po'd, I haven't been this down on a Bears team since 2004 during the Quin and Krenzel time.September 26, 2007
#56 Pissed Off said . . .Rancid, I used to be the biggest Rex supporter and my stat line was just to show a recent pattern. We know Rex had a great first six weeks last year, but after that his stats are awful no matter how you slice it. I was a Rex supporter, but the numbers don't lie. And forget the stats, just unbury the visual memories of the Miami game last year, the Arizona game, the SB, and every game this season.
Wait - why are we still talking about Rex? It's over! Let's focus on the Lions!
Lovie VIDEO on the benching on ESPN.com:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3037222September 26, 2007
#57 Mike said . . .For sure Al. I dont want Griese to fail like everyone wanted Rex to fail or get injured so his season would end (thats pretty low even for some of the bottom feeders that post here). I just think it will happen and I'll be happy to rip on BG when it does, yes I will take pleasure in it...so what.
Anyone know where I can watch that press conference today where lovie says he's going with Griese, or any player interviews?nfl.com doesnt have it neither does cb.com. I caught some of the highlights of it on ESPNnews at lunch.
September 26, 2007
#58 Pissed Off said . . .Mushin Muhammed is a washed up cancer in my opinion. Lovie should send a message to the entire offense and cut Muhammed. He's got nothing left in the tank, other than of course his divisive attitude.
Of course Brian Griese isn't a savior. In many ways, he is simply older version of Rex Grossman. Griese drove offensive mastermind Mike Shanahan bonkers in Denver. And he bounced around from Denver to Miami to Tampa Bay to Chicago for a reason. He's a band-aid in Chicago. Nothing more.
September 26, 2007
#59 Phil from SATX said . . .Thanks for the link JL, I dont suppose there is a longer version somewhere? Were any other players interviewed I wonder?
Had to laugh at the BG part of the clip, what a smug SOB, I'm just sure you respect Rex Brian. Not that he should but dont lie about it and I liked his "gee golly gosh" we had a "candid conversation" comment and smirk.
GO BEARS!
God this sucks for me right now. Im finding myself more negative on this team now than I have ever been, I'm starting to see things Mike's way and I'm starting to enjoy his posts.
September 26, 2007
#60 Phil from SATX said . . .Okay Debbie Downer. Mike, can't you think of anything positive? You were in favor of yanking Rex, now you can't say anything good? How about that Coach Lovie surprised everybody and gave us some indication that he can make some moves on the fly?
I agree, and have posted previously, that Moose can be a negative teammate and a prima donna that is certainly not justified by his production when in Chicago. But in his defense, his most egregrious examples of this were in 2005 with the rookie Orton who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn that year, and this year's version of Broken Rex. Aside from the Good Rex games of last year, he really hasn't had a lot to work with since he's been here.
I don't like his attitude either, I only hope that he and Griese can get something going together. I also had noted before about Griese's preseason chemistry with Bradley. Maybe we'll see some of that based on their history. Of course, since they were both backups, maybe BG hasn't had a chance yet to develop chemistry with the starters - don't know how he could.
September 26, 2007
#61 Stephanie said . . .PO'd, you better start asking yourself whether you're a Bears fan, or really just a Rex fan. Cause you sure don't sound like a Bears fan right now.
"Smug SOB" - what has BG done since he's been here to deserve your ire? He's been nothing but a team player. And now you're hoping to hell that he'll fail.
Take off the Rex googles, man! Become a Bears fan! There's still hope for this year!
September 26, 2007
#62 Mike said . . .Unfortunately QB is only one of MANY areas of the offense that needs to improve drastically. Ron Turner needs to call better plays, Benson and Peterson need to get some rushing yardage that actually exceed 75 yards combined, Berrian needs to catch a ball for once, The O line needs to give the QB more time and better protection.... I think you get the point.
I don't know how I feel about playing Griese. He isn't the anwer. I actually would like to see the supposedly new and improved Orton. Either way, a change seems to be what the team needs.
September 26, 2007
#63 Rancid said . . .Video of Pissed Off visiting the doctor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIlKiRPSNGA
September 26, 2007
#64 jeff said . . ."Begin each day by drinking a full glass of your own urine and then you can pretty much guarantee that nothing worse will happen all day long."
I'm recommending this as a cure for all the negativity on here and especially those who somehow seem to enjoy trashing any Bear player they can think of and predicting blowout losses every Sunday.
September 26, 2007
#65 beardown1982 said . . .just wanted to check back in to see that everybody's okay. we're gonna win sunday.
September 26, 2007
#66 beardown1982 said . . .I think everyone should go watch Pure Payton, or play Madden with the Bears against the Packers on the easy level for thirty minutes.
Maybe it will calm our nerves...
September 26, 2007
#67 jeff said . . .I just found out that my sister is getting married at Walter Payton's Roundhouse in Aurora a little over a year from now. How sweet is that?!?!?!
September 26, 2007
#68 Pissed Off said . . .full disclosure: i was HUGE brian griese fan a few years back. (7 years back now) and i'm really rooting for him sunday. i'm also really fucking pumped.
September 26, 2007
#69 Pissed Off said . . .Phil, I like Rex yeah, so what, he's a Bear. I'm a Bears fan. And you need to take off your Benson goggles before you start criticizing me. When Rex no longer is a Bear, which seems that he wont be after this year, I wont switch to liking whatever team he joins, so please dont question my allegiance to the Bears ever again.
September 26, 2007
#70 StartOlsen said . . .My condolences Jeff, you're in for some disappointment, if not Sunday it will come soon. BG has been a journeyman and theres reason for that. On the bright side he should have a good day though against that Det defense.
September 26, 2007
#71 ron - not a rex hater - but not a Griese lover said . . .Phil says "....Jim Miller would have won us a super bowl last year.."
We are ignoring the elephant in the room, which is, if that logic is true, Brian Griese would have won us a super bowl last year.
This threatens to send me spiraling into a depression I may never climb out of.
Until the Bears win, anyway. Then all this shit will be gone and we'll all be happy again.
September 26, 2007
#72 Halfway Monster said . . .Man. I am happy.
Monday am I swore never to go to another bears game UNTIL they pulled grossman atleast once or started someone else once. So I am hapy I got let off the hook.Is this the end all? Nope. But it is time to Win now and wish the Big G the best of luck
September 26, 2007
#73 The Bears are too Fat said . . .HA! Seventy Second!
--Halfway--
September 26, 2007
#74 Phil from SATX said . . .Not all carbohydrate foods are created equal, in fact they behave quite differently in our bodies. The glycemic index or GI describes this difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low GI carbs - the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels - is the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss.
September 26, 2007
#75 Mike said . . .BG would not have won us a SB last year - UNLESS he had had a bunch a games to get ready for the post season, and then maybe he would have. I don't fault Lovie or the BT for making the decisions they made last year - they made sense at the time (with the glaring exception of not yanking Rex in his bad games and subbing Griese for the rest of those games - might have helped Rex AND helped Griese).
And I am assuming that, in the offseason, they had many discussions about whether these 3 QBs were the right ones to have on the roster. And I assume further that that decision had to be based on an understanding that there was some measurable probability that Rex would fail this year, that his offseason makeover, new QB coach and additional maturation would not be enough.
So from all that assuming, I'm assuming further that Lovie believes in BG, that he can be a viable option for us. And I'm hoping beyond hope that he is right. Remember, this didn't come out of left field. This had to be considered and accounted for.
Now if BG goes out there and blows consistently, even worse than Rex, than I have serious doubt about these guys' abilities to evaluate QBs. But I don't think that will happen, and I sure hope it doesn't. Cause if they were wrong about Rex and Griese, what are the chances they were right about Orton?
not real good
Go Bears! Bring out the Bearimist in all of us! (except Mike, who has none in his DNA)
September 26, 2007
#76 Mike said . . .Brian Griese would NOT have won the game against Indy. Criminy. Peyton Manning systematically picked apart the Bears defense all game long. It might have helped if we had a capable QB on our side and could have chewed up more time of possession, but it wouldnt' have changed the result of the game. The Colts were clearly superior to the Bears.
September 26, 2007
#77 Phil from SATX said . . .The first elephant in the room is this -- the high water mark for this team was 2006. Nobody wants to admit it, but it is true. The Bears have significant and numerous holes to address this upcoming offseason...short-term QB, long-term QB, a couple wide receivers, at least a couple offensive lineman, help at safety, replacement for Lance Briggs.
The second elephant in the room is this -- we are into the 4th year of the Lovie Smith regime. Historians will recall that it was also the 4th year of the Dave Wannstedt regime and the Dick Jauron regime when things turned to shit in a hurry. History is repeating itself all over again. It's not about me being negative or pessismistic or Debbie Downer. Rather it is me being realist.
September 26, 2007
#78 Phil from SATX said . . .See what I mean?
September 26, 2007
#79 Bill said . . .And maybe Lovie hasn't won us a Super Bowl, but I still have way more confidence in him than I did in those other two guys, especially Dave Wannstedt, one of the worst head coaches ever to coach in the NFL. (not to take anything away from Dave Campo).
I still believe in the combination of Lovie and Angelo and think that's a much better combination than we've had before (I believe the appropriate comparison to the Wannstadt era would have been Wanny/Michael McCaskey - how 'bout that duo?)
You are looking at a spurious correlation (that should perk up MikeBDot, our resident statistician).
But be honest, Mike, you're really just doing this to jerk our collective chains, right? Kind of like how Rush Limbaugh used to be a liberal 'til he changed to a conservative for the ratings?
September 26, 2007
#80 big rob said . . .The examples we wind up citing here are kind of pathetic when you put them all together. Rex is better than Cade; Griese is as good as Miller or Kramer; Lovie is better than Wanny. Angelo is better than McCaskey.
Here is a scary truth to reconsider - the BEARS as an organization have no real interest in getting this right. They've got the stadium, the seat license thing, a big football loving market with no competition.
I agree that 2006 was the height; we are now unexpectedly in a rebuilding phase. I will say though that the contracts and resulting security Angelo and Lovie have will give them the time to do it. I just wish I had some faith in their abilty to evaluate talent on offense.
By the way, I read that Lovie said Griese was the only change we'll see on offense. So we'll see if Moose steps it up.
September 26, 2007
#81 Mike said . . .This made me feel a little better about the change...
http://www.chicagobears.com/multimedia/multimediapopup.asp?MM_FILE_ID=929&PLAY_CLIP=Y
I really hope he takes us to another level!!
September 26, 2007
#82 big rob said . . .I like Lovie Smith a great deal. He is clearly superior to the perpetually befuddled Dave Wannstedt and the in way over his head Dick Jauron. I'm just saying that this IS the 4th year of the Lovie regime and that his previous two predecessors went from the toast of the town to eating shit sandwiches their 4th year.
September 26, 2007
#83 Midway Monster said . . .Mike you say you are a Bears fan but all you ever have to say is negative things about this team. What do you root for or like about them? Since your such a realist tell us about all the good things you enjoy about this Bears squad... I get sick and tired of hearing you Bitch like a little girl every damn day.
September 26, 2007
#84 Mike said . . .Buckle up boys n girls - We are going to win Sunday, It will be the start of a 3 game winning streak.
--Midway--
September 26, 2007
#85 big rob said . . .Well jeepers Big Rob. I'm not self-medicated like you, therefore I tend to see the reality of things a bit clearer. Like for instance how our record is 1-2, our previous poster boy QB is the 33rd ranked QB in the league, Cedric Benson is Hurtis Penis reincarnate, our wide receivers are woefully inadequate, the o-line is all used up, and their are five defensive starters from opening day out with injury.
I make no apologies for being disgusted with the Bears right now. I've earned that privilege after following this team since 1976 and having lived through the Neal Fucking Armstrong years and the Michael McCasket years and the Dave Fucking Wannstedt years and the Dick in a Jar years. So pardon me if I'm PISSED OFF having come to the realization that 2006 was the high water mark for this fucked up franchise.
September 26, 2007
#86 mikebdot said . . .Thank you for the response Mike.
September 26, 2007
#87 big rob said . . .Phil: I make no statistician claims, just have enough knowledge to be dangerous. But, the 4 year thing is just goofy. Everyone can find patterns if they look hard enough. I like to make a hypothesis prior to looking at the data, and even then that does nothing to support the hypothesis, it's only a "oh, I might be on to something here, let's see what happens next time".
For someone like Mike though it's obvious he has no faith in this team. He sounds very much like Jay Mariotti to be honest, which is why I've tried to quit reading his posts, but there are just so many of them.
Just because one has been a Bears fan doesn't mean one has EARNED anything. But, then again I find the notion of granfalloons quite silly. What's kind of funny though is that every time I meet someone that likes Vonnegut I feel a connection. How strange.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granfalloon
With Bears fans it's a bit different because I grew up in Chicago, and I knew some real assholes there, so being a Bears fan earns someone absolutely nothing. If they grew up somewhere else, that's a different story...
If Chicago sports fans want some "good" news though..."Dollar" Bill Wirtz died today, wonder if THAT fucked organization will get better or worse...Incidentally, I'm 27 years old today.
September 26, 2007
#88 syed said . . .Happy Birthday mikebdot.... Glad you made it to 27... my 28th is coming up the day after the Bears victory over Detroit....
September 26, 2007
#89 syed said . . .Orton should be starting, i think the season is toast so why not see what ORTON is made of, does any one remember how Brady started for PATS he was 3rd in depth chart behind Bledsoe & Huard, it is wishful thinking but is there some one out there who sees it like iam seeing it???
September 26, 2007
#90 Midway Monster said . . .bears going 1-15
September 26, 2007
#91 The Pack is Back said . . .Hey Mike &Big Rob. no self-medicating on this blog please
--Midway--
September 26, 2007
#92 The Pack is Back said . . .There's a big difference between an NFL roster, and the players on the roster who play on Sunday. Some posters here, like many in the general public, have evaluated the situation incorrectly. AFAIK, lovie did not create the roster, but he CHOSE to play rex. There is no doubt that rex single-handedly lost the SB. As another poster pointed out, Peyton Manning was responsible for the damage to the defense, not the indy offense. Likewise, it was rex that DIDN'T tear up the indy defense. Also, indy did not have nearly the same defensive power, by far, as the bears had, so it would have only taken a decent QB with some help to do the required damage and protect the ball. Absolutely, griese, a 1-time pro-bowler, could have done that.
Now the fault lies with lovie, no doubt, because he was THE DECIDER (where've I heard that one before). And he had the roster to do better. Dave Wannstedt, on the other hand, was never given nearly the same talent from which to decide and yet he made decisions that gave the team a chance to win. I do recall occasions where Dave Wannstedt's game-time decision making was solely responsible for putting up a "W." Not so with lovie. So let's not compare the two and not take all the factors into account.
September 26, 2007
#93 JL said . . .BTW - I never said I wasn't a bear fan. I'm a fan of the game.
September 26, 2007
#94 Rancid said . . .First of all, let's not trash BERRIAN because he dropped 3 balls last Sunday. He doesn't suffer from the dropsies generally and just had a bad game. He'll be better. MOOSE is probably too slow to go to on the fade routes but he can still be productive after the catch, and Griese needs to find him on short slants. And let's not forget how punishing a blocker MOOSE is, and how valuable that is to this team.
We started 1-3 in 2005 and turned it around after our OT victory at Ford Field, which sparked 7 straight wins before the eventual Superbowl champion Steelers steamrolled us in the snow. Remember how excited the crowd was when Grossman made his return vs. the Falcons on a 6 degree night at Soldier field? Remember how he added new life to an offense that couldn't move the ball to save its life? Remember Michael Vick playing football?!?
It's amazing how the tables have turned and now Griese has that same chance to bring that freshness back to the offense.
Clean up your vomit and throw your faith back into the season. Fuck Mariotti and his witless rhetoric. The NFC is still there for the taking and this Sunday we take back the shitty North.
September 27, 2007
#95 Rancid said . . .I'm not reading Mike's posts for at least 24 hours. I almost slit my wrists after that last batch. I refuse to go totally negative. You can't. 1-15 is for losers and I won't go there. Am I just DELUSIONAL? (he he he) No, I'm not. I went into this season planning on a return Super Bowl trip and an NFC North Title. That has been downgraded to just aiming for making the pllayoffs. I am not saying we haven't taken a few serious hits, but we're not the Falcons or Bills for crying out loud and that how a lot of you are sounding.
September 27, 2007
#96 The Pack is Back said . . .JL - Good post. I hadn't realized the similarities to the 2005 season. Too bad Harrington isn't still the QB. Here we are again, 1-2 going into Ford Field. I believe we'll have the same kind of season.
September 27, 2007
#97 Z said . . .The lions sucked in 2005. Now they're better. Not great, but better.
The bears' defense was intact in 2005. Now it's not in good shape. Not terrible shape, but not good.
So who knows? It all depends on the defense. How beat up are they really?
I took the pts last week without hesitating. This week I just don't know...
I do know that the detroit D is available as a free agent in most fantasy leagues. Probably something to consider if yours is on a bye.
September 27, 2007
#98 At least you had the refs on your side when you played Dallas said . . .I have held out for posting the last few days because I have been a bipolar Bears fan. My mind just keeps going back and forth about these recent events. I have been completely guilty of being that fan expecting to dominate the NFC and go back to the SB with relative ease. The steady diet of crow in my belly has humbled me plenty.
I am not sure if I just didn't see a lot of the potential problems with the team because we were winning in spite of them or if some have just popped up on us because of new circumstanes. Obviously the endless onslaught of injuries has gutted what no can deny is a great D when healthy (to call them overrated is just not smart football analysis, when healthy, those guys are truly Monsters of the Midway).I wonder if our O is as weak as it seems lately or if they have no swagger or punch because of the slow start by almost everyone on it and if it can be jump started with a good outing ot two. Are Moose and the Oline really 156 years old or will some good wins re-energize them. (While they haven't been out there much to gel, they haven't been out there much to be tired either). Was TJ that great or are Ced's low #'s mostly due to the rest of the O sputtering. I thought Bradley had a chance to contribute now that he is healthy but I have no idea what is going on there and BB looks potentially like a reliable target except for last game and a few other plays, but why haven't we drafted a WR in the high rounds in forever, especially when the D has been pretty stacked for awhile. (Wouldn't that help a developing QB to have a true #1 receiver to count on.) I am banking the O on our TE's, sorry Olsen, I know it isn't fair to a Rookie, but we need you. I had to fight off saying bench Rex out loud in the 3rd Q and I gave in and said it in the 4th. I don't think we have a good option at QB on this team. But maybe a serviceable one who can throw some consistent short stuff and not have the TO's will be enough. We have done it B4.
I have even started to have doubts about why Babich cant seem to adjust, the #1 receiver and TE's have been eating us alive. Can Lovie make the in-game adjustments necessary and is RT being held back by the O, or the other way around, he certainly doesn't seem to be helping it much? I have trusted the BT because we were winning, now we will see if that trust has been warranted.
The injury news is going better than I expected http://blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2007/09/wednesday_practice_update.html#more this is the most recent I have found. Despite all of this, I still believe we have a great ST and a good D that should continue to climb back to very good and maybe even great as we get pieces of the puzzle back. Can the O give us something to keep us in these battles? I still believe it can with any of the QB's (but maybe not Rex for awhile, he needs to rest his battered psyche). We don't need that much, just some ball control to let the D rest, some drives even if they lead to mostly FG's and most importantly no TO's . We can still make the playoffs, I know it. It will be much harder than I thought, but there aren't a lot of great teams inthe NFC. Each game will be a harder battle than I envisioned just a few weeks ago, but they are battles I believe we can mostly win. Don't us Chicago fans get bored when there isn't a great challenge or adversity. Well here it is. We are 3 weeks into the season. We are the defending NFC Champions until someone takes it away from us. We can't give up. There is a lot of football left to play and we have some excellent players on our team. Will it be enough? None of us know, so support and cheer for the team we have. All true Bears fans will.
Sorry, probably my longet post ever. Drastic times!
Bear Down
September 27, 2007
#99 Tilkiflexia said . . .To all the Bears fans,
I am a die hard Cowboys fan. Been with them since 1989. You think you have it bad try going through a 1 win season like that. Any way my point I am attempting to make is that. You have a very strong defense but in this league to say "you win championships with defense" is a cliche that no longer exist. You have to air it out or run it. You can't make a car run with only 3 tires rolling. Look at the Pats. All 3 phases have to work to win the game. One thing is for sure you have one the best coaches in the league and if the front office gives him what he wants the Bears will be one of top teams again.
Sad to say but the NFC are the step children of the NFL. Keep your heads up and stay tuned. Because of parity in the league everyone gets a chance to shine. Think about in the 90's did you really think Cincy would be a dominant team or the Pats for that matter. When I was watching the game remembering all of the post people put on this blog about not scoring 21 pts against the bears then seeing the refs act like cheerleaders for the Bears I was sick. But after the Boys came out with a convincing thrashing of the Bears I realized Dallas was pretty damn good now to stand toe to toe to a bad ass defense like that. make no mistake. If we play you in the playoffs i wont for one minute see this as a roll over. Dallas and Chicago could play again and have a different outcome. Anyway, My opinion (being a Cowboys fan) probably means as much as the cheese that fell off the pizza but hey its mine. Good Luck for the rest of the year.September 27, 2007
??????????? ??????? ? ???? RU ?? 115 ?????? ?? ???,
??????????? ?? ????? - www.rusureg.ru, icq - 575225April 25, 2008
Here at DaBearsBlog, you are free to kill us or the Bears as you so wish. You are not free, however, to be an asshole. So if you spew racism or ill-meaning foul language (cursing about football is just fine) or anything of that ilk, your comments ain't gonna last long, jerk.