Camp is only a couple weeks away so some actual opinion might resurface on this website but in the meantime I'm just reading everything I can and formulating mindless conjecture on said topics. You'll see through it because it's transparent as a McDonald's burger wrapper.
1. Don Pompeii (on the program formerly known as Cold Pizza) actually said that the consensus in-and-around Halas Hall is that Kyle Orton very well might be the starting quarterback in Indianapolis come the first week of the season. Say what you will about not having a quarterback, it sure is going to make the preseason something to watch. (Why can't HBO and NFL Network put the Bears on Hard Knocks this year?)
2. According to NFL.com, Kevin Jones held a private workout for a handful of teams. The Bears were not one of them. Note to the Bears: before you put all your eggs in the Matt Forte basket, you might want to sign him.
3. There are funny stories and then there's this story from Pro Football Talk. I wish the Bears could show this kind of spunk from the front office.
#2 Bears99 said . . .The QB derby won't be decided until the 3rd preseason game. They've learned not to judge Rex by his training camp performance. I'll still believe Orton winning it when I see it.
July 1, 2008
#3 Taylor said . . .http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=4838
July 1, 2008
#4 animal said . . .Spunk? I think it just shows a lack of class.
It just seems ridiculous to me that the Bears aren't even looking at veteran RB. They need to account for injuries, not to mention that their blind faith in Forte gives him way too much leverage with regard to his contract. I just don't even see how it's possible that KO is winning the QB battle, I'll believe it when I see it.July 1, 2008
#5 Rancid said . . .just signed Harrison, Bennett and Bowman. Right on. Now get the last two signed.
July 1, 2008
#6 Pissed Off said . . .1. I am really hoping its Rex, but will be ok if it's Orten
2. I know it's nuts but I am ok with the RB situation. I've said it before but 53 is a small number. People will get cut. Drafting Wolfe was the original mistake. I do not think we will carry 4 RB. If we pick up another RB, we cut someone seomwhere else.
3. I fucking HATE the patriots, but I still think that's funny. To anyone who says it isn't classy, imagine if we had done it to the Pack. We'd be loving it.
July 1, 2008
#7 said . . .If Orton is seriously the opening night starter....well lets just not go there yet. The team knows what they have in Rex in regards to training camp and preseason. I wonder if this is just a ploy to make the competition look close knowing that Rex will win the job in preseason. I just dont get why they would have signed Rex to a one year deal if he wasnt going to be the guy, what would be the point. Like I said they know what they have with him in regards to what he will show to be named the opening day starter and so knowing exactly how he will perform what did they expect? It baffles me.
I second the opinions on hating the Pats, I hate them probably more than any other sports franchises, you can throw them in with the Lakers, Spurs, Mavs, and Packers.
July 1, 2008
#8 animal said . . .Rex is a far more talented QB, with a bigger arm, more moxie, more potential and a trip to the SB on his resume. He is the better QB over Orton, period, hands down, no question. Orton is the "safer" guy because he is limited and will have the reigns on. Safer meaning he'll give us 12 TDs and 12 INTs while a full year of Grossman will be more like 24/18. Its a risk/reward vs. dink and dunk option.
Jeff that story is hilarious, and the point Rancid makes about imaging it was us and the pack is perfect. Rub it in on your rivals. We should do something to commemorate beating the pack 5 out of 6 the past three years.July 1, 2008
#9 Taylor said . . .sorry. 7 was me.
July 1, 2008
#10 animal said . . .The conspiracy theorist in me agrees with POed, that this may be a ploy to make it look like a fair competition.
IF (big if) KO is gonna win the job, I think that the only way he can do it is in the preseaon games, by being a game manager and being safe and at the same time Rex would have to show that he is incapable of not turning the ball over. KO is not gonna impress anyone with amazing throws.July 1, 2008
#11 Oaktown34luv said . . .exactly taylor. Orton won't make the big play, but he in theory will have less risk. Just look at how Eli, a very similar QB to Rex, matured given time, support and weapons. Orton can never be Eli or Rex. But, he could possibly be Trent Dilfer with a great D, as evidenced in 2005. Thus the conundrum the two present us. Im still with giving the Sex Cannon this year to mature and get it, or fail and hit the road.
July 1, 2008
#12 Oaktown34luv said . . .Regarding Rex vs.. Orton...Have you ever been watching something that you've see a 1,000 times before and then the 1,001st time you see it, you suddenly see something different about it and say "how could I have not noticed that before!?"
That's what happened when I was watching clips of QB play on NFL Network (NN) the other day. The NN piece was on Green Bay's Kyle Boller and whether or not he could fill Favre's shoes. They were showing some of the passes Boller has thrown in the NFL. Nothing special, just basic take the snap, drop back, check the receivers, pick one out, and deliver the ball type stuff. I was watching the clips and suddenly I realized that something was happening that I don't see very often with the Bears.
Boller was seeing deep receivers covered and then checking down and completing 3 to 7 yard passes over the middle like it was nothing. And in the over all scheme of things a 3 to 7 yard pass over the middle IS nothing. It's just a check-down low risk pass that most of the time is not even a 1st down, but it is positive yards. So I got to thinking "how many times does Rex do that?" And It's almost never!! He doesn't throw to that area of the field because he is not able to see that area very well due to his height.
I'll grant you Rex does throw quick slants to the TE very well because the play is quick, the D-linemen aren't standing all the way up yet and he has a 'clear window' to the TE. But I am talking about when plays break down, the D-lineman have all stood up and the QB has to check down and 'create' something. Rex cannot utilize that Low-Risk Over The Middle Dink (LROTMD) in those situations. If he does throw there it is not a low-risk pass because the D-linemen have their eyes open and the ball is likely to get batted in the air, (how many times have you choked on your beer watching that happen!). And if you take that LROTMD out of a QB's arsenal, he is that much more limited when it comes to moving the chains. I think this is one of the reasons (not mentioning O-line, RB, play-calling), why Rex seems to always be facing 3rd and very long.
Orton has the height and conservative attitude to keep the LROTMD a big part of the 'O'. I think this plus Orton's better pocket-savvy will trump Rex's big-arm/big-play potential when the QB choice is made.
Go Bears!!!
July 2, 2008
#13 shonbear said . . .Oops! I meant Arron Rodgers on GB not Kyle Boller. GB sucks either way.
July 2, 2008
#14 shonbear said . . .These inside media reports about who is doing better has to be false. There has been no indication of who is better. Right now nobody has the edge, they look the same, but the defense has looked great regardless of who's behind center. This won't be decided until the preseason games.
KO had shown that he can make the big play from time to time. He is likely to take a little more risk during the preseason in light of the "competition". To Rex it comes naturally to make the big play, so those plays and ball protection are going to be the determining factors.
It might amount to which QB has worked more in their off time getting timing with the key receivers and then translating it to the field during live play. Remember theyse guys are going to start off playing like 1-2 quarters and the second half will be the 3rd guys. Will someone get nicked up during preseason and not be able to continue with a fair competition? Will the receivers execute equally as well for each QB, thus missed passes get marked down against whoever the unfortunate thrower was at the time.
How's this for a conspiracy, maybe the receivers will miss on purpose to get the guy they want throwing to them (doubtful though cause they want to start too).
I still stick to my theory about what the organization is doing about the signing of the free agents. The focus being the following:
1. Sign rooks
2. Possibly resolve the Devin Brian issue.
3. What cuts are we thinking about to get to the 53.
4. What good players will be cut by other teams can we capitalize on.Primarily it's about the dollars now, so they think they have the core they need right now and then will be able to improve later when players start getting injuries, get cut or don't meet the standard during training camp and are released.
Let the record show that I will come back to da site and remind everybody how right I was.
It doens't seem like a bad thought process, but I worry about losing the oportunity to pick up one of these potentially good running backs or offensive linemen and then watching them excel for another team, or even worse against us. How would that be to watch a guy run up and down on us when they should have been on our team?
July 2, 2008
#15 Oaktown34luv said . . .Oaktown34luv, I like your points, but I also think it's Ron Turner's responsibility to create passing lanes via correct blocking schemes that offset Rex's inability to see over the line. Also a running attack that needs to be respected will open those down the field (not bombs, but say 10-20 yard passes) with the play action pass. More use of the shot gun (which both QB's appreciate) will also make both QB's more successful.
Can't argue Rex's pocket presence or check down ability. I think that the not being able to see over the line is overated. There are plenty of QB's that don't have to have that and sure Rogers may have looked ok, but it's still too soon to tell how good he will be in the future on all fronts. For that matter, if we were to judge Grossman over the month of Sept 2006, he's looking like the MVP of the league. We all have hopes that we can see Sept 06 Rex and not only that, but that he will be even better than that.
July 2, 2008
#16 Oaktown34luv said . . .Shonbear, I like my points too. Especially the last one in #12.
July 2, 2008
#17 Oaktown34luv said . . .Shonbear, I like my points too. Especially the last one in #12.
July 2, 2008
#18 Max said . . .the dreaded DP. stupid laptop!
July 2, 2008
#19 Pissed Off said . . .Seriously, i dont feel the most confident about having to go with just Forte and A.P, but no to Kevin Jones
Im sorry Jeff, but Kevin jones is an injury prone snow job. Im over it. Forte with A.P backin him up and Wolfe as the 3rd down back is good enough for me. Adding KJ would be useless and cost more money than its worth.
Kevin Jones just isnt the answer. Hes not. Im sorry.
July 2, 2008
#20 KentuckyBearsFan said . . .I'm not convinced Kevin Jones is the answer, but I'm also not convinced he's not. I just dont know, he is injury prone but he's young and he should get picked up for pretty cheap, and if you give him an incentive laden contract you dont lose much if he sucks or gets hurt.
Shonbear brought it up but I was going to as well about Sept 06 Rex. During that stretch he was hitting everyone, not just the bombs but the short and intermediate stuff as well. There was really no flaw to his game for a while. Thats why I think the height is overrated...a little. Its not the end all but being 6'6" is helpful. I'd really also like to know how tall Rex and some of these guys actually are. What if he's only 5'10", it wont change my opinion of him or his ability but I'm just thinking back to that Jerome Beasley talk where he was listed at 6'10" but measured at 6'7". In the basketball world that like going from PF/C to SG/SF.
July 2, 2008
#21 Max said . . .As a 3rd down back, is Garrett Wolfe fast enough to get to the corner? My memories of last year were that the plays gained little yardage...but so did those awful awful failed Ron Turner reverses or end arounds with bad timing and a bad line with DEVIN HESTER...and we all know it's not Hester's lack of speed being the reason for failure.
Wolfe stats:
http://www.chicagobears.com/team/player114.htmlThe 2.7 YPC in 31 runs is horrible, but the 9 receptions averaging 13.0 yards is seems pretty good for a rookie back used in a limited role.
July 2, 2008
#22 Pissed Off said . . .You mean Michael Beasley?
July 2, 2008
#23 Pissed Off said . . .Yeah I meant Michael Beasley, who the fuck is Jerome Beasley?
July 2, 2008
#24 jonathan said . . .I was thinking of a guy who went to sch0ol here at NDSU and was drafted but that was like 5 years ago. He also played on our D-league NBA team in Bismarck. Damn Beasleys, gettin em mixed up.
July 2, 2008
#25 Shady said . . .to anyone who thinks you have to be tall to be a good QB, two words: doug flutie
July 2, 2008
#26 Devin Hester The Defence Molester said . . .You guys are right, being able to see over the line is overrated... Why would you ever need to look downfield as a QB?
July 2, 2008
Not being able to see over the line is a problem no doubt but when the line can't hold up for 2 seconds and the d line is strutting about unchecked it does make the whole vision thing a little more difficult u know.
July 3, 2008
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