(Apologies in advance, this isn't Jeff its the Reverend. It’s been a couple years since I’ve posted but with Jeff somewhere outside Atlanta I said I’d put something up.)
I got Sunday Ticket beginning last year to cut down on my bar tab at Josie's but only end up watching it when the Bears aren’t playing. And after seven hours of the Red Zone channel it’s clear that while the Bears may have had the week off there were plenty of former Bears having big days.
Mark Bradley – The most recent ex-Bear and his new team almost upset the Dungaree poster boy and Mark had 5 catches, 42 yards and a very nice touchdown. Maybe it’s the Meadowlands, where in 2006 he had one of his best games in a Bears uniform, or maybe he just needed a real QB…like Tyler Thigpen.
Mike Singletary – The Samurai may have lost his head coaching debut but he did it in true Chicago Bears’ style with a post-game press conference destined for a Coors Light commercial not to mention his pulling of another ex-Bear, J.T. O’Sullivan who was doing his best Jonathan Quinn and his sending underperforming TE Vernon Davis to the showers. Mike’s wasting no time changing the atmosphere in that locker room. Some pundits have been critical of the Davis thing but it sounds like this is probably a long time coming and one only needs to look at Detroit to see where basing playing time on draft status gets you. Mike’s performance on Sunday has already inspired a remake of Bad to the Bone but personally I still prefer his eponymous song by The Interociter.
Moose Muhammad – Another big day from the petulant former Bear. His drop in the end zone was almost identical to the one he had against the Packers last year in Week 16. I was screaming at Jeff that he should have been cut then and found it enormously cathartic to see him doing it for someone else now. Post game media all sounded shocked that “Moose” dropped a ball. They clearly haven’t seen him play since his league leading ‘04 season. Since then the only number higher than his drops is the number of times he’s thrown quarterbacks under the bus.
Justin Gage – Not to be outdone, Gage dropped two while I was watching yesterday.
Bernard Berrian – Speaking of drops, the $7 million a year man didn’t have one this week. Probably cause he didn’t play.
And finally, even though it was the bye, Brian Urlacher managed to get his first score of the season as he was last seen Saturday night escorting a lovely young lady into a Vegas nightclub. Now normally as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone or affect their play I don’t care what NFL players do off the field. But with the decline in his play this year you’d think he’d maybe rest up and watch some film. And the last girl he brought back from Vegas was Paris Hilton. (Credit to Max and his legion of Scandinavian informants for this scoop.)
Congrats to all of them.
Only five days from the return of the Bears, bar tabs and Jeff on the blog. And hopefully your 2008 Chicago Bears will be monopolizing the Red Zone channel I won’t be watching this Sunday.
(UPDATE: Add Ronny Rivera to the list of ex-Bears having big weeks. He just got bumped up to Chargers’ DC)
(Apologies in advance, this isn't Jeff its the Reverend. It’s been a couple years since I’ve posted but with Jeff somewhere outside Atlanta I said I’d put something up.)
I got Sunday Ticket beginning last year to cut down on my bar tab at Josie's but only end up watching it when the Bears aren’t playing. And after seven hours of the Red Zone channel it’s clear that while the Bears may have had the week off there were plenty of former Bears having big days.
Mark Bradley – The most recent ex-Bear and his new team almost upset the Dungaree poster boy and Mark had 5 catches, 42 yards and a very nice touchdown catch. Maybe it’s the Meadowlands, where in 2006 he had one of his best games in a Bears uniform, or maybe he just needed a real QB…like Tyler Thigpen.
Mike Singletary – The Samurai may have lost his head coaching debut but he did it in true Chicago Bears’ style with a post-game press conference destined for a Coors Light commercial not to mention his pulling of another ex-Bear, J.T. O’Sullivan who was doing his best Jonathan Quinn and his sending underperforming TE Vernon Davis to the showers. Mike’s wasting no time changing the atmosphere in that locker room. Some pundits have been critical of the Davis thing but it sounds like this is probably a long time coming and one only needs to look at Detroit to see where basing playing time on draft status gets you. Mike’s performance on Sunday has already inspired a remake of Bad to the Bone but personally I still prefer his eponymous song by The Interociter.
Moose Muhammad – Another big day from the petulant former Bear. His drop in the end zone was almost identical to the one he had against the Packers last year in Week 16. I was screaming at Jeff that he should have been cut then and found it enormously cathartic to see him doing it for someone else now. Post game media all sounded shocked that “Moose” dropped a ball. They clearly haven’t seen him play since his league leading ‘04 season. Since then the only number higher than his drops is the number of times he’s thrown quarterbacks under the bus.
Justin Gage – Not to be outdone, Gage dropped two while I was watching yesterday.
Bernard Berrian – Speaking of drops, the $7 million a year man didn’t have one this week. Probably cause he didn’t play.
And finally, even though it was the bye, Brian Urlacher managed to get his first score of the season as he was last seen Saturday night escorting a lovely young lady into a Vegas nightclub. Now normally as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone or affect their play I don’t care what NFL players do off the field. But with the decline in his play this year you’d think he’d maybe rest up and watch some film. And the last girl he brought back from Vegas was Paris Hilton. (Credit to Max and his legion of Scandinavian informants for this scoop.)
Congrats to all of them.
Only five days from the return of the Bears, bar tabs and Jeff on the blog. And hopefully your 2008 Chicago Bears will be monopolizing the Red Zone channel I won’t be watching this Sunday.
(UPDATE: Add Ronny Rivera to the list of ex-Bears having exciting weeks. He just got bumped up to Chargers’ DC)
So I'm off with a Cuban on a quest for trouble that will ultimately lead us to the sordid streets of New Orleans, Louisiana. Two things: (1) I still need tickets for the December 11th Thursday night game against the Saints and (2) I followed a lot of football today.
Verdict: They're Good: I have said all along that I wouldn't wager a nickel on any one team making the playoffs. That's done. I'll take the New York Giants. In case you don't know, they went into Pittsburgh today and beat what I thought was the best team in the AFC while benching Plaxico Burress for most of the day. Tom Coughlin has taken a team and organization that spent a decade driven by star power and brought them back to the grittiness of the Parcells era.
Text Message of the Day: From Reverend Dave: "So Good to see moose drop open td catches for someone else". Note on the Panthers: they're the second best team in the NFC.
As fate would have it... the Lions and Bengals don't meet this season. So you've got to find me a game on either of their schedules they can win. The Bengals lost to Houston by 29 points today.
Brett Favre Rant Alert: I watched every second of this game and let me say this: Favre wasn't just bad...HE WAS AWFUL. He threw the patented Favre bomb - a pass ten yards beyond any offensive player into the shocked hands of a safety - TWICE! And announcer Dan Dierdorf still spent the fourth quarter complimenting his toughness and willingness to block. The Jets aren't any good and I'm willing to argue that the right now the #1 problem is #4.
Still Harping On This Alert: I wish my team had the most talented roster in the league (San Diego...according to everyone). Then we could be two games under .500 too. Seriously, this defense is pitiful.
Unofficial halfway point. Here are my predictions.
AFC
1. Pittsburgh
2. Tennessee
3. New England
4. Denver
5. Indianapolis
6. Buffalo
Wildcard Round: New England over Buffalo, Indianapolis over Denver
Division Round: Pittsburgh over Indianapolis, New England over Tennessee
AFC Championship Game: Pittsburgh over New England
(none of that strikes me as correct)
NFC
1. New York Giants
2. Carolina Panthers
3. Chicago Bears
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. Green Bay Packers
6. Washington Redskins
Wildcard Round: Chicago over Washington, Green Bay over Arizona
Division Round: Chicago over Carolina, New York Giants over Green Bay
NFC Championship Game: New York Giants lose to the Chicago Bears.
(dead on)
SUPER BOWL
And I leave you with that...
1. So the hot topic in the Chicago press and blogosphere is Nathan Vasher losing his starting job to Corey Graham. I don't see this as much of a story. With the way the Bears play defense, I think it'll be a rare sight to see less than three corners on the field at one time. Graham is an infinitely better tackler than Nate but Nate has proven to have a knack for the finding the football.
2. The biggest defensive flaw this team has is the lack of a consistent pass rush. Is there a solution? I think so. Move Lance Briggs to the middle and start using Brian Urlacher to pressure from the edge. Urlacher's primary virtue is his speed and he could give tackles fits around the league. Tom Waddle agreed with me often on his radio show this week.
3. I'm headed down to New Orleans for Halloween so there will be a roster of people manning the site, including Phil from SATX. I'll be back for the Lions game next weekend. If you're going to be in New Orleans next week, let me know.
4. If anybody has tickets they don't plan to use or are looking to sell for the December 11th, Thursday night home game against the Saints, let me know. I'll be in Chicago that week and I want em.
5. You know what's most impressive about Kyle Orton? He developed that early rapport with Brandon Lloyd and didn't miss a beat after his injury.
6. If Ron Turner didn't make a couple bad short yardage calls this season, he'd be the front-runner for assistant of the year in the NFL. Just look at the statistics.
7. Giants at Steelers will make me - atleast for three hours - forget the Bears are on a bye. I think these are the two best teams in football.
I'll pop in over the weekend if something exciting comes up. Otherwise, enjoy the weekend off and let's hope the team gets healthy in the next nine days.
I'm going to consider the victory over the Minnesota Vikings the midway point of the 2008 season, especially considering the Bears will next play football against the glorified bye week known as the Detroit Lions. Before we begin lookng ahead to a difficult second half...
I believe this is the wildest Chicago Bears season of my lifetime. 2001 was more exciting. 2006 was more beautiful. 1985 was more perfect. '86 more disappointing. The 1990s were more crap. But as for pure wildness? Nothing holds a candle to the enigma of 2008. Here are five genuine surprises.
#5 Mike Brown, Brian Urlacher = Ineffective
I know it's sacrilege to say but the two oldest members of the defense are playing like they're the two oldest members of the defense. There was an era of Chicago football where the best receivers in the game were afraid to go over the middle because they knew that catching a ball there meant one of two things. Either (1) Brian Urlacher was going to hit you hard or (2) Mike Brown was going to hit you hard. Now teams seem to throw exclusively over the middle.
#4 Matt Forte leads the team in...receptions
Forte has 29 catches in 7 games. Cedric Benson had 26 in his career here. Forte is not only on pace or roughly 1200 yards rushing but also an additional 500 yards in the air and about 15 touchdowns.
#3 They rank 20th and 28th (in the return game)
I don't pretend to be savvy enough to understand the complexities of special teams play though I'm finding it very hard to believe that Hester's struggles on returns have anything to do with his focus on the wide receiver position. You catch it. You run fast as far as you can. I'm quicker to think that today's NFL is simply too smart for any singular athlete to dominate for any extended period of time. Hester's evolution as a receiving threat will ultimately be of greater benefit to the club down the road.
#2 The offensive line has outplayed the defensive line
I believe Vegas set the odds at 550,000-1 on this after a certain preseason performance in Seattle. John St. Clair has battled several of the league's best defensive ends and done admirably with momentary exceptions and John Tait has made the 2007 Fred Miller debacle a memory. (I'm going to start always saying this: the less you mention a right tackle, the better he's playing.) As for the defensive side, they've been lucky that Alex Brown is making a bid for the NFC Pro Bowl with three sacks and the play of the year against Philadelphia.
#1 Kyle Orton is the MVP
I've said stuff. Skip Wood has said stuff in USA Today. And the truth is this: I believe the Bears have found their franchise quarterback. Not because I want to...but because I believe this kid has the intelligence, arm and (most importantly in Chicago) thick skin to be successful.
'
Apparently Zack "Attack" Bowman made the game-ending interception against the Minnesota Vikings with a torn bicep that will now require season-ending surgery.
I asked for guts this weekend. I got guts.
The Bears couldn't have the bye week at a better time. They have one goal and one goal only: get healthy in the secondary.
Remember yesterday's 48-41 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Write the date down on the steno pad you keep next to the land line for emergencies. Circle the square on the kitten calendar your wife picked up at the flea market December 30th of last year in an act of desperation.
Yesterday wasn’t just a strange football game. It was a shift in the identity of a football franchise. Build on the strength of a defense? No more. Running off the bus? Stop it. What I am about to write will be shunned by many as hyperbole and ignored by others who are hesitant to accept reality.
The Bears have a real life quarterback. Take down the "Help Wanted" sign. Kyle Orton is completing 62.2 percent of his passes. Kyle Orton has thrown for 1,669 yards. Kyle Orton has thrown 10 touchdown passes and only 4 interceptions (if Marty Booker didn't take three quarters to wake up, it'd be 12). Kyle Orton is delivering one of the - if not THE - greatest quarterbacking season in the history of the Chicago Bears. For the first time since Sid Luckman, the Bears' identity is taking the snaps. And the scary part? He's getting better every week.
So I say it. The days of the "we can't overcome a deficit" Chicago Bears are over. The days of "boo-hoo why can't we find a quarterback" are done. If I were Jerry Angelo, it'd look a little something like this: 5 years, 30-something million.
Your 2008 Chicago Bears
I’d like to see Ron Turner dial it up and toss it around. Throw on first down. If you try and push the Williams sisters off the ball, you’ll be in 2nd and long all day.
I’d like to see blitzing but not just for blitzing's sake. Come on the edges to help eliminate the quick slants underneath. The Vikes would be crazy not to attack the corners.
I’d like to see anger…real anger…from everybody. Put a little extra on the hits over the middle. Throw some extra force behind the blocks up front. Run back to huddles. Rev up the crowd. This is the kind of game where I want my football team to PLAY VIOLENT.
Win.
Here is what Mr. Smith says in Brad Biggs' piece from today's Sun-Times:
''I'm surprised whenever we don't sack the quarterback,'' coach Lovie Smith said. ''Everything starts off with being able to get pressure with our front four. If we're not getting a lot of sacks, you should at least see interceptions on the other end, quarterbacks getting rid of the ball quickly, which should allow us an opportunity to get some picks. And if both of those don't happen, it's not a good day for us.''How many games do we have to watch the front four fail to sack the quarterback before it stops surprising Mr. Smith? I'm growing exceedingly more nervous about Sunday as the days pass.
Here's the thing...
Last week I essentialy said that if the Bears stopped Michael Turner, they would beat the Atlanta Falcons soundly. They did. Then they didn't. It would be very easy for me to say the same thing this week: stop Adrian Peterson, beat the Minnesota Vikings. But I won't. I won't and there's a very simple reason why: I don't believe that logic has anything to do with whether or not the Chicago Bears win.
Yes, I believe they'll stop Adrian Peterson.
Yes, I believe they'll keep Gus, Bernie and the passing game from putting up touchdowns.
Yes, I believe they'll have success against an offensive line that allowed four sacks to the Detroit Lions.
Yes, I beieve they'll exploit the Vikings secondary with their confident quarterback by spreading the field and utlizing Devin Hester over the top.
But if you're asking me if I think Lovie Kotite (well played Steve Rosenbloom) and the Broken Record Bears will win at home Sunday afternoon, I don't have a clue. I'm going to pick them in a few seconds and do so (1) confident they are the superior team and (2) without the slightest bit of confidence.
If you put this north Jersey playwright through a lie detector test and asked me if I believe the Bears can represent the conference in the Super Bowl, it'd tell you I'm telling the truth when I say "yes". I'd give the same answer if I was asked if I believed the team could finish third in the division.
The most important Bears on Sunday? Mike Brown and Kevin Payne. They need to provide coverage behind a horribly depleted secondary. If they struggle...well...let's hope they score this week with the clock showing 0:00.
Your 2008 Chicago Bears 20, Minnesota Vikings 17.
Due to positive professional circumstances, I'm limiting 'Round the League... to ten succinct thoughts on the league-at-large.
#1. We heard a lot about Kyle Orton from fans and media members in the months leading up to the 2008 season. He can't throw the deep ball. He's shaky in the pocket. Some disregarded him as a player altogether - instead labeling him with the word "sucks". Most of those individuals long for the glory days of early 2006 Rex Grossman. According to Larry "Not Going to Make Bob Woodward Nervous" Mayer at DaSite, you can stop longing. Through six games Kyle has completed more passes, at a better percentage, for only one less yard and with a better touchdown-to-interception ratio. With Romo, Eli and Rodgers battling injuries...Kyle Orton making the Pro Bowl might become the most improbable sports development since the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays.
#2. Roy Williams might negligibly improve the Dallas Cowboys but certainly not enough to warrant the the loss of a first and third round draft pick this spring and forty-five million dollars. This smells like the move of an owner trying to inspire a club on the brink of collapse.
#3. By the way, whoever is making the moves in Detroit needs a contract extension. Did I miss the season where Roy Williams was a great receiver?
#4. And if you didn't see Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky lower the Bad Quarterback Meter, that's why I'm here.
#5. David Haugh likes the Bears over the Vikings and Packers in the schedule battle down the stretch. I don't care about any of that but I do care about this: Packers at Bears in Week 16. Monday Night Football. Let's hope that winner takes it.
#6. Quick. Name the six playoff teams in the NFC. You can't? Can you name one? Right now I'd take the Giants, Bears, Cardinals, Bucs, Panthers, Redskins.
#7. Quick. Name the six playoff teams in the AFC. You can't? Can you name one? Right now I'd take...the Steelers and five other teams.
#8. You know what I think about Adam Jones? I think he's like every other criminal in America except he's not bad at returning punts. Then again, I haven't seen all the other criminals return punts.
#9. Storylines to follow this weekend: (a) Can Indy keep the offensive momentum at Lambeau? (b) If Dallas loses to St. Louis, will they just melt down completely? (c) Can Buffalo beat San Diego and legitimize their record? (d) Can Cleveland build on a brilliant Monday night win and take it to the Skins in D.C.? (e) Will Cincinnati win a game this year?
#10. I don't care about anything except the three hours at Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon. Hey Bears fans...Sunday in the stadium...the kind of game where you need to be impressive.
With four minutes and five seconds remaining on a surprisingly warm Chicago afternoon in October 2007, Brian Griese threw an interception to Vikings safety Dwight Smith that seemed to end any hope of a Bears victory on a day when they'd allowed Adrian Peterson to rush for 224 yards. Sure enough, after forcing a quick punt, Griese led the Bears with two implausible touchdown passes in a little more than a minute - one an 81 yard bomb to Devin Hester down the right sideline. Game tied at 31. A buck and half remaining.
Kickoff to Adrian Peterson. 53 yards right up the gut. A couple wasted plays. Field goal. Ballgame. The Bears fell to 2-4 and spent the season trying to dig themselves out of that hole.
The similarities between Sunday's loss in Atlanta and the day most commonly remembered as AP's coming out party are there. The Broken Record Bears - as seems to be the case so much during the Lovie Smith era - couldn't make THE PLAY. That day on special teams. Sunday on defense. A bad personal foul against Tampa Bay. A failed 3rd/4th and 1 at midfield in Carolina. Beat writers and coaches never want to reduce the whole of a game to one play but in this NFL, more than half of games come down to a single play. Ask the 2006 San Diego Chargers about a fumbled postseason interception against New England. Ask the 2007 Giants about a Super Bowl title won on the helmet of David Tyree. (I hear all the time, "The Giats beat the Pats with their pass rush." If Tyree doesn't make that improbable play, the vaunted Giants pass rush would have earned them a cool second place finish.)
Two of three Bears wins this season have been blowouts. That puts them at 1-3 in games decided by single digits. Sunday looks to be one of those games as that same Mr. Peterson returns to town in a stirring act of symmetry. It should be close, physical, angry football in the city that loves to see it. The question remains: are the Bears tough enough to win under pressure? Are they capable of winning when one mistake can cost them victory? Are they capable of winning when they need a crucial yard on third down? Are they a tough football team?
So far in 2008, the answer is no.
The headline today should have been Sign Kyle because yesterday #18 put an entire football team on his back and said, "Come on guys. I got this one." And he did. He had this one. Yesterday was the day Bears fans took the interim tag off the signal caller and ordered their jerseys. Accurate. Poised. Passionate. Unshakable in the shakiest of situations. The kid is the real deal. Say what you want about the 2008 Chicago Bears but the future looks good at QB.
But noooooooo! Our beloved, never-to-blame defense and genius coaching staff did not want yesterday to be about Kyle Orton. Here comes some hot rage on a holiday morning - starting with the first 59 minutes, 49 seconds.
1. There was one over-arching storyline to this game: third and long. Yes Matt Ryan played like a seasoned pro but our secondary looked like it was out to lunch from the opening whistle. That includes Charles Tillman and Mike Brown.
2. You know who I don't need to see cover receivers anymore? Danieal Manning.
3. On one replay Brian Urlacher seemed to wander up to the line of scrimmage, then wander around the secondary while a ball was completed twenty yards down the field. Brian just kept wandering. That pretty much sums it up.
4. Ron Turner. Go to the chapter of your playbook where you keep all the fade routes and tear them out page-by-page. Then burn them, shred them, eat them, whatever. They don't work. They are to offensive coordinators what narrators are to dramatists: an easy way to avoid doing your job.
5. And Ron, if you made Jason McKie the lone back on 3rd and goal from the 1 and then handed him the ball just to piss me off...it worked. I defend Ron Turner an awful lot but yesterday it was apparent early on that we weren't getting any push from the middle of our offensive line.
6. I still can't believe that after getting no push up the middle, Ron Turner calls a Matt Forte leap. You know who did the exact same thing? THE EAGLES AGAINST US TWO WEEKS AGO AND IT DIDN'T FUCKING WORK.
7. The most frustrating ten minutes of my human life: the fumble-recovery-fumble-recovery sequence featuring Tommie "Wedlock" Harris. Wedlock's face on the sideline was the face of a guy who had no business being anywhere near a football field. You are 300 pounds. Lay on the ball.
8. Didn't it seem like Alex Brown and Dusty were the only two guys on the defense that really wanted to play? They were making tackles ten yards up the damn field.
9. Positive Comment Alert: Another solid effort by the entire receiving corps, especially Rash Davis.
10. Today is the kinda day the Sun-Times misses Jay Mariotti. Greg Couch ain't getting it done.
11. Metaphor of the morning: Mike Brown delivers the Bears biggest hit of the day to Roddy White. After he caught a touchdown pass.
12. When did our special teams become a liability? We can't return/cover anything and our punter is mediocre? Really?
And now, ladies and gentlemen, the last eleven seconds of the game...
I am not one to call for the firing of coaches. It's not what I do. But when you squib kick to a team that only needs a field goal to win and then fail to defend the sideline when that is the only place the football can be thrown, someone needs to get fired. Today. Right now. And if Jerry Angelo were to hold a press conference this afternoon and announce that Mr. Smith is going back to Big Sandy, I'd have no problem with that. Stupid, Lovie. Very stupid. Dick Jauron having Jim Miller take four knees stupid. People can say what they want about the Bears playing uninspired all day but with eleven seconds remaining in the game, we had the lead. First it was the fourth quarter. Then it was the last ten minutes. Now it's eleven seconds. How much time does Lovie need exactly?
The truth is that Lovie Smith is not a very good football coach. His defense requires the media to motivate them and his strategy is often suspect-at-best. (Was there a single disguised blitz all game?) Yesterday, with his quarterback and team depending on him, he let them down. "We were not able to start fast and finish strong," coach Lovie Smith said. "What do you say after a tough loss like that? We've been in that situation before." You say, "I'm sorry. I fucking blew it."
But he is right. We have been in that situation before. Half of 2008 thus far.These are the Broken Record Bears. And I'm just not listening anymore.
Sometimes it only takes that long.
Eleven seconds and a season is all but lost.
I've had enough of this defense. I've had enough of every single one of them. No matter how big the spot, they come up small. Every year. Your 2008 Chicago Bears needed to make one stop on one play and they couldn't. One stop. One play. No.
So I've had enough.
YOUR 2008 CHICAGO BEARS
Atlanta Falcons
DaBearsBlog would love for fans to send us all their videos and photographs and we'll use Sundays - our most heavily trafficked day - to post them. (This kid is undoubtedly in the chorus of the touring production of "Hello Dolly!" right now.) Email jeff@dabearsblog.com
We're sticking with the one pick format here DaBlog because the one pick format works.
YOUR 2008 CHICAGO BEARS over Atlanta Falcons
(1) The Bears are the fourth best run defense in the game and they seem to be getting better every week. If they manage to stop Michael Turner from dictating the pace of play (and I expect they will), Matt Ryan will be forced to deal with the most complicated defensive alignment he's seen in his football career. I expect turnovers...and a lot of them...from Boston College's finest.
(2) Defensively, the Falcons only real threat is John Abraham on the edge. As long as they locate where he lines up and slide over the tight end (Dez not G-Reg) or chip with Forte, they'll be able to keep him from disrupting KO's afternoon. If there's any time in the pocket, plays will be there down the field. Only that "wonderfully talented" Chargers defense has allowed more touchdowns through the air.
(3) The Falcons have beaten Detroit, Kansas City and a Green Bay team that has a lot more losses in its injury-plagued future. They lost to both Carolina and Tampa Bay 24-9 (just strange) because Carolina and Tampa Bay play good defense. The logic is simple: play good defense, beat the Falcons.
(4) I'd abandon my left side/right side cornerback approach this week and stick Charles Tillman on Roddy White all game long. They won't but I would.
(5) Mr. Tommie Harris. Anybody else got the feeling we're about to see something special on Sunday? Tommie may be a lot of things off the field but he's never been one to not leave everything on it. He's got something to prove to coaches, teammates and fans. A player this great with this much to play for would make me nervous if I were Atlanta.
(6) And by the way, how deep is this team at defensive tackle? They drafted Tommie, Dusty and Marcus Harrison. They quietly signed Anthony Adams last season. They refused to let Israel Idonije to shuffle off to Buffalo after signing an offer sheet. Criticize Jerry Angelo all you want but he knows what he's doing in the middle of the defensive line.
(7) The Bears don't have great individual receivers - though I've yet to see Devin Hester covered. They do have a great receiving corps. I have not been surprised by this team's success but I have been surprised by just how well these wideouts have played. Give me Lloyd, Rash, Book and Skunk working their asses off over the TO's and 85's of the world any day.
(8) Somehow the Bears have become a dominant turf team. Two games. Both on the road. 63-20.
I was tempted...yeah, I'll do it...
Bears 24, Falcons 9
Sunday was a fast food victory for the Chicago Bears. Quick, easy, cheap, delicious and sticks with you until that next cup of coffee. The Bears won a game in convincing fashion that they should have won in convincing fashion. They played perfectly on both sides of the ball. And when I woke up Monday morning, my mind was already onto Atlanta.
So we move around the league and I'll throw in some rants and my early-season award winners. Since Tennessee is not playing this week, I'll acknowledge that Albert Haynesworth should be the unanimous choice for Defensive Player of the Year.
CHICAGO @ ATLANTA
It is apparently National Kiss Kyle Orton's Ass Week in the American sports media (yours truly being a case-in-point). ESPN loves him and Vic Carucci loves Lovie and Ron trusting their guts, the best line coming from Olin Kreutz: "We see how hard he works, how hard he studies the game. He's there every day. He stays late. So we expect games like (the one he had against Detroit) out of him."
And as for David Haugh's calls for the Bears to stay hungry, I have something to add. If this team needs encouragement to play these next two eminently winnable games like their lives depend on it, sayonara to this website. I'm hanging it up.
Early season MVP: Michael Turner, Falcons. He's single-handedly carrying this club on his back and - perhaps more importantly - his success on the ground is allowing Matt Ryan to develop at quarterback without the normal pressures. If Matt Forte weren't as good as he is, we'd all be barking about Turner's start to the year.
DETROIT @ MINNESOTA
Rod Marinelli's Monday press conference features one of the best confrontations between coach and reporter in an awful long time. The reporter - unseen and unnamed - is Rob Parker of "Cold Pizza" fame.
Apparently Bernard Berrian played his finest game as a professional last night (good thing he didn't waste that in the Super Bowl). Stat breakdown:
Berrian - 17 catches, 305 yards, 1 touchdown, 7+ million dollars
Brandon Lloyd - 15 catches, 249 yards, 1 touchdown (plus 1 on specials), 605 grand.
CINCINNATI @ NEW YORK JETS
Pet Peeve Alert: I hate it when people mis-use Shakespeare quotations in an attempt to sound smart. The Cincinnati headline regarding Marvin Lewis' fading tenure with the Bengals reads, "Easy Lies the Crown." Well okay. I get it. But the quote is from Henry IV and actually reads, "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" which is actually MORE fitting for an analysis of a head coach struggling to maintain his job. Anyway...
In other Bengals news,panic has officially set in. (Scroll down and you'll see the phrases "expanded role" and "Cedric Benson" eerily close together.)
ST. LOUIS @ WASHINGTON
With apologies to Mike Smith in Atlanta, Jim Zorn is the coach of the year in Washington. This team looked lost on opening night in the Meadowlands and have caught the league off-guard with big-time division wins at Dallas and Philadelphia. That and apparently he's dancing jigs at press conferences (Video at 17:48).
MIAMI @ HOUSTON
If you think the Bears lost a tough game to Tampa Bay then you didn't see how Houston lost to Indy on Sunday. I won't bother describing what Gregg Easterbrook called the "Sour Warhead Meltdown of the Week." It's horrific. Needless to say, Matt Schaub will be playing Sunday even if he can't stand up straight.
Assistant Coach of the Year: Dan Henning, offensive coordinator, Miami. Why? Because the WILDCAT is back, baby!
CAROLINA @ TAMPA BAY
Carolina is starting to smell a trip back to the future and to the Super Bowl.
OAKLAND @ NEW ORLEANS
Here is why the New Orleans Saints are never going to win a championship with the combination of Sean Payton, Drew Brees and Reggie Bush. (1) They're built like an arena league team and... (2) ...because they'll never be the top seed, they're not built to win a big game in the Meadowlands, Washington, Chicago, Green Bay...etc. (3) Yes I know Drew Brees has excellent numbers but he's not the kind of quarterback that can dissect a defense, a la Manning or Brady. Everything is deep down the field and if they face a team with a real pass rush, it won't work. (4) They held Adrian Peterson to a handful of yards and returned two punts for touchdowns...and lost. How? Snakebit.
BALTIMORE @ INDIANAPOLIS
Ray Rice and Gary Brackett are in this game. Ray Rice and Gary Brackett went to Rutgers. Rutgers is the state college of New Jersey. Rutgers football is doing a 102 million dollar renovation to their stadium. I pay taxes in the state of New Jersey. Rutgers football has returned to the embarassment it always has been. That is all I have to say about Rutgers.
JACKSONVILLE @ DENVER
Offensive Player of the Year: Jay Cutler, Denver. He's just having an outstanding year and his numbers are skewed by the horrible effort agaist Kansas City. When all is said and done in 2008, I think he's your All Pro QB.
DALLAS @ ARIZONA
Todd Archer says that the Cowboys are victims of high expectations and that's why we're not saluting their 4-1 start. Really Todd? Why these high expectations? Could it be that it's a team full of celebrities that never shut up about how good they are and tell us time and time again how they're the best team in football and how it is championship or bust while their quarterback turns the ball over and defense looks like the weak unit that it is and facially re-constructed owner parades on the sideline the second the team falls behind a field goal? Maybe?
PHILADELPHIA AT SAN FRANCISCO
Andy Reid is the most overrated football coach on the planet. The often-acclaimed offensive genius has seen his offense score a total, TOTAL of 21 second-half points since they beat St. Louis to open the season. I don't want to hear anything about Brian Westbrook's injury or the lack of serious wide receiving threats. This is an organization that wastes draft pick-after-draft pick on backup quarterbacks and God knows what else while they battle the same tired problems every season. Brian Westbrook is hurt every year and sure as shit there's Correll Buckhalter tearing his ACL three plays later. Just look at the 2008 draft - arguably the deepest at running back in a generation. Guess how many the Eagles took? Enough.
GREEN BAY AT SEATTLE
How good are things in Packer land? Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel begins his analysis of the deteriorating defense, "Say what you will about Aaron Rodgers' interceptions, Ryan Grant's fumbles and the offensive line's struggles." In other words, say the offense sucks but the defense sucks worse.
NEW ENGLAND AT SAN DIEGO
"San Diego has the most talented roster in the game." This is said every day by someone. You know what? It is pure nonsense. They have a good quarterback, great running back, mediocre receivers and an okay offensive line. Defensively, they're a joke. 2-3. That's what they are. Here's the bizarre stat of the early season: Ladainian Tomlinson is 13th in the league in rushing.
NEW YORK GIANTS AT CLEVELAND
"Everything they did, they did well and everything we did, we did wrong," he said. "It gave the world a false sense of what we know we can do. This is a good opportunity to show the world that we're definitely way better than what we put out there in preseason." Andra Davis said that regarding Cleveland's preseason loss to the Giants which led me to proclaim Cleveland a five-win team. Andra Davis? Was Bernie Kosar not available for comment? I'd take the odds on Brady Quinn appearing in the second half Monday night.
A few thoughts on yesterday's game with complete understanding that the Lions might be the worst football team in a long, long time.
-Lovie Smith made two decisions that I absolutely loved. (1) Going for it on fourth and one with eleven minutes left was accurately describe by Brian Billick (the best color man in the country right now) as an attempt to seize the game emotionally. If Forte had gained the yard, we’d be talking about the play as the moment the game changed. (2) Challenging the Marty Booker catch is the kind of move that gets players jazzed to play for you. It was a boost to Booker and Kyle Orton.
-Kyle Orton is a terrific quarterback. There I said it. He’s capable of being a great quarterback. There I said that too. Anybody who doesn’t recognize how this kid has improved since 2005 simply doesn’t want to. KO has a lot of Eli Manning in him: calm presence, quick decision making, strong arm…etc. If he can find a bit more touch down the field, we’re looking at something special.
-The Bears have two legitimate All-Pros on the defensive side of the ball: Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs.
-And Mike Brown is close.
-John St. Clair’s days are numbered at left tackle. He has provided a noble effort against some of the league’s elite pass rushers (perhaps the best is coming Sunday) but Chris Williams needs to get ready. Whether St. Clair slides into the left guard slot is up-for-debate though I would not like to see the development of Josh Beekman interrupted.
-Matt Forte didn’t have a good day running the ball yesterday but what makes you happy is his versatility. Forte can slide into the slot, move out wide or stay in and chip ends. Good to see Ron Turner (who was excellent all day) give him the ball down the goalline.
-I was wrong. Dead wrong. Devin Hester is going to be a terrific receiver and it might be time to minimize his role on special teams. I can’t help but think the fumbled punt was a symptom of overuse.
-Hester and Greg Olsen will create those kinds of mismatches for every defense they face all season long.
-Two nice Bears-related tidbits from Peter King this morning. (1) "Catch of the Year? Chicago wideout Marty Booker's one-hander at Detroit, one of the best catches of this, or any, NFL season." (2) "Tom Coughlin and Lovie Smith suspended top players for the game Sunday, then went out and won by a combined 78-13. Message there? Could be."
-Put that coffee cup to your lips and smile. Your 2008 Chicago Bears are at the top of the NFC North.
3-2 might feel like nothing but it counts.
More to come tomorrow but...
...you can bet your ass it'll be about Kyle Orton and his wonderful performance.
YOUR 2008 CHICAGO BEARS
Great news on Chris Williams being cleared for full practice though I don't think we'll see him on the field until the Lions come to Chicago on November 2nd. Good decision by Jerry and the organization to keep him on the roster but now they must determine if he improves the left tackle spot. If so, spare no feelings. Improve.
Bizarre article about Tommie Harris by Brad Biggs but captivating as well. Here's a piece: "Harris said in published reports he has been troubled as a devout Christian since fathering a son out of wedlock last month..." I think sometimes it's easy for football fans to lose touch with the fact that the guys on the field are actually human beings struggling with the same shit we struggled with (with infinitely more money, course). When Peanut's daughter was sick at the start of the season it was one of the first times I've ever cared for an athlete off the field. If Harris is really in trouble psychologically, it is incumbent upon the Bears to get him help in order to ultimately get the best out of him on the field.
Leave it to the always-brilliant Jeff Joniak to spell out the Bears' most significant offensive issues: "No team in the NFL has had more offensive possessions than the Bears with 53. They also have an impressive seven 10-play drives. Like the Baltimore Ravens, the Bears have not scored a touchdown on any of those seven drives, either settling for field goals or turning the ball over." Nothing to add there.
David Haugh did a wonderful job bringing up an issue I'm embarrassed to say I didn't. The Bears goalline stand Sunday night was eerily similar to the stand the Giants made at Washington last season which completely turned their season around. Sunday starts a three-game run of winnable games that I believe this club must win if they're serious about not only winning the division...but the conference as well.
Tommie Harris is suspended. Brandon Lloyd’s been ruled out. Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher practiced today and it looks like they’ll play. The absence of the former two and health questions of the latter lays Sunday’s onus on four players to carry the club on their back.
MARTY BOOKER
With Rash playing the role of possession receiver and Hester’s ability over the top, Booker must establish himself early as the Bears top receiving threat. We’ve seen that Kyle Orton looks more confident as a quarterback when he trusts his receivers to make plays. I applaud the Ron Turner scheme which involves everyone in the passing game but Sunday almost defiantly calls for an eight catch, hundred yard day from someone. I’d like to see it be Book.
MIKE BROWN
You can almost live with Kitna dink-and-dunking underneath the corners all afternoon to his all-world wide receivers. Ultimately it’s a sure-fire way to kick a bunch of field goals. What you can’t live with is deep completions down the field and 5 yard slants turning into 75 yard touchdowns. That’s where Brown must be an effective center fielder. I know Bob Babich has been using him up at the line of scrimmage on blitzes but the Lions are not the team to do that against.
ADEWALE OGUNLEYE
Pass rush is the name of the game every Sunday and Wale is matched up against rookie right tackle Gosder Cherilus. I don’t care if you have Deion Sanders and Dick “Night Train” Lane playing cornerback – give good receivers five seconds and they’ll get open. You can scheme a pass rush or your front four can dominate. It starts with Wale.
BRAD MAYNARD
When a quarterback turns the ball over at the rate Kitna does, pinning them inside their own five can create game-changing plays. The Bears defense has proven difficult to mount long touchdown drives against and without a plausible running threat, the Lions will be too one-dimensional to pull it off.
Here’s a fun fact. The Chicago Bears have played four seasons under head coach Lovie Smith (2004-2007) - finishing last, first, first and last in the NFC North. In the years they finished last, they were swept by the Detroit Lions. In the years they finished first, they swept Detroit. 'Tis clear. If the Bears win Sunday…they’re going to win the division.
Sticking with the one game approach…
Your 2008 Chicago Bears over Detroit Lions
Well I always like the Chicago Bears and I like them a whole lot this week. I like the Bears defense to make up for injuries at corner by attacking the quarterback with the entirety of the front seven. I like the offense to continue developing, especially the quarterback, for four complete quarters. But mostly…I like that they’re playing the Detroit Lions. Here’s why:
DEFENSE
The Lions defensive stats after three games are staggering. The good news is they’re allowing 37.7 points and over 430 yards per game. The bad news? They are actually letting teams run at a clip of 207.7 yards a game. 207? For those of you who love college football, the equivalent there would be Syracuse.
OFFENSE
If you’re wondering how a passing game with Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams can be this weak, look no further. Jon Kitna has been sacked 12 times and is tied for the most interceptions thrown in the league. Receivers are useless if you can’t get the ball to them and the Lions struggle mightily to do that. That won't improve this week.
MOTIVATION
Three parts to this:
(1) The Roy Williams factor. No one dislikes this clown's first down gesture no matter what the game situation more than I do. But what really baffles you about Williams is the level of his delusion. According to RW, the Lions are never as bad as their record. But apparently Corey Graham is unfamiliar with his insanity and may just use it to get a little more revved up come Sunday.
(2) Being cut by Detroit is like being kicked out of AA for for being an alcoholic. They all suck, how can you be worse? Kevin Jones ran over the Bears last year and I have the feeling he's going to enjoy sharing the carries on Sunday. Look for a breakout game.
(3) The Lions beat the Bears twice last year in disappointing fashion but two important players are no longer around. Brian Griese threw seven interceptions in the two games. He's doing that in Tampa now. Shaun Rogers always played well against the Bears and last year was no exception with 6 of his 39 tackles and 2 of his 7 sacks. The formerly formitable defensive line now features Chuck Darby and Dewayne White.
FANS
There isn't a fanbase in the league that loathes their team more (and with good reason). A couple big plays and an early lead - the Bears will feel like they're playing in Chicago.
And more than everything else, I'm not going to wait until December to see this team win back-to-back games. Not this year. It doesn't work for me and it shouldn't work for them. Go out and dominate an inferior football team. With Aaron Rogers looking more and more like he won't play on Sunday, the time is Sunday to seize the NFC North. Take it. Take it.
Bears 41, Lions 20
First, an apology. Last week I wrote in this space a particularly scathing commentary on Al Davis' role in the Raiders organization. I wrote that opinion based on the news available to me: a great deal of it from Chris Mortensen at ESPN. After watching Al Davis today at one of the greatest press conferences in the history of sports, I am thoroughly convinced that not only was my initial understanding of the situation wrong but I also unfairly condemned an old man who today proved lucid, passionate and angry. Hard not to root for Davis, Tom Cable and Raiders after this kind of honesty on the public stage.
On to the rest of football...
Chicago @ Detroit
There's very little positive information leaking out of Detroit. The coach is defining "lame-duck" at press conferences, rookie Kevin Smith can't understand why he's being benched and radio stations are holding moronic fake funerals for Matt Millen. What do I think? I think the Bears better cover Calvin & Roy on Sunday.
As for the Beas, apparently Nick Roach has surpassed Jamar Williams on the depth chart while the rest of the depth chart struggles to stay on the field (according to Brad Biggs).
Right now, boys and girls, Kyle Orton is in the top ten in the NFL in touchdown passes and passing plays over twenty yards. Or as David Haugh puts it, "...the Bears appear to have the most stable quarterback situation of the NFC North teams moving forward and that cannot be overlooked or overemphasized in a division suddenly up for grabs."
Tennessee @ Baltimore
Have you ever heard of Stephen Tulloch? I hadn't. He's the new middle linebacker for the Titans, promoted over Ryan Fowler after the team's 3-3 start. This is why I love Jeff Fisher and think he's one of the best coaches in professional sports. The team hasn't lost. The defense is one of the best in the game. And he's not afraid to change his middle linebacker in an effort to get better.
Kansas City @ Carolina
Jason Whitlock is reserved in his criticism of the Kansas City Chiefs writing, "The Chiefs are not on the verge of a playoff push. They’re not the 2007, 0-3 New York Giants." No Jason, they're not. Nobody is. The Giants were 1-2 last season. That isn't even a hard fact to check.
Atlanta @ Green Bay
For too long it has seemed like the Bears have battled injuries at every conceivable position while the Packers walked through the raindrops with an ironman quarterback and invincible roster. Those days are done. I can't tell you how nice it felt to see LSU's barely-starter Matt Flynn throwing the ball into the ground for the Pack. It's not quite Henry Burris or Craig Krenzel but another shot to Aaron Rodgers' shoulder and it could be. (A boy can dream, can't he?)
The Packers defense is an even bigger issue. Cullen Jenkins is done for the year. A.J. Hawk might have a groin tear. Their secondary is running on fumes. This division is there for the taking.
Indianapolis @ Houston
Here's why both ESPN and Power Rankings are useless: (18) Bears. (17) Colts. That's just blatant disregard for the results of football games.
San Diego @ Miami
This what Ricky Williams had to say about the prospect of smoking weed on his bye week: "So there was definitely an urge...But I just thought about what I have to lose, and it was easy. The urge didn't last very long." I have smoked weed. Many times. Maybe I don't get it. This is worth losing millions of dollars over? It makes you want to eat cookies and go to sleep. You can't eat cookies and go to sleep without risking suspension from the NFL?
Seattle @ New York Giants
The Daily News reported that the NFL is considering action against Plaxico Burress for off-field issues. This is a damn good club but there's two players they can not afford to lose for any substantial period of time: Plax and Justin Tuck. And it is looking more and more like one loss in this division could be the difference between first and last place come December.
Washington @ Philadelphia
Admittedly I didn't watch the Redskins play in weeks two or three but there was not a more improved team over the first quarter of the season than Jim Zorn's bunch. They looked awful on opening night and like a Super Bowl contender Sunday. If they beat Philly, look out. They have St. Louis, Cleveland and Detroit on deck. Who had this team 7-1?
By the way, Eagles media members...you really blaming David Akers for the Bears loss? The real problem: the Eagles have scored a total of 18 points in the second-halves of games not played against the Rams.
Tampa Bay @ Denver
This has nothing to do with football. It has to do with Kevin Coster writing songs for the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Denver Post does a nice judge drawing the parallel between the Lane Kiffin situation and what Mike Shanahan went through in Oakland years ago. The one drastic difference is that Al Davis never went out of his way to publicly condemn Shanny the way he did Kiffin.
Buffalo @ Arizona
I want to believe in the Dick Jauron Buffalo Bills. But there's two major issues. (1) Dick Jauron. (2) They've struggled mightily with some pretty bad teams. They're 4-0 and Vegas as them as a Pick 'Em with a team that just allowed a million points to the Jets. So I looked for a difficult part of their schedule. Nope. It doesn't exist. This team is going to win at least ten games and be in the playoffs.
Cincinnati @ Dallas
Sportswriter Line of the Week from Gregg Easterbrook: "In other football news, Ryan Fitzpatrick of Harvard started at quarterback for Cincinnati. Ryan, didn't they teach you at Harvard not to get involved with the Cincinnati Bengals?" Cedric Benson did not go to Harvard.
Anf if you're a fan of any NFC team with playoff aspirations, root like hell for the Bengals. With the T.O. bubble finally ready to burst, a loss to a winless team is the dramatic premise for great theatre.
New England @ San Francisco
Nice piece on Mike Singletary's coaching career in the Boston Globe.
Pittsburgh @ Jacksonville
I honestly have no interest in this game. None. I do have interest in the fact that right now if you asked me to guess what twelve teams will be in the postseason, I'd be lost. Buffalo? Check. Tennessee? You convinced Indy and Jacksonville won't catch them? Denver, San Diego, Dallas, Washington...etc? See what I mean? The league has not been this wide-open in a decade.
Minnesota @ New Orleans
The Vikings will go to 1-4 on Monday night and the local press is already figuring out ways for the Vikes to salvage their season. If you want to know why the Vikings won't make the playoffs, read what Florio has to say over at ProFootballTalk. Brad Childress was and continues to be a terrible head coach.
I'll be monitoring Bears injuries throughout the next couple days and get word to you once I have it.