0 Comments

A Lazy Recap of a Lazy Performance (From Both Sides)

| August 25th, 2012

I’ll be honest: I have very little to say about last night’s game in the Meadowlands. The stadium was half empty. The energy was non-existent. The Giants were even pumping in fake crowd noise at several points in the game. They were clever about how they did it but they still did it.

Here are some of my thoughts from last night:

  • It was funny to wake up and see David Haugh writing the same doomsday column he seems to write every year at this point. You’d think he’d learn what everyone should learn: the preseason is nonsense.
  • The refs were terrible. They had no moment-to-moment control of the game and there was a feeling of distrust in the stadium. How can the NFL be letting this happen? Why would the most financially successful sports league in the history of the world risk its credibility over what will amount to a few million dollars? If these blow a call that decides a game a Colombian soccer match may break out in the bleachers. (These guys last night were lost on pass interference rules.)
  • Whining Bears fans would have had a different opinion of last night if Cutler hit Bennett in the seam for a sure thing 75-yard touchdown. The entire offensive unit was a bit off last night but they’ve got two weeks (sigh) to get things together.
  • What exactly were fans expecting from the left tackle position last night? Neither J’Marcus Webb nor Chris Williams are good enough to block the Giants ends. You know why? There are maybe three tackles in the league good enough to do that. These are men who’ve dominated Super Bowls.
  • On run defense, the Bears surely miss Urlacher’s sideline-to-sideline pursuit. It is more evident watching them live. Backs have more time to wait for holes to develop without 54 stalking them.
  • Brandon Marshall is going to have a monster year. I think estimates have been low to this point.
  • You think I’m joking when I talk about injuries in these games? Giants lost another starting corner (Prince, pictured above) and the Bucs lost three starters to serious injuries (Joseph is already announced as out for the year.) If Chris Conte is available on opening day, the Bears will have escaped the preseason by only sustaining an injury to their punter.
  • And if Ryan Quigley punts the way he did last night, the Bears will be fine. He was consistent, if unspectacular.
  • I’ve said it many times. If the Bears can get a consistent pass rush they’ll be a dominant defense. If they don’t they’ll allow between 17-24 points every week.
  • They can score much more than that. There is so much talent on this offense now.
  •  Evan Rodriguez was sure in the base offense last night. I think the Bears don’t quite know what to do with him but he didn’t make me forget Tyler Clutts last night at fullback. Bears have some real decisions to make at TE/HB/FB.
  • I know the Bears have liked Armando Allen throughout camp but what does Lorenzo Booker have to do to make this team? He’s looked the second best kick returner and the third best back consistently.

Now it begins. The longest two weeks of the football calendar. Nothing happens. Closed practices. Boredom. DBB will begin a series of Around the League NFL previews next week and I’ll be responding to all the cuts and such as they come down.