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Audibles From the Long Snapper: Shirts, Schedules & Security Blankets

| November 14th, 2012

TEE SHIRTS UPDATE!

Sales of this round of tee shirts are closed and final. Unfortunately we can’t accept any more until we switch formats come the New Year. Due to some storm-related issues in the New York area we’re a tad bit delayed on processing the orders but all tee shirts will be processed and mailed by the second week of December. If this is completely intolerable for you, send me and email and we’ll talk about it (jeff@dabearsblog.com). But it shouldn’t be intolerable to you…because they’re tee shirts.

BIGGS BREAKS DOWN 2013 SCHEDULE

If you follow Brad Biggs or any other Bears writer on Twitter, chances are you haven’t been to the sports page sites of the Trib or Sun-Times in a long, long time. (Someone will present this non-existent data to me one of these days proving social media drives traffics to newspaper sites. It doesn’t. They know it.) Here is Brad’s breakdown of 2013:

Of course, the Bears will play the traditional home-and-home with NFC North foes. In addition, the Bears will host Dallas, the New York Giants, Baltimore, Cincinnati and the team with the corresponding finish in the NFC South.

The road trips will be to Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and the team with the corresponding finish in the NFC West.

So, the way the standings are aligned right now, the Bears would host the Atlanta Falcons and play at San Francisco for the second consecutive season. There is a long ways to go to determine the final standings this season though.

DaBearsBlog (Noah, myself and the Reverend) will be in Cleveland. Will you?

CLARK JUDGE ON JASON CAMPBELL

Here is a large chunk of Clark Judge’s CBS Sports column on Jason Campbell taking over short or long term for an injured Jay Cutler:

“If [Campbell] has to go,” said coach Lovie Smith, “we feel very confident. That’s why we brought Jason here. I’m hopeful, but I’m not ruling Jay out by any means.”

I’m not, either. And I’m definitely not ruling out Chicago of anything. I know the Bears travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers next Monday, and I know the 49ers are always a tough out. But they have issues of their own, with starting quarterback Alex Smith suffering a concussion in Sunday’s tie with St. Louis. That means there’s a chance … and let me emphasize a chance … that it’s Campbell versus Colin Kaepernick, and, given the choice, I’ll take the veteran.

I know what I have in Campbell, and so do the Bears. He can get the ball downfield, as he did with that 45-yard shot to Brandon Marshall. He will make sound and reasoned decisions. He won’t commit the fatal mistake. He can run. He can lead. Most important, he can win … and with Green Bay pulling itself together for a run at the Bears nothing is more important for Chicago now.

As one scout told me, the key is not so much Campbell as it is Forte and Bush. Because if rhe Bears can run the ball, Campbell can sell the play-action — which is his strength. Plus, as he pointed out, the issues with Chicago’s offensive line aren’t as much a factor with Campbell at quarterback because of his ability to flush the pocket. No, he’s not RG3, but, if necessary, he is good enough to make first downs with his legs.

“Jason Campbell is more than capable,” Marshall said. “I think he came in [against the Texans] and did an amazing job and had control of the offense … really got us into some good situations and made some great checks. I think the guys around him need to step up, myself included. We let him [and the team] down, and that won’t happen again.

“I understand what Jason Campbell is. I understand how he leads. Like I said, he’s more than capable, and I’m so glad we have him in situations like this.”

He should be. Everyone in and around the Bears should be. Jason Campbell is here to prevent another collapse from happening … and he will.

Kurt Warner told Waddly & Silvy on ESPN Radio he was confident the Bears could win games with Jason Campbell at QB. I agree. One thing lost on Sunday night was it was Campbell – not Cutler or Schaub – who looked most comfortable under center and managed the conditions best. I think Campbell can beat the Niners Monday night.

MORE JASON CAMPBELL!