The Bears Training Camp and Preseason Thread

[David]

i'm trying to temper my enthusiasm for this season by remembering that the Eagles, Steelers and Bengals games will preempt most Bears games in my region this fall

 

On the other hand, the Bears will have quite a few national prime time games this year.

[Banedon]

Andrew Perloff from CNNsi.com has a breakout or bust article...5 breakout stars for this year and 5 busts.

 

He has Cedric Benson as a bust.

 

Cedric Benson, RB, Bears - Now that the Bears have dealt Thomas Jones, there will be more pressure on Benson, who hasn't shown much in terms of leadership in his short career. He averaged 4.1 yards per carry last season, but I expect that number to dip when he's the primary ballcarrier. Defenses will know he's coming.

 

So they didn't know he was coming before? I don't get it.

[rawaction]

Andrew Perloff from CNNsi.com has a breakout or bust article...5 breakout stars for this year and 5 busts.

 

He has Cedric Benson as a bust.

 

Cedric Benson, RB, Bears - Now that the Bears have dealt Thomas Jones, there will be more pressure on Benson, who hasn't shown much in terms of leadership in his short career. He averaged 4.1 yards per carry last season, but I expect that number to dip when he's the primary ballcarrier. Defenses will know he's coming.

 

So they didn't know he was coming before? I don't get it.

 

Ha. Benson got the ball about 80% of the time when he was in the game. The Bears rarely used him on passing downs last year. If anything, they knew when he was coming more last year than they will as an every down back.

[Brian]

So they didn't know he was coming before? I don't get it.

 

What you didn't know the Bears did the old Mighty Ducks 2 trick and put him in Brad Maynard's jersey every time he was on the field. The other teams defense never saw the knuckle puck errr... him running it right down their throats coming.

 

 

:D

[brinoch]

i'm trying to temper my enthusiasm for this season by remembering that the Eagles, Steelers and Bengals games will preempt most Bears games in my region this fall

 

NFL Sunday ticket, baby.

[Soul]

Andrew Perloff from CNNsi.com has a breakout or bust article...5 breakout stars for this year and 5 busts.

 

He has Cedric Benson as a bust.

 

Cedric Benson, RB, Bears - Now that the Bears have dealt Thomas Jones, there will be more pressure on Benson, who hasn't shown much in terms of leadership in his short career. He averaged 4.1 yards per carry last season, but I expect that number to dip when he's the primary ballcarrier. Defenses will know he's coming.

 

So they didn't know he was coming before? I don't get it.

 

Ha. Benson got the ball about 80% of the time when he was in the game. The Bears rarely used him on passing downs last year. If anything, they knew when he was coming more last year than they will as an every down back.

 

I love when a major sports outlet declares a player a bust. You would expect there to be a very solid, well-reasoned factor that would be used as a basis for this argument. One would *think*, being CNNsi after all, that some overriding characteristic had been uncovered, something that CNNsi, with all its power and glory in the news business, would have been able to find.

 

But then you get "defenses will know he's coming" WTF? I've heard drunken barflys make a better argument than that. How stupid. Why would I ever trust anything CNNsi has to say about anything when they give me this drivel?

[David]

Urlacher was on ESPN with Rachel Nichols, and apparently paid Olsen some pretty high praise. Said he's the best TE he's ever seen.

 

Probably a little bit of an exaggeration, but cool to hear, regardless.

 

I don't doubt that he has the ability to be just that, though.

[Soul]

Urlacher was on ESPN with Rachel Nichols, and apparently paid Olsen some pretty high praise. Said he's the best TE he's ever seen.

 

Probably a little bit of an exaggeration, but cool to hear, regardless.

 

I don't doubt that he has the ability to be just that, though.

 

Here's hoping he's Shockey, but with a focused mind. There's no telling how good Shockey could have been if he was sane.

[rawaction]

Urlacher was on ESPN with Rachel Nichols, and apparently paid Olsen some pretty high praise. Said he's the best TE he's ever seen.

 

Probably a little bit of an exaggeration, but cool to hear, regardless.

 

I don't doubt that he has the ability to be just that, though.

 

Here's hoping he's Shockey, but with a focused mind. There's no telling how good Shockey could have been if he was sane.

 

That's gonna be the obvious comparison. Both TEs out of Miami, both with athleticism of a WR. Rachel Nichols also said the Bears are gonna put him all over the field. Lots of double TE sets creating mismatches. He's gonna be in the slot, he's gonna be out wide. Again, I think the Bears learned a lot from watching Dallas Clark and the Colts in the Superbowl.

[rawaction]

A lot of the talk in this thread and in the offseason has been about the offense. But quietly, I have been worried about the defense. All these big plays and impressive performances have been coming against the Bears D. I'm encouraged to read this morning's story that the Bears #1 D came out on top of the Bears #1 offense for probably the first time all training camp. Not too worried about the run D, mainly due to the best LB and safety group in the NFL. But the pass D gives me a little cause for concern. Archuleta isn't good against the pass. Brown is solid, but more of a positioning guy that a FS that can make up ground with his speed if a WR beats a CB deep. The CBs are both very rich now, and I'm just hoping they don't let up....even in the slightest.

 

I think there are some tough matchups the Bears will face this season, including Williams/Johnson twice for Detroit. A smart OC can take advantage of the pass D on occasion.

[Magnetic Curses]

Urlacher was on ESPN with Rachel Nichols, and apparently paid Olsen some pretty high praise. Said he's the best TE he's ever seen.

 

Probably a little bit of an exaggeration, but cool to hear, regardless.

 

I don't doubt that he has the ability to be just that, though.

 

Here's hoping he's Shockey, but with a focused mind. There's no telling how good Shockey could have been if he was sane.

 

faster than shockey but not as physical. i think a matt jones comparison would be fair.

[Soul]

A lot of the talk in this thread and in the offseason has been about the offense. But quietly, I have been worried about the defense. All these big plays and impressive performances have been coming against the Bears D. I'm encouraged to read this morning's story that the Bears #1 D came out on top of the Bears #1 offense for probably the first time all training camp. Not too worried about the run D, mainly due to the best LB and safety group in the NFL. But the pass D gives me a little cause for concern. Archuleta isn't good against the pass. Brown is solid, but more of a positioning guy that a FS that can make up ground with his speed if a WR beats a CB deep. The CBs are both very rich now, and I'm just hoping they don't let up....even in the slightest.

 

I think there are some tough matchups the Bears will face this season, including Williams/Johnson twice for Detroit. A smart OC can take advantage of the pass D on occasion.

 

I'm also concerned about having 2 starting safetys who are known more for their hard hitting than their pass coverage.

 

I do think it's important to remember that even in 'full contact' drills, the defense won't usually lay the kind of wood you'll see in games.

[Magnetic Curses]

A lot of the talk in this thread and in the offseason has been about the offense. But quietly, I have been worried about the defense. All these big plays and impressive performances have been coming against the Bears D. I'm encouraged to read this morning's story that the Bears #1 D came out on top of the Bears #1 offense for probably the first time all training camp. Not too worried about the run D, mainly due to the best LB and safety group in the NFL. But the pass D gives me a little cause for concern. Archuleta isn't good against the pass. Brown is solid, but more of a positioning guy that a FS that can make up ground with his speed if a WR beats a CB deep. The CBs are both very rich now, and I'm just hoping they don't let up....even in the slightest.

 

I think there are some tough matchups the Bears will face this season, including Williams/Johnson twice for Detroit. A smart OC can take advantage of the pass D on occasion.

 

I'm also concerned about having 2 starting safetys who are known more for their hard hitting than their pass coverage.

 

I do think it's important to remember that even in 'full contact' drills, the defense won't usually lay the kind of wood you'll see in games.

 

i don't really think that johnson or williams are the types of recievers that will break our backs. i'm more afraid of the little, quick guys who can find those windows. johnson and williams may be fast, but there's also more of them to hit. they'll get their yeards, but they'll pay for it, too.

 

i don't care how big of a freak you are, brown, archuletta, briggs and urlacher have mighty loud footsteps. it's best to just make your catch and get down.

[MPC]

is the bear talk on nsbb going to die because of windy city football? :(

[Banedon]

is the bear talk on nsbb going to die because of windy city football? :(

 

Probably. So come over and check it out! :)

[jersey cubs fan]

not sure I'm going to be able to handle the transition.

[MPC]

not sure I'm going to be able to handle the transition.

 

i like my football talk here at nsbb.

[Guest]

Please direct all additional conversation about the bears to www.windycityfootball.com.

 

Here's a link to the thread continuing this conversation.