The Chicago Bears Preseason Thread

[jersey cubs fan]

If Clark is hurt for any length of time, there are problems. I heard on the radio that Olson can't play on any pass blocking plays because he is a terrible blocker. It is going to be hard for him to see many passes thrown his way if when he is in the game you know he is only acting as a receiver.

 

There are going to be problems regardless of Clark's health.

 

You don't need a TE to stay in and act as an extra tackle to help with blocking. They can chip and go on delayed routes. What the Bears need is an offense that allows them to adjust to the heavy blitz.

[Wilson A2000]

Chip block by Olson. Quick screen to Forte. I don't know if Hester will perform a quick inside route for fear that he will get crushed up the middle.

[UMFan83]

If Clark is hurt for any length of time, there are problems. I heard on the radio that Olson can't play on any pass blocking plays because he is a terrible blocker. It is going to be hard for him to see many passes thrown his way if when he is in the game you know he is only acting as a receiver.

 

Hmm a TE that can't block but is too slow to be a full time WR. Another busted first round pick on offense for Angelo?

[Banedon]

If Clark is hurt for any length of time, there are problems. I heard on the radio that Olson can't play on any pass blocking plays because he is a terrible blocker. It is going to be hard for him to see many passes thrown his way if when he is in the game you know he is only acting as a receiver.

 

Hmm a TE that can't block but is too slow to be a full time WR. Another busted first round pick on offense for Angelo?

 

I'd heard he had drastically improved his blocking this season. I'd say it's a bit early to call him a bust...lol

[rawaction]

There is very little chance at all that this defense even matches 2005, let alone performs better. Their defensive line is old and slow, they don't have a single impact pass rusher. The past two drafts have been offensive-oriented, and they've turned off the spigot of young talent on defense. Don't kid yourselves.

 

 

If you think this year's defense is going to allow the fewest points in the league, or the 2nd fewest yards, you're drunk.

 

Thanks for the insult.

 

Are you saying the Bears current D-line is old and slow? Wale is the old man at 31, but is coming off maybe his best year as a pro. Anderson is 24 and he is a year removed from a 12-sack season...which means he at least has the ability to be an impact pass rusher. Harris had 8 sacks last year at about 85% health, which was the 2nd most for his position. That also makes him an impact pass rusher in my book. He's 25.

 

The SB Colts and Pats of last year have been near the top in fewest points allowed. Both teams were far from elite defenses. The Bears won't have the luxury of an offense that puts teams in a hole or an offense that doesn't put its team on a short field, but it's very conceivable that this defense can be good enough to allow fewer points than they score more often than not. And if they aren't forced to short fields and TOP isn't horrendous, it's very possible they could be near the top of the league in points allowed again.

[cubweiser03]

Wale and Brown combined for 16 sacks in 2005. Not exactly impact numbers. Harris had 3 then.

Those arent exactly numbers that scare me.

Add in Anderson and this years DLine sack totals should exceed 2005s.

[jersey cubs fan]

There is very little chance at all that this defense even matches 2005, let alone performs better. Their defensive line is old and slow, they don't have a single impact pass rusher. The past two drafts have been offensive-oriented, and they've turned off the spigot of young talent on defense. Don't kid yourselves.

 

 

If you think this year's defense is going to allow the fewest points in the league, or the 2nd fewest yards, you're drunk.

 

Thanks for the insult.

 

Are you saying the Bears current D-line is old and slow? Wale is the old man at 31, but is coming off maybe his best year as a pro. Anderson is 24 and he is a year removed from a 12-sack season...which means he at least has the ability to be an impact pass rusher. Harris had 8 sacks last year at about 85% health, which was the 2nd most for his position. That also makes him an impact pass rusher in my book. He's 25.

 

The SB Colts and Pats of last year have been near the top in fewest points allowed. Both teams were far from elite defenses. The Bears won't have the luxury of an offense that puts teams in a hole or an offense that doesn't put its team on a short field, but it's very conceivable that this defense can be good enough to allow fewer points than they score more often than not. And if they aren't forced to short fields and TOP isn't horrendous, it's very possible they could be near the top of the league in points allowed again.

 

Being near the top, and being the best in the league are not the same thing.

 

 

And since when is it an insult to be called drunk?

[jersey cubs fan]

Wale and Brown combined for 16 sacks in 2005. Not exactly impact numbers. Harris had 3 then.

Those arent exactly numbers that scare me.

Add in Anderson and this years DLine sack totals should exceed 2005s.

 

Sack totals do not make a defense.

[cubweiser03]

Wale and Brown combined for 16 sacks in 2005. Not exactly impact numbers. Harris had 3 then.

Those arent exactly numbers that scare me.

Add in Anderson and this years DLine sack totals should exceed 2005s.

 

Sack totals do not make a defense.

 

You brought up that they lacked an impact pass rusher. I was just pointing out that in 2005 they didnt have one either.

I cant argue about the age factor(Wale, but i agree with raw, wale had a very good year last year and maybe his best), but in some areas of this 2008 defense the experience is in their favor.

 

The 2005 schedule is easier than 2008s. Is it fair to compare these 2 defense based solely on stats when the opponents and strength of schedule isnt the same (their were some real crummy offenses they played against). The 2005 may have better numbers than 2008 but would that make them better regardless of SOS.

[jersey cubs fan]

Wale and Brown combined for 16 sacks in 2005. Not exactly impact numbers. Harris had 3 then.

Those arent exactly numbers that scare me.

Add in Anderson and this years DLine sack totals should exceed 2005s.

 

Sack totals do not make a defense.

 

You brought up that they lacked an impact pass rusher. I was just pointing out that in 2005 they didnt have one either.

I cant argue about the age factor(Wale, but i agree with raw, wale had a very good year last year and maybe his best), but in some areas of this 2008 defense the experience is in their favor.

 

The lack of a star pass rusher was among the things I thought the defense was lacking, the total number of team sacks doesn't mean much.

 

I don't see how experience is going to be much of a factor either. This is a team that relies on absurd physical ability, not smarts and strategy. The Bears defense was at its best when a bunch of 22-27 year old athletes ran around making plays. Those same guys aren't going to do the same things at 25-31. Pretty much every one of them have suffered significant leg/back injuries since 2005, and they haven't brought in any new bodies capable of the same things the past couple years. Add to that the fact that virtually all of these players has received his second big contract, and there just isn't much hope that this unit, made up of all the same players, just older, is going to get back to its past peak.

 

Raw said something about the defense possibly being good enough to allow fewer points than the offense scores more often than not this year. I agree, they could be good enough to be a 9-7 team. But something else to consider is the offensive line is almost certainly going to be worse than 2005, I don't see the running game ranking 7th in the league in yards per attempt or 8th in rushing yards. The defense may face a situation where they spend even more time on the field. The last thing an older speed oriented bend but don't break defense wants is to spend too much time on the field.

[cubweiser03]

No lets not talk about the offense, thats just one big cluster. And yeah im worried that this offense wont be able to imploy the strategy of grinding the opponent down rushing the ball because the line just doesnt seem to have the components to do that. That could very well spill over to the defense and cast a bad light on them.

[Banedon]

HA!

 

I think NBC probably didn't have a Jim Sorgi-Orton battle in mind when Dick Ebersol gave the league his choice for the opening Sunday-nighter.

[MPC]

per the score, orton will be starter week 1.

[UMFan83]

per the score, orton will be starter week 1.

 

I think this is more indicative of the fact that Lovie realizes the offense won't have any room for error and thus needs a quarterback that can limit mistakes. Their performances in the preseason were pretty much even in terms of their abilities. Grossman showed a better touch for the big play, and Orton was more conservative.

[Soul]

It doesn't surprise me. Let's see what the kid can do.

 

It will be very interesting in Bear-dom if the Bears start dropping games with Orton as the QB and Rex becomes the new favorite QB in town. Especially after the beating he's taken the past couple seasons from fans and press alike.

[Outshined_One]

per the score, orton will be starter week 1.

 

I think this is more indicative of the fact that Lovie realizes the offense won't have any room for error and thus needs a quarterback that can limit mistakes. Their performances in the preseason were pretty much even in terms of their abilities. Grossman showed a better touch for the big play, and Orton was more conservative.

 

Grossman can at least play a large role in deciding the outcome of a game, be it in the Bears' favor or not. Orton isn't a playmaker and has never impressed me in the time I've seen him under center. He won't make many mistakes, but he won't move the ball up and down the field at will, either.

[jersey cubs fan]

HA!

 

I think NBC probably didn't have a Jim Sorgi-Orton battle in mind when Dick Ebersol gave the league his choice for the opening Sunday-nighter.

 

He also said this about Jets fans:

 

4. I think I don't want to hear what great fans the Jets have. Not for a long time. That crowd Saturday night was a disgrace. At least half the stadium was empty for Favre's debut in a Jets' uniform. I expressed my amazement to a few fellow scribes Saturday night -- emphasizing that N.Y. traded for an all-time-great quarterback, not a broken-down one -- and they gave varying reasons for the poor turnout. Like it's the middle of vacation month for New Yorkers, and it's a preseason game. Horsefeathers. If you really love your team, and you have season tickets, you should have been at that game unless you were in Tibet. Ridiculous.

 

A lot of my friends are Jets fans, and I really like making fun of them. But this "thought" was ridiculous. King regularly rips on the NFL for charging full price for preseason games, because they are meaningless and the starters barely play. But now he's offended that Jets fans didn't come out to the Meadowlands en masse for his lovers first game. Absurd! One guy I know has 7 season tickets. He can't give the preseason tickets away. He stopped trying. He planned a vacation that began Saturday and wasn't going to change it to see Favre in a dozen meaningless plays. Why is it so important for fans to show up to this game yet it's completely excusable for them to ignore each and every other preseason game?

 

Peter King is an absolute moron.

[rawaction]

But Orton does make mistakes though. He's a game manager that makes mistakes, where as Grossman takes chances and makes mistakes. Because he doesn't take as many chances, Orton doesn't make as many mistakes, though. I'm fine with this move. I do wonder though what this means for Grossman though. With Hanie playing well and guys like Chris Simms and whoever doesn't make the Dolphins roster (McCown or John Beck) and a couple other guys out there, I wonder if the Bears would cut Rex and bring in some fresh blood.....no pun intended to Chris Simms' spleen.

[jersey cubs fan]

per the score, orton will be starter week 1.

 

I think this is more indicative of the fact that Lovie realizes the offense won't have any room for error and thus needs a quarterback that can limit mistakes. Their performances in the preseason were pretty much even in terms of their abilities. Grossman showed a better touch for the big play, and Orton was more conservative.

 

Yeah, Grossman isn't going to have an opportunity to capitalize on his big play ability, his one advantage in the competition, so what's the point of risking his big mistakes? Kyle is going to have to hit on high percentage shorter routes, if he's going to make it to the bye week alive. Either way, Rex will likely play.

[Soul]

I would hope Angelo is scouring the streets for some kind of cheap, miracle help for the OLine. But seeing how he's handled it over the past few years, I suppose he's probably not doing anything.

 

I'd be knocking on doors if that's what it took.

[UMFan83]

But Orton does make mistakes though. He's a game manager that makes mistakes, where as Grossman takes chances and makes mistakes. Because he doesn't take as many chances, Orton doesn't make as many mistakes, though. I'm fine with this move. I do wonder though what this means for Grossman though. With Hanie playing well and guys like Chris Simms and whoever doesn't make the Dolphins roster (McCown or John Beck) and a couple other guys out there, I wonder if the Bears would cut Rex and bring in some fresh blood.....no pun intended to Chris Simms' spleen.

 

I don't know if the Bears will cut Grossman after just signing a deal that included a guaranteed signing bonus. I think it will just be Orton, Grossman and Haine as the 3 QBs.

[jersey cubs fan]

But Orton does make mistakes though. He's a game manager that makes mistakes, where as Grossman takes chances and makes mistakes. Because he doesn't take as many chances, Orton doesn't make as many mistakes, though. I'm fine with this move. I do wonder though what this means for Grossman though. With Hanie playing well and guys like Chris Simms and whoever doesn't make the Dolphins roster (McCown or John Beck) and a couple other guys out there, I wonder if the Bears would cut Rex and bring in some fresh blood.....no pun intended to Chris Simms' spleen.

 

Possibly, but they have to know the QB isn't going to last 16 games behind this line, and they are going to need somebody other than Hanie to step in, potentially in the the first month. A veteran they sign after the third preseason game or the undrafted rookie are not good options for that role. My guess is they'd still hope Grossman can come in and spark the offense later in the year if need be, but a release would not hurt the cap and might be their final decision.

[Handlebar McSkullet]

per the score, orton will be starter week 1.

 

I think this is more indicative of the fact that Lovie realizes the offense won't have any room for error and thus needs a quarterback that can limit mistakes. Their performances in the preseason were pretty much even in terms of their abilities. Grossman showed a better touch for the big play, and Orton was more conservative.

 

sigh... this season will be so bad

[Handlebar McSkullet]

per the score, orton will be starter week 1.

 

I think this is more indicative of the fact that Lovie realizes the offense won't have any room for error and thus needs a quarterback that can limit mistakes. Their performances in the preseason were pretty much even in terms of their abilities. Grossman showed a better touch for the big play, and Orton was more conservative.

 

Yeah, Grossman isn't going to have an opportunity to capitalize on his big play ability, his one advantage in the competition, so what's the point of risking his big mistakes? Kyle is going to have to hit on high percentage shorter routes, if he's going to make it to the bye week alive. Either way, Rex will likely play.

 

with our line so will hanie and vinnie testaverde

[UK1679666180]

Since the Bears can't burn blitzing defenses with the big play and can't pick blitzes, Orton is going to get killed.