Week 9: Lions at Bears, noon on Fox

[jersey cubs fan]

The week 8 bye will hopefully give the defense enough time to heal up for what should be an easy win. I'd bet the Bears will be favored by double digit points, after destroying Detroit by 27 points in Ford Field. The longterm forecast is calling for highs around 40 and partly sunny skies.

 

I'm spending my bye Sunday at The Meadowlands for Jets/Chiefs.

[UMFan83]

Man November 2 is like 35 days from now. Ugh.

[Banedon]

Man November 2 is like 35 days from now. Ugh.

 

I know some people that could use a math tutor. Can I give them your name?

[soapy]

I'm spending my bye Sunday at The Meadowlands for Jets/Chiefs.

 

Good God...

[CubinNY]

I'm spending my bye Sunday at The Meadowlands for Jets/Chiefs.

 

Good God...

Many Jets fans started walking upright only a few short years ago. If gonny sees the dude in the fireman's hat I hope he clocks him one.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm spending my bye Sunday at The Meadowlands for Jets/Chiefs.

 

Good God...

Many Jets fans started walking upright only a few short years ago. If gonny sees the dude in the fireman's hat I hope he clocks him one.

 

No chance, I'll be in the cheap seats, fireman Ed is down low.

[Brian]

Man November 2 is like 35 days from now. Ugh.

 

 

I might be thinking of someone else here, but I do believe that November 2 has something else in common between the two of us.

[UMFan83]

Man November 2 is like 35 days from now. Ugh.

 

 

I might be thinking of someone else here, but I do believe that November 2 has something else in common between the two of us.

 

Nope thats me. Luckily one of my friends has an extra ticket for me, so I'll be at the game. Nice bday present huh?

[tfarks]

From what I hear people are expecting Williams will be able to play in this game. I don't know what people have been saying about this, if its true its probably been talked about on here at some point. The emphasis on the o-line being a cohesive unit that benefits from familiarity would suggest that Williams being inserted isn't likely to happen. However if he can play him stepping into the LT position and St. Clair going back to G replacing Garza seems like it could greatly benefit the team. Just haven't heard many official updates and I wonder how he feels and what the chances of him playing are.

[rawaction]

From what I hear people are expecting Williams will be able to play in this game. I don't know what people have been saying about this, if its true its probably been talked about on here at some point. The emphasis on the o-line being a cohesive unit that benefits from familiarity would suggest that Williams being inserted isn't likely to happen. However if he can play him stepping into the LT position and St. Clair going back to G replacing Garza seems like it could greatly benefit the team. Just haven't heard many official updates and I wonder how he feels and what the chances of him playing are.

 

I was wondering if he would be able to play after the bye. That was always best case scenario to me. He won't crack the lineup, but if he can get a good week or 2 of practice and just suit up Nov. 2, that would be great. Luckily no OL have gone down, but if one does, it would be great to have a 1st round pick be able to step in.

[Soul]

From what I hear people are expecting Williams will be able to play in this game. I don't know what people have been saying about this, if its true its probably been talked about on here at some point. The emphasis on the o-line being a cohesive unit that benefits from familiarity would suggest that Williams being inserted isn't likely to happen. However if he can play him stepping into the LT position and St. Clair going back to G replacing Garza seems like it could greatly benefit the team. Just haven't heard many official updates and I wonder how he feels and what the chances of him playing are.

 

I was wondering if he would be able to play after the bye. That was always best case scenario to me. He won't crack the lineup, but if he can get a good week or 2 of practice and just suit up Nov. 2, that would be great. Luckily no OL have gone down, but if one does, it would be great to have a 1st round pick be able to step in.

 

How much stock do you put into the idea that "you can't make changes on the OLine because it's a chemistry thing?"

 

Personally I don't think in this situation it should stop the Bears from making the change. Especially since they haven't been all that good in the run game. They're getting by in the pass game largely because Forte is a wonderful blocker and they're giving both tackles help on the outside. I don't see that changing just because we put Williams in. And I have little doubt CW would be able to move people off the ball better than St. Clair right out of the box.

[rawaction]

From what I hear people are expecting Williams will be able to play in this game. I don't know what people have been saying about this, if its true its probably been talked about on here at some point. The emphasis on the o-line being a cohesive unit that benefits from familiarity would suggest that Williams being inserted isn't likely to happen. However if he can play him stepping into the LT position and St. Clair going back to G replacing Garza seems like it could greatly benefit the team. Just haven't heard many official updates and I wonder how he feels and what the chances of him playing are.

 

I was wondering if he would be able to play after the bye. That was always best case scenario to me. He won't crack the lineup, but if he can get a good week or 2 of practice and just suit up Nov. 2, that would be great. Luckily no OL have gone down, but if one does, it would be great to have a 1st round pick be able to step in.

 

How much stock do you put into the idea that "you can't make changes on the OLine because it's a chemistry thing?"

 

Personally I don't think in this situation it should stop the Bears from making the change. Especially since they haven't been all that good in the run game. They're getting by in the pass game largely because Forte is a wonderful blocker and they're giving both tackles help on the outside. I don't see that changing just because we put Williams in. And I have little doubt CW would be able to move people off the ball better than St. Clair right out of the box.

 

I don't buy the chemistry thing for the group of 5 on the line. I do buy the concept of keeping the lockeroom together though. Fourteenth pick or not, Williams has not played a single snap in the NFL. He didn't even have a camp. I don't think you can just dump someone out of the lineup so you get your money's worth out of Williams.

 

If Williams outperforms people in practice or there is an injury, that's another thing. I understand that people shouldn't lose a job because of injury, but Williams never had a job.

[Smack]

I like the idea of giving Williams some time against the Lions to see how he fares. Obviously wouldn't want to throw him into the fire against the Titans with no previous playing time, but the Lions are a different story.

[Soul]

Essentially Garza would be losing his job.

[Burtonbell]

Didn't see this posted, but the Bears signed Terrence Holt to play DB. They chose not to go after Ty Law.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-081022-chicago-bears-holt-bowman,0,3028672.story

[Handlebar McSkullet]

Williams should and will be redshirted this year.

[rawaction]

Matt Forte has touched the ball 176 times this year. That leads the league. Only Clinton Portis is close. Forte has also taken a lot of hits in pass protection. Being a rookie, I think it's important to start limiting his touches. He's getting over 25 per game and is on pace for over 400 touches this year and 336 carries (had 393 and 361 last year at Tulane). Last year NOBODY ran the ball that many times. In 2006, Larry Johnson, Tomlinson, Steven Jackson, Rudi Johnson, Edge and Willie Parker all ran at least 337 times. In 2007, only Edge put up numbers that were even comparable to the ones from the previous year. LJ, Rudi, and Parker have missed tons of time and are shadows of their former selves. LT looks like he is headed that way too.

 

Kevin Jones got 0 carries last week (I don't believe he even saw the field). That has to change after the bye. Against the Lions, there's no reason Jones shouldn't be a big part of the game plan. I'd like to see the Bears limit Forte to 15-18 touches on Nov. 2, giving Jones about the same. That will help keep Forte fresh for the Titans game the following week, and possibly save him from falling apart at the end of the season.

[jersey cubs fan]

Matt Forte has touched the ball 176 times this year. That leads the league. Only Clinton Portis is close. Forte has also taken a lot of hits in pass protection. Being a rookie, I think it's important to start limiting his touches. He's getting over 25 per game and is on pace for over 400 touches this year and 336 carries (had 393 and 361 last year at Tulane). Last year NOBODY ran the ball that many times. In 2006, Larry Johnson, Tomlinson, Steven Jackson, Rudi Johnson, Edge and Willie Parker all ran at least 337 times. In 2007, only Edge put up numbers that were even comparable to the ones from the previous year. LJ, Rudi, and Parker have missed tons of time and are shadows of their former selves. LT looks like he is headed that way too.

 

Kevin Jones got 0 carries last week (I don't believe he even saw the field). That has to change after the bye. Against the Lions, there's no reason Jones shouldn't be a big part of the game plan. I'd like to see the Bears limit Forte to 15-18 touches on Nov. 2, giving Jones about the same. That will help keep Forte fresh for the Titans game the following week, and possibly save him from falling apart at the end of the season.

 

They definitely need to monitor this issue. The history of RBs taking huge numbers of carries is probably scarier than young pitchers racking up large innings pitched.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Matt Forte has touched the ball 176 times this year. That leads the league. Only Clinton Portis is close. Forte has also taken a lot of hits in pass protection. Being a rookie, I think it's important to start limiting his touches. He's getting over 25 per game and is on pace for over 400 touches this year and 336 carries (had 393 and 361 last year at Tulane). Last year NOBODY ran the ball that many times. In 2006, Larry Johnson, Tomlinson, Steven Jackson, Rudi Johnson, Edge and Willie Parker all ran at least 337 times. In 2007, only Edge put up numbers that were even comparable to the ones from the previous year. LJ, Rudi, and Parker have missed tons of time and are shadows of their former selves. LT looks like he is headed that way too.

 

Kevin Jones got 0 carries last week (I don't believe he even saw the field). That has to change after the bye. Against the Lions, there's no reason Jones shouldn't be a big part of the game plan. I'd like to see the Bears limit Forte to 15-18 touches on Nov. 2, giving Jones about the same. That will help keep Forte fresh for the Titans game the following week, and possibly save him from falling apart at the end of the season.

 

My dad and I were talking about this last night. I think about what happened to Cadillac Williams his rookie year. He wore out near the end, and I haven't heard his name since I don't think.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I feel like Cartman at the end of the chili episode. Their tears are so good...

 

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/NRSC_ad_assumes_Obama_win.html

[Soul]

Let me guess, two windows open at the same time? ;)

[bukie]

I feel like Cartman at the end of the chili episode. Their tears are so good...

 

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/NRSC_ad_assumes_Obama_win.html

 

That ad definitely makes me hope they limit Forte's carries.

[cubweiser03]

Just got this in email this morning. Some funny ones....

Q. What do you call 47 millionaires around a TV watching the Super Bowl?

A. The Detroit Lions.

 

Q. What do the Detroit Lions and Billy Graham have in common?

A. They both can make 70,000 people stand up and yell 'Jesus Christ'.

 

Q. How do you keep the Detroit Lions out of your yard?

A. Put up a goal post.

 

Q. Where do you go in Detroit in case of a tornado?

A. To Ford Field - they never have a touchdown there!

 

Q. What's the difference between the Detroit Lions and a dollar bill?

A. You can still get four quarters out of a dollar bill.

 

Q. How many Detroit Lions does it take to win a Super Bowl?

A. Nobody knows and we may never find out.

 

Q. What do the Detroit Lions and a possums have in common?

A. Both play dead at home and get killed on the road.

[Soul]

Not bad. Not too bad at all. Poor Lions fans.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Q: Why do geese fly up-side-down over Ford Field?

A: It isn't worth a $hit!

 

 

ok, that one is really about Lambo, but I think it works