Week 13: Bears at Vikings, 7:15 on NBC

[UK1679666180]

I know this isn't what the Bears want to do, especially with all the money they're paying him, but in the offseason, I'd like to abandon the Hester/WR experiment and go back to him being solely a return guy.

 

Completely disagree. The odds that he will have any sort of prolonged success as an amazing returner are extremely low. I think he's lost that step he had and he's not going to get it back. But he's shown enough in his 1.5 as a receiver to make me believe he can keep getting better, and he's going to have much more of an impact there than at returner.

 

I just don't think he has the hands to be a good/great receiver. He might have lost a step, but that could have to do with his hip injury early in the season. I'm hopeful it returns. But even if it does, I don't see that making him some great receiver.

 

In any case, I fear we've seen the best of Hester already...

 

Regardless, he's not going to help the team more as strictly a returner. That's done. He's not a #1, but he could be a tremendous weapon if the Bears actually had a good WR on the other side, and an offensive line that could block for more than 2 seconds.

 

Ok then...choose returning or WR...get him off doing both...:P

 

I guess as a #2 WR he could be ok, but he's getting paid like a #1, isn't he?

 

I don't see Hester becoming anything more than a #3 WR at this point. I agree with your original point of having him concentrate mainly on returning, even if he has lost a step, he still can be one of the better returners in the League just not the greatest of all-time as he was the 1st two years. To me, that's better than force feeding a below avg. WR into a more important role than he's worth based on financial and bad decision making.

[UMFan83]

I know this isn't what the Bears want to do, especially with all the money they're paying him, but in the offseason, I'd like to abandon the Hester/WR experiment and go back to him being solely a return guy.

 

Completely disagree. The odds that he will have any sort of prolonged success as an amazing returner are extremely low. I think he's lost that step he had and he's not going to get it back. But he's shown enough in his 1.5 as a receiver to make me believe he can keep getting better, and he's going to have much more of an impact there than at returner.

 

I just don't think he has the hands to be a good/great receiver. He might have lost a step, but that could have to do with his hip injury early in the season. I'm hopeful it returns. But even if it does, I don't see that making him some great receiver.

 

In any case, I fear we've seen the best of Hester already...

 

Regardless, he's not going to help the team more as strictly a returner. That's done. He's not a #1, but he could be a tremendous weapon if the Bears actually had a good WR on the other side, and an offensive line that could block for more than 2 seconds.

 

Ok then...choose returning or WR...get him off doing both...:P

 

I guess as a #2 WR he could be ok, but he's getting paid like a #1, isn't he?

 

I don't see Hester becoming anything more than a #3 WR at this point. I agree with your original point of having him concentrate mainly on returning, even if he has lost a step, he still can be one of the better returners in the League just not the greatest of all-time as he was the 1st two years. To me, that's better than force feeding a below avg. WR into a more important role than he's worth based on financial and bad decision making.

 

So basically what we all feared is actually happening. Devin Hester is following Dante Hall's career arc

[UK1679666180]

I know this isn't what the Bears want to do, especially with all the money they're paying him, but in the offseason, I'd like to abandon the Hester/WR experiment and go back to him being solely a return guy.

 

Completely disagree. The odds that he will have any sort of prolonged success as an amazing returner are extremely low. I think he's lost that step he had and he's not going to get it back. But he's shown enough in his 1.5 as a receiver to make me believe he can keep getting better, and he's going to have much more of an impact there than at returner.

 

I just don't think he has the hands to be a good/great receiver. He might have lost a step, but that could have to do with his hip injury early in the season. I'm hopeful it returns. But even if it does, I don't see that making him some great receiver.

 

In any case, I fear we've seen the best of Hester already...

 

Regardless, he's not going to help the team more as strictly a returner. That's done. He's not a #1, but he could be a tremendous weapon if the Bears actually had a good WR on the other side, and an offensive line that could block for more than 2 seconds.

 

Ok then...choose returning or WR...get him off doing both...:P

 

I guess as a #2 WR he could be ok, but he's getting paid like a #1, isn't he?

 

I don't see Hester becoming anything more than a #3 WR at this point. I agree with your original point of having him concentrate mainly on returning, even if he has lost a step, he still can be one of the better returners in the League just not the greatest of all-time as he was the 1st two years. To me, that's better than force feeding a below avg. WR into a more important role than he's worth based on financial and bad decision making.

 

So basically what we all feared is actually happening. Devin Hester is following Dante Hall's career arc

 

I think so, the odds are much greater that he becomes an above avg. returner if he focuses mostly on that rather than trying to hope he can develop his hands and route running ability to where you can justify throwing to him 5-10 throws a game and not on those idiotic WR screen that never go anywhere.

[BigbadB]

I thought the defense looked a little better last night than they have been.

 

I think Graham earned a starting job for next season. I thought the safety play was pretty decent. I'm really starting to like Payne as a nice complement to Brown.

 

With that said, I think they only need to focus on the defensive line and a little depth at the linebacker position this offseason on the defensive side of the ball.

 

Hunter Hillenmeyer and Rashied Davis are guys I wouldn't mind seeing released this am or yesterday. They offer this team nothing at this point.

[UK1679666180]

I thought the defense looked a little better last night than they have been.

 

I think Graham earned a starting job for next season. I thought the safety play was pretty decent. I'm really starting to like Payne as a nice complement to Brown.

 

With that said, I think they only need to focus on the defensive line and a little depth at the linebacker position this offseason on the defensive side of the ball.

 

Hunter Hillenmeyer and Rashied Davis are guys I wouldn't mind seeing released this am or yesterday. They offer this team nothing at this point.

 

Graham did well, the Bears will have an interesting decision at DB with the contract of Vasher, I don't know what the cap hit would be, if there would be one.

 

I don't like either safety, Brown is the team leader and go against the run but neither him or Payne can cover anyone. Manning is a bust except when he is returning kicks. I agree with Hillenmeyer and Davis serving no purpose on this team, although I think Hillenmeyer is better than Roach, neither are starting OLBs.

[RedFlash]

I think so, the odds are much greater that he becomes an above avg. returner if he focuses mostly on that rather than trying to hope he can develop his hands and route running ability to where you can justify throwing to him 5-10 throws a game and not on those idiotic WR screen that never go anywhere.

 

I don't think so. I think it a product of Hester is no longer 100% focus on being a returner and his main focus is on being the best WR he can be. Steve Smith (Carolina) used to be a dynamic kick return in his own right with a PR average 9.3 and KR average of 25 ypg with 6 total touchdowns (Hester is PR 12.6 KR 22.8 ypg with 11 Tds combine), but when Carolina limit his touches as a returner and he became a full time star at WR, that's when his numbers went down. Dante Hall simply was not big enough, or strong enough to be anything other then a WR, and when KC/St. Lou tried to make him a WR he became injury prone. So no I don't see Hesters' career going down the road similar to Dante Hall, I see it as more of going down the road similar to Brian Mitchell.

[MPC]

st. clair better finally be benched next week. i think lovie and company were trying to keep the continuity of the o-line together by allowing st. clair to keep playing even while williams has been healthy. now that st. clair has shown he's a total liability, williams needs to start and play every down the rest of the way.

[cubweiser03]

Goaline FB dive. WTH. That play has worked what 1 out of 8 or 9 times on short yardage. And you decide to run into to the teeth of the best DT in the game? Im not going to blame Turner for that play completely switching the momentum of the game but jeeesh, can we finally bury that play in the playbook.

 

I thought the defense played better than the score indicated. Once again Peterson beats them on a large run, at least this time they had guys in position to make the tackle. And did Tillman run peterson down, sure looked like it to me.

 

6-6. Now i think they need to run the table. I dont know if 9-7 gets it done. How the tiebreakers after the next 4 games shakes out i dont know.

[biittner77]

I wonder if they left St Clair in there for this game so as not to run Williams out there against a good D-line. I can't see how they can run him out there again.

 

Turner is one stubborn SOB. He was determined to prove that they could run up the middle no matter how many times it failed. They couldn't try to pass it at least once on the goal stand. Had they tried and failed to pass on 2nd down, then get stopped on 3rd down they kick the field goal.

 

I can't see the Bears doing better than 3-1 the rest of the way. 9-7 misses the playoffs.

[UMFan83]

I wonder if they left St Clair in there for this game so as not to run Williams out there against a good D-line. I can't see how they can run him out there again.

 

Turner is one stubborn SOB. He was determined to prove that they could run up the middle no matter how many times it failed. They couldn't try to pass it at least once on the goal stand. Had they tried and failed to pass on 2nd down, then get stopped on 3rd down they kick the field goal.

 

I can't see the Bears doing better than 3-1 the rest of the way. 9-7 misses the playoffs.

 

They tried to pass on first down, and ran the other 3 times.

[rawaction]

I thought the defense looked a little better last night than they have been.

 

I think Graham earned a starting job for next season. I thought the safety play was pretty decent. I'm really starting to like Payne as a nice complement to Brown.

 

With that said, I think they only need to focus on the defensive line and a little depth at the linebacker position this offseason on the defensive side of the ball.

 

Hunter Hillenmeyer and Rashied Davis are guys I wouldn't mind seeing released this am or yesterday. They offer this team nothing at this point.

 

Graham did well, the Bears will have an interesting decision at DB with the contract of Vasher, I don't know what the cap hit would be, if there would be one.

 

I don't like either safety, Brown is the team leader and go against the run but neither him or Payne can cover anyone. Manning is a bust except when he is returning kicks. I agree with Hillenmeyer and Davis serving no purpose on this team, although I think Hillenmeyer is better than Roach, neither are starting OLBs.

 

Brown and Payne are too similar to both be on the field together. I kinda like both, but don't love either. Same strengths, same weaknesses. Need a ballhawk who will know his assignments in the pass game and make plays when the ball is in the air. Young Mike Brown was decent at this, while still providing run support. I thought Roach played his best game of the year last night, but was still below average. I've been calling Hillenmeyer's demise for 2 years now.

[rchap24]

I thought the defense looked a little better last night than they have been.

 

I think Graham earned a starting job for next season. I thought the safety play was pretty decent. I'm really starting to like Payne as a nice complement to Brown.

 

With that said, I think they only need to focus on the defensive line and a little depth at the linebacker position this offseason on the defensive side of the ball.

 

Hunter Hillenmeyer and Rashied Davis are guys I wouldn't mind seeing released this am or yesterday. They offer this team nothing at this point.

 

Graham did well, the Bears will have an interesting decision at DB with the contract of Vasher, I don't know what the cap hit would be, if there would be one.

 

I don't like either safety, Brown is the team leader and go against the run but neither him or Payne can cover anyone. Manning is a bust except when he is returning kicks. I agree with Hillenmeyer and Davis serving no purpose on this team, although I think Hillenmeyer is better than Roach, neither are starting OLBs.

 

Brown and Payne are too similar to both be on the field together. I kinda like both, but don't love either. Same strengths, same weaknesses. Need a ballhawk who will know his assignments in the pass game and make plays when the ball is in the air. Young Mike Brown was decent at this, while still providing run support. I thought Roach played his best game of the year last night, but was still below average. I've been calling Hillenmeyer's demise for 2 years now.

 

agreed and agreed about the neither of them being NFL level OLB...Neither can cover the pass and neither are good enough tacklers that could make up for it

[rawaction]

I wonder if they left St Clair in there for this game so as not to run Williams out there against a good D-line. I can't see how they can run him out there again.

 

Turner is one stubborn SOB. He was determined to prove that they could run up the middle no matter how many times it failed. They couldn't try to pass it at least once on the goal stand. Had they tried and failed to pass on 2nd down, then get stopped on 3rd down they kick the field goal.

 

I can't see the Bears doing better than 3-1 the rest of the way. 9-7 misses the playoffs.

 

I'd go on 4th down inside the one every single time if I have a good defense. Granted, Peanut screwed up badly, but you put a defensive team like the Bears against a team w/ their backs against the endzone, the Bears should either come out of there with either a safety and a short field OR a punt and a short field. In previous years, that punt also meant a potential return TD. Good defensive/ST teams should be able to get their offense right back in position to score again if they fail on 3rd down.

 

Also, nothing was wrong w/ running the ball. The FB dive was stupid. And the 4th down call was stupid because it was a slow developing play. If Forte hits that hole hard and straight ahead, it's a score.

 

JSC was pretty bad. Orton was pretty bad. Rashied was bad.

[Guest]

Why is Jamar Williams behind Roach on the depth chart?

[UMFan83]

Why is Jamar Williams behind Roach on the depth chart?

 

Wasn't he injured for awhile? I know he's quickly fallen out of favor with the Bears.

[UK1679666180]

I wonder if they left St Clair in there for this game so as not to run Williams out there against a good D-line. I can't see how they can run him out there again.

 

Turner is one stubborn SOB. He was determined to prove that they could run up the middle no matter how many times it failed. They couldn't try to pass it at least once on the goal stand. Had they tried and failed to pass on 2nd down, then get stopped on 3rd down they kick the field goal.

 

I can't see the Bears doing better than 3-1 the rest of the way. 9-7 misses the playoffs.

 

I'd go on 4th down inside the one every single time if I have a good defense. Granted, Peanut screwed up badly, but you put a defensive team like the Bears against a team w/ their backs against the endzone, the Bears should either come out of there with either a safety and a short field OR a punt and a short field. In previous years, that punt also meant a potential return TD. Good defensive/ST teams should be able to get their offense right back in position to score again if they fail on 3rd down.

 

Also, nothing was wrong w/ running the ball. The FB dive was stupid. And the 4th down call was stupid because it was a slow developing play. If Forte hits that hole hard and straight ahead, it's a score.

 

JSC was pretty bad. Orton was pretty bad. Rashied was bad.

 

I know I complained about it early in the game, but I can't believe that they did not leave a HB or a TE to chip Allen.

[rawaction]

I wonder if they left St Clair in there for this game so as not to run Williams out there against a good D-line. I can't see how they can run him out there again.

 

Turner is one stubborn SOB. He was determined to prove that they could run up the middle no matter how many times it failed. They couldn't try to pass it at least once on the goal stand. Had they tried and failed to pass on 2nd down, then get stopped on 3rd down they kick the field goal.

 

I can't see the Bears doing better than 3-1 the rest of the way. 9-7 misses the playoffs.

 

I'd go on 4th down inside the one every single time if I have a good defense. Granted, Peanut screwed up badly, but you put a defensive team like the Bears against a team w/ their backs against the endzone, the Bears should either come out of there with either a safety and a short field OR a punt and a short field. In previous years, that punt also meant a potential return TD. Good defensive/ST teams should be able to get their offense right back in position to score again if they fail on 3rd down.

 

Also, nothing was wrong w/ running the ball. The FB dive was stupid. And the 4th down call was stupid because it was a slow developing play. If Forte hits that hole hard and straight ahead, it's a score.

 

JSC was pretty bad. Orton was pretty bad. Rashied was bad.

 

I know I complained about it early in the game, but I can't believe that they did not leave a HB or a TE to chip Allen.

 

Shouldn't be necessary. Should be running a quicker hitter on the goaline anyway.

[UK1679666180]

I wonder if they left St Clair in there for this game so as not to run Williams out there against a good D-line. I can't see how they can run him out there again.

 

Turner is one stubborn SOB. He was determined to prove that they could run up the middle no matter how many times it failed. They couldn't try to pass it at least once on the goal stand. Had they tried and failed to pass on 2nd down, then get stopped on 3rd down they kick the field goal.

 

I can't see the Bears doing better than 3-1 the rest of the way. 9-7 misses the playoffs.

 

I'd go on 4th down inside the one every single time if I have a good defense. Granted, Peanut screwed up badly, but you put a defensive team like the Bears against a team w/ their backs against the endzone, the Bears should either come out of there with either a safety and a short field OR a punt and a short field. In previous years, that punt also meant a potential return TD. Good defensive/ST teams should be able to get their offense right back in position to score again if they fail on 3rd down.

 

Also, nothing was wrong w/ running the ball. The FB dive was stupid. And the 4th down call was stupid because it was a slow developing play. If Forte hits that hole hard and straight ahead, it's a score.

 

JSC was pretty bad. Orton was pretty bad. Rashied was bad.

 

I know I complained about it early in the game, but I can't believe that they did not leave a HB or a TE to chip Allen.

 

Shouldn't be necessary. Should be running a quicker hitter on the goaline anyway.

 

It shouldn't be necessary but it was, St. Clair can't block Allen as that was made clear in Chicago.

[Guest]

Dusty Dvoracek done for the season with a torn bicep injury. Damn, he was probably the second best player on the defense this season too.

[UK1679666180]

Dusty Dvoracek done for the season with a torn bicep injury. Damn, he was probably the second best player on the defense this season too.

 

Free Anthony Adams!

[Guest]

Dusty Dvoracek done for the season with a torn bicep injury. Damn, he was probably the second best player on the defense this season too.

 

Free Anthony Adams!

 

Marcus Harrison.

[BigbadB]

How wrong would it be to move Mike Brown to OLB? Then you could go with Payne and Steltz at safety. I'd rather see Brown covering tight ends or backs on short pass patterns than Hillenmeyer or Roach.

[UK1679666180]

How wrong would it be to move Mike Brown to OLB? Then you could go with Payne and Steltz at safety. I'd rather see Brown covering tight ends or backs on short pass patterns than Hillenmeyer or Roach.

 

I'd hate to see him against a pulling lineman or the FB, he's probably just not good enough at shedding blockers.

[cubweiser03]

Speaking of Mike Brown. The dude has been making some phenominal open field tackles lately. The last 3-4 games its like the old mike brown disecting and making plays.

[jersey cubs fan]

I wonder if they left St Clair in there for this game so as not to run Williams out there against a good D-line. I can't see how they can run him out there again.

 

Turner is one stubborn SOB. He was determined to prove that they could run up the middle no matter how many times it failed. They couldn't try to pass it at least once on the goal stand. Had they tried and failed to pass on 2nd down, then get stopped on 3rd down they kick the field goal.

 

I can't see the Bears doing better than 3-1 the rest of the way. 9-7 misses the playoffs.

 

I'd go on 4th down inside the one every single time if I have a good defense. Granted, Peanut screwed up badly, but you put a defensive team like the Bears against a team w/ their backs against the endzone, the Bears should either come out of there with either a safety and a short field OR a punt and a short field. In previous years, that punt also meant a potential return TD. Good defensive/ST teams should be able to get their offense right back in position to score again if they fail on 3rd down.

 

Also, nothing was wrong w/ running the ball. The FB dive was stupid. And the 4th down call was stupid because it was a slow developing play. If Forte hits that hole hard and straight ahead, it's a score.

 

JSC was pretty bad. Orton was pretty bad. Rashied was bad.

 

I was all for going for it on 4th. But running 3 of 4 times definitely was stupid. It's a defense that can't be moved with an offensive line that can't move anybody.