Week 1 Bears (0-0) @ Texans (0-0) Noon, FOX/780

[UMFan83]

This has all the makings of a surprise paper tiger playoff team that gets trounced in the first round by a coasting Seattle wild card team.

 

Yep, I can totally see the "How were we so wrong about the Bears?" articles being written in mid-November. It doesn't mean I think it will necessarily happen, but I definitely think your scenario above is a realistic one.

[David]

if zach miller is for real and healthy, and kevin white isn't a disaster, how isn't this an above average offense?

 

i'm not saying these are certainties, but they're fairly realistic possibilities/

 

i look at these WR corps + TE and it's MILES better than what we had in like 2010-11 when the offense was still doing a respectable job (albeit aided by an elite defense).

[jersey cubs fan]

The definition of uninspiring

 

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[jersey cubs fan]

if zach miller is for real and healthy, and kevin white isn't a disaster, how isn't this an above average offense?

 

are you for serious?

 

For one, Zach Miller had a couple good games. He's a middling TE. Kevin White has to be fantastic to make this an above average offense. There is no running game, the line remains a huge question. The offensive coordinator is a pud. The head coach is the most conservative coach in the league.

 

I mean, they've had offenses with Forte, Jeffery, Bennett and Marshall struggle to achieve mediocrity.

[David]

if zach miller is for real and healthy, and kevin white isn't a disaster, how isn't this an above average offense?

 

are you for serious?

 

For one, Zach Miller had a couple good games. He's a middling TE. Kevin White has to be fantastic to make this an above average offense. There is no running game, the line remains a huge question. The offensive coordinator is a pud. The head coach is the most conservative coach in the league.

 

I mean, they've had offenses with Forte, Jeffery, Bennett and Marshall struggle to achieve mediocrity.

 

PFF really liked Miller last year. He might be legitimately good, if he can stay on the field. Kevin White just has to be good as a second option. I know you're not a huge fan of his, but there is no question that Alshon is a legit #1 and one of the best WR in the league.

 

The interior line looks very good on paper and should be a good run blocking unit, at the very least. Massie, Long, and Sitton are all decently to very highly regarded run blockers. You hand a guy the ball and block and if your blocking is good you'll have a running game.

[Guest]

no team with a legitimate NFL starting QB will finish last in the league. How often is one of those teams even in the bottom third of the league?

[SpongeWorthy]

no team with a legitimate NFL starting QB will finish last in the league. How often is one of those teams even in the bottom third of the league?

 

well cutler was really quite good last year and the bears were still in the bottom third

[Guest]

if zach miller is for real and healthy, and kevin white isn't a disaster, how isn't this an above average offense?

 

are you for serious?

 

For one, Zach Miller had a couple good games. He's a middling TE. Kevin White has to be fantastic to make this an above average offense. There is no running game, the line remains a huge question. The offensive coordinator is a pud. The head coach is the most conservative coach in the league.

 

I mean, they've had offenses with Forte, Jeffery, Bennett and Marshall struggle to achieve mediocrity.

 

Miller played really well last year and could be a TE that gets a lot of catches this year.

 

How is there no running game? Because Forte is gone? They're better off with whatever three-headed monster they'll put out there. Their offense is really only weak at the two tackle positions, which, unfortunately, are pretty important places to be bad. That said, the acquisition of Sitton, the return of Long, and the potential of Whitehair will make things easier on the outside for protecting Cutler.

 

I don't know anything about the OC, but the coach is very conservative. We will see how that works out. I think Pace has done a good job so far.

[Guest]

no team with a legitimate NFL starting QB will finish last in the league. How often is one of those teams even in the bottom third of the league?

 

well cutler was really quite good last year and the bears were still in the bottom third

 

eh, kind of borderline, and it was the first year of a new regime taking over a train wreck from the previous season.

[raw]

if zach miller is for real and healthy, and kevin white isn't a disaster, how isn't this an above average offense?

 

are you for serious?

 

For one, Zach Miller had a couple good games. He's a middling TE. Kevin White has to be fantastic to make this an above average offense. There is no running game, the line remains a huge question. The offensive coordinator is a pud. The head coach is the most conservative coach in the league.

 

I mean, they've had offenses with Forte, Jeffery, Bennett and Marshall struggle to achieve mediocrity.

 

Miller had 4 good games. He can be a pretty good receiving TE. That being said, there's almost 0 chance he stays healthy. Last year, he played 15 games after playing 0 in the previous 3 years. He missed most of camp. He's not playing anywhere near 16 games.

 

White probably won't be fantastic, but hopefully he takes some steps in that direction.

 

The run game should be interesting. I think the Bears will definitely give the run game a college try. I think they'll make sure it doesn't work on a game-by-game basis before they abandon it each week. And I think they'll run all 3 backs and in a variety of ways to try to make it work.

 

But yeah, I'm hoping for average. Average offense and slightly above average defense would make this an 8-8 team.

[UMFan83]

if zach miller is for real and healthy, and kevin white isn't a disaster, how isn't this an above average offense?

 

are you for serious?

 

For one, Zach Miller had a couple good games. He's a middling TE. Kevin White has to be fantastic to make this an above average offense. There is no running game, the line remains a huge question. The offensive coordinator is a pud. The head coach is the most conservative coach in the league.

 

I mean, they've had offenses with Forte, Jeffery, Bennett and Marshall struggle to achieve mediocrity.

 

Miller had 4 good games. He can be a pretty good receiving TE. That being said, there's almost 0 chance he stays healthy. Last year, he played 15 games after playing 0 in the previous 3 years. He missed most of camp. He's not playing anywhere near 16 games.

 

White probably won't be fantastic, but hopefully he takes some steps in that direction.

 

The run game should be interesting. I think the Bears will definitely give the run game a college try. I think they'll make sure it doesn't work on a game-by-game basis before they abandon it each week. And I think they'll run all 3 backs and in a variety of ways to try to make it work.

 

But yeah, I'm hoping for average. Average offense and slightly above average defense would make this an 8-8 team.

 

Wouldn't an average offense + slightly above average defense + bottom 5 schedule give you better than 8-8 assuming average luck?

[David]

 

are you for serious?

 

For one, Zach Miller had a couple good games. He's a middling TE. Kevin White has to be fantastic to make this an above average offense. There is no running game, the line remains a huge question. The offensive coordinator is a pud. The head coach is the most conservative coach in the league.

 

I mean, they've had offenses with Forte, Jeffery, Bennett and Marshall struggle to achieve mediocrity.

 

Miller had 4 good games. He can be a pretty good receiving TE. That being said, there's almost 0 chance he stays healthy. Last year, he played 15 games after playing 0 in the previous 3 years. He missed most of camp. He's not playing anywhere near 16 games.

 

White probably won't be fantastic, but hopefully he takes some steps in that direction.

 

The run game should be interesting. I think the Bears will definitely give the run game a college try. I think they'll make sure it doesn't work on a game-by-game basis before they abandon it each week. And I think they'll run all 3 backs and in a variety of ways to try to make it work.

 

But yeah, I'm hoping for average. Average offense and slightly above average defense would make this an 8-8 team.

 

Wouldn't an average offense + slightly above average defense + bottom 5 schedule give you better than 8-8 assuming average luck?

 

Def

[David]

I'm also more inclined to believe that Miller has had shitty luck in a sport that leads to lots of injures than that he has a predisposition to being injured. We'll see. Obviously a concussion is bad news.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm also more inclined to believe that Miller has had [expletive] luck in a sport that leads to lots of injures than that he has a predisposition to being injured. We'll see. Obviously a concussion is bad news.

Well injuries aren't BABIP. You don't typically suffer a lot early in your career and then get all super healthy later on. It's not about a predisposition to get injured but rather a collection of injuries that take a toll.

[CubColtPacer]

no team with a legitimate NFL starting QB will finish last in the league. How often is one of those teams even in the bottom third of the league?

 

San Diego managed to go 4-12 last year with Rivers playing all 16 games to give one example.

[jersey cubs fan]

feeddabears?

 

wtf is this?

 

 

 

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[Ding Dong Johnson]

probably felt #ditka wasn't specific enough

[JonJayCutler]

We're going to have Sitton and Long on the interior, and Langford is better than most people think he is. Run game will be just fine.

[Omar]

feeddabears?

 

wtf is this?

 

 

 

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cringe.

 

I'm more confused on #DawgPound

[Thed Hoyerstein]

feeddabears?

 

wtf is this?

 

 

 

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cringe.

 

I'm more confused on #DawgPound

 

for the cleveland stadium dawg pound...

[Omar]

Clearly I don't pay enough attention to the Browns

[Guest]

no team with a legitimate NFL starting QB will finish last in the league. How often is one of those teams even in the bottom third of the league?

 

San Diego managed to go 4-12 last year with Rivers playing all 16 games to give one example.

 

True, but that shows that it doesnt happen very often.

[BigbadB]

I'm going to stay on the optimistic side of this Bears roster. I'm a bit disappointed they didn't look to improve the TE position more this offseason, as I have the same concerns Raw has about Miller's ability to stay healthy. Losing McPhee for nearly half the season hurts. A bad season probably means we get one of the best OT's on the board in next year's draft. But, I remain hopeful they can gel well enough to keep a lot of games close, as I do love Bears football.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm going to stay on the optimistic side of this Bears roster. I'm a bit disappointed they didn't look to improve the TE position more this offseason, as I have the same concerns Raw has about Miller's ability to stay healthy. Losing McPhee for nearly half the season hurts. A bad season probably means we get one of the best OT's on the board in next year's draft. But, I remain hopeful they can gel well enough to keep a lot of games close, as I do love Bears football.

another bad season probably puts QB atop the draft board

[Liam Neeson]

Now for my daily reminder that the Bears traded up to not draft Tunsil.