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

[David]

The defense made some pretty big upgrades.

 

at middle linebacker

 

 

I don't care what position it is (barring K/P), if you go from clearly worst in the league to one of the best tandems in the league, that's a huge swing and that's going to have a noticeable impact.

Edited September 9, 2016 by David

[WrigleyField 22]

The defense made some pretty big upgrades.

 

at middle linebacker

And DL.

 

Aka our weakest spots.

[WrigleyField 22]

The defense made some pretty big upgrades. And last season was not Cutlers best.

 

Yeah. I expected the defense to be much improved. The McPhee situation is a major setback though. He was one of the best pass rushers in the league.

Its a setback, but he also missed a lot of time last year, and Houston and Young did a pretty good job filling in. It shouldnt devestate our defense or anything.

[WrigleyField 22]

Well, now I'm curious as to what you think his best season was.

Year one of Tresty, with the shortened Martz year being number 2, at least on a per game basis.

[jersey cubs fan]

The defense made some pretty big upgrades.

 

at middle linebacker

 

 

I don't care what position it is (barring K/P), if you go from clearly worst in the league to one of the best tandems in the league, that's a huge swing and that's going to have a noticeable impact.

you should care

 

middle linebacker isn't defensive end. They aren't difference makers.

[David]

 

at middle linebacker

 

 

I don't care what position it is (barring K/P), if you go from clearly worst in the league to one of the best tandems in the league, that's a huge swing and that's going to have a noticeable impact.

you should care

 

middle linebacker isn't defensive end. They aren't difference makers.

 

that's anecdotal narrow-minded nonsense. they are when you go from worst in the league to top tier.

[UMFan83]

Well, now I'm curious as to what you think his best season was.

Year one of Tresty, with the shortened Martz year being number 2, at least on a per game basis.

 

Yeah the 2 years with Martz were pretty good considering his receivers during those years were Johnny Knox, Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, Rashied Davis, Devin Aromashodu, Roy Williams and Dane Sanzenbacher (he did have Greg Olsen in 2010)

 

In fact I never would have believed that Jay's career arc went the way it did if you told me during the 4th quarter of that chargers game in 2011. That was his career peak, one year removed from a 11-5 division title and NFC title game appearance, bounced back from a 2-3 start to win 5 in a row and considered one of the legit contenders in the NFC. Then he broke his damn thumb chasing down a DB who intercepted a pass that shouldn't have been intercepted (I believe it bounced off his shitty WR target and held up in the air long enough for someone to grab it) and it all went downhill from there.

[jersey cubs fan]

that's anecdotal narrow-minded nonsense. they are when you go from worst in the league to top tier.

do you know what anecdotal means?

[David]

that's anecdotal narrow-minded nonsense. they are when you go from worst in the league to top tier.

do you know what anecdotal means?

(of an account) not necessarily true or reliable, because based on personal accounts rather than facts or research.

it means exactly what i meant by it

[David]

Well, now I'm curious as to what you think his best season was.

Year one of Tresty, with the shortened Martz year being number 2, at least on a per game basis.

 

Yeah the 2 years with Martz were pretty good considering his receivers during those years were Johnny Knox, Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, Rashied Davis, Devin Aromashodu, Roy Williams and Dane Sanzenbacher (he did have Greg Olsen in 2010)

 

In fact I never would have believed that Jay's career arc went the way it did if you told me during the 4th quarter of that chargers game in 2011. That was his career peak, one year removed from a 11-5 division title and NFC title game appearance, bounced back from a 2-3 start to win 5 in a row and considered one of the legit contenders in the NFC. Then he broke his damn thumb chasing down a DB who intercepted a pass that shouldn't have been intercepted (I believe it bounced off his [expletive] WR target and held up in the air long enough for someone to grab it) and it all went downhill from there.

 

if only knox had had his back broken a few weeks earlier

 

 

jk that was a terrible injury and i feel bad for saying that

[jersey cubs fan]

that's anecdotal narrow-minded nonsense. they are when you go from worst in the league to top tier.

do you know what anecdotal means?

(of an account) not necessarily true or reliable, because based on personal accounts rather than facts or research.

it means exactly what i meant by it

no

 

it's not like football positions are baseball positions and everybody's ability to hit can be measured individually. Middle linebackers do not impact the game the same way many other positions do. Same is true of QBs, tight ends and guards. It's an upgrade, but it's an upgrade that provides stability more than anything. It's good, but not a game changing situation.

[David]

do you know what anecdotal means?

(of an account) not necessarily true or reliable, because based on personal accounts rather than facts or research.

it means exactly what i meant by it

no

 

it's not like football positions are baseball positions and everybody's ability to hit can be measured individually. Middle linebackers do not impact the game the same way many other positions do. Same is true of QBs, tight ends and guards. It's an upgrade, but it's an upgrade that provides stability more than anything. It's good, but not a game changing situation.

 

none of these words mean things. stability? it's a tangible upgrade and that will be noticed in yards and, subsequently, points allowed and subsequently in wins. it may be less of an upgrade than going form worst qb in the league to best, but it is a significant one, either way.

 

you had two dudes who didn't know which direction to run and now you have two of the best in the league and you're telling me that's not going to noticeably impact how well we keep other teams from gaining yards?

[jersey cubs fan]

okay, enough of this, I have to put on my pretend to have lots of confidence in the bears being sneaky good this season face this weekend and that starts now.

 

 

 

I think people underestimate how much the defense has improved. The offense won't be great but they will be steady with occasional big play threats.

[Guest]

okay, enough of this, I have to put on my pretend to have lots of confidence in the bears being sneaky good this season face this weekend and that starts now.

 

 

 

I think people underestimate how much the defense has improved. The offense won't be great but they will be steady with occasional big play threats.

 

I'm just hoping Jay doesn't get sacked 9 times on sunday.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

[UMFan83]

okay, enough of this, I have to put on my pretend to have lots of confidence in the bears being sneaky good this season face this weekend and that starts now.

 

 

 

I think people underestimate how much the defense has improved. The offense won't be great but they will be steady with occasional big play threats.

 

I think there is a lot of griping about the secondary, but I think if the front 7 is generating pressure and the LBs are protecting the intermediate routes effectively, the effect a lousy secondary has is negated a good bit. Plus think the safeties will be better than expected so that will help.

[WrigleyField 22]

I dont remember how the season ended, but weren't the Bears into Thanksgiving of last year one of the top rated pass defense teams?

[JonJayCutler]

Next to the two GB games this may in fact be the toughest game on the schedule. Won't face a defense like this for the rest of the season, although Minny's is pretty close. I think we lose this one but win the next three (two rookie QBs followed by Lions at home).

 

This should by all accounts be Jay's best year as a Bear. Lots of bad defenses on the schedule, Jeffery and White back, similar offensive system from a year ago, etc.

[UMFan83]

I dont remember how the season ended, but weren't the Bears into Thanksgiving of last year one of the top rated pass defense teams?

 

well they finished 23rd in pass defense DVOA so it would be a pretty big fall over the last 6 or so games of the season.

[WrigleyField 22]

I dont remember how the season ended, but weren't the Bears into Thanksgiving of last year one of the top rated pass defense teams?

 

well they finished 23rd in pass defense DVOA so it would be a pretty big fall over the last 6 or so games of the season.

Maybe just in dumb stats they were up there then... finished 4th in pass yards. I though the advanced stats had liked them too, but I guess not.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Guys, I don't know what roster and staff ya'll looking at, but 10 wins for the Bears would shock the living hell out of me

[WrigleyField 22]

I guess anything within the ranges of 10 wins or 10 losses is hard to be truely shocking for me in this league.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'm just not sure how much being steadier on defense really means. You need playmakers to get off the field, and this team doesn't have them. Having only one or two weaknesses to attack won't really slow the offense down over having 3 or 4 if they have all the time in the world and don't have to worry about the defense making a big play on them.

 

I could be very wrong though. We'll start finding out in two days.

[Guest]

I'm just not sure how much being steadier on defense really means. You need playmakers to get off the field, and this team doesn't have them. Having only one or two weaknesses to attack won't really slow the offense down over having 3 or 4 if they have all the time in the world and don't have to worry about the defense making a big play on them.

 

I could be very wrong though. We'll start finding out in two days.

 

They have guys who can get to the quarterback, if that's what you're talking about. I think that once they got used to the scheme, Young and Houston rushed the passer very well. Losing McPhee hurts, but the idea is that Floyd steps up.

 

Sure, Fangio is "disappointed" with Floyd's injuries in TC, but of course he would be, he wants people to see what he can do. Fangio was the guy who told Pace to trade up to get him. He's excited about his potential.

[David]

I guess anything within the ranges of 10 wins or 10 losses is hard to be truely shocking for me in this league.

Yep. It's 16 games. Four plays can literally be the difference between 6-10 or 10-6, particularly when a team is just mediocre enough to keep most games close.