Week 2 - Bears at Bucs noon on Fox

[UMFan83]

8 minutes ago, jersey cubs fan said:

You can’t let him be active in week 2. Bench him now. Get it out of the way. He’s not going to improve on his own volition. He’s had a year with this team. I don’t care about some missed practice. He was in the building the entire time. He knows what he’s supposed to do and he chose to dog it on opening day. He should have been on a short leash to start the season and he’s already burned any veteran benefit of the doubt. He’s simply not nearly talented, let alone productive, enough, to tolerate that minimal level of effort. He’s the 3rd receiver on a team that is going to let him walk this offseason. If he wants to come back and practice hard to regain active duty, let him prove it. 

Yeah, missed practice doesn't excuse the effort that we saw.  What message does it send to the players when a guy was so blatantly loafing it during a game to the detriment of the team and gets to keep playing?  Especially for a team with a coach that constantly talks about not loafing it on the field being one of his defining principles.  If he's not held accountable the team will notice.

[UMFan83]

Speaking of benching Claypool:

 

 

[WrigleyField 22]

Yep, it Flus' HITS stands for anyyhing, good or bad, it has to at least be consistent applied.

[BigbadB]

i think you definitely have to make him inactive this Sunday. St. Brown will block and he could be a decent enough third receiver option paired with Scott until Claypool gets his head out of his ass. 

[raw]

44 minutes ago, jersey cubs fan said:

You can’t let him be active in week 2. Bench him now. Get it out of the way. He’s not going to improve on his own volition. He’s had a year with this team. I don’t care about some missed practice. He was in the building the entire time. He knows what he’s supposed to do and he chose to dog it on opening day. He should have been on a short leash to start the season and he’s already burned any veteran benefit of the doubt. He’s simply not nearly talented, let alone productive, enough, to tolerate that minimal level of effort. He’s the 3rd receiver on a team that is going to let him walk this offseason. If he wants to come back and practice hard to regain active duty, let him prove it. 

I'd have no problems with that. But the issue is, you don't have anyone better. You're talking about 2 WRs that were inactive for a reason (ESB, Velus) or a tiny WR like Scott who doesn't have that skillset. If they are going to continue to run 100 screens, then ESB makes sense to block, but that's not the best way to help Justin. Obviously, I don't know the guy personally, but if they think they can motivate him by sitting him, then by all means, do it. But I don't see him as that type. I see it as sitting him = losing him from the outside looking in. And I don't think it's worth losing him this early in the year.

[mul21]

4 minutes ago, raw said:

I'd have no problems with that. But the issue is, you don't have anyone better. You're talking about 2 WRs that were inactive for a reason (ESB, Velus) or a tiny WR like Scott who doesn't have that skillset. If they are going to continue to run 100 screens, then ESB makes sense to block, but that's not the best way to help Justin. Obviously, I don't know the guy personally, but if they think they can motivate him by sitting him, then by all means, do it. But I don't see him as that type. I see it as sitting him = losing him from the outside looking in. And I don't think it's worth losing him this early in the year.

Yeah, but if you don't you risk losing the rest of the locker room and that's a much bigger problem, especially this early in the season.  They all know he didn't try last week.

[jersey cubs fan]

18 minutes ago, raw said:

I see it as sitting him = losing him from the outside looking in. And I don't think it's worth losing him this early in the year.

You are probably right on the first point, but that’s a risk Im willing to take.  At this rate he is a release candidate before the trade deadline. He’s bringing nothing to the table and has brought nothing to the table since being acquired. Id much rather risk losing this one mediocre receiver than a) lose all the guys that must be pissed off at his lack of effort, or b) show the guys that there are no repercussions for loafing. 
 

Eberflus stresses this stuff. It’s the one thing in his bag of tricks. I don’t have any faith that he’ll be the head coach that brings success to this team, but if he can’t backup the talk on hustle, he doesn’t stand a chance to make it through the season with this locker room respecting him. 

[CubinNY]

It's never too early to make an example out of a player not performing to expectations in such a blatant way. 

[UMFan83]

You risk losing him....or maybe it helps him realize that he's in a contract year and doesn't want his big payday to be a 1 year prove it deal after he's a healthy scratch the last 16 games of the season.  

[WrigleyField 22]

27 minutes ago, raw said:

I'd have no problems with that. But the issue is, you don't have anyone better. You're talking about 2 WRs that were inactive for a reason (ESB, Velus) or a tiny WR like Scott who doesn't have that skillset. If they are going to continue to run 100 screens, then ESB makes sense to block, but that's not the best way to help Justin. Obviously, I don't know the guy personally, but if they think they can motivate him by sitting him, then by all means, do it. But I don't see him as that type. I see it as sitting him = losing him from the outside looking in. And I don't think it's worth losing him this early in the year.

The alternative to not sitting him is reducing his role way down for others. But you're in kind of the same spot as if you did sit him, without the benefit of elevating someone to take the extra snaps.

 

If Scott takes up a huge percent of snaps, he's still a guy who theoretically does  does well the things that should help Fields. Yea they won't have a bailout 6'3" guy, but I think JF is just as comfortable with his smaller bailout receivers as he is a throw it up target.

 

So then it comes down to, do you want the other 30ish snaps to go to Claypool and the TEs or extra RB, or ESB, TEs, and RBs.  ESB can definitely play on ST as well (although he didn't last year  he did in his GB years).

Then you have Velus who... Doesn't really provide much if Scott is ahead of him already on KR and WR.  There's some gimmicky stuff he could replace Claypool packages with, but he basically needs to replace a ST role/extra defender since they need Taylor for PR.

[raw]

Big news! 

https://x.com/AlyssaBarbieri/status/1702012913806950740?s=20

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Right now you're risking losing the whole team.  I remember the rumors in the offseason that are least one offensive starter didn't believe in fields (people guessed it was kmet).

Football players know when they can't do their jobs because teammates are failing their assignments.  The secondary sees the d-line getting zero pressure.  DJ Moore knows that Fields took 80 yards off his season total on Sunday.  Everyone in the film room is gonna see offensive linemen blocking each other.

 

Poles spent the 75th and 32nd overall picks across two drafts for receivers no one wants to see in the week 2 actives list.

[gflore34]

3 minutes ago, Hairyducked Idiot said:

Right now you're risking losing the whole team.  I remember the rumors in the offseason that are least one offensive starter didn't believe in fields (people guessed it was kmet).

Football players know when they can't do their jobs because teammates are failing their assignments.  The secondary sees the d-line getting zero pressure.  DJ Moore knows that Fields took 80 yards off his season total on Sunday.  Everyone in the film room is gonna see offensive linemen blocking each other.

 

Poles spent the 75th and 32nd overall picks across two drafts for receivers no one wants to see in the week 2 actives list.

At some point Fields has to hit the horsefeathers it button and start slinging the ball, see even a hint of a window let it rip, I think its his only chance at not being an ex-NFL player come 2024 off season.  horsefeathers all the worrying about footwork and all that horsefeathers, be hyper-aggressive, really has nothing to lose.

[We Got The Whole 9]

14 minutes ago, Hairyducked Idiot said:

Right now you're risking losing the whole team.  I remember the rumors in the offseason that are least one offensive starter didn't believe in fields (people guessed it was kmet).

Football players know when they can't do their jobs because teammates are failing their assignments.  The secondary sees the d-line getting zero pressure.  DJ Moore knows that Fields took 80 yards off his season total on Sunday.  Everyone in the film room is gonna see offensive linemen blocking each other.

 

Poles spent the 75th and 32nd overall picks across two drafts for receivers no one wants to see in the week 2 actives list.

horsefeathers, that hurts. Poles has been bad so far. I pounded the table for a haul of picks, including 2 firsts, so I have to knock him a bit on that trade for taking Moore back instead. It doesn't feel like any of his picks have elite potential. He landed some solid starters - and not just in the sense that they are only good enough to start for the Bears - but overall they are extremely thin and he has refused to sign anyone significant in FA. We're a few years away from being a legit team. 

[UMFan83]

1 minute ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

horsefeathers, that hurts. Poles has been bad so far. I pounded the table for a haul of picks, including 2 firsts, so I have to knock him a bit on that trade for taking Moore back instead. It doesn't feel like any of his picks have elite potential. He landed some solid starters - and not just in the sense that they are only good enough to start for the Bears - but overall they are extremely thin and he has refused to sign anyone significant in FA. We're a few years away from being a legit team. 

How many players do the Bears have that are top 10 in the league at their position? 0?  Maybe Edmunds?  I think Jaylen Johnson is underrated but not sure he's a top 10 corner.  DJ Moore is good but I can easily name 10 WRs I like more.  Way too soon to rip Poles for this draft but I remember there being quite a few headscratchers on draft night...hopefully his evaluations are right and they develop into good talents.

This team has a lot more solid football players on it which should theoretically raise the floor of the team, but not as much the ceiling.  And its hard to not have more solid football players when last year 60% of the roster were cast offs and practice squad caliber guys

[gflore34]

4 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

How many players do the Bears have that are top 10 in the league at their position? 0?  Maybe Edmunds?  I think Jaylen Johnson is underrated but not sure he's a top 10 corner.  DJ Moore is good but I can easily name 10 WRs I like more.  Way too soon to rip Poles for this draft but I remember there being quite a few headscratchers on draft night...hopefully his evaluations are right and they develop into good talents.

This team has a lot more solid football players on it which should theoretically raise the floor of the team, but not as much the ceiling.  And its hard to not have more solid football players when last year 60% of the roster were cast offs and practice squad caliber guys

It's more in FA where he fucked up, still don't get why he didn't hit it harder.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Yeah I'm not full doom boner on Poles yet, it's early, but I just don't love what seems to be his vision for the team.

[CubinNY]

26 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

How many players do the Bears have that are top 10 in the league at their position? 0?  Maybe Edmunds?  I think Jaylen Johnson is underrated but not sure he's a top 10 corner.  DJ Moore is good but I can easily name 10 WRs I like more.  Way too soon to rip Poles for this draft but I remember there being quite a few headscratchers on draft night...hopefully his evaluations are right and they develop into good talents.

This team has a lot more solid football players on it which should theoretically raise the floor of the team, but not as much the ceiling.  And its hard to not have more solid football players when last year 60% of the roster were cast offs and practice squad caliber guys

The talent is there, maybe not the coaching. I'm not saying they're playoff caliber but certainly better than the Keystone Cops movie they put on last week.

[Outshined_One]

The fact that Kyle is exercising caution is kinda sobering.

[bddavidson]

1 hour ago, raw said:

Big news! 

https://x.com/AlyssaBarbieri/status/1702012913806950740?s=20

Oh man, I really hope the Buc's are in 80's throwbacks.  

[Hairyducked Idiot]

1 hour ago, Outshined_One said:

The fact that Kyle is exercising caution is kinda sobering.

I don't wanna blow the entire doom boner wad on week one no matter how good it was.

 

Even I have trouble believing they can be that bad for a full season, even if I just saw it a year ago.

Edited September 13, 2023 by Hairyducked Idiot

[Hairyducked Idiot]

https://twitter.com/danwiederer/status/1701994499369513433?t=cUVFQG6dnfx1A7X0OZWJsg

[jersey cubs fan]

45 minutes ago, Hairyducked Idiot said:

I don't wanna blow the entire doom boner wad on week one no matter how good it was.

 

Even I have trouble believing they can be that bad for a full season, even if I just saw it a year ago.

I believe they can be, because Eberflus screams “guy who can lose the building in a heartbeat” and the talent level is low enough that they are capable of looking bad against any level of competition, even the Packers. 
 

And we already know the season rides on Fields taking a leap. If that does not happen, this team is going to struggle, if he regresses (entirely possible with a shellshocked qb) this team will be worse than last year. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

4 hours ago, UMFan83 said:

How many players do the Bears have that are top 10 in the league at their position? 0?  Maybe Edmunds?  I think Jaylen Johnson is underrated but not sure he's a top 10 corner.  DJ Moore is good but I can easily name 10 WRs I like more.  Way too soon to rip Poles for this draft but I remember there being quite a few headscratchers on draft night...hopefully his evaluations are right and they develop into good talents.

This team has a lot more solid football players on it which should theoretically raise the floor of the team, but not as much the ceiling.  And its hard to not have more solid football players when last year 60% of the roster were cast offs and practice squad caliber guys

I would say 0. Even Edmunds is just a rangy athlete with cover skills and probably slightly above average but just decent overall. We will know in a couple of years the quality of the draft but I definitely didn't love it. 

[gflore34]

1 minute ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

I would say 0. Even Edmunds is just a rangy athlete with cover skills and probably slightly above average but just decent overall. We will know in a couple of years the quality of the draft but I definitely didn't love it. 

I'd say Wright has the best chance, maybe sooner than a couple of years, even in that disaster of game film you see him get beat.  But then, when the Packers came back at him with the same design/stunt etc. he handle it really well.  Also, on the pick six, beside Fields and Johnson, he was the only other player who hustled, even managed to lay a big hit on Walker.