Chocolate Milk

I second that, due to an extremely favorable schedule they'll probably win the Big Ten. And as a result, get seeded, as the Big Ten's best team, fairly high in the Tournament. However, I don't believe they'll make it to the second weekend. Why do you think that? They made it to the Elite Eight last year, and although they lost a lot from last years team, they are much deeper this year which I think will help them come tournament time. Fixed. They also gave NC a game, which no one expected.

Heath Miller grades out similarly to these players and he has had a very large impact to the Steelers this year once incorporated into the offense. He torched the Colts in the first half on Sunday. Their passing game had more impact (albiet slightly) than last year despite losing their second most productive receiver and injuries to Big Ben. Was this due in some part to Ben's continual development? Sure, but you can not underestimate the impact that Miller has had on that offense. I think a pass catching TE would add a much needed dimention to this team. Simply put, our TE's are a black hole and pose almost no threat to to anyone in any situation. In my mind that's the place where our offense can be improved instantly. I guess we'll agree to disagree here. This is a good/deep TE draft and I wouldn't be upset if we picked one in the first or second round.

I can post it if it's allowed. I know posting entire articles is frowned upon. He has the Bears taking the enourmous Pope at TE.

I'll be watching because I just can't get enough of America's Greatest Sport.

To some extent I agree with Goony that we should continue work with the defense. We are overloaded with WR's who have talent but haven't played enough to prove it yet, so drafting another one seems redundant. I still think a quality TE would be a huge addition to the offense. Our TE's are bad, simply put. Our Defense is our key to success, of course, but when you force your team to give up only 13ppg to win, you are living on the edge. There is nothing against having a great defense and an offense that can also move the ball. Using top picks or money to get a linebacker to replace Hunter would be a grossly negligent use of resources. Why would we replace a guy who doesn't see the field on about half to a third of the downs on D? Hunter leaves the field on passing downs and the Bears bring in another DB. Is who ever we are going to bring in going to supplant Briggs or Urlacher? No. Perhaps in the later round for depth but otherwise it would be a huge mistake. Hunter isn't a playmaker, but he is solid, smart, and cheap. Let him and Joe battle it out for next year. If we do end up getting a LB, we better find one who can put his hand in the dirt and put some pressure on the QB (A Bobby Carpenter). Many will disagree with me, but I wouldn't mind finding a DE to put a little heat under Brown's arse. While having games where he absolutely dominates, he has many games where he completely dissappears. Wale has been the better DE by far this year. If we can't get consistant pressure on the QB with our line, the Defense is going to struggle. CB, like I said before, is a huge hole to fill. Likely we aren't going to keep Azumah (Or if we do his ability has diminished due to injury). So who do we put in there? Thompson? What happens if Vasher or Tillman get hurt? We are very thin in this position and I wouldn't mind us taking a guy in the 2nd or 3rd round (Will Blackmoon? Devin Hester?) that we could develop and that could also return kicks/punts. OL Depth is something also to consider in round 2-3 (depending on what has been done in FA and the draft). I would put our needs at: 1)TE 2)CB 3a)OL 3b)DE

If we don't resign Azumah, we need to take a CB in either round 1 or 2. We are extremely thin in that position now as it is. Without Azumah, we'd be in a position next year where an injury at that position could cost us multiple games. I think in the later rounds we have a luxury of taking the BPA if we fill our needs at OL, TE and CB in the first 3 rounds.

Stay steady. The defense is very young and mostly signed. Don't resign Azumah. He hasn't been the same since the hip surgury and he says he's likely to get another one. Sounds like a serious condition to me. Re-sign Briggs. Lock him down ASAP. Sign Randall El (depending on his cost). Cut Gage. Start the season with a good WR corp. Our PR and KR were huge liabilities this season. That is very important field position for our team. Go with Grossman, from the outset of next training camp. In the Draft: 1a:Tight End 1b:CB 2:OL Depth 3. BPA I'm not really sure what to do with the RB situation, but I'd guess you'd have to stick with Jones. We have a lot of money invested in that area so it will be interesting to see what we do with it.

There's a difference between being fired up/excited and cursing out home fans. Home fans who were throwing stuff at Julius Peppers. Jake was no more fired up about this one than he was about any of his other four playoff victories. Just look at video - his whole career with Carolina, he's always run around and celebrated when good things happened in big games. It probably just seems different when you're on the short end of it - which is understandable - but don't call it classless. If he does that everygame it makes it even more absurd. If that's how he operates for the rest of the playoffs, I'm positive my disdain for him will grow. Running off the field without shaking hands and pointing and shouting at the fans in another stadium is classless. Sorry, if you don't think so.

I generally liked Delhomme/Panthers before this game. After all his hooting, yelling, and pointing after the game, I really hope they lose in a devestating fashion this week. Call it sour grapes, but Delhomme's behavior struck me as completely classless.

:cry: The Bears never move around their CB's. They always stay on their sides. That's how you get Thompson on Smith and you get Tillman (who doesn't play Smith type receivers very well) on Smith. Smith was generally contained vs. Vasher. Geeze, when evaluating the game you never think stuff like, "What if Tillman falls down on the second offensive play vs. Smith." Boy was that a huge gut punch. Rivera's game plan was uninspired and Alex Brown pulled another one of his classic disappearing acts. Hey Alex, it's alright to have more than 3 good games per year. You can't blame Mike Brown. We didn't know the severity of his injury but considering they initially thought it was going to knock him out for the season, it sounded like a pretty high grade pull. Replace him? Are you serious? Why would we waste resources to do that when they would be better used in so many other places? Rex played well if you forget the first quarter. Thomas Jones wasn't involved enough. Rex should be the QB next year, no question about it. If you had told me that we would score 21 points on offense, I'd had say we'd likely have won big. As usual, all of the teams I root for lose in disappointing fashion. However, I don't think this is the same situation as 2001. This team is more talented and younger in key positions. Hopefully, next year we will be markedly improved. Needs for next year: TE CB KR/PR OL

ARG! I wish the game was on today!!!

I'm pretty sure thatboth are out and are going to be replaced by McKie and Garza respectively. Not much of a drop off, hopefully.

Same. I think I would give the points too. Basically, if the Bears win they'd likely cover the 2.5 point spread. I think the Bears being at home, the return of Mike Brown, and the Grossman factor will make Bears the victor in this one. Also I think the fact that Foster is knicked up and getting pain killing injetions could end up being a big factor. If Nick Goings ends up getting a lot of carries, I like the way that looks for us.

Yeah, but they changed the rules after that year so that cornerbacks can't cheat, tackle, bite, mug, etc., WRs coming off the line of scrimmage. So Manning will not be that effective. And when did Gamble and Lucas become known as some of the best corners in this league? Gamble is on his 2nd year. http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/playerrankings/regularseason/DB Gamble is ranked 20th...14 places behind Tillman, 2 ahead of Vasher. Lucas is 30th. FWIW, when it comes to baseball Sportsline's rankings are absolutely worthless. It's the same system for football, but I don't know how they came to the rankings. They're completely worthless for football as well. Last year Briggs was their #1 LB in the NFL. I love Briggs, don't get me wrong, but best LB in the NFL last year he was not.

Has anyone ever seen ndistops and John Clayton in the same place at the same time??? :shock: I read Clayton's preview and it was horrible. Guess what? Any team who turns the ball over resulting in 10 points for the other team is probably going to lose the game. He also claimed that the Panthers "are a different team" which defies all logic.

I may never sleep again.

Probably weather.com CBS and NBC backup weather.com. We're getting a warmup for Thursday (near 50), but Skilling seems to be the only one who's saying that temps will rise dramatically again after a quick cooldown. I love Skilling, but I hope he's wrong. contrary to popular belief, i don't think the bears are a cold weather team. they're a warm-weather team, possibly even a dome team. i like their chances more in a warm setting, with good field conditions. I don't think the cold is an issue, I think that footing is an issue with the Bears. They are light and fast, if they can't get good footing they are going to get pushed around.

Not this year. I think the Giants beat Carolina in the regular season. I heard the quote, and thought he said that every game in the 2nd round of last year's playoffs that was a rematch from the regular season had the same outcome in the playoffs. FYI, the Giants and Carolina didn't play this regular season. Yes, that was it. Well done.

right behind the camera rail? ouch. :lol:

I heard this tidbit from Sean Salisbury but it did make me feel better (if true). He said that every game in last years playoffs, that was a rematch from a regular season game, had the same outcome as the regular season game did.

I'll be watching this game from the 50 yard line row 6.

Wow, I knew we had been tough on MiSt, but I didn't realize it was that bad. I was suprised it turned out the way it did. I think we have found out that it's going to be tough to win on the road in the Big Ten this year.

It won't. They very rarely do. I'm not sure if they still do, but foxsports.com had the headline "BEST GAME EVER!" on their front page earlier today.