rawaction

Just an FYI, Nebraska plays their home games in Nebraska. Yeah, but my understanding is it's a quick couple hour trip from Chicago. If you mean, couple as in 9...then yes.

Not a fan of your bench, save for Cribbs with return yardage included in the stats. Keep an eye open to the waiver wire, because I think you can do better than Buckhalter. Also, don't see the point in having a defender on your bench before bye weeks.

It's the same thing as last year. Our offense looks amazing but our defense looks suspect, although quite a few guys haven't played in the preseason. The team was very laid-back in their approach when the real season started and we weren't real crisp on offense. They've vowed to change that this year and use the same approach that we did in the second half of the season last year, but we'll see. Overconfidence is a major issue with a young team and I really hope we learned from our disappointing first half last season. Nobody is confident about our defense. I think everyone is fearing the types of games that we had against Pittsburgh and Arizona last year, especially if Harris is PUP-bound. I'm pretty optimistic that they'll be better against the pass this season than we were at the end of last season, but that's not saying a whole lot. Opening day will tell us a lot about where we stand defensively against the Eagles attack. Wasn't the Packers defense much improved last year? Until the Cardinals got a hold of them.

I don't know. I could see the same thing happening in the AFC this year. Figure SD, Baltimore, Indy, again in the playoffs. Maybe NE, Pit, Mia, Hou, or Tenn. But if the Jets make it in, there's no reason they couldn't sneak in the playoffs again, where they again would be a bad matchup for most of the above teams and they could squeak out a couple wins to go to the Superbowl.

I think Minnesota could stumble a bit. I don't understand what everybody sees in the Jets. They were 9-7 last year, and lucky to get that 9th win. They squeeked through in the playoffs thanks to some missed field goals and then got bounced. Their best defensive player is sitting out, they have a starting LB who is going to miss time. And their QB is a mess. They were the #1 defense, but it's tough to win consistently with defense. They could win their overrated division, but they don't look like world beaters to me. Top 5 overall defense, top 5 offensive line, good RB corps, rookie QB that is likely to improve over last year, decently deep set of WRs (although no truly elite guys - S. Holmes, Edwards, Cotchery, Coles). NFL is way too unpredictable to say the are for sure going to contend. But the team has a lot of talent and pretty good depth. I can certainly understand why they are a popular SB pick, even though my expectations for them fall a bit short of that. Holmes is pretty close to elite. 80 catches, 1200+ yards is right there with the best in the league. His numbers last year (minus TDs) were as good as anything Moss has done since 2003 outside of NEs record breaking year a couple season ago. Take out 2007 and those numbers are pretty much what Reggie Wayne has done in his career. Obviously the suspension will hold him back this year, but if he has another 80 catch, 1200 yard season; especially in the Jets offense, he will be considered an elite WR in my book.

Fukudome also has the best power numbers of his career. I think he could have a really good 2011.

On the bright side, the Bears #1 offense is being ridiculed for all the sacks and having 2 TDs in 15 possessions. However, they have put the team in chances to get FGs on 5 other possessions. 1 blocked FG, 1 missed FG, 1 FG in the opener, and 2 situations where missing the LS stopped them from attempting a FG. In 12 possessions, the Cowboys #1 (w/Romo) has just 1 TD, on an 8 yard drive. They have only made 1 FG, and Romo threw 2 INTs in the red zone. He has also been under a ton of pressure. In 15 possessions, the Jets #1s have w TDs in 15 possessions. They have made all 5 FG attempts, but 3 of them came after muffed punts, 2 of them on drives of 10 and -4. In 12 possessions, the Falcons #1 have 2 TDs in 12 possessions. They have made 3 FGs and missed 2. Miami only has 2 TDs in 16 possessions. Also 2 FGs and 1 red zone INT. Eli and the Giants 1s have 1 TD in 10 possessions, and that was a 1 yard drive after an INT. They also only have 2 FGs, 1 of which was an 8 yard drive after an INT in the last 15 seconds of the 1st half. In 20 drives, Carolina only has 6 points, which were scored in their last 2 drives this weekend. Only 1 other time were they in the redzone, and had a fumble. And these are all teams that are NOT learning a new offense. These are teams that (other than the Giants) have at least 4 of their OL returning and playing the same position as last year.

I didn't watch much, but it did look like a couple receivers were confused out there in addition to Cutler having happy feet. Hester is always confused. Knox and Aromashodu made mistakes too if you assume Cutler's throws to the inside meant they were supposed to cut off their routes.

Got an interesting situation in the semis of my baseball league. We can have an unlimited number of starts. My opponent has 8 starts. Right now, I have" Roy Halladay - 2 starts Ubaldo Jimenez Johnny Cueto I can pick 2 more starters from: Carlos Zambrano- vs. PIT and NYM JA Happ vs. STL and ARI Brett Myers vs. ARI (only 1 start but pitching well) Gio Gonzalez vs. LAA (1 start, but red hot) Wins (+10) and losses (-6) are huge point swings as are saves (+10) and blown saves (-5). My 2 closers are Feliz and Marmol. But I could also put Zambrano and/or Happ in at RP, if I want to go crazy.

My biggest issue is was pass protection. I don't know how the O-line looked ok when Cutler was sacked 4 more times, another time the pressure forced a fumble, and Cutler threw 2 INTs which I'd have to watch again but would think at least some of that was getting rid of the ball under pressure. The Bears can move the ball...they did last year a lot. But with no pass protection and a QB like Cutler that tends to throw a couple of dumbfounding passes per game, way too many possessions end in an INT, lost fumble or a couple of sacks making it a long 3rd down conversion. I don't think the Bears running game and WRs are good enough to overcome multiple turnovers per game by the QB. It's just really frustrating because the Bears have tried everything, signing potentially undervalued FA Olinemen, hiring one of the better oline coaches in the game, etc to improve the line. But the one thing they haven't done was commit the offseason to building the O-line which to me is the most important thing to have. Instead they decided to go with what they had in house which was awful last year, and move them around to their more natural positions and hoped that this and Tice were gonna make the Bears O-line average...I say average because I don't even think Angelo was dumb enough to think that what he built was good enough to build an above average O-line. Oh and he put even more pressure on this O-line when he hired Martz who relies on 5 step drops and perfect timing to make his offense work. You can't do that with an offensive line that is going to leave the QB scrambling multiple times per drive. Cutler had happy feet all game. He played to pressure that wasn't there. Three of the 4 sacks were on Cutler. First one, he just fell down behind the line of scrimmage after having nowhere to throw. Second one, he ran outside the pocket and didn't get rid of it. Third one, was Chris Williams getting beat. Fourth, he ran outside the pocket and wasn't even pressured. Both INTs were bad throws or miscommunications with the WR, and came with no pressure on him. Only the Campbell sack vs. Williams was the only time Cutler had pressure right as he made his drop. The pass blocking was OK. The run blocking was poor though. I also am not as down as I was after watching the replay. I know it's not much, but the Bears have put together FOUR 50+ yard drives with the #1 offense in 15 possessions. And that doesn't include the Forte run or other TD the Bears got on a short field (TD to Knox). Granted, 10 sacks and 2 INTs on 15 possessions is not good either. But I contribute 4 of those sacks to coverage/Cutler. Right now, I'm just as concerned about the defense. They have played the best 1st and 2nd down defense in the history of football this preseason. But 3rd down continues to be a travesty. What makes it so bad is it's not the lack of pass rush, because they have been getting pressure. It's blown coverages, it's soft corners, it's poor tackling, it's losing contain. Makes it worse is that Urlacher, Briggs, and Roach have all been injured in the last 8 days. Major Wright is probably the best coverage safety and he's been hurt. Even when this team gets everyone back, they still haven't played together very much this year.

I originally said this team could win 12 games or lose 12 games. Doesn't look like everything is going to go right to make this a good team. But it does look like everything could go wrong. This could still be a 12-loss team, but doubtful that this could be a double digit win team anytime in the near future.

At this point, Nick Johnson would probably shatter next time he steps onto the field. Which goes to show how much I really don't want an older, less powerful version of Micah Hoffpauir as the team's starting 1B.

Rather have Nick Johnson than Dan Johnson.

I hope the Cubs keep Fukudome and keep Colvin as the 4th OF, backup 1B, whatever. Fukudome still clearly has some value, and to me he has too much value to trade and eat a substantial portion of his contract. Playing both Fukudome and Colvin the way they have this year has led to the Cubs having the 4th most productive RF in the NL. And that includes 90 very poor PAs in RF from Nady and Baker, without which the Cubs would be top 3. For all that is made about the Fukucopter, Kosuke quietly has only struck out 54 times to go with 51 walks. He gives you another guy that can get on base next year. And if things go as they have since the break, Fukudome along with Byrd, Castro, DeWitt, Soto, Ramirez, and hopefully whoever is at 1B; the Cubs are set up to be pretty good at getting on base next year with only Soriano and Colvin getting regular ABs of below average OBP.

I heard Calipari offered him a scholarship when he gets out.

Signed with the Rays to a minor league deal. How does someone who is still a league average hitter and was well above that for the previous 4 years and is still just 31 only get a minor league deal?

Yes, 12 teams. Thanks. I like my team. I think it's one of the 3 best teams in the league. But not as good as I had hoped. I was really convinced I'd get Marshall (not a huge Fitz fan this year), and I was hoping Pierre Thomas or Matt Forte would fall to me, but I had to make a slight reach for Moreno. Garcon as the last pick in the 5th was a steal to me. Kolb's value is high to me because we play team QBs and I get Vick too. My depth is really good.

Ended up with both Fitz and Calvin. With Ray Rice as my keeper (4th round), I was definitely going double WR. I was targeting Brandon Marshall as one of my picks (only WR beside Andre Johnson and Fitz in our league's top 6 WRs the last 2 years). Marshall went a pick ahead of me and White, Wayne, Moss, and Johnson were all off the board. So, I wound up with: Qb- Kolb (team QBs, so I get Vick's stat too) RB- Rice RB- Moreno WR- Fitzgerald WR- C Johnson WR- Garcon K- Feely D- 49ers Bench- McNabb, Donald Brown, Bernard Scott, CJ Spiller, Louis Murphy, Vincent Jackson, Legedu Naanee, Mario Manningham.

Is this statue going to be with a flat-top or with the wrinkle-pup bald head.

Did Afalava kick Lovie's dog or something? No, he just played bad football. Of course, that doesn't stop Lovie from giving Danieal Manning a starting job at a new position every year. I'd hate to lose Wolfe's ST ability, especially after losing Adrian Peterson there this offseason, and potentially losing Idonije if he's the starting DE. Between all the backup LBs and DBs the Bears have, still should be decent. And playing bad football wasn't enough to lose his starting job last year. I just find it hard to believe that a rookie that started a full season isn't good enough to even make the team the next year. I'm not gonna lose sleep over it or anything...just seems strange. Well, they traded for a safety, drafted a safety with their first pick, and had another safety step up and have a great camp. Afalava has to clearly be behind Harris, Wright, Manning, and Steltz right now.

The Pippen statue should be near the Jordan statue. A. Add a trench coat to the Jordan statue and have the Pippen statue grabbing at the bottom of is coat. B. Next to the Jordan statue, with statues of white women all around them.

Did Afalava kick Lovie's dog or something? No, he just played bad football. Of course, that doesn't stop Lovie from giving Danieal Manning a starting job at a new position every year. I'd hate to lose Wolfe's ST ability, especially after losing Adrian Peterson there this offseason, and potentially losing Idonije if he's the starting DE. Between all the backup LBs and DBs the Bears have, still should be decent.

What about Calvin Johnson vs. Roddy White?

Can't ask for a better situation. I don't believe McNabb has been extended yet, but he's the #2 with an aging starter and has a great QB coach in Shanahan. A respectable QB coach probably hurt Rex's chances in Chicago more than anything.

Saw him play, many a Friday night as he was in highschool at Bloomington South when I was a freshman/sophomore at IU. My boss' son was a WR on the team. Funny, I knew he was good enough to be a college QB back then, but I figured he was going to a school like IU, Kentucky, Southern Illinois...a fringe D1 team or good D2 team in the midwest. When I found out Spurrier wanted him, I was floored. I always wish Rexy the best also.