Banedon

You say this after the bears beat 2 first place teams in a row, one on the road? My thought exactly.

I still don't think they'll make a QB change at least until they lose one, but I also am not as opposed to it as I was. Orton is not accurate past 15 yards like Careless has pointed out.

Nevermind :D

Where'd the pass rush go?

I would have run it too. Oh so would I...wasn't really a criticism as much as a statement.

Everyone in the stadium knew they were running it...

SWEET!

Nice run!

Seems like the Bears do that a lot... They do, but I wonder if it's the bears or if it's common for all teams. I know I don't remember non-bear games as clearly as others, so it's hard to say Same here.

Seems like the Bears do that a lot...

Alex Brown is something special.

that's what happens with no passing game. :( They've run more passing plays than running plays though. But your point stands...I'm sure they'd rather have Orton have to beat them than Jones.

TB's run defense looks like it's tightened up.

Wade's in as a reciever.

Running a nice 2 minute drill here...

I'm swaying on my pro-Orton stance.

Here's a link that thread if anyone needs it: Premium Non-Premium

And that...I think we can allll agree is a GOOD thing... :P

Even the media is divided...Sportsline.com's take... http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9059265 2nd question down. By the way...has the Harmon forecastpicked against the Bears on every single game this season, or is it just me? I'd have to say that's one of "mainstream media reports that Orton is playing safe football." :wink: Not directed at you at all, but those "expert" opinions like on the CBS site mean little to me. The same experts said that the Bears would be horrible this year. I'd really like someone to offer some statistical evidence backing why Kyle Orton at this stage in his development is a better choice than Rex (or, hell, just about anybody) to quarterback this team down the stretch and into the playoffs. Err...wait a minute. Fox sports is ok to use in an argument, but CBS isn't? They're all just opinions. Fox Sports mainly listed statististics-what looks like a football version of VORP (which I found pretty interesting, hadn't heard of it before). There's not much opinion there. Just facts. Stats and rankings. What Pete Prisco and Clark Judge think (read: opinion) about who should play has little importance; especially when they're not the ones making the decisions. Stats can say a lot of things...I wonder if you take that 5 INT game out of the equation how those numbers would look. Too me that's his only BAD game. He's had a lot of average games. Anyway, I'm not gonna argue this further, because I think we're all pretty set on how we're thinking here. We'll see what Lovie does, but coaches don't tend to like to mess with success from what I've seen, so as long as they're winning, I wouldn't expect much change.

Even the media is divided...Sportsline.com's take... http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9059265 2nd question down. By the way...has the Harmon forecastpicked against the Bears on every single game this season, or is it just me? I'd have to say that's one of "mainstream media reports that Orton is playing safe football." :wink: Not directed at you at all, but those "expert" opinions like on the CBS site mean little to me. The same experts said that the Bears would be horrible this year. I'd really like someone to offer some statistical evidence backing why Kyle Orton at this stage in his development is a better choice than Rex (or, hell, just about anybody) to quarterback this team down the stretch and into the playoffs. Err...wait a minute. Fox sports is ok to use in an argument, but CBS isn't? They're all just opinions.

Even the media is divided...Sportsline.com's take... http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9059265 2nd question down. By the way...has the Harmon forecastpicked against the Bears on every single game this season, or is it just me?

I see some contradictions here. In one breath you say Kyle isn't the reason they are winning, but then you talk of Kyle winning the games, when he's never been the reason they've one a game, and isn't likely to be a reason you win. I think it's a cop-out to say the team is winning therefore we cannot change. That's similar to saying the team is winning despite a leadoff hitter who doesn't get on base, so I won't change. Or Joe Borowski isn't pitching well but he's completed 8 save opportunities in a row so he's my closer. The Bears were winning with Edwards at fullback, but they didn't have a problem making a change when better options returned from injury. Yes, FB is different than QB, but on this team, the QB isn't much more than a role player. I do give more credence to the concept of chemistry and intangibles in football than in baseball, but not a whole lot. Remember, this Oline was great a week after two of its members brawled. Every report indicated the team loved Rex when he was healthy. If Grossman is healthy and practicing well, and Orton keeps playing like he's been playing, I'd go with Rex. The only way I'd consider staying with Orton is if his play improves dramatically or the team doesn't lose again. Either way, I'm excited about a summer 2006 QB competition between Orton and Rex. I'll agree with you about the summer competition part of it... :) And you're right...Kyle isn't winning the games....but he's not losing them either. My point is, that we don't know if Grossman will be able to do the same...not lose games. You still haven't addressed what would happen if Grossman comes in and performs poorly. I think that's got to be a consideration. As far as what the team thinks, this is from the Tribune today: None of this is to say that Grossman won't be, or isn't now, a better quarterback than Orton. Perhaps he is. But maybe he isn't. And is the playoff push really the time you want to find out? My argument isn't, and hasn't been, against the move itself, merely the timing of it. I think it's best left to offseason, injury, or Kyle losing us games.

Please discuss possible Marlin moves in the Marlins thread that is already open.... Premium Non-Premium Thanks!

Since I know your feelings on the QB situation, let me run this by you. Let's say that Grossman is healthy this weekend and that Lovie, despite a 6 game win streak and a nice game by Orton this past weekend, decides that Grossman shouldn't lose his starter status to injury and starts him. Now, just for the sake of arguement, lets say that Grossman has some bad games, with a couple of key interceptions and that we lose to both Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh. What then? Would you ride Grossman out win or lose and possibly let Minnesota catch us? Or do you go back to Orton and say "I know you weren't good enough 2 weeks ago, but now you are"...? Barring injury, and barring Orton just completely falling apart, I just don't see how Lovie starts Grossman this season. I don't see how you take the only Bears quarterback to start 10 games since what...'95 or so...a rookie no less...and say "Sorry...7-3 isn't good enough...we're gonna let the guy who's started 6 career games have the start ahead of you." I just don't see it. The most popular guy on any football team is the backup/injured QB. I see your hypothetical is unrealistic. There's no way Rex starts Sunday, and there's no way he should start Sunday. At this point, I think the Bears can wait for two bad games in a row before replacing Orton. Rex needs time to get back into the swing of things anyway. If the Bears lose to Tampa and Minn wins. Then you start talking about a change. But even then you can afford one more week of sticking with Kyle and easing Rex back into the game. If the Bears are 7-5 going into the Pitt game, and Minn is 7-5, I think you absolutely have to make a change. If they still have a lead and Orton has been okay, you can stick with Kyle. Odds are Rex will be starting a game before the season ends. Let's not fool ourselves in thinking Orton is the reason this team is winning. It's been the defense, the schedule and the running game. My prediction is if the Bears lose 2 of the next 3, Rex starts vs Atlanta. If they win all 3, Kyle stays. If they win 2 of 3 and Minn wins 3 in a row, then you have to have an honest assessment of Kyle's play and not get caught up in just the final score. If you do that, you'll probably go with Rex. Agreed...it's not realistic that he starts this week, but the same question could have been posed with any two games. The specific games lost wasn't really my point in the argument. It was the handling of the scenario if Grossman tanks, and you didn't address that Goony. And if Orton is able to go 2-3 against Tampa, Green Bay, and Pittsburgh, that would leave us at 9-4. I guess I still don't see that as a problem. I don't see them changing QB in that scenario. I do agree with you though that if they lose 2 of 3, then Lovie will start thinking about a change, but that's what I meant by Kyle falling apart. I'm not fooling myself and thinking that Orton is the reason that the Bears are winning. But I'm not thinking Grossman is gonna be the reason they win either. And sorry...but the final score is what's important to me. If Kyle's winning, and not playing badly, he keeps the job IMO, and I think that's the way the Bears are thinking as well. Easing Grossman in when possible is fine with me, but the way the Bears have been playing these games, they're going to be tight games most of the way. It'll be interesting to see if Lovie uses the "Benson" scenario and says he'll get Grossman in, but leave him on the sidelines most of the time.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v421/Banedon/tree-postgame.jpg Intimidating, huh?