Soul

Simply wondering why one of our receivers was benched for seemingly no good reason is obsessing over something? More than anything I'm pissed that the Bears haven't given a definitive answer on the matter. I just don't understand being "pissed" about something like this. Your posts indicate your are more than just wondering about it, but whatever. What the Bears owe me are wins, not explanations on every personnel decision they make.

I think you're obsessing over something needlessly.

0-3 teams -- it's pretty tough to come back from that. I'm sure there's an off case or two that could be brought up, but if I'm 0-2 right now, staring 0-3 right in the face, I'm in full desperation mode.

Duh, the Packers are the greatest team that ever lived or ever will live. I'm surprised at how many picked Dallas to beat the Texans too...lol. Surely THIS IS THE WEEK the Cowboys will show that they're really a good team. If it is, then I'm pretty glad they waited for week 3 to show it :)

I think you just need to beat that blitz badly a few times, then it's on tape and defenses see it. The blitz will come far less often in future games. Last week, for example. That drive with the 2 3 steppers that resulted in a long Olsen TD pass. Every defense in the league is going to review that. You want to blitz when that possibility is on the table? Far fewer DC's are up for that. Blitzing Rex nearly always resulted in success. He needed to beat it big a few times to settle it down, and it never seemed to really happen. I think pretty much every QB looks shaky if pressured effectively.

:stickman: I, for one, grew tired of people suggesting that Cutler's temperament or performance in clearly-demarcarted zones of importance is substandard. Oh they'll be back, with the same argument, if he doesn't continue to be perfect.

Little late for the "luck to run out" after they've already gotten their ring.

Alex Smith's 6th year already. Where'd the time go? 49ers need to get their noggins in this game or it'll be over soon. Thank God for replay, what is that ref shooting up with? He never touched that ball not even close.

I don't see why you are getting your panties in a bunch over it. You have to really justify banning stuff using something other than "I have a problem with it." If someone gets drunk and hurts themselves or others, and the company allowed the alchohol as a matter of policy -- they're liable.

Something about winning and deodorant comes to mind...

It's not a bad career option if you've got the leg. Long-lived career, not a lot of heavy lifting.....good pay & benefits :)

Moore was really good Week 1 also. He blanketed Nate Burleson for most of the game. He has looked pretty good. Also agree on the LBs. It's been so great having our good LBs back causing havoc. We did get some fill in performances last year that were decent, but nothing like having these starters back.

He's got the right perspective on it, I think. I'm going to stay away from ascribing reasons to it without knowing for sure.

I do enjoy these surprise winning underdog stories the NFL seems to come up with every year. Sometimes they even sweep right through to Super Bowl championships. Actually I love it in every sport. Even though I've got no particular love for Tampa, I'll naturally root for them most weeks just to see how beside themselves everyone will become if they really do start to look like a contender (myself included). The Bears could be that kind of team this year too, although not to the same degree I think.

I'm still surprised it's only 3 points. But I guess the Bears are at home. It's early in the year, but how huge would this one be. I think I heard Lovie call the Dallas game a statement game. I think winning this one would be an even bigger statement. Plus, haven't we fared rather poorly against GB at home recently? Seems like the pound us @ Soldier Field. I'm not sure about that. GB won last year in Soldier Field, but that was close late. Chicago won there in 08, and won big in 07. They lost a meaningless game in 06, but won in '05. I'm not sure I'd say GB pounds the Bears. They really haven't since Favre was in his prime. Yeah, I have to remember that we've actually played the Packers well the past couple seasons regardless of venue. Those bad primetime losses to Favre stick out in my mind, but those were awhile ago now.

They should be playing lineups like that one more often for the rest of the season.

It's interesting that's '06, just a few years ago. Only Rivers is still a starting NFL QB. Not for Long, indeed. Actually Batch might get the start next week I think -- but he's no starter.

I'm still surprised it's only 3 points. But I guess the Bears are at home. It's early in the year, but how huge would this one be. I think I heard Lovie call the Dallas game a statement game. I think winning this one would be an even bigger statement. Plus, haven't we fared rather poorly against GB at home recently? Seems like the pound us @ Soldier Field.

Oh stop. Leave my fantasies be, David.

Far from the "petulant child" we heard so much about. Who is this guy, wasn't he supposed to whine and cry his way off the field at the first sign of trouble? I'VE BEEN SOLD A LIE.

I think I'd want to see more than just a single game of badness before declaring he's awful, period. Didn't he play well in some starting duty last year?

Everyone would like to have a better run blocking line, no doubt. But having an OC like Martz, who can succeed without needing to run the ball as a primary strategy, seems like a nice way to sidestep the issue.

The thing is, I think Martz has already put together good offensive football teams without worrying about producing good run game numbers. I'm moving away from expecting a run game, or worrying about it. One of the pleasant surprises I've seen from this bunch so far has been the screens. For years upon years the lack of any sort of screen ability has frustrated me. Now it's like a light switch being turned on. They're getting big plays on various incarnations of the screen, and it serves as a surrogate for a run game since it's a high percentage play when executed well, and they're getting it done. If they can keep doing that, it really plays to our strength since we can't plow open holes, and both of our running backs have shown solid receiving skills. The one downside I see is 3rd and 4th and short yardage. They'll likely not do very well in those situations unless they can get creative. Right. I don't think they need, and I don't expect, a really good running game. But you need to be able to get a few yards on the ground when needed (particularly 3rd-4th down as you said) and they haven't shown that yet. Right, but converting a few more 3rd and 1's isn't going to equal a better run game perception. It won't increase anyone's ypc and it will only positively affect a few plays. I think this team should focus on what they can do well. I'm not disagreeing with anything you said. The point I'm starting to come to with this team is that I think it would be a mistake to fall into the trap of running the ball just because of some notion that "you need to be able to run it." Nay, I don't think in an offense like this that you do "need to be able to run it." You need to do what you do well; emphasize your strengths and de-emphasize your weaknesses. 3rd and 1 is likely to be a weakness all year. They can and should work on it. But if that means running more often instead of creative pass plays, then I'd rather live with the 3rd and 1's not being all that great, in favor of an overall offensive scheme that emphasizes what we do well the other 90% of the time.

I read MMQB this morning wondering what King would say about the game. He bumped the Bears up high in his rankings, but his only talk of the game was Dallas struggling and the Bears offensive line being worse than he thought. He talked about 3 QBs who won their games, and not one of them was Cutler. Don Banks who had the Bears in the bottom 5 or so to start the season said he's not sure how the Bears have won and assumes they probably won't keep winning. I sent Peter an email this morning on his lack of coverage of that game. He'll have plenty of comments about the Bears when we lose a game and he drops us 10 slots. King must've had someone from Chicago kill his dog once, or something.

Couldn't happen to two better teams. Well, I'll concede I'd rather see Green Bay suck. But with Favre on the Vikings it's almost as good. However, given that I was at Illinois when the Pearl thing happened, I loathe Iowa with a passion. Yeah but you're an Illinois fan. You really shouldn't even speak about college football in public. Being an Illinois fan frees me from high expectations in football. It actually makes things much easier. Hahah, yeah. I find being an Illinois fan in general does that :)