A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
I am skipping an introduction this week because I’m too mad at fantasy football.
In my league of 14 teams, I finished right in the middle of the pack in terms of points…but because I had the third most points scored on me, I missed the playoffs…by a lot.
I finished second to last.
Lame.
Sometimes, fantasy football goes that way. I will spare you my three heart-breaking losses of the year because, quite frankly, we all have them…and nobody else cares.
It’s go time.
The playoffs are dead ahead. Now, more than ever, it is vital that you start the right guys.
We already advised you on the waiver wire. We’ve already outlined who you should start and sit on Thanksgiving. We’ve also told you about a fun Thanksgiving-only fantasy challenge.
Heck, we’ve even outlined the complete history of Thanksgiving Day football for you.
Now it’s time to look at the rest of Week 12.
Well, that was fast.
As soon as I opened up my big mouth and proclaimed that 2011 was going to be the most prolific fantasy year ever, scoring around the league plummets. No worries.
At least I had a great week on the predictions front, as I was right on nearly 80% of my picks.
As always, here is a quick look back at last week before we move on to week 7.
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The Tinley children are on Fall Break, so we’re spending the week vacationing on Perdido Key. I was without Internet access until yesterday, when I successfully guessed the password for a wireless router in a neighboring condo. A word of advice: If you’re in Florida and your wireless password is “sunshine,” you’re inviting anyone who can pick up your signal to use your Internet.
Anyway, here are some things we learned this week:
After dominating the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football to clinch the NFC North, the Chicago Bears (10-4) come back to Chicago to play the playoff-hungry New York Jets (10-4).
The Bears are looking very dangerous, but a Jets team that would clinch a playoff spot if they beat the Bears Sunday should make this game a total toss-up that will be fun to watch.
Either Matt Millen or Steve Young said something last night during the MNF post-game show that was actually astute. (I know, shocking right?) I don’t remember which one it was, but one of them said that Devin Hester is one of the ten transcendent athletes that fans and other great athletes alike will stop and watch. Millen/Young then went onto explain that part of what makes Hester such a surreal talent is how easy he makes what he does look.
And what is it that Devin Hester does? Well, he returns kicks better than anyone in the history of football. If you don’t believe me, just look at the numbers: Hester has 14 combined kickoff and punt return TDs…and this is only his 5th season in the NFL! The guy whose record he broke last night – Brian Mitchell – played in the NFL three times as long.
But what I learned while watching Devin Hester’s press conference last night is that his sublime talent and peerless return ability are not the most impressive traits about him. What makes Hester even more special than you might realize is his incredible humility. You will after you watch this video.
The current wide receivers of the Chicago Bears have been criticized by many, and Bear fans seem to be divided.
Some like the youthfulness of the receivers and believe Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, and Johnny Knox are the future of the Bears, a team historically known as having poor wide-outs.
Others believe the total opposite.
Some fans would love the Bears to get a proven receiver to help to aid Cutler in becoming the franchise QB they hoped him to be when they traded for him.
The first week of football was a gift to football fans. We saw many exciting and close games. This week we might have another game with just as much as drama and excitement.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Chicago Bears in Chicago, and what makes this one a must watch is to see how both teams’ defenses play without their defensive captains. The Bears are going to have to play without middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, and the Steelers are without Troy Polamalu.
With both teams not having their main man on defense, the QBs could have big games this Sunday.
Here are the particulars for this Sunday’s matchup:
Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) at Chicago Bears (0-1)
The Bears are coming off a very tough loss to the Packers, in which Jay Cutler threw four interceptions, but I see Cutler rebounding against this now weaker Steelers defense.
Despite the plethora of picks, Cutler’s day wasn’t all bad. He did connect with Hester for a touchdown, and he also connected with Johnny Knox. The throw to Knox was just beautiful, and it’s the Cutler I would like to see more of moving forward. The Bears have their work cut out for them again as they go against, arguably, the best defense in the NFL.
But are the Steelers that good without Polamalu?
My guess is yes.
This is still the dominant Steelers defense we saw last year win the Super Bowl. They will be very tough, but that doesn’t mean they are invincible.
The Bears’ defense can help the offense by playing well and making sure the Steelers defense doesn’t get much rest. Every defense needs rest, and one way to upset a good defense is to limit their rest time. The defense will be slower and that’s exactly what the Bears hope happens because that means Hester will be able to run all over the defense.
The Steelers, in the opener last Thursday, didn’t have much of a running game going on. They might not have to do much running this weekend if they can exploit the Bears pass defense. The Bears’ pass defense didn’t look bad last Sunday, but it still their weakest point. Nathan Vasher still gets beat every time he gets the ball thrown his way. I think he is a bust, but the coaches haven’t seen that yet.
My overall thought about this game is that the Steelers have the advantage, and for obvious reasons. They are the returning champions, they have a better defense, better coaching, better play calling, and a more consistent QB. With all these factors adding up, I don’t see the Bears winning this game.
But hey, prove me wrong Bears. I hope you do.
It is sure to be one hell of an exciting weekend for NFL fans and for football fans in general. The first official Sunday games are only a day away, and there are plenty of good games to watch.
Out of all these great games, there is one that you can’t miss: the matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.
The Bears-Packers rivalry is the longest in NFL history, and it’s also one of the greatest. These two teams have played in 177 regular and post-season match-ups with the Bears currently holding the all-time series lead with a 91-80-6 record.
Before looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the Chicago Bears that will have the most bearing on Sunday night’s game, here is all of the info you need to be ready for kickoff:
Chicago Bears (0-0) at Green Bay Packers (0-0)
And now let’s take a lot at the strengths and weakness of the 2009 Chicago Bears, and how they will impact Sunday night’s game against Packers, as well as the rest of the season.
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Chicago Bears’ Weaknesses That Could Lead to a Packer Beatdown
Sunday’s matchup will be a test for how well these teams’ defenses will play in 2009. The Packers, with no doubt, were the best team this preseason. Their new 3-4 defense worked flawlessly and Aaron Rodgers looked sharp, just as he always does. That tandem — an improving defense and an emerging star at QB — could be a nightmare for the Bears.
The Bears had a modest preseason, with neither the defense nor offense really blowing any team away. What worries me the most is the Bears defense. It is a toss-up as to how well they will perform Sunday night because it’s really up to the defense to stop the pass. If they can’t do that, Rodgers and top WR Greg Jennings may make the Bears defense look like an intramural football team.
The receiving positon also makes me worry.
While I believe the Bears have a good enough receiving corps to make the offense work, I still, in the back of my mind, feel like the Bears need a proven go-to receiver. Devin Hester hasn’t shown enough talent as a route runner to show me that he deserves the #1 spot. In fact, no receiver has shown me that, and it worries me the most.
The Bears are going to need every receiver to chip in a little for this team to be successful.
Now that we’ve discussed the Bears’ weaknesses, let’s take a look at this team’s strengths.
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Bears’ Strengths That Could Lead to a Victory Over the Packers
Every team has their weaknesses and strengths. It’s just a question of which category will shine through on game day.
As a team, the Bears have a lot of reasons to be optimistic about their chances of winning Sunday night’s game against rival Green Bay.
First of all, there is Matt Forte.
Forte was just breathtaking last season. A steal in the 2nd round, Forte has the talent to be a Pro Bowler for many years to come. A strong, yet agile running back, Forte can run, block, and catch. Is there anything else you could ask for from a back?
I think not.
If the Bears have any chance of having a good game Sunday night and a good year in 2009, Forte has to at least repeat his success from his rookie year.
Jay Cutler also has to perform like a Pro Bowler.
All eyes will be watching this guy after the Bears gave up a lot to get him. He could be the answer the Bears need at the QB position after failed attempts with the likes of Jim Miller, Chris Chandler, Rex Grossman, Kordell Stewart, Chad Hutchinson, Kyle Orton, and many more.
Most Chicagoans are optimistic about the 2009 season and the future with Cutler taking the snaps, but the truth is that it could be a hit or a miss for the Bears. If Cutler doesn’t perform it could be really bad. When you give away that many draft picks for one player, you better 100% believe he can drive your team victory. If not, there are going to be lots and lots of formerly optimistic Chicagoans who become angry and frustrated.
Probably the most underrated part of any football team is the O-line. In the Bears’ case, the O-line has to play well or, like with any other team, the whole season will be lost. If there is no protection, neither Forte’s nor Cutler’s talents will be worth anything.
The Bears’ O-line is significantly younger this year, and that’s actually a positive thing. It seemed that every year in the recent past the old O-line would be bullied around by the defensive tackles. It wasn’t a pretty sight to see the Bears suffer so much on offense. With the offense not killing time so the defense can rest, both parts of the team suffered.
This aspect of the Bears’ attack should be improved this season.
All strengths don’t have to be 100% percent perfect this Sunday, but they darn well better be close, or I sense a beat down by the Packers.
In reality, this game could be a spectacular coming-out party for the Bears, or it could be a nightmare. It can really go either way. That’s something you don’t want to think about as a fan.
No matter what the turnout of the game is, it’s still football season and that’s all I need to make me happy.
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* – Jay Cutler / Matt Forte photo credit: Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune via ChicagoTribune.com
It was a big day for Jay Cutler and Bears fans Saturday night, the night Cutler made his Solider Field debut in front of thousands of screaming fans. After a below average performance last week, fans were hoping to see a much better Cutler this week, and a better Cutler is what they got.
What Bears fans haven’t had in any other QB of recent vintage is one that can actually run away from rushing defenders. Cutler showed his mobility Saturday as he was able to get out of a collapsing pocket to make a 14-yard run. This is something that Cutler is really good at doing, and Bears fans will love him for it.
Matt Forte made his preseason debut Saturday, and it looked nothing like his first day on the field in around eight months. Forte blew through defenders and found holes like the Giants were handing them to him. Forte finished off a great drive, that included a 17-yard run, with a 34-yard TD.
Forte was pretty much untouched during the TD run. Don’t give all the credit to Forte though. He deserves a lot of it, but the O-line is obviously a key in having a good running game and they opened up the lanes for Forte to take advantage of.
The hole was there,†Forte said. “The O-line did a great job of creating that running lane. I stretched it and I saw the safety come down and just made one cut and took it up the field.â€
There were also other players that played really well Saturday.
Earl Bennett had a spectacular day. He had 2 catches for 42 yds. It was really nice to see Bennett get some catches in there. He can be a threat now that he has Cutler throwing to him.
Additionally, Caleb Hanie is still playing really well. He went 10 for 18 while throwing for 120 yds. Hanie is showing to be a good backup QB even though Don Banks of SI thinks Hanie is the worst backup QB in the NFL. I now would have to disagree with Banks there. Yes, Hanie has no real experience, but he has shown he can play the position very well in what we have seen of him so far.
One player I was disappointed in was Devin Hester. He missed a perfectly good throw to him that would have been a TD if he didn’t slow down and actually caught the ball. He had the defense beat by a good six yds. It just showed that Hester needs a little more time to become a deep threat.
The Bears play Denver at Denver next week, and boy should that be a fun game to watch. Orton against Cutler. It will be a must see game just to find out which QB performs the best. Cutler will sure get booed at Denver.
The real problem the Bears have is the Vikings. With their pickup of Farve, the Vikings are on their way to maintaining their stronghold on the division. Still, Saturday’s preseason game contained a lot of positives that should have Bears fans at least feeling like their team can compete. And at this stage of the preseason, that’s really about all you can as for.
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* – Jay Cutler / Matt Forte photo credit: Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune / August 8, 2009 via CLTV.com
After a pretty mediocre performance by Jay Cutler in the first preseason game, he was already complaining about Devin Hester not doing more to break up the interception Cutler threw.
Cutler is known to speak his mind, and to not care who he offends, but Cutler is the new guy. He should not already making enemies. Hester said he was upset after hearing what Cutler said about him, and he should be. If Cutler has a problem with Hester, tell Hester, not the media.
After the comment Cutler came to Hester and told him that it came off wrong.
“It wasn’t criticism or anything like that,” Hester said. “He was saying, you are not a 6-8 receiver. You can’t go up and get everything. But we know you are the type of receiver if we throw it out there, you will go get it.”
Maybe that’s the truth, and I hope that it is. What I want is Cutler to do is just to shut up and play football and perform like the pro bowl QB that he is. Wait until you get wins and more respect from the players and fans before you start saying that stuff. It is only the first preseason game. Teams are never at full strength on the first preseason game, so don’t expect the Bears to be.
This is not something the Bears want in the news, but this is one of the things that came with signing Cutler. This will probably just blow over, but non-Cutler believers will feed on this. The only way to silence the haters is to have a great performance next game. That next game is Saturday night against the Giants.
And Bears fans, your previous QB threw 3 picks.
More than not I see a lot of comments saying that Jay Cutler has no one to throw to. This really makes me angry. Yes, the Bears don’t have a lights out receiver, but their receivers aren’t that terrible.
The Bears’ first string WR is Devin Hester, a return man turned WR. At first I didn’t agree with the change, but now that the Bears have committed him to at the WR position, Hester has shown a lot of improvment. He is a big threat downfield, and even more now because he has a QB that can hit him farther down the field.
The Bears also have one of the greatest route-running and receiving tight ends in the game today. Greg Olsen has produced great numbers throughout his tenure with the Bears. He has 7 career TDs and his receptions increase every year. He was a great pick in the 2007 draft and his numbers will only improve.
Matt Forte is one of the great all-around running backs in the game. He can run, catch, and block. What a gem from the 2nd round. His catching abilities are one of his greatest assests. He can be counted on to get that extra yard or block that blitzing corner back. Forte is one of the best athlete in the league.
And how can we forget Desmond Clark? He might not produce amazing numbers, but he can be counted on every time his number is called. He is also a great blocking tight end. Clark is the veteran every team should have.
Rookie WR Juaqin Iglesias will need a few years to transition to the NFL, but that doesn’t mean he won’t make an impact this year. He is a sure-handed WR who can run routes very well. Look for him to be a sleeper, as soon as this season.
So I don’t want to hear how the Bears don’t have any good receivers. The offense is a great one that can produce touchdowns. The defense, in fact, needs to be tweaked more than the offense. I am glad Lovie is back to calling the plays and with all of the potential that this team possesses, It seems like it will be an interesting Chicago Bears season in 2009.
BEAR DOWN!!!
* – Devin Hester/Matt Forte photo credit: Paul Sancya / Associated Press via NFL.com
by Jerod Morris
A few random thoughts about the NFL…
Aaron Rodgers (pictured below, dressed up as Scott Stapp for Halloween), the new undisputed starting QB for the Green Bay Packers, really just doesn’t seem to get it. If you haven’
t seen his comments that came out today where we was basically whining that fans yell at him and he’s heard kids cussing at him, read them here. Why even go there? He is already facing an impossible task…replacing a living legend. Just ask Jay Fiedler how easy that 
is! Fiedler was actually a decent quarterback, who led the Dolphins to a few playoff appearances. But he was never even partially accepted by Dolphins fans. Why? Because he wasn’t Dan Marino. (And look at the Dolphins now…they haven’t had a QB as good as even Fiedler ever since!) The point is, if Rodgers displays this poor judgment with the media…and remember his comments from a few weeks back where he said the fans should “shut up or get on board”…it makes you wonder if his judgment on the field will be any better.
