NFL Quarterback Power Rankings

No position in the NFL is more highly scrutinized, debated, and discussed than the quarterback. It’s impossible to build a consistent winner without one (and people who follow the Cleveland Browns would tell you that it’s impossible to find one period).

After this weekend’s Packers loss to the Bucs, Aaron Rodgers was a popular topic of conversation on Twitter. I made the comment that he has not shown me that he has the “it” that people always talk about when it comes to QBs. Some agreed and some disagreed, but it got me thinking about where Rodgers falls in relation to today’s crop of QBs.

Thus, I set out to rank the quarterbacks currently holding starting NFL gigs, taking into account their current age and skill level, future potential, past accomplishments, and the general confidence level I would have if that player was the QB of my team.

… Continue Reading

Wednesday WYNTR: Steve Phillips’ Affair, Jay Calls Out Jay, and More Browns Misery

It is once again new feature time.

I realized this morning that every day there is one blog post I look forward to more than any other: The Big Lead’s morning link roundups…which, coincidentally, has not been posted yet this morning.

WTF?

This unexpected void in my morning gave me the opportunity to participate in an exciting new morning activity: thinking. And what I got to thinking and wondering about is why I’m not putting together a similar post on a daily basis for you, our trusty MSF reader.

So I decided to start doing it. And if the old adage “imitation is the most sincere form of flattery” is true, then consider yourself flattered TBL. We’ll obviously put our own spin on things, but we’re not trying to hide the source of our inspiration.

Look for this new feature every morning, probably around 7-7:15 Central Time. And if you’re a blogger or an interested reader who likes sharing good stuff you read, send me tips.

And now, without further ado, onto this morning’s WYNTR (that stands for What You Need To Read), sponsored by birthday girl Kim Kardashian (who probably has a better chance of completing that pass than Derek Anderson…)

… Continue Reading

Bears-Seahawks Preview: Analysis and Prediction

The Bears travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks this weekend, in what should be a pretty good football showdown in the rainiest city in the USA.

Here is your quick-hit viewer’s guide and Jerod’s pick from this week’s NFL TV schedule and point spread post:

Chicago Bears (1-1) at Seattle Seahawks (1-1)

• Bears-Seahawks Date: Sunday, September 27th
• Bears-Seahawks Time: 4:05 ET
• Bears-Seahawks TV Network: Dick Stockton and Charles Davis
• Bears-Seahawks Announcers: FOX
• Bears-Seahawks Point Spread: Bears -2.5
• Bears-Seahawks Over-Under: 37
• Bears-Seahawks Pick by Jerod: Poor Matt Hasselbeck. He just can’t seem to stay healthy anymore. If he were healthy and playing, I think they’d be a good bet to win and certainly to cover 2.5 points. However, I think last week’s win was a big confidence builder for Jay Cutler and the Bears. And after seeing what Frank Gore did to Seattle last week, Matt Forte will no doubt be ready for his 2009 breakout game. I think he gets it, and I think the Bears win by a TD. Bears-Seahawks free spread pick: Bears -2.5 (for the record, I’m already re-thinking this one…Seattle is tough to beat at home. But the absence of Hasselbeck seals it. Bears, minus the points, final answer.)

Bears-Seahawks Analysis

The Bears are coming off of a spectactular and uplifting win against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The #1 question for the Bears right now is when will Matt Forte put up some decent numbers? So far Forte has been shut down, and is only averaging 2.2 yds per carry. There still isn’t any need to worry though because the two teams he played have very good run defenses.

The Seahawks are ranked 26th in the league in run defense. Forte is set up to run over 100 yards this Sunday. A good running game means less pressure on the QB, which will be greatly needed because Jay Cutler has his work cut out for him. The Seahawks pass defense is ranked 2nd in the league. Passing against this defense will be tough, but Forte can help significantly if he can find the holes the O-line setup.

Bears fans liked seeing Cutler bounce back in Week 2 after a horrid Week 1, but will this just be another Good-Cutler, Bad-Cutler deal? Just like what happened with Rex Grossman? Chicago fans sure hope not.

The new player to look for is rookie WR Johnny Knox. He has created a stir around the NFL for showing great speed and catching ability. The Bears could have found a sleeper in this kid. Keep an eye out for him.

The Seahawks might have lost Hasselback again due to a rib injury. If Hasselback doesn’t play, Seneca Wallace will start for Seattle. Wallace started some games last year, and isn’t that bad of a QB, but losing Hasselback is a huge loss for a team that heavily relies on their QB. Seattle might have to find a way to win without Hasselback, a task that might prove fatal.

The Seahawks best bet is their running game. While it’s not great, it has been consistent, averaging 116.5 yds per game. If the running game doesn’t get going it puts more pressure on the passing game, a section that already is weakened.

Bears-Seahawks prediction: the loss of Hasselback is just do much for the Seahawks to recover from. Bears win 21-14.

Browns-Broncos Preview, Analysis, and Prediction

All things considered, it was perhaps the most disappointing game of Browns’ 2008 season.

After opening the season 0-3, Cleveland battled back to win three out of its next five games, ultimately sitting at 3-5 as they prepared to take on the Denver Broncos at home on Thursday Night Football. 

Leading 23-10 early in the 3rd quarter, it appeared that the Browns would improve their record to 4-5 and salvage some semblance of an opportunity to make a late season charge at the playoffs.

The Broncos were only able to muster a field goal in the 3rd quarter, meaning the Browns were nursing a 23-13 lead as the 4th quarter began. I was at the Browns Backers that night, as I usually am during Browns games, and for the first time since the opening week of the season, I felt genuine optimism.

We win this game, we’re right back in this thing, was the thought permeating the room.

We know how that turned out.

Over the next 15 minutes of play at Cleveland Browns Stadium, the door was shut on the Browns’ 2008 season for good. You all remember what happened: Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald forgot how to play cornerback, and another chapter in the over-hyped legend of Jay Cutler was written.

Cutler threw 3 TD passes in the 4th quarter, with the 93-yarder to Eddie Royal that started the barrage seeming to break the Browns’ back, even though Cleveland still led 23-20. Cutler would add subsequent TD passes to Daniel Graham and Brandon Marshall on his way to 447 passing yards on the evening.

Despite a solid game from starter Brady Quinn, and the best rushing performance of the year for Cleveland (160 yards, 5.5 yard average), the Browns ended the night a demoralizing 3-6. They would win the next week at Buffalo before proceeding to drop their last six games of the season.

Would 2008 have turned out any differently had the Browns been 5-5 instead of 4-6 after Week 10? Who knows. Probably not. But I know one thing: the sting of last season would have been a little less severe had that 4th quarter embarrassment against the Broncos not occurred.

Sunday afternoon, the Browns will have their opportunity for vengeance.

Here are the particulars:

Cleveland Browns (0-1) at Denver Broncos (1-0)

• Browns-Broncos Date: Sunday, September 20
• Browns-Broncos Time: 4:15
• Browns-Broncos TV Network: CBS
• Browns-Broncos Announcers: Bill Macatee and Steve Beuerlein
• Browns-Broncos Point Spread: Broncos -3.5
• Browns-Broncos Over-Under: 37.5
• StubHub: Browns-Broncos tickets as low as $42!

Last week, my preview and analysis of the Vikings-Browns game unfortunately proved prophetic.

The Vikings are quite possibly the worst matchup in the NFL for the Browns, and it showed on Sunday. Cleveland played very well in the first half, but the Browns’ inability to run and stop the run doomed them to a disappointing second half.

This week, my Browns preview will not be nearly as pessimistic. Unlike last week, when I listed out the three reasons the Browns would lose and then provided three things that had to happen for them to even have a chance, this week will be much easier.

I’m giving you three reasons why the Browns will win on Sunday. Because they will. Chime in with your prediction, then read mine.

Who will win Sunday's game between the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos

• Denver Broncos (38%, 6 Votes)
• Cleveland Browns (62%, 10 Votes)

Total Voters: 16

 Loading ...

Browns-Broncos Analysis

Three reasons the Browns will win on Sunday

1 – The Browns’ biggest weakness, run defense, is marginalized by Denver’s unproven rushing attack

The Broncos have long been known as a running team, ever since Terrell Davis began the legendary run of 1,000-yard backs that Mike Shanahan seemed to pluck off of the trees outside the Broncos’ practice facility. There was Terrell Davis and Mike Anderson and Clinton Portis and Mike Bell, and on and on and on.

Their rushing prowess also led to consistent success and many playoff berths for the Broncos, with the franchise winning at least eight games every year between 2000-2006 after winning 37 games in three years between 1996-1998.

But Denver has not had a 1000-yard back since Tatum Bell ran for 1,025 yards in 2006. Not coincidentally, they haven’t had a winning season since 2006. Also not coincidentally, 2007 is the season Jay Cutler took over as their quarterback.

The end result is that by last season, the Broncos were 12th in the league in rushing at 116.4 yards per game. That is actually impressive when you consider that they did not have a back eclipse 343 yards, with Shanahan employing a revolving door of Michael Pittman, Peyton Hillis, Selvin Young, Tatum Bell, Andre Hall, and others. (Note: the picture above is rumored to have been taken after Shanahan was shown the Broncos’ final 2008 rushing statistics. I cannot confirm this, however.)

The Broncos’ transition from a running team to a passing team was essentially complete at the end of last year, with the results obvious: a 15-17 record during the 2007 and 2008 seasons with no playoff berths.

In 2009, Jay Cutler has been replaced by Kyle Orton and the Broncos are counting on a rookie first round draft pick, Knowshon Moreno, and a career backup, Correll Buckhalter, to carry the load on offense. 

One would think that the Broncos’ Week 1 matchup might have offered a chance for the running game to get going early in the season. The Cincinnati Bengals were 21st in the league in rushing defense last year. However, the Broncos’ offense struggled all day, netting a total of 302 yards with Buckhalter and Moreno combining for just 65 yards on 16 carries.

Certainly, I and everyone else expect them to have more success running the ball against the Browns, a team that few have been worse than over the past few years at stopping the run. But the Broncos will not be able to run roughshod all over Cleveland like the Vikings did.

Minnesota blew the Week 1 game open in the second half because Adrian Peterson is an absolute beast. In the first half, Cleveland actually played very well and contained the Vikings on the ground. On Sunday, I expect the Browns defensive performance to be much closer to the first half of Week 1 as opposed to the second half.

I’m sure that Denver will get 110-120 yards on the ground. The Browns are not going to miraculously become a good defense against the run overnight. But I do believe they will be able to contain the Broncos enough, like Cincinnati did, to make Kyle Orton beat them.

I’ll take my chances with Kyle Orton, which me leads to reason #2 why the Browns will win on Sunday…

2 – I’ll take my chances with Kyle Orton

The Broncos beat the Browns last year because Jay Cutler, despite his uneven record as a starting quarterback, is supremely talented and capable of getting into a zone that few QBs in the NFL can match. Cutler also had a great rapport with WRs Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal, and it was certainly on display last season.

That said, Cutler is douchy, inconsistent, and has poor leadership skills, which in my mind makes him a hugh risk as a franchise QB. Obviously though, none of that mattered in the 4th quarter last year.

Kyle Orton, on the other hand, is not the type of quaterback who can beat you on his own.

In Week 1, Orton finished the game with solid numbers: 17-28, 243 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs. But take away his fluky touchdown pass to Brandon Stokley that won the game, and this is what his numbers would have been: 16-27, 146 yards, 0 TDs.

Against Cincinnati’s defense.

I realize the irony of a Browns fan criticizing another team’s offense, but the Broncos offensive attack just does not scare me. If the Browns can contain the Broncos’ running game, which I believe that we will, it will put the onus on Kyle Orton to win the game. Despite the fluky madness that ended last week’s game — for which Orton gets no credit, sorry — I don’t believe Kyle Orton will be able to get the job done.

The truth is that I see the Broncos and Browns as very similar teams. Both teams’ running games have potential, but have shown nothing yet. Both teams have pedestrian QBs that are incapable of winning games on their own. Both teams also have defenses with some obvious strengths, but also some very obvious holes and debilitating weaknesses.

So, considering that the Broncos are playing at home, what leads me to believe that the Browns will win on Sunday?

3 – Sunday’s game will be a close one in which special teams make a huge difference; the Browns have the decided advantage in this area.

No discussion of the Browns’ special teams can begin anywhere but with the best special teams player in the NFL: Joshua Cribbs.

In case anyone needed a reminder of Cribbs’ greatness, he took a punt 67 yards to the house last Sunday against the Vikings. For his career, Cribbs averages 11.1 yards per punt return and has score twice. On kickoffs, Cribbs averages 26.3 yards per return and has scored five times.

Eddie Royal, who handles the return duties for Denver and did so last year as well, has yet to score in his young career and falls short of Cribbs’ averages in both areas.

Kicker is another area where the Browns have an advantage.

Phil Dawson has made of 82.9% of his kicks over his successful career, with numerous clutch game-winners over the past two seasons. He may not have the strongest leg in the NFL, but he’s 12-14 between 40-49 yards over the past two seasons and did kick a 56-yarder last season. 

Matt Prater, who handles placekicking duties for Denver, is only a 70% career kicker despite going 2-2 in Week 1 on a couple of long kicks. Last season, he was only 5-11 from 40-49 yards.

In a close game, I’ll take my chances with our far more proven kicker.

The Browns also have the more consistent punter and punt coverage unit. In 2008, Dave Zastudil averaged 45.5 yards per punt, pinned the other team inside their 20-yard line on 30.7% of his kicks, and the Browns gave up an average punt return of only 7.3 yards, good for an overall net of 42.3. Also, 43 of Zastudil’s punts were fair caught.

Brett Kern handles the punting duties for Denver, and while he averaged 46.7 yards per kick in 2008, he only pinned the opposing team inside its 20-yard line on 28.3% of his kicks. Additionally, the Broncos gave up 4.5 more yards per punt return (11.8) than the Browns, which resulted in a net punt average of 39.6 for Kern.

Here is the best thing about Kern from a Browns perspective: he kicks it long but they are returnable. Whereas only 42.6% of Zastudil’s punts were returned in 2008, 60.8% of Kern’s were returned. This only accentuates our advantage in the return game and makes Cribbs even more of a factor.

In a game between two subpar offenses, the hidden yardage of the return game could be huge. Points will most likely be at a premium, and the team can put itself in the best position to score with solid field position will most likely end up on top.

Hence why I believe the Browns will win on Sunday.

Browns-Broncos Prediction

I don’t think that Denver is a very good team this year. I’m not sure that the Browns are a good team either, but I do believe we are better than the Broncos.

What does give me a little bit of pause in picking Cleveland to win this Sunday is the fact that the game is in Denver, which has always been a tough place for opponents to play. Between the rowdy fans, the altitude, and the typically strong teams Denver has had, coming into the Mile High city and getting a W has never been easy.

But after the huge withdrawal that the Broncos made from the football karma bank last week, improbably snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, they are ripe for a little payback in Week 2. Add this impending karmic payback to the payback the Browns will already have on their minds after last season’s 4th quarter debacle, and Browns fans have yet another reason to believe.

Last season, the Browns outplayed the Broncos for 45 minutes and then simply ran into a 15-minute 4th quarter buzzsaw that could not be stopped. That threat is now gone with Jay Cutler replaced by Kyle Orton.

I think Sunday’s game will be much more like the first three quarters of the 2008 matchup than it will be like the final quarter. In fact, it will probably even be a little closer.

But if you take away that final quarter, the Browns would have won in ‘08.

One year later, with special teams being the difference, the Browns will finish the job.

Take the Browns and the points but understand that you won’t need them:

Cleveland Browns 17 | Denver Broncos 16

**********

* – Jay Cutler in Browns-Broncos ‘08 photo credit: Duncan / AP via New York Daily News

* – Joshua Cribbs photo credit: Bleacher Report

* – Phil Dawson photo credit: Waiting For Next Year

Steelers-Bears Preview and Prediction

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)

• Steelers-Bears Date: Sunday, September 20
• Steelers-Bears Time: 4:15
• Steelers-Bears TV Network: CBS
• Steelers-Bears Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Steelers-Bears Point Spread: Steelers -3.5
• Steelers-Bears Over-Under: 37.5
• StubHub: Steelers-Bears tickets as low as $130!

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.

Fantasy Football: Week 2 Start ‘Em – Sit ‘Em Lineup Advice

Update: The Week 3 Start Em, Sit Em lineup advice and projections post is up.

I am nothing if not accountable, and I come to you a humbled man this week. I let you and myself down with start ‘em, sit ‘em advice that left much to be desired in Week 1.

Here is the Week 1 start ‘em, sit ‘em column if you’d like to review, but I’ll lay out the hits and misses right here for you. 

• Start ‘em hits: Vernon Davis…barely, in a PPR league…maybe? (5 catches, 40 yards)
• Start ‘em misses: David Garrard (122 yds, 0 TDs); Willie Parker (19 yds, 0 TDs); Braylon Edwards (1 rec, 13 yds, 0TDs); New England D/ST (24 points allowed, 1 turnover)
• Sit ‘em hits: Matt Schaub (166 yds, 0TDs); Chris Johnson & LenDale White (8.6 fantasy points combined); Miami D/ST (19 points allowed, 0 turnovers)
• Sit ‘em misses: Roy Williams (3 rec, 86 yds, 1 TD); Kellen Winslow (5 rec, 30 yds, 1 TD)

So, not a great start. 

In fact, the results of my Week 1 start ‘em, sit ‘em lineup advice reminds me a little bit of the Carolina Panthers…with me playing the role of Jake Delhomme: high hopes, big expectations…and then a depressing thud as interceptions get fired all over the field.

But, in my defense, in the “others” category for start ‘em I did nail all of the three QBs listed — Hasselbeck, Flacco, and Shaun Hill, plus I recommended Julius Jones. And I told you to sit Steve Slaton! That should count for something right?

Umm…no.

We’re all about results here. Like fantasy football, it’s about touchdowns (or LOTS of yards) and I did not get into the endzone enough last week with my primary start ‘em, sit ‘em recommendations at each position. But what we love about sports is that there is always next week…so I am looking forward to Week 2.

I’m here to rebound, both for you and for myself, to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start. And no, I will not give into the temptation to pick obvious ones (start Adrian Peterson against Detroit!) just to pad my stats.

Let’s get right to it.

Fantasy Football

Week 2 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Lineup Advice

Week 2 Start ‘Em – Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em: Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears (vs Pittsburgh Steelers)

What, am I crazy? Start the guy who had 4 picks on national TV last week against the defending champs and their suffocating defense this week?

I say yes, and there is one primary reason why: no Troy Polamalu.

The lynchpin of the Steelers’ secondary is out with a sprained MCL, which will make Pittsburgh’s D more susceptible to the pass and less dangerous overall. Granted, the Bears’ WR corps leaves a lot to be desired, but I think the determination of Jay Cutler will overcome that.

Cutler may be a bit of a whiny douche, but he’s a very talented and prideful player. He also did not complete a pass to RB Matt Forte in Week 1, and only a single one to TE Greg Olsen, which I have to think will change after taking a look at the film.

The Bears are at home and will do everything to avoid going 0-2. I’m not sold on Cutler as a consistent fantasy starter throughout the season, but I do like him this week despite the matchup.

Others I like: Jason Campbell, Washington (vs St. Louis); Trent Edwards, Buffalo (vs Tampa Bay)

Sit ‘Em: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts (@ Miami Dolphins)

Let me guess what you are probably thinking right now: this idiot is recommending Jay Cutler as a start against Pittsburgh and Peyton Manning as a guy you should sit? Is he insane?

Well, perhaps.

But I don’t think so in this particular case for this particular week.

Courtesy of Stats Inc. (via Yahoo Sports), Peyton Manning has thrown for 16 TDs and 18 INTs lifetime against the Dolphins. Now, clearly that stat line spans a decade and many different coaches and players for the Dolphins. But considering that Manning will be going into a hornet’s nest (on the road in Miami, home opener for Dolphins, Monday night, team coming off of a bad loss and looking for redemption, etc.) and will not have Anthony Gonzalez, I’m not all that optimistic about his chances.

The Colts offense is becoming a little worrisome. They could not establish a consistent ground attack in Week 1 against Jacksonville, which they need for Manning’s play-action to be effective. Miami, despite its struggles to contain Matt Ryan, did an effective job of limiting the Falcons’ powerful ground attack last Sunday (3.0 yards per carry for Michael Turner). 

I think an emotional Dolphins’ D bottles up Manning and the Colts offense, at least enough that he is limited to one TD pass and harassed into a turnover or two. If you have a decent backup for Manning, this might be a good week to use him.

Others I don’t like: Carson Palmer, Cincinnati (@ Green Bay)

Week 2 Start ‘Em – Sit ‘Em: Running Backs:

Start ‘Em: Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants (@ Dallas Cowboys)

I liked Ahmad Bradshaw before the season started because he was stepping into a big void of opportunity left by the departure of Derrick Ward. After one game the returns are pretty solid, and I think his matchup on Sunday night against the Cowboys is a good one.

First off, Bradshaw got 12 carries against the Redskins last week, so we can see that some touches will be there. He also carried for 60 yards, a 5.0 yard average, against a pretty good run defense. Plus, he added 3 receptions, to get his total touches up to 15. All in all, a solid first week effort for Bradshaw against a good defense.

With the injury to Danny Ware, the Giants have announced that Bradshaw will be handling kickoff return duties this week, which should net him a few more touches and some extra all-purpose yards against a Cowboys’ special teams unit that was been a pretty significant question mark this offseason.

Most importantly, Bradshaw and the Giants are going up against a defense that is pretty adept at rushing the passer but not quite so adept at stopping the run. Last week, despite being behind most of the game and losing, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers torched the Cowboys on the ground over 160 yards and a pretty hefty per carry average. Cadillac Williams ran for 97 yards on 13 carries and scored a TD, while Derrick Ward ran for 62 yards on 12 carries and also scored.

The Jacobs-Bradshaw combo is just as good and they have a better O-Line than Tampa. I actually like the Cowboys to win this game, but I think the Giants will be able to get some work done on the ground. We certainly know that they will be committed to doing so.

You already know you’re starting Brandon Jacobs, but I wouldn’t hesitate to throw Bradshaw in there as a flex. This a good matchup for him.

Others I like: Thomas Jones, New York Jets (vs New England); Mike Bell, New Orleans (@ Philadelphia…but check on Pierre Thomas throughout the week.)

Sit ‘Em: Julius Jones, Seattle (@ San Francisco)

Yes, Julius Jones had a good game last week, but there are a few things you need to remember:

1. He’s Julius Jones.
2. The Seahawks were playing the Rams last week.
3. The 49ers are coached by Mike Singletary.

If Seattle is going to win this game, they are going to have to do it through the air. I think San Francisco has a chance to have a pretty stout run defense this year, and they gave a glimpse of it last week by bottling up Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells in Arizona. Granted, Tim Hightower had 12 receptions out of the backfield against them, but Jones has never been a guy to catch a lot of passes out of the backfield.

Enjoy it when Julius plays teams like the Rams; otherwise, remember who he is and consider his track record. The 49ers are an up-and-coming team that will be fired up for their home opener. I think Matt Hasselbeck will have to win this one with his arm if the Seahawks are to come into San Fran and get a W.

Others I don’t like: Cedric Benson, Cincinnati (@ Green Bay); Steve Slaton, Houston (@ Tennessee); Kevin Smith, Detroit (@ Minnesota)

Week 2 Start ‘Em – Sit ‘Em: Wide Receivers:

Start ‘Em: Terrell Owens, Buffalo (vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

He only had two catches on three targets Monday night, and he’s coming off a toe injury that sidelined him most of the preseason. If you’re a little bit skittish about T.O. right now, you’re well within your right to be so.

But I wouldn’t be skittish about starting him this week against Tampa Bay. And the truth is, you probably spent a high draft pick on T.O. so you may not have any other choice but to start him. (Don’t worry, I’m not taking the easy way out in the WR Sit ‘Em to balance out recommending T.O.)

Trent Edwards and the Bills proved, somewhat surprisingly, that they can move the ball on offense with their performance against the Patriots. And remember that Bill Belichick’s defensive strategy is usually to try to take away the opposing team’s #1 threat. The Patriots did that by doubling and bottling up T.O.

Buffalo plays Tampa Bay last week, which got absolutely shredded by Tony Romo and his trio of WRs last week. I don’t think Buffalo will have that much success against the Bucs, but they’ll get some work done through the air.

And after only being targeted three times in Week 1, you know T.O. will be both motivated and vocal about the need to get him the rock.

His huge games will be fewer and further between this season, but I think this is one of them. 

Others I like: Desean Jackson, Philadelphia (vs New Orleans); Brandon Marshall, Denver (vs Cleveland); Percy Harvin, Minnesota (@ Deroit); 

Sit ‘Em: Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City (vs Oakland)

As with T.O., you probably have to start Dwayne Bowe because of where you drafted him. If you have no other options, keep Bowe in the lineup because you have to and he will get his fair share of targets.

But if you’re stacked at WR, this could be a week when Bowe hits your bench as he will be matched up with Nnamdi Asomugha, against whom Bowe has yet to catch a TD pass in his career. Last year, Bowe had 8 catches for 117 yards in two games against Oakland. As a rookie, he had 7 catches for 147 yards.

The weakness of the Oakland defense is their ability to stop the run, although they were more effective than expected in Week 1 against San Diego. And while Philip Rivers completed 24 passes for 252 yards on Monday night, look a little deeper: only 11 of the completions were to WRs, the rest went to RBs and TEs.

There is also flux at the QB position in Kansas City, as well as an entire team getting used to a new offensive system. Bowe had 4 catches and a TD last week with Brodie Croyle at QB, but only tallied 40 yards. Who will be starting this week? Matt Cassel? Croyle?

There are enough question marks surrounding Bowe this week that I’d be wary. He may still garner 5-6 fantasy points because he could accumulate a few catches and some yards, but don’t expect big numbers. 

Others I don’t like: Laveraneus Coles, Cincinnati (@ Green Bay); Donald Driver, Green Bay (vs Cincinnati); 

Week 2 Start ‘Em – Sit ‘Em: Tight Ends:

Start ‘Em: Robert Royal, Cleveland Browns (@ Denver)

If you watched the Browns-Vikings game on Sunday, you noticed a few things:

1. Brady Quinn often had time to throw, but there rarely appeared to be WRs open down the field.
2. Quinn and Braylon Edwards simply are not on the same page yet.
3. Quinn looked in the direction of TE Robert Royal a lot.

In fact, Quinn targeted Royal nine times on Sunday, resulting in four catches, 60 yards, a TD for Royal. With the Browns’ WR corps likely to continue to struggle, and with Quinn’s well-known deficiencies throwing the ball deep down the field, I think Quinn will again be looking at Royal early and often.

Denver did do a nice job of shutting down the Cincinnati tight ends last week, but the Bengals rarely involve their TE anyway so I don’t read too much into that.

The targets for Royal are not going to stop. If you are unsettled at tight end, he could be a solid play through at least the first few weeks of the season, until Brady Quinn can get more comfortable throwing the ball down the field to Braylon and the Browns’ other WRs.

Others I like: Brent Celek, Philadelphia (vs New Orleans); Kellen Winslow, Tampa Bay (@ Buffalo); Kevin Boss, New York Giants (@ Dallas)

Sit ‘Em: Jeremy Shockey, New Orleans (@ Philadelphia)

Yes, Shockey caught 2 TD passes last week and is a part of the best offense in the league, so it’s hard to sit him. But his entire value from last week is wrapped up in those TD catches (he had only 4 catches for 31 yards), which are hard to predict and expect from week to week.

Add to that the fact that the Saints are playing a much better defense this week in Philadelphia, and one that is very familiar with Shockey from his days in New York, and I think we could see a reversion to the no-TD Shockey that we became accustomed to during his first season with New Orleans.

And what do you trust more: a 16-game schedule during which he caught no TDs, or one game against a team that’s lost 18 in a row in which he caught two?

I thought so.

With Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, and Robert Meachem all more dynamic downfield playmakers than Shockey, he is the fifth option when Drew Brees drops back to pass. Shockey fattened up against the porous Lions, but this week the law of averages pulls his fantasy numbers back to what we’ve come to expect from him.

Others I don’t like: Owen Daniels, Houston (@ Tennessee); Daniel Graham and Tony Scheffler, Denver (vs Cleveland)

Week 2 Start ‘Em – Sit ‘Em Defense/Special Teams:

Start ‘Em: Green Bay Packers D/ST (vs Cincinnati)

How can you not like the Packers’ D right now? They stifled the Bears in Week 1 and goaded Jay Cutler into 4 interceptions. They also have players like Charles Woodson and Al Harris who are always threats to take one to the house.

The real key, however, is the Packers’ improvement in the front 7 and their ability to stop the run. In Week 1, the Pack held Bears phenom Matt Forte to 55 yards rushing and nada out of the backfield as a receiver.

Cincinnati comes into Green Bay with a far less accomplished and dynamic running back in Cedric Benson. They also have a passing game that struggled against Denver in Week 1 and still looks as if it needs time to get in sync with Carson Palmer back under center and no T.J. Houshmandzadeh on the outside.

I think Chad Ochocinco will get his on Sunday, but that’s about it. Green Bay is one of the emerging contenders in the NFC and they’ll play like it at home against the Bengals.

Others I like: New England Patriots (@ New York Jets); Washington Redskins (vs St. Louis)

Sit ‘Em: Philadelphia Eagles D/ST (vs New Orleans)

This one is all about the matchup.

Philadelphia has a very good defense, forced lots of turnovers last week against Carolina, and will be a solid start most weeks. This week, however, they face the Saints’ juggernaut. And until the Saints and Drew Brees provide a reason to doubt them, I’m sitting any defense that plays against them.

With Troy Polamalu out for Pittsburgh right now, there is no unit in the NFL that I trust more than the Saints’ offense. Sorry Philly.

Others I don’t like: New York Jets (vs New England); Baltimore Ravens (@ San Diego)

It’s early in the week, so obviously injuries could wreak havoc on these predictions, but I’ll update this post if anything pertinent happens. As always, feel free to submit any lineup questions you may have in the comment section and I’ll answer them as soon as I’m able.

**********

* – Jay Cutler photo credit: Bleacher Report

* – Jeremy Shockey photo credit: Ted Jackson / The Times-Picayune via Nola.com

Chicago at Green Bay Preview: Bears’ Strengths/Weaknesses and Matchup Analysis

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)

• Bears-Packers Date: Sunday, September 13th
• Bears-Packers TV & Kickoff Time: 8:30 ET on NBC
• Bears-Packers Location: Lambeau Field in Green Bay
• Bears-Packers Announcers: Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth
• Bears-Packers Point Spread: GB -3.5
• Bears-Packers Over-Under: 46.5
• Ronald Clements, MSF: Bears-Packers Preview and Analysis
• StubHub: Bears @ Packers Tickets | Packers @ Bears tickets 12/13/09 as low as $79
• StubHub: 2009 Green Bay Packers tickets
• StubHub: 2009 Chicago Bears tickets
• StubHub: great deals on all NFL tickets

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.

———-

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.

———-

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.

**********

* – Jay Cutler / Matt Forte photo credit: Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune via ChicagoTribune.com

Bears-Packers Rivalry To Renew at Lambeau: Preview and Prediction

After all of the games are played Sunday afternoon, there will be one remaining – and it’s the oldest rivalry in the NFL.

The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will meet for the 178th time Sunday night at Lambeau Field. It will also be the 21st time the two teams have met in the season opener.

The storied teams split last year’s series, with the Packers routing the Bears at home 37-3, while the Bears escaped with a 20-17 overtime win on a frigid December night at Soldier Field. (I should know. I was there.)

Before we break down the two rosters, here are the particulars for Sunday night’s Packers-Bears matchup:

Chicago Bears (0-0) at Green Bay Packers (0-0)

• Bears-Packers Date: Sunday, September 13th
• Bears-Packers: TV & Kickoff Time: 8:30 ET on NBC
• Bears-Packers: Location: Lambeau Field in Green Bay
• Bears-Packers: Announcers: Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth
• Bears-Packers: Point Spread: GB -3.5
• Bears-Packers: Over-Under: 46.5
• StubHub: Packers-Bears tickets – Week 1 in Lambeau
• StubHub: all Green Bay Packers tickets
• StubHub: all Chicago Bears tickets
• StubHub: all 2009 NFL tickets

This year brings with it a lot of questions for both teams:

1. How will Green Bay adapt to its new 3-4 defensive scheme under new coordinator Dom Capers? 
2. How will Jay Cutler do in his new city with less-than-average receivers? 
3. Can Aaron Rodgers build on last year, when he threw for over 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns? 
4. Will Cutler’s big arm mean more passing from the Bears offense? 
5. Will Ryan Grant return to his 2007 form, or was that just an anomaly?

The questions go on, and most will be answered, at least in the short term, Sunday night.

The Packers have been downright dominant in the preseason, posting a 3-1 record — the same as the Bears — with the first-team offense scoring touchdowns on nine of 13 possessions. The Packers were 3-0 before dropping the backup-filled finale to Tennessee.

The Pack seem to have a slight edge at quarterback, mainly because Cutler’s effectiveness is a relative unknown with receivers such as Earl Bennett, Devin Aromashodu, Rashied Davis and rookies Johnny Knox and Juaquin Iglesias. The supposed top receiver for the Bears is Devin Hester, who is still learning the ropes on offense bytdefinitely trumps any return specialist the Packers have.

The Packers certainly have a huge edge is at wideout. Aaron Rodgers has a plethora of weapons, including Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones and Jordy Nelson. Jennings, in fact, just might be emerging as the best player from the 2006 draft. Add Donald Lee and Jermichael Finley at tight end, and it makes the weapons pool even deeper for Rodgers.

The Bears have their own talented tight end in third-year player Greg Olsen, but neither Desmond Clark, Michael Clark, nor Kellen Davis give Chicago a 1-2 punch at tight end like Lee and Finley.

The running back edge belongs to Chicago, mainly because the versatile Matt Forte can flat out carry the rock and is effective catching passes out of the backfield. The second-year stud from Tulane ran for 1,238 yards last year to set a new franchise record for rookie tailbacks. Adrian Peterson is a nice change-of-pace back for Chicago, which recently lost Kevin Jones for the season.

Green Bay has plenty of runners, but none with the talent of Forte. Ryan Grant did eclipse 1,200 yards last year, but averaged less than four yards per carry. If he can get that number back up this year, the Packers will be all right. Spelling him in the backfield will be Brandon Jackson and DeShawn Wynn.

Both teams have solid offensive lines, which they’ll need against the aggressive defenses they’ll see on Sunday night. Despite finishing the year 6-10, the Packers led the NFL in defensive touchdowns last season. Where they struggled was in the pass rush, something the new 3-4 scheme is supposed to remedy. Cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris are two of the best in the business, and safety Nick Collins was a Pro Bowl selection in 2008.

Chicago has another aggressive unit led by linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. If they can control the middle, the Bears can exert their will on pretty much any team. Green Bay’s backers are also good with Nick Barnett, A.J Hawk, Brandon Chillar, rookie Clay Matthews, and now Aaron Kampman added to the mix as an outside linebacker.

Kampman led the Packers with 9.5 sacks last season, his first year without registering double-digit sacks since 2005. If the Packers can get some pressure on Cutler, it could be curtains for the Bears.

It’s hard to overlook that Green Bay led last year’s game in Chicago 14-3 before imploding and handing the game back to Chicago. The Packers were clearly the more talented team last season, and look to be again this year.

Green Bay wins its home opener by beating up on the Bears, 31-13.

**********

* – Brian Urlacher getting owned photo credit: Mouth Piece Sports

Bears’ Kevin Jones Out for the Season, but Presence of Jay Cutler Assuages All Fears

The Bears preseason is officially over, and every time something ends something else begins.

It is time to begin the long-awaited regular season.

The Bears had what I thought was a positive preseason, and it only made me more excited for this year. It could be a big year for the Bears, and it will be exciting to see how things end up playing out.

Will Jay Cutler fit the role of franchise QB in Chicago?

Will Devin Hester ever be a true receiver?

Will the defense return to being the “Monsters of the Midway?”

All these questions will be answered over the next few months.

In the meantime some pretty breaking news was released, and it’s not positive for the Bears: oft-injured Kevin Jones, the Bears’ back-up running back, will miss the entire season with an ankle injury. This makes Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe very happy, as now they have a chance to get a lot of playing time and carries this season.

Two guys that have never gotten the attention they deserve now have a chance to finally get into the spotlight somewhat spelling Matt Forte.

Adrian Peterson is one of those running backs that is great for those 3rd and 1 plays. Powerfully built yet speedy, Peterson is very underrated as a straight-up-the-gut runner. He surprises players and fans alike when he just seems to go untouched running up the middle. He was fighting for some playing time this preseason, but with the Jones’ injury, I see Peterson benefiting the most.

Garrett Wolfe, who played his college ball at Northern Illinois, has become somewhat of a fan favorite over the years. His small stature might seem to be a disadvantage for his position, but it doesn’t seem to affect Wolfe at all. He still has very good runs and shows that his size won’t hold him down. Maybe that’s the reason many fans like him. Everybody likes an underdog, or someone that doesn’t seem to fit the “prototype” description, yet still succeeds. Fans have found that in Wolfe, who is a very versatile player. It will be interesting and fun to watch his progression as a player, especially if he gets more carries this year with Jones’ injury.

It’s obvious though that the most watched and covered player this year will be Jay Cutler.

I have faith in Cutler. I know that there is a lot of hype around him, but it seems warranted. Chicago fans are just so crazy about their QB, mainly because they have never had a really great QB. Now that we have one that can fit that role, Bears fans are understandably expecting big things.

What I am afraid of is the fans wanting Cutler to put up insane numbers like he did last year. All I want is for him to spark something in the offense and play consistently well. With his great passing ability, our running game should excel also. I want the wealth distributed throughout the whole team.

The best part about having Cutler is that he can directly impact every aspect of the offense in a way that makes each of its elements better.

Overall, I have high expectations for the Bears this year, and I would hate to see all this talent go to waste should the team end up falling below expectations.

It should be a fun football season, and I can’t wait!

Bears v Broncos Preview: The Biggest Game of the 2009 NFL Preseason

If you can only watch on preseason game, you should watch the game between the Bears and the Broncos. Preseason games don’t mean anything at all (and if you don’t believe me, the Lions went 4-0 in the pre-season last year and look how well they did) but this game will be a very interesting one.

Here are the particulars:

• Bears-Broncos Preseason Game Date: Sunday, August 30th
• Bears-Broncos Preseason Game Time: 8:00 PM ET (6:00 local time)
• Bears-Broncos Preseason Game TV: NBC
• Bears-Broncos Preseason Game Location: Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver, CO
• Bears-Broncos Preseason Game Point Spread: Denver -2.5 (via DocSports’ NFL odds)
• StubHub: Deals on Bears-Broncos Preseason Game Tickets
• StubHub: Deals on Denver Broncos Regular Season Tickets
• StubHub: Deals on Chicago Bears Regular Season Tickets

As you may know, Jay Cutler and Kyle Orton were traded for each other. Bronco fans were angry, and they still are, at Cutler for refusing to do anything unless he was traded. I can see why fans would hate Cutler. I believe they did get the worst side of the trade. Though some might argue that Denver got the better side of the trade because of the draft picks, you have to remember that just because you have high draft picks, and that you may draft good college football players, that doesn’t mean they will will amount to anything in the NFL.

The number 1 reason to watch this game is to see the QB battle. I am positive each QB will want to play better, command the game better, and perform better than the another. These QBs will play like it’s the Super Bowl! It should be a great battle to watch.

Kyle Orton has the chance to make the Bears regret trading him away, but I don’t see him having a great day to change any Bear fans’ or coaches’ mind. I liked Orton, but I didn’t see the Bears winning anything with him at QB.

Jay Cutler will have to win over the Bears’ fans over the course of the season, a process which he has already begun in earnest, and this game is a great venue to continue doing so. If Cutler does well, the fans will continue to develop their love for him, and if he doesn’t…well, it’s only the preseason, but you never want to do anything that might make the fans anxious or angry.

Be prepared to hear lots and lots of booing at Invesco Field, where Cutler used to play his home games. I expect every time Cutler is on the field to hear the fans boo until he steps off. That is how much the fans there now despise Cutler. Even Cutler expects to be hated endlessly.

Another reason to watch the Bears-Broncos preseason game is that this game should feel somewhat like a regular season game, at least until the starters leave. Up through that point this game should be very enjoyable. The QBs have things to prove, and the tension between the fans and players will give this game a regular season feel.

Overall, the first half will be a fun time for football fans. It will be a break from the boring and really long football preseason. (I am a fan of only two preseason games and the adding more games to the regular season, for the record.) While this game logically doesn’t mean anything, it actually does. Coaches and players won’t tell you that it does, but I think it does. Orton and Cutler are both thinking in their head “I have to do better than the other guy,” and that alone should make the game exciting.

Whether you’re a Bears or Broncos fan, or just an NFL fan in general, it doesn’t matter. This game should appeal to you.

The whole thing about Bears fans to loving and then hating their QB, and seemingly switching week-to-week is wrong, but you have to realize that Chicago has never had a franchise QB. No matter who they have tried, it has just never happened. So when they get somebody who has the best chance to become a franchise quarterback, the highs and the lows have the potential to be more extreme.

On Sunday night, Jay Cutler has one more chance to get Bears fans believing before the regular season starts. The fact that he will do so in front of his angry former supporters makes it all the more intriguing. So everybody tune in on the game Sunday at 7:00pm CST. You won’t be let down.

Jay Cutler, Matt Forte Impress During First Home Preseason Game for Chicago Bears

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.”

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.

**********

* – Jay Cutler / Matt Forte photo credit: Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune / August 8, 2009 via CLTV.com

Cutler Already Complaining?

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.

What to Watch For During the Chicago Bears 2009 Preseason

Chicago Bears fans finally had their chance to see the ‘09 Bears in action Saturday, August 15th against the Buffalo Bills. It was the first preseason game for the Bears, and the first game with new QB Jay Cutler. While preseason games don’t mean that much, they do give the fans a chance to see how the team has changed and, hopefully, improved.

While most of the 1st string players do start, most of them don’t play for very long. Starters don’t start having a lot of playing time until the 3rd or 4th preseason games. That is not a reason to not watch the first two games however.

Bears fans should tune in to see how the team has done over the off-season. Not only should you watch Cutler, but watch the offensive line and the passing defense, the two weakest parts of the Bears last season. Rod Marinelli was brought into the Bear’s coaching staff January 10th, 2009 to help the defensive line go back to being a dominating force.

Don’t think Marinelli is a bad coach just because his team last year didn’t win a game, because that is far from the truth. Marinelli is a very smart and highly respected coach. I have no doubt he will help the defensive line become one of the best in the league. We have the players to do so, and now we have the great coaching those great players need.

Another thing to watch is the receivers, which are always a big question mark for the Bears. Chicago has been coined the place where receivers go to die, and really that is true most of the time. But this year could be different. They have the potential to have a very effective, young receiving corps this year. Devin Hester has shown a lot of improvement in becoming a great 1st string receiver. Now that he is devoting all is time to becoming a better receiver rather than a kick returner, he will improve faster and become better sooner.

Watch how Lovie Smith calls the defense. He will be taking the reins and calling the plays for the defense this season. Bob Babich will go back to focusing on the linebackers. I never liked Babich. The defense has been terrible since he came here. I didn’t like that they let go of Ron Rivera. I liked him as a defense coordinator, and thought that his play calling is way better than Babich’s.

Ron Turner has new a new offense at his hands, and it will be interesting to see what he will do with it. I usually question his play calling, especially on 3rd downs. The Bears seem to play it safe on 3rd down. They throw it in front of the first down line, and that really makes me mad. Now having a QB that can thrown down field, and a receiver that can be a threat down field, I expect to see more long passes. It should be an exciting offensive season form the Bear, and I can’t wait to see it.

So be sure to not miss the Bears remaining preseason games. Get out your Bears jersey, your black and navy blue paint, and bring all your friends. Chicago Bears football is back!!!!

LOTD: Bobby Wade Says Brian Urlacher Called Jay Cutler a “Pussy”, Blogger Quarrel Ensues

Ah, back to sports reality after a brief afternoon trip elsewhere. But you know, a wise man once said that “sometimes to maintain your sanity, you have to lose it for a moment.” (Actually, that’s not true…I just made it up and no wise men ever said it as far as I know.)

A lot of interesting stories have broken this afternoon, but none more interesting than the fallout from Bobby Wade’s contention that Brian Urlacher called Jay Cutler a pussy.  From PFT:

Wade told our pal Paul Allen of KFAN within the hour that, during an offseason trip to Vegas with Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, Urlacher expressed a not-so-flattering opinion of new Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.

Basically, Wade said that Urlacher said that Cutler is a “pussy.”

Predictably, Bears supporters have rallied against Pro Football Talk for even mentioning the Bobby-Wade-said-Brian-Urlacher-called-Jay-Cutler-a-pussy story:

You’d think with ProFootballTalk’s heralded move under the NBC peacock’s plumage that they would up the ante in providing smart, in-depth coverage of the NFL.

Nah.

This then prompted a hilarious retort from Pro Football Talk in discussing Tommie Harris’ tweet about the issue and defending itself for reporting the Bobby-Wade-said-Brian-Urlacher-called-Jay-Cutler-a-pussy story:

Look, all we’re doing is reporting what Wade said on the air. So even if some dude who uses his best contemplative senior picture (he should have stuck with the “ninth grade dorky smile mom plastered down my hair with a handful of spit” pose) at the Chicago Sun-Times thinks that it’s not newsworthy, it was — and it is.

Especially if it’s true.

Final verdict? Who the hell cares if Urlacher said it or not. Wade said that he said it, it’s news, and it’s going to make the first meeting of the two teams pretty damn interesting. (Besides, it’s not like Cutler hasn’t been called derogatory names before.)

And now, onto other links from around the sports world today, beginning with updates on the flurry of trade activity that’s gone down.

MLB Trade Links:

• Cliff Lee officially traded to Philadelphia — (Waiting For Next Year)
• Now that Cliff Lee is gone, is Victor Martinez next? — (MLB Trade Rumors)
• Pirates trade Jack Wilson and Ian Snell to Mariners for some spare parts — (SI.com)
• What’s the latest on Roy Halladay? — (MLB Trade Rumors)
• No surprise: Josh Fields wants out of Chicago — (Sun-Times)

Other Links:

• Cavendish’s WWII Dogfighter Bike with Pin-up — (Gunaxin)
• Alessia Filippi Wins 1500m, Frederica Pelligrini sets Record at the World Championship Look Really Hot Doing IT — (The Angry T)
• Playmate is a huge Mariners fan — (Spewf)
• The Megan Fox one-day media blackout is on — (MoonDog)
• The All Ex-Bulls Team — (Pippen ‘Aint Easy)
• Is Brett Favre the greatest fantasy football player ever? — (Sharapova’s Thigh)
• Big Witness Meets Big Show — (Not Qualified to Comment)
• Brewers slide continues — (i94sports)
• Drew Brees’ mom is crazy and ruthless — (SportsByBrooks)
• Miguel Cabrera’s struggles with RISP is killing the Tigers — (Detroit4Lyfe)
• Congress calls out Shaq while honoring Kobe and the Lakers — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)
• Japanese Lil’ Buddies Falling in Love with Pillows — (Straight Pinkie)

* – Jay Cutler photo credit: Newscom via Every Joe

Chicago Bears Almost Escape Offseason Without Injury; Back Surgery for Charles Tillman

The Bears almost got out of the offseason with no major injuries. Until now. Charles Tillman has had back surgery to remove a disc fragment. Tillman is prone to back problems, as it has sidelined him before in previous years.

The main concern is will he be able to play the opener? The Bears management believes so. Injury in the defensive backfield for the Bears is not new. Mike Brown has missed most of the past 4 seasons, with Achilles, calf, and Lisfranc injuries.

What could hurt the Bears is if Tillman does miss some of the first few games, especially when they play Green Bay and Pittsburgh. Those two teams have very good passing quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger. These dangerous quarterbacks could throw all over the Bears, just like last year, without the right leadership in the secondary.

The Bears passing defense wasn’t all that great last year to begin with, even with a healthy Tillman. They ranked 30th out of 32 teams in passing defense. An injury like this, if it is prolonged or nagging, could be devastating to the Bears defense. With the possibility of Mike Brown getting injured also, as he has every year since 2004, and the possibility of Tillman missing a few games, the Bears playoff chances could be hindered by a limping set of DBs.

But Tillman missing games is still unsure. He could be totally fine by the time the season starts. We will just have to wait and see.

Injuries are what every team wants to avoid, but you can never avoid it completely during any season. The key is to have your team ready to play without the injured player. New guys need to step up and take charge when a leader gets injured.

With Jay Cutler now taking the reins, the Bears have a chance to compete in the NFC. Defense will still be key though, just like it always has been. They need to stay away from major injuries, get a lot of wins, and hopefully get a second chance this decade at the Super Bowl.

* – Charles Tillman photo credit: Suzy Allman for The New York Times