Steelers-Broncos Monday Night Football Preview and Prediction

Editor’s Note: AJ Kaufman’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored by Sadler’s Smokehouse, a producer of premium pit smoked meats that are best described by Sadler’s slogan: Legendary since 1948.

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Pulled Pork Stew

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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Monday Night Football

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) at Denver Broncos (6-1)

• Steelers-Broncos Date: Monday, Nov 9th
• Steelers-Broncos Kickoff Time: 8:30 pm
• Steelers-Broncos TV Network: ESPN
• Steelers-Broncos Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
• Steelers-Broncos Point Spread: Steelers -3 (as of Saturday morning)
• Steelers-Broncos Over-Under: 40 (as of Saturday morning)
• Steelers-Broncos Spread Pick by Jerod: Did the glass slipper fall off of Denver last week in Baltimore? Or was it just a one week blip? We will certainly find out Monday night, but I think Denver is good enough to get more respect than being a three point home dog. Pittsburgh has been uneven this year and I think Denver will be able to slow down Big Ben and the passing game. With Rashard Mendenhall’s fumbilitis, I think plenty of opportunities will be there for Denver to get good field position and win a low scoring game. Steelers-Broncos free pick: Broncos +3

Steelers-Broncos MNF Preview and Analysis

While analysts around the league have suggested that last week’s loss against the then .500 Ravens is a “sign of things to come,” Broncos fans need not get wrapped up in such conjecture.

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Fantasy Football Week 4 Sleepers and Bye Week Fill-Ins

We have now had three weeks of the 2009 fantasy football season and everyone should have a decent idea of what kind of team they have.

I’m in six leagues and am at least 2-1 in five of them, so I’m feeling pretty good.

But the equations change a little bit this week as the bye week rotations begin.

This week, Arizona, Carolina, Philadelphia, and Atlanta are all on byes. This means that teams with the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, DeAngelo Williams, Desean Jackson, and Tony Gonzalez, among many others, have to find productive fill-ins to keep them competitive in Week 4.

And that’s what we’re going to look at this morning.

So far, my start em, sit em picks have worked out a lot better than my sleeper picks on a weekly basis (Byron Leftwich last week, ’nuff said). In reality, though, Weeks 1-3 are really like the preseason when it comes to waiver wire trolling in the 50% -or-less category.

Most teams, if they drafted at least semi-competently, should not have been digging too far down the wire to plug any holes yet.

It’s a different ballgame now, with each team needing to find bye week replacements. This morning, I will attempt to identify players at each primary fantasy position (no kickers…not now, not ever) who have favorable matchups in Week 4 and could do some damage.

Here we go:

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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.

Jerry Angelo Finally Brings Hope to Chicago Fans By Acquiring Jay Cutler

I got in the car on Thursday afternoon wondering if the sports radio would be talking about the Bulls’ playoff hopes, the Hawks’ recent stuttering, or opening day being around the corner.

I was not expecting to hear anything about Jerry Angelo.

I presumed he was still on vacation until September 1st, until football commanded his attention. The GM for the Bears was one of the most despised in the city, where falling on ill favor is not that easy. Fans, while loyal and passionate, are usually comfortable here. It is hard to find a terrible rant about a sports figure in Chicago. Jerry Angelo, however, was on the verge of finding Windy City protesters at his house.

The Bears’ 2008 season proved nothing, except that the Bears had a franchise that desperately needed help. Questions popped up everywhere and it seemed that we would have to wait for the draft to have any of those questions answered.

The I hear on 670 the Score immediately upon getting into my car, “The Sun-Times website is reporting that the Bears got Jay Cutler.” Terry Boers stays on the mic reporting the story, while Dan Bernstein clearly pushed the rolly chair back from the mic and said, “Good GOD!” You would think that a stripper walked into the studio with a huge cardboard check, with his name on it.

The news about Cutler coming to the Bears was shocking, an amazing franchise move, something warranting exaltations.

But I paused.

I paused because of my not-so-emotional connection to the Bears. I am a transplant, and while I love the team and the city, my mind immediately began to dissect the pick, the pros and cons. Here’s what I got:

PROS

1. Jerry Angelo is alive and cares about his job. In fact, he has an eye for football talent; in fact, he actually seems to understand the amazing loyalty of Chicago’s fans and will try to reward that by performing the duties of a competitive GM.

All kidding aside, this was huge for Angelo.

On ESPN radio The Afternoon Saloon declared April 2 “Jerry Angelo Day”. The GM has never been a fan favorite but won over hearts by making a decision that will help the franchise in the long term.

2. Jay Cutler. Dude is All-Pro. He’s up and coming at 25 and has proven his competitive edge in the AFC West with a team that struggled last year with injuries and a brutal defense. Finally a quarterback will actually hold the football for the Bears whose major value is not the jokes you can throw around about his neck beard or errant passes.

3. The fans get a shot of life at long last. Bears fans weren’t thrilled about the future of the franchise at the end of last season. The McCaskeys couldn’t hide behind the accidental NFC championship in 2005 and Brian Urlacher. Moves needed to be made, so they were.

CONS

1. When I think of Cutler, I think of the highlight reel of him hitting Brandon Stokely in the slot, Eddie Royal deep, and Brandon Marshall in the end zone. Then I thought about Rashied Davis tripping on poorly run routes, Devin Hester apologizing to Lovie on the sideline cause he can’t run anything but a streak, and Greg Olsen dropping balls.

Who the hell does Cutler throw the ball to?

Yes, Brandon Lloyd showed some talent last year and barring injury maybe he’ll do it again. Of course you hope that Hester and Olsen improve with a talented QB placing the ball or else they’re just more dead weight waving around their two handed “U” on MNF. I understand that things will have to build around him but with a great running game you hope that Cutler doesn’t waste that deadly arm on pitching the ball to Matt Forte 35 times a game.

2. The cost was monumental. It is a fact that the Bears have a terrible history with first round picks but you must understand the value of those picks for two years is humongous. You can kiss that chance at grabbing Jeremy Maclin or some other first round caliber receiver you desperately need (I won’t even consider Crabtree or Harvin, because that’s just unreasonable…)

Forget replacing the aging and injured line. Last year’s 1st rounder, the OT Chris Williams went down with a flimsy back before he even saw the inside of Soldier Field and now you got to look to the later rounds to find that kind of talent again. I’m sure it’s out there, but the Broncos certainly now have a monopoly on it.

3. The buildup could hurt. Let’s remember, Cutler had one All-Pro year. Yes, he is talented. Yes, he can play. Is he Jesus? Well, if you’re going on looks alone Kyle Orton was just as close to this team’s personal Jesus. The reality is, we know nothing yet and if it proves to be a whole lot of not-that-great then this city will have blue balls for the next decade.

4. IF JAY CUTLER IS INJURED OR HIS DIABETES ACTS UP, REX GROSSMAN IS REQUIRED TO PLAY QUARTERBACK, DUE TO THE LOSS OF KYLE ORTON. REXTASY REMAINS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE FOOTBALL, FOLKS.

Are we excited? Damn right we are.

Football season has new blood in this city. Enough blood that I might start inviting people over to watch the games again because it’s worth getting excited about. Unfortunately, Jay Cutler hasn’t even been fitted for his jersey, and has a lot riding on him.

It was a great day in Chicago. For a city that has never had a quality QB, at least not a consistent one, loyalty was rewarded and fans are thrilled. Well done, Mr. Angelo. Perhaps if the Bears go 11-5 this year and win the division with Cutler, April 2nd 2010 will be Jerry Angelo Day. We’ll have to wait and find out, though, and now fans are happy to wait.

Kyle Orton In Memoriam Photo Diary — And Will Jay Cutler Be a White Sox Fan or a Cubs Fan?

Now that Jay Cutler has gone from beautiful, mountainous Denver to the Windy City, and Kyle Orton has done the opposite, there are three very important issues that must be addressed:

1. A complete analysis of the football implications of the Orton-Cutler trade from each team’s perspective.
2. An analysis of whether Jay Cutler will be a Cubs fan or a White Sox fan.
3. A pictorial reminder of the unintentional comedic joy that Kyle Orton takes with him from Chicago to Denver.

Regarding a football analysis of the trade, I am hoping that our buddy Kaner will be logging in at some point today to provide this. I could do it, but it would take time away from the fun I plan on having with #’s 2 and 3. So, if you are thirsting for serious football talk and just want a football-specific analysis on the trade, here are some links for you:

• Cutler might regret Denver exile — (Peter King, SI.com)
• Cutler, Angelo, McDaniels on hot seat — (Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com)
• Cutler trade among most notable — (Len Pasquarelli, ESPN.com)

So there you go. Satisfy the “serious” football side of you at those sites.

Now, let’s analyze what is really important in the Cutler-Orton-draft-picks deal consummated between the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos: now that Jay Cutler is a proud Windy City citizen, will he be a White Sox fan or a Cubs fan?

Reasons Why Jay Cutler Might be a White Sox Fan:

We all know that Jay Cutler is talented. In fact, in some ways he is the NFL equivalent of Alexei Ramirez: he has put up great stats and he has worlds of talent, but no one is really sure just how good he really is. Can we believe the numbers? Is it more hype than long-term, sustainable success? I mean, we’re all pretty sure that Alexei Ramirez will be a badass moving forward, but we’re not positive. Same with Jay Cutler. So there is that connection.

Hmm…that’s about all I got, and it was a stretch just to come up with that.

Reasons Why Jay Cutler Might be a Cubs Fan:

Let’s just start with the things that come to right off the top of my head:

1. Jay Cutler is a whiny baby who complains, bitches, and moans when things don’t go his way.
2. Jay Cutler has exhibited levels of douchebaggery rarely seen from a starting NFL quarterback.
3. Jay Cutler’s reputation far exceeds his actual level of production or achievements. Hell, at least Alexei Ramirez made the playoffs in his one season.

All three of these truths are far more descriptive of a Cubs fan and the Cubs organization than a White Sox fan or their organization.

At the end of the day, Jay Cutler has proven that he will act like a petulant child when he does not get his way. Hmm…is there anyone who works at Wrigley Field that makes demonstrative displays when things do not go his way?

Now, I’m sure that all of the Cubs fans and White Sox haters out there will try to compare Ozzie Guillen to Sweet Lou and say that Ozzie acts like a child when he doesn’t get his way. And the difference, of course, is that Ozzie Guillen is a championship-winning badass who did what no one thought possible: bring a World Series to the city of Chicago.

When Lou Piniella and the Cubs do that, we’ll give Sweet Lou and his sychophants the benefit of the doubt. Until then, enjoy it when Jay Cutler shows up in the bleachers and then starts complaining because its too hot, or his beer is warm, or the Cubs are losing, or that it’s Saturday, or that…well, you get the picture.

The point is this: is there anything that defines a Cubs fan more than wanting recognition and deference despite the complete void of substantive accomplishments by them or their team? And by comparison, is there anything that defines Jay Cutler more than the same thing?

Conslusion: Jay Cutler is definitely a Cubs fan.

And when the Cubs get swept in the first round of the playoffs again this year (if they make it), Cutler will be there sitting on his hands not cheering, basically acting like the selfish brat he is, right along with the rest of the most overrated fan base in sports.

Now, let’s move on to the other quarterback in the deal: Kyle Orton.

When Orton was playing at Purdue, no one could have imagined the sheer volume of hilarious Kyle Orton pictures that would one day populate the Internet. As a Midwest farewell to Orton, we will run down a few of the more infamous and unintentionally hilarious picture here, in our Kyle Orton In Memoriam Photo Diary:

No longer will Bears fans be able to see this lovely image on their sidelines:

And, of course, this infamous image that first appeared on Deadpsin is now one that Broncos fans can proudly call their own:

But the real losers in this deal are the fine ladies of Chicago, who will no longer have the pleasure of being grinded upon by their city’s fearlessly bearded and tanked quarterback. Killer shades Orton. At least he didn’t pull a Corey Hart on us:

No, now the ladies of Denver will be the ones with the nightly chance to enjoy Kyle and all of his Ortonness. Broncos fans, I present to you Kyle Orton, the new next John Elway:

And that’s all the time we have for today folks. Good luck to both the Bears and Broncos with their new QBs. When neither team makes the playoffs again next year, we’ll all be wondering why we spent so much time worrying about this trade in the first place.

LOTD: Super Bowl Media Day Preview and a Look Back at the SB41 Photo Essay by Bill Simmons

It’s the Tuesday before the Super Bowl and we all know what that means: it’s Super Bowl Media Day time. Quickly, in case you are dying for this information, a few of the particulars about Super Bowl Media Day:

Super Bowl Media Day

• Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2009
• Time: Begins at 9:30 am ET
• Place: Raymond James Stadium
• Watch Online: NFL.com

Moving on, we get to today’s Link of the Day. And for today’s LOTD, we’re jumping in the time machine and going all the way back to February of 2007 in Miami. This was the time and site of Super Bowl 41 between the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears. It was also the inspiration for a hilarious photo essay from one of my favorites: the Sports Guy Bill Simmons.

(Note: The picture at the right was the fruit of an entertaining Friday night spend superimposing Greg Popovich’s hair, nose, and beard over Bill Simmons’ face. Follow the link to view that post if you so choose.)

You will have to open up the article to see the pictures, but here are a few of the funnier captions to quickly whet your funny bone:

1. Outside shot of Dolphin Stadium on a Tuesday morning. Hard to believe it was built only 20 years ago — this place has aged faster than Kirsten Dunst.
2. Definitely some interesting fashion choices. This photo doesn’t even remotely do that jacket justice — there’s a 65 percent chance it was pulled off a homeless man in Key Biscayne.
3. One of my favorite media day tricks: The player who’s not getting interviewed and pretends to be on his cell phone.
4. Wait a second … Lovie Smith is BLACK?
5. Steve Mariucci and Rich Eisen pretend they think Deion Sanders is funny for the 145,675th time in the past four months. We’re nearing some sort of record.

And finally this one, complete with the picture because the caption alone cannot possibly do it justice:

Check out poor Kyle Orton — he went Ron Burgundy on us! I kept expecting him to stand up and start staggering around the stadium while swigging from a carton of warm milk.

Follow the link below to view the rest of the Super Bowl 41 Media Day Photo Essay by the great Bill Simmons.

LOTD: Super Bowl 41 Media Day Photo Essay by Bill Simmons

And now some more links from our friends around the sports blogosphere:

Reading is Fundamental — (Cleveland Frowns)

The Browns Still Haunt Pittsburgh Cheerleaders — (Waiting for Next Year)

Keyshawn Johnson & Cris “Bullet” Carter Prove To Be Hypocrites Again — (Black Sports Online)

IU: Way, way better at rebounding than you think — (Inside the Hall)

Joe Crede: From 10,000 aches to 10,000 lakes? — (Sox Machine)

Super Bowl Memories and Trivia — (The World According to MoonDog)

Q&A With the Inventor (and Author) of “Instant Replay” — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)

Video of the OBR’s First TV Segment on ONN — (The Orange and Brown Report)

Martellus Bennett decides to become a rapper — (Dallas Sports Fans)

Love those objective Big Ten hater(s) — (Sparty and Friends)

Time Warp: Former Browns Players on the Hardwood — (Waiting for Next Year)

Let’s hear it kid: Bucks or Ducks? — (Cleveland Frowns)

Headlines: The Truth Behind the Week 13 Results in the NFC North

M.J. Laughlin finds out the “truth” behind what happened in the playoff picture defining games played in the NFC North in Week 13.

Kyle Orton leads Vikings to the top of the NFC North

In what many are calling a “mental error”, Bears Quarterback Kyle Orton got some faulty halftime advice from back-up QB Rex Grossman on what to do in the second half Sunday night against the Vikings.

After a brief conference in which Grossman imparted some sage-like advice to his one-time third string backup, Orton threw three second half interceptions that led to Minnesota’s 17 unanswered second half points.

Panthers Win While Packers Argue Over Who Should Make a Big Play

The Packers dropped another close game after an argument amongst special teams and defensive players erupted over who would be the one to step up and make a big play. In the “we should really win this one though a loss would not completely eliminate us from winning our weak division” game, Packers players were all insisting that someone else stop at least someone from scoring in the crucial fourth quarter. Amid the confusion and finger-pointing, Carolina cruised downfield and won the game at Lambeau.

Detroit Players Regret Eating Turkey Before Thanksgiving Game

The Lions front office, feeling left out after having to work 69 thanksgivings in the last 74 years, decided that this year they would have themselves a grand turkey dinner in the locker room on Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, the turkeys arrived before the game and the players all ate before remembering they had a game to play against the Titans. In what turned into a tryptophan induced performance, the Lions entertained a capacity crowd for 13 minutes before the rest of the Ford Field crowd hit the exits to go and eat their own turkeys before laying down at home.

Kyle Orton Ankle Injury Status for Week 11 Packers Game: Preparing to Play

According to multiple reports, Chicago Bears quarterback Kyle Orton is preparing as if he will be the starter for the Bears’ Sunday Week 11 game against the Green Bay Packers. Head Coach Lovie Smith says that Kyle Orton is not yet 100%, but that he does not need to be for him to start over Rex Grossman.

And let’s be honest, 50% of the Kyle Orton that started the season for the Bears is better than 100% of Sexy Rexy.

On the official injury report, Orton was listed as a limited participant for Wednesday’s practice.

Kyle Orton is suffering from a sprained right ankle that he injured a few weeks ago when the Bears beat Detroit. During Wednesday’s practice, Orton was reportedly able to executive some drop backs and throws, and his improvement will be monitored throughout the week before a final decision is made.

The Bears will know much more today when they see how the injured ankle of Kyle Orton responds to the work he did on Wednesday.

Olin Kreutz, Tommie Harris, and Mike Brown were all rested during Wednesday’s practice but are expected to play on Sunday.

For more fantasy football news and advice, head over the Fantasy Sports Blog.  Between 9:00 and 11:00 ET on Sunday morning, we will be hosting a live chat to answer all of your start em, sit em lineup questions.

[tags]kyle orton, chicago bears, nfl, fantasy football[/tags]

Kyle Orton Injury Update | Grossman, Forte, Chicago Bears Beat Detroit 27-23

(Update: 11/13, 10:00 am – Kyle Orton is preparing for this week’s game against Green Bay as if he will start. Coach Lovie Smith says Orton does not need to be 100% to start Sunday’s game.)

I am so disgusted after the Browns loss to the Ravens that I can’t bring myself to write a recap yet. So…

Let’s procrastinate with a little bit of news on the Chicago Bears.

The Chicago Bears took over sole possession of first place in the NFC North today with a 27-23 victory over the Detroit Lions, despite falling behind early and losing uber-hot quarterback Kyle Orton to an ankle injury. Orton was carted off the field in the first half and replaced by former starter Rex Grossman. Many fans and viewers, as well as the team, naturally feared the worst when Orton was carted off the field.

However, it appears that the Bears and their fans can breathe a slight sigh of relief. ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that the injury to Kyle Orton is not considered to be season-ending. Apparently, the Comcast postgame show in Chicago reported that Orton does not have an injured ankle. It is too soon to tell how long how he might be out, but certainly the current prognosis is better than the dire one feared by Bears fans everywhere.

(Update: According to ESPN.com, Kyle Orton will be out a month.)

Stay tuned to the Chicago Bears news page for the latest updates regarding the status of Kyle Orton.

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Bears’ Wrapup: Late letdown in last second loss to Falcons

Bears’ fans are livid today. How the heck do you drop a game to the Falcons in the last 11 seconds? Listening to fan reactions all day long on the radio, people point directly at the defense and special teams. The glue that made this team respectable last year, the leaders of the 05 Super Bowl run has fallen asleep on the job against 3 NFC South opponents this year. The Bears’ defense has given up game winning performances to Jake Delhomme, Brian Griese and Matt Ryan. While the Panthers, Bucs and Falcons have been impressive in some wins, none of them seem to be NFC Super Bowl contenders. Until they play the Bears, and the defense gives up late, heroic drives that are suitable for NFL films. Well, it’s not just the defense and special teams making these highlight reels, I say it starts at the top.
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Chicago Bears: Team Effort in Victory Over Philadelphia Eagles

by Sean Kane

A second NFC east beast was toppled on Sunday. No one thought that coming out of this weekend that the Cowboys and Eagles would see losses from the Redskins and the Bears. The old adage, however, “Defense wins championships” proved true. The Skins held the Cowboys offense off the field, keeping the football in Jason Campbell’s hands for 38 minutes. The defense came up with big stops in the second half batting down balls directed at TO and getting a timely INT from Romo. They controlled the game, then grabbed a break when Sam Hurd couldn’t handle a well placed onside kick. The Skins showed a lot of good stuff and played a perfectly executed game and got the ‘W’.

Well, the Bears got the W. There was some good stuff but there was some bad stuff, too.

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Chicago Bears – Philadelphia Eagles Preview

by Sean Kane

Donovan McNabb returns to Chi-City this weekend for some Sunday night football in Soldier Field. He and his Eagles have been beat up by tough weeks in both Dallas and against Pittsburgh, but they still seem to be one of the best teams in the NFC and perhaps the league. This means disaster for the Bears. I remember going into week one of the season, looking at the Bears schedule thinking, “We gotta’ get through September,” well the month is almost over and after stealing one from some rusty Colts, the Bears are looking at 1-2, some real questionable play on both sides of the ball and tough Philly team. Falling to 1-3 would be hard for this team who already has established that they can do some things well but still can’t win. Philly won’t make it easier on them.

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Chicago Bears: Lose Home Opener to Tampa Bay

by Sean Kane

Well, it was interesting to watch two almost identical teams face off in Soldier Field today at 12 pm Central Time. Both the Bucs and the Bears sit at 1-1. Both the Bucs and the Bears have showed some potential but nothing stunning. Both the Bears and the Bucs will be lucky to make the playoffs this year. Both the Bucs and Bears are teams with tough defenses that are required to play well in order to win. Both the Bucs and Bears have the same man under center, more or less.

Brian Griese and Kyle Orton are basically the same guy: Big Ten QBs that because of being inconsistently not bad at managing games are still in position to start games. Having worked together last year in the Chicago, it’s clear that Griese rubbed off on Orton letting him know that with one decently managed drive, you can hold a job in Chicago. Then, even when they’re done with you, you can get picked up by somebody else whose front office isn’t trying to make constructive moves under center.

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Chicago Bears: Matt Forte Leads Improved Offense

by Sean Kane

This Just In: The Bears’ offense is slightly better than as terrible as they thought we would be.

The Bears showed an offense with pieces in place to be competitive but it is surprising that Chicago offensive production, predicted to be worse than the defense, would be able to put up the numbers they have. They put up a surprising fight against a tough Carolina squad in the first half showing flashes of real potential that shocked the Colts last week but the let down in the second half revealed a more realistic flipside.

What’s the difference creating a plus side? We had the same QB last year, virtually the same offensive line, plus a rookie, a receiving corps that definitely didn’t improve with the loss of Muhammed and Berrian; the answer is number 22.

The addition of Matt Forte seems to be the gas that is making the Bears move down the field.

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Chicago Bears: Rex Grossman Out as Starter

The Bears recently announced that in the election for their new team mascot, the giant douche has defeated the turd sandwich. No…wait a minute…that’s a South Park episode. It only seemed like they were choosing between a giant douche and a turd sandwich when picking between Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman for their starting QB position. The picture below, I think, illustrates just about the only action that might provide some sense of catharsis for frustrated Bears fans, coaches, and players: