The Chicago Bears season ended Sunday with a 17-13 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Lovie Smith, players, and fans alike were generally happy with the victory.
I was not.
Talents of Jay Cutler and Matt Forte being wasted by Jerry Angelo and the Chicago Bears front office
January 1, 2012 By 2 Comments
Congratulations Devin Hester, and Thank You.
December 21, 2010 By 8 Comments
Either Matt Millen or Steve Young said something last night during the MNF post-game show that was actually astute. (I know, shocking right?) I don’t remember which one it was, but one of them said that Devin Hester is one of the ten transcendent athletes that fans and other great athletes alike will stop and watch. Millen/Young then went onto explain that part of what makes Hester such a surreal talent is how easy he makes what he does look.
And what is it that Devin Hester does? Well, he returns kicks better than anyone in the history of football. If you don’t believe me, just look at the numbers: Hester has 14 combined kickoff and punt return TDs…and this is only his 5th season in the NFL! The guy whose record he broke last night – Brian Mitchell – played in the NFL three times as long.
But what I learned while watching Devin Hester’s press conference last night is that his sublime talent and peerless return ability are not the most impressive traits about him. What makes Hester even more special than you might realize is his incredible humility. You will after you watch this video.
MNF Preview and Prediction: Green Bay Packers (2-0) at Chicago Bears (2-0)
September 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Editor’s Note: Griffin Gotta’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored for the second straight year 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.
Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse
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The 2009 NFL season’s opening Sunday night game brought the Chicago Bears to Green Bay. This matchup is usually good for a primetime slot every year because they are the Ancient Rivals Who Don’t Like Each Other. They play hard-nosed football, you can throw out the records, and yadda-yadda-yadda.
Most importantly, it allows whatever network that is hosting the game to dust off the old highlights of Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke and wax poetic on the “black and blue” division and of blue-collar Midwestern work ethic. No matter what changes in the NFL, the Packers and Bears will always be battling on top the gridirons of yesteryear. It’s a football purist’s wet dream.
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NFC North Preview: Chicago Bears
August 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment
With the preseason finally underway in the NFL, it seems as good a time as any to start previewing the upcoming season, mainly the division of most importance to me: the NFC North.
You can find last week’s Detroit Lions preview here. This week we continue with the Chicago Bears.
The only thing we know for sure about the 2010-2011 Chicago Bears? Even after a busy offseason in the personnel department, not a goddamned thing.
But worry not, we aren’t the only ones.
WWSC: Perhaps Directionless Bears Should Consider Lesson from Hercules
March 6, 2010 By 1 Comment
[Editor's Note: Throughout the day I participate in email conversations with friends about hot sports topics. One of my friends in particular is very active in these conversations. This is that friend, a dedicated analyst of all things Chicago. What you will read below was written in response to the following email question that I sent him yesterday:
I greatly anticipate your next Bears email.
You now have a high-priced QB who can't lead, a high-priced DE who doesn't love football, a RB who is over 30 (though with low tread on the tires) and another RB who is completely ineffective without a great offensive line. And still, with your golden-armed QB, you have no WRs.
Granted, still a lot of time left...but was Peppers really a prudent investment? You follow this closer than I do. What say you?
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Peppers? Who knows. Willkie does not profess to be a magician evaluator of talent, nor would I ever claim to understand the intricacies of human emotions, especially in the most unstable of creatures rapidly ascending hordes of cash, fame, and attention.
Rather, I think the more alarming situation concerning the bears is the multi-variate and conflicting strategy. Remember the Greek fable of Hydra?
Hydra was the multi-headed creature residing near Lake Lerna in Greece. When cutting off one head two would grow back in its place, leading you to regress in any attempt to dominate the creature.
Well, replace Lake Lerna with Lake Michigan and the creature representing Hyrda is the Bears.
Let's consider the heads...
A Brief Review of the Possibly Overrated Dungy Coaching Tree
February 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment
[Editor's Note: Throughout the day I participate in email conversations with friends about hot sports topics. One of my friends in particular is very active in these conversations. This is that friend.
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How many times have we talked about it? Winners love taking risks when prudent. The onside kick was brilliant.
It would be wrong to suggest Caldwell's stoicism indicates a lacking of passion, but when will NFL teams stop recruiting coaches from the morgue?
In a separate debate, the Dungy coaching tree has to be the most overrated, emotionally repressed coaching tree in the NFL. Let's review what the Dungy group is known for:
Are the Bears Becoming Desperate for Coordinators?
January 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Thursday Links: Cavs Tanked in 02-03 to Get LeBron (You Think!?) and the Great Mark Titus Video
January 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Presenting your Thursday afternoon links, with a bonus video!
This is Mark Titus, aka Club Trillion, who is a walk-on for the Ohio State basketball team. As you will see in the video, not only does he have impeccably cheesy taste in music, but he can make shots too!
And now your links.
Monday Link Dump: Terrorists on the Detroit D-Line, a Potential Chris Johnson-Usain Bolt Race, More
January 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
There’s a Lot to Blame for Bears’ Disappointing Season
December 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment
It hasn’t got any better for the Bears this week. The Bears looked silly playing in Baltimore, where they were utterly embarrassed, losing 31-7.
The blame is been put on Jay Cutler, Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo, and the offensive line, but who is more to blame? It’s a little bit of everyone. I think by now people have stopped considering that the Bears are anything close to a good team, and have realized that this team has many, many flaws.
These flaws start with bad picks in drafts after the Super Bowl year.
Chicago Bears Problems Lie In Defense, Not Offense
July 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment
The Chicago Bears defense, once great, is now old and worn out. They get run over by receivers, and read like a book by opposing quarterbacks. With Jay Cutler, the Bears offense should be able to provide solid production, but defense does, and will always, win games.
The Bears defense has declined in talent after the Super Bowl loss to the Colts in 2006. It was ranked 5th in the league that year. They also posted a 13-3 record that year. In 2007 the rank dropped all the way to 28th in the league, and so did the win percentage. The team’s record in 2007 was 7-9. It was a huge disappointment after playing in the Super Bowl the season before. Last season the defense wasn’t great but was at least better than the 2007 season, ranked at 21st. The defense was hit with injuries, and it seemed like the receivers were always open. Still, despite their problems, the Bears were one play away from making the playoffs. Unfortunately they didn’t make the cut with a 9-7 record.
The Bears are known for having a stellar defense. The 2006 defense was being compared to the ’85 Bears D (although not so much in the ’07 season). Another trait of the Bears is not having a franchise quarterback. They have mostly relied on their running back and defense to put up the points. In 2006 the Bears offense was ranked 15th, proving that having a great defense but a mediocre offense could take you deep in to the postseason.
The 2008 team’s offense was also ranked 15th but the defense was a miserable 21st. A better defense would have had the Bears in the postseason. Bringing Jay Cutler helps the offense a lot, but the defense is the one that needs the help. I really like the Cutler trade because it gives us some years to improve the defense now, and not having to worry about what quarterback to start.
Some people say Cutler has no one to throw to, but that’s not true. He has one of the best Tight Ends in the league with Greg Olsen, a great receiving running back with Mate Forte, and a maturing receiver in Devin Hester. Earl Bennet and Juaquin Iglesias will also split the catches.
The offense is set for years to come, but it’s the defense that is rebuilding. Who knew the Bears could have a better offense than defense?
Bears Defense Must Step Up While Rex Grossman Fills in For Injured Kyle Orton
November 4, 2008 By 2 Comments
“And the Lions have scored on 3 straight possessions!â€
Dan Orlovsky has never looked better than he did in the first half. He skipped into the end zone, chasing Shaun McDonald after his second touchdown in the second quarter. Coming off the bye, Bears’ fans wondered, how bad can we beat the Lions this week? How good will Kyle Orton look?
Well, that’s all for naught when your secondary starts out by making a winless NFL quarterback look like he’s Graham Harrell!
Of course, we got the win and that’s the important part. Like I’ve said before, this is a results league and that’s what matters. No one will remember that the defense gave up 20 unanswered points, except every team that watches the game tape and realizes how they can pick apart the Bears.
Dan Orlovsky threw for 292 yards, and while we did steal two picks from him, it seems that the only thing that can beat a quarterback facing the Bears is himself. The defense, the schemes, and the strange breed that is this inconsistent 5-3 team had fans on the edge of their seat against the worst team in football. The Bears made the Lions look like a team that really had a chance in this league. I look straight at the defensive side of the ball for that because how can you look disparagingly at an offense that runs for 126 yards and only turns the ball over once on a tipped pass? They did their job.
What isn’t doing the job well enough to keep the acid reflux or opposing slot receivers at bay is the Bears’ secondary.
Bears’ Wrapup: Late letdown in last second loss to Falcons
October 13, 2008 By Leave a Comment
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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