Round 2: Bears v Lions

Yes that's right it is round two Bears v. Lions but this time it is Chicago. You know- New Soldier Field the one that got taken off the National Landmark by the Illinois government and the one that looks like a spacecraft just landed in a coliseum. --Sorry to get off topic but this game will be interesting. Brian Urlacher says he misses Roy Williams- the wide receiver for the Lions since he was traded to Dallas because it go the team fired up every time they faced them. I guess Urlacher will just be more emotional than he usually is before he starts a game and dedicate his hard hits in living memory of the now ex-Lion/new Cowboy. -So sad.

But really the Bears need to come out with a bang in what is "unofficially" the middle of the season for the Bears. With 9 games left in the regular season they really need to take advantage of their opponents and finish the remaining half of the season on a good run. Last time the Bears faced the Lions, which was four weeks ago they defeated the Lions 34-7 so we should expect similar performance out of a healed and recharged Bears roster.


Prediction:
I expect the Bears to lay it all down on the Lions in front of their fans. They Bears have had two weeks to heal up and I bet they are just dying to play some football. Finally the scouting reports can be put to the side and the Bears can get back to kicking butt. I believe that the Bears may be a little overanxious when the game starts but will eventually settle down and do their thing. Bears 35 Lions 17.

GO BEARS!!!

Folks Are We Ready For Chris Williams?

According to the Chicago Bears media Chris Williams is ready to play some football. Don't you remember? You know the Chris Williams the Bears drafted 14th in the first round of the NFL draft. Well, after undergoing surgery to repair his torn herniated disc in his back and going through a couple weeks of practice and reps he is now ready for some action.

Should he start?

I don't think so. Left tackle John St. Clair is doing a terrific job and we really don't want to break the groove that the offense has provided to protect Kyle Orton.

Now maybe when St. Clair needs a few breathers put him in there to get his feet wet. I am not really familiar whether Chris Williams is comfortable playing other positions on the offensive line so I would rather have him stick to his true position and have him excel off of that, especially since he just came off an injury. We don't want to make him more uncomfortable than he will be when he sees those defensive tackles come launching themselves off the line of scrimmage for a shot at Orton.

GO BEARS!!!

What I Love About the Bye Week

I know many of you might be say: "What are you crazy I want to see a Bears game every Sunday!" I got my reasons:

The Bears badly needed this Bye week. Starters like Charles Tillman, Nathan Vasher, and Brandon Lloyd did not play in the last game and they really needed the rest. Let's not forget that the secondary for the defense got pretty banged up in the game against Minnesota as well. Who knows what kind of roster Lovie Smith could have come up with if there was a game this Sunday. The Bears' health is crucial in order to have a successful season. If we were to have a game this Sunday just imagine a banged up defensive secondary out there and our two starting cornerbacks on the sidelines. If anything were to happen to those players we got problems the following week with a probable Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher. With halfway (9 games left) into the season the Bears can focus on healing up and closing the season with them on top of their division.

Bye week also gives us a chance to eyeball the other NFL teams around the league and see what were up against, which was pretty entertaining with the Steelers v Giants game. For me personally Bye week gives me a chance to enjoy the autumn weather before the real Bear weather comes into effect once it starts getting cold. Oh, and I also got a chance to take a glimpse at the World Series. I predict the Rays coming back and winning it.

Plus Bye week gives us a chance to talk some smack. You know those Bears' fans who had there doubts well here is our chance to prove them wrong and laugh at them. The Bears have played better than many people have expected, especially the offense, which by the way I predicted despite the two game losing streak in the beginning of the season that they would get better and better with every game and really show their potential. Just look now. Now people on ESPN and such are talking about Kyle Orton and how well he has played as of late.

GO BEARS!!!

Lance Briggs and Mike Brown: Triumphs Despite Difficult Obstacles

Seven games into the season and already we can fully appreciate the hard work Lance Briggs and Mike Brown have contributed to the Bears' success. Together they lead the team in tackles, sacs, and crucial stops that were game-changers.

I recall just a little over a year ago before the start of the 2007 season Lance Briggs and the Chicago Bears may never have been mentioned in the same sentence, after Briggs contract was up and the Chicago Bears were tight on money after already putting several other contracts in place. There was the wait out of Briggs in which during that time he said to the media there was very little chance that he would return to the Bears in the 2007 season. It seemed like the end of Lance Briggs' fabulous career in Chicago and early signs of a possible rebuilding season which we Bears' fans have had our fair share. The Bears, however, managed to scrape up a one year deal with a possible one year extension contract that was reasonable enough for Briggs. Now we fast-forward in the 2008-2009 season and realize how much we really need the man. To me his arguably the best and effective defensive player in the Bears' defense this season. He is the MVP of the defense this season so far.

Mike Brown has so far made a wonderful comeback as Bears' safety. After four consecutive seasons of injury, three of which were season ending and involved the tearing of his ACL he is back on the field, healthy and to my understanding has played the most games in every single year he was hurt in that 4 year time period. It must have been really discouraging to rehab and then get injured for what was basically four NFL seasons and it takes a lot of heart for a guy to get back up after getting knocked down and return to doing what he loves. So many times an NFL player will call it quits after repeatedly getting injured for multiple seasons. It just shows how much Mike Brown is committed to the game and the Chicago Bears and I really admire him for all that he has had to overcome. I think a key to his health so far has been Lovie Smith's move to have him rotated from free safety to strong safety. In an earlier press conference Lovie Smith talked about how Mike Brown always got hurt playing strong safety and I give him credit for really getting to the problem and allowing Mike to continue to be successful on the football field. This has been a great story for Mike Brown who has overcome a lot and I hope he gets nominated for comeback player of the year.

These are just two of the many great feats that two Chicago Bears players have overcome. Their character is present with their willingness to overcome obstacles on the field every Sunday afternoon.

GO BEARS!!!

Vikings No Match for Bears Artillery

Wow what a game. Who would have ever guessed before the season that a Kyle Orton offense would have scored so many points in a game? The Vikings kept up, but they were no match for the Bears' artillery.

Entering into the game the Bears were banged up. A lot of their questionable starters did not play on the defensive side of the ball and that is what made it a such a closer game than what was expected. The absence of cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher showed with the first possession by Minnesota ended up with a touchdown. Of course Adrian Peterson got their offense rolling again as usual which then opened up the Bears' defense and allowed Gus Frerotte to take advantage of the second-string cornerback starters who really had not had a lot of playing time. However, the Bears responded with some fire of their own. After a few quick plays the see-saw scoring effect between Chicago and Minnesota- a score, a tie, a lead, a tie, etc. The Bears defense knuckled down and came on top defeating Minnesota 48-41. holding Adrian Peterson to only one big run.

MVP:
My MVP would have to be Kyle Orton and the second-string cornerbacks. Kyle Orton is getting really comfortable in the offense and he is getting better with every start and we really witnessed it in this game. If it weren't for Marty Booker missing some rockets from Orton the Bears might have added another fourteen points on the board. Kyle Orton is really coming onto himself and it is exciting to see him develop and be successful so far into the season.

But also very important to this win is the Bear second string players who filled in for the injured starters. The second-string cornerbacks were a little rusty in the beginning but really got it going in the game. They got two interceptions and a couple key stops by the Vikings wide receivers.

GO BEARS!!!

Bears to Hunt Vikings This Sunday

The Bears will verse the Minnesota Vikings this weekend. They are second to last in the division but let us not overlook them. They are a sleeper.--They are Vikings for goodness sakes. Didn't they a long time ago sack a couple villages in Europe during the Middle Ages?

Well, the Minnesota Vikings certainly have the capability to do the same thing football-wise of course. Last season Adrian Peterson, who was only a rookie during that time for Minnesota, ran all over the Bears in both of their two confrontations- running away with a win in the first one. The Vikings got some solid defensive players in big defensive tackle Pat Williams, who seems to always get through the Bears' offensive line, and Kevin Williams who has been making a lot of plays for the defense. Also let's not forget cornerback Cedric Griffin who is currently leading the team in tackles.

On the offensive side of the ball the Bears will face veteran quarterback Gus Frerotte who is 2-1 and has had solid QB ratings in Minnesota's last two wins. What I am really eager to see is the wide receivers Bernard Berrian and Bobby Wade who were both former wider receivers of the Bears, Berrian just one year ago and Wade about three years ago. They lead the team in yards and receptions and I can't wait to see the match up between them and our cornerbacks. I can't wait to see the line backers and safeties pummel them.

Prediction:
I believe the Bears a really going to come out with some steam in this game. After a disappointing effort for a comeback finish against the Falcons, I believe the offense is going to be ready for Minnesota's defense and really hand it to them the way the should have handed it to Atlanta. Bears 32 Minnesota 15.

GO BEARS!!!

One Second. One Loss.

Of course many of us Bears' fans might be saying after this heart breaker game that the Bears should have punted the ball after scoring a touchdown and obtaining the lead for the first time in the game. But let's face the facts the Bears did not bring their whole "A" game sort-to-speak.

The Bears were trailing the Falcon's entering the half 3-9 and managed to score a field goal and a touchdown to have the lead 20-19 with 6 seconds left in the game. Unfortunately the Bears luck came to a halt. The Bears special teams made a short punt kick to run off the rest of the time remaining in the game. This gave the Falcons field position around the 40 yard line. Then Matt Ryan threw a pass to wide receiver Michael Jenkins who goes out of bounds after the reception at the 38 yard line leaving 1 second to go on the time clock. This allowed Falcons' kicker Elam to kick a 48 yard field goal and give Atlanta the win 22-20.

The Bears just didn't bring all of it in this game. It just seems like the Bears were off by just a little bit. It seems that they were just a step off on the defense and offense. The Bears defense did a wonderful job of containing Atlanta's offense to just 9 points in the first half when it could have easily been 24-0. But the Bears have to tighten up on the passing game. Their were a lot of open throws for Atlanta's receivers that gave them first downs and kept their possession alive. I also expected the defense to get to Matt Ryan more often. He seemed to run away from the Bears blitz and come up with a first down throw every single time. It drove me crazy in my living room. I was waiting for the Bears to break out. I was waiting for that big play either a sac, fumble, interception, or a big throw by Kyle Orton.

The Bears' offense was also off. The Bears' offense played pretty well in the fourth quarter but it was too late too little after the other three mediocre quarters they played. They just didn't get a roll on the ball until their was about 4:30 left in the game.

There are also some positives that come out of this game. We see how well the Bears defense can hold a quality offense to a couple field goals and I was very impressed how Kyle Orton handled himself in the fourth quarter. In my mind I was thinking with 4 minutes left in the game with the Bears having possession of the ball "I hope they don't go three and out and punt the ball like the countless times we have seen in so many Bears' comeback attempts." That possession really showed the character the Bears' offenses was carrying themselves with, and it really shows that they are improving offensively. Let's just hope next time the Bears put it all out and put the "W" in the bag. I know they will and you'll see it this Sunday.

GO BEARS!!!

Bears Must Hold Down Falcons' Wings

The Bears will have a tough time facing a quality opponent this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. They need to hold down their wings as they attempt to rejuvenate themselves ever since Michael Vick has disappeared into the oblivion following his infamous dog-fighting scandal. Atlanta has a 3-2 record and is second in the league in running with Michael Turner as their running back and the head of the offense rookie quarterback Matt Ryan. The Falcons have a pretty solid offense, but their defense not so much as they give about 21 points per game.

I believe the defensive strategy for the Bears will be to stop the Atlanta's run and put a lot of pressure on the rookie QB to make some difficult throws as so far he has proven to be a promising quarterback for an Atlanta Falcon team that was last in their division last season and second under Carolina. - A division where the Bears have received 2 loses from Carolina and Tampa Bay. The Bears' offense needs to shake up the Falcon defense on the offensive side of the ball by running the ball and mixing it up like last week. Kyle Orton especially needs to make his presence felt as the veteran quarterback this Sunday. He needs to mix up his passes and run the football. He needs to prove that he is the better quarterback in his decision-making with the football. It will be interesting to see which side imposes their will and creates the rhythm of the game. I am sure it will be the Bears of course, but with both teams heavily equipped on opposite sides of their strengths it will be the determining factor whether the Bears' defense can take over the Falcons' offense.

Prediction:

I predict a fast start to the game. In the first couple of minutes I bet we will see a big catch or run happen following up with a score. If the Bears can stop the run and shake up rookie quarterback Matt Ryan they will be able to take over Atlanta's defense and win the game. However, let's not forget the Bears' offense has to respond and take advantage of an average Atlanta defense. Kyle Orton needs to look like the veteran this coming Sunday. So here is the score: Bears 24 Atlanta 14.

Players to Watch:

Look for Matt Forte to have a big game this week running the football and look out for a long ball to Devin Hester. The Bears are working on mixing up the run with a long ball and you bet it will be Hester catching the long ones for a TD or two. Also take a look at the Bears' special teams this Sunday as I also predict that they will be able to make a TD return. Finally look out for Tommie Harris and how he responds to the Falcon's run this Sunday. I bet his extra week of rest due to a suspension by the team will better suit him as he attempts to get back on track on being one of the top defensive tackles in the league.

GO BEARS!!!

Bears Eat Lions

I didn't expect this but the Bears went beyond my expectations on Sunday and ate the Lions for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They beat a team they should beat and that's a beautiful thing. They did a terrific job of taking advantage of the Lions poor defense and running the ball on them in order to get the rest of the offense going. Devin Hester was able to get open and catch those long balls we have been expecting out of him, as he continues to make the conversion to wide receiver. And the defense was able to contain the Lions to one touchdown in the entire game.

Most important of all of this is one thing: the Bears finished the game. When the Lions had that one ray of hope with a TD and as they looked to create some momentum, the Bears right away said to themselves basically with their body language: "we had enough we are not going to let a game like this slip a away from us"--and that's how a winner's mindset should be. It seems in those Bears losses, the Bears after obtaining the lead seem to leave their guard down and play to their opponents level of play. This is something the Bears must be working on because they certainly played to their potential in this game.

The ultimate question is, however, can they play more like this every game? OR a more reasonable question would be: Can they play like this against quality opponents?

-I think they can. The Bears are getting stronger and their offense is beginning to smooth out their creases.--Just think about all that the Bears offense has to overcome.-They have a quarterback who has not played this many games since the beginning of his career. They have a new running back, a new go-to wide receiver in Rashied Davis and Brandon Lloyd, and not to mention much of the offense is a total experiment with Devin Hester, Kyle Orton, and pretty much any player that can create some fluidity in what currently is a rigid, mechanical offense. -Sure it's a work-in-progress but I believe it's getting better and I believe you will witness it as the season goes on.

GO BEARS!!!

Don't Underestimate Lions

The Bears really need to take advantage and hand another loss to the Detroit Lions this Sunday. The Lions are currently 0-3 and I say we should expect an 0-4 record after Sunday's game. Having said that we must not underestimate the Detroit Lions ability as a football team.

There has always been a rivalry between the Bears and the Lions and it seems that lately every time they meet it turns out to be a close game or the game completely turns around one way or the other unpredictably. Jon Kitna is a solid quarterback and always finds a way to maneuver through a Bears' blitz from time to time and come up with a big throw to put points on the board. The Lions have some pretty good receivers that were high picks in the draft of recent years and certainly have the ability to cause some damage receiving-wise. So here is a chance for the Bears to prove that they are the true leaders of the NFC North League and win games they should win. This is a chance for the Bears to work on their offense and create as many scoring opportunities to keep their offense improving week by week. And this also creates an opportunity for the Bears defense to improve against defending against the pass. For last week's game there were several close throws that kept the Philadelphia Eagles in sight of a possible victory.


Prediction:

Bears 28 - Detroit 17

I believe that the game will start out a little shaky in the beginning as most games against the Lions typically to turn out in the first quarter. However, after the first quarter comes to an end I believe that if the Bears' defense imposes their will on Detroit and the Bears' offense gets on a roll by running the ball against Detroit, who is last in the league in defending the run, the Bears should win easily.