I’m joking, of course, but at this point, what do the Bears have to lose? I think it’s pretty clear that Orton and Grossman are both jokers. Kyle will be just not bad enough to keep his job when he becomes the opening day starter, and Rex will continue to be the biggest tease in NFL history. If anyone remember, I used to drive the Rex bandwagon around these parts, but I think those days are over (though that could be a good thing because I don’t know what I’m talking about). Though they’re both kind of young, I feel like by starting Rex or Kyle, the Bears are building for nothing. I hope everyone here like SEC football, because scouting Tim Tebow and Matt Stafford is going to be really important this season. Everyone whined when the Bears didn’t draft a quarterback last season, but they knew what they were doing all along: when Kyle and Rex bomb this season (there’s a 95% chance this happens) they’ll take a quarterback in the first round next year for sure. I have zero confidence in the quarterbacks, not only because they suck, but because they are surrounded by people that also suck.
I like Matt Forte a lot. I think he’ll be a consistent, durable back for the Bears for a long time. He won’t be Purple Jesus, and what’s kind of funny is that the Bears sort of need him to be, but he’ll be able to get you 1,050-1,250 yards probably every season of his career. I mentioned Thomas Jones yesterday; even without seeing Forte ever play a real game I would take him over Jones right now.
While we’re on the subject of happy things: Terrence Metcalf getting hurt. That was huge. Metcalf sucks, we all know that, and sometimes you can find good guards in the late rounds. I bet one of the Tyler Reed, Chester Adams, Anthony Oakley (who looked good last night), Josh Beekman crew emerges into a solid NFL’er.
That’s about it for positives on offense. Close your eyes for pretty much everything else because it’s going to be rough, especially after Chris Williams’ back surgery. The Bears are saying it isn’t serious, but my doctor father disagrees. If Williams misses a substantial amount of time, which he will, that is an absolutely crushing blow to the present and future of the team. Take nothing away from the fact that the Bears o-line looked good last night, it’s only the preseason.
Ugh, there is just so much wrong. The defense should be dominant again, and maybe that’s enough to seven or so games, maybe more, but this offense is an absolute joke.
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Comments
Sox game Monday?
1) The Bears defense got pwn'd on the Chiefs first drive yesterday.
2) I get -- though it upsets me -- how Orton and Grossman can be so terrible, after all, it is the NFL. it's the highest level of football in the world. It's tough.
What I don't get, is how Orton (and Grossman usually) rolls left last night, and fumbles the ball without anybody touching him! I mean, regardless of the level, is that something he did in high school? How can it happen at one level and not the next? It's just such basic, fundamental stuff. I don't understand how it can deteriorate so badly once the two get to the pros and study and play more football than they've every studied and played in their entire lives.
Translation: UGH.
3) Chris Williams back surgery? Why didn't the Bears just draft Derrick Rose's knee while they were at it?
4) Don't mind the SEC, just hate any of their fans with superiority complexes...which is just about all of them (cough, SHANOFF, cough).
I think there is a HaUGE difference between Rose's knee and Williams' back. Rose's knee is pretty much a non-issue, Williams will probably miss all of his rookie season.
Why the hell are the Bears so shitty at drafting now? They used to rule the late rounds with guys like Vasher, Briggs, Tillman, ect. Last year's class was horrible (i mean, what the fuck were they thinking with Buzine in the second round), so some of these rookies this year better make an impact. I'd also like to see the Bears actually throw it to Olsen sometimes. There's no reason he shouldn't be this team's leading pass catcher.
It's unfortunate the Bengals set such a high standard, because the Bears could easily be the worst drafting team in the whole NFL -- maybe even all of sports.
With baseball, the prospects move around so much and development takes so long that no team really looks particularly stupid at any point. So if we're just doing NBA/NFL, I really would imagine the Bears being in the Top 10 if not Top 5. You guys should put something together at TTCS on it.
Well, I don't know about that. I'm just going off the top of my head here, but here are some guys the Bears drafted that are good: Vasher (third round), Hester (second), Anderson (fifth), Alex Brown (fourth), Briggs (third), Tillman (second). That's all happened under Angelo. The problem, obviously, is that they're all on one side of the ball. Don't forget Tommie Harris is the best DT in football as well.
The answer to the Orton question is thus:
In Orton's senior year at Purdue he was a Heisman hopeful, and a a decent quarterback despite the pressure of being constantly compared to Brees (though there isn't really any room for comparison). A 5-1 Purdue team was ranked #5 nationally, which was their highest ranking in a while, and they were facing a tenth ranked Wisconsin team. Orton had been having an amazing year to that point, and was playing very intelligent football. With a lead of 17-14 and five minutes to go and Purdue's defense the dominant force, all Purdue had to do was run the clock out. In an attempt to gain a first down, Orton scrambled right and was hit and helicoptered by two guys. He fumbled the ball and it was returned for a touchdown. Wisconsin took the lead 20-17 after missing the extra point. Orton returned to the field and marched Purdue right back down the field and put them into position to kick a 35 yard field goal to tie it. They missed. Orton was broken psychologically. They lost their next three games by 8 points. They later recovered to beat Ohio State and IU and get a Sun Bowl, but lost it. In what was supposed to be Purdue's best season since 67-68, they were 7-4. Orton had a TD to INT ratio of 31-5 and three for 2 million yards, but the damage was done. He was never the same after the Wisconsin loss. He was broken. He knew it was his fault, they were up and all they had to do was not turn it over. He had never been fumble prone before that. Ever since he has gone from a really promising QB prospect who had decent arm strength, good mechanics, good vision, accuracy and guts to a guy who checks down after one read, no longer has the guts to throw the deep post into the end zone. It isn't that Orton is so bad he will lose a game for you, it is that he doesn't have the guts to go win it. I think Orton give the Bears a better chance to win because he won't necessarily throw the game away, like Grossman will do at any moment. But the Bears no longer have the luxury to win with defense alone, and the D isn't playing well enough to do it anyway. The Bears have to fix that OLine. I know health is an issue, but they have to do something. I think Forte ran well, and I like the idea of developing Wolfe into a reliable scat backup because Forte will have a hard time staying healthy in the NFC North if he gets 30 carries a game.
Anyway, there is the story about Orton
Things I learned last night (confirmed):
Forte actually makes people miss. Something the Bears haven't seen since the 80's.
Wolfe is representing the MAC well. As a Miami (Ohio) (its gay we have to put Ohio in (). We were a school before Florida was a state. Recockulous) alum, I got to witness Wolfe beat the piss out of us. He is fast as balls, shifty and should be a decent screen/change of pace back (3ish carries/catches a game).
Bears defense is good, not great again.
Bears offense is bad, not terrible...
I miss you Ricky