The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - Vikings VS. Bears
Hard to imagine that on a day the Bears score more points than they have since 86 and the most they have against the Vikings since the first game these two black and blue clubs ever played I'd be having much bad and ugly to say, then off course you look on the other side of the box score and there it all is.
THE GOOD
This stat may make you feel like you've been smoking something, but I assure you if you take it easy and have a sip of water it will be alright. If you actually have been smoking something just picture this stats with some cool flying dragons or pretty pink faries or whatever it is that you see when you are stoned out of you head.
Another stat that may cause a Ted Washington size tumor in your brain. Kyle Orton currently has a 91.4 QB rating. Unimaginable for a Bears QB. If you factor out the first two games he would be around a 100.5 rating. Again if you factor out the first two games, and I know that is selective stating, no QB in the league has thrown more TD passes than Orton (about 3 are tied for 10).
Why don't we keep this a Neckbeard heavy Good section?
Even though the Vikings threw for 298 yards, the anti-Who's Who secondary that the Bears fielded hung tough. All 4 subs (Graham, McBride, Bowman and Payne) had INTs. They kept the Vikings recievers in front of them for the majority of the game.
Former Bears linebacker and my favorite Bear of all time, Mike Singletary is getting his shot as the BMOC over in San Fran. With the firing of Mike Nolan, they are promoting Singletary to head coach. He has been a hot prospect the last two years and would almost assuredly pick up a job this off season, so the 49ers need to see what they have. It is only a shame that it couldn't have happend here.
THE BAD
A few weeks ago I called out the Bears run game for lack of production. While I don't questions Matt Forte's importance and timely great play, the run game has not looked so good. Yes, I know the other team has been focusing on them, but they still need to a bit better. Forte has not had an over 100 yard game since the first game of the season. Come colder weather and the playoffs when things traditionally get tougher they need to be able to move the ball on the ground.
The Bears defense was horrible. Yes, they are playing short manned in the back, but all of the Bears high priced players are on the line or on the LB squad. That is when these guys are supposed to step up. Tommie Harris finally came through at the end, but he was nowhere for most of the game. Only Alex Brown really seemed to be a factor.
THE UGLY
The Bears secondary. And I only mean that they are currently operating a MASH unit out there. Mike Brown who has been more like a character from Unbreakable than he has like the Pro Bowl safety we know he can be has been our only healthy guy back there and he is starting to look at bit lost and slow. Hopefully the BYE week brings Lovie and Babich sweet dreams of healthy Tillmans dancing through their heads.
Gus Ferotte. With the exception of one of the most bone headed plays and I mean that quite literally in the history of the NFL, is a quality QB. His numbers and win totals bear him out as a more than servicable QB. With the experience or lack thereof that the Bears had in the secondary there is not way he should have served up 4 INTs.
Bears miscues. This is aimed at only Marty Booker and Desmond Clark. Early in this game Booker came down with a case of Todd Pinkston hands and muffed two TD passes. Later he made up for it, but there is still no excuse for it. Desmond Clark came down with his own illness a mild case of Pre High and Tight Tiki Barberitis and fumbled the ball on the 1 yard line. He was lucky that Bear on the Spot Rashied Davis was there to pick up the ball and get the TD.
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Big Write-up in USA Today today
About Orton and whether or not he is finally the answer to the Bears QB woes. Who’d a said that those type a stories would be popping up by week 7?!
Fire Ron Turner!!!
Fire Angelo!!
by GallopingGhost on Oct 21, 2008 11:41 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Given the inexperience or ok talent at receiver it makes
you wonder if next season if we brought in a receiver (and I will throw out Bolidn’s name only to setup the talent level) what Orton could do.
If Orton could maintain these numbers it would help with at least getting receivers to take us seriously and come for a visit.
Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!
by Adam T on Oct 21, 2008 12:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah and hopefully make
Muhammad look stupid for his whole “It’s where receivers go to die” thing.
Fire Ron Turner!!!
Fire Angelo!!
by GallopingGhost on Oct 21, 2008 5:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bolden, Hester, Lloyd...
…could be a scary wide receiver core for any team.
by californiabearfan on Oct 21, 2008 12:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I still am not ready to say somebody like Boldin is even available
but he is closer than he was at the beginning of the season. With Breaston playing so well, AZ might be persuaded to part with him for the right price. It still remains to be seen if JA would make a move like that, but that is for another discussion.
Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!
by Adam T on Oct 21, 2008 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i dont know
after seeing that last hit on boldin, im not sure if he will ever be his old self. 8 plates in his face and a wire through his jaw sounds messed up to say the least.
i know kyle signed a one year extension this past summer to add on to his one year remaining, but how long before management signs him up for a long term extension? from everything im hearing on tv from “insiders”, it sounds like orton was the number one seed going into the summer comp with rex so i would think lovie and ron might be campaining for a long term commitment from management.
it seems like every insider like john clayton, mortensen and now dilfer have all said that they spoke to coaches in the offseason and they all were told that it was ortons job to loose. not sure how open this competition was given they way orton got the job and how he is currently playing.
by rahulsriram on Oct 21, 2008 1:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Regardless of what went on this past offseason
there is a short time period and I don’t know the exact date that the Bears can extend Orton and have some of the money count on this year’s cap. Not sure where we currently sit, but it is under.
If they do that, next year they can focus on a receivers and possibly some line help. We don’t have any more big money defenders to sign.
Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!
by Adam T on Oct 21, 2008 3:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The date is November 2nd or 3rd I think I read somewhere.
by scy3000 on Oct 21, 2008 4:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Orton will sign at the end of the season
I don’t see why Orton would sign any contract yet based on seven games. If he is confident enough in himself and he seems to be then he only stands to increase his value more and more as the season goes on.
My only concern seems to be the situation of the Bears salary cap. If we are signing Orton to a typical starting quarterback salary its not going to leave us with a lot of wiggle room in light of the resignings that have gone on. I don’t see us having the ability to make any kind of free agent signing next year which makes me think Lloyd will only be here for this year especially with the passing game seemingly not missing a beat with him gone.
Of course, JA has always built through the draft which I am sure he will do next year so that they can have cheap young players. And despite what many people think, he has actually done a pretty solid job in drafting. People like to shout the names of Grossman, Columbo, Haynes, and Benson but a lot of people forget that he drafted Tillman, Vasher, Briggs, Harris, Orton, Forte, Hester, Payne, Beekman, Graham, McBride, Marcus Harrison, Olsen, Dvoracek, Alex Brown, Mark Anderson (who was pretty unstoppable as a rookie but he has failed to improve himself), and you can even throw Jamar Williams, Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe in there for being solid contributors on special teams. Bernard Berrian and Chris Harris, while not on the team anymore, are great players for their respective teams and both were drafted by Angelo. You can point out his misses all you want but you have to recognize the hits as well. Plus, find me a GM and a team out there that hasn’t missed and you are only going to find the Patriots and the Colts.
by californiabearfan on Oct 21, 2008 3:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree
Orton will sign. We drafted him when no one else would, and we gave him a second chance when many didn’t want to. Hopefully JA gives him a fair deal, not overpay but not underpay.
I'M A MAN! I'M 22!
by ChiFan13 on Oct 21, 2008 4:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well...
… lets wait until Orton can do this for more than a few games.
As I mentioned in another thread, Rex Grossman had a pretty impressive five game run too.
Bringing moderation to a place I don't moderate.
visit the mindful mission
by big_lowitzki on Oct 21, 2008 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
thats a good point big lowitzki
it might be premature to give out contract extensions yet but my original thought was that while i still believe rex can play great ball, orton is a better fit for what turner and lovie want to do.
another point: with all the positive talk now about orton and his performance, teams will be gunning to shut him down now… ie, take away his strengths, force him too move around and start taking away his 1st read. theres film on him now and i believe teams have now taken notice. we’ll see if he can keep up this play.
by rahulsriram on Oct 21, 2008 6:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
hell, grossman was never really consistent
he was all over the damn map. 2 good games, bad game, 2 good games, bad game, good game, bad game, 2 good games, 2 bad games, 3 good games.
orton has been pretty consistent posting over a 70% rating for every game, i’m liking what i see. i think the bears would be smart to extend him now rather than let him play out the year and increase his value.
with this vasher crap going on it kind of complicates our cap situation a little bit more.
by lopey986 on Oct 22, 2008 1:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Grossman's first five games...
… of 2006:
QB ratings (though far from a perfect game by game stat):
98.6
148
64.9
100.5
101.2
My point is that it is still early with Orton. He has played very well, but he has only done it for a handful of games.
I think it would be smart to let Orton play a full season before extending him, to see if this really is for real.
Bringing moderation to a place I don't moderate.
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by big_lowitzki on Oct 22, 2008 8:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tait
I think we are going to free up some cap space next year by either cutting Tait or resigning him to a new, less expensive contract next year. He clearly is not the same player and his play is detetiorating with age. He would be fine to stay on and play but not at $5-6mm per year. This could help with the cash to resign orton or anyone else.
by tfrabotta on Oct 22, 2008 10:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Payne is a
replacement? They keep saying that Manning is the starter or something. Isn’t that just plain bs? He’s the starting nickel back…only because Vasher and Tillman are hurt, otherwise I would guess it would be Corey Graham.
Kevin Payne is number one on the depth chart at SS. It’s been official for weeks. Manning is number 2 behind Brown at FS.
by mikebdot on Oct 21, 2008 8:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I thought he was a replacement for McGowan
Weren’t McGowan and Brown our starting safeties? Manning came in in nickel situations.
Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!
by Adam T on Oct 21, 2008 11:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
mcgowan was the starter, now payne is
as far as i’m concerned at least. payne has been on the field at strong safety more than anyone else.
by lopey986 on Oct 22, 2008 1:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just for posterity...
according to ‘da site’ Payne was the opening day starter at safety:
“Payne has excelled ever since he was anointed the starting strong safety heading into the season opener in Indianapolis. The 6-foot, 212-pounder is a devastating hitter with excellent ball skills, two attributes he displayed in last Sunday’s 48-41 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.”
by mikebdot on Oct 24, 2008 12:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought McGowan was the starting nickelback...
Either way, I completely forgot about him, mostly because I think Payne is better, even if it was like you say. But yes, I’m willing to admit that I am wrong if that was the case. My bad if so…
Also, I read somewhere that Hillenmeyer is getting more time at LB during nickel situations (not that we can actually field a third “corner” anyway at this point). I find that strange. I always thought Hunter was a liability in pass coverage, especially against someone like a slot receiver. To cover this up, they’re playing a LOT of zone coverages. This is how teams are picking us apart.
by mikebdot on Oct 22, 2008 8:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't recall if he was considered a liability
but I do recall reading the reason he is staying on the field more now is because of the situation with the secondary. They’d rather have him in there than the #4 or 5 CB.
Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!
by Adam T on Oct 22, 2008 9:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I most certainly think Hillenmeyer is a liability
because you almost HAVE to call zone coverage in some form. Otherwise you have him or a safety running with the slot receiver and that is stupid, too. It would be obvious where the single coverage corner was…like on that pass play to Berrian of the left sideline. Speaking of which, a receiver worth $30M takes that shit to the fucking house, especially against McBride who was getting his first start in awhile.
I really think the cover 2 is the only way to go with a depleted secondary. You almost have to have safety help to prevent the big play, and you need to try to defend the middle of the field with your linebackers. If you blitz, you HAVE to put pressure on the QB, otherwise you’re screwed. We have not been able to regularly fight through chip blocks. In fact, it seems the only time we ever get a sack is when a guy comes running free.
Also, that “pass interference” on Berrian in the endzone was all kinds of horseshit. Thought I’d mention that as I didn’t get to in real time.
by mikebdot on Oct 22, 2008 4:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Forte not getting credit as a special running back
Critics keep on looking at rookie Matt Forte’s rushing yards and saying the production is going down. Thats because his receptions, which he leads the team with, don’t count as runs, even though they are mainly air handoffs from Orton, not traditional passes. When you include total yards for everytime he has touched the ball, whether handoff or “pass”, he’s well over 700 total yards. He’s averaging 105 yards per game. For a rookie thrust into the starter role, that is special. He’s a special hybrid back, half running back, half receiver, aka a halfback. He leads the team in touchdowns, 6. This kid is real special, he’s not the problem, the problem is the run blocking and holes up front. Like Lovie says it all starts up front. I propose move St. Clair to guard, like originally proposed, and bring in the Vanderbilt # 1 tackle. This boosts the run and pass game. Lets do a trial run with Detroit.
by Oso Monstar of Midway on Oct 22, 2008 1:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

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