NightLink: Reading Between the Lines?
by Dane Noble on Jun 19, 2009 5:00 PM CDT
26 comments
On the Chicago Bears official site, there is an article about how Jay Cutler is handling the criticisms that have been tossed his way since his arrival in Chicago (see: Tony Dungy, Mike Ditka). Of course, Jay says all of the right things and sounds like he is ready to disprove his critics and play football.
But what caught my attention was further down in the article. Now, I know it is never wise to automatically take things like this at face value, but I also know that after moves get made, you can sometimes comb back through old items, and maybe find hints of what was to come.
In this case, it is a quote from Lovie Smith on the Bears running backs. We all know that our 1-2 punch of Matt Forte/ Kevin Jones will exist, and we have heard from Ron Turner that he expects to work Garrett Wolfe into the mix. As far as Adrian Peterson goes, he has been a staple on Special Teams, and considered by most of us to have a solid grasp on a roster spot. But here is Lovie's comment:
"We’re a running football team," Smith said. "We’re going to pound the ball quite a bit. That’s why it’s important for Kevin. It’s also important for [third-stringer] Garrett Wolfe. Garrett has had a good offseason too. … You need at least two and then maybe even three [running backs]."
He mentions Jones and Wolfe outright, but does not mention Peterson. We also have not heard anything from OTAs about Peterson. Could Lovie's comment be a sign that we will only carry three RBs on the roster this year? Is there a need to keep Peterson on the roster for Special Teams/ RB depth?
And what about our FB? We know that Michael Gaines has played both TE and FB... should we expect the Bears to cut ties with Jason McKie, and play the 275lb Gaines at FB?
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nice find
i’m hoping that means mckie will be shown the door. for an average fullback he has had his share of non-minor injuries and imo running a lot from a singleback set for the bears isn’t a disadvantage at all. it seems logical that gaines would be at least a minor improvement as a lead blocker anyway. if peterson goes instead then it was nice knowin ya ap. you had some good fill-in games but the 07 giants game made me want to rip the seat i was sitting in at soldier field out and throw it at you.
by reefermadness3 on Jun 19, 2009 5:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
AP's not a running back...
… He’s a football player. Great special teamer, shows up ready to go every week.
But the times we’ve asked him to carry the load at halfback, he’s been just OK.
He won’t make the 2009 roster as a running back, but he might still make it as a special teams ace.
Here’s hoping SOMETHING upgrades the slot MdKie has been filling.
And the prevailing wind happens to be blowing from Vichy.
by xarker on Jun 19, 2009 5:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
betwwen the lines
the daily herald had a comment in its blog that jay cutler made regarding trumain mcbride getting an interception and two batted down passes againts devin hester. it said somiething to the effect of “it doesnt happen to devin a lot, and i think it will be fixed” (im paraphrasing) me reading between the lines on that has me scared to death that devin hester doesnt screw up in the season, cuz cutler doesnt seem like he wants to share the blame.
by leaveyoucold on Jun 19, 2009 5:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Between
Don’t be a nervous nelly. Everyone is going to screwup and i’ll bet most will be a number of times until the timing and rtes. get burned into everyone minds until it becomes automatic. Jay Cutlers job is to be the leader of this co-ordinated attack and he can’t always put the ball where he wants to because the reciever has to change for whatever reason. Thats why they have checkdowns, again a timing thing. You don’t know why the balls were missed. Could have been on Jays end or Devins end. Reading the writeup, it is my take that it was a miscue on both sides. Don’t look for team members to constantly excuse their miscues. Just look for the actual things to improve. Thats what these training sessions are all about.
by E. T. on Jun 19, 2009 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
thats the same jist I got from it,
in any case decide for yourself http, ://www.chicagobears.com/multimedia/ its the cutler ota vid.
"snuffalufagus fucks my shit up"
by leopoldjones on Jun 19, 2009 7:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
http://www.chicagobears.com/multimedia/
my bad
"snuffalufagus fucks my shit up"
by leopoldjones on Jun 19, 2009 7:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cutler not blaming Hester
In the Daily Herald blog in question, the comment was in reference to a pass that had “glanced off Devin Hester’s hands and into McBride’s grasp.” Cutler wasn’t pushing the blame onto Devin – he was standing up for him regarding an error that was clearly Devin’s fault.
by rsong on Jun 20, 2009 3:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's exactly what I took from it.
by rdent4hof on Jun 20, 2009 8:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
cutler/hester
im not stupid, just lazy…i only read the dh blog, glad to be corrected
by leaveyoucold on Jun 20, 2009 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I read it differently than you
I saw the fire of someone who was upset that an OTA pass wasn’t completed when it should have been. I like that.
I'M A MAN! I'M 23!
by ChiFan13 on Jun 20, 2009 3:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hope they are both gone
especially mckie. AP has been ok when he needed to be but one could argue that he isnt even and #2 back in this league, and there are tons of guys on the bubble that I would rather see in september(derek kinder, marcus hamilton, kellen davis, and zach bowman(i know that in the same interview lovie lauded him but not long ago his roster spot was in jeopardy especially with the addition of dj moore). And as for mckie there are two other people on the roster (jason davis, and Will Ta’ufo’ou) who couldnt possibly be worse than mckie and as geauxbear said michael gaines could play at that spot too.
"snuffalufagus fucks my shit up"
by leopoldjones on Jun 19, 2009 7:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Peterson is not only a running back but a football player
when we needed him to carry the rock he got positive yards hes very versatile and id rather see him make the team over garret wolfe
by Bear Lovin 21 on Jun 19, 2009 10:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think the Bears carry 4 RB’s again…
Wolfe and Peterson have proven to be real good special teams players in the past… their contracts aren’t bad, so keeping them both could work
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jun 20, 2009 12:46 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
no way we sign gaines...
and carry 4 RBs and 2 FBs… i see AP as the odd man out… the only thing that saves his job is a complete meltdown by wolfe…
Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.
by windycity72 on Jun 20, 2009 2:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I've always liked AP
as well as Wolfe. They’re both quality back ups and special team threats. I really want both back on the roster.
by TheFunkle on Jun 20, 2009 1:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
fullbacks
with there being a limited number of roster spaces,would it be a bad thing,to cut these two players and gain a proven fullback.maybe a good lead blocker who also is good at coming out of the backfield and catching the ball. as Lovie says we run the football and i for one think the Bears strengh is on the legs of the ball carrier. to have that effect,you need a diversity of ball carriers, Forte has that gift and hopefully Jones also has that mentality’ but a fullback in the mix adds a bigger threat.
by stepeo on Jun 20, 2009 1:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think we're seeing a pattern
Earlier in the offseason, again Lovie was talking about the running game and mentioned Forte, Jones, and Wolfe [and that’s it]. I haven’t heard Lovie mention AP at any time this offseason, although I believe JA has spoken of him.
by rsong on Jun 20, 2009 3:44 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I would have liked to have seen
Turner, move AP to FB (therefore cutting McKie). He certainly seems capable. Just a wish. I know it won’t happen.
by rdent4hof on Jun 20, 2009 8:49 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
When our O-lIne has been good, Peterson's been good.
When our O-line has been bad, Peterson’s been below average. The guy’s a good football player. And has 4.1 career avg BTW.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.
by SackMan on Jun 20, 2009 10:41 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
exactly
he’s a good football player, and whatever role we’ve dished him he’s never complained. Not to mention it’s his last year in his contract, whatever role he is given I am sure he will fill.
If you want to crown em...
by JohnnyTruant on Jun 20, 2009 3:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Peterson
I think your reading too much into this comment. Peterson is a top Special Teams performer every year. This is one of the reasons the Bears have on of the top 5 special teams year in and year out. They keep talent on them. Peterson also serves another purpose. He is a durable and dependable back up Running Back if injuries take out your starters, he a plug and play guy. Wolfe is too small to fill this role. He will always be a specialty play or third down back. So I think your post is way out there in Left field. Peterson is way to valuable to phase out.
by Gesiakob on Jun 21, 2009 12:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I disagree
The Bears have a capable replacement in Wolfe who not only has surpassed Peterson on special teams but adds something totally different to the offense.
I don’t see how the heck the Bears will go with 4 RBs this year. If there is any chance that they do, it will be at the expense of Kellen Davis and I’ve heard a lot more positive reviews about Kellen so far than I have on Peterson.
by The Kaiser on Jun 23, 2009 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would say Cut Peterson
Carry 3 backs and have an extra WR take that spot or carry 1 FB in Jason Davis or McKie and carry an extra WR. Either way we know what we have in the run game but not in the receivers. That way we don’t risk losing anyone who would otherwise be on the practice squad or if someone under achieves the more people get a chance to play.
by GallopingGhost on Jun 23, 2009 12:52 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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