Windy City Gridiron: Front Page Posts

Pre Season Game 3 - San Francisco 49ers VS. Chicago Bears

WCG — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:00:07 -0000

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (1-1)	GAME #3	CHICAGO BEARS (0-2)
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Date:

August 21, 2008

Location:

Chicago, Illinois

Time:

8:00 p.m. CST

Stadium:

Soldier Field

TV:

FOX

Know Thy Enemy:

Niner's Nation

49ers Injuries

Out
J. Jennings	Hand
L. Baker	Thigh
M. Robinson	Knee
A. Battle	Hamstring
A. Lelie	Calf
B. Johnson	Hamstring
A. Snyder	Knee

Bears Injuries:

Out
C. Williams	Back
T. Metcalf	Knee
D. Clark	Knee
P. Mannelly	--

Final Score:

Are The Bears Fixing To Make A Mistake With Kevin Jones?

WCG — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:22:37 -0000

Taking a look at this article it would suggest that Kevin Jones is not guaranteed a roster spot and whether he is will be based on his performance in the last two games.

It's not like there is a roster spot guaranteed for the former member of the Detroit Lions. Jones will test out his surgically repaired knee for the first time in a game and said he has as much to prove to himself as the team.

Jones is coming off of an injury, it might take some time to get back into the swing of things. If the Bears were to cut Jones for anything other than another injury it would be a huge mistake. We have a horrible line right now and our pass game isn't looking too great. We are going to be relying on the run game to move this machine. We need as many able bodies as we can get. Rookie Matt Forte looks like he could be a feature back, but we don't know for sure. The original Adrian Peterson is a special teams ace that is a backup at best and can be an occastional fill in. Garrett Wolfe is only a situational back. Kevin Jones is the only proven commodity we have. He has high potential when he is healthy. To cast him off because of bad performances behind a shotty line in pre season is irresponsible and blatantly ignoring the needs of the team.

Dvoracek Is Ready and Brandon Lloyd Still Pushing For The Job

WCG — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:11:11 -0000

Last year MLB Brian Urlacher publicly stated that his season would not be as good as normal without Dusty Dvorcek being on the line. He praised Dvoracek's ability to eat up the front lines blocks allowing him to attack the runner. Urlacher can be happy, because at least for now Dvoracek is back and will should see extensive playing time in tonight's game.

Dvoracek at his best is a disruptive force. The 6-foot-3-inch, 303-pound defensive lineman showed flashes during his short stint against the Chargers last season. He was credited with five tackles, including one for a loss, before suffering the ACL tear—while setting the wedge on special teams, no less.

"It was unfortunate how it happened," Dvoracek said, "but I don't think I'll be playing special teams anymore."

With the Bears now set at two skill positions (QB and RB, unless Kevin Jones comes out with a bang), the Bears need to decide who will line up with them. Wide receiver Brandon Llyod still is gunning for the #1 spot.

Brandon Lloyd leads all Bears wideouts with 5 catches in the preseason, and his 56 yards are second on the team to tight end Kellen Davis' 80 (on 4 catches).

But Lloyd isn't taking anything for granted as he prepares for Thursday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers, the team that drafted him in the third round out of Illinois in 2003.

"I'm still searching," he said. "We'll find out when the preseason's over."

Indy QB Peyton Manning is still working toward an opening day start against the Bears.

"I've not really had a whole lot to say, to tell you the truth," he said. "As to when I'll be back on the practice field, that's still to be determined. Obviously, the sooner, the better for me. My goal is to be back for the first game."

The Colts are in one of if not the toughest division in the NFL, plus they have their annual New England Patriots battle. They need to get the wins they are heavily favored in . The Bears are helping the Colts open up their new stadium and starting backup Jim Sorgi would destroy any momentum they might build up.

Pre Season Game 3 Preview - San Francisco

WCG — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:20:54 -0000

Fooch from Niner's Nation was gracious enough to drop by and give us a run down on the state of the 49ers currently. There a lot of names that will look familiar to you. A number of us wildly endorsed the Bears going after Bryant Johnson. He signed with San Fran and is currently injured. Our name was once linked to Ashley Lelie, he also now plays for the 49ers and is also injured. There current starting QB and the one we will see is J. T O'Sullivan. Yes....that O'Sullivan. The same one that was on the Bears NFL Europe squad and the one QB the Bears didn't start at some point over the last 3 years. If he toasts us I don't know what I would do. Here is what Fooch had to say:

The main story of 49ers camp as far as the rest of the world is concerned has been the 3-headed QB competition between J.T. O'Sullivan, Alex Smith and Shaun Hill. Over the past few weeks it has quickly turned into the J.T. O'Sullivan show as JTO has started the first two preseason games and will start Thursday against the Bears. That doesn't necessarily mean he's the best guy for the job, but it's somehow become his job almost by default (some of us think Mike Nolan just has a personal problem with Alex Smith).

The biggest non-QB story has been the emergence of rookie WR Josh Morgan, a 6th round pick out of Virginia Tech. The former Hokie dropped in the draft due to character concerns, but he has been a revelation in camp. Injuries to Bryant Johnson, Arnaz Battle and Ashley Lelie have changed Morgan's situation from competing for a roster spot to actually competing for a starting job. He struggled a bit last week when covered by Charles Woodson and Al Harris (shocking, I know) so 49ers fans are curious to see what he does against the Bears #1s.

The 49ers will be putting together a bit of a patchwork offensive line due to injuries to their starting right tackle and left guard. Barry Sims was signed to compete with and also be insurance for Jonas Jennings, who broke one of his knuckles last weekend. Undrafted rookie free agent Brian De La Puente, a local boy who went to Cal will be filling in for injured left guard Adam Snyder. De La Puente is a long shot to make the roster because of the numbers game but has had a very solid camp and could end up on the practice squad.

On defense, the 49ers had a vastly improved pass rush last weekend against the Packers, although they had some injury issues of their own on the offensive line. If the 49ers could develop a consistent pass rush, it's reasonable to believe they could have a top 10 defense. The secondary and linebacking corp is a strength (the addition of Takeo Spikes helps there), but will break down without a pass rush.

The Bears could expect some fireworks on special teams. The 49ers punt and kickoff coverage has been spotty due to some short-term injuries to key special teamers. I wouldn't be shocked to see one or two long returns from the Bears as both the Packers and Raiders have had long run backs on punts and kickoffs. For their own returns, Allen Rossum apparently decided fair catches are for whimps and wants to run just about everything back. He had a return for a touchdown last week, although it was late in the 4th quarter.

The 49ers are planning on sending their starters out into the third quarter although is for sure yet. In spite of this, Frank Gore and Isaac Bruce are two guys who will probably not play beyond the first quarter, if history is any indicator.

Based on this report their weak points are something we can take advantage of, we know we can make plays on special teams. We also have been getting very good pressure on the QB with our front four, they should have a good game.

Kevin Jones Is Good To Go

WCG — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:05:26 -0000

Kevin Jones, who many believe will take over the role of Bears starting running back, will see his first action in this Thursday's pre season game.

He will still start the game as backup, but with a line that is letting everybody through, they may need to get him significant time in the next two games to have him ready come the regular season.

Kevin Jones is a more than capable starting running back, but cannot stay healthy. If he can the Bears will find themselves with a very deep running back corp which they may need to off set a possibly very poor passing game.

Israel Idonije On The Move

WCG — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:12:46 -0000

In the offseason the Bears decided Israel Idonije would pack on some pounds to play defensive tackle this season. He has and has responded well. Looking very active in the 1st quarter of the second pre season game. The Bears liked what they saw so much that they are going to move him??? With Mark Anderson getting thumb surgery the Bears may take a look at Idonije at defensive end against San Francisco.

Mark Anderson will miss the game after having minor surgery on his right thumb. The Bears are hopeful he will return in time for the regular season. In the meantime, they'll evaluate Idonije at end, where he has played previously. That's not good news for former second-round pick Dan Bazuin, who is hoping to stick as a backup to Adewale Ogunleye.

Idonije dominated the Seahawks' Steve Vallos, a seventh-round pick who was filling in at center for Chris Spencer, and made a power move past perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones on one play. He had two tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, two quarterback hurries and one deflected pass, all in limited playing time.

While it's difficult to imagine general manager Jerry Angelo cutting a second-round pick after one year, Bazuin still isn't fully recovered from a knee injury he suffered in rookie minicamp. It swells up from time to time. Complicating matters for him is the need for depth inside at tackle, where the Bears were overrun by injuries last season. If it comes down to keeping an extra interior lineman or an end, the Bears are going to look inside, and Idonije provides roster flexibility.

Mark Anderson Is Having a Bad Year

WCG — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:21:26 -0000

As a rookie Mark Anderson came out and tallied 12 sacks and a second place finish in the Defensive Player of the Year Award behind Houston's DeMeco Ryans. He was then given the starting end spot over Alex Brown. Since then he has a close to disastrous season, then was benched in favor of the man he once replaced, now he had to have some surgery. The surgery was however minor.

Defensive end Mark Anderson has undergone minor surgery to repair his injured right thumb, coach Lovie Smith said. Anderson is out for Thursday's game vs. San Francisco and Smith didn't provide a timeline for a return, but tried to emphasize it was a minor procedure.

It is not uncommon for linemen both defensive and offensive to play with their hands almost completely wrapped up, so unless this is just to painful I wouldn't think it keeps him from any playing time outside of pre season.

Will Bernard Berrian Signing Be Bad for the Vikings?

WCG — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:01:10 -0000

This coming from Fanball.

Bernard Berrian told KFAN's Dan Barreiro Monday that the toe injury that kept him out of last week's preseason game is similar to turf toe and is something he dealt with last season while with the Bears, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The receiver said he isn't sure if he'll play this Saturday in the Vikings' third preseason game and that he and the team are taking things "day-to-day." Berrian said he is receiving "a lot of treatment" for the injury and that he spent much of last season undergoing similar treatments.

I know two of the injuries that seem to linger for a long time are turf toe and high ankle sprains. They seem minor, but players seem to have a significatly hard time getting over them. I recall Deion Sanders missing about half a season with turf toe and he was not right for a few games after getting back.

Berrian has a second case of turf toe in the last two years. Could this lead to other related injuries that could slow him down. Did the Bears get rid of him before they were stuck with the headache?

Related Sites:
	Daily Norseman

Momentous Bears Drafts (Part 2)

ChiFan13 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:55:17 -0000

This is a two-part series looking back at the drafts of the Chicago Bears. This series will take into account the drafts from 1998 until 2006. I realize that I could have looked farther into history and taken a broad approach to this, but this way, both the young'ns and the old-timers on this blog can relate and discuss these drafts.

As big_low suggested, I am rating the drafts using the following system. Note that I am rating these players on how they performed with the Bears:

10 points - Pro Bowl player

8 points - Good starter

6 points - Average starter

4 points - Below-average starter

2 points - Reserve

In this second part of the series, we're going to review the worst drafts in Bears history:

Worst Draft: 2001

Pick #	Round	Player	Points
1	1	David Terrell, WR, Michigan	4
2	2	Anthony Thomas, RB, Michigan	8
3	3	Mike Gandy, G, Notre Dame	4
4	4	Karon Riley, DE, Minnesota	2
5	5	Bernard Robertson, T, Tulane	4
6	7	John Capel, WR, Florida	0

This draft is tied with 2005 points-wise, but this draft gets the title because the average NFL life of these draft picks was 4.5 years. I counted this coming season as a season for continuity's sake. The Arizona Cardinals will not cut Mike Gandy anytime soon; Gandy is the only person from this draft currently in the NFL.

David Terrell, WR
Selection #: 8 (1st round)
College: Michigan

Career Stats
Season	Team			Receiving					Rushing					Fumbles
Season	Team	G	GS	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	FUM	Lost
2005	Denver Broncos	1	0	0	0	--	0	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
2004	Chicago Bears	16	15	42	699	16.6	63	1	3	10	3.3	20	0	1	1
2003	Chicago Bears	16	8	43	361	8.4	35	1	1	4	4.0	4	0	1	0
2002	Chicago Bears	5	1	9	127	14.1	52	3	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
2001	Chicago Bears	16	6	34	415	12.2	62	4	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
TOTAL				128	1,602	12.5	63	9	4	14	3.5	20	0	2	1

Ahh....memories. David Terrell was one in a string of first-round misses for the Bears. This one particularly hurt, because Terrell (like Cedric Benson) was incredibly productive in college, playing both defense and offense for the Michigan Wolverines. During his college career, he was clocked at 4.31 in the 40. Unfortunately, we never saw any of his stellar effort with the Bears. As you can see, he amassed nine touchdowns with the Bears throughout a four-year span. He was also unbelievably inconsistent, which led to the Bears cutting ties with him after the 2004 season. People that we could have picked with our pick? Santana Moss, Nate Clements, Deuce McAllister, Reggie Wayne, and Todd Heap. Very sad indeed.

Anthony Thomas, RB
Selection #: 38 (2nd round)
College: Michigan

Season	Team			Rushing					Receiving					Fumbles
Season	Team	G	GS	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	FUM	Lost
2007	Buffalo Bills	10	2	36	89	2.5	9	0	15	95	6.3	11	1	--	--
2006	Buffalo Bills	16	2	107	378	3.5	19	2	22	139	6.3	18	0	1	1
2005	New Orleans Saints	4	0	7	12	1.7	4	0	2	8	4.0	6	0	--	--
2005	Dallas Cowboys	5	2	36	80	2.2	12	0	2	5	2.5	5	0	--	--
2004	Chicago Bears	12	2	122	404	3.3	41T	2	17	132	7.8	30	0	1	1
2003	Chicago Bears	13	13	244	1,024	4.2	67T	6	9	36	4.0	9	0	1	0
2002	Chicago Bears	12	12	214	721	3.4	34	6	24	163	6.8	19	0	5	3
2001	Chicago Bears	14	10	278	1,183	4.3	46	7	22	178	8.1	23	0	--	--
TOTAL				1,044	3,891	3.7	67	23	113	756	6.7	30	1	8	5

Unlike Terrell, Anthony Thomas actually produced during his time with the Bears. A power runner (given his "A-Train" nickname), he was sensational his first year with the Bears, taking them to the playoffs and winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in the process. While he took a slight decline in production in the 2002 campaign, he rallied in 2003 to have his second-best year, running for 1,024 yards and six touchdowns. However, Thomas Jones came onto the scene in 2004. Coupled with the A-Train's continued ineffectiveness in certain situations, he saw less and less playing time and was eventually released. Since his release from the Bears, his career took a sharp downturn: Brief stints with Dallas, New Orleans, and a two-year campaign with the Bills.

Mike Gandy, G
Selection #: 68 (3rd round)
College: Notre Dame

Season	Team	G	GS
2007	Arizona Cardinals	16	16
2006	Buffalo Bills	16	16
2005	Buffalo Bills	16	16
2004	Chicago Bears	5	5
2003	Chicago Bears	14	14
2002	Chicago Bears	13	11
2001	Chicago Bears	0	0
TOTAL		80	78

Don't we wish that we had this one back? Mike Gandy was a spotty performer for the Bears. The odd thing is that after his career with the Bears, he hasn't missed a start since. Another Bear that took a similar career path was Marc Colombo, who has just happened to start all but 13 games in his three years with the Cowboys. I'm starting to think that somehow, it's not a coincidence. Maybe we need to get a better O-line coach?

Karon Riley, DE
Selection #: 103 (4th round)
College: Minnesota

Season	Team			Tackles					Interceptions						Fumbles
Season	Team	G	GS	Total	Solo	Ast	Sck	SFTY	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FUM	Lost
2004	Atlanta Falcons	1	0	1	1	0	0.0	--	0	--	--	0.0	--	--	--	--
2003	Atlanta Falcons	16	0	15	10	5	0.0	--	0	--	--	0.0	--	--	--	--
2002	Atlanta Falcons	3	0	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	0.0	--	--	--	--
2001	Chicago Bears	5	0	1	1	0	0.0	--	0	--	--	0.0	--	--	--	--
TOTAL				17	12	5	0.0	0	0	0	0	--	0	0	0	0

Riley never started one game for the Chicago Bears. He played in five games, but never made a big impact, as you can see. Even with the Falcons, who he played for in the next three years, he never started one game, and his highest tackle total was fifteen. This was just one of the headscratching picks from this draft.

Bernard Robertson, T
Selection #: 138 (5th round)
College: Tulane

Season	Team	G	GS
2003	Buffalo Bills	0	0
2002	Chicago Bears	16	5
2001	Chicago Bears	0	0
TOTAL		16	5

The Bears finally looked to somewhere out of the Midwest for this draft pick. Bernard Robertson came onto the team when we actually had a good offensive line (during the 2001 playoff season), so he didn't have a chance to prove himself his first year. He was able to start in five games during the next campaign and was able to see action in all of the games, but his performance was not overwhelming. He was on the Bills the next season, and he was out of football one year after that.

John Capel, WR
Selection #: 208 (7th round)
College: Florida

We never saw John Capel play with the Chicago Bears, which is actually too bad. Capel was a fantastic wide receiver and sprinter in high school. He played football his first two years at Florida, but was ineligible to play his junior year because he was a sprinter on the U.S. Olympic team. During the 2001 NFL combine, Capel tested positive for marijuana and was again busted a couple of months after he was drafted by the Bears. The Bears cut him before training camp, and he has resumed his sprinting career. He was not able to make the team that was sent to Beijing.

Second-Worst Draft: 2005

Pick #	Round	Player	Points
1	1	Cedric Benson, RB, Texas	4
2	2	Mark Bradley, WR, Oklahoma	2
3	4	Kyle Orton, QB, Purdue	4
4	5	Airese Currie, WR, Clemson	2
5	6	Chris Harris, DB, Louisiana-Monroe	8
6	7	Rod Wilson, DB, South Carolina	2

Like I stated before, I gave the title to 2001 for one crucial reason: the average NFL span of these picks. In 2001, the average length was 4.5. In the 2005 draft, Benson lasted 3 seasons, Bradley, Orton, and Wilson will be with us this season, Chris Harris is playing for Carolina this year, and Airese Currie was out after two seasons. Bradley may be the next to see a pink slip: Orton is the starting QB, Harris is a starter in Carolina, and Rod Wilson is a valuable reserve for the defense and ST. Unless Harris suffers a catastrophic injury, he will have a long playing career. If Orton does not keep the starting job, he will sign as a backup somewhere, whether it is with the Bears or another team. Rod Wilson is an above-average special teams player, but he isn't on the level of Ayanbadejo, which means he won't leave us anytime soon because of money. The average length of this squad will be longer in a year or two than the 2001 season.

Seeing that 2001 and 2005 had the same number of draft picks and the lowest number of quality players in those draft, I made a subjective decision. While Benson was an alcoholic off the field, he still made an impact on the Bears. One could argue that behind a better line, we would have seen the runner that he was at the University of Texas. Terrell was so inconsistent and had no one to blame but himself. While having a porous OL is not an excuse for a halfback to use, it is something that we need to keep in mind.

I'd also like to take a second to say that I appreciate all of your comments, both positive and negative. I want to hear your suggestions, your comments, and anything else you'd like to add.

Poll

In your opinion, which was the worst draft the Bears have had from 1998 until 2006?

Bears Got It Right With Orton, Is Tait's Age an Issue?

WCG — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:38:08 -0000

Now that we have a starter the internet is a safer place to be. Most journalists and critics agree the Bears made the correct call.

He is the right quarterback for this Bears team because they can't afford a passer who will lose the game. Orton might not win as many games as Grossman could, but he won't lose as many.

Orton has become a much different player than he was in college. Then, he was willing to take more chances. He played with more of a gunslinger mentality. Now it looks as if he has been neutered by his offense and the circumstances surrounding his team. He is doing what he has to do to survive. But as he gains experience and increased confidence, there is no reason he cannot become a bolder passer.

Is part of the Bears offensive line problems the fact that age is catching up with John Tait?

Tait, 33, arrived at training camp as "The Assumption," the player whose consistency was considered a given because of his experience, ability and commitment. That might be why Saturday night's setback at Seattle that Tait acknowledged, a showing punctuated when Darryl Tapp zipped by him to force a Rex Grossman interception, was so startling.

Kyle Orton Named Starter

WCG — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:47:53 -0000

Not that this is all the shocking of an announcment, but the Bears have given us the first person who will try to lead this team to victory behind a Swiss Cheese of an offensive line.

The Bears have named Kyle Orton as the starting quarter back (video).

The decision was based on Orton’s body of work dating back to his performance late last year. Seeing his first regular-season action in two years, he completed 43 of 80 passes for 478 yards with 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and a 73.9 passer rating as the Bears lost to the Vikings before closing 2007 with back-to-back wins over the Packers and Saints.

Prior to facing the Vikings Dec. 17 in Minnesota, Orton hadn’t stepped on the field since compiling a 10-5 record as a surprise starter during his rookie season in 2005.

This however does not do much to inspire:

Starting against the Chiefs and coming in off the bench versus the Seahawks, Orton won the competition without directing the offense to a touchdown or completing a pass of more than 17 yards. His five preseason possessions resulted in two field goals and three punts.

I didn't want you all going home bummed about the current state of our line, so thought maybe thi...

WCG — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:41:36 -0000

I didn't want you all going home bummed about the current state of our line, so thought maybe this would cheer you up.

Last Call For Fantasy Football

WCG — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:56:12 -0000

The season is fast upon us and we need a few more players.

If you are interested in joining a SBN/AOL Fleaflicker fantasy football league let me know. Send me an email or drop a comment here.

I will email you the invite, so you can long in and join. We currently have 7 people joined and need 5 more.

Take a shot at beating WCG or new WCG contributor ChiFan13. Miss beating up on Chad? He is here and in the game. Come get some!

Bears Still Have No QB

WCG — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:12:27 -0000

I am sure the boys upstairs will find a way to spin it to make it sound not all that bad, but sadly the Bears don't have a QB, because neither of them is playing very well.

"We'll evaluate all of that." Smith said. "We had made a decision how we were going to start the first two games, and that's about as far as we've gone."

Smith's evaluation of Grossman's start vs. Seattle didn't seem to bode well, nor did Grossman's passer rating of 44.9, which included an intentional grounding penalty.

The Bears' first-team offense failed to score under Grossman, and although there were others to blame, the most glaring light was cast on the quarterback.

"We didn't play good as an offense as a whole," Smith said. "I'm not really pleased with what many of our offensive guys did early. We didn't get a lot done. Rex was a part of that."

At this point I am struggling to find a reason in any of them that says they are worth the effort. And while third string QB, Caleb Hanie's success has come against weaker defenses and I know he wouldn't fair as well if he started I am enticed to say let him start at least, so I have somebody different to complain about.

Bears Fall To Seahawks In OT, 29-26

WCG — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 05:19:03 -0000

Somewhere some team is watching The Waterboy and has a great idea. Let's get a quick lead then just down the ball, so we don't have to mess with the defense or special teams.

Rex Grossman got his big start and threw 9/15 for 74 yards and an INT.

Kyle Orton combated those massive numbers by going 5/9 for 43 yards.

Rookie Matt Forte racked up an amazing 2.4 yard per carry average on 17 yards on 7 carries.

While I don't let them off the hook, what it does mean is our offensive line sucks. Right now Jerry Angelo shouldn't be on the phone with any particular free agent linemen, he needs to be on the phone with all free agent linemen. He needs to bring 20 guys into camp and beg for somebody to block.

The defense, obviously still not completely into it, at least looked a little more active and were moving around a bit. They tallied 3 INTs and 3 sacks.

The return game looked good. On 5 kickoffs the Bears return men tallied 105 yards and on rookie Earl Bennett's sole punt return he took it 75 yards.

What are your thoughts?

Pre Season Game 2 Game Thread - Chicago Bears Vs. Seattle Seahawks

WCG — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:00:07 -0000

VS.

Saturday, Aug 16, 2008, 8:00 PM CDT
Qwest Field

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	OT	Final
CHICAGO	0	5	14	7	0	26
SEATTLE	6	3	0	17	3	29

PreSeason Game 2 Preview - Chicago Bears Vs. Seattle Seahawks

WCG — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:48:34 -0000

Pre Season Record

Seattle (1-0)
Chicago (0-1)

Last Results

Seattle DEF. Minnesota (34-17)
Kansas City DEF. Chicago (24-20)

Last Meetings

2007- Seattle DEF. Chicago (30-23)
2006/2007 (playoffs) - Chicago DEF. Seattle (27-24)

The second game of the preseason means more to the Bears than most teams. There are still questions at almost all their skill positions and injuries have forced them to revamp.

Quarterback

Rex Grossman will start this Saturday's game. OC Ron Turner says the QB battle is still anybody's game. A strong showing with the first team could give Grossman an edge.

Kyle Orton seems to be most media and critics picks becuase of his ability to manage a game and not make mistakes, but do the Bears need more of a playmaker?

Running back

Rookie Matt Forte looked pretty good in a limited role in KC. He will again get the start and unless he slumps should continue and be the Bears opening day starter.

Many think Kevin Jones will eventually be the Bears starting running back, but after having just recently been cleared to practice he is not expected to play.

The other, but also original Adrian Peterson is a special teams ace and that is a good thing as it may give him the upper hand when roster spots are handed out.

Garrett Wolfe impressed many and adds even more speed to a Bears team that has a lot of it. With another dynamic proformance, might he see more time earlier in games?

Wide Receivers

I haven't heard who the Bears plan to start, but all spots at this position are open. The Bears are looking for somebody to step up and claim a spot. Devin Hester, Marty Booker, Rashied Davis and rookie Earl Bennett are likey to be used early and often.

Offensive Line

The Bears will get their first real game time look at their new offensive line up. With Chris Williams out before he started and Terrance Metcalf now out the Bears will line up with John Tait still on the right side despite most people's expectation that he would be moved to left. Instead John St. Clair will line up on Grossman's blind side. Olin Kruetz should also play better having another week of practice now that he is back.

Defense

There were questions about the Bears defense after KC seemingly had their way with the Bears early. Whether that is true or it was just first game issues could be answered. Seattle's offense looked good against a very good Minnesota defense.

Matt Hasselbeck went 7/8 for 77 yards and a TD. Hasselbeck is bothered by a bad back, so may be used sparingly if even. Backup Seneca Wallace threw for 165 yards on 15 of 20 and had 3 TDs. Running back Maurice Morris had 62 yards on only 6 carries.

The Bears safties are again in the spotlight. Second year man Kevin Payne is moved into the starting lineup with Brandon McGowan still with a hurt ankle. Again the key to the Bears defense for the whole year is to get Mike Brown of the field healthy.

What will help is the Seahawks are without Deion Branch who is on the PUP list and Bobby Engram who is out 6-8 weeks with a broken shoulder.

Grossman Ready To Go; McGowan Out

WCG — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:38:01 -0000

Grossman believes his off season program will help him win the job in the end.

With the help of Jason Riley, the facility's director of performance, Grossman spent five days a week improving his footwork, strengthening his core, concentrating on his conditioning and dissecting his diet—trading in Papa John's thin-crust pizzas for fish and vegetables.

"It was more about flexibility, training my muscles to fire in a different way," Grossman said. "I did lose some fat. I definitely felt like I was in the best shape I've been in after going there."

Grossman also received an education on a simple aspect he might have ignored in the past: running.

With Brandon McGowan's ankle not ready to go, Kevin Payne will step in.

No big deal there. The Bears are used to changing safeties. They do it as often as some teams change cleats.

But the addition of Kevin Payne to the starting lineup next to Mike Brown raises one of the curious questions surrounding the defense: Why is Danieal Manning playing nickel back instead of safety?

Bears still have a lot left to decide in these last three games.

Still on the to-do list are choosing a quarterback, identifying the starting wide receivers and ensuring that an offensive line in transition has the right parts in the right places. That's quite a burden for the next three weeks, but the feeling is things are headed in the right direction.

''[Camp] is just a step,'' coach Lovie Smith said. ''We need to play some more games and finish up the rest of the preseason and know exactly where we are, but up until this point, we like where we are. You just have to evaluate where you started.

''I know I am being pretty broad with my statements. There is nothing magical right now. We just want to see improvement leading up to that first game.''

Who Will Be A Starter First?

WCG — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:28:03 -0000

The Bears still have not solidified a number of their skill positions. Looking at the names below, who do you think will become a starter first at some point this season. Depth chart rankings are approximate.

Caleb Hanie QB Depth Chart: 3rd

Marty Booker WR Depth Chart: 3rd or 4th

Kevin Jones QB Depth Chart: Unknown (likely 2nd when ready)

Mark Bradley WR Depth Chart: 5th

Jamar Williams LB Depth Chart: 2nd (can play all 3 LB spots)

Craig Steltz FS Depth Chart: 2nd or 3rd