Tuesday Links

by Adam T on Nov 13, 2007 7:22 AM CST in News Comment 19 comments

As expected much of the news today is on the possible return of Rex Grossman as starting QB for the Bears. While no word is official according to this article, Grossman is preparing like he is starting.

"Yes, it's unclear who is going to start Sunday," Smith said. "Once you get healthy guys, then you start. Right now we finished with two guys that can play: Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton."

As of Monday evening, Grossman had not been informed of a decision. Smith's comments Monday leaned toward a healthy Grossman rather than a banged-up Griese.

As much as everybody wants to talk about Grossman, not many of us are interested in talking about the Bears run game, which underperformed again against a very bad run defense.

The Bears' rushing attack could have been worse.

The Detroit Lions, for instance, produced minus-18 rushing yards at Arizona on Sunday - the NFL's worst showing since 1937.

Still, the Bears' performance in Sunday's 17-6 win at Oakland was nothing to shout about. Facing a defense that entered the contest close to historic highs in terms of allowing ground yardage, the Bears had just 78 rushing yards on 34 carries for a 2.3-yards-per-carry average. Cedric Benson, who finally was given his desired workload, managed just 76 yards on 29 carries. Benson's longest run was for nine yards.

"We're not pleased with where our running game is right now," Bears head coach Lovie Smith said Monday.

Nevertheless, Smith is not planning on replacing Benson in the starting lineup. He's also disappointed in reserve backs Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe.

Despite the lack of a run game and currently the lack of a starting QB, the Bears are in the hunt.

After 10 weeks, half the 16 NFC teams are 4-5 or 5-4, and only the 8-1 Packers and Dallas Cowboys are better than 6-3.

Getting defensive: The defense registered season bests in total yards allowed (193) and passing yards (80), while forcing 3 turnovers for just the second time.

"Defensively, that was the best game we've played this year," Lovie Smith said. "The way we practiced last week, I had a feeling that the guys would go out and play with emotion, make plays, fly around and do the things that we did."

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Random...

... but where the heck was Greg Olsen on Sunday?

visit the mindful mission.

by big_lowitzki on Nov 13, 2007 9:48 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

generally split wide

with Clark on the other side and the WR's in the slot.

I have no idea why Turner has fallen in love with that formation.

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by thecubreporter on Nov 13, 2007 3:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Random...

... but why does Jason McKie's name go unmentioned when talking about our lack of a running game? He is stood up like a geek at the prom nearly every play. That's when there is even a hole where he's supposed to be getting to the second level to hit a linebacker/safety.

Does anyone remember a single play where there was a "hole you could drive a truck through"? It would be nice to be able to use that description occasionally. That's what good offensive lines do.

by mikebdot on Nov 13, 2007 1:37 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

because its all cedric benson's fault

whether there's a hole or not, whether he's got a lineman and linebacker tackling him as soon as he gets the handoff or not, all the blame goes to benson. a franchise running back should be able to gain 100 yards when there's no space to run. its his fault when ron turner calls tosses for him when he's a north-south runner. its his fault there are 8 men in the box, which is why its also his fault the QBs have no time to throw, since 8 men rushing means no time for them to make a play. that's why nobody cares about mckie...in fact, i bet his shoddy blocking is benson's fault, too. he probably spikes mckie's pre-game meal with something that gives him explosive diarrhea, making it very hard for him to block anybody.
:)
yes, mckie and the o-line have not been doing a good job at all. benson hasn't, either, but it's preposterous to completely blame him. yes, his numbers are quite bad, but if you watched the raiders game, there really weren't many runs he had where he left yards on the field. there just weren't many holes at all. last year, both he and jones had at least a little bit of breathing room before the first tackler had a shot at them. this year, that is so not the case.

by guy incognito on Nov 13, 2007 2:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

FWIW

Benson did a lot of juking before he hit the line for no good reason on Sunday. I don't think he has the acceleration or cutback ability to get away with that.

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by thecubreporter on Nov 13, 2007 3:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

this is true

he's at his best when he hits the hole hard and keep plowing through. this is what he did last year so well, and pretty much throughout his career at texas. but since there's no hole this season, he's doing things that aren't part of his game, namely juking like his name was thomas jones. i really want rex to succeed (if he's the starter) because i want us to devote at least 2 first day draft picks on offensive linemen.

by guy incognito on Nov 13, 2007 3:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

True dat

"at least 2". They'll draft a safety or corner though. Or a linebacker to replace Briggs. Right now we don't control the line of scrimmage on EITHER side of the ball. Last game was a slight exception, but I'm sick of getting lucky with fumbles. We need INTs. INTs come from real pressure and we're not getting it regularly. It comes in spurts and then we can't capitalize on the resulting field position because our O-line is pushed around like rag dolls.

by mikebdot on Nov 13, 2007 3:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

by npachols on Nov 13, 2007 5:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

aww poor ceddy

why is there sympathy for cedric benson and not for rex grossman? cedric is an even higher pick than grossman, ran out one of the top 3 bears running backs in the past, what, 30 years? and has underperformed in every single aspect of the game this year. seems like people are giving cedric the benefit of the doubt more so than grossman ever received. and yes, i dislike cedric and i like grossman.

by lopey986 on Nov 13, 2007 4:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

so...

... why do you give grossman a pass and not benson?

and i like both, for the record.

visit the mindful mission.

by big_lowitzki on Nov 13, 2007 6:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i really don't

i may not have liked the switch to griese, but i did understand it. however after griese amassed 10 picks, well, i didn't understand it so much anymore.

however, i kind of wonder why everyone thought brian griese was this incredible game manager, considering he has had 2 decent years and has 113 tds to 90 picks, definately not good.

and i cut rex a little more slack because he seems to have teams that win whenever he plays, i dunno what it is, just luck or something, but i like it.

by lopey986 on Nov 13, 2007 6:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

grossman

had blocking, a running game and a defense, and still shit the bed.

benson does not have a line. he should still be doing more, but he workign with very little.

by mike b on Nov 13, 2007 10:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

More Randomness

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=paolantonio_sal&id=3107054

A look at some of the greatest teams ever and how the 2007 Pats might stack up. I didn't know what an easy schedule the Dolphins played in 1972.

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by thecubreporter on Nov 13, 2007 6:37 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

so far

i'd say the pats will top all those teams. i'm kind of suprised the bears team was behind that 49ers team, i think the 85 bears should be first. as for that dolphins team, they certainly benefitted from playing a bunch of high school teams and really don't seem like anything special at all.

by lopey986 on Nov 13, 2007 7:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

What?

"as for that dolphins team, they certainly benefited from playing a bunch of high school teams and really don't seem like anything special at all"

Either your from another planet or your weren't born yet, but the early 70's Dolphins are one of the greatest teams ever. Look at the Hall of Famers on that team - Jeesh!

by phastphil on Nov 14, 2007 12:03 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well I wasn't born yet

but did you even read the article?

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by thecubreporter on Nov 14, 2007 2:51 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i was born in 86

and the dolphins played a set of teams with a collective win percentage of what...38%? they didn't even play a playoff team in their 14 regular season games and they struggled when they got to the playoffs, unlike the 85 bears who just demolished everyone in the playoffs.

by lopey986 on Nov 14, 2007 5:37 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

On any given Sunday

Well - I'm an old fart.
In their era they were very similar to the current Patriots. That team did not make mistakes. They were the least penalized, their offensive line was incredible and they won because of their teamwork. The "No-Name Defense", no heroes just grinders.

I played particular attention to this team because: 1) The Bears in the early 70's were horrible and 2) I played on an undefeated team in high school and when you are a part of an undefeated season you appreciate when others do it.

by phastphil on Nov 14, 2007 8:57 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Caught Up in the Moment

I love how every few years a great team or player comes along and everyone wants to anoint them "best ever." I guess it's human nature to discount the past and put great weight on the present. Remember how everyone was saying that the Raven's D during their championship run was better than our '85 D? No matter what the Patriots end up doing, it will take a few years to see where they really rate. Maybe sportswriters just want to add a bit of drama to what they write.

by BearDownNM on Nov 14, 2007 10:31 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs