The Bears Den: October 11, 2012 - Week 6 News and Notes

Look it up: Bears threatening to have a “good” OL - Moon Mullin: The Bears OL was a major question mark going into the season, but so far the unit has been solid. In their last 10 games when Cutler has been sacked two times or less, the Bears are 10-0.

Bears shouldn't extend Smith now - Rosendoom: Why are the Bears reportedly in a hurry to throw another $10 or $20 million at a guy whose only playoff win since 2006 came at home against the worst division winner in history?

Jay Cutler's stature growing among team officials - Jay Cutler's development in the Bears' offense is reflected not only in his improving statistics, but in the way he's viewed within the organization.

Does it count if the Chicago Bears win without any Jay Cutler drama? - Lester's thoughts.

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Phil Emery

Bears GM Phil Emery: I'm a Jay Cutler fan - Michael C. Wright: Says "We have a winner at a key position."

Phil Emery: 'I am a Jay Cutler fan' - Brad Biggs: Emery said outside criticism of Cutler – he has been broadly beaten by national analysts – do not concern him.

Emery lauds Cutler as winner, franchise QB - Larry Mayer: About the only way Phil Emery could have showed stronger support for Jay Cutler Wednesday is if the GM had met with the media wearing a No. 6 Bears jersey over his suit.

Emery praises points to Cutler extension – just a question of when - Moon Mullin: Phil Emery said he likes Jay Cutler, and the consensus is Cutler will remain in Chicago long after his contract is set to expire in 2013. But when might an extension be in place?

Cutler has complete support from Bears GM Phil Emery - Mark Potash: With Cutler’s great arm and ability to make throws that even Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers can’t make, does he have what it takes to lead a team to a championship — or even just win one?

Emery happy with Smith, but not talking contract - Larry Mayer: Phil Emery praised Lovie Smith on Wednesday while also denying an erroneous radio report that the team has been negotiating a contract extension with the coach.

Bears GM and coach on same page - Vaughn McClure: Phil Emery and Lovie Smith agree any new deal will wait until after the season as the team is too busy with building on early success this year.

Phil Emery -- No extension talks with Lovie Smith - Michael C. Wright: The timing isn't right for making a move contractually with Smith, according to Emery.

Don’t look for contract leap by Lovie or Bears - Moon Mullin: Lovie Smith has helped the Bears to a quick 4-1 record, but rumors of a contract extension talk being in place are premature for both the Bears and Smith.

Phil Emery sees Bears as happy family - Brad Biggs: The Bears hit their weekend off feeling good about themselves in a tie atop the NFC North and Phil Emery left no room for interpretation — he's the daddy he really likes his QB.

Part of Emery's job getting to college campuses - Brad Biggs: Emery is already heavily involved in the scouting process for the 2013 draft, hitting the road typically later in the week after personnel meetings have been conducted with the staff.

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Other Bears news

Tillman tabbed defensive player of week - Larry Mayer: Second Bears CB to receive a league honor in as many weeks, after Tim Jennings' DPOTM.

Tillman earns Player of the Week honors - Moon Mullin: A week after Tim Jennings was named the Defensive Player of the Month, Charles Tillman was named the DPOTW after his pick-six against the Jaguars.

Tillman: Strength of this Bears defense is in the unit as a whole - #33 joins Laurence Holmes. Worth listening to the [Audio], Peanut's a funny dude and his stories about other players are warm and hilarious.

Marshall making type of impact Bears anticipated - Larry Mayer: Brandon Marshall has been everything that Phil Emery imagined the star receiver would be when the Bears traded for the three-time Pro Bowler in March, and more.

Larry and Lovie - Larry Mayer speaks with Lovie Smith about the most pressing issues involving the Bears every Wednesday during the season. Lovie impressed with defense's overall play.

Rookie haze: Bears’ Shea McClellin gets fake 38K bill - Sean Jensen: Bears rookie defensive end Shea McClellin panicked when he was handed a $38,091 bill from Mastro’s Steakhouse on Tuesday night. [Video] Izzy speaks: hamsters rejoice!

Bears vets fool rookies with phony $38K dinner bill - Fred Mitchell: “I didn’t see how, like, 10 guys could spend that much money on one bill,” McClellin said about Tuesday’s Rookie Night for Bears veterans.

Dan Pompei's Bears mailbag - Webb's improvement, trading Chris Williams, Knox's availability and more

Phil Emery happy with receivers - Bears GM said Wednesday he's happy with his current group of WRs, all but rejecting the interest shown by Plaxico Burress in joining the Bears.

Hester making the most of his chances on offense - Sean Jensen: Cutler is thrilled to have Hester as a big part of the offense. "When he has the ball, when we give him chances, he makes things happen."

Receivers suddenly want to play for Bears - Mark Potash: Once ‘‘a place where receivers go to die,’’ Muhsin Muhammed once famously said, Chicago suddenly has become a place where receivers are almost begging to play.

[Video] NFL32OT - Decaf Herm discusses the success of the Bears defense.

Bears’ corners sure got smooth — namely Tim Jennings - Rick Telander: However he does it, Jennings is hot. And for a position that only gets dumped on, that’s beautiful.

[Video] CTL discussion - Chatting about Izzy's joke on the rookies, and the respect players have for Lovie.

Dionne Miller's 'Happenings at Halas' - October 10: No time like the present for a "State of the Team address" from GM Phil Emery.

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Everything else

Know thy enemy: Vikings - Dan Pompei: A huge growth spurt by second-year QB Christian Ponder is one of the big reasons why the Vikings are off to a 4-1 start.

[Video] NFCN Blogger Blitz - Kevin Seifert is not quite ready to name Christian Ponder the top QB in the division.

Know thy enemy: Vikings - Former Bear WR Devin Aromashodu to play a bigger role in the offense?

Know thy enemy: Lions - The Lions have been flummoxed offensively during their 1-3 start by copycat defenses that plant two safeties deep, essentially doing everything in their power to take away Calvin Johnson and the big play.

Know thy enemy: Lions - WR Titus Young's production has not matched the promise he showed both at the end of his rookie season last year (33 catches and five touchdowns in the last nine games) or through the preseason.

Know thy enemy: Lions - If you thought the local reaction to the Lions' 1-3 start was bad, wait until you read rival executives' comments on Ndamukong Suh, coach Jim Schwartz and GM Martin Mayhew.

Know thy enemy: Lions - Ndamukong Suh reacts to unnamed NFL executive ripping him.

Former Bear Mark Anderson out indefinitely with knee injury - Bills DE, who signed a four-year, $27 million contact prior to the season, suffered the injury in the second half last Sunday during the 45-3 blowout at San Francisco.

Matt Bowen's playbook - 'All-22' breakdown of the Andrew Luck's red zone slant vs. Cover 1 pass to beat the Packers.

Matt Bowen's playbook - 'All-22' breakdown of Tom Brady's play action TD pass to Wes Welker.

[Video] Gary Fencik on concussions in sports - "This is the biggest issue for former players." Well, stop hitting with your head then, y'all.

NFL Players are gladiators, like it or not - Dan Bernstein's thoughts in the wake of Eric Winston's blasting of fans who cheered when Matt Cassel went off injured.

Former Bears TE Greg Olsen's son to undergo heart surgery - T.J. Olsen was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition that results in an underdeveloped left ventricle and aorta and has a survival rate of up to 70 percent.

Pete Dixon - Because the meek shall inherit the earth (but that's ok because we'll just take it right back):