clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Ten Thoughts on the NFL: Chicago Bears and beyond

Last night there was some actual NFL being played. Whoop de doo and a hallelujah for you! Join us for our Thoughts on all things NFL, and be sure to add a few of your own in the comment section.

By Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

1) Former Chicago Bears linebacker, Hunter Hillenmeyer, captured my exact thoughts on the Riley Cooper situation.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Manslaughter, no big deal. Domestic violence, eh, he&#39;s a Pro Bowler. Racial slur, banishment! Not defending Cooper, but this doesn&#39;t add up.</p>&mdash; Hunter Hillenmeyer (@hthill) <a href="https://twitter.com/hthill/statuses/363420971513819137">August 2, 2013</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There was less of an uproar when players are busted for drunk driving. Now with that being said Riley Cooper is a grade A dumbass.

2) In other dumbass news, Johnny Manziel seems to be trying his hardest to hurt his potential NFL stock. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner may be in trouble for selling memorabilia with his autograph on it. This isn't about student-athletes being paid, it's about Johnny Football breaking the rules.

3) I'm not sure how much losing left tackle Bryan Bulaga will hurt the Green Bay Packers. They've kind of gotten used to playing with a bad o-line, and I don't expect quarterback Aaron Rodgers to miss a step this year.

4) I agree that Cris Carter is a Hall Of Famer, but why isn't Tim Brown in the Hall yet?

Name Years Rec Rec Yds Rec TD Total TD All Purp Yds Pro Bowls
Brown 17 1094 14934 100 105 19679 9
Carter 16 1101 13899 130 131 14184 8

Brown is 5th all time in both receptions and receiving yards, Carter is 4th in receptions and 9th in receiving yards.

5) I think Miami back up QB Matt Moore could start for a lot of teams in the NFL. In 2011, before the Dolphins drafted Ryan Tannehill, Moore had a very good season. If teams weren't so enamored with finding the next great young QB to groom, Moore could win a lot of games for the right team.

6) I don't see the point of having the Hall of Fame Game as a 5th preseason contest for two teams each year. Four preseason games is plenty. They could just as easily hold all the festivities surrounding the Hall enshrinement on a Sunday Night game on the 1st preseason weekend.

7) Arizona Cardinals corner back Patrick Peterson is going to have an increased role on offense under new coach Bruce Arians.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Arians said offensive package for <a href="https://twitter.com/RealPeterson21">@RealPeterson21</a> has already grown to 15 plays. Said Peterson could be top WR if played offense <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CardsCamp&amp;src=hash">#CardsCamp</a></p>&mdash; Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cardschatter/statuses/363723179635650560">August 3, 2013</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I wonder if he will approach the 36 receptions that Deion Sanders hauled in in 1996 playing part-time wide out with the Cowboys?

8) Mark Sanchez was getting booed at the New York Jets annual Green-White scrimmage, their version of the Bears Family Fest. While I'm usually all for the fans voicing their displeasure during games, booing at a practice seems a bit too much.

9) Clark Judge, senior NFL columnist of CBSSports.com, is wondering if new Bears coach Marc Trestman can command a room? And he's not alone, former NFL great Jerry Rice, who played for Trestman in San Francisco and Oakland, wonders the same. This is probably only a story because a Hall Of Famer is questioning it, but I don't see the point.

Trestman isn't some newb early in his coaching career, he's a guy that had to fight for his opportunity to make it back to the NFL, and he's had some pretty serious coaching mentors along the way. Plus he had to exude confidence during his interview with Bears GM Phil Emery.

10) If you weren't aware of Art Donovan, who died yesterday at the age of 88, then you missed out on of the great personalities in sports. I wasn't old enough to have seen him play, but his legacy on NFL Films will live on forever. The Hall Of Fame defensive tackle, obviously was a terror on the field, but his candid interviews and sense of humor is what I'll always remember.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7HDRLnoAY9E?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

More from Windy City Gridiron:

Next Up In News