Alaskan Grizzly

I think it safe to assume that if a team were "smart" they wouldn't necessarily be guaranteed a championship. Dallas (Jimmy Johnson era), Oakland (pretty much all of Al Davis' era esp late 70's early 80s), Green Bay (really do I have to say anymore?) and even our own team in '85 disprove that. There is a fine line between agressive and idiodicy. Cinncinnati crossed it and lost control. I get what you're saying and agree that minimizing penalties helps in achieving your goal playing smart football, but there is also a fine line between reserved and being passive. Ironically enough many here were looking for someone that was much more animated on the sidelines than Lovie, yet Trestman appears to be not cut from that cloth. He does have that Sensai aura about him. With his being an attorney there is no doubt he has the intelligence. I heard a clip from his locker room post game speech and I like what I heard. He talks of "helping each other" and playing like a team. The Bengals did not 'play like a team' last Sunday. Our team did manage to elevate their game and win. But was it due more to Cinncinnati's losing control than it was Chicago's playing better? Again, too much season left to determine who the best teams are yet.

I think this is right after M. Bennet scored his TD and there was a scrum in the endzone involving Mills and Ioka(?). They wouldnt let Bennett have the ball or something and all got into a mash. Cutler came over and pulled Long out and eventually had to drive him away with what looked like a "bull rush".

To-may-to, To-mah-to...Mad. 1 game down, 15 to go.

A little bit of nostalgia.

Good observations. Especially the first point. I agree and believe had the Bengals not self-destructed, we would be discussing what went wrong in the Bears' loss. Once they (Bengals) blew the timeouts the wheels seemed to have come off the wagon and they lost their way. Mauluga was the icing on the cake. A better team would not have made those mistakes. The defense could very well decline before the season is over. They were VERY vulnerable to the big play. The Bengals drove how many times for more than 80 yards? Had it not been for Peanut's individual effort, again this game would have easily turned out different. Like Cracker, I strongly agree having Hester on the team is better than not. The Bengals kicked away from him more than to him on punts. He will return at least one (maybe more) before the season is over. As someone else pointed out there seemed to be a lot of sloppiness on both sides of the field. As I sit and watch the Sunday night game, and Eli just threw his 3rd Int, I see it continue. Thank you CBA

Hey! Whaddayaknow? Terra is back. You surly old so and so! Now the season can begin.

Meh.... Six one half dozen the other. Williams has NFL experience, Bostic more in game (with this team) experience. Slight advantage to Williams right now. If he falters though it is encouraging to know that a kid like Bostic will step in.

On the offense side; I'd LOVE to see a no huddle scheme. Oddly enough I think this could play to Cutlers strengths. What he needs is confidence. This would allow him to audible if need and give him the ability to call plays he thinks would work for the scheme presented. I think it would go a long way towards a strong rapport for he and Trestman if it works. I'm not sure that the team was very "conservative" on defense since they led the NFL in takeaways and scores last year. You don't get that by sitting back and waiting for plays to develop. But you're right I've seen some flashes of things that we hadn't before. One being Peanut blitzing from the end. That was new and exciting to see. What has Tucker got up his sleeve? I still stand by my being cautiously optimistic stance due to the numerous unknowns, but with the season starting in earnest in two days I have a hard time containing my excitement. Da Bearz!

Ah, understood.

I can't see the link but assume it is an article abotu Wooton and SMC splitting time at the position. FWIW, you have to admit that SMC did play pretty good in the preseason. Maybe not 'stellar' but not any worse than did Wooton. I seem to recall the report also noting that Williams and Bostic would be in the same setup. Despite Briggs' contention.

So to go contrary to my own advice, I'm going to swing at the dying horse. I think an arguement could be made that Pace was considered an "upper echelon" guy. He was very similar to Michael Oher until he came to the Bears. It would be as if the Bears would have somehow brought Oher to the team this year, he is no doubt declining and probably wouldn't be considered 'top tier' any longer. However for so many years he has been a steady lynchpin in the Raven's offensive line. As could the case be made for Chester Taylor. He was a 1,000 yard back, unfortunately for him had to play second fiddle to AP. When he got to Chicago, he didn't live up to the hope. So far Bush and Taylor are very similar in a lot of ways. I hope more for Bush and feel he'll come through this year. Manumanuleuena I'll agree was not. Had flickers of greatness in St Louis but nothing sustained. Peppers is in the perfect place...Chicago. I almost wonder if he would be better as a stand up OLB? I know a lot of the former 'hand in the dirt' DE's that are making the transition (seems to be a trend) are liking it. Maybe if/when the team changes to at 3-4? I could see McClellin benefitting from that.

You're a jerk.

SCS: There is no doubt you have passion for not just the Bears but sports in general. And with that you have knowledge. Believe it or not, it sounds like you have some keen knowledge about the team that even I'm not aware of. For this I am gratefu. I know you are/freelancing for PPF(?) so that is something I've never accomplished. If you speak out of turn or come across as 'childish' ... oh well. As I've said before and is witnessed in some of my posts (especially when Jason is concerned As far as the personal life, I think it safe to say that you find some "friends" in the group here or you wouldn't have posted what you did. That takes guts. Good for you and thank you. Without being too mushy about it all, we all have to experience "life" in order to get a better appreciation of what's to come. Most times its all good, sometimse not. As the old proverb goes: "This too shall pass". Sounds like you'll have an opportunity to vent this Sunday and I, similar to you, look forward to our Bears putting the hurt on the kittys.

GBCW? To SCS: Never mind, you are asking for it. You and Stinger deserve each other. And to Stinger's credit, he actually tried to be civil in his last respone to me. To Chitown: Amen to the season starting...Sunday can't get here fast enough.

Green may not be as much trouble as Eifert could be. Since he's a relative unknown the Bears will be relying on LB or Nickel coverage for him Given he's as young as he is and as good as he's projected, this could prove difficult for the team's middle protection. Man to man, Green may have the upper hand...but not by much. I would suspect that Jennings will get that challenge (since he's the younger of the two CB's) with help from Wright. Not to say that Tillman couldn't hold his own (ergo last year's matchup with Megatron) but of the two, Jennings would probably have a better go.

Of course you did. Lovie Smith to me is like J'Marcus Webb is/was to SCS.

So I did have one thing right. That's encouraging. Also good to hear. - Exactly. And I agree, that if he can't produce this year then discuss with him after the season is over, not make motions like you intend to before this season even starts. Regardless of his age, Peppers is still a force to be reckoned with. (The point you enforce below). Altough he did try a few others that didn't work out; Chester Taylor, Brandon Manumanluena and Orlando Pace to name a few. But I agree sometimes Angelo didn't get enough credit for some of the good he did do. Bringing Peppers to Chicago was one of them. Thanks for the explanation. It does help me better understand some of the 'behind the scenes'.

Thanks for the clarity. That does make some sense. On the surface, especially with the talk of possibly cutting him next year, 'something is rotten in Denmark'. But I assume that what you just explained is being sold to both Peppers and his agent to explain their rationale. To which I would defer MadLiths eariler comment about trusting Stein. He probably knows what he's doing. (Not MadLith but Stein - ha ha). Most of this cotractual talk is all greek to me. One of the several reasons I'm not an NFL exec, just a fan.

Funny, not only do they need a spell checker but a thought/context checker when people are posting. My 'minority' comment was in regards to my opinion of how the team woefully handled the Urlacher situation. I think he deserved one more year as did Lovie. But because the NFL is a business, tradition and 'second chances' sometimes get in the way. Again, my opinion which I know is in the minority.

I think it safe to say you were one of the reasons he left. If I may be so bold. You equaled his immaturity step for step and eventually he blinked first. I know this because I've had 'discussions' with you in the past only to realize I am proverbially beating my head on a wall to try and get my point across. I never figured to hear myself think this way but you "young whippersnappers" sometimes don't know when to give up. Your post above proves my point.

Good analysis. It is intersetingly unsettling that the Bengals and Bears could be compared on the same plane. But you're right, where one advantage gives the team a leg up it is equaled out by a similar advantage found somewhere else. This should prove to be a pivitol game for the Bears early in the season and will set the tone. Maybe the advantage for our team will be the fact they are playing at home. I recall thinking last year the first game would have been an easy walkaway game for the Bears especially with a rookie QB starting. But the Colts didn't just lie down and give up. Not only that but they played well through the whole season encough to make the playoffs. Who knew? I look forward to Sunday. Should be a good match.

No, unfortunately its a league all about the allmighty dollar. QB or DE be damned. The comparison I was making was that at some point a person (or team) realizes they have made enough money and are willing to help the team they play for by giving some back to help the team keep or get players that will get the team where it wants to be. It sends an irreverant omen to players if they think they are being used. Maybe Peppers has indicated he wants to retire next year and is willing to take the hit this year? Don't know, but I would hope the team isn't doing what they did with Urlacher and saying 'our way or go away'. It will come back to bite them.... I know I'm in the minority but to me it is what it is. A business. And unfortunately the traditionalist aspects are slowly being squeezed out of it.

I'm not sure what it all means exactly but I would like it to be known that I don't like it. (If the team is positioning to jettison a player like Peppers a year in advance). It's crap. I'll believe that management has a bit more class than that and this is more akin to what Brady has done for the Patriots in the past.

Maybe its just a way to shore up the "rainy day" fund. Given the unknowns going into the first game (75% different players from last year?), perhaps management is looking for a way to buy FA players that could contribute if one or two players currently on the team don't work out. My understanding was the team is "up against the cap" so it would make sense.

Isn't Maneri a converted lineman? Maybe that's the thinking? Since it appears the team is looking at double TE sets what real concern is there?