artbest

The Bears, arguably, have the worst overall group of wide receivers the league has seen in MANY years. They don't have a #1 receiver OR a #2 receiver. At best, Devin Hester appears to be a #3 receiver. Davis and Booker should be released and Bennett is a mystery - is it a matter of poor coaching from Drake OR is he another Dan Bazuin or Michael Okwo, a relatively high pick who had no business being taken where he was? In 2005, Jerry Angelo TRIED to be aggressive with the WR position - he signed Moose and drafted Bradley. IMHO, if the Bears are serious about being contenders, they need to do the same in 2009...only THIS time, do it better. If TJ doesn't have the transition or franchise tag on him, IMHO, the Bears have almost no choice but to make a major play for him. He's roughly, I believe, the same age as Moose was when the Bears signed him and, arguably, is as good if not better as a receiver than Moose has been (save for his magical season prior to the Bears landing him). The Bears then need to take a receiver in the first or second round. Failure to take these steps should be met with EXTREME prejudice by all discerning Bear fans. Boldin? The Bears can't afford to give up a #1 and a #3 - they have too many OTHER needs - defensive end and possible nose tackle, free safety, cornerback, offensive line.

1. Mark Bradley has 24 catches on the season with a 12.6 YPR. He had no catches yesterday. That hardly consistutes "coming on." He's getting some playing time on a team with one victory. As far as his injury situation is concerned, Angelo gambled on him when he drafted him. Bradley had an extensive injury history at Oklahoma, not to mention limited experience at WR. Angelo guessed wrong on him and is accountable for wasting a second round pick. 2. Dusty Dvoracek. He's only looked "good" at times because the Bears stack the box with 8-9 guys to stop the run. Against the Packers, the Bears went with 7 in the box - thereby asking Dusty to hold up at the point of attack - and he was bulldozed. Combine this with a now-legendary injury history (he's out for the year AGAIN with a ruptured bicep) and you have yet another Angelo bust.

The Bears have too many acute needs to address exclusively via the draft. Jerry Angelo has to supplement the draft with key FA acquisitions. The most pressing needs for the Bears, IMHO, include: 1. Wide Receiver. The group he put on the field in 2008 is one of the worst we'll ever see. Angelo needs to fix this - a combination of the draft and FA seems warranted here not unlike what he tried to do in 2005 (Moose and Bradley). 2. Offensive line. Don't look for Angelo to spend a 1st round pick here - he may look for a FA guard and perhaps take a right tackle in the first 4 rounds. Few GM's in recent memory are as shortsighted and wrong-headed about the importance of building a strong offensive line. 3. Defensive line. The Bears have a desperate need for a pass rushing LDE. They also need a nose tackle to potentially replace Dusty Dvoracek, who should be ushered out of town following his latest injury. Marcus Harrison seems better suited to be a 3-technique ala Tommie Harris, but he should be tried at the nos as well. Look for Angelo to draft 2+ defensive linemen next April. 4. Safety. Other than Chris Harris, whom he unwisely jettisoned, Angelo has not been able to draft safeties - but he continues to try. Danneal Manning is a bust as a free safety, Kevin Payne can't cover a bed whether he's playing FS or SS and we don't know a thing yet about Steltz. This remains a need. 5. Cornerback. Vasher may be done. Graham shows promise. Bowman should, arguably, have made the team over the game but small and slow Trumaine McBride. He is, however, injury-prone. Tillman is having a poor year and may be better suited to FS at this point in his career. 6. Quarterback? So much depends on Orton's performance in the last 4 games of the season. If he continues to embarass himself the way he did last night, the Bears will have to find bona-fide competition for him. If he rediscovers his accuracy and decision making in the next 4 weeks, the Bears more likely be looking to find 'another Orton' - i.e. a QB who previously had a high rating but who fell into rounds 4-6 or so. With Grossman being shown the door at season's end, the Bears will add a QB - whether it will be a serious addition or simply another body holding a clipboard will be determined by Orton's play over the last 4 games of 2008.

got it...I only posted it because I made the same mistake POST game...completely forgetting the last FG.

Forte AND Harrison are gems from the 08 draft. Harrison is the only young d-lineman on the roster with significant upside. Steltz? Too soon to tell. Bennett? Disappointing thus far - let's see what transpires nexr year. Williams? Missing on his pre-existing condition was a major blunder, but he's recovered now. Considering how bad St. Claire was yesterday, it's time to see what the kid can do.

Mark Bradley a "stud?" He had zero catches yesterday. He was a bad pick by Angelo - the kid had a terrible injury in college and limited experience...and that carried over to his time with the Bears. Add to that his, apparent, awful practice habits and you get a stiff that never should have been drafted.

actually, the Bears were outscored 71-17.

Bigdaddy - if we recall the changes Lovie has made over the years: 1. Dumping Terry Shea and Pete Hoener (O-line coach) after the 2004 season 2. Dumping Ron Rivera and Don Johnson after the 2006 season Changing coaches isn't a foreign concept. IMHO, Lovie is all about Lovie - first, second and last. His ill-advised power play following the SB year is proof positive of this. Does Lovie want to risk his legacy, let alone his league-wide marketability, by retaining one of the league's worst coaching staff's?

Jerry Angelo has one of the more mediocre draft day records among his peers, especially considering his bustouts in rounds 1-3. His list is among the worst: 1. Dan Bazuin 2. Michael Okwo 3. Cedric Benson 4. Michael Haynes 5. Roosevelt Williams 6. Rex Grossman 7. Mark Bradley 8. Terrence Metcalf 9. Danneal Manning (nice kick returner, brutal DB - not worthy of a second round pick) 10. Dusty Dvoracek Best picks? 1. Lance Briggs 2. Devin Hester 3. Matt Forte 4. Tommie Harris 5. Alex Brown 6. Chris Harris 7. Greg Olsen 8. Peanut Tillman (last night notwithstanding) 9. Nathan Vasher (his rapid decline nothwithstanding) 10. Marc Columbo Showing promise: 1. Marcus Harrison 2. Kyle Orton 3. Corey Graham On the bubble: 1. Kevin Payne. Has some INT's, but is truly awful in coverage - stiff, not instinctive. 2. Earl Bennett. ANOTHER Bazuin and Okwo? 3. Garrett Wolfe. Would have been available in the 5th round

The epitome of mediocrity 1. 6-6 record, 16th overall ranking on defense, 23rd overall ranking on offense. It doesn't get (much) more tepid than that. What's especially disturbing,however... 2. Is how the Bears appear to be regressing. The defense has been spotty at best all season. now the offense can't get out of its own way. Special teams, a former strength, have disappeared. "Super Bowl" contenders, when they lose tough games early in the season, from my recollection, don't get steadily worse as the season wears on. The Giants didn't "fade out" to close the 2007 season...at least that's not how I recall it. Speaking of fading out... 3. Kyle Orton. Yes, he's been injured. Yes, he arguably has the worst set of receivers in the NFL. Yes, having a journeyman stiff as your left tackle is starting to catch up with the Bears. Still, 11-29 with 3 interceptions in a HUGE game is definitely cause for concern. Does this mean he should be "benched?" While I would have benched him in the 4th quarter yesterday, for the remainder of the season, he's the Bears' QB. If he the meltdown we saw yesterday continues, then the Bears HAVE to consider other alternatives at the position. If he can recover and show the promise he displayed before his injury, then he's the Bear QB, IMHO, in 2009 "no questions asked." With that said, under NO circumstances should the Bears REMOTELY consider offering him an extension. Let him earn it - let him show that his early success this year wasn't a fluke. Let him show that he can dramatically improve his accuracy on deeper throws. Let him prove that the moron we saw at QB last night was a true anamoly. Of course... 4. Jerry Angelo did him absolutely no favors. A quality GM doesn't allow his team to go into an NFL regular season with Rashied Davis, Brandon Lloyd, Marty Booker, Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Mark Bradley as his wide receivers. He doesn't allow his team to go into a season with John St. Claire as his left tackle. YES, he found Matt Forte. He deserves kudos for that...but the offense remains sub-par. Regarding the defense, it's hard to tell if the problem is talent, coaching or a combination of both. Still, Jerry Angelo's lethargic off-season has left the Bears in a position where, conceivably, they could match last season's 7-9 mark. YES, it is theoretically possible for the Bears to "win out" and finish 10-6. It's also theoretically possible for Cedric Benson to lead the league in rushing in 2009. Still, Jerry Angelo isn't going ANYWHERE. Ted Phillips is "golden," IMHO, in the eyes of the McCaskey's. He has made the family, collectively, on-paper billionaires. He's got the President gig as long as he wants it. Jerry Angelo is his "football guy." He'll believe, IMHO, whatever pile of b.s. Angelo sells him. Jerry as safe as any GM in the NFL. Regarding the coaches... 5. Lovie's safe for AT LEAST another season after this - more likely TWO seasons after 2008. Few organizations outside of Dallas, Washington and MAYBE Miami would eat $15 million of guaranteed $$. IF the meltdown this season continues, I DO believe MAJOR coaching staff changes will be critical. Bob Babich, Ron Turner, Daryl Drake, Brick Hayley and Steve Wilks should be on the chopping block. IF, as many of us believe, Babich is merely Lovie's errand boy, then all the MORE reason to dump him. As we saw in St. Louis, Lovie is a system guy rather than a true defensive savant. The defenses in St. Louis, after an initial splash, slowly eroded. We're seeing the same thing in Chicago. Lovie Smith couldn't carry Steve Spagnolo's clipboard. The Giants are, IMHO, proof positive that a smaller, quicker defense can be VERY successful, PROVIDED you have the creativity, adapability and, of course, quality depth on your roster (notice how the Giants lost a HOF DE and a Pro Bowl DE and haven't missed a beat? Anyone hear them whining about injuries/losing players?). Lovie needs someone to challenge him - to take his philosophy and bring it up to current standards. Will he do it? IMHO, IF the Bears fall continues this year, he may have little choice. On-going job security and his reputation in the league will eventuall be hanging in the balance. Of course... 6. The Bears will beat Jacksonville in Chicago. The Jaguars are truly in disarray, with Jack Del Rio struggling mightily retain control of his locker room. They, not completely unlike the Rams, will be mailing it in next Sunday. All of this means that, if the Bears DO lose to the Jags, even the most doe-eyed of Angelo/Lovie apologists will have little choice but to mercilessly blast this team and organization. 2006 is the ultimate in "ancient history."

while the Bear defense is substandard, ONE thing their soft zone approach will help prevent are the big plays that bludgeoned the Packers last night. Poor weather or not, it's too much to ask the Bear pass defense to "stop" Brees and co - but they can at least improve their chances of a tipped pass, an INT, a fumble due to the elements, etc. The key in that game, as it will be on Sunday, is the Bears' offense. They need to run the ball and Orton has to be his pre-injury self. If this happens, the Bears have a shot. If not, they probably don't.

we'll know after the Viking game. We can't take much from yesterday's contest save for the Bears did what they had to do and the Rams have quit.

I sure hope so - because they'll need it. Again, the Bears didn't win the last game as much as the Vikings lost it - those special teams TD's were absolute gifts from the Vikings. Since his injury, Orton hasn't been able to throw the ball downfield...he's going to have to against Minnesota. They will stymie Forte. Can they win? Sure...will they be expected to? No - today proved only that the Rams have quit on the season. We'll see what the Bears truly are next week. The next game may ultimately tell the tale of the 2008 Chicago Bears.

One only needs to look back at the last time the two teams faced each other - the Vikings scored 41 legit points and actually beat up the Bear defense every bit as soundly as the Packers did. The Bears didn't stop the Vikings until they threw a pick to end the game. The only reason why the Bears "won" the game was the Vikings gave them two special teams scores. The Bear defense, as it turned out, didn't match up at all with the Vikings. The Bears will load up the box to try to contain Peterson and thus give Frerrotte wide open spaces to complete easy passes. Orton HAS to have a monster game. Forte won't be a huge factor running the ball next Sunday.

Orton is still hurt, which is why he's so inaccurate downfield. He can't effectively plant his right foot, especially as the game wears on. The Bears are going to need him to be at his best in Minnesota - perhaps at his career best - to have a shot at beating the Vikings, who figure to score almost every time they have the ball. They won't self destruct the way the Rams did today.