DABEARSDABOMB

It is official, Harris will undergo season ending surgery on his torn hamstring. This is a huge loss and with it Ian Scott and Tank Johnson will have to step up cause the two of them will get the bulk of the playing time at the DT. We'll also have to see Ogunleye and Brown step up and play at a higher level while Boone and Idonojie will be key as well (and obviously Anderson who will play a lot more now with Alex Brown sliding into the DT spot in passing situations). We can overcome this!!!!

I thought it would be cool to all share our keys to tonight's game. Here's mine, but what are everyone elses? We have a 4th or 5th string safety starting, no Tommie Harris, and no Nathan Vasher and are going up against a team with its backs to the wall at home. This my friends is going to be a tough game and its going to give us fans a chance to see who the Bears are and how they will handle this adversity. I'd like to see how the team handles the run against a good back like Stephen Jackson. I still think part of the reason our run defense has suffered is because we've seen less of Ian Scott so I'm hoping his addition will at least partially help off-set the loss of Harris (which is a HUGE HUGE loss). I'm also curious to see how the secondary does against some darn good WR's (without Vasher). Holt is going to be a real tough test for Tillman (as he is for any CB). Offensively I'd like to see a couple things: - Mark Bradley and Bernard Berrian on the field at the same time making plays. These guys are some of our best offensive weapons and need to be out there more. - A TE actually involved in the offense again. Clark please show back up for the rest of the season like you did for the start of the season (and part of this onus obviously falls on Rex to find him and on Turner to actually call good plays) - About 45 rushes (with at least 15 a piece to Jones/Benson If we do all that I think Rex will have a fine game (with maybe 20 pass attempts) and the Bears will pull out a big win as we start the 4th quarter of the season. LETS GO BEARS!!!!

Bring home a winner.

We are really banged up. Heck I can't even figure out will start opposite Danial Manning. I thought I read where both Harris and Johnson are out so I would assume that means Todd Worrell? Going to be a tough game considering some of our best run stuffers are out and Jackson is a quality back. The Bears are going to have to play sharp because I have a bad feeling about this game. LETS GO BEARS!!!! In addition to seeing how the defense plays without Harris, Johnson, Tommie, and Vasher I'm interested in seeing if our offense can do a couple things: - Get production out of both Berrian and Bradley (get them on the field at the same time, both are playmakers) in the same game - Find the freaking tight end - Run the ball 45 plus times (Benson and Jones both getting 15+ carries)

Welcome aboard. Hopefully after tonight we'll have guaranteed a first round bye. That said this is going to be a real tough test, imo. I hope the Bears are ready and will be able to show that they can win despite being pretty banged up defensively.

I think Scott moving out of the lineup was another factor. But I think its obvious the team may have to look for another safety. Regardless, I'm thinking its more and more likely we franchise Briggs (which to me is a great thing).

I'm guessing it was because Parrish doesn't have the speed to play in the cover 2.

I expect Rex to be fine and come out agressive and fresh and actually play football (instead of thinking thinking thinking..pass). But if he doesn't, we'll see Griese in the 2nd half. I don't necessarily that means we'll see Griese for the rest of the season but if Rex struggles we will see Brian on Monday. I don't expect us to see Brian though because Rex is going to deliver.

This is a major loss. Hopefully he doesn't have a tear of his hamstring and he'll be able to make it back in time for the playoffs. If not I think we'll see a lot of Ian Scott (who is our 2nd best rush stuff defensive tackle). I know one thing, our safeties are going to have to help out against the run a lot more. Hopefully we can overcome this injury cause we do have a lot of depth on our dline.

On the bright side I'm pretty sure our defense is all but used to this. And because of that they all witnessed what Rex could do early in the season so I think there past (of having to deal with horrid Qb's/offenses) experiences would make them less apt to really get too mad at Rex considering he's the only guy we've had that could actually lead the team on drives and put up points in a number of years (although Griese has proven he can do that, but he too is prone to interceptions).

Ditka was pretty dead on, talked about poor coaching as well as what has led to Grossman's struggles. Overall I think this was pretty accurate, especially when talking about the poor coaching (more specifically, Turner's play calling) but I think if Turner tightens things up and calls plays early and often that will be of benefit to Rex (a very steady does of running plays and far more quick plays and crossing patterns and plays designed for Clark) we will see the tides turn and Rex have a good game and begin to continue his development into being one of the better QB's in this league.

Here is a quick summary from what Boomer Eisason said on Mike and Mike this morning about the Grossman situation: I thought this was very interesting. I don't think the situation has gotten quite as bad as Boomer indicates because I think the entire team has a great deal of respect for Rex (who says all the right things) and Lovie (who is just a high character/class individual). However, I'm starting to think maybe I am wrong and that Lovie may need to let Griese do a thing or to just to show that if you don't play well we will make a change. You always want the best guy out on the field and Lovie has consistently preached that. I happen to believe Rex is that best guy (now and in the future) so I like playing him and I figure with the division locked up we can afford to let Rex through his issues because he's the guy capable of winning the super bowl. That said, maybe we really do have to at least see what Brian can do. I'm not saying that means Rex is done, but if Rex struggles give Brian a chance. Not only does it give Griese reps and show us what he is capalbe of, but it will also help Rex sit down and let his mind clear out because right now I have to think his cockiness is at an all time low. All that aside, you heard it here first, Rex plays well and Turner makes the appropriate adjustments finally.

I thought this was a very good article. I've long said Rex is our best guy (talent wise) for the position and we are now 10-2 and can afford to lose a game or two while he struggles through a bit of a learning curve. I will admit though, the most frustrating thing to watch is him make the same mistakes over and over but I really do believe a lot of that falls on a lack of confidence that he's been hit with lately and I think we'll see that corrected as he spoke out about it and mentioned how he's going to go back to believing what he sees (which is good cause he had been doubting his reads the past couple weeks). However, If Rex struggles in the first half I think it will be time to make a change to Griese for the 2nd half. I'd do that just so Rex can refresh himself and just get out of things for half a game (it wouldn't necessarily be to bench him).

It stinks they are both hurt but I'm glad to know neither are serious. Hopefully Harris can get healthy and will be able to be 100% so he can get a few snaps in during the regular season. But lets go out there and get a couple more wins to earn him that bye week that will get him additional rest.

I'd be a huge fan of this move, but Lovie obviously doesn't have any history with Parrish so the only way I see this happening is if JA really was a fan of Parrish or if Mike Brown and some of his former teammates lobby a bit for this move (or just suggest it to Lovie who would than go to JA). It makes a lot of sense though, but I dont' know how Parrish would be in the cover 2. Regardless he's a leader and a guy that I'd like to have on the team.

Cool stuff.

I'm not doubting that, I'm just saying how much better it is to be worried about something like this as opposed to just trying to find a way to win a few games during the course of a season. Now we have a couple minor concerns and if this team can address them or improve upon things (and as far as i'm concerned, we have the personell to do it) we will have ever chance to be Super Bowl champs.

Can you imagine that we have clinched the division and there are still Bears fans frustrated or upset. Our franchise has really came a long way under Lovie and Angelo to the point that we are nitpicking over perfection as opposed to just hoping to win a game. Its really great and I'm glad we are back to back NFC North champs. Next up lets clinch homefield throughout and start off by winning a playoff game (and hopefully another and another).

I still want Rex starting, but I think more specifically Rex is only good when he has confidence and that tends to hold true regardless of who the QB is. Right now Rex is hurting on confidence (he's still cocky) but his lack of confidence makes him overthink plays and in turn means he takes too long to get rid of the ball (which has long been one of his strengths). Basically everything is just working against him and it doesn't help that our offensive coordinator has done absolutely nothing to adjust the play book (especially early in the games) to help get him in a rhythm and give him some confidence.

That would be really cool. Too bad I'm all the way out here on the left coast, but I've gotten the lucky opportunity to go to one regular season Bears game in Chicago and despite freezing my butt off it was a lot of fun. If you all set something up (even if its a bar gathering) just let us know and we'll gladly pin the post.

Couldn't disagree more. I refuse to give up a guy like Benson. I don't think he is near the problem the media makes him out to be and I think he is far far too good of a prospect to give up. This guy has the ability to be one of the best backs in this league and he's shown it the past couple weeks. He dominated in limited carries against the best run defense this league has seen in a number of years (The Vikings) and did so while Jones was stinking it up. I'd really like to see what this guy would do if we started consistently giving him 20-30 carries. I think we are talking about a guy with as good of tools (if not better) than Larry Johnson and both guys fit the mold of being workhorse backs (Benson proved that over and over again in college and has shown that he can carry guys in the NFL as well). I want less Rex and at least 15 carries a game from Ced (Jones can still get 15-20 as well). In fact in a perfect world I'd like to see us run the ball at least 40 times a game.

Welcome...great to have you here

Ya they are a royal pain in the butt. Luckily we got a lot of great members and mods and combined we are able to get rid of any that gets through to make sure that we provide as good of a forum as possible for discussing Bears football.

Man thats a fantastic read. Makes me want to go out and buy an Urlacher jersey. That said I think the next jersey I buy (last one was a McClown one) will be a Rexamus jersey.

I completely disagree on this because I actually think Bears fans under-rate Briggs. This guy is insanely athletic and is one of the premiere OLB's in the league. I think losing him will be a very very serious loss and it will make Hilly a lot worse. That said sometimes its the nature of the beast and if we lose him I'm confident JA will be able to draft a replacement (if that guy isn't already on the roster). I just know I don't want Hill as our #2 LB, he's a great 3rd LBer but if he is our 2nd best one we may have some issues.