AbeFroman

ok... we all agree that this is the first preseaon game... its largely worthless. But I think its still fair to enter the game with some (albeit limited) expectation that you're gonna see a decent offensive drive or two. The first team offense was bad... same as last year bad. And they weren't playing agains the 85 bears defense. I'm going to try and keep it out of my head and chalk it up to rust... but their performance has certainly created anxiety in my mind that things haven't changed from last year. I'm not ready to annoint Griese starter, and probably won't be until much later, but the first team offense flat out stunk. I expected to see at least one decent drive againt the crappy 49ers, and it didn't happen.

This icon seems to apply

i know this is only the first quarter of a completely meaningless first pre-season game... but the bears freakin sucked that quarter... not much to get excited about at all actually, Chris Harris did look good on the alex smith pass rush on that least drive

well Bears4Ever 34, this isn't the start the offense wanted to make against the might 49 defense.... we look hapless already.

Although its basically meaningless at this point in the season, the bears aren't adjusting to the short passing game very well...

I presume he's done for today huh?

Oh man... I've got a bad feeling about nathan vasher

Check out this article: http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=115868 Did the Bears defense send a message to Benson? August 8, 2006 Brian Urlacher and Mike Brown of the Chicago Bears defense would never admit it publicly, but I believe, and will always believe, that the hit they put on Cedric Benson in a team practice last weekend had a message behind it. Players get hurt in training camp, but for the most part, it is usually on a bad cut on the surface that blows out a knee, or a twisted ankle. It's usually not a three-week minimum injury from a combination hit that causes a dislocated and sprained shoulder. Terrell Owens did not get hurt last week from contact. Brian Finneran of the Falcons and LeCharles Bentley of the Cleveland Browns both suffered season ending injuries, and both seem to be typical, normal football deals. I would never be anyone to fuel the fire of a controversy (yeah, OK), and while I did not actually see the hit, it's hard to tell if there was any extra intent other than pure, physical football. However, that's just the problem! Since when did teams with Super Bowl aspirations, with two veteran leaders like Brown and Urlacher, pop the starting running back hard enough to cause a pretty fair amount of damage during a practice early in camp? I know freak things can happen, and football is a game played by men, not boys for the most part. So I could very well be barking at the moon here, but I'm not the only one who feels this way. I think most Bears fans have their suspicions as well. Cedric Benson did not endear himself to teammates last year by having a ridiculously long contract holdout that cost him any chance at having the starting job. After he got his money, he had some decent productive spurts, but also got hurt. From what I'm told was not well liked in the locker room. I would never applaud any intentional injury of a player, certainly not a teammate, but this just smells fishy, doesn't it? I wouldn't have come to this conclusion, if not for another oddity. The Bears clearly dangled leading rusher Thomas Jones during the offseason, almost making a deal with the Indianapolis Colts. The Bears, Lovie Smith and Ron Turner want Benson's more physical nature to be the identity of the Bears backfield. They figure he can pound away and soften up a defense much more easily than Jones can. Here's the problem: Benson hasn't proven a damn thing, and say what you will about Jones' style, but he sure is pretty productive. Could you ever imagine a running back that puts up over 1,300 rushing yards and some more in catches, plus nine touchdowns, getting benched in favor of a prima donna, second-year player? It's one thing to get benched because of production, but unless I'm missing something here, those numbers are pretty healthy. He did all of this without a legitimate quarterback for almost the entire season. Want more to bite on? Supposedly, one of the main reasons for the move is because Jones missed some voluntary workouts over the offseason. Boo-freaking hoo! NFL players miss voluntary workouts all the time. Were Urlacher and Brown, who are pretty smart cookies, trying to send a message to Benson that he isn't well-liked in the Windy City? Could they be forcing the Bears' coaching staff into having no choice other than Jones as the starter on opening day? They'll deny it all day long, but just because they would deny it, doesn't mean it didn't feel good and there wasn't a little extra purpose behind it.

has anybody been down to camp this year? I'd love to make it down there, but I really don't have the time. I'm interested to hear reports of anyone who went...

I'll give it to Rex, but if we are 1-4, I might start to change my mind

this is my take of the Jet's cost benefit analysis for Thomas Jones: 1) Play without Jones (or a running game)... 1st or second pick in the draft 2) Pay a high price, trade for jones.... draft 5-7 in the draft. the jets stink. At this point, they are better off trading away talent for cap room and draft picks.

Haynes is a man without a country... this isn't his system. He's not valuable here lovie's speedy end, one gap system. I wouldn't have been shocked if they cut haynes earlier this year. Essentially this deal is Lelie for a fourth round pick. I'd do it

anybody hear any other reports? Jones was the last player to show up at camp... this reeks of an "I'm pissed about my playing time" injury.

I've been to the Leg Room a few times and I've seen a number of chicago bears there.... A-Train, Zoom.... I know Urlacher used to go there a lot... I like the place actually.... but then again i live in the suburbs too

Devin Hester is my pick for the rookie most likely to make an impact on next year's team.

I've lost a lot of the optimism I once had that a Briggs deal can be worked out in this off-season.... Good for Hunter though. I heard that he and Urlacher were at Gibsons the other night when Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush walked in. Hillenmeyer and Urlacher ordered a Birthday cake for Bush and had the whole staff of Gibsons sing to him.... Welcome to the NFL rookie

Hey Bearstalk, AbeFroman has arrived...

The torn ACL is not the career ender it used to be. Jamal Lewis pretty much returned to his former self after he tore his ACL.... I imagine that Bradley will probably lose a little bit of speed... hopefully that will come back eventually. But he was so damn fast in the first place, even if he loses some speed he should have a shot at becoming the team's premier passing option

Thats fantastic... I look forward to he and urlacher racing around the defensive ends and injurying Brett Favre on the very first play of the season this year... ending that godforsaken streak