Picking apart articles

[adam]

This might be my new found passion. 

So I see a link for a game preview for Bears - Packers here: https://www.playerprofiler.com/article/nfl-best-bets-week-1-2023/

They are obviously picking the Packers, on the Moneyline +100, which is fine. However, their reasoning is bassackwards. If they just said Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon will run over the Bears so Love can play game manager while the defense forces turnovers and good field position for a close win, I would be totally ok with that. Very reasonable. This however, is just plain dumb:

In the article, they state:

1. "this Packers offense will be good enough to take advantage of a Bears defense that was around middle-of-the-pack in pass rush win rate and run stop win rate last season."

They clearly do not follow the team. The Bears will run out 9 players that didn't play in Week 13 last year against the Packers, and at least 7 players that either weren't on the team or barely played last season. This is not the same defense. Poles knows they had the worst rushing defense in the league, that is why they added Billings, Walker, Green, Edmunds, Edwards, and even guys like Stevenson are good against the run. With Gordon's shift inside to Slot CB, he provides a huge rushing defense upgrade over Vildor who was also a liability there too.

Then this one on why the Bears offense will struggle against the Packers:

2. "Although the arm talent of Fields provides a great ceiling, we have yet to see evidence that he can maximize this improved pass-catching room."

It is Week 1 Sherlock! Also, how is the Packers offense with Love starting for the first time throwing to rookie and 2nd year WRs have evidence that they can do anything in the passing game? At least Fields has shown something, Love has literally shown absolutely nothing to date.

Then this one is where I stopped reading:

3. "Green Bay’s defensive core is also well-prepared for mobile quarterbacks like Fields."

Fields was on pace to break the single season rushing record while not even playing in all the games before they shut him down. In Week 13 against the Packers, he threw for 254 yards and ran for 71 with a rushing TD. If not for ESB running a lazy route, the Bears win that game. If allowing 71 yards rushing is well-prepared, what does ill-prepared look like? The Bears had over 150 yards rushing and over 250 yards passing, and they held the Packers to under 200 passing and 100 rushing and still lost. If they do that again, the Bears win by 10+.

 

 

[Mongo3451]

Here's one from The Athletic that discusses our roster from three scouts' perspectives.

https://theathletic.com/4838561/2023/09/07/bears-2023-roster-scouting-report?source=user-shared-article

[BearFan PHX]

sportswriters and bloggers are full of crap. they find little nuggets of "truth" or more likely "common sense" and cling to them like there is no reason to play the games. Like nothing has changed since that stat was recorded last year.

And it becomes a big echo chamber. For example all we knew of Skoronski over and over was his arm length, as if that's what makes a player good or not in the NFL. Sure it matters, but it cant be the only thing, and yet, they didnt talk about his style of blocking, finesse vs power, or whether he initiates contact or catches. It just becomes one thing in a hall of mirrors, bouncing around reflecting and reenforcing itself.

It's just SO dumb.

And Adam, you're absolutely right. This isn't the same defense at ALL. They don't even see it - it's all stats.

Maybe they could have written "Chicago has added a lot of new faces to the team, but they lack proven impact stars on the D line, and it may take this new group with young players some time to gel" - but that's outside of their view.

It's laughable.