Points of View, June 1, 2008

[tshanno]

http://chicagobearsfanforum.com/blog/?p=260

 

The Bears

 

*

 

Brad Biggs of The Chicago Sun-Times blogs that Bears RB Cedric Benson has lost only four pounds between last year and this year, something he clearly doesn't believe:

 

Slimmed down running back Cedric Benson is listed at 216 pounds, down four from last year's list. If he's 216 now, he wasn't 220 last year.

 

Well, whatever he weighs now and whatever he weighed then, if the weight loss is all flab then its all good.

 

*

 

From Pro Football Weekly's Whispers Column:

 

Injury-prone Bears WR Mark Bradley, who is recovering from early-May arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to clean up scar tissue, is telling team sources that he should be ready for the start of training camp, but word is the team isn't nearly that optimistic.

 

*

 

Brad Biggs also indicates today that Josh Beekman is backing up Olin Kreutz at center rather than working at guard. That backs up rumors that the Bears consider him too small to be a guard and might indicate that he's being groomed as Kreutz's heir apparent. Also of note was that John St. Clair is currently at left tackle. St. Clair is probably a place holder until Chris Williams "earns" the starting job. At that point, St. Clair is expected to get a crack at the starting left guard spot.

 

*

 

The Chicago Tribune'sDavid Haugh has one tidbit that was a little interesting in his column this morning:

 

So far Orton has said all the right things, sounding confident and competent, as if he was paying attention last season when Brian Griese was showing him how to handle himself as a professional. Grossman blew off the first two scheduled interview opportunities this off-season—New Rex?—but he has learned that nothing he says will matter a lick compared with what he does.

 

I'm of two minds on this. On the one hand, for all the obliging comments he's made, Orton hasn't really said anything significant. On the other hand, when Grossman blows off the media, he's basically blowing off me. Less interaction with them means less information to the fans. I'm not comfortable with it.

 

*

 

Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Sun-Times has a pretty good column this morning. He makes it pretty clear that he thinks Kyle Orton will win the Bears QB competition:

 

With as many as six new starters projected on offense, the Bears will need to rely on an old familiar formula to win football games: win on special teams, play great defense and run the ball. For whatever reason, the Bears tend to get way too pass-happy when Grossman is under center, and that can lead to an avalanche of turnovers.

 

This is, IMO, true but I think it has more to do with OC Ron Turner than with Grossman. It's probably at least partly due to the fact that Turner simply has more confidence in Grossman's ability to deliver the ball. SO I would argue that it is an indication that Grossman is favored going in, not the other way around. Also of interest was this comment from Turner:

 

"We're looking for consistency. When you have the play down the field, make it. When you don't, then execute and run your offense. Take care of the football. Play smart and play well. Ultimately, the decision will be based on what we feel. The confidence we as coaches have in him, the guys on the offensive line, the guys in the locker room. You can tell. We'll know who it is."

 

I'm glad Turner is confident of that because I'm certainly not. I do see differences between these two but I think you could argue their merits for years and never definitively decide which is best. They're pretty close. I will say that, like Mulligan, I think Orton might fit this description a little better. Orton might well take better care of the ball under pressure.

 

Most important of all, it will be interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing how the while thing plays out. Training camp, please come quickly.

Elsewhere

 

*

 

Packers DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila had arthroscopic surgery Thursday and is out until training camp. He's one of several Packers on the defensive line who has been injured. Though all are expected back by training camp its not a good sign for them. Ask any Bear fan how likely it is that a team stays as healthy as the Pack did last year two years in a row.

 

*

 

Per PFT Minnesota LT Bryant McKinnie met with commissioner Roger Goodell last week to discuss his latest bump with the law in Miami. He is accused of bashing a night club bouncer in the head with a pole. He's a repeat offender, having been punished before for involvement in the Love Boat scandal. Minnesota will have an uphill battle to fight if they start the season with their left tackle suspended.

 

*

 

From Pro Football Weekly's Whispers Column:

 

Our sources in Oakland say Raiders coaches are encouraging their defenders to go after the ball when RB Darren McFadden is carrying it in camp to test the rookie's ability to avoid fumbles. We hear McFadden needs to do a better job of locking his elbow down in order to erase some of the concerns the team has about his tendency to cough up the pigskin.

 

Given the criticism he received for putting the ball on the ground last year, the Bears should probably be doing this with Matt Forte if they aren't already.

[azbearsfan]

http://chicagobearsfanforum.com/blog/?p=260

 

The Bears

 

*

 

Brad Biggs of The Chicago Sun-Times blogs that Bears RB Cedric Benson has lost only four pounds between last year and this year, something he clearly doesn't believe:

 

Slimmed down running back Cedric Benson is listed at 216 pounds, down four from last year's list. If he's 216 now, he wasn't 220 last year.

 

Well, whatever he weighs now and whatever he weighed then, if the weight loss is all flab then its all good.

 

*

 

From Pro Football Weekly's Whispers Column:

 

Injury-prone Bears WR Mark Bradley, who is recovering from early-May arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to clean up scar tissue, is telling team sources that he should be ready for the start of training camp, but word is the team isn't nearly that optimistic.

 

*

 

Brad Biggs also indicates today that Josh Beekman is backing up Olin Kreutz at center rather than working at guard. That backs up rumors that the Bears consider him too small to be a guard and might indicate that he's being groomed as Kreutz's heir apparent. Also of note was that John St. Clair is currently at left tackle. St. Clair is probably a place holder until Chris Williams "earns" the starting job. At that point, St. Clair is expected to get a crack at the starting left guard spot.

 

*

 

The Chicago Tribune'sDavid Haugh has one tidbit that was a little interesting in his column this morning:

 

So far Orton has said all the right things, sounding confident and competent, as if he was paying attention last season when Brian Griese was showing him how to handle himself as a professional. Grossman blew off the first two scheduled interview opportunities this off-season—New Rex?—but he has learned that nothing he says will matter a lick compared with what he does.

 

I'm of two minds on this. On the one hand, for all the obliging comments he's made, Orton hasn't really said anything significant. On the other hand, when Grossman blows off the media, he's basically blowing off me. Less interaction with them means less information to the fans. I'm not comfortable with it.

 

*

 

Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Sun-Times has a pretty good column this morning. He makes it pretty clear that he thinks Kyle Orton will win the Bears QB competition:

 

With as many as six new starters projected on offense, the Bears will need to rely on an old familiar formula to win football games: win on special teams, play great defense and run the ball. For whatever reason, the Bears tend to get way too pass-happy when Grossman is under center, and that can lead to an avalanche of turnovers.

 

This is, IMO, true but I think it has more to do with OC Ron Turner than with Grossman. It's probably at least partly due to the fact that Turner simply has more confidence in Grossman's ability to deliver the ball. SO I would argue that it is an indication that Grossman is favored going in, not the other way around. Also of interest was this comment from Turner:

 

"We're looking for consistency. When you have the play down the field, make it. When you don't, then execute and run your offense. Take care of the football. Play smart and play well. Ultimately, the decision will be based on what we feel. The confidence we as coaches have in him, the guys on the offensive line, the guys in the locker room. You can tell. We'll know who it is."

 

I'm glad Turner is confident of that because I'm certainly not. I do see differences between these two but I think you could argue their merits for years and never definitively decide which is best. They're pretty close. I will say that, like Mulligan, I think Orton might fit this description a little better. Orton might well take better care of the ball under pressure.

 

Most important of all, it will be interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing how the while thing plays out. Training camp, please come quickly.

Elsewhere

 

*

 

Come on Tom. dude is not blowing you off. In fact there is an interview with him on chicagobears.com so I'm surprised as to this quip in your post. In that interview, he kind of sounds annoyed at all the same questions he's probably heard for six years. It doesn't really bother me that he is not talking to the media more, especially when people rip his butt when he answers honestly to that media.

 

 

And like you said Tom, all of this predicting of QB's is just to get readers. We will have to get to preseason and actually see them in games. In my mind, Orton will clearly have to be better than Rex as Rex has shown he can be great and has gotten his team to the super bowl.

[AZ54]

Besides "I'm here and ready to practice", what is any player going to say in minicamp that will make a difference?