Thank you Cedric Benson

[KiLoc69]

A great rushing day to upset the Packers!!!!

[BearFan2000]

Never thought I'd see the day that I'd be thanking Benson. I do think the change of scenery has benefitted him. I don't think it was ever going to work out for him in Chicago

[balta1701-A]

Never thought I'd see the day that I'd be thanking Benson. I do think the change of scenery has benefitted him. I don't think it was ever going to work out for him in Chicago

Gotta guess that the unceremonious expulsion from Chicago was a bit of a wake up call.

[Mongo3451]

Gotta guess that the unceremonious expulsion from Chicago was a bit of a wake up call.

You can tell he actually trains now. Looks like he's on the TJ workout plan. Still an asshole...

[Bears4Ever_34]

Benson has looked better than Forte so far this season. Kinda irks me off..

[Connorbear]

Benson has looked better than Forte so far this season. Kinda irks me off..

I'll take Forte over Benson anyday.

 

Cedric needs to thank the Bears for the huge wakeup they gave him last yr.

 

Peace

[madlithuanian]

It's only week 2. And I don't think Turner is calling good plays and the O line hasn't blocked well.

 

Benson has looked better than Forte so far this season. Kinda irks me off..

 

[Bears4Ever_34]

I don't know. To me Forte looks like a different player. He's doing too much dancing around trying to analyze things too much. He hasn't hit the hole hard once this year. Even that long screen pass felt like it took him an hour to get those 15 yards. The Forte last year probably would have taken that to the house and on top of that he fumbled. He's just not playing like himself lately.

[nfoligno]

Part of me wants to simply blame the OL, which has been dreadful. But...

 

- The OL run blocking was pretty sorry last year, and yet Forte still had a big season.

- I agree that Forte simply does not look at fast this year.

- I too have noticed Forte not seeming to be as decisive. I don't know if he is waiting for blockers or what, but he is not hitting the hole the way he did last year.

- Finally, while it isn't like the OL has been doing a great job, more than a few times I thought I saw him hit a wall at the LOS, but w/ a hole opened up near him. Last year I think he would have seent that hole and hit it, or he would have more quickly cut over to it. This year he simply doesn't seem to see the holes when they do open.

 

I am not trashing Forte, but I agree he does not seem to be playing like the did last year. Hell, I thought AP showed more burst yesterday than Forte.

 

I don't know. To me Forte looks like a different player. He's doing too much dancing around trying to analyze things too much. He hasn't hit the hole hard once this year. Even that long screen pass felt like it took him an hour to get those 15 yards. The Forte last year probably would have taken that to the house and on top of that he fumbled. He's just not playing like himself lately.

 

[madlithuanian]

I was seeing the same things...

 

But I wonder if the simplest reason is he is simply not getting enough rep's?

 

Sometimes a guy just needs to get out there and do it, and do it often. Seems to me he was our workhorse. But now, he's used parringly. And granted, much of the time when it seems ill advised (on Turner). But I think he just needs more reps...

 

Part of me wants to simply blame the OL, which has been dreadful. But...

 

- The OL run blocking was pretty sorry last year, and yet Forte still had a big season.

- I agree that Forte simply does not look at fast this year.

- I too have noticed Forte not seeming to be as decisive. I don't know if he is waiting for blockers or what, but he is not hitting the hole the way he did last year.

- Finally, while it isn't like the OL has been doing a great job, more than a few times I thought I saw him hit a wall at the LOS, but w/ a hole opened up near him. Last year I think he would have seent that hole and hit it, or he would have more quickly cut over to it. This year he simply doesn't seem to see the holes when they do open.

 

I am not trashing Forte, but I agree he does not seem to be playing like the did last year. Hell, I thought AP showed more burst yesterday than Forte.

 

[jason]

This entire thread, from the Benson release, to the Forte signing, to the Benson success in Cincy, is the entire reason I didn't think it was a good idea to get rid of the guy.

 

Am I happy that Forte was a complete stud last year? Yes.

Do I think Benson has similar ability? Yes. Actually, I think he has more raw talent than Forte.

 

I called Benson a douche, and deservedly so, but the guy just happened to be on the Bears at the wrong time. I believe he would have had a similar year to Forte last year if he were on the Bears, but his actions/behavior off the field made that impossible. Maybe he did wake up now that he's in Cincy. Maybe not, and the Cincy OL just plowed holes for him against GB yesterday (which is undeniable to anyone who saw the game like I did).

 

Hindsight for some, but I thought the Bears had a #1 RB at the time, and should have kept him (regardless of attitude). Remember, I've also called for Randy Moss and Terrell Owens on the team when they were available. I wonder who the Forte pick could have/would have been, and whether or not Benson would have adjusted his attitude while in Chicago.

[nfoligno]

Jason,

 

I am about as big of a Benson defender as you. Like yourself, I often felt he got a bum wrap and had to run behind dreadful OLs.

 

But I have to disagree on a couple points.

 

One. You said Benson would could have had a similar year to Forte. If you simply mean rushing yards and maybe even ypc avg., fine. But Forte also led the team in receptions. Benson was never, not in HS, college or w/ us, a good receiver.

 

Two. sometimes players simply need a change of scenery. IMHO, Benson would have never been a success had he stayed w/ the team. Many will differ as to who is to blame, but at the end of the day, Benson felt like an outsider w/ this team, and that was not going to change. Benson needed and got a clean start. Soon after joining Cincy, he talked about how welcome and part of the team he felt, and players did in fact support him. That simply was not going to happen in Chicago, and I do not believe he would have ever done as well for us w/o that mental side of it.

 

Benson may well be a good RB for Cincy, but I question comparing him to Forte. The two are very different. Benson will never be a great receiver. He is a pure runner, and in the right situation, may continue to be a good one. In Forte, we have an everydown, all around, RB.

 

I regret much about what happened w/ Benson, but I do not regret our cutting him. I simply do not believe he would have ever felt part of the team, and thus do not feel he would have ever thrived here in Chicago.

 

This entire thread, from the Benson release, to the Forte signing, to the Benson success in Cincy, is the entire reason I didn't think it was a good idea to get rid of the guy.

 

Am I happy that Forte was a complete stud last year? Yes.

Do I think Benson has similar ability? Yes. Actually, I think he has more raw talent than Forte.

 

I called Benson a douche, and deservedly so, but the guy just happened to be on the Bears at the wrong time. I believe he would have had a similar year to Forte last year if he were on the Bears, but his actions/behavior off the field made that impossible. Maybe he did wake up now that he's in Cincy. Maybe not, and the Cincy OL just plowed holes for him against GB yesterday (which is undeniable to anyone who saw the game like I did).

 

Hindsight for some, but I thought the Bears had a #1 RB at the time, and should have kept him (regardless of attitude). Remember, I've also called for Randy Moss and Terrell Owens on the team when they were available. I wonder who the Forte pick could have/would have been, and whether or not Benson would have adjusted his attitude while in Chicago.

 

[jason]

Jason,

 

I am about as big of a Benson defender as you. Like yourself, I often felt he got a bum wrap and had to run behind dreadful OLs.

 

But I have to disagree on a couple points.

 

One. You said Benson would could have had a similar year to Forte. If you simply mean rushing yards and maybe even ypc avg., fine. But Forte also led the team in receptions. Benson was never, not in HS, college or w/ us, a good receiver.

 

Yes, NFO, my words were not clear enough. I meant rushing only. Should have been clearer.

 

Two. sometimes players simply need a change of scenery. IMHO, Benson would have never been a success had he stayed w/ the team. Many will differ as to who is to blame, but at the end of the day, Benson felt like an outsider w/ this team, and that was not going to change. Benson needed and got a clean start. Soon after joining Cincy, he talked about how welcome and part of the team he felt, and players did in fact support him. That simply was not going to happen in Chicago, and I do not believe he would have ever done as well for us w/o that mental side of it.

 

Probably true, but if the management and coaching stood up for him, there would be no choice for the players but to fall in line.

 

Benson may well be a good RB for Cincy, but I question comparing him to Forte. The two are very different. Benson will never be a great receiver. He is a pure runner, and in the right situation, may continue to be a good one. In Forte, we have an everydown, all around, RB.

 

I regret much about what happened w/ Benson, but I do not regret our cutting him. I simply do not believe he would have ever felt part of the team, and thus do not feel he would have ever thrived here in Chicago.

 

Agreed that Forte is a much better all around back. However, I don't agree with the notion that Benson would never have succeeded. What that would have taken was a front office and coaching staff that really wanted him in Chicago, and had the resolve to enforce their wishes. Unfortunately, neither was true.

 

 

[nfoligno]

Yes, NFO, my words were not clear enough. I meant rushing only. Should have been clearer.

 

Got it. On that note, I can see it. In terms of pure ability, yes, I think Benson could be as good of a runner as Forte (as controversal of an opinion around here as that may be). But one area I think Forte has over Benson, by leaps and bounds, is the mental makeup. Things are going okay for Benson right now, but what happens when there is some adversity. Does he mentally shut down or go into a corner again?

 

Probably true, but if the management and coaching stood up for him, there would be no choice for the players but to fall in line.

 

Agreed that Forte is a much better all around back. However, I don't agree with the notion that Benson would never have succeeded. What that would have taken was a front office and coaching staff that really wanted him in Chicago, and had the resolve to enforce their wishes. Unfortunately, neither was true.

 

Not sure I agree w/ this. Just as a parent can not force one kid to like another, neither can the coaches/staff force one player to like another. To further complicate the matter, consider some of the players who were thought to be part of that Benson hate club. Briggs, Urlacher, Brown. There were plenty of others, but those were three key leaders on the team who were supposedly part of the mix. If it was just Thomas Jones for example, the problem would have been solved by trading him. But Jones had his little following, and thus getting rid of him not only didn't solve the problem, but in some ways, made it worse as some players saw Benson as the reason TJ (who they liked) wasn't there.

 

Many will argue Benson made his own bed. To an extent, I agree with that. I don't attack him for his rookie contract deal, but too often after that, what came out of his mouth was just stupid. Remember the practice in camp when he flat out ran over (can't recall the name) one of our safeties at the goal line. It was made into a big deal. Anyway, when a bunch of our defensive players were "giving it to him", if Benson would have responded by pounding them in return, rather than crying about it to the media and saying how players were out to get him, well then he may well have earned a different level of respect.

 

At the end of the day, Benson probably had ill feelings toward him when he arrived, not due to the contract issue (thats a fan issue more than players) but due to the fact that he was a rookie brought in to replace a popular veteran. So it didn't start well, but from there, the manner in which Benson dealt w/ the players and locker room only made the situation go from iffy to horrible. By the time he was releasd, I would argue Benson had no chance of becoming a good, much less great, RB in chicago. He was not going to have the support of the locker room, and w/o that support, was not going to have the mental makeup and frame of mind to committ himself the way he has in Cincy.

[BigDaddy]

While Forte might look slow, I believe that our coaching staff knew that the first few weeks of the season, teams were going to be keying on Forte. Just like they would Adrian peterson up in Minnesota. There is a big difference so far though, Minn hasn't played anyone worth talking about, no disrespect to the Lions or Browns but let's face it, they aren't the defending world champion Steelers or our most hated rival Packers. Also I think we're a bit unsure of ourselves against a 3-4 in the running game. I'll be anxious to see how Forte does this week against the Seahawks 4-3.

[nfoligno]

Sorry, but kind of sounds on the excuses side of things.

 

GB may be our most hated rival, but so what. As much as that may mean they are geared up to beat us, it also means we are geared up to beat them. At the end of the day, an average run game (cincy) tore them up while we were totally shut down.

 

Understand, I am not saying Forte is the sole problem. FAR from that. At the same time, he simply does not seem to be running w/ the same authority as last year.

 

While Forte might look slow, I believe that our coaching staff knew that the first few weeks of the season, teams were going to be keying on Forte. Just like they would Adrian peterson up in Minnesota. There is a big difference so far though, Minn hasn't played anyone worth talking about, no disrespect to the Lions or Browns but let's face it, they aren't the defending world champion Steelers or our most hated rival Packers. Also I think we're a bit unsure of ourselves against a 3-4 in the running game. I'll be anxious to see how Forte does this week against the Seahawks 4-3.

 

[BigDaddy]

Sorry, but kind of sounds on the excuses side of things.

 

GB may be our most hated rival, but so what. As much as that may mean they are geared up to beat us, it also means we are geared up to beat them. At the end of the day, an average run game (cincy) tore them up while we were totally shut down.

 

Understand, I am not saying Forte is the sole problem. FAR from that. At the same time, he simply does not seem to be running w/ the same authority as last year.

 

That's NOT an average run game. You may believe Benson is an average back but since he left Chicago, it's not like he's been panhandling pencils on the street corner. This league is akll about NOW and right now he's ranked in the top 6 in yds this year with ZERO runs over 20 yds to pad his stats and he did help Cinci last year as well. I thought letting him go was the right thing to do but if he continues to produce, then we have to accept we may have made a mistake. That's not taking anything away from Forte either. I believe we just don't run block well against a 3-4. Nothing more than that.

[nfoligno]

One, when talking about a team having a good, bad or average run game, you look at the team rushing and not the individual. That is my opinion anyway. Quite a few teams now use multiple backs and RBBC. Thus they may not have one individual RB in the top 5 or whatever, but may have a top tier run offense. For example, Dallas does not have an individual rusher above Cedric, but Dallas is the #1 ranked rushing offense in the league.

 

So look at it this way, Cincy has the 12th ranked rushing offense in the league, which is a little above average.

 

Two, we have played only two games. In game one, Benson had 76 yards rushing, and as a team, they did not crack 100. Ochostinko was the #2 rusher w/ one carry for 8 yards.

 

So they had a good game against GB, but I would still say they are an average rushing offense.

 

Three, if he has a 1,500 yard season, I will not believe we made a mistake, at least not in cutting him. As i said elsewhere, the Benson you see now is not the same as the Benson was had in blue and orange. Mentally, he is a different person, and I simply do not believe he could have ever changed w/ us. Whether it is reality or in his head, he felt hated in our locker room and isolated, and he doesn't have the mental makeup to deal w/ such a situation.

 

That's NOT an average run game. You may believe Benson is an average back but since he left Chicago, it's not like he's been panhandling pencils on the street corner. This league is akll about NOW and right now he's ranked in the top 6 in yds this year with ZERO runs over 20 yds to pad his stats and he did help Cinci last year as well. I thought letting him go was the right thing to do but if he continues to produce, then we have to accept we may have made a mistake. That's not taking anything away from Forte either. I believe we just don't run block well against a 3-4. Nothing more than that.