Bleacher Report - Articles by Nathan Venegas

Bears-Vikings: Minnesota Has Too Many Weapons

Nathan Venegas — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:45:42 -0500

The Bears dropped another game on Sunday as they simply cannot stop the high-powered Vikings.

The Vikings are who we thought they were. (Couldn’t help myself.)

Minnesota displayed all their weapons and had the game in hand without relying on a heavy dose of Adrian Peterson to put the game away.

It’s scary when a team can dominate another team without using their best player.

The Bears offense got off to a promising start when it tied the game at seven early on, but it couldn’t get anything done after that.

The Vikings upped the pressure and dominated the line of scrimmage, keeping Cutler and Co. in check.

There isn’t much more too add other than the beat goes on for the Bears' lackluster season.

The poor play of the offensive line hurts everyone else on that side of the ball. Cutler doesn’t have time to throw the ball, Forte doesn’t have anywhere to run the ball, and the receivers can’t run their routes.

What’s most disappointing about this game is that the Vikings were without standout defensive back Antoine Winfield and they still couldn’t expose Minnesota's average pass defense.

The Bears continue to fall in nearly every rank of the NFL. Not even Chicago's special teams, a phase of the game they usually play very well, has been consistent this season.

The Good: Their only TD drive.

This is a bit of a stretch but their wasn’t much good about this game. The Bears used short, quick passes to avoid the pressure early.

The Bad: Injuries.

Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, Zachary Bowman, and Orlando Pace all got banged up. Pace hasn’t performed anywhere near to the level the Bears had hoped but Briggs and Tillman have been playing hard all season.

The Ugly: Pass protection.

I’ve given up on the offensive line making running lanes but now they’re putting Jay Cutler in harm's way on almost every play. No continuity on the line has led to the Bears' offense being completely ineffective against most teams this season.

The Difference: Being outmatched.

The Bears simply could not matchup against the Vikings' weapons. Being down to our third and fourth-string linebackers has been hurting the Bears all season. It's no surprise it was open season for Minnesota as the Vikings moved up and down the field at will.

Five Questions

Should we give Gaines Adams back to the Bucs?

Should the Bears rest Cutler the rest of the season?

How many picks were really Cutlers fault?

Do you want to punch Ron Turner every time he calls that quick WR screen?

Will the Bears be better next season?

Bears-Vikings Week 12 Preview

Nathan Venegas — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:36:34 -0500

The Bears play for pride against the high powered Vikings.

Jay Cutler played a conservative game against the Eagles last week but missed key opportunities to score. If the Bears have any hope to beat the Vikings that cannot happen.

The Vikings boast a stiff defensive line that elevates the entire defensive squad. Minnesota is going to get pressure on your quarterback so don’t bother trying to stop it; instead try to counter it with quick passes and misdirection.

The middle of the Vikings defense is anchored by the Williams Wall, Kevin Williams, and Pat Williams, all of whom are stout against the run and surprisingly fast early in games.

Misdirection can wear the Vikings out. The Bears may gas them out early with stretch plays and open up opportunities later in the game. Utilizing a no-huddle is an easy way to prohibit the Vikings from making defensive substitutions and tiring their big men early.

Brett Favre is playing disciplined ball and with the help of Adrian Peterson, he doesn’t have to shoulder the offensive load and force passes into tight spots. Farve still shows some of that old magic when he’s called upon, but he has always been most dangerous when he eases off the trigger and takes what the defense gives him.

Favre has a plethora of young talent that the Bears will have a hard time covering. Chicago cannot allow Favre to sit in the pocket to pick and choose which young player he wants to throw to next.

Chicago has never been able to stop Adrian Peterson, and I don’t see any way they will this season without Urlacher. Peterson seems to have a pattern of pounding inside the tackles for the first half or so and then start hitting the cut back lanes in the second half.

Regardless of how the Bears plan to attack Peterson, the defense will have to be quick to tackle him if they hope to limit his yards and scores. The Bears have to find some consistency on both sides of the ball not only for pride this season, but to have confidence going into next season.

Players to Watch

Orlando Pace: The Viking defensive ends are fast and physical. Whether it's Ray Edwards or Jared Allen, Pace and Chris Williams will need all the help they can get keeping them in check. The Bear running backs will have to chip block them to take the pressure off Jay Cutler.

Brett Favre: Lovie Smith has a good record against Favre, but without Brian Urlacher in the middle Favre will have free reign to expose the center of the field. Favre has shown discipline and patience this season and has distributed the ball freely to his young receivers. If the Bears allow Favre to get in a rhythm the game will be over in the first half.

Charles Tillman: Peanut looks to be feeling good and has been forcing fumbles left and right. If the young Viking players like Harvin and Rice aren’t careful, Tillman can help shake their confidence.

Key to the Game: Pass rush. The Bears cannot stop Adrian Peterson, so the next best thing is put pressure on Favre and make him force the ball into coverage.

Bears-Eagles: Chicago Loses Hope and Game to Philadelphia

Nathan Venegas — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:55:45 -0500

The Bears kept it close but couldn’t put away the Eagles.

The offense played conservatively and even showed some spark in the running game with the addition of Kahlil Bell, who looks like he’s going to make the most of his opportunity.

Jay Cutler couldn’t find a rhythm and missed several wide-open receivers on passes that could have changed the momentum of the game.

Matt Forte continued to struggle thanks in part to poor offensive line play, and Greg Olsen was held in check.

All in all, a disappointing performance by the Bears offense, who needed a win to boost their confidence.

The Bear defense looked good for the second week in a row.

They were beat by some of the young Eagle playmakers a few times but for the most part kept the game close.

Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman played up to their potential and helped set the example for some of the younger Bear defenders.

When your team is 4-6, you have to take pride in the little things they do right.

With this loss the Bears need to hunker down and prepare for next season.

The Good: Defensive intensity

They gave up some big plays, but they also created turnovers and were flying to the football trying to make plays. The effort alone is something we haven’t seen at all times this season. Extra props to Tillman for forcing a few fumbles halting Eagle drives.

The Bad: Run defense

The Eagles ran for 157 yards, including a 34-yard dash by Michael Vick. The Bears' defensive line didn’t play poorly; the Eagles were simply more physical.

The Ugly: Cutler missing open receivers

Opportunities down the field have been few and far between this season, and Cutler whiffed on three touchdown passes and a potential first down to Earl Bennett in the second half. That simply cannot happen.

The Difference: Third down conversions

The Eagles went a shade under 50 percent, and the Bears went 3-for-16. Penalties and bad play calls forced a few third and long situations that they couldn’t convert. There were also some third and short situations they couldn’t convert due to their lack of a consistent running game.

Five Questions

Did you appreciate Donovan McNabb giving Cutler a pep talk at the end of the game?

Should we petition Ron Turner to get Bennett a touchdown?

Was that Anthony Adams tumbling off the field?

Do you think Cutler is handcuffed by the Bears' offensive style?

Are you disappointed when you see Olsen get outmuscled by a defensive back?

Bears-49ers: Chicago's Offense Sputters, Lose to 49ers

Nathan Venegas — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:17:41 -0500

The Bears can’t find any balance as they fall to the 49ers.

The defense rebounded and held the 49ers to one touchdown setup by a Jay Cutler interception (one of the many) but kept the game within reach for the offense.

Frank Gore pounded out 104 yards and the games only touchdown on some tough running.

I am surprised that the Niners went away from their passing game early, especially the quick slants and comebacks to Michael Crabtree. I suppose that had more to do with not having confidence in the rookie and also possibly Alex Smith.

Save one instance where Devin Hester slipped Jay Cutler made very poor decisions passing the ball. He faced mild pressure for most of the game and simply forced the ball where it shouldn’t have been thrown.

The Bears were never down by more than a touchdown so the urgency of forcing ball just wasn’t there.

Not being able to run the ball costs the Bears again as it puts the ball in Cutler’s hands down by the goal line. Something as simple as being able to gain three yards per rush can lead to bigger problems.

To sum it up; the defense played well while the offense didn’t. Time to pack it in for the season and try to play spoiler from here on out.

The Good: Defense. Despite giving up 100+ yards rushing the Bears defense rebounded and created stops when it counted and put the ball in the hands of the offense.

The Bad: Jay Cutler throwing five picks. Getting caught up in the blame game for the picks is irrelevant. The fact is that Cutler was responsible for five turnovers, that can’t happen.

The Ugly: Offensive play calling. Ron Turner insists on throwing the quick out to the receivers. That play hasn’t yielded much positive yardage all season. Opposing defenses know the Bears have speedsters in Hester and Knox meaning that play won’t usually catch them off guard.

The Difference: Turnovers. You can’t turn the ball over that many times and hope to beat any team. Miracle comebacks like the one in Arizona a few years ago are memorable for one reason; they almost never happen.

Five Questions

Are you happy for Mike Singletary?

Do you think Tommie Harris is worth keeping for next season?

Did you even notice that Orlando Pace left the game?

Would you prefer Mike Shanahan or Jon Gruden?

Are you glad Cutler doesn’t sulk like Grossman did?

Bears-49ers: Chicago Limps into the Bay to Take on San Francisco

Nathan Venegas — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:04:54 -0500

The Bears look to find some consistency against Hall of Famer and beloved Bear Mike Singletary and his San Francisco 49ers.

After starting the season 3-1, the 49ers have lost four in a row, which includes a four-turnover performance by the rejuvenated Alex Smith.

Frank Gore amassed nearly half of his rushing total this season in a single game in Week Two against the Seahawks, so don’t let his high average fool you.

Gore has missed a few games this season but still has the ability to run for 100-plus yards any given game. The Bears defense has been dismantled two of the last three weeks, so slowing down the running game will put the ball in Smith’s hands.

Smith regained his starting job over Shaun Hill and has shown glimpses as to why he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, but also why he’s struggled his entire NFL career.

Disguising coverages and keeping a close eye on chatty tight end Vernon Davis is key for the Bears defense if it hopes to reverse its recent fortunes.

Despite the point differential, Jay Cutler played well last week against the Cardinals, posting 369 yards and three touchdowns, all to Greg Olsen.

I don’t see why that positive play won’t continue against San Francisco, even if the offensive line plays poorly.

What impresses me most about the Bears' passing game is that the two top receivers, Devin Hester and Earl Bennett, average 13 yards per reception.

Whether down the field or creating after the catch, this young crop of Bear receivers has played better than anyone expected them to thus far this season, with Hester on pace for 1,000-plus yards receiving.

Unless the game gets away from the Bears early, I don’t see any reason why we won’t get a heavy dose of Matt Forte up the gut.

This is a bit of a no-win for the Bears: If they lose this game, then people will say they’re just a bad team; but if they win this game, people will say big deal, it’s a team they’re supposed to beat.

The Bears have put themselves in a situation where they have to make drastic changes to their attitude and play perfect football the rest of the way if they have a prayer at making that last wild card spot.

Players to Watch

Jay Cutler

Last week Cutler was able to move the ball and post three touchdowns. Maybe if the defense can force some stops, Cutler and the Bears can make more progress on offense.

Gaines Adams

I know he’s new to the team, but with Tommie Harris continuing to do things detrimental to himself and the team, now would be a good time for Adams to make an impact.

Johnny Knox

After making an impact early, Knox has been relatively quiet the past few weeks. The young man from Abilene Christian needs a big game to avoid the proverbial “rookie wall.”

Key to the Game

Run defense

Frank Gore has had an up and down career. The Bears need to make sure he has a down day this Thursday. Keeping Gore and the 49er offense off the field will take pressure off the battered Bear defense and help challenge their offense.

Bears Rally Falls Short, Lose To Cardinals

Nathan Venegas — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:41:36 -0500

The Bears show fire but not in time to stop the Cardinals.

It seems like the inconsistent play that plagued the Bears last season is alive and well this season. The Bears haven’t been able to have a balanced three phase game all season.

The defense was essentially non-existent as it was pushed up and down the field at will by the Cardinals offense.

Kurt Warner was given time in the pocket and carved up the Bears secondary much like Carson Palmer did a few weeks ago.

The lack of pass rush, even with blitzes, left the Bears corner backs on an island with the Arizona receiving corps who even without Anquan Boldin are amongst the best in the league.

Larry Fitzgerald had a big day despite being in a physical battle with Charles Tillman in the first half. Peanut would later leave the game due to injury.

We were reminded that the Cardinals do in fact have tight ends as Ben Patrick and Anthony Becht both caught touchdown passes when the Bears had Fitzgerald covered.

The attention given to the passing game left the middle of the line open for the Cardinal running backs Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells who ran for 70+ yards a piece.

The news wasn’t all bad for the Bears as the offense was able to move the ball fairly consistently and even scored on their opening drive.

Since the Bears trailed almost from the start the running game was abandoned leaving Forte with 33 yards on five carries. Had the Bears been able to stop a few drives we may have seen Forte have a big day.

Bears tight end Greg Olsen had five receptions for 71 yards and three touchdowns and was one of the few bight spots on the game.

The others being Devin Hester and Earl Bennett who combined for 13 receptions for 187 yards and show continued growth and continuity with Jay Cutler.

The offense looked pretty good on the whole but the defense was carved up for the second time this season.

The Good: Jay Cutler. Some mental errors and rough penalties cost the Bears a couple series in the first half but Cutler still threw for 369 yards, three touchdowns and only one pick.

The Bad: Defense. The Bears defense hemorrhaged yards and points throughout the entire first half. What’s most disheartening is that it wasn’t missed assignments or trick plays but rather that the Bear defenders were outplayed on almost every play.

The Ugly: Tommie Harris. After being benched by Lovie Smith for not practicing Harris gets into trouble by slugging the opponent. Call me old fashioned but if you’re a big money player on a team that isn’t playing well shouldn’t you be on your best behavior?

The Difference: Pass rush. The Bears couldn’t get in Kurt Warner’s face enough to disrupt his timing and even when the coverage was good Warner was patient and able to find the open player regardless if it was Fitzgerald or the oft-forgotten Arizona tight ends.

Five Questions

What does Earl Bennett have to do to get a touchdown?

Who was expecting Lovie Smith to pull a Denny Green?

How about we trade Tommie Harris to Oakland for a couple draft picks?

How much have injuries really played a part in the Bears season?

How many of you were hoping for a “Bear Weather” day?

Bears-Cardinals Week Nine Preview: Chicago Looks to Slow Arizona's Pass Attack

Nathan Venegas — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:45:56 -0500

The Bears look to tear down the defending NFC Champion Cardinals.

The stats will say that last week against the Browns the Bears rushed for over 100 yards. It’s a deceiving stat that doesn’t show how the offensive line was shoddy against a poor Browns defense.

The broken record will continue unless the big guys on the line play better. It’s panic time now because they can’t even protect Jay Cutler any more.

The Bear backs and receivers will have to get open in a hurry against an inconsistent at best Cardinal defense.

Matt Forte out of the backfield into the flat should net big yardage if the Bears can sell the play-action.

Additionally, look for the Bears' tight ends to have big games, hopefully elevating the Bears' red zone percentage.

The offense needs to stop with the quick throws behind the line of scrimmage and focus on getting the ball downfield.

Opposing defenses have been able to get pressure with just four down linemen, which leaves seven others to swarm the wide receivers.

Short passes four and five yards down the field will help to make up for the poor offensive line play.

Kurt Warner has as many touchdowns as interceptions (11) and has had trouble remaining consistent this season. Mixing up the coverage packages and disguising blitzes should throw him off guard.

If history is any sort of lesson, it’s that if Warner sees the blitz coming, he’s one of the best at beating it.

The Bears' safeties will have to play extra physical to punish the Cardinal wide receivers going across the middle to give some help to the corners.

Cardinal head coach Ken Whisenhunt doesn’t seem to be sold on either of his young running backs, Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells, although Hightower does have five rushing touchdowns this season.

Stopping the passing attack should be the Bears' top priority, but don’t be surprised if Arizona wants to run the ball, especially early in the game.

If you look at the Cardinals' record last season (including playoffs and Super Bowl) and their record thus far this season, they are 16-11.

What this means is that while they possess explosive weapons on offense, they are far from unbeatable.

How the Bears will fare depends on which Cardinal team shows up Sunday: the team with the explosive offense that led them through last season’s playoffs, or the team that’s prone to turnovers and only a few games over .500 over the last two seasons.

The Bears can help their own cause by playing physical and making them work for every yard. Additionally, it almost goes without saying that the offensive line needs to play better.

Players to Watch

Olin Kreutz

Until the line plays better, its captain should be the one to answer for them.

Charles Tillman

To say Tillman will have his hands full is an understatement. It will be interesting to see if “Peanut” will shadow one receiver (Larry Fitzgerald) or stick to one side.

Hunter Hillenmeyer

Hillenmeyer is in charge of getting the defense in position, and with a passing attack as potent as the Cardinals', each player knowing his assignment will be critical. Adjusting at the line of scrimmage and dialing up appropriate blitzes are the only ways to stop a Kurt Warner-led offense.

Key to the Game

Pass Rush

If Warner is given time to throw the ball, he’ll tear the Bears apart. It’s important to get in his face and force him to throw the ball off his back foot. Also, Warner has a low release point to his throws, so the line needs to work on getting their hands up if they can’t bring him to the turf.

Bears-Browns: Chicago Trounces Cleveland

Nathan Venegas — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:15:24 -0500

The Bears rebounded from a Week Seven loss to Cincinatti and romped over the hapless Browns, Sunday.

The first half saw the Bears held to three early field goals before finally being able to put the ball in the end zone.

The offensive line continues to struggle in both pass protection and run blocking yet Matt Forte still ran for 90 yards and two touchdowns.

Jay Cutler looked frustrated early as the offense couldn’t punch it in the end zone and had to settle for field goals.

But the Bears limited their turnovers and were patient on offense. They won the time of possession battle by 15 minutes.

The Bears defense forced five turnovers—including a Charles Tillman interception that was run back for a touchdown—as they kept the woeful Browns off the field and setting up their offense.

Daniel Manning had a good game forcing a fumble and snagging an interception.

Aside from the offensive line, the only other hiccup in the game was the shanked punt by Brad Maynard which setup the Browns' only touchdown. Usually a sure-thing punter, Maynard simply hit the ball off the side of his foot.

Critics will say, They beat the Browns, big deal. But good teams win the games they’re supposed to win and the Bears won this one in convincing fashion, even if the line still needs drastic improvement.

The Good: Matt Forte. The line continued to struggle but he managed to hit some cut-back lanes for yards and got in the end zone twice.

The Bad: Play calling. When your offensive line isn’t doing you any favors, dialing up screens and passes behind the line of scrimmage won't help move the ball. Getting the ball to your playmakers four or five yards down the field, West-coast style, should free them up for yards after the catch.

The Ugly: Offensive line. The line gave up four sacks as Jay Cutler was under fire most of the game. The running lanes were few and far between and their goal line play kept the Bears kicking field goals early in the game.

The Difference: Quarterback play. Cutler didn’t have any touchdowns but he threw the ball for 225 yards beating out lowly Derek Anderson who threw for 76 yards. Cutler remained patient and threw the ball away when he couldn’t find an open receiver instead of forcing the play.

Five Questions

Should Garrett Wolfe be included more in the offense?

Has anyone seen Gaines Adams?

Do you approve of Jay Cutler jaw-jacking with opposing teams coordinators?

Should the Bears wear the orange jerseys more often?

How soon will Cleveland trade Josh Cribbs?

Bears-Browns Week Eight Preview: Offensive Line Key to Chicago's Chances

Nathan Venegas — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:17:03 -0400

Lovie Smith and Co. look to bounce back against the lowly Cleveland Browns.

If the Bears' offensive line isn’t going to get the job done, then the rest of the offense needs to figure out ways to be productive without their help.

It won’t be easy, but the most common way to avoid the rush and create opportunities is to utilize the “West Coast” style of offense: short passes to the backs and receivers for five and six-yard gains.

Without the line, the running game will continue to suffer. Perhaps Ron Turner, the Bears' offensive coordinator, can cook up some misdirection plays to help create opportunities for Matt Forte.

Otherwise Forte will have defenders in his face in the backfield per the trend thus far this season.

Keep an eye on Shaun Rogers—he’s a big nose tackle who’s given the Bears trouble in the past.

While Tommie Harris hasn’t exactly produced, I’ve always believed that if a D-lineman draws a double team, then that’s a positive for the rest of the guys on the line.

They felt Harris' absence against the Bengals, as there was no pressure put on Carson Palmer, who proceeded to carve up the Bears into little pathetic chunks of pathetic Cubs.

I think the linebacking corps has performed well despite having tons of injuries. Lance Briggs continues to play like a Pro Bowler, but with both the D-line and secondary exposed, it limits his ability to make plays.

While the Browns don’t have a passer of Palmer's caliber, both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson are capable of throwing the ball even if the rest of their team is less than desirable.

Getting back to the basics and maintaining gap discipline will be a huge step forward in rebounding from the embarrassing loss to the Bengals.

Players to Watch

Olin Kreutz

The offensive line has played poorly, and Kreutz is the leader of the line. He must be the one to lead the turnaround.

Matt Forte

The line hasn’t given him any help, but he’s the one carrying the ball. I’m not saying he should force the issue, but if the line isn’t opening up the running lanes, Forte needs to show some fire and make something happen.

Jay Cutler

We have to see how Cutler responds if the offensive line continues to play poorly. If he’s constantly under fire, he’ll have to go to quick reads and read the pressure accurately.

Key to the Game

Line of scrimmage

Losing the battle off the snap has cost the Bears the past two games. What has me worried is the fact that the offensive line in particular just seem to be outplayed on every other snap, allowing pressure without blitzers and being flat-out unable to open holes for the running game.

Bears-Bengals: Chicago Routed By Cincinnati, 45-10

Nathan Venegas — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:16:55 -0400

The Bears got blown up at the line Sunday and were embarrassed by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Once again the Bears offensive line failed to do much of anything to help the team. Jay Cutler didn’t have time to pass the ball and Matt Forte had nowhere to run the ball.

Even without their leading pass rusher Antwan Odom, who will miss the rest of the season with an injury, the Bengals put pressure on the Bears offense.

When Jay Cutler has time to throw the ball, he’s proven to be efficient and capable of leading the team to scores late in the game. Without protection, he has no chance to show that effectiveness.

I don’t know how long it will take for the offensive line to gel and play better but if it doesn’t happen very soon the Bears will be out of contention early.

The absence of Tommie Harris was felt as the defense could not get much pressure on Carson Palmer and had no idea how to stop Cedric Benson.

The Bengals very large offensive line pushed the front four of the Bears around at will.

Confusion in the secondary led to easy scores in the red zone and helped to soothe Chad Ochocinco’s ego.

Just to give those that didn’t see the game an idea of how it went, when the Bears finally did force the Bengals to punt, the usually tip-top Bears special teams ran into the Bengal punter, giving them the first down.

The Good: Devin Hester. Aside from his fumble, Hester looked pretty good running routes. Too bad his quarterback didn’t have time to get him the ball.

The Bad: Offensive line. They were outplayed for the second straight week. No zip off the line and not being able to open running lanes was the story on offense.

The Ugly: Offensive line. They get a second mention for the simple fact that they couldn’t stop the Bengals' four down lineman from getting pressure.

The Difference: Line of scrimmage. The Bengals controlled the line on both sides of the ball. Winning all the little battles in the trenches makes everything else easy.

Five Questions

Isn’t it funny that you play better when you’re not drinking all the time, Cedric Benson?

Didn’t the Bears sign a new defensive lineman?

How tough is Earl Bennett?

Is it time to call up Derrick Brooks?

How long will Lovie put up with the offensive line?

Chicago Bears-Cincinnati Bengals Week Seven Preview

Nathan Venegas — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:43:04 -0400

The Bears look to bounce back from a tough loss against the surprising Bengals.

The line of scrimmage is where games are won and lost. Controlling the line on both sides of the ball is paramount for a Bears team who’ve seen their offensive line to play inconsistently and cost them their last game.

When Jay Cutler has had protection he’s been able to find the open receiver and move the ball down the field. When he’s been hurried he’s made some poor decisions that have led to six interceptions in the Bears two losses.

It’s simple: Cutler with time means the Bears win.

Matt Forte certainly hasn’t been granted any favors by the offensive line and his stats reflect that. Critics will say that Forte has the “sophomore jinx” which isn’t fair considering what he’s had to work with.

Until the line gets the running game going they will continue to be the focus of criticism. Against the Falcons they were embarrassed by giving up sacks and allowing pressure even with no blitzers to pick up.

Discussing the Bears backs and receivers is pointless unless the offensive line improves their play. If they don’t the Bears won’t win many games.

Stopping the run and forcing the Bengal’s into third and long situations is the recipe for a Bears victory.

Carson Palmer looks to be back in Pro Bowl form and has capable weapons to work with. The addition of Laveranues Coles has given Palmer a veteran target when Chad Ochocinco gets double-covered.

Speaking of which, Chad Ochocinco (still can’t believe he legally changed his name) has already begun talking trash to the Bears, especially Charles Tillman.

No doubt Ochocinco is talented and Tillman will have his hands full if Carson Palmer is given time in the pocket. Throwing off their timing should be “Peanuts” game plan, jam him off the snap and make him late to the route.

Is it too much to ask for a pick-six from Tillman on a pass intended to Ochocinco?

Cedric Benson has found new life in Cincinnati and is running like the first rounder the Bears hoped he could be. Just not for a different team.

I’m one of the jaded Bears fans who had a bad feeling about Benson when he held out after being drafted fourth overall in the 2005 draft.

However he looks to have his off the field issues taken care of and is back to working hard on the field. Stuffing Benson early will shake his confidence and force the ball back to Palmer and the passing game.

The Bears have to put this game away early. Opponents have let the Bengal’s hang around too long and have gotten burned. Stack up the points early and often and don’t let Palmer beat you down the stretch.

Players to Watch

Lance Briggs: Stopping the Bengal’s running game is important to keep them off the field and controlling the clock. Briggs will have to keep an eye on former Bears running back Cedric Benson while also orchestrating the pressure on Carson Palmer.

Olin Kreutz: He’s the captain of an offensive line that is playing poorly. He’ll have to be the one to set the example and get them playing physical. I’ve never seen Kreutz get beat as bad as he did against the Falcons, that can’t happen again.

Earl Bennett: He’s been quietly participating in the Bears passing game and gaining a bunch of yards. It’s about time he gets into the end zone.

Key to the Game

Quarterback pressure: The Bears cannot let Carson Palmer sit back and throw the ball up the field. They need to get in his face and force him to throw the ball early and create turnovers. Hopefully the addition of Gaines Adams will help keep opposing quarterbacks on their heels.

Bear Miscues Cost Them Against The Falcons

Nathan Venegas — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:25:10 -0400

Miscues cost the Bears a shot at beating the Falcons.

The defense for the most part was able to keep most of the Falcons weapons in check and avoid from breaking the game open.

A few big plays by Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez led to touchdowns and kept the momentum on the side of the Falcons.

Matt Ryan played almost flawlessly throughout the game. He responded to pressure, reading the coverage and changing plays almost automatically.

After their first couple possessions the Falcons adjusted to the Bears pressure by going no huddle causing confusing in the coverage assignments.

In the second half the Bears did a good job of adjusting to the Falcons game plan and gave the offense a chance to win.

That’s where things went south.

The offensive line looked out matched in both pass protection and the running game. Jay Cutler was facing pressure even when the Falcons only rushed four down linemen with no blitzes.

It was almost embarrassing to see every member for the offensive line get blown up at some point during the game.

Matt Forte had nowhere to run and would often have a defender in his face as soon as he received the hand off.

The poor performance of the lineman doesn’t justify Forte’s goal line fumbles but they certainly didn’t help.

Something has to happen to fix the problems on the line; the Bears have too many things going for them so far this season to lose it all because the o-line is getting out played.

The Good: Run defense. The Bears held Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood to 51 yards on the ground.

The Bad: The offensive line. They are still not able to open up any holes for the running game and this is the first week they failed in pass protection forcing Cutler to throw the ball earlier than he wanted.

The Ugly: Penalties on the final drive.

The Difference: Red Zone efficiency. Turnovers, miscues and just plain sloppy play cost the Bears in a game where points were hard to come by.

Five Questions

Should a player the size of Greg Olsen ever lose a jump ball against a corner back?

How will Lovie Smith respond to the o-line’s poor play?

Is it wrong to petition the league for no more Sunday Night games?

Will Devin Hester return a kick back for a touchdown this season?

Who else is impressed with Earl Bennett?

Bears-Falcons Week Six Preview

Nathan Venegas — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:25:12 -0400

The Bears look to avenge last season’s last second loss when they take on the Falcons.

Lovie Smith has gone on record to say that he won’t be using last season’s loss to Atlanta to motivate his team heading into Sunday Night’s game.

Luckily he won’t have to; I’m sure most of the team are still sore from that loss (along with a couple others) and will use it to motivate themselves.

The Bears defensive line is probably the sorest of the entire team. Their failure to put pressure on then rookie Matt Ryan allowed him to throw for 301 yards and a touchdown.

Getting pressure on any quarterback is the game plan of every defense but in the Bears’ case it goes double so due to the inconsistent play of the secondary.

The Bear safeties will have to concern themselves with helping to stop the run which leaves the cornerbacks in man coverage against Roddy White and the rest of the Falcons receiving corps.

Michael Turner can gain yards in a hurry and has a respectable 3.7 yards per carry so far this season.

Like last season in acquiring Michael Turner the Falcons have upgraded their offense this past off season with the addition of arguably the best tight end of all-time Tony Gonzalez.

Gonzalez has shown little of his age thus far in his tenure with the Falcons posting 215 yards and two touchdowns. Bear line backers will have their hands full keeping Gonzalez in check.

The Bears offensive line knows exactly what it has to do; open running lanes for Matt Forte. They’ve had two weeks to work out the kinks in the running game.

I hope the Bears don’t succumb to elaborate running and blocking schemes and continue to pound the ball between the tackles. If the offensive line can get a little push Matt Forte is more than capable of finding the hole.

Jay Cutler and the rest of the offense needs to continue to do what it’s done for the last three games; score points and limit turnovers.

Spreading the ball around has helped keep opposing defenses on their toes so we can expect more of the same Sunday Night.

Utilizing speedsters like Devin Hester and Johnny Knox not only help stretch the field but they also have the ability to make something happen after the catch. Earl Bennett has quietly gained more receiving yards than any other Bears player and continues to look better at running routes.

Tight ends Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark (even Kellen Davis) are sure-handed big men who can tear up the middle of the field.

To put it plainly the Bears have enough weapons to put up points on the Falcons the question that remains is if the defense can stop Matt Ryan and Co. from scoring.

Players to Watch

Whoever plays middle line backer: The Falcons have an impressive arsenal of weapons that can cause trouble in the middle of the field particularly the running backs and tight ends. Keeping the second level of the defense air tight is necessary to give the rest of the defense a chance.

Charles Tillman: ”Peanut” will have to be in Roddy White’s pocket to keep his impact minimal. Creating turnovers is Tillman’s specialty, the Bears will need one this week.

Olin Kreutz: The offensive line has been under fire for failing to open up holes in the running game. If that doesn’t change against the Falcons the Bears won’t win. Kreutz is the leader of that unit and will have to be the one to set the example and get the ground game going again.

Key to the Game Running game. Whoever effectively runs the ball will control the clock as well as the deep pass and win the game. The Bears have proven they can throw the ball but running will help to keep the potent Falcon offense off the field.

Chicago Bears Quarter Season Report

Nathan Venegas — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:19:14 -0400

Coach Lovie Smith likes to divide the season into quarters, so here are my thoughts on the Bears as they complete the first quarter of their schedule.

Offense

Ron Turner has had to think of ways to utilize Jay Cutler’s strengths while also keeping the offense balanced. That balance has yet to be reached so far this season but it is promising to see the Bears execute a safe but effective game plan in their three victories.

Quarterback: Jay Cutler has made himself at home in the Windy City. After a horrible debut he’s been able to take a step back and lead this team up and down the field almost at will.

His gun-slinger reputation has taken a back seat to one of being incredibly efficient with the football having completed better than 60% of his passes. He’s on pace to throw for 3,600 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Running Back: Matt Forte hasn’t had much room to run so far this season but he’s kept plugging away and may have come out of his slump against the Lions. He remains a receiving threat though his production in that area has taken a hit due to the surprise success of the Bears receiving corps. Forte needs to keep his composure and hope the offensive line gives him more room to work.

Offensive Line: The line has been night and day for the most part; pretty good in pass protection but unable to open running lanes for Matt Forte. This unit needs to get it push off the snap and create holes for the running game. If the Bears can’t run the ball then there’s little chance of competing for the division.

Tight End: Greg Olsen continues to give opposing defenses problems and youngster Kellen Davis had done a great job filling in for an injured Desmond Clark. They are big targets for Cutler to throw to and have been invaluable in goal line situations. Olsen and Davis have combined 17 receptions for 152 yards and four touchdowns.

Wide Receiver: Going into the season no one thought the Bears had a receiver who could accommodate Jay Cutler. No single wide out has emerged as the number one guy but all have done their part in getting open and making plays after the catch.

Devin Hester garners most of the attention form opposing defenses which opened the door for Johnny Knox to shine and become a yards-after-catch machine. It’s also worth mentioning that Earl Bennett has quietly played well enough to lead the team with 200 yards receiving.

Defense

Lovie Smith calling the defense and the addition of Rod Marinelli has helped the defense come up big at the end of games. The secondary is still a little banged up but has held up okay for the most part save a few big plays.

What a difference getting pressure on the quarterback makes. For the most part the Bears defense ranks middle of the pack in all categories but when the games been on the line they have stepped up and delivered.

Defensive Line: The biggest reason the Bears lost seven games last season was the lack of a pass rush. So far this season the pass rush has been pretty good for the most part especially late in games.

The Bears defensive ends have been getting off the ball very well and have come up big when it mattered most. Adewale Ogunleye and Alex Brown have a combined seven sacks and Tommie Harris even has an interception.

Line Backer: The position with the most depth going in to the season has certainly been tested and three wins later they’ve performed admirably. Hunter Hillenmeyer, Nick Roach and Jamar Williams have all filled in for injured players and played well.

Lance Briggs has been playing like the Lance Briggs we’ve come to expect being a difference maker at weak side linebacker.

Corner Back: The demotion of Nathan Vasher was a long time coming as Vasher hasn’t been able to regain his Pro Bowl form. Time will tell if Zachary Bowman is up to the task but we can still count on Charles Tillman to create turnovers. They’ll need to be more physical down the stretch and get in the faces of opposing wide receivers.

Safety: Rookie Al Afalava has been a pleasant surprise. Every game he’s been in the middle of plays chasing after the ball and has been very close to quite a few interceptions.

Afalava and Kevin Payne have been ball hawks so far this season. Daniel Manning leads the team in tackles and even forced a safety in the season opener. This group hasn’t been stellar but they’ve played well enough for three victories.

Special Teams

You can’t say enough good things about Dave Toub and the job he’s done with this squad. Robbie Gould and Brad Maynard are reliable and the Bears have several players who can return kicks that have the ability to take it the distance. For the last few years this has been the only consistent phase for the Bears.

Punter: Brad Maynard continues to be one of the better punters in the league and really put the pressure on against the Lions by pinning them inside their own 20 all four punts.

Kicker: Every analyst likes to bring up that Robbie Gould doesn’t have a “big” leg. Regardless of that the fact that he’s won as many games as he has for the Bears has to put him in the upper tier of NFL place kickers. I’d like to see Gould improve his range a little but he’s been well, gold when we’ve needed him.

Kick Returning: A plethora of players have contributed to kick returning duties this season and all have done very well, most notably rookie Johnny Knox. Devin Hester may never return to his 2006-07 form but with play makers like Knox, Daniel Manning and to a lesser extent Earl Bennett on the team he won’t have to.

The Bears sit at 3-1 and are in second place in the NFC North. If some key players can get healthy then the Bears should be able to make some noise down the stretch and be a part of the playoff picture.

Chicago Bears Tame the Detroit Lions

Nathan Venegas — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:47:56 -0400

The Bears double up the rejuvenated Lions Sunday at Soldier Field.

A tale of two halves for the defense as the Lions started fast and put 21 points.

The first half saw the Bears defense unable to get much pressure on Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford giving him time in the pocket to find stud wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

Calvin Johnson draws a lot of attention and was able to free up some of his teammates for scores.

The second half on the other hand saw almost the complete opposite. Pressure on the quarterback, limited touches by Lions receivers and completely shutting down the running game.

What a difference the defensive line can make and how much they help the secondary. Adewale Ogunleye led the way with 2.5 sacks and helped welcome Matthew Stafford to the NFC North.

The stat line will say that Matt Forte rushed for 121 yards on 12 carries. The reality is that aside from a few big plays the running game struggled against a less than stellar Lions defense.

Something has to happen over the bye week with that offensive line or the Bears will be in trouble down the stretch.

Jay Cutler leaving his feet for the score was a little scary and hopefully Cutler running the ball won’t be a regular sight but it’s nice to see him fight for every score. His efficiency since laying an egg against the Packers is something special.

Since week one Cutler’s thrown seven touchdowns and only one interception and has had a rating of over 100 the last three games.

The first half was shaky but changes were made and the Bears came away with a divisional win.

The Good: Special Teams. Whether it’s Johnny Knox returning a kickoff for a touchdown, Robbie Gould making his first field goal from beyond 50 yards or Brad Maynard pinning the Lions deep it was a great day for Dave Toub’s squad.

The Bad: Devin Hester and Johnny Knox leaving the game with injuries. Let’s hope the bye week gives them enough time to heal.

The Ugly: Running game. Aside from a couple big runs the offensive line simply could not open any holes for Matt Forte. Gaining 100 yards in a game is a positive step but the consistency of the running game must improve.

The Difference: Second half adjustments. After giving up three touchdowns the Bears coaches and players made the changes that needed to be made and held Detroit to a field goal in the second half.

Five Questions

Should Devin Hester be pulled off return duties all together?

Now will announces say: “Robbie Gould has only made ONE field goal from beyond 50 yards.”?

Do you think Tommie Harris wishes he ran his pick back for a touchdown?

Do you think Garret Wolfe was a wasted draft pick?

How perfect is this bye week coming up?

Chicago Bears-Detroit Lions: Week Four Preview

Nathan Venegas — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:15:38 -0400

You should never take any team for granted in the NFL, which goes double for teams within your division.

The Lions have been the subject of many a joke over the past few seasons but after a productive offseason it looks like they understand the mistakes made during the Matt Millen Era and are slowly moving in the right direction.

The biggest offseason acquisition the Lions made not named Matthew Stafford was Larry Foote. He’s a veteran who was a part of a stingy Steelers defense for many years. Bringing a winning attitude to Detroit has helped them as much as the number one overall pick Matthew Stafford.

The Lions defense has a new attitude but has still given up quite a bit of yards and points this season. If the Bears running game doesn’t get going this week, I’m not sure what it will take.

Perhaps Ron Tuner, the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator, needs to air the ball out early to pull the safety off the line and free up space for Matt Forte.

Jay Cutler has a cannon arm and should have no trouble doing this, but I feel the lack of a rushing attack falls solely on the offensive line. They’ve been decent when they’ve had to drop back in pass protection but when they need to get push and open up running lanes they just haven’t gotten it done.

If the running game does get rolling that means even more opportunities for Devin Hester.

Hester is learning how to play his position better and better each week. Also the Bears coaches have learned that you don’t always have to send Hester deep for him to be productive. Short passes and hard running are enough to make Hester a threat at the receiver position.

Second year running back Kevin Smith has increased his rushing yards per game every week this young season. Smith proved he can get to the outside in a hurry and push it up the field. Keeping him between the tackles will limit his yards.

Half of the Bears linebacking corps have suffered injuries which means that someone on the depth chart will have to step up while some of our starters heal.

It will be interesting to see who starts at middle linebacker for the Bears. With the bye week coming after this game I wouldn’t be surprised if Hunter Hillenmeyer sits this one out and we see Nick Roach start in the middle.

Matthew Stafford has dropped back to pass an average of 30 times per game this season but has only been sacked five times. I think all the rookie quarterbacks feel some extra pressure by having their progress compared to that of Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco’s rookie campaigns.

Stafford has shown he’s fearless and willing to work hard. That in and of itself is enough to get a team behind you.

Matthew Stafford has a big target to throw to in 6’5” Calvin Johnson. There isn’t a route in the playbook this guy can’t run and run well. He’s a tall, physical, and fast receiver who needs to be contained to ensure a Bears win.

Players to Watch

Matt Forte: Until the running game gets on track he and the rest of the offensive line will garner much negativity from fans and analysts.

Johnny Knox: The speedster has already contributed more than anyone expected so far this season. As he and Jay Cutler get more reps his numbers can go even higher.

Charles Tillman: No doubt “Peanut” will have his hands full covering Calvin Johnson. He’ll need help from the pass rush but Tillman needs to be on top of his game.

Key to the Game

Quarterback pressure. Matthew Stafford has been shaky so far this season. A roaring Soldier Field crowd and a steady pass rush should seal victory for the Bears.

Chicago-Seattle: Bears Quiet Qwest Field

Nathan Venegas — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:28:13 -0400

Winning in Qwest Field is no easy feat—especially with the lime green uniforms—but the Bears pull it off against the scrappy Seahawks.

The once-deep line backing corps of the Bears is looking a little thin now after Hunter Hillenmeyer was taken out of the game with sore ribs.

Not only were the Seahawks able to run on the Bears defense, they were able to make completions down the field. Seahawks quarterback Seneca Wallace was able to avoid pressure most of the game and was only sacked three times.

The pressure was there but the inability to finish with a sack almost cost them the game.

I think the war of words between T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the Bears defense ended in kind of a draw. T.J. was held to four catches for 35 yards but also fumbled the ball.

None of that talking stopped Nate Burleson from torching the Bears secondary for 109 yards, but he wasn’t given the chance to get into the end zone.

The Bears offense tried to establish the run against a banged up Seahawks team but couldn’t manage much than short gains.

The offensive line spent most of the game back-pedaling instead of opening up holes for Matt Forte. Zone blitzes and stunts disrupted the Bears offense at key moments leading to tackles for losses and stripping Jay Cutler late in the game.

After a lackluster start to the game, Jay Cutler settled down and was efficient with the ball—going 21 for 27 passing for a shade under 250 yards.

The Good: Jay Cutler. Threw a tipped interception early, but came back with three touchdown passes and led the team down the field in the final minutes to take the lead.

The Bad: Running game. Matt Forte averaged just over three yards on 21 carries. The offensive line looked out-matched most of the game.

The Ugly: Run defense. Julius Jones ran at will against the Bears defense. We should be thankful the Seahawks didn’t run the ball even more.

The Difference: Running after the catch. Both Johnny Knox and Devin Hester made the catch and had the awareness and concentration to run it into the end zone.

Five Questions

Is it time to call Derrick Brooks?

Is Al Afalava the next Mike Brown?

Does Jay Cutler show too much fire?

Why all the hitch passes behind the line of scrimmage?

If Cutler wins a Super Bowl for the Bears can we name a lake after him?

Bears-Seahawks Week Three

Nathan Venegas — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:06:48 -0400

The Bears head out west to noisy Quest Field to take on the Seattle Seahawks.

Against a tough Steeler offense the Bears defense held up well enough and made plays when it had to. Pressuring the quarterback always bodes well for your team and that will need to continue no matter who lines up under center for the banged up Seahawks.

Matt Hasselbeck has a fractured rib and will play if cleared by the doctors. I personally don’t see him playing in this game unless backup Seneca Wallace isn’t productive.

The Seahawks have a triple threat at running back with veterans Julius Jones, Edgerrin James and youngster Justin Forsett.

Both James and Jones will stick to running between the tackles and pounding away for yards. Forsett on the other hand is a smaller guy capable of turning on the jets and running by the entire defense. He’s a smaller back meaning he can get lost in a crowd and make you pay.

Free-agent acquisition T.J. Houshmandzadeh is banged up and showing his age. He’s been held out of practice for much of this week to keep him fresh for Sunday. He’s averaged five catches in the first two games and can still big that big play threat.

The Seahawk defense has given up 300+ rushing yards in the first two weeks of the season. I’m sure Matt Forte and the offensive line sees a golden opportunity to create some momentum and get back to running the ball.

The Seahawks come into this game banged up on both sides of the ball. The biggest in jury, aside from Matt Hasslebeck, is linebacker Lofa Tatupu has been nursing a hamstring injury.

Keep an eye out for Chris Williams having to guard Patrick Kerney. Last time out against the Bears Kerney had a three sack game. Williams is much younger but Kerney is a crafty veteran who can make the youngster look silly if he’s not careful.

Spreading the field out and hammering the ball between the hash marks should be the plan of action for Jay Cutler and the Bears offense.

Passing the ball beneath coverage to speedsters like Devin Hester and Johnny Knox should yield positive results.

As always Greg Olsen matches up good against any of the Seattle defenders so getting to ball to him is a must.

Going into the season a lot of NFL Analyst didn’t have very many nice things to say about the Bears receiving corps.

A big game from Johnny Knox and timely receptions by Kellen Davis and suddenly the number weapons seem to be growing. Aside from Greg Olsen there isn’t really a #1 guy to throw the ball to but having several solid weapons isn’t too shabby.

Players to Watch

Matt Forte: After two weeks of disappointing performances look for him to break out against the Seahawks.

Johnny Knox: Let’s see how the rook responds after posting good numbers against the Steelers. His speed gives Jay Cutler two deep threats for the Seahawks to worry about.

Tommie Harris: Harris has been relatively quiet so far this season. Most times drawing double teams is as good as a sack. Look for him to eat up even more real estate at the line of scrimmage and allow some of the quicker Ends and line backers a chance to make plays.

Key to the Game: Quarterback pressure. If Matt Hasselbeck suits up he won’t be at 100 and Seneca Wallace is a decent backup quarterback but isn’t a complete passer, rattling either of them will ensure a Bears win. The first two games of the season Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye have alternated having two sack games, getting pressure from the ends is a promising sign of things to come.

Bears Top The Steelers

Nathan Venegas — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:31:26 -0400

The Bears opened Soldier Field in style by defeating the defending champion Steelers.

Aside from Pittsburgh’s opening drive it was a rough and tumble game that saw both offenses working hard on every possession.

Jay Cutler looked like a Pro Bowl passer by adjusting to the blitz and keeping things close with his arm. He completed over 70% of his passes and was efficient in the fourth quarter.

Little decisions have big implications on the game, and knowing when to force a ball down field or just throw it away is often the difference between a win and a loss.

There were five Bears with at least three catches. Not having a go-to target has its advantages, such as being able to spread the ball around and not having one of your receivers facing constant double teams.

Johnny Knox made his presence felt with big runs after the catch and the fourth quarter touchdown to tie the game.

This young man has break away speed and could be a nice compliment to Devin Hester.

The running game stalled again this week against a 3-4 defense and couldn’t get much of anything going. That is definitely going to have to change if the Bears are going to contend for the division.

Matt Forte is able to contribute as a receiver, but establishing the run should be top priority heading into next week's game.

The defense looked solid and was able to pressure Ben Roethlisberger at the right times.

Aside from a Rashard Mendenhall 39 yard run, the Bears defense kept the Steelers run game in check and made key stops for losses or no gain.

Hunter Hillenmeyer did an admirable job filling in for Brian Urlacher and helping call the plays on defense. There was one instance where the defense looked confused, but aside from that they played well against a good Steeler team.

The linebackers and defensive backs against the Steeler receivers and even helped Alex Brown get a couple of coverage sacks.

The Good

Jay Cutler: Bouncing back from a four interception performance against the Packers, he looked poised and patient in the pocket making tight throws to put points on the board.

The Bad

Bears running game. For the second straight game, Matt Forte was held in check

The Ugly

Pittsburgh’s opening drive. Things did not get off to a good start for the Bears after they let the Steelers roll all the way down the field for the game's first touchdown.

The Difference

Special Teams. Missed filed goals and a fumble on the final kick off sealed the Steelers' fate.

People can talk all they want about injured stars but at the end of the day you still have to show up and play. The Bears played tough and made plays when they had to. Here’s hoping it continues.

Five Questions

Are Desmond Clark’s days as a Bear numbered?

How much whining are Steeler fan boys going to do concerning the absence of Troy Polamalu?

Was that a Craig Steltz sighting?

Is it safe to say Cutler just doesn’t like press conferences?

If Alex Brown is out for an extended period, do the Bears trade for another defensive lineman?

Bears-Steelers: Week Two

Nathan Venegas — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:29:09 -0400

It doesn’t get any easier as the Steelers come into Soldier Field for Jay Cutler’s home debut.

The Bears offense needs to get the run game established before airing it out with Jay Cutler. Matt Forte, and now Garrett Wolfe, will have to get off to fast starts to ignite a Bears offense that had almost nothing going for it against the Packers.

The absence of Troy Polamalu hurts Pittsburgh as much as the Bears' loss of Brian Urlahcer. He’s big, physical, and, above all, very smart.

The Pittsburgh run defense will suffer most from his absence.

Beating the Pittsburgh defense is all about creating misdirection. Bootlegs, end-arounds, and screen passes are the types of plays that will allow the Bears to redeem themselves after a dismal debut.

Against a good pass rush, veteran Orlando Pace looked pretty good and kept Aaron Kampman quiet for most of the game. He’ll have yet another challenge when he has to watch out for a blitzing James Harrison.

The rest of the Steeler linebacking corps is among the best in the league and will pose problems for the Bears' young wide receivers. I still like Greg Olsen matching up against any linebacker, so hopefully Cutler dials him up more than he did in Week One.

One of the few positions the Bears have serious depth in is at linebacker. Hillenmeyer was a starter during the seasons the Bears defense was ranked top-five, and there are several other backups that have potential to start for other teams.

Nick Roach and Jamar Williams will now have the opportunity to show fans, and other teams, what they're made of.

I have to admit that seeing the Bears' defensive line get pressure on Aaron Rodgers was exciting. The Steelers have had protection problems for a few seasons now, so getting to Ben Roethlisberger will bode well for the Bears.

Roethlisberger has an uncanny ability to sit in the pocket and work the secondary with his body movement. The Bears defensive ends have to be fast, persistent, and remember to wrap up both of Roethlisberger’s arms to make sure he can’t make big passes.

Pittsburgh’s biggest weakness is their offensive line. They looked over matched against the Albert Haynesworth-less Titans and couldn’t establish the run.

Injuries have slowed Willie Parker, and former Illinois standout Rashard Mendenhall hasn’t been able to establish himself in the Steelers' running game.

The lack of a running game really puts Ben Roethlisberger on an island in the pocket and is one of the reasons he holds the football for so long, trying to make a play.

Getting a hand on the big QB isn’t enough. The Bears need to wrap him up and take him to the turf hard, or else he just isn’t going down.

Daniel Manning showed good technique and some of what it will take to sack Roethlisberger when he caught Aaron Rodgers in the end zone for a safety.

Hines Ward looked sick after fumbling the ball and allowing the Titans to force overtime. Always the professional, I’m sure Ward can’t wait to get back on the field, especially after watching how Greg Jennings torched the Bears secondary in Week One.

The offensive weapon to keep an eye is in Santonio Holmes. Since his game-winning catch in last season's Super Bowl, he looks to have made that leap into the upper tier of NFL wide receivers.

If Charles Tillman is healthy, he should slow down the emerging Holmes.

Players to Watch

Hunter Hillenmeyer: He’s got big shoes to fill, but seeing his ability over his tenure as a Bear, he should be fine over the middle.

Matt Forte: There wasn’t much against the Packers and he can expect even less against the Steelers. Forte’s impact will most likely be felt in the flat and lining up in the slot.

Jay Cutler: An extended film session with Cutler and all his offensive targets should be the main focus of the Bears' offense. No amount of preseason or training camp can get receivers in sync with the quarterback like a regular season game.

Key to the Game

Turnovers. Forcing them and avoiding them will be paramount if the Bears have a chance to beat the defending champions.

Bears Fall to The Pack

Nathan Venegas — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:32:57 -0400

Baptism by fire, Cutler and the Bears struggle against Green Bay.

Going into the season two of the biggest concerns with the Bears were their inexperience at the wide receiver position and the secondary and both were exploited against the Pack.

With pressure in his face the entire first half Cutler never got into a rhythm with any of his receivers. Being forced out of the pocket Cutler made some questionable throws on the run and even across his body to the other side of the field.

It looked like the Bears receivers and tight ends hadn’t practiced with Cutler all season. Routes were stopped when they looked like they should have run through them, not coming back to the ball when Cutler was scrambling and even a few drops plagued the passing game.

It looked like there were adjustments made at half time and Cutler was able to stand up in the pocket and make solid throws.

Hooking up with Devin Hester for a 35 yard touchdown and rookie Knox down the field for a huge first down was a promising sight as was the Bears commitment to running the ball even if it did face a stiff Packer defense.

Matt Forte couldn’t get going and only mustered 55 yards on 25 carries but never stopped running hard. Garrett Wolfe showed promise as the change of pace back if only for a moment.

The commitment to the running game was clear, even though they didn’t start the game that way. A healthy dose of Forte and Wolfe probably would have eased the pressure from the Packers new defensive scheme.

The Bears front 4 looked like they were getting a constant push and disrupting the timing of Aaron Rodgers and the passing game.

The aggressive defensive play calling of Lovie Smith paid dividends for most of the game and even resulted in points when Daniel Manning caught Aaron Rodgers for a safety.

Adewle Ogunleye looked like a man possessed in the first half shaking two blockers at times on his way to recording two sacks.

With injuries to Urlacher and Tinoisamoa the Bears were forced to dip into their deep line backing corps and didn’t seem to lose too much of a step until the Packers final scoring drive which could mostly be attributed to a bad play by Nathan Vasher.

The last thing that stood out was the challenges by Lovie Smith. To the naked eye they looked like solid challenges but someone in the booth has to be in Lovies ear telling him to keep the flag in his back pocket.

The Good: Bears Pass rush. Ogunluye got the ball rolling with constant pressure on Aaron Rodgers.

The Bad: Injuries. Two starting line backers, Frank Omiyale and Desmond Clark were unable to finish the game.

The Ugly: Miscommunication. Between Cutler and his receivers, between Patrick Mannelly and Garret Wolfe (fault Wolfe for not seeing Mannelly blatantly pointing at him). Every instance of miscommunication helped stop any momentum the Bears might have had.

The Difference: Experienced wide receivers. Even though Aaron Rodgers was under fire most of the game his receivers kept with the game plan and made plays when they had to.

What was most frustrating about this game, specifically the Bears offense, is that there were glimpses of what the Bears could and hopefully will be with Cutler under center. Some extra work in practice will hopefully clear up all the miscues.

Five Questions

After seeing the Bears receivers struggle will Jerry Angelo go out and get Bobby Wade or even Marvin Harrison?

Was I the only person who cringed when Rasheid Davis lined up on offense?

Will Urlacher play hurt or sit out until he’s 100%?

Did Aaron Kampman play in this game?

Do you miss John Madden on color commentary as much as I do?

Bears-Packers Week One

Nathan Venegas — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:46:06 -0400

The Bears kick off the 2009 Campaign against the Green Bay Packers under the Sunday night lights.

Last year, the Packers struggled to close games, and while it’s unfair to put the blame solely on quarterback Aaron Rodgers, his play certainly didn’t help the situation.

Rodgers has looked very impressive in the preseason and comes into this season healthy. He’s got a big arm and everyone has said he learned a lot from his team’s rough season last year.

His progress in the offseason has been overshadowed by other QB stories in the NFC North (Favre and Cutler), but do not be surprised if he puts up MVP-like numbers.

The Pack has decent weapons at every level of the offense. Ryan Grant is a slashing back who runs out into the flat well, meaning he eats up yardage from check-down passes. But he has yet to put an entire season together. He’s usually very productive every other week, so look for him to try to get off to a fast start early.

Greg Jennings is their go-to guy at the receiver position. Jennings averaged 16 yards per reception last season. He’s not a very big guy, so jamming him on the line should disrupt his timing and limit his catches.

Veteran wideout Donald Driver flanks Jennings. Entering his 11th season, he doesn’t have the zip in his step he used to, but he’s a smart player who’s seen the Bears enough to know the holes in their defense.

The Packers' defense is looking to bounce back from their down season last year and has the talent to do so. A strong secondary anchored by a couple of physical corners, who garner their share of interference and illegal contact penalties, will do everything they can to disrupt Jay Cutler's timing with his new receivers.

Their linebackers are an experienced group who have had to learn a new system this offseason. The reports out of training camp and preseason lead me to believe they’ve progressed to the new defense just fine.

Players to Watch

Garret Wolfe and/or Adrian Peterson: One of these guys will have to step up and share the work load with Matt Forte. Whoever it is should be good for eight carries and around 30 yards. According to the Bears' depth chart, it looks like Wolfe is getting the nod. If that’s the case, he should be great for screen passes and use his speed to run around tacklers.

Orlando Pace: This will be a big test to see if the veteran still has some gas in the tank. Pace should be getting a hearty dose of Aaron Kampman and zone blitzes from the Packers' new 3-4 defense. In the preseason, Pace struggled against speed, so here’s to hoping he can keep up with some of the Packers' younger lineman and backers.

Devin Hester: There isn’t a more physical secondary in the league and Hester will have to deal with being their number-one priority all game. Al Harris and Charles Woodson will undoubtedly be in the Bears' receivers' faces off the line every snap.

Key to the Game

Pass Protection: Picking up the pressure of the Packers new defensive scheme will dictate the pace of the entire game. The backfield will have to be extra aware of where the pressure is coming from to help Cutler make the throws he needs to. He’s displayed a natural ability to avoid pressure, but hopefully he won’t have to avoid too much this Sunday.

For the second year in a row, the Bears open on prime time. The NFL missed out on having this matchup take place overseas but I can’t think of a better way to kick off the season.

Bears NFC North Opponents

Nathan Venegas — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:26:01 -0400

With the preseason over, teams are itching to hit the ground running. Step one in being successful in the NFL is winning the division. Here’s a breakdown on what the Bears will face this season.

Detroit Lions

Defense

Lions management has committed itself to rebuilding the defense from the ground up and drafted lots of young talent.

There are several veterans on defense that are probably going to be in charge of teaching these young kids. Guys like Larry Foote and Anthony Henry come in with experience and from teams that have a recent history of winning. Some of the older guys on this defense can still play

A steady diet of Forte between the tackles should be more than enough to wear them out and put points on the board.

Offense

Foot injury aside, I don’t see Daunte Culpepper being the opening day starter. He can be more valuable mentoring Matthew Stafford from the sidelines.

They have a talented young running back in Kevin Smith and a big tall receiver in Calvin Johnson, so they’re not without weapons.

They drafted a big tight end in Brandon Pettigrew and if he can stay healthy (apparently he’s had ankle problems in college) he’ll be a big contributor in the blocking schemes.

I’m not exactly sure what kind of pressure is on this new coaching staff and players. Certainly expectations can’t be too high for them, and this may be the best thing they have going for them. With no real strength on offense it can be difficult to game plan against them.

Player To Contain

Matthew Stafford: When facing a rookie QB it’s important to shake his confidence early and force him to second guess his decisions. The NFC North will be a tough place for this guy to mature.

Favorable Matchup

Matt Forte vs. Second Level of Lions Defense: If the offensive line can open up holes, Forte should have big games against Detroit.

Green Bay Packers

Defense

The switch to the 3-4 defense could pose some problems with some of the older members of the offensive line. Protecting the edges of the pocket is going to be paramount to keep the pressure off Cutler. Orlando Pace was a little exposed in the preseason game against the Broncos and I’m sure the Packers defense was taking notice.

The strength of the Packers is the physical play of their cornerbacks, Al Harris and Charles Woodson. They will jam, press, and disrupt receivers with little regard to being flagged. Over the years the risk has justified the reward.

Pump fakes and double moves are the way to beat the Packers secondary. Make them over-commit and bite on the first move and catch them out of position. The inexperience of the Bears receiving corps could be exposed if they can’t handle being jammed off the line.

Offense

The offense will succeed or fail based on the performance/health of Aaron Rodgers. There’s a reason he replaced Favre and since taking over the starting he hasn’t really started rolling with the offense.

Last season Rodgers never had the chance to let his sprained shoulder heal, which hurt his productivity in close games. There were several games last season, including the second game against the Bears, where the Pack were close to sealing victory. Getting pressure on Rodgers is the key to keeping them out of the end zone.

Player To Contain

Rodgers is a given but keeping Aaron Kampan out of the pocket and running lanes should be priority No. 1 for the Bears.

Favorable Matchup

Greg Olsen vs. the DBs: They play physical but that’s hard to do against Olsen.

Minnesota Vikings

Defense

The Viking front four is probably tops in the league. They are big, strong, and surprisingly fast. Trying to run against them is an uphill battle. Anchored by the Williams twins, they plug up the gaps and have ends physical and fast enough to pursue after the initial push.

The Bears will have to be creative with their play calling to create misdirection if they hope to have any success running against this team. Reverses, draws, screens—whatever it takes to get passed their defensive line.

Their weakness on defense is in the secondary. They ranked 18thagainst the pass last season and spent their early draft picks upgrading their offense. The departure of Darren Sharper is a leadership and experience gap they’ll need to fill to stop teams from throwing on them.

Offense

The Vikings are loaded with tons of talented players from receivers (Berrian, Harvin), tight ends (Shiancoe), and of course from running backs (Peterson, Taylor). Stack up against the run, and they can stretch the field with the pass. Drop back in coverage, and they’ll run downhill on you.

Bernard Berrian and Percy Harvin, to me, are similar receivers; they’re fast and can run the post. Shiancoe is the guy to keep an eye on as he runs crossing routes well and also line up wide.

What impresses me about the Vikings offense is their ability to line up two running backs behind the quarterback. The obvious choice to run the ball is Peterson, but Chester Taylor is a very good back in his own right and could be the starting back on quite a few NFL teams.

Finally, Brett Favre. Can he still play? Yes. Is he as durable as he once was? No. A few big hits should slow him down and maybe even take him out of the game. Tavaris Jackson has talent but also hasn’t been able to get over that hump and be a consistent quarterback.

Player To Contain

Like Barry Sanders in the '90s, no matter how hard the Bears work Adrian Peterson they can’t seem to limit his production. Doesn’t mean you stop trying.

Favorable Matchup

Urlacher over the middle taking away Favre’s check downs.

Chicago Bears Look Solid in Preseason Win over Denver, but Still Room to Improve

Nathan Venegas — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:20:50 -0400

Jay Cutler entered Sunday’s preseason game against the Broncos with a giant bullseye on his back and, despite some extra pressure, performed nicely.

Excellent punting by the Broncos' special teams pinned the Bears offense back in the early going and no major mistakes were made, such as forcing a pass that wasn’t there, which allowed the defense to get into a rhythm and hold Denver to a field goal.

In typical Bears' winning fashion, defense and special teams gave the offense a short field to operate and put points up on the board. That is Chicago Bears football. At least Bears football under Head Coach Lovie Smith.

The most impressive moment of the night was no doubt the 98-yard touchdown drive where Cutler spread the ball around the field before finally hooking up with Forte in the end zone.

A long sustained drive like that in the harsh atmosphere presented in Denver is reason to smile.

It looks like Greg Olsen is going to be Cutler’s favorite target this season; I don’t think any NFL quarterback would blame him. Despite favoring Olsen the short time he was out there, Cutler made an effort to spread the ball around.

The speed of the Broncos defense posed problems for the offensive line at times and limited Forte’s productivity. And, even though you hate to even think this, he’s probably saving himself for the regular season.

Orlando Pace showed his age out there, but when a teammate is outmatched like that, it’s up for the rest of the team to help him out.

I don’t recall Pace getting much help blocking from the backs, which led to pressure on Cutler. Even a chip block by a running back before he goes out into the flat would’ve stopped the immediate pressure.

The edge pass rushers in the NFC North aren’t particularly fast (Jared Allen and Aaron Kampman, for example), but will still give the veteran Pace a hell of a time all season.

Devin Hester looked like Devin Hester after returning a punt that set up a short field. Perhaps he’s reacting and not overthinking, or maybe he’s thinking just enough and not reacting rashly. Or maybe he just wore a lucky bandana.

I don’t care what it takes, but that’s the Devin Hester we need.

The rest of the special teams looked solid even when excellent punting by Denver nixed any possible return pinning the Bears offense deep in its own territory early on.

I recall seeing Rashied Davis shaken up on a play. He’s not a very good receiver, but he’s a valuable contributor on special teams, so let’s hope he’s okay.

The defense performed well on the whole, but still weren’t able to get a consistent pass rush. A pass rush is paramount to help the banged up Bears secondary.

Not to sound like a broken record, but not having a pass rush cost the Bears at least three games last season (Tampa, Atlanta, and Houston, just off the top of my head).

The personnel is there and the coaching staff is there; they just need to make it happen on the field.

The following statement is going to make me sound like those sports radio shock jocks, but I have to point out that since certain players are not playing for contracts they’re not playing hard. Since Briggs, Urlacher and Harris demanded and got more money, the defense has looked stagnant with occasional glimpses of being as good as it used to.

The defense has 11 players, but it hinges on its superstars, which is what these guys are paid to be. They aren’t playing like it, though.

Add to that a constantly banged up secondary and the defense is average at best.

Trying not to end on a sour note, the Bears looked pretty good in their third preseason game. I’ve always felt the final game of the preseason is a formality more than anything, so bring on Green Bay.

Fantasy Football Top Five

Nathan Venegas — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:07:17 -0400

Running Backs

Adrian Peterson: This guy can have three bad quarters and then bust a pair of 50+ yard runs for scores. Having Favre there doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll get less carries but then again, Favre likes the west-coast offense which requires a RB that can catch the ball. Still, he’s a machine and there's no reason he shouldn’t be taken first…unless you’re a Bears fan like me.

Michael Turner: Stepping out of the shadow of Ladanian Tomlinson, Turner put up great numbers last season and this season should be even better. Tampa Bay has undergone a complete overhaul and no one knows what to expect form them. New Orleans has upgraded their defense but don't believe it until you see it, which leaves the only solid defense to be had in Carolina. So Turner should run wild, especially playing in domes and the warm NFC South.

Matt Forte: A skilled runner who can go between the tackles with the best of them, but the real value in Forte is his ability to catch the ball both out of the backfield and even line up out wide. Forte will ultimately benefit from having Jay Cutler around, as teams can’t stack up the box as much as they did at the end of last season. Forte is a match up nightmare for opposing teams and has higher value in ppr leagues.

Frank Gore: Mike Singletary is an old school guy and that means running the football. There isn’t a stout defense in the entire NFC West which means that if Gore can stay healthy he has the potential for a monster season.

DeAngelo Williams: To be perfectly honest I’m not sold on this guy just yet. He had a huge end of the year last year but prior to that he’s never ran for 1,000 in a season. Splitting carries with Jonathan Stewart could hurt his overall value but he has favorable match ups within his division.

Quarterbacks

Peyton Manning: He’s had a full training camp and preseason thus far and has a full arsenal at his disposal. Also, part of me thinks he wants his single season TD record back. Jim Caldwell is the new coach but he’s hardly a stranger to the system.

Drew Brees; Last season all of his weapons were out with injury at one point or another and he still almost broke the single season passing yard record. The lack of a solid defense means the Saints will have to put up a lot of points and Brees is more than up to the challenge.

Tom Brady: He’s back.

Donovan McNabb: Still doesn’t have the big go-to receiver but there are a lot of talented players in Philly.

Tony Romo: No drama in Big D means Romo should be able to post big numbers again. The NFC East looks stacked with talented teams so putting up points will be crucial.

Wide Receivers

Reggie Wayne: He’s the number one guy, officially, in Indy.

Andre Johnson: The only issue this guy has is staying healthy. Which we’ll have no way of knowing on draft day so nab him if you can. Big, strong, fast and runs great routes.

Larry Fitzgerald: I wonder how many negative comments I’ll get for not having him #1. He’s tall, strong and fast. I believe the Cards were a fluke last season and don’t expect much from them this season. Still you have to respects Fitzgerald’s ability.

Randy Moss: Brady’s back.

Steve Smith: Double Coverage, Triple Coverage, corners even with shotguns cannot cover this guy. He makes the catch no matter what.

Tight Ends

Jason Witten: He does what a tight end is supposed to do and does it well. Being Romo’s favorite target doesn’t hurt either.

Dallas Clark: I think all of the offensive weapons on the Colts will have huge years. Clark is no exception.

Tony Gonzalez: Aside from Cutler this trade was the acquisition of the off season. The Falcons now have a more potent passing game to go along with their formidable running game. Arguably the greatest tight end of all time gets to have at least one more stellar season.

Antonio Gates: I personally think he’s the best tight end of all-time. He can do it all. If the Chargers stay' focused and Tomlinson improves his poor attitude they should all post big numbers.

Greg Olsen: His numbers have grown since his rookie season and having Cutler almost guarantee’s he’ll do the same this season.

Kicker This category has always been tricky to me so take these suggestions with a grain of salt.

Jason Elam: I’m taking Elam more so because of where he kicks, the NFC South; warm weather cities and domes. The Falcons offense get better with the addition of Tony Gonzalez.

Stephen Gostkowski: The Pats are built to score. so Gostkowski is going to get a lot of opportunities.

David Akers: I think the Eagles will score the most points in the NFC East.

Ryan Longwell: 10 dome games a season in the blustery NFC North.

John Carney: Another kicker who benefits from the NFC South locales.

D/ST

New York Giants: The return of Osi Umenyiora gives an already talented defensive line some pop. Their defensive backs are a little iffy but with a good pass rush that won’t matter.

Pittsburgh Steelers: They were a little banged up last season and still ranked high in every defensive category.

Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens have made a team philosophy of creating turnovers.

Minnesota Vikings: Stout against the run and can rush the passer with the best of them.

Tennessee Titans: On the surface the loss of Albert Haynesworth hurts their value but they have enough defensive lineman to have a rotation to fill in for the big man.

Bears Preseason Game Two

Nathan Venegas — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:17:10 -0400

That’s a bit more like it.

Jay Cutler looked like a Pro Bowl quarterback against a solid Giants defense, spreading the ball around to all his weapons from Forte and Hester to Dez Clark and Aromashodu.

His ability to evade pressure and still make good throws is a skill not many NFL quarterbacks have. E

Evading pressure doesn’t mean you have to be as mobile as Vick or McNabb as long as you can sense the pressure and step away from it while still able to hit a target down field.

Speaking of hitting a receiver down-field, the arm of Cutler was on display showing distance, accuracy and even a little luck.

Couple that with some good decision making such as running with the ball when there’s no one open and throwing the ball away to avoid a big loss, and few could argue he’s not starting to look comfortable in the Windy City.

Hester and Cutler still aren’t quite in rhythm, but there is no reason to panic as its still preseason.

When they do connect I think it’s clear that they have the ability to hook up for several long-ball touchdowns.

Matt Forte was back in the lineup after missing the first preseason game and looked like he hasn’t missed a beat since his incredible rookie season.

He ran the ball well and shook off a few tacklers in the few carries he got, No. 22 also broke one for a long TD run.

Watching the Giants defense bite on run fakes was a thing of beauty, Cutler may have had better receivers in Denver, but here he’s got a legit running game.

A pair of fumbles by Garrett Wolfe and Kevin Jones was a little unsettling but even they looked pretty good.

Jones has proven to be a good runner, when healthy and Wolfe seems hell-bent on being apart of the running game this season as the 3rd down back.

The competition along the offensive line looks like it has elevated each players game.

Open running lanes and a solid passing pocket gives Bears fans reason to hope.

The secondary looked pretty good, but the loss of Plaxico Burres means the Giants no longer have a go-to guy which makes it easier to cover the pass.

Still they seemed more aggressive this game with some nice tackles and even a batted ball.

However the lack of a few key starters means that we won’t know what to expect of the defensive backfield until the season begins.

The defensive line looked pretty good, but I believe they can push their games a little more. Eli Manning had some time to pass on a few occasions and Brandon Jacobs was hard to take down (though that’s a tough task for most NFL defenses) but it’s a step in the right direction.

Though I have to say the line looks better on the whole in the fundamental areas; push off the line and pursuit of the play.

This unit will have to play better to assist the banged up corners and safeties.

Another area which we can’t be too sure of until the regular season starts is Special Teams. Dave Toub has molded one of the best all-around units in the NFL the past few seasons and there really isn’t much reason to believe this year will be any different.

With Daniel Manning nursing injury and Hester focusing on creating chemistry with Cutler the Special Seams unit hasn’t really impressed in this preseason thus far.

All in all I think even the “shockiest” of shock jocks will have trouble feeling anything but positive about the Bears performance.

Bears Preseason Game One

Nathan Venegas — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:51:59 -0400

The Bears' first preseason game is past us and with it some questions have been answered and many need to be reminded that this is just the preseason; it’s designed for teams to iron out the finer details.

No matter how much a team practices, nothing simulates an actual game. Jay Cutler showed off his arm but also showed that it’ll take some time to into rhythm with the Bears receivers, particularly Devin Hester.

A perfect example is the ball that was picked in the first half. Now both Hester and Cutler have differing opinions on this but once Cutler gets used to Hester’s speed he’ll learn to overthrow Hester and let him run after it.

Listed at 5’11” Hester won’t win many jump balls but again this is why there’s a preseason—to work out the kinks, so at this time there’s no reason to panic.

One thing to keep in mind is the absence of Matt Forte and Greg Olsen from the lineup. Minus two of the Bears biggest offensive weapons gave Jay Cutler very little to work with.

I’m not even going to listen to the Monday morning radio shows because I don’t want to hear a bunch of shock jocks talk about how Caleb Hanie looked better than Cutler against the Bills. While Hanie posted bigger numbers I highly doubt anyone with a brain would opt to start Hanie over Jay Cutler Week One.

I think Hanie has been working hard and will be the No. 2 QB and clipboard holder but he’s never taken a snap in the regular season and has only played against second and third stringers. Leading your team's third stringers over the other teams third stringers doesn’t mean you’re ready to start in the NFL.

The offensive line was very impressive. Orlando Pace looked pretty good in the half dozen or so snaps he played. The competition between Josh Beekman and Frank Omiyale should only make the line better.

Chris Williams looked to be in top form and finally getting into the swing of things after missing most of training camp last season.

Kevin Jones looked healthy, keep your fingers crossed, and if the line can hold up for Forte and a healthy Jones can stay healthy during the season Jay Cutler’s job is going to be much easier than anticipated.

Moving on to some of the brighter spots of the game I’ll start with Al Afalava. He seemed to be the only one in the secondary with some pop in his step. Hopefully he can take over for Mike Brown being that difference maker over the middle.

With Daniel Manning and Charles Tillman banged up we’ll need some reserves to step up and make plays. Create turnovers and you’re almost sure of a roster spot.

The pass rush looked sluggish, the same way it looked last season. They registered a couple sacks but if it wasn’t a sack the Bills QB was able to sit in the pocket and find the open man downfield. Something serious needs to be done about this BEFORE the regular season.

Add a pass rush to last season’s team and the Bears would have made the playoffs.

All in all it was a typical preseason opener, some things worked and some things still need work. But it’s safe to say that there’s plenty of time to line up all the pieces and have a positive season.

Bears Training Camp Questions

Nathan Venegas — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:00:26 -0400

With training camp starting this week, the Bears coaching staff have some questions to answer.

Receiving Corp: I list this first because I’m tired of people talking about it. Every time analysts talk about the Bears, they bring up the lack of receivers. Not taking into account that Bears already have a franchise back in Matt Forte, a match up nightmare in Greg Olsen, and a game changer in Devin Hester.

While I admit after Hester and Olsen Jay Cutler doesn’t really have much to throw to the rushing game should alleviate some of the pressure on the passing game.

O-Line: The addition of three free agents looks good on paper getting them to gel and work as an effective unit is something we won’t find out until week 1 of the regular season. There’s a lot of talent on the offensive line, both old and young, to protect Cutler and open holes for Forte.

If it were up to me, I would’ve had all the offensive lineman report to training camp a week early just so they can get started working together.

D-Line: The biggest disappointment from a year ago is the defensive line. I have to believe unless your name is Tommie Harris your job is on the line this season. There are a lot of talented players, but they simply didn’t produce last year. The Bears were anemic at getting to the quarterback last year, and if they want to make a run at the division title, they can’t let opposing passers sit in the pocket.

In the tough losses last season, the biggest cause was not being able to pressure the quarterback. At least three close games could have been won last year if the Bears got a sack at a key moment. Rod Marinelli has his work cut out for him when he attempts to light a fire under some of the veteran defensive lineman the Bears have in camp.

Rookies: I don’t expect the Bears draft picks to make an impact this season. The reason for that is none of them are being asked from the start of training camp to be they guy to start Week 1 (Unlike Matt Forte, Greg Olsen and Tommie Harris). I think Jarron Gilbert has tremendous upside if he can be disciplined and learn to play his position at the pro level, but none of the other draft picks strike me as players the Bears will use or even be forced to use this season.

So the emphasis will be on getting them ready for next season which relies solely on the position coaches. I think if these young players, especially the receivers Iglesias and Knox, work hard and don’t feel the pressure of the NFL right away, they’ll be much better off next season.

Safeties: The loss of Mike Brown hurts the entire defense for there isn’t someone back there to help call the plays. The Bears DB’s got butchered last season, but it wasn’t entirely their fault. The lack of a pass rush didn’t help matters.

The current roster seems filled with specialty players not 4-down defenders. Steltz, McGowan (EDIT McGowan is no longer on the Bears, my mistake), Manning, and Payne all have certain things they’re good at but not one of them is the total package. Working on defensive schemes will be paramount this training camp to shore up some of those holes.

Though all these positions are key, I think the person with the most pressure on them this season is Head Coach Lovie Smith. Since taking his team to the Super Bowl, he’s experienced a serious lack of effort from key members of his team. The Bears have big money players who haven’t been playing that way and I don’t know how any coach can listen to his players constantly say “we can play better.”

Not playing better this season could start the talk of Lovie being replaced.

Chicago Bears Digest Vol. Three

Nathan Venegas — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:18:34 -0400

News and Notes

Checking out the new blood Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie and Devin Hester were seen observing the rookies this past weekend. Lovie Smith made comments regarding Cutler saying he was doing his best to blend in and become one of the guys.

Hester is said to be a gym-rat, no matter what time of year it is.

College Hall for two Bears alums Steve “Mongo” McMichael and Ken Margerum will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame following an honorary dinner in December and official enshrinement next Summer. 16 in total will be apart of the 2009 class including one of my favorite players, long time Raider Tim Brown.

After being a stand out for Texas and being nominated for the Lombardi Award McMichael spent one season with the New England Patriots before coming to Chicago.

Margerum played wide out for Stanford and was a two time consensus All-American. He spent the ’81-’83 seasons with Chicago and again in ’85-’86.

Both McMichael and Margerum were part of the 1985 Bears Super Bowl Team

Cutler at Bears Expo Let it never be said that Jay Cutler is taking his time to get acquainted with the city and its fans. Cutler will headline a Q&A panel at the Annual Bears expo to take place later this month.

Others scheduled to appear on the panel are Greg Olsen, Orlando Pace and Matt Forte.

Vikings to Meet With Favre According to NFL.com the Vikings are to meet with Bret Favre some time this week.

Will Eric Mangini be blamed for this, too?

Schedule Analysis

Week One

@ Green Bay (7:20pm)

Tone-setting time. Another season opener, another road game. The Bears look to make a big statement by stumping the Packers. Despite the overtime victory in their second meeting last year I imagine the Bears are still sore from the whooping the Pack put on them in their first meeting.

Weather should be a non-factor so expect an shoot out with Cutler hitting the ground running. It all comes down to pass rush as giving Aaron Rodgers time in the pocket is never a good thing.

Week Two

Vs. Pittsburgh (3:15pm)

Not that Soldier Field isn’t a perfect backdrop for these two teams to meet this game would’ve been a great showcase for the annual NFL game in London.

Two hard hitting run-first teams. This will be a tough test for Forte and all the new faces on the offensive line. The Steelers had protection problems early last year and Big Ben got knocked around early. That’s the only way the Bears win this showdown.

Week Three

@ Seattle (3:05pm)

I’m curious to see what the Seahawks are going to look like now that Holmgren is gone.

Hasselbeck has a new weapon in T.J. but the lack of a dependable running game will spell doom for Seahawks as they get booed out of Qwest Field after the Bears take it to them.

Week Four

Vs. Detroit (noon)

Anther team with a new look. The Lions make the wrong kind of history last year and even with their No. 1 overall pick more of the same will happen in 2009.

Week Five

Bye

Lovie Smith likes chopping the season up in quarters, this bye week fits in nicely. Having an off week this early kind of bothers me.

Week Six

@ Atlanta (7:20pm)

Talk about being sore from a loss after having the game won the lack of a pass rush gave the game right back to the Falcons last year.

The addition of Tony Gonzalez will help an already potent passing offense. The reason the Bears lost this game last year is the lack of a pass rush and unless fires are lit under some key members of the Bears d-line, it is very likely to happen again.

Week Seven

@ Cincinnati (noon)

I didn’t even know Cincinnati still had a team. With almost everyone in the organization unhappy with one thing or another I see the Bengal’s “winning” the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft.

Week Eight

Vs. Cleveland (noon)

This game depends on who starts at quarterback for the Browns. Anderson had one good season before fizzling last year and Quinn showed promise before being injured.

It would take a total implosion for the Bears to lose this one.

Week Nine

Vs. Arizona (noon)

While I expect the Kurt Warner love-fest to end much earlier in the season this game will cement it in stone.

And just so there’s no confusion I’ll try to make this as clear as possible.

Yes Warner is good BUT he needs too many weapons to win. (Rams; Bruce, Holt, Faulk. Cards: Boldin, Fitzgerald, Breaston). Take one or more of those weapons away and he turns into a fumbling INT machine.

Week 10

@ San Francisco (7:20pm)

I’m a Bears fan for life. I love the history, tradition and players. But it won’t stop me from enjoying the Bears tearing apart Singletary’s 49ers.

Week 11

Vs. Philadelphia (7:20pm)

No one’s really talking too much about the number of play-makers the Eagles signed in this year’s draft. McNabb now has to prove he can use the weapons they’ve acquired for him. If the Eagles offense clicks early they’ll be tough to beat under the lights.

Week 12

@ Minnesota (noon)

The Vikings BARELY made the playoffs last season (they beat the Giants second stringers by a field goal) and they still have questions at quarterback.

Be that as it may they still have a rock solid defense and a guy named Peterson. This game will decide the NFC North Champion.

Week 13

Vs. St. Louis (noon)

...Bears win.

Week 14

Vs. Green Bay (noon)

Bears and Packers in December, doesn’t get much better than that (Actually, Week 15 is pretty good, too).

Predicting to this point in the season is a crap shoot as wear and tear starts to creep on all the players. This game rests on the arm of Jay Cutler.

Week 15

@ Baltimore (noon)

We can only hope the Bears defense is up to par with the Ravens so this game will be the hard hitting slug fest we all hope it will be.

Flacco throws a bunch of picks and the Bears win.

Week 16

Vs. Minnesota (7:30pm)

After the first meeting this game is more of an after thought as I feel the division will be decided well before this game.

Hopefully Bear Weather will slow down the Vikings running game.

Week 17

@ Detroit (noon)

Bears rest starters making this game meaningless.

Overall: Bears go 10-6, winning the NFC North.

Where Are they Now? Mark Carrier

Drafted by the Chicago Bears out of the University of Southern California, sixth overall, in 1990 Carrier made his mark (no pun intended) early. His 10 interceptions that year stands as the most by a single player in the 90’s and earned him defensive rookie of the year.

Though he finished his 11 year career with Washington Carrier had his best years with the Bears being selected to the Pro Bowl three times.

In 2003 Carrier was the secondary coach for Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, AZ before taking a job with Arizona State coaching the Sun Devils secondary.

Since 2006 he joined the Baltimore Ravens coaching such talent as Ed Reed and Chris McAlister.

Five Questions

If Cutler succeeds as a Bear how long before the front office realizes they can’t afford to pay him?

Should the Bears be worried if the Vikings sign Favre?

Who will be the Bears' No. 2 QB?

Should the Bears go after a RB via Free Agency?

Should the Bears re-sign Rex Grossman?...Seriously.

Chicago Bears Digest Vol. Two

Nathan Venegas — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:57:25 -0400

News and Notes

Lance Briggs Cut While shaving that is. The Pro Bowl linebacker showed up to an public appearance with a heavily bandaged hand while shaving with a straight razor.

The extent of the injury looks minor and even the most cynical Chicago “journalists” couldn’t arouse some controversy for this incident. Some reporters even asking if Briggs was in violation of team policy by not reporting the incident, but rest assured there was no violation of team policy.

The only thing Briggs should worry about is the ribbing he’ll get from his teammates. The Bulls' Derrick Rose can relate.

Nine Undrafted Free Agents Signed Most notably a couple of big offensive lineman in Johan Asiata and Dennis Conley. Both listed at 6’4” and 300+ lbs. Creating competition on the offensive line is probably a good thing as it helps to elevate everyone’s game.

In addition learning from Pro Bowlers Olin Kreutz and Orlando Pace will only benefit these young linemen.

Unless there’s a stellar standout most of these undrafted free agents will fight for back up positions and the practice squad.

Offseason Schedule

May 1-3 rookie mini camp

May 20-21, June 1-4, June 8-11, June 15-18 (OTAs)

Rookies will get the first taste of Halas Hall this weekend when they fill out all the necessary paper work and get their numbers.

Speaking of which, Earl Bennett changed his number from 85 to 80.

Perry Improving The Fridge was upgraded from “Serious” to “Fair” condition this week and is expected to make a full recovery from a bout with a nerve inflammation disorder.

Favre Retires…Again Bret Favre was released by the Jets this week from the reserved-retired list. This means that Favre can essentially sign with whom ever he wants. While many don’t see that happening, the same thing was said this time last year.

In what I’m sure is an unrelated note, the Vikings front office have chartered a jet to Mississippi.

Draft

The Bears had no picks on the first day (first two rounds) but made an effort to get more bang for their buck. Here are the picks.

Round Three, Pick 4 (68) Jarron Gilbert DE 6'5" 288 San Jose State

Round Three, Pick 35 (99) Juaquin Iglesias WR 6'1" 210 Oklahoma

Round Four, Pick 5 (105) Henry Melton DE 6'3" 260 Texas

Round Four, Pick 19 (119) D.J. Moore CB 5'9" 192 Vanderbilt

Round Five, Pick 4 (140) Johnny Knox WR 6'0" 185 Abilene Christian

Round Five, Pick 18 (154) Marcus Freeman LB 6'0" 239 Ohio State

Round Six, Pick 17 (190) Al Afalava FS 5'11" 213

Round Seven, Pick 37 (246) Lance Louis OG 6'2" 303 San Diego State

Round Seven, Pick 42 (251) Derek Kinder WR 6'0" 202 Pittsburgh

Without a pick in the first two rounds the Bears weren’t in position to nab a big playmaking receiver. Instead they chose three smaller guys to compete for a roster spot. Juaquin Iglesias was a part of an explosive offense in a tough conference, that being said I expect him to dress and maybe start Week One.

Jarron Gilbert, despite his pool exiting ability, is a gamble due to his feast or famine style. Having the tools to be a good pass rusher Gilbert can potentially put the current defensive line starters on notice. We just have to see his work ethic and how much time he’s willing to put in to learning the NFL pass rush with Rod Marinelli.

The defensive backs chosen offer an interesting change of pace from the physical play of Charles Tillman and Kevin Payne. As was stated all last year the pass coverage starts with pressure up front, hence taking Gilbert in the third round.

Bears at Wrigley?

With the Chicago Blackhawks playing their “Winter Classic” this past New Years Day at the Friendly Confines talk has sparked regarding whether or not the Bears should turn back the clock and play a game in their old stomping grounds.

It’s an appealing option to have the Bears play a regular season game, most likely against a division rival, in one of the oldest stadiums in American Sports.

I have to admit that if this were before the Soldier Field renovations I’d be all for it but the work put into Soldier Field wasn’t for not and from what I’ve heard fans love the new interior of Soldier Field.

So while it sounds tempting I feel the Bears home is along the lake front.

Where Are They Now? Willie Gault

A standout track star at the University of Tennessee he also was a part of the American team that boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics.

Willie was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1983 in the first round out of Tennessee. In his rookie season nabbed 40 receptions for 800+ yards. The highlight of his stint with the Bears was undoubtedly being a part of the 1985 championship team.

He finished his career with the Los Angeles Raiders and retired from football in 1993.

After stepping off the gridiron Gault stepped in front of the camera trying to make a living in Hollywood. Throughout the '90s and into the 2000’s he guest starred on several T.V. shows such as In the Heat of the Night, Baywatch, and The West Wing.

He’s also set world records for 100m and 200m dash for his age bracket in 2006 and 2008.

Next Week

Roster Battles

Rookie Mini Camp report

Five Questions

Should the Bears defensive starters start to worry about their jobs?

What does Cutler have to do to lose the starting job?

Is Jay Mariotti aware of his own shock-jock status?

Are you also worn out by the NHL and NBA playoffs?

Which member of the current roster would like to have a beer with?