Overrated
Yup. The Bears are overrated. Apparently the only team more overrated is the NY Giants. No way could the Bears’ secondary stop the mighty Giant wide receivers.
Placixo(sp) Burris looked like Henry Burris.
Ok, a very tall Henry Burris.
How’s your hand Kiki?
Everyone (esp. Bears fans) who say the Bears are overrated probably nodded their heads in mindless agreement with the Hapless Madden. He’s run out of things to say when he drones on about how the first 28 minutes the Bears didn’t play with any emotion. The Giants stayed at home, plugged up the right gaps, played aggressive when it suited them and looked like they’d paid attention to all the film they’d seen on the Bears running game. They looked like the Steelers did against the Bears last year.
The difference, again – I don’t know shit about football so maybe I’m just droning on mindlessly….
The difference is the 2nd and 3rd string Giant defenders have tendencies that are easy for good coaches (esp. a guy like Ron Turner) to analyze and exploit. If you think I’m full of it, who was the fool in the Giants’ secondary – Corey Webster or the Webster that Michael Jackson fucked?
Rex stuck it right up Corey Webster’s no-hole in the 2nd half.
The thing I loved the most?
Tom Coughlin the old school, drill sergeant, piece of shit run out over and over again only to take a team so far, lose, lose their respect and blow up like a puss-riddled, ass-boil…
His tired and stupid ass didn’t punt or fake the 52 yard field goal (on the bad end of the field) which were the smart plays – and his team ended up getting outplayed and out coached by a guy famous for running “Camp Lovie.”
Then to get beat by a play that the Bears successfully executed last year on the field goal that should’ve never been kicked…on a deke(sp?) that Shanahan famously pulled off on Monday Nite a few years ago against that other gasbag who thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room, Brian Billick.
And good for you Rex answering the questions about being rated. I’ve been saying this all year – WHO RATES PRO FOOTBALL TEAMS?!?!?
I know, I know DC – Dr. Z.
He sounds like someone that tried to kill James Bond.
I’m not saying that the fix was in for the Bears, but the line judge looked an awful lot like Dan Jiggetts.
Hmmmm, there’s a guy, he’s got a name, he’s a line judge…
Do you think Hester and Vasher are arguing about who had the better 108 yard run?
Enjoy the ride Bears fans. Try not to exude as much hate or low level mockery as I am now.
I’m a generally hateful person so I can be excused.
Placixo(sp) Burris looked like Henry Burris.
Ok, a very tall Henry Burris.
How’s your hand Kiki?
Everyone (esp. Bears fans) who say the Bears are overrated probably nodded their heads in mindless agreement with the Hapless Madden. He’s run out of things to say when he drones on about how the first 28 minutes the Bears didn’t play with any emotion. The Giants stayed at home, plugged up the right gaps, played aggressive when it suited them and looked like they’d paid attention to all the film they’d seen on the Bears running game. They looked like the Steelers did against the Bears last year.
The difference, again – I don’t know shit about football so maybe I’m just droning on mindlessly….
The difference is the 2nd and 3rd string Giant defenders have tendencies that are easy for good coaches (esp. a guy like Ron Turner) to analyze and exploit. If you think I’m full of it, who was the fool in the Giants’ secondary – Corey Webster or the Webster that Michael Jackson fucked?
Rex stuck it right up Corey Webster’s no-hole in the 2nd half.
The thing I loved the most?
Tom Coughlin the old school, drill sergeant, piece of shit run out over and over again only to take a team so far, lose, lose their respect and blow up like a puss-riddled, ass-boil…
His tired and stupid ass didn’t punt or fake the 52 yard field goal (on the bad end of the field) which were the smart plays – and his team ended up getting outplayed and out coached by a guy famous for running “Camp Lovie.”
Then to get beat by a play that the Bears successfully executed last year on the field goal that should’ve never been kicked…on a deke(sp?) that Shanahan famously pulled off on Monday Nite a few years ago against that other gasbag who thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room, Brian Billick.
And good for you Rex answering the questions about being rated. I’ve been saying this all year – WHO RATES PRO FOOTBALL TEAMS?!?!?
I know, I know DC – Dr. Z.
He sounds like someone that tried to kill James Bond.
I’m not saying that the fix was in for the Bears, but the line judge looked an awful lot like Dan Jiggetts.
Hmmmm, there’s a guy, he’s got a name, he’s a line judge…
Do you think Hester and Vasher are arguing about who had the better 108 yard run?
Enjoy the ride Bears fans. Try not to exude as much hate or low level mockery as I am now.
I’m a generally hateful person so I can be excused.
posted by edP | 9:12 PM
12 Comments:
I really thought the fix was in for the Giants. After all the blather about how hot Ed Hochuli (?) is and what a great kisser he is (oh, and how wonderfully he calls a game), I tallied at least two egregious errors on his part.
I am enjoying being overrated. It beats not showing up on anyone's radar!
p.s. - Hester knew what he was doing all along - the minute he caught the ball, he stood up straight BUT THE BALL WAS TUCKED AND READY FOR ACTION!! Plus, while the Giants were heading off the field on one side, the Bears were building a wedge on the other side. Brilliant! I wonder where they came up with that play?
:)
i don't know why everyone bags on madden. hell, he mentioned the freakin' Sneaker Game last night! a nice reminder to the kids that there's actual history to this game and not just T.O. and Ocho Douchebag dropping passes and doing dances while their teams lose.
And he was right about the Bears in the first half - they sucked.
Hester loves Primetime!
I think our friend the Squirrel might've had some issues with his mic usage. "Right! You've got those guns, mut ya gotta eat the mic!"
yeah, the Hoculi biceps thing was weird. ..and what was Al talking about going clubbing with one of the giants??
They shared a birthday.
I love watching those O-linemen pulling out and leading the way for Jones. Reminds me of Noah Jackson.
Remember Noah Jackson - oh my!
The Bears o-line may be the thing I love best (secretly) about the team. I thought getting Taint from KC a couple years ago was a great sign (esp. once he got healthy and comfortable at his position)...and the respect they are getting around the league from the refs. They are beating up the d-line more than anything and getting away with some stuff. The only big holding call on Sunday nite's game was the other tight end.
One of the funniest things I ever saw was a hammered Noah J. hitting on Jeannie Morris after the Bears discovered they eeked into the playoffs.
He thought Jeanne was Johnny?
I'm as excited as anyone about the nationally televised 2nd half buttwhipping in the Big Apple that our Bears put on. And I'm doubly stoked in that it couldn't have happened to a bigger asswipe than Tom (Brain Aneurism Waiting to Happen) Coughlin.
But that having been said, I'm left with one big worry. In my view, the biggest thing standing between the Bears and the Vince Lombardi trophy is their running game.
Heap hosannas on Thomas Jones all you want, but he's NOT the guy. The guy who might be the guy if ever given a chance can be found spending most of his time on the sidelines, helmet in hand, in a #32 jersey.
Yeah, TJ had a huge 26-yard run near the end of the first half that did prove to be the turning point of the game. But if you want to be coldly objective, look at the numbers. Yes, he had 105 yards but it was on THIRTY CARRIES. That computes to a pedestrian 3.5 yards per. Last I checked, that's roughly half a yard below the league average. Take out the 26-yarder and you've got positively Rashaan Salaam-type numbers.
Now don't get me wrong. TJ is a good back -- but he's not special. I don't know that CedBen is special either, but then, none of us does because he hasn't had the chance. He's a big, downhill runner -- the type of runner that would seem to me (I say "seem" cuz he hasn't had the opportunity to show it) to be the type of guy who needs consistent carries to get a lather up, pound a defense and get stronger as the game goes on.
As for the 26-yarder, it was less the run than the play call that spelled success there. I'd bet that Benson could have just as easily converted. He's bigger, stronger and faster than Jones. I'd further bet that any number of runners could have made that play work -- Benson among them. Turner gets the credit in my book on that one.
I've been telling people since the off season that while Jones is above average, he's that and nothing more. Major kudos to him for getting 1300 yds last year when every defense he faced could safely disregard the passing game. But it was a career year. This season has only borne that out.
True, every football expert on the planet has said that one of CedBen's hindrances is his subpar pass blocking. Fine. Make Jones your third down back. He can not only pass-block, but he's a pretty good receiver too. So put him in on pass plays. He would seem to be ideal as a 10 run/5 reception guy. Throw into the mix 20 carries by Benson as your feature back (if he's half the stud they drafted at #4 -- and that he's shown flashes of in limited action) and you'd have a ball control, clock-eating offense that would allow Rex to play to his strength in play action. Furthermore, it would keep our monster defense rested with its teeth sharp, the better to eat you with, my darling opposing offenses!
Conventional wisdom says that after investing, like, a billion dollars in CedBen, the Bears ought to put him on the field. But they won't even put him in for the WRONG reasons, much less the right reasons that I've outlined above.
For crying out loud, they won't even put him in in garbage time! After going up 41-0 against Frisco, Lovie and Ron had a golden opportunity to give Benson twenty carries in the second half while Jones took the rest of the day off. At least we'd have had a chance to see what he could do. And if memory serves, TJ's presence gave us precisely zero points the rest of the way.
And for God's sake, I sure as hell don't want to see Jones go down in week fifteen or sixteen, forcing Benson into the starting job for the playoffs with next to no experience!
Mark my words -- you can cart it up here and now: if Thomas Jones remains the starting tailback, the Bears will NOT get to the Super Bowl. I don't know if anyone else in the NFC has a shot against them, but it's tough to beat a quality team twice in a season. If the Giants are healthy on defense (remember they were depleted Sunday night), and assuming Coughlin remembers he has Jeremy Shockey in the huddle), Soldier Field or no, the Giants will win beat the Bears in January. And you can forget about the Beloved having any chance against New England or Indy if they make it that far.
With Benson, in my world, they just may have a shot. But with 32 on the bench, who really knows?
Good for you jeld123. Shake things up when the Bears are 8-1. I mean that. Why be content with what's happening. The whole of the NFL is a cauldron of mediocrity(sp?) anyway...why not try for something great with this big downhill back. I think TJ is or should be the guy for one more year.
The reason Benson didn't get into the SanFran game (I shouldn't know this because I am freeing myself of the addiction to sports radio) but there was supposed to be some retribution for his talking about his individual stuff.
Probably not a good enough reason.
Strangely I have faith in Jerry A and Lovie that they will somehow give him enough reps to keep him useful this year and really see what they have next year.
I think you offer some wonderful suggestions.
Re: TJ as third down back...teams that do that immediately cut off part of their playbook. It's almost like the other team knows what they are going to run...er, PASS!
I know what you are thinking, you're thinking that's when they'll think we pass and I know that they know that so we'll run or maybe we'll pass pass because we know that they know that....
nope. That's not the kind of play caller Ron Turner seems to be. He doesn't allow for much read and react...his playbook doesn't seem to be Bill Walsh scripted...but he doesn't need to start working in the kind of deception that having third down backs requires.
Do you see how quickly we reach the limits of my knowledge of football and how quickly I start guessing?
I don't think it's a bad idea to get more out of Benson...but a lot of the Bears success the past two years (I view last year as a success despite the Steve Smith game YUCK)...but a lot of the Bears' success relies on this team junk and Benson has gone a long way to showing that he is a "me" guy. There are certain things rookies have to do, on top of that there are certain things that rookie hold-outs have to do...and then there are certain things that rookie hold-outs who have further alienated the team and coaching staff have to do to get back in the good graces of those on the o-line that will give up their heads, backs and knees to block for that guy.
Should the Bears see what they have? Of course...but for the reasons above (some of them being sort of bullshitty) I think this is why Cedric Benson sits where he sits for now.
Wow, after my soujourn through the bowells of nerdy baseball articles and other junk, I didn't think I could get all wrapped up in a football talk.
That just goes to show how much fun we're all having with this Bears team.
I am such a homer.
EdP:
Your points are well-taken (and despite your natural self-deprecation, you really DO know a thing or two about the game) but that having been said, I stand by my assertion that the Bears will fall short of the Super Bowl if TJ remains the man. And after all, as Bill (Night Train) Shakespeare once said: "the Super Bowl is the thing," is it not?
Acrimony over "me" players aside (not that your point's not valid), winning, as they say, is a great deodorant. CedBen would do well in this regard to shut his multi-million dollar yap and make amends in the locker room -- and in the media. But a hundred-yard game or two would be the wonder drug salve the situation requires. As it is, I repeat ad nauseum, he hasn't had that chance -- a chance I believe he'd make good on.
As to your point about tipping one's hand with a "third-down back," let it be tipped. The beauty of it is that TJ can run when called upon (especially when the pass is expected) and the defense would always have to prepare for it. My contention is that one way or another, the Bear's only real shot at a parade on the lakefront is to roll the dice on Benson -- which I don't regard as much of a gamble.
Worst case scenario: he starts a few games with home field virtually locked up and if he falls on his face, you put TJ back in and you're no worse off than before. Jones would, in fact, be more rested for the playoff push.
The upside is that CedBen's upside might actually be realized. He just might be as good as advertised and if so, look out NFL!
I believe it was Dan Bernstein who said that teams don't gameplan for Thomas Jones. What if -- in addition to everything else -- they actually had to gameplan for a Bears running back? CedBen might realistically be that guy.
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