SoxFan1

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Jan 24, 2011 -> 02:12 PM) Lovie: "If you're going to attack someone, you should be attacking me" for Cutler being pulled from game. I'm glad Lovie is owning up to it. They handled the entire thing VERY poorly.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 23, 2011 -> 05:15 PM) That stuff gets said about MSU every year, and yet they always peak at tourney time. It won't happen this year. Even MSU fans are beginning to lose faith. And quickly.

The Bulls are the only team in the NBA still undefeated within their division at 9-0. They also have the 3rd best home record in the NBA (behind SA and BOS) at 20-4.

QUOTE (Middle Buffalo @ Jan 23, 2011 -> 11:32 PM) Cutler has been sacked and beaten up for 2 years, yet I've never heard him say anything negative about his line's peformance. He has receivers (mainly Knox and Hester) who frequently give up on balls and don't break up poor throws, but he doesn't lash out at them like Marino, Rivers, and PManning have done. And, yet, he's got a rep as a bad teammate. I don't get it. He left the game today and stayed on the sideline injured. That doesn't mean his knee was stable enough to plant for throws. He wasn't pouting. When they showed him on the bike on the sidelines, it's not like he was doing his best Lance Armstrong impression. He was peddling slowly, and he problably didn't show enough strength and range of motion to go back into the game. When Taylor scored, they showed him smile and cheer. When Hainie was on the bench, Cutler was next to him going over plays. Is that being a bad teammate? All the guys who tweeted about him quitting are pathetic and they really should know better. MJD didn't play his last few games this year while his team was fighting for a playoff spot. Should his toughness be questioned? Lance Moore missed 9 games in '09 while his team was having their best season ever. This season, he's part of the team that was eliminated by the worst team in playoff history. Is his coomitment to winning up for debate? Deion Sanders never met a player on the football field that he wasn't afraid to hit. I guess there's no debate there. Once a loudmouth, always a loudmouth. Yet they question Cutler's toughness and commitment. This is kind of like the David Wells - Frank Thomas thing. What tools. Need attention much?

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 23, 2011 -> 10:45 PM) Bottom line is we're not going to hear anything different than this sort of thing. But the guy was not limping in the first series of the second half and he was standing up for most of the half on his "torn MCL." I'm sorry, but this is the biggest game of your career. You go out and play unless you can no longer be effective because of the injury. With the arm Jay has, he could have been effective. He was moping on the sidelines all first half and actually seemed to be in much better spirits in the second half once he was out of the game. And to Steve's point about Collins/Hanie, I actually thought it was quite impressive that they made the move as quickly as they did. It's a shame Mike Martz had to get fancy on a 3rd and 3 in 4 down territory. It would have been a hell of a game to come back and push the game into overtime with our 3rd string quarterback. Hell of a game by our defense today. He CLEARLY limped off the field after the first drive in the 2nd half.

So a quick evaluation of the Bears going forward, position by position. QB: Cutler is obviously the man for a long time but it wouldn't kill them to get a legit backup. Hanie is a keeper 3rd QB, if that exists. RB: Again, Forte is the man. So valuable. Runs it well, great pass catcher, and a good blocker. Taylor is probably gone after this year. A change of pace back (no, Wolfe doesn't count) would be huge. Sproles may be a FA. But a bruising 3rd down back would work too. WR: Not as bad as people may think, but they could certainly mix things up a bit. A legit #1 would be amazing and benefit the team a ton. If they spend on Vincent Jackson, I wouldn't mind. Knox is ok, but pretty one-dimensional. Hester is a slot guy at best. Bennett was very reliable as a possession guy. Aromashodu...who the heck knows. And I'm ok with Rasheid Davis as a 5th WR and great special teamer. TE: We're so deep at this position. Olsen, Davis, Clark, Manumaleuna. Nothing to see here. OT: Omiyale is not a starting lineman. In fact, he's one of the worst lineman in the NFL. We NEED a new starting LT next year. Webb is actually a guy I really like at RT. He was up and down, as you'd expect from a 7th round pick out of a D2 school, but he's got the physical tools and Mike Tice could make this guy something special. Don't promise him anything, but he can earn the starting RT spot next year. Schaffer is our only real backup. OG: Garza was solid, but unspectacular. He'll be 32 next year. I'd definitely look to improve. Chris Williams actually did well at LG overall. I think he can stick there for a long time. Not quite someone you can build around, but he's not necessarily a problem. The tackles are certainly more of an issue than the guards. Lance Louis was a pretty big bust, but he and Edwin Williams are young enough to keep around as backups. C: Kreutz is clearly on the decline, and the only real center we have on the roster. He's 33, and there's no doubt you can get another solid season or 2 out of him, but a replacement needs to be found or groomed soon. --- DE: Peppers proved to be a gigantic monstrosity of an addition. Well worth the money invested in him. Idonije definitely benefited from him on the other side of the line. Both had 8 sacks. Line improved greatly. Melton was a very pleasant surprise after the Bears basically redshirted him. He's got potential. Wootton also looked good in limited snaps. Ended Favre's career, so ya. I'd use a middle/late pick on a DE if someone we like drops like we did with Alex Brown back in the day. DT: Anthony Adams really stepped up in a full time role and has been an underrated player. He was a big key in the Bears run stop D. A real leader as well. Tommie Harris was invisible most of the year but really played well late in the season. With that said, I fully expect him to get cut. Toeina was ok. Marcus Harrison showed flashed last season but didn't play much at all this year. IMO, this is the Bears 2nd biggest need in the draft. LB: Urlacher proved a lot of people wrong this year and was pretty phenomenal. But he's 32. Briggs was Briggs. Tinoisamoa was solid but hasn't been able to stay healthy. They're thin here with backups though. Wilson, Iwuh, and Roach are special teamers really. CB: Peanut is so up and down. He's fantastic at forcing turnovers and makes some clutch plays, but he also gets owned by some WR. Sometimes its not his fault, just not a good matchup. He's great against physical receivers, and bad against the speed guys. The cover-2 is a bigger problem. Tim Jennings saved the Bears ass quite a few times, but man he gets called for a lot of penalties. DJ Moore is a pretty damn good nickel back, and Bowman and Graham are solid backups. Graham, obviously, is a monster special teamer. This is a pretty big need for the Bears. Asomugha is a FA, but I can't see them going after him with the scheme they run. S: Chris Harris really solidified the position. It was great to have him back. Not the greatest cover safety, but he's a sure tackled and a big hitter. I don't recall too many times where he made a mistake and someone got over the top of him. Danieal Manning, while much improved, was still caught out of position a lot. Major Wright was kind of a bust, but he's still young and battled injuries all year. I think the Bears would be best off with Wright and Harris starting together next year. Bullocks and Steltz suck. K: Gould is awesome. P: Maynard is good at pinning guys and with the directional kicks, but as discussed earlier, he's definitely not delivering the booming kicks anymore. I'd bring in a guy for some competition in training camp. Haven't looked over the free agent class very much, but I know I'd make Vincent Jackson priority 1, 2 and 3. Go after him hard like you did with Peppers last year. A true #1 would do wonders for this team. It would open up the run and keep teams honest of the opposite WR. There is no question that offensive line is the biggest need. The Bears have 6 picks, 1 each in the first 6 rounds. You HAVE to draft at least 2 OL.

Time to start focusing on the NFL draft. This will be a crucial one for the Bears. Need to go heavy on OL and secondary.

I legitimately could have punted a ball much better than that.

Come on special teams.

Don't even................

Hanie....here's your shot.

The Bears would have a legit shot if they had ANY offensive production.

ALL momentum was lost after the Urlacher pick when Collins walked on the field. Unbelievable.

I'd much rather have Hanie in.

URLACHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cutler left to the lockerroom early, might have a concussion. Hanie and Collins both warming up.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 23, 2011 -> 04:25 PM) The throw was to the inside...very hard to adjust on that play. If it was a designed jump ball, might have had a better chance. It doesn't matter. You have to do EVERYTHING possible to knock that ball down. He didn't even make an effort. And he's done it plenty of times in the past.

Go f*** yourself Johnny Knox.

HOLY s***!

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 23, 2011 -> 04:21 PM) Sure, he was one of the better. But to say he still is would be just as stupid as how you judge me saying he sucks now. Feel free to not address my point.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 23, 2011 -> 04:16 PM) Cause I want a punter who's not dead last in average yard per punt in the NFL? Anyways, he's not the issue here. Bears need to get Knox more involved, as he's only receiver who can get open down the field. Cutler's throwing a lot of passes into coverage, and it's a pick 6 waiting to happen. Do you even watch the games? I'd be willing to bet more than 1/2 his punts are in the opposition's territory when he's trying to pin them in the 20. Which he does nearly every time. Come on dude. He's one of the better punters in NFL history.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 23, 2011 -> 04:08 PM) Can I also reiterate that Brad Maynard needs to retire? He sucks! If you never posted about Maynard again, I wouldn't be upset.

QUOTE (joesaiditstrue @ Jan 23, 2011 -> 04:05 PM) Rodgers is so much better than Cutler it's disturbing. When Cutler runs with the ball, he runs at about half the speed of Rodgers does. Seriously? I mean.......seriously? And when Peyton Manning runs, he runs half the speed of a dead man.

Gould can't handle a 49 yarder? Come on.

Ya, everything is just bad right now. Need a big return here.