SB Nation - Josh Bullocks

Taking Inventory: Bears Have a Mess to Clean Up

Dane Noble — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:27:12 -0000

Now that the 2009 season is dwindling down towards an unsuccessful campaign, it's time to start looking at what we have in house that would be beneficial to carry over into 2010. We know that we have a lot of holes to fill, and that we will have to hit the next free agency period pretty hard, but it makes sense to first see who needs to weeded out of our current roster.

Brad Biggs does a good job of compiling some names of who will be RFAs and UFAs, and who he thinks might be worth bringing back in 2010.

Who does he think the Bears might bring back?

LB Nick Roach

From Biggs:

Defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, who leads the team with six sacks, is in the final year of his contract, and Angelo hasn't ruled out bringing him back. He's the only starter among six unrestricted free agents -- a list that includes Josh Bullocks, Cato June, Darrell McClover, Adrian Peterson and Pisa Tinoisamoa.

Strong-side linebacker Nick Roach will be a restricted free agent. Defensive end Mark Anderson, nickel back Danieal Manning and reserve linebacker Jamar Williams, members of the 2006 draft class, will be unrestricted if there is an extension of the collective-bargaining agreement before March. If not, they'll be restricted free agents heading into an uncapped year, and that will give the Bears the chance to control their rights.

From a defensive standpoint, we saw that Rod Marinelli seemingly made an impact at the beginning of the season with the pass rush, but in the latter weeks of the season has become ineffective. Is this a byproduct of the lack of talent on the DL?

Perhaps Marinelli just needs a full year under his belt before seeing the kind of improvements we hoped for, but we certainly have some personnel issues regardless.

As far as the linebackers go, seeing Urlacher, Pisa, and Briggs go down certainly hurt us, but having Jamar and Nick step up has been a good thing.

Looking at Biggs' information, who do you think would be expendable, and who should we bring back?

NightLink: Payne Out, Afalava Questionable

Dane Noble — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:50:27 -0000

If Al Afalava cannot play tomorrow, we will see either Craig Steltz or Josh Bullocks step in, because Kevin Payne has been officially ruled out.

Now that the official injury report has been filed with the league, we know the Bears could be in trouble at the safety position Thursday night against the 49ers. Safety Kevin Payne is listed as out with a back injury. The good news is safety Al Afalava is questionable with a shoulder injury.

We need Afalava's run support against the Niners, especially with Hunter Hillenmeyer still nursing his rib injuries. I am not sure what Bullocks would bring to the table, but Steltz could at least do a decent job in run support. Luckily, we aren't facing a team that is likely to challenge us with the deep ball.

Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears: Who Has the Edge?

Andrew602 — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:00:20 -0000

Let's take a look at the Cardinals/Bears match up to see who has the edge.

Pos.	Edge	Analysis
QB		Jay Cutler can be one of the best quarterbacks in the league when he wants to be - will it be on Sunday? Meanwhile, Kurt Warner is coming off quite possibly his worst game as a Cardinal, and needs to prove why he returned to the team for another two years.
RB	Split	Although Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower are improving the running game every week, the Cardinals still rank dead last in the NFL in rushing. Matt Forte hasn't lived up to his rookie year's expectations, but has still put together some solid games so far this season. The Bears have a higher average, but that doesn't say much.
WR		The Bears hope that Devin Hester can be the long-term answer at wide out. Aside from him, they're depth is young. The Cardinals have the best receivers in the league, but have yet to shine to their abilities. Boldin may be out, but Fitzgerald and Breaston should be fine.
TE		Greg Olsen is part of a young tight end class that is starting to make their mark in the NFL. He's been Cutler's favorite target so far this season also. Ben Patrick has produced solid play since returning from suspension after week 4, but he's not at the receiving level of Olsen.
OL	Split	Both offensive lines have had issues this year. Orlando Pace and Olin Kreutz bring experience to the Bears offensive line. The Cardinals offensive line has had problems against quick defenses, but has slowly made some production, both in passing and running situations.

Pos.	Edge	Analysis
DL		The Bears have a lot of defensive lineman that can get the job done, but nobody that will make the pro bowl anytime soon. The Cardinals had their troubles last week, but have been shut down for the most part this season.
LB		I'm giving this one to the Bears. They have Lance Briggs and an overall better stability at linebacker. The Cards 'backers have had a couple good games, but have ultimately been torched this season.
CB		The Cardinals secondary continues to improve after being burned in the beginning of the season. Through the last 3 games, they've greatly lowered the opponents passing average, going from 32nd to 20th in the league. The Bears have Charles Tillman, but are foggy after him.
S		Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle continue to play their best football together and are leading the secondary. Possibly startig this Sunday for the Bears will be Al Afalava and Josh Bullocks - who?
ST		The Bears have good special teams coverage, a solid kicker and punter, and Knox, Manning, and Hester returning kicks. The Cardinals special teams has been dependable this year but can't compete here.
Coach	Split	Given the talent on the team, Lovie Smith has been able to get production out of his team and keep the Bears in the division race. Whisenhunt has done the same and both coaches have taken their teams to Super Bowl and lost. Close call.
Edge	Result	Analysis
Draw	7-7	Given the similarity between the two teams, this game is too close to call. Both have had similar seasons and both stand at the same record. Giving the Bears the edge because they're at home would also be foolish given how good the Cardinals have been on the road. This game could go either way.

Final Injury/Practice Report: Chicago Bears (3-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)

Kirkendall — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:56:31 -0000

CINCINNATI BENGALS

OUT	PROBABLE
T Andre Smith (foot)	TE Daniel Coats (shoulder)
	DT Tank Johnson (foot)
DOUBTFUL	RB Brian Leonard (groin)
S Roy Williams (forearm)	WR Chad Ochocinco (hip)
	DT Domata Peko (knee)
QUESTIONABLE	DE Frostee Rucker (ankle)
DT Jonathan Fanene (illness)	DT Pat Sims (biceps)
WR Chris Henry (illness)

CHICAGO BEARS

OUT	PROBABLE
LB Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee)	S Josh Bullocks (ankle)
	CB Corey Graham (ankle)
DOUBTFUL	LB Hunter Hillenmeyer (rib)
DT Tommie Harris (knee)	DT Israel Idonije (knee)
RB Adrian Peterson (knee)	S Kevin Payne (toe)

Practice

BENGALS	WED	THUR	FRI
DT Domata Peko (knee)	DNP	DNP	FP
S Roy Williams (forearm)	DNP	DNP	DNP
T Andre Smith (foot)	LP	LP	FP
TE Daniel Coats (shoulder)	FP	FP	FP
DT Tank Johnson (foot)	FP	DNP	FP
RB Brian Leonard (groin)	FP	FP	FP
DE Frostee Rucker (ankle)	FP	FP	FP
DT Pat Sims (biceps)	FP	FP	FP
DT Jonathan Fanene (illness)	--	DNP	DNP
WR Chris Henry (illness)	--	--	DNP
WR Chad Ochocinco (hip)	--	--	DNP

BEARS	WED	THUR	FRI
DT Tommie Harris (knee)	DNP	DNP	DNP
RB Adrian Peterson (knee)	DNP	DNP	DNP
LB Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee)	DNP	OUT	OUT
S Josh Bullocks (ankle)	LP	LP	FP
CB Corey Graham (ankle)	LP	LP	FP
LB Hunter Hillenmeyer (rib)	LP	FP	FP
DT Israel Idonije (knee)	LP	FP	FP
S Kevin Payne (toe)	--	LP	FP

Practice Report: Chicago Bears (3-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)

Kirkendall — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:59:09 -0000

Every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening, we'll (TRY TO) update the practice/injury chart leading up to Sunday's game. The chart is pretty self-explanatory. If the player is listed as out, they're out for the game. If they did not participate, they didn't practice. If they were limited, then they only participated during a portion of practice (typically means missing 11-on-11 drills). If the player is listed as full participation, it simply means that they practiced fully and that the only reason they're listed is because injury was an issue the week before.

Practice

BENGALS	WED	THUR	FRI
DT Domata Peko (knee)	DNP	DNP
S Roy Williams (forearm)	DNP	DNP
T Andre Smith (foot)	LP	LP
TE Daniel Coats (shoulder)	FP	FP
DT Tank Johnson (foot)	FP	DNP
RB Brian Leonard (groin)	FP	FP
DE Frostee Rucker (ankle)	FP	FP
DT Pat Sims (biceps)	FP	FP
DT Jonathan Fanene (illness)	--	DNP

BEARS	WED	THUR	FRI
DT Tommie Harris (knee)	DNP	DNP
RB Adrian Peterson (knee)	DNP	DNP
LB Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee)	DNP	OUT
S Josh Bullocks (ankle)	LP	LP
CB Corey Graham (ankle)	LP	LP
LB Hunter Hillenmeyer (rib)	LP	FP
DT Israel Idonije (knee)	LP	FP
S Kevin Payne (toe)		LP

2009 Saints Off-Season: A Nostalgic Look Back

Saintsational — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:00:28 -0000

Tomorrow is the official beginning of the 2009 Saints season, which means today is the official end of their 2009 off-season. The Saints have come a long way since Drew's final record-breaking pass attempt hit the Superdome turf and it's been a wild ride with lots of ups and downs. I figured what better way to say our final goodbye to the long, cold, lonely months of off-season action than to reminisce one last time and take a final look at how we've gotten to today, as seen through Canal Street Chronicles.

After the jump you'll find a timeline of memorable events, good and bad, from the past eight months for both the Saints organization and for us here at CSC. I had fun putting this together and I hope you have as much fun reading it and taking that quick trip down memory lane. Feel free to share any of your memories about these events or even add your own memorable moments.

Gary Gibbs is gone - January 7, 2009

One of the first but still probably the biggest and best moves of the entire off-season. The perfect start. We'll all remember where we were when we heard the wonderful news. Only Jessie Spano could properly express my emotions the next morning.

Gregg Williams is in - January 15, 2009

It didn't take long for the Saints to find a replacement for Gibbs. Less than a week after I urged the Saints to take their time finding a new defensive coordinator, they hire Gregg Williams. Probably because Williams was Payton's top choice, so much so that he was willing to give up a quarter of a million dollars of his own salary just to make sure Gregg came to New Orleans.

Dan Morgan unretires and re-joins Saints - January 22, 2009

Pro Football Talk broke the news that Dan Morgan would be giving it another shot. Sure, he's old but it's got to be worth a shot right? I like where this is heading.

Deuce McAllister is let go - February 17, 2009

The news wasn't surprising but it was certainly depressing. We still miss you Deuce.

Tomlinson to New Orleans? - February 28, 2009

It didn't take long after the release of Deuce for the talking heads to start throwing around rumors about a possible LT signing to fill the gap. It never seemed likely but still, it was a fun couple of days while it lasted.

Saints sign Jabari Greer - March 4, 2009

I'm planning on Jabari being the savior for the Saints secondary woes. If football doesn't work out, though, he can always try to get a job on SNL. I was shocked when I found these clips on YouTube...

Bears sign Bullocks - March 11, 2009

It was great news already when the Saints refused to bring back Josh Bullocks for another season but even better news when we found out the Bears had picked him up. If only the Saints were playing the Bears this year!

Welcome Darren Sharper - March 18, 2009

The Saints make one of their biggest signings of the off-season when they snag veteran Darren Sharper. Things are really starting to look up.

Mike McKenzie bites the dust - March 19, 2009

Another fairly predictable move by the Saints. Still, it's never easy to watch your teams best cornerback leave.

Jonathan Vilma's Condo Location of Double Murder - March 31, 2009

Obviously Vilma had nothing to do with it but what ever happened with this?

Jeff Duncan vs. Saints Nation - April 7, 2009

In the internet sports world, the people are served by two separate yet equally important groups: the reporters, who are paid professionals, and bloggers, who claim they're getting ripped off. This is their story.

NYSaint becomes YouTube star - April 25, 2009

Speaking of Law & Order...I just had to find some way to include this in a post one more time.

Saints draft Malcolm Jenkins - April 25, 2009

Most Saints fans agree: This was a good pick.

Hap Glaudi rocks CSC - April 29, 2009

I think we can all laugh about it now, but when Hap made her debut here on Da Chronic, she turned quite a few heads and caused a massive uproar. Now we'll never look at Thomas Morstead, or cats for that matter, the same way again. After some damage control, I think CSC it's only made CSC stronger.

Practice squad players arrested and cut - May 3, 2009

Kolo Kapanui and Biren Ealy were relieved of their duties after they were caught relieving themselves in a parking lot and exposing themselves to a woman.

Canal Street Chronicles brings back Kenny Wilkerson - May 21, 2009

It had been over a year since Kenny Wilkerson was involved with the Saints reporting scene and his whereabouts were becoming the stuff of local lore. Fortunately for us, he chose Canal Street Chronicles to make his triumphant return when he broke his silence and granted us an in-depth interview.

Dan Morgan retires...again - June 8, 2009

You're not experiencing Deja Vu. It was fun while it lasted. I hope Dan's restaurant is doing alright.

Saintsational ties the knot - June 27, 2009

This has absolutely nothing to do with the Saints or the blog really, other than my sweet wedding cake.

The tax credit fiasco - July 2, 2009

After being the point man on a film studio investment and losing the money of quite a few Saints players and coaches, Kevin Houser was let go. The timing, however, was purely coincidental since Payton was already looking to improve on the infallible play of the veteran long snapper. Houser landed on his feet, though, when he signed with the Seahawks at the end of July. CSC was the first in the world with that news.

Twitter takes over - July 9, 2009

I think the first time we realized how important a role Twitter would play in following the tea, came when Shockey aired out his emotions about "Chad" Houser via a tweet. Now, it's mandatory reading for all Who Dats. Even PayDiddy has an account!

Goodbye Jason David - August 17, 2009

The Saints most maligned player was finally shown the door. As if letting go of Gibbs and Bullocks weren't wonderful enough. You've got to admit, the front office was very good to us this year. And to think, I actually thought things might be different for David this season.

Canal Street Chronicles hits 1,000 - August 20, 2009

It took CSC only five months after reaching the 500 member mark to double that feat and reach 1,000 members. Thanks to everyone who reads everyday. It's nothing without all of you. Looking forward to another season.

Pick Your Starting Safeties

wiltfongjr — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:49:02 -0000

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

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We all know the official depth chart on the Bears website is more like a guide than anything. Right now they have Al Afalava listed as the starting strong safety (with no one listed at 2nd string) and Kevin Payne listed as the starting free safety, with Josh Bullocks listed #2 and Craig Steltz listed #3. No sign of the practicing Danieal Manning? I know the plan is for him to play some nickleback, but wasn't he being sold to us a while there as the starting free safety?

Anyway... Who do think should get the starting nod for the season?

Poll

Pick your safety starters!

SS Afalava / FS Payne

424 votes

SS Payne / FS Manning

252 votes

SS Afalava / FS Manning

151 votes

SS Steltz / FS Bullocks

20 votes

Other

15 votes

862 votes | Poll has closed

Bears Make 53

Dane Noble — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:20:43 -0000

A few surprises, but not too many. Today, the Bears whittled their roster down to the league mandated 53 players by terminating 3 contracts, waiving 16 players, and placing 3 on Injured Reserve.

Players who were waived included guard Johan Asiata, defensive ends Ervin Baldwin and Joe Clermond, offensive tackle Cody Balogh, quarterback Brett Basanez, cornerbacks Rudy Burgess, Marcus Hamilton and Woodny Turenne, fullbacks Jason Davis and Will Ta’ufo’ou, linebackers Marcus Freeman, Kevin Malast and Mike Rivera, receiver Eric Peterman, and center Donovan Raiola.

The Bears can establish an eight-man practice squad on Sunday and also can claim players who’ve been waived by other NFL teams. In past seasons, the Bears have typically stocked their practice squad primarily with players they released a day earlier during final cuts.

Here’s a breakdown of the 53-man roster as it stands now (in alphabetical order):

Quarterbacks (2): Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie.

Running backs (3): Matt Forte, Adrian Peterson, Garrett Wolfe.

Fullbacks (1): Jason McKie:

Wide receivers (6): Devin Aromashodu, Earl Bennett, Rashied Davis, Devin Hester, Juaquin Iglesias, Johnny Knox.

Tight ends (4): Desmond Clark, Kellen Davis, Michael Gaines, Greg Olsen.

Offensive linemen (8): Josh Beekman, Roberto Garza, Olin Kreutz, Lance Louis, Frank Omiyale, Orlando

Pace, Kevin Shaffer, Chris Williams.

Defensive linemen (9): Anthony Adams, Mark Anderson, Alex Brown, Jarron Gilbert, Tommie Harris, Marcus Harrison, Israel Idonije, Adewale Ogunleye, Matt Toeaina.

Linebackers (6): Lance Briggs, Hunter Hillenmeyer, Nick Roach, Pisa Tinoisamoa, Brian Urlacher, Jamar Williams.

Cornerbacks (6): Zackary Bowman, Corey Graham, Trumaine McBride, D.J. Moore, Charles Tillman, Nate Vasher.

Safeties (5): Al Afalava, Josh Bullocks, Danieal Manning, Kevin Payne, Craig Steltz.

Specialists (3): Robbie Gould, Patrick Mannelly, Brad Maynard.

Position Battles: Defensive Backs

wiltfongjr — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:00:18 -0000

by Dean Duprey - AP

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More so than the young wide receiving corps, the question mark for the Chicago Bears is the secondary. Jay Cutler will work with what he's given offensively and make them productive, but the corners and safeties have so much uncertainty surrounding them. Not necessarily because there isn't talent in the group, but because we haven't seen the talent in the group this off-season. Charles Tillman, Zackary Bowman, and Danieal Manning have all been hurt and look to be starters once healthy. I wonder if these three were 100% and playing up to their capabilities, would there still be the uneasiness in the air about the DB's?

Last year the Bears carried 10 defensive backs, five safeties and five corners. This season I see them going with the same numbers of DB's, just with a different allocation.

With Tillman and Bowman yet to return from their injuries and with Nathan Vasher struggling to regain his Pro Bowl form I think the Bears will go with six corners on the roster in '09. First the obvious 2009 corners; Tillman, Bowman, and Corey Graham. Graham has had a somewhat quiet preseason, but after his solid '08 campaign and since he hasn't done anything to hurt his chances at sticking, he'll be back. I'm not sure if the Graham to free safety experiment is over, but he's an option at corner, he's capable of playing the nickleback, and if the other corners ever get their health straightened out, he can go back to taking reps at FS.

Of the obvious cuts, you have to expect Rudy Burgess to be gone, along with Marcus Hamilton and Trumaine McBride. McBride had a rough game in Denver, and even though he looked capable in some spot starts the last couple years, it's all about ‘what have you done for me lately?' in the NFL. He needs a good game tonight against the Browns to give the coaches something to think about. I think the Bears are looking for a reason to cut him rather than a reason to keep him.

I think Woodny Turenne will be cut and brought back to the practice squad if he goes unclaimed. Yes, I know. Woodney has looked decent this preseason, so before his fan club pipes in, please realize he was finishing out games against some soon to be unemployment statistics and future UFL players. He has some size and skills that would be a welcome addition to the 2010 Bears. But let him hone his craft on the practice squad for a year.

Which brings it down to newly signed Roderick Hood, rookie D.J. Moore, and Vasher for the last three spots. Hood brings experience to the table, Moore has his draft status and potential behind him, and Vasher has the... big money contract? I'm rooting for Vasher to return to form, I really am, I'm just not sure if he will. I am expecting the Bears to give him the benefit of doubt and he'll be back this year. If McBride was looking more impressive so far, it'd be a much tougher call. The Cleveland game may be an important one for a couple of these corners.

So... If the Bears go with six corners, as I believe they will, that leaves four spots for the safeties. Manning, Kevin Payne, and rookie surprise Al Afalava will be on the opening day roster and Dahna Deleston most definitely will not. What to do with Josh Bullocks and Craig Steltz? Steltz was crammed down our throats as the FS starter all off-season, but now he's listed as #2 along with Bullocks. I think this evenings contest may go a long way in determining their fate. I do see a scenario where both make the final 53, (keeping only 3 TE's, or 3 RB's, or 2 QB's...) could open up a roster spot. I think I'd take Bullocks at this point because his experience is at free safety, but Steltz's draft status might keep save him.

Poll

Who would you keep on the Chicago Bears Final 53?

Craig Steltz

231 votes

Josh Bullocks

95 votes

Both

77 votes

Who cares! I'm in the Woodney Turenne Fan Club!!!

54 votes

457 votes | Poll has closed

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations

Ted Bartlett — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:30:09 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Chiu - AP

4 months ago: Denver Broncos cornerback Alphonso Smith (33) breaks up a pass intended for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Micheal Spurlock (18) during their NFL preseason football game in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, Aug. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

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Happy Tuesday, friends, and welcome to another edition of ST&NO, this time with actual football to talk about. We'll start with some thoughts about Friday night's game, we'll reflect briefly on Jay Cutler's Chicago debut, and we'll move into some other topics also. Get excited, because it's going to be a lot of fun. Ready.... BEGIN!!!

1. Friday night thoughts follow, with an effort not to beat the same drums as others have been. (The Tuesday AM time slot doesn't look so great, when the game was played on Friday night.)

a. I was very, very pleased with what I saw of the first-team front 7. To me, that was the best sign of the game. They were active, they tackled well, and they played physically up front. The OLBs did a nice job, and played like standup ends mostly, mirroring the 5-2 look a few of us speculated we'd see.

b. Kyle Orton needs to improve, obviously. He could start by realizing that he has a fantastic O-Line in front of him, and settling his feet down. His arm is strong enough to make every throw, but he needs to have his feet set, like most QBs. There aren't many Jay Cutler's, who can be lazy in their lower half, and still usually power the ball to the general area they're going to. I've come to think of that as a vice, more than a virtue, really. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have to get their feet set EVERY time, so they do it just about EVERY time. Orton's third INT was particularly an example of bad footwork leading to a weak throw.

c. Chris Baker may start at NT by Week 4. He looked like a beast, and got a sack. I think the Broncos are really onto something with him.

d. Alphonso Smith is going to be a top-notch player in the NFL for a long time. His pass breakup when he got his feet tangled on the play was a thing of beauty, and he looked explosive (like always) returning kicks. I've been saying it since before the draft, so I'll keep saying it. The Broncos are never going to regret trading for the pick they used to take him.

e. I thought the offensive play-calling wasn't great, particularly with Orton on the field. I think a little more balance would have helped, and challenging the deep part of the field also would have been useful.

f. I can't figure out why Vernon Fox is on the roster. He was awful last season, and should have been part of the purge. That terrible long TD by the 49ers' Brit Miller was clearly Fox's responsibility.

g. If Orton continues to struggle, I am comfortable with Chris Simms. Truthfully, I could care less which one is the starter. Neither one is my son, you know? I think they can both play well, and help the Broncos win.

h. I did a fair bit of tweeting during the game, @TedBartlett905. I may continue to do so, in future games. Follow me, if you like my work.

i. I generally liked how physical the team looked. They've never been a quote-unquote physical team, for as long as I can remember. This was something I was really watching for, and I was pleased with the results.

j. I thought the TEs were very under-utilized in the passing game. I realize that the offensive coaches have an extensive toolbox to work with, but a lot of matchup problems can be created with those guys. I hope to see Tony Scheffler running deep soon, because he's unstoppable downfield, with his size and speed.

2. I watched the beginning of the Bears-Bills game on Saturday, and Pro Bowl QB Jay Cutler looked like he hasn't improved at all. He still threw flat-footed, he still made bad decisions, and he still made a couple of big-time throws, to remind you that he can, especially one he put ON Desmond Clark down the seam.

It was kind of like seeing an ex-girlfriend at a party, if our members who don't date ladies will momentarily forgive the simile (not metaphor). For a minute, you think she looks hot, and you remember what it was like when you used to date, and she did all those wild things, when it was time for doing wild things. Man, she was a lot of fun. Then she drinks too much, and she's doing keg stands, and then she throws up in a potted plant, and is hanging all over the chump who was just holding her hair back. He evidently doesn't care that she threw up, a little vomit doesn't bother him, because now he's making out with her anyway. You're vividly reminded why you broke up with her, right?

Jay can still fire the ball, but he still locks onto receivers, and he seems to be learning that Devin Hester is no Brandon Marshall. He's not even a Brandon Stokley, actually, and has a long way to go before he can even be called a good receiver. Six of Jay's ten throws went to Hester, which is very problematic, and then he threw Hester under the bus for the interception (You stay classy, Jay). The Bears' O-line struggled against the Bills too, which was a bad sign, and Jay showed happier feet than I have seen since the Seattle game, his rookie year. Jay threw one interception, had another easy one dropped by Reggie Corner, and had a 3rd-down throw into quadruple coverage in the end zone batted down. His passer rating of 30.8 even managed to make Kyle Orton's 32.6 look a little better. I'm not saying, I'm just saying....

3. Thoughts and Observations on other games:

a. Aaron Rodgers looked terrific for the Packers, and the Browns first-team defense looked completely abysmal. The Browns had no pass rush, no coverage, and ill-timed penalties, like a defensive holding on 4th and 6.

b. Due to a preference for soundness and consistency, I am predisposed to prefer Brady Quinn to Derek Anderson, but Quinn looked a lot better, again. He led the Browns to a pretty good early drive, which saw a made field goal get disallowed by a Hank Fraley penalty, and turn into a missed field goal. At the end of the first half, Braylon Edwards dropped a sure TD on him, one play before Quinn threw a pick while getting hit. Quinn, as usual, looked decisive and fundamentally sound. Anderson looked ragged, and threw a bad interception against tight coverage.

c. I like the Bills' use of the no-huddle in mid-game situations. It gave them some matchup advantages against Chicago, and they looked improved with it, over the previous week in Canton.

d. The Bears had Henry Melton as a kickoff returner, which was a sight to behold. Melton is a Defensive End, who wears uniform number 69. He's 6-4 and 269 pounds, and he did play some running back at Texas (132-625-16 in his career, not bad). He actually looked pretty nimble, and had a 20-yard return, which he fielded nicely on a bounce, in the third quarter.

e. The Bears had better hope Cutler doesn't get hurt. Brett Basanez and Caleb Hanie are not good - especially Basanez, a Northwestern grad, who ought to be thinking about where he wants to go to graduate school. Maybe the 5 Commodores on the team can put in a good word for him at Vanderbilt.

f. Ellis Lankster, another CB I really liked in the draft, got 2 interceptions off of Basanez. Lankster played at West Virginia, and I saw a lot of him last fall, when I was dating a big Mountaineers fan. He's a guy who plays a lot better than he times, and he looks like a steal as a 7th rounder. The Bills are very deep at CB, but Lankster is going to make the team, as a seventh-rounder.

g. Matthew Stafford looked pretty good for the Lions, except for a back-foot interception which he got returned for a TD. The guy I really was pretty impressed with was Drew Stanton. He led the Lions to the win at the end of the game. For a guy who was a second-round pick, you have to wonder why he never got a chance to play, especially during an 0-16 season. I wonder if he didn't just get caught up in the Marinelli/Millen shuffle.

h. #36 for the Bears, Josh Bullocks, threw one of the body-rockingest blocks you'll ever see on a punt return. He lit some poor Buffalo Bill up, and got his returner 10 extra yards.

i. Local Philly MSMer Bob Brookover said that Jason Peters looked good against the Patriots, and the NFP reposted the article with the headline Peters Paying Dividends. I beg to differ. I watched him get beat repeatedly, and I thought he looked really fat and slow. Winston Justice, who played on the right side, is a terrible player, and he was also repeatedly abused. It's time to give up on the Justice-has-potential meme.

j. A Browns player who jumped out at me was rookie CB Coye Francies. He looks really active, and smashed a Packers RB on a play where he looked like he had some daylight. He also had an interception of the totally inept-looking Brian Brohm. Remember when Brohm was going to be the #1 pick in the 2007 Draft, after his junior season? Matt Flynn is a lot better than him, and was picked 5 rounds later.

k. For being new to zone blocking, the Seahawks looked pretty good at it. Julius Jones is a good RB for that kind of scheme, because he gets downhill quickly, and he had pretty solid success against the Chargers.

l. I think the Chargers defense still looked vulnerable. The Seahawks were able to throw and run against them. Shawne Merriman mostly stayed blocked, and had no impact on the game, although Shaun Phillips looked active and quick.

m. Matt Cassel struggled mightily for the Chiefs, showing happy feet, inaccurate passing, and a fumbled exchange (though, to be fair, it was raining). Chiefs fans shouldn't panic, though, just like we shouldn't panic.

n. A guy who looked very good for the Chiefs was Tamba Hali. He seems to be making a good transition from DE to 3-4 OLB, and he was very active, playing the whole first half. He had some rushes against Eric Winston, a good RT, where he got good pressure.

o. Matt Schaub looked really sharp for the Texans, completing all 7 of his throws for 70 yards. I've always liked Schaub, and I think if he can stay healthy, he'll have a big year. The Texans offense, as we all know, gets guys open on a lot of crossing stuff, and creates high-percentage opportunities.

p. Old friend Jim Bates' Buccaneers defense looked quick and sound, especially Stylez G. White (formerly Greg White). He had a sack and a really impressive interception of Kerry Collins. Sabby Piscitelli looked like he is putting his game together to match his talent, and he also picked off Collins, in the end zone.

q. Another old friend, John Lynch, did the color commentary for the Bucs, and he seemed very natural at it.

r. Byron Leftwich is the same as ever. He throws the ball really well, but needs to elaborately wind up to do it, and has no pocket mobility. He did make a really nice throw for a TD, to another old friend, Brian Clark. Clark also forced a safety on a punt, by getting himself held in the end zone, with a really impresisve rush.

s. I've been critical of Vince Young, but he played well Saturday. He had a couple of nice throws in the second quarter, especially a deep ball to Kenny Britt, and later hit Britt with a 37-yard TD pass. Britt looked like the real deal, and I was kind of indifferent to him, coming out of Rutgers.

t. Titans backup Center Fernando Velasco did a repeatedly horrible job with the shotgun snap. There was inadequate velocity on his snaps, and he grounded one to Young on a 3rd down near the end of the first half. Young stupidly/wildly lateraled the ball over LenDale White's head, and White smartly kicked the ball out of bounds, once he caught up to it.

u. The Bucs have a lot of quality depth at RB, which people aren't mentioning much. Derrick Ward and Cadillac Williams have both been 1,000-yard rushers, and Earnest Graham got 898 and 10 TDs in 2008. Behind them is Clifton Smith, who made the Pro Bowl as a return man last season, and looked good carrying the ball from scrimmage this weekend.

v. It was mostly assumed that Clint Sintim would be drafted by a 3-4 team, since he played in one of the very few collegiate 3-4's at the University of Virginia. When the Giants took him in the second round, a lot of people were surprised, but I was not one of them. The Giants 4-3 plays like a 5-2, and their SLB tends to be DE-sized, like Mathias Kiwanuka. The Jim Johnson-led Eagles have tended to do something similar, which I am sure is where Steve Spagnuolo picked it up, but the Giants are really heavy on rushing 5 big guys most of the time. Sintim looked really good on Monday night, with a sack and a forced fumble, and a couple more solid rushes.

w. The Giants' first-round pick Hakeem Nicks looks completely lost, and got nothing done on Monday night. The Panthers' top pick, second-rounder Everette Brown, looked pretty good in his opportunities, and Jon Gruden credited him with finishing well on one occasion.

4. Interesting note from Pro Football Weekly's Whispers column:

• The Broncos recently moved Marcus Thomas from nose tackle to defensive end and we hear he will challenge DE Ryan McBean for a starting spot. Sources say Thomas is the team's most talented D-lineman, but it could take him some time to learn his new position in the team's 3-4 scheme after he was used as a tackle in a 4-3 set previously. McBean, who has just one game of experience, has not impressed observers thus far.

When I first heard that Thomas was being tried on the nose, it struck me as a little strange. He's much more a quick-footed guy than a mauler. He did look good at DE in the 30-fronts the Broncos used last season, so I think this is a smart move.

McBean got a coverage sack on Friday, but generally didn't distinguish himself much in the rest of the game. I think Thomas can do very well given this chance, and I expect him to earn the starting job.

5. Fun with Peter "Mr. Light and Breezy" King

e. It won't matter what kind of play the Broncos get out of Orton or Simms if they play defense the way they played against the all-star lineup of Shaun Hill, Alex Smith and Damon Huard. I know, I know. Preseason Week 1. Who cares? Half of these guys will be gone in two weeks. But 14 of 18 passing, for a 143.5 rating? And 30 San Fran carries for a 4.5-yard average? Not good.

This is a lot like saying that the Broncos had the second-best offense in the NFL last season. At the end of the day, the defense held San Francisco to 17 points, and nothing else matters. Remember, one TD was at least partially a gift of great field position by way of Orton's 3rd INT. This team is probably going to get the ball moved on them this season, but if they can hold the opponents to field goals instead of Touchdowns, they can win a lot of games.

This is exactly what Miami did last season, in going 11-5. People remember the Wildcat, and solid play by Chad Pennington, but scoring-area defense was the hallmark of their success. It goes a long, long way. As for Mr. Light and Breezy, I am pretty sure he was in attendance for this game, so it kind of boggles my mind why he is relying on the stat sheet, rather than his own eyes. Allowing 4.5 yards per rush sounds bad, to be sure. Par for the course, I guess, though.

6. I like the Michael Vick-to-the-Eagles move. Low pressure for him, and he can get back into the swing, and probably play in some specialty packages by the end of the year. Expect him to be in high demand next offseason, if he looks good at all, and the Eagles will now have a quality tradeable asset, with one club-option year for 2010.

The dogfighting stigma is already fading, mostly thanks to Tony Dungy and the Eagles. By next year, PETA will still be trying to make hay from Vick, but they'll be the only media force who is, and even Ted the Well-Known Liberal will grant you that nobody outside of PETA really takes PETA very seriously. What they stand for is important, and worthwhile (at a high level), but their shrillness and rigidity puts them outside of the mainstream. (Before I get excoriated, I think that most everybody can generally get behind the ethical treatment of animals, but there's a variance in what that exactly means in people's minds. That's what I mean about a high level.) If Vick can behave and dedicate himself to being a good player, he can redeem his career and his life, which is a great thing for ~~anybody~~ everybody who has ever made a mistake.

7. Retired for John Elway.

8. I will be in New Hampshire visiting family from Wednesday night through Sunday morning, so chances are, I won't get to see the game live on Saturday night, unless I can find a bar with NFL Network, and my brother wants to go, the night before his 5 AM flight back to L.A on Sunday. I may tweet a little from my iPhone, if I can make it work. I'm hopeful, at least.

9. How about Tom Cable apparently breaking his assistant's jaw? That's putting the fun in dysfunctional, there, Raiders-style. I remember when Buddy Ryan socked Kevin Gilbride on the sideline once in the early 90s, when they were the coordinators for the Oilers. That got a lot of notoriety, but this seems worse, considering the nature of the injury, and the fact that it was the HEAD COACH. I actually kind of feel bad for Raiders fans.

As I mentioned, I'll be out of pocket, and out in the woods at the end of the week, but I hope everybody has a great one. Until next Tuesday, I'll be keeping it Shallow and Nearsighted, like always.

SB Nation - Josh Bullocks

Taking Inventory: Bears Have a Mess to Clean Up

NightLink: Payne Out, Afalava Questionable

Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears: Who Has the Edge?

Pos.

Edge

Analysis

QB

RB

Split

WR

TE

OL

Split

Pos.

Edge

Analysis

DL

LB

CB

S

ST

Split

Draw

7-7

Final Injury/Practice Report: Chicago Bears (3-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)

Practice Report: Chicago Bears (3-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)

2009 Saints Off-Season: A Nostalgic Look Back

Gary Gibbs is gone - January 7, 2009

Gregg Williams is in - January 15, 2009

Dan Morgan unretires and re-joins Saints - January 22, 2009

Deuce McAllister is let go - February 17, 2009

Tomlinson to New Orleans? - February 28, 2009

Saints sign Jabari Greer - March 4, 2009

Bears sign Bullocks - March 11, 2009

Welcome Darren Sharper - March 18, 2009

Mike McKenzie bites the dust - March 19, 2009

Jonathan Vilma's Condo Location of Double Murder - March 31, 2009

Jeff Duncan vs. Saints Nation - April 7, 2009

NYSaint becomes YouTube star - April 25, 2009

Saints draft Malcolm Jenkins - April 25, 2009

Hap Glaudi rocks CSC - April 29, 2009

Practice squad players arrested and cut - May 3, 2009

Canal Street Chronicles brings back Kenny Wilkerson - May 21, 2009

Dan Morgan retires...again - June 8, 2009

Saintsational ties the knot - June 27, 2009

The tax credit fiasco - July 2, 2009

Twitter takes over - July 9, 2009

Twitter takes over - July 9, 2009

Goodbye Jason David - August 17, 2009

Canal Street Chronicles hits 1,000 - August 20, 2009

Pick Your Starting Safeties

Pick your safety starters!

SS Afalava / FS Payne

SS Payne / FS Manning

SS Afalava / FS Manning

SS Steltz / FS Bullocks

Other

Bears Make 53

Position Battles: Defensive Backs

Who would you keep on the Chicago Bears Final 53?

Craig Steltz

Josh Bullocks

Both

Who cares! I'm in the Woodney Turenne Fan Club!!!

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations