SB Nation User Blog: SackMan

Week 14 Preview: Packers (8-4) @ Bears (5-7)

SackMan — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:29:51 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

The Bears will get to try and play spoiler, at least for one week, as they host their historic rivals from up North. As has been said before, the Bears figure to win one game that they're not supposed to win. Maybe that win comes Sunday at Soldier Field at 12:00pm CT on FOX.

Week 13 Recap

The Packers: Aaron Rodgers and the Pack defense put on a good show last Monday night as they beat the Ravens 27-14. It wasn't a game for stats, but the Packers got it done in prime time, something Jay Cutler has yet to do as a Bear. The Packers have now won 4 games in a row, in large part to their defense, which has quietly vaulted to the #1 spot in the NFL. Plus, the O-line has been giving Aaron Rodgers some better protection... something he's been dying to see. The Pack have allowed 45 sacks on the year, most in the NFL. But, they've given up just 4 sacks combined in the last 3 games.

The Bears: Hey... we won! We beat the Rams... at home... but it still counts, right? There was nothing to rave about in the Bears 17-9 win last week. Heck, they didn't even cover the spread... they averaged 3.2 ypc against a horrible run defense... they were 4-13 on 3rd down and punted 7 friggin times... and they lost the time of possession battle as well. If it weren't the Rams, it would've been another loss.

Quick Numbers:

62.0: Jay Cutler's completion % for the year, right on pace with his very good career mark (62.3)
103.3: Aaron Rodgers QB rating for the year... ungodly.
3.4: Matt Forte's YPC on the season. It went up a point! Pathetic.
#1: The Green Bay Packer's defensive ranking.

When the Packers have the ball.
This is a potent offense, led by one of the best QBs in the league. I'm still waiting for the day when I can write that about the Bears. They're our rival... we know them well... there's not much to write about here. Driver, Jennings, and Grant.

The key match-up for the Packers: RT Mark Tauscher vs DE Adewale Ogunleye
A healthy Chad Clifton has returned to Rodger's left side to hold down the fort, but Tauscher is about the equivalent of Fred Miller version 2008. Ogunleye could have a nice game and force Rodgers to move to his left.

The X factor on offense for the Packers: TE Jermichael Finley
The talented young TE is a playmaker, coming off a career 7 catch, 2 TD performance on MNF. He's becoming another go-to option for Rodgers in the red zone, and at 6'5", he's a mismatch.

When the Bears have the ball.
Hey Turner, can you get Jay Cutler moving out of the pocket with regularity for once? Look at his highlight reel in Denver and there's two things in common: 1. Cutler moving out of the pocket, and 2. no Run Turner.

The key match-up for the Bears: LT Chris Williams vs blitzing LBs in Dom Caper's 3-4
If there is one reason to watch this game, outside of the rivalry, it's the Chris Williams show. Williams gets a real good test to show he belongs at LT. His next test comes in two weeks, when he faces Jared Allen. By then, I'm wagering we'll be calling him another Angelo bust.

The X Factor on offense for the Bears: LB Brian Urlacher.
Yes... Brian Urlacher. The injured Brian Urlacher. You know why? Cause he's the only damn guy in the organization who seems to motivate this team.

Side notes from the NFC North:

The Vikings finally lost their second game of the season in Arizona last week... the Bears are playing the Pack... and the Lions are still the Lions. Forgive me, but I'm gonna skimp out of this section. This crappy Bears team is wearing on me.

Week 12 Preview: Bears (4-6) at Vikings (9-1)

SackMan — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:28:32 -0000

More photos » by Andy King - AP

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The Bears will display their pitifulness on national TV once again, when they visit the Vikings Sunday afternoon at 4:15pm ET on FOX. Over the course of the remainder of the season, the Bears figure to win one game that they're not supposed to win. However, I highly doubt it's this one.

Week 12 Recap

The Vikings: Brett Favre and the purple machine kept rolling last week, when they humiliated the the Seahawks in the Metrodome 35-9. Favre set another personal mark with a career high 88% completion ratio on a 22-25 afternoon.

The Bears: Jay Cutler and company shot themselves in the foot again... letting a winnable game vs the Eagles get away. Only this time, Cutler waited until the final possession in the 4th quarter, with the game on the line, to throw his first INT of the game. Kudos Jay... way to keep us in suspense.

Quick Numbers:

112.1: Brett Favre's QB rating on the year.
875: Receiving yards for Sidney Rice... 4th in the NFL.
3.3: Matt Forte's YPC on the season.
18: Interceptions for Jay Cutler... at least he's leading the NFL in one category.

When the Vikings have the ball.
I'm going to be real brief with this one. They're 9-1... they have the best RB in the league, a HOF QB, and plenty of weapons. We know who they are... there's nothing they don't do well. Let's move on.

The key match-up for the Vikings: G Steve Hutchinson vs the Bears LBs
Hutch is one of the best run blocking guards in the NFL... and he gets to the second level and clears the way for Purple Jesus. Bears LBs have to find a way to shed his block and make a tackle to keep this game from getting out of hand.

The X factor on offense for the Vikings: WR Percy Harvin
The rookie is a playmaker. Period. He's comparable to Devin Hester, except he's way more in tune with his role on offense.

When the Bears have the ball.
This offense seemingly gets worse every week, as nobody has played with any consistency the entire year, except for perhaps Frank Omiyale... who has consistently sucked and found his way to the bench. Let's see if Ron Turner finally figures something out, and gets Jay Cutler moving out of the pocket with regularity, where he can minimize the weakness of the O-line, and force defenders to commit in coverage.

The key match-up for the Bears: LT Orlando Pace vs DE Jared Allen
The Vikings D leads the NFL in sacks, and Allen's a beast... enough said.

The X Factor on offense for the Bears: WR Devin Hester
Hester has put together a personal highlight reel vs the Vikings over his career... so, maybe he'll add on to it this Sunday.

Side notes from the NFC North:

Vikings: They're leading the division at 9-1, and licking their chops to kick our butt.

Lions: Matthew Stafford is proving to one tough SOB, and has the makings of a leader. This division is going to boast a nice group of QBs.

Packers: Speaking of tough SOBs, Aaron Rodgers takes a lickin, and keeps on tickin. He's now been sacked 44 times, but it hasn't stopped him from being one of the league's best.

Hot off the press: Bears looking at new coach, GM?

SackMan — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:30:36 -0000

Usually around this time for year, we're all yelling for change... "Fire the Offensive Coordinator. Fire the Defensive Coordinator. Fire the Head Coach. Fire the GM." Well, Bear Nation... your dreams may have just taken a first bite to fruition. According to Hub Arkush on 670 WSCR this afternoon, the Bears are dipping their toes into the coaching talent pool.

"Inquiries have been made, feelers have been put out," Arkush said on the radio station today regarding the initial step of gauging interest and affordability of some of the big-names candidates available.Arkush specifically named former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, who groomed Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and helped him earn a Pro Bowl berth in Denver; former Steelers coach Bill Cowher and former Buccaneers and Raiders coach Jon Gruden. All three have won Super Bowls.

With Lovie (2011) and Jerry (2013) still under contract... the Bears will have to buy out the remainder of those deals before hiring replacements. Financially, if the Bears want a veteran head coach, they may be looking at someone who is currently getting paid for not coaching (Shanahan), as the first year of a new deal could be negotiated to pay out less than the future years... thus balancing the remainder owed to Smith. It's also possible that a new head could assume GM duties as well... making it a financial fit for the Bears. Although, as a fan, I like having a separate coach and GM.

Another wrench is Ron Turner, who could be out of a job either way. Bringing in a veteran offensive coordinator under a lame duck coach would be a difficult situation. So, if your going to make that change, you might as well complete the overhaul.

Week 11 Preview: Eagles (5-4) @ Bears (4-5)

SackMan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:25:07 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

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The Bears get to "show off" once again on national TV Sunday night vs the Eagles. Maybe the rest of the country will learn from last Thursday night's ugliness, and watch something else.

Week 11 Recap

The Eagles: Donovan McNabb threw for an incredible 450 yards, but the Eagles were trading field goals for touchdowns and lost on the road to San Diego 31-23. That's the second trip Philly has made coast-to-coast this year, and they've lost both contests (losing also to the terrible Raiders in week 6). With McNabb completing 35 of 55 throws... Jason Avant (8), DeSean Jackson (8), Jeremy Maclin (6) and Brent Celek (6) each caught at least 6 passes. Neither defense had much of an impact in this game, as both McNabb and his counterpart Phillip Rivers (20/25, 231, 131.8 QB rating) had plenty of time to throw. The biggest news of the game was Brian Westbrook's second concussion in recent weeks, which could threaten to end his season.

The Bears: Jay Cutler and company embarrassed themselves on prime time television again... this time in an ugly 10-6 road loss to the 49ers on Thursday night. The Bears defense actually put up a very strong effort, holding the 49ers to just 216 yards of total offense. But, Jay Cutler threw 5 friggin interceptions, including one in the end zone with time expiring, failing at chance to win the game. As if the game wasn't bad enough, there were 19 penalties called between the two teams, giving viewers plenty of time to complain about the previous Cutler interception. One of the lone bright spots was Zachary Bowman, who had his 3rd INT in his last 5 games... however, he left the game with abdominal injury and never returned.

Quick Numbers:

17: Jay Cutler INTs on the year.
194: Receiving yards for Matt Forte in the last two weeks.
46: Receptions for TE Brent Celek, leading the Eagles in that category.
29: Sacks by the Eagle defense, tied for second in the NFL.

Key Injuries:

PHI RB Brian Westbrook (concussion) O
PHI WR Kevin Curtis (knee) O

CHI C Olin Kreutz (back) Q

When the Eagles have the ball.
Donovan McNabb is enjoying more weapons than he's ever had in his long career as QB of the Eagles. Second year WR DeSean Jackson has been among the most explosive playmakers in the NFL this season, and rookie 1st round pick Jeremy Maclin is proving to be an exceptional threat himself. In past years, RB Brian Westbrook was the man McNabb would lean on, but in an injury plagued season, Westbrook's targets are going to TE Brent Celek, who leads the Eagles in receptions. Filling in for Westbrook is rookie LeSean McCoy, who now leads the team in rushing and also has 23 catches. This is a very potent offense... led by a great QB: exactly the kind of team that exposes the Bears defense (see the first half of the Bengals and Cardinals games). With the Bears pass rush disappearing after week 4, McNabb will have plenty of time to throw the football. The one trouble spot for the Eagles has been running in the red zone (sound familiar?). In fact, the last time these two teams met, the Bears put up a key goal line stand late in the 4th quarter to win the game.

The key match-up for the Eagles: WR DeSean Jackson vs the Bears safeties
Jackson is second in the NFL at 18.3 yards per catch... because he beats safety help every week. The Bears play a lot of cover 2, and rely on their safeties to limit big plays. I see the Bears safeties getting a big serving of burnt toast this Sunday night.

The X factor on offense for the Eagles: WR Jeremy Maclin
The rookie receiver has been gaining the trust of his QB and getting more and more involved. He's another explosive player, who should pose big match-up concerns vs the Bears safeties.

When the Bears have the ball.
This is now officially a one-dimensional offense... as Matt Forte's 194 receiving yards in the last two weeks has waived the white flag on the running game. No run game vs a blitz heavy defense that is tied for second in the NFL with 29 sacks is a very, very bad match-up. Not having to worry about the run, the Eagles can blitz at will vs Cutler and his porous O-line. Expect to see Dez Clark on the field plenty in this one, to aid in pass protection vs the Eagles blitz. The Bears can counter the blitz with a big dose of screen passes to Matt Forte, and if they can pick up the blitz, it could create opportunities for speedsters Devin Hester and Johnny Knox to get open vs less men in the secondary.

The key match-up for the Bears: LT Orlando Pace vs DE Trent Cole
Cole leads the Eagles with 7.5 sacks, and Pace has been losing some favor with the fans and media, despite (in my account) a solid, if unspectacular performance.

The X Factor on offense for the Bears: WR Devin Aromashodu
This spot is usually reserved for Greg Olsen, but Jay Cutler has been campaigning to get his favorite pre-season target on the field more often. Let's see if that helps Jay in the red zone.... not.

Side notes from the NFC North:

Vikings: Division leading Minnesota will host the Seahawks on Sunday. This could be another cakewalk for them, but watch out for a re-juvinated Seattle running game behind Justin Forsett, vs a Vikings D allowing 4.2 yards per carry.

Lions: The Lions and Browns square off in the battle of crud near the lake in Detroit on Sunday. Nobody needs to watch this game. And if you're starting someone in fantasy football... you've already lost.

Packers: Aaron Rodgers was sacked another 4 times last week by the Cowboys, boosting the league leading total to 41. This Sunday, the 49ers will get their turn in Lambeau.

Week 10 Preview: Bears (4-4) @ 49ers (3-5)

SackMan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:25:57 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y. Huh - AP

Jay, things will get better once they finally decide to build a team around you. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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The schedule makers do no favors for the Bears this week, as they have to make the long flight out to San Francisco on a short week of practice for a Thursday night kickoff.

Week 9 Recap

The 49ers played nice hosts, and gave Vince Young and the Titans their second win of the season 34-27. QB Alex Smith, making his second straight start, made everyone remember why he was benched in the first place, as he threw 3 INTs, including a decisive pick 6 with less than 3 minutes left in the 4th quarter. TE Vernon Davis continued his impressive season with 10 catches for over 100 yards, and Frank Gore ran like he always does, but in the end, San Francisco lost a game they should've won at home. Anyone claiming that Mike Singletary is the next coming of Don Shula, and you know who you are, might want to taste a bite of reality. I suggest the Grawboski's take off the beer glasses.

The Bears embarrassed themselves at home in a 41-21 loss to the Cardinals. Sadly, an event that I predicted all too well in last week's game preview. The game was even more lobsided than the score appears, as the pathetic defense allowed the Cardinals to score on their first 6 possessions without an ounce of resistance. It wasn't until Matt Leinart came into relieve Kurt Warner for the afternoon, that the Bears defense actually looked alive, nearly intercepting Leinart on his first pass... and picking him off on his second attempt. Warner promptly came back into the game and threw his 5th TD pass for a career day... a week after he threw 5 INTs. The defense wasted away a 369 yard 3 TD performance from Jay Cutler, who was running for his life all afternoon. Greg Olsen was the recipient of all 3 TDs, as he enjoyed the best game of his career. Tommie Harris got ejected on the 4th play from scrimmage for punching a Cardinals lineman in the face... it was the only punch the Bears defense packed all day.

Quick Numbers:

23.9: Points allowed per game by the Bears defense.
5: Rushing attempts for Matt Forte last Sunday vs the Cardinals.
65.7: Alex Smith's career QB rating.
25: Passes of 20-plus allowed by the 49ers defense.

Key Injuries:

SF WR Issac Bruce (ankle) Q
SF CB Nate Clements (shoulder) O
SF LT Joe Staley (knee) O
SF RB Glen Coffee (concussion) O

CHI RB Garrett Wolfe (Kidney) O
CHI CB Charles Tillman (Shoulder) Q
CHI SS Al Afalava (Shoulder) Q

When the 49ers have the ball.
There are two pieces that make this San Francisco offense work: RB Frank Gore, and TE Vernon Davis. Gore is averaging 5.6 yards per carry, and can take it to the house from anywhere on the field. Davis is finally performing like the elite player the 49ers thought he would be, when they drafted him in the first round. According to Davis' tweets, "The 49ers will dominate the Bears defense." A prediction that doesn't seem so far-fetched after last Sunday. However, the 49ers will be without their starting LT Joe Staley for this one, as he sprained his MCL early in Sunday's loss to Tennessee. QB Alex Smith was sacked 4 times without Staley's protection.

The key matchup for the 49ers: Frank Gore vs the Bears front 7
Expect Singletary to play this one close to the vest, and run Frank Gore all night to avoid mistakes from his crappy QB. The Bears defense allowed 182 rushing yards to the NFL's 32 ranked run offense last week. It's surely up on the wall in Singletary's office.

The X factor on offense for the 49ers: TE Vernon Davis
Davis has been a beast this year, and Bears LBs have been awful in pass coverage vs opposing TEs. Davis could cakewalk through the middle of the Bears zone coverage.

When the Bears have the ball.
This offense has become completely one-dimensional... as Jay Cutler has almost nothing to work with in his "non-supporting" cast. Because of the crappy roster that has been built on both sides of the ball, the Bears are going to have to let Cutler be Cutler, and live or die on his golden arm for the rest of the season. The pass protection is suspect, the run blocking is awful, and the receivers can't create separation or find an open spot in a zone even when Cutler escapes the pocket and extends the play. At this point, it's safe to say that Cutler is probably second guessing his decision to leave Denver. The Bears finally have a franchise QB... the problem is they don't have a franchise.

Last season, Ron Turner implemented a no-huddle offense for Kyle Orton to minimize the deficiencies of the O-line. At the midway point of the season, Cutler's finally familiar enough with the offense to do the same. Expect to see it Thursday night.

The key matchup for the Bears: QB Jay Cutler vs the line of scrimmage
On an extremely short week of preparation, neither defense is likely to do anything out of the ordinary. This will give Cutler an opportunity to recognize the 49ers defensive fronts pretty well, and attack them at will if the Bears implement the no-huddle.

The X Factor on offense for the Bears: TE Greg Olsen
It's redundant every week... I can't even bother to choose another X-factor for the Bears. Olsen is a game changer for the Bears... when he's heavily involved.

Side notes from the NFC North:

Vikings & Lions: Minnesota hosts Detroit after a bye week this Sunday. There's no easier match-up on paper than this one. QB Matthew Stafford finally returned to the field last week for the Lions and threw 5 INTs in Seattle.

Packers: Aaron Rodgers was sacked another 6 times last week... by the Tampa Bay Yucs! The Pack allowed an additional 12 QB hits, giving Tampa their first victory of the season. Packers have now allowed an NFL worst 37 sacks on the year, and they host a hot Dallas team this Sunday. Bad things will happen to Aaron Rodgers.

Week 9 Preview: Cardinals (4-3) @ Bears (4-3)

SackMan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:33:51 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Darnell Dockett has become quite a force (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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In a schedule that sounds like we're turning back the clock to 1925, the Bears and Cardinals kickoff at noon on Sunday in Soldier Field... re-newing the old Northside vs Southside rivalry. Game on FOX.

Week 8 Recap

The Cardinals got steam rolled by the Panthers at home, 34-21. Entering the game, Arizona's run D was #1 in the NFL, but Carolina ran for an incredible 270 yards. It wasn't the only incredible feat the Panthers accomplished in this game: they intercepted Kurt Warner 5 times... and for the first time all year, Jake Delhomme didn't turn the ball over (he only attempted 14 passes LOL). When you play the Cardinals, you usually try to play keep away from Warner and Co, but the Panthers played keep away from their own QB to win this one.

The Bears took care of the woeful Browns at Soldier Field 30-6. However, aside from the final score, there was absolutely nothing impressive about the victory. The Bears, once again, had red zone problems, as their first 3 drives stalled and led to FGs... including one drive that started at the Cleveland 13 yard line after Danieal Manning interception. Manning had a spectacular game... leading the team in tackles, breaking up a pass, intercepting a pass, and recovering a fumble.

Quick Numbers:

270: Rushing yards the Cardinals allowed to the Panthers last week.
3.5: Matt Forte's pathetic YPC in 2009
#7: The Cardinals rushing defensive ranking, falling all the way from #1 after last week
1: The number of sacks recorded by the Bears defense in their last 3 games. 1.

Key Injuries:

ARI WR Anquan Boldin (right ankle) Q

CHI FS Danieal Manning (back) Q
CHI WR Devin Hester (ankle) Q

When the Cardinals have the ball.
Kurt Warner is leading another high octane offense, with WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. What separates Warner from other QBs is his ability to read blitzes, and beat them with a quick release over and over again. Well, the Bears blitz more than just about every team in the NFL... and do it rather unsuccessfully. This should play right into the hands of Warner. And, when the Bears aren't blitzing, they're normally sitting in a very generous zone coverage, where veteran WRs make a killing. Ocho Cinco feasted on the Bears zone coverage a couple weeks ago... and Fitz and Boldin are better. Sorry folks... but if Warner comes out firing, this could get ugly again... much like the Bengals game.

The key matchup: Anquan Boldin vs the Bears back 7
While Larry Fitzgerald is the headliner and deep threat, Boldin is the guy who makes his living underneath and in the middle: exactly where the windows are in the Cover 2. Boldin will find the open spots in this weak zone all day long.

The X factor on offense for the Cardinals: Beanie Wells
Wells is starting to adapt to the NFL, and finally becoming a staple of the offense. He now leads the team in rushing, despite a few less carries than Tim Hightower, and is starting to look like a feature back. At some point this season, he's going to have "a game."

When the Bears have the ball.
Sometime this year... Ron Turner is going to have to allow Jay Cutler to do what he does best: make plays on the move. Now, would be a good time to finally start. The Bears offensive line has been so poor, that it's time to intentionally get Cutler outside of the pocket by design. When Cutler's on the move, he minimizes the Bears weak pass protection, and forces defenses to react, by freezing LBs and DBs who hesitate to commit to the QB or the WRs. Up to this point of the season, the Bears are simply wasting Cutler's best talents. And that's trending in other areas as well... because they are also wasting the talents of their two RBs Matt Forte and Garret Wolfe, by continually asking them to run between the tackles of a poor offensive line, when their only running success is coming outside. In the red zone, where the team continues to struggle, Ron Turner must get creative and find a way to create mis-matches. Here's an idea: use your 6'7" TE, Kellen Davis.

The key matchup: Olin Kreutz and Josh Beekman vs Darnell Dockett
Dockett has steadily become one of the better DTs in the league, and is a very disrupting force. With the Bears issues on the line, he could make things difficult for the Bears all afternoon.

The X Factor on offense for the Bears: TE Greg Olsen
As usual... this nod goes to Olsen. When Olsen gets heavily involved, good things happen for the Bears offense.

Side notes from the NFC North:

Vikings: Minnesota's run defense took another hit the last two weeks, as they are now allowing 4.1 ypc and 94.8 ypg. It feels good to be right about something this year :) They'll have the bye week to work on that, although there's no fountain of youth for Pat Williams to drink out of.

*(in the pre-season, I warned that the Vikings days of dominant run D was nearing an end, as Pat Williams turns 37 years old)

Packers: Aaron Rodgers was sacked another 6 times last week... and the Packers O-line let the Vikings record 10 more QB hits on him. It's amazing this man is still standing. This weekend, the Pack switch bays, and head south to take on the Yucs. Rodgers might not be on his back all afternoon this Sunday.

Lions: Detroit flies out west to Seattle after losing at home last week to the Rams 17-10, in a game they should've won. I doubt we'll be saying the same next Monday morning. Seattle should take of this bad road team rather easily.

Week 7 Preview: Bears (3-2) @ Bengals (4-2)

SackMan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:50:36 -0000

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

He's back. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

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The Bears take on Cedric Benson, Ocho Cinco and the resurgent Bengals on Sunday, when they visit Cinci for a 3:15pm CT start on Fox. If you can't catch the game on TV, Ocho Cinco might tweet it live for you.

Week 6 Recap

The Bengals hosted the Texans high flying air attack last Sunday, and got out scored 28-17. Matt Schaub torched the Bengals secondary for 392 yards and 4 TDs... while Carson Palmer's passes only found the endzone once, in trying to keep up with the Houston offense. The biggest news for the Bengals however, was the loss of NFL sack leader Antwan Odom, who tore his Achilles' tendon, and is out for the remainder of the year.

The Bears littered the field with costly mistakes in a 21-14 road loss to Matt Ryan and the Falcons. The Bears seemingly outplayed the Falcons for much of the game, outgaining Atlanta 373 to 253, and holding the ball for 33:54, compared to 26:06. They forced a handful of three and outs and sustained good drives between the 20's. But, the Bears couldn't overcome two turnovers inside the Falcons 10 yard line... along with a handful of penalties and miscues.

Quick Numbers:

8.0: Atwan Odom's sack total (out for the remainder of the season), exactly half of the Bengals team sack total (16)
4.2: Cedric Benson's average yards per carry in 2009
8/7: Carson Palmer's TD/INT ratio.
#22: The Bengals defensive ranking (total defense).
#7: The Bears defensive ranking (total defense).
64.0 and 86.9: Jay Cutler's completion %, and QB rating... right on pace with his career numbers.
3: Receiving touchdowns for Greg Olsen, in just 15 catches.
50-51: Marvin Lewis' career record.

Key Injuries:

CIN DE Antwan Odom (achilles) IR
ATL S Roy Williams (forearm) Q

CHI LB Brian Urlacher (wrist) IR
CHI LB Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee) O

When the Bengals have the ball.
With a resurgent Cedric Benson leading the charge, the Bengals have put together a more balanced attack than in the past. The team is averaging a nice 4.2 YPC on the ground. When they aren't running the ball, they'll put it in the hands of QB Carson Palmer. Palmer has been battling injuries over the last season or so, but seems to be finally back 100%, and with some good receiving threats in Chad "OchoCinco" Johnson, and Andre Caldwell, the Bengals put together a nice potent offense. Surprising, when it's crunch time, Palmer has been looking Caldwell's way this year. The forgotten men are free agent signing Laverneous Coles (who seems to be fading away fast), and young trouble maker Chris Henry, who is an excellent downfield threat.

The key matchup: Cedric Benson vs the Bears Front 7
Let's not kid ourselves... this day is all about Cedric Benson, the NFL's #3 leading rusher. Benson will be out to prove something and say "I told you so." However, on the flip side... it also gives everyone on the Bears defense, who never liked Benson to begin with, a chance to finally hit him as a non-teammate. If you recall, a few training camps ago, Brian Urlacher and Mike Brown (the team's captains) laid some huge beatdowns on Benson, who whined about it to the press.

The X factor on offense for the Bengals: OchoCinco
As always, OchoCinco has been stirring up some twitter trash talk all week, and the Bears pass defense has been very kind to opposing #1 WRs.

When the Bears have the ball.
Jay Cutler, incredibly, is leading this mediocre Bears offense up and down the field between the 20's with ease. However, the Bears continue to stall in the red zone, as the weak offensive line just can't open up holes for Matt Forte in key situations. WRs Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, and Johnny Knox, are developing very nicely under the guidance of Cutler, but the ultimate indicator for success is how involved the TEs get in the passing game. Greg Olsen, Dez Clark, and Kellen Davis are a very nice group.

The key matchup: The Bears O-line vs the Bengals Front 4.
With little reason to respect the Bears run game, it's hard to imagine the Bengals stacking the LOS with 8 men in the box to defend the run. If the Bears line can get into "attack" mode early, they might actually enjoy some running success this Sunday. The run game, no doubt, was a focus during practice all week, as it simply must improve.

The X Factor on offense for the Bears: TE Greg Olsen
During the bye week, the Bears stated they wanted to get Greg Olsen more involved in the offense. Olsen responded with 5 catches and a TD... and he and Devin Hester led the team in targets with 10 each. When Olsen's heavily involved, it creates one on one opportunities for the Bears receivers.

Side notes from the NFC North:

Vikings: Spinning the broken record once again (in the pre-season, I warned that the Vikings days of dominant run D was nearing an end, as Pat Williams turns 37 years old), Minnesota's run defense slid down one more spot on the charts this week to #13.They're now allowing 3.9 ypc, down from their #1 ranking in 2008 (3.3). Last week they gave up 4.5 ypc to the Ravens, who eventually abandoned the run game after falling behind, and passed their way back into the game in the 4th quarter. This week, the Vikings go on the road, outdoors, to Pittsburgh... who have been running all over everyone since Rashard Mendenhall took over the starting job. Chalk this one up in the L column for the Vikings, as they barely survived the Ravens, thanks to a missed FG with time expiring.

Packers: Green Bay had their way with Lions last week, in a 26-0 shutout. However, that poor swiss cheese offensive line allowed another 5 sacks last and another 6 QB hits... to the friggin Lions! That's 25 sacks already on the year! At least they get the Brownies at home this week... that ought to make Aaron Rodgers feel a little better.

Lions: Poor Detroit has found the injury bug at QB. #1 pick, Matthew Stafford, is still nursing a knee injury (suffered vs the Bears), and to make matter worse, Daunte Culpepper left last week's game with a pulled hamstring. At least they got the bye week to get healthy, but If both QBs are still hurt, Drew friggin Stanton could get a start next week vs the equally woeful Rams.

NightLink: Bears Sign Cutler To Extension

SackMan — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:18:13 -0000

More photos » by Jeffrey Phelps - AP

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Per Brad Biggs' tweet:

Jay Cutler 2-year extension with the Chicago Bears. QB will get $30 million with $20 million of it guaranteed. QB now signed thru 2013.

Helmet tip: GallopingGhost

And according to this article, written yesterday on October 19 by Biggs' fellow writer Andrew Brandt of the National Football Post, the Gaines Adams trade freed up cash for the Cutler deal.

From a value standpoint, giving up a second-round draft choice is a truly valuable asset to give up, and personnel people can debate the value of Adams against a 2010 second-round pick. The financial terms, however, skew toward Chicago, which acquired an extremely reasonable contract -- the bulk of the money having been paid by the Bucs -- for a prime position on the team and hedging against paying their existing defensive ends a high market value.

The Bears will need their money. If Jay Cutler progresses as expected, they’re looking at rewarding him with an APY (average per year) of $15M and a guarantee over $30M, based on recent deals by Matt Cassel, Philip Rivers and Eli Manning.

Are the Bears getting out-coached?

SackMan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:35:31 -0000

More photos » by John Froschauer - AP

Chances are... Lovie Smith is probably dialing up a blitz in this picture from the sidelines in Seattle on Sept. 27, 2009. The Bears had blitzed on 45% of their opponent's drop-backs prior to that game. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

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After Sunday night's painful loss in Atlanta, I found myself questioning the abilities of the Bears coaching staff once again. The Bears had two weeks to prepare for that game, yet they littered the field with penalties and blunders which ultimately cost them a chance at victory. Three of the biggest coaching mistakes in that game are flat out inexcusable.

1. The Roddy White TD - The Bears were caught out of position when 3 receivers were covered by only 2 defenders. The Falcons had two wideouts and TE Tony Gonzalez lined up in trips right at the LOS, and Gonzalez was MLB Nick Roach's responsibility. The Bears were running a safety blitz, and outnumbered in coverage. No timeout was called on the field by Roach... and, no timeout was called from the sidelines either. The result: Matt Ryan threw an quick screen to Roddy White, who was uncovered with two blockers, and ran for one of the easiest TDs you'll ever see in the NFL.

2. The no-huddle - The Bears defense was caught off guard by a no-huddle attack, and the Falcons finished a 12-play drive in the first half that ended with a Tony Gonzalez TD. Gonzalez was wide open in the back of the endzone, where MLB Nick Roach once again failed to cover him. When asked by reporters after the game about the Falcons no-huddle offense, Love Smith said they were unprepared for it, even though Matt Ryan said they've used the no-huddle a lot this season when he was asked a similar question. It was later discussed the the Falcons used the no-huddle very often vs New England earlier in the season. So, the Bears had two weeks to prepare for it, and were unprepared? Hmmmm... go figure.

3. Twelve men on the field - For the second time this year on Sunday Night Football, the Bears found themselves in a numbers crunch. The first time this happened, in Green Bay, the Bears were punting in the 4th quarter from their own 26 yard line with a 12-10 lead. When they thought the Packers had too many men on the field, they ran a fake to try an take advantage of a "free play." But, they were wrong, lost a challenge and a timeout, and turned it over on downs at their own 30 yard line. The Packers kicked a field goal to take a 13-12 lead.

This time, in the 4th quarter once again, the Bears had just forced the Falcons to punt on a 4th and 4 from the Bears 36 yard line. But, 12 men on the field gave the Falcons a 1st down at the Bears 31 in the 4th quarter with a 14-7 lead. Thankfully, Matt Ryan was intercepted by Nathan Vasher at the Bears 7 yard line on the very next play.

When I reflect on those 3 things... I sit here and scratch my head.

Then, I start to think of some other concerns that raise my eyebrow.

The Bears blitz
Over the past two seasons, the Bears have blitzed more than almost every team in the NFL.

Per Dan Pompei, on Sep 27th:

Last year, they blitzed on 34 percent of their opponents' drop-backs. This year, with coach Lovie Smith handling the defensive play-calling for the first time, they have blitzed on 45 percent of their opponents' drop-backs.

Only six teams -- the Jets, Bills, Steelers, Browns, Cowboys and Cardinals -- have run more blitzes than the Bears this season. And of those, only the Bills and Cardinals operate out of a four-man front as the Bears do.

I also remember it being documented that the Bears led the NFL in blitz % last season... although I can't find a source.

Sunday night vs the Falcons was no exception. The Bears blitzed Matt Ryan repeatedly in that game, however they failed to register a single sack or QB hit. Ryan's jersey never even touched the ground. When a team blitzes that many times, you'd figure they would eventually get to the QB... right? But, the Bears blitzes over the past several years have been practically useless... which raises another coaching question: Why?

Leading the league in blitz % in 2008, the Bears ranked 22nd in the league with 28 sacks. So far this season, the Bears have vastly improved their pass rush with 14 sacks... however, 10 of them are from defensive lineman. Why aren't the blitzers actually getting to the QB?

Talent has underachieved on the Bears, and excelled on other teams

Players come and go... and sometimes perform better on other teams. I get it... it's just the way it is. However, in the Bears case, there's a long list piling up. These players have had limited success as a Bear, and have left Chicago and prospered in other places. And, when you break it down... you wonder why they aren't achieving this success in Chicago?

It's not like the Bears have lacked talent... this list is proof.

QB Kyle Orton (traded) - Has led the Broncos to a 6-0 start and has a QB rating of 100.1

RB Thomas Jones (traded) - Led the AFC in rushing in 2008 with the Jets, and is currently #5 in the NFL in rushing yards

RB Cedric Benson (released) - The former #1 pick is experiencing a revival as a Bengal, and is currently #3 in the NFL in rushing yards

WR Justin Gage (released) - Led the Titans in receiving in 2007 & 2008, and is starting for them again in '09

WR Bobby Wade (released) - Led the Vikings in receiving in 2007, and is still in the league as the #3 WR for the Chiefs

WR Mark Bradley (released) - Is the 2nd leading WR for the Chiefs, and in 16 total games for Kansas City, has 45 catches for 557 yards & 4 TDs... nearly equaling his total output with the Bears in a span of 34 games over 4 seasons.

S Chris Harris (traded) - Has been the starting SS for the Panthers for 3 seasons, and led the league with 8 forced fumbles in 2007.

T Mark Colombo (released) - The former #1 pick, who battled knee injuries with the Bears, has started 53 consecutive games for the Cowboys at RT

FB Lousaka Polite (released) - He joined the Bears after 3 years in Dallas, and has been the starting FB for the Miami Dolphins for the past 2 seasons

It pains me to say it, but the evidence is stacking up here against Lovie Smith and his staff. Maybe it's a narrow-minded view, since my eyes are focused so much more on the Bears, than the rest of the NFL as a comparison. But, the overall picture sure doesn't look too good.

Poll

How would you grade the Bears coaching staff?

A: Great: They give the team a very strong competitive advantage

14 votes

B: Good: They are sometimes a step ahead, but usually pretty even with the opposition

149 votes

C: Average: They don't make or break the team

266 votes

D: Below average: They get out-coached way too often

498 votes

F: Bad: They are always unprepared

82 votes

1009 votes | Poll has closed

Week 6 preview: Bears (3-1) @ Atlanta (3-1)

SackMan — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:58:28 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

2 months ago: Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White, left, celebrates a touchdown with teammates Justin Peelle (87) and Tony Gonzalez (88) in the first quarter of their NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

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We've waited two weeks for this darn game... it's about time! Let's hope the Bears are tired of waiting too, when they play the Falcons in prime time on Sunday Night Football, 7:20 CT on NBC.

Week 5 Recap

While the Bears had the weekend off and sat on their couches, the Falcons traveled far to the West coast and absolutely destroyed the 49ers 45-10. There's not much to say about that game, since the score pretty much sums it up. However, one thing I'd like to note is that the Falcons were coming off their own bye week prior to that match-up, and through the first 3 games of the season, Roddy White had been almost invisible. During the bye week, White sat down with head coach Mike Smith to have a good, friendly chat about what was going on. The two determined that Roddy just had to relax and be himself... and not "press" on the field. Well... White responded with 8 catches for 210 yards and 2 TDs. Not too shabby. Luckily for me, I had just picked up White for my fantasy team, and was rewarded right away. I'm starting him again this week against the Bears crappy pass defense.

Quick Numbers:

102.9: Matt Ryan's QB rating on the season thus far.
301: The number of passing yards for Matt Ryan in last year's 22-20 victory over the Bears.
86.1: The average number of yards per game the Bears defense allows to opposing #1 WRs (per football outsiders), ranking them #20 in the league.
3.5: The Falcon's average yards per carry, down almost a full yard from 2008 (4.4).
127: The number of rushing yards allowed per game by the Falcon defense (4.9 ypc).
2: The number of sacks allowed by the Falcons O-Line.
14: The number of sacks forced by the Bears defense.
3-2: Lovie Smith's record after the bye week. The Bears have won their last 3 in a row.

Key Injuries:

ATL DT Peria Jerry (knee) O
ATL WR Harry Douglas (knee) O
ATL S Antoine Harris (knee) Q
ATL FB Ovie Mughelli (calf) Q

CHI LB Brian Urlacher (wrist) IR
CHI RB Adrian Peterson (knee) Q
CHI DT Anthony Adams (toe) Q
CHI LB Hunter Hillenmyer (ribs) Q
CHI DL Israel Idonije (knee) Q

When the Falcons have the ball.
It all starts with the QB, and Matt Ryan is proving to be one of the best young QBs in the NFL, after being drafted 3rd overall in 2008. That's very impressive, especially in a league suddenly filled with great young talent at the position. Not to be overlooked, we have Ryan's supporting cast... Atlanta's offensive line has been brilliant in pass protection so far this year, as Ryan has only been sacked twice in 4 games. With such great protection, Ryan has had plenty of time to get the ball to a group of playmakers that includes WR Roddy White (1,382 yards in 2008) and future HOF TE Tony Gonzalez. And of course, I have yet to mention RB Michael Turner (1,699 yards in 2008). Point blank: the Falcons offense is a handful for any opponent.

The key matchup: Bears LBs vs Tony Gonzalez
Brian Urlacher was the best cover LB in the game... and in the Cover 2, he was asked to cover the deep middle zone, where TEs make their payday. Without Urlacher, replacements Hunter Hillenmeyer and Nick Roach have struggled mightily in pass coverage. Thankfully, up to this point, opposing QBs have failed to expose that weakness with errant throws. However, the Ryan-to-Gonzalez connection is too good for these LBs to handle.

The X factor on offense for the Falcons: WR Michael Jenkins
Jenkins, the #2 WR, would have led the Bears in receiving last year (777 yards in 2008). He is a deep threat and a very nice compliment to White. With the Bears secondary being so generous this year, and all of their attention focused on White and Gonzalez, look for Jenkins to burn the Bears deep on more than one occasion.

When the Bears have the ball.
The Bears have had two weeks to prepare for this match-up, and have plenty of film on the Falcons from last year's game, and this season. In theory, the extra week should have allowed QB Jay Cutler to further improve his development within the offense, and get more comfortable with his young WRs (Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, and Johnny Knox). However, the extra week also allowed Ron Turner to expand the playbook in preparation for this game. Don't be surprised to see some new sprinkles and formations on Sunday night, as the Bears could be cooking something special up for the Falcons.

The key matchup: RB Matt Forte vs the Falcons front four.
The Falcons defense is allowing a whopping 4.9 ypc on the ground this year, and Forte's knee appears to be getting healthier, after bursting for two big runs (61 and 37T) vs Detroit prior to the bye week. Look for the Bears to attack with the run, perhaps using pulls and traps that the Falcons haven't seen on film.

The X Factor on offense for the Bears: TE Greg Olsen
Greg Olsen has been relatively quiet between the 20s this year, as opposing defenses have keyed on shutting him down. However, he's still a favorite target of Cutler, with 2 TDs in the red zone. Defenses are becoming more aware of deep threat Johnny Knox, and will have to give him more attention at some point, taking some of the focus away from Olsen.

Side notes from the NFC North:

Vikings: In continuing with my weekly Vikings run D report (in the pre-season, I warned that the Vikings days of dominant run D was nearing an end, as Pat Williams turns 37 years old), Minnesota's run defense is sliding down the charts to #12 after week 5. They're allowing 3.8 ypc, and 96 yards a game, down from their #1 ranking in 2008 (3.3 and 76.9). Last week they gave up 122 yards on 4.1 ypc to the woeful Rams, and they are entering back-to-back games at home vs Baltimore and on the road at Pittsburgh. Oh, the times they are a changin. I expect the Vikings to lose one of those two games, and if the ball bounces the wrong way... they might drop both.

Packers: The Green Bay offensive line didn't allow a sack last week! Too bad it doesn't count in the box score, as they had the week off. The Packers have entered desperation mode, and called up their former tackle, Mark Tauscher, last week to help fix the situation. To put that in perspective, signing Tauscher is the equivalent of the Bears signing Fred Miller last year.

Lions: #1 pick, Matthew Stafford, is still nursing a knee injury (suffered vs the Bears), and will likely sit out Sunday's game at Green Bay. It's tough for Stafford, as he was really showing great signs of improvement with the Lions big win over Washington, and a 296 yard performance vs the Bears in Soldier Field. Daunte Culpepper will make his second straight start for the Lions, who also have knee injury concerns with their #1 play maker, Calvin Johnson.