SB Nation User Blog: escolio

The Curse of Walter Payton

escolio — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:20:38 -0000

Based on how the Bears seasons have gone the past few years got me thinking "How did we get here?" "Here" is the place where the Bears are good only every 4-5 years or so, and even when that happens it seems that it is luck or a fluke (i.e. the 13-3 2001 team). This year doesn't seem any different, but in fact it is. As you all know, this is the first time we've had a bona fide talent at QB, thought to be the gaping hole in our team year after year, and that QB has looked like every single Bears QB we've had except the 1940's sensation of the T-formation Sid Luckman. We don't have to look that far back to find a historically dominant team; we all know which team I'm talking about. But why didn't that team win more games, especially playoff games and Super Bowls than that magical one? One reason: Walter Payton.

A lot of fans know where I'm going with this: Payton did not score a touchdown in the rout of New England in Super Bowl XX while a number of others did, specifically William "The Refrigerator" Perry a defensive tackle. Payton was the greatest player in team history to that point (and still is), and at that time the all-time leading rusher in the NFL, and didn't score in his only Super Bowl, after playing on terrible Bears teams for the majority of his career. And that was how he was repaid by his only franchise: letting a defensive tackle score HIS touchdown (I don't blame the Fridge, who has said he thought he was blocking for Payton on that play).

Was the real reason Payton didn't score was because he was being "keyed" on as he said he was? Or was it maybe that Payton was one of the Halas holdovers and Ditka wanted to use his guys to win? We don't know the reason, but we know the result: a long Super Bowl drought and year after year of disappointing teams.

Lets take a brief look at the runningbacks the Bears have had lead the team in rushing since Payton:

Neal Anderson: 91 games, 6166 rushing yards, 51 rushing TDs

Lewis Tillman: 16 games, 977 yards, 7 rushing TDs

Rashaan "F-ing" Salaam: 21 games, 1682 yards, 13 TDs, 14 fumbles

Raymont Harris: 35 games, 2245 yards, 15 TDs

Edgar Bennett: 14 games, 639 yards, 2 TDs

Curtis "F-ing" Enis: 18 games, 1497 yards, 4 TDs

James Allen: 27 games, 1978 yards, 4 TDs

Anthony "A-Train" Thomas: 37 games, 3332 games, 21 TDs

Thomas Jones: 45 games, 3493 yards, 22 TDs

Cedric "F-ing" Benson: 12 games, 1593 yards, 10 TDs

Matt Forte: 27 games, 1781 yards, 11 TDs

(Yes, less yards than James Allen in the same amount of games)

Notice anything?? It seems we have just as bad of luck with runningbacks as quarterbacks, meaning outside of Neal Anderson (whose career was cut short by knee injuries), we haven't had the same RB for more than 3 years (both Thomas and Jones lead the team in rushing 3 years), and numerous high draft picks have flamed out for every different reason there can be outside of murder or being murdered. Coincidence? To borrow from Easterbrook's Tuesday Morning Quarterback, the football gods have been punishing the Bears since Walter was denied his Super Bowl touchdown.

How do you beat a curse brought on by a man nicknamed Sweetness, that got his record broken by Emmitt Smith gunning for the record on the Cardinals at the time? Here's my solution (other than raising Halas and Walter from the dead to revive the franchise): bring back Jarrett Payton, unretire number 34, and have him break/own a Bears record. It has to be a positive record too, nothing like "most fumbles in a game" or "most runs for a loss." Ideally it would be one of Walter's records, but beggar's can't be choosers. I have two Payton records that seem doable for Jarrett: punt average (Walter punted 1 time for 39 yards) and if we really want to break The Curse TD passes (8 for Walter). This year we should suit up Jarrett as #34, and put him in at QB everytime we're in the redzone or inside the 10; since Cutler's throwing picks anyways it's worth a shot to break The Curse. If that doesn't work out, punt average should be easy for Jarrett as he did play high school soccer; hell he could kick extra points and short field goals too.

Now, am I crazy or convoluted for thinking this, or have I just reached the point where this is the only thing that makes sense to me? Your thoughts?

Poll

Are the Chicago Bears suffering from The Curse of Walter Payton?

Yes

7 votes

No

9 votes

Whoever wrote this is a putz

36 votes

52 votes | Poll has closed

At least we know someone at ESPN watches the Bears...

escolio — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:46:42 -0000

"Sour Officiating Moment: City of Tampa defensive end Gaines Adams intercepted a screen pass and returned it for a touchdown against Chicago. The play was a tight end screen, and Adams not only got into position for the interception by interfering with Bears tight end Desmond Clark, he practically threw Clark to the ground. That would have been legal in high school, where there is no pass interference behind the line of scrimmage. But in the NFL, Adams should have been flagged, and it should have been a first down for Chicago."

From Gregg Easterbrook's "Tuesday Morning Quaterback " ESPN Column

Lets hope for Favre to the Bucs

escolio — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:38:06 -0000

Where would you Bears fans want Favre to go? Personally I think the best fit for us would be Tampa Bay, because it would force them to get rid of a QB or two. Garcia AND Simms would be gone, and we would have shot at both or either of them. I know Garcia would be a short-term fix, and we need to see what Rex and Kyle have, but I feel that with Garcia at QB we are immediately in the NFC North's Driver seat. He is still mobile enough to make up for the left side of our line, and he didn't play in the league long enough to get a ton of miles on his arm (which is plenty strong enough if you remember the year he was with Philly throwing bombs to Stallworth). Heres hoping Favre to the Bucs happen.

The other team that has been "allowed" to talk to Favre is the Jets, which wouldn't benefit us as much because they have a similar QB battle going on. Pennington would probably be gone if Favre joins the Jets.

Poll

Would you rather see Jeff Garcia or Chad Pennington in a Bears uniform??

Chad Pennington

4 votes

Jeff Garcia

17 votes

Neither

13 votes

Other Jets or Bucs QB

1 votes

35 votes | Poll has closed

Bears Training Camp Video

escolio — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:30:31 -0000

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Watch these and tell me what you think. It seems pretty obvious that our QBs are wildly inconsistent day to day, but our WRs seem to be making some good cathes. It makes you wonder how much the corners are actually jamming the WR in practice for them to be so open. Biggest surprise for me? Brandon Rideau, Mike Hass, and Earl Bennett. They've all caught everything, Bennett especially with some great catches on poorly thrown balls. Mind you, Hester hasn't caught a pass yet so this will only get more interesting. Based on the increased reps Nick Hill got on Day 3 with Hanie getting zero, it looks like the coaching staff has taken a shine to the kid (who I absolutely loved coming out of SIU).