Santa’s Chicago Bears 2012 Naughty or Nice List
Santa paid a visit to Halas Hall the other day and we got a sneak peak at his Naughty and Nice list of 2012 Chicago Bears. Let’s start with the Nice list first.
Nov 25, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings (26) with the ball during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. The ball was ruled incomplete after replay review. The Bears won 28-10. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Tim Jennings
Jennings has been having a stellar season. Despite missing the last couple of games with a shoulder injury, Jennings leads the Bears with 8 interceptions, twice his nearest teammate. He’s had a standout season and deserves to be atop Santa’s Nice list. Jennings led the fan voting for the Pro Bowl, so his season hasn’t gone unnoticed to NFL fans everywhere and the jolly old fella at the North Pole.
Peanut Tillman
If I told you someone was an expert ball-puncher, you might think he belongs on Santa’s Naughty List, but Tillman is another member of the Bears secondary on Santa’s Nice List. Tillman seems to get better with age. He leads the Bears with 10 forced fumbles. His early season success helped propel the Bears to their 7-1 start. If he’s like a little something extra under his tree, maybe he can finish strong.
Brandon Marshall
There was a lot of speculation when Phil Emery traded a pair of third round draft picks for problem child Brandon Marshall, but he’s been anything but a problem. In fact, he’s been about the only solution on the Bears offense. He’s already broken the Bears record for catches (107) and is just two yards shy of breaking the record for single season yardage (1398) with two games to go. Besides his on the field achievements, Marshall has been exemplary off the field. From the day he arrived at Halas Hall, it looks like Marshall has turned his life around.
That’s really all I was able to see on the Nice List. The Naughty List is a little more crowded.
Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs
While these guys have generally been the stellar selves on the field, their recent tirades against the fans put them squarely on the Naughty list. Sorry fellas, you can’t dis your fans.
Gabe Carimi
Even though Carimi isn’t down with Christmas, it doesn’t stop him from going on Santa’s naughty list. Carimi has been bad, plain and simple. It’s a big disappointment and a major setback to the Bears offense when they figured out Carimi couldn’t block worth a damn. I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt and hoping that a full offseason will benefit him and save his career.
Dec 16, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Devin Hester (23) practices before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Devin Hester and Earl Bennett
Here’s another duo going onto Santa’s naughty list. When Brandon Marshall showed up, we all believed Bennett and Hester would flourish as they moved into their proper slots as 2nd and 3rd or 3rd and 4th receivers. But the pair of receivers have almost identical stat sheets. Each has 23 catches and about 250 yards and a TD. Their stats combined don’t amount to half of what Marshall’s been able to do. Major disappointments as receivers and Hester gets an extra lump of coal in his stocking for his pitiful effort as a return man. Run forward!
Kellen Davis
Davis might be the worst tight end ever. He has 17 catches on 41 targets. That’s a drop rate of more than half of the balls he’s caught. And is it just me or does Davis fall down every time he does actually catch a ball? I think he’s actually fainting from shock of catching a ball.
What do you think? Who should go on Santa’s Naughty or Nice list? Let’s see your ideas in the Comments.