Here’s what the guru’s over at ESPN think:

Trent Dilfer brings analysis like he used to bring passes back when he was with Bucs- weak and off the mark.   An opportunity for Kyle Orton?  Gimme a break!

Here are the things I’ll be watching for after the Cutler drama dies down a bit: (more…)

Jay Cutler Superstar asks for predictions for JC’s 2009 stat line.  A certain blogger who shall remain nameless pegged him for 30 TD’s.  What was in that Cutler Kool Aide?  Maybe I should take JC with my #3 fantasy pick?

And speaking of Jay, he only had nice things to say about former coach Josh McDaniels, while he expects a rough ride from Broncos fans in his return to Denver.  Can we call him “former coach” when he never really coached Jay?   How about the guy who effectively ran him out of Denver?

Dusty Dvoracek is getting his knee scoped on Friday to verify the seriousness of his injury.   What do you think they’ll find in there?  I suspect it will be his ticket to the injured reserve list.  As any Cubs fan will tell you, In Dusty, we no trusty…”

The Bears defense is hoping to get a Manning and Bowman back for Sunday while former Bear Mike Brown visited with Waddle and Silvey.

In the “I need to go to Law School to follow the Bears” department, someone is trying to take DT Anthony Adams to the cleaners, while the Bears are suing to recoup $400k for getting the old Screw Job on a suite deal.

Lots more on Jay Cutler’s return to Denver including a different angle on the Cutler-Orton matchup coming up later this week.

BEAR DOWN!!!

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Dusty Dvoracek in action

When I rolled out of bed this morning, Dusty Dvoracek’s season was over according to Brad Biggs.

Based on his past, it cannot come as a surprise to the Bears that Dusty Dvoracek will miss the 2009 season after tearing the ACL in his right knee Saturday night against the New York Giants.

A few hours later, that didn’t seem to be the case according to the Bears official website.

Defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek sustained a sprained MCL in his right knee in Saturday night’s preseason win over the Giants and will undergo additional tests to determine if the injury is more serious.

The Bears would not confirm a newspaper report Monday indicating that Dvoracek is out for the season with a torn ACL because the results of initial tests were inconclusive.

“When I say it’s an MCL, that’s what it is,” said coach Lovie Smith. “That’s all we know right now.”

Dvoracek suffered the injury while sacking Andre Woodson late in the third quarter. The weight of both players landed on Dvoracek’s right leg as he pulled the 6-4, 230-pound quarterback down to the ground.

Who’s working miracles on Dusty’s knee?  I don’t know, but there’s a guy with the intials JC in the Bears locker room these days.   I had Dusty pegged as a having a tough time to make the final roster, but this isn’t the way to burst his roster bubble.

BEAR DOWN!!!

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There is some question about who was at fault in Jay Cutler's INT intended for Devin Hester.

The Bears lost their 2009 preseason opener to the Buffalo Bills 27-20.  Jay Cutler’s debut was probably not what anyone outside of Denver had been hoping for.  It’s not nearly as bad as the 3 INT night that Kyle Orton threw in his Broncos debut, but it leaves plenty of room for improvement.  Cutler went 5/10 for 64 yards and an ill-advised, off-the-back-foot Grossman-esque INT on an attempt to Devin Hester.  There’s some debate about how that play ended up, according to ESPN Chicago’s Jeff Dickerson but I’ll chalk it up to a learning experience for a QB anxious to make a big play.  (more…)

If you think the arrow is pointing up for the Bears’ offense, the once-heralded defense is another story.  Long gone is the defense that carried the Bears to Super Bowl XLI.   The defense that ranked 5th overall in the NFL in 2006 has been in steady decline in the two seasons since.  The team that ranked 3rd in scoring defense in 2006, slid down to 16th the last two seasons.  In fact, last year the team’s average PPG was 21.8 compared to 21.9 this season.  That’s a far cry from the 15.9 PPG in the Super Bowl season of 2006.  Many will point to schemes and coaching.  I’ll dedicate a separate post just to address those issues.  In the meantime, let’s break it down: (more…)

It doesn’t matter what quarterback was on the field, Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton, or Caleb Hanie, the offense couldn’t get anything to work.  To give him some slack, Orton looked decent but was only in the game for a series of plays and found his spot on the bench still warm.  Coaches opted to give Grossman the majority of the first half and rookie Caleb Hanie the entire second half.  Grossman looked like typical Grossman despite all the reports of his work in the offseason.  I’ve never seen a player put in so much work to improve and make no actual improvement on the field. 

I’m starting to wonder if Rex Grossman has problems with teammates, more specifically the offensive line.  On any given play the line will give Grossman all the time in the world and on the next play they don’t even attempt to pick up blitzing linebackers and let him get floored.  It almost makes me wonder if some of his teammates really want him on the field.  Opposing defenses blitz Grossman constantly and the Seahawks followed suit.  Until he can learn to deal with a blitz and check down or evade the sack, it will be the same story of Grossman running for his life.

Fans began to wonder aloud if Caleb Hanie could progress but he failed to look spectacular in the second half.  His only flash of offense production came at the hands of same amazing plays by rookie tight end Kellen Davis.  Davis was so good he is sure to see some playing time when the regular season rolls around.  Starting tight end Desmond Clark went down with a knee injury but there has been no word on the severity.  If Clark misses time, Davis will see significant playing time and the fantasy value of Greg Olsen could go through the roof. 

The defense started the game in typical fashion by holding the Seahawks to field goals and keeping them in the game.  When the offense struggled to score they broke the game open with an interception return for a touchdown by Corey Graham.  The most impressive player was defensive tackle Israel Idonije, playing in place of Tommie Harris and Dusty Dvoracek, who did not play.  Rookie defensive tackle Marcus Harrison also looked good but Idonije was constantly getting penetration and always seemed to be in the quarterbacks face.  Defensive tackle is a key position to allow the Bear defenders to make plays like they did tonight.  Having this kind of depth at the position gives the Bears the kind of rotation they need to keep the defense up-tempo and wear offensive lines down.

The special teams came through again with a safety recorded on a blocked punt by Darrell McClover, a punt return for a touchdown by rookie Earl Bennett, and another blocked punt by Mark Bradley that gave the Bears a chance to win the game.  The Bears opted to let the clock run down instead of trying to get more yardage and Robbie Gould missed the 47 yard field goal and put the game into overtime.  In overtime the defense just looked too tired and let the Seattle offense run the ball down the field and win the game.  At that point most of the players on the field were fighting for a roster spot so I don’t hold it against the defense as a whole. 

I will say the defense needs to work on finishing tackles.  There were a lot of crappy arm tackles that allowed Seattle ball carriers to pick up an extra 5 yards when they should have been taken down.  On a few occassions I saw players trying to make a big play to get a spot on the squad by going for a forced fumble instead of just tackling the ball carrier.  As time goes on and players get more game time practice, I’m sure the tackling will fix itself.  This defense has too much experience and leadership to allow sloppy tackles for the first down.

Overall, this looks like the exact same team of recent years.  The offense was clueless, the defense was in control, and the special teams almost scored more than the offense. 

Of course my excitement is curbed by reality of this being an exhibition game.  We’ll like only see a quarter or half tops of good football and then the remainder of the game will feature the players fighting for a roster spot.  The third and fourth string players certainly play with plenty of heart but they run around the field with a wild disregard that makes you wonder if they really know what play was just called in the huddle. 

For the Chicago Bears, the preseason holds an important test for several positions on the field.  A season cannot be made or lost in a single preseason game, but tomorrow night’s contest certainly holds the futures and opinions of my players in the balance.  Without further delay, here are my players to watch tomorrow night.

First Round Bench Warmers

The Bears and Chiefs have a lot invested in the success of their first round picks, all of whom will not be dressing tomorrow.  Bears first round pick, and hopeful for left tackle of the future, Chris Williams will not be playing due to a lingering back injury.  He has missed significant practice time and is now reaching the point where coaches should be concerned if he will be ready for the actual season.  Without Williams playing left tackle the Bears will be starting the season with a weak offensive line.  The Chiefs will also be playing without their first rounders, Glenn Dorsey and Branden Albert.  Both players need to get healthy and contribute to help the Chiefs rebuilding process begin.

Matt Forte Show

The Bears signed free agent running back Kevin Jones to help in the backfield but Jones is still coming back from his injury.  He is almost ready to put on pads and get his first taste of game action but for tomorrow, it will be the Matt Forte show.  There is no understatement in saying all eyes will be on his every move and touch of the ball.  He should get about ten touches before being pulled for Adrian Peterson, but he needs to show some of the flashes coaches have been telling us about.  Fans may extend a learning curve to the rookie, but I think everyone will feel better on Friday if Forte can show he can run the ball in the NFL.

Wide Receiver Madness

The Bears have a LOT of receivers to choose from and players need to stand out or find themselves at the bottom of a deep depth chart.  Bears quarterbacks can throw to Marty Booker, Devin Hester, Brandon Lloyd, Rashied Davis, Mike Hass, Marcus Monk, Earl Bennett, Brandon Rideau, and Ryan Grice-Mullen.  Every day I read articles from reporters at training camp and every day they seem to have a new favorite at the receiver position.  The Bears appear committed to Booker, Hester, Lloyd and Davis as their starting four for the upcoming season.  The remaining players will have to come up with big plays to earn a place among the top.  Fan favorite Mike Hass is known for making spectacular catches but coaches are afraid he’s too slow to put him on the field.  Little has been said about rookie draft picks Bennett and Monk so any contribution will help get their names in the running.

O-Line Disaster

I’ve been talking all summer until blue in the face about the importance of the Bears to solidify the offensive line.  First round pick and left tackle Chris Williams is out indefinately with back pain and Olin Kreutz missed practice time with injuries early in camp.  More recently there have been troubles with the guard position and the Bears may be forced to start Josh Beekman.  No one really knows if Beekman is good or bad because coaches have never opted to use him.  Even last season when the offensive line was terrible, Beekman dressed but was never put into a game.  That’s not a good sign for things to come.  I for one will be watching Beekman to see if he can step up with this opportunity.

QB Coin Flip

Coach Lovie Smith didn’t rely on a coin flip to make his decision this time, but he did continue to flip.  Kyle Orton will be the starter of tomorrow’s game and Rex Grossman will the starter for next week’s game.  Grossman and Orton have been very close throughout training camp and game situations could prove to be the final test.  Grossman has always given the Bears the better chance to win, but his failure to maintain his composure and mechanics have proven disasterous.  If Orton shows he can stand in the pocket he may move ahead in the competition.

Injury Bug

Defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek is considered a possible key player for the defense at tackle but can’t seem to stay healthy.  For the third year in a row he has been injured and will force the Bears to find a new tackle to play alongside Tommie Harris.  Rookie Marcus Harrison was ranked by many teams as a possible first round pick but passed on him because of character issues.  Reports indicate he has been a model citizen in training camp and he may get a lot of activity tomorrow night.  At the present moment he appears to be the best candidate for surprise draft pick if he can deliver.

Roach Factor

Nick Roach is a second year linebacker with the team that is getting a lot of attention.  He recently moved up the depth chart ahead of Rod Wilson as backup middle linebacker to Brian Urlacher.  I thougth highly enough of Wilson that I suggested last season the Bears should let Lance Briggs go and start him this season.  If Roach is even better he may prove to be valuable addition to the defense.  If he can make a big play Roach may see more significant playing time.

The Bears did everything they were supposed to do in this draft and stuck to the game plan, with the exception of one area, which is why, much like my own grades, they missed out on an A.  The Bears currently only have two quarterbacks on the roster, Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton, yet they failed to even attempt to draft a quarterback.  I felt fairly certain that going into the second day of the draft the Bears would take a chance on a lower rated quarterback like USC’s John David Booty.  I was disappointed and the Bears need to start answering questions of who will be the third quarterback in training camp.

As much as we have made a big deal about the quarterback situation in Chicago, I think the Bears made the right choice skipping on a quarterback in the second round.  There is a whisper going around Chicago that is turning into an uproar that the broken leg of Cedric Benson is not healing properly.  At least one source claims the running back will never be able to plant and turn off the healing leg.  This is especially troubling since Benson was already a second too slow on changing direction on his routes.  The only way he knows how to run is straight forward and upright, a kiss of death in the NFL. 

The first round pick of Chris Williams was a no brainer.  The mock drafts showed the Bears landing Jeff Otah, but when Willaims was still on the board the Bears were happy to oblige.  Williams is a big beast of a man standing 6’6, 315 lbs and will likely be the immediate starter at left tackle.  John Tait will return to his natural position of right tackle and appears to be happy to make the change.  It’s a great pick for teh franchise and goes a long way to solidify an offensive line that had troubles controlling the line of scrimmage last season.  Even the most adamant Grossman haters have admitted the quarterback would have a better time developing if he wasn’t constantly running backwards. 

In the second round the Bears took Matt Forte, a solid pick but one that will be watched and debated over the years depending on the pro careers of Brian Brohm and Chad Henne.  I worry if a running back out of a smaller school like Tulane can come into Chicago and handle the pressure of possibly being the starting running back if he has a strong training camp.  However, I have to reserve my judgment since an ex-Bear running back named Walter Payton was drafted out of a little division two college and the big lights of Chicago didn’t seem to bother him.  Forte doesn’t need to be the next Payton, but the Bears need him to be something more than Benson. 

I was predicting the Bears to take a wide receiver and guard in the third round, but I was pleasantly surprised when General Manager Jerry Angelo went back to defense.  He is very gifted at finding defensive talent in the middle rounds and you have to think he may have brought in some talented players under the radar.  Third round pick Earl Bennett from Vanderbilt is described as a slot wide receiver, something the Bears could sorely use.  With the loss of Muhsin Muhammed, the Bears are going to need a receiver to step up and establish themselves as a possession and third down receiver.  The Bears recently signed Rashied Davis, but this pick gives the Bears options and hopefully a young receiver they can rely upon in the coming years.

At this point, Jerry Angelo went off the script and drafted a big defensive tackle, Marcus Harrison out of Arkansas.  At 6’3, 310 lbs, he can be a force up the middle that will take some heat off of Tommie Harris to make plays.  The move helps take the pressure off the tackle depth chart with Dusty Dvoracek highly praised but unable to stay off the injured list.  It’s also no secret that success at defensive tackle frees up Brian Urlacher to roam to field and create chaos.

In the fourth round the Bears selected safety Craig Steltz, a kid I don’t know much about, but any kid that can start at the safety position for a highly effective LSU defense is welcome to Halas Hall.  Steltz had injury concerns that prevented him from working out at the combine and cost him draft position.  This could prove to be the surprise pick out of this year’s draft in the long run.  Year after year, LSU has one of the top defenses in college football and that’s not lost on NFL scouts.  The Bears have had troubles finding stability at the safety position and if Steltz can learn fast he may find himself on the field quickly.

The fifth round was strange because the Bears selected cornerback Zackary Bowman and tight end Kellen Davis, two positions already solidified on the roster.  The Bears have cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher locked up in long term contracts.  At tight end the Bears have top draft pick and developing star Greg Olsen along with veteran Desmond Clark.  Both positions would only open up if the Bears are hit with the injury bug like they were last year at cornerback.  However, it is very promising because it shows the Bears are actually coming around to the idea of drafting for talent instead of drafting for position.  While many teams have been employing this philosophy for years, it is new to us in Chicago, the land of over paid draft busts.

In the seventh round garbage time the Bear grabbed five players, a defensive end, offensive guard, an outside linebacker, an offensive tackle, and wide receiver.  Out of the five players, offensive guard Chester Adams has the best chance of making the team to add depth to a thin offensive line.  I thought the Bears might grab a guard sooner but this year’s class was pretty thin.  The rest will likely come to training camp and have to practice hard to earn a roster spot.

Overall, despite the absence of a quarterback, the Bears had a great draft because they finally appear willing to give up drafting for position and drafted for the talent available.  All of the first five picks will have the opportunity compete for starting jobs and make an impact.

This has been called by many Chicago fans the most important Bears draft of this generation if they are going to climb back to the top of the NFC.  The Bears responded accordingly and have brought in a crop of talent that appears to be ready to play football immediately and build a winning team.