They say everything is bigger in Texas and that couldn’t be more true than the latest contract that Jerry Jones just dished out.  Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys agreed on a big, six year $108 million contract including $55 million in guaranteed money.  Including what he’s due in 2013, the 33 year old Romo is locked up by the Cowboys for the next seven seasons for nearly $120 million.   This contract could be of particular interest to a certain Chicago Bears quarterback.  (more…)

Brian Urlacher watches as Chris Gronkowski does a faceplant during the Cowboys 27-20 loss to the Bears in 2010 in Dallas. (Photo Courtesy of Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

In Week 4, the Chicago Bears (2-1) and Dallas Cowboys (2-1) will reignite a rivalry that dates back to 1960.  The Cowboys lead the series, winning 13 of 22 meetings.  Two of the most scrutinized quarterbacks in the league, Jay Cutler and Tony Romo, will square off in Dallas on Monday night.

The Cowboys offense has struggled this season, scoring only 15.7 points per game, but the defense has only given up 18.0 points per game.  Led by DeMarcus Ware, who has 4 sacks on the season and 103.5 for his career (23^rd all time), the Cowboys defense will be ready to feast on J’Marcus Webb and the Bears sub-par offensive line.  J’Marcus vs. DeMarcus will be a key matchup to watch.  However, a smart game plan by Mike Tice could keep the Cowboys top-ranked defense at bay.

As good as the Cowboys defense has been, the Bears defense has looked even better.  They lead the league in sacks with 14 and are second in takeaways with 9.  You can bet the Bears defensive line, which boasts 7 players with at least half of a sack, will be able to pressure Romo (3 interceptions and 2 lost fumbles this season) into making a few costly turnovers.  Tim Jennings is quickly becoming an elite defensive back with 5 interceptions (10 pass deflections) in his last 4 games, dating back to Week 17 last year.  The Bears versus the Cowboys in primetime looks to be another defensive battle…which means we will probably see an offensive explosion.

But as Cutler said to ESPN’s Waddle and Silvy, “These are guesses. You’re guessing…”  So, let’s get to some hardcore facts and figures for Week 4.

7:  Number of sacks by Julius Peppers in 6 career regular season games against the Cowboys.

194:  Brandon Marshall’s receiving yards against the Cowboys in 2 career games.

136.7:  Cutler’s quarterback rating the last time he faced the Cowboys (2010), leading the Bears to a 27-20 victory in Dallas.

841:  Total yards given up by the Bears defense in their last two games against the Cowboys.

18:  Jersey number of the Cowboys backup quarterback, ex-Bear Kyle Orton.

1:  Number of passes Orton has thrown against the Bears in his career.  Also, the number of fingers Orton injured against the Bears last year.

97.0:  Cutler’s career quarterback rating when playing indoors.

104.7:  Romo’s career quarterback rating when playing indoors.

7-2:  Lovie Smith’s record on Monday Night Football with the Bears, averaging 26.4 points per game.

31:  Penalties committed by the Cowboys this season, second most in the league.

18:  Longest running play by a running back against the Bears this season.

24.3:  Opponents third down conversion percentage against the Bears this season, second best in the league.

16-1:  Bears record when they lead after the first quarter since 2010.

13:  Sacks by the Bears defensive line this season, more than any other entire defense in the NFL after Week 3.

4.9:  Opposing quarterback’s passer rating this season when throwing to receivers that Tim Jennings is covering.

9:  Consecutive field goals of 50 yards or longer made by Gould dating back to 2010.

99:  Passing yards needed by Cutler to reach 10,000 in a Bears uniform, ranking him fifth all-time among Bears quarterbacks.

11-3:  Bears record since 2010 when they lose the coin toss.

You all should know by now, I’m not a Lovie-backer, and I’m going to throw the last stat in my bucket of things that irk me about Lovie.  When they win the coin toss he is 10-11.  It’s not the most convincing argument for him being a bad decision maker, but I thought it was an interesting nugget.  If he can lead the Bears to a Super Bowl victory, all will be forgiven.  But until that day comes, I’ll always be skeptical.  A victory in Dallas on Monday would be a big step in the right direction for the Bears and finishing up the first quarter of the season at 3-1 will show a lot of people that they are among the NFC elite.

Jay Cutler and Tony Romo. Good quarterbacks on the brink of becoming elite. Choke artists in the spotlight. Both have cannons for throwing arms. Both have disappointing offensive lines. Both are highly turnover-prone players. Both are dating or have dated Hollywood starlets.

It’s all been said.  It’s all been debated. Let’s get over it already.

Indeed, the similarities are there and people can argue back and forth all they want as to who is the better quarterback. But Jay Cutler and Tony Romo, as the players they are right now, are not even worth the debate. (more…)

Bears Spotlight

June 12, 2012; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) passes during Bears-Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-US PRESSWIRE

Jay Cutler has thrown for over 18,000 yards in his first six seasons, but he has only been a top 10 fantasy quarterback once in his career when he threw for 4,500 yards in his last season in Denver.  Cutler hasn’t been higher than 17th while playing for the Bears due to poor blocking and turnovers.  There will be no excuses this season with the weapons surrounding Cutler.  Most mock drafts have him falling to the 11-13th selected quarterback which could and should prove to be a great value.  The past few seasons with Martz as coordinator it was way to risky to start Cutler on a weekly basis! With Brandon Marshall and rookie Alshon Jeffrey along with Earl Bennett and the Hester Package along with Matt Forte, this should be a huge season for Cutler and almost a shoe in for a top 10 quarterback season!

Fantasy Top 10 QB’S

1. Drew Brees-

Drew Brees -Mandatory Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

In the post-Bountygate world in New Orleans, Brees is now the de facto offensive coordinator.  Brees has not thrown for less than 4,000 yards since arriving in Cajun Country, and without Sean Payton, you have to believe that the Saints offense will be even more pass happy.  There’s also a good chance that they will be trailing more than last year which will mean more Brees passing and #1 Qb in fantasy.

2. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers-Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

If Rodgers didn’t sit out the last week of the year he would have easily been last season’s #1 fantasy quarterback.  Rodgers had 45 touchdowns to 6 interceptions last season and there’s no reason to believe his production will slip.  The Green Bay Packers still do not have an established running game and have named James Starks as starting running back which translated in fantasy football terms means Rodgers could be passing 50 times a games.  Rodgers has been a top 10 fantasy QB since taking over for Brett Favre, and 2012 should be no exception.

3. Tom Brady

Tom Brady- Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

The old veteran now of fantasy qb’s.  Except for his one pass injury season of 2008, having Brady on your roster has always been a good thing.  The Patriots offense is always adding new twists from The Randy Moss years, to the two tight end passing game, and now Brady has a new toy to play with in Brandon Lloyd.  Brady only threw for 5,200 yards last year, and with the new addition the sky is the limit in 2012.  Draft Brady early because he will not be available very long in any draft.

4. Matt Schaub 

Matt Schaub-Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-US PRESSWIRE

Schaub will be availble later in the draft then some other guys ranked lower in this ranking for one reason only—HEALTH.  Schaub and the Texans offense always put up great offensive numbers and they have some of the best weapons at ever postition in Foster, Johnson, and Owens.  Schaub has only completed 2 seasons which is alarming but when he’s on the field he puts up some great fantasy numbers.  He may be a red flag risk but the high end reward is there especially the later the round in the draft that he’s still available.

5. Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford- Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

It’s amazing what health and having arguably the best Wide Recevier in the league can do.  Stafford threw for over 5,000 yards in his first season where he played all 16 games.  Stafford had the luxury of Calvin Johnson which makes the QB job a lot easier.  Stafford will most likely be gone by the 2nd round at the latest in your draft.  The Lions early on will not have much of a running game and how well Leshore fits into the offense is still to be determined on Sundays so expect a lot of balls in the air in Detroit again this season.

6. Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan- Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

Ryan’s stats have been very consistent and improving every season since entering the league.  He leads a very boring offense which isn’t sexy but still puts up the stats every week.  This season could be a change from the vanilla to maybe neapolitan since Julio Jones after a very slow start came on at the end of the season and could burst on to the scene.  Jones could help Ryan become a top 5 QB like Johnson did for Stafford last season.  The Falcons are not going to abandon the run but it will not be surprising to see a lot more explosive plays from them this season and make Ryan and very good value as a fantasy QB.

7. Eli Manning

Eli Manning-Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

The good side of Eli is that his yards per season has increased the past four seasons and he’s very consistent in his TD’s per year.  The dark side of Eli is the interceptions! Everyone likes to harp on Jay Cutler for bad int’s but Eli has the same bad tendency.  In his Super Bowl season’s he has been able to steer clear of the turnover bug and put up good numbers.  He may be without Hakeem Nicks early on and will be missing Mario Manningham.  This could be a small decline in his numbers from last season but the decline shouldn’t be too drastic not to draft him in the t0p 4 rounds.

8. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning-Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

The former #1 fantasy quarterback for years now has a new home and address.  Drafting him will be a huge risk with the neck injury, but the reward could be huge if he stays healthy for the entire 2012 season.  Manning will be in a new system with unfamiliar players, but he’s just too good of QB not to believe he will make all the adjustments needed through his endless preparations to be highly successful in Mile High City.  In mocks drafts his position has been very unpredictable so where he gets selected will depend on the fondness for him by you or your league mates.

9. Cam Newton

Cam Newton- Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

Cam Newton did something no other rookie quarterback has done in fantasy football…Dominate from day 1.  His turnover ratio does need to improve, last year it was 21-17 but he was unstoppable by the goal line rushing for 14 touchdowns.  Defenses seemed to catch up to Newton’s passing skills  late in the season, so you may want to keep an eye on him during the pre-season action to see if his accuracy has improved, but his natural talents and progression could lead to even greater statistics then his first season.

10. Tony Romo

Tony Romo-Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

Forget the fact that Romo chokes in the playoffs or when a possible playoff spot is on the line.  This is fantasy rankings and Romo is a stat machine.  Romo routinely puts up 4,000 yards 30 touchdown seasons.  Dez Bryant could be the next big receiver in the NFL which will be an added plus to Romo owners.  He still has his security blanket in Whitten, and he should have a good running game with Murray and Jones.  There has been little chatter out of Dallas this off season compared to other years which could lead to a Dallas revival!

Breakout Fantasy QB- Alex Smith

Alex Smith- Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-US PRESSWIRE

Just like the Bears off season, the 49ers have added offensive weapons. Oldie but goodie Randy Moss and Super Bowl champ Mario Manningham have been added to a very average 49ers offense.  Smith had a rebirth under first year coach Jim Harbaugh throwing for 17 touchdowns and only 5 picks.  Smith may not leap into a top 10 fantasy qb this season but his stats could see a tremendous jump with the added offensive firepower surrounding him provided Moss plays at a high level for most of the season.

Bust Fantasy QB-Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco- Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

The bizzaro world of Tony Romo.  Flacco has tremendous playoff success but is a liability during the regular season in fantasy football. Flacco hasn’t missed a game and his stats are very similar the past three seasons but there has been no progression.  He has one of the top running backs in the league in Ray Rice, so you know the Ravens will force feed him as much as possible.  This is the season where no progression meets regression for Flacco.  They play the Steelers twice a year so that’s a guaranteed two weeks you won’t want to start him, and they will never go into a game with the philosophy of airing it out.  Steer clear of Flacco as your #1 qb this season.

The ball will be in the air more than ever this season! Who’s your top 10, sleeper, or bust?  Will Jay Cutler be a top 5 fantasy qb? I would be glad to see your lists in the comments section!!

Da BEARS!!!

Even though the Bears‘ season is over (sigh), it doesn’t mean football season is over.  Wild-Card Weekend featured plenty of teams the Bears faced this season (5), ex-Bears runners, a crumbling dynasty, an ex-Chicago team and a hated Bears rival in an instant classic.   Here’s my wrap-up:

Jets 24, Bengals 14

Ex-Bears ran wild in this game, especially Cedric Benson, who ripped off 169 yards and a long TD run in a losing effort.  Former teammate Thomas Jones added a TD of his own as the Jets cruised past the Bengals behind Rex Ryan (yes, Buddy’s son) who runs a lot of the old Bears 46 defense.

The loneliest guy in Cincinnati has to be Shayne Graham.  It seemed like every time the Bengals tried to close the gap, he was missing a short field goal.  It’s going to be a loooong offseason for that guy.

The Jets head to San Diego to take on Phillip Rivers and the red-hot Chargers.   (more…)

I am looking forward to next year and if you are out of the playoffs, your fantasy draft will be here before you know it.  The DeCon will again be in the little box on the side of the pews to hear your confessions.  Send an e-mail to beargoggles.decon@gmail.com or leave a comment to this post with your lineup questions and I will answer you with specific feedback on your given situation.

Because I always want to give you something to think about, here are a couple of plays I like for this week that you might not have been considering:  (more…)

As you head into the playoffs, beware of your WRs playing against Revis…I am talking to you owners of Roddy White (week 14) and Reggie Wayne (week 15) as Revis could dampen your playoff spirits.  You always have to roll with your studs and White and Wayne qualify as such, but hopefully the rest of your roster can pick you up if Revis continues to climb to the top of the CB mountain.  This is likely the last week of your regular season and you might be jockeying for playoff position, so hopefully I can be some help to you as you fill out your lineups…

Guys I Like

1. Matt Forte vs St. Louis – Playing against the 28th ranked D against the run that has allowed 16 TDs on the ground this season better be able to cure the Bears running game.  If nothing else, maybe this will be a reason to watch the Beloved as they play out the string.
2. DeAngelo Williams vs Tampa Bay – Thankfully, Jake Delhomme is likely to sit this week and the Panthers running game should be in full effect.  Add to that the fact that D-Will has run for 338 yds and 4 TDs against the Bucs in his last 2 games against them and you should be very happy with his performance.  D-Will does have an ankle, but he is expected to be full go on Sunday.
3. Jeremy Maclin @ Atlanta - With DeSean Jackson concussed, Maclin’s targets should increase significantly.  With the Eagles O 3rd in the league in passing plays of more than 20 yds with 53, you can likely count of Maclin for some big numbers.
4. Brandon Marshall @ Kansas City - Denver seems to have righted the ship with Ole Neckbeard at the helm and B-Marsh should shred the KC secondary struggles with tall wide bodied WRs.  B-Marsh should be no exception.  (more…)

President Obama just hosted the now famous Beer Summit at the White House, where he invited African American Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and Sergeant Crowley, the two guys at the heart of a controversial misunderstanding, to the White House to hash out their differences over a couple of beers.   Crowley arrested Gates for disorderly conduct on July 16 after a confrontation at the professor’s home, sparking a media frenzy as Gates accused the policeman of racial profiling.  The Prez was upbeat about how things went.

“I am confident that has happened here tonight, and I am hopeful that all of us are able to draw this positive lesson from this episode.”

After reading Sgt. Crowley’s quote, I’m not so sure they totally cleared up their issues:

“I think what you had today was two gentlemen who agreed to disagree on a particular issue,” Crowley told reporters. “I don’t think that we spent too much time dwelling on the past. We spent a lot of time discussing the future.”

I guess that’s OK for the first of such summit.  I wonder if President Obama busted out a smoke during the summit.  The president has been famously trying to kick the habit since his campaign.  “I only smoke when I drink,” I think I overheard the president say. (more…)