Anatomy of a Touchdown: Matt Forte Preseaon Week Two

Welcome to the inargural edition of Anatomy Of A Touchdown. With frames of game action, we will show you everything but the touchdown dance.

In this edition, we will break down Matt Forte’s 34 yard TD run in the 2nd week of the 2009 Pre-Season against the Giants.

(Anatomy Of A Touchdown will be a weekly feature on TheHalasObserver.com)

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The Favre Effect: Thoughts and Notes on the Chain Reaction

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Brett Favre retires, comes back, retires…what? You’ve heard already?

Well, I guess it isn’t really a surprise.

What is a surprise, however, is how quickly the media has taken to Favre. Again. Three weeks after…ahem…retiring, Favre signs with the Vikings, to the tune of a year for up to $12 Million. 

That’s serious loot for a 40-year-old QB who has a known shoulder injury.

That’s not what this article is about, however.  Without much fanfare, Favre has just laid the final brick in the 2009 season.  It is THE story of the offseason because of what happens from here. 

This is your guide.

 

1. Committed to Winning?

As Ross Tucker pointed out in his column on SI.com, this sends a message to the Vikings; we are committed to winning, and we don’t care how. The unraveling of an organization may have just started. 

As Eric Mangini can attest, this Favre mistress can be a bitch. Did Minnesota just become a favorite in the Super Bowl? That remains to be seen. 

What I do know, however, is the revenue boom the Vikings just got from No. 4. In a bid to build a new stadium, this grizzled, country-bred QB might just be the ticket.

That cannot be stressed enough.  In this world of CBA lockouts and rookie holdouts, one has to wonder how much do the Vikings think of Favre, and how much did they expect in terms of returns on their investment?

It is now being widely reported the Vikings will part ways with their one-time QB of the future Tarvaris Jackson. There is now no clear long-term option at QB, unless the Vikings are secretly banking on John David Booty, who has yet to see an NFL snap.

So we’re to believe the Vikings were willing to part ways with their handpicked QB, locker room credibility, and in some cases, fan loyalty for a season with an injured relic?

The paper trails says otherwise.

2.The Xs and Os

No one should argue that Favre needed training camp.  It’s possible that he would not have participated anyway because of his shoulder.  He knows the offense like the back of his hand, we’ve been told numerous times by ESPN.

Anyone who has witnessed a bad offense, like…for example…a Bears fan, can tell you it doesn’t matter how well you know the offense if you cannot execute it. 

The progression of Favre’s shoulder is absolutely paramount. If the Vikings got Favre circa Week 9 of 2008, you’d be stupid to argue the merits of the move.

However, the reality is the Vikings got Favre, circa 2009, and that Favre is the one whom Thomas Jones said should be benched for the good of the team.

Ouch.

The upside is obvious. Less defenders in the box, more rushing yards, better offense, better team.

The downside?

Favre, the turnover machine.

Anything that takes the game out of Adrian Peterson’s capable hands is a horrid mistake. Being down 17 or 21 points will do that simply by way of circumstance, not to mention it’s stupid to play ball control offense when you’re trailing.

The key is finding a balance and limiting Favre’s turnovers. Darell Bevell has just become the most important person in the NFL. To ask Favre to manage a game is not only a mistake, but stupid.

 

3.The North as the Bread and Butter

The NFC North is now a QB division. 

I’ll take “things I never thought I’d write” for a thousand, Alex.

Marquee names are strewn across the former black-and-blue division.  Brett Favre. Jay Cutler. Aaron Rodgers. Hell, even No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford is turning heads. 

The NFC North now has the juiciest match-ups, the best story lines, and the most anticipated games.

What has always been a historically close division is now a crap shoot. Lose a division game and you could be out of luck come January.

Common fans might actually care about the Bears-Packers rivalry now. Every football enthusiast in the Milky Way Galaxy will be watching that Monday Night Football where the Minnesota Favres take on the Green Bay Thompsons.

Suddenly, it looks like the Vikings aren’t the only ones cashing in on Favre…

4. The Right Call?

As much as I’ve trashed Favre and the Vikings, I have to say:  I don’t think they could say no. 

As I pointed out earlier, from a business standpoint, it’s almost flawless.  From a football standpoint, it’s relevant, fresh, and exciting. 

Face it, Favre is great for the NFL. What other player commands his own ticker on ESPN and can take over every sports page in America?

Much like the Jay Cutler move, from the merits alone, I don’t think anyone, as we sit here in August, can really say the Vikings did wrong. 

I do believe, however, in the long run, this is going to be a franchise turning moment, the effects of which will trickle out, and identify the Vikings as the new Redskins. 

Their credibility as an organization will fall in the eyes of players who seek the same commitment from the team as they expect from themselves. 

Players will ask “If they did it for Favre, what’s to stop them from completely discarding me at a moment’s notice?”

It’s a legitimate question.  Remember, this is a team that drafted just half of their 2009 starting lineup.  Only two have tenures longer than five years.

How’s that for commitment?

Rideau Getting All the Right Looks

The fan gauntlet is packed at Bears Training Camp in Burbonnais, Illinois.  Fences lined with fans, young and old, waiting to catch a glimpse of this year’s squad.

And then it starts.

Whispers turns to buzz, buzz turns to conversation, conversation quickly turns to shouting.

Who’s that No. 10?

“Hanie?”

Neigh. Camp punter Richmond McGee continues his trot toward the field, unscathed by the sleight.  One by one, his teammates follow him, in packs, in solidarity, and all the time to relentless praise from the fans—as best as they can, that is.

They know the big names.  Uralcher always gets a good reception.  Hester is an entity these days pushing the latest Under Armour.  Heck, even Isarael Idonije is a fan favorite.  Guys like McGee don’t always get the recognition, but it’s the thought that counts.  One tends to appreciate 13K fans deep on a hot, biting day in Illinois.

But there is a changing of the guard. Or, more accurately, receiver.  Among the sub six foot pass catchers stands the lanky Brandon Rideau.  And wouldn’t you know it, the Bears’ faithful are taking notice.

“Brandon!  Rideau!! Sign this,” pleads a fan.

“Brandon Rideau, get em’ today, buddy!” encourages another.

Sometimes, it takes a while to break in.  For Rideau, three years.  He’s caught passes from Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton, and Brian Griese in his previous attempts at the roster. 

Watching him, it’s obvious he has NFL talent.  His hands are natural, his motions are second nature and the work put into his craft is apparent on the field. 

He is not new to this NFL thing either.  The fourth-year veteran has seen every aspect of the league experience; camp body, practice squad player, and last season, a member of the 45-player roster on game day.

This year, he hopes to add to that: NFL starting receiver.

And if the Bears want to be the kind of offense they suggest with golden boy Jay Cutler, they’ll entertain those same thoughts.

Consider that now, as we you read this in August, the Bears’ starting receivers both measure in at just a shade under six feet.  If nothing else, Rideau brings size that adds a complementary piece to the offense.

Starting Rideau obviously displaces another player, and therein lies the biggest advantage for the Bears.

Everyone who sets eyes on the Bears’ most accomplished WR, Devin Hester, can tell you he is a shot of lightning in shoulder pads.  A closer look reveals a skill set almost textbook for the slot position.

With a slot role, a more exclusive and situation sampled workload.  Think third downs, bubble screens, reverses…you know, what the Bears said they were going to do with Hester?  That should quiet those kick return theorists while also saving Hester some energy to get back to his record breaking ways.

However, at this point in his development as a wide receiver, the nuances of the position favor a more savvy, experienced receiver that serves as a safety blanket for Cutler.  Brandon Stokely circa 2004, if you will.

The answer then becomes clear.  Which receiver on the roster does Cutler trust the most?  Who does Cutler know more than anyone on the roster?  Who is the only guy that Cutler does not hesitate to “dog cuss?”

Ladies and gentleman, I give you Earl Bennett in the slot.

Well, Bennett in the slot, and Rideau on the outside.

The unproven, all-time SEC leader in receptions caught as many NFL passes last year as I did.  That was written off by the staff as a learning curve, a red shirt year. 

Bennett knows the route tree and has been arguably the most reliable WR in camp this year, outside of Rideau of course.  His sure hands and knack for getting open at the right time screams clutch third down reception.

The slot alignment would further ease an essentially brand new transition to the NFL game.  It would allow Bennett to stay away from press coverage and be free to just play, a factor Bennett cites for his new found confidence.

Also, with the extensive use of the double TE formation, Bennett would be used as a weapon and not as an every down guy.  It would allow the bigger Rideau to take the brunt of the run blocking, over the middle work of first and second down, and the ever popular dummy routes.

There is virtually no NFL film for Cutler’s current favorite wide receiver. Why would the Bears want to change that?

Unveil Bennett as a weapon.  Use Rideau as the rock.

What happens from here remains to be seen.  Whatever the final verdict may be, one thing is easy to see: Brandon Rideau has caught all the right eyes and balls in camp, and has seemingly played his way onto the roster.  If a player’s performance level indeed determines how much they play, then Rideau deserves to start.

Five Chicago Bears To Watch At Training Camp

When the Chicago Bears open Training Camp on July 31st, they are doing more than just running drills and weeding out a roster.

They are carrying the hope of the NFL’s largest market. A hope that might surpass that of the Super Bowl bound Bears of 2006.

A wise man once said, however, you can hope in one hand and crap in the other and see which fills up first.

If the Bears are to make good on big dance dreams, here are five under the radar guys not named Cutler who can have a big say in what can transpire this season.

Devin Hester: How Good is He?

The joke at Halas Hall says that the reason Devin Hester was converted to wide receiver was not because of his explosive play-making ability, but because former QB Rex Grossman was really good at throwing to corner backs.

Ah, the pre-Cutler era.

Fast-forward three years into what was once dubbed the Devin Hester Experience, and we see a very capable pass-catcher penciled in as a No. 1 receiver heading into training camp.

But how good is Hester really?

With the criticism the Bears wide receiving corps has received in recent weeks, it’s a pressing question considering Hester will be asked to become Jay Cutler’s top target.

His 51 catches ranked 61st in the league, topped on his own team by a RB and a TE.

Ouch.

However, a closer look reveals a budding play-maker anxious to prove his doubters wrong.

When new savior Jay Cutler was asked about his receivers at the recent Bears Fans Expo, Cutler responded, “Receiving-wise, we’ve got what we need here. You don’t need to worry about it.”

Offensive coordinator Ron Turner expressed direct confidence in Hester as a guest on the Waddle and Silvy show.  Pressed on one guy to step up this coming season, Turner very matter-of-factly stated No. 23 would be that guy.

“He’s having a tremendous offseason. Late last year, the last (six) weeks of the season, he really came on,” Turner said.  “He was learning how to play the game at the speed it has to be played at all the time.  He was learning how to practice the way you have to practice to go out and play in games.  And he’s having a great offseason this year working hard and playing fast all the time”

Through the last six weeks of the season, Hester amassed 25 receptions for 347 yards.  That averages out to be about four catches per game for 58 yards, and while no one is going to confuse those numbers for Larry Fitzgerald’s anytime soon, consider that in the 12 previous games combined, Hester’s totals read 26 catches for 318 yards.

Those stats become even more impressive when one takes into account Hester started only four of those six games because of the Bears’ rotation.

The stretch also came after Kyle Orton’s much publicized ankle injury which clearly hampered his ability to get the ball downfield during Hester’s stretch. 

“We went back and looked at a lot of our tapes from a year ago and we had some opportunities to get him the ball down the field, to get him some big plays and it just didn’t happen,” continued Turner.  “With Jay—not just Jay but the offensive line—everything coming into it, I think he’s going to be able to make some of those plays and step up.”

One could argue that Hester’s biggest contribution at WR doesn’t even show up in the stats.  In the New Orleans game, Hester was able to draw three huge pass interference plays that allowed the Bears to come back and beat the playoff hungry Saints.

Hester later said of the game, “I felt like no one on the field could stop me.”

Turner has also expressed on multiple occasions that Hester is receptive of the doubts people have about his ability to become a number one receiver

“He’s a very determined young man; he has a lot of pride and he hears people say he can’t be a No. 1 receiver and he is determined to make sure that he is.  And he’s not just talking about it, he’s working at it”

If Hester is to take the next step and join the 1K club, he will of course need just as much help from Jay Cutler as Cutler will need from him.

And if we are to believe the hype about Cutler, the future looks very bright for Hester.

Former Broncos offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger called Cutler’s deep ball “excellent” and went on to add that he “has never seen anyone throw the deep ball like him.”

A look at the all important DYAR (“The simple version: DYAR means a wide receiver with more total value”) stats from FootballOutsiders.com reveals Hester in a favorable ranking in comparison to receivers like Dwayne Bowe, Braylon Edwards, Torry Holt, Santonio Holmes, and Tedd Ginn.

With his teammates, coaches, and city behind him, you have to think Hester is indeed primed for a breakout season.

While most will question Hester, many will doubt, and a few might completely write him off, this much is certain: If his past is any indication of his future, the second you blink with Hester, is the second you miss him.

 

Jay Cutler to Have a Better Year Than 2008?

Listen to any pundit who has shared their two cents on the Jay Cutler trade and they’ll tell you Cutler in Denver will not be the same as Cutler in Chicago. I am inclined to agree.

If the numbers indeed do not lie, the Bears version of Cutler will be better.

In 2008, with a down year on special teams and defense, the Bears ranked first in average field position (according to FootballOutsiders.com), with a 33.48 yard-line average.

However, the Bears ranked a meager 27th in drive success rate with a .620 percentage.

Comparatively, the Cutler-led Denver Broncos ranked dead last in average field position, with a 25.85 average.

But, to the Bears’ great pleasure, Cutler headed the offense with a .741 drive success percentage, fourth best in the league.

With almost a 10 yard difference, suffice to say Cutler will see greener pastures in Chicago.

The differences do not end there.  The Bears had nearly 40 more drives than the Denver Broncos(164 to 198) yet only averaged .30 points more per game than the Broncos (23.4 to 23.1)

The Broncos also ranked first in yards per drive with 38.38, while the Bears were 27th with 23.90.

With less drives and more yards to go, Cutler’s offense converted more drives into points.

The drives statistic directly speaks to what kind of a difference Chicago’s defense will have on Cutler, and vice versa. The Bears ranked fifth in third down conversion percentage, third in interceptions with 22, and second in Takeaways with 32.

Suffice to say Cutler will reap what the Bears defense sows.

The Broncos also ranked first in punts per drive, with a low .280, meaning roughly only one out of every four drives resulted in a punt.

Furthermore, Cutler passed for 222 first downs, 10 shy of the lead held by New Orleans’ Drew Brees, who lead 175 drives, 11 more than Cutler.

By contrast, Kyle Orton was 20th with 141 first downs on 198 drives.

But perhaps the most criticized numbers have been Cutler’s 18 interceptions and winning percentage.

Upon further inspection however, one sees that Jay Cutler is 17-1 when the defense holds under 22 points.

To put that into perspective, the Bears held nine teams under 22 points.  Three of those games were losses.

The Bears will be putting Cutler in better positions, with a more balanced team, and ask him to do less.  This, in turn, will increase his opportunities and cut back on his interceptions because he will not have to force throws as much to keep his team in it.

If these stats are any indication of the offensive future of the Bears, get ready Chicago.  You could be shuffling sooner than you think.

Stats courtesy of FootballOutsiders.com and NFL.com

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