Bears-Vikings: Vikes Have Too Many Weapons

The Bears dropped another game on Sunday as they simply cannot stop the high-powered Vikings.

The Vikings are who we thought they were. (Couldn’t help myself.)

Minnesota displayed all their weapons and had the game in hand without relying on a heavy dose of Adrian Peterson to put the game away.

It’s scary when a team can dominate another team without using their best player.

The Bears offense got off to a promising start when it tied the game at seven early on, but it couldn’t get anything done after that.

The Vikings upped the pressure and dominated the line of scrimmage, keeping Cutler and Co. in check.

There isn’t much more too add other than the beat goes on for the Bears’ lackluster season.

The poor play of the offensive line hurts everyone else on that side of the ball. Cutler doesn’t have time to throw the ball, Forte doesn’t have anywhere to run the ball, and the receivers can’t run their routes.

What’s most disappointing about this game is that the Vikings were without standout defensive back Antoine Winfield and they still couldn’t expose Minnesota’s average pass defense.

The Bears continue to fall in nearly every rank of the NFL. Not even Chicago’s special teams, a phase of the game they usually play very well, has been consistent this season.

 

The Good: Their only TD drive.

This is a bit of a stretch but their wasn’t much good about this game. The Bears used short, quick passes to avoid the pressure early.  

The Bad: Injuries.

Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, Zachary Bowman, and Orlando Pace all got banged up. Pace hasn’t performed anywhere near to the level the Bears had hoped but Briggs and Tillman have been playing hard all season.  

The Ugly: Pass protection.

I’ve given up on the offensive line making running lanes but now they’re putting Jay Cutler in harm’s way on almost every play. No continuity on the line has led to the Bears’ offense being completely ineffective against most teams this season.

The Difference: Being outmatched.

The Bears simply could not matchup against the Vikings’ weapons. Being down to our third and fourth-string linebackers has been hurting the Bears all season. It’s no surprise it was open season for Minnesota as the Vikings moved up and down the field at will.

 

Five Questions

Should we give Gaines Adams back to the Bucs?

Should the Bears rest Cutler the rest of the season?

How many picks were really Cutlers fault?

Do you want to punch Ron Turner every time he calls that quick WR screen?

Will the Bears be better next season?

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Bears-Vikings Week 12 Preview

The Bears play for pride against the high powered Vikings.

Jay Cutler played a conservative game against the Eagles last week but missed key opportunities to score. If the Bears have any hope to beat the Vikings that cannot happen.

The Vikings boast a stiff defensive line that elevates the entire defensive squad. Minnesota is going to get pressure on your quarterback so don’t bother trying to stop it; instead try to counter it with quick passes and misdirection.

The middle of the Vikings defense is anchored by the Williams Wall, Kevin Williams, and Pat Williams, all of whom are stout against the run and surprisingly fast early in games.

Misdirection can wear the Vikings out. The Bears may gas them out early with stretch plays and open up opportunities later in the game. Utilizing a no-huddle is an easy way to prohibit the Vikings from making defensive substitutions and tiring their big men early.

Brett Favre is playing disciplined ball and with the help of Adrian Peterson, he doesn’t have to shoulder the offensive load and force passes into tight spots. Farve still shows some of that old magic when he’s called upon, but he has always been most dangerous when he eases off the trigger and takes what the defense gives him.

Favre has a plethora of young talent that the Bears will have a hard time covering. Chicago cannot allow Favre to sit in the pocket to pick and choose which young player he wants to throw to next.

Chicago has never been able to stop Adrian Peterson, and I don’t see any way they will this season without Urlacher. Peterson seems to have a pattern of pounding inside the tackles for the first half or so and then start hitting the cut back lanes in the second half.

Regardless of how the Bears plan to attack Peterson, the defense will have to be quick to tackle him if they hope to limit his yards and scores. The Bears have to find some consistency on both sides of the ball not only for pride this season, but to have confidence going into next season.

 

Players to Watch

Orlando Pace: The Viking defensive ends are fast and physical. Whether it’s Ray Edwards or Jared Allen, Pace and Chris Williams will need all the help they can get keeping them in check. The Bear running backs will have to chip block them to take the pressure off Jay Cutler.

Brett Favre: Lovie Smith has a good record against Favre, but without Brian Urlacher in the middle Favre will have free reign to expose the center of the field. Favre has shown discipline and patience this season and has distributed the ball freely to his young receivers. If the Bears allow Favre to get in a rhythm the game will be over in the first half.

Charles Tillman: Peanut looks to be feeling good and has been forcing fumbles left and right. If the young Viking players like Harvin and Rice aren’t careful, Tillman can help shake their confidence.

 

Key to the Game: Pass rush. The Bears cannot stop Adrian Peterson, so the next best thing is put pressure on Favre and make him force the ball into coverage.

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Bears-Eagles: Chicago Loses Hope and Game to Philadelphia

The Bears kept it close but couldn’t put away the Eagles.

The offense played conservatively and even showed some spark in the running game with the addition of Kahlil Bell, who looks like he’s going to make the most of his opportunity.

Jay Cutler couldn’t find a rhythm and missed several wide-open receivers on passes that could have changed the momentum of the game.

Matt Forte continued to struggle thanks in part to poor offensive line play, and Greg Olsen was held in check.

All in all, a disappointing performance by the Bears offense, who needed a win to boost their confidence.

The Bear defense looked good for the second week in a row.

They were beat by some of the young Eagle playmakers a few times but for the most part kept the game close.

Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman played up to their potential and helped set the example for some of the younger Bear defenders.

When your team is 4-6, you have to take pride in the little things they do right.

With this loss the Bears need to hunker down and prepare for next season.

 

The Good: Defensive intensity

They gave up some big plays, but they also created turnovers and were flying to the football trying to make plays. The effort alone is something we haven’t seen at all times this season. Extra props to Tillman for forcing a few fumbles halting Eagle drives.

 

The Bad: Run defense

The Eagles ran for 157 yards, including a 34-yard dash by Michael Vick. The Bears’ defensive line didn’t play poorly; the Eagles were simply more physical.

 

The Ugly: Cutler missing open receivers

Opportunities down the field have been few and far between this season, and Cutler whiffed on three touchdown passes and a potential first down to Earl Bennett in the second half. That simply cannot happen.

 

The Difference: Third down conversions

The Eagles went a shade under 50 percent, and the Bears went 3-for-16. Penalties and bad play calls forced a few third and long situations that they couldn’t convert. There were also some third and short situations they couldn’t convert due to their lack of a consistent running game.

 

Five Questions

Did you appreciate Donovan McNabb giving Cutler a pep talk at the end of the game?

Should we petition Ron Turner to get Bennett a touchdown?

Was that Anthony Adams tumbling off the field?

Do you think Cutler is handcuffed by the Bears’ offensive style?

Are you disappointed when you see Olsen get outmuscled by a defensive back?

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Bears-49ers: Chicago Limps into the Bay to Take on San Francisco

The Bears look to find some consistency against Hall of Famer and beloved Bear Mike Singletary and his San Francisco 49ers.

After starting the season 3-1, the 49ers have lost four in a row, which includes a four-turnover performance by the rejuvenated Alex Smith.

Frank Gore amassed nearly half of his rushing total this season in a single game in Week Two against the Seahawks, so don’t let his high average fool you.

Gore has missed a few games this season but still has the ability to run for 100-plus yards any given game. The Bears defense has been dismantled two of the last three weeks, so slowing down the running game will put the ball in Smith’s hands.

Smith regained his starting job over Shaun Hill and has shown glimpses as to why he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, but also why he’s struggled his entire NFL career.  

Disguising coverages and keeping a close eye on chatty tight end Vernon Davis is key for the Bears defense if it hopes to reverse its recent fortunes.

Despite the point differential, Jay Cutler played well last week against the Cardinals, posting 369 yards and three touchdowns, all to Greg Olsen.

I don’t see why that positive play won’t continue against San Francisco, even if the offensive line plays poorly.

What impresses me most about the Bears’ passing game is that the two top receivers, Devin Hester and Earl Bennett, average 13 yards per reception.

Whether down the field or creating after the catch, this young crop of Bear receivers has played better than anyone expected them to thus far this season, with Hester on pace for 1,000-plus yards receiving.

Unless the game gets away from the Bears early, I don’t see any reason why we won’t get a heavy dose of Matt Forte up the gut.

This is a bit of a no-win for the Bears: If they lose this game, then people will say they’re just a bad team; but if they win this game, people will say big deal, it’s a team they’re supposed to beat.

The Bears have put themselves in a situation where they have to make drastic changes to their attitude and play perfect football the rest of the way if they have a prayer at making that last wild card spot.

 

Players to Watch

Jay Cutler

Last week Cutler was able to move the ball and post three touchdowns. Maybe if the defense can force some stops, Cutler and the Bears can make more progress on offense.

 

Gaines Adams

I know he’s new to the team, but with Tommie Harris continuing to do things detrimental to himself and the team, now would be a good time for Adams to make an impact.

 

Johnny Knox

After making an impact early, Knox has been relatively quiet the past few weeks. The young man from Abilene Christian needs a big game to avoid the proverbial “rookie wall.”

 

Key to the Game

Run defense

Frank Gore has had an up and down career. The Bears need to make sure he has a down day this Thursday. Keeping Gore and the 49er offense off the field will take pressure off the battered Bear defense and help challenge their offense.

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Bears Rally Falls Short, Lose to Cardinals

The Bears show fire but not in time to stop the Cardinals.

It seems like the inconsistent play that plagued the Bears last season is alive and well this season. The Bears haven’t been able to have a balanced three phase game all season.  

The defense was essentially non-existent as it was pushed up and down the field at will by the Cardinals offense.  

Kurt Warner was given time in the pocket and carved up the Bears secondary much like Carson Palmer did a few weeks ago.

The lack of pass rush, even with blitzes, left the Bears corner backs on an island with the Arizona receiving corps who even without Anquan Boldin are amongst the best in the league.

Larry Fitzgerald had a big day despite being in a physical battle with Charles Tillman in the first half. Peanut would later leave the game due to injury.

We were reminded that the Cardinals do in fact have tight ends as Ben Patrick and Anthony Becht  both caught touchdown passes when the Bears had Fitzgerald covered.

The attention given to the passing game left the middle of the line open for the Cardinal running backs Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells who ran for 70+ yards a piece.

The news wasn’t all bad for the Bears as the offense was able to move the ball fairly consistently and even scored on their opening drive.

Since the Bears trailed almost from the start the running game was abandoned leaving Forte with 33 yards on five carries. Had the Bears been able to stop a few drives we may have seen Forte have a big day.  

Bears tight end Greg Olsen had five receptions for 71 yards and three touchdowns and was one of the few bight spots on the game.

The others being Devin Hester and Earl Bennett who combined for 13 receptions for 187 yards and show continued growth and continuity with Jay Cutler.  

The offense looked pretty good on the whole but the defense was carved up for the second time this season.

 

The Good: Jay Cutler. Some mental errors and rough penalties cost the Bears a couple series in the first half but Cutler still threw for 369 yards, three touchdowns and only one pick.

The Bad: Defense. The Bears defense hemorrhaged yards and points throughout the entire first half. What’s most disheartening is that it wasn’t missed assignments or trick plays but rather that the Bear defenders were outplayed on almost every play.

The Ugly: Tommie Harris. After being benched by Lovie Smith for not practicing Harris gets into trouble by slugging the opponent. Call me old fashioned but if you’re a big money player on a team that isn’t playing well shouldn’t you be on your best behavior?

The Difference: Pass rush. The Bears couldn’t get in Kurt Warner’s face enough to disrupt his timing and even when the coverage was good Warner was patient and able to find the open player regardless if it was Fitzgerald or the oft-forgotten Arizona tight ends.

 

Five Questions

What does Earl Bennett have to do to get a touchdown?

Who was expecting Lovie Smith to pull a Denny Green?

How about we trade Tommie Harris to Oakland for a couple draft picks?

How much have injuries really played a part in the Bears season?

How many of you were hoping for a “Bear Weather” day?

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Bears-Cardinals Week Nine Preview: Chicago Looks to Slow Arizona’s Pass Attack

The Bears look to tear down the defending NFC Champion Cardinals.

The stats will say that last week against the Browns the Bears rushed for over 100 yards. It’s a deceiving stat that doesn’t show how the offensive line was shoddy against a poor Browns defense.

The broken record will continue unless the big guys on the line play better. It’s panic time now because they can’t even protect Jay Cutler any more.

The Bear backs and receivers will have to get open in a hurry against an inconsistent at best Cardinal defense.

Matt Forte out of the backfield into the flat should net big yardage if the Bears can sell the play-action.

Additionally, look for the Bears’ tight ends to have big games, hopefully elevating the Bears’ red zone percentage.

The offense needs to stop with the quick throws behind the line of scrimmage and focus on getting the ball downfield.

Opposing defenses have been able to get pressure with just four down linemen, which leaves seven others to swarm the wide receivers.

Short passes four and five yards down the field will help to make up for the poor offensive line play.  

Kurt Warner has as many touchdowns as interceptions (11) and has had trouble remaining consistent this season. Mixing up the coverage packages and disguising blitzes should throw him off guard.

If history is any sort of lesson, it’s that if Warner sees the blitz coming, he’s one of the best at beating it.

The Bears’ safeties will have to play extra physical to punish the Cardinal wide receivers going across the middle to give some help to the corners.

Cardinal head coach Ken Whisenhunt doesn’t seem to be sold on either of his young running backs, Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells, although Hightower does have five rushing touchdowns this season.

Stopping the passing attack should be the Bears’ top priority, but don’t be surprised if Arizona wants to run the ball, especially early in the game.

If you look at the Cardinals’ record last season (including playoffs and Super Bowl) and their record thus far this season, they are 16-11.

What this means is that while they possess explosive weapons on offense, they are far from unbeatable.

How the Bears will fare depends on which Cardinal team shows up Sunday: the team with the explosive offense that led them through last season’s playoffs, or the team that’s prone to turnovers and only a few games over .500 over the last two seasons.

The Bears can help their own cause by playing physical and making them work for every yard. Additionally, it almost goes without saying that the offensive line needs to play better.

Players to Watch

Olin Kreutz

Until the line plays better, its captain should be the one to answer for them.

 

Charles Tillman

To say Tillman will have his hands full is an understatement. It will be interesting to see if “Peanut” will shadow one receiver (Larry Fitzgerald) or stick to one side.

 

Hunter Hillenmeyer

Hillenmeyer is in charge of getting the defense in position, and with a passing attack as potent as the Cardinals’, each player knowing his assignment will be critical. Adjusting at the line of scrimmage and dialing up appropriate blitzes are the only ways to stop a Kurt Warner-led offense.

 

Key to the Game

Pass Rush

If Warner is given time to throw the ball, he’ll tear the Bears apart. It’s important to get in his face and force him to throw the ball off his back foot. Also, Warner has a low release point to his throws, so the line needs to work on getting their hands up if they can’t bring him to the turf.

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Bears-Browns: Chicago Trounces Cleveland

The Bears rebounded from a Week Seven loss to Cincinatti and romped over the hapless Browns, Sunday.

The first half saw the Bears held to three early field goals before finally being able to put the ball in the end zone.

The offensive line continues to struggle in both pass protection and run blocking yet Matt Forte still ran for 90 yards and two touchdowns.

Jay Cutler looked frustrated early as the offense couldn’t punch it in the end zone and had to settle for field goals.

But the Bears limited their turnovers and were patient on offense. They won the time of possession battle by 15 minutes.

The Bears defense forced five turnovers—including a Charles Tillman interception that was run back for a touchdown—as they kept the woeful Browns off the field and setting up their offense.

Daniel Manning had a good game forcing a fumble and snagging an interception.

Aside from the offensive line, the only other hiccup in the game was the shanked punt by Brad Maynard which setup the Browns’ only touchdown. Usually a sure-thing punter, Maynard simply hit the ball off the side of his foot.

Critics will say, They beat the Browns, big deal. But good teams win the games they’re supposed to win and the Bears won this one in convincing fashion, even if the line still needs drastic improvement.

 

The Good: Matt Forte. The line continued to struggle but he managed to hit some cut-back lanes for yards and got in the end zone twice.

The Bad: Play calling. When your offensive line isn’t doing you any favors, dialing up screens and passes behind the line of scrimmage won’t help move the ball. Getting the ball to your playmakers four or five yards down the field, West-coast style, should free them up for yards after the catch.

The Ugly: Offensive line. The line gave up four sacks as Jay Cutler was under fire most of the game. The running lanes were few and far between and their goal line play kept the Bears kicking field goals early in the game.

The Difference: Quarterback play. Cutler didn’t have any touchdowns but he threw the ball for 225 yards beating out lowly Derek Anderson who threw for 76 yards. Cutler remained patient and threw the ball away when he couldn’t find an open receiver instead of forcing the play.

 

Five Questions

Should Garrett Wolfe be included more in the offense?

Has anyone seen Gaines Adams?

Do you approve of Jay Cutler jaw-jacking with opposing teams coordinators?

Should the Bears wear the orange jerseys more often?

How soon will Cleveland trade Josh Cribbs?

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Bears-Bengals: Chicago Routed By Cincinnati, 45-10

The Bears got blown up at the line Sunday and were embarrassed by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Once again the Bears offensive line failed to do much of anything to help the team. Jay Cutler didn’t have time to pass the ball and Matt Forte had nowhere to run the ball.

Even without their leading pass rusher Antwan Odom, who will miss the rest of the season with an injury, the Bengals put pressure on the Bears offense.

When Jay Cutler has time to throw the ball, he’s proven to be efficient and capable of leading the team to scores late in the game. Without protection, he has no chance to show that effectiveness.

I don’t know how long it will take for the offensive line to gel and play better but if it doesn’t happen very soon the Bears will be out of contention early.

The absence of Tommie Harris was felt as the defense could not get much pressure on Carson Palmer and had no idea how to stop Cedric Benson.

The Bengals very large offensive line pushed the front four of the Bears around at will.

Confusion in the secondary led to easy scores in the red zone and helped to soothe Chad Ochocinco’s ego.

Just to give those that didn’t see the game an idea of how it went, when the Bears finally did force the Bengals to punt, the usually tip-top Bears special teams ran into the Bengal punter, giving them the first down.

 

The Good: Devin Hester. Aside from his fumble, Hester looked pretty good running routes. Too bad his quarterback didn’t have time to get him the ball.  

The Bad: Offensive line. They were outplayed for the second straight week. No zip off the line and not being able to open running lanes was the story on offense.

The Ugly: Offensive line. They get a second mention for the simple fact that they couldn’t stop the Bengals’ four down lineman from getting pressure.

The Difference: Line of scrimmage. The Bengals controlled the line on both sides of the ball. Winning all the little battles in the trenches makes everything else easy.

 

Five Questions

Isn’t it funny that you play better when you’re not drinking all the time, Cedric Benson?

Didn’t the Bears sign a new defensive lineman?

How tough is Earl Bennett?

Is it time to call up Derrick Brooks?

How long will Lovie put up with the offensive line?

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Bears-Falcons Week Six Preview

The Bears look to avenge last season’s last second loss when they take on the Falcons.

Lovie Smith has gone on record to say that he won’t be using last season’s loss to Atlanta to motivate his team heading into Sunday Night’s game.

Luckily he won’t have to; I’m sure most of the team are still sore from that loss (along with a couple others) and will use it to motivate themselves.

The Bears defensive line is probably the sorest of the entire team. Their failure to put pressure on then rookie Matt Ryan allowed him to throw for 301 yards and a touchdown.

Getting pressure on any quarterback is the game plan of every defense but in the Bears’ case it goes double so due to the inconsistent play of the secondary.

The Bear safeties will have to concern themselves with helping to stop the run which leaves the cornerbacks in man coverage against Roddy White and the rest of the Falcons receiving corps.

Michael Turner can gain yards in a hurry and has a respectable 3.7 yards per carry so far this season.

Like last season in acquiring Michael Turner the Falcons have upgraded their offense this past off season with the addition of arguably the best tight end of all-time Tony Gonzalez.

Gonzalez has shown little of his age thus far in his tenure with the Falcons posting 215 yards and two touchdowns. Bear line backers will have their hands full keeping Gonzalez in check.

The Bears offensive line knows exactly what it has to do; open running lanes for Matt Forte. They’ve had two weeks to work out the kinks in the running game.

I hope the Bears don’t succumb to elaborate running and blocking schemes and continue to pound the ball between the tackles. If the offensive line can get a little push Matt Forte is more than capable of finding the hole.

Jay Cutler and the rest of the offense needs to continue to do what it’s done for the last three games; score points and limit turnovers.

Spreading the ball around has helped keep opposing defenses on their toes so we can expect more of the same Sunday Night.

Utilizing speedsters like Devin Hester and Johnny Knox not only help stretch the field but they also have the ability to make something happen after the catch. Earl Bennett has quietly gained more receiving yards than any other Bears player and continues to look better at running routes.

Tight ends Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark (even Kellen Davis) are sure-handed big men who can tear up the middle of the field.

To put it plainly the Bears have enough weapons to put up points on the Falcons the question that remains is if the defense can stop Matt Ryan and Co. from scoring.

 

 

Players to Watch

Whoever plays middle line backer: The Falcons have an impressive arsenal of weapons that can cause trouble in the middle of the field particularly the running backs and tight ends. Keeping the second level of the defense air tight is necessary to give the rest of the defense a chance.

Charles Tillman: ”Peanut” will have to be in Roddy White’s pocket to keep his impact minimal. Creating turnovers is Tillman’s specialty, the Bears will need one this week.

Olin Kreutz: The offensive line has been under fire for failing to open up holes in the running game. If  that doesn’t change against the Falcons the Bears won’t win. Kreutz is the leader of that unit and will have to be the one to set the example and get the ground game going again.

 

Key to the Game Running game. Whoever effectively runs the ball will control the clock as well as the deep pass and win the game. The Bears have proven they can throw the ball but running will help to keep the potent Falcon offense off the field.

 

 

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Chicago Bears Quarter Season Report

Coach Lovie Smith likes to divide the season into quarters, so here are my thoughts on the Bears as they complete the first quarter of their schedule.

Offense

Ron Turner has had to think of ways to utilize Jay Cutler’s strengths while also keeping the offense balanced. That balance has yet to be reached so far this season but it is promising to see the Bears execute a safe but effective game plan in their three victories.

Quarterback: Jay Cutler has made himself at home in the Windy City. After a horrible debut he’s been able to take a step back and lead this team up and down the field almost at will.

His gun-slinger reputation has taken a back seat to one of being incredibly efficient with the football having completed better than 60% of his passes. He’s on pace to throw for 3,600 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Running Back: Matt Forte hasn’t had much room to run so far this season but he’s kept plugging away and may have come out of his slump against the Lions. He remains a receiving threat though his production in that area has taken a hit due to the surprise success of the Bears receiving corps. Forte needs to keep his composure and hope the offensive line gives him more room to work.  

Offensive Line: The line has been night and day for the most part; pretty good in pass protection but unable to open running lanes for Matt Forte. This unit needs to get it push off the snap and create holes for the running game. If the Bears can’t run the ball then there’s little chance of competing for the division.  

Tight End: Greg Olsen continues to give opposing defenses problems and youngster Kellen Davis had done a great job filling in for an injured Desmond Clark. They are big targets for Cutler to throw to and have been invaluable in goal line situations. Olsen and Davis have combined 17 receptions for 152 yards and four touchdowns.

Wide Receiver: Going into the season no one thought the Bears had a receiver who could accommodate Jay Cutler. No single wide out has emerged as the number one guy but all have done their part in getting open and making plays after the catch.

Devin Hester garners most of the attention form opposing defenses which opened the door for Johnny Knox to shine and become a yards-after-catch machine. It’s also worth mentioning that Earl Bennett has quietly played well enough to lead the team with 200 yards receiving.

Defense

Lovie Smith calling the defense and the addition of Rod Marinelli has helped the defense come up big at the end of games. The secondary is still a little banged up but has held up okay for the most part save a few big plays.

What a difference getting pressure on the quarterback makes. For the most part the Bears defense ranks middle of the pack in all categories but when the games been on the line they have stepped up and delivered.

Defensive Line: The biggest reason the Bears lost seven games last season was the lack of a pass rush. So far this season the pass rush has been pretty good for the most part especially late in games.

The Bears defensive ends have been getting off the ball very well and have come up big when it mattered most. Adewale Ogunleye and Alex Brown have a combined seven sacks and Tommie Harris even has an interception.

Line Backer: The position with the most depth going in to the season has certainly been tested and three wins later they’ve performed admirably. Hunter Hillenmeyer, Nick Roach and Jamar Williams have all filled in for injured players and played well.

Lance Briggs has been playing like the Lance Briggs we’ve come to expect being a difference maker at weak side linebacker.  

Corner Back: The demotion of Nathan Vasher was a long time coming as Vasher hasn’t been able to regain his Pro Bowl form. Time will tell if Zachary Bowman is up to the task but we can still count on Charles Tillman to create turnovers. They’ll need to be more physical down the stretch and get in the faces of opposing wide receivers.

Safety: Rookie Al Afalava has been a pleasant surprise. Every game he’s been in the middle of plays chasing after the ball and has been very close to quite a few interceptions.

Afalava and Kevin Payne have been ball hawks so far this season. Daniel Manning leads the team in tackles and even forced a safety in the season opener. This group hasn’t been stellar but they’ve played well enough for three victories.  

Special Teams

You can’t say enough good things about Dave Toub and the job he’s done with this squad. Robbie Gould and Brad Maynard are reliable and the Bears have several players who can return kicks that have the ability to take it the distance. For the last few years this has been the only consistent phase for the Bears.

Punter: Brad Maynard continues to be one of the better punters in the league and really put the pressure on against the Lions by pinning them inside their own 20 all four punts.

Kicker: Every analyst likes to bring up that Robbie Gould doesn’t have a “big” leg. Regardless of that the fact that he’s won as many games as he has for the Bears has to put him in the upper tier of NFL place kickers. I’d like to see Gould improve his range a little but he’s been well, gold when we’ve needed him.

Kick Returning: A plethora of players have contributed to kick returning duties this season and all have done very well, most notably rookie Johnny Knox. Devin Hester may never return to his 2006-07 form but with play makers like Knox, Daniel Manning and to a lesser extent Earl Bennett on the team he won’t have to.   

The Bears sit at 3-1 and are in second place in the NFC North. If some key players can get healthy then the Bears should be able to make some noise down the stretch and be a part of the playoff picture.

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