Ball or Nuthin' » Bears

Bears Withstand Third Quarter Flurry, Top Eagles

T Lamont — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 05:48:37 +0000

Lovie Smith and his Chicago Bears followed the “how to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles” blueprint to a tee.

They got out to the early lead. Matt Forte provided a strong ground game. Jay Cutler didn’t get careless with his pass attempts. Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Julius Peppers didn’t allow Michael Vick to run wild.

But Chicago almost let go of this one, relinquishing the lead to Philadelphia in the third quarter. Cutler rallied his troops and comfortably marched down the field to resume the advantage.

What were the keys to the victory?

Matt Forte’s elusiveness.

Forte, who currently has the most yards from scrimmage in the NFL, gave Philly’s defense fits tonight. Forte rushed for 133 yards on 24 carries, and probably collected two-thirds of them after breaking a tackle or absorbing contact. Forte wore out the Eagles’ defense, and helped neutralize a usually aggressive Philly pass rush.

Linebacker containment and pursuit.

Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher roamed sideline-to-sideline to ensure that Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy didn’t get any clean runs on the perimeter. Even defensive end Julius Peppers snuffed out a couple of potential Vick scrambles.

Julius Peppers worked hard to keep Michael Vick under wraps on Monday night.

Cutler’s cool demeanor.

For the entire contest, Jay Cutler was very well-protected and made just about all of the right decisions. Cutler did not get rattled by the Philly pressure, and repressed his urge to take unnecessary chances. Cutler did not get sacked tonight – a fact that contributed to Jay’s relaxed performance.

Eagles playmakers held in check.

Desean Jackson (2 catches, 16 yards), LeSean McCoy (16 rushes, 72 yards) and Michael Vick (213 yards passing, 1 INT, 34 yards rushing) were limited by the veteran Chicago defense. Philadelphia is a home run hitting team, and the Bears were clearly content to give Philly the small stuff and focus on the preventing the big plays.

The Chicago win kept them one game behind the Lions – their NFL North competitors – and in full striking distance for the upcoming playoff stretch.

As for the Eagles – well, they fall to three games behind the division-leading Giants. And those playoff hopes are, indeed, fading away.

Jay Cutler: “Anybody Remember Grant Hill?”

T Lamont — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:04:28 +0000

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In the NFC Championship game, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler struggled. Often times, the stats don’t tell the story. But in Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers, they did.

Cutler played for a little over two quarters, and was 6-14 for 80 yards and an interception. But we’ve seen Cutler struggle before. This time around, it was the aftermath of his struggle that garnered the most attention.

The flame thrower left the game early in the third quarter due to some sort of apparent knee injury. On game day, no one really knew what was wrong with Cutler. The Bears’ franchise quarterback was standing, walking and even riding a stationary bike on the sidelines. He appeared dejected, but continued to be with the team – watching Chicago go down in defeat to the the Packers, 21-14.

Although Cutler may have meant to remain with his teammates as a encouraging presence, he may as well have sealed his fate as a player who bails out in tough situations.

Cutler probably isn't smiling right now...

Or at least, that’s what the media (including “knowledgeable” ex-football players) and fans seem to think – and they want you to think it, too.

If the Bears were looking to protect Cutler’s image, they left a lot to be desired. If there’s one thing that the Fox NFL telecast is full of, it’s sidelines reports and updates. The fact that there were no updates on Cutler’s condition was downright baffling to viewers, hence they were forced to manufacture their own opinions. And at a time when their star QB’s reputation was on the line, there was nothing emanating from the Bears organization – and Cutler was suffering with every passing minute.

Yesterday, the calvary arrived in an attempt to save Cutler’s image. Bears head coach Lovie Smith told the media that the decision for Cutler to be removed from the game was not Cutler’s. Smith said that Cutler’s removal was a team decision based on medical information received from the examination of Cutler’s knee. Tests revealed that the quarterback had a sprained MCL. That certainly should have been enough to satisfy the urge for Cutler’s head on a platter, right?

Wrong. It was too little, too late.

In fact, it was almost a means to re-crucify Cutler. So, not only was Cutler being roasted as someone who quits in tough situations – but now he was being criticized for not adhering to the unofficial rules of football brotherhood. Monday night on ESPN, Tom Jackson and Trent Dilfer, ex-players who had only a portion of the talent that Cutler has, took turns blasting Cutler for his inability to press forward through a potentially career-ending injury.

The problems with this train of thought are numerous, but let’s just deal with the logic of the situation.

What percentage of health (and in this case, mobility and planting power) would a head coach demand from a quarterback in a conference championship game? 80%? 70%? 60%? In the NFL, starting position players (particularly quarterbacks) play with a different level of comfort and understanding than their backups. And this should be the case, as those players will naturally receive larger chunks of game plan detail in practices. But shouldn’t teams be prepared for some degree of likelihood that a starter is unable to play? All of these guys were good enough to make NFL rosters, so shouldn’t 100% of a backup be more equipped to do the job required than 60% of a starter?

The other piece of logic around this situation should be centered on the Chicago Bears – and the investment that they have in Cutler.

Cutler is a 27-year-old quarterback with a questionable past, but the potential for one heck of a future. He has natural ability and arm strength that cannot be taught or cultured, and he has demonstrated it on many occasions. The combination of Cutler’s youth, performance and potential vividly remind me of another young man who was destined to accomplish great things in his sport – Grant Hill.

Many tend to forget how unstoppable Grant Hill was as a Piston.

From 1994-2000, Grant Hill was perhaps the most consistently dominant force in the NBA (when considering the full effect of his well-rounded game). In fact, he was LeBron James before LeBron James. During that span, Hill averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists every game, clearly making him the most dangerous triple threat player in the league.

Grant Hill was also 27 when he faced his “Jay Cutler moment,” which occurred during the 2000 NBA playoffs, when the Detroit Pistons were set to battle the Miami Heat in the first round. Hill had sprained his ankle a week prior to the start of the postseason. But in an effort to please the public – and consequently avoid the dreaded “soft” label – Hill pressed onward to play in the series.

NBA fans know the rest of the sad tale. Hill’s injured left ankle worsened, forcing him out of action in the second game for the remainder of the series. More importantly, Hill was never the same player. The perceptions of others encouraged him to make a bad decision, and forced Hill into a secondary career in which he could attain nothing more than role player status.

A player who was set to make a mark on the history of his sport had a legacy of greatness swept from under him.

Granted, there are some unique differences between the circumstances surrounding these two situations. The NFL is inherently more physical than the NBA. Surely, Cutler’s stage – the NFC Championship game – was indisputably much grander than Hill’s (an NBA first round playoff game). And without doubt, the standard for toughness in the NBA can’t even come close to rivaling that of the NFL. NBA players seem to enjoy sitting on the sidelines in three-piece suits while collecting paychecks and getting a break from work.

But the underlying facts remain the same.

Shame on the ESPN analysts. Shame on the other NFL players and their self-aggrandizing tweets. Shame on all of us for putting Cutler in a box. And shame for holding him up to the standard of other football players – past and present.

Had Cutler been allowed to choose his fate, he may have been very likely succumb to the pressure and become the latest case of wasted talent. The NFL’s Grant Hill. Not for his lack of work. Not for his lack of passion.

But rather for his propensity to try and please the media.

Kudos to the Bears for proactively taking control of Cutler’s – and their future. But the very least that they could have done was to let everyone know about it – - for Cutler’s sake, when it mattered most.

Hester Reminds Us Why He’s Special

T Lamont — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 04:54:14 +0000

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Admittedly, tonight’s Green Bay-Chicago match-up turned out to be much more of a game than I anticipated.

Appropriately, the week after giving the Packers top billing in my Top 10, they respond with an outing marred by mediocrity. Poor decision-making on special teams. Costly personal foul penalties after the whistle (a team-record total of 17 penalties). Fumbles by wide receivers carrying the ball with the arm closest to the defensive player. Dropped interceptions looking as if they were thrown directly to Green Bay defenders.

And the Bears…well, even though they opened their season by winning their first two games, they did not make the cut for my best teams through Week 2. About 25 minutes into the contest, the game was going somewhat as I expected. Cutler was losing his effectiveness. Although they weren’t putting points on the board, Green Bay was moving the ball. Aaron Rodgers seemed to be gaining momentum. But, once again, the Pack wasn’t lighting up the scoreboard.

The 20-17 win was certainly a statement to the media (and people like me) who still don’t feel that they should be among the ranks of undefeated teams, but nevertheless, Chicago hung in the game long enough to allow Green Bay to beat itself.

And of all the mistakes that Green Bay made, they can point the finger at their decision to kick the ball to one of the all-time great return men.

Throughout the history of the NFL, we have seen some extremely talented and memorable players returning kicks. Michigan alum Desmond Howard parlayed his explosive abilities into a successful 11-year career that saw him win a Super Bowl MVP Award. Former Kansas City Chiefs standout Dante Hall was so electrifying that the fifth-round draft pick became a weekly fixture on ESPN SportsCenter.

That's right..."Anytime" had two game-changing returns against Green Bay tonight.

In 2006, we were introduced to Devin Hester. The University of Miami product burst onto the scene that year, returning five kicks (3 punts, 2 kickoffs) for touchdowns. In the following season, “Anytime” returned six kicks for scores.

Tonight, Hester picked the perfect time to end a two-year hiatus. Having not returned a kick in over two years, Hester was responsible for 10 Chicago points.

Green Bay punter Tim Masthay didn’t try to avoid the dangerous Hester, and in the second quarter, he ran back a punt for a 28-yard gain. Masthay had to make the tackle on Hester, but the return set the Bears up with great filed position, and they managed a field goal.

The Packers didn’t learn their lesson, and punted to Hester again in the fourth quarter. This time, Hester was able to take the punt to the house for a 62-yard score.

Just how special is the special teams performer? Very. Standing out on the special teams unit is not an easy thing to do. Unlike regular offensive or defensive units, their is no ability to disguise what you are attempting to do. One team kicks off and hunts down the ball carrier. The other team receives and blocks. The eleven players on defense are all coming for the ball handler. They know what the return team is trying to do, yet they still have to do their best to execute.

And based on his performance in tonight’s game, you can call Hester – “The Executioner.”

Calvin Johnson TD Catch Should Have Been Allowed

T Lamont — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 03:30:38 +0000

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Only the Detroit Lions can lose a game in the fashion that they did today.

Trailing 19-14 to the Chicago Bears, the Lions were faced with a 2nd and 10 with about half a minute to go in regulation. Detroit backup quarterback Shaun Hill fired a pass into the Chicago end zone into the direction of stud receiver Calvin Johnson. And he displayed even more evidence as to why he’s such a stud. The former Georgia Tech player outleaped a couple of Bears defenders and came down with the football.

Johnson demonstrated possession by clearly controlling the ball with two hands during the catch and cradling it with one arm on the way down – shielding it away from the defenders. But as he rose to his feet, Johnson used the ball – almost like a prop – to stand up and let it go as he stood to his feet to celebrate what he thought was a game-winning reception.

The officials didn’t think so.

The pass attempt was ruled incomplete by the officials, and they cited the NFL rulebook for their decision. Official Gene Steratore stated that Johnson did not completely maintain control of the football throughout the process of the catch.

What?

Lion coach Mike Schwartz agreed with the officials’ assessment, but how surprising is that? Detriot has been so demoralized throughout all of the years of losing that their coaches have lost any fight that they might have.

Everyone is now saying that the officials did the right thing, but the rule needs to be changed.

Johnson clearly controlled the football during the controversial play.

Hogwash!

Every game has rules that dictate the manner in that the game is to be played. But professional, and those familiar with the game, generally have a feel for playing that doesn’t require the frequent reference of rules. Player performance overshadows the continuous interpretation of the rulebook – and that’s the way that it should be. This was certainly one of those times. Just think of the number of times that we’ve seen receivers of non-game winning catches drop the ball prior to standing to their feet. And yes, they still get credit for the reception.

And why doesn’t this ‘finishing rule’ apply to rushing plays? I don’t know how many times we’ve seen runners poke the ball over the plane of the goal line, have it knocked loose – but it’s ruled a touchdown because he broke the plane.

Anyone watching this play came to one conclusion and one conclusion only – - it was definitely a catch and Johnson got screwed. So why was there any need to reference the rulebook? Who was even aware of this rule? Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith said he didn’t see the need to review it, but we’re not buying that. The bottom line is that he was fortunate to escape a loss at home to a team who is perennially in the league basement. Of course he wants to believe that his team won this game legit.

But they didn’t. And all of us true football fans know it.

Bengals Exceeding Their Wildest Expectations

T Lamont — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:35:15 +0000

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“I think, for the first time this year, we played a complete football game. We came out and played football.”

“That was amazing. Blowouts like this don’t happen against good teams. That’s a good, physical team offensively and defensively; they’re going to win games and make a push for the playoffs.”

If at the beginning of the season, we were all asked who would be the source of these quotes – we would not have even come close to guessing correctly.

The soundbites came from Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach Marvin Lewis and quarterback Carson Palmer following their lopsided victory of the Chicago Bears, 45-10.

Cedric Benson was extremely motivated for Sunday's game against Chicago.

Palmer had a magnificent day. He went 20-24 for 233 yards and threw five touchdowns. Superstar wide receiver Chad Ochocinco was the target for half of those completions, as the Oregon State product hauled in 10 receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns. To round out their potent offensive display, running back Cedric Benson – formerly of the Chicago Bears – rushed for 189 yards on 37 carries.

In other words, the Bengals did whatever they wanted to do whenever they wanted to do it on Sunday. Cincinnati accumulated 30 first downs, didn’t give up a sack, and didn’t commit any turnovers on its way to the blow out win.

Chicago, on the other hand, coughed up the ball on four occasions. Jay Cutler threw three interceptions, and the Bears also lost a fumble. Bengals’ defensive back Leon Hall victimized Cutler twice on Sunday.

The Bengals improved to 5-2, and they are in first place by virtue of their victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in the season. Cincinnati as the look of a team that is totally confident in its abilities. The team is riding the wave of two important developments:

1. Carson Palmer has returned. But not only has he returned, but he has returned healthy and rested. He has provided the offense with the powerful arm that it lacked in his absence.

2. A refocused, re-dedicated Ochocinco. He said that he was going to concentrate on playing football and having fun. Even Skip Bayless couldn’t take him out of his game.

I have a feeling that things have become a lot easier in town for Marvin Lewis. Having your two most respected players on one accord makes everything go smoother. The big thing for the Bengals is how they will react to adversity.

We’ll all hold our collective breaths and think positive thoughts. Maybe – just maybe they won’t screw things up this time around.