CSN Stores, a rapidly growing company with over 200 websites, contacted me and asked that I do a review of one of their products! But before I write the review (which will be coming soon), I'd like to let you all know about a brand new site from CSN Stores.
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So check out CSN Stores' extremely wide variety of barstools to give your home or workplace that finishing touch it needs!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
NFL Predictions: Week 8
Last Week's Record: 10-4
Cumulative Season Record: 61-43
____________________________________________
Dolphins @ Bengals: DOLPHINS
Jaguars @ Cowboys: COWBOYS
Redskins @ Lions: REDSKINS
Bills @ Chiefs: CHIEFS
Panthers @ Rams: RAMS
Packers @ Jets: JETS
Broncos @ 49ers: BRONCOS
Titans @ Chargers: TITANS
Seahawks @ Raiders: SEAHAWKS
Vikings @ Patriots: PATRIOTS
Buccaneers @ Cardinals: BUCCANEERS
SNF: Steelers @ Saints: STEELERS
MNF: Texans @ Colts: COLTS
_______________________________________
SNF=Sunday Night Football
MNF=Monday Night Football
Cumulative Season Record: 61-43
____________________________________________
Dolphins @ Bengals: DOLPHINS
Jaguars @ Cowboys: COWBOYS
Redskins @ Lions: REDSKINS
Bills @ Chiefs: CHIEFS
Panthers @ Rams: RAMS
Packers @ Jets: JETS
Broncos @ 49ers: BRONCOS
Titans @ Chargers: TITANS
Seahawks @ Raiders: SEAHAWKS
Vikings @ Patriots: PATRIOTS
Buccaneers @ Cardinals: BUCCANEERS
SNF: Steelers @ Saints: STEELERS
MNF: Texans @ Colts: COLTS
_______________________________________
SNF=Sunday Night Football
MNF=Monday Night Football
Monday, October 25, 2010
Bears Week 7 Review (Redskins 17--Bears 14)
The Story
Jay Cutler threw four interceptions and the Bears turned the ball over six times whilst dropping a 17-14 decision to the Washington Redskins on Sunday afternoon. With its second straight loss, Chicago drops to 4-3 on the year and will enjoy their week off before traveling to Toronto for a Week 9 matchup with Buffalo.
Is Jay Okay?
Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall was almost the Bears' leading receiver. Should I leave it at that?
It may have looked as if Cutler and Hall previously practiced some of those interceptions, but believe it or not, Cutler was trying to throw to the blue jerseys.
The quarterback reknowned for his physical toughness has experienced two poor performances since his return from the concussion experienced back on October 3rd, and both have been dismal to put it lightly. Not that Chicago's receivers weren't to blame for some of the miscues, but it's Cutler that ultimately tells the ball where to go, and he looked off target on several throws.
The media doesn't seem to be talking too much about his concussion anymore, but should the incident three weeks ago take part of the blame?
I say yes. Not to say that Jay looked like a shoo-in for the 2010 Pro Bowl before he hit the ground nine times against New York, but since then, he just hasn't looked the same. His passes are more off target, his reads are noticeably weaker and his decision making skills are looking slightly faded. I'm no doctor, but any injury revolving around the head is one that I would assume has long term side effects.
Offensive Line Woes Yet Again
Cutler hit the turf four times on the afternoon but, after seeing previous performances this season, it looked like a strong outing. But in all seriousness, when it came down to crunch time, the line proved capable of defending #6. In the last Bears' attempt to try for a score, desperate pass rush met a wall of determined Bears, and that's something positive to take away from this one.
Chicago only managed 66 yards on the ground, but then again the Bears only ran the ball 16 times (one of those being from Jay's sneak). When they chose to run, the line helped with providing the gaps, but Mike Martz never chose to establish a continued presence for the run game.
Blame It On the Coaches?
To begin with, Martz decided to go with only 15 rushes in 60 offensive plays. A lopsided ratio like that, and we've seen it in the majority of games this year, has proven time and time again that this Bears' offense is too predictable to work the right way. If Martz refuses to run the ball and Lovie refuses to make him, this Bears' offense will continue to have the most predictable gameplan of any NFL team. Sometimes I wonder if upcoming opponents even need to have film sessions.
Meanwhile, head coach Lovie Smith admitted in a media conference Monday that he should have thrown the challenge flag after Cutler's fumble from the one yard line. We all know, but it was still nice to hear the coach own up to his own failures.
Obviously Smith should've chucked that red flag onto the field the moment the referees pointed the other way, but we're not all perfect. My issue is that this team already has too many other problems--decision making from a 7th year head coach should not be one of them. And, just before that play, Smith decided to challenge the ruling that Earl Bennett's 48 yard catch and run didn't result in a score. Upon video review, Bennett's knee could be found anywhere but the endzone. Smith used the first challenge when he shouldn't have and he didn't use the second one when he should have--does that make sense?
Butterfingers
The most troubling statistic to me in this one is that Chicago turned the ball over 6 times (four interceptions, 2 fumbles). As a team that prides themselves on turnovers, this was considerably disturbing because perhaps the Bears need to worry more about themselves than their opponents.
Turnovers are such an integral part to football and, when you have six of them, you most likely will come up short. Although Chicago managed to force Washington to cough it up three times, offensive sloppiness cost this team a win.
Although only two of the six were because of fumbles, those are still two mistakes that should not be. Can you imagine how many games a team would win if they never turned the ball over? Enough to get them into the playoffs, that's for sure.
Looking Ahead to Buffalo
Two weeks from now, Chicago takes its act across the Northern border, into Toronto, for a Week 9 matchup with Buffalo. The Bills, the last winless team in the NFL, seek their first 'W' of the season against a Chicago team that will be coming fresh off a bye week.
Sure, their record couldn't be worse. But considering Miami, Green Bay, New England, Baltimore and the New York Jets were 5 of their 6 opponents, I'd say it's possible that their record is a little misleading.
On offense, Bills' QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has completed 63.3% of his passes this year for 969 yards, 11 TDs and 4 INTs that adds up to be a 102.0 passer rating. RB Fred Jackson only has 233 yards on the ground this season, but that's still a 4.2 average YPC. Through the air, receiver Steve Johnson has caught 25 balls for 372 yards with 5 touchdowns. Buffalo also boasts a capable receiver in Lee Evans, who's caught for 286 yards and 4 scores through the air.
Defensively, Buffalo doesn't impose very many real problems for the Bears, so I think this can be a way for Chicago to get some offensive swagger back. Buffalo may have some highlights on the offensive side of the ball, but that shouldn't be enough to get past a Bears' defense that has performed well the majority of the year.
In all three phases, I expect to see Chicago show Canadian fans how NFL football is really played.
*Preliminary Prediction: Bears 27, Bills 16
________________________________________
*My official predictions are released on Thursdays
Jay Cutler threw four interceptions and the Bears turned the ball over six times whilst dropping a 17-14 decision to the Washington Redskins on Sunday afternoon. With its second straight loss, Chicago drops to 4-3 on the year and will enjoy their week off before traveling to Toronto for a Week 9 matchup with Buffalo.
Is Jay Okay?
Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall was almost the Bears' leading receiver. Should I leave it at that?
It may have looked as if Cutler and Hall previously practiced some of those interceptions, but believe it or not, Cutler was trying to throw to the blue jerseys.
The quarterback reknowned for his physical toughness has experienced two poor performances since his return from the concussion experienced back on October 3rd, and both have been dismal to put it lightly. Not that Chicago's receivers weren't to blame for some of the miscues, but it's Cutler that ultimately tells the ball where to go, and he looked off target on several throws.
The media doesn't seem to be talking too much about his concussion anymore, but should the incident three weeks ago take part of the blame?
I say yes. Not to say that Jay looked like a shoo-in for the 2010 Pro Bowl before he hit the ground nine times against New York, but since then, he just hasn't looked the same. His passes are more off target, his reads are noticeably weaker and his decision making skills are looking slightly faded. I'm no doctor, but any injury revolving around the head is one that I would assume has long term side effects.
Offensive Line Woes Yet Again
Cutler hit the turf four times on the afternoon but, after seeing previous performances this season, it looked like a strong outing. But in all seriousness, when it came down to crunch time, the line proved capable of defending #6. In the last Bears' attempt to try for a score, desperate pass rush met a wall of determined Bears, and that's something positive to take away from this one.
Chicago only managed 66 yards on the ground, but then again the Bears only ran the ball 16 times (one of those being from Jay's sneak). When they chose to run, the line helped with providing the gaps, but Mike Martz never chose to establish a continued presence for the run game.
Blame It On the Coaches?
To begin with, Martz decided to go with only 15 rushes in 60 offensive plays. A lopsided ratio like that, and we've seen it in the majority of games this year, has proven time and time again that this Bears' offense is too predictable to work the right way. If Martz refuses to run the ball and Lovie refuses to make him, this Bears' offense will continue to have the most predictable gameplan of any NFL team. Sometimes I wonder if upcoming opponents even need to have film sessions.
Meanwhile, head coach Lovie Smith admitted in a media conference Monday that he should have thrown the challenge flag after Cutler's fumble from the one yard line. We all know, but it was still nice to hear the coach own up to his own failures.
Obviously Smith should've chucked that red flag onto the field the moment the referees pointed the other way, but we're not all perfect. My issue is that this team already has too many other problems--decision making from a 7th year head coach should not be one of them. And, just before that play, Smith decided to challenge the ruling that Earl Bennett's 48 yard catch and run didn't result in a score. Upon video review, Bennett's knee could be found anywhere but the endzone. Smith used the first challenge when he shouldn't have and he didn't use the second one when he should have--does that make sense?
Butterfingers
The most troubling statistic to me in this one is that Chicago turned the ball over 6 times (four interceptions, 2 fumbles). As a team that prides themselves on turnovers, this was considerably disturbing because perhaps the Bears need to worry more about themselves than their opponents.
Turnovers are such an integral part to football and, when you have six of them, you most likely will come up short. Although Chicago managed to force Washington to cough it up three times, offensive sloppiness cost this team a win.
Although only two of the six were because of fumbles, those are still two mistakes that should not be. Can you imagine how many games a team would win if they never turned the ball over? Enough to get them into the playoffs, that's for sure.
Looking Ahead to Buffalo
Two weeks from now, Chicago takes its act across the Northern border, into Toronto, for a Week 9 matchup with Buffalo. The Bills, the last winless team in the NFL, seek their first 'W' of the season against a Chicago team that will be coming fresh off a bye week.
Sure, their record couldn't be worse. But considering Miami, Green Bay, New England, Baltimore and the New York Jets were 5 of their 6 opponents, I'd say it's possible that their record is a little misleading.
On offense, Bills' QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has completed 63.3% of his passes this year for 969 yards, 11 TDs and 4 INTs that adds up to be a 102.0 passer rating. RB Fred Jackson only has 233 yards on the ground this season, but that's still a 4.2 average YPC. Through the air, receiver Steve Johnson has caught 25 balls for 372 yards with 5 touchdowns. Buffalo also boasts a capable receiver in Lee Evans, who's caught for 286 yards and 4 scores through the air.
Defensively, Buffalo doesn't impose very many real problems for the Bears, so I think this can be a way for Chicago to get some offensive swagger back. Buffalo may have some highlights on the offensive side of the ball, but that shouldn't be enough to get past a Bears' defense that has performed well the majority of the year.
In all three phases, I expect to see Chicago show Canadian fans how NFL football is really played.
*Preliminary Prediction: Bears 27, Bills 16
________________________________________
*My official predictions are released on Thursdays
Saturday, October 23, 2010
NFL Predictions: Week 7
Last Week's Record: 9-5
Cumulative Season Record: 51-39
______________________________________
Bengals @ Falcons: FALCONS
Redskins @ Bears: REDSKINS
Eagles @ Titans: TITANS
Jaguars @ Chiefs: CHIEFS
Steelers @ Dolphins: STEELERS
Browns @ Saints: SAINTS
Rams @ Buccaneers: RAMS
49ers @ Panthers: 49ERS
Bills @ Ravens: RAVENS
Cardinals @ Seahawks: SEAHAWKS
Raiders @ Broncos: BRONCOS
Patriots @ Chargers: PATRIOTS
SNF: Vikings @ Packers: PACKERS
MNF: Giants @ Cowboys: GIANTS
_______________________________________
SNF=Sunday Night Football
MNF=Monday Night Football
Cumulative Season Record: 51-39
______________________________________
Bengals @ Falcons: FALCONS
Redskins @ Bears: REDSKINS
Eagles @ Titans: TITANS
Jaguars @ Chiefs: CHIEFS
Steelers @ Dolphins: STEELERS
Browns @ Saints: SAINTS
Rams @ Buccaneers: RAMS
49ers @ Panthers: 49ERS
Bills @ Ravens: RAVENS
Cardinals @ Seahawks: SEAHAWKS
Raiders @ Broncos: BRONCOS
Patriots @ Chargers: PATRIOTS
SNF: Vikings @ Packers: PACKERS
MNF: Giants @ Cowboys: GIANTS
_______________________________________
SNF=Sunday Night Football
MNF=Monday Night Football
Monday, October 18, 2010
Bears Week 6 Review (Seahawks 23--Bears 20)
The Story
Jay Cutler was back at it under center after missing last week's start, but it wasn't enough, as the Bears dropped a 23-20 decision at home to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon. With the loss, the Bears drop to 4-2 on the 2010 campaign with one more home game before their bye week.
The Good
My favorite part of Sunday's game was whenever Chicago's special teams unit came onto the field; after all, that was the only part of the gameplan that seemed to work. Coming into this matchup, Seattle's return men were reasons for concern, but the Bears managed to hold Seahawks PR Golden Tate to negative yardage on four opportunities and they held KR Leon Washington to the equivalent of a little more than a touchback (21.8 avg) on four tries.
Although Bears KR Danieal Manning had a long kickoff return for a score nullified by a holding call, PR Devin Hester did what he does best and returned one for 6 points, penalty-free, that brought the game back within reach; it was the 13th time in his young career, already matching the NFL record.
Bears K Robbie Gould missed a try from 54 yards out, but he hit from 24 and 34 yards to finish 2 for 3 on the afternoon. To mirror a good performance, Bears P Brad Maynard booted three punts inside the twenty.
Although the receiving core didn't perform well enough to win, three Bears (Devin Aromashodu, Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett) managed receptions of more than 30 yards, and Knox caught for a career high 120 yards on the day.
The Bad
The entire offense and defense deserves to be talked about in this section, but I want to specifically focus on the linebackers and safeties, mostly because this is their first subpar performance of the season. Based on Seattle's offensive weapons, or lack thereof, I expected the nasty Bears' D to be licking their chops to get at QB Matt Hasselbeck, but instead they fought for a close loss.
The line failed to establish any pass rush whatsoever and the defensive backs allowed big plays via the pass and the run; Seahawks RBs Justin Forsett and Marshawn Lynch combined for 111 yards out of the backfield and WRs Mike Williams and Deon Butler for 170 yards through the air.
There were no sacks, interceptions or fumble recoveries on the afternoon for the Chicago D', and considering head coach Lovie Smith prides his team on takeaways, that statistic disturbs me the most.
The Ugly
Twice I've had a section of my review titled "The Ugly" and twice the offensive line has made their way on it...noticing a trend?
This line (which is the fourth different starting lineup in six games this year) allowed Cutler to be taken down six times by a Seattle defense that hasn't boasted many sacks this season. The worst part is that they weren't getting taken advantage of up front very often; the sacks were a result of mixed blitz schemes outside the range of the Bears' tackles. So that means that Chicago not only can't pass protect straight up the gut, they also can't defend edge rushers--so what are they there for?
Welcome Back Jay?
Call it strange, but I am tempted to say that the time I most appreciated Cutler was when I saw Todd Collins under center against Carolina. Chicago has certainly had it's rough times with Jay in almost a year and a half in a Bears' uniform, but Collins' performance might've made Coach Smith consider putting the waterboy in as quarterback.
So after seeing how low things can get at the quarterback position, the Bears welcomed back the concussed Cutler against a defense he should've opened wide up. Instead, he completed only 17 passes in 39 attempts for 290 yards and a dismal 69.4 QB rating. If the openings aren't there, they're not there--but the trouble is that there were plenty of missed opportunities and failed conversions--not because of the line, not because of the receivers, but because of poor decisions from the quarterback.
So was this an 'off game' or the start of a decline?
Interesting Stats
1) In 21 games with Chicago, Cutler has already been sacked more times than in three years in a Broncos uniform.
2) In their lasted 40 attempts, Chicago has managed just 3 third down conversions.
3) Offensive coordinator Mike Martz chose 41 pass plays and 12 rushes this week with Cutler back in the mix. He only selected 19 passes against 42 rushes last week with Collins under center.
Looking Ahead to Next Week
Next Sunday, the Bears look to retain their one game lead in the North in a Week 7 matchup with the Washington Redskins (3-3) in the friendly confines of Soldier Field.
Washington is coming off a 27-24 loss to Indianapolis last week. I don't know how many agree with this, but to me, a close loss to Indy is still a moral victory in some sense.
The biggest news in Washington's offseason was the aquisition of long time Eagle's quarterback Donovan McNabb. This year, McNabb has completed 125 of 215 passes (58.1%) for 1,561 yards with 5 TDs, 5 INTs and a passer rating of 78.8%.
Despite mediocre stats, McNabb knows how to handle football games and find open receivers as well as anybody. And he isn't the only weapon for the Redskins, as RB Ryan Torain has rushed for 256 yards and 4.2 ypc. Through the air, Washington boasts Santana Moss, who has already caught for 485 yards in just 6 games. And, as veterans usually do, McNabb has found a way to mix other receivers in the offensive gameplan, which of course will make Chicago's D' have a much harder afternoon.
On defense, safety LaRon Landry has made 48 tackles, 15 assists and 1 sack this year and looks to continue against a troubled offense in Chicago. The Bears will also have to focus on linebacker London Fletcher, who has registered 37 tackles, 23 assists and 1.5 sacks.
Last week, Chicago lost a game they most certainly should have won, but I am willing to call this a temporary slip up if they show up against a much more dangerous team in Washington. For all the negative air around this team, I believe they boast more than enough talent to be a playoff contender, but it all happens by winning the games you should. The biggest obstacle is that Chicago's offensive line has been a very noticeable kryptonite, and I expect Washington to trouble Cutler's composure in the pocket as well as all the other teams have done.
*Preliminary Prediction: Redskins 24, Bears 20
___________________________________________
*My official predictions are released on Thursdays
Jay Cutler was back at it under center after missing last week's start, but it wasn't enough, as the Bears dropped a 23-20 decision at home to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon. With the loss, the Bears drop to 4-2 on the 2010 campaign with one more home game before their bye week.
The Good
My favorite part of Sunday's game was whenever Chicago's special teams unit came onto the field; after all, that was the only part of the gameplan that seemed to work. Coming into this matchup, Seattle's return men were reasons for concern, but the Bears managed to hold Seahawks PR Golden Tate to negative yardage on four opportunities and they held KR Leon Washington to the equivalent of a little more than a touchback (21.8 avg) on four tries.
Although Bears KR Danieal Manning had a long kickoff return for a score nullified by a holding call, PR Devin Hester did what he does best and returned one for 6 points, penalty-free, that brought the game back within reach; it was the 13th time in his young career, already matching the NFL record.
Bears K Robbie Gould missed a try from 54 yards out, but he hit from 24 and 34 yards to finish 2 for 3 on the afternoon. To mirror a good performance, Bears P Brad Maynard booted three punts inside the twenty.
Although the receiving core didn't perform well enough to win, three Bears (Devin Aromashodu, Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett) managed receptions of more than 30 yards, and Knox caught for a career high 120 yards on the day.
The Bad
The entire offense and defense deserves to be talked about in this section, but I want to specifically focus on the linebackers and safeties, mostly because this is their first subpar performance of the season. Based on Seattle's offensive weapons, or lack thereof, I expected the nasty Bears' D to be licking their chops to get at QB Matt Hasselbeck, but instead they fought for a close loss.
The line failed to establish any pass rush whatsoever and the defensive backs allowed big plays via the pass and the run; Seahawks RBs Justin Forsett and Marshawn Lynch combined for 111 yards out of the backfield and WRs Mike Williams and Deon Butler for 170 yards through the air.
There were no sacks, interceptions or fumble recoveries on the afternoon for the Chicago D', and considering head coach Lovie Smith prides his team on takeaways, that statistic disturbs me the most.
The Ugly
Twice I've had a section of my review titled "The Ugly" and twice the offensive line has made their way on it...noticing a trend?
This line (which is the fourth different starting lineup in six games this year) allowed Cutler to be taken down six times by a Seattle defense that hasn't boasted many sacks this season. The worst part is that they weren't getting taken advantage of up front very often; the sacks were a result of mixed blitz schemes outside the range of the Bears' tackles. So that means that Chicago not only can't pass protect straight up the gut, they also can't defend edge rushers--so what are they there for?
Welcome Back Jay?
Call it strange, but I am tempted to say that the time I most appreciated Cutler was when I saw Todd Collins under center against Carolina. Chicago has certainly had it's rough times with Jay in almost a year and a half in a Bears' uniform, but Collins' performance might've made Coach Smith consider putting the waterboy in as quarterback.
So after seeing how low things can get at the quarterback position, the Bears welcomed back the concussed Cutler against a defense he should've opened wide up. Instead, he completed only 17 passes in 39 attempts for 290 yards and a dismal 69.4 QB rating. If the openings aren't there, they're not there--but the trouble is that there were plenty of missed opportunities and failed conversions--not because of the line, not because of the receivers, but because of poor decisions from the quarterback.
So was this an 'off game' or the start of a decline?
Interesting Stats
1) In 21 games with Chicago, Cutler has already been sacked more times than in three years in a Broncos uniform.
2) In their lasted 40 attempts, Chicago has managed just 3 third down conversions.
3) Offensive coordinator Mike Martz chose 41 pass plays and 12 rushes this week with Cutler back in the mix. He only selected 19 passes against 42 rushes last week with Collins under center.
Looking Ahead to Next Week
Next Sunday, the Bears look to retain their one game lead in the North in a Week 7 matchup with the Washington Redskins (3-3) in the friendly confines of Soldier Field.
Washington is coming off a 27-24 loss to Indianapolis last week. I don't know how many agree with this, but to me, a close loss to Indy is still a moral victory in some sense.
The biggest news in Washington's offseason was the aquisition of long time Eagle's quarterback Donovan McNabb. This year, McNabb has completed 125 of 215 passes (58.1%) for 1,561 yards with 5 TDs, 5 INTs and a passer rating of 78.8%.
Despite mediocre stats, McNabb knows how to handle football games and find open receivers as well as anybody. And he isn't the only weapon for the Redskins, as RB Ryan Torain has rushed for 256 yards and 4.2 ypc. Through the air, Washington boasts Santana Moss, who has already caught for 485 yards in just 6 games. And, as veterans usually do, McNabb has found a way to mix other receivers in the offensive gameplan, which of course will make Chicago's D' have a much harder afternoon.
On defense, safety LaRon Landry has made 48 tackles, 15 assists and 1 sack this year and looks to continue against a troubled offense in Chicago. The Bears will also have to focus on linebacker London Fletcher, who has registered 37 tackles, 23 assists and 1.5 sacks.
Last week, Chicago lost a game they most certainly should have won, but I am willing to call this a temporary slip up if they show up against a much more dangerous team in Washington. For all the negative air around this team, I believe they boast more than enough talent to be a playoff contender, but it all happens by winning the games you should. The biggest obstacle is that Chicago's offensive line has been a very noticeable kryptonite, and I expect Washington to trouble Cutler's composure in the pocket as well as all the other teams have done.
*Preliminary Prediction: Redskins 24, Bears 20
___________________________________________
*My official predictions are released on Thursdays
Thursday, October 14, 2010
NFL Predictions: Week 6
Last Week's Record: 7-7
Cumulative Season Record: 42-34
___________________________________________
Seahawks @ Bears: BEARS
Dolphins @ Packers: PACKERS
Chargers @ Rams: CHARGERS
Ravens @ Patriots: RAVENS
Lions @ Giants: GIANTS
Falcons @ Eagles: FALCONS
Browns @ Steelers: STEELERS
Saints @ Buccaneers: SAINTS
Chiefs @ Texans: TEXANS
Jets @ Broncos: JETS
Raiders @ 49ers: 49ERS
Cowboys @ Vikings: VIKINGS
SNF: Colts @ Redskins: COLTS
MNF: Titans @ Jaguars: TITANS
_____________________________________
SNF=Sunday Night Football
MNF=Monday Night Football
Cumulative Season Record: 42-34
___________________________________________
Seahawks @ Bears: BEARS
Dolphins @ Packers: PACKERS
Chargers @ Rams: CHARGERS
Ravens @ Patriots: RAVENS
Lions @ Giants: GIANTS
Falcons @ Eagles: FALCONS
Browns @ Steelers: STEELERS
Saints @ Buccaneers: SAINTS
Chiefs @ Texans: TEXANS
Jets @ Broncos: JETS
Raiders @ 49ers: 49ERS
Cowboys @ Vikings: VIKINGS
SNF: Colts @ Redskins: COLTS
MNF: Titans @ Jaguars: TITANS
_____________________________________
SNF=Sunday Night Football
MNF=Monday Night Football
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Bears Week 5 Review (Bears 23--Panthers 6)
The Outcome
With Jay Cutler nursing a mild concussion on the sidelines, Matt Forte managed to pick up the slack and lead Chicago to a 23-6 victory in Bank of America Stadium. By improving to a 4-1 record on the season, Chicago finds itself in a tie for first place in the NFL.
Offense
The Bears always claim they need to "get off the bus running", but today they followed through on this by handing off the rock early and watching Forte do the rest. He ran for 166 yards on the day (which is more than every other game this year combined), including two early scores to help the Bears to an early 17-3 lead. In total, Chicago rushed for 218 yards on 42 carries, an average of 5.2 YPC.
In relief of Cutler, Todd Collins threw 4 INTs and saw a passer rating of 6.2. He was pulled in the fourth quarter for third string QB Caleb Hanie, who completed 2 of 3 passes for 19 yards and an 84.0 rating. Because of Collins' struggles, Bears' receivers were unable to help Chicago through the air as the leading receiver, Forte, caught two balls for 22 yards.
Defense
Despite offensive troubles, the defense created huge plays by way of 5 sacks and 3 interceptions. But the only number that matters is points allowed, and I'm sure nobody on the Bears' D is complaining at 6. Although Carolina is the lowest scoring team in the league, the Bears still allowed 5.5 points less than the Panthers' 11.5 average.
Coming into this matchup, the spotlight on the Panther's offense was on running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Despite early success out of the backfield, Chicago managed to limit the total damage to 20 carries for 81 yards combined.
Individually speaking, I thought Israel Idonije had the strongest game with 7 tackles, 2 assists, a forced fumble and 3 sacks. His consistent pressure, along with Peppers', provided more than enough to get Panthers QB Jimmy Clausen out the pocket. Brian Urlacher, Charles Tillman and Peppers saw interceptions as well.
Special Teams
Despite being a unit often overlooked, special teams set up the Bears' first touchdown and was directly responsible for 9 of the Bears 23 points. Devin Hester and Danieal Manning saw some great returns and Robbie Gould nailed a career-long 53 yard field goal.
If Cutler can't go next week, should it be Collins or Hanie under center?
If anyone would've answered Todd Collins at noon on Sunday, I'm pretty sure they would've changed their answer by 3:15.
Collins didn't look good in the preseason, he didn't look good against the Giants last week and he looked atrocious against the Panthers on Sunday. There's a reason he has only started 21 games in 16 years.
Meanwhile, the Bears have a young talent sitting on the bench thinking, "Why am I not on the field"? Hanie has proven he can manage a game, or at least much moreso than Collins. I don't mean to say that I think he should be a starter in the NFL just yet, but at the moment he makes for a textbook backup. Also, considering the speed in the Bears' receiving core, Hanie's stronger arm is an added incentive, as the ability to stretch the field is usually a key component in a Mike Martz gameplan.
Looking Ahead to Next Week
Next Sunday, the Bears try to keep sole possession of first place in the NFC North when they take on the 2-2 Seattle Seahawks in Soldier Field.
Seattle is coming off a bye week, but in Week 4 they saw a 20-3 defeat to St. Louis in the Edward Jones Dome. On the year, Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck has completed 77 of 126 passes for 814 yards, 4 TDs, 6 INTs and a passer rating of 70.7. Seattle's running back, Justin Forsett, has seen limited action in 4 games this year with 51 carries for 215 yards and no touchdowns. Through the air, Hasselbeck likes to spread the ball around and get all his receivers involved.
Defensively, Seattle looks to provide pass rush with DEs Chris Clemons and Raheem Brock, who have 6 sacks combined this year. In the backfield, saftey Earl Thomas and cornerback Marcus Trufant look to slow a Chicago offense that should have QB Jay Cutler back in the mix.
With Cutler back at it under center (most likely) and Forte's newfound rhythm running the ball, I am expecting the Bears to come out looking solid in all phases, also factoring in their home field advantage for the first time this month.
*Preliminary Prediction: Seahawks 17, Bears 27
_____________________________________
*My official predictions are released on Thursdays
With Jay Cutler nursing a mild concussion on the sidelines, Matt Forte managed to pick up the slack and lead Chicago to a 23-6 victory in Bank of America Stadium. By improving to a 4-1 record on the season, Chicago finds itself in a tie for first place in the NFL.
Offense
The Bears always claim they need to "get off the bus running", but today they followed through on this by handing off the rock early and watching Forte do the rest. He ran for 166 yards on the day (which is more than every other game this year combined), including two early scores to help the Bears to an early 17-3 lead. In total, Chicago rushed for 218 yards on 42 carries, an average of 5.2 YPC.
In relief of Cutler, Todd Collins threw 4 INTs and saw a passer rating of 6.2. He was pulled in the fourth quarter for third string QB Caleb Hanie, who completed 2 of 3 passes for 19 yards and an 84.0 rating. Because of Collins' struggles, Bears' receivers were unable to help Chicago through the air as the leading receiver, Forte, caught two balls for 22 yards.
Defense
Despite offensive troubles, the defense created huge plays by way of 5 sacks and 3 interceptions. But the only number that matters is points allowed, and I'm sure nobody on the Bears' D is complaining at 6. Although Carolina is the lowest scoring team in the league, the Bears still allowed 5.5 points less than the Panthers' 11.5 average.
Coming into this matchup, the spotlight on the Panther's offense was on running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Despite early success out of the backfield, Chicago managed to limit the total damage to 20 carries for 81 yards combined.
Individually speaking, I thought Israel Idonije had the strongest game with 7 tackles, 2 assists, a forced fumble and 3 sacks. His consistent pressure, along with Peppers', provided more than enough to get Panthers QB Jimmy Clausen out the pocket. Brian Urlacher, Charles Tillman and Peppers saw interceptions as well.
Special Teams
Despite being a unit often overlooked, special teams set up the Bears' first touchdown and was directly responsible for 9 of the Bears 23 points. Devin Hester and Danieal Manning saw some great returns and Robbie Gould nailed a career-long 53 yard field goal.
If Cutler can't go next week, should it be Collins or Hanie under center?
If anyone would've answered Todd Collins at noon on Sunday, I'm pretty sure they would've changed their answer by 3:15.
Collins didn't look good in the preseason, he didn't look good against the Giants last week and he looked atrocious against the Panthers on Sunday. There's a reason he has only started 21 games in 16 years.
Meanwhile, the Bears have a young talent sitting on the bench thinking, "Why am I not on the field"? Hanie has proven he can manage a game, or at least much moreso than Collins. I don't mean to say that I think he should be a starter in the NFL just yet, but at the moment he makes for a textbook backup. Also, considering the speed in the Bears' receiving core, Hanie's stronger arm is an added incentive, as the ability to stretch the field is usually a key component in a Mike Martz gameplan.
Looking Ahead to Next Week
Next Sunday, the Bears try to keep sole possession of first place in the NFC North when they take on the 2-2 Seattle Seahawks in Soldier Field.
Seattle is coming off a bye week, but in Week 4 they saw a 20-3 defeat to St. Louis in the Edward Jones Dome. On the year, Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck has completed 77 of 126 passes for 814 yards, 4 TDs, 6 INTs and a passer rating of 70.7. Seattle's running back, Justin Forsett, has seen limited action in 4 games this year with 51 carries for 215 yards and no touchdowns. Through the air, Hasselbeck likes to spread the ball around and get all his receivers involved.
Defensively, Seattle looks to provide pass rush with DEs Chris Clemons and Raheem Brock, who have 6 sacks combined this year. In the backfield, saftey Earl Thomas and cornerback Marcus Trufant look to slow a Chicago offense that should have QB Jay Cutler back in the mix.
With Cutler back at it under center (most likely) and Forte's newfound rhythm running the ball, I am expecting the Bears to come out looking solid in all phases, also factoring in their home field advantage for the first time this month.
*Preliminary Prediction: Seahawks 17, Bears 27
_____________________________________
*My official predictions are released on Thursdays
Thursday, October 7, 2010
NFL Predictions: Week 5
Last Week's Record: 7-7
Cumulative Season Record: 35-27
______________________________________________
Jaguars @ Bills: JAGUARS
Buccaneers @ Bengals: BENGALS
Falcons @ Browns: FALCONS
Rams @ Lions: LIONS
Chiefs @ Colts: COLTS
Packers @ Redskins: PACKERS
Bears @ Panthers: BEARS
Broncos @ Ravens: RAVENS
Giants @ Texans: TEXANS
Saints @ Cardinals: SAINTS
Titans @ Cowboys: COWBOYS
Chargers @ Raiders: CHARGERS
SNF: Eagles @ 49ers: 49ERS
MNF: Vikings @ Jets: JETS
_____________________________________________
SNF: Sunday Night Football
MNF: Monday Night Football
Cumulative Season Record: 35-27
______________________________________________
Jaguars @ Bills: JAGUARS
Buccaneers @ Bengals: BENGALS
Falcons @ Browns: FALCONS
Rams @ Lions: LIONS
Chiefs @ Colts: COLTS
Packers @ Redskins: PACKERS
Bears @ Panthers: BEARS
Broncos @ Ravens: RAVENS
Giants @ Texans: TEXANS
Saints @ Cardinals: SAINTS
Titans @ Cowboys: COWBOYS
Chargers @ Raiders: CHARGERS
SNF: Eagles @ 49ers: 49ERS
MNF: Vikings @ Jets: JETS
_____________________________________________
SNF: Sunday Night Football
MNF: Monday Night Football
Monday, October 4, 2010
Bears Week 4 Review (Bears 3--Giants 17)
The Story
I'm not sure if the Bears' offense got an invitation, but I am sure it didn't attend the party. Early offensive troubles up front continued throughout the first half and Jay Cutler was logged for 9 sacks in a 17-3 loss to the New York Giants in New Meadowlands Stadium. With its first lost, Chicago moves to 3-1 on the 2010 campaign, and, although the Bears are still atop the North, Cutler's concussion suffered in the first half leaves reason for concern for the immediate future of this franchise.
Let me first say this: you're not going to win too many games when the offense is harder to find than Waldo. Cutler had more sacks (9) than completions (8). Blame doesn't just go to the line for this terrible effort, however; tight ends didn't make the strong-side strong and Cutler himself failed to react on a few quick openings in the defense. But one of the most important aspects of an offense is third down convertions. The fact that the Bears went 0-13 on third downs proves an atrocious offensive effort with that statistic alone.
And tell me if you've ever heard this before--the running game never got going.
With 59 total yards on the ground, 114 yards through the air (which includes 2 INTs) and having two quarterbacks knocked out of the game, the Bears offense officially gets my vote for Worst Effort (and I've seen some doosies).
I thought the defense performed well enough to win, but the offense's short drives left Urlacher & Company coming onto the field more and more exhausted. And even the highly regarded run defense deteriorated late in the game, giving up 189 rush yards and also the top spot in the category of run defense.
They say defense wins championships, but with those defenses usually comes an offense capable of putting more than three points on the board (and even that field goal was due to a defensive turnover). But all in all, the first fourth of the season still saw a nice looking 3-1 record, and a few upcoming games have W written all over them if Cutler can recover quickly enough.
The Good
Good performances were hard to come by for the Bears in this one, but at least the defense found a way to keep the inept offense in the game through 3 quarters. Julius Peppers created a big play by sacking Giants QB Eli Manning which knocked the ball out and changed the direction of gameplay. Chris Harris also recovered a fumble and Danieal Manning had a team-high 8 tackles.
The Bad
I was tempted to write, "The first 60 minutes of gameplay", but I thought I'd try to sort this thing out the right way. Since there was an unusually abundant amount of problems from the Bears throughout this game, I'll just highlight the ones that stood out the most to me. (Offensive line will be discussed in the next section.)
1) Quarterbacks
----------Obviously most of the trauma from this position was due to a historically poor effort from the offensive line, but you can still attribute some of the pain and suffering to Cutler holding the ball for too long. He had Johnny Knox open on a slant route, to name an example, but opted to check it down in search of a lengthier pass play. Part of playing the quarterback position, especially with a weak offensive line, is having the ability to hit receivers quickly. Cutler had a hard time all night reading and reacting to the situation properly, as illustrated by many missed blitz pickups, three fumbles, open recievers and off target throws (including an interception), especially an underthrown deep ball to Devin Hester along the right sideline. Todd Collins, who replaced Cutler (concussion) after halftime, didn't fare much better as he went 4-11 with 36 yards and an INT. Mix in an atrocious performance by the line and you officially have a recipe for an offensive disaster.
2) Run game
----------As expected by now, Chicago failed to establish any semblance of a run game. Chicago' backs carried 16 times for 59 yards, an average of 3.7 YPC (that includes an 11 yard reverse by Hester). I like to see the YPC at at least 4, and although the Bears weren't far off, they still didn't get close to 100 total ground yards in a game where passing the ball proved to be futile early. They know they need to get the ground game going, and this was the perfect opportunity against a Giants team that was already demolishing them in the pass.
3) Recievers
----------I primarily blame poor quarterback execution on the lack of a passing game. Although Bears' receivers didn't have the greatest day getting open, there were enough opportunities and openings for the quarterback to have dumped it off short. The team leader in catches, Greg Olsen, made 5 grabs, which is much too little for an established passing attack.
4) Special Teams
----------Hester had a bad day returning punts and Manning had a bad day returning kickoffs. Hester managed 6 total yards out of two rare opportunites and Manning had three opportunities but averaged less than 20 yards a return. The brightest spot was kicker Robbie Gould, who converted his only attempt from 40 yards out.
5) Coaching Staff
----------What happened to the in-game adjustments we saw against the Cowboys? What happened to the well executed gameplan we saw against Green Bay? This offensive performance was so bad that the only explanation I'm left to ponder is whether or not offensive coordinator Mike Martz did any homework at all on this Giants' defense.
I stated in previous articles that adjusting to opponents was one of the most prodominate reasons for this team's success. The biggest problem lies in the fact that offensive line coach Mike Tice did adjust his line at many times throughout the game, but still to no avail. When this happens, it is not time to attempt another change on the line but rather different schemes for Cutler and the receivers, and that fault lies on Martz.
The Ugly
I really want to title this section The Hideous or maybe The Atrocious or something along those lines, but I think the way I have it now gets the point across sufficiently enough. The Atrocious for this week...uh, I mean The Ugly, is obviously the offensive line (and that includes blocking tight ends). At least 7 different Bears blockers aloud a rusher to get by them and Bears' quarterbacks were knocked to the turf 10 times on the night, 9 in the first half alone, setting an NFL record for most sacks in a half. Five different Giants' rushers were credited with at least one sack, including 3 from both Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora. With two quarterbacks knocked out of the game, this officially becomes the worst performance I have ever seen from an offensive line and perhaps the worst performance in NFL history.
MVP
As you are about to see from my answer, this article only includes Bears' performers, so I will take Gould on this one. He converted his only attempt from 40 yards out, leaving him responsible for the only Bears' points in the contest.
Looking Ahead to Next Week
In Week 5, Chicago looks to rebound against a winless Panthers team that has seen losses to the Giants, Buccaneers, Bengals and Saints. Although they have no wins in 2010, Carolina has a talented back in DeAngelo Williams that can change the course of a game. Despite his success on the ground, however, he has proven to be no threat in the receiving game, and that's trouble if you also factor in an inexperienced Panthers' receiving core. With rookie QB Jimmie Clausen behind center, expect Chicago to focus defensive schemes heavily on pass rush and either get that sack count higher or force bad throws from an inexperienced quarterback.
Despite the success I predict from the defense, I still won't rest easy with Collins or Caleb Hanie starting at quarterback. Thus, I will reserve my prediction until I know whether or not Cutler plans to make an appearance. But unless kinks on the o-line are taken care of, it might not matter in the long run.
I'm not sure if the Bears' offense got an invitation, but I am sure it didn't attend the party. Early offensive troubles up front continued throughout the first half and Jay Cutler was logged for 9 sacks in a 17-3 loss to the New York Giants in New Meadowlands Stadium. With its first lost, Chicago moves to 3-1 on the 2010 campaign, and, although the Bears are still atop the North, Cutler's concussion suffered in the first half leaves reason for concern for the immediate future of this franchise.
Let me first say this: you're not going to win too many games when the offense is harder to find than Waldo. Cutler had more sacks (9) than completions (8). Blame doesn't just go to the line for this terrible effort, however; tight ends didn't make the strong-side strong and Cutler himself failed to react on a few quick openings in the defense. But one of the most important aspects of an offense is third down convertions. The fact that the Bears went 0-13 on third downs proves an atrocious offensive effort with that statistic alone.
And tell me if you've ever heard this before--the running game never got going.
With 59 total yards on the ground, 114 yards through the air (which includes 2 INTs) and having two quarterbacks knocked out of the game, the Bears offense officially gets my vote for Worst Effort (and I've seen some doosies).
I thought the defense performed well enough to win, but the offense's short drives left Urlacher & Company coming onto the field more and more exhausted. And even the highly regarded run defense deteriorated late in the game, giving up 189 rush yards and also the top spot in the category of run defense.
They say defense wins championships, but with those defenses usually comes an offense capable of putting more than three points on the board (and even that field goal was due to a defensive turnover). But all in all, the first fourth of the season still saw a nice looking 3-1 record, and a few upcoming games have W written all over them if Cutler can recover quickly enough.
The Good
Good performances were hard to come by for the Bears in this one, but at least the defense found a way to keep the inept offense in the game through 3 quarters. Julius Peppers created a big play by sacking Giants QB Eli Manning which knocked the ball out and changed the direction of gameplay. Chris Harris also recovered a fumble and Danieal Manning had a team-high 8 tackles.
The Bad
I was tempted to write, "The first 60 minutes of gameplay", but I thought I'd try to sort this thing out the right way. Since there was an unusually abundant amount of problems from the Bears throughout this game, I'll just highlight the ones that stood out the most to me. (Offensive line will be discussed in the next section.)
1) Quarterbacks
----------Obviously most of the trauma from this position was due to a historically poor effort from the offensive line, but you can still attribute some of the pain and suffering to Cutler holding the ball for too long. He had Johnny Knox open on a slant route, to name an example, but opted to check it down in search of a lengthier pass play. Part of playing the quarterback position, especially with a weak offensive line, is having the ability to hit receivers quickly. Cutler had a hard time all night reading and reacting to the situation properly, as illustrated by many missed blitz pickups, three fumbles, open recievers and off target throws (including an interception), especially an underthrown deep ball to Devin Hester along the right sideline. Todd Collins, who replaced Cutler (concussion) after halftime, didn't fare much better as he went 4-11 with 36 yards and an INT. Mix in an atrocious performance by the line and you officially have a recipe for an offensive disaster.
2) Run game
----------As expected by now, Chicago failed to establish any semblance of a run game. Chicago' backs carried 16 times for 59 yards, an average of 3.7 YPC (that includes an 11 yard reverse by Hester). I like to see the YPC at at least 4, and although the Bears weren't far off, they still didn't get close to 100 total ground yards in a game where passing the ball proved to be futile early. They know they need to get the ground game going, and this was the perfect opportunity against a Giants team that was already demolishing them in the pass.
3) Recievers
----------I primarily blame poor quarterback execution on the lack of a passing game. Although Bears' receivers didn't have the greatest day getting open, there were enough opportunities and openings for the quarterback to have dumped it off short. The team leader in catches, Greg Olsen, made 5 grabs, which is much too little for an established passing attack.
4) Special Teams
----------Hester had a bad day returning punts and Manning had a bad day returning kickoffs. Hester managed 6 total yards out of two rare opportunites and Manning had three opportunities but averaged less than 20 yards a return. The brightest spot was kicker Robbie Gould, who converted his only attempt from 40 yards out.
5) Coaching Staff
----------What happened to the in-game adjustments we saw against the Cowboys? What happened to the well executed gameplan we saw against Green Bay? This offensive performance was so bad that the only explanation I'm left to ponder is whether or not offensive coordinator Mike Martz did any homework at all on this Giants' defense.
I stated in previous articles that adjusting to opponents was one of the most prodominate reasons for this team's success. The biggest problem lies in the fact that offensive line coach Mike Tice did adjust his line at many times throughout the game, but still to no avail. When this happens, it is not time to attempt another change on the line but rather different schemes for Cutler and the receivers, and that fault lies on Martz.
The Ugly
I really want to title this section The Hideous or maybe The Atrocious or something along those lines, but I think the way I have it now gets the point across sufficiently enough. The Atrocious for this week...uh, I mean The Ugly, is obviously the offensive line (and that includes blocking tight ends). At least 7 different Bears blockers aloud a rusher to get by them and Bears' quarterbacks were knocked to the turf 10 times on the night, 9 in the first half alone, setting an NFL record for most sacks in a half. Five different Giants' rushers were credited with at least one sack, including 3 from both Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora. With two quarterbacks knocked out of the game, this officially becomes the worst performance I have ever seen from an offensive line and perhaps the worst performance in NFL history.
MVP
As you are about to see from my answer, this article only includes Bears' performers, so I will take Gould on this one. He converted his only attempt from 40 yards out, leaving him responsible for the only Bears' points in the contest.
Looking Ahead to Next Week
In Week 5, Chicago looks to rebound against a winless Panthers team that has seen losses to the Giants, Buccaneers, Bengals and Saints. Although they have no wins in 2010, Carolina has a talented back in DeAngelo Williams that can change the course of a game. Despite his success on the ground, however, he has proven to be no threat in the receiving game, and that's trouble if you also factor in an inexperienced Panthers' receiving core. With rookie QB Jimmie Clausen behind center, expect Chicago to focus defensive schemes heavily on pass rush and either get that sack count higher or force bad throws from an inexperienced quarterback.
Despite the success I predict from the defense, I still won't rest easy with Collins or Caleb Hanie starting at quarterback. Thus, I will reserve my prediction until I know whether or not Cutler plans to make an appearance. But unless kinks on the o-line are taken care of, it might not matter in the long run.
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