Bears v. Lions, Part Deux

Well, the bears have won 4 straight. Yep thats not a typo and pretty much could be classified as the hottest team in the NFC. Still not a typo. The get the banged up lions team this week and really this game shouldnt be close. But here is what to watch for anyway. Oh, and a shutout to Ryan Coe, who i hear is a big fan.

Key Matchups:

1. Chris Williams v. Ndamukong Suh - Suh has had a phenomenal rookie season and probably will be the defensive rookie of the year if not the overall rookie of the year. Williams is getting better at guard but still is pretty rough and doesnt handle the power rush from a DT very well. Well, I have to suspect that Suh will be lining up over Williams and trying to create havoc. If Williams can hang with Suh on his own that should mean big holes in the run game and a big day for Forte.

2. Megatron(Calvin Johnson) v. Bears corners. I mean Johnson is virtually unstoppable. He is pretty much a freak of nature and arguably the best WR in the NFL even though he has had journeymen QBs throwing to him most of his career. If the bears can just contain him in the redzone, it would be a victory for them. Also, did i mention he is pretty much the Lions only offensive weapon.

Keys for the Bears

1. Work the play action. If you remember back to week 1 of the season, the lions pass rush got to Cutler quite a bit and I dont want to see Jay get hit by Suh more than necessary. By working the play action, it can slow down the pass rush and give Cutler some more time in the pocket. Mostly, the bears have to worried about slowing the push up the middle of the Lions DTs and play action should make them worried about the run first.

2. Don't let up. So, this is a classic trap game for the bears. They have the Patriots next weekend and the Lions are 2-9. But, i think the Lions have played much better than their 2-9 record and will come out for blood after "the catch" in week 1. The bears have to withstand what the lions throw at them in the 1st quarter and then pull away before half. They cant come out flat. I dont think they will but it has be a concern for most fans.

Hero of the Day

Johnny Knox - Johnny has had some big games here in this 4 game winning but I think this week against a weak lions secondary he will have a break out game. Look for atleast a TD and 100+ yards.

Prediction

Bears 31, Lions 13. The bears just keep getting better and better and look for the defense to join the scoring with their 2nd defensive TD of the year. There should be a lot of 3 and out from the lions and I expect this game to be over by halftime. Go Bear!

Bears v. Vikes - Game that defines a year?

Bear-Vikings -- where fans root for their teams to win and also root for their teams to fire the coaches. - Sam Rosen, chicago tribune, 11/10/10

I couldnt put this game in any better words. But all joking aside this game is could be season determining for both teams. As of right now the bears are 2-0 within the division and if they win 3-0 would give them the upper hand on winning the division. The vikes are 3-5 overall and 1-1 in the division and if they lose to the bears you can almost write them off in the division and for any chance at a wildcard because you are gonna have to go atleast 9-7 to get a wildcard berth. So, lets everyone get excited for this game.

Key Matchups

1. Kruetz v. Williams Mountains - Every bears fan know that the Williams DTs kill the bears. The questions is can the bears block them well enough to have some semblance of the running game and to give Culter a pocket to step up into? It will be up to Kruetz and the guards to take care of these guys and drive this offense.

2. Favre v. Tillman & Jennings - The bears have been playing a lot of cover 2 and zone this year because they have had the opponents in 3rd and longs a ton. The zone is good because it lets the defensive players play an area and keep looking into the backfield. This lets the defense see where the ball is going and drive on the play. However, this weekend the king of the pump fake, Favre is in the backfield. The bears have to play disciplined coverage and not try to jump every route or pump fake which is hard for a defense that is so focused on getting turnovers. Otherwise, they could be beat deep a lot.

3. Adrian Peterson's hands - The bears have caused 8 fumbles on defense this year. Peterson has fumbled zero times this year. He has however fumbled 3 times in the last 2 games versus the bears. If the bears can get the ball to pop out, they should win the turnover battle and then likely the game.

Keys for the Bears

1. Unleash Jay. Yep, this is exactly what I have pretty much have been adovacating the past couple of weeks. But realistically, the bears dont have a good running game and its incredibly hard to run against the vikes. But, they can be had in the pass game. Some playaction and deep balls should available for the bears. I say this is the week to really see if Martz's offense can work. It may be a gamble but realistically the bears are going to need an explosive offense in the 2nd half to make the playoffs.

2. Contain AP. I'm not sure you can really stop the "Purple Jesus" as some call him. But you can make him work hard and contain him. He has historically had big games against the bears but if you keep him to 4 yds per carry and no big runs, it should be considered a win for the bears defense.

3. Maximize your weapons. Its simple on offense. Put your guys in the position to do what they do best. That means look for Greg Olsen to stretch the defense down the seam and in the redzone. Throw a couple deep balls to Johnny Knox to loosen up the defense and see if he can break one. Get Hester the ball out in space and see if he can run past people. And use Forte and Taylor out of the backfield to create mismatches. By now, Martz should have figured out what his guys to best and now he needs to show us he can use them in that way.

Hero for the Day

I could be a total homer and pick Matt Forte cause I just traded for him in my fantasy league but instead I will say Greg Olsen. I think he got back on track last week and I look for at least 1 td and a couple deep balls down the middle to him. Time for him to show that he can be an impact TE in this league.

Prediction

I think this will be too close for comfort at halftime with the bears possibly even losing. The vikes know they have to win this game and they will come out swinging. But, i think the bears are the better TEAM right now and will come out ahead.

Bears 24, Vikes 21

Week 2 v. the team america hates

Alright so i dont know if America hates the cowboys. But, they should and I sure do. They are right behind the Packers and Vikings on my hate scale. The Cowboys are coming off a pretty embarrassing loss to the Redskins. They were heavy favorites in the game and their supposedly high power offense did nothing and looked terrible doing it. They might have more questions on the offensive line then the bears do. So, here are the matchups to watch, the keys to the bears success and my hero of the day.

Matchups:

1. Chris Williams v. DeMarcus Ware. All Ware has done is record 11+ sacks in the past 4 years including 20 in '08. All Chris Williams has done is look like shit all preseason and in the first game when going against good pass rushers. No team can block Ware 1 on 1 and hope their QB lives through the game. The bears will double team, cut block and chip with backs and TEs all day but occasionally Ware will be 1 on 1 with Williams. Can Williams do enough to not get Cutler killed?

2. Tommie Harris & Anthony Adams v. the guards of the Cowboys. There is no question that Peppers will provide pressure from the outside he. He is that good that you can count on it every game. But will the huge man that is Leonard Davis, listed at 370, and the rest of the Cowboys huge interior line consume the bears' DTs? If the bears cant get penetration up the middle then the cowboys will run all over the place and with their dynamic passing attack be pretty much unstoppable for the bears D.

3. Devin Hester v. Terrence Newman. This isn't because hester has gotten so much attention this week for only catching 1 catch last week. Its because it seems that other teams deem Hester the bears #1 WR and put their best corner on him. The cowboys bring a lot of pressure and a lot of blitzing with their front 7 so Newman is constantly left 1 on 1 with the other teams top WR. If Hester can beat Newman a couple of times in the game, it will make the cowboys dial down the blitzes and give Cutler more time.

Keys for the Bears:

1. Get off the bus running. The bears ran the ball 31 times last week but only for a 3.3 yd avg. That needs to improve and they need to be able to pick up chucks of yardage on the ground against the 'boys. It will prevent hits on cutler and it will slow down the pass rush. The line must figure out how to run block against a 3-4 defense.

2. Contain Jason Witten. There was no question that last year the bears were vulnerable down the middle and to good TEs. Witten is about as good as they come at TE and he is questioned Romo's favorite target. Urlacher, Briggs and the safeties must locate Witten and not allow him to pick up big chunks of yardage down the middle of the field. Nothing is more disheartening to a defense.

3. Special teams be "special". For years the bears have had one of the best special teams units in the NFL but in week 1, they looked average. I think for the bears to win this game the special teams must come up with a big, momentum changing play, be it a long return or kick block or forced fumble. This is one area where the bears probably have more talent than the cowboys and it needs to show up.

Hero of the day: Johnny Knox. As i said above the cowboys bring a lot of guys on the blitz and leave their corners 1 on 1 with WRs. Knox and Cutler should have a few shots at deep balls in man coverage and Knox can out run any of the 'boys secondary. Look for a big shot over the defense's head and for Knox dancing in the endzone if Cutler can recognize the coverage/blitz and have time to put it up.

Final Score: I think this will be a very close game. A lot closer than the nine points that the cowboys are favored by. In the end, i think it will come down to a score in the 4th quarter to pull ahead and i have no idea which team that will be. I'll take the cowboys just because i think they have too much talent on the offensive side of the ball even though they didnt show it last week.

Cowboys 24, Bears 21

Bears Season Preview

Honestly, this could be an 8 page post but I will struggle to keep it brief as possible. I will go on the record right now and say I'm not a big Lovie fan and didn't agree with the hire of Martz. With that said, every sunday I go into the game thinking that they will win. It's gonna be a very interesting season that I know for sure with a ton of ups and downs.

Offense

QB - We all know that Lovie is full of it when he says that "this team still gets off the bus running". The offense of Martz's has always depended on the QB and this team will depend on Cutler's right arm. Cutler has all the talent in the world and we can only hope that he will turn it around in his 2nd year in the bears' uni. He will throw a boat load of interceptions there is no doubt but he should be up in the 30s in TDs and should average 270+ yards per game. This team will lean on Jay and he has to step up and respond. This season has the chance to propel him into the elite tier of NFL QBs. As for the backups, Cutler has been as durable and if the Bears see Todd Collins or Caleb Hanie on the field for more than 1 game then you can kiss this season and Lovie's job goodbye.

RBs - So, the last time Chestor Taylor went to a team to split carries with a back, the back turned into the machine known as Adrian Peterson. Could this be a repeat theme with Matt Forte? I certainly hope so (othewise, i wasted money on that Forte jersey!). Seriously, though both Forte and Taylor are exactly the type of RBs needed for Martz's offense. They are both great in space and have good hands. Martz will run the ball probably because Lovie has told him he has to and so that Cutler wont get hit every play. I dont think either back will get 1000 yds rushing but the bears running attack should be vastly improved just because of a healthy Forte and because draws will work when you throw 70% of the time. Also, look for Martz to really use Forte and Taylor in the passing game to offset some of the lack of running. Screens, designed swing passes and deep routes for the RBs are frequent in the Martz offense and fit nicely with the bears' backs skill set. Bell and Wolfe provide some nice depth but really should factor into this season besides maybe on special teams.

WRs - I'm not sure if this Martz offense makes WRs look good or vice-a-versa. But either way Martz's WRs have a history of having big years. Now, this is the position that I really think will make or break the bears offense. The bears have talent at the position with Knox, Aromashadu, Hester, and Bennett. The question is can they be on the same page as Cutler because this offense is all about timing with them running their route precisely and not allowing the defense to disrupt their timing. If the WRs are not on the same page as Jay and off with their routes, this offense wont be as successful as we have seen in the past and hope it will be this year.

O-line: I'm not gonna beat a dead horse here. The line needs to be better than it was in preseason. I think Lance Louis and Frank Oh-my-god wouldnt start for a lot of NFL teams but that is who the bears are stuck with and we must hope the line can work as a unit together. I dont think they will ever be a great O-line and maybe not even a good O-line but they can be an average O-line which would be enough for the bears to win quite a few games. Under Martz historically QBs get sacked around 2-3 times per game. (yes this stat includes his time with the rams). So, we know Cutler is gonna get hit and sacked. The biggest question is can this line run block and can Jay have enough confidence to stand in the pocket and not get happy feet? I have no idea to the anwers but i hope yes.

Defense - They arent the monsters of the midway anymore and they wont regain the title either. But they have enough talent to be a top -10 defense in the league.

D-line: Peppers is a stud and should get 10+ sacks. Tommie Harris looks to be somewhat healthy and can maybe play the whole season without getting hurt. But now in the NFL, you have to have atleast 3 good pass rushers on the team and i dont whether/if the bears can find the 3rd one. I have given up on Mark Anderson, Idonije will be solid player but nothing special, and Anthony Adams is a solid middle filler but not a pass rusher. The bears must hope that Henry Melton, Marcus Harrison, Matt Toenia or Corey Wotten can take a huge step forward and provide the pass rush that is needed in the NFL today. The bears have always stopped the run when healthy and it will be more of the same this year. Its really all about getting to the QB.

LBs: There is no question that this is the most talented position on the bears and when healthy they have 3 potential pro bowl LBs in briggs, urlacher, and tinoisamoa. The questions are two-fold. 1 - Can they stay healthy? 2 - Can they just be allowed to play LB? #1 is kind of out of anyone's control and we just have to hope for the best. But what i mean by #2 is that the bears LBs are not at their best when they are blitzing or having to take on OL men and shedding the blockers. The bears LBs and specifically Urlacher and Briggs are best when they can see the play and attack the play with their speed. Their ability all comes down the Dline really. If the Dline is able to absorb/engage the offensive line then the LBs can roam and attack the ball. (why Urlacher had his best years with people eaters like Ted Washington and Keith Traylor on the Dline). Also, the LBs are pass rushers and their strength isn't blitzing either. If the D-line can get get pressure then the LBs should be allowed to roam and we should see atleast 2 pro bowlers from this group.

DBs: This is the bears thinist position talent wise. Bowman on the corner could be a very good player and Peanut Tillman will be solid although not great in man to man coverage. After that the bears have no depth at CB. If bowman or peanut have to miss significant time, it will get ugly. The bears have to hope that an improved pass rush will take some pressure off the CBs. At safety, the bears are unsettled. To start the year, Chris Harris will start at Free safety a position that he doesnt have the speed to play and Danieal Manning will start at Strong safety. I think sooner than later you will see Major Wright start at Free and move Harris to strong where he can be alright player. Manning has all the talent in the world but cant seem to put it to good use. The overall point of the bears DBs is that there isnt a play maker among them. Unless Bowman or Wright emerge as playmakers, this secondary is at best average and the defense will need the front seven to be good to great to cover up the secondary.

Special teams: The bears have had one of the top special teams units in the NFL for years and that shouldnt change this year. Robbie Gould is automatic and Brad Maynard is skilled at directionly punting which the bears value over leg stregnth. Hester, Manning and Knox will all be returning punts and kicks and i would look for 2+ TDs from them combined this year and pray that Devin can regain his 2006/7 form.

The Schedule: The bears schedule goes in waves with incredibly hard stretches followed by easy games. After much agonizing, here's what i think will happen this season.

Week 1 - Lions at home -- W (34-21 The lions are better but still not good)

Week 2 - at Cowboys -- L (The cowboys have too much talent and too good of pass rush)

Week 3 - Packers at home -- L (The pack is the class of the division and sadly they will win big)

Week 4 - at Giants -- L (Same as the coboys, too much talent and too much pass rush)

Week 5 - at Panthers -- W (Bears shut down the run & run all over the panthers, plus revenge game for peppers)

Week 6 - Seahawks at home -- W (Seahawks are terrible)

Week 7 - Redskins at home -- W (McNabb will be hurt by then)

Week 8 - bye

Week 9- Bills in toronto -- W (Bills are like a triple AAA football team)

Week 10- Vikings at home -- W (They have split with the viking 7 out of the 11 seasons)

Week 11 - at Dolphins -- L (Their defense will disrupt Culter & the passing game)

Week 12 - Eagles at home -- W (Kolb will have many bumps along the road including this game)

Week 13 - at Lions -- W (The lions still arent good)

Week 14 - Patriots at home -- W (Its not the same Pats team of years past and yep this is a gut call)

Week 15 - at Vikings -- L (I hate that stupid horn they have)

Week 16 - Jets at home -- L (Can the bears get more than 150 yds against the Jets D?)

Week 17 - at Packers -- L (Unless the pack doesnt need this game for playoffs, this will be a L)

Overall Record of 9-7. Yesterday I had them at 8-8 with losing both to the vikings but the vikes looked bad last night and i think the bears can steal one from them. Still they wont be in playoff contention because i think year in the NFC you need to win 10 to get the playoffs and their schedule in december is brutal. We will see flashes from the offense but the defense will be up and down every game. There might be a chance to sneak in the playoffs but the real suspense will be, does 9-7 save Lovie's job?? Let's settle in for a season of ups and downs and it will glue all us bears fans to the TVs every week.

What to watch for

So, the bears' 3rd preseason game happens this saturday and the starters are slated to play into the 3rd quarter against the Cardinals. The teams will actually game plan for the other team which they dont do for the first 2 preseason games. This is pretty much the game that best reflects how the team will play in the season so there are some things that we all should be watching for:

1. Can the O-Line block anyone? - This one is pretty easy to see. As Cutler goes, so goes the bears. Can the O-Line bounce back after a bad half against the Raiders?

2. The timing between Cutler and his WRs - As has been said repeated times over the offseason, Martz's offense is all about the timing between the QB and WR's routes. Martz preaches to throw to a spot on the field because the WR should be there which is really hard to cover if the WR is there. The defenses have always tried to disrupt the WRs and QBs by blitzing or jamming the WRs. Are the bears' WRs good enough to run a precise route and get off a cornerback's jam at the line? Can Culter be under control enough to throw to a spot and trust his WRs? Watch and see how much Cutler has to pump and then pull the ball down because some WR isnt in the right spot? Hopefully not a lot.

3. Don't let up D - The last couple of years the bears' defense has let the opponent convert on too many 3 downs. And on a lot of 3rd down and longs. The Raiders carved up the bears on the third down. Many things can be pointed at as the reason for this trend but most importantly its the safeties and pass rush. I have no doubt that Peppers will get consistent pass rush but what will the other linemen do? And are the bears safeties good enough in coverage to play man and let others blitz and not just drop back in zone coverage? Watch and see if the bears can get off the field on 3rd down.

Positions to Watch - The bears dont have a whole of questions at who is gonna start but they do have some interesting questions as to who will contribute behind the starters.

1. The slot WR - I'm interested in seeing what the bears do here because i dont think there is any question that Hester, Aromashodu and Knox are their best 3 WRs. But, they want to have Olsen on the field a lot and people have been praising Rashied Davis' camp and he has gotten quite a few snaps in the preseason. Who is gonna get snaps as the 3rd WR and how many will they be? This will be the first chance we have to see how Martz will juggle all the players?

2. Left side of the D-line - We know that Tommie Harris and Peppers will start on the right side. Now who will join them? Will it be Mark Anderson or Idonije at the other end (im praying for Izzy)? And who will be in the DT rotation? We know that Anthony Adams will play in run situations because he is solid against the run but who will be the nickle and pash rushing DT next to Harris? Harrison, Melton and Toenia all have a shot to win that job and it should be interesting to watch how they all perform this week. If anyone can make an impact, they will guarantee themselves more snaps and more time come the regular season.

3. The safeties - Like I've said before, I dont think the bears can win with Harris starting at free safety and Danieal Manning at strong safety. It looks like the bears safeties are healthy for the most part and maybe we will see someone else step up and take the free safety spot so that Harris can be moved back to strong. Watch to see on the deep throws to the sidelines and see if how quickly a safety gets there to cover and maybe we will have an answer to the bears safety questions.

4. O-line - Not sure, I need to say much here. They just need to block better because I'm not sure the bears realistically have any other options for players to start on the roster. They must just get better as a unit. Pray for this!

Enjoy the closest thing to real Bears football until September 12th.

Bears Preseason Game 1 Review

Hello to all the readers out there of BBS. Im glad I have been asked to contribute and bring thoughts about my favorite chicago team Da Bears. I'll also be posting with some random blackhawks thoughts and maybe if i can get away with it, cubs thoughts. I hope you all you readers enjoy or it pisses you off so much that you comment. Anyway, without further ado, here goes my first post......

I have a been a bears fan from birth and i am one of probably only 5 fans who enjoy watching pre-season games. I enjoy it because you get to see the team really come together and to get a chance to watch some of the young guys on your team play and see if they can be play makers down the line. So, yes i watched all of the bears 1st preseason game. Here are some random impressions from the first game:

Encouraging

1. Culter and most of the skill position players on offense didnt play more than 1 drive but in that drive they moved the ball down field for a FG. They all seemed to be on the same page and they got to the line of scrimmage quickly and there was no confusion as to the plays. With Martz's new highly complex offense this is more than i would have hoped for. For such a small sample size, it has the bears' offense trending upward.

2. The WRs - All offseason Martz has been saying that the Bears have maybe the most talented group of WRs he has ever had. I may start believing him after saturday night. Johnny Knox looked pretty much uncoverable with 2 catches for 51 yards and Devin Aromashodu looked to picked up where he left off at the end of last season and he wasnt even playing with the #1 offense. I dont think there will be any question that Knox will emerge as the bears #1 WR this year.

3. Major Wright - The kid can play. He made 7 tackles and was consistently around the ball and play. The fact that he was says some not great things about the defensive performance (not good to have the ball get to your safety/last line of defense) but he looks like a player. He also looks like he wants to hit people which is exactly the type of safety that bears fans have been craving since Mike Brown's departure. His apparently scheduled to have surgery on a finger injury he sustained in the game but still should be ready to play come the regular season. http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/08/bears-keeping-major-lid-on-wrights-finger-injury.html Whether or not, he starts Bears fans will quickly notice when wright is on the field in a good way.

Discouraging/headscratching

1. The offensive line - The starters actually played most of the first half together and it was a mixed bag of results. The pass protection was pretty good and this was against a 3-4 defense which they hadnt game planned for. The run block was just terrible. The entire game the bears had 21 rushes for 48 yards. I dont care what game it is, your line has to be able to run block better than that. The bears are suppose to still be a running team but we all know that really isnt the truth with Cutler and Martz now. But, they still need to be able to run the ball effectively. This game only did nothing to quiet my fears and those of many bears fans that they didnt improve the O-line enough in the offseason.

2. Still no pass rush. The bears didnt have much of push from the front 4 at all. I thought Peppers was suppose to cure this. In a sideline interview, Peppers said that the chargers were throwing the ball too quickly for there to have been a pass rush. Geez, somehow that type of excuse out of a guy you are paying $18 million a year doesnt reassure me. Without more pass rush this year, the bears will be toast and i will be the only one watching in december. lets hope this trends upward quickly.

3. The lack of depth. The bears dont have a lot of quality depth except for at the LB and WR positions and it shows in pre-season games. Now most NFL teams dont necessary have starters in their 2nd units but usually they have some quality backups. The bears dont. There is a huge drop off at OT, QB, CB, S and DE for the bears and it shows. This just means that they will have to avoid significant injuries to keep playoff hopes alive.

There you go, my impressions from the 1st preseason game and i got through the whole article without even ripping on Frank "I suck hard" Omiyale or Mark "I have to hope the OT jumps because thats the only contribution i can make" Anderson. Check back for more bears updates soon.

Bulls and Bears Links

D-Rose still wants to play in 2016 -

Bulls point guard Derrick Rose was disappointed that Chicago wasn't awarded the 2016 Olympics Games, but still wants to represent the United States.

"It hurts," he told the Chicago Sun-Times of his hometown losing the Olympic bid to Rio de Janeiro, "but I'm still a candidate for the team and, hopefully, the coaches decide to put me on that team."

30 Best Go-To Players -

#17: DERRICK ROSE, Chicago Bulls

“Now I know this is gonna come as a huge surprise to everyone, but … I’M the artist. That’s right, people. I know — amazing, ain’t it? So young … so young.”
-Riley Freeman

The most tempting carrot in the race to rate Derrick Rose is to overrate him based on his prodigious potential. With a stellar rookie season (16.8 ppg, 6.3 apg) as the only work experience on his NBA resume, Rose — who just turned 21 years old yesterday — operates under the assumption that what we’ve seen from him so far is the worst that we’ll see; that each season he will raise his game notch after notch until, inevitably, he takes his rightful place beside Stockton and Isiah and Archibald on the point guard pedestal.

The most common evaluation of Rose: “When he gets a jumper, it’s WRAP.” I’ve said it myself, and still believe it.

Check out this video, it will be the weirdest 3 minutes of your day ...
JoaNoah Dances -

As he proved at the University of Florida, Joakim Noah might be the NBA’s most awkward dancer next to Mark Madsen. In this video to promote the Chicago Dance Marathon, Noah once again shows off his dance moves as well as his crib. He also attempts to act by playing Joakim Noah’s assistant, while a cute little white kid plays well, Joakim Noah. It’s weird and confusing, but check it out anyway.

Hollinger PER projections for the Bulls.


Will the Bulls build on the playoffs? -

Chicago Bulls.

Key Question: Will Chicago build on last year’s playoff against the Boston Celtics or fall-off in 2010?

The Quick Answer: For years, Ben Gordon polarized fans.

Some saw him as a dynamic scorer, capable of dropping big numbers and even bigger shots. Others felt his size was a liability -on offence, he could never be a legit first-option and, on defense, opponents would take to him to the block to create mismatches.

Chicago management was also split on Gordon. At times, they tried to lock him up long-term by offering multi-year contracts worth big money. At other points, management seemed to be pushing the former ‘Sixth Man of the Year’ out the door.

The Gordon saga finally ended when, as a free agent, he signed a five-year, $55 million contract with the Detroit Pistons in July. Here’s the question: what happens next in Chicago?

A successful 2010 hinges on the youngsters learning from last year’s playoff duel with the Celtics. This process begins and ends with super-sophomore Derrick Rose continuing to be Chicago’s best player since you-know-who retired and then un-retired to join those Washington Wizards.

Box score from Bulls/Jazz in London.


Quick recap of the game -

James Johnson sank a fade-away jump shot from the baseline at the buzzer Tuesday to give the Chicago Bulls a 102-101 win over the Utah Jazz in an NBA preseason game.

Johnson, who finished with 18 points, got the rebound after teammate Derrick Byars missed a shot from the top of the key.

Luol Deng, who was raised in London after his family fled war-torn Sudan, impressed early and also finished with 18 points at sold-out O2 Arena. He left the game in the third quarter and did not return.

Jannero Pargo scored 16 points for the Bulls. Paul Milsap led the Jazz with 18 points while Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews had 16 each.

------------------------------

DC already posted a great summary of the Bears win over the Lions in "Week 4 Grades"


Cutler puts on a happy face -

When quarterbacks say it's not about the stats and all they care about is winning, they're telling the truth. They believe it, and they want you to believe it, too.

It's also true that quarterbacks can recite their passer ratings down to the sixth digit after the decimal point.

That's what makes me wonder how long Jay Cutler will put on a smiley face after throwing for 141 yards in a game. A quarterback who threw for more than 4,500 yards and 25 touchdowns last season may not always be satisfied engineering an offense that Sunday gained fewer yards than the special-teams return units. It may not be as pressing of a concern as the continued improvement of the offensive line or depth at linebacker, but this being the bye week makes for an ideal time to overanalyze.

Tommie Harris stole a line from Doug Rader when he said that because of injuries to key players -- most notably middle linebacker Brian Urlacher -- the Bears are going to have to ''win ugly'' this season. He's right. This team hasn't shown the firepower on either side of the ball that the Saints, Giants, Colts and Vikings have.

Then the question becomes, how long will ''winning ugly'' satisfy the franchise's new franchise quarterback?

Another version of 'Grading the Bears' -

One day later, the eye in the sky says that while the Bears lost some of their battles on the perimeter of the field against the Lions, they won the battles in the trenches.

And when a football team dominates with both of its lines, it has a chance to win no matter how its skill position players perform.

For the first time this year Sunday, the Bears took it to an opponent up front, both offensively and defensively.

Quarterback Grade: 6

Bears injuries -

Lovie Smith would prefer to have an off week halfway through the season, but having one after four games is perfect timing based on the Bears' injury situation.

Smith said Monday that wide receivers Devin Hester and Johnny Knox should be fine coming off shoulder-area and shin injuries, respectively.

In a Twitter post Monday, Hester wrote: "Hey fans n friends I'm ok, will be ready for atl game."

Smith was pressed about Hester's availability for the Bears' next game Oct. 18 at Atlanta.

"Right now, two weeks away, am I expecting Devin (to play)? Yeah," Smith said. "I'm expecting all of the guys to play right now. We haven't ruled anybody out. I'm pretty excited about having all our guys ready to go the next time we play."

That might not be reality.

Running back Adrian Peterson is expected to be sidelined two to three weeks after an MRI revealed he strained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee, according to an NFL source.

BEARS WIN!! (Links)

Cutler's calm helps the Bears to win -

The Bears insist Jay Cutler was as in control of himself and his faculties last week as he was Sunday. Their offensive coordinator and their best tight end seem willing to take the debate to Congress until the world believes it.

So you can stand there all day and argue that the man who threw four interceptions against the Packers in Week 1 looked nothing like the man who carved up the defending Super Bowl champions in Week 2, but what's the point?

What everyone can agree on is that the Bears beat the Steelers 17-14 thanks to Cutler's precision and the imprecision of Pittsburgh's kicker. And after the Green Bay debacle, those are the only facts that matter.

Cutler got his first victory as a Bear, and he was just happy the hernia threat was over.

"It means a lot," he said. "It means a lot to this team. There's been a lot of pressure and expectations on us since I got here, since Orlando (Pace, the Bears' left tackle) got here, since the defense has stepped it up. Just glad to get this one off our back and move on. We went to Green Bay with the whole city of Chicago on us, which is fine. We love it."

Cutler leads 4th quarter comeback -

Every great quarterback needs a defining moment, a signature victory, an extraordinary event that creates instant credibility for teammates and coaches and fans and foes.

Jay Cutler needed it more than most on a rainy afternoon at Soldier Field when his first season as savior somehow looked fleeting and hopeless and bound for disappointment. A drive here, another one there, a missed field goal and then a second, and a final glorious kick, that's all it took, and somehow, some way, the Bears and Cutler turned turmoil to tranquility.

The Bears became the first team to beat the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers, winning 17-14 on Robbie Gould's 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left as Cutler outplayed Ben Roethlisberger to deliver the victory.

''Didn't throw four picks,'' Cutler said, smiling, when asked how he turned into a completely different quarterback from the one Sept. 13 in Green Bay.

Steelers missed 2 FGs -

A week after being panned for his demeanor on the field and in the interview room, Jay Cutler delivered the ultimate silencer.

It wasn't pretty, but on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field, the gunslinger charged with taking the Bears to the next level proved he's as gritty as they have had in a long time.

There was steady pressure from the Pittsburgh Steelers, a handful of dropped passes and no running game, but Cutler hung in long enough to guide the Bears (1-1) to a 17-14 victory over the defending Super Bowl champions, winning on Robbie Gould's 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left.

Steelers kicker Jeff Reed missed two field goals, including a 43-yarder with 3:18 to play. However it comes, the significance of a victory in Week 2 cannot be minimized -- not when only 11.5 percent of teams that have begun a season 0-2 this decade have reached the postseason. And the playoffs are what the Bears believed they were destined for when they acquired Cutler on April 2.

''Didn't throw four picks,'' Cutler said with a grin when asked about the difference a week made. ''I think they brought me here for a reason, and I want the ball at the end of every game with a chance to win it.''

Cutler completed 27 of 38 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, helping a defense that made four lineup changes -- including replacing middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, who cheered from the sideline with a cast on his wrist.

School of Hard Knox -

Sure, Ron Turner can say now he never had a doubt about rookie fifth-round draft pick Johnny Knox making a quick transition from NCAA Division II Abilene Christian to NFL playmaker.

Turner can act like he knew all along Knox would emerge as the Bears' best big-play passing threat against the defending Super Bowl champions with a playoff-or-bust season already in jeopardy.

But the truth could be found in the nervous chuckle from Turner as the Bears' offensive coordinator recalled the night at training camp when Knox approached him looking like someone needing directions.

Or a hug.

"We had about 7,000 or 8,000 people at practice, and Johnny comes up and says, 'I've never seen this many people in my life,' " Turner said. "I thought, 'Hmmmm. This is only training camp.' ... But it didn't seem to faze him."

Little has fazed the speedy wide receiver so far, and Sunday at Soldier Field, the Steelers became the latest Bears opponent to get educated in the School of Hard Knox.

Early look at next week -

QUICK LOOK: If quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and his wide receivers are healthy -- and that's a big if after Hasselbeck suffered a rib injury against the 49ers on Sunday -- and firing on all cylinders, this is a dangerous team that that can play with anyone. Forget the fact that the Seahawks won only four games a year ago -- that has nothing to do with the 2009 version.

The Seahawks' stadium, Qwest Field, gives them a tremendous advantage over visitors because it is one of the loudest outdoor stadiums.

Like the Bears, the Seahawks could have some issues at the linebacker position. Leroy Hill is expected to miss the game with a groin injury. In the off-season, Seattle traded Pro Bowler Julian Peterson and replaced him with Aaron Curry, the fourth pick in the draft. The Bears will be trying to take advantage of his inexperience.

If Hasselbeck can't play, Seneca Wallace will run the Seahawks' offense.



KEY STAT: The Seahawks have beaten the Bears in seven of their 11 meetings.



KEY MATCHUP: Seahawks right end Patrick Kerney will give Bears left tackle Orlando Pace top effort on every snap. His relentlessness, combined with his athleticism and know-how, make him a playmaker.



DAN POMPEI'S EARLY PICK: Seahawks 27, Bears 26.