Chicago Bears Digest Vol. Three
Published by Nathan Venegas on May 6, 2009
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
News and Notes
Checking out the new blood Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie and Devin Hester were seen observing the rookies this past weekend. Lovie Smith made comments regarding Cutler saying he was doing his best to blend in and become one of the guys.
Hester is said to be a gym-rat, no matter what time of year it is.
College Hall for two Bears alums Steve “Mongo” McMichael and Ken Margerum will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame following an honorary dinner in December and official enshrinement next Summer. 16 in total will be apart of the 2009 class including one of my favorite players, long time Raider Tim Brown.
After being a stand out for Texas and being nominated for the Lombardi Award McMichael spent one season with the New England Patriots before coming to Chicago.
Margerum played wide out for Stanford and was a two time consensus All-American. He spent the ’81-’83 seasons with Chicago and again in ’85-’86.
Both McMichael and Margerum were part of the 1985 Bears Super Bowl Team
Cutler at Bears Expo Let it never be said that Jay Cutler is taking his time to get acquainted with the city and its fans. Cutler will headline a Q&A panel at the Annual Bears expo to take place later this month.
Others scheduled to appear on the panel are Greg Olsen, Orlando Pace and Matt Forte.
Vikings to Meet With Favre According to NFL.com the Vikings are to meet with Bret Favre some time this week.
Will Eric Mangini be blamed for this, too?
Schedule Analysis
Week One
@ Green Bay (7:20pm)
Tone-setting time. Another season opener, another road game. The Bears look to make a big statement by stumping the Packers. Despite the overtime victory in their second meeting last year I imagine the Bears are still sore from the whooping the Pack put on them in their first meeting.
Weather should be a non-factor so expect an shoot out with Cutler hitting the ground running. It all comes down to pass rush as giving Aaron Rodgers time in the pocket is never a good thing.
Week Two
Vs. Pittsburgh (3:15pm)
Not that Soldier Field isn’t a perfect backdrop for these two teams to meet this game would’ve been a great showcase for the annual NFL game in London.
Two hard hitting run-first teams. This will be a tough test for Forte and all the new faces on the offensive line. The Steelers had protection problems early last year and Big Ben got knocked around early. That’s the only way the Bears win this showdown.
Week Three
@ Seattle (3:05pm)
I’m curious to see what the Seahawks are going to look like now that Holmgren is gone.
Hasselbeck has a new weapon in T.J. but the lack of a dependable running game will spell doom for Seahawks as they get booed out of Qwest Field after the Bears take it to them.
Week Four
Vs. Detroit (noon)
Anther team with a new look. The Lions make the wrong kind of history last year and even with their No. 1 overall pick more of the same will happen in 2009.
Week Five
Bye
Lovie Smith likes chopping the season up in quarters, this bye week fits in nicely. Having an off week this early kind of bothers me.
Week Six
@ Atlanta (7:20pm)
Talk about being sore from a loss after having the game won the lack of a pass rush gave the game right back to the Falcons last year.
The addition of Tony Gonzalez will help an already potent passing offense. The reason the Bears lost this game last year is the lack of a pass rush and unless fires are lit under some key members of the Bears d-line, it is very likely to happen again.
Week Seven
@ Cincinnati (noon)
I didn’t even know Cincinnati still had a team. With almost everyone in the organization unhappy with one thing or another I see the Bengal’s “winning” the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft.
Week Eight
Vs. Cleveland (noon)
This game depends on who starts at quarterback for the Browns. Anderson had one good season before fizzling last year and Quinn showed promise before being injured.
It would take a total implosion for the Bears to lose this one.
Week Nine
Vs. Arizona (noon)
While I expect the Kurt Warner love-fest to end much earlier in the season this game will cement it in stone.
And just so there’s no confusion I’ll try to make this as clear as possible.
Yes Warner is good BUT he needs too many weapons to win. (Rams; Bruce, Holt, Faulk. Cards: Boldin, Fitzgerald, Breaston). Take one or more of those weapons away and he turns into a fumbling INT machine.
Week 10
@ San Francisco (7:20pm)
I’m a Bears fan for life. I love the history, tradition and players. But it won’t stop me from enjoying the Bears tearing apart Singletary’s 49ers.
Week 11
Vs. Philadelphia (7:20pm)
No one’s really talking too much about the number of play-makers the Eagles signed in this year’s draft. McNabb now has to prove he can use the weapons they’ve acquired for him. If the Eagles offense clicks early they’ll be tough to beat under the lights.
Week 12
@ Minnesota (noon)
The Vikings BARELY made the playoffs last season (they beat the Giants second stringers by a field goal) and they still have questions at quarterback.
Be that as it may they still have a rock solid defense and a guy named Peterson. This game will decide the NFC North Champion.
Week 13
Vs. St. Louis (noon)
…Bears win.
Week 14
Vs. Green Bay (noon)
Bears and Packers in December, doesn’t get much better than that (Actually, Week 15 is pretty good, too).
Predicting to this point in the season is a crap shoot as wear and tear starts to creep on all the players. This game rests on the arm of Jay Cutler.
Week 15
@ Baltimore (noon)
We can only hope the Bears defense is up to par with the Ravens so this game will be the hard hitting slug fest we all hope it will be.
Flacco throws a bunch of picks and the Bears win.
Week 16
Vs. Minnesota (7:30pm)
After the first meeting this game is more of an after thought as I feel the division will be decided well before this game.
Hopefully Bear Weather will slow down the Vikings running game.
Week 17
@ Detroit (noon)
Bears rest starters making this game meaningless.
Overall: Bears go 10-6, winning the NFC North.
Where Are they Now? Mark Carrier
Drafted by the Chicago Bears out of the University of Southern California, sixth overall, in 1990 Carrier made his mark (no pun intended) early. His 10 interceptions that year stands as the most by a single player in the 90’s and earned him defensive rookie of the year.
Though he finished his 11 year career with Washington Carrier had his best years with the Bears being selected to the Pro Bowl three times.
In 2003 Carrier was the secondary coach for Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, AZ before taking a job with Arizona State coaching the Sun Devils secondary.
Since 2006 he joined the Baltimore Ravens coaching such talent as Ed Reed and Chris McAlister.
Five Questions
If Cutler succeeds as a Bear how long before the front office realizes they can’t afford to pay him?
Should the Bears be worried if the Vikings sign Favre?
Who will be the Bears’ No. 2 QB?
Should the Bears go after a RB via Free Agency?
Should the Bears re-sign Rex Grossman?…Seriously.
