Bears: August 2008 Archives

By Andy Rohr
Staff Writer

I write this smack dab in the middle of the Bears shootout with the 49ers on Thursday. Currently, the Kyle Orton-Rashied Davis duo has combined for a pair of scores and probably will encourage some fools out there to spend $60 on a replica Bears jersey with an 18 on the back. I'm not drinking the Kool-Aid. Spurred on by the predictions of Erik Jacobsen, here are my game-by-game predictions.

Sun 9/7 at Indianapolis
L 31-17

Sun 9/14 at Carolina
L 23-19

Sun 9/21 vs. Tampa Bay
W 24-10

Sun 9/28 vs. Philadelphia
L 20-17

Sun 10/5 at Detroit
L 34-20

Sun 10/12 at Atlanta
W 13-10

Sun 10/19 vs. Minnesota
L 24-13

bye

Sun 11/2 vs. Detroit
W 24-17

Sun 11/9 vs. Tennessee
W 23-21

Sun 11/16 at Green Bay
L 38-13

Sun 11/23 at St. Louis
L 19-14

Sun 11/30 at Minnesota
L 35-27

Sun 12/7 vs. Jacksonville
L 34-19

Thu 12/11 vs. New Orleans
L 26-24

Mon 12/22 vs. Green Bay
W 27-17

Sun 12/28 at Houston
L 13-9

Final Record: 5-11

By Erik Jacobsen
Staff Writer

Now that we know who will be quarterbacking the Bears, I feel confident in making my prediction for how the season will go. There's reason to believe the defense will be back on top of its game this year, but the offense is a long way from resembling an efficient NFL unit, and Kyle Orton and the gang will be exposed against the league's better teams. The schedule isn't too challenging this year, but it's hard to see this team mustering any better than a 6-10 record.

Sun 9/7 at Indianapolis
L 31-14

Sun 9/14 at Carolina
W 16-10

Sun 9/21 vs. Tampa Bay
L 20-9

Sun 9/28 vs. Philadelphia
L 24-20

Sun 10/5 at Detroit
L 31-6

Sun 10/12 at Atlanta
W 19-14

Sun 10/19 vs. Minnesota
L 42-14

bye

Sun 11/2 vs. Detroit
W 13-6

Sun 11/9 vs. Tennessee
W 28-13

Sun 11/16 at Green Bay
L 24-16

Sun 11/23 at St. Louis
W 16-13

Sun 11/30 at Minnesota
L 48-3

Sun 12/7 vs. Jacksonville
L 27-10

Thu 12/11 vs. New Orleans
L 17-7

Mon 12/22 vs. Green Bay
W 23-21

Sun 12/28 at Houston
L 19-17

By Andy Rohr
Staff Writer

I guess it's starting early this year. The near-annual ritual of Bears first-round picks turning out to be busts gained some steam on Wednesday when Chris Williams underwent back surgery that threatens to keep him out for the entire season.

What's most puzzling and frustrating about all of this, is news that other teams had Williams sliding down their draft boards because of concerns over his ailing back. Forget about this season, some are wondering if Williams will ever bounce back to have much of a career after the surgery.

Glad Jerry Angelo and the rest of the Bears brain trust looked past that. Now, the Bears are left to ponder bringing back the disaster that was Fred Miller to an already dreadful offensive line.

Was Williams so much better - playing for perennial SEC welcome mat Vanderbilt - than all the other available lineman, that the Bears could look past the injury? And with the line already in shambles after last season, was it a pick that they could afford to gamble on?

The Bears felt as though the o-line needed so much repair that they didn't select another one until late in the seventh round with Kirk Barton. Nice going.

Being negative about the Bears offense right now is inescapable. When a quarterback duo of Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton seems to have more value than the teams receiving corps, you know how bad its gotten.

And who knows what to expect out of running back and second-round pick Matt Forte. Do you think he realizes yet that he's joined the NFL's top-rated 3-and-out offense?

I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention that the Bears could have had former Illini star Rashard Mendenhall in their backfield. Mendenhall already has the Steelers pushing Willie Parker into the background and while he wouldn't have given the Bears the o-lineman they'd wanted, it'd at least have given them a burgeoning star and oh yeah, someone who'll actually be in uniform for the bulk of this season.

By Chris Pummer
Staff Writer

Brad Biggs has already reported that the Bears aren't interested in newly released Jets QB Chad Pennington, and the feeling is likely mutual.

Biggs is in agreement that he's a bad fit with the Bears, but strikes a contrarian chord by comparing Pennington's career completion percentage (65.6) with Rex Grossman's (54.3) and Kyle Orton's (52.0). Obviously Pennington would be an upgrade in that stat, but I don't think completion percentage tells the whole story.

Don't believe me? Well, Brian Griese's career rate is 62.9. That didn't seem to help him or the Bears last season.

By Chris Pummer
Staff Writer

I've said it before, and Mike Mulligan at the Sun-Times hit the nail on the head again today. The Bears' blocking could be brutal. So brutal that it might make the battle for the starting quarterback job meaningless.

At this point, there isn't much the Bears can do to fix the problem -- outside of hoping Chris Williams is the real deal and that another guy can step up. Coach Lovie Smith and GM Jerry Angelo will have to hope there are enough scapegoats at the end of the year to insulate themselves from the fire that would be ignited by a dismal season.