NFL: 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.

By Chris Pummer
Staff Writer

Lots of things come around full circle, and maybe the Jets trading for Brett Favre is one of them.

To me, this seems too much like when the Jets traded their own legendary quarterback -- Joe Namath -- to the Rams. By that time Namath was bruised, battered and just plain worn out. Broadway Joe mananged only four games for L.A. before coach Chuck Knox had the good sense to pull the plug.

Make no mistake, Favre is in much better physical shape than Namath was at the time. But he's still going to turn 39 this year. And there's undoubtedly questions regarding Favre's mental reddiness to return to the gridiron.

For years the Packers have fostered an environment geared toward making Favre as comfortable as possible. They dealt with yearly flirtations with retirment. When head coach Mike McCarthy came aboard, they made efforts to keep the offense Favre friendly. And of course there are the adoring cheeseheads.

None of those things are going to follow Favre to New York.

Not only is Favre's level of comittment open to questions, but he'll have to fit in with a new team. He'll have to learn a new offense weeks into training camp. And there will be more boos than cheers emanating from the stands should Favre turn in a season like he did in 2005 or 2006.

So while this might not be as ugly as the end of Namath's career, it's hard to imagine it being better than if Favre had simply called it quits and meant it.

By Tim Masmar
Staff Writer

Warning: The kids were napping and I had some time to kill. Besides, Chris "blogger" Pummer needed a break.

What if Green Bay sabotages Brett Favre's physical? Can't play, sorry. Maybe you should go home now. Please? I'll give you money.

Maybe Aaron Rodgers will be the one that gets traded.

Does anybody know the Web Site for Green Bay's practice webcam?

Brett Favre to the Minnesota Vikings by the end of the week -- 60% chance.

Let's just say Manny Ramirez hits 10-15 homers and drives in 30 runs the remaining two months with his new team, my beloved Los Angeles Dodgers. Without a clear-cut NL MVP standing out right now, could he win the league's award if he leads the Dodgers to the playoffs?

I have no doubt the Dodgers would have just been swept by the Diamondbacks without his acquisition (the steal of the century). In three games, he's already saved OUR season.

You can keep the hair Manny! It works!

I would have said Philly's Chase Utley (.292, 28 HR, 77 RBIs) until recently, but he's just too streaky (trust me, I have him on my fantasy team). Manny's current stats (combined AL/NL) -- .310, 22, 73.

In my book, Josh Hamilton (.308, 26, 106) is the front-runner for the AL MVP regardless of how crappy the Rangers are. I have a feeling Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria (.279, 21, 67), the clear-cut ROY, also will deserve some consideration when it's all said and done, especially if the surprising Rays win the division. This could be the year a starting pitcher wins the MVP, in either league. What about K-Rod (45 saves)?

Wouldn't a Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Boston Red Sox World Series be interesting?

That two-run slide at home plate the other night by the Astros involving Mark Loretta and Hunter Pence, the trailing runner, was awesome!

Can we just name Ron Gardenhire and Tony LaRussa the Managers of the Year every season?

I love it. Crazy Ozzie when talking about beanball: "I wonder why the guy thought we're going to hit the guy with the bases loaded, with a pitch in on the hands. I'm not going to bring in a guy who throws 85 mph to hit somebody. I will bring [Octavio] Dotel, I'll bring [Matt] Thornton. Then I will tell them to hit 'em. That's the way I do business."

Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent after Sunday's victory: "I didn't know whether or not to give Manny a high-five after he struck out in the seventh, because they were cheering him pretty good out there. That just puts it in perspective. There is a lot of excitement going on right now with the fans."

Hey, R.J.: "I'm going to need Aug. 12th off (Madden '08 release date)."

R.I.P. Skip Caray. Unfortunately I had to listen to your funny voice a bunch of times growing up (TBS), but I grew to like you.

I'm going to start this by saying I'm a Vikings fan. So as an outsider looking in at the Chicago Bears I feel sorry for the devoted fans who are holding out hope that this team will ever win more than six games this season, and that will be in large part to defensive scores and Devin Hester.

A quarterback "battle" between Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton (who I once covered as a senior at Altoona High School in Iowa) is laughable and downright disgusting.

Fans of this storied franchise deserve better options than what this team is running out there, particularly with a championship-worthy defense -- and Devin Hester. Bottom line, when your kicker is your best offensive threat, outside a bomb to Devin Hester, or a diving catch in the back of the end zone by Mary Booker (lol), you've got some serious problems.

The way I look at it, it's Kyle's job to lose. How depressing is that?

Then again, I am a Vikings fan. I know you could say the same thing about Tarvaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte, but at least Jackson has some upside. As for Frerotte, I'd still take him over Rex and Kyle, or Kyle and Rex, depending on the day.

Cris Carter (1,101 rec., 13,899 yards, 130 TDs) should have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He was better than Art Monk (940, 12,721, 68). I have to say I was a little miffed about Carter getting slighted. He is one of the greats.

That's it. The monitor is flashing. Somebody's up from their nap.

By Chris Pummer
Staff Writer

The Carolina Panthers need some team counseling. That became apparent after Steve Smith decided to re-arrange Ken Lucas' face.

And here I thought the fighting was limited to the team's cheerleaders. I guess I was wrong.