Final Thoughts on Chicago Sports

Vikes Manhandle Bears

The Bears got beat by the Vikings pretty thoroughly tonight by a score of 34-14.  The Bears started out well, scoring first on a 65-yard TD pass to Hester.  But after blowing a first-and-goal at the one, the wheels came off fast.  There's so much hate to go around, I don't know where to begin.

• How about John St. Clair?  Jared Allen used him as a turnstyle all night.  St. Clair has been "OK" this year, but he was abused like Guantanamo detainee tonight.  I wouldn't bench him over this, but I might put a picture of Chris Williams in his locker.
• I probably shouldn't single out St. Clair.  The entire line got absolutely manhandled.  Kreutz, Beekman, Tait, Garza - rag dolls, all of them.
• Then there's Ron Turner.  Um, Jason Davis?  Three straight runs into the bellies of the Williams brothers?  What were you thinking?  It changed the game.  He also couldn't seem to adjust to the Vikings nickel package either, making Greg Olsen a non-factor.  Which leads me to my next point.
• Kyle Orton.  While his wide receivers continued to suck to the tune of at least five mind-boggling drops -- (Davis, Lloyd, Hester, and Peterson, I'm looking at you)  -- tonight wasn't Orton's finest moment.  Two of those picks were just ugly, and he under/over threw several open guys.  Was the foot a factor?  Probably a little, so I won't rag on Kyle too much.  He's still the best Bears QB since, uh, Jim Miller.  <shakes head />
• Charles Tillman.  I don't know what he was thinking on that 99-yard TD pass to Berrian.  Probably something like this.

So were there any positives to take from tonight?  Not really, but I wasn't too upset by the performance of the defense.  Purple Jesus made some legitimately great runs that even the almighty '85 crew wouldn't have stopped.  Sometimes great players make great plays.  Chester Taylor, though?  Good but not great.  Gus Frerotte?  Not even close to great.  Nice to see some hard-hitting, though, and I have to give props to Urlacher, Briggs, and Tommie Harris.  Urlacher and Harris have spent a lot of time in the doghouse this year, and I can't pin any blame on either one for tonight's loss. 

Oh yeah, and Matt Forte.  I feel like I praise this guy every week, yet every week I feel that I'm not giving him enough love.  No, he's not Purple Jesus.  But he's pretty damn good, and he's got a better than average chance to make the Pro Bowl this year.  One of only two Bears to likely get any consideration (Briggs being the other.) 

I'm just about out of words.  One game out with four games left.  Bear down.

Man, the Rams suck!

At least Detroit put up a fight.  While watching today's Bears game, all I could think was, "holy crap, these guys are awful."  How much do the Rams suck?  Let me count the ways. 

• Adewale Ogunleye had two sacks.  It just goes to show, when you stunt on one of the worst teams in the league, with its backup QB playing no less, you can get your second and third sacks of the season. 
• Tommie Harris had two sacks.  Ditto.
• Urlacher and Briggs tipped a set of picks to each other.  The Bears had four on the day, three of which were off tips.  It's nice to have a pass rush.
• Mark Anderson actually made a few plays.  His first few of the year, actually.
• Alex Brown had a sack.  I'm telling you, crazy stuff going on down in the Lou.
• Bob Babich looked smart.
• Matt Forte tore through their defense like tinfoil. 
• Devin Hester looked like Reggie Bush.
• Kyle Orton barely broke a sweat.  Efficient, though.  And efficient means victory.

Really, this is a repeat of last week.  It was such a dominant performance that it doesn't tell you anything.  The Rams were road kill, and the Bears had it on cruise control.

I did see a few traces of some old bad habits today, though.  St. Louis was too pathetic to capitalize, but when the Bears crowded the line and had the linebackers filling the gaps, receivers were getting open down field.  The linebackers simply aren't getting back into coverage fast enough.  While I appreciate that they stop the run that way -- see the Tennessee game.  But even a mediocre QB can pick that defense apart.  (Trent Green longs for mediocrity.)  This is the definition of catch-22.  If they do back off, a half-way decent runningback will fly past them.  Like Ryan Grant did.  Or Adrian Peterson will.  (the good one.)

Speaking of, I guess the Kevin Jones signing isn't going to work out.  Second straight inactive while Peterson looked good in a limited role.  And that Earl Bennett third rounder isn't looking so hot lately either.  Brandon Rideau, fresh off the practice squad, dressed and was active on special teams.  But enough about the triviality. 

Bears win.  Big game next week.  Happy Thanksgiving week, people.

Cubs sign Dempster; go after Teahen?

The Cubs signed Dempster to a 4-year deal worth $52 million dollars.  It's a lot of money for a guy who's only had one good year in the last three, but overall I think its a pretty good deal.  His underlying stats suggest his improvement last year was for real.  (He went 17-6 with a 2.89 ERA)  But, as the saying goes, there's a reason they call them "career years."  Is he likely to repeat?  No, probably not.  But he's a pretty good bet to put up Ted Lilly numbers, which is to say 15 wins with a 3.90 or so ERA.  He does that three of the next four, and I'm happy. 

Like the move last week killed the Kerry Wood era, this move ends an era that never started.  The Jake Peavy era.  Would I prefer Jake Peavy to Ryan Dempster?  Sure.  But it wasn't Peavy or Dempster.  To get Peavy, the Cubs would have had to trade at least three, possibly four prospects (likely Marshall, Pie, Vitters, and another); plus Peavy is due to make $10 million more over the life of the contract.  So when you think of the cost of four prospects and an additional 10 million, the Cubs probably made the right choice. 

And besides, he's got work to do this year.  Maybe this time he'll have 10 walks in the playoff opener! Yeah, I'm still bitter.

In other news, the Cubs are looking to acquire Mark Teahen from the Royals.  I don't know about that one (and that's not even knowing who they'd have to give up -- though with the Royals track record its probably not much).  Teahen had an awfully good age-25 year in 2006, but since then he's been very mediocre.  (No power in 2007, Neifi-esque in 2008.)  Would it be out of the question for him to rebound to 2006 form in his age 27 season, ala Aramis Ramirez?  Not at all.  But some people do peak early; look at Austin Kearns.  He might be worth a look, but I wouldn't give up more than a low-A prospect for him.  And I would by no means hand him the right field job.  DeRosa's probably a better bet.

Bears vs Packers: What the hell was that?

The Bears got blown out by the Packers today, 37-3, and it really wasn't even that close.  To break it down would be pointless, so I'll just condense my thoughts into three points:

• Orton came back to soon.  I admire the effort; but he was a statue back there and simply couldn't get the job done. 
• The defense was horrible.  Pass defense, Run defense, everybody: garbage. 
• The coaching was terrible.  What was that crap at the end of the first half?  40 seconds left, you got the ball on your own 6.  Run, Pass, Run?  Pick a lane!  Green Bay got the ball back after a 30 yard punt and booted a FG.  Game, set, match.  And what's up with Forte getting only one carry in the 2nd half.  Was he hurt?  Down by 14 with two quarters left, you don't have to abandon the run like that.  Worst coaching performance of the year.

So what now?  I'll tell you what now...

Orton or no Orton, they should be able to beat the Rams next week.  And despite how they looked today, the season's far from over.  Three mediocre teams are tied for first in the NFC North at 5-5.  Are the Packers that much better than the Bears?  I don't think so; today was just their day.  It all comes down to the remaining schedules.

Bears:  @STL, @MIN, JAX, NO, GB, @HOU
Packers: @NO, CAR, HOU, @JAX, @CHI, DET
Vikings: @JAX, CHI, @DET, @ARI, ATL, NYG

Looking at the schedules, I don't think any team has an easy path to the playoffs.  I think the Vikings schedule is clearly the toughest (though that last NYG game will likely be meaningless for New York.)  The Packers have two fairly tough games coming up, but three of their last four should be winnable.  The only two tough games for the Bears are their divisional matchups, and maybe New Orleans.  If the Bears can win their remaining two division games, that will go a long way towards securing the division. 

To do that...

• Orton has to play like pre-injury Orton.
• The defense needs to play like a unit that earns twice as much money as the offense.
• Hester needs to lose Ron Turner's playbook and go back to strictly special teams.  Then maybe he'll be RIDICULOUS again.

Till next time...

Cubs Offseason: Gregg in, Wood out

The Cubs made a trade today, acquiring closer Kevin Gregg from the Marlins for minor leaguer Jose Ceda.  Ceda is a solid, young "B+" type of pitching prospect.  Big kid, live arm, but still a year or two away and nothing more than your typical crapshoot for major league success.  So what about Gregg?  Well...while he had 29 saves last year, he also blew a league-leading nine.  (Including this one.)  Supposedly he was hurt, though, for his lousy stretch and his monthly numbers lend that notion some creedence.  His ERA was sub 2.00 for five out of six months, while his ERA in August was over 10.00.  (The anti-Bob Howry, if you will.)  After getting surgery, he's a decent bet to rebound.  And besides, with Marmol around, Gregg won't necessarily be the closer anyways and might fill the Howry role.  Solid move by Hendry.

What this also does, though, is signal the end of Kerry Wood's career as a Cub, and that's a pretty sad thought for Cubs fans.  Wood was never what he was supposed to be, but when he was on he was pretty damn electric.  I can't believe it's been over 10 years since he struck out 20 on that gray day in May, 1998.  (Best.  Game.  Ever.)  Of course, he was only healthy for about six of those seasons, but still.  He was a class act and I'll miss him.

In other Cubs news, supposedly the Cubs are still alive in the Jake Peavy talks.  San Diego is having a fire sale, and the Cubs are one of two teams on the radar for Peavy.  (Atlanta's the other, and supposedly they have the upper hand as of this writing.)  Would I want Peavy on the Cubs?  Hell yeah.  Who wouldn't want an under-30, if slightly injury-prone, perennial Cy Young candidate?  He'd instantly be the best pitcher on the staff, and that's really saying something.  The only downside is that a trade for Jake would mean the end of Ryan Dempster in Chicago, and the bearded Canadian proved to be a valuable guy to have around the last few years. 

Elsewhere on the diamond, the only position I can foresee any real upgrade this offseason is Right Field.  (Fukudome and Johnson would platoon in Center.) Some are pining for Bobby Abreu, but I don't know.  His career numbers are fantastic, and he's left-handed (which the Cubs desperately covet.)  But every Phillie fan on the planet would also tell you that he's a "empty stat" kind of guy that chokes under pressure.  So with that in mind, I guess he would fit in nicely.  Furcal, too.  Yeah, I'm still bitter.

Finally, it's award season.  As expected Soto won rookie-of-the-year and Big Z earned a Silver Slugger.  Nothing shocking there, congrats to both for the well-deserved awards.  And Lou Piniella won manager-of-the-year.  It's gotta be a little embarassing to collect a trophy after the total disaster that was the postseason, but he's not a bad choice considering the flawed election process.   Congrats to Lou!

Remember the Oilers

The Bears lost to the Tennessee Titans today, 21-14.  The Bears run defense was outstanding, limiting the Titans to a mere 20 yards on the ground.  Hotshot rookie Chris Johnson and the bruising LenDale White were completely neutralized, even moreso than I thought possible.  The downside to stuffing the run like that, of course, is the opening of passing lanes.  With those, savvy veteran Kerry Collins more or less got the job done and put 21 points on the board.  Tillman, Vasher, Payne and Brown all had good-to-great games, considering.  But The Titans are now 9-0. 

I can't really blame the defense for this one.  Of course you're going to give up a few decent passing plays when you successfully stuff the run like that.  And really, giving up 21 points to an undefeated team is no big deal.  Urlacher, Briggs, Ogunleye, Harris...everybody stepped up.  So lets blame the offense, shall we?

Matt Forte did as well as could be expected, as the offensive linemen did a pretty damn good job themselves.  Considering the opponent, there were solid running lanes and there was ample time to throw.  And while the receivers certainly didn't do the quarterback any favors, they weren't really to blame either.  (Olsen, in particular, gave a solid effort.)

The blame lies on Rex Grossman.  He wasn't quite "Bad Rex", which we saw so frequently in 2006.  He was "Pathetic Rex", the guy we saw mostly in 2007.  He wasn't a reckless buffoon with the football, like 2006, he just had zero confidence, and the byproduct of that was a stagnant offense and a dearth of first downs.  Let's put it this way.  After the (shocking) opening TD drive, where it appeared they weren't going to miss a beat without Orton, the Bears had 9 drives in a row of nothing.  One pick, eight punts (six of which were 3-and-out).  If I can't blame Rex, who can I blame?  He didn't hit his (occasionally open) receivers, he wasn't able to consistently throw over the D-Line.  He did lead them on a scoring drive late in the fourth to make the game interesting, but ultimately on the final drive was more of the same.  I'm done with that clown.  I want him gone, and unless he pulls an O.J. or wins a playoff game, I'm done talking about him.

Packers next week, and with Orton I think they can win.  With Grossman...maybe.  Titans D is tougher than the Pack, and Grossman today wasn't horrible.  He just....couldn't get enough going.  But he might be good enough to beat the Pack, a team that Lovie Smith has owned since he signed on in 2004. 

Crap.  I just swore off talking Rex and I immediately start talking Rex.  Let's rephrase.  Orton starts, I really like the Bears chances.  Anyone else, not so much.

Bear down.

Bears vs. Titans Preview

Every time I think about the Tennessee Titans, I think think of the song "Tennessee" by Arrested Development. I just hear the guy saying "Tennessee" in my head, over and over.  It's a pretty good song, but I would say my old MTV-viewing days from high school come back to haunt me every Sunday each fall.

The Bears are, of course, hosting the undefeated Titans this Sunday at Soldier Field.  The Titans are pretty damn good, but I don't think anyone expects them to finish the season unblemished.  (Nevertheless, Mercury Morris will be on the edge of his seat this Sunday with a bottle of Champagne in one hand and a corkscrew in the other.) 

Before Orton's injury, I really liked the Bears chances in this one.  On defense, the one thing the Bears do well is stop the run.  Not coincidentally, running the ball is what the Titans rely on to score points.  If the Bears can stop LenDale White and Chris Johnson, the game will be in Kerry Collins' hands.  And teams that start the likes of Collins and Justin Gage don't exactly give me nightmares.

I like the Bears style of offense versus the Titans as well.  Yes, the Titans have a massive D-Line, highlighted by MVP candidate Albert Haynesworth.  But two weeks ago the Colts figured out a way to neutralize them.  Peyton Manning used the hurryup offense for three quarters, with his whole schtick of waving his arms, barking out signals, and pointing at players.  This routine, which Orton also seems to have mastered, kept the Titans from making substitutions and as a result the big men on the line got tired.  If the Colts didn't crap themselves in the fourth, they may well have won that game.  So anyways, that's why I liked Orton's chances.

Now, of course, we have to deal with Grossman.  (Despite Orton's claims of health, he ain't playin.  This is just subterfuge by the Bears to keep the Titans off balance.)  Grossman, happy feet in the pocket and all, is doomed to wilt under Tennessee's pressure.  I suspect the Bears will attempt the hurryup with Rex, because like I said, it kinda worked for a while.  But Rex won't be nearly as successfull.  He's sure to fumble at least one snap and I've set the over/under for his turnovers at 2.5. 

If Good Rex shows up, they have a chance.  But if Bad Rex shows up, he'll turn it over, the Bears D will get tired, and White/Johnson will run all over them.  If I were a betting man, I'd go with the latter.

In fact, the only thing going for the Bears is this:

What?  You don't believe in the SI Cover curse?  Well, check out the MLB playoff preview this year:

Yeah.  Titans are going down.  Bears 20, Titans 17.  This one's for you, Mercury.

Other than that, how'd you like the play, Mrs. Lincoln?

The Bears won today, but of course that's not the story.  The story is the right leg of Kyle Orton, which was twisted before he was carted off at the end of the first half.  As of now, it's a "high ankle" sprain, and there are conflicting reports of its severity.  (There will be a MRI tomorrow.)  Orton doesn't think its that bad, and NBC said he told his buddy that he "expects to play next week" while he was driving home.  ESPN, however, thinks he'll be out for a month.  With two tough games coming up, Tennessee and Green Bay, the thought of Rex Grossman under center brings a flurry of thoughts, to say the least. 

Grossman isn't completely terrible.  In fact, looking around the league I'd say he's among the best backup QBs in the sport.  He might even be the 25th best QB overall.  Orton probably isn't much better than roughly the 10th or 15th best QB in football, so when you look at it that way the downgrade might not be all that bad.  The Bears will be better than Dallas minus Romo, better than Seattle minus Hasselbeck.  I'm confident of that.  Just, will they be able to beat Tennessee or Green Bay?  I doubt it.  With Orton, I think they had a decent chance.  Now the odds have to be much worse. 

What annoys me most is we have to bring back to the whole "Rex is our Quarterback" conversation.  All the good Rex, bad Rex talk.  All the "mental midget" talk.  All the "but he took them to the Super Bowl" talk.  Ugh.  Shoot me now. 

In other news, Mike Brown got hurt.  After he made that first quarter pick, I was thinking, "man, I can't believe Mike Brown hasn't gotten hurt yet.  I'm actually starting to "depend" on him being there," (not that he has been especially good this year.)  Then, blammo.  Sore hops.  He probably re-injured his broken foot and is out for the year.  (I have no information, of course, that's just what I've come to expect from Brown.  And its a shame.)

Now, to the details of the game.  On offense, it was great to see Matt Forte running with authority again.  And Rashied Davis had a decent game as well.  Those two guys are pretty much the only guys on offense I can really give props to.  I guess the line did their job this week, both in protecting the QBs (Orton was hurt on a scramble) and opening holes for Forte.  Booker, Hester, Olsen...none of them did much.  I don't think Ron Turner had a very good day.  It wasn't until the fourth quarter that he figured out how to use Forte properly, and the tight ends were under-utilized.  The one thing I guess I should remember about the offense is it was just the Lions and I suspect Albert Haynesworth won't be so forgiving next week. 

The defense played great on the first few series, then played like absolute dog shit for the rest of the first half.  Dan Orlovsky picked them apart like pulled pork.  Really?  Dan Orlovsky?  I was about to give up on them completely.  But in the second half, luckily, the Lions remembered they were the Lions and did everything in their power to give the game away.  I guess my cousin is right, they are "any given sunday" proof.  They scored zilch after the break.  The D still has problems, but they're good enough to stop the Lions.  (Bob Babich should remember to include that on his resume.)

One major problem I had was with the grass at Soldier Field.  The field has been an embarrassment to the city since they ripped the astroturf out twenty years ago.  The grass does look nice...in September.  But otherwise, it's alternating weeks of kitty litter, wet moss, and painted cement.  The Bears really need to just give up on the 20-year grass experiment and install FieldTurf for next season.  It might not be as pretty, but its a hundred times more functional and its weather proof.  Plus, I think, the Lovie Smith Bears would benefit from a field that plays "fast."

I guess that's it for now.  We'll know more after the MRI.  If Orton is indeed out for a month, 2-2 is the best I can fathom them going in that time.  Otherwise, game on next week.