It's that time in the season: TO BEAR DOWN
Listen and enjoy.



Anyhow, I hope that got you pumped up for the Bears game against the Lions and for the 2nd half of the season baby! Let's BEAR DOWN and win the NFC NORTH!!!

Meanwhile, some items of interest and thoughts to ponder:

The Bears know better than to get cocky against the Lions after losing both games to them last year.
How about the offense’s emergence and evolution from the beginning of the season? The Chicago Sun-Time’s Mike Mulligan believes it’s been a group effort.


Brandon Lloyd returned to the practice field this week but is not promising he’ll play this Sunday unless he’s 100%.

Top 10 Impact Rookies

These are the top 10 impact rookies after eight weeks of the NFL season.

10. Jerod Mayo (NE), linebacker
Mayo has stepped right into a depleted Patriot’s defense and has not disappointed. He leads the team with 48 tackles, 38 of them solo tackles.

9. Antoine Cason (SD), cornerback
Cason has emerged as the third cornerback behind Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie. He is fifth on the team with 36 tackles, and has one interception and five pass breakups.

8. Felix Jones (DAL), tailback
Jones started off fast by scoring a touchdown in each of the Cowboy’s first three games. He averages a whopping 8.9 yards a carry. If Jones hadn’t been out the past three weeks with a hamstring injury, I would have him in my top five.

7. Eddie Royal (DEN), wide receiver
Royal has emerged as Jay Cutler’s second favorite target behind Brandon Marshall. He has 39 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns. His nine-catch 146-yard performance was his best so far. Opposing defenses have had to really pay attention to Royal since then.

6. Darren McFadden (OAK), running back
Just imagine what he would do if there weren’t three other running backs he was splitting carries with. McFadden leads the team with 341 yards rushing and one touchdown. He’s been bothered by turf toe the past couple of weeks and did not play in this past Sunday’s game.

5. Joe Flacco (BAL), quarterback
While some of you might be scratching your head at this selection, Flacco has led the Ravens to a 4-3 record. The Ravens are only one game behind division-leading Pittsburgh and host the Steelers later in the season. Flacco has improved his game the past couple of weeks and has not turned the ball over. His average quarterback rating the past two weeks is a solid 100.3. If he can continue to limit the interceptions, the Ravens have a shot at making the wildcard, if not winning the division.

Joe Flacco celebrates with teammates after a touchdown. (AP Photo)

4. DeSean Jackson (PHI), wide receiver
Eagles fans came into the season with high hopes for Jackson, but many were skeptical that he could have much of an impact on the offense. Given his lack of size and experience, they figured that he would primarily impact the team as a punt returner. Jackson immediately proved those skeptics wrong by becoming the first Eagles receiver since 1940 to go for 100 yards in each of his first two games. He leads the team with 32 receptions for 505 yards and one touchdown.

3. Matt Forte (CHI), running back
As a Bears fan, I cringed at this pick. I was one of many Bears fans who were thinking, Matt who?? Forte has been better than anyone could have imagined thus far. He has been the featured back since opening week, and while the running production has decreased the past four weeks Forte is a valuable pass-catcher coming out of the backfield. He leads the Bears in receptions, with 29. What I love about Forte is that he doesn’t go down on first-contact (think Cedric Benson). With Forte proving to be such a threat running the ball the first three weeks, defenses have had to respect the play-action pass which has opened up a lot more downfield for Kyle Orton the past few weeks. If Forte can stay healthy and increase the production in the running game, the Bears will win the NFC North.

2. Matt Ryan (ATL), quarterback
Being a rookie quarterback on a bad football team is an unenviable task, but Ryan has adapted to the role impressively, winning four of his first seven games. He has a quarterback rating of 79.7 and a td/int ratio of 7:5. Even Falcons head coach Mike Smith couldn’t have predicted this much success this soon. Ryan has showed great moxie in the pocket and has come up big in clutch situations, such as the pass to Michael Jenkins with one second left to get the Falcons in field goal range to beat the Bears.

1. Chris Johnson (TEN), running back
Not a whole lot of people knew about this guy coming into the season, but they sure know about him now. Johnson is fast. Crazy fast. His clocked 40-yard dash time of 4.24 seconds at the NFL combine is the fastest ever, and that speed translates directly to the field, where he and LenDale White have formed one of the league’s best running tandems. He leads the Titans with 549 yards rushing and averages 5.3 yards-per-carry. Johnson is a big reason why the Titans are 7-0 and the only undefeated team in the league.

Chris Johnson carries the ball in the Titans 34-10 win over the Chiefs. (AP Photo)

The best catch of the season.......so far

Marty Booker made the greatest catch I've ever seen this season against the Detroit Lions.
Take a look.

Week 8 Power Rankings

The power rankings are back after a one week hiatus baby! Here we go.

1. Titans (6-0)-Only undefeated team left in football. Dominated a poor KC team to set up a Monday night showdown against the Colts. A win over a so-so Indy team would make it nearly impossible for the Colts to win a sixth straight division title.

2. Giants (5-1)-Look like the best team in the NFC at this point. We’ll know more about this team in the next three weeks as they play at Pitt at Philly and home versus the Romo-less Cowboys.

3. Steelers (5-1)-Huge game at home against the Giants on Sunday. Would be a statement victory if they could knock off the defending champs.

4. Bills (5-1)-Well rounded win over the Chargers. The Bills are legit, and might be the team to beat in the AFC East, especially with a new Patriot player hitting the dust every week.

5. Redskins (5-2)-The Redskins won ugly against an improved Cleveland defense. With Detroit next, the Redskins should be 6-2 heading into their Week 9 Monday night game vs. Pittsburgh.

6. Buccaneers (5-2)-Dominated the Seahawks and Panthers in their last two contests. Beating Dallas in “Big D” will solidify this team as the team to beat in the NFC South.

7. Panthers (5-2)-Dominating performance against the Saints proves the Panthers are for real.

8. Cardinals (4-2)-Kurt Warner needed the bye week to heal up heading into a tough road test at Carolina.

9. Patriots (4-2)-The epitome of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

10. Falcons (4-2)-The surprise team of the season at this point. Should be well rested and rearing to go after the bye week.

11. Packers (4-3)-Head into the bye week with some momentum after a thrashing of the Colts. Bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for Aaron Rodgers and co.

12. Bears (4-3)-Who could have possibly thought the offense is stronger than the defense right now?

13. Eagles (3-3)-Brian Westbrook is healthy and the Cowboys are without Tony Romo for a month. Eagles couldn’t be any happier.

14. Jaguars (3-3)-Reggie Nelson could return, which will give the defense a boost. But if Matt Jones begins a suspension, the offense will take a hit.

15. Cowboys (4-3)-Most disappointing team of the first half of the season. Things aren’t looking up in “Big D” as Romo is out for another month and the schedule is tough.

16. Colts (3-3)-The Colts are a yo-yo. For everything good they did in a top-to-bottom win over Baltimore, they did something bad in a terrible showing at Green Bay.

17. Broncos (4-3)-The Broncos' defense is just not good enough to survive sloppy offense, which has been the case in all of Denver's losses.

18. Chargers (3-4)-A close second to Dallas as biggest disappointment this far. The Bolts have been a model of inconsistency. Play well one week, pathetic the next.

19. Jets (3-3)-Terrible loss to Oakland in overtime. Now playing catch-up to the Bills and Patriots.

20. Ravens (3-3)-If this team can move the ball more consistently on offense they have a chance for a wild-card berth, because their defense is down-right nasty.

21. Vikings (3-4)-Missed out on a huge opportunity at Chicago. Arguably the worst special teams unit in the league, giving up five touchdowns in seven games. Is that a joke?

22. Saints (3-4)-With all the talent on this team it’s hard to fathom they are under .500

23. Texans (2-4)-Two wins in a row after an 0-4 start put this team in a much better frame of mind. Now can the Texans keep the Bengals winless?

24. Rams (2-4)-If only Jim Haslett was the coach from the beginning of the season. After dominating Dallas, this is a dangerous team playing with nothing to lose.

25. Dolphins (2-4)-The Dolphins have gotten a reality check with back-to-back losses, including one to the Ravens at home Sunday. Like almost everybody else, consistency is a problem.

26. Browns (2-4)-Winslow’s suspension doesn’t help a team in need of major improvement.

27. Raiders (2-4)- Big win against the Jets. Maybe the coaching change was just what the doctor ordered. We’ll see in the next couple weeks as they travel to Baltimore and then host Atlanta and Carolina.

28. 49ers (2-5)-The failure to develop Alex Smith ultimately cost Mike Nolan his coaching job.


29. Seahawks (1-5)-Seattle's offense has reached new levels of futility. Mike Holmgren seems to have no answers.

30. Chiefs (1-5)-This team is starting to make a strong case for being the worst in the league.

31. Bengals (0-7)-It's time to start thinking 2009 draft in the Queen City.

32. Lions (0-6)-When is it appropriate to start the 0-16 countdown?

Bears win shootout against Vikings

Quarterback Kyle Orton celebrates with reciever Marty Booker
after the connected on a 51-yard touchdown pass in the 3rd quarter.
( AP Photo)


How many of you at the beginning of the season thought the Bears would actually win a football game when they surrender 41 points? I’m going to guess zero, because I sure as hell didn’t.

When you score a whopping 48 points, you still win the game. The Bears won 48-41 and scored every way possible.

They scored on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown and on punt coverage when it deflected off the Viking’s return man.

Kyle Orton looked like Brett Favre out there, making every throw imaginable. Orton finished 21/32 for 283 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He has made tremendous strides since the beginning of the season and looks so much better than Grossman ever did.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN NFL QUARTERBACK BABY!

Orton’s been even more impressive since he has had no running game. Forte finished with only 56 yards rushing and averaged 2.8 yards a carry.

One thing the Bears need to work on over their bye week is reviving the running game. It has been non-existent the past 3-4 weeks.

I’m concerned with the Bears pass defense and the secondary in particular. I know the Bears picked off Frerotte four times, but he’s one of the worst quarterbacks in the league.

The Vikings moved the ball at will in the passing game. If not for all those interceptions thrown, the Vikings would have won the game. Frerotte threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns.

Even Mike Brown can’t explain the poor defensive play. “We're not playing very good defense right now. It seems like we're lost, can't find a rhythm."

When the captain of your defense tells the media that “we’re lost” half-way into the season, that doesn’t bode well.

It is crucial that starting cornerbacks Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman get healthy and get back on the field. They make the Bears secondary a lot tougher to pass on.

3 Things to work on over the bye week.
1. Get healthy. This will make the Bears a better team the second half of the season.
2. Revive the running game. Forte rushed for over 100-yards two of the first three games. Since then he’s had zero 100-yard rushing games.
3. Figure out how to play better defense and not look lost out there. I’m making that your responsibility Mike Brown.

On another note: Devin Hester injured his quadriceps in the 3rd quarter and did not return.

For highlights from the game click here.

Vikings Preview, News and Notes

This is a BIG GAME heading into the bye week for the Bears. They need to defend home turf and build momentum going into the bye week.

The difference in the game will be which running back can move the football and eat up clock. Matt Forte has been putting up average yards in the running game the past couple weeks, but his versatility coming out of the backfield will be key in keeping the Vikings defense honest.

The Bears need to shut down Adrian Peterson and avoid a repeat performance of last year when he ran for 243 yards.

For more in depth analysis, fantasy impact players and keys to the game click here.



Other News:

***Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd (knee) and safety Daniel Manning (pulled hamstring) are out for tomorrow’s game. Starting cornerbacks Nathan Vasher (wrist) and Charles Tillman (shoulder) are questionable. If both starting cornerbacks are out, the secondary will be vulnerable.

***Linebacker Brian Urlacher has been fined $20,000 by the NFL for abusive conduct toward a game official.

Game Predictions: This Week and Beyond

Hester high-stepping his way into the end zone in the
photo below against the Lions on October 5.

So I’m sitting here kind of bored right now, not sure what to post about. The Bears are 3-3, tied for first place in the division with the Packers and Lions.

So I decided to look at the future schedule and predict wins and losses for the rest of the season starting with Sunday’s game at Soldier Field against the Vikings.

Sunday, October 19 vs. Vikings—Biggest game of the season so far. The Vikings rushed for 311 yards at Soldier Field last year. I think the Bears defense will shut down Adrian Peterson and the Viking running game. With Tillman, Manning and Vasher all questionable for Sunday’s game, defending the passing game might be a tough chore. I think the secondary will do a good enough job, and the Bears offense should score enough points. Bears win 24-21 to improve to 4-3

Sunday, November 2 vs. Lions—After the laugher at Detroit ten days ago, it will be more of the same in Chicago. Bears win 31-13 to improve to 5-3

Sunday, November 9 vs. Tennessee—This is a very tough game to call right now. The Titans are the only undefeated team in the league and are playing some great football. They are finding ways to win at the end of the game, something the Bears haven’t done all year. The Titans get it done on the road in another tight game, 20-17. (5-4)

Sunday, November 16 at Green Bay—The Bears have fared well at Lambeau ever since Lovie took over in 2004. I think the Bears defense will be all over Aaron Rodgers, and will win 27-24 to improve to 6-4.

Sunday, November 23 at St. Louis—This is going to be a tough game for the Bears. Even though the Rams are one of the worst teams in the league so far, Jim Haslett will have this team much improved in five weeks. I’m predicting the Rams in an upset, 20-17. (6-5)

Sunday, November 30 at Minnesota—A crucial game as the Bears will be right in the thick of things in the NFC North. This is a Sunday night NBC game and the Bears are 2-0 so far on Sunday night. They will pound the run and Orton will make enough plays on defense that the Bears will improve to 3-0 on Sunday nights and 7-5 on the year with a 27-24 victory.

Sunday, December 7 vs. Jacksonville—A rugged opponent fighting their playoff lives in the AFC comes to Chicago. David Garrard runs it in for a touchdown on 4th down with just over a minute left and Jacksonville deals a severe blow to the Bears playoffs hopes with a 17-14 victory, dropping the Bears to 7-6.

Thursday, December 11 vs. New Orleans—Bears get a game on Thursday night on the NFL network. I think the last three times the Bears and Saints have met it’s been in Chicago. Kind of a weird scheduling quirk. Anyway Reggie Bush is going to take another punt to the house but the Kyle Orton has a big day and the Bears win a big one, 34-24.(8-6)

Monday, December 22 vs. Green Bay—First Monday night football game of the year, playing for the division title. Aaron Rodgers is in the Christmas spirit just a bit early and throws three interceptions, one of them extremely costly as Charles Tillman returns it for a touchdown. A 59 yard touchdown run by Ryan Grant cuts the Bears lead to three with over a minute left, but the Bears recover the onside kick and win 33-30, sending the fans home happy for the holidays. (9-6)

Sunday, December 28 at Houston—After an emotional Monday night victory against the hated Packers, this has all the makings of a let-down game. A shorter week to prepare, a team that won’t be in the playoffs, etc. I think the Bears are going to come out flat and fall behind by ten points at halftime and then try to rally but fall just short. The Texans upset the Bears, 24-23, dropping them to 9-7.

The Bears will end up tied with the Packers at 9-7 with the Vikings one game back at 8-8. It will come down to tiebrakers to determine if the Bears make the playoffs. If they don’t, they only have themselves to play after losing at Houston and blowing leads at Carolina, at Atlanta and against the Bucs.

The Tommie Harris Debacle

What should the Bears make of the recent off-field issues regarding Tommie Harris? He was remorseful this week and said he’s moved on. So did Tank Johnson, however, and we know how that turned out. Harris returned after a one game suspension yesterday and played ok, but Israel Idonije and rookie Marcus Harrison were both rotated in at tackle. Harris signed a four year, $40 contract this past offseason. That’s a huge investment from General Manager Jerry Angelo, who has shown other players the door because he didn’t want to pay them (Bernard Berrian). I think as long as Harris doesn’t have any more off the field issues and can stay healthy, he’ll be a mainstay at defensive tackle for the next four years. He’s been plagued by a knee injury most of the season and had some health issues last year. I think injuries are part of the reason why he’s been ineffective or less effective, than he was last year and in years past. Reports surfaced last week that he also fathered a child out of wedlock and was taking the news extremely hard. Once Harris starts concentrating on football again I hope he can regain the dominant form he showed in the past.

Bears fall in a heartbreaker, 22-20

Atlanta Falcons place-kicker Jason Elam (1) reacts with holder Michael Koenen (9)
after kicking the game- winning 48-yard field goal with one second remaining to defeat the Chicago Bears 22-20 in their NFL football game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
(AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Wow, I think that was the most improbable ending to a football game I have ever seen in my life, and I’ve watched a lot of football.

I went from the highest of highs, when Orton took the Bears offense down the field in 2:30 to score what looked like the game winning touchdown, to the lowest of lows, when Falcons kicker Jason Elam kicked the game winning field goal as time expired.

I have to question the Bears decision to pooch the kickoff with 11 seconds to go. Why not kick it deep?

I blame this one on the coaches for calling a pooch kick and not kicking it deep. I know the last time they kicked it deep Norwood almost ran it back for a touchdown, but what are the odds of that happening again? Slim-to-none.

If Norwood catches the ball on the five-yard line and runs it up to midfield that is going to take at least six or seven seconds off the clock. The clock would have gone from eleven seconds to four or five seconds, and that would have left the Falcons with one hail mary pass. Instead the

Falcons have enough time to run a play, a 26-yard out right to Michael Jenkins to the Bears 31 yard line with one second left.

Which brings me to my next point. What kind of coverage was that and why was Jenkins so open?? There was a huge gap between the corner, Marcus Hamilton, and the safety, Mike Brown. How can you let a receiver run an out route and get to the sidelines? That is totally unacceptable coverage. You are taught in pee wee football to force the receivers toward the middle of the field at the end of the game.

The Bears secondary and pass coverage looked vulnerable all game. I know starting cornerback Nathan Vasher did not play and Charles Tillman left the game in the 2nd quarter with a hip injury, but backups Corey Graham and Marcus Hamilton were constantly getting beaten on slant routes and quick hitches.

I’m just so disappointed because even though the Bears got dominated for ¾ of the game, they should have pulled out this victory. When Elam missed the gimme field goal with 2:35 left I thought karma was with the Bears. Good teams are able to win games even when they don’t play well and get dominated, and the Bears fell short.

I have to give credit where credit is due though. Matt Ryan played a great game and didn’t look like a rookie. He completed 22/30 for 301 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. He made all types of throws, and slightly outplayed Kyle Orton, who has made major strides himself the past couple weeks and played a solid game.

Week 6 Power Rankings

1. (1) NY Giants (4-0)-Put up 44 points on the Seahawks minus Plaxico Burress. Eli Manning looks like he’s come of age. Defending Super Champs won’t slip up Sunday against the Browns.
2. (4) Redskins (4-1)-The Skins have the most impressive wins so far, at Dallas and at Philly. After a season opening loss to the Giants the Skins have won four straight and should make it five in a row Sunday against the lowly Rams.
3. (2) Titans (5-0)-Dropped them one spot because they haven’t been as impressive as the Redskins. Hung on to defeat the Ravens in Baltimore, this team is finding a way to win games.
4. (5) Steelers (4-1)-Big win on the road Monday night in Jacksonville. Without Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenall this was a statement win. The Steelers have to considered one of the top teams in the AFC.
5. (6) Cowboys (4-1)-Another iffy performance against an awful Bengals team. Something is not right in big D, and things need to be fixed sooner than later.
6. (7) Panthers (4-1)-The Panthers have played solid football so far, but have two big division games the next two weeks: at Tampa and home against New Orleans. We’ll know more about this team in two weeks.
7. (12) Broncos (4-1)-The Broncos showed they can win a game on defense, beating Tampa 16-13. Even they can play consistent defense most of the year, they can be a legit AFC contender.
8. (14) Patriots (3-1)-Got back to their winning ways by slowly dismantling the 49ers. The Pats are at San Diego and home against Denver the next two weeks. We’ll know more about this team then.
9. (3) Bills (4-1)-Got hammered by the Cardinals and suffered their first loss of the season. To add insult to injury, starting QB Trent Edwards was knocked out of the game. This is a good time to have a bye, as the Edwards can get healthy and the team can regroup.
10. (8) Bucanners (3-2)-Need to find more consistent offense heading into their showdown with Carolina.
11. (17) Bears (3-2)-Encouraging performance by Kyle Orton and the passing game against the Lions. If Orton can continue to make strides, the Bears should win the NFC North.
12. (18) Colts (2-2)-What a comeback over the Texans. It was a big win as the Colts improved to .500. It’s still apparent this team has not found a rhythm yet on offense.
13. (20) Cardinals (3-2)-Dismantled the previously undefeated Buffalo Bills. The offense has put up big numbers almost every game this year. Adrian Wilson’s return to the defensive secondary should give this team more attitude on defense and another playmaker in the mix.
14. (13) Ravens (2-2)-Two very tough losses to the Steelers and Titans. If the Ravens can generate a little bit more offense, they can contend for a wild card spot because their defense is solid.
15. (9) Eagles (2-3)-A three game losing streak, and broken ribs. The Eagles are struggling right now, and need to find a way to right the ship as they are currently in last place in the rugged NFC East. Their next three games are all winnable (Atlanta, San Fran, Seattle).
16. (10) San Diego (2-3)-Lost a hard fought battle at Miami 17-10 to fall under .500. This team has lost its three games by a combined 10 points. They don’t know how to win close games. The Sunday night game against New England looks like a must win.
17. (11) Jaguars (2-3)-The defense hasn’t been what many expected, and the secondary needs to get healthy for the trip to Denver. You know Jay Cutler is licking his chops when looking at the Jags secondary.
18. (22) Vikings (2-3)-Season saving win for the Vikes Monday night against the Saints. The Vikings played hard but the Saints gave them the game.
19. (19) Jets (2-2)-Brett Favre had an extra week of time to learn the nuisances of the offense and help the Jets build momentum they had heading into their bye week.
20. (24) Falcons (3-2)-Huge win for Falcons at Lambeau. Matt Ryan has shown he can play so far. How many other rookie quarterbacks can say then won their first start in Lambeau? Not many.
21. (15) Saints (2-3)-This team basically gave away the game Monday night. Reggie Bush had 2 punt return touchdowns go for naught.
22. (16) Packers (2-3)-Make that three straight losses in a row for the Pack after a shocking loss at home to the Falcons. This team is a little beat up right now, and the schedule doesn’t get easier with road games at Seattle and Tennessee and a home game with Indy.
23. (26) Dolphins (2-2)-Well the Fins responded emphatically to my question while taking out the Chargers. I’m still a bit unsure about this team but they are surging right now. Great offensive play calling by lining up Ronnie Brown under center.
24. (23) 49ers (2-3)-After losing at home to the Patriots, it doesn’t get much easier for Mike Nolan and Co. as they play host to a hungry Eagles team and then travel to New York to face the Giants.
25. (25) Browns (1-3)-Coming off a bye week, this team supposedly got healthy according to head coach Marvin Lewis. We’ll see how they stack up against the defending Super Bowl champs on Sunday night.
26. (21) Seahawks (1-3)-After getting thrashed by the Giants, we’ll see if this team is for real when they play host to the Packers on Sunday.
27. (28) Texans (0-4)-This team really should be 2-2 right now after letting another game get away against the Colts. What was Sage Rosenfals doing when he leapt up in the air. He got dinged around like a pinball before he fumbled. This team still needs to learn how to win.
28. (29) Raiders (1-3)- With the Lane Kiffin saga behind them, the Raiders need to enter the Tom Cable era playing with the same intensity they did in the final three weeks of the Kiffin era.
29. (30) Bengals (0-5)-Put up a great fight against the Giants. Why can’t this team play like that every week?
30. (27) Chiefs (1-4)-Head into their bye week at a perfect time following a 34-0 loss to the Panthers.
31. (31) Lions (0-4)-Terrible team, not much hope the rest of the season.
32. (32) Rams (0-4)-Can Jim Haslett turn this team around and make them somewhat respectable? The Rams next three games are at Washington, home against Dallas, and at New England. Uh-oh. 0-7 looks very possible.

5 Safeties the Bears need to keep an eye on in the '09 Draft

Safety is a definite “need” position in the ’09 draft on defense. Mike Brown doesn’t have many years left, and the other safety position is far from having a playmaker. These are 5 safeties the Bears should have their eye on in the 1st round and beyond.

William Moore (Missouri)—Has good size 6’1’’ 228 pounds and has a great closing burst according to Mel Kiper Jr. Played some cornerback his freshman year so can play both db positions.

Rashad Johnson (Alabama)—Projects as a great cover safety in the NFL, needs work on his run support. Would be ideal to line up opposite Mike Brown in that Brown can creep up in the box and stuff the run while Johnson can play centerfield and help out the cornerbacks.

Taylor Mays (USC)—3 year starter has improved each season and is the anchor for the Trojans secondary. Would be a great pickup for the Bears in the middle rounds.

Patrick Chung (Oregon)—Great closing speed; solid in run support and in pass coverage; looks like a second round pick, someone the Bears definitely need to think about if he’s still on the board in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Nic Harris (Oklahoma)—Leader of the Sooner secondary, we’ll learn more about him after he faces Colt McCoy, Quan Cosby and Co. Saturday at the Cotton Bowl. Has a great 40 time and has improved in pass coverage. The Bears have drafted players out of OU in the past (Harris, Dvoracek, Bradley) so Harris could be a potential option in the middle rounds.

Orton’s career day propels Bears to blowout win over Lions

Kyle Orton set career highs in passing yards,
completions and quarterback rating while throwing two touchdowns in leading the Bears to a 34-7 victory over the hapless Lions.

The post Matt Millen era was much of the same for the Lions, another “L.”

After criticizing Orton and offensive coordinator Ron Turner earlier in the season for a lack of downfield passing attack, I was thoroughly impressed by Turner’s aggressive play calling and Orton’s ability to throw the deep ball.

Orton demonstrated great touch on some of his deep throws and his favorite target, Brandon Lloyd, was out with a knee injury. In his absence, wide receivers Rashied Davis and Devin Hester stepped up and had great games. Davis had six receptions for 97 yards and Hester had five receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown.

What was most encouraging about the passing game was that it didn’t get much support from the running game. Running backs Matt Forte and Kevin Jones combined for 72 yards rushing, although Forte did have two touchdowns.

Forte is so valuable because of his ability to catch the ball coming out of the backfield. He’s a great weapon and a safety net for Orton.
Now granted, the Bears were playing the Lions, the worst team in the NFC besides the Rams. But Turner opened up the playbook and Orton stepped up and made some great throws.

Looking forward, the Bears are at Atlanta next week and then have a home game against Minnesota before their bye week. If the Bears can pull these two games out, which they should, they would be sitting pretty at 5-2 heading into the bye week and in first place in the division.

Key Notes for Tomorrow’s Game

• Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd is out with a knee injury. This is a big blow for the Bears offense as Lloyd has showed he is the only big play threat at wide receiver.
• Defensive tackle Tommie Harris is suspended for tomorrow’s game for violating an unspecified team rule. Harris is allowed to return to practice on Tuesday. Head Coach Lovie Smith said little about why Harris was suspended. Insiders have said that Harris has been late to team meetings and has had a lot of personal issues recently, including fathering a son out of wedlock. Fortunately for the Bears they have depth on the d-line in Israel Idonije so Harris’ loss is not as important as Lloyd’s.
• Starting cornerbacks Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman are expected to start tomorrow’s game even though both missed practice time this week with injuries. If both are not 100% it could be a long day for the Bears secondary, as the Lions possess a potent 1-2 punch at receiver with Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams.