Still no news on if Dominick Rhodes will end up on a NFL team before week 1 starts yet. I’m not the only one in Chicago asking about him based on the news stories, but everyone seems to think that it’s between Rhodes and Peterson/Wolfe. I agree that they probably won’t be cutting either of those guys, but the not-so-savvy beat writers aren’t talking about them carrying 4 RBs. I’m not sure why this is a stretch for a run-first team…
The only Bears player claimed off Waivers was the previously mentioned Jason Davis, he’ll be going to the Jets and I think he’ll find a permanent home there.
I don’t know if I’d include Pennington in that list. I wasn’t really paying attention to him on the Jets, but on Miami, he has been doing pretty well. His numbers are easily better than Roethlisberger’s or Eli Manning’s, much better than Orton, Campbell or Bulger.
edit: looked it up, his Miami numbers are his best, but he was servicable from 2002-2004. 2005-2007 were pretty lackluster though. Didn’t he have some sort of injury around then?
Week 1 and Favre did exactly what he was supposed to do: hand the ball to Peterson and get out of the way. AD finished with 180 yards and 3 TDs on 25 carries. His 64 yard TD rush made the Browns defenders look like high school kids. Favre threw it just enough that the Browns couldn’t crowd the box. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come.
Next up, Detroit - beaten 45 - 27 by the Saints. Stafford was 16/37 for 205 yards with no TDs and 3 picks. If there was a bright spot, they held Brees to less than 7 TDs.
Well, the bright spot is last year, the last time the Lions and the Saints played, the first 6 possessions for the Saints, they got touchdowns. Today, it was only the first two.
Progress!
Great job by the Packers defense tonight, but the O-line needs some help, Rodgers seemed a bit off on some throws and there were a lot of drops. Wonder if Orton would have had four INTs.
Also, the ref callling that BS illegal contact call almost lost us the game. But we won anyway, so, meh.
Both QBs were off on their throws, but they had help. The difference is, Cutler forced bad passes under pressure and Rodgers took sacks (and a safety). Good pass rush on both sides. I’m still not convinced that was an “ugly” game, so much as one dominated by aggressive defense.
Dom Capers is a good defensive coach, but I don’t believe that any coordinator could turn around a defense as poor as the Packers’ was last year that quickly. They did also get some guys back from injury, but still. Doesn’t bode well for the Bears’ offense going forward.
Similarly, the Bears’ defense was below average last year, and doesn’t appear to have improved at all personnel-wise, with the possible exception of Tinaisamoa. They shouldn’t have been able to shut down the Packers’ top-10-last-year offense that effectively (and presumably wouldn’t if the Packers had a right tackle who could block… anyone).
Is it too early to erect my life sized, Mashed Potato Statute of Dom Capers?
It was a nailbiter, and last year’s team would have found a way to lose it, but the Packers get an important win. They didn’t look sharp at all on offense, and their O Line needs to play better if we want to make the playoffs, but the Defense got the turnovers and stopped the run, and we got the win.
Cheers to Brett Swain, for recognizing and taking down Wolfe on the fake punt.
Jeers to Allan Barbre, who needs to step it up.
Cheers to having Jenkins back healthy and playing great and Jolly getting a pick (who needs Justin Harrell?) with those two guys playing well, we can afford to be patient with Raji.
Jeers to the idiot ref practically handing the game to the Bears on a bullshit illegal contact call.
Cheers to Rodgers to Jennings.
Jeers to the poor offensive showing.
All in all, there are some serious flaws that need correcting. But there is still reason to think this year will be a successful one. Especially with such a young team.
As to the rest of the NFC North, the Lions looked Lionesque, the Vikes need to change their name to the AllDays, and the Bears still have a pretty good defense. It’s going to be a fight this year, and the NFC North looks like it might be a damn good division.
I’m still not sold on a defensive resurgence. It seemed that the Packers struggles on offense could be boiled down to Adawale Ogunleye’s raping of Allen Barbre on every play. The rest of the pass rush was pretty weak and when the Packers went to Ryan Grant they had success. Ogunleye might have saved the Bears secondary from several other plays downfield, we all remember those over throws of Driver and Nelson, so it’s tough to be too excited about the backfield. The loss of Urlacher won’t help the cause either.
I think the Pack will be OK so long as they figure out a way to handle good left DEs, that’s a big if though. Ogunleye hasn’t exactly been a world beater in quite some time, there will be better guys out there going against the Pack.
