BearFan PHX

Looks like this is shaping up to be a game in which Brisker is gonna shine. I expect to see him closer to the LOS than average for us on Sunday. Also, with Kelce out, you really saw how having so much of your cap tied up in the QB depletes your depth and options.

sportswriters and bloggers are full of crap. they find little nuggets of "truth" or more likely "common sense" and cling to them like there is no reason to play the games. Like nothing has changed since that stat was recorded last year. And it becomes a big echo chamber. For example all we knew of Skoronski over and over was his arm length, as if that's what makes a player good or not in the NFL. Sure it matters, but it cant be the only thing, and yet, they didnt talk about his style of blocking, finesse vs power, or whether he initiates contact or catches. It just becomes one thing in a hall of mirrors, bouncing around reflecting and reenforcing itself. It's just SO dumb. And Adam, you're absolutely right. This isn't the same defense at ALL. They don't even see it - it's all stats. Maybe they could have written "Chicago has added a lot of new faces to the team, but they lack proven impact stars on the D line, and it may take this new group with young players some time to gel" - but that's outside of their view. It's laughable.

Fields may be holding the ball longer because he is indecisive as is popular to say. It may also be because of his mobility and running for his life because of breakdowns in protection, the average is skewed. But the guy is not throwing interceptions. So maybe no one was open. This is the question and set of reasons / excuses we've been throwing around for a couple of years. No situation will be perfect for a QB, but we have given him more protection on the line, and an upgrade at every WR position (former #1 Mooney went to #2, Claypool to #3 etc) So now excuses are over. I will not be shocked if Fields blossoms and ascends to a top 5 QB. i will not be shocked if Fields is still mediocre. That's what this season is all about. Im rooting for the guy to ascend to greatness, but this is the year to do it. There is no next year to answer this question. This is the year of Fields' final judgement at QB. And it begins by matching up against Green Bay. Perfect.

My guess is first TD is DJ Moore.

Exactly. One of the biggest problems with the McCaskey era is that they held on to mediocrity. This isnt about getting rid of terrible players, it has to become about getting rid of players who arent great at key positions. The goal is not to be a sustainably average / decent team. The goal is to be the best team. And that requires different thinking. We've put players around Fields, and now he must show who he is.

I think this is right. I like what I've seen of Flus. I think the coordinators and the players you mentioned are more at risk / in play.

Right. This is the nightmare scenario.

I think this is all very reasonable. Poles knows he has two first rounders next year, and Fields has not yet proven it on the field. Now Im sure you agree that doesnt mean he wont. We all know he no protection, and no receivers open to throw to. But a terrible QB would also have looked as bad with no blocking or WRs, so while it's a fair excuse, it doesnt say anything about where Fields is if he gets those things. Im rooting for Fields, I want him to blow up into a real top 5 QB. I think that is very possible for him. But Im with you, until we see it, it hasnt happened. And I also applaud your patience knowing that it might not be right out of the gate. But come December we will know a lot about this. And for now, you're not wrong to say that he hasnt proven it yet. Im sure somewhere Poles agrees with you 100%.

no doubt Lewis was a showman, and im with you on giving no value to that. But Lewis was a winner too. I dont just mean he won games. I mean he led his teams to victory. he had insights into what people would do, how they think, how to fool them. He made the people around him better by inspiring them - sort of like what Deion Sanders did this past week at Colorado. Its not all fluff - it matters. Ray Lewis was a better LB than Brian Urlacher, but Brian Urlacher had serious LB skills.

and a new QB named Caleb

100%, and this is the biggest question of the 2023 Bears season.

Urlacher did more different things at his position, but Lewis had a rare ability to lead and take a game over. I do agree with Ashkum that Urlacher did it in the Cardnals game. But it was the only time i saw that from him. It's a great example of what I'm talking about though, I totally agree Ashkum! But Lewis regularly willed his team to victory. I remember the playoff game against Eddie George and the Titans. George was a monster that year, but all week long Lewis said he was soft and that Lewis would take the ball away from him. Sure enough in the 3rd quarter, George was hit by Lewis, who ripped the ball away from him - didnt strip him, just TOOK it. George might not have crumbled, but Lewis had piled so much meaning on that all during the week, that George had his head in his hands on the sidelines and the Ravens won the game. That goes beyond playing the linebacker position. That's next level winner stuff. That's why if i was building a middle linebacker, and i could give him the physical skillset, Id choose Urlacher as a model (hi Tremaine Edmunds!) BUT if i was building an all time defense of players in their prime thru a draft process, I'd pick Lewis waaaay before Id choose Urlacher.

I think Getsy did a good job with no weapons, no line, and therefore a large part of his playbook unavailable to him. Despite all that, we led the league in rushing. Of course if our numbers look like last year this year, then any and all of them could be fired. But i dont see anything from last year that tells me that is likely at all. I think we will be liking Getsy and Flus a lot this year. I'm actually less sold on Williams. But he had his hands tied behind his back too last year, so let's see what he's got. To answer the question directly - if we get 7 wins I dont think Flus or Getsy is fired. Of course it depends on how they get there. If they lose the locker room, or make stupid mistakes, that might be a reason to be fired, but if they get 7 wins and do a decent job with the team management, I dont think they are in the hot seat at all going into year 3.

Right, but Gordon is listed as starting CB2, and Stevenson is listed as second string CB behind Johnson. In nickel, we all know what's gonna happen, but in base 4-3 defense, who is the corner on the field with Johnson?

Carter is trouble. We will see how he does in Philly with all those safeguards around him - things he just didnt have. i STILL think hes gonna flame out even with all that. But regardless, I also think Wright is gonna be a hall of famer. Its WAAAAY early, but that's my intuition on him.

Urlacher was a physical specimen who could do more different things than most linebackers. He was absolutely amazing. But in terms of taking a team on your back and willing them to victory, it pains me to say it, but Ray Lewis was the better linebacker.

I have a hard time believing that when Sanborn is on the field, Gordon will play the 2nd corner rather than Stevenson. I totally agree with you Grizzly, that in Nickel, Gordon will play the interior nickleback, and Stevenson will be on the outside at CB2. I also think Sewell will push Sanborn for playing time. I think Feeney will get on the field when he knows the calls. Can Whitehair call the protections from the LG until Feeney knows the system? And I see Freeman pushing Herbert for the starting job too, at least until Roschon comes on. The evolution at those positions is gonna be fun. Also gonna be watching Claypool for signs of life.

either way youre in the ballpark. I see this team having somewhere between 7 to 10 wins. Probably 8 or 9.

right, and it's also how a tough running game opens up the screen passing game and play action. If they want to try to shoot the gaps with run blitzes theyre gonna be tired, and were gonna burn them with QB scrambles, screens and end arounds, not to mention throwing the ball downfield to Moore and the rest.

Im with you. I dont want single super bowl visits because a double doink went thru. That's how you go to and lose a Super Bowl. I want to see us dominate. I want people afraid to play us. i want to assume 12 victories at the beginning of the season, and be in the fight with a few other teams for a Super Bowl win in multiple seasons. I think Poles is trying to build something sustainable that could be like that. it wont be this year. But Im with you 100% - I dont want a lucky fumble to give us wins - i want to dominate teams. I had a hit of this in 1985, and i am looking for that next fix. We havent had anything like that since. But I do think we could become a top 5 team across multiple years. I cant wait to watch them build it this year, and then add more ingredients next year, and watch the whole thing build up into a REAL football team. Lets go!

ha me too - well I watched the first 10 minutes. Madden VJ > real life VJ lol

Can I just say? I am SO excited to see this team together on the field at once for 60 minutes.

exactly. He needs to show something he hasnt shown before, or hes not gonna last long.

I think he is definitely on the bubble, and won't be on the team in 2024, if he isnt cut or traded sooner. It's too bad too, because he really is fast. I should add that I will be thrilled to be proven wrong.

I completely agree, and Im sure that's what Poles was thinking too, but I think he might be pretty dumb, and runs the wrong routes etc. I fully agree with you about the role youre thinking of for him, and his speed definitely supports that, but something isnt clicking with the guy. I mean look at how poor his judgement is on punts. Youd think (I think too!) that it cant be THAT hard to feed him like three plays and get him in there for a few snaps, but maybe he just doesnt have that? Anyway we'll see - when hes going the right direction, his speed is definitely there on the field.