adam

At this point we just need a 10th, if you have someone and no one pops in here in the next hour, then go with who you got.

Played with Wright, so I am sure there was some inside info there.

I know we have low expectations, but if the team was going to make a legit shot at the playoffs, who is the key to success? If this player fails, the team is going to struggle?

So we added Andrew DePaola, LS Tre McBride, WR Taquan Mizzell, RB and waived/cut: Langford, Braunecker, Overbaugh

I don't know if that is the best analogy. The Bears are trying to improve and you do that on every spot on the roster, to include the PS. With how injuries are nowadays, you need your subs to step in and play near starter level, and when they go down the next guy fills in with minimal drop off. For Gentry, he was signed to the PS, so we are good. If someone gets hurt, or underproduces, he will get a chance. Also, he was a UDFA, so even if he might not help us this year (and I don't know if we want him to), but there seemed to be enough there where he could improve and become at least a solid #2. Meredith came up the same way. White, a top 10 pick has done less in 3 preseasons and 2 regular seasons.

I like to look back at the results of Week 1 last season to see if there is any relationship or correlation. Last year, we lost to HOU 24-13, Week 1, but had a 14-13 lead entering the 4th quarter. Langford was the starting RB and Howard did not get a touch. We intercepted Osweiler once, and sacked him twice, but Miller had over 100 yards rushing. I would say that ATL is a much better overall team than HOU but HOU probably has a better defense. I would say that we have an improved team overall but that is mainly on the defensive side of the ball. Atlanta lost to TB in Week 1, 31-24, and never led after TB took the lead in the 2nd quarter. TB built an 18 pt lead and made ATL one-dimensional. In their 5 losses, teams held them with less than 400 total yards in 4 of the 5 games, and they had at least one turnover in 4 of their 5 losses. So the formula is to prevent 400 total yards and get at least one turnover. Easier said than done, but doable. I don't see this as a blowout and ATL is only a (-7) right now which is interesting for a SB team vs a 3-13 team. That leads me to believe that the experts believe this is going to be a closer game than the public does. I am also going with an upset, Bears 27-24 with Atlanta scoring a late TD to make the score look closer.

Quarterbacks (3): Mike Glennon, Mark Sanchez, Mitchell Trubisky. Grade: B- (immobile top 2 hurt the group, until Trubisky starts, then A) Running backs (4): Tarik Cohen, Benny Cunningham, Jordan Howard, Taquan Mizzell . Grade: A- (I like this group, good mix of skills, Cohen the wild card) Fullbacks (1): Michael Burton. Grade: C+ (meh, zone blocking uses one) Receivers (6): Josh Bellamy, Deonte Thompson, Markus Wheaton, Kevin White, Kendall Wright, Tre McBride. Grade: D- (w/o Meredith we have no true #1 unless White steps up and performs like his draft status) Tight ends (4): Daniel Brown, Zach Miller, Adam Shaheen, Dion Sims. Grade: B+ (Decent versatile group, good pass catching and blocking) Offensive linemen (8): Tom Compton, Hroniss Grasu, Charles Leno Jr., Kyle Long, Bobby Massie, Josh Sitton, Bradley Sowell, Cody Whitehair. Grade: A- (Realy dependent on the health of Long and if Leno earns his payday at LT) Defensive linemen (5): Jonathan Bullard, Eddie Goldman, Roy Robertson-Harris, Akiem Hicks, Mitch Unrein. Grade: A (Might be the best group on the team with Hicks playing at an All-Pro level and the chaos potential of RRH) Linebackers (8): Sam Acho, Leonard Floyd, Jerrell Freeman, Christian Jones, Nick Kwiatkoski, Pernell McPhee, Danny Trevathan, Willie Young. Grade: B+ (Freeman a tackling machine and Floyd's potential make this a very solid group) Defensive backs (11): Adrian Amos, Prince Amukamara, Deon Bush, Bryce Callahan, Marcus Cooper, Quintin Demps, Kyle Fuller, Deiondre' Hall, Eddie Jackson, Cre’Von LeBlanc, Sherrick McManis. Grade: C (I am not sold on this group yet, I just haven't seen the results, especially on takeaways) Specialists (3): Connor Barth, Pat O'Donnell, Andrew DePaola. Grade: C+ (Lost our LS, Barth ok, Megapunt has never lived up to his 70+ yard punt YouTube videos) For me, the worst group is probably our WR's unless we bring someone else in. Wright is consistent in the slot, but we need teams to fear White, otherwise, it will impact the running game. Also, check out Glennon with and w/o Meredith. He was ok to bad with Meredith and terrible w/o him. This is something to watch. Who is Glennon's go to guy now?

The only thing I can think of is a trade or roster move that grabs WR off another squad for the 53. I would be surprised, but hope he clears and makes it to the PS.

I am perplexed as well, compared to other Preseason heroes, he seemed like he had enough skills to make the squad considering how thin we are at WR.

Roster cuts: RB Josh Rounds FB Freddie Stevenson TE Mycole Pruitt OL Taylor Boggs OL Will Poehls OL Brandon Greene OL Diegot Joseph OL Mitchell Kirsch OL Cyril Richardson WR Victor Cruz WR Tanner Gentry WR Daniel Braverman WR Titus Davis WR Alton Howard DL Jaye Howard DL John Jenkins DL Kapron Lewis-Moore DL C.J. Wilson DL Rashaad Coward LB Alex Scearce LB Kelvin Sheppard LB Dan Skuta LB John Timu LB Jonathan Anderson LB Isaiah Irving CB Rashaad Reynolds CB Johnthan Banks CB B.W. Webb DB DeAndre Houston-Carson DB Harold Jones-Quartey K Roberto Aguayo Reserved/Injured QB Connor Shaw RB Ka'Deem Carey LB Lamarr Houston WR Cameron Meredith OL Jordan Morgan DB Chris Prosinski

I wouldn't completely discount it. Just because he is not doing something he is good at doesn't necessarily mean he is bad at it and people don't want him. This business has exploded in the last decade and the competition is tough. He may not be the best but following him, he is spot on most of the time. I know he had a bone to pick with the organization and at times can be overly critical. However in this case, 7-9 seems completely in the realm of the possible.

For me Trubisky is right where he needs to be, he was the #2 pick and has performed as advertised. Interestingly enough, Mahomes went as the #2 QB and has performed equally as good as Trubisky and their numbers are almost identical for the preseason (MT: 36-53, 67.9%, 364 yds, 3 TD, 0 INT to PM: 34-54, 63%, 390 yds, 4 TD, 0 INT). If Mahomes is compared to Cutler, I would see more bad passes or INT's and that has not been the case with Mahomes. I think there are some maturity concerns, but if he has no pressure on him to start day 1 in KC with Smith there, I think they may have found their next franchise QB. For the others, I don't really want to bring Kizer into the discussion as a 2nd round pick, but if you had to compare, his 51% completion pct is awful and he looks like any other 2nd round QB. I just don't see him becoming a franchise QB at this point and was surprised that they are going with him this year as their starter. Watson for me has been a disappointment, and I really thought he was the consensus #1 QB in this draft. However, he has looked bad. Outside of one or two highlight reel plays, he has been very inconsistent. If he ever makes it, it won't be for awhile. He seems like Manziel with no off the field issues.

Funny you say this and sure enough, Trubisky gets hit late out of bounds.

If the Bears plan was the have Trubisky hand off 10 times out of 14, for the game, then Mission accomplished. Of the 4 passes he has attempted, they all have been of the dink and dunk variety. I am still confused. Why not install some sort of game plan, have a normal mix of runs and passes, etc? Didn't the O-Line need work on Pass Pro, RB's picking up blitzes, etc? Shaw already in, Trubisky's night already done. What was the point?

9 straight runs to start the game, 3x 3 and outs.

8 straight runs.

So Trubisky starts and we run 6 straight times for 2x 3 and outs. What the hell is this? That was the game plan coming in? Why would they not have some scripted plays? I am so confused. So they use 6 offensive plays to see how Trubisky hands off? WTF

To add insult to injury, Cleveland is not playing Kizer tonight vs the Bears because he has been named the Week 1 starter. I find that funny because he could use the reps more than Trubisky at this point (they both equally need the experience).

I was asking more than telling, and I think with the Meredith injury that he would fill the hole before Cruz who is more of a slot receiver. I didn't know Wheaton's or Bellamy's status so I put them under the cut line. With Bellamy's ST duties, he obviously has more value. I believe Gentry has played on ST as well.

No starters play in the 4th preseason game, unfortunately. Most of the players will be vying for the final spots on the 53-man and PS.

With the tough loss of Meredith, it looks like we will carry 6 WRs? 1. White 2. Wright 3. Gentry 4. Thompson --------------- 5. Cruz 6. Davis/Bellamy/Wheaton Wheaton hasn't played as far as I know, and Bellamy is also hurt. 2 QB Glennon/Trubisky 4 RB Howard/Cohen/Langford/Cunningham 4 TE Sims/Miller/Shaheen/Brown 6 WR White/Wright/Gentry/Thompson/Cruz/Davis 8 OL Whitehair/Long/Sutton/Leno/Massie/Compton/Grasu/Morgan 1 Flex (1 of Stevenson-FB/Bellamy-WR/Wheaton-WR/Braunecker-TE)

Stats so far: Mitchell Trubisky - 34-48, 354, 70.8%, 7.4, 3-0 Mike Glennon - 26-44, 243, 59.1%, 5.5, 2-2 Glennon is a lock for opening day at this point, and will probably start the first few games. He definitely has some red flags that come out in the stats. 11% less in completion percentage (and he had easier throws), almost 2 yds less per attempt (dink and dunk game plan in game 2) and a TD-INT of 1:1. Those are all bad. You won't win very many games with those numbers. For the completion pct, that puts Glennon between Siemian and Osweiler/Bortles from 201. Ironically the same as Jay Cutler last year. That would be good for 30th for qualified leaders. The 5.5 yds per attempt is so low that the closest QB's last year were Goff at 5.3 and Osweiler at 5.8. No other QB with 200 or more attempts was under 6.2. Those are alarming numbers. The inability to complete a pass will lead to a lot of missed 3rd downs. The low average per attempt will impact the running game with an extra guy in the box. The only other thing that could be happening is that the Bears don't want to show their hand and want teams to think we are a dink and dunk offense and Glennon comes out Week 1 throwing bombs. We would all be fooled.

Two guys hit him below the waist and that's not a cheap hit? One goes right for the knee from one side (initial contact with helmet was on the knee), the 2nd guy hits him thigh high and that's with him going down. If he is still upright, the 2nd dude hits him square in the knee as well. Take a look at this: https://twitter.com/BarstoolChief/status/901862496511905792

Meredith out, most likely for the season sucks. That high low hit was cheap. Now it looks like guys on the bubble Cruz/Wheaton will make the team. Time for Kevin White to step up and be a #1.

Now that is the Glennon I was looking for. 9-12 for 107 yds and a TD. Even the incompletions were decent throws.