What are some of the big questions heading into this week’s action in the NFL?

1. Can the Bears survive without Cutler?
In a word, yes. Remember, this was the same team that once went to the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman at the controls. They have a physical, unrelenting defense led by Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers, a star at running back in Matt Forte, and the most dangerous returner in the league in Devin Hester. But the biggest question is whether or not Mike Martz will adjust. Leopards don’t change their spots and Martz is a leopard thru and thru. If he wants to run his offense with Caleb Hanie the same as if Jay Cutler were under center then the Bears are going to die a very quick death. But if Martz relies on Forte and the running game and allows Chicago’s defense and special teams to win games, then there’s no reason the Bears can’t still make the playoffs with Hanie under center.

2. Can the Lions bring down the Pack?
This is the moment the Detroit Lions have been waiting for all season: To finally be able to punch the bully back. The Packers have been abusing the Lions for years but now Detroit is bigger, better and meaner. The way to beat any elite quarterback is to pressure him using only the front four because it allows a defense to drop the rest of its defenders into coverage. And thanks to guys like Ndamukong Suh, Willie Young and Cliff Avril, the Lions have one of the best pass rushes in the league. Aaron Rodgers will make plays; that’s just what he does. But the Lions certainly have the pass rushers to make his Thanksgiving a little uncomfortable if the secondary can hang with guys like Jordy Nelson in coverage. The biggest question is whether or not Matthew Stafford can avoid mistakes. Turnovers will kill the Lions but otherwise, they have the tools to slay the dragon. Now they just have to go out do it.

3. Can Leinart keep the Texans moving ahead?
The Texans own a two-game lead over the Titans in the AFC South but Matt Leinart hasn’t taken a snap in a regular season game since 2009. And when he did have his opportunities to start, he flubbed things up pretty good. But from Kurt Warner to Rich Gannon to Kerry Collins, there have been plenty of quarterbacks who prospered after first facing adversity in their careers. Leinart has first-round talent but. he wasn’t ready to lead in Arizona. That said, he’s older, wiser and hopefully more mature. Armed with a great running game and a defense playing at the top of its game, the Texans are playoff-ready. All Leinart has to do is manage games and not muck things up but can he do it?

4. Can Sanchez restore what little confidence he has?
The Bills are a wounded animal lying on the side of the road right now and all the Jets have to do is come by and put it out of its misery. But knowing Mark Sanchez, he’ll probably shoot the Bills in the leg and try to finish them off with a shovel, leaving his defense to clean up the mess. What? Sanchez has lost whatever confidence he once had and is playing not to lose. The Jets don’t need that right now. They need a leader to take charge and get them back to the playoffs because Rex Ryan’s defense is a Super Bowl-caliber unit. But this team doesn’t have a running game so it’s up to Sanchez to make plays with his arm. Thus far, he hasn’t shown the ability to do that on a consistent basis. Now is the time though. Again, Buffalo is finished. Fred Jackson is hurt and Ryan Fitzpatrick is an even bigger mess than Sanchez is right now. This is a perfect opportunity for Sanchez to right the ship and start playing with a little confidence.

5. Which Harbaugh has the better team?
All three Thanksgiving matchups bring something to do the table but the NFL Network may have saved the best for last. Jim vs. John makes for a nice fluffy storyline for the cable news networks (since fluff is all they are these days), but the real story is whether or not the 9-1 Niners can knock off the 7-3 Ravens playing a Baltimore-brand of football. San Francisco likes to pound the ball on the ground and play great defense, not unlike its counterpart on Thursday night. It’ll be interesting to see if the Niners’ stout defense can fluster Joe Flacco and the inconsistent Raven offense. Baltimore has a habit of playing up to its competition though, so this should be a great game throughout.

6. Can the Eagles get back into the playoff chase?
All the Giants had to do Sunday night was beat the Eagles and send them away but they couldn’t do it. Now Philly has a chance to get back into the NFC playoff picture with a win against the Patriots on Sunday because the Giants play in New Orleans on Monday and Dallas has a tough match against a red-hot Miami team on Thursday. Of course, beating Tom Brady is easier said than done. The Eagles’ defense looked great against Eli Manning and the Giants but they’ve been inconsistent all year. Also, if Michael Vick can’t play again will Vince Young be able to win two big games in a row? Young has always been good in small doses but the more a team leans on him, the more likely he’ll fall in the end. This will be a great matchup on Sunday evening.

For those wondering, no, Brian Urlacher wasn’t yelling at teammate Lance Briggs on the sidelines during the Chicago Bears’ Week 5 loss to the Detroit Lions on Monday night.

“Everyone asked me what happened after the game: ‘Was I yelling at Lance on the sideline?’ I said: ‘I wasn’t yelling at Lance on the sideline. He didn’t do anything wrong,” Urlacher said. “We were both mad because we aren’t used to this. As long as (Briggs) and I have been here, we haven’t played like this.”

It’s been a frustrating year for the 2-3 Bears, who rank 29th in yards allowed per game (419.6) and 17th in points allowed (24.4). Chicago’s play has been down all season, from a poor pass rush to a suspect run defense that allowed Detroit’s Jahvid Best to rush for 163 yards on just 12 carries. In four games prior to his performance on Monday, Best had yet to total more than 72 yards in a single game, which came back in Week 1 against Tampa Bay.

Julius Peppers’ knee injury that he suffered against the Lions only compounds the Bears’ issues on that side of the ball. Peppers has yet to be ruled out for this Sunday’s game against the Vikings, but a sprained MCL usually takes weeks to heal. Briggs also requested a trade at the beginning of the year, so things aren’t going the way the Bears expected they would, especially considering they hosted the NFC Championship Game a year ago.

The NFL pick gods couldn’t stand that I had a winning record, so they dealt me a nice crap sandwich last week.

The Vikings (thanks for that pick-six at the end of the game, Lord Favre), Bills and Broncos were all losers while my only winner was the Redskins over Packers (which came down to overtime, so clearly I was knocking on the door of a 0-4 week). Ugh.

Let’s get back on the winning track.

Falcons @ Eagles, 1:00PM ET
The Falcons have some sort of complex with the Eagles that they can’t seem to shake. I fully believe they’re the better team, but Andy Reid has had their number of late, as his teams have won seven of the last eight matchups. The fact that this game is being played in Philly doesn’t bode well for Atlanta’s chances either, as the Falcons haven’t won in the “City of Brotherly Love” since dragons roamed the earth. (What? Dragons aren’t real? Not buying it.) The Falcons have been grinding out wins the past three weeks, but I think the Eagles’ aggressive defense will give “Matty Ice” issues this Sunday.
THE PICK: EAGLES -2.5

Seahawks @ Bears, 1:00PM ET
I wouldn’t take the Seahawks against my old high school if they were playing on the road, as Seattle absolutely loses its mind when it doesn’t have the “12th Man” behind them. The Bears get a lift with Jay Cutler back from a one-week hiatus due to a concussion and as long as he protects the ball, his defense should give him plenty of opportunities to score. Julius Peppers has meant the world to Brian Urlacher and the rest of Chicago’s defense and I don’t see the Hawks getting into the end zone too many times come Sunday.
THE PICK: BEARS –6.5

Cowboys @ Vikings, 4:15PM ET
Ah, the battle of underachievement. Did anyone else notice on Monday night that as soon as Lord Favre started slinging touchdown passes that he immediately grabbed his elbow after one of the throws? I know he’s been bothered both elbow tendinitis, but the pessimist in me thought it was a little convenient that as soon as he was about to step into the role of hero again, he made a public display about his injury. Give me a break. Anyway – the Cowboys have some serious issues and for once, they go far beyond their self-destructive tendencies. If Wade Phillips can’t figure out what’s wrong with the defense then this team is going to fold like a deck of cards. I think Minnesota’s offense started to figure things out in the second half last week, which leads me to believe the Vikes will figure out a way to win this Sunday – Favre’s elbow be damned.
THE PICK: VIKINGS -1

Raiders @ 49ers, 4:05PM ET
The 49ers shouldn’t be laying 6.5 points to anyone right now – even the Raiders. I’m going to go against my better judgment and take Oakland, even though I think this is a trap. Of course, I thought the Bills’ opponents were traps the past two weeks and Buffalo went ahead and took a dump in the middle of my living room floor and then said here, you clean it up. The Niners are a bad football team and while the same can be said for the Raiders, at least they’ve shown sign of life this season. Give me the points.
THE PICK: RAIDERS +6.5

Season Record: 7-8-1

2010 NFL Division Previews & Predictions: AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West | NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West | 2010 Question Marks Series

The NFC North will challenge the NFC East this year for being the toughest division in the conference. Three of the four teams are legit playoff contenders, while the Lions only continue to improve as a whole.

Here’s how I see things shaking out in the NFC North in 2010. Be sure to check out the link entitled “2010 Question Mark” under each team’s preview, which is a breakdown of one or two potential weaknesses that could derail that squad’s hopes this season.

1. Packers

What to Like: Given how well he played last year, Aaron Rodgers should be considered a MVP candidate this season. The fact that he was able to throw for 4,434 yards and compile a 103.2 QB rating despite constantly being under pressure is rather amazing. Just think about what he could accomplish this year if the O-line gave him even a fraction of a second more time to throw. Rodgers will lead a passing attack that racked up 261.3 yards per game last season, which was good for seventh in the NFL. He also has an assortment of weapons to throw to, namely receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, as well as rising talent Jermichael Finley. In the backfield, Ryan Grant continues to be underrated and is coming off a 1,253-yard, 11-touchdown season. Defensively, Dom Capers was a miracle worker in his first year, as Green Bay led the NFC in total defense despite switching to the 3-4 (most first-year 3-4 teams struggle). Rookie Clay Matthews turned out to be a phenomenal pass-rusher and Nick Barnett was outstanding in the middle, both against the run and in coverage. Despite his age, Charles Woodson (33) continues to play at an elite level.
What Not to Like: The offensive line was a disaster at times last year, save for the play of right guard Josh Sitton. If Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher can make it through an entire season without suffering injuries, this will be a much-improved unit and then Rodgers won’t have to spend most Sunday afternoons running for his life. But both tackles are in their 30s and injuries always seem to be an issue. At left guard, Daryn Colledge struggled, although it’s only fair to point out that he was out of position subbing at tackle. While Tramon Williams is more than capable of handling the starting corner position opposite Woodson, losing Al Harris (knee surgery) was a huge blow to Green Bay’s depth at secondary. The concern is that given Harris’ age (35) and the nature of his injury, he may never play again. The other potential issue on defense is whether or not B.J. Raji can handle playing nose tackle after a lackluster 2009 season as a 3-4 end. All good 3-4 teams have a stout nose tackle to eat up space and if Raji isn’t up for the task, it will certainly have an effect on the linebackers.
Keep Your Eye On: Jermichael Finley
Finley put himself on the map last season by catching 55 passes for 676 yards and five touchdowns in just 13 games. He finished the year by hauling in six passes for 159 yards in Green Bay’s loss to the Cardinals in the first round of the playoffs, leading to high expectations this year. If he can stay focused (which is the biggest concern with this youngster), he could put up fantastic numbers in the Packers’ explosive passing attack this season.
The Final Word: Expectations are high for the Packers this year, as well they should be. If the offensive line can stay healthy then this is the team to beat in the NFC North. The great thing is that Ted Thompson spent his first round draft pick on tackle/guard Bryan Bulaga, meaning Green Bay now has depth in case injuries do start to mount. Rodgers is the real deal and could lead the Pack deep into the playoffs if his O-line doesn’t get him killed first. Defensively, there are some concerns but Capers will make up for them by being aggressive. If the Packers can win the division and force opponents to come to Green Bay come January, then this will be a legitimate Super Bowl contender this season. The pieces are in place for this team to make a serious run.

Green Bay Packers 2010 Question Mark: Offensive Line

2. Vikings

What to Like: After a playing a rousing game of “Who can be more annoying?” with head coach Brad Childress, Lord Favre has decided to return for another year. (As if anyone had any doubts.) That’s good news given that a) Favre led the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game last season and b) he’s a significantly better option at quarterback than Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels. Adrian Peterson will once again join Favre in Minnesota’s backfield and as long as the fourth year back can cut down on the fumbles, he’ll punish opposing defenses on a weekly basis. Assuming migraines don’t hamper him like they did in training camp, Percy Harvin should continue to produce as one of the team’s top playmakers. He was highly impressive as a rookie last year and he’ll get even more opportunities to make plays now that Sidney Rice (hip surgery) will miss at least the first six weeks of the season. Defensively, the strength of the unit remains the front four thanks to massive DTs Pat Williams and Kevin Williams, as well as outstanding pass-rushers Jared Allen and Ray Edwards. E.J. Henderson returns in the middle after missing the team’s final four regular season games and all of the playoffs due to an injury.
What Not to Like: Although the man has never missed a game in his professional career, injuries are always a concern with the 192-year-old Favre. It remains to be seen if his surgically repaired ankle will hold up for an entire season so that he can lead the Vikings back into the playoffs. As previously mentioned, fumbles are a concern with AP, as is the O-line’s ability to open up running lanes, believe it or not. Steve Hutchinson struggled mightily in the running game, presumably because of lingering back and shoulder issues, as did Bryant McKinnie, who also dealt with plantar facilities in his feet. Phil Loadholt was a nice surprise, but even he had problems in the run-blocking department, as did center John Sullivan. Defensively, the secondary is a huge question mark, especially when you consider Cedric Griffin is likely to miss a lot of time due to the ACL injury he suffered in last year’s NFC title game. Lito Sheppard is coming off a decent year with the Jets, but he’s inconsistent and it remains to be seen whether rookie Chris Cook (who has impressed this offseason) and/or Asher Allen can be starters. Safeties Madieu Williams and Tyrell Johnson only add to the coverage concerns.
Keep Your Eye On: Percy Harvin
While the receiving corps shouldn’t be a concern this season, not having Rice will be. Rice really came into his own last season with Favre’s help and now that he’ll be out for most the year that means Harvin will be counted on even more than he was last year. Again, if migraines don’t slow him down, Harvin could be in store for a huge 2010.
The Final Word: I’m going with my gut here and predicting a major step back for the Vikings this season. There seems to be a different feel to this team this year, even with the return of Favre. I don’t think he’ll capture the magic he did last year and the defense (save for the line) could struggle because of its secondary. That said, this is still a winning team – I just don’t know how far they’ll go in the playoffs, or if they’ll even make the postseason. They play eight (count ‘em – eight!) playoff teams from a year ago and I have little to no faith in Childress over the course of an entire season. I think the Vikes come up short this year.

Minnesota Vikings 2010 Question Mark: Secondary

3. Bears

What to Like: Adding a skilled pass-rusher like Julius Peppers was a major coup for the Bears, who paid dearly for his services. Even though he has a tendency to take plays off, he has the ability to make the rest of the defense better around him and don’t forget he’s so athletic that new DC Rod Marinelli can use him in coverage to free up a linebacker to rush. I’ve never bought into the idea that Brian Urlacher (who missed virtually the entire 2009 season because of a wrist injury) was/is overrated. He’s not a dominant run-stuffer, but you saw what happened to Chicago’s defense last year when Nick Roach and Jamar Williams were manning the middle. One guy who will love having Urlacher back in the middle is Lance Briggs, whose play fell off a cliff last year because of Urlacher’s absence. Offensively, the hiring of Mike Martz will turn out to be a boom or bust decision for this team. Jay Cutler could wind up leading the league in passing touchdowns or set a new record for interceptions thrown in a single season. The good thing is that he’ll be throwing to a couple of receivers on the rise in Johnny Knox and Devin Aromashodu.
What Not to Like: For the second straight offseason, GM Jerry Angelo failed to upgrade the offensive line. Right guard Lance Louis may be an intriguing player, but he’s inexperienced and he’ll be playing next to a guy in Frank Omiyale that can’t seem to cut down on the penalties and mental errors. The Bears better hope that center Olin Kreutz can play as well as he did last year, and that third-year player Chris Williams can build off his decent second-half performance, or else Cutler will see a ton of pressure again this year. Defensively, whether it’s because of injuries, lack of focus and/or motivation, Tommie Harris hasn’t played well in two years. And if he doesn’t snap out of it, then the Bears are going to be thin on talent up the middle. The secondary is also a massive concern, as Charles Tillman was highly inconsistent last year and who knows what the team can expect out of other corner Zackary Bowman. Chris Harris was a good add this offseason, but the bottom line is that the entire unit has to play better or else the addition of Peppers and the re-addition of Urlacher will mean nothing.
Keep Your Eye On: Johnny Knox
Knox is the perfect fit at receiver in Martz’s offense and is already drawing comparisons to Torry Holt in terms of his route running. Whether or not he’ll become the playmaker Holt was is uncertain, but considering how good he has looked this offseason, there’s a good chance Knox will shine.
The Final Word: If the offensive line can’t open any holes for Matt Forte (who struggled last year in his sophomore season) and Chester Taylor, then the offense will become too one-dimensional and the passing game could suffer. Of course, thanks to Martz the offense will probably be one-dimensional anyway. One of the biggest complaints about Martz is that he’s too quick to ditch the running game and because he often uses three and four-receiver sets, that leaves one less blocker in to protect the quarterback. That doesn’t bode well for Cutler, who had a habit of chucking passes into coverage last season just to avoid taking sacks. Defensively, obviously Peppers and Urlacher are going to help, but the secondary is a massive concern. How will Marinelli fair in his first year as a defensive coordinator? Is Lovie Smith the answer at head coach? A lot of people love the Bears to make the playoffs this year and potentially be a sleeper in the NFC, but I see this team being no better than 8-8 with their O-line and defensive backfield concerns.

Chicago Bears 2010 Question Mark: Offensive Line

4. Lions

What to Like: Believe it or not, the offensive line became one of the Lions’ strengths in 2009. Before suffering a season-ending injury, right guard Stephen Peterman was playing great football and even Jeff Backus played more consistently. Center Dominic Railoa was solid as usual and there were signs that former first round pick Gosder Cherilus was starting to get it. Adding Rob Sims will only make this unit better, which is great news for young quarterback Matthew Stafford. And speaking of the young signal caller, he should make strides in his second year and he’ll have a couple of new weapons to throw to in Nate Burleson and Bryant Johnson, although Calvin Johnson will still receive the bulk of Stafford’s looks in the passing game. The defensive tackle issue has also been addressed thanks to Ndamukong Suh, who has already proved in preseason that he’s going to be one hell of a player. Bringing in Corey Williams and Kyle Vanden Bosch were solid moves to improve the defensive line, which is easily the strength of the defense. (Aside from free safety Louis Delmas, who is a rising star.)
What Not to Like: The secondary is a major concern for this team. Chris Houston (trade/Falcons) has all the athletic talent in the world, but he can’t seem to put it all together. He usually puts himself in position to make plays and then just can’t, as evidenced of the 66% of passes that were completed on him last season. On the other side, the Rams had an opportunity to re-sign restricted free agent Jonathan Wade on the cheap and decided to let him walk. Now the Lions are counting on him as a starter, which is troubling to say the least. The addition of C.C. Brown only compounds the team’s pass defense issues. And does this team have enough overall talent at linebacker?
Keep Your Eye On: Ndamukong Suh
I know you were already going to keep your eye on Suh, but I’ll remind you in case he gets lost in the shuffle of another losing season in Detroit. Most defensive tackles don’t make an impact until their third years, but Suh has the makings of something special. He’s a physical specimen at 6’4” and 307 pounds, one that can be a force against the run as well as a pass rusher. He’s going to beat slower offensive linemen at the snap and create a ton of havoc in opponents’ backfields. I can’t wait to see what this kid does on Sundays.
The Final Word: There’s no question that GM Martin Mayhew and head coach Jim Schwartz have this team moving in the right direction, but it’s still going to take some time. Mayhew knew when he took over last year that it would take a couple of years before he could field a roster that could compete and that hasn’t changed. The roster is still devoid of overall talent, even though players like Johnson, Stafford, Suh and Delmas have Detroit fans excited for the future. The Lions are the Ly-Downs no longer and will certainly give teams trouble this year, but a fourth place finish is probably on the horizon yet again.

Detroit Lions 2010 Question Mark: Pass Defense

SI.com’s Peter King released his first NFL power ranking for the 2010 season and has more than a handful of surprises, most notably at No. 1.

1. Green Bay. It’s not just the maturation of Aaron Rodgers. It’s the carryover from a fluky end to 2009 (the weird playoff loss at Arizona) and the fact that only one team in football — New Orleans — had a better point differential than the Pack’s plus-164 last year. I like Jermichael Finley to become a great player in his second starting season. I don’t trust the pass-rush (where Clay Matthews is the only real thing), and I worry about two of the top three corners coming off ACL surgery, and aging. But the defensive front is formidable, and a very good match for the good run teams of the AFC North. I also like Weeks 2 through 5 on the schedule (Buffalo, at Chicago, Detroit, at Washington), which sets up for a strong start.

This should make my colleague John Paulsen extremely happy. The Packers’ offense is explosive, although the offensive line will once again be the focus. Rodgers endured a ton of hits last season and those blows eventually catch up with a quarterback. His O-line must do a better job of protecting him for them to get back to the playoffs.

With Green Bay ranking first, King must have the Saints at No. 2, right? Wrong.

5. New Orleans. The Saints face a daunting task: Only four times in the last 30 seasons has a team repeated as Super Bowl champ (San Francisco in 1990, Dallas in 1994, Denver in 1999 and New England in 2005). The Saints will surely score enough to win again. The question is whether defensive coordinator Gregg Williams can tread water in 2010, because I think that’s all he’s going to have to do. New Orleans doesn’t have to be in the top 10 in defense — the Bills allowed 15 fewer points last year, the 49ers 60 — but Williams, again, will have to find a way to get pressure with middling front-seven talent and make sure the Saints don’t have to score in the 30s every week to win.

I think Carolina will be better, and Atlanta might be, so this is not a mail-it-in division race for New Orleans. But when the Saints had to pick it up last year, they did, in a big way. Will complacency bite them? That’s something you can never tell at this point of the offseason, but they’re young at enough important positions to make another Super Bowl run.

It’ll be interesting to see how good the Saints defense will be this year. They have a gaping hole at linebacker and who knows whether or not they’ll get the same production out of safety Darren Sharper (who is coming off knee surgery) as they did last year. That said, Sean Payton is a fantastic play caller and his offensive schemes are extremely difficult to beat. I’m more than a little surprised that King has the Saints ranked this low with their entire offense coming back, but as he notes, history isn’t on New Orleans’ side.

I think King has the Dolphins (six) and Panthers (eight) way too high. Carolina isn’t a top 10 team with Matt Moore under center, John Fox on the sidelines and Julius Peppers in Chicago. Conversely, I think he has the Vikings (No. 13) and Falcons (No. 16) too low. Full disclosure: I’m a Falcons fan, so I’ll admit I’m biased. But to have Atlanta ranked behind Carolina is a stretch given that the Falcons finished 9-7 last year despite a tough schedule and injuries to Matt Ryan and Michael Turner.

I don’t get SI.com’s fascination with the Panthers. I remember Dr. Z routinely had them in his top 10 over the past decade and now King is getting his knees dirty bowing down to them too. Don’t get me wrong, they’re a solid football team. Their rushing attack is outstanding, their offensive line is very good and their defense can be dominating at times. But No. 8? I don’t think so.

What does everyone else think? How did King do?

Photo from fOTOGLIF
]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/05/17/peter-king-releases-his-2010-nfl-power-rankings/feed/ 6 http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/05/13/is-this-a-make-or-break-year-for-matt-forte/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/05/13/is-this-a-make-or-break-year-for-matt-forte/#comments Thu, 13 May 2010 16:00:32 +0000 Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=39538

After Matt Forte racked up 1,715 total yards and 12 touchdowns his rookie year in 2008, the Bears felt as though they had a star in the making. He drew comparisons to Edgerrin James, given the backs’ similarities in balance, body control and burst.

But then something happened in Forte’s second year. His play dramatically fell off and while some like to chalk it up to a sophomore slump, the issues were deeper than that. The offensive line struggled to open holes for him and somewhere along the way he lost his confidence. He also had his knee scoped after the season, which might suggest that he played hurt too. It wasn’t just one thing that affected his play – it was a culmination of factors that limited him to fewer than 1,000 rushing yards and only four total touchdowns.

Whether Forte is due for a bounce back campaign or not, there will be one significant change this year than there was in 2009. And he goes by the name of Chester Taylor. The Bears didn’t have an answer for a slumping Forte last year, but this season Taylor is ready and willing to take over at the drop of a hat. The former Viking isn’t a one-man wrecking crew, but he has proven to be an effective back over his career and won’t hesitate to seize the moment if Forte struggles.

While suggesting that this is a make or break year for Forte is a bit extreme (after all, he’s only in his third year), he now has competition for touches. And maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe the presence of Taylor will help Forte stay fresh throughout the season and instill some of that confidence that he lost in ’09.

Of course, no matter who runs the ball, the offensive line must do a better jump opening up holes. There’s reason to believe that the Bears’ O-line will be just as bad as it was last year, as GM Jerry Angelo did nothing to address the massive issue in the offseason. The additions of Taylor, defensive end Julius Peppers and safety Chris Harris certainly make this team better, but sliding Frank Omiyale from guard to right tackle doesn’t constitute fixing the offensive line. So it’ll be interesting to see if Forte can build off the success he had in his rookie year, or if the Bears’ running game will once again fall apart at the feet of their offensive line.

Photo from fOTOGLIF
]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/05/13/is-this-a-make-or-break-year-for-matt-forte/feed/ 1 http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/03/05/the-good-bad-and-the-ugly-of-the-bears-signing-julius-peppers/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/03/05/the-good-bad-and-the-ugly-of-the-bears-signing-julius-peppers/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:01:08 +0000 Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=35810

If you’re a Chicago Bear fan, you’re probably going through a wave of emotions right now after learning that your team just signed free agent Julius Peppers to a six-year deal. So allow me to play NFL physiologist for a moment and break down what the signing could mean for the Bears.

The Good:
Peppers is a freak – a true athletic marvel. He’s averaged over 10 sacks a year in his eight-year career and racked up 25 QB takedowns in his past two seasons. Without question, the Bears needed to fill a massive void along their defensive line by adding a premier pass rusher, which they did by signing Peppers. He’s someone whose mere presence alone will make his teammates (Tommie Harris anyone?) better around him, by freeing them up to make plays. He was the crown jewel of the 2010 free agency period and he gives hope to a fan base that has been utterly dejected after the Bears crashed and burned in 2009 despite having high expectations following the Jay Cutler trade. Along with the deal for Cutler, the Peppers’ signing might also signal a new era for the Bears, one in which a once cheap organization will become more aggressive when it comes to acquiring new players.

The Bad:
There’s a strong possibility that Peppers won’t see the end of this contract. He’s already 30 and even though he’s an athletic monster, there are only a handful of defenders that are extremely productive well into their 30s. Even though they had to outbid the Eagles, Patriots and Daniel Snyder’s Redskins, $40 million is a lot of dough to pay an aging defender for the next three years.

The Ugly:
If you’re a Bears fan and you read the previous two paragraphs, chances are you’re still pretty stoked about the signing. But here’s where things get worrisome for the Chicago faithful: Peppers’ reputation for being lazy is well known. This was the same player that virtually took an entire year off in 2007 when he only registered 2.5 sacks in 14 games. He’s been known to take plays off, disappear for entire lengths of games and even run away from the action in order to avoid contact. When the Panthers wanted him to step up over the past couple years and be the leader of their defense, he declined. Last year, he produced 10.5 sacks but none of them came against divisional foes the Saints or the Falcons. His age is also a problem, as defensive ends seem to hit a brick wall at age 32. Twenty-nine defensive ends are in the top 50 for career sacks, averaging 10 sacks at age 30, 9.8 sacks at age 31, but only 7.3 sacks at age 32. Only eight of those 29 reached double digit sacks at 32, and four of those eight were among the best DEs to have ever played (Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Michael Strahan and Chris Doleman). So when it’s all said and done, the Bears might essentially be paying Peppers a three-year, $40 million contract in terms of production. That’s over $13 million a year, which is an awfully lot of money.

My final paragraph isn’t intended to kill the excitement for Bear fans. Peppers can be a game-changer that opposing offenses have to account for every down and his numbers speak for themselves outside of the ’07 season. It also has to be thrilling for fans to see their team finally spending money, seeing as how it’s been a long time since the Bears opened their wallets.

That said, Peppers probably won’t be worth the money in the end. If this were a player that could be counted on to play hard each and every week, the money might be justified. I realize the Bears had to overpay (it’s just the nature of the beast when it comes to free agency in the NFL), but there’s a good possibility that Chicago didn’t get much value here and won’t get what they paid for.

Still, it’s an awfully exciting day for the fine folks in “The Windy City.”

Update: Peppers’ contract was of the record-setting variety according to ESPN’s John Clayton. The official deal was for six years at $91.5 million, with $40 million guaranteed. Wow.