Tag: Chicago Bears (Page 15 of 49)

      Suh only has self to blame for penalty against Cutler, Bears

      December 5, 2010 /
      DETROIT - AUGUST 28: Ndamukong Suh of the Detroit Lions looks on prior to playing the Cleveland Browns in a preseason game on August 28, 2010 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

      Some Lions fans are missing the point regarding Ndamukong Suh’s unnecessary roughness penalty in the fourth quarter of the Bears’ 24-20 win over the Lions on Sunday.

      Regardless of whether or not he hit Jay Cutler in the head or did something to deserve the penalty doesn’t really matter. What matters is that there were other ways to bring Cutler down besides breaking out a forearm shiver and Suh decided to go MMA anyway.

      For those that missed the play, the Bears were down 20-17 midway through the fourth quarter and driving inside the red zone. Cutler scrambled for an 8-yard gain and as he was falling to the ground, Suh drove his forearm into Cutler’s back and may have grazed his head. (I say “may have” because it depends on who you root for. It’s either clear that Suh hit Cutler in the head or it’s clear that he just hit Cutler’s upper back. Ah, fans.)

      Suh was flagged 15 yards for unnecessary roughness on the play, which gave the Bears a first-and-goal at Detroit’s 7-yard line. They scored on the next play and eventually went on to win, 24-20.

      Following the game, Suh said: “I was just going out there to make a play, get the ball out. We were in a tight situation in the red zone. We have to stop them some way from getting a touchdown. Obviously he broke a tackle. I had a great angle to make a play and get the ball out, and that’s what I went after.”

      Okay, but there are other ways to try and knock the ball out – ways that won’t draw a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. He could have grabbed Cutler with one arm and tried to strip the ball with his free hand. He could have given Cutler a bear hug (no pun intended) and tried to punch the ball out that way. He could have read Cutler his favorite bedtime story and hoped that the quarterback let go of the ball while falling asleep.

      All good options (well, that last one is debatable), none of which involves throwing a forearm to, or around the back of Cutler’s head.

      Lion fans feel they have a gripe and maybe they do. But the bottom line is that the play was completely avoidable on Suh’s part.

      External Sports, NFL

      NFL Week 12 COY power rankings

      December 5, 2010 /

      The coach of the year carousel continues to spin each week in this crazy NFL season….

      1. Todd Haley, Kansas City Chiefs—Bonus points if he runs up the score today against the Chiefs at home.

      2. Steve Spagnuolo, St. Louis Rams—Yes, they are just 5-6 but that is good for a tie of first place in the NFC West. Say it out loud—the Rams could be playoff bound.

      3. Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles—Temporary setback against the Bears last week but in the driver’s seat for the NFC East crown.

      4. Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons—Tough win at home against the Packers keeps Smitty in the hunt.

      5. Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears—That mid-season swoon seemed to be an aberration rather than the rule, and Lovie has this bunch believing.

      6. Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Bucs—Lost big to Pittsburgh and Baltimore, which knocks Raheem down from the top.

      7. (tie) Bill Belichick, New England Patriots and Rex Ryan, New York Jets—We’re going to leave these two tied until after they face each other on Monday night.

      8. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers—If Stevie Johnson hangs on to that OT pass, we’re probably knocking Tomlin off this list, fair or not.

      9. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens—He knows this is the Ravens’ favorite time of year and expects to win in December.

      10. Tom Coughlin, New York Giants—Holding his team together through injuries, some mental lapses on the field and a tough schedule.

      External Sports, NFL

      There’s no denying it now: The Bears are for real

      November 28, 2010 /
      CHICAGO - NOVEMBER 28: Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles fumbles the ball as he is sacked by Julius Peppers of the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on November 28, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

      Call them lucky, I know I have.

      Call them flukes – I’ve done that, too.

      But there’s really no disputing it now: The Bears are for real.

      All eyes were on the Eagles heading into Sunday. They were one of the hottest teams in the league with one of the hottest quarterbacks, and many people believed that they were the best team in the NFC. But while all eyes were on Michael Vick, Jay Cutler stole the show in the Bears’ 31-26 victory.

      Cutler completed 14-of-21 passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns, but more importantly he didn’t throw an interception. His offensive line, which has improved over the past three weeks or so, gave him plenty of time to find open receivers and he shredded a depleted Philadelphia secondary. He displayed tremendous poise and confidence, and he never forced the ball (something that has become a habit of his) into coverage. He now has nine touchdowns to just three picks in his last four games for a Chicago team that is now one full game ahead of Green Bay (which lost to Atlanta on Sunday) in the NFC Central.

      Vick, on the other hand, spent most of the game trying to avoid a Bears’ front four that dominated the trenches. He did complete 29-of-44 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns, but he was picked off for the first time all year (in the red zone, of all places) and he gained most of his yards through the air in the fourth quarter when Chicago was playing prevent. He was good, but Julius Peppers (who has been worth his huge contract, even if he isn’t racking up sacks) and the Bears were better.

      At 8-2, the Bears are now in great position to make the postseason but they still have a tough row to hoe. They’re at Detroit next week, but then play the Patriots at home, the (rejuvenated?) Vikings in Week 15, the Jets in Week 16 and the Packers in Week 17. The season could still wind up in the gutter, but if they play like they did on Sunday against Philadelphia, then Da Bears will be playoff bound.

      External Sports, NFL

      NFL Week 11.1 COY power rankings

      November 28, 2010 /

      Are the Bucs for real? Who knows, but their coach sure is.

      1. Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Bucs—Despite how well the Falcons and Saints are playing, the Bucs are making a case for three teams to come out of the NFC South for the playoffs.

      2. Todd Haley, Kansas City Chiefs—If he can hold off the Chargers, he’ll stay here. But that’s a big IF.

      3. Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles—Raise your hand if you picked the Eagles to win the NFC East. That’s what I thought.

      4. Steve Spagnuolo, St. Louis Rams—One game out of first, and it’s almost December. Yeah, the NFC West is kind of a joke, but still.

      5. Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons—The current top seed in the NFC. I wonder what Bobby Petrino is doing these days.

      6. (tie) Bill Belichick, New England Patriots and Rex Ryan, New York Jets—The mad scientist is probably watching film of the Jets all holiday weekend to get a jump; but don’t think Rex isn’t doing the same.

      7. Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears—He’ll stay here if his team beats Green Bay again (January 2 at Lambeau).

      8. Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars—They’re what? Leading the AFC South after Week 11?

      9. Tom Cable, Oakland Raiders—Hard to believe this guy was so close to losing his job a year ago, and look at him now.

      10. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers—Things were bleak in Pittsburgh after a crappy end to 2009 and not having Big Ben for four games to start 2010. But now they are 7-3 and one of the better teams in the AFC.

      External Sports, NFL

      NFL Week 10 COY power rankings

      November 21, 2010 /

      Definitely a balance of power shift here. But that’s why the NFL is so great.

      1. Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Bucs—Look at the standings in the AFC South (Falcons 7-2, Saints and Bucs 6-3). And ask yourself, “Did I see this coming?”

      2. Tom Cable, Oakland Raiders—Tied for first in the AFC West with the Chiefs. Really?

      3. Todd Haley, Kansas City Chiefs—A bad showing in Denver, but still exceeding expectations in a big way.

      4. Steve Spagnuolo, St. Louis Rams—Seriously, no one expected 4-5 at this point and real contention, much less with a rookie quarterback.

      5. Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles—Does anyone else think the plan all along was to run Donovan McNabb out of town and then eventually start Michael Vick?

      6. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks—Is anyone going to give the Seahawks’ new coach credit for having them in first place on November 21?

      7. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots—Follows up a crushing loss to Cleveland with a thumping of the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

      8. Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears—After they started 3-0 and then Jay Cutler was assaulted by the Giants, a tailspin ensued. But now it’s all bright and sunny in the Windy City.

      9. Tom Coughlin, New York Giants—Okay, so after five wins in a row, the crap hit the fan last Sunday against Dallas. But Coughlin has this way of making his team look Super Bowl bound most of the time.

      10. Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons—It’s almost like no one is paying attention to this team, but they are serious contenders.

      External Sports, NFL

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