The Biggiesmalls Colts/Bears Post Game Thread

Post #1 » by **emperorjones** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:14 pm

This post game report brought to you by Superbowl Game Champ Biggiesmalls

Bears 41
Colts 21

Nice opening to our season, guys.

I am literally IN LOVE with the Cutler/Marshall connection. The Offense, as a whole, still needs time to gel, IMHO. I like seeing the 41 points on the board today, but I'm still not prepared to drop the O-Line from my list of concerns. The running game looks good with Forte & Bush, but damn I didn't know Bush was that slow . Our WR core may end up being the best combination in the league by season's end.

The Defense is growing as a concern to me. I know that we're slowed by injuries, but that killer instinct is not there yet. They seem to have been playing soft from the 2nd quarter on. Maybe it's Lovie's "safe" play-calling or simply the injuries, but we gave up too many yards today. Tim Jennings impressed me today....a whole lot. The LBs & safeties did nothing special today, IMO. The D-Line standouts today were Peppers & Melton.

I'm curious to hear what you guys saw differently (or the same) today. Please discuss....

---BIGGIEsmalls 23

Chewie · Post #2 » by **Chewie** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 9:17 pm

Just giddy that Cutler has some new toys to play with. Marshall looks like a beast out there and Cutler is going to target him all game long. Jeffery had a hell of a first game, too. Bennett will continue to fill the possession role and Hester is a threat in his own right. It just become a matter if the line is going to give Cutler time and if Cutler is going to try and get too cute in trying to thread the needle. Don't want to diminish Forte, either. Some nice runs in there and a sweet one handed grab that led to a big play.

On defense, for me, it was all about Jennings. He really makes up for his lack of size with that leaping ability. I saw Shea get man-handled a lot and, as I noted in the game thread, Roach was hot garbage but how much can you complain when you win like that?

Now if we can just activate Cheta against the Packers, the game will be in the bag. :wink:

WEFFPIM · Post #3 » by **WEFFPIM** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 9:29 pm

God, that was fun.

NW7 · Post #4 » by **NW7** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 9:35 pm

Very exciting game!

After a pathetic start to the game, the offense really got rolling. I always thought that a combination of Hester, Bennett and Knox just needed a true number 1 WR and that core would be really good. Without a true number 1 WR, those guys couldn't do their jobs effectively(shame Knox can't be part of this years offense). Well the addition of Marshall and what we saw today is surely showing what I always thought. Add in Jeffery to the mix and this WR core can be really really special. Obviously the start of the game was horrendous. Freeney going out with an injury helped us. After that though the line played almost average, which frankly is all we can ask for. I was a little concerned at times that Jay was forcing the ball a ton to Marshall (he had 15 targets!), but I'm sure that's just Jay just being excited to have his favorite toy back.

As far as the defense goes, a lot of positives and negatives. Hopefully Tillman is fine, any updates? Glad we were in position to have this game in hand early so Urlacher could get rest. Hopefully he can play more against the Packers this Thursday, we will need him. Peppers was his normal self. Tim Jennings and Henry Melton were awesome though. Melton might be the biggest X-Factor for the defense this year, outside Urlachers health.

1-0 and we head into our Thursday night game against the Packers game with a ton of confidence on the offensive side. Something this Bears squad hasn't been able to say for who knows how long.

BIGGIEsmalls 23 · Post #5 » by **BIGGIEsmalls 23** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 10:02 pm

Chewie wrote:On defense, for me, it was all about Jennings. He really makes up for his lack of size with that leaping ability.

NW7 wrote:Well the addition of Marshall and what we saw today is surely showing what I always thought................I was a little concerned at times that Jay was forcing the ball a ton to Marshall (he had 15 targets!), but I'm sure that's just Jay just being excited to have his favorite toy back.

JDRochholz · Post #6 » by **JDRochholz** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 10:13 pm

It's been awhile since we've had this much offense.....Great opening day win. Just hope Tillman is okay.

BIGGIEsmalls 23 · Post #7 » by **BIGGIEsmalls 23** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 10:30 pm

JDRochholz wrote:It's been awhile since we've had this much offense.....Great opening day win. Just hope Tillman is okay.

JD, I agree about Peanut. We need him against Green Bay. He seems to get up for the Packers.

JDRochholz · Post #8 » by **JDRochholz** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 10:34 pm

BIGGIEsmalls 23 wrote:
JDRochholz wrote:It's been awhile since we've had this much offense.....Great opening day win. Just hope Tillman is okay.

JD, I agree about Peanut. We need him against Green Bay. He seems to get up for the Packers.

Always been one of my favorite Bears. Best in the game at forcing fumbles.

WhatsLosinLike · Post #9 » by **WhatsLosinLike** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 11:57 pm

Cutler still try to force some throws, he wont be able to get away with better DBs.

I do love seeing Marshall on one side and Alshon on the other though!

MAQ · Post #10 » by **MAQ** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:27 am

I've been concerned about the defense for years now. I hate the cover 2/bend don't break mentality. Giving up 21 points in meaningful minutes is not a great look, but Peppers missed the first drive of the 2nd half, and Urlacher didn't play at all in the 2nd half I don't think. We need to tighten up there, but nothing new IMO. We always have needed to play well on that side of the ball. The worst part about this is the fact that we still had 4 takeaways on defense. With that many takeaways, we have to give up fewer yards/points.

The offense looked good outside of the first 2 series. Real good. Should get better too, IMO.

FTR, I didn't think Roach looked that bad, I just thought Luck was that good. Whenever the pocket collapsed, Luck was still able to get away into open space and make good passes. I don't think that's Roach's fault.

heir_jordan22 · Post #11 » by **heir_jordan22** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:31 am

WhatsLosinLike wrote:Cutler still try to force some throws, he wont be able to get away with better DBs.

I do love seeing Marshall on one side and Alshon on the other though!

Vontae Davis, Jeraud Powers, Antoine Bathea, Tom Zbikowski. Those are very good starting DBs. He might not get away with that against the Jets or Eagles.

Our secondary played extremely well. Jennings had a great game. Hopefully Tillman will be back for the Packers game to make us that much better.

Luck really impressed me. Despite all the turnovers he had a nice game, just missed a couple.

patryk7754 · Post #12 » by **patryk7754** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:50 am

Cutler was making some bad decisions at the start of the game IMO but that went away after the 1st quarter

patryk7754 · Post #13 » by **patryk7754** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:51 am

Also Hayden show some signs of still being legit

BIGGIEsmalls 23 · Post #14 » by **BIGGIEsmalls 23** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:15 am

WhatsLosinLike wrote:Cutler still try to force some throws, he wont be able to get away with better DBs.

He's a gunslinger. I'm not too concerned about it.

Our Offense is talented enough this year to rebound from any mistakes that he makes when he's gambling. His arm is a rifle & it's a damn shame Jerry Angelo wasted years of his Bears career by not complimenting him with a #1 WR.

If our line gives him time this season, he's capable of being the MVP.

jl342323 · Post #15 » by **jl342323** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:42 am

its a shame that freeney went down early today. it wouldve been a good test for this o line.

Post #16 » by **RedBulls23** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:52 am

jl342323 wrote:its a shame that freeney went down early today. it wouldve been a good test for this o line.

This what I was thinking to. The oline started playing better when he went down.

Susan · Post #17 » by **Susan** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:09 am

The Colts had no business being on the field with the Bears today.

Post #18 » by **fleet** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:33 am

Urlacher is blockable. Pretty slow (for him) too. He'll make the right calls, which should be his best attribute. He is not an attacker right now. The middle a little too open with him in this condition, and the Colts took advantage. I'm concerned about the D against elite teams in tight games, but its the first game.

Shea-Mac is a good pass rusher. This just in.

(Wooten too looked like he was collapsing the pocket)

Marshall of course transforms the offense. Could have caught a couple more tough balls. I'm not complaining. Just an observation. Cutler could try other targets instead of forcing if he wanted to.

The O-Line held up pretty good. The Bears got to practice against a 3/4 before GB, which is nice.
Alshon went over the top...so much for lack of speed.

The teams that passed on Hill and Jeffrey for other receivers may have outsmarted themselves. Hill was explosive today.

The running game and blocking seemed solid. That should be a weekly feature.

Hester...I didn't see the difference. Not one of the best receivers in the NFL.

I'd like to see more creative play-calling on first down with the lead instead of running off tackle left/right and then passing on 3rd down. That kind of thing will come back and haunt the Bears against better teams at some point if it becomes a habit. Don't go into a shell so much Bears...always hated that.

BTW, the 49ers look scary. That is an intimidating defense. Alex Smith has his act together, not a fluke.

Cliff Levingston · Post #19 » by **Cliff Levingston** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:16 pm

More negativity in this thread than Cliff Levingston would have thought considering we crushed the Colts. This game wasn't close at all from about the late 1st on.

emporerjones wrote:The Defense is growing as a concern to me. I know that we're slowed by injuries, but that killer instinct is not there yet.

Cliff Levingston thought our D line consistently collapsed the pocket very well. Luck was under pressure all game long. He looked like Peyton Manning in the pocket though stepping up, slide stepping, creating that extra second to get the pass off. Give him a lot of credit but our D line played very well.

emporerjones wrote: Tim Jennings impressed me today....a whole lot.

Great first pick but that's only there cause Luck under threw it. If he leads Avery, that's a TD or a big gainer. Would have changed the whole game and Jennings' whole game. But, it was a fantastic catch.

NW7 wrote:I was a little concerned at times that Jay was forcing the ball a ton to Marshall (he had 15 targets!), but I'm sure that's just Jay just being excited to have his favorite toy back.

Sometimes guys just aren't too open, so you look to your best target. They were also making a concerted effort to get him going.

If we can show teams that Marshall s our go-to guy and he can still make plays, they'll slide coverage toward him and open it up for Bennett and Jeffery. Marshall knows he's got a load to carry and who better than him? I thought they used him perfectly.

MAQ wrote:I've been concerned about the defense for years now. I hate the cover 2/bend don't break mentality. Giving up 21 points in meaningful minutes is not a great look, but Peppers missed the first drive of the 2nd half, and Urlacher didn't play at all in the 2nd half I don't think. We need to tighten up there, but nothing new IMO. We always have needed to play well on that side of the ball. The worst part about this is the fact that we still had 4 takeaways on defense. With that many takeaways, we have to give up fewer yards/points.

Total overreaction, ICLO. For one, the defense allowed 14 points, not 21. Considering how well Luck played, Cliff Levingston will take 14 points allowed from the defense all day long, especially since this offense should seldom have problems putting up less than 28 points.

Give some credit to the O line too. Freeney went down but Cutler had about as clean a pocket as you could ask for from about the mid-1st on. They also did a good job clearing the way for Forte and Bush to pick up big chunks of yards on the ground. Granted it was the Colts but still: credit goes where credit is due.

MAQ · Post #20 » by **MAQ** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:00 pm

Overreaction? I dunno, I didn't say much of anything there...

I was wrong about how points the defense gave up, though so my bad there. Still, we gave up a lot of yards too. I dunno if that's just apart of the new NFL where passing is the first option for teams, but we definitely gave up a LOT of yards. It's nothing new for this defense, IMO. I don't see how that's an overreaction, and that's all I said in the part you quoted.