SI's King ranks Bears #4 overall

[dingojazz]

Wow Icness, a 9-7 team that could have won 10 or 11 games gets a franchise QB, a revamped improved OLine, an injection of youth on defense, the easiest schedule in the league, an outstanding position coach in Marinelli is going to become a 6-10 team? I know I'm biased but your credibility just took a hit in my opinion.

Is Kevin Jones another year removed from surgery really that horrible of a backup RB? The coaching staff has stated he will take more of a work load off Forte this year. Still hoping to get something from Wolfe this year as well.

Don't count Urlacher as done just yet. I think he's going to find his second wind much like Ray Lewis and have a better year this year.

If the Bears only win 6 games I will stick my head between my legs and kiss my own arse (Braveheart).

[Icness]

I'm not sold on season prediction numbers yet, haven't really looked at schedules. When I finalize those (probably in a month or so) perhaps we can wager, but I'll tell you right now if my Cavaliers win the title I am not going to change any celebratory avatar or sig. I've waited too long

On Kevin Jones: I'm actually a huge fan and have been since day one at VT, but dude cannot stay healthy, he just can't. That's his 4th surgery on that knee, you just don't overcome that. The year in DET he came back from the surgery too quickly essentially ruined him. Too bad because he was amazing his first two years of college ball and showed real promise as a rookie.

On special teams regression: The rule changes made the Bears return blocking scheme illegal. That's a very real problem. They have some great special teams talent so it will adjust, but it's going to take time.

[NZB2323]

--I think Urlacher is real close to being done

Urlacher, Ogunleye and others on our defense are old, and towards ends of games last year they fell apart. However, they were effective in the first half of games. With the offense being on the field more, the defense getting rest, and more depth(we have HH, Roach, and maybe PT to play LB, and we have a lot of depth at D-line.), I think that our older players will be effective this year.

--I don't trust Harris will ever be right again. I actually like Marcus Harrison but he's a complementary player, not an initiator, and Lovie's D demands a genuine initiator in the middle. Two of them really.

Well, the coaching staff is saying that Harris will be healthy to start the season, and with more reps there is less of a chance that he's injured. Even so, you're predicting that the Bears will be worse than last year. I think that there's only a chance that Harris and Harrison are better than they were last year.

--I'm extremely concerned with Forte's anticipated workload that he will break down or lose effectiveness. No team has less behind their starting RB other than maybe Cleveland and Houston

Well, with Cutler our offense will involve more passing plays. Why do you think that Forte is more likely to break down than any other RB?

--the pass rush worries me a lot. I do like Gilbert, but consider how little success Sed Ellis, Glenn Dorsey, Okoye, Carriker, and other DE/DT types have had as rookies. Expecting more than 2.5 sacks and about 25 tackles is overly optimistic. Marinelli might help, but he didn't do much for Shaun Cody, Cory Redding, or Alama-Francis. He's a teacher, not a motivator.

I think that the number one problem with the Bears last year was our pass rush. We gave up over 400 passing yards to Brian Greise for Pete's sake. However, I expect our pass rush to be better for the following reasons:

1.) Ogunleye is in a contract year.

2.) Harris is supposedly 'healthy' to start the year.

3.) Marinelli is a good d-line coach.

4.) Gilbert and Melton should have some positive impact on the team.

5.) Our starters at d-line should get a lot of rest for 2 reasons: The first reasons is that our offense should be on the field longer this season. The second reason is that we have a lot of depth at d-line. I think that our d-line was good in the first half of games last year, but we had a lot of 4th quarter collapses on D. The games against Carolina, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay are the ones that jump to my mind.

6.) Once your arguably the worst at something you have no where to go but up, and the Bears d-line sucked last year.

--safety is a real problem, esp. with the pasing attacks in the division. Add Favre and that probably gets worse.

Very true, but if our pass rush is better that somewhat negates the problem. Again though, our safeties last year weren't spectacular. It may be a weakness this year but it shouldn't be any more of a weakness than it was last year.

--the chasm at WR

Cutler + our **** WRs > Orton + our **** WRs

Also, Hester should improve, and out of Bennet and our rookie WR one of them has to be better than Rasheid Davis.

--Cutler's propensity for turning the ball over at the most inopportune times

He's a better QB than Orton, and all QBs turn the ball over.

--Orlando Pace's health, and to a lesser extent Kreutz's advancing age

I'll take a slightly unhealthy Orlando Pace over John Tait anyday. Also, we added Kevin Shaffer, Frank Omiyale, and Chris Williams our o-line should be better.

--special teams regression, though that's minor

Daniel Manning led the league in yards per return last year. Robbie Gould and Brad Maynard are still among the best at what they do.

--I still believe Lovie is among the worst game-day coaches in the league. He hired the worst one to basically run his defense.

Admittedly he isn't a great game-day coach. However, it seems like a lot of criticisms of the Bears next year are criticisms of the Bears last year. The way I see it, after adding 4 o-linemen, a pro-bowl QB, and making some changes on defense, I would be extremely shocked if the Bears are worse next year than they were last year.

[emperorjones]

I'm not sold on season prediction numbers yet, haven't really looked at schedules. When I finalize those (probably in a month or so) perhaps we can wager, but I'll tell you right now if my Cavaliers win the title I am not going to change any celebratory avatar or sig. I've waited too long

OH NO! A CADAVER FAN! That explains everything

Well, I guess I could understand that. So we'll just have to go with a name change. Early entry = "Kobesexlover"

[Chewie]

On special teams regression: The rule changes made the Bears return blocking scheme illegal. That's a very real problem. They have some great special teams talent so it will adjust, but it's going to take time.

Hard to predict they'll be worse just because the rules have changed. How can anyone say they won't adjust right away from the wedge-style blocking? The Packers are adjusting their ENTIRE DEFENSIVE SCHEME to a 3-4 and yet you see them as having 10-win potential. If anything, that change could take them a full year to adjust. Double standard.

...I'll tell you right now if my Cavaliers win the title I am not going to change any celebratory avatar or sig. I've waited too long

True.

[Cliff Levingston]

Some thoughts:

Urlacher isn't close to being done, though his all-pro days are behind him. Depending on how Lovie uses him compared to last year (assuming he stays healthy), maybe he can be close to his old form, best case scenario. Cliff Levingston is expecting him to be solid though, above average, but not special. Briggs is definitely the star of the line backing core now.

The D line depth ought to help out a lot. Everyone is or should be concerned about Tommie Harris but he's not the pile of sh*t that people make him out to be. He was often doubled last year because the rest of our line couldn't generate any pressure. Cliff Levingston is expecting us to do a lot of rotating on the line, and with Gilbert/Melton in the fold along with what we've already got, we've got a lot of depth there to help keep guys fresh. Now, they just need to perform well when they're on the field.

Cliff Levingston thinks Cutler's impact is being under estimated in general, if that's possible. Last year, the deep ball was almost completely missing from the offense and that's something Turner likes to hang his hat on. Hester would frequently get behind defenses only to be under thrown or badly overthrown by Mr. Ball Control Kyle Orton. That added dimension along with an improved offensive line that's more geared toward pass blocking will go a long way in helping defenses actually respect the entire field against us and open things up for Forte and Greg Olsen in the middle.

Before Cutler, no one really focused too heavily on the receivers. We knew we didn't have much there, but we also knew we didn't have much at the QB position either. All of a sudden now that we have a franchise QB, people pull out that "your wide receivers suck" thing as a reason we won't be good. We won 9 games last year with quite possibly worse receivers. And while Witten, Gonzalez and Gates get a lot of attention as major passing threats, no one wants to recognize Clark/Olsen as great targets for Cutler. Nope, it's just that "you don't have any receivers."

Cliff Levingston thinks the defense is underrated now. No one really points out that our D spent the 4th most time on the field last year and faced the most offensive plays yet was respectable in points allowed. And for the longest time, the knock against us was that we couldn't stop the run, which couldn't have been any more wrong last year which is something that needs to be commended. Cliff Levingston has a VERY hard time seeing our defense needing to be on the field that long again which would keep the wear and tear down and lead to more opportunities to play against a one dimensional offense.

The only thing that Cliff Levingston is genuinely worried about is the safety position. We don't have any one there who can cover well unless Zack Bowman steps up big time.

[Chewie]

I'm not sold on season prediction numbers yet, haven't really looked at schedules.

Psst - Bears have the easiest schedule in the league in 2009, based on their opponents having a .414 winning percentage.

[Cliff Levingston]

I'm not sold on season prediction numbers yet, haven't really looked at schedules.

Psst - Bears have the easiest schedule in the league in 2009, based on their opponents having a .414 winning percentage.

Which doesn't really mean a whole lot considering the parody in the NFL, and the fact that the Lions went 0-16 last year. It's no wonder why the entire division outside of the Lions has the easiest schedules in the league.

[Chewie]

I'm not sold on season prediction numbers yet, haven't really looked at schedules.

Psst - Bears have the easiest schedule in the league in 2009, based on their opponents having a .414 winning percentage.

Which doesn't really mean a whole lot considering the parody in the NFL, and the fact that the Lions went 0-16 last year. It's no wonder why the entire division outside of the Lions has the easiest schedules in the league.

Is that parity or parody?

Having to play the Lions twice helps but throw in the Bengals, Browns, 49ers, and Rams and that's a pretty sweet schedule outside the division.

[Cliff Levingston]

Is that parity or parody?

Cliff Levingston always f's that up.

[emperorjones]

By the way Icness...

Dallas Cowboys: Dallas has quietly (for them) had a very nice offseason, sacrificing sizzle (TO, Roy Williams, Zach Thomas) for steak (Olshansky, Kitna) and dramatically addressing their dreadful special teams units. They’re not as stocked as in recent years, but this less sexy version just might work better than the lipstick-soaked pigs that have been huge disappointments in the past three years.

So let me get this right...Two teams end up 9-7. One loses their top receiver and adds Olshansky. They get a #9 ranking. The other revamps their O-Line and brings in a pro-bowl QB and they go to #19?

PS - Nothing personal Icness- I during the run up to the draft I hung on your every word. But now that that is over - I think you wacky! (just kidding - still loving the inside info. Just realize the Cowboys are going 7-9).

[Cliff Levingston]

By the way Icness...

Dallas Cowboys: Dallas has quietly (for them) had a very nice offseason, sacrificing sizzle (TO, Roy Williams, Zach Thomas) for steak (Olshansky, Kitna) and dramatically addressing their dreadful special teams units. They’re not as stocked as in recent years, but this less sexy version just might work better than the lipstick-soaked pigs that have been huge disappointments in the past three years.

So let me get this right...Two teams end up 9-7. One loses their top receiver and adds Olshansky. They get a #9 ranking. The other revamps their O-Line and brings in a pro-bowl QB and they go to #19?

PS - Nothing personal Icness- I during the run up to the draft I hung on your every word. But now that that is over - I think you wacky! (just kidding - still loving the inside info. Just realize the Cowboys are going 7-9).

The Cowboys also played in one of the toughest divisions in football while the Bears got the 0-16 Lions twice. We definitely had a better offseason than them though; the best offseason in the league so far, ICLO.

[emperorjones]

True, but the Eagles and Giants are'nt going anywhere and the Eagles have gotten better. That and their poor draft are why I see the Cowboys taking a big step back.