Week 1 Lead Up (Chicago Bears)

Captain Erv · Post #1 » by **Captain Erv** » Mon Sep 7, 2009 9:02 pm

This isn't designed to be a game thread by any means, just thought we could have a thread for news/notes leading up the game each week. MD, if you think its a dumb idea and would just rather have a game thread, go ahead and lock it.

Captain Erv · Post #2 » by **Captain Erv** » Mon Sep 7, 2009 9:21 pm

Bears week: Monday afternoon notes
By Greg A. Bedard of the Journal Sentinel
Sept. 7, 2009 4:08 p.m.

Green Bay -- Expanding and expounding on some earlier notes:

* Between the laughter and the eyerolls that often go with a mass media gathering with Greg Jennings, the receiver said "yes" he's been cleared to start on Sunday night against the Chicago Bears.

* He did acknowledge that he was knocked out cold before he hit the ground against the Cardinals. And he doesn't remember much of anything about the next 20 minutes. "It was very scary feeling, but once we started regaining what was going on, I was good," Jennings said.

* Jennings was fairly bummed that his good friend, training camp roommate and spades partner Ruvell Martin was among those cut. "Man, this was a tough one I think for all of us," Jennings said. "He's just a great guy. Great family-oriented guy, he stands for all the right things. You want a guy like that to stick around and you understand that it's a business and unfortunately for him he's not with us. He has an opportunity to not be as deep on the depth chart somewhere else. So hopefully he gets an opportunity to showcase his talents."

* LB Nick Barnett didn't speak in the locker room, but coach Mike McCarthy basically said he will start against the Bears. How much and in what packages, that is still to be determined. "I thought he looked good in the Tennessee game," McCarthy said. "I thought he flew around, he was active like he always is, but we have to be smart with Nick and you've got to put Clay (Matthews) in the same category. They played 25 plays this past week and it's a long year. We factored that into our decision-making as far as our game planning."

* McCarthy on Martin's release: "The Ruvell Martin decision, personally it tears you up because of the type of person that Ruvell is and what he has meant to us as a team and as a teammate. He's been a productive player. I told Ruvell that if we were to have a billboard and wanted to put a picture of someone that exemplifies a Green Bay Packer, we would put his picture up."

* Interesting note on Brett Swain, courtesy of Lori Nickel. Swain was the first person Martin called after finding out he was cut. "Saturday was actually really nerve-wracking. You never know what is going to happen. I didn’t get a call until about 1:30. This is how good of a man Ruvell Martin is – he called me at about 1:30 in the afternoon and he said that he wanted to give me an early congratulations. It touched my heart and that’s one thing I will learn from him. He’s taught me since I’ve been here, be a good person and have good character. I love Ruvell for that."

* As far as B.J. Raji, Will Blackmon and Brandon Jackson: "They're making progress and we'll give you an update on Wednesday (when the first injury report is issued)."

* QB Matt Flynn said he's got some rust after not throwing for two weeks, but the shoulder felt good and he'll be at 100% for Sunday night. "It felt good. I made some good throws," Flynn said.

* Brian Brohm, on his reasoning for returning to the Packers: "You definitely explore those options but when you step back and look at it, this is the best place for me to be right now. I feel like I've been getting better each and every week. If you really think about it, I'm not on the 53 but quarterback-wise, I'm probably in the same spot that I was last year. It's an offense that I'm comfortable with and if something were to happen and they needed me to come up, I'd be able to come in right away."

* "It was definitely not a good feeling knowing that you didn't make the cut," said Brohm, who added: "If I had to get into a game, I'm more prepared and comfortable than I did last year at this time."

* Count Korey Hall among those surprised to see the Packers keep three fullbacks: "I was kind of surprised because it was a position where you're not on the field for 100% of the offense so it's tough for them to keep that kind of number. But as long as all of us play special teams, that's where it will really become a factor."

* LB Cyril Obiozor said he also had a chance to sign with a few other practice squads: "I didn't see the sense in going from one practice squad to the other. I figured if they wanted me, they would have claimed me. That's how I looked at it. I didn't want to go and learn a whole new system and way of doing things. I feel like if anybody goes down here or if they need an extra guy, they would look within the organization before they looked elsewhere. So I feel like this would be a good spot for me."

* Rookie LB Brad Jones was not surprised he made the team: "I felt like I did the things I needed to do, felt like I impressed the coaches. It's always a relief to know but I wasn't surprised like that, no."

jakecronus8 · Post #3 » by **jakecronus8** » Mon Sep 7, 2009 10:22 pm

Bulletin board material. I read in the MJS that a sideline reporter asked Lance Briggs to sum up the Packers in one word during the Bears' last preseason game. His response? "Suck."

We shall see Lance.

PkrsBcksGphsMqt · Post #4 » by **PkrsBcksGphsMqt** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 4:14 am

I always liked Ruvell, but after reading that article it seems like he truly was a class act. I really hope he breaks out with another team, he deserves it.

How do the Packers have the deepest set of WRs in the league and none of them are your egotistical, attention whoring, "me first" WR?

Captain Erv · Post #5 » by **Captain Erv** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 5:03 am

PackBuckGophZag wrote:I always liked Ruvell, but after reading that article it seems like he truly was a class act. I really hope he breaks out with another team, he deserves it.

How do the Packers have the deepest set of WRs in the league and none of them are your egotistical, attention whoring, "me first" WR?

As long as it's not the 'Queens or Bears, sure.

crkone · Post #6 » by **crkone** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 1:57 pm

Here is a nice Bears rival forum:

http://boards.chicagobears.com/forums/4/ShowForum.aspx

mbucks22 · Post #7 » by **mbucks22** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 3:39 pm

crkone wrote:Here is a nice Bears rival forum:

http://boards.chicagobears.com/forums/4/ShowForum.aspx

Two hilarious posts from that forum. First one is the guy starting a thread saying we have no national primetime games after week one and the second one is the guy saying "9-7, 6-10, we'll be alright", as if last season has anything to do with what will happen this year.

Bears fans :lol:

Cliff Levingston · Post #8 » by **Cliff Levingston** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 4:08 pm

crkone wrote:Here is a nice Bears rival forum:

http://boards.chicagobears.com/forums/4/ShowForum.aspx

Man, the CBMB (as they call it, short for Chicago Bears Message Board) is a complete waste of time, especially that Rival Central forum. There's nothing but small minded insult tossers there who are pretty much incapable of having a decent conversation with a fan of another team. If that place was moderated like this one was, you wouldn't see 99% of the posts on that board. The Chicago Bears football board there (meant for discussing Bears football) is just overrun with total Bears homers. Though that could be expected on the Bears official website.

Man, Cliff Levingston can't wait for the game this weekend; should be a good one. Cliff Levingston is expecting a minimum of 20 points from both teams.

emunney · Post #9 » by **emunney** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 5:16 pm

mbucks22 wrote:
crkone wrote:Here is a nice Bears rival forum:

http://boards.chicagobears.com/forums/4/ShowForum.aspx

Two hilarious posts from that forum. First one is the guy starting a thread saying we have no national primetime games after week one and the second one is the guy saying "9-7, 6-10, we'll be alright", as if last season has anything to do with what will happen this year.

Bears fans

Also, it didn't go too well for them even last year. One game went OT, the other we won 37-3.

crkone · Post #10 » by **crkone** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 5:52 pm

I will try to find the most homerific boards for each team this season.

Post #11 » by **MickeyDavis** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 6:04 pm

Pujols said the Lambeau Leap is unclassy.

Captain Erv · Post #12 » by **Captain Erv** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 6:20 pm

MickeyDavis wrote:Pujols said the Lambeau Leap is unclassy.

Newz · Post #13 » by **Newz** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 6:32 pm

crkone wrote:I will try to find the most homerific boards for each team this season.

Well you are posting on one of the most homerific Packer boards. Have you seen all the 14-2 and 13-3 predictions around here?

crkone · Post #14 » by **crkone** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 6:47 pm

LukePliska wrote:
crkone wrote:I will try to find the most homerific boards for each team this season.

Well you are posting on one of the most homerific Packer boards. Have you seen all the 14-2 and 13-3 predictions around here?

Hey this isn't about us... :lol:

Newz · Post #15 » by **Newz** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 6:50 pm

crkone wrote:
LukePliska wrote:
crkone wrote:I will try to find the most homerific boards for each team this season.

Well you are posting on one of the most homerific Packer boards. Have you seen all the 14-2 and 13-3 predictions around here?

Hey this isn't about us...

Haha,

I just think it is amusing that we go around to other boards and talk about what homers they are... Then people around here predict 13-3 and 14-2 for us while talking about how we are going to smash other teams.

It's equally amusing to read homer comments here and on other boards though.

Mags FTW · Post #16 » by **Mags FTW** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 7:27 pm

LukePliska wrote:
crkone wrote:I will try to find the most homerific boards for each team this season.

Well you are posting on one of the most homerific Packer boards. Have you seen all the 14-2 and 13-3 predictions around here?

Don Banks
INSIDE THE NFL
NFL predictions

• First place: Green Bay (12-4) -- I've got a feeling about these Packers, especially when I survey the rest of a wide-open NFC field and try to divine if there's an out-of-nowhere team with a legitimate shot to represent the conference in Miami next February. Green Bay is my NFC Super Bowl pick, and last year's dismal 6-10 finish is but a memory now that Aaron Rodgers looks like a man playing possessed and the Packers' new-look 3-4 defense appears ready to work as planned from day one.

Super Bowl
over

Newz · Post #17 » by **Newz** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 7:29 pm

Peter King has the Bears going to the Super Bowl...

So why would anyone here rip on them for being homers and expecting to beat us senseless?

Mags FTW · Post #18 » by **Mags FTW** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 7:35 pm

Because based on last year's results, it's highly improbable they will win handily.

Newz · Post #19 » by **Newz** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 7:45 pm

Mags FTW wrote:Because based on last year's results, it's highly improbable they will win handily.

But based on last years results it is okay to say that we are a lock to beat them? (I am assuming everyone who predicts we will go 14-2 or 13-3 believes we will win.)

I think we are a better team than the Bears, but I don't think it's by some ridiculous margin where they have no chance to beat us. If you are a Bears fan, there is reason to be excited. They got a legit franchise QB, they have one of the best RBs in football and their TE situation is great. They should obviously be concerned about their o-line and their WR spot... And I think their defense is getting old.

They are still a pretty good football team though. I just think things are a lot closer at the top of our division than others believe. I think 13-3 or 14-2 is a pretty homer'ish prediction when the team went 6-10 last year (yes, a lot of it was because of injuries) and we have primarily the same cast of guys coming back with a few additions through the draft/minor trades. I think we are going to get better because:

1. I believe Raji is going to be a very good player.
2. All of our young guys have one more year of experience.

If anything, the Bears fans should believe that they leapfrogged the Packers because Jay Cutler is a far bigger acquisition than anything we did this off season... They had a better record than us last year with Kyle Orton.

Cliff Levingston · Post #20 » by **Cliff Levingston** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 8:16 pm

LukePliska wrote:
Mags FTW wrote:Because based on last year's results, it's highly improbable they will win handily.

But based on last years results it is okay to say that we are a lock to beat them? (I am assuming everyone who predicts we will go 14-2 or 13-3 believes we will win.)

I think we are a better team than the Bears, but I don't think it's by some ridiculous margin where they have no chance to beat us. If you are a Bears fan, there is reason to be excited. They got a legit franchise QB, they have one of the best RBs in football and their TE situation is great. They should obviously be concerned about their o-line and their WR spot... And I think their defense is getting old.

They are still a pretty good football team though. I just think things are a lot closer at the top of our division than others believe. I think 13-3 or 14-2 is a pretty homer'ish prediction when the team went 6-10 last year (yes, a lot of it was because of injuries) and we have primarily the same cast of guys coming back with a few additions through the draft/minor trades. I think we are going to get better because:

1. I believe Raji is going to be a very good player.
2. All of our young guys have one more year of experience.

If anything, the Bears fans should believe that they leapfrogged the Packers because Jay Cutler is a far bigger acquisition than anything we did this off season... They had a better record than us last year with Kyle Orton.

Good points. Cliff Levingston actually isn't too worried about the offensive line or the wide receivers. The defensive line had a lot of trouble generating pressure last year and it doesn't figure to improve outside of whatever magic Rod Marinelli brings, that doesn't figure to change... and our secondary is banged up and still doesn't have any safeties that can effectively cover anyone. Rodgers won't have much problem throwing all over the Bears like he did last year, but on the positive side, Cutler won't have much problem the other way; the Bears' offensive line is a very good pass blocking unit.