Our defense....not that bad

[CjayC]

Forte is Top 100 in this league easy.

Sporting News should be eradicated for that list

[Icness]

I think Forte got omitted just because he hasn't been around long enough. Gotta see him do it again, that sort of thing. Although Chris Johnson made the list...

There are some other real awful ones, where they went with 2006 reputation for a 2009 list. Leonard Davis at #79? He's the worst tackle in his own division. Matt Birk at #40 and the top center? I'd take Mangold and Jason Brown for sure, probably 2-3 others before I got to Birk anymore.

[Howling Mad]

Wow at Birk. 5 years ago, sure.

Chris Johnson, I mean he looked good cutting and slashing Thursday, but Forte provided way more than CJ did last year.

[Ayt]

A guy on the Packers board thinks Forte is the 2nd or 3rd best back in the league.

[SportsWorld]

A guy on the Packers board thinks Forte is the 2nd or 3rd best back in the league.

Maybe for fantasy football because he was the Bears offense last season and probably this season as well but he's not the 2nd or 3rd best RB overall.

[Howling Mad]

He doesn't quite crack the top 5. Top 10 maybe.

We're off track a bit, but whatever..

Here's the list.

Steven Jackson
Ryan Grant
Ladanian Tomilson
Michael Turner
Brandon Jacobs
Clinton Portis
Adrian Peterson
DeAngelo Williams
Steve Slaton
Chris Johnson
Frank Gore
Ronnie Brown
Maurice Jones-Drew
Willie Parker
Joseph Addai

Did I miss any elite backs?
Some of these guys are out of the running because of injury, i.e. Willie Parker. Injured for far too long to still hold a ranking in the top, but I listed them anyways. I see about 10 RB's I'd put over Forte. Some guys have just had bad years, but you know are better, i.e. Gore and Jackson.

[NoSkyy]

Are those backs that are better than Matt Forte because you lose me at Ryan Grant and Joseph Addai.

[SportsWorld]

Are those backs that are better than Matt Forte because you lose me at Ryan Grant and Joseph Addai.

And Steve Slaton

[Howling Mad]

I just rattled the best RB's I could think of.

I'd say about 10 guys are better than Forte. Unfortunately within that 10, some guys had terrible years or were injured. i.e. Steven Jackson

Other guys have just been injured too long and are losing their credibility. i.e. Willie Parker. He ran 1000 yards 3 years in a row. That's an accomplishment. Forte's one year isn't convincing enough to the non-homer Bears' fans.

Joseph Addai is closer to Forte than you'd think. I'm being realistic here. He was injured last year and played injured for several games. He ran over 1000 yards his first two seasons. Over 30 TD's in 3 seasons. Not too shabby. Manning or not, 1000 yards is 1000 yards.

Ryan Grant I'm not going to argue about, he's probably the trailer in that list.

Steve Slaton. He's a stud. By the end of the season, you'll change your tune on him. Big fantasy pick up.

[blumeany]

I really didn't need stats to tell me the Bears' D was on the field too long. All you had to do was watch the games. The biggest difference between Cutler and our last 20 QB's is that Cutler can make plays and stretch possessions, even if it doesn't end in a touchdown. He can keep drives alive and at the very least waste some time. With our previous goofs, 3 and outs were the rule more than the exception.

So, at the very least, our defense will be better because they will be fresher.

The funny thing to me is how people are overrating the Packers. They are willing to dig on the Bears defense which has struggled through injury and bad offenses - but also carried us to the Super Bowl a few years ago(and when I say carried, I mean CARRIED)- Meanwhile, they easily give an A to the Packers brand new 3-4 defense which has only played in the preseason and hasn't proved a thing.

[blumeany]

Forte still has some proving to do. If he can improve from last year, that will make him legit. Hopefully he becomes a Westbrook-esque kind of player. Much more 2-dimensional than the old 'run only' backs.

[Howling Mad]

In terms of Defense, i think the Packers are in a better position than we are, by FARRRR.
Our problem on defense is old age. Our staples on D are getting old, losing a step.
Green Bay just had some guys injured, but they're young. They'll be fine and are setup do really succeed.


Besides the old age, we can't pass rush.

I'll throw an analogy out there. Let's take a company... Morton Salt. A big company...if their accounting department is pristine, and their managemet department is top notch, their delivery is dependable, but their salt making ability is poor, they won't be successful.

That's what this D reminds me of.

We do everything well, but the one thing we can't do is our money maker, our pride and joy, the one sprocket in the whole machine that can bring down the operation if faulty...pass rush.

Without the pass rush, everything in our defense is exposed.

[Susan]

Well, the actual stats say that GB's defense was worse than ours last year. So....yeah.

[SportsWorld]

Well, the actual stats say that GB's defense was worse than ours last year. So....yeah.

They brought in Don Capers and switched to the 3-4 because of it.

[Howling Mad]

I dont' care what last years stats say about each defense. I'd take GB's defense THIS YEAR over ours.

Susan, I know we shared some misery over a Bulls loss, sitting next to each other, we met, pounded some thundersticks together when the Bulls were hopeless. Obviously our thoughts on basketball aren't the same for football.. to take last years stats and apply them to this year is wrong.

Ya know how worried we are about our secondary. GB's was worse by the end of the season. Besides that, they lost a couple linebackers (the major strength of their D), plus a couple defensive ends.

All those guys come back.

The things to worry about with Green Bay is the switch, 4-3 to a 3-4. Pulling lineman off scrimmage is going to weaken their outer gap attacks, but their hoping Kampman makes the tranistion from end to linebacker. Their believe is, although there are less men at the line, Kampman will still be able to get to the QB because he's that good as a player. Most of his attacks are moves on the outside, making the outer turn on the offesive lineman. I say, don't fix what's broken. Over the last few years, only one person is better at getting to the QB, and thats D. Ware from Dallas. So yea...if you wanna argue, thats your ammunition.

[Susan]

These dudes have made a whole mess of money predicting these things. You think GB is going to be better, their formula that has all sorts of variables and time predicting this very thing, has the Bears defense being the 2nd best in the NFL.

Changing defensive schemes over history hasn't been good for the first year. They had a big paragraph on why they think the Packers are going to suck.

Either way, Bear Down.