In Game Thread- Preseason vs Eagles

[JoeyTourettes]

blah blah blah blah blah blah...Brian de la Puente out for the season....blah blah blah blah.

I hate preseason games. Hate them. They tell fans virtually nothing in reality, and the only thing of real substance that happens is guys get hurt. Goddamn it, I hate this fucking shit. The NFL will never go to zero preseason games because of the money but damn it would really help the league.

Agreed with the money part- I kinda like the 2 preseason- 18 reg season game idea that was thrown around awhile back. League would actually make more money, but great potential for injury and longer loss of starters.

 

[JoeyTourettes]

Ha... Bear's QB's are tossin it! the QB Whisper at his best. Fales

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

you know, I don't actually have a conceptual problem with the NFL wanting to maximize the money, after all, that's why they are in business. However, what I think the league is missing is that in the long run, I'm not sure it is doing that either. The league wants to expand to an 18 game season. Well, OK, if they want to do that, I think they are going to tax the attention of a lot of the marginal fan base. But worse, the league is basically making a tradeoff. Look, I understand...they want the opening two weeks of the season to be "less sloppy" by having preseason games. but they are knowingly and clearly trading off early-season sloppiness for late-season injury and roster depletion. I personally think late season injuries hurt the league far more than any minor extra amount of early season sloppiness would. And they are making this tradeoff to play games that have zero real meaning. To me, that's just a weak justfication. If the league does go to 18 games as they claim they so badly want to, how much more injury-compromised are the playoffs going to be than they are already now?

Furthermore, all this "injury concern"-related sissification of the game hurts the game itself. I'd rather see no preseason, fewer injuries, let the league have harder hitting, and leave it at that, rather than playing a more drawn out season of milquetoast games that leave guys uselessly hurt.

Preseason games? No thanks. Save it for the reals.

 

[anotheridiot]

yeah, Claussen did better, but we will hear it was against guys that are gonna be some of the first cuts.

I think the only thing that needs to change for the 18 game season is the rules for injured players. Either more roster spots or changing the definition of IR to almost the baseball way of a disabled list. Sure there will be some guys that need a year to recover, but putting another designation for players that can return from injury and the ability to replace him with a player

 

[NCChiFan]

Welp, in 45 min, the game starts on NFL network, perhaps I can add something to the conversation afterwards.

 

[nebearsfan70]

Welp, in 45 min, the game starts on NFL network, perhaps I can add something to the conversation afterwards.

I'm recording it. Hopefully I can contribute as well, but apparently it sounds as if things went well.

 

[richig07]

I'm recording it. Hopefully I can contribute as well, but apparently it sounds as if things went well.

Outside of the usual first pre-season game kinks. Yes, definitely a feel good performance by the team. Especially the one's and the bigger name rookies.

 

[antone112]

It was football and (more importantly)Bears football for the 1st time in 8 months. I, for one, was excited to see it. Those of you who hate that there are fans excited for last night, I would like to invite you to kiss my ass.

That is all.

 

[NCChiFan]

We have some players! I really liked what I watched out of rookies, new additions, etc... Emery CAN draft D. Fuller is going to be real good. Ego, showed signs, Vareen didn't stand out either good or bad, which is more than I can say about Conte last year. That Williams kid looked great on that TD bomb, too bad he pulled his hammy.


Our O with 2 TE sets will be TOUGH, if everyone stays healthy. Not sure about the #3 Wr at this point, can see the Bears using a lot more 2 TE with Miller/Rosario/Bennett, after all Jay likes his big tall targets.


D line produced solid pressure with the first string minus our best D lineman. This is going to be fun to watch this season if everyone stays healthy. They were all over the QB while they were in.

 

[(Un)]

Positives for Chicago
IMO the Bears starting defensive line looked phenomenal. Especially in terms of the pass rush. Stephen Paea dominated All-Pro guard Evan Mathis. Overall they forced 3 offensive line penalties from the starters in less than a quarter of play. Nick Foles was under constant duress.

More importantly for Chicago, the defensive backs were able to capitalize on the bad passes by turning them into turnovers.

Jay Cutler looked sharp. Zach Miller was surprisingly (to me) productive. Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery look ready for the regular season.

Negatives for Chicago
I wasn't really too keen on Eric Weems as a #3 receiver and the Bears starters weren't able to establish a running game.

The special teams play for Chicago was inconsistent. The kick off coverage looked smothering on those first two returns, tackling the return man within the 20, but then later allowed the big touchdown. And then there was the blocked field goal on Robbie Gould's first attempt. So they'll need to address that.

Also I never like to see a team call a timeout within the first minute of play. Chicago's defensive coaches did not appear ready for the no huddle hurry up and were forced to burn a timeout with 14:01 left in the 1st quarter.

 

[richig07]

Positives for Chicago
IMO the Bears starting defensive line looked phenomenal. Especially in terms of the pass rush. Stephen Paea dominated All-Pro guard Evan Mathis. Overall they forced 3 offensive line penalties from the starters in less than a quarter of play. Nick Foles was under constant duress.

More importantly for Chicago, the defensive backs were able to capitalize on the bad passes by turning them into turnovers.

Jay Cutler looked sharp. Zach Miller was surprisingly (to me) productive. Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery look ready for the regular season.

Negatives for Chicago
I wasn't really too keen on Eric Weems as a #3 receiver and the Bears starters weren't able to establish a running game.

The special teams play for Chicago was inconsistent. The kick off coverage looked smothering on those first two returns, tackling the return man within the 20, but then later allowed the big touchdown. And then there was the blocked field goal on Robbie Gould's first attempt. So they'll need to address that.

Also I never like to see a team call a timeout within the first minute of play. Chicago's defensive coaches did not appear ready for the no huddle hurry up and were forced to burn a timeout with 14:01 left in the 1st quarter.

I can't disagree with anything your taking away from the game Friday. However, a few things to note.

Forte and Bennett are our 3rd and 4th receiving options. Forte only played two series, and we didn't put him out in the slot or call his number on a screen play for obvious reasons. No reason to risk injury when we know what he's capable of. And obviously Martellus was out for suspension, which should be up by this week sometime. The Bears were also missing the right side of their line (Kyle Long and Jordan Mills) to ailing injuries that should heal up rather shortly. Not to mention, two possessions isn't really enough time to "establish a run game". Especially when, like the Eagles did with McCoy, you don't want your star running back carrying the ball much and getting hit.

Weems will be back to being all but irrelevant by late September/early October when Marquess Wilson returns, who we're all very high on. Regardless, the 3rd WR on the depth chart is essentially the 5th passing target in this offense. You can never have enough targets, but this offense is just fine if a 5th guy doesn't emerge as an impact player.

As for the special teams, it's not encouraging what we saw. However, most of those guys won't be on the field come very soon. So with that, it's hard to know what you have until the regular season starts. Since you're not playing your vets there, and are giving all of the longshots and rookies a chance to make an impact there.

 

[richig07]

It was football and (more importantly)Bears football for the 1st time in 8 months. I, for one, was excited to see it. Those of you who hate that there are fans excited for last night, I would like to invite you to kiss my ass.

That is all.

I'm never not excited to see Bears football. Nothing to do with it.

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

fine, be excited, hooray, but drawing conclusions? My God.

NEVER draw conclusions out of preseason football. Some of the posters on here spoke about J'Marcus Webb in his last two seasons after preseason games in ways that...well...let's just say "not exactly."

You want to watch games to scratch the itch, fine. But making statements about players or the team is, at best, a 50/50 proposition.

 

[55briggs]

chris williams, rossario and zach miller all looked pretty good. hated to see williams pull hamstring. or whatever it turned out to be.

 

[NCChiFan]

chris williams, rossario and zach miller all looked pretty good. hated to see williams pull hamstring. or whatever it turned out to be.

According to Twitter today, it wasn't that bad, they pulled him out more of a precaution than anything. Same with De La Puenta, his MCL tear will keep him out weeks, instead of an entire season as some feared.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

Welp, in 45 min, the game starts on NFL network, perhaps I can add something to the conversation afterwards.

wizywig.tv watch all the preseason games live. Kinda choppy at times but it's free and always there.