Changing the Trade Dealine

Recently in the NFL, many team have lost there starting quarterback to injury and have had to scrounge through free agent and older veterans to find a replacement. This  very problem has occurred with our beloved Chicago Bears as Jay Cutler was lost for the season when making a touchdown saving tackle against the San Diego Chargers. The Bears were one of the few lucky teams that had a serviceable back in Caleb Hanie, but what about teams like the Kansas City Chiefs or the Houston Texans?  A way this flawed system could be fixed by the NFL would be by pushing back the NFL trade deadline. Unlike basketball and baseball, the trade deadline in the NFL is not as active as the others however it is still a nice necessity to have. However, the NFL trade deadline comes far to early in the season for it to even be a factor for teams. By the seventh week of the season, when the current NFL deadline occurs, many  teams are still shuffling for position in their division and only a few teams have separated themselves from the back as either front runners or bottom feeders. So with that little of separation occurring by a number of teams in the league, few deal are done at the trade deadline because so many teams are trying jockey for a playoff position and are not ready to sign off on a season. One way I feel the NFL can better itself and help teams like the Texan's, Chiefs and Bears is by extending the trade deadline to later in the season. Imagine what help it would be to a team that is fighting for a playoff birth, such as the Texans, if they were able to make a trade for a quarterback in week 12 lets say, after they have already lost their first and second string quarterbacks. Instead, the current NFL system has teams ruffling through veterans looking for quarterback, that in my opinion have no right being in the league any more. Just recently, the Texan's had to sign Jake Delhomme as their back up quarterback because they had lost start Matt Schuab and backup Matt Leinart to injuries. The Texans are in the middle of a heated playoff run, their first in franchise history and could use a quality NFL worthy quarterback to back up start TJ Yates or possible even start. If the NFL were to move the trade deadline back to week 12, the Texan would have been able to trade for a quarterback such as Kyle Orton, Donavon McNabb, or Matt Flynn. Each of these quarterback would be a more serviceable option then Jake Delhomme and could possibly even help the Texans make it to the playoff like the team dearly needs. I know the NFL is in a constant state of change with trying to protect its players and better the game, so why not try and protect franchises and teams that have late season injuries by moving back the trade deadline. This would not only benefit teams that suffer injuries and need a quick stop gap, but also will benefit the teams that are towards the bottom of each conference. These teams may be able to add valuable draft pick to try and better their team and make the league as a whole more competitive. So NFL, why do you look into moving back the trade deadline? So until next time readers, Bears Down.

The Chicago Perspective

A very important part of blogging in a particular niche is realizing what other material is out there that can help you in many different ways. These other blogs in your niche can provide a different perspective on a similar topic can offer a different median for followers and can offer general help on your blogging topic in general. During my time blogging, I have had many days where I get sidetracked and venture off to look at other blogs to see what others are offering. Some blogs I found offer some great insight into many of the things I have discussed while other steer completely away from what I am trying to communicate. However, time and time again I am drawn to a particular blog not only because the blogger writes quality information on all things Chicago, but also because he offers a very unique perspective on the Chicago Bears. The blog The Chicago Perspective, is written by blogger Joe W, who offers a unique view on all things Chicago. What initially drew me to this blog was his work on the Bears, but I quickly realized he had very good insight on other Chicago teams. One of the biggest things to realize when writing about a Chicago sports teams is that Chicago fans usually support more than one sports team in the city. This is not only because many people who live in and around the beautiful Chicagoland area adore the city, but also because the city has had a strong tradition of winning. Whether it is the Bears winning numerous titles in the early 60's and 70's or the great Bulls teams of the 90's, Chicago has always been blessed with a winning atmosphere. Through this connection, I believe the Chicago Perspective has done something wonderful in attracting more than one Chicago sports fan to his site. I feel as though Windy City Blitz would be able to attract a different audience if we tried something along the same line. That would not only provide current followers with new material to follow but also to attract a new crowd and get them as pumped on the Bears as many are already. Another great thing about the Perspective is the tone that it is written in. When reading the blog, I feel like I am sitting at a sport bar talking anything Chicago with this blogger and nothing could be better. It gives me the feel that I am not just reading the words in front of me and am instead having a deep conversation about the topic. So once again I have to give a shout out to The Chicago Perspective for not only giving some valuable information and knowledge about the Bears, but also spreading the love throughout the sports teams of Chicago. So until next time readers, Bear Down Chicago.

Week 12: Oakland Raiders

The Bears headed into their game against the Oakland Raiders with some uncertainties with their team. It was the first game the Bears would play without Jay Cutler, who injured his thumb on a touchdown saving tackle against the Chargers. The Bears were also trying to extend their winning streak to five games and continue the roll they had been on for much of the last month. Things however did not start off well for the Bears and many Bears fans were worrying that the Bears season may be over since Cutler was out. On the Bears first offensive drive, Caleb Hanie looked very uncomfortable and after a few stuffed runs and an errant pass, punted the ball away on a three and out.  On the following Bears possession, Caleb Hanie once again looked uncomfortable in a pretty decent pocket and rolled out and should have simply thrown the ball away, but tried to float a pass over a defender to Matt Forte and was picked off. Throughout the entire first half, Hanie looked very scared in the pocket and that turned into two more interceptions for a total of three. It was a blessing however that the Raiders could not punch the ball in for a touchdown when they were in the red zone and the three interceptions only cost the Bears 6 points. One of the key plays in the first half came as the second quarter was ending and the Bears were in the red zone. A backside slip screen to Kellen Davis was called and the play never developed, however Hanie decided to throw the ball. The ball was tipping and intercepted and was marched down the field, and the touchdown saving tackle came from right tackle Lance Louis. That was arguably one of the biggest plays of the game because it could have easily been a 10 point swing. The first half was an overall disaster for the Bears offense because of the bad decision made by Caleb Hanie and Mike Martz's inability to call enough running plays. The offense did however begin to show signs of awakening in the second half. One of the more impressive things in the game was the resilience of Caleb Hanie, who at no point in the game ever truly gave the impression the Bears were out of the game. Even with his three first half interceptions, Hanie showed some skill and poise in the second half as he lead the Bears to three late score in the fourth quarter. Even though the Bears were never truly out of the game, Hanie's mistakes and turnovers ended up costing the Bears the game. He did have some good plays along the way, but overall needs to clean things up. He possess all the skills and talent needed to keep this Bears team above water until Cutler comes back and simply needs to spend more time in films and on the practice field to build more of a repertoire.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bears did many good things to keep the team in the game and even potentially win the game. On numerous occasions, they would allow the Raiders to have long drives down the field, only to stop them in the red zone and hold them to field goals.  The defensive line had a very good game, compiling four sacks, five tackles for losses and consistently putting pressure on Carson Palmer. If the defense is going to carry this team, they are going to need performances like this from the defensive line. Julius Peppers had a huge game, which was a good thing to see. He lead the team with two sacks and it looked like he was consistently in the backfield disrupting plays. Peppers is arguably one of the toughest players to defend and if he continues to play this well, this Bears defense should be able to do good things. Tim Jennings also had a very good game, even though he got beat on a double move at the end of the game, on what ended up being the winning touchdown. Throughout the game, he consistently seemed to know what routes the receivers were running and simply beat them to the ball. He had a few dropped interceptions but overall had one of his best games of the season. The special team, which is usually one of the Bears strongest assets, simply got outplayed by one of the league’s best kickers and punters. Besides the 53 yard kick return Johnny Knox had, the special teams unit could never seem to get anything going. Raider’s punter Shane Lechler consistently pinned the Bears within their own 10 yard line and on one occasion boomed an 80 yard punt over Devin Hester. This unit is one that needs to be consistently making play in order to help the Bears offense.
All in all, this game was lost on the arm of Caleb Hanie and his poor decisions, but don't expect that to happen again. Oakland is a tough place to play and hopefully Mike Martz will use the running game more to help Hanie. Next up for the Bears is the Kansas City Chiefs, which many could argue is a must win for the Bears in order for them to keep their position in wildcard spot. So until next time fans, Bear Down Chicago.

Week 11: San Diego Chargers

The Bears entered the game against the Chargers on a four game winning streak and were playing some of their best football of the year. However, this was not the same case for the Chargers who had lost four games previous and were looking to change that. The game started off with the Chargers marching right down the field on the Bear and scoring a field goal. The Bears returned the favor and scored shortly after and which capped off a pretty boring first quarter. In the second quarter, the Bears began to utilize their far superior special teams. Whether it was Johnny Knox or Devin Hester, the Bears seemed to be able to gain favorable field position from their special teams. In the second half, the Bears offense and defense seemed to pick things up with the offense scoring twice within the last five minutes of the quarter and the defense stiffened and held the Chargers to only touchdown in the first half. The game truely turned around in the third quarter when the Bears dominated the time of position, 14:30 out of 15 minutes. It was truly amazing to watch the Bears just milk the clock while continuously marching it down field for scores. From the second quarter to the third, the Bears scored on four consecutive drives and showed fans what potential this offense has. However, things took a turn for the worse in the fourth quarter when Johnny Knox slipped on a route and Jay Cutler threw an interception. On the return, Cutler pursued the play and ended up slowing down the runner so Matt Forte could get him out of bounds. No one knew at the time, but the tackle caused Jay Cutler to fracture his thumb which will ultimately keep him out for the remainder of the season. Cutler did however finish the game and did not mention after the game. Ultimately, that play will have an undeniable effect on the Bears for the rest of the season. They are loosing the quarterback that they gave so much for just three seasons ago and he was finally starting to come into his own. He was beginning to make the right reads along with favorable play calling that allowed the Bears to put up 30 points in three consecutive game for the first time since 2005. However, I don't the injury to Cutler is going to be the end to the Bears playoff hopes simply because they are playing too well right now. They have established that they are willing to run the ball no matter what the circumstances and have a running back in Matt Forte that can shoulder the load until Cutler returns. Another thing that is going well for the Bears right now is that the offensive line is starting to jell. I understand they still have trouble at times protecting the quarterback, but all in all they have be progressively better and should give Caleb Hanie ample time in the pocket to make plays down field. One final thing that gives me hope that the Bears can continue to score on offense is the play makers they have on the parameter. Just this week, Jay Cutler was able to spread the ball to seven different receivers and someone besides Earl Bennett finally stepped up to make plays. It finally seems like Roy Williams is getting in sync with the offense and Johnny Knox is showing up again. I am not saying that Caleb Hanie is going to win games on his own like Jay Cutler is able to, but as we all saw in the NFC title game last year, he does have the ability to make plays. With a full week of reps with the first string offense, Hanie should be a viable replacement for Jay Cutler for the few weeks he is going to be gone. Hanie has the athleticism to throw on the run as we saw last year and has the ability to make the right play. As long as the Bears can find their running game and lean on it, get contributions from special teams and have their defense play like it has in the last few weeks, the Bears should be able to at least win three out of the next six, if not four out of their next six to make it into the playoff. By that time, Cutler should be back and the Bears will have the pieces in place to make a run. So until next time fans, Bear Down Chicago!

Week 11: Midweek Report

As the Bears head into their week 11 match up against the San Diego Chargers, an old rivialry between Philip Rivers and Jay Cutler has been the topic of most discussion during the week. However, I do believe that other topics are more pressing at the time. We all know that Cutler and Rivers played in the AFC west when Cutler was in Denver. It was also well documented about how the two had a bitter disliking for each other and reporters have been trying to dig that up this week during practice. However, Cutler has been the bigger man and shrugged it off and decided to take the high road and talk about the Bears and the things they need to do to win the game.There are some topics though that reporters havent been talking about this week that should be an area of concern. One of the first have to do with Edwin Williams stepping into the starting lineup for injured guard Chris Williams. As many coaches in the Bears organization said, Chris Williams was arguably one of the best and most consistent offensive linemen they have had for the last year and half and replacing him is not going to be an easy task. As many of us saw, the offensive line was finally starting to come together these last few week and it should be interesting to see if they are able to keep up the same level of play with Edwin Williams in at left guard. Many coaches and players on the Bears compare Edwin's athleticism to that of Chris's, but simply point to the fact that he hasn't much game time reps. Edwin Williams did play some time last year at tackle and played well for the time being. It should be interesting to see how he progressed under another year with offensive line coach Mike Tice and see what he can bring to the table. Another thing the Bears need to do is get there offense back on track. With the defense playing so well last week, the Bears offense was simply asked to chew up clock and not turn over the ball. This left the offense pretty stagnate and ineffective and the Bears will need to change that to beat a tough Chargers defense. On thing that no only will help the offensive line get into a rhythm but also help the offense will be getting Matt Forte involved early. If the Bears are able to establish a run game, that will take some pressure off the line because the Chargers ma tune down the blitzing a little to try and stop the run. Another thing the Bears can do on offense to get it jump started is to get some other receivers besides Earl Bennett engaged. Last week, Bennett seemed to be the only wide receiver to show up and make an impact on the game. The Bears have other weapon on offense so it should be interesting to see who else shows up to play.
One the defensive side of the ball, the Bears must be salivating at the though of playing against Philip Rivers. He leads the league in interceptions and lately the Bears have been feasting on turnovers. It should interesting to see how the Bears pressure Rivers in order to try and force him to make some bad mistakes. If the Bears can force turnovers on defense, I pretty much think this game is in the bag. The Chargers have been playing some pretty horrible football this last month and I don't think you can argue that the Bears have been one of the hottest teams in football either. Look for the Bears to try and make some big plays on offense to try to take a load off the defense and like always, look for the defense to make some turnovers and terrorize Phillip Rivers. I predict the Bears will win this game handily at home, in a 30-10 victory and will be riding as high as ever coming into their game against the unpredictable Oakland Raiders. So until next time, Bear Down Chicago.

Week 10: Detroit Lions

Heading into the game against the Detroit Lions, there was a lot on the line for the Bears. If they were to beat the Lions, would they not only extend their winning streak to four games, but they would also be tied with the Lions for second place in the division. The Bears come out and made a stance early against the Lions on defense and it set the tone for the rest of the game. On the the sixth play of the game, the Lions threw a little bubble screen to Calvin Johnson and as he cut back to the middle of the field he was met by Julius Peppers head on. Pepper proceeded to strip the ball and that turned into a touchdown run for Matt Forte. On the next Lions offensive drive, Tim Jennings was beat my Nate Burleson but made a nice play to recover and ended up stripping Burleson of the ball. After those two drives, it seemed as if the Lions offense was never in rhythm. Matt Stafford had arguably one of his worst games of the season as he threw four interceptions and never seemed to be in any rhythm with the offense. This was a very telling game for the Bears because they were able to avenge the early lose to the Lions. It also showed how multidimensional the Bears are as a team. The offense never really seemed to get on track because the Lions were able to shut the Bears running game down and constantly had pressure on Jay Cutler. However the other two phases of the Bears came up huge. Devin Hester once again showed why he is the single most electrifying man in the NFL when he took his ninth punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter. Earlier in the quarter, he nearly had another punt return for a touchdown but was unable to get passed the Lions punter. It still baffles me why any team in this league punts to the man. He has shown year in and year out that no one besides himself can stop him and it seems like he constantly finds new ways to bring it to the house. Another encouraging thing that came out of this game was the play of the Bears defense. As I said before, they come out from the first play and established they were going to dictate how the game was going to be played. They scored two defensive touchdowns with two separate pick sixes by Charles Tillman and Major Wright. The Bears defense has seemingly reverted back to the dominate one the NFL has known for the last decade and if they Bears are to make a deep playoff run, the defense is going to need to continue playing at a high level. There was however a series of incidents that occurred in the fourth quarter that got out of hand. As the Bears were backed up in the own end of the field, Jay Cutler dropped back and was driven into the ground by Lions defensive tackle Nick Farley. It was fairly obvious that Farley drove his helmet into Cutlers with the intent of injuring him. On the Bears next defensive series, Lance Briggs level Calvin Johnson as he went over the middle for a catch and was called for unnecessary roughness. I though this play was a lot cleaner than that of Farley because Lance Briggs was simply reminding Calvin Johnson that receiver get punished for going over the middle on the Chicago Bears. He did not lead the tackle with his helmet and it seemed to be a clean play in my eyes. Things really reached a boiling point after Matt Stafford threw his third interception of the game as he was picked off by Tim Jennings. As Jennings was running the interception back, Stafford seemed to get locked up with Corner DJ Moore and seemingly through Moore to the ground by his head. Moore took exception to this and went right back after Stafford and tempers were flaring. I am not at all justifying DJ Moore's retaliation but the league should fine Stafford heavily for his role in the altercation. I understand that he was having a rough game but his actions were outside the lines and he should be fined heavily. However, the game in its self was a great one for the Bears. I believe they established themselves as a real contender in the NFC and will be a tough challenge for teams that play them from here on out. The Bears are coming into and easier part of their schedule and should really look to capitalize on it. So until next time, Bear Down Chicago.

Week 9: Philadelphia Eagles

As the Bears headed into Philadelphia to face the Eagles after their bye week, a lot was the line for the Bears to either gain or lose. A victory would mean a number of things for the Bears. They would have the tie breaker over the three teams closest to them for the sixth and final playoff position, they would be able to maintain the confidence and momentum heading into the game against Detroit and lastly they would only be one game behind Detroit for the fifth playoff seed in the NFC. The Bears started the game off exactly how I assumed they would. They pounded the ball on the ground with Matt Forte who gained 52 yards on the drive and eventually threw a touchdown pass to Matt Spaeth to take an early 7-0 lead. The Bears defense came out and looked great in the first half against the Eagles. They never seemed to allow LeSean McCoy to get going and kept Michael Vick contained with their front four. The second quarter however did have some hiccups for the Bears. About half way through the quarter, Jay Cutler dumped a pass off to Matt Forte in the flat and Forte ended up fumbling the ball. The fumble was Forte's first in over 345 touches. The Bears ended the quarter strongly with a fumble recovery off a punt that was punched out of DeSean Jackson's arms, which ultimately ended up as a touchdown on the following play for the Bears. As half time concluded, it seemed like the Eagles had completely forgotten about the fumble and quickly regained the momentum off another Matt Forte fumble. After the fumble, McCoy immediately broke of a touchdown run and put the Eagles back on top 24-17. However, the Bears come out in the fourth quarter and responded wonderfully. They marched down the field 92 yards and Jay Cutler eventually found Earl Bennett for what wound up to be the game altering touchdown pass. It was very evident throughout the game that Cutler loved having Bennett back in the lineup. Whenever a big play needed to be made by the passing game, Cutler looked for Bennett and was not disappointed. It is going to be interesting to see what happens in the second half of the season as the Bears line continues to improve with the passing game. If they can start hitting on some big plays down the field, the Bears offense should be able to do some nice things. Another thing that was interesting about the game is that the Bears offensive line did not give up a sack. If they can continue opening to open huge holes they did for Matt Forte and keep Jay Cutler protected, it should only mean good things for this offense. Also, we are finally starting to see some chemistry between Jay Cutler and Roy Williams, who caught three passes for 45 yards.
Defensively, the Bears played great and in large kept Vick and the offense in check. The defensive line consistently got pressure on Michael Vick and was even able to get some hits on him as the game wore on. It was also impressive to see that the Bears were comfortable in playing the Eagles in man to man coverage. It gives teams a different look to game plan against with the Bears and may be helpful later on this season. Overall, it was a very well played game by the Bears who showed, poise, determination and the willingness to fight. They should be heading into the game next week against Detroit with a ton of confidence and revenge on their mind. So until next time Chicago, Bear Down!

Week 9: Keys to success

With the Bears game against the Eagles just about 25 hours away, I think that is very important to look at the keys to success for the Bears if they are to win the game. As I just recently saw, the Bears are eight point favors which scares me just a bit, considering the game is in Philadelphia. However, the Bears have played well recently against the Eagles and have been able to contain Michael Vick. On the offensive side of the ball, the Bears are going to need to do a few things to make this a winnable game. The first thing that needs to happen in order for the Bears to come out victorious is another good game from the offensive linemen. The Eagles like to send a lot of pressure and it will be important for the offensive line to put together a solid game. They have been recently helped with the success and comfort of the running game along with keeping tight ends in to block or use the running backs to chip before going out into route. Another thing on offensive that will help the Bears be successful is their ability to run the game. Establishing Matt Forte in the running game will not only create some rhythm for the offense but also help out later in the game for the passing game. Establishing the running game will also allow the Bears to manage the clock and keep Michael Vick off the field. The last thing the Bears need to do on offense to succeed is to take its shots down field. The Bears have similar down field threats to the Eagles and have the ability to stretch the field. This will allow things to open up in the underneath game and will give the Eagles defense yet another aspect of the offense to worry about.
On the defensive side of the ball, there is also a few things the Bears need to do in order to win the game. The first thing the Bears need to do is make the Eagles one dimensional. This will allow the Bears to focus on that dimension and do everything they can to limit it. I personally believe the Bears should shut down the Eagles running game and make Michael Vick beat them. I know that is a bold statement, but the Bears defense has played very well against Michael Vick and has the athletes to keep him at bay. The second thing the Bears defense needs to do is get pressure on Michael Vick and force him into mistakes. It will be important for the Bears front four to not only get pressure on Vick, but also keep him contained. He is a much more controllable player when he is in the pocket and the Bears have the players on defense to control him and force him into mistakes. Overall, the Bears and Eagles match up very well and have very comparable pieces so I believe this game is going to come down to a few plays that will end up defining the game. Look for the Bears to come out on top and pull out a very momentous game heading into their battle with Detroit. So until next time, Bear Down Chicago!