2022-23 NFL Season thread

[bmags]

Reports of two good days of practice for the passing offense, and that it may be a good thing Fields had to play with 3rd and 4th receivers where he had to rely on the plays timing and not forcing things to Kmet/Mooney.

[CentralChamps21]

Offensive line still sucks.

[scs787]

4 hours ago, CentralChamps21 said:

Offensive line still sucks.

Ehhhh, I think they'll at the very least be better than last year. To me everything rides on Braxton Jones. If he's the goods like all the reports outta training camp say he is, the line will be above average.  Rieff and Schofield are very new and it'll take a bit of time for the whole line to gel. 

 

I'm not sure if I said it here, but I definitely said it over on talkbears.com, yes that's a thing guys, but Tresten Ebner is my offensive surprise of this season. I think he's gonna earn a big role very quickly and give the Bears healthy Cohen type numbers. 

[bmags]

15 hours ago, scs787 said:

Ehhhh, I think they'll at the very least be better than last year. To me everything rides on Braxton Jones. If he's the goods like all the reports outta training camp say he is, the line will be above average.  Rieff and Schofield are very new and it'll take a bit of time for the whole line to gel. 

 

I'm not sure if I said it here, but I definitely said it over on talkbears.com, yes that's a thing guys, but Tresten Ebner is my offensive surprise of this season. I think he's gonna earn a big role very quickly and give the Bears healthy Cohen type numbers. 

I don’t think there is a chance in hell they get to above average. If they are top 20 this year in football outsider rankings that’ll be a win

[Dick Allen]

Eberflus keeping the play card in his pants needs to stop immediately. 

[ShoeLessRob]

They won’t win more than 5 games this year. BOOK IT. 

[scs787]

4 hours ago, bmags said:

I don’t think there is a chance in hell they get to above average. If they are top 20 this year in football outsider rankings that’ll be a win

Maybe "Above average" is pushing it, but I do think they have a chance to be not terrible. 

It all really hinges on Jones being solid. Whitehair, Patrick, Schofield,  and Reiff have all proven to be starting quality average-above average offensive linemen.  It's just a matter of all of those guys meshing and working together. 

[bmags]

The Ringer has the bears at 30th in offense and 32nd in defense. I don't think the Bears are going to be good. But just kinda re-enforces my opinion that the nfl media is by far the worst of the bunch. 100% front-running, 100% vibes based. They dislike that the bears drafted Justin Fields out of turn, and therefore the new regime is not allowed to clear the cap for a year like they'd laud any other team for doing - because they didn't surround Justin Fields with the talent they like.

Therefore - they must have the worst of everything.

Would love to hear the rationale for how the Bears, who were 13th in DVOA last year against a brutal slate of top QBs, are going to be worse than the Falcons defense. 

[dasox24]

I've seen multiple places mention the Bears having the worst defense in the NFL.  I just don't see it.

The defense was middle of the road last year.  We lost Mack and Hicks, but Mack only played 6 games, and Hicks played 9.  We had neither for at least half the season.  We significantly upgraded the secondary.  Roquan makes a big difference if he doesn't play, but I just can't see any way he sits out and doesn't get paid this year.  I'm expecting him to play, and to play well.

Changing from a base 3-4 to a base 4-3.  From a personnel standpoint, it really isn't that challenging for this roster.  Quinn moves to DE, and has played a ton of football as a 43 DE.  Gipson played DE in a 43 in college, so not like it's new to him completely.  Otherwise, people have different assignments/etc. from a schematic standpoint, but these guys are pros.  They'll pick it up quickly.

Is the expectation about the defense being the "worst" in the NFL purely from a statistical standpoint?  I guess it's possible if the offense is horrific and can't move the ball, leaving the defense on the field all game.  From a talent and coaching standpoint, no way is this defense the worst in the NFL.

[ShoeLessRob]

This is one of the worst Bears rosters I’ve seen going into a season. 

[scs787]

It looks awful on paper, but I took the over in wins. I may be alone on this and that's fine. I don't think they're going to make a playoff push or anything but I can certainly see 7 wins. I believe in the youth across the board. 

[bmags]

Velus!

[Soxfest]

Bears Coaching staff asleep not challenging the play? Looks like a good catch.

[Balta1701]

On 8/17/2022 at 9:19 AM, bmags said:

The Ringer has the bears at 30th in offense and 32nd in defense. I don't think the Bears are going to be good. But just kinda re-enforces my opinion that the nfl media is by far the worst of the bunch. 100% front-running, 100% vibes based. They dislike that the bears drafted Justin Fields out of turn, and therefore the new regime is not allowed to clear the cap for a year like they'd laud any other team for doing - because they didn't surround Justin Fields with the talent they like.

Therefore - they must have the worst of everything.

Would love to hear the rationale for how the Bears, who were 13th in DVOA last year against a brutal slate of top QBs, are going to be worse than the Falcons defense. 

 

[CentralChamps21]

1 hour ago, Soxfest said:

Bears Coaching staff asleep not challenging the play? Looks like a good catch.

I was thinking maybe they just wanted to see the defense back out on the field since the offense had the ball so much.

[bmags]

36 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

 

Right. And I think there’s easily a world where bears end up with worst record with certain injury luck…but I would certainly bet money even if that happened the bears wouldn’t be 32nd ranked defense.

[Kyyle23]

It’s only preseason but the entire team looks less frantic and confused, and much cleaner play.  

[Chisoxfn]

1 hour ago, Kyyle23 said:

It’s only preseason but the entire team looks less frantic and confused, and much cleaner play.  

This was my main observation.  I don't expect a lot cause they are still devoid of talent - but I like what I have seen from this new regime thus far.  

[bmags]

While somewhat encouraged by jenkins, the line still looks like a sieve on passing downs. I'd really hope borom can get beat out by Reiff. And man, please get better lucas patrick.

[scs787]

48 minutes ago, bmags said:

While somewhat encouraged by jenkins, the line still looks like a sieve on passing downs. I'd really hope borom can get beat out by Reiff. And man, please get better lucas patrick.

I think Reiff starting is kind of a foregone conclusion honestly.  Patrick should be back for the opener I believe. 

[bmags]

On 8/17/2022 at 8:01 PM, ShoeLessRob said:

This is one of the worst Bears rosters I’ve seen going into a season. 

I still think this is a better roster than 15-17. With no Roquan, it's very 17-esque, but he's still likely to be there imo.

I think the (correct) idea that Robert Quinn will see regression has gone so far in that direction that people can just say the bears don't have a pass rusher now and everyone just nods. 2017 finished with defense as 14th in DVOA, offense 28th, ST 23rd. I think we can beat offense, Special teams rankings that year (connor barth only hit 60% of his field goals that year) and Velus looks like a good returner.

Defense, even though I think our secondary is better, that line had hicks + goldman when goldman tried. 

but yeah our receivers in 2017 were Kendall Wright, Josh Bellamy, Dontrelle Inman, and I actually think zach miller may be an upgrade over kmet but he only played 6 games.

[scs787]

Yeah, the pass rush is really the thing that kinda scares me the most. More specifically DT. I've heard, moderately good things outta camp about Justin Jones, but I'm still not sure he's nothing more than a quality nose in a 4-3. Mario Edwards is someone I hoped to hear good things about as I think he has the best skill set to play the 3T but I'm not sure I've heard anything about him. 

 

The Colts last year were a top 10 defense and they didn't really get to the QB all that much, at least as far as sack numbers go. Their top 2 guys managed a whole 13 sacks.  Their number 2 guy, AQ Muhammad, is now a Bear. If Gipson proves to be an emerging player and Dom Robinson gives them a little something,  I think having a solid rotation of guys could keep Quinn fresh as he ages. 

 

I almost wish the Bears would have asked Gipson to put on some weight and see how he does as the 3T. 

 

I wonder if they ever revisit the Bengals 3T they signed and had to rescind the offer due to medical. 

[bmags]

59 minutes ago, scs787 said:

Yeah, the pass rush is really the thing that kinda scares me the most. More specifically DT. I've heard, moderately good things outta camp about Justin Jones, but I'm still not sure he's nothing more than a quality nose in a 4-3. Mario Edwards is someone I hoped to hear good things about as I think he has the best skill set to play the 3T but I'm not sure I've heard anything about him. 

 

The Colts last year were a top 10 defense and they didn't really get to the QB all that much, at least as far as sack numbers go. Their top 2 guys managed a whole 13 sacks.  Their number 2 guy, AQ Muhammad, is now a Bear. If Gipson proves to be an emerging player and Dom Robinson gives them a little something,  I think having a solid rotation of guys could keep Quinn fresh as he ages. 

 

I almost wish the Bears would have asked Gipson to put on some weight and see how he does as the 3T. 

 

I wonder if they ever revisit the Bengals 3T they signed and had to rescind the offer due to medical. 

Signed with Pitt, 1 yr $8 mill

[scs787]

3 hours ago, bmags said:

Signed with Pitt, 1 yr $8 mill

Ope. There are still a few vets out there with a bit of intrigue. Suh, Linval Joseph, and Sheldon Richardson are all still out there.  Reaching a bit here but as rotational pieces they could be useful.  

 

[SoxAce]

So that's who Brady was talking about when he said "You're sticking with that mother fucker" (Derek Carr).