knightni Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 (edited) http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...-home-headlines It's not so meaningless By John Mullin Tribune staff reporter August 7, 2005, 9:47 PM CDT CANTON, Ohio -- NFL exhibition games don't matter, and many players and coaches would love to get rid of a couple. But when the Bears face the Miami Dolphins on Monday night in the Hall of Fame Game, five things decidedly will matter in a game that otherwise doesn't. Another attempt to start the Rex Grossman era In effect, Grossman is less than halfway through his "rookie season." He has had only six starts, and two were marred by significant injuries. So every time he steps onto the field is significant as he tries to avoid being labeled injury-prone. At some point Monday night, he will take a hit. Ideally, his confidence will survive it. More importantly, perhaps, Grossman must prove he can ignite the offense and win. His comfort level with new coordinator Ron Turner's plan is critical, but equally crucial is the rest of the huddle's belief in him. That respect doesn't simply come with the job. Grossman must establish it, and that starts now. Nathan Vasher's big chance Jerry Azumah already was getting serious competition from Vasher for the No. 2 cornerback position before Azumah underwent hip surgery Wednesday. Vasher intercepted five passes last season as a rookie, tying for eighth in the NFL, and might be a better pure cover corner than Azumah. Sports code is that players do not lose jobs because of injury. But they certainly can lose them when their replacements play better than they do. Azumah will be out several weeks. He's in a contract year, so he'll be motivated. Now is Vasher's best opportunity to win the starting job. Depth-charting Reserves will get the bulk of the work Monday. As last season proved, they may play key roles later on. The Bears are due for some good injury luck, but if they don't get it, the talent down the depth chart will be the difference between survival and collapse. The Bears are counting on Roberto Garza to be a quality backup at center and guard and for Marc Colombo to give them security at tackle, along with Steve Edwards. They need more than Lance Briggs, Hunter Hillenmeyer and Brian Urlacher in their linebacking corps. Something special? The Bears decided kicker Doug Brien was an upgrade over Paul Edinger. They want not only improved field-goal accuracy but also deeper kickoffs. Practices can be misleading; games are revealing. They also cut their punt returner, R.W. McQuarters, and are counting on Azumah to come back whole from surgery. McQuarters won his return job in the exhibition season; the Bears need Bernard Berrian, Rashied Davis, Eddie Berlin, Bobby Wade or someone else to do that again. They also want a kickoff returner to emerge. Special teams will decide several roster spots. Watch kick coverage to spot surprise names that will be around after final cuts. Catching on Muhsin Muhammad's 16 touchdowns last year for Carolina were twice his previous career best, and his 1,405 yards were a career high. He could hit those heights again, and no Bears receiver has reached those marks. The Bears need something approaching that production, but they also need someone else to emerge. The Bears invested a second-round draft pick in Mark Bradley. If he, Berrian, Wade, Berlin, Justin Gage or someone else cannot emerge as a complementary threat opposite Muhammad, defenses will double-team Muhammad, gang up on the running backs and make Turner's new offense look depressingly like the old ones. Edited August 8, 2005 by knightni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan1 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Good read. No matter improtant or non-important I will always root for the Bears. We get to see a lot tonight. Mush in his new jersey, Rex back in the O, the rookies san Benson, Vasher in a starting role, and the O and D in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 To bad I have to miss the Fins beat the crap out of your bears tonight. Bad timing for this game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan1 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 12:53 PM) To bad I have to miss the Fins beat the crap out of your bears tonight. Bad timing for this game. :puke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 11:53 AM) To bad I have to miss the Fins beat the crap out of your bears tonight. Bad timing for this game. :headshake I got another sig bet for me to kick your ass in if you get on AIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 QUOTE(GBlum27 @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 11:10 AM) :headshake I got another sig bet for me to kick your ass in if you get on AIM I can't get on AIM right now and I'm not betting you on preseason football. You want to remind the people your record against me in sig bets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 12:13 PM) I can't get on AIM right now and I'm not betting you on preseason football. You want to remind the people your record against me in sig bets? I'm not talking about betting preseason game I'm thinking regular season records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 QUOTE(GBlum27 @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 11:16 AM) I'm not talking about betting preseason game I'm thinking regular season records. No thanks, I make bets I can win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 12:18 PM) No thanks, I make bets I can win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 10:53 AM) To bad I have to miss the Fins beat the crap out of your bears tonight. Bad timing for this game. If you don't like the Bears now, wait until mid September and you will REALLY be hating the Rams and their fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.