NFL Rankings

[GoodAsGould]

I see the Bears with at least 7 wins more likely 8 so dont think Leinart wil be available... as for Garza being the backup he has been behind Metcalf or whatevr the whole pre-season on the depth chart so no surprise there.

 

One thing im not happy with is Gage at number 2. To me Bradley and Berrian have both looked better and in my opinion should be ahead of Gage on the depth chart.

[Kalapse]

I see the Bears with at least 7 wins more likely 8 so dont think Leinart wil be available... as for Garza being the backup he has been behind Metcalf or whatevr the whole pre-season on the depth chart so no surprise there.

 

One thing im not happy with is Gage at number 2.  To me Bradley and Berrian have both looked better and in my opinion should be ahead of Gage on the depth chart.

I don't think it really matters who the proclaim the #2 at this moment. All it means is that you'll see Gage across from Muhsin in Washington for the first series but after that you'll be seeing a lot of Bradley. Berrian will get his chances and Wade will get his usual amount of reps on the cross patterns.

 

Gage has a ton of upside and is further developed than Bradley, who still tends to drop the easy passes, while making the spectacular ones. This should not be a shock to anyone.

[GoodAsGould]

Its not really a shock that Gage is the number 2.... I just think that Berrian/Bradley have done more to deserve it..... Ill say Gage has had his moments and him and Rex seem to have a connection but with Rex being out I would of liked if Berrian/Bradley got the chance to be the 2.

[Kalapse]

Its not really a shock that Gage is the number 2.... I just think that Berrian/Bradley have done more to deserve it..... Ill say Gage has had his moments and him and Rex seem to have a connection but with Rex being out I would of liked if Berrian/Bradley got the chance to be the 2.

They will, this Sunday.

 

Gage is currently in the tentative #2 spot, it only lasts for the 1st series then you see Berrian and Bradley.

[GASHWOUND]

Well, this started out as Power rankings thread for the beloved..Here's CBSsportline..they have them at 22..at least its not last..lol

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/powerrankings

 

I don't think I posted ESPN's

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/powerranking...son=2005&week=1

 

Plus Dr. Z who ranked us last picks up as for the upset win against the Redskins..maybe the angry mob will stop calli him..hmm, now where did I do with that number....

 

 

By Paul Zimmerman

 

I guess by now you know the rules of this thing. I don't pick a big-spread game -- I'm not trying to fatten up on puppies -- unless 1) it's a Monday-nighter or 2) I'm going for the upset. Well, I'm leading off with the game between Washington and Chicago, with the Redskins a serious favorite, so what does that tell you? You're right, they're not playing on Monday night, so I must like the Bears.

 

I can hear the folks in the Windy City laughing their fool heads off. Isn't this the guy who predicted a 3-13 record for our Bears? You're right, and I've been hearing it from the Chicago fans who got hold of my phone number. "Don't you know we've got a defense now, you dumb.... "

 

But here's the thing. I picked the Skins to go 4-12, and I've gotten even more calls from Washington (probably because it's CIA country, hence the leak).

 

A low-scoring contest is predicted, but in games in which both sides have dominant defenses, turnovers usually run high. Turnovers mean points, and I think that's what we're going to see on the scoreboard: turnover-induced numbers.

 

Bears rookie quarterback Kyle Orton is a mystery, which might not be all that bad. Washington's offense is known and unimpressive. And I've got a question for the superinfo people at STATS, Inc. Four quarterbacks who started at least one game for Chicago last year -- Grossman, Krenzel, Quinn and Hutchinson -- are missing from the Bears' roster on Week 1. Has that ever happened to an NFL team before? Anyway, the Chicago defense will do more damage to the Washington offense than vice versa, hence this big upset.

 

Upset No. 2: The Jets will beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead. This guy I know, Stevie Numbers, is tapping on the window. He wants to tell me that Kansas City has won 12 of its last 16 home openers. Right -- and lost four of the last five. Leave me alone with this historical stuff. You know what roulette players say: The wheel has no memory.

 

I'm sorry, but the circulation problems in Trent Green's leg bother me. Oh, he'll play, or the folks in Vegas would have removed this game from the board, but I don't know how well or for how long.

 

I'm on the upset wagon and I can't get off -- No. 3 will be the Cowboys to beat the Chargers in San Diego. With assistant Hudson Houck gone, the Chargers' offensive line is not as good as last year's, and Bill Parcells has been building a pass rush in Dallas all off-season.

 

Atlanta seems like an easy pick over Philadelphia in the Monday-nighter: home folks screaming, TO goading them to a fever pitch and so forth. It's too easy, which always makes me nervous. Philly's secondary will control Michael Vick, just as it did last year, and the Eagles will take it. The Bills will win big over Houston, which won't control the rush, and the Lions will whip Green Bay, which doesn't have the great O-line anymore. Remember what the Giants did to Kurt Warner in '03 at the Meadowlands? Harried him into a fumbling jag, then into the hospital with a concussion. Different uniform -- it was St. Louis when that happened, now it's Arizona -- but I'll go with the Giants again. And the Jaguars over Seattle. Finally, the Colts' Peyton Manning, who had a great game against the Ravens in December, will squeak one out in Baltimore.

 

Last season: 78-48

[DBAHO]

And just beacuse I can't let Gashy have all the fun;

 

30. Chicago Bears – Bears fans might want to wait and see what Kyle Orton and Mark Bradley look like against No. 1 defenses before anointing them franchise saviors.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=cr-r...=yhoo&type=lgns

[Kalapse]

Hmm. Sportsline has the Bears at 22 and the Boys at 21.

 

21 Dallas Cowboys -

The big question will be how they protect Drew Bledsoe. If they can, this can be a quality team. We want to see it first.

[GASHWOUND]

And just beacuse I can't let Gashy have all the fun; 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=cr-r...=yhoo&type=lgns

 

Oh yeah, I'll counter

with this..good boy Prisco..lol

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/8816024

 

I'm already startin a petition to have the Bears start on Orton's 120 ft Bronze statue to put outside Soldier Field like Nero

[CWSGuy406]

I've been quiet, and just wanted to say this:

 

If, on October 23rd, while sitting ten rows from the Bears sideline against the Ravens, I still see Thomas Jones as the starting running back, that's probably not a good thing.

 

He's serviceable, but not the guy who's going to put the team on his back and carry 'em. I'm not saying Benson can do that this year, but he was drafted fourth. I don't care that he's missed much of the preseason. I'm hoping by week three or week four, he's getting at least ten touches per game.

[Felix]

"Bears rookie quarterback Kyle Orton is a mystery, which might not be all that bad. Washington's offense is known and unimpressive. And I've got a question for the superinfo people at STATS, Inc. Four quarterbacks who started at least one game for Chicago last year -- Grossman, Krenzel, Quinn and Hutchinson -- are missing from the Bears' roster on Week 1. Has that ever happened to an NFL team before? Anyway, the Chicago defense will do more damage to the Washington offense than vice versa, hence this big upset."

Is it really that big an upset? Dr. Z doesnt know much if he really thinks the Bears are the worst team in the league.

[GASHWOUND]

another on the bandwagon..Bill Simmons, come on down..I think it's up to like 2 people..

 

Also, another who sees all the crappy starting QBs in the league..

 

The Dr. Gregory House Award for "Legitimate sleeper that absolutely nobody saw coming"

Because that's the thing about sleepers: Nobody should be able to predict them. Last year, the Chargers came out of nowhere. The year before, Carolina. In 2001, New England and Chicago. When you hear people throwing the word "sleeper" around for teams like Arizona and Cincy, those are NOT real sleepers. You need to choose someone from this putrid group: Redskins, Giants, Bears, Bucs, Niners, Raiders, Titans, Browns, Bills and Dolphins. I'm telling you, one of those nine teams will make the 2005 playoffs, and everyone is going to say, "Oh my God, how did that happen????"

 

Brian Urlacher

Urlacher might finally make "the leap" from "that guy in the soup commercial" to "that guy on the Bears."

So here's my pick: The Chicago Bears. Easiest schedule in the league. Inferior division and conference. Underrated running game. One All-Pro receiver in Muhsin Muhammad. A defense that has a chance to crack the top-five, helmed by some playmakers (Briggs, Urlacher, Harris, Tillman) and what could turn out to be the best secondary in the league (now that Mike Brown is back). A sizable home-field advantage, especially in November and December. Very good coach (Lovie Smith) who had them playing hard in October and November until their quarterbacks did them in. And best of all, NOBODY is talking about them. In fact, Sports Illustrated ranked them 32 out of 32.

 

What's the big problem here? The quarterback. They're playing a fourth-round rookie (Kyle Orton) who's loved by the coaches and players ... but he's still a fourth-round rookie. So here's my question: Even if he's hit-or-miss, it's not like he's going to be much worse than Kyle Boller, Bledsoe, J.P. Losman, Patrick Ramsey or half the crappy starters in the league. Anyway, that's my 2005 sleeper -- I think they're going 10-6 and losing by 30 points in the first round of the playoffs. You heard it here.

 

(And if they finish 4-12, you didn't hear it here.)

 

 

I like the last part..

Hey, I only picked them to win 7 or 8 games..so he's more optimistic then I am.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...=simmons/050908

[SoxFan1]

Sure, call me a homer but everyone does it. I am overly confident with the Bears and while being very optomistic, I am expecting a 0-16 season. Thats just my philosophy with them. Hope for the best but expect the worst...this way, you'll never be dissapointed.

[Rowand44]

Sure, call me a homer but everyone does it. I am overly confident with the Bears and while being very optomistic, I am expecting a 0-16 season. Thats just my philosophy with them. Hope for the best but expect the worst...this way, you'll never be dissapointed.

You know, this philosiphy doesn't work imo. You'll always be disappointed when your favorite team sucks, no matter what expectations you have for them.

[Kalapse]

You know, this philosiphy doesn't work imo.  You'll always be disappointed when your favorite team sucks, no matter what expectations you have for them.

Yeah but you're used to it by now. I mean you probably have 0 expectations for your team going into the season right? If I were a Phins fan I'd probably be looking for another team as I'm sure you are.

[GoodAsGould]

Yeah but you're used to it by now. I mean you probably have 0 expectations for your team going into the season right? If I were a Phins fan I'd probably be looking for another team as I'm sure you are.

 

We are Bears fans arent we? Are we really in position to trash talk

[Kalapse]

We are Bears fans arent we?  Are we really in position to trash talk 

We were good in '01 and we won the Super Bowl in '85.

 

Yeah, you're right, we don't have much to hang our hats on.

[DBAHO]

Ok more rankings, Bears at 29 from FoxSports;

 

You know how every team is supposed to be feeling optimistic before the season? How fired up should Bears fans feel right now, with their starting QB out for the next 3-4 months with a broken ankle, and No. 4 overall pick Cedric Benson still holding out? The Bears' defense should be formidable, especially if it can get a full season out of Brian Urlacher. But why the heck wouldn't the Bears have brought in an experienced backup QB this spring?

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/4802386

 

While in 10 bold predictions from the same site (Adam Schein), it says Julius Jones will lead the NFL in rushing and Kyle Orton will have more wins than Brett Favre;

 

I really like this Bears defense. As a unit, they collectively have a great knack for creating turnovers. Tommie Harris is about to become a star. Alex Brown knows how to get to the quarterback. Look for big things from defensive end Adewale Ogunleye in Year 2 in Chicago. Brian Urlacher is healthy. Lovie Smith is a great coach and teacher.

 

Yes, Orton's a rookie and he scares me, but not nearly as much as Chad Hutchinson did.

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/4824606

[Kalapse]

Ok more rankings, Bears at 29 from FoxSports;

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/4802386

 

While in 10 bold predictions from the same site (Adam Schein), it says Julius Jones will lead the NFL in rushing and Kyle Orton will have more wins than Brett Favre;

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/4824606

He also has the Cowboys at 23 and had them at 27 last week.

[DBAHO]

He also has the Cowboys at 23 and had them at 27 last week.

Yep, I've seen the Cowboys from 15 down to 27 in a lot of different rankings. It all comes down to how good the defense will be with the 3-4, and how Drew Bledsoe does though.

 

With Chicago, you know the defense is going to hold up their end of the bargain, it all comes down to the offense.

[DBAHO]

Rick Morrissey 4-12;

 

Hi, it's Mr. Happy here, with news that my prediction of a 6-10 Bears season might be totally wrong.

 

They could go 4-12.

 

Maybe he looks at Kyle Orton and sees Peyton Manning. I look at Kyle Orton and see a bloody puddle of quarterback.

 

Rookie quarterbacks have success in the NFL the way 40-year-old men living with their mothers have success in singles bars.

 

But the Redskins will blitz Orton on Sunday, and it will be understandable if he has a rough game. And maybe Clinton Portis runs crazy against the Bears' defense, the way he did last year. On the road, with the eyes of the league on Orton … maybe not a victory.

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...-home-headlines