So, as of this point, we are now a week away from the regular season. *Does happy dance*.
I haven't seen all the preseason games - I KNOW! Shocker! - but I have seen all of the Chicago Bears' preseason games - I know. ANOTHER shocker! - and this is my opinion on what I've seen of the team.
Jay Cutler is vastly improved. I know. I've defended Jay for like ever. I've always felt he was under-rated and now he's proving that I was right. He looks like the QB that he was born to be. He's threading needles and making the big plays that one requires a QB to do. He lost weight, starting the end of last season and hasn't put it back on. I think he lost 11 pounds and he looks it. He looks more mobile. Not that he was exactly a Kurt Warner - esque QB in not being a great runner. Jay will run and when he does, he runs big and fast. But, he's throwing better. The marriage of Mike Martz's offensive scheme and Jay Cutler's abilities seem to be doing better than I had originally given hope. Maybe the crazy offensive scheme of Martz was what Cutler needed. More than I thought.
And, folks, how about that O-line!? There have been moments of not protecting the QB, but to be fair, it's not just the preseason, but some of those O-liners are either rookies or free agents looking to get on the team. I am impressed, especially with our "Mini Fridge", Gabe Carimi. He's got what it takes, as far as I see it. I figure in a couple years, he's going to be a guard to be reckoned with. Let's just hope that, unlike William "The Refrigerator" Perry, Carimi stays on offense. Jay Cutler needs him with the departure of Kruetz.
Matt Forte is proving that my comparing him to Walter Payton is spot on. While Forte will never have the sweet moves or finesse of "Sweetness", he certainly has the strength and the agility. He is our #1 running back and it's easy to see why. Forte will win out against any running back, even if we lose, simply because he's taller and stronger than some of them and has the ability to carry the offense (and in some cases from the past couple of seasons, defenses! Anyone remember that Monday night game against Minnesota when he carried practically the entire defense for another 5 yards after they thought he was down for that all important first down?)
Devin Hester. Only two words I need to say about him: Dangerous and Fast. He's really not been as dangerous as he has been in the past few years since football has moved where the kick offs happen, not allowing Hester to be used as he's been used and where he is most dangerous. Of course, it's only preseason and things could be different in the regular season and let's not count out the fact that OTAs and mini-camp and most of training camp were missed due to the Lockout. I feel that Hester will continue to bring the heat and the danger, but I've yet to see it. I'll give the guy a break under the circumstances.
Johnny Knox took the weight that Jay Cutler lost. Seriously. He bulked up this off season and he's looking good. He seems to have lost the rocks he had for hands last season and gained a whole new set of soft hands. He's been used for kick off returns and a couple punt returns and he's proven dangerous. Even though the kick off has been moved to the 35 yard line, Knox proves it's not the placement of the kick off, but the veracity of the returner. He's been picking up where Hester has left off. He's going to be a very good, if not the best, returner for the Bears.
Marion Barber. Roy Williams. Free agents we picked up from Dallas. Honestly, I thought that when the Bears very stupidly traded away Greg Olsen, our offense would be done. While I'm still trying to figure out how well they'll add to the offense, I'll give them a chance. New team. New offensive scheme. I'm more impressed, however, by Barber. While fumbles are a Marion Barber trait, Williams has lent a hand in giving Cutler a couple interceptions he normally wouldn't have had.
But, over all, I'm very impressed with the Bears and where we are heading.
Can we go to and win the Super Bowl? With this team, working together the way they are, I'll have to say yes, we can. I realize all that needs to go into it, but I really believe that this team is a Super Bowl winning team, headed up by one of the nicest coaches to have ever coached the game. While I do believe that Da Bears need Da Coach to play "bad cop", I'll never want to see "good cop" Lovie Smith go anywhere. He's the coach the team needs.
Good luck this season, Bears. You're well on your way to being the "Monsters of the Midway" once again and this die-harder couldn't be happier!
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