Bears bounce back to see off the Packers

The Bears defence answered it's critics by holding Aaron Rodgers and The Packers to just one touchdown as the took they win 23 - 13 at Soldier Field. A week is a long time in sports and the Bears defensive unit looked a diferent animal than the one that got shredded in Dallas a week ago. Led by LB Brian Urlacher, The Bears D harrassed Rodgers all day, sacking him twice and pressuring him into throwing the ball away.

The first half was a kicking competion, as neither side could gain the initiative and Chicago headed into the locker room leading 9 - 6. After the break Bears QB Jay Cutler finally found some form as he led the Bears up the field on a Seven minute drive which culminated in a 7yd TD pass to FB Desmond Clark to make the score 20 - 6 in The Bears favour.

The Packers tried to mount a comeback and had Chicago fans biting their nails as rookie RB James Starks jumped over from 2yds to cut the deficit to one score with eleven minutes to play. After a Chicago punt, Rodgers looked to tie the scores on the following drive but he hadn't counted on the renewed vigour of The Bears D.

Lovie Smith will be hoping his team can continue their good form as they travel to New York to take on the 1-2 Giants next week.

NFL Scoreboard - Green Bay Packers (2-1) at Chicago Bears (2-1)

September 27, 2010 1 2 3 4 F Green Bay Packers 3 3 0 7 13 Chicago Bears 3 6 11 3 23 Top Performers Green Bay Packers - Stats Chicago Bears - Stats	Team Stats Comparison GB CHI First Downs 17 14 3rd Down Efficiency 3-12 5-15 4th Down Efficiency 0-1 0-0 Total Yards 435 372 Passing Yards 254 185 Rushing Yards 92 75 Penalties-Penalty Yards 3-30 0-0 Turnovers 1 2 Time of Possession 26:16 33:44
Scoring Summary First Quarter GB CHI GB 11:40 M Crosby 49yd FG 3 0 CHI 03:43 R Gould 48yd FG 3 3 Second Quarter GB CHI GB 08:06 M Crosby 28yd FG 6 3 CHI 01:48 R Gould 36yd FG 6 6 CHI 00:36 R Gould 31yd FG 6 9 Third Quarter GB CHI CHI 09:31 R Gould 24yd FG 6 12 CHI 02:50 D Clark 7yd pass from J Cutler (2pt Conv) 6 20 Fourth Quarter GB CHI GB 11:41 J Starks 7yd run (M Crosby kick) 13 20 CHI 01:52 R Gould 49yd FG 13 23
Green Bay Packers Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT A Rodgers 24/38 265 0 1 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD R Grant 14 61 4.3 0 J Starks 3 13 4.3 1 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD G Jennings 6 67 11.1 0 B Jackson 4 19 4.7 0 J Jones 3 62 20.6 0 Defense TKL SACK INT TD N Barnett 9 0 0 1 A Hawk 7 0 0 0 N Collins 4 0 0 0 Kicking FGM/A XPM/A PTS LONG M Crosby 2-3 1-1 7 49 Chicago Bears Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT J Cutler 24/38 154 1 1 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD M Forte 20 78 3.9 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD D Hester 5 47 9.4 0 G Olsen 5 38 7.6 0 M Forte 4 12 2.4 0 D Clark 3 13 4.3 1 Defense TKL SACK INT TD B Urlacher 8 0 0 0 Z Bowman 7 0 0 0 C Harris 5 0 1 0 C Graham 4 1 0 0 T Jennings 2 1 0 0 Kicking FGM/A XPM/A PTS LONG R Gould 5-5 0-0 15 50

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Dismal Bears thrashed in Dallas

Lovie Smith claimed he was 'furious' after an inept defensive display, after The Bears proved to be no match for the rampant Cowboys. The Bears defence could find no way to halt The Cowboys potent passing attack, giving up 358yds in the air and three touchdowns.

Of equal concern will be the bluntness of The Bears attack, as Cutler struggled to find any time in the pocket, and drive after drive ended with a punt away. The Bears only managed to convert two 3rd downs all day, one of which led to the first TD of the day as Cutler found Hester fromm 44yds, taking the lead adter Dallas had opened the scoring with a FG.

From then on it was one way traffic as Tony Romo converted on touchdowns with Austin, Hurd and Choice. D Buehler chipped in with another 2 field goals.

Veteran Linebacker Brian Urlacher said his team needed to 'man up' as they prepare to face NFC North rivals Green Bay next week. The Packers lead the division on 2-0 and boast passing attack that is sure to provide more problems for The Bears.

NFL Scoreboard - Chicago Bears (1-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

September 19, 2010 1 2 3 4 F Chicago Bears 7 0 0 0 7 Dallas Cowboys 3 10 8 10 31 Top Performers Chicago Bears - Stats J Cutler 147 yds, 1 TD B Urlacher 12 Tkl Dallas Cowboys - Stats T Romo 371 yds, 3 TD R Williams, 10 Rec, 169 yds	Team Stats Comparison CHI DAL First Downs 8 25 3rd Down Efficiency 2-9 12-16 4th Down Efficiency 0-0 0-0 Total Yards 278 553 Passing Yards 135 358 Rushing Yards 28 119 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1-5 1-5 Turnovers 0 0 Time of Possession 15:36 44:24
Scoring Summary First Quarter CHI DAL DAL 07:28 D Buehler 20yd FG 0 3 CHI 01:47 D Hester 46yd pass from J Cutler (R Gould kick) 7 3 Second Quarter CHI DAL DAL 09:12 T Choice 3yd pass from T Romo (D Buehler kick) 7 10 DAL 01:47 D Buehler 46yd FG 7 13 Third Quarter CHI DAL DAL 06:15 S Hurd 13yd pass from T Romo (2pt Conv) 7 21 Fourth Quarter CHI DAL DAL 13:15 M Austin 27yd pass from T Romo (D Buehler kick) 7 28 DAL 06:14 D Buehler 38yd FG 7 31
Chicago Bears Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT J Cutler 14-27 147 1 0 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD M Forte 8 11 1.3 0 D Hester 1 17 17.0 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD D Hester 3 70 23.3 1 J Knox 3 22 7.3 0 G Olsen 3 25 8.3 0 Defense TKL SACK INT TD B Urlacher 12 0 0 0 L Briggs 7 0 0 0 M Harrison 2 1 0 0 J Peppers 1 1 0 0 M Anderson 1 1 0 0 Kicking FGM/A XPM/A PTS LONG R Gould 0-0 1-1 1 -- Dallas Cowboys Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT T Romo 27-39 371 3 0 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD M Barber 21 78 3.7 0 F Jones 10 41 4.1 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD R Williams 10 169 16.9 0 M Austin 5 76 15.2 1 D Bryant 4 48 12.0 0 S Hurd 4 50 12.5 1 T Choice 1 3 3.0 1 Defense TKL SACK INT TD B James 7 0 0 0 D Ware 4 1 0 0 A Ball 3 1 0 0 Kicking FGM/A XPM/A PTS LONG D Buehler 3-3 2-2 11 47

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Bears struggle past Lions

The Chicago Bears got their 2010 campaign off to a winning start after an unconvincing win over the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on Sunday. Bears coach Lovie Smith was left scrtatching his head after his team dominated the offensive statistics, but only claimed the win on the back of a Tommie Smith interceptions late in the fourth quarter.

After the early exchanges, The Bears registered the first points of the game when Robbie Gould kick the Field Goal from 34 yards, his first of four kicks on the day. Soldier Field then fell silent as Sammie Hill hit Bears QB Jay Cutler, forcing the fumble and romping home from 44 yards to claim his first ever NFL touchdown. A field Goal apiece meant the Lions led 10 - 6 at the half.

If the Bears fans thought things couldn't get any worse, they were in for a rude awakening, as Javed Best extended the Lions lead midway through the third quarter, ploughing through a static Bears defence to score form 9yds out. The Bears tried in vain to penetrate the Lions Red Zone defence, but were forced to settle for field goals twice, before Smith snagged the deflected pass and stole the game.

NFL Scoreboard - Detroit Lions (0-1) at Chicago Bears (1-0)

September 12, 2010 1 2 3 4 F Detroit Lions 0 10 7 0 17 Chicago Bears 3 3 3 9 18 Top Performers Detroit Lions - Stats J Best 212yds 4.3avg 1TD Z Follett 6Tkl 1 Int 1TD Chicago Bears - Stats J Cutler 25-41 Att, 256yds, 1 Int T Harris 3 Tkl, 1 sack, 1 Int	Team Stats Comparison DET CHI First Downs 10 16 3rd Down Efficiency 1-10 9-19 4th Down Efficiency 0-1 0-0 Total Yards 356 427 Passing Yards 206 234 Rushing Yards 52 81 Penalties-Penalty Yards 0-0 2-45 Turnovers 1 1 Time of Possession 20:04 39:56
Scoring Summary First Quarter DET CHI CHI 02:21 R Gould 34yd FG 0 3 Second Quarter DET CHI DET 11:19 S Hill Ret Fumble 44yds (J Hanson kick) 7 3 CHI 03:50 R Gould 43yd FG 7 6 DET 00:46 J Hanson 50yd FG 10 6 Third Quarter DET CHI DET 06:33 J Best 9yd run (J Hanson kick) 17 6 CHI 00:00 R Gould 35yd FG 17 9 Fourth Quarter DET CHI CHI 06:35 R Gould 18yd FG 17 12 CHI 06:26 T Harris Ret Int 18yds (2 pt conv failed) 17 18
Detroit Lions Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT M Stafford 20-33 212 0 0 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD J Best 12 52 4.3 1 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD B Johnson 11 119 10.8 0 C Johnson Jr 3 72 24.0 0 D Pettigrew 2 14 7.0 0 Defense TKL SACK INT TD C Brown 6 0 0 0 Z Follett 6 0 1 0 C Avril 4 1 0 0 S Hill 2 0 0 1 Kicking FGM/A XPM/A PTS LONG J Hanson 1-2 1-1 4 50 Chicago Bears Passing C/ATT YDS TD INT J Cutler 25-41 256 0 1 Rushing ATT YDS AVG TD M Forte 26 83 3.1 0 Receiving REC YDS AVG TD J Knox 6 78 13.0 0 D Hester 5 41 8.2 0 D Armoashodu 5 45 9.0 0 M Forte 5 23 4.6 0 Defense TKL SACK INT TD Z Bowman 6 0 0 0 T Harris 3 1 1 1 B Urlacher 5 1 0 0 Kicking FGM/A XPM/A PTS LONG R Gould 4-4 0-0 12 43

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USC: There’s some concern about the Trojans offensively because Matt Barkley and the rushing attack haven’t been up to par in a couple recent scrimmages. I’m not buying the panic, however. Under head coach Lane Kiffin, Barkley will thrive — much like former Tennessee signal-caller Jonathan Crompton, who was built into a draftable prospect by Kiffin last season. Barkley had a strong spring and he will have playmakers all over the field. Replacing the popular Pete Carroll was always going to be tough, but Kiffin knows the campus and the program, and the offensive and defensive schemes will be similar to what the players have been used to in the past. The defensive line is filthy, and the unit will be leaned upon to help out a secondary that must replace all four starters — though Shareece Wright returns from academic ineligibility. I think the Trojans play with a chip on their shoulders after all the off-the-field drama. If they do stumble, though, I wonder if the NFL prospects don’t lose their focus, as there will be no postseason for the squad.


Oregon: Even without Jeremiah Masoli under center, Oregon remains one of the top contenders for the Pac-10 title. Could the Ducks have been in contention for a national championship if Masoli had not been kicked off the team? Quite possibly, because the team is loaded with talent everywhere. But the Ducks should still get steady play under center from sophomore Darron Thomas, who beat out senior Nate Costa for the starting job. Masoli brought the “it” factor to the most important position on the field, however. Can Thomas have that same moxie? It sounds crazy for a Pac-10 team to have high expectations for a defensive unit, but the Ducks boast a deep secondary that returns four starters and capable backups. I’m not sleeping on Chip Kelly’s squad even without a Heisman contender under center. Remember, they still have LaMichael James rushing the rock.
Arizona: I don’t love the idea of Arizona employing co-coordinators on both sides of the ball, but the Wildcats haven’t seemed to run into any problems in their preparations for the season. But how will they respond to the first bit of adversity this fall? Quarterback Nick Foles leads a very talented offense that also features 6-4, 210-pound Juron Criner, one of the best wide receivers in the Pac-10. Nic Grigsby leads a deep backfield that also features Keola Antolin, who was the Wildcats’ leading rusher in ’09. Can Grigsby actually stay healthy? While ‘Zona has plenty of talent on offense, the defense must replace seven starters — including all three linebacker spots. The secondary should be steady, but the team will need big contributions from defensive ends Ricky Elmore and Brooks Reed as pass rushers. Mike Stoop’s Wildcats have been thinking all offseason about their disastrous Holiday Bowl outing against Nebraska. It’s a motivated team — which is a dangerous thing for opposing Pac-10 teams.
Stanford: Heisman Trophy finalist Toby Gerhart rushed for 1,871 yards and 28 touchdowns last season, taking the pressure off of young quarterback Andrew Luck. You just don’t replace that production. The Cardinal will employ a committee in the backfield likely until a back is able to break from the pack. But how will the loss of Gerhart affect Luck, who has shown that he has NFL starting talent. He’ll have a solid offensive line to work behind and good receivers to throw to, and he is expected to take the next step in his development and live up to the confidence shown in him by head coach Jim Harbaugh. Meanwhile, hopes are high that new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will have success with his hybrid 3-4 after the Cardinal defense finished ninth in the Pac-10 last season. The blitz will be a major part of the defense’s identity in Palo Alto, but the secondary — which allowed 23 touchdown passes and a 63 percent completion rate in ’09 — remains an issue. Still, this season is all about Luck.
Oregon State: It seemed like Oregon State was dealing with personnel losses on defense all throughout the offseason, whether it had to do with injuries or players leaving the team. Depth on the line and middle linebacker remains an issue. Three sophomores are battling for the starting job at MLB. Will the knee of senior defensive tackle and All-America candidate Stephen Paea hold up for a full season? On offense, sophomore quarterback Ryan Katz possesses the big arm and mobility to lead this offensive attack, highlighted by all-conference playmakers Jacquizz and James Rodgers. But Katz will surely see the blitz early and often this fall — starting with the season opener against TCU. As always, head coach Mike Riley will do another great coaching job in Corvallis and keep the team in the conference race all season.


Washington: What else can we say about the job that Steve Sarkisian has already done in Seattle? Washington is poised for big things offensively this fall, led by the potential top pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, quarterback Jake Locker. Nine offensive starters return to the unit, including running back Chris Polk, who ran for over 1,000 yards in ’09. The team’s top three wide receivers are also back — Jermaine Kearse, Devin Aguilar and James Johnson, who combined for 131 catches, 1,881 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. The Huskies will have no problem lighting up the scoreboard in 2010. Ten starters return to coordinator Nick Holt’s defense, but keep an eye on the health of defensive ends Kalani Aldrich and Everette Thompson. Their presence will be needed, especially against the league’s best offenses.
UCLA: Much of the talk surrounding UCLA throughout the offseason was about the team employing a variation of Nevada's “pistol” offense — dubbed “the revolver,” which features the shotgun formation with a single running back and elements of the spread-option. It has had its peaks and valleys in spring and fall camp, but the Bruins are intent on displaying their many weapons offensively this fall. But the major question now is whether sophomore quarterback Kevin Prince will be healthy enough to line up under center against Kansas State in the opener. Prince hasn’t practiced in about three weeks while dealing with a small tear in a back muscle. Fellow sophomore Richard Brehaut would step in if Prince isn’t ready. Wide receivers Nelson Rosario and Taylor Embree, along with transfer Josh Smith and tight end transfer Joseph Fauria, will be legitimate threats for whoever is under center. The Bruins replace six starters on defense — including three who earned first-team all-conference honors — but the unit brings back a lot of speed that will at least be able to help make up for some mistakes while it takes time to gel.
California: Senior quarterback Kevin Riley will get one more chance to make good on the confidence shown in him by head coach Jeff Tedford. While he has 22 starts under his belt over three seasons, too many times he has faltered after showing flashes of brilliance. Despite losing left tackle Mike Tepper to the next level, four starters return to the offensive line and running back Shane Vereen will pick up where Jahvid Best left off, which should provide Riley with enough chances to look down the field. But who will catch the football in Berkeley besides Marvin Jones? Can highly touted freshman Keenan Allen make an immediate impact? On defense, new coordinator Clancy Pendergast will make the Golden Bears more aggressive — with lots of blitzes and stunts. And with senior defensive end Cameron Jordan, Pendergast will have a new leader on the line following the departure of Tyson Alualu.


Arizona State: Sun Devils head coach Dennis Erickson will make his decision Monday on the team’s starting quarterback — either Michigan transfer Steven Threet or sophomore Brock Osweiler. Threet may have moved ahead in the competition, but expect both quarterbacks to see action this fall. Neither has instilled much confidence in the coaching staff. No matter who is under center, he may have a tough time staying on his feet playing behind a questionable offensive line, which now has to replace veteran guard Jon Hargis in addition to two other starters from last season. Hargis was lost for the season with a knee injury. While the Sun Devils lost seven starters from an impressive defense, they exhibited their depth last season and have enough speed to remain a playmaking unit. Cornerback Omar Bolden, defensive tackle Lawrence Guy and linebacker Vontaze Burfict are names to keep an eye on in perhaps a make-or-break year for Erickson.
Washington State: Despite entering just his third season, head coach Paul Wulff could be on the hot seat because of the success that in-state counterpart Sarkisian is having in Seattle. The Cougars are coming off an encouraging offseason, however, as the staff is optimistic about its improved depth. However, defensive tackle could be an area of concern. Quarterback Jeff Tuel saw action as a true freshman before suffering a season-ending knee injury. If you take into account how little talent the Cougars had on the offensive side of the ball and the poor pass protection, the kid held his own quite admirably. Top receiver Jared Karstetter returns, but expect the Cougars to play a lot of freshmen this fall at wideout. Washington State finally is building back its depth, but will Wulff be there to see it through?