Urlacher: Veteran teams to have edge

Urlacher: Veteran teams to have edge

By Jeff Dickerson
ESPNChicago.com
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CHICAGO -- Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher expects head coach Lovie Smith to conduct a normal training camp once the NFL lockout ends and football related activities are allowed to resume.

We have a great camp schedule and there is no reason for us to change it, I don't think," Urlacher said Thursday on "The Waddle and Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "We're a veteran team, and I believe we'll [report] in shape. Guys will be ready to go, knowing what to do.

"So I don't think much is going to change for us. We'll come in the first couple of days, ease into it, then get going with the pads every day after that. We do start earlier than everybody else because of the Hall of Fame Game, but I don't see much changing for us training camp wise."

The Bears are scheduled to report to training camp at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill. on Friday, July 22, with the first practice tentatively set for the following day on July 23. Because of the lockout, the team was forced to cancel the offseason workout program, rookie minicamp, veteran minicamp, and the majority of OTAs which are supposed to wrap up on Thursday, June 24.

With NFL facilities off-limits, Bears defensive players like Urlacher have spent the offseason working out on their own, but quarterbacks Jay Cutler and Caleb Hanie began throwing to skill position players roughly a month ago. Urlacher, currently in the Chicago area, has received positive feedback from various teammates about the offensive workouts.

"They are doing quite a bit right now from talking to a couple of them," Urlacher said. "They're throwing two or three days a week ... running routes, etc. Luckily, we don't have a new system going in on offense or defense like some of the teams with new coordinators or new coaches. They can't work on stuff and I would think they'll be behind quite a bit when we do get rolling. For us, we've been in our system defensively for seven or eight years now, offensively it's been at least a year."

Urlacher feels Cutler's involvement in the unofficial offseason workouts will enhance the quarterback's chances of having a better 2011 campaign.

"No doubt [Cutler will be better in Year 2 in Mike Martz's system]," Urlacher said. "I mean he played well for us last year. Being in the system another year, knowing the routes ... I mean, I don't know the routes, I'm glad he does. Just knowing what's going on is going to help him a little more.

"But he did great for us last year."

Jeff Dickerson covers the Bears for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.

The Green Bay Whos?

Brian Urlacher is standing by, as he should, his remarks that the Bears are better than the Super Bowl-champion Packers, a comment he made last month and reinforced on “The Waddle and Silvy Show” Thursday on ESPN 1000.

“I think we are better," Urlacher said. “You know, every game we played with them last year came down to the wire. You know, a few plays here and there and it goes our way, but they made those plays.

“Last year they made those plays and hopefully this year we’ll make those plays. That’s just the way most games are in the NFL and whoever makes those key plays is going to win the game so we didn’t make them. Last year they did, but I think talent-wise and athletically and coaching-wise we stack up well with everyone in our conference.”

That’s why they play the games. And if Urlacher said anything else, he shouldn’t be a captain. Or a Bear for that matter.

http://www.csnchicago.com/06/16/11/N...494&feedID=626

The Green Bay Whos?

Brian Urlacher is standing by, as he should, his remarks that the Bears are better than the Super Bowl-champion Packers, a comment he made last month and reinforced on “The Waddle and Silvy Show” Thursday on ESPN 1000.

“I think we are better," Urlacher said. “You know, every game we played with them last year came down to the wire. You know, a few plays here and there and it goes our way, but they made those plays.

“Last year they made those plays and hopefully this year we’ll make those plays. That’s just the way most games are in the NFL and whoever makes those key plays is going to win the game so we didn’t make them. Last year they did, but I think talent-wise and athletically and coaching-wise we stack up well with everyone in our conference.”

That’s why they play the games. And if Urlacher said anything else, he shouldn’t be a captain. Or a Bear for that matter.

http://www.csnchicago.com/06/16/11/N...494&feedID=626

Urlacher speaks out on lockout, other issues

By Neil Hayes on June 16, 2011 4:23 PM


"I get the same thing everybody else gets," he said. "I watch NFL Network and ESPN and watch the clicker on the bottom and that's really all I get. Every once in a while I'll get an e-mail from Robbie. He does a good job of trying to keep us updated. But there's not a lot of information getting out right now because they are trying to keep everyone close to the vest, so I'm getting the same thing you guys are getting but it looks better. I know that much."
Urlacher said he's been working out in Arizona and Chicago in preparation for what will be his 12th NFL season. The cancellation of organized team activities, minicamps and the offseason conditioning program have allowed him to spend extra time with his kids and improve his golf game.
"We're a veteran team," he said. "We'll come in in shape. Guys will be ready to go and knowing what to do. I don't think much is going to change for us those first couple days we ease into it and then we get going in there with pads and stuff every day after that so I don't see much changing for us. ..."
Although the offense has been holding informal workouts at an undisclosed location, Urlacher said Jay Cutler's unit could be impacted more by the lockout than he and his defensive mates.
"I would think they are going to be behind quite a bit when we do get rolling and [start] getting stuff going, but luckily for us we've been in our system defensively for seven or eight years now and offensively it has been at least a year so that's good."
Urlacher has no beef with how Cutler performed last season and expects him to be a better his second year under offensive coordinator Mike Martz.
He also said he doesn't believe the gap between the Packers and Bears is too big to leap.
"Every game we played with them last year came down to the wire," he said. "A few plays here and there and it goes our way but they made those plays last year and hopefully this year we'll make those plays. That's just the way most games are in the NFL and whoever makes those key plays is going to win the game ... Talent-wise, athletically and coaching-wise we stack up well with everyone in our conference."

Our offense might suffer, but the way things are right now, we should be in prime position to get the training in we need (with the extra week for the HOF game). But our D should be good to go, but the only thing is finding out who our starting CB across from Tillman and which safety is starting where.

I don't see any real huge gap between the Bears and Packers either. Last season the Packers peaked very late and had a huge amount of momentum going into the playoffs through the backdoor because we let them in. Most teams would have drawn some confidence from that and they drew more than most.

Aaron Rodgers is a more developed QB in his system than Jay Cutler right now but as time goes on that difference will lessen. For the first time in forever I think we match up at QB with any team in the league and that has always been an inhibiting factor in the past. We now finally have an offense with the potential to match our defense and I truly think they'll surprise some teams this year with just how much better and more advanced that offense has become.

As always the key is staying healthy and not losing players in key positions. It pretty much comes down to that and the breaks of the game when you talk about two teams as evenly matched as the Packers and the Bears. Both will need to improve over last years in order to hold their spots and I think both will. Like Urlacher says, I just hope more breaks go our way this year.

Until we prove it though, we are NOT better than the packers.

They beat us twice last year to our one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Benjamin

Until we prove it though, we are NOT better than the packers.

They beat us twice last year to our one.

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Not better but certainly equals when you review the results. What about the years when we beat them twice? Over the past 8 years we've won more than they have so if that's all your going on then we're better. I don't judge it on that alone Benji. I'm looking at how the teams measure up talent wise.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by soulman

Not better but certainly equals when you review the results. What about the years when we beat them twice? Over the past 8 years we've won more than they have so if that's all your going on then we're better. I don't judge it on that alone Benji. I'm looking at how the teams measure up talent wise.

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Recordwise, the Packers have won more games over the past eight years Barely, but they have

Packers 72
Bears 70

Head to head
Packers beat us 10 times (not counting the NFC Championship)
Bears beat them eight

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bears%E...ackers_rivalry

Add in that we each have a Super Bowl appearance, but they won theirs

They are the better team

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Benjamin

Recordwise, the Packers have won more games over the past eight years Barely, but they have

Packers 72
Bears 70

Head to head
Packers beat us 10 times (not counting the NFC Championship)
Bears beat them eight

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bears%E...ackers_rivalry

Add in that we each have a Super Bowl appearance, but they won theirs

They are the better team

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OK, but only in your opinion. To me those results would say that it's too close to call espcially if I take it on the basis of talent as well as our respective records. Although I thought we'd beaten them more times in the Lovie era. Did I miscalculate that? As for the Super Bowl games you really can't compare it because they were against different teams. Had the Packers played the Indy team we played they'd have gotten beat too and had we played the Steelers of 2010 in my opinion we would have beaten them too.

You're going with an analysis that's based strictly on wins and losses and I'm not. The only valid stats you can really use is head to head and while that gives them a slight edge I still don't see that as making them a better team going into 2011. To me this season is a pick em as to which one takes the NFCN Crown.