Brian Urlacher: If healthy, Bears best in NFC North

Printable View

07-01-2012, 01:53 AM
BigBadPapaBear

Brian Urlacher: If healthy, Bears best in NFC North

That's right! Glad he said it. Its what a few of us have been saying for some time now. The Bears were rolling their opponents during that 5 game win streak last year. That's what we are building on this year. Forget all those stupid games with Hanie behind center. Those games mean NOTHING. This team reloaded and caught up with the competition. And its time to sweep DET and GB. Its time to win one at Lambeau and shut those big, fat mouthed cheesedicks up. :shoot5: :1033[1]: :14_6_12[1]: :3_8_14[1]: :toast: :peepack:

:3_2_101v[1]:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82a3df84/article/brian-urlacher-if-healthy-bears-best-in-nfc-north-?module=HP11_headline_stack

Brian Urlacher is fed up with so-called experts fawning over the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.

Apparently nobody was listening when the veteran linebacker called this year's Chicago Bears team the best he's seen in 12 seasons.

"It's perfect, and just the way we like it," Urlacher told the Chicago Tribune this week. "If you look at what we did last year before Jay (Cutler) got hurt, we won five in a row. When Jay went down, you saw what happened after that. When we're healthy, I don't see a better team in the NFC North.
"Last year, Green Bay and Detroit were in the playoffs, so they should be talking about them. I don't know if they got any better in the offseason, but I know we got better."

Urlacher, in his excitement, has glossed over two talent-rich rosters in Detroit and Green Bay, but he's correct to call this a three-team race.

For the first time in years, the Bears house legitimate weapons at wide receiver. But it's hard to ignore coach Lovie Smith's painful loyalty to a subpar offensive line. If Cutler isn't kept safe this season, the added talent won't amount to much. Urlacher -- facing the tail-end of a long career -- hopes the parts are in place to prove the pundits wrong.
07-01-2012, 03:49 AM
loki520

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBadPapaBear

But it's hard to ignore coach Lovie Smith's painful loyalty to a subpar offensive line.

That's all you need to know, right here.

One of the places GB did improve on? The DL.
07-01-2012, 12:30 PM
JustAnotherBearsFan99

I like how the people on this message board have pretty high football I.Q.'s. Seriously. I think we all understand that if the offensive line is bad this year, it won't matter if we have 5 Brandon Marshalls or 5 Forte's. We won't be very good if there is no time to pass, no holes for Forte to run through & Cutler gets the snot beaten out of him and eventually carted away injured.

We'd better be hoping and praying that oline is as good as Lovie & Tice seem to believe. I keep telling myself they are not stupid people. If they thought our season would tank due to a crappy oline, then Emery would have fixed it this off-season, even if he had to pay big bucks for a "real" olineman - a solid FA.

As Jessie Jackson says "Keep Hope Alive" Chicago. Click those ruby slippers together and keep repeating:

"The oline will be OK..."

"The oline will be OK..."

"The oline will be OK..."

Which gave me an idea. Maybe we need to go to the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz and ask for a LT :smile:
07-01-2012, 01:16 PM
BigBadPapaBear

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

I like how the people on this message board have pretty high football I.Q.'s. Seriously. I think we all understand that if the offensive line is bad this year, it won't matter if we have 5 Brandon Marshalls or 5 Forte's. We won't be very good if there is no time to pass, no holes for Forte to run through & Cutler gets the snot beaten out of him and eventually carted away injured.

We'd better be hoping and praying that oline is as good as Lovie & Tice seem to believe. I keep telling myself they are not stupid people. If they thought our season would tank due to a crappy oline, then Emery would have fixed it this off-season, even if he had to pay big bucks for a "real" olineman - a solid FA.

As Jessie Jackson says "Keep Hope Alive" Chicago. Click those ruby slippers together and keep repeating:

"The oline will be OK..."

"The oline will be OK..."

"The oline will be OK..."

Which gave me an idea. Maybe we need to go to the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz and ask for a LT :smile:

My friend why would there be any concerns about this O-line opening holes for Forte when an injury riddled line opened them with no problem last year? I can understand the concern with pass protection but run blocking is this line's strength. There were only 9 teams last season who blocked for over 2000 rushing yards. And the Bears were #9.
07-01-2012, 01:21 PM
JustAnotherBearsFan99

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBadPapaBear

My friend why would there be any concerns about this O-line opening holes for Forte when an injury riddled line opened them with no problem last year? I can understand the concern with pass protection but run blocking is this line's strength. There were only 9 times last season who blocked for over 2000 rushing yards. And the Bears were #9.

I'm hoping for the best BBPB. :smile:
07-01-2012, 03:22 PM
XaosGorilla

I stand by my opinion in this. The best way to help your o-line against the pass rush is to keep the team out of the position of having to pass protect for long periods of time. If the QB holds the ball in the backfield for 5-9 seconds, someone is going to get to him. On the other hand, if the QB unloads the ball quickly and accurately, the offense will rarely be in those 3rd and long+ situations. If the QB doesn't need to keep the ball long enough for a deep play to develop, then the opposing defense won't be able to just go after the QB. Instead the defense will have to cover all their bases (keeping them honest, as it were).

While the o-line may not actually "be" better, it will "look" better due to less pressure being applied.

I personally think that the line will also actually be better this year due to OTA's and players returning form injuries as well.
07-01-2012, 05:04 PM
JustAnotherBearsFan99

Quote:

Originally Posted by XaosGorilla

I stand by my opinion in this. The best way to help your o-line against the pass rush is to keep the team out of the position of having to pass protect for long periods of time. If the QB holds the ball in the backfield for 5-9 seconds, someone is going to get to him. On the other hand, if the QB unloads the ball quickly and accurately, the offense will rarely be in those 3rd and long+ situations. If the QB doesn't need to keep the ball long enough for a deep play to develop, then the opposing defense won't be able to just go after the QB. Instead the defense will have to cover all their bases (keeping them honest, as it were).

While the o-line may not actually "be" better, it will "look" better due to less pressure being applied.

I personally think that the line will also actually be better this year due to OTA's and players returning form injuries as well.

I agree. There are also two additional things that will help.

#1 Cut down the stupid penalties (especially the false start penalties)
#2 They need a better understanding of blocking assignments in blitz situations. They often looked confused last season, not understanding who to pick up.
07-02-2012, 11:07 AM
A-11

Quote:

Originally Posted by loki520

One of the places GB did improve on? The DL.

Yup, and we had first choice at that too...
When it comes to the O. Line I'm drinking the Kool-Aid. :koolaid[1]:

Time will ultimatley tell, but you know it has to be a top priority. It has to have gotten attention this offseason. If the choice was to stand basically pat with the roster, then I'll be looking forward to seeing how that decision pans out.