Does NLFNs' Top 100 say anything about the Bears?

**XaosGorilla** · 07-01-2012, 03:03 PM

...http://www.csnchicago.com/football-c...2&feedID=10330 ...

From "Moon" Mullins,

The final 10 members of NFL Network’s “Top 100” were revealed on Wednesday night, giving some insight into how various players and several prominent Bears are viewed by their peers.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers emerged as the 2012 No. 1, followed by Detroit receiver Calvin Johnson, New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, New England quarterback Tom Brady and New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Rankings of this sort inevitably carry an element of voter bias. Like Pro Bowl voting, every one contains a degree of popularity contest, regardless of constituency.

In this case the voters are current NFL players, meaning that within limits, the Top 100 give at least a hint of how they view each other. Some observations:

Jay Cutler is still not a top-10 quarterback, per his peers.

Cutler is not in a Top 100 that includes 13 other quarterbacks, one of whom is Tim Tebow, who is not even the starting quarterback on his own team.

Cutler is in good company. Houston’s Matt Schaub, the sixth-ranked passer in 2012, is not on the list. Nor is Matt Ryan, the eighth.

The Bears have enough talent to reach and win a Super Bowl.

Elite talent wins championships. Five Bears placed among the Top 100: Julius Peppers (26), Matt Forte (33), Devin Hester (48), Brian Urlacher (51) and Lance Briggs (72). And that includes neither Cutler, Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Tillman or Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall, voted No. 61 last year but now gone from the list altogether after an 81-catch season.

Only San Francisco (7), Philadelphia (7) and Green Bay (6) have more than the Bears, with the Giants and Saints also putting five on the list. The Giants, Packers and Saints won Super Bowls.

So did New England (5) and Pittsburgh (6). Talent-wise, the Bears are in the discussion. The Lions, on the other hand, have three, the Vikings two.

Matt Forte rates himself an elite back but his peers aren’t convinced.

Players voted six running backs above Forte – Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, LeSean McCoy, Ray Rice, Arian Foster and Frank Gore. Forte recently mentioned McCoy and Foster as salary peers.

That has not been an easy sell to the Bears to this point and while the Top 100 won’t be a negotiating chit, it does not add to Forte’s case.

**XaosGorilla** · 07-01-2012, 03:08 PM

I didn't see this posted as its' own thread elsewhere. (if I missed it feel free to merge it or delete the thread or whatever.) It does highlight the question of just how much talent the bears have on each side of the ball. It also stresses just how important the additions this off season are. Are the Bears an offensive or defensive team?

**short faced bear** · 07-01-2012, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by XaosGorilla

I didn't see this posted as its' own thread elsewhere. (if I missed it feel free to merge it or delete the thread or whatever.) It does highlight the question of just how much talent the bears have on each side of the ball. It also stresses just how important the additions this off season are. Are the Bears an offensive or defensive team?

Still probably a defensive team but not by as much now. Certainly more of a offensive team now though. I'd be curious of what kind of team Emery will continue to mold- offense or defense.

**JustAnotherBearsFan99** · 07-01-2012, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by short faced bear

Still probably a defensive team but not by as much now. Certainly more of a offensive team now though. I'd be curious of what kind of team Emery will continue to mold- offense or defense.

I'm hoping Emery will strive to have a more balanced team (decent offense AND defense). I'd like to see a solid defense, but also an offense that can put serious points up too. I think that will be essential in our division where teams like the Packers & Detroit are not going to be shut down. They are going to get their points. Our hope is to slow down their offenses enough that our offense can out-perform them.

**short faced bear** · 07-01-2012, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

I'm hoping Emery will strive to have a more balanced team (decent offense AND defense). I'd like to see a solid defense, but also an offense that can put serious points up too. I think that will be essential in our division where teams like the Packers & Detroit are not going to be shut down. They are going to get their points. Our hope is to slow down their offenses enough that our offense can out-perform them.

I don't know about all that. This defense will win games by itself. If the pass rush can get going (Melton, Paea, Izzy, and McC) it's going to be on par if not slightly better than last year. I wouldn't count out ST either which certainly could win a couple of games by themselves as well.

**JustAnotherBearsFan99** · 07-01-2012, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by short faced bear

I don't know about all that. This defense will win games by itself. If the pass rush can get going (Melton, Paea, Izzy, and McC) it's going to be on par if not slightly better than last year. I wouldn't count out ST either which certainly could win a couple of games by themselves as well.

You bring up an excellent point, our ST's play is exceptional too. I also agree that if we have a stellar pass rush, we'll be even better than last year on defense. But I also like the ability to put up big points too. Can you win games with only one GREAT weapon? Sure. But you are a better team if you have strength in all 3 phases of the game. Offense, defense AND special teams.

And I think we will have that balanced power under Emery. And since we play in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, I think we will need all of our weapons firing going into this season.

**short faced bear** · 07-01-2012, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

You bring up an excellent point, our ST's play is exceptional too. I also agree that if we have a stellar pass rush, we'll be even better than last year on defense. But I also like the ability to put up big points too. Can you win games with only one GREAT weapon? Sure. But you are a better team if you have strength in all 3 phases of the game. Offense, defense AND special teams.

And I think we will have that balanced power under Emery. And since we play in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, I think we will need all of our weapons firing going into this season.

Most teams tend to win with 2/3 of those strengths. It's rare for a team to have all 3. The ones that do are usually dominant and I hope that's the case here. There are many signs pointed up but it's still a new OC, offensive line questions, and new players that have yet to play.

I'd say it's still a defensive team until proven otherwise.

**AmericanPitBull** · 07-01-2012, 11:50 PM

After our offense shines this year, we will have even more players on the list.

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