Thread: Brandon Marshall ... Calvin Johnson ... Greg Jennings.

We have a MUCH better defense than they, but with also having the best RBs in the division (LOL @ saying Vikings), I think Cutler will get his, but he shouldn't be throwing for nearly as many attempts as Rodgers or Rodgers.

IMHO acquiring Marshall at least draws us even with both the Pack and the Lions as far as having a "headlining" pro bowl caliber WR. How well Bennett, Hester and Jeffery add to that mix will have a lot to do with Cutler's success as well but I think it's safe to say that our passing game will be able to hold it's own with anyone now.

The rest will come from the continued success of our running game so that every week we create a dilemma over how to defense all of what we bring to the table. Even when teams focused on Forte they couldn't stop him and with the addition of Bush I can't see the running game becoming any weaker.

The line run blocks very well. I don't see that changing either. IMO people focus too much on last years inefficiencies in pass blocking and ignore several factors that could very easily change that for the better very quickly. I guess I'm one of the few who believe that the line won't be nearly as much of a problem as some think.

Overall there's a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball now and it will be hard to slow down that offense just be taking one thing away. Staying healthy and getting Tice and Bates to come up with good game plans and play calling will be what can put us over the top.

The tools are there but they still have to be used the right way.

The Pack's 2nd best WR (in stats) was Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson had a much better year. with that said, let's look at the #2's and 3's of each team(including TE's):

Lions:

Pettigrew

83, 777 yds 5 TDs

Burleson:

73, 757, 3

Pack:

Jennings
67, 949, 9

Finley
55, 767 8

Bears:
(Okay, I'm skewing this, as I'm not counting Knox or stone hands, and counting Bush)

Forte
52, 490 1

Bush
37, 418 1


SOOOOOOOOOOOO, although I'd like to make fun of their game, as it stands now, our best going into this season are a WR, a starting and backup RB.

My biased viewpoint:

We now have WRs, but not only that, we have RBs that can catch out of the backfield, and are probably going to have the only team with a RB with 1000+ yards and WR with 1000+ yards and QB with 3000+, even if they don't have the best stats out of their position in the division.

Originally Posted by bearsinhouston

Didn't Bennett have more yards than Forte?

I guess I could look it up, but I'm too lazy....

Johnny Knox - 727 yards
Roy Williams - 507 yards
Forte - 490 yards
Bennett - 381
Hester - 369
Sans - 276
Davis - 206

Bennett was a victim of head hunting, so i don't count that against him (plus Cutler threw a BAD pass, with the safety right there, anyway), but no way is Bennett not gonna have a breakout year this year.

Bennett is going to have an average to slightly above average year b /c he's no longer even the 1st or 2nd option. Average being 500-700 yards and 50-60 catches. Marshal and Jefferies are going to get the majority of 1st/2nd down looks when passing. And Bennett and Hester will be splitting the rest along w/3rd down looks. And don't forget Davis getting more looks and Forte/Bush getting a ton of looks also. Bennett is not the beneficary here of the new look offense, nor is Hester they are clearly now 2ndary options at best. He'll have a better year then the last 2, but it's not going to be a breakout year.

Depending on how Jefferies looks and progresses, we clearly have caught up w/the rest of the Div when it comes to passing threats though. Our O weapons have the ability to be every bit as dangerous as GB/Det as a whole. I'd still take CJ over over Marshal, but he's the only one in the Div; and not by a ton.