W3vsHOU: Not quite feeling the win

    Any NFL team knows that you take a win anyway you can because none of them is a given and it showed this past week with some big upsets, with that said, the Bears win against the Texans was without a stable passing game for one more game this season, patience is wearing thin for those who have waited many years for a steady NFL caliber offense, the promise of Justin Fields magically turning into Bear fans savior is not manifesting, time is needed to see if there will be growth but the wait, even if reasonable, is getting old and frustrating.

   The offense went through Khalil Herbert and the run game, David Montgomery went down ugly in the 1st qtr with a leg injury but luckily the reports seem to indicate that its not serious and can return soon, still Herbert and Trestan Ebner are good enough to carry the load until Montgomery returns. The running game has carried the Bears until now with a strong and improving play from the OL that can only get better once Teven Jenkins gets to play full time at RG and Lucas Patrick kicks in at center, Cole Kmet is getting more used to being a blocker and the receivers are doing their part very well, Khari Blasingame truly takes the run game up a notch with his play at FB. The passing game is a whole other story, Braxton Jones is looking better each game he plays but the same cannot be said of Sam Mustipher and Larry Borom, the later having technique issues in pass pro is bad enough to consider making a chance and let veteran Riley Reiff get a crack at RT, although Jenkins isn't a sure thing at upgrading the pass game and Borom is still young and can improve, if a change makes the line better right now, it should be strongly considered an option for the sake of the improvement and development of Fields who is lacking rhythm, he isn't getting rid of the ball enough to his safety valves and looks like he is overthinking where to go with the throw, he looks to be worried of making the mistake or afraid that he is going to get hit and that will cause him to make a mistake by fumbling the ball or making him make a bad pass, the coaches are definitely not asking Fields too much and are being patient by limiting his snaps maybe aware the situation is not the ideal one and are relying more on what is working which is the run, might not be a winning formula but its all for the sake of better QB play, a more stable play from the OL should help him trust the pocket more and make more confident throws to create rhythm, if the OL improves then Fields needs to show improvement as well.

Upside players: Khalil Herbert got his chance and took it for more than 180 yards on the ground, that is seizing the moment right there. Cody Whitehair has been playing pretty quiet in a good way.  Blasingame in his limited role is really helping the offense do some damage.

Downside players: Fields bounced back with some good throws in the 4th qtr but his all around game is still bad. I already given up hope with Mustipher as a starter but Borom is disappointing mainly in pass pro. 

   The defense with all their struggles and growing pains are still getting the job done mainly in the second half, the Texans could have taken this game but the philosophy of Matt Eberflus is showing on this defense, the players are all in on hustle to create turnovers, this is what put the game away in favor of the Bears. Roquan Smith dominated this game, he took advantage and got to the running backs lanes to limit the Texans run game, be it that the Texans ignored blocking Smith at the second level or that the Bears threw enough bodies at the line to maintain Smith clean to pursue the ball carrier, only they know, what I know is that Smith took advantage and showed his agility and speed to get where he was needed to stop plays near or behind the LOS. Kudos to Jaylon Jones in his debut in place of injured Jaylon Johnson, he wasn't shown much on the screen meaning he did a good job at coverage, maybe because the Texans wanted to continue to bully Kyler Gordon, they got away with some but Gordon keeps displaying better play in coverage at the outside, its a bit frustrating to know there is talent at corner but not a legit NB, time will tell if Gordon can be that player but at least as an outside corner he keeps showing promise. Jaquan Brisker has displayed the same good skills as a cover S, he still needs to get better in his tackling technique against RBs in the second level. It was weird to see Joe Thomas get elevated from the PS and get the nod to start at SAM backer when they already had Jack Sanborn and Sterling Wheaterford on the team but Thomas played fairly well in his limited snaps plugin running lanes as did Nick Morrow. Better QB play could have dealt more damage against the Bears defense mostly because the rush didn't get to the QB in time even against an average OL, but if they keep creating turnovers then they will be giving their team a chance to get back in the game.

Upside players: Smith had a great game and he can thank his teammates for it. Kindle Vildor is taking steps in the right direction and his play in the Eddie Jackson interception was gold. Jackson is also displaying his old self which is great to see.

Downside players: There is no one player that I can think of having a bad game but the pass rush did come up short in this one.

   Haven't talked about special teams but I have a problem with it so I'm going to start considering them until its not a problem for me. I don't like the punt cover unit, they aren't getting fast enough in a horde to get to the ball carrier, normally I see one gunner get to the returner almost instantly when the ball is caught, behind him around 4 or 5 guys are 10 yards behind the play, I don't see this in the Bears cover team, the gunner is close enough to the play but rarely if at all has makes the tackle and the next guy up is like 15 to 20 yards behind giving the returner tons of space to make a move, honestly I haven't searched for yards per return by the Bears opponent's but I don't like what I'm seeing from this cover group and for a team that is being coached to hustle, this group disappoints in that regard.

   Next up is a trip to the Meadowlands against the Giants who is another team resembling the rebuilding process the Bears are living, the difference? not much, the Giants have a vet QB in Daniel Jones who is looking like Mitch Trubisky when he was with the Bears, strong arm and enough legs to hurt defenses but questionable decision making and accuracy, in reality the Giants offense, like the Bears, goes through the run game mainly with Saquon Barkley that might have a grudge against the Bears for it was against them where he got hurt and regressed in his play, now he looks better than ever and it is one more team the shaky Bears run defense will have to find out how to stop and the Giants might not have another option with a very depleted WR group due to injury, the Giants OL looks better and might be more troublesome but Trevis Gipson might get chances at getting to the QB against struggling rookie Evan Neal, their defense has some nasty players in their DL minus Leonard Williams out with an injury but gets a bit softer in the second level that the Bears might choose to test out although they get back Aaron Robinson. So will the better running team win or will it fall in the hands of the QB and see who can take a step further in their progression., it is definitely another stepping stone the Bears can use to build up their team while getting a very reachable win. 

Useless predictions: 2022 Week 3 picks

   The Steelers, Panthers, Browns and Raiders let me down because they suck in the 4th quarter, Texans lead the Seahawks, Colts and Falcons for worst team, Bengals need to put their shit together, Bears need to find their shit to put together, OMG Kirk Cousins who are you? are you good or bad? make up your mind, you too Broncos. On to next week.

Last week: 4-11 (26%)

Season overall: 8-22 (26%)

Detroit (+6) at Minnesota     (O52.5)

   The Lions have lit up the scoreboard recently against fairly good competition, the Vikings will be another good caliber opponent who keeps flopping in prime time. If the Lions can go toe to toe offensively with the Vikings then picking the points loos like a good idea.

Baltimore (-2.5) at New England    (O44)

   Lamar Jackson is a man on a mission and its looking very difficult to stop him, the Patriots survived a very lost Steelers team.

Buffalo at Miami (+4.5)   (O53.5)

   You want offense, this has to be the game for you. The Bills got hit with some significant injuries and might make this game close, it all depend if Tua Tagovailoa is able to connect frequently with his dangerous WRs.

Cincinnati at NY Jets (+6)   (O45)

   The Bengals are still searching for answers in their Oline to get the offense going, the Jets are all in with Joe Flacco and the aerial assault and I don't think its going to change.

New Orleans at Carolina (-2.5)   (O41)

   The Panthers are a big tease, they should be winning against average competition yet they find ways to screw things up, they get another chance against the Saints at home.

Kansas City (-5) at Indianapolis    (U51)

   Am I missing something? Are the Colts THAT good when they have all their WRs? They got ZERO points against the Jaguars for crying out loud and your telling me they can cover the line if they only lose by a TD against the Chiefs? Is Andrew Luck back from retirement?

Houston at Chicago (-3)    (U39)

   HOMER ALERT, both teams are in building block stage finding out what works and what doesn't, I'm just optimistic that the Bears are better coached.

Philadelphia (-6) at Washington    (O47.5)

   The Commanders can be a juggernaut of an offensive team, the Eagles are an overall good team, its a matter of the defense clamping down the aerial attack of the Commanders or Jalen Hurts growth keep pointing up and outscore them.

Las Vegas at Tennessee (-2)   (U45.5)

   The Titans got thrashed by the Bills but its the Bills, the Raiders haven't looked good and blew a very decent 4th qtr lead against the Cardinals, for me this match is more a bounce back game for the Titans than for the Raiders.

Jacksonville at LA Chargers (-3.5)    (O42.5)

 This line changed a fair amount due to Justin Herbert's injured ribs, if he is playing I am all in with the Chargers, not having Keenan Allen might hurt but I believe Austin Ekeler is going to have a big game.

LA Rams  at Arizona (+3.5)   (U48.5)

   The Rams are hurting and might open the door for the Cardinals to have a chance and take this game, I don't know if Aaron Donald can outrun Kylee Murray the whole game.

Atlanta (+1) at Seattle     (O42)

   These teams are fairly equal in talent and lead by a veteran QB, the Falcons have been putting up big chunks of points their last games while the Seahawks haven't so I'm going with the Falcons.

Green Bay (+1.5) at Tampa Bay     (O42)

   Tampa Bay is another team with the injury bug on their side, the Packers could easily take advantage of this.

San Francisco (-1.5) at Denver    (44.5)

   The Broncos are not the team I envisioned, the 49ers now with Jimmy Garoppolo leading them is a whole different team.

Dallas (+1) at NY Giants     (39)

   The Cowboys played well even if it was against the confused Bengals, they displayed their weapons which they always have had, that talent should be enough to beat a Giants team that is doing thing right but are still a rebuilding team, it all goes through Saquon Barkley, if the Cowboys can limit his rushing they have a legit chance.

W2@GB: Same old story

    I couldn't help myself but believe the Bears had a chance to win even when I knew the Packers have very little flaws on their team and are more in tone with each other that the new formed squad the Bears have, at the end of the day I was naïve. The Bears lacked execution on both sides of the ball paired with some questionable to bad refereeing, still there is no question that this team is still in its infant stage.

   The offense struggled mightily in the passing department while excelling on run plays, David Montgomery looked inspired and ran with determination but wasn't enough, the offense lacked execution, the Oline looked like they took turns to make a mistakes but what really hurt the offense was Justin Fields looking hesitant and not in control, yes the line didn't make it easy for him but there where chances to get some positive yards out of those broken down plays if he just got rid of the ball to his safety valve or eliminate that extra step when dropping back to pass and be inside a good pocket for an extra second or two, he was too eager to run at times instead of moving a bit to have some space and get rid of the ball while other times he could have run and get some yards but instead stopped in his tracks and made a bad pass, he needs to be more determined in his decision making and he will be better, it might just take more reps and opportunities to get him going. 

Upside players: If David Montgomery can play with that time of energy for most of the season, look out offensive MVP. Teven Jenkins is a mauler and was one of the biggest reasons the run game worked, getting him to play a whole game would be ideal and may happen with Lucas Patrick taking snap duties in practice this week. Khari Blasingame was the other big reason that the run game worked, I wouldn't mind if he gets more playing time to get Fields more blockers and a potential extra receiver to get out of trouble.

Downside players: Fields had a bad game, he gets some film to study and get better, he still has time for it. I give Braxton Jones a pass but Larry Borom needs to get better handling that RT spot. Sam Mustipher got better this year, he showed improvement this preseason but doesn't make him a starter, its time to see Patrick at C. Cole Kmet missed too many plays, he can be a difference maker but this game as a blocker he showed too little improvement, his opportunities as a pass catcher were limited of course but a drop ball is never a good thing.

   The defense held but the Packers found a weakness and tried to exploit it all game and for a whole quarter it worked and that was enough to put this game away. Matt LaFleur installing a solid running game on that Packers team really is helping Aaron Rodgers bring the best of that offense, you just cant focus on Rodgers when Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon can pound on you on any time. The defense, as it has been for a long time, did give the offense a chance to get back in the game but this story continues to tell the same tale. The rookies struggled in this one, there was to much responsibility put on Kyler Gordon which put him out of position too many times and Jaquon Brisker missed to many tackles, they are young and can learn from this and if they do then this defense gets better, cant say the same for the LB position where both veterans struggled to plug the running lanes especially Roquan Smith who is not known for doing that, possibly the reason the new coaches and GM weren't in a hurry to give him a big contract.

Upside players: The pass rush found some success especially when Dominique Robinson, Trevis Gipson and Robert Quinn where in together, this NASCAR group is something to look forward to. Eddie Jackson will probably never be an enforcer but he really looked like he tries.

Downside players: Its tough to put Gordon and Brisker here but its only one game and are still improving. Smith is a hard one to place here when he is the guy you are counting to lead this unit, but the defensive scheme is doing him no favors and something tells me it will continue the same way, so if Smith cant find a way to improve his block shedding, I don't think he will be on the team for long and the media will have more ammo to talk trash about the Bears.

   The Bears have a really good game to bounce back on this weekend against the Texans who are as raw as they are, its a good opportunity to solidify the fundamentals, if they can manage to control this game and give Fields more shots to throw the ball it would be ideal, still the Texans are as hungry as the Bears are so anything is possible and it could wind up being a close game where the team will have to count on Fields to win it, not the best of scenarios but what this team needs is scenarios to gain experience, against a subpart team it doesn't matter if it's close, if they can get the win at the end is something that they can grown on. Injuries are starting to pile in but these injuries might be good for the team, Velus Jones can't get on the field yet for his debute and he might just be ready when N'Keal Harry is as well, Ryan Griffin won't be available so there's a chance to see Jake Tongues get some snaps, defensively not getting Jaylon Johnson and Roquan Smith could be impactful and it might be in a good way, if this pushes Gordon outside for the whole game and plays well while we get to see if Jaylon Jones or Josh Blackwell can be effective at NB and get to see Jack Sanborn or Sterling Weatherford play, getting them on the field early might be good for the future, maybe.

Useless predictions: 2022 Week2 picks

    If the Bears was an upset, and I'm not saying it wasn't, then the Giants and Seahawks games were miracles, its just three teams stating that they aren't as bad as everyone says they are but Titans, Broncos and 49ers, you have some issues to fix. The Panthers got robbed by the zebras on a no call 15 yd penalty on that fake spike by the Browns that would have push them out of FG range and would have cost them the game as well as the line cover. I hate the over/under. On to next week.

Last week: 4-11 (26%)

Tampa Bay (-2.5) at New Orleans    (U44)

   Do the Saints still have the Bucs number and keep their recent dominance over them alive? The Bucs moved the ball against the Cowboys but struggled in the red zone, the defense on the other hand did not. The Saints survived the lowly Falcons. Talent is in favor of the Bucs while the Saints are without Drew Brees this time.

Indianapolis  at Jacksonville (+3)   (U45)

   Who will triumph? stability or talent? The old or the new? The Colts had everything to win against the Texans but didn't. The Jaguars have talent to be good but haven't gotten it together yet. I'm going with the points but I don't trust either of these teams.

Miami (+3.5) at Baltimore     (O44.5)

   Tua Tagovailoa can do damage with the team he is surrounded with, but he cant carry this team. Baltimore has Lamar Jackson that can carry his team a has, but on this game the Ravens have a hampered secondary to try and stop a potent Dolphins WR group and still they are favored, gimme the points.

New England at Pittsburgh (+2.5)   (U40.5)

   Those are the Patriots I wanted to see, boring and lost. The Steelers will be without T.J. Watt for half of the season but are still very good at defense, the offense on the other hand is still on evaluation but to have the Patriots as favorites is a joke.

Carolina (+2) at NY Giants     (U43.5)

   The Panthers with Baker Mayfield are not the dominant team I thought they were going to be, at least I didn't see it against the Browns who have a very good defensive group, still Mayfield was all over the place with his throws. The Giants won because the Titans couldn't get out of their on way and Brian Daboll went YOLO, how many games can they win that way?

Washington at Detroit (-1.5)    (O48)

   OK so Carson Wentz can still throw the ball, who knew, makes the Commanders look even more dangerous. The Lions on the other hand are a no quit team, they might win some with that mentality but still they have too much talent to just win because of effort.

NY Jets at Cleveland (-6.5)    (U39.5)

   Oh Jets, if you only had a QB, I get you so well. Hmm this might be a battle of defenses but I would choice Nick Chubb over any RB the Jets have.

Atlanta at LA Rams (-10)    (O46.5)

   I cant pick the Falcons to cover against the Super Bowl champs, not when I said they are my candidate for worst team this year, Atlanta is blessed to have Cordarrelle Patterson on their team but Marcus Mariota can only do so much as a QB.

Seattle (+9.5) at San Francisco    (U40.5)

   The Seahawks impressed especially QB Geno Smith, Seattle's defense might have helped themselves from some of Russel Wilson's history from his Seahawks days and of course they had plenty of help from the Broncos bogus play calling and clock management. Still I believed before the season started that Seattle's defense isn't that bad, if Trey Lance still isn't NFL ready, the Seahawks can manage to cover this line.

Cincinnati (-7) at Dallas    (U42)

   Joe Borrow turned the ball over 5 times, 4 by interception against the Steelers, was it rust by not participating all preseason or still recovering his legs from the operation he had or a reality check or the the new revamped Oline still getting to gel or all the above, still the Bengals almost came back to win that game, talent isn't the problem but that Oline does need to play better against the Cowboys defensive front seven which is the only thing going for them, shaky secondary as is the running game and injured receiver group with the backup QB throwing to them, the Bengals have no excuse really unless you believe Micah Parsons can do it on his own.

Arizona at Las Vegas (-5.5)    (U51.5)

   OK Cardinals what's wrong, you usually look like this at mid season, you want to try a 180 and see if you can reach the playoffs full throttle? Actually that's not a bad idea considering you will get DeAndre Hopkins in week 6, can you survive until then though? You got mushed by the Chiefs and put up garbage point, the Raiders got run over by the Charger, the Chargers almost had the Chiefs until they broke Justin Herbert, so what's my point? They both have problems but one has Davante Adams and the other doesn't.

Houston at Denver (-10)    (U45)

   Broncos you only need to score and you win, think about it. The Texans have fight but the Broncos are too good to lose to them just like they were too good to lose to the Seahawks but did, are the Broncos the new Vikings?

Chicago (+10) at Green Bay     (U41.5)

   The Bears wont have it easy winning this one and all the media say they cant but recent evens tell otherwise, the Packers looked way off against a good Vikings team, the Bears managed to contain a playoff caliber team, so even if the Bears cant pull it off, 10 points is a lot.

Tennessee at Buffalo (-10)    (U47.5)

   The Titans botched a win and now come in to Buffalo to get punished for their mistakes.

Minnesota at Philadelphia (-2)    (O50.5)

   This looks to be a great game, I'm going with the Eagles to put major point against an old but savvy Vikings defense, the Vikings will make it close with a potent offense but the Eagles have the man power on defense to keep it marginal.

W1vsSF: Rinsing off the critics

    I was thinking on the title for this one obviously wanted to make reference to the wheatear the game was played on, suddenly I got flashbacks of Super Bowl XLI, Payton Manning slicing the defense like Moses, Rex Grossman throwing ducks, 5 seconds of PTSD. Fans needed this win, I needed this win, obviously the Bears needed this win to shut people up or just tone it down a few bars at least.

   Offensively I kind of went through the 5 stages of grief in a different order on that first half, I was on denial not believing how poor the offense was playing, got angry when seeing more of the same plays and results as last year, depression that it wasn't looking any better, acceptance that this is a young team and growing pains where to be expected, bargaining? I didn't know to who sell my soul for things to change but maybe someone else did because the second half happened. Seriously now, that shift from first to second half was a coaching thing as much as it was a talent thing, Luke Getsy and crew correctly changed a plan that was getting them nowhere and Justin Fields made things happen with his athleticism maintaining plays and drives alive resulting in scoring 3 TDs on consecutive possessions. The offense benefited by playing a clean game while taking all of the 49ers defensive help via penalties especially the 3 personal fouls, the first PF was bogus in my opinion which resulted in nothing for the Bears, the other 2 helped the Bears on their first 2 touchdowns while the 3rd TD was thanks to Eddie Jacksons interception that left the offense just outside the red zone. So yeah, the offense got help but one solid positive thing is that they where able to capitalize in their opportunities with TDs and not FGs or stupid penalties that pushed them back and forced them to punt like that towel penalty, I don't know all the rule book but I would strongly debate that action taken by Trenton Gill was a merit for a flag and most definitely not worth 15 yards. 

Upside players: There wasn't any good consistent play on offense, but one this is for sure, the Bears don't win without Justin Fields keeping plays alive and moving the chains with his feet. As imperfect as it was, the Oline fought a very tough 49ers front seven, they still have ways to go but its good to see they can and want to get better. Justin Herbert benefited from the positive response of the Oline to get some good chunks of yards and a TD.

Downside players: It was a bad day for David Montgomery but the offense should still round through him as the lead back, better weather should help him and the Oline create more inside lanes for him. Braxton Jones had his rookie welcome by a top caliber DL, if he's got it it should only get easier from here forward.

   The defense still is the hero of the game for this Bears team, they managed to stop the 49ers offense to just one TD in the first half when starting 3 of their 6 possessions near midfield. The defense did permit 3 big gains through the air and one on the ground for more than 15 yards, but managed to get 2 crucial turnovers, the first a fumble at the red zone to negate any points and the second the interception by Jackson that lead to the 3rd TD that sealed the game. The defense managed to get pressure on Trey Lance to hurry his decision making and forcing him to use his legs often. Again penalties killed some chances for the 49ers to maintain drives while the Bears stayed clean on defense as well. Even without George Kittle, the 49ers had weapons to make damage, losing Elijah Mitchell for the second half did hamper them a bit and obviously the rain limited the passing game greatly, so the Bears defense took advantage of this and had an overall good showing against a tough opponent.

Upside players: Rookie Dominique Robinson with 1.5 sacks on limited snaps is very promising. Armon Watts showed his more than just a NT, displaying movement and run stuffing ability. Rookie DBs Jaquan Brisket and Kyler Gordon are very talented athletes and it showed on this game. Jaylon Johnson and Eddie Jackson complete this secondary that shows promise to be a top unit in the league. 

Downside players: A sloppy game no doubt but 10 points given is always a good job by the defense.

Trey Lance is a talented QB, on this game neither him of Fields could show how much due to the weather, Fields demonstrated on this game that he can carry the team while Lance could not do the same, while only down by 3 points at the start of the 4th quarter the 49ers inexplicably made Lance throw the ball while it was pouring down instead of sticking to the heavy run scheme that was working and would have been more efficient in those conditions, the result was the interception which ended in 6 more points for the Bears and pretty much ended almost any chance for them to come back by going run heavy, they had to pass now and it was almost impossible with the rain coming down even harder, the 49ers coaching I believe made the mistake that cost them the game. The Bears won this one because they looked very well coached and never gave up, they trusted the system, this will make games very interesting and the future even more. Next up is against the archrival nemesis in Green Bay, the Packers had their butts handed to them by Justin Jefferson and the Vikings, without their starting tackles and WR1 the Packers looked bad, I still believe they have a very good defense but it didn't show this past weekend and Rodgers is still a top 5 QB, hopefully they are who they showed they are and the Bears can have a chance to surprise the critics once more.

Useless predictions: 2022 Week 1 picks

   Let the betting begin, may the football gods lead us to glory and win some cash so we can keep on making some games more interesting. I did believe the Bills where going to win but the Rams got their ass handed to them and that I didn't expect, still its the first week of the season and stuff like this can happen, we just don't want it to happen to the team we bet on. Lets get to it.  

Cleveland at Carolina (-1)    O42

   Baker Mayfields revenge game, I like the Panthers winning this one at home, I like their team and I don't like Jacoby Brissett making a difference in this one.

San Francisco  at Chicago (+6.5)   O40.5

   I have mentally prepared for this for weeks, I believe, I believe. The 49ers will go without one of their top receivers in George Kittle and starting C Brunskill, still Tray Lance will have enough weapons to work with just not his safety blanket and the guy passing him the ball which are fairly important for a new WB, probably more Deebo Samuel or run plays on the menu. I expect the defense to give Lance fits and the offense to slow down the defense enough to get it done.

Pittsburgh (+7) at Cincinnati     U44.5

   So Joe Burrow is going to play right? any rust? Guess we will see. The Steelers can make some now if Mitchell Trubisky starts doing some damage. I believe the Bengals will win but its gonna be a close one.

Philadelphia at Detroit (+5.5)   U48.5

   Ok Lions I'm believing you have something cooking, its time you show it to me or else I'm going to cast you back into the "they are still the Lions" hole. The Eagles are still going to win but common show me some kneecap biting and stuff.

Indianapolis at Houston (+7)  O45.5

   Is it too early for the Texans to be average or is it to early for the Colts to implode? Lets go with the points just in case.

New England at Miami (-3.5)    O46

   Common Dolphins show me your are competent and you still know how to beat Bill Belichick.

Baltimore (-6.5) at NY Jets    O44

   Lamar Jackson minus his LT against Joe Flacco minus his LT, this has to be a no brainer.

Jacksonville at Washington (-3)    O44

   I probably shouldn't but I like the team the Commanders have, Carson Wentz makes me look the other way. The Jaguars have good players and a QB, but I don't trust they will use them correctly. This game will tell who is the foney.

New Orleans (-5.5) at Atlanta    U44

   The Saints are going to win because they are playing the Falcons, there is that enough reason? Fine, the Falcons maybe have a chance if Marcus Mariota has enough time to chug the ball long and high enough for his tall WRs to go get it, for all the game, honestly if it works it would give the Falcons new life.

Kansas City (-6.5) at Arizona    O54

   The Chiefs are not what they were but still managed to balance the scale upgrading the defense a bit with some rookies and Patrick Mahomes is still very good. The Cardinal have good players but will Kyle Murray come in with the right mentality to lead the team. 

Las Vegas at LA Chargers (-3.5)    U52.5

   not the best of run challenges the Chargers will start with to see if the upgrades on the DL they made in FA works but its a good starting point for them. Only chance I see for the Raiders to win is if the Derek Carr and Davante Adams connection is as good or better than with Aaron Rodgers.

Green Bay (+1.5) at Minnesota    O46.5

   I'm not sure if they should make the Packers the underdog unless Rodgers is not playing, they are missing their tackles but still the Oline is somewhat staked and should be a weak link, receivers are unproven but have to talented rookies in the wing waiting for an opportunity like this with  the Allen Lazard injury, are the Vikings tat good to take "advantage" of this? If the Vikings win is because they are the better team at home, not because of the injuries.

NY Giants at Tennessee (-5.5)   44

   The Giants defense was their best shot of being an NFL team and now they have two starters down from their front seven, King Henry is going to feast.

Tampa Bay (-2.5) at Dallas    O50.5

   I don't like the Cowboys secondary but maybe they can still do damage with their front seven, the Bucs aren't a good match to figure it out.

Denver (-6.5) at Seattle    O44.5

   The Seahawks defense isnt bad and they will have the 12t man on their side but against the Broncos? 7 points is just not near enough.

Useless predictions: NFL standings for the 2022 season

   This one is tough to guess, obviously trying to figure out all 32 teams when most of them change not only players but GM, coaches and schemes, its impossible to get it right but its still fun to try.

 

AFC 

NORTH

CIN (4)

CLE

PIT

BAL

   One of my biggest blunders from last year was placing the Bengals last in their division, I mean yeah I should have place the Steelers last but still the jump they went from early injured rookie QB to Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase taking their team all the way to the Super Bowl was something very few predicted if anyone. The Bengals can easily repeat and maintain their reign as the king in the North, they bolstered their OL with quality veteran FAs and honestly that was all they were missing to take the Lombardi, their defense is mostly intact which should be a good thing but that means Eli Apple is still their CB1 and still their weakest link. The Browns still have a roster most teams should envy, weapons galore, but no QB, they went all in for Deshaun Watson knowing he had some dirty disgusting laundry in his bag and kicked Baker Mayfield to the curve which really made the franchise look awful considering Mayfield gave it all to the team playing very injured last year and bringing Watson on an ultra deal knowing the problems he would bring along, still very good team core that might get stained and end up missing the playoffs. The Steelers are a good team that is gambling on a QB that was awfully handled by its former team with the hopes that they can fix him, this has been tried many times and more often than not it has failed, if it does fail the backup plan is a rookie, so thing might get ugly in Pittsburg. The Ravens should never be considerer the worst team but someone has to be and the only reason is because I have the Browns and Steelers ending up with the same record as the Ravens, the only sure thing I have is the Bengals winning the division but the other three I have 1 win or lose away from ending up from worst to second place but none making it to the postseason.

SOUTH

TEN (3)

IND

HOU

JAC  

   Nothing changes in the south, the Titans will cruise to another division win because the rest doesn't do enough to compete against them, well except the Jaguars that just throw money at everyone but I just don't believe they will know what to do with all of their resources. The Titans will roll with Ryan Tannehill one more time but the future might be already waiting on the bench in Malik Willis, so at least this time there is a contingency plan of sorts, they replaced AJ Brown with another big bodied WR in Treylon Burks, signed reliable Robert Woods from FA and drafted Kyle Phillips to play the role of the small always open YAC machine slot WR the Patriots invented, add King Henry and a steady Oline with a loaded defense on a weak division and you get a division win. The Colts just don't get it for some reason, ok yeah you want to make sure you have a seasoned veteran QB that can assure you good but not great QBing ok yeah that's all fine and dandy, but what if it doesn't work? Wouldn't it be nice to have a new shiny tool in the works to possibly be your franchise QB for the long run? no? you prefer go DOUBLE DIPING at the QB retiring home? Really? Nick Foles as the back up to Matt Ryan? Your really pushing for the offensive roster to be prime quality so your mobile deficient QBs can stay alive in this league, I mean the defense looks great and will get you the ball but can they keep them happy? I don't think so. I can see why the Texans brought Lovie Smith to coach them, this team feels like a Bears team, bolstering up the defense and just having enough on offense with questionable but promising young QB and probably will try to establish the run to help him out, yeah I have seen this before and its not going to cut it. The Jaguars with all their money spent are relying on Doug Pederson to mold their young talented 1st overall drafted QB and show them the way, I am not a believer, I really like their young LB core though, if any team is going to pull a Bengals on me this year its going to be the Jaguars.

EAST

BUF (2)

MIA (7)

NYJ

NE

   Buffalo is taking the division no questions asked, they are favorite to make the Super Bowl for a reason and that is Josh Allen, only thing that needs to happen for them to make it is for the solid defense they have to hang in there. The Dolphins were a big disappointment last year and could disappoint me again but I'm believing in them because they have Tyreek Hill now to go with Jaylen Waddle and confuse DC out of their mind, Tua Tagovailoa and the defense need to not suck and they are going to the playoffs. How is that the Jets don't make it to the post season you ask? because Joe Flacco for at least 4 weeks will be their starter, and even when Zach Wilson returns he still need to show he can lead this really talented team, honestly the Dolphins and Jets are stacked with talent and they aren't making the noise they should be making just because of their QBs. The Patriots and Mac Jones are a boring team I refuse to believe they will be better than forth in the division.

WEST

DEN (1)

KC (5)

LAC (6)

LV

   Yeah I really like the Broncos with Russell Wilson, I believe they got the piece they were missing last year and now they can go against anyone even the Chiefs who have lost a step, still a powerhouse though. The Chargers only needed to fix their run defense and went to FA and got some bodies to plug in the middle, will it work? eh, maybe, but they got Khalil Mack to go terrorize offenses opposite Joey Bosa. The Raiders aren't bad but they really aren't good enough to go against the rest of the division, their previous GM and HC really left a mess of things but still they aren't completely lost but did get left behind.

NFC 

NORTH

GB (3)

CHI (7)

MIN

DET

  OK OK HOLD UP TIME OUT, yes yes the Bears making the playoffs could be considered a pipe dream but I try my best to be as honest as possible and not be a complete homer, with this said I can just state that I ran the season simulator and at the end this is what came up, but still like I already wrote on my season Bears prediction, the Bears can easily slip out of this spot and I even got Vikings, Lions and Commanders with an even record or 1 game behind, so its not that its a lock the Bears will make it, its even the 7th seed that really shouldn't exist but well it does now. The Vikings departed from Mike Zimmer but the team is mostly the same which is neither good or bad, las year they lost a good amount of games because they just couldn't hold on, can they make the necessary changes to not blow it in the 4th? The Lions are stacked, young and kept hungry by their coaching staff, can Jarred Goff make it work? The Packers are still the Packers and then some with new talent at defense, they look prime to go to the playoff once more, just don't forget your tradition to lose once you get there.

SOUTH

TB (1)

CAR (5)

NO

ATL

   He refuses to go away and leave us alone, Tom Brady is back at it again with his old and strong offense along with a defense that now will have Akiem Hicks along side Vita Vea, this is just straight up not cool Bucs. Baker Mayfield with the Panthers should translate to more wins, but is Matt Rhule not a problem? I'm hopeful for the team but I don't know if they can survive possible incompetence at their HC spot. The Saints are so a team I cant predict, what a scrappy team I mean who decides to lead their team with Jameis Winton and no backup plan? Oh I'm sorry you got the red rifle to save the day if necessary my bad, if Alvin Kamara can stay out of jail maybe the secondary can get the offense enough shots to score some points. Then there's the Atlanta Bears I mean Falcons, oh man um, they got some freaky tall receivers and some solid defensive players, Marcus Mariota will start and he can still be a double threat, rookie Desmond Ridder looked not bad so yeah, just go out there and do your best ok?

EAST

PHI (2)

WSH

DAL

NYG

   I'm high on the Eagles this year, they are stacked in every area and then some with good depth, its all on Jalen Hurts to make this work. The Commanders aren't to shabby, their Dline is monstrous and the rest of the defense has talent, offensively they have a decent Oline and a good receiving group, Carson Wentz can really screw this up big time. Cowboys, I'm sorry to tell you that this isn't your year, your secondary isn't that good, you got the wrong RB starting and your schedule is awful, still your offense can turn it around but when has it been able to? Giants, you got something going but your still not there and make yourself a favor, pick another QB, still thanks for Fields you are the best.

WEST

LAR (4)

SF (6)

ARI

SEA

   Oh boy the Rams looked bad at their opening game against the Bills, still they have time to tweak things and get back on track, they are too talented to have a 180° change. The 49ers might experience growing pains with Trey Lance but other than that there isn't much they need to worry about, maybe an average secondary. The Cardinals have a good team overall, can their coaching staff maintain the talent producing wins with Kyler Murray at QB? They have a bumpy road the first 6 weeks without their best WR DeAndre Hopkins suspended. Seahawks will compete for the first round pick and its all because they couldn't find a better QB than Geno Smith or Drew Lock, every other offensive group looks good and at defense they made some good picks for their secondary and have a average at worst front seven, still its not enough to fight for much, especially in this loaded division.

   So who I got going to the super bowl this season? I got the Broncos beating the Bills and the Bucs beating the Eagles, I got the Russell Wilson and Tom Brady reunion on different teams, this time Wilson takes it.

The too early useless 2022 Bears season predictions

   With teams mostly established and getting a general idea of how good/bad they are, time to try guessing how the Bears will do this season. This is almost a brand new Bears team and anything can happen and I mean anything in a good way, most rebuilding teams struggle their first year, I may be too optimistic with this team but that's how I feel watching how the preseason unfold.

VS 49ERS: Already talked a bit about the 9ers team, as good as they have been the past few years and maintained a good core of players, the change to Trey Lance will dictate their early season faith against the Bears, this alone really gives the Bears a wild card shot of winning this one if Lance struggles and the Bears offense clicks early. Positive thinking would make me pick the Bears to upset the 9ers while Lance still grasps the burdens of being a starting NFL QB, so I am going with the Bears because why not be positive? this Bears team feels so much better than last years group and that team was totally lost.

Probable outcome: WIN

@GREEN BAY: Yeah the Packers are still looking really good, the defense looks solid and that combined with Rodgers is always good news for Packers fans. At Lambeau this early in the season I wouldn't bet on the Bears to surprise anybody on this one.

Probable outcome: LOSS

VS TEXANS: The Bears get a visit from their old coach Lovie Smith. The Texans have some good players on their team and could compete with anyone but, similar to this Bears team, they still have to gel together. QB Davis Mills showed to be decent las year and that was with very little talent around him, the Oline looks a little better but still the WR group looks thin, and this is comparing it to the Bears group, on defense there is talent and will depend on how well Lovie and the coaching staff prepare them. I believe the Bears will take care of this one at home.

Probable outcome: WIN

@NY GIANTS: The Gants are in rebuild mode as much as the Bears are, they have made some good moves and acquired some star power at this years draft bolstering the O and D lines, they got some weapons on offense and a decent Oline, still their secondary could need some help but most importantly I am still not a believer in Daniel Jones.

Probable outcome: WIN

@MINNESOTA: The Vikings have a solid offense led by disgruntled Kirk Cousins who is good but not great, Dalvin Cook can handle the rest with ease. Their defense is kind of old but in a good way I guess, still they got some rookies low on the depth chart that I believe they should be starting and maybe by this date they just might. The advantage goes to them at home while the Bears would have to play a very good game adding some mistakes going they way, but luck isn't calculated here.

Probable outcome: LOSS

VS COMMANDERS: The Commanders have good talent on their roster on both sides of the ball, only thing that would and probably will hold them back is their QB Carson Wentz. If they managed to take care of the 49ers then the Bears should have a legit shot of winning this one as well.

Probable outcome: WIN

@NEW ENGLAND: I envision the Patriots being efficient and boring controlling the clock with short gains and first downs, that was Mac Jones type of game las year and with an average looking group of receivers this might still be the plan. The defense can be good but the question is if the offense can keep up and if they decided who de OC is by now. Time the Bears push the pedal to the metal and take this one with aggressive play from the offense.

Probable outcome: WIN

@DALLAS: The Cowboys aren't who they think they are, the offense can still be effective with Dak Prescott and their trio of receivers, they haven't accepted that Tony Pollard should get the nod ahead of Ezekiel Elliot. The defense is the big question mark which looks a bit suspect at their secondary, this is Fields chance to shine in the big stage.

Probable outcome: WIN

VS DOLPHINS: This is a Dolphin team with a bunch of talent mostly on offense, explosive route runners Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle can run circles around anyone, even with Tua Tagovailoa at the helm, there is a lot of offense to try and stop with this team and the defense is no slouch with Xavier Howard leading the charge. Home advantage may be good for the Bears but it might be a bit to much to handle .

Probable outcome: LOSS

VS LIONS: The Lions are no joke this year, they have loaded up in time and now have a really nice group of players, still they are led by QB Jared Goff but the Bears have to get to him first which wont be easy. At this stage of the season both team will have gelled enough and just maybe the Bears can get the best of the Lions one more time at home.

Probable outcome: WIN

@ATLANTA: The Falcons are my candidate for first pick in the draft this year, their schedule is brutal and the team is too lite, they have some freak WR in rookie Drake London, TE Kyle Pitts and swiss army knife Cordarrelle Patterson but their Oline seems fragile to effectively protect their veteran QB, add to that their depleted defense. Fields should manage to enjoy a welcome back victory.

Probable outcome: WIN

@NY JETS: The Jets have the team to take them deep to the playoffs but I don't think it will be managed correctly, Zach Wilson should be back from injury by this time but he is still in project mode, can he make his team as good as it looks in paper? He just might make it on this game.

Probable outcome: LOSS

VS PACKERS: Nope not yet. These next games will be brutal for the Bears.

Probable outcome: LOSS

VS EAGLES: The Eagles very quietly built a beast of a team, only thing keeping them from being considered the team to beat is how good will Jalen Hurst be? He has the Oline to be as good as he can be and some good receivers in big target A.J. Brown and expert route runner DeVonta Smith, add a very good running group with Miles Sanders and all around weapon Kenneth Gainwell, Hurts doesn't need to do much with this group surrounding him. And there's the defense, I mean damn, Fletcher Cox AND Jordan Davis? are they trying to blot out the sun? That and an envious revamped secondary, good look getting the ball away in less than 3 second, an idea, run!

Probable outcome: LOSS

VS BILLS: Another team that is just to far up the ladder for the Bears and it even got better at defense with Von Miller, how is that fair?

Probable outcome: LOSS

@DETROIT: If the Lions have found the way to win games by now, the Bears are in trouble.

Probable outcome: LOSS

VS VIKINGS: This will not be an easy match but the Bears might be on the mix for a playoff spot, this is where the Bears have to make it all work and if they made it to this point I can believe they have enough to make it happen.

Probable outcome: WIN

   With this exercise I got the Bears finishing the season with a 9-8 mark and in limbo of making the playoffs. I took the positive route as I said but honestly I am afraid how good the Lions can be this year, I could honestly see them sweeping the Bears, a slip up against the 49ers, Commanders, Patriots and Vikings and the Bears could easily finish 4-13 or surprise the world and end up second in the division with a 13-4 record, this Bears team is THAT level of unpredictable right now and that's OK, because one thing I am looking forward to is seeing them compete and taking a close look at this Bears young core of players grow.

2022 Chicago Bears Roster

    The roster seems to be set for this first week of the 2022 season, one could say Ryan Poles didn't stop working on the roster until the final minute, even now he is still checking out some FAs with trial workouts and is already starting working on the future prospects by attending this seasons college games personally, no doubt this man and his team is dedicated. Obviously this years roster is filled with new faces but it doesn't looks half bad and the way they played this preseason, especially the defense, doesn't resemble the same fight the previous team had, this team emanates energy.

QB -J. Fields, T. Siemian

   Justin Fields is in command now no questions asked, first two preseason games looked rocky and then the offense exploded against the Chiefs on their third preseason game. Needles to say I got excited until I watched Kurt Warner's analysis on the game where he saw some hesitation on Fields decision making, I do agree he did hesitate but, as Warner stated, when Fields makes up his mind he looks top notch, he has the overall tools to be a menace as a QB and Luke Getsy can help him like he has been doing by bringing Fields slowly and steady with his playbook that has shown until now that it does utilize Fields strengths. Trevor Siemian looked good and is a steady backup. I didn't like the decision to not keeping a rookie on the PS to develop, instead Nathan Peterman was signed for stability or some other strange reason.

   There is still plenty of work to be done to say Fields is legit, he no doubt has the tools and just need to refine the mental part of the game, looks like he has the right coaches for him to take the big leap, his situation this time around looks much better, he might still be missing talent around him but if he progresses, the young core of players around him just might follow suit.

RB - D. Montgomery, K. Herbert, T. Ebner

   David Montgomery got healthy and is back again looking ready to roll some defenders over. Montgomery is a very important player to this team who maybe isn't one of the greats but is good at everything he does, he can establish the pace of a game with his running or get the defense off guard catching the ball, even without the ball he can make a play by blocking and giving Fields time. Khalil Herbert is a good change of pace back but so is Trestan Ebner who showed really good plays and had a better performance as a pass catcher in the preseason and wouldn't surprise me if he takes snaps from Herbert, ultimately the one that shows better blocking skills will be given the nod more often.

   One more season of solid RBs, as long as Montgomery starts, either Herbert or Ebner are more than serviceable backs that can carry some of the load, this year these guys get a little bit of help to get a chance to be more in the spotlight.

FB - K. Blasingame, J. Tonges

   Hey we got FBs! Alright! About time we got serious about the heavy run scheme. Khari Blasingame resembles a more all around FB that can be a shorts pass catching threat while Jake Tonges on the other hand is more of a weapon that is capable of blocking but is still a wait and see how good he can be and how much will these guys be used, still its very fun to know that this Bears team will try to mow down opposing DLs with heavy personnel more often.

   Too new to know how good these guys are with Blasingame injured most of the offseason and Tonges not participating that much in games but they will surely open up the playbook when they are on the field, establishing the run will always be a good thing for the QB. 

WR - D. Mooney, B. Pringle, V. Jones Jr., D. Pettis, E. St. Brown, I. Smith-Marsette

   Darnell Mooney returns as the established favorite pass catcher Fields has worked with, with him are players that have two things in common, they are unproven young talents and they are fast. Aside from Velus Jones Jr., the rest are coming from other teams that played backup roles coming from the bench and should be hungry to prove they belong in the starting line up. Byron Pringle and Dante Pettis can move and create separation, Equanimeous St. Brown has the length to be a red zone threat and a mismatch player, second year player Ihmir Smith-Marsette and rookie Jones are agile players and fight off tackles for hard extra yards given their experience as returners. Only other player missing is N'Keal Harry who was placed on short IR and could return in 4 weeks, he would bring more speed and size like St. Brown. 

Its a good young core of players but not the names you could guarantee success on. Like most of this team, the talent is there and it could benefit from the scheme and the QBs performance.

TE - C. Kmet, R. Griffin, T. Wesco

   I remember when the Bears had 10 TEs in one point of the previous offseason, things have drastically changed and it shows in this years TE group composed of only three members, well maybe four if you count Tonges here. Returning Cole Kmet is looking set to have a break out year with two seasons of experience in his belt, no more Jimmy Graham to steal his red zone opportunities and I don't believe Ryan Griffin and Trevon Wesco will interfere, although Griffin did catch a TD pass on the last preseason game, I expect both of them especially Wesco to open lanes for Montgomery and the other RBs.

   No shiny offensive weapons here just your average mauling TEs that fight for every inch, if Kmet can be the safety blanket and red zone target Fields will need, that would be plenty to achieve.

OL - B. Jones, C. Whitehair, L. Patrick, T. Jenkins, L. Borom, J. Carter, S. Mustipher, A. Leatherwood, R. Rieff

   This group has been the story teller for a couple of years now, the poor schemed and developed Oline has tortured the likes of two top drafted rookie QBs, now with a players GM taking the helm this took a turn for the best. Braxton Jones, the 5th round rookie, could easily make or break this season, he has made huge strides on his development according to his coaches and has proved it by getting himself the starting LT position which isn't and shouldn't be an easy decision to make. Returning second year players Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom will command the right side of the line, Jenkins at RG is what the doctor ordered, the position needed a big nasty player back at that spot. Borom did enough to convince the new regime he deserved to remain as the RT. Cody Whitehair will stay put where he can do the most damage at LG and if the Bears are lucky enough they will have Lucas Patrick ready to take the C spot, nothing against Sam Mustipher who showed some good improvement on these preseason games but I would like to see what the Bears have in Patrick who is now back from injury which took him out all offseason. Its a good sign and a bold move to go young with the starting unit, Poles did what he had to do and brought in veteran competition to the group and the young players responded by not relinquishing their spots, even with the line mostly ready to start the season, Poles added Alex Leatherwood to see if the coaches can bring out his talent that made him a high draft prospect. In his way, Poles demonstrated that he gets how important the Oline is for a team, even more so for one with a young QB.

   There will be learning curves for this group along the way this season but even so I do expect them to battle it out with the best and give Fields a fighting chance.

DL - R. Quinn, J. Jones, A. Blackson, T. Gipson, A. Muhammad, M. Pennel Jr., A. Watts, D. Robinson, K. Jonathan

   No more Khalil Mack, the experiment could be considered a failure and Poles took the decision to move on and look to the future by trading Mack for a 2nd round pick that could potentially turn out to be a stud, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Right now Robert Quinn is the best pure rusher on the team but a good one none the less, Al-Quadin Muhammad is slated to be opposite of Quinn on the depth chart but will most likely be sharing snaps with upcoming vet Travis Gipson, both bring run defense and some pass rush moves to quicken the QBs decision making, so there is depth at the position without even mentioning rookie Dominique Robinson who is big, strong and fast but still very raw, gives the DE group good rotation depth. No more Akiem Hicks will be even hard to replace, Angelo Blackson and recently signed Armon Watts come in to try and fill in some immense shoes, next to them will be Justin Jones and veteran Mike Pennel who showed some good plays against the backups on preseason games.

   This group for years was once the core force of the defense, now its one more piece of the defensive puzzle.

LB - R. Smith, N. Morrow, M. Adams, J. Sanborn, S. Weatherford

   Roquan smith didn't get his paycheck, it will have to wait a bit longer, some more special plays could change Poles mind, possibly. Smith and Nick Morrow could make some noise at LB this year, Morrow showed to be a good tackler and plays with high energy which I believe Matt Eberflus looks for in his players, I don't know who will play SAM but it will probably be Matthew Adams who is a serviceable LB, who I am most interested to see are the rookies Jack Sanborn and Sterling Weatherford. Sanborn was a preseason hero who was all over the place making plays against the backups but still showed lots of promise, Weatherford snagged from the waiver wire could be a big steal, big SS converted to LB equals a quick tackling machine with vision and agility, both will contribute at ST immediately.

   Young and hungry group that can be a pleasant surprise that can help the DL this time around.

CB - J. Johnson, K. Vildor, K. Gordon, L. Jackson, J. Jones, J. Blackwell

   Once the Achilles heel of  the 2021 season now could be a strength. Poles upgraded this group with his two highest draft picks this year and could end being game changers for this defense, first is Kyle Gordon who was viewed as the CB to be opposite Jaylon Johnson but Eberflus placed him at NB be it by design or necessity, still he looks the part and if he thrives there he could take any type or WR, still I would consider moving him outside permanently once they see Thomas Graham play when he returns from injury hopefully soon. For now we get Kindle Vildor to try once more to be CB2, honestly him and Lamar Jackson didn't look half bad playing that spot at preseason, the coaching and/or the scheme just might have made them better at it, fingers crossed.

   Honestly I thought this unit would look better until I saw Gordon at NB, even so they do look better than last year, still this unit will have to make due with the other groups on defense to make it work.

S - E. Jackson, J. Brisker, D. Houston-Carson, D. Cruikshank, E. Hicks

   Getting Jaquan Brisker to help Eddie Jackson go back to being a deepfield safety is just what he needed, see if he can become the Eddie of old because time is running out for Jackson to be the playmaker he once showed he is capable of being. Brisker looks like an all around good safety that can roam the field and come down the line and help the front seven stuff the run. DeAndre Houston-Carson, Dane Cruikshank and Elijah Hicks will crush it as SP players but most importantly they are versatile and can be aligned as S or CB in Nickle, Dime and Quarter formations to cover speed or big TEs.

   Jackson and Brisker complete a defense that doesn't have a particularly solid group but together can accomplish the goal of being a very decent defensive unit.

SP - C. Santos, T. Gill, P. Scales

Cairo Santos and Patrick Scales return to hopefully repeat another good season. The new leg in town flashed at the preseason with regularly good placed punts, Trenton Gill the last man drafted in 2022 makes Poles first draft look like a stroke of genius.

   

   Some intriguing players got signed back to the PS before already mentioned Graham Jr. who I think will get moved up once healthy,  T Kellen Diesch could be a great waiver steal, I wanted the Bears to draft him. DE Sam Kamara stick with the team for now, he showed good plays in the preseason and believe it was a tough decision to stick with him or Robinson on the 53 man roster. LB DeMarquies Gates has gone a long way to get where he is and showed it on the field, its good to have him aboard. G/C Dieter Eiselen I thought could have beaten Mustipher for the backup C position but didn't happen, its good to have another option stashed if necessary. DT Trevon Coley is an intriguing project and showed it at preseason.

   The inclusion of a FB, blocking TEs along with bringing WR known for their capable blocking skills and even the line being more efficient at run blocking makes it somewhat obvious to expect that this coaching staff will try very hard to establish the run, even Fields can contribute at this plan. Both Eberflus and Getsy had very good running schemes in placed on their previous teams, it could well be a similar philosophy like what the 49ers like to do, who will coincidentally will be the Bears first opponent. The 49ers have been a very stable team for the last 3 years or so with a bruising run game and tough defense, their secondary looks somewhat suspect with some new faces but the front seven is top tier led by Nick Bosa and Fred Wagner. It will be a challenge for the young Bears Oline but I still remember when Borom played a good game against Bosa, Jones could very well do a similar job. The 49ers could have the upper hand just by experience but there is one new piece in play, Trey Lance will be QB for the niners and can easily represent a double edge sword, he has a massive arm and agility to spare but his accuracy has been questionable, if the Bears the offense can get rolling and score early so the defense can force Lance to beat them, they might have a good chance to get the upset, I can see it happening and if it does, then Poles has this team moving in the right direction.