Total Titans questions about the Bears

I'm going to pre-empt my answer with this statement - I'm one of like, three people in Chicago that don't hate Rex Grossman and turn in to a red-faced, mouth-breathing dolt at the mere thought of him playing quarterback for the Bears. I think he got a raw deal in Chicago and hope he is able to be successful elsewhere in the NFL.

 

That being said, am I worried? You better believe it. He's only going to have a week's worth of practice, he hasn't played a meaningful snap since last year, and he is a streaky quarterback facing a vicious pass rush. But Grossman's play is actually not at the top of my list of things to worry about this week. That distinction goes to the Jekyl and Hyde defense that is so deluded it still considers itself an elite unit.

 

What many people choose to forget is the vastly improved play Grossman demonstrated in his second stint as a starter last season. While he didn't light the world on fire, he began to show better decision-making under pressure and seemed to force fewer throws where they didn't belong. Is that how he's going to play from here on out, or was it just a fluke? Nobody can definitively answer that, and Grossman is stepping in to a tough situation against a very good defense after spending the last two and a half months running other team's offenses. Its not exactly a recipe for success.

 

Would you be crazy for taking the over at 1.5 picks? Not in the least, but with the way Tennessee's defense has played this year, it wouldn't surprise me if ANY quarterback threw two or more picks in a game against the Titans.

I've been pretty open about my man-crush on Matt Forte, so I'm gonna try to keep the gushing to a minimum, but he looks to be the best Bears running back since Neal Anderson in the 90's. If he continues the way he has through his rookie season, I believe he can be one of the top backs in the NFL.

 

What do I like about Forte? Yeesh, what is there NOT to like? He runs tough between the tackles, keeps his legs churning and moves the pile, he doesn't fall down at first contact, he has flashed some nice wiggle and ability to break sloppy tackles, he's big, he has pretty good straight-line speed when he gets in to the open field, he can pass block, catch balls out of the backfield, and he'll probably paint the house, do the dishes and walk the dog if the Bears ask him. He seems as humble as he is hungry, which is a nice departure from the last high-round draft choice the Bears started in the backfield, and he gives the Bears something to build their offense around.

 

As for the offensive line's role in his success . . . I was bearish on the offensive line before the start of the 2007 season, and while the Bears made significant moves there, I felt they could have done more to upgrade the line. When Chris Williams went down with a herniated disc in his back early in training camp and John St. Clair was elevated to the starting left tackle spot, I was pretty pessimistic about the line's play in 2008.

 

That being said, the line has actually played at a higher level than I thought it would through the first eight games this season. I'm still not really thrilled about the five starters - Roberto Garza is decent, but Olin Kruetz and John Tait are past their prime and St. Clair and Josh Beekman are probably better suited as backups - but the line has actualy played pretty well and I won't discount their role in Forte's success. Still, the offensive line represents a major area of opportunity and I think Forte will really start to shine once he has better blockers.

The Bears have excelled in rush defense this season, but I attribute a lot of that to the physical play of safety Mike Brown and cornerbacks Corey Graham and Charles Tillman. Unfortunately for the Bears, Brown suffered a calf injury in last week's win over the Lions and has been limited in practice. I would rank his play, or lack thereof, as one of the keys to the Bears being able to beat the Titans. Brown has always been a difference maker in the run game for the Bears.

 

The front seven has been a mixed bag of performances this year. Lance Briggs has been stellar, he is probably the best player on the defense right now, and Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye have continued their underrated play at the ends while Dusty Dvoracek has done a great job at defensive tackle. But two guys who the Bears gave big, big money to in the offseason, Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris, have been between mediocre and disastrous. Any time they want to start earning their paychecks is fine by me.

 

I'm almost afraid to say this, but I think the Bears are going to focus on stopping LenDale White and Chris Johnson and dare Kerry Collins to beat them. No one should be afraid of Kerry Collins torching them, but after seeing Brian Griese, Matt Ryan and Dan Orlovsky have career days against the Bears, I'm a little antsy.

4.  Devin Hester hasn't done nearly as well on returns this year.  Has playing wideout taken away from his ability to be a game-changing returner?  Can he take advantage of the Titans' mediocre coverage units?
 

This is another area where I have an emphatic opinion that runs contrary to what a lot of other Bears fans believe, which is that trying to make Devin Hester a wide receiver is a cruel joke and takes away one of the best weapons the Bears have.

 

Hester's rep coming out of Miami was that of a freakish athlete who simply lacked the mental acuity to learn an NFL playbook. I hate to dog the guy, because by all accounts he's a very nice person and a pretty good character guy, but if he couldn't learn a college offense, I find it hard to believe he could learn a pro scheme.

 

Most disturbingly is his struggles in the return game this season. When you watch Hester fielding kicks and punts, you notice he is running with his head down, almost like he's looking to get tackled. He's broken a couple longer runs but still hasn't taken one to the house, and I don't know if thats going to change any time soon, unless he starts looking upfield and trying to make the moves he needs to find room to run.

The Bears are 5-3, seem to have found a quarterback and running back, are scoring 28 points per game and leading the NFC North. And yet, I hate this team.

 

The Bears have been one of the most frustrating teams in the NFL this year, with no consistency from week to week in how they perform. I suggest Titans fans microwave some popcorn before Sunday's game, because its almost certain to be drama-filled. The team just doesn't make any sense and lacks the killer instinct it had in 2005 and 2006, especially on defense where the team has blown three late leads that have lead to their three losses. The Bears are a combined eight points away from being 8-0, but they feel more like a team that's heading for the top of the draft board instead of the top of their division.

 

While I expected the offense to struggle this season, and it has at times, its the defense that truly has me baffled. In terms of raw talent I still think Chicago's defense is one of the better in the league, with potential Pro-Bowlers at every line position, two of the linebackers and three of the defensive back spots. This unit is supposed to be the backbone of the team and supposed to carry it if needed, but their bipolar performances have left fans and analysts alike pulling their hair out.

 

The bottom line is, I don't think this team is very good, despite its record. On the other hand, there's no team out there I feel they can't compete with. After eight games of the season you should have a pretty good feel for how each of the teams is going to perform in the NFL, and yet at this point, the Bears could win or lose out and it wouldn't surprise me.

Thanks to Ryan for some very interesting responses.  He also sent along some questions about the Titans, so check back tomorrow when I'll be posting my responses to those.