2014-15 NFC North/NFL Thread

[GGGG]

Bennett fined and suspended indefinitely. For a fight at camp? there's gotta be more to the story, right?

Little more than just a fight.  He picked their first round pick him up and body slammed him. 

[swoopem]

He also was yelling at Brandon Marshall for a few minutes right before that play. Seems like his emotions got the best of him yesterday.

He probably needs to cool down for a couple days and will be back later this week for the Eagles game....at least I hope so.

[🏀]

Little more than just a fight.  He picked their first round pick him up and body slammed him. 

Yeah, that's unacceptable.

[brandx]

Little more than just a fight.  He picked their first round pick him up and body slammed him. 

Most coaches like to see a few fights in camp. Good one in GB yesterday. Punches thrown, then broken up and practice continues as normal.

[🏀]

Most coaches like to see a few fights in camp. Good one in GB yesterday. Punches thrown, then broken up and practice continues as normal.

Then most coaches need to retire and/or die. You cannot find turning to violence as an acceptable solution to problems and then turn around and expect the players to not find it acceptable in their personal lives.

[brandx]

Then most coaches need to retire and/or die. You cannot find turning to violence as an acceptable solution to problems and then turn around and expect the players to not find it acceptable in their personal lives.

Sarcasm?

[🏀]

Sarcasm?

None at all. No need for the Neanderthal mindset in today's NFL.

[brandx]

None at all. No need for the Neanderthal mindset in today's NFL.

Blocking and tackling are awful aggressive, too.

And ball carriers trying to run people over? That translates very easily to domestic violence. Ray Rice would never have punched his wife senseless if that aggression didn't carry over to home.

(Hopefully teal isn't necessary.)

[🏀]

Blocking and tackling are awful aggressive, too.

And ball carriers trying to run people over? That translates very easily to domestic violence. Ray Rice would never have punched his wife senseless if that aggression didn't carry over to home.

(Hopefully teal isn't necessary.)

Yep, figured you wouldn't get it, you carry the mindset. Like fighting in hockey...

[jesmu84]

Blocking and tackling are awful aggressive, too.

And ball carriers trying to run people over? That translates very easily to domestic violence. Ray Rice would never have punched his wife senseless if that aggression didn't carry over to home.

(Hopefully teal isn't necessary.)

Which is ironic, because on-field aggression gets a harsher penalty than off-field aggression.

[🏀]

Which is ironic, because on-field aggression gets a harsher penalty than off-field aggression.

Zing

[DegenerateDish]

Tough news on Barclay. Guys like him that can be swing backups create a lot of value, typically save a roster spot too.

[mu-rara]

Went up to GB on Tuesday.

We tried to get our picture taken with John Bergstrom.  He was the only MU guy on the sidelines.

[ChicosBailBonds]

What happened to....put on a few lbs.  Needs Dr. 4ever's no wheat diet

[DegenerateDish]

I say this every preseason...the games don't count, boring to watch...but they do matter. Texans tonight is concerning, that's a sign something is not right.

[brandx]

I see that GB has the lowest percentage in the entire league of players left over from the 2011 % 2012 drafts.

I have my opinion, but do you see this as a good thing or bad?

[wadesworld]

I see that GB has the lowest percentage in the entire league of players left over from the 2011 % 2012 drafts.

I have my opinion, but do you see this as a good thing or bad?

Been listening to 1250 AM a lot recently, hey?

[brandx]

Been listening to 1250 AM a lot recently, hey?

No - never listen to that station. Saw an online article on ESPN.

Just found it interesting that 5 of the 7 teams with the lowest retention rate made the playoffs while 3 of the top 4 did not (and may have been 4 for 4 if Denver didn't sigh Manning).

Seems to make sense since better teams have more good players and young guys need to step up quick or be gone, while poorer teams have more openings and don't have better options.

[wadesworld]

For all the Cutler lovers/defenders out there, he better produce some results this season.  If he can't win with the talent around him this year, he will never win anything significant.  All the Bears lovers say Marshall is better than Jordy and that Marshall and Jeffreys is better than Jordy and Cobb.  Bennett is clearly more proven than any tight end on the Packers roster, and Forte is said to be a top 4 running back in the league.  So if I'm hearing all of this correctly, then the Bears have the better wide receiving group with Holmes in the fold now, the better first tight end, and the better running back.  Given all of that, you would think it would be NFC North Title or bust, plus a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl this year, correct?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

For all the Cutler lovers/defenders out there, he better produce some results this season.  If he can't win with the talent around him this year, he will never win anything significant.  All the Bears lovers say Marshall is better than Jordy and that Marshall and Jeffreys is better than Jordy and Cobb.  Bennett is clearly more proven than any tight end on the Packers roster, and Forte is said to be a top 4 running back in the league.  So if I'm hearing all of this correctly, then the Bears have the better wide receiving group with Holmes in the fold now, the better first tight end, and the better running back.  Given all of that, you would think it would be NFC North Title or bust, plus a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl this year, correct?

Yup, that all sounds about right Wade. Thanks for agreeing. Add a much improved defense and you attempt at snide commentary is spot on.

[wadesworld]

Yup, that all sounds about right Wade. Thanks for agreeing. Add a much improved defense and you attempt at snide commentary is spot on.

There was nothing snide about it.  Evidently the Bears have a better group of skill position players (they have the better players at each and every skill position, after all), the Packers defense has been absolutely brutal since the Super Bowl season, and the Packers special teams are always, well, "special," so given all that either Cutler will never win anything as a quarterback (like I have been saying) and the Packers will once again be the best team in the NFC North, or the Bears will win the NFC North and have a legitimate shot to win the Super Bowl.  So what it comes down to is whether Cutler is so bad that Rodgers alone can make up for the gap in every other area, or whether Cutler is good enough to win.  Not snide, logical.

[JWags85]

There was nothing snide about it.  Evidently the Bears have a better group of skill position players (they have the better players at each and every skill position, after all), the Packers defense has been absolutely brutal since the Super Bowl season, and the Packers special teams are always, well, "special," so given all that either Cutler will never win anything as a quarterback (like I have been saying) and the Packers will once again be the best team in the NFC North, or the Bears will win the NFC North and have a legitimate shot to win the Super Bowl.  So what it comes down to is whether Cutler is so bad that Rodgers alone can make up for the gap in every other area, or whether Cutler is good enough to win.  Not snide, logical.

Well, last year was the first year in many that the Bears had a "top" offense, with aforementioned skill players.  And despite your assertions that the Packers D was a dumpster fire, the Bears was worse, ratings wise.  A bit better in Pass D, but dead last by a SIGNIFICANT margin in Rushing D.  Cutler was good enough last year to win the Bears "something", but a historically bad (by Bears standards) defense held them back.

As ChitownWarrior said, nobody in Chicago disagrees with you.  Its a put up or shut up year, perception wise for Cutler.  And despite the fun that Packers fans like to have with it, nobody is directly comparing Cutler with the best QB in the NFL, so thats where the snide comments come in.  But to insinuate that the Bears have been better everywhere, except for QB, the last few years is asinine.  I would agree that they have more talent around Cutler on offense than Rodgers has around him, but there are still MAJOR questions on defense.  This isn't college where you can outshoot teams like Baylor or Texas Tech and win games 55-48.

[wadesworld]

Well, last year was the first year in many that the Bears had a "top" offense, with aforementioned skill players.  And despite your assertions that the Packers D was a dumpster fire, the Bears was worse, ratings wise.  A bit better in Pass D, but dead last by a SIGNIFICANT margin in Rushing D.  Cutler was good enough last year to win the Bears "something", but a historically bad (by Bears standards) defense held them back.

As ChitownWarrior said, nobody in Chicago disagrees with you.  Its a put up or shut up year, perception wise for Cutler.  And despite the fun that Packers fans like to have with it, nobody is directly comparing Cutler with the best QB in the NFL, so thats where the snide comments come in.  But to insinuate that the Bears have been better everywhere, except for QB, the last few years is asinine.  I would agree that they have more talent around Cutler on offense than Rodgers has around him, but there are still MAJOR questions on defense.  This isn't college where you can outshoot teams like Baylor or Texas Tech and win games 55-48.

Sorry, didn't mean to say Cutler should be compared to Rodgers.  And I just mean going into this year, I'm not saying that that in past years Cutler had better players around him.  For the record, I personally think the Packers have better skill position players, but Chicago fans think their skill position players are better.  So what I am saying is that Bears fans claim that Jay Cutler can be a Super Bowl winning quarterback with the right players around him.  With all of the praise that the Packers skill position players get, with everyone saying how the Packers offense is absolutely loaded, I am saying that Chicago fans seem to think that their skill position players are better than what the Packers have, so if Jay Cutler truly can be a SB winning QB, then one would think this would be the year to get it done.  There evidently is no lack of talent surrounding him.  That is the point I was trying to make.  If he's going to win something at some point, it better be this year.

[DegenerateDish]

Rodgers is the best player (not just QB) in the NFL. As long as Rodgers is at the helm, I can't pick against the Packers to win the North. He's in his prime, has some of the best weapons in football, and a pretty solid (when healthy) o-line. I've said Cobb would become a superstar, no player in the game is better at the sideline catch than Nelson. Lacy's a power back that compliments the offense very well.

Cutler should put up numbers with perhaps the best WR tandem in football. Forte is as good catching passes out of the backfield as anyone, although I think Bennett is at best a very slightly above avg TE. I'm not sure why a street FA just signed to camp, who has at best a 40% chance of making the final roster, is brought up in this argument. If Homles is healthy and his head is in the right place, that's fine, but counting on anything from him long term is absurd.

Bears expectations are to fight for a playoff spot (as they should be). No one should be talking Super Bowl. They're repairing a historically all time bad defense, their special teams right now are awful. As for Cutler, he needs to produce. It's year 2 under Trestman (which should benefit him), he's in great shape, and has weapons to do damage. If he does produce, the Bears should contend. If he doesn't, then the Bears have zero shot. It's fairly simple.

[mu-rara]

Better skill players, with an upper middle of the pack QB will do well with a solid o-line.

Is the Bears o-line solid?