Cedric Benson Signed by The Cincinnati Bengals

Former Bear Cedric Benson was signed today by the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bengals running backs are thin, with starter Chris Perry averaging 2.9 yard per carry and 52.0 yards per game and backup Kenny Watson averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 10.7 yards per game.

They also announced that third string running back DeDe Dorsey is out for the season with an hamstring injury.

I guess the running back position couldn't be worse with the addition of former first round pick Cedric Benson.

The Bengals now have two former 1st round picks at the running back position with Chris Perry from Michigan and Cedric Benson from Texas.

We all know what happened last season and this offseason with Benson.

The Bears traded Thomas Jones to the Jets and handed there supposedly future star the #1 spot.

He didn't before well in his first starting season.

He played in eleven games, before getting injured against the Broncos for the rest of the year.

He ran the ball 196 times for 674 yards, averaged 3.4 yards per carry and only scored four touchdowns.

He was bad at getting through any whole that was given to him last season and was just terrible at catching passes.

He did have a terrible offensive line in front of him and that may be the reason he was bad, but look at Matt Forte this season.

Forte has almost the same offensive line excluding LG Josh Beekman, and he 3.8 yards per carry in his first four games.

Will Benson Get Any Playing Time?

Benson will probably see the field this weekend against the Cowboys because they need some kind of spark on that team.

The Bengals are just terrible so far this season.

Benson's Future with the Bengals?

Look for Benson to try an resurect his career in Cincinnati.

It will likely be a failure because the team is so bad, how is Benson possibly going to look good.

Bears Win a Big One Sunday Night

I'm starting to get the feeling that the Chicago Bears should play all there games on Sunday night.

They looked great on offense in the first half and then great on defense in the second half.

What I liked the most, was that the Bears came away with seven points instead of just a field goal after turnovers, which killed them in the last two weeks.

The Bears came out in the no-huddle and Kyle Orton completed two big passes, to Rashied Davis and Greg Olsen, who finally had a good game.

Rashied Davis disappeared from the game after that catch.

Marty Booker awoke from the dead when he scored a big touchdown.

The big loss for the Bears is Brandon Lloyd, who was playing some good ball the last two weeks and obviously becoming the go-to-guy.

They really played some good ball in the first half.

Orton had a passer rating of 106.6 with his three touchdowns in the first two quarters, but Forte was shut down the whole game by the league's best run defense.

The second half was a whole different ball game the Bears came away with only a field goal which proved to be enough to win the game.

Orton's turnovers started after a Kevin Payne interception where the Bears had a the ball at the Eagles eight yard line and Orton through a pass to Dez Clark which was intercepted in the end zone.

He was intercepted one more time and fumbled after getting lit up by #58 Trent Cole of the Eagles.

The Bears play calling was very conservative in the second half unlike the first half, but the defense came up big the goal line stand at the end of the ball game and that was the difference this week.

Alex Brown made the touchdown saving tackle on that big goal-line stand.

You can say all you want that the Bears should be 4-0, we all know that but you can't look in the past when the future is right in front of you.

That was a huge win for the Bears for two reasons there now 2-2 atop the division with the Green Bay Packers and they play Detroit and Atlanta in the upcoming weeks.

Did You Notice?

Nick Roach took over for Hunter Hillenmeyer at LB for a couple of drives.

He also recovered a muffed punt made by Desean Jackson in the first half.

Kyle Orton tied his career high for TD's with three.

Who They Need Back for Next Week?

It would be nice to have Charles Tillman and Brandon Lloyd back next week, but who knows what there conditions currently are.

Also, Tommie Harris will probably not rush back to risk more damage to his knee, as Israel Idonije and Anthony Adams filled in well for the Pro-Bowler.

Best Quotes from the Game:

Mike Brown: “It’s make a play, everybody was thinking the same thing. I was the guy who got my hands on him, but we had other guys keep him out of the end zone. It wasn’t just me. I’m not going to sit here and take credit for it. That play was a complete defensive effort and it was a special way to end that game for us. It was great.”

Lance Briggs: “It was one of the best fourth-down finishes I’ve ever been a part of, finishing is the key.”

Rashied Davis: "Kyle was good; we won."

Greg Olsen: "We didn't play perfect, and we were still able to overcome mistakes and beat a good team."

Marty Booker: "We escaped and got lucky on this one."

Dusty Dvoracek: "I was shocked. I thought they'd run a quarterback sneak, it was six, eight inches from the goal line."

What to Expect Next Week?

Look for the Bears to take the lead early in this one against the Lions.

The defense should get pressure on QB Jon Kitna all game.

Biggest Disspointments for the Bears so far this season....

#1 Marty Booker

Until last night Marty Booker had caught one ball all season, I know he's 31 years old and hasn't been on the Bears in three years, but come on look at Muhsin Muhammad for the Panthers.


#2 Kevin Payne

This guy is worst player on that defense. He is always too deep in coverage, when he needs to play closer to line. He does have two interceptions, but he needs to step it up or he will be where Adam Archuleta is and that's no where.

# 3 Greg Olsen

I knew he would bounce back with a big game, but the Bears have yet to really utilized there two very talented tight ends and Greg Olsen was very bad the first three weeks of the season, failing to get open and fumbling the ball constantly.


# 4 Rashied Davis

This guy was supposed to be our main WR, but Brandon Lloyd has taken that spot. Rashied looks good in some parts of the game, but than just fault out disappears for most of the game. If he caught a great pass from Orton against Tampa Bay, we would be 3-1, but he needs to step it up because the coaches will look like fools if he fails. They were raving about this guy all training camp.

Tommie Harris could miss Phili game

Defensive tackle Tommie Harris' status seems in doubt for Sunday night's game against Philadelphia as he continues to battle knee problems.

Tommie Harris sure didn't look like himself against the Buccaneers on Sunday and I think it would be better for the team if he sat out and got a rest.

Harris hasn't practiced all week, and coach Lovie Smith indicated that Harris got banged up in last Sunday's loss to Tampa Bay.

"However you put it, he's not in condition to practice right now," Smith said.

Asked if he would consider shutting Harris down, Smith said he would consider it, if Harris is not ready to go.

Smith said if Harris can't play, Anthony Adams would be active.

Harris, however, sees it differently. Asked about his status for Sunday, he said, ''I'll see you on the field."

What's Next?

Look for both Marcus Harrison and Anthony Adams to get more playing time Sunday vs the Eagles.

Buccaneers’ Trueblood, Bears’ Tillman fined $5,000

Tampa Bay’s Jeremy Trueblood and the Bears Charles "Peanut" Tillman were each fined $5,000 by the NFL for their roles in a skirmish during last week’s game between the Buccaneers and Bears.

The Bears had stopped Tampa Bay deep in its own territory in overtime when Trueblood took some shots at Chicago defensive end Adewale Ogunleye.

Peanut Tillman ran over and jumped on the pile, then got caught taking a swing at Michael Clayton.

That resulted in a 15-yard penalty that kept the drive going and led to a 21-yard field goal by Matt Bryant that lifted the Buccaneers to a 27-24 victory at Soldier Field on Sunday.

Bears Release WR Mark Bradley

The Chicago Bears have announced the release of former second-round pick WR Mark Bradley today.

Bradley was injured in his first two years, from 2005-2006. He injured his knee, ankle, and ACL in the time span.

Last season Bradley played in 15 games, catching just six passes for 71 yards and one touchdown. He primarily played on the special teams.

I always thought Bradley had the big play ability, but I guess the Bears didn't see that.

DT Tommie Harris, who is coming back from knee surgery, didn't agree with his former teammate's release.

"I don't feel like he had a fair chance," Harris said. "I feel like he just had his job taken from him. You know how it goes: He had a knee surgery, then he lost his job."

Bradley knew his release was coming; he thought during the preseason that he would be waived. He was surprised he even made the 53-man roster.

Harris said he had a conversation with Bradley in the preseason, where Bradley indicated he asked the team for his release.

"Mark understood that this was going to happen from the beginning," Harris said. "He asked for his release so he would have a fair chance to be on somebody else's roster. But I guess they wanted to wait until week four for whatever reason."

Bradley was inactive for the opening game against the Colts, and he played on special team against the Panthers and Buccaneers.

Bradley had 36 catches for 583 yards and four touchdowns in his three seasons with the Bears.

What's Next for Bradley?

Harris believes Bradley's future is bright.

"He's a great receiver, he'll get picked up by another team and do well," Harris said.

Harris and Bradley were teammates at the University of Oklahoma and developed a good relationship in their time together in Chicago.

What Now?

Lovie Smith said in the preseason that Bradley would have the No. 1 WR spot to start the season, but then Bradley had knee surgery and he lost his spot.

The Bears expected Bradley to take over for Muhsin Muhammad (released) and Bernard Berrian (signed with the Vikings).

Expect the Bears to promote WR Brandon Rideau from the practice squad if Devin Hester stays out of the lineup for a while.

So, Hamilton Played Against Us Four Days Ago and Now He Is on Our Team?

Yes, after spending his entire rookie season on Tampa Bay’s practice squad last year, Marcus Hamilton made his NFL debut Sunday against the Bears, recording one tackle and two pass breakups.

The seventh-round draft pick from Virginia forced the Bears to punt on their first two possessions of the second half by breaking up third-down passes intended for Brandon Lloyd and Marty Booker.

Hamilton was brought in to help a struggling secondary.

Did You Know?

Bradley's release leaves quarterback Kyle Orton as the lone member left from the Bears' 2005 draft class.

Bradley is also the second second-round pick Jerry Angelo has cut in the last month, following Dan Bazuin out the Halas Hall door.

Why Was Bradley Released?

Obviously Bradley couldn't stay healthy and when he played he struggled to keep focus. Look for the Dolphins or Seahawks to pick him up.

Will Rex Grossman ever be a starter in the NFL again?

Rex Grossman is currently the No. 2 option for the Chicago Bears, behind Kyle Orton.

Grossman is 28-years old and was the 22nd pick of the first round back in 2003.

In his first three seasons with the Bears, he had four touchdowns, five interceptions, and one rushing touchdown in nine games.

The beginning of his career with the Bears was cut short by injuries.

Grossman showed some promise, and Bears fans wanted him back because he was their best option.

The 2005 season was the year where Kyle Orton led the Bears to an 11-5 record and the Bears played the Panthers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs and suffered an early exit.

Grossman was put into that game for the rookie (at that time) Kyle Orton, who basically had a great running game in front of him, with Thomas Jones controlling it.

In 2006, Grossman played in all 16 games, throwing 23 touchdowns, 20 interceptions, and losing five fumbles.

He finally got his chance to prove himself.

He played great at times that season, and he played horrible at times as well.

You can say the Bears got to the Super Bowl despite Rex Grossman, but he did look great in about half of the games.

That is the problem with him; he needs to show up every single game.

People call him Good Rex and Bad Rex.

Ever since that loss, Chicago Bears fans have hated Rex Grossman.

They have booed him on many occasions, and they even wanted to see Brian "stinking" Griese in as the QB.

Griese is so bad, but that is besides the fact.

Grossman would be great on another team, in a smaller city with a good offensive line.

I think the problem with him is that his confidence level is shot.

Losing a Super Bowl can take that confidence from you.

Last year, he didn't receive much help from his receivers, offensive line, and running backs, which forced him to make plays on his own.

It might not be the last of Grossman in a Bears uniform, because who knows if Kyle Orton will stay QB for the whole season.

I would like the Bears to put Grossman in, but if the Bears win, I don't really care who is throwing the passes.

All I can say is that if Rex Grossman doesn't come back next season, I guarantee he will be a starting QB in the NFL in the next couple of years.

Bears fans can say, "Oh he couldn't even be in the CFL" or "he is Rex Pussman."

Jerks like Jay Mariotti don't really help a guy perform better on the field.

Those are the things that bring a guy's confidence level down, and that is what Rex Grossman has experienced in his wild ride in the Windy City.

Circuit City Game Day Tour Sweepstakes

Circuit City Game Day Tour with Samsung will be rolling into the Chicago area today

Chicago Bears die hard fans can meet William “The Refrigerator” Perry, who will be making a special appearance from 12pm to 1pm today on the stop of the tour.

Featuring a tour bus loaded with 22 Samsung HD plasma and LCD TVs, Bears fans can stop by for the ultimate HDTV football viewing experience. What’s more, gamers can test their Madden skills on 14 Xbox 360 gaming systems, and five PC gaming stations. There will be a Madden tournament each day of the tour, and the winner for each day will receive a $100 gift certificate to Circuit City.

Game Day Tour visitors can also pick up a coupon to receive $15 off on Circuit City purchases of over $100. Also, any visitor who purchases a Samsung TV on the Tour will get a $100 gift card to Circuit City.


Fans can also get on the bus and register to win a fifty-two inch Samsung LCD HDTV that will be drawn in February at the conclusion of the tour. There will be other Circuit City & Samsung giveaways on site throughout each day.


For those not able to attend, I hope you’ll let your readers know about Circuit City’s current sweepstakes with Samsung – the grand prize winner gets a trip for 2 to Super Bowl XLIII (including airfare, hotel, tickets and transportation)!


Now through October 4th, 2008 visit http://circuitcity.parago.com/livethegame where upon receiving a promotional code, you can enter every day for your chance to win an HDTV & home theater package every day for 28 days! Instant prizes are also up for grabs like $50,000 in Circuit City gift cards.


Tour Dates, Locations and Times

* Friday – September 19, 4pm to 8pm
* Saturday – September 20, 10am to 4pm
* Sunday – Surprise game day location

All stops take place at Lincoln Park Circuit City, on North Elston Avenue, Chicago, IL.

So make your way to Circuit City, all you Chicago Bears fans.

Report: Ex- Bear Cedric Benson to Detroit

Three running backs, Shaun Alexander, Vernard Morency, and Cedric Benson visited the Detroit Lions today.

In a report by News 8 Austin, a 24-hour news channel in Texas, Martinez and Cedric Benson, a former Chicago Bears running back, were supposed to announce a program by Benson's charity to help children get winter coats, but Benson was not in Austin for the announcement.


"Unfortunately, but fortunately, Cedric Benson is not here today," he said.

"He is actually signing a contract today to get back in the game with the Detroit Lions and the reason why that's a good thing is that the foundation will continue to grow as long as Cedric continues to do what he does on the field."


Benson rushed for 674 last season with the Bears before an injured ankle ended his season.

During the offseason, he was arrested twice for separate alleged alcohol-related incidents.

He was cut this offseason.

Look for the Lions to add one of these running backs, to a decent backfield, with rookie Kevin Smith and Rudi Johnson.

The offensive line of the Lions won't be able to help out those running backs and the Lions will continue to struggle.

RB Kevin Jones signs with agent Drew Rosenhaus

Running back Kevin Jones signed with agent Drew Rosenhaus today, giving him seven clients on the Bears.

Kevin Jones will be a free agent after this season.

This is not a good thing for the Chicago Bears, Rosenhaus tries to get the most money from teams on his players.

If Jones keeps performing well, he might get a big contract somewhere else.

Look at Bernard Berrian he got his dough with Vikings, Briggs almost went elsewhere and Tommie Harris is among the league's highest paid at his position.

Warren Sapp Calls Urban Meyer a "Classless Dirtbag" and Bashes His Former Team

Yes, it is true Warren Sapp called Florida Gators coach Urban Meyer a "classless dirtbag."

Just because Sapp is a former Miami Hurricane doesn't give him the right to call anyone a "classless dirtbag."

Sapp called Meyer that name because Meyer forced his team to kick a field goal, to make an already out of reach game even worse, when they could of just ran the clock down.

Coach Urban Meyer sent out the field goal unit on fourth down with 30 seconds left.
He said he want to get a rep in for his kicker.

Warren Sapp must want to be on television, in newspapers, and on the radio for this dumb comment.

Those comments are ones you don't say out loud.

Sapp must think he is the best thing since peanut butter and jelly because since retiring he has joined the CBS Football Pregame Show and Inside the NFL.

I liked Warren Sapp until he made such an ignorant comment like this one to Urban Meyer.

Sapp must be angry at the fact that his team is no where as good as the Florida Gators.

Hesiman trophy winner Tim Tebow backed up his Head Coach by saying this:

"You can talk about running the score up, I don't care. Miami Hurricane coaches are paid to stop us and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen is paid to score. They don't do that, oh well. But you don't have to talk about coach Meyer as a person. That's not necessary."

Other Warren Sapp News:

Sapp has decided to bash his old team the Oakland Raiders.

Sapp's comments:

“As far as where the Raiders are going, they have unrealistic ideas about what their people can do,” Sapp said on a conference call to promote the reincarnation of “Inside the NFL” that premieres tonight on Showtime.

“That was the experience I had in the four years I was there. They asked people to do stuff they were physically impossible of doing.

“They asked a guy who hadn’t coached for 12 years to coach,” he said of former offensive coordinator Tom Walsh.

“They’re going to suck.”

Really Warren?

Sapp also bashed CB DeAngelo Hall, saying he gets burned and he is overrated.

Warren Sapp could get fired for comments like these.

Warren we all know the Raiders aren't very good and they haven't won a total of 20 games in the last five seasons.

But, they off a team that is young and trying to compete in the AFC West.

I suggest Warren that you should keep your mouth instead of saying things like this about both Urban Meyer and the Oakland Raiders.

He is just plain stupid since his retirement this off-season.

Did You Know? 9-10-08

Since Lovie Smith became coach in 2004, the Bears are 28-12 when rushing for at least 100 yards, 17-7 when rushing for at least 125 yards and 8-3 when rushing for at least 150 yards.
They compiled 183 yards on the ground Sunday night at Indianapolis, which tied for the second most in Smith’s tenure.

The Bears ran for 187 yards in a win over the Lions on Sept. 18, 2005 at Soldier Field and 183 yards in a victory over the Saints on Nov. 6, 2005 in Baton Rouge, La.

Ogunleye named defensive player of week

Adewale Ogunleye was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his dominant performance in Sunday night’s 29-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

The veteran defensive end, who registered three tackles and three tackles-for-loss, produced two of the game’s biggest plays.

Ogunleye tackled Joseph Addai in the end zone for a safety and dropped Dominic Rhodes for a two-yard loss on fourth-and-1 from the 50 with the Bears protecting a 22-13 lead early in the fourth quarter.

“Well-deserved,” coach Lovie Smith said of the award. “He played hard. He was physical. As far as what he means to our defense, he’s one of our veterans. He sets the pace, not just what he says but what he does on the football field, practice and all.

"He’s just one of those model veterans that you want on your football team having an influence on the rest of your team.

“I thought he rushed the passer well, but most linemen want to rush the passer. He played the run exceptionally well, and we’ll need that type of effort this week [against the Panthers].”

Ogunleye is the first Bears player to be honored as NFC Defensive Player of the Week since tackle Tommie Harris in Week 4 of the 2006 season. The Indiana product won the award twice, in 2002 and 2003, when he played for the Miami Dolphins.

“Every season I want to start off quick,” said Ogunleye, who led the Bears with nine sacks and six forced fumbles in 2007. “Actually, what I want to do is continue what I did last year. Every game I want to try to make a big play. Hopefully next game I’ll do the same thing. It’s the same recipe I had last year and I’m going to try to continue that again this year.”

Bears Bring Back Veteran Tackle Fred Miller

Veteran OT Fred Miller reportedly agreed to a deal for the minimum-salary benefit and will earn roughly $781,000 after a $40,000 signing bonus today.

They released OT Kirk Barton in order to make room for Fred Miller.

Miller returns to the team that released him in February.

They did this because then they wouldn't have to pay him a $500,000 roster bonus that was due March 4.

Fred Miller's base salary was to be $4 million this season.

He was pursued by the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He took the practice field this afternoon.

Miller will become the third offensive tackle with the Bears apparently deeming experience necessary as rookie seventh-round pick Kirk Barton filled the role last week.

Miller(35), entering his 13th year, has started 160 of his last 162 games — 46 with the Bears the past three seasons.

The Bears have been in talks with Miller for more than a month, talks that began when they realized first-round draft pick Chris Williams would be sidelined for at least the first half of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back.

Fred Miller had this to say last month about the possibility of returning to the Bears:

``If I stay, I can finish and that would mean a lot."

Fred Miller's agent Harold Lewis had this to say about his return to the Bears:

``It's an opportunity I am glad Fred did not pass up,'' Lewis said. ``It was not about the money for him, ever. These are just days he will never forget. For players it's not so much the games as it is the time in between spent with teammates and coaches. They wanted him back and Fred wanted to return."

"His hope and dream was to be back in Chicago, "He had five teams that wanted him, but his family is in Chicago. The relationships with the players that he's made everyday and on Sundays, that's stuff he will remember forever."

``They're hopeful their tackles hold up for the rest of the season and Williams the draft pick steps in and is a solid player. Fred is an insurance policy and he's a good policy to have when you're a team spending $120 million trying to get to the Super Bowl. He's an insurance policy they will have for the rest of the year and I'm glad it worked out this way.''

How many offensive lineman are on the roster?

The Chicago Bears have nine offensive lineman including injured first round pick Chris Williams.

What's Next for Barton?

Look for them to try to sign Kirk Barton to the practice squad.

Good Move?

Obviously, if five teams pursued Miller, he still has something left in him, although he did struggle at times last season, but he is a good guy to have as a backup.

Fred Miller Brought in today for another work out

The Chicago Bears still have a one-year contract offer on the table for free-agent OT Fred Miller and Miller might sign that soon because he was brought in today for a workout.

The Bears need more depth on that offensive line in case 2nd year pro Josh Beekman or career backup John St. Clair struggle.

Bears DT Anthony Adams, WR Mark Bradley Among Inactives from Week 1

The big surprise from the inactives from week 1 is that Bears DT Anthony Adams has gone from being a starter on the depth chart to being inactive.

Wide receiver Mark Bradley, who expressed frustration last week over his role in the offense, is also inactive.

Also down are safety Craig Steltz, guard Dan Buenning, defensive tackle Matt Toeaina, wide receiver Earl Bennett, offensive tackle Chris Williams and quarterback Caleb Hanie.

Cedric Benson getting a workout with the Houston Texans

Vaughn McClure, of the Chicago Tribune, reports free-agent RB Cedric Benson said he has a tryout with the Houston Texans this week.

"I got myself in good shape, changed some things about myself," he said. "I wasn't going to let the running game be a question this season."

Benson believes teams are waiting for his legal matters to be cleared up before signing him.

Benson also said he'd had a workout with the New Orleans Saints two weeks ago and that it "went well."

He could get a second chance, but maybe not because he wasn't very good last year with the Bears.

Bears Surprise Everyone in Win over Colts

"I see a very fast defense. I see a defense capable of creating a lot of turnovers. I see a defense that makes you execute offensively and don't give up any huge gaping holes, or busted assignments, big plays. It makes you be really sound as an offense. You really have to protect the ball because these guys fly to the ball, do a good job of stripping the ball, creating tip balls, and getting a lot of turnovers."

That is what Peyton Manning had to say about the Chicago Bears defense in an interview last Wednesday.

I guess he was right, the Bears looked fast, capable of creating turnovers, and ready to strip the ball.

That is why the Chicago Bears won Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts in a 29-13 victory.

The Bears win ended Indy's remarkable streak of 21 consecutive victories prior to November.

It was the Colts' first game in their brand new stadium.

The Bears ruined that debut at Lucas Oil Stadium, which replaced the RCA Dome.

This definitely looked like the Chicago Bears of 2006, not of 2007, where injuries and many other factors made them weak and vulnerable.

Peanut Tillman was stripping the ball out of WR's hands because the defense was forcing Peyton Manning to put the ball in the air.

They played the game they wanted to play at Super Bowl 41, run it down their throats, control time of possession and create turnovers.

The opening drive for the Colts looked like is was going to be a touchdown, but the Bears D hung tough and held them to a field goal.

The Bears rookie RB Matt Forte out of Tulane had a great start to his NFL career by juking Colts players including S Antoine Bethea out of their spikes repeatedly.

Bethea was completely burned on a 50 yard TD run by Forte.

The Bears were up 7-3 at the end of the first quarter.

In the 2nd quarter Adam Vinatieri kicked a field goal to make it 7-6 and Robbie Gould soon kicked a field goal to make 10-6.

Rookie DT Marcus Harrison from Alabama made a great play and sacked Peyton Manning for a ten yard loss, pushing the Colts backed to their one or two yard line.

The next play Adewale Ogunleye tackled RB Joseph Addai in the end zone for a safety, making it a 12-6 game.

It made me think of what a good trade the Bears made acquiring Ogunleye for Booker and now we have them both.

The tight end's Greg Olsen and Dez Clark led the Bears in receiving.

Robbie Gould kicked a short field goal before halftime making it 15-6.

The third quarter came and the Bears were receiving the kickoff when Devin Hester tried to pull a David Copperfield with an ill timed delayed return attempt.

It looked like the missed field goal play against the NY Giants in 2006, where he returned it all the way, except this time it failed and he made it only out to the five yard line.

The Bears punted after failing to get a first down and Manning led the Colts down the field goal for their only real drive, which ended with a TD throw to Reggie Wayne.

The score was now 15-13 and the Colts were right in the game, and it looked like they were going to come back and win as expected.

But no.

Charles "Peanut" Tillman stripped the ball from Marvin Harrison and LB Lance Briggs took it to the house for a TD.

That made it 22-13.

The Bears were surprisingly dominating.

The Bears shattered the Colts hopes of a comeback with a one-yard TD run by FB Jason McKie, after a well managed drive by Kyle Orton with eight minutes left.

The Bears later stuffed the Colts on a 4th and 1.

Game Over!

Brian Urlacher (8) and Charles Tillman (6) led the Bears in tackles.

The defense took advantage of C Jeff Saturday out of the lineup and they brought pressure all night up the middle, shutting down the run.

Urlacher on supposedly stunning the Colts:

“We expected to win, “It’s not an upset to us. We practiced hard the last two weeks getting ready for this game. We’re a good football team.”

Orton on Matt Forte's game:

“He did an unbelievable job for his first game. He made a cut going to the right and then back to the left that was big league. He played great and didn’t seem fazed at all.”

Peyton Manning on the game:

"It's a real disappointing feeling. Whether it's the first game of the season in a new stadium or the 15th game ... it's real disappointing to lose. It took me a little time to get into a rhythm; I felt like our offense gave them the safety, the turnover and then turning the ball over on downs. I was really trying to be smart with the ball. In the second half, what the Bears did is what they usually do to win-they created turnovers. That's something that we thrive on not doing."

Lovie Smith on the game:

"It's one win, "You don't win championships the first quarter of the season. As much as anything, it's the way we played."
''We've seen flashes of that throughout the preseason and throughout training camp. Our offensive line did a super job of opening holes for all our running backs.''

Mike Brown on the defense:

''Our defense, when we play well, usually we have a pretty good game. Like we've been telling you guys, we played pretty vanilla in the preseason, and the package that we have is pretty good. It helps us play aggressive and with a lot of energy. It was a good night for us.''

Upset?

No one picked the Bears to win this game, but I knew they weren't as bad as many said they were.

All of the question marks they had on offense, o-line, running backs, quarterbacks, wide receivers were answered atleast for now.

Many thought the D had lost a step because of the vanilla play in the preseason.

I thought the offense was going to be better this season, with all there play makers and if only the defense could stay healthy this team could be good.

Who needs decrepit WR Muhsin Muhammad and no hands WR Bernard Berrian, i thought Chicago is where receivers go to die.

Orton's Stats:

He was 13-21 for 150 yards, not TD's and no INT's and a QB rating of 83.4.

Forte's Stats:

He had 23 rushes for 123 yards and a touchdown, while Kevin Jones had 13 carries for 45 yards.

Forte is the only Chicago Bear to ever rush for that many yards in his debut game.

What did Rex do?

Rex Grossman watched Kyle Orton control the game and make no turnovers.

Peyton Manning Rusty?

You can say Manning was rusty, but what I saw was a defense that looked like they did back in the 2006 season.

What's Next?

The Bears will face the Carolina Panthers, who beat the San Diego Chargers with two seconds left on the clock, with a clutch catch from backup TE Dante Rosario.

They will face-off against the Panthers at 1:00 ET on Sunday.

Daunte Culpepper Decides to Hang 'em Up

Earlier today Daunte Culpepper decided to end his NFL career, by retiring at the age of 31.

Culpepper had been offered backup jobs from the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, but rumors had him going to the Bears, Texans, Patriots, 49ers, Chiefs and other teams this off-season.

He didn't get the offer he wanted, so he decided to quit, but don't be surprised if his phone isn't ringing sooner, than later.

Daunte Culpepper was the 11th pick in the 1999 draft, one pick before bust Cade McNown went to the Chicago Bears.

Culpepper is the all-time Vikings leader in completion percentage with a 64.4 completion %.

Culpepper rushed for a franchise record 2,476 career yards by a quarterback.

He finished his NFL career with 22,422 passing yards and a 63.8 career completion percentage, with 142 touchdowns and 94 interceptions.

Culpepper told the media this, "After taking a long look at my career and my personal convictions, I have decided to begin early retirement from the NFL effective immediately."

"Since the beginning of training camp, I was told my opportunity would come when a quarterback gets hurt. I cannot remember the last time so many quarterbacks have been injured during the preseason," Culpepper said.

"I have been strongly encouraged from family, friends and league personnel to continue to be patient and wait for an inevitable injury to one of the starting quarterbacks in the league.

"I would rather shut the door to such 'opportunity' than continue to wait for one of my fellow quarterbacks to suffer a serious injury. Since I was not given a fair chance to come in and compete for a job, I would rather move on and win in other arenas of life."

Former Vikings, Dolphins and Raiders quarterback Daunte Culpepper announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday. He issued the following statement:

When free agency began this year, I had a new sense of excitement about continuing to rebuild my career in the same way that I had rebuilt my knee after my catastrophic injury in 2005. Unfortunately, what I found out was that the league did not share any of the optimism about me as an unrestricted free agent that I expected. In fact, there was an overwhelming sense that there was no room for me among this year's group of quarterbacks; whether in a starting, competing or a back-up role. No matter what I did or said, there seemed to be a unified message from teams that I was not welcome to compete for one of the many jobs that were available at the quarterback position. It seems that the stance I took in both Minnesota and Miami regarding my rights as a person and player has followed me into free agency. After taking a long look at my career and my personal convictions, I have decided to begin early retirement from the NFL effective immediately. Since the beginning of training camp I was told that my opportunity would come when a quarterback gets hurt. I cannot remember the last time so many QB's have been injured during the preseason. I have been strongly encouraged from family, friends and league personnel to continue to be patient and wait for an inevitable injury to one of the starting quarterbacks in the league. I would rather shut the door to such "opportunity" than continue to wait for one of my fellow quarterbacks to suffer a serious injury. Since I was not given a fair chance to come in and compete for a job, I would rather move on and win in other arenas of life. The decision I made in 2006 to represent myself rather than hire an agent has been an invaluable experience. I now understand why so many people within the NFL community are uncomfortable with a player really learning the business. The NFL has become more about power, money and control than passion, competition and the love of the game. Regardless of this shift, player's rights are still supposed to be a part of this league. Since I will not be given the opportunity to honor the memory of Gene Upshaw by wearing a patch on my uniform this year, I will instead spend some of my energy applying what he taught me about standing up for what is right and not sitting down for what is clearly wrong. I want to thank my family and my fans for their unwavering belief in me as a person and a player. I embraced both the peaks and the valleys of the game and my career. I am a better person today as a direct result of the experience of playing in the NFL. I can now focus on the enjoyment of watching some of the greatest athletes in the world play the game I love without the distraction of waiting for those elusive return phone calls.

Thankfully,
Daunte Culpepper.

What's Next?

It's a shame a guy with so much ability had to end his career because no one wanted his duties, not because of his injuries.

He only played seven games last season for the Raiders and they opted not to resgin him this off-season.

That is a long statement for a guy who retired, don't be shocked if he is somewhere this season.

Bears trade for guard Dan Buenning and release Zackary Bowman

The Chicago Bears traded for Dan Buenning yesterday, of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The left guard came to the Bears for the sixth round pick that the Bears received for QB Brian Griese.

Since suffering a serious knee injury during the 2006 season, Buenning hasn't seen any playing time in the regular season.

Buenning, a Green Bay Native, has been working hard to regain his form, but a serious knee injury is something that is not very easy to bounce back from.

Buenning was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

He played college football at the University of Wisconsin.

Buenning was one of only four rookie offensive linemen in the NFL to start every game in 2005.

His second year he started only 9 games because he tore his right ACL in week nine.

His salaries are very cheap at $800,000 this year and $545,000 next season.

The Bears released 5th round pick Zackary Bowman from Nebraska, but if he clears waivers they said he will be on the practice squad.

They see alot of potential in Bowman.

College Achievements:

-Second-team All-Big Ten (2003)
-First-team All-Big Ten (2004)
-Second-team AP All-American (2004)


Josh Beekman has started all the games this preseason and it sure looks like he will be the LG, since Terrance Metcalf is out with a knee injury.

It is good they brought in a guy, who can step in and do a solid job.

What's Next?

If Buenning does a good job, the Bears will look great.

If Roberto Garza struggles or gets injured, Buenning could step in.

Beekman will start, but when Terrance Metcalf gets healthy he will be put in the lineup.

That is why bringing Fred Miller, could be a good idea, because he brings the veteran presence the offensive line lacks.

Devin Hester and Brandon Lloyd named Starting WR's

The Bears named WR/KR Devin Hester aka Windy City Flyer or ridicilous and WR Brandon Lloyd their starting WR's.

Behind them will be Earl Bennett, Marty Booker, Rashied Davis and Mark Bradley, who all look like good solid options.

Bears name Captains

The Bears selected their team captains for the 2008 season: Center Olin Kreutz and quarterback Kyle Orton on offense; middle linebacker Brian Urlacher and safety Mike Brown on defense; and long-snapper Patrick Mannelly on special teams.

“There are a lot of things that go into it,” coach Lovie Smith said when asked about the criteria of picking team captains.

“Most of the time, it’s a pretty good football player. It’s a guy who does it the right way most of the time. I’m talking about preparing off the field. You can count on him on the football field and just a guy that you want representing you."

“It’s always good to see that there are a couple guys who get votes because you have two guys out in front on both sides of the ball, but you’re going to need 11 leaders really always.”

Kevin Payne Named Starting Strong Safety

Bears safety Kevin Payne has been named the starting strong safety for the team, ahead of safety Brandon McGowan.

"I'm just happy I got an opportunity to go out there and show what I can do," Payne said.

"Now I am just ready to go out and help the team. It's a blessing to be able to start."

Brandon McGowan will probably move over to nickel back, in front of Danieal Manning.

OG Terrence Metcalf Returns To Practice

Offensive guard Terrence Metcalf has returned to practice with the Chicago Bears after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in early August.

Metcalf was thought to be in a battle for the starting left guard position, but that did not happen.

He may still have a shot at it, but he will have to perform in practice.

Ex- Bear Ricky Manning Jr. Signs With The St. Louis Rams

Ricky Manning Jr. signed a one-year contract with the St. Louis Rams today and gave them a little more depth at the CB position.

The veteran corner-back was released by the Bears last Tuesday.

Career Stats for Ricky Manning Jr:

In two seasons with the Bears, Ricky Manning Jr. appeared in 31 games with 11 starts.

Manning Jr. had 106 tackles, three sacks and five interceptions in his time with the Bears.

He had 168 tackles and nine interceptions in his three seasons with Carolina.

St. Louis Rams CB's:

Fakhir Brown- an eight year veteran, who has had seven of his ten career interceptions with the Rams in the last two seasons.

Tye Hill- a first round pick in 2006, has four interceptions in two seasons.

Ron Bartell- a 2nd round pick from 2005, has five interceptions in three years with the Rams.

Jonathan Wade- last season's 3rd round pick out of Tennessee has one career interception.

Where does Ricky Manning Jr. fit in?

He can make a difference, he has had eight career interceptions in five seasons.

He lost his job, with the Bears because of a terrible season last year.

He will fight for a starting job, but probably wind up as a backup to Tye Hill or Fakhir Brown.

It's a good move for the St. Louis Rams.

Other News/Notes:

Former Chicago Bears RB P.J. Pope signed with the Denver Broncos practice squad today.

He showed some flashes of good play, in last Thursday's preseason finale, when he carried the ball eight times for 34 yards in the second half.

Bears sign Brandon Rideau and Jason Davis to practice squad

The Bears added two players to their practice squad today, signing wide receiver Brandon Rideau and fullback Jason Davis.

Brandon Rideau led the Bears in receiving in the preseason with 127 yards and three touchdowns.

In the final preseason game, Rideau caught three passes for 63 yards, scoring the Bears’ only TD on a 19-yard pass from Rex Grossman.

Rideau, who spent parts of the past two seasons on the Bears’ practice squad, was waived Saturday during final cuts.

“It was a tough thing to deal with, but I was able to stick around,” Rideau said. “I didn’t really want to move and I’m comfortable here, so I got a chance to come back and continue to do what I do.”

“I really wanted to make the team and I still feel like I have an opportunity,” Rideau said. “I’m glad they didn’t close the door for me. As long as my foot is in the door, then I can come in and take advantage.”

Davis, 5-10, 245 pounds, spent much of the last three years with the Philadelphia Eagles. He spent last season on the practice squad with the Eagles and was one of the club's final cuts on Saturday.

Bears sign five players to practice squad

Five players the Bears waived during final cuts Saturday were signed to Chicago’s practice squad Sunday: Defensive end Ervin Baldwin, offensive tackle Cody Balogh, linebacker Joey LaRocque (right), tight end Fontel Mines and guard Tyler Reed.

Mines and Reed spent last season on the Bears’ practice squad, while Baldwin and LaRocque were both selected by Chicago in the seventh round of this year’s draft. Balogh signed with the Bears in April as an undrafted free agent from Montana.

The Bears still have three spots open on their practice squad.