Bears Awarded a 3rd Rounder and Two 7th Rounders

Today the Bears were handed a 3rd round pick (the 99th) and two seven rounders in this years NFL Draft.

The Bears' picks in the seventh round are as follows:

37th pick, 246 overall
42nd pick, 251 overall

Jerry Angelo has landed Alex Brown, Nate Vasher and Kyle Orton all in the third round not bad, considering Jerry Angelo's struggles as GM.

Compensatory picks are handed out each year to teams for their net loss in free agency.

The Bears lost Bernard Berrian (Minnesota), tight end John Gilmore (Tampa Bay) and special teamer Brendon Ayanbadejo (Baltimore) as unrestricted free agents a year ago. The team did not sign any UFA's, so they receive three draft picks.

Warren Sapp talks about his former D-line coach Rod Marinelli and Bears DT Tommie Harris

Warren Sapp, the future Hall of Fame defensive tackle, has long credited Rod Marinelli with his success in the league. He joined Mully & Hanley the other day on the Score, 670-AM to talk about Marinelli and the Bears' prized defensive tackle Tommie Harris.

Here's the interview with Warren:

WHAT ARE THE BEARS GETTING IN ROD MARINELLI?

Warren Sapp: The architect of the one of the greatest pass rushes the NFL has ever known. We went on a string of 70 straight games with a sack. It was all of us. That was our little string. Him, it was all of us. We attacked quarterbacks like it was nobody's business. I just spoke to him the other day. He said, `Yeah, it's going to be fun again. Here we go.' He has a good group and he's excited. I spoke to him [Tuesday] night and said he was packing up and going to Chicago today. Look out Windy City, here comes the man.

IS IT THE X'S AND O'S OF ROD MARINELLI OR IS IT SOMETHING ELSE?

Warren Sapp: No, it's the passion. It's his conviction. You don't see many men stand and do what he did up in Detroit, going 0-16 and people attacking him and talking about his daughter and different stuff. He's a man of dignity who served his country in the Vietnam War. I love the man. I absolutely adore him because he took me on a path to greatness and wouldn't let me deter off it even a little bit. After I won my defensive player of the year award, he looked at me said, `Let's see if your play can catch up with your athletic ability.'

I said, `What do you mean my athletic ability?'

He said, `What can you do?'

I said, `I can do anything.'

He said, `Well, let's see.'

I came back and up put 16 1/2 [sacks] so he'll challenge you in a way that just is going to push your boundaries. If [Adewale] Ogunleye and Alex Brown and Tommie Harris and the rest of them, [Israel Idonije] and [Marcus Harrison] and the rest of those guys up there buy into a system that lives off the front four, that's what the defense does, it lives off the front four. If they want that, greatness is right in front of them. Just go get it.

HOW DID ROD MARINELLI MAKE YOU A BETTER PLAYER?

Warren Sapp: I tell you, it's boots on the ground. I went in there and we worked everyday. I was in there with Eric Curry and some of those old-school Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Santana Dotson, and Mark Wheeler, big grunt guys that held up the place, did a great job. It is what it is. We were going a different direction. We started doing those pass-rushing drills where we were hanging and on our toes and we came out like the third day in a row and we were all looking at each other, me, Regan [Upshaw] and all those young guys like, `Yeah, let's go!' They looked at us, and turned to Rod and said, `Are we going to do this every day?' That let's you know who wants it and who doesn't, trust me, my friend. We used to call it 30 minutes of hell. It will be an absolute grind the first 30 minutes of practice because you have to put the work in on the practice field to be able to go out on Sunday and have the type of fun that defense will allow you to have as a group.

TOMMIE HARRIS HAS THE KNEE ISSUE AND WE KNOW HIS PRACTICE WAS LIMITED DURING THE WEEK. HOW DOES HE GO THROUGH THE 30 MINUTES OF HELL THAT MAKES YOU THAT PLAYER ON SUNDAY AND YOU HAVE THE KNEE AND YOU CAN'T GET THAT THING RIGHT?

Warren Sapp: I guarantee you he is going to be healthy this year and if he's not, it will be obvious. You have to put him together before he gets there. Rod will do a great job with that. He's always done a great job with me because I had a little trick knee sometimes and I didn't practice at times but you know when you need to grind and the grind happens. I talked to Tommie the other day and I told him, `Me and you are going to start this offseason as soon as I get out of Tampa [after Super Bowl XLIII] buddy because the under tackle position is something that not many people even want to be talked about because it's not a defensive tackle and it's not something else, it's an under tackle, a unique guy that goes both ways, that does special things. I only know two other ones other than myself and that's John Randle and Keith Millard that even consider themselves as under tackles. If you want to be in that class with me and those other two dudes, we're going to have to look each other in the eye and we're going to have to talk about this the right way and see what he's thinking. Because if he's not thinking about it the right way, with me and Rod, we're going to get some work out of Tommie, I guarantee you this because he's too good of a player to be sitting in that system looking like he's not a player.

SO YOU ARE GOING TO WORK WITH TOMMIE?

Warren Sapp: I am going to work with him, yes.

Good as Gould Again

My first Soldier Field experience turned out to be a success.

Not only was it the coldest (-2) Bears game in history at kickoff, but they also defeated their most hated rival the Green Bay Packers 20-17.

The Bears were trailing 14-3 at half to the 5-9 Packers and basically did nothing offensively.

They adjusted at half, just like me.

My hands were pretty much frozen, so I put multiple hand warmers in my gloves.

That saved me, and the Bears.


Three reasons how they won:

1. Special Teams- Robbie Gould, Danieal Manning and Alex Brown had huge plays.

2. Matt Forte- He came up big late in the game.

3. The fans- they play a huge role in this one.


If they lost, I would have wasted my time freezing my hands.

Thank goodness they won.

Now they play a 7-8 Houston Texans team in Houston, a must win game to even have a shot at the playoffs.

They need Minnesota to lose to the Giants in Minnesota and the Cowboys and Bucs both to lose.

If Minnesota loses and we win were NFC North champs, and if Dallas and Tampa Bay lose and we win we clinch a wild card spot.

What a great weekend for me.

Not only do the the Chicago Bulls win Saturday night, but all the teams the Bears needed to lose lost and they pick up a huge win.


Just a few notes:

S Mike Brown injured his calf late in the second quarter and did not return.

Brad Maynard’s third quarter punt hit Green Bay’s Jarrett Bush, who was blocking on the play, and the Bears’ Jason Davis recovered at the 27.

The 4th and one, when it was 17-10 was converted by only an inch.

Matt Forte played through an injured toe to keep the Bears playoffs hopes alive.

The coin toss in OT went off of Brian Urlacher's Helmet.


Alex Brown had this to say about his blocked field goal to save the day:

We got a great push from a lot of different people. I was just the one who got my hand on it, we were saying on the sidelines that we have to block it. I got through pretty good but I didn’t really think that was going to happen. You just go as hard as you can and see if you can get a hand up and hopefully you can get it.”

Orton had this to say after the game:

“Everything fell right, gave us a lot of momentum and energy coming into this game. We just had to carry it all the way through."

Lovie on team win:

"I don't know if I've ever been prouder of a team."

All quotes from Yahoosports.com

Quotes of the Week

Brian Urlacher on Sunday's win:

"As long as we win and they win, they're going to get in, that's the picture. We've got to get some help.

"I wanted Detroit to help us out today, but they didn't. But the Vikings have three tough games: Arizona, Atlanta and the Giants. It's not easy for them or us."

Adewale Ogunleye on Sunday's win:

"We're still in a tough situation, it's not even just about this game. The whole season right now is kind of like a big drag. … I'm not even going to look at the [playoff] scenarios, because if we don't handle our business, what does it matter?"

Mike Brown on Sunday's game:

"We peeked up every now and then at the scoreboard, but we had to make sure we took care of our job. That's first and foremost. We've got to win. If we lose, then it really doesn't matter what Minnesota does."

Lovie Smith on win:

“We can finish up 10-6,” most teams that finish up 10-6 end up going to the playoffs. We’re just looking straight ahead.”

Alex Brown on win:

“You look at it, but you’ve got to take care of your part,” he said. “That’s it. Whatever happens in the Minnesota game is going to happen whether you look at it or not. It’s still going to happen. We’ve got to do our part and that’s winning.”

All quotes came from chicagotribune.com

Bears Defense Sounds off on loss to Green Bay

Lance Briggs:

"Nothing was effective, we didn't do what we wanted to do, and they did. And that's why they beat our heads in the way they did."

"We didn't do anything right, it doesn't matter what adjustments you make because we didn't get it done in every facet of the game. It was a poor display of football. That's not the way we prepared. That's not Bear football. We have to get ourselves to who we are."

Corey Graham on giving up a TD to Greg Jennings:

"I was actually anticipating it to come inside a little bit," Graham said. "Maybe next time I'll be a little more inside."


Adewale Ogunleye:

"The thing I can't wait to do is watch the film and see, even after the game was a little bit out of hand, who gave up, we've got to get that straightened out. We've got to have guys on the field that are going to fight all the way to the end. And hopefully we'll see that we had all 22 guys fighting."


Brian Urlacher:

"I'm frustrated, but I don't think anyone gave up, if we gave up, I think I would be embarrassed, but I don't think anyone quit or didn't play hard. We just got beat, that's what it comes down to."


Alex Brown:

"I think we have a good defense, I think we have a good scheme and I believe Alex needs to put in some more work to get better, "That's what I believe." ...


Nathan Vasher:

"Our scheme is good, we just have to execute and make plays. Everybody in this locker room is staying tight. We just have to circle the wagons and believe in each other."


Mike Brown:

‘‘All I can tell you is obviously, our defense isn’t what it used to be, once everyone accepts that, and understands it, he said, everyone will be better off.

Guess whose back? Back again. Rex is back. Tell a friend.

Rex had this to say back in August:

“I’ll never fully get over it and I don’t think anyone would expect me to, my motivation is to be a great player in this league and a starter again, but for right now I’ve got to be the best quarterback ready at a moment’s notice. That’s my goal and that’s my job.”

Rex had this to say after the big win:

“The last couple months have been tough, but when you have a role and your number is called to fulfill that role, I was happy to come in and help us win the game.

“It was tough, I didn’t have any reps in practice. I was [Lions quarterback] Dan Orlovsky all week. I just had to memorize the game plan and go through it, pay attention, all those types of things. It’s not easy to just sit there for an hour or hour and a half not thinking you’re going to play at all and then, boom, be brought into the mix.”

Orton was being reevaluated Monday after exiting the game with :26 remaining in the second quarter when his ankle bent awkwardly while being tackled by defensive end Dewayne White.

“You always want to play, but never under those circumstances, I had the whole half[time] to think to myself about my game plan; how I was going to go out there and get ready. So that was nice. After that first series I started feeling pretty good about just being out there. I got my feet wet and calmed down and everything was fine.”

“As frustrating as it was to not be the guy to start off [the season], you have a different role, and in that role, I came in and did the job.”

Lovie Smith had this to say about Rex:

“When you’re the backup quarterback and you haven’t gotten a lot of reps and you’re asked to step up and make plays like that, it was important for Rex to come in and then do some of the things that he was able to do.”

Olin Kreutz on Rex's Play:

“We believe in Rex, Rex has been our starter for a long time. Like he showed, he’s ready to play. If a guy runs the no-huddle, he’s studying his plays.

“He’s being a professional as what’s expected of him as a backup quarterback. All along he has taken his demotion well and he’s studied hard, and he showed that [Sunday].”

WR Rashied Davis on Rex's Play:

"Grossman hasn't been in there for a while, so we tried to pick him up until he could get comfortable, everyone knows what he is capable of doing."

DE Alex Brown on Rex:

"It's not like it's his first time, he has been there before. If we can just cut out some of the boos when a bad play happens, we'll be fine, Orton's our quarterback, but right now I guess Rex is, "We have two good quarterbacks."

Now backup QB Caleb Hanie talks about the possibility of playing and how Rex played:

"Rex came in and did a good job. He did what he's supposed to do."
"It was a wake-up call to both of us that you're one play away, so you have to prepare. We'll see what Kyle's injury entails. It's looking decent, so hopefully he won't be out for the year. He has earned the right to be in there. But luckily we have Rex. He's also an NFL quarterback and he's a talented guy."

Down the Road:

If Kyle Orton aka K.O. is out for a month, Rex will have to face Tennessee at home next week, and then Green Bay, St. Louis and Minnesota all on the road.

Next week will be a huge game, but also the two NFC North games will be huge.

My inside source told me that Kyle Orton drove home last night after the game and Rex Grossman has been told by Pep Hamilton (the Bears QB coach) to not be a gunslinger.

Rather be more like Kyle Orton, who was so far the Bears' best player.

If Orton finished out the season and kept playing well he would have been a sure pick for the Pro Bowl and a fantasy football stud.

Prediction:

The Bears won't be awful without Orton, but there offense must step it up for Rex and I think with this week of practice as the #1 QB will be huge for him and the team.

Tennessee will be a huge test for Rex and the Bears.

The Packers almost beat them and we are ahead of the Packers, so will see.

Bears not willing to give the game to the 0-7 Lions

What can Brown (AKA Mike Brown) do for you?

“They’ve been in pretty much every game, there’s been a couple of them where they weren’t in them, but everyone understands that this is a professional football league and honestly any team can beat any team on any given day. That’s just part of how the league is set up, so we’re going to be prepared to play them and we want to come out with a victory.”

The Bears insist that the Lions aren’t the same team they drubbed 34-7 at Ford Field on Oct. 5. Since that game, Detroit has new starters at quarterback (Dan Orlovsky for Jon Kitna), running back (Rudi Johnson for Kevin Smith) and wide receiver (Shaun McDonald for Roy Williams).

Lovie what did you have to say about the Lions?

“They are a much improved ballclub since we played them last, the Washington Redskins are a pretty good football team. Except for a few big plays, Detroit gave them everything they wanted [on Sunday].”

In the Bears' win in Detroit this season, Kyle Orton established career highs with 24 completions, 334 yards and a 121.4 passer rating while tossing two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Defensively, Chicago scored a touchdown on Charles Tillman’s 26-yard interception return, registered four sacks and held the Lions to 185 total yards, including just 67 in the first half.

The other Brown (Alex Brown) speaks:

“If we expect it to be like last time, we won’t win, we’ve got to understand that they’re going to be hungry to come in here and beat us. We’ve got to come ready to play.”

Nate The Great, what do you think?

“Every team we play has an opportunity to be good, we don’t really go by a team’s record. Detroit has played a lot of teams close but hasn’t been able to close it out.”

Thought for the Bears:

As 49ers Head Coach and former Chicago Bear Mike Singletary would say "we can't afford to give them the game, were not a charity."

Time to Bring your A Game

The Bears are preparing for their second of three straight home games and the second in a stretch of four of six contests against NFC North opponents. Chicago (4-3) is tied for first place atop the division with the Packers (4-3), who visit the undefeated Titans (7-0) on Sunday.

Coach Smith, any final thoughts?

“I think football really begins when you get to November, that’s when the separation really begins, and we want to be one of those teams that is contending in the end.”

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.

Devin Hester: The Bears Finally Give Him His Money

I'm glad to report that the Chicago Bears have signed WR/KR Devin Hester to a four year contract extension.

I knew they would come to terms sooner or later.

They gave Hester the money he deserved all along.

Now the Bears are set with all of there players. The signed every potential free agent on their roster and all their draft picks.

Alex Brown, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Robbie Gould, Tommie Harris, all their draft picks and now Devin Hester.

Jerry Angelo should not be fired. That would be the last thing i would do.

Jerry Angelo and Hester's agent Eugene Parker came to terms earlier today.

Hester must be so happy, that he just got his money.

Maybe he won't be injured today on the practice field.

That is joke for the people who didn't know he had a hamstring injury, which many thought he faked so he didn't have to pay the $15,000 fine every day.

Hester should breakout as an offensive weapon this season, but it might take him a while to grow into a #1 WR because he isn't the smartest guy in the league.

I saw an article written by Dan Pompei on Chicagosports.com, that was titled Call me crazy, but it's time for Bears to trade Hester.

I said to myself what is this guy thinking.

Is he nuts.

Do you know how many times Devin Hester bailed the Chicago Bears out of games?

Exactly, too many to count.

Dan Pompei thinks many teams want this guy, of course they do , he is ridiculous.

Who doesn't want a game changer, like Hester?

I can't imagine the Chicago Bears without him.

Dan Pompei you should have thought about what you just said, because Bears fans will be all over you this season, when Hester return kicks and catches passes for touchdowns.

They gave him his money Dan, so obviously it's not time to trade him.

The link to the article is: http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-080724-dan-pompei-devin-hester,1,3042432.column