Angelo Not Sold on Orton

Kyle Orton may have sealed the deal for the starting quarterback position with head coach Lovie Smith, offensive coordinator Ron Turner and many of his teammates, but that doesn’t mean that general manager Jerry Angelo is convinced. After his coaches tapped Orton as next year’s starter,  Angelo made it clear that he is still in the market for another QB. He said, “I think we have to have competition at that position. We have to get that position right. I know there’s going to be a lot of talk about a No. 1 receiver. Guys, it starts with the quarterback. It’s all about the quarterback. You don’t win because of wide receivers. You don’t win because of running backs. You win because of the quarterback. We’ve got to get the quarterback position stabilized.”

It may sound like Angelo has already written off Orton, but that is not the case either. Angelo made it clear that he expects even more from the quarterback and needs Orton to step up even more. Angelo also hinted that he was not surprised by Devin Hester’s poor special teams performance after he was moved to wide receiver. Many analysts are pointing out that Orton’s skill can’t be completely judged without a top receiver to throw to. Bears fans will just have to wait for Angelo’s next move to see what he wants to do with Orton. Get your Chicago Bears tickets from StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on December 31, 2008 - Post a comment

Orton Named 2009 Quarterback

With two tough seasons in a row after a Super Bowl appearance, it is clear that the Chicago Bears will likely make some changes in the offseason. One player that will not have to worry about his spot, however, is quarterback Kyle Orton. Both head coach Lovie Smith and offensive coordinator Ron Turner endorsed Orton as 2009’s starting quarterback, and his teammates seem pleased with the decision.

Tight end Greg Olsen said, “Kyle did a great job for us all year. He’s the kind of guy you want behind center. He’s in control. He’s kind of the field general. Physically, he can make all the throws and do all that stuff. But I think the part that sets him apart is the mental stuff and what he’s able to handle and kind of get everyone in the right spot and keep everyone under control. There’s no doubt he’s our guy.”

Orton posted one of the best seasons of a Bears quarterback in recent history. He struggled midway through the season after an ankle injury but came back to show why he should be the leader of the team. In last Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans, Orton was 22 of 37 for 244 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 97.1. Get your Chicago Bears tickets from StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on December 30, 2008 - Post a comment

Defensive Performance Reflects on Babich

Although the game ultimately wouldn’t have mattered because of a win by the Minnesota Vikings over the New York Giants, the Chicago Bears helped the cement their fate and end their season with a 31-24 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday. The defense, which used to be the team’s pride and joy, continued its poor performance this season. They allowed 455 yards of offense from the Texans, including 328 passing yards by Texans quarterback Matt Schaub. The team tallied no sacks, no interceptions and Charles Tillman had the only forced fumble.

The performance left defensive coordinator Bob Babich with an uncertain future in Chicago. He was unsure of what would happen, saying, “You’ll have to talk to the coach about that. Anytime you lose a game of this importance … it means something. Once again, as players and coaches, we take this one hard. It’s a big game, we didn’t play well and that’s the bottom line.”

The bottom line is also that coach Lovie Smith chose to get rid of defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and replace him with Babich. Rivera took over the Chargers as defensive coordinator partway through this season and they are now on their way to the playoffs. After mourning the end of this season, get ready for next year with Chicago Bears tickets from StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on December 29, 2008 - Post a comment

Bears Gear Up For Packers

As the Chicago Bears take on their rival Green Bay Packers on Monday, they are trying to not only keep their slim playoff hopes alive, but also to try to make up for the staggering 37-3 loss they suffered to the Packers earlier this season. Last time they faced, the Packers tallied 200 yards of rushing offense with Ryan Grant running for 145 yards. Chicago safety Mike Brown is well aware of their offensive capabilities, saying, “Well, Grant is a good running back. They have a good offense. They have a great scheme, good players. And if you look at where they rank offensively now, they’re in the top 10 in most offensive categories.”

The Bears have shown over and over again their ability to shut down the run like they did against the Tennessee Titans earlier this season. The Packers are also on a four-game losing streak, but that streak could mean that they are even more desperate for a win. This game will also be at Soldier field, a definite advantage for the Bears. Not only will the defense have to come together, but quarterback Kyle Orton will also have to do better than he did against the Packers last game. Be there with Chicago Bears tickets from StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on December 19, 2008 - Post a comment

Manning Awarded Player of the Week

The Chicago Bears special teams has a new star in the form of Danieal Manning. The league recognized Manning’s efforts this week by awarding him with the NFC special teams player of the week after the Bears game against the New Orleans Saints. In that game, Manning had an 83 kickoff return for a touchdown on the opening kickoff and had a 52 yard return soon after. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub sang Manning’s praises, saying, “He’s fearless. He catches the ball well, No. 1, and then he hits it at the point of attack without any hesitation. He gets up the field fast and hits it with an attitude—strong and physical—and he’ll break tackles.”

The Bears got a hint at what Manning was capable of during the preseason when he led the league in kickoff returns. Chicago’s special teams standout used to be Devin Hester, but Hester’s new role on offense has left an opening for the skills of Manning. Manning has been with the Bears since they selected him in the second round of the 2006 draft. Manning has a kickoff return average of 29.5 this season, leading the NFL. See him in person with Chicago Bears tickets from StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on December 18, 2008 - Post a comment

Jones Looks to Contribute

It may be rookie Matt Forte who is getting all of the attention at the running back position, but that doesn’t mean running back Kevin Jones is resigning himself to the sidelines. After seeing little playing time on offense, Jones wanted to make sure that everyone knew he was a contributor. He went to coach Lovie Smith and said he was willing to take the field on special teams in order to help out the team.

Jones said, “A lot of people still have jobs in the NFL because they play special teams. But I just wanted to send a message that I’m not here for a free ride. I wanted to send a message to the Bears and to every other team that’s looking that I can be valuable.”

Jones played at running back during the early part of the season, but as of recently hadn’t seen much playing time at the position. Against the New Orleans Saints last Thursday, Jones led the special teams with three tackles. Jones came from Detroit, where he knew both defeat and sitting the bench because of injuries and is ready to make a difference in Chicago. Get your Chicago Bears tickets from StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on December 17, 2008 - Post a comment

Team Hopeful Of Playoff Berth

A playoff spot for the Chicago Bears looks bleak, but the Bears are still fighting for a chance at a postseason appearance. They are still one game behind the Minnesota Vikings with two games left. The Bears have been hot lately, showing their strength with an overtime win against the tough New Orleans Saints last Thursday. While it may be tempting to focus on what other teams need to do so that the Bears can make the playoffs, wide receiver Devin Hester won’t turn his attention there. He said, “Right now we basically just have to worry about ourselves. We can’t keep looking forward to someone else losing or whatever. We just have to worry about ourselves and make sure we do our part and win the rest of the games this season.”

The Bears other option to get to the playoffs is a wildcard spot, but that looks even more unlikely than winning the division. Wins by teams like the Dallas Cowboys basically cemented the Bears’ lack of a chance at a wildcard spot. To keep any hope alive, the Bears will have to beat the Green Bay Packers on Monday, the same team that beat them 37-3 earlier this season. Be there to cheer them on with Chicago Bears tickets from StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on December 16, 2008 - Post a comment

Vikings Win Lowers Bears Playoff Chances

The Chicago Bears were looking like they might be able to pull off a playoff spot after all when they topped the New Orleans Saints in overtime on Thursday, but a convincing Minnesota Vikings win over the Arizona Cardinals made the possibility a little less likely. The Vikings are one game ahead of the Chicago Bears with only two games left in the season, and not showing any signs of weakening. In the 35-14 victory, the Vikings were up 28-0 at halftime and kept their strong lead the rest of the game. The Vikings are now 9-5.

Running back Adrian Peterson tallied 165 yards in the game and quarterback Tavaris Jackson had 163 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 135.5. Four different Minnesota receivers made it into the end zone, including two former Bears, Bobby Wade and Bernard Berrian. Berrian has been an especially powerful force for the Vikings in his first year in Minnesota. Their defense stepped up as well, tallying four sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles. The Minnesota Vikings have two home games left against the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Giants. Get your Chicago Bears tickets from StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on December 15, 2008 - Post a comment

Gould Shines In Overtime

Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould showed everyone that he earned every letter of his nickname “good as gold” against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday. After the Bears led 21-7 at halftime, the New Orleans Saints came back to take a 24-21 lead with just seconds left in the game. Gould stepped up and nailed a 28-yard field goal to keep the Bears in the game and send them into overtime. He came up big again in overtime with a 35-yard field goal that gave Chicago a 27-24 win.

The Saints tried to ice Gould with a timeout during the overtime kick, but Gould can’t be shaken so easily. He said, “I like it. I get an opportunity to get a warmup kick in but also see and judge exactly how the wind is blowing. For me, I wish every coach would do that and give me the opportunity. They say ice, but I don’t think it really works.”

The Bears started the game strong, with Danieal Manning scoring on the opening kick with an 83 yard return. The Saints came back to tie early in the second quarter before Matt Forte and Kyle Orton both added rushing touchdowns before the half. The second half would be almost all Saints, with touchdowns from Pierre Thomas, his second, and Marques Colston as well as a field goal by Garrett Hartley. See the Bears reach for the post season with Chicago Bears tickets from StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on December 12, 2008 - Post a comment

Bears and Saints Ready for Showdown

Whenever two teams come together late in the season and each has a glimmer of hope at a postseason berth, everyone is in for a good game. Such is the case with today’s matchup between the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints. Saints quarterback Drew Brees is having a great season, meaning he will pose quite a challenge for the Bears defense. Coincidentally, Brees’s replacement at Purdue University was Kyle Orton, the Bears quarterback. Orton, although trailing in stats, has studied Brees’s game at length and will surely be a help to the defense in preparation.

Orton finally looks like he is back to his old self after a ankle injury a few weeks ago that first had him sidelined and later visibly affected his mobility. Devin Hester is also looking for his first special teams touchdown of the season, giving the Saints a reason to kick short and give the Bears good starting field position. With teams matched as well as the Saints and the Bears, it may come down to starting field position, and the Bears have proven strong in this area with veteran punter Brad Maynard, who leads the league in kicks inside the 20 since he entered the league in 1997. Be there to see all the action with Chicago Bears tickets from StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on December 11, 2008 - Post a comment


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