They Did It! Bears Solve O-Line Issues In-House

They did it! They actually did it! The Bears didn't even have to look outside the organization to solve their offensive line issues.

A lot of praise was given to Mike Martz after the week 2 game in Dallas for the brilliant adjustments he made. Perennial flip-flopper, David Haugh, even wrote an article stating that we should "enjoy Martz while (we) can" since he's likely to be a head coach next year with his genius qualities. After getting dominated by the Boys' front four on the initial 3 possessions, Martz stops calling 5 and 7-step drops and starts calling for some quick passes to reverse the pressure. Bears start moving the ball and go on to win the game.

Now, after week 6, the critics are out and they're blaming Martz for a lack of adjustments in the embarrassing loss to the Seahawks. So what if he continued to go for the big play instead of moving the chains? So what if 7 of the 12 run plays that he called occurred in the 1st quarter of the game?

It's probably because we don't have the same view that Martz is afforded (a mere 75 yards away from the line of scrimmage), but these critics are failing to see the incredible move that The Genius pulled off....

Imagine that you are THE Mike Martz.

It's halftime and your team is down 14-13. Clearly an insurmountable lead for any other team, but these are DA BEARS we're talking bout (BEARS!). You are Mike MF Martz! You know Lovie's not one for motivational speeches, so you decide it's time to step up and solidify your role with this team. "You got this, you're Mike Martz," you say to yourself while looking in the mirror post-halftime-piss. After rinsing your hands off without using soap, you walk into the center of the locker room and you rally the troops. "I'm Mike Martz! I know what to do. Take a knee with the rest of the guys, Lovie... I'm about to save your job."

After explaining the single adjustment you need to make to win this game, your team is so pumped that the defense goes out and forces a punt on the initial possession of the 2nd half after only 6 plays and one first down. You get the ball back on your own 10 yard line. "It's go time, Michael. Don't chunk this," you say to yourself, knowing damn well you couldn't possibly chunk it with your fool-proof plan. Your team lines up at the 10 with an unbeatable formation... from right to left you have Frank Omiyale at TE, J'Marcus Webb at RT, Edwin Williams at RG, Olin Kruetz falling down the middle, C Will at LG and lifetime 7th Floor Crew member Greg Olsen holding down the fort at LT.

With so much beef on the right side, there's no chance that the Seahawks could stop this play anywhere short of 50 yard line. The ball is snapped, Cutler hands it off to Forte. Forte fakes left and counters back to the right side behind a monster push by Frank Omiyale and J'Marcus Webb. Daylight.... Forte to the 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5 and TOUCHDOWN!!!

Oh wait... That's not how it happened? You're Mike Martz; how could it go wrong? "DARN!" Instead of running behind the beef, you call for Forte to follow the dominating blocks of Greg Olsen against puny 323 lb DE, Red Bryant. Instead of the Bears' usual push from the LT position, Olsen gets blown up and Bryant easily takes Forte down for an astounding 0 yard gain. Next play: 10 yard sack for a safety. "You lose, Mike Martz... you loser."

Lovie Smith Generic Quote of the Week

Each Tuesday here at Bear Down Chicago Bears we'll bring you the best Lovie Smith generic quote from his weekly Monday news conference that will make you say "No shit, Lovie. Thanks for the update you fucking assclown"

"We realize we have to have more balance on the offensive side of the football, and we plan on doing that"

Well thanks Lovie, so you're telling me that running the ball only 12 times while dropping back 47 times isn't a good balance? Leaving yourself with 3rd and long numerous times after incompletions on first and second down isn't a good plan? Could of fooled me, Lovie. Let me know when you have the stones to tell Mike Martz to run the fucking ball and maybe I'll believe you then.

Wait, Jerry Angelo Still Runs This Team?!? Well Fuck Me

Alright ladies and gents I'm back! Mr.Peanut On Your Face has returned after a 2-year hiatus filled with fast livin' and good times to once again spew gibberish about the beloved, Chicago Bears.

As we sit here today, the beloved stand at 4-2, including 2-0 within the NFC North. To the naked eye, many would believe Lovie Smith and the boys are off to a great start. Winning games is the only thing that matters at the end of the day in the NFL but don't let the Bears record fool you, this team is seriously flawed in more ways than one. There are severe talent/personal issues at several key positions on the offensive side of the ball. Typically, it would be unfair to pin the blame on just one person for the numerous problems the Bears have but this situation is far from typical. Jerry Angelo and his brain trust are solely responsible for most all of the Bears issues.

Jerry Angelo began his reign of terror following the 2001 season in which the Bears played with a horseshoe up their collective asses and finished the regular season 13-3 before crashing and burning in a playoff defeat to Donovan McNabb, Hugh Douglas and the Eagles. The Bears were successful that season due to an opportunistic defense led by up and coming standouts Brian Urlacher and Mike Brown and a solid running game featuring Offensive ROY Anthony Thomas. Things seemed to line up perfectly for Angelo as the right pieces were already in place to replicate the formula that made him successful at his previous stop in Tampa Bay; A solid defense with multiple pro-bowl caliber players and an offense predicated on the run.

Angelo's first 3 seasons (2002-04) were a complete disaster on all fronts. The team on the field was terrible with a combined record of 16-32 with zero playoff appearances. This also marked the beginning of the worst stretch of draft picks EVER by the Bears. Over this 3 year period, the Bears had 29 total picks. Let's start with the good. During this time frame the Bears selected standouts: Lance Briggs (3rd rd - 2004), Charles "Peanut" Tillman (2nd rd - 2004), and Alex Brown (4th rd - 2002). Among players drafted that made an impact for 2-3 seasons: Nate Vasher (4th rd- 2004), Tommie Harris (1st rd - 2004), Tank Johnston (2nd rd - 2004), Bernard Berrian (3rd rd - 2004), Rex Grossman (1st rd - 2003) and Terrance Metcalf (3rd rd - 2002). Notable busts during this time: Marc Colombo (1st rd - 2002), Michael Haynes (1st rd - 2003). This 3 year stretch, unfortunately, is the cream of the crop when it comes to draft picks as most of the players listed above contributed to the Super Bowl run in 2006.

Finally following the 2003 season, Dick Jauron was put out to pasture and a new optimism was born with the hiring of Lovie Smith. Initially, the defense seemed to be in good hands under the guidance of Smith. The Bears rode the strength of the D to back to back division titles in 2005/2006 including a Super Bowl appearance following the 2006 season. The influx of talent on the defensive side of the ball continued through the draft: Danieal Manning, Jamar Williams, Marc Anderson and Corey Graham all contributed during their first few seasons with the club.

The combination of Angelo/Lovie has proven over time that drafting for defense has been the least of their problems. The issue has been the inability to draft any offensive talent whatsoever. The NFL over the last 4-5 seasons has become a league geared toward offense and more specifically, passing offense. During Angelo's tenure, the Bears have drafted ZERO offensive pro-bowlers. Let that sink in, ZERO offensive pro-bowlers. Since Angelo took over, you can count on one hand how many offensive players drafted had a positive impact on this team: Matt Forte, Devin Hester (although originally drafted to play DB), maybe Greg Olsen(terribly inconsistent), maybe Johnny Knox(jury is still out on him) and the combination of Ortman (Orton/Grossman). That's it people. Among the many offensive misses in the Jerry Angelo era: Colombo, Mark Bradley, Garrett Wolfe, Chris Williams(?), Juaquin Inglesias. This does not factor in the numerous wasted high round picks on players that were, for lack of a better term, really shitty: Dan Bazuin(2nd rd), Michael Okwo(4th rd), Roosevelt Williams(3rd), and Jarron Gilbert(3rd).

There are zero players on the current roster from the draft class of 2005 (Chris Harris was drafted that season, but has since been reacquired), zero from 2002, one player from 2004 (Tommie Harris, ugh), two from 2003, two from 2006, three from 2007, three from 2009, four from 2010, and seven from 2008. That's a total of 22 drafted players on the current roster. Of those 22 players, only 6 players are starters. Fucking 6! Over 8 fucking draft classes!

The draft is the lifeblood of any NFL franchise. Jerry Angelo has proven over the last 8 seasons that he is incapable of drafting quality NFL talent. The man has failed over and over again. Sure, Angelo has made many bold moves including the signing of Julius Peppers and the trade for Jay Cutler but in the process has left the cupboard void of NFL talent to surround these pro bowlers with.

I'm not the first to call for Angelo's head and wont certainly be the last, but the bottom line is a change is long overdue. The beloved will continue to swirl in the pool of mediocrity as long as Angelo is in charge. Sam Cooke said "A Change is Gonna Come" Let's hope sooner rather than later.

Hella Mistakes Cost Bears A Sure Win

The Bears slipped to 1-1 after a very disappointing 2nd half against the Carolina Panthers. The Bears started the game off strongly by forcing the Panthers to go 3-and-out. Darrell McClover then blocked a punt which was hauled in by WR Brandon Lloyd. Now I was stuck on I-80, because of flooding, on my way home from Indiana at this point, so I shared the excitement with Jeff Joniak and AM 780. I wish I would have gotten to see it, as I still haven't even seen a replay of it.

The Bears defense had a terrific first half. They got a lot of pressure on Jake Delhomme and knocked him around a few times. Bob Babich called a pretty good game overall and by showing blitz plenty of times, the Panthers offensive line committed multiple false starts. Their performance declined significantly in the 2nd half, probably because they were getting tired. They started missing tackles and didn't seem to bring as much pressure as they brought in the 1st half.

The offense looked kind of sharp in the 1st half, but could never close. They would move the ball down field and then some crucial mistake (such as Greg Olsen's 1st fumble) would prevent them from putting the ball in the end zone. Olsen had a bad game, but it's certainly no reason to write him off yet. I think he will be one of the biggest contributors next week against Tampa because he feels he needs to redeem himself.

Orton proved on numerous occassions he's still not ready to make the big play. He missed a wide-open Marty Booker down the left side which would have been a sure TD and most likely would have put the game away. He also missed an open Rasheid Davis down the right side. Orton made some horrible decisions throughout the game that could have proved more costly than they were. He threw at least 2 balls into heavy coverage that should have been picked by the Panthers. Luckily they weren't. And, of course, there was the 3rd-and-1 play on the last play before the 2-minute warning in the 4th quarter.

Ron Turner pulled an absolute bitch-move after the game. He told the media he called a run up the middle for Forte with and option for Orton to change the play if he didn't like the defense that he was showed. I'm sure this happens a lot in the NFL, but how often does an offensive coordinator throw his QB under the bus like that? Turner knows the fans have hated him for years now, and he knows that his job should not be secure. Orton ended up changing the play to a retarded quick pass out to the right side which should have been picked off. The very next play Turner says he calls for Forte up the middle again, but the Panthers called a time-out and Turner changes his play. I thought Turner had a good game until the end. He broke out of his normal pattern of running "Bears' Draws" everytime 3rd down comes up, but his ineptness came through at the most crucial part of the game to outshine any good play calling he made earlier. How do you have 3rd-and-1 and Matt Forte doesn't touch the ball on that play or the following play? That makes no sense to me.

Jason McKie has had an increased role in the offense this year, and I'm fine with that. He punched in a 1 yd TD run early in the 2nd half so Turner decided to go back to him during crunch time. The problem with that is when he got his TD, there was no pressure on him. I believe it was 1st or 2nd down. But when they Bears NEEDED a 1st down, they decided to go back to McKie who has career high in rush attempts is 8. I like Jason McKie. He is a very good blocker and was a big part of the Bears' success running the ball in 2006, but there is a reason he doesn't get many touches. He doesn't have great speed and he's just not much of a playmaker. Even on the 4th down when the Bears turned the ball over, McKie wasn't taclked right away. He was stuck at the line with nowhere to run, but he doesn't have the type of speed to drop back and run it outside after seeing there was no lane open. Not only do I think Forte would have gotten across the line initially, even if he didn't I believe he would have been able to cut outside and convert it for the 1st down. McKie was also responsible for a couple big-runs that were called back because of holding. The Bears don't have any options behind McKie at FB (Greg Olsen is 2nd on the depth chart) but considering his limited touches, it's not a big deal if he has a bad game once in awhile.

Brandon Lloyd had, what I perceive to be, a career game. Not only did he get a TD before even taking an offensive snap, he came up with some big catches throughout the game. Overall he had 5 catches for 66 yards and he seemed to be at the right place at the right time during the entire game. Lloyd has already destroyed his 2007 season totals in yards (14) and receptions (2). Many questioned the signing of Brandon Lloyd but so far has been one of Orton's favorite targets. Hopefully they can keep up the chemistry.

Devin Hester had one good kickoff return and didn't do much else. He had one catch, and a couple punt returns that went nowhere. He left the game in the 3rd quarter which turned out to be bruised ribs. I'm not sure of the severity of the injury, but we need him to be on the field even if he doesn't get any touches. He draws a lot of attention whenever he steps on the field.

Brad Maynard had a horrible game. He didn't have one solid punt all day, and on a day when he punted 7 times, we needed him to come through to limit Carolina's field positioning. Robbie Gould showed his beefed up leg from the start of the game, forcing Carolina to down the opening kickoff in the endzone. I don't know if he's juicing or not, but his leg strength has always been his biggest downfall and it doesn't seem to be a problem anymore.

The offensive line had a decent game overall. They only allowed one sack, and did create some lanes for Forte to run through. Hopefully they will keep it up, as they're already playing MUCH better than they played last year, although Olen Kruetz is still steadily declining. He seems to fall down on top of a defender every play instead of actually blocking them. He doesn't seem to do much else anymore. The line played real well early on, but as the game went on their play declined. I don't know if it was because they were getting tired or what, but they need to stay consistent throughout the entire game.

Kyle Neckbeard Is Our Quarterback

I'll admit it... I was WRONG.

I truly thought that Rex Grossman would come out on top of this QB competition. Last week Kyle Orton was deservingly named the starting QB for the Bears. While I'm pissed that it's not Grossman, I completely agree with the decision. I'm not pissed about the decision, I'm pissed that Grossman can't ever seem to play up to his ability. He has all the talent in the world, but he is a skraight mindfuck. Ron Rivera called him a "mental midget," and that's pretty much the best way to put it. Whether it's an early INT or a lost fumble, after something bad happens to Grossman it's downhill from there. Something gets in his head telling him he's going to fuck up again... and he does. He showed a lot of improvement/maturity after he was benched last year but it didn't last long. While he may be in better shape than ever, I don't see any real improvements that came during the off-season.

Kyle Orton, on the other hand, looks like he's worked hard over the off-season. It may just be a little bit more confidence coming off of the end of last season. Or maybe it was the fact that Grossman wasn't named the starter before camp and Orton had a chance to win the job. Whatever it is, Orton is just so much more consistent than Grossman. Orton may not be a TD threat on every play, but he is capable of going deep with the ball. He needs to work on it still, but people give his arm much less credit than it deserves. He was a slanger in college and can still do it when he needs to. While Grossman may have more talent, Orton is much more of a complete QB. He knows how to stay in the pocket (which may or may not collapse immediately once the season starts) and check down when the 1st option isn't open. He also knows how to complete short passes, something that Grossman has yet to show. With a RB that can actually catch the ball this year, short/screen passes will be a big part of the offense. While there are still some in the locker room that were pulling for Grossman, you can tell that the majority of the team has more confidence in Orton, and for good reason. As the QB of a team, you need to be THE leader. How can you be looked at as the leader if you are the worst public speaker on the team? Now to be fair, Devin Hester is not exactly Mr. Articulate, but he's improved since his rookie year and probably gives better interviews. Grossman constantly looks like such a meathead struggling to answer questions after games. Orton, on the other hand, is poised at all times and says the right things. If you just observed the two of them for 5 minutes, you can tell who's more of a leader-type. That's what the offense needs. Someone who knows what's going on. Someone who can read a blitz coming. Someone who will throw the ball away instead of give the ball away.

While I'm still a Rex Grossman fan, he does not deserve to be the #1 QB on the Chicago Bears. Unless Orton gets hurt and Grossman steps up and performs like he's in Dan's World, this is the end for Grossman in Chicago. His contract is up after the season and I don't see him signing another contract anywhere unless it comes with a chance to be the starter. I still think he can be successful in the right situation. He needs a fresh start... one where he won't get boo'd just for stepping onto the field. One where he doesn't have to worry about the mistakes he's (repeatedly) made in the past. One where there's no expectations from him so there's not so much pressure as a big city like Chicago. All you can do now is wait Rex. Don't be pouting on the sideline everytime the you get some face-time. Don't look happy everytime Orton makes a mistake. You can hope and wish and pray all you want that Orton gets hurt, but don't let us know you're doing it... even though we already know you are.

Salute Your Shorts - Bourbonais

I went to training camp on Sunday for the second time in my life and it was another great experience. The clouds we're out for most of the day keeping everyone cool but, at times, the sun would uncomfortably beat down on us. We got there about half an hour before the practice actually began, so there was a pretty long line to get in. We decided to jump in the shorter line, and it paid off. Even though they let around 150-200 people from the long line in for every 50 or so from the shorter line, we ended up waiting only around 10 minutes before we actually got in.

As soon as we entered the bucks started flying. Spending $3 on a program and another $1 on a "fan-pack" provided me with more than enough reading material to hold me until practice began. As soon as I entered the gift shop I figured I was going to be in trouble for spending too much money. However a surprisingly small selection of jersey's kept me in check. All I wanted to get was a white Mike Brown jersey, but they didn't have any. I would have settled for a white Lance Briggs, but those were nowhere to be found. I left the jersey section without getting a new one, which was the only thing I was set on buying before I went. I did find some consolation prizes though. I copped a white mesh hat, which kept me cool the rest of the day, and an overpriced polo. I ended up spending $85 at the store, but that wasn't it for the day. As soon as we left the store we walked past a booth for signing up for the 4th Phase. I had been planning on joining for a while, but never really got around to it until yesterday. It cost me another $36 or so, but I walked out with a t-shirt (that will fit until the first time I wash/dry it) and will have more to come in the mail.

We managed to find a seat near the north(?) end-zone of the Offense's field without spending any more money. By the time we got to the seats the action was just about to begin. Throughout the day I was most impressed with Matt Forte. He is a beast of a man with huge arms. He showed his strength during some blocking drills when he dominated the other RBs, especially Garret Wolfe. He seemed to be (by far) the hardest worker out of 6 or 7 RBs, which should be the case since he's a rookie. But considering the fact that every media outlet covering the Bears has already appointed him the starter, it's refreshing to see. When the Offense and Defense clashed at the end of practice for 7-on-7s Forte stood out not only running the ball, but also catching the ball on the move. He broke away a few times eventually reaching the end zone. I wasn't very sold on the selection of Forte over Ray Rice in the draft, but I think the Bears made the right choice (even though I still think Rice has a bright future in the NFL). Forte seems to be a complete running back: he's strong, he's quick with his effortless gliding, and I've heard on numerous occasions that he's the best blocking RB from this year's draft.

Devin Hester practiced for the first time on Sunday after receiving his new contract extension. Although he dropped a few passes, overall he looked pretty good to me. He slipped behind Charles Tillman, the Bears' best CB, to grab a TD that had no business making it through the defense. The coverage was skin-tight, but Grossman managed to make a perfect throw to the delight of the fans. We didn't get to see Hester return any kicks, even though it looked like that was the first thing they were going to do when practice started, but every time a pass was thrown to him the crowd made a lot of noise (even if he went on to drop the ball). Hester certainly looks like he's progressed this off-season and will continue to get better at the WR position. Just having him on the field for more plays than they did last year will improve the offense, even if he never touches the ball. Anytime he's on the field the defense will have to pay close attention to him, and if they ever fall asleep he can easily reach the end zone. Like I've said before, look for Hester to explode this season.

Despite throwing a few ducks, and plenty of heckling from "fans," Grossman looked good overall. He especially meshed well with Mark Bradley, who has climbed up the depth charts and will likely be the most productive receiver on the team this year. Bradley showed speed and the ability to create separation from the defender. He and Grossman seemed to be on the same page just about every play they were on the field. Right now it looks like the 1st team offense will be Hester and Bradley lined up out wide, with Des Clark and Greg Olsen sharing time/sharing the field, Grossman under center and Matt Forte right behind him. With that lineup the Bears have a lot of options, assuming the O-line shows up. This lineup doesn't even include what many are considering the Bears' top 2 WRs (Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd). Lloyd did not impress me at all on Sunday, but if he produces a little bit, I'll be happy. I didn't notice Booker more than one time during the entire practice but I think he'll contribute a decent amount this year. This still leaves us with Rashied Davis. A converted CB who has excellent speed. This will be his 3rd year working with the Offense. He has very quick feet and with more time spent on the field, he can be very dangerous for this offense.

One person I was disappointed in was Greg Olsen. I saw him drop at least a couple passes, possibly more. I know what he's capable of and I'm not worried, but he didn't look very sharp on Sunday. One thing that I did like about what I saw from him was he lined up out wide on a few different plays. With his speed, they can use him as a receiver to create mismatches with smaller CBs. Hopefully Grossman will look Olsen's way more than he did last year. Grossman doesn't use the TEs as well as he needs to, and with 2 solid TEs, once he starts using them his numbers will improve greatly.

The defense seemed to be having their usual fun that they like to have a practice. Joking around with each other while still getting in their daily allotment of DW. During 7-on-7s the defense looked in control. The receivers weren't getting too much separation and the defense came up with a couple of INTs. It was great to see Mike Brown running around on the field. He didn't show any signs of previous injury and I truly hope he can stay healthy this season. He is too valuable to this team. He makes big plays and provides great leadership when he's out on the field. While injuries hampered the defense last year, they are very deep this year at all positions. The D-line should dominate this year by using a big rotation and keeping everyone fresh. I'm excited to see how much time Marcus Harrison gets and what he can do. He would have been a 1st round pick had he not gotten in trouble or gotten injured. The coaching staff speaks very highly of him and I expect him to get some quality tick this year. Another rookie who can possibly compete for a starting job (or at least significant playing time) is safety Craig Steltz. The coaches really like what he's done so far and if there are injuries to the secondary he can fill in (if he doesn't end up winning a starting job).

Overall I had a great time at training camp and didn't end up spending as much money as I thought I would. It has only made me more excited for the upcoming season and more optomistic about what the Bears are capable of this year.

Ceddy B Seein Ya

Well... it took a combination of 2 OWIs/DWIs in a 5 week span, but the Bears finally released Cedric Benson. The majority of Bears fans have been calling for this move, even before the incident on the boat. I however, was glad they didn't cut Benson immediately after his first publicized run-in with the law. I am one of the few non-jokes still around, who realize the Bears' major weakness last year was the offensive line. Without an offensive line, nobody can run (or pass, for you Grossman haters) the ball. Not Adrian Peterson. Not LT. Not even Steve Oliver.

I was hoping that this would be the year that Benson finally shut up the critics. With an improved line, Benson could finally show his worth. Apparently he has. After being charged with an OWI not too long ago, you think that a 25 year-old man (who still claims innocence) would have enough sense to not put himself in another situation like that. Now we still don't know if Benson was legally drunk at the time of the arrest, or how he did on his sobriety tests (the video has yet to surface), but what we've heard is that the Bears told him at least to stop drinking for a little while. For whatever reason, he couldn't do that. People have been throwing around the idea that he has a drinking problem. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I don't know this cat at all, so there's only a few people that probably do know if he has a problem. Rather than classify Benson as an alcoholic, I'd rather just call him one stupid motherfucker.

Benson's legacy in Chicago certainly won't be a positive one with most people. I don't think that he was ad bad as people think. People cried over the fact that Benson was the franchise back and the Bears gave up the "great" Thomas Jones to make Benson happy. The thing about that when given the chance, Benson showed he was as good as Thomas Jones. Benson just never had the opportunity as the feature back (until 2007 with a joke of an offensive line). In 2005 Benson averaged 4.1 yards per carry while Jones averaged a slightly higher 4.3 YPC. In the Super Bowl season of 2006, Benson and Jones each averaged an identical 4.1 YPC. Now tell me, how is Thomas Jones so much better? Because he had the break away speed? No. Jones' longest run of the regular season (30 yds) was the same as Benson's longest run. Is it because he was the #1 RB when the veteran offensive line performed up to their capabilities before they instantly became ancient? Get the fuck out of here. Thomas Jones is a good back, but he didn't out perform anybody on the team. He simply did what he was supposed to do when given the opportunity to be a #1 RB. Benson almost got a chance last year, but like I said, nobody can run without anyone opening holes.

I truly believe that Benson would have shown what he is capable of as a #1 RB this year. He showed up to mini-camp lighter and in better shape than he ever had before. I think he realized that the Bears were serious about creating competition at the RB position this year, and Benson possibly felt threatened by the Matt Forte selection. Or maybe Benson was just sick of all the talk about how he's not living up to the #4 overall pick standard. Now it's too late. Benson can officially be labeled the "bust" that people have been calling him for years. I still think if he's somehow given another opportunity with a new team, that he can be a good RB. It's too bad for Benson that the "everybody deserves a 3rd or 4th chance" Cowboys are loaded with RBs and won't have any room for Benson to rejoin former teammate Tank Johnstoooooooooooooooooooooooooooon.

You've been calling for it. I've been hoping it wouldn't come. But Benson's days in Chicago are over with. While I wish it didn't happen, I can definitely say the Bears had no other choice but to get rid of him. Hopefully Goodell will suspend him for a long enough period where it wouldn't of mattered if the Bears kept him and he wouldn't have been able to contribute in 2008.