My Friends,
The Bears (and their fans) are back from a much-needed bye weekend, rested and
ready to begin the final ten game stretch run to determine playoff venues and
opponents. While we slept the defending NFC champs Seattle saw MVP Shaun Alexander
do some light running as their starting QB was knocked out for four weeks with
a knee injury, the Eagles managed to lose their third game (this time to the
1-4 Bucs), Carolina and Dallas also got loss number three (the Cowboys changing
starting QBs in the process), and the biggest shock of all, the packers won
their second game to remain firmly behind at least five teams for the top pick
in the 2007 draft.
While the rest of the NFC was losing and beating each other up, our treat this
week has been the horde of media jackals entering the Bears locker room and
stirring up trouble where there isn't any. Like the kid who constantly pokes
his sibling and then bawls when his brother hauls off and belts him, both local
and national reporters again felt compelled to ask Cedric Benson his thoughts
about his lack of playing time and then portray him as a malcontent when he
gave his usual response. Surprise! Cedric wants to play, and in so many words
said he's upset that he hasn't played more.
These writers are picking over old bones trying to come up with a fresh angle
to present. This week it's the lack of a running game on a 6-0 team, so why not
go back and stir up a reliable beehive? Benson wasn't the disgruntled employee
here, seeking out a forum to voice his displeasure; he was merely responding
when questioned during Wednesday's open locker room period. Maybe he could have
coached his responses a little better, but why should we be shocked that he
wants more carries?
The fact is Benson is only in his second season, and while he may be well
behind the production of the other backs selected in the first round last year
the Bears have the luxury of a solid Thomas Jones playing in front of him. And
as long as Rex Grossman continues to do things with the offense we haven't seen
in decades (Arizona performance notwithstanding) Jones will continue to spend
the bulk of the time as the starting tailback. Nobody on the Bears staff wants
to see Grossman's season end again as a result of Benson missing a block. Hell,
veteran Edgerrin James missed an audible last week, and the result was Mark
Anderson jumping on Matt Leinart like a boogie board, stripping the ball with
Mike Brown carrying the fumble into the endzone. When you see things like that
happen, you understand why Jones will continue to get the majority of the
snaps.
Benson will (and should) eventually play - his contract dictates that - but not
until the playoff picture gets more settled. That comes later, when the regular
season is winding down and the Bears can afford to run the ball down their
opponent's throats without worrying about losing the top seed in the NFC. And
who knows, maybe a fresh Benson will combine with an offensive line that knows
it just has to tee off and open holes to provide the running game the Bears
haven't yet shown. It was there last year, when Kyle Orton was struggling to
complete 13 passes a game and opponents loaded the box with eight defenders,
and there's no reason to think it vanished this season because the Bears can't
do it anymore. They just haven't wanted to.
End of story. Not that there ever was one to begin with.
As for this Sunday, I pity the 49ers after the way the Bears played in the
desert. I'll be surprised if they score.
LBF
10/27/2006