Chicago Bears 2006 Preview Posted on Jumat, 09 Maret 2012 | 0 komentar

The Chicago Bears had a great season in 2005. They finished 11-6 and went to the playoffs. Their one problem was scoring. Many in the media have touted the Bears as the NFC North champions. Are they correct? Let’s take a look at the 2006 Chicago Bears. Fortunately for them, their division is not that tough.

Key Moves

One major move by the Bears was the addition of Brian Griese. The offense was up and down last season. Griese will be fighting for a job. He comes in as a backup, but if Grossman fails to impress, Griese could take the reins. Their defense loses a good player in Jerry Azumah. Despite being only 28, he had to call it quits. His body got the best of him.

Quarterbacks

One of the issues last season was the health of Rex Grossman. He’s expected to be healthy this season. Grossman could help the Bears offense soar. The signing of Brian Griese gives the Bears a solid backup. Even is Grossman goes down, they won’t experience a horrendous drop. Neither quarterback is upper echelon. The Bears QB situation is just above average.

Running Backs

The Bears are sitting pretty in the running game. Thomas Jones should have another great year. They also have Cedric Benson in the wings. The running game of the Bears is the offense’s strong point. Throw in the tough blocking Bryan Johnson and you have a ground attack that will eat up yards. Thomas Jones had 1,335 yards last season. As nice as that is, Cedric Benson is expected to be better when he’s ready.

Receivers

The receiving core is a bit lackluster. Sure, there’s Muhsin Muhammad, but he’s not getting any younger. Aside from Muhammad, there’s not too much to be excited about—yet. The young Bears receivers do have talent and could blossom into solid contributors on the field. Right now, the receiving core is just average.

Defense and Special Teams

Last season it was all about the defense. The Bears defense constantly made critical plays and kept their team in the game. The 2006 Bears defense is above average again. The best component of the defense is the linebacker unit. They are off the charts. The weak part of the defense is the secondary. Losing Jerry Azumah didn’t help any. The Bears did pick up cornerbacks Ricky Manning and Dante Wesley. The secondary will have to step it up in 2006. The special teams unit has its ups and downs. Punter Brad Maynard needs to have a better season. The Bears hope that Robbie Gould, kicker, was not just a one year wonder. On the plus side, the Bears did add a couple return men that could be home run type of guys.

2006 Prediction

It’s possible that the Bears win their division, because the division is weak. However, I believe they will be an 8-8 team. The schedule is not too tough, but it’s not the walk in the park it was in 2005. In 2005, the Bears had a 2-4 record against really good teams. This is why they faltered in the playoffs. They were not as good as their record indicated. In 2006, they have 8 games that look to be pretty tough, 2 that are middle ground and 6 that are against lower tier teams.

Brian Urlacher Posted on Selasa, 29 November 2011 | 0 komentar

Born in May 1978, this Pasco, Washington native is now an NFL linebacker for the Chicago Bears. As a child, Brian Urlacher moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico with his mother. Following high school, Brian went on to attend college at the University of Mexico. It was here that he shined as a strong safety for the University football team. Upon graduation, he immediately began pursuing his goal to play professional football and was drafted by the NFL’s Chicago Bears. While most of his experience was as a safety position, he was assigned the position of middle linebacker for the Bears, which gave him the opportunity to showcase his tackling abilities, intelligence, speed and aggressive approach toward winning. An instant star, Urlacher was awarded the title of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2000. Such recognition is not an easy feat, but everything seemed to fall in place for the youngster as he quickly rose to the top defensive rookie player during his inaugural season.

Throughout his career, Urlacher has participated in the Pro Bowl on five occasions and has upheld the Bear’s tradition of impressive linebackers. As a testimonial to his skills, Brian Urlacher was once again recognized in 2006. On January 6, he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. An honor awarded by the Associated Press, Urlacher received well over 50% of the panel votes to determine him as the recipient. An impressive 34 panel votes, out of 50, were cast for Urlacher.

Among the many achievements that Brian Ulracher has accomplished include exceeding the Bear’s single season tackle record in 2002. Additionally, he served as the team’s leading tackle position for 3 consecutive years, including 2000, 2001 and 2002. Not only has Urlacher surpassed game records, but sales records as well. At times, his replica jersey has been an NFL bestseller. The collectibles and apparel industry is one of the largest revenue generators for any sport and football is no different. As fans desire to wear a replica jersey of their favorite players, it lends credence to a player’s skills and popularity as fans seek out the merchandise bearing their likeness.

The Chicago Bears have been long since known as a team that has powerful players with spirit to match. The windy city is in line to find great success with a breeze that seems to have brought Brian Urlacher all the way from New Mexico and into to the heart of Chicago and it’s NFL fans.