In this post I will go over some of the offensive linemen the Bears have added this offseason and make my prediction of who will win the five offensive line positions.
Over the past offseason the Bears have added several offensive linemen through free agency. Add that with their current offensive linemen on the roster and the Bears could contend to have one of the better offensive linemen in the NFL this upcoming year. Something else to be aware of is that a lot of analysts are picking the Bears to draft an offensive Linemen with their first pick in this weeks draft.
Manny Ramirez
The Bears just recently signed Ramirez who has been with the Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos since entering the NFL in 2007. There has been a trend this year of John Fox and Ryan Pace signing players that used to play for Fox in Denver. I think Ramirez is a solid veteran that could play center and fill in in case of an injury.
Ted Larsen
The Bears signed Larsen around the same time they signed Ramirez. Larsen is a natural center but can also play guard. He is still young at 28 years old and has a lot of NFL experience. He has started 57 games for both the Bucs and the Cardinals since 2010. Larsen is a guy that will compete for starting center job with Grasu.
Here are my predictions for who will win the five offensive line positions for the Bears.
LT: Charles Leno Jr.: The Bears really like him at left tackle.
LG: Matt Slauson: Getting to play a full year at guard will be nice after moving around last year.
C: Ted Larsen: I think Grasu still needs some time to adjust in the NFL
RG: Kyle Long: Moving back to guard will be huge for the Bears
RT: Bobby Massie: The newcomer will take over nicely for Long
Below are some links to the profiles of all five projected offensive linemen
http://www.nfl.com/player/tedlarsen/497026/profile
http://www.nfl.com/player/bobbymassie/2533543/profile
http://www.nfl.com/player/mannyramirez/2507201/profile
http://www.nfl.com/player/kylelong/2539933/profile
http://www.nfl.com/player/mattslauson/81871/profile
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Potential Quarterbacks that the Bears might draft
For this blog I will be discussing some of the quarterbacks
that the Bears may have a chance to draft in the later rounds of this year’s
upcoming draft.
With Cutler turning 33 this year, many experts have the
Bears pegged to pick a quarterback in the later rounds. It has been speculated
that the Bears will go defense in the first couple of rounds but I could see
them drafting a quarterback in rounds 3 through 6. Overall there have been
about four quarterbacks that I think could make sense for the Bears. It would
be great if Connor Cook or Paxton Lynch would drop into the third round but
that seems unlikely after the last week.
1.
Christian Hackenberg
-
He is ranked as the number five quarterback in
this year’s draft class. He was a junior at Penn State last year. He stands at
6’4’’ and weighs 234 pounds. He set a lot of records at Penn State including
passing yards.
2.
Dak Prescott
-
He is ranked as the number six quarterback
available and the 109th overall player available. He was a senior at
Mississippi St. last year. He is a little smaller than Hackenberg at 6’2’’ but
much more agile. The big downside for Dak Prescott was his recent DUI, which
affected his future draft pick in a negative way.
3.
Cardale Jones
-
He is currently ranked as the seventh
quarterback in this draft class but probably has the most upside out of these
three quarterbacks. He was a junior at Ohio State last year. He is also the
biggest of these three quarterback at 6’5’’ which could go a long way to
lasting in the NFL.
Below I will include a link to one article about each of these players:
Monday, March 28, 2016
3 CafePress Products
For this post I will be promoting 3 CafePress products from my page at CafePress.com.
1. http://www.cafepress.com/+chicago_bears_water_bottle,1730543395
- This product is a 1.0L stainless sports bottle with the old Chicago Bears Logo on it. It is perfect for athletes and runners. It also fits into most cup holders and bike bottle holders.
2. http://www.cafepress.com/+chicago_bears_hoodie,1730543399
- This product is a white hoodie that has the old Chicago Bears Logo on it. Again it would be perfect for athletes or active people that like to wear hoodies. The Blue and orange logo really pops off the white background of the hoodie.
3. http://www.cafepress.com/+chicago_bears_throw_blanket,1730543392
- This product is a white throw blanket with the old Chicago Bears Logo on it. This would be perfect for Bears fans to take to the game at Soldier field every Sunday. With those cold winter games sometimes you need extra blankets to keep you warm.
1. http://www.cafepress.com/+chicago_bears_water_bottle,1730543395
- This product is a 1.0L stainless sports bottle with the old Chicago Bears Logo on it. It is perfect for athletes and runners. It also fits into most cup holders and bike bottle holders.
2. http://www.cafepress.com/+chicago_bears_hoodie,1730543399
- This product is a white hoodie that has the old Chicago Bears Logo on it. Again it would be perfect for athletes or active people that like to wear hoodies. The Blue and orange logo really pops off the white background of the hoodie.
3. http://www.cafepress.com/+chicago_bears_throw_blanket,1730543392
- This product is a white throw blanket with the old Chicago Bears Logo on it. This would be perfect for Bears fans to take to the game at Soldier field every Sunday. With those cold winter games sometimes you need extra blankets to keep you warm.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Updated Mock Drafts
For this post I will look at some of the updated mock drafts for the Chicago Bears.
Here are some of the names of the players that analysists believe the Bears will draft in the first round of this years upcoming draft:
- Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple
- Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson
- Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins
- Clemson cornerback Mackensie Alexander
- Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner
- Michigan State tackle Jack Conklin
- Alabama defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson
- North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz
- Notre Dame tackle Ronnie Stanley
- Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed
Its interesting to look at how much these mock drafts can change after free agency. Before the Bears signed Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman most of the mock drafts had the Bears selecting one of two inside linebackers. Obviously, they don't have any more holes to fill at the linebacker position which is why these mock drafts are all over the board.
Here's what I think. GM Ryan Pace has continued to say that they are looking at defense in the first round which makes a lot of sense. Having said this I think the area that the bears have the least depth on defense is in the secondary. My opinion is that they will take Eli Apple with their pick. With Kyle Fuller still in development mode I think it would be smart to add some depth at the cornerback position, where Fuller and Tracy Porter are really the only two options. This draft is deep with defensive linemen so that gives the Bears a chance to add a good defensive linemen in rounds 2 or 3. The only reason I think the Bears might go offense in the first round is if Carson Wentz is still available when they pick. A lot of people have him going in the top five picks but if he falls the Bears should take a chance. This would give Wentz the chance to sit behind Cutler for a couple years while he learns the offense. Hopefully he could develop into the quarterback of the future with the Bears seeing that Cutler is already 33 years old.
Here are links to three mock drafts done by professionals:
- http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/mock-drafts/charles-davis/305672
-http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/25558113/nfl-mock-draft-all-seven-rounds-including-team-by-team-picks
-http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/nfl-mock-draft-rams-jared-goff-carson-wentz-joey-bosa-laremy-tunsil-jalen-ramsey-041916
-http://www.draftsite.com/nfl/mock-draft/2016/
Here are some of the names of the players that analysists believe the Bears will draft in the first round of this years upcoming draft:
- Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple
- Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson
- Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins
- Clemson cornerback Mackensie Alexander
- Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner
- Michigan State tackle Jack Conklin
- Alabama defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson
- North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz
- Notre Dame tackle Ronnie Stanley
- Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed
Its interesting to look at how much these mock drafts can change after free agency. Before the Bears signed Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman most of the mock drafts had the Bears selecting one of two inside linebackers. Obviously, they don't have any more holes to fill at the linebacker position which is why these mock drafts are all over the board.
Here's what I think. GM Ryan Pace has continued to say that they are looking at defense in the first round which makes a lot of sense. Having said this I think the area that the bears have the least depth on defense is in the secondary. My opinion is that they will take Eli Apple with their pick. With Kyle Fuller still in development mode I think it would be smart to add some depth at the cornerback position, where Fuller and Tracy Porter are really the only two options. This draft is deep with defensive linemen so that gives the Bears a chance to add a good defensive linemen in rounds 2 or 3. The only reason I think the Bears might go offense in the first round is if Carson Wentz is still available when they pick. A lot of people have him going in the top five picks but if he falls the Bears should take a chance. This would give Wentz the chance to sit behind Cutler for a couple years while he learns the offense. Hopefully he could develop into the quarterback of the future with the Bears seeing that Cutler is already 33 years old.
Here are links to three mock drafts done by professionals:
- http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/mock-drafts/charles-davis/305672
-http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/25558113/nfl-mock-draft-all-seven-rounds-including-team-by-team-picks
-http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/nfl-mock-draft-rams-jared-goff-carson-wentz-joey-bosa-laremy-tunsil-jalen-ramsey-041916
-http://www.draftsite.com/nfl/mock-draft/2016/
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
More Free Agency News
For this post I will continue my discussion about the free
agents the bears have signed and let go.
Bobby Massie
- This is another very underated pick up for the Bears.
Massie is a proven starter in the NFL at right tackle. As we remember from last
year, Kyle Long had to switch positions from guard to tackle. He struggled very
much with the switch, which is probably why the Bears decided to pull the
trigger on Massie. This move allows Kyle Long to move back to guard where he is
a two time pro-bowler. Consistency is always the most important thing when it
comes to the o-line and I think this move will drastically improve the o-line.
The starting o-line for 2016 looks like Massie, Long, Grasu, Slauson, and Leno.
Leno still has a lot to prove at left tackle but the coaches like both him and
the second-year center Grasu.
Zach Miller
- This move was sort of expected throughout free agency.
Tight end Zach Miller resigned with the Bears on a two year deal. After a huge
breakout year in 2015, Miller looks to become the number one tight end in this
Bears offense. I really dont know what to think about Miller. He seems to be an
above average pass catcher but I think he is still a little shaky in run
blocking. The other reason for concern is that 2015 was really his only year
with any sort of production and his rookie year was 2009. The other side of
this move is the fact that this made the Bears able to trade Martellis Bennett.
Bennett was unhappy with his situation in Chicago and Ryan Pace was able to get
a mid-round draft pick out of the Patriots for him. I never thought Bennett
played to his potential in Chicago but he could have a rebirth in New England
playing alongside Gronk and Tom Brady.
Monday, March 21, 2016
ClickBank Products
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Free Agency News
For this blog post I will be discussing the Bears recent free agent acquisitions.
Danny Trevathan:
- This was by far the biggest signing so far in the Ryan Pace era. Adding Trevathan makes everyone else on the defensive side of the ball a lot better. He is a rock at 6-1, 260 pounds who can cover the middle of the field also. He is coming off a couple of injuries back in 2014 but at 26 years old he should be the center of this Bears defense for a least five or six years. Even though he is only 26 he has a lot of experience playing with a top three defense in Denver last year. Trevathan has expressed that one of his biggest reasons for signing with the Bears is his positive relationship with John Fox.
Jerrell Freeman:
- This was an under the radar move that could end up being one of the best off season moves. I will admit that I didnt know a lot about Freeman before this spring. The Bears and Ryan Pace were able to get a solid starting linebacker without overpaying him. Freeman has been one of the most underrated linebackers in the NFL the last couple years with the Colts. With Freeman and Trevathan, the Bears linebackers are now consider one of the best groups in the league. Just like Trevathan, Freeman cited his relationship with John Fox as one of the main reasons for signing with the Bears. It really helps out a team like the Bears when players will take less to play for a coach they really want to play for.
Danny Trevathan:
- This was by far the biggest signing so far in the Ryan Pace era. Adding Trevathan makes everyone else on the defensive side of the ball a lot better. He is a rock at 6-1, 260 pounds who can cover the middle of the field also. He is coming off a couple of injuries back in 2014 but at 26 years old he should be the center of this Bears defense for a least five or six years. Even though he is only 26 he has a lot of experience playing with a top three defense in Denver last year. Trevathan has expressed that one of his biggest reasons for signing with the Bears is his positive relationship with John Fox.
Jerrell Freeman:
- This was an under the radar move that could end up being one of the best off season moves. I will admit that I didnt know a lot about Freeman before this spring. The Bears and Ryan Pace were able to get a solid starting linebacker without overpaying him. Freeman has been one of the most underrated linebackers in the NFL the last couple years with the Colts. With Freeman and Trevathan, the Bears linebackers are now consider one of the best groups in the league. Just like Trevathan, Freeman cited his relationship with John Fox as one of the main reasons for signing with the Bears. It really helps out a team like the Bears when players will take less to play for a coach they really want to play for.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Sneeze Page
For this Post I will be creating a Sneeze Page. In my sneeze page I will be directing you back to some of my best posts.
- http://chicagobearsnfl.blogspot.com/2016/01/quarterbacks.html
- http://chicagobearsnfl.blogspot.com/2016/02/link-post.html
- The first link above goes back to one of my first post discussing the situation the Bears currently have at Quarterback. Analyzing and assessing the players both on the Bears roster and other NFL rosters is one of my favorite things to do when it comes to talking about football in general. I have been around football enough that I feel very knowledgeable about certain topics. This past weekend the NFL scouting combine took place in Indianapolis. The Bears are expected to make defensive picks in the first couple of rounds but I expect them to draft a potential replacement for Cutler in the mid to late rounds. Their GM Ryan Pace also said that the Bears are very high on a couple of quarterbacks in the middle rounds. One quarterback that could make sense is Michigan State's Connor Cook.
- The second link above goes back to my link post. For this link post I linked to one of the more popular Bears blogs called Da Bears Blog. I really enjoy surfing the web for different points on view on the Bears. Before, I would usually go straight to NFL.com and I never even though about checking out other blogs. I enjoy reading other opinions and seeing if they have the same views as I do. In this case I had a very different view. This article was about Kevin White and Alshon Jeffery. The writer though that the Bears drafted Kevin White to replace Jeffery. While White might eventually replace Jeffery I think the Bears drafted him to play side by side with Jeffery.
- http://chicagobearsnfl.blogspot.com/2016/01/quarterbacks.html
- http://chicagobearsnfl.blogspot.com/2016/02/link-post.html
- The first link above goes back to one of my first post discussing the situation the Bears currently have at Quarterback. Analyzing and assessing the players both on the Bears roster and other NFL rosters is one of my favorite things to do when it comes to talking about football in general. I have been around football enough that I feel very knowledgeable about certain topics. This past weekend the NFL scouting combine took place in Indianapolis. The Bears are expected to make defensive picks in the first couple of rounds but I expect them to draft a potential replacement for Cutler in the mid to late rounds. Their GM Ryan Pace also said that the Bears are very high on a couple of quarterbacks in the middle rounds. One quarterback that could make sense is Michigan State's Connor Cook.
- The second link above goes back to my link post. For this link post I linked to one of the more popular Bears blogs called Da Bears Blog. I really enjoy surfing the web for different points on view on the Bears. Before, I would usually go straight to NFL.com and I never even though about checking out other blogs. I enjoy reading other opinions and seeing if they have the same views as I do. In this case I had a very different view. This article was about Kevin White and Alshon Jeffery. The writer though that the Bears drafted Kevin White to replace Jeffery. While White might eventually replace Jeffery I think the Bears drafted him to play side by side with Jeffery.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
A product recommendation post
For this post I will be doing a product recommendation.
To stay with the football theme of this blog I will be
recommending the Madden NFL video games. Even before I actually started
watching NFL games I can remember playing Madden with family and friends.
Madden has been one of the longest running video games and for good reason. It
is always one of the top sports games and people await the new version every
year. Madden has come a long way from its first version back around 2000. The
graphics in today's version are so realistic its as if you are actually watching
a game on an HD TV. Playing Madden also is a great way for younger kids to
learn about the game of football and to become familiar with all the players.
Before I started playing I didn't really know the ins and outs of the game of
football. Now I know offensive plays, defensive plays and what all the
penalties are. Before I started playing Madden, I was relatively unfamiliar
with the players as well. Its been a couple years since I last played Madden
but I do remember almost all of the players and their positions from the
previous versions. I think part of Madden’s success over all these years is
because its one game that has no age limit. Younger kids all the way up to
older people enjoy playing Madden every day. Overall I think Madden is by far the best
sports game available for gamers and I think younger kids can learn a lot about
the game of football by playing it.
Friday, February 26, 2016
A review post
For today's post I will be writing a review about Lambeau Field.
In 2010 my brother and I got the chance to attend a Bears Packers game at Lambeau Field. My brother is a die-hard Packers fan just as much as I am a Bears fan. we bought tickets before the season even started even though it was the last game of the season. As it turned out if the Packers had lost this game they would have been out of the playoffs, and we all know what happened after this game. One thing that really surprised me was Lambeau Field and the city of Green Bay. In my opinion it is the best place to go watch NFL football games. Green Bay has a small town feel and on game days it turns into a college like atmosphere. Literally the whole town shuts down to go watch the Packers either at Lambeau or in a bar. Lambeau Field is surrounded by little houses which even adds to the small town feel. We actually parked on someones front lawn, which is actually a thing up there. Another thing that makes it one the best venues in the NFL is the people. Now I hate the Packers but their fans are some of the nicest fans in football. I was head to toe in bears stuff and other than getting a few jokes tossed my way I had no problem. The whole section that we sat in were neighbors so it was also a very friendly atmosphere inside the stadium also. Overall, I think Lambeau Field is by far the best town and stadium to go watch an NFL game in.
In 2010 my brother and I got the chance to attend a Bears Packers game at Lambeau Field. My brother is a die-hard Packers fan just as much as I am a Bears fan. we bought tickets before the season even started even though it was the last game of the season. As it turned out if the Packers had lost this game they would have been out of the playoffs, and we all know what happened after this game. One thing that really surprised me was Lambeau Field and the city of Green Bay. In my opinion it is the best place to go watch NFL football games. Green Bay has a small town feel and on game days it turns into a college like atmosphere. Literally the whole town shuts down to go watch the Packers either at Lambeau or in a bar. Lambeau Field is surrounded by little houses which even adds to the small town feel. We actually parked on someones front lawn, which is actually a thing up there. Another thing that makes it one the best venues in the NFL is the people. Now I hate the Packers but their fans are some of the nicest fans in football. I was head to toe in bears stuff and other than getting a few jokes tossed my way I had no problem. The whole section that we sat in were neighbors so it was also a very friendly atmosphere inside the stadium also. Overall, I think Lambeau Field is by far the best town and stadium to go watch an NFL game in.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Promote your own web site post
For this post I will be promoting and analyzing my own blog.
Let's first start with the promoting. I think the subject matter on my blog is very detailed and stays on the subject matter for the most part. I also believe the structure and organization of my blog helps make it easier for users to navigate the blog. A lot of other blogs that I have looked at do not have purpose pages or about pages and some didn't even have contact pages. The layout that I chose also makes the landing page seem very crisp. I think my blog does a great job at telling the reader that I am somewhat of an expert on the Chicago Bears in general.
Now I do some analysis. After taking a look at some of the other blogs in my same niche I think my blog could use some major work. The first thing that I noticed right off the bat is how bland and original that my blog looks. A lot of the other blogs that I looked at had lots of different colors and lots of different pictures. These colors and pictures really made their post sort of pop off the page. When you look at my blog there is really only two very dull colors used throughout the entire blog. The other thing is that I have never included any pictures in any of my blogs. I think the use of pictures is very important to getting the reader interested at first.
Let's first start with the promoting. I think the subject matter on my blog is very detailed and stays on the subject matter for the most part. I also believe the structure and organization of my blog helps make it easier for users to navigate the blog. A lot of other blogs that I have looked at do not have purpose pages or about pages and some didn't even have contact pages. The layout that I chose also makes the landing page seem very crisp. I think my blog does a great job at telling the reader that I am somewhat of an expert on the Chicago Bears in general.
Now I do some analysis. After taking a look at some of the other blogs in my same niche I think my blog could use some major work. The first thing that I noticed right off the bat is how bland and original that my blog looks. A lot of the other blogs that I looked at had lots of different colors and lots of different pictures. These colors and pictures really made their post sort of pop off the page. When you look at my blog there is really only two very dull colors used throughout the entire blog. The other thing is that I have never included any pictures in any of my blogs. I think the use of pictures is very important to getting the reader interested at first.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Link Post
My first Link post will be from Da Bears Blog about an article on Alshon Jeffery.
Here's the Link: http://dabearsblog.com/2016/thoughts-on-alshon-jefferys-future-in-chicago
This article is all about Alshon Jeffery's future in Chicago. Here are some tidbits mentioned in the article:
- The Bears selected Kevin White to the Bears number one wide receiver.
- Jeffery is not among the top wide receivers in the league.
- If GM Ryan Pace deceideds to move on from Jeffery he better be sure.
Here are my views on the issue. First of all I do not believe the Bears selected Kevin White to be their number one wide receiver, at least not right away. I think the Bears want the same kind of combination at wide receiver they had when Brandon Marshall was still on the team without the side antics that come along with Marshall. That duo was ranked as the best wide receiver duo in the league at the time and I think this could be the case with Jeffery and White. Secondly, when Jeffery was healthy last year he was absolutely a top wide receiver in the league. He was pretty much the only true wide receiver on the Bears last years and he still put up good numbers even though he was being double teamed every game. With White being healthy for the up coming year it could be huge for the success of Jeffery and hopefully people will realize that he is in fact a top wide receiver. As far as Ryan Pace goes I believe he has done a wonderful job in his first year and that Bears fans should trust him in all of his decisions, just like Cubs fans trusted Theo Epstein.
Here's the Link: http://dabearsblog.com/2016/thoughts-on-alshon-jefferys-future-in-chicago
This article is all about Alshon Jeffery's future in Chicago. Here are some tidbits mentioned in the article:
- The Bears selected Kevin White to the Bears number one wide receiver.
- Jeffery is not among the top wide receivers in the league.
- If GM Ryan Pace deceideds to move on from Jeffery he better be sure.
Here are my views on the issue. First of all I do not believe the Bears selected Kevin White to be their number one wide receiver, at least not right away. I think the Bears want the same kind of combination at wide receiver they had when Brandon Marshall was still on the team without the side antics that come along with Marshall. That duo was ranked as the best wide receiver duo in the league at the time and I think this could be the case with Jeffery and White. Secondly, when Jeffery was healthy last year he was absolutely a top wide receiver in the league. He was pretty much the only true wide receiver on the Bears last years and he still put up good numbers even though he was being double teamed every game. With White being healthy for the up coming year it could be huge for the success of Jeffery and hopefully people will realize that he is in fact a top wide receiver. As far as Ryan Pace goes I believe he has done a wonderful job in his first year and that Bears fans should trust him in all of his decisions, just like Cubs fans trusted Theo Epstein.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Analyze a top blog in your niche post
For this post I will be analyzing a blog about the Chicago Bears called Da Bears Blog.
Things I think the blog could work on:
- There is only one continuous page. There is no contact page or about page to let the readers know who is actually writing the blog. Without this information, the source of the blog cannot be validated. Without the contact page there is no easy way to contact the writer or writers.
- Poor placement of advertisements. The first thing you see in this blog is a big advertisement across the entire top of the page. It seems logical that the first thing a blogger would want you to see is the title of the blog or their name, not a big advertisement.
- Could use more advertisements. There are only two advertisements in the entire blog and none of them even related to football or the Chicago Bears. Both ads are on the landing page of the blog so there is a lot of room for more ads.
Things I think the blog does a good job of:
- This blog is very easy to read and well organized throughout. The entire blog is color cordinated and it is easy to tell the headings from the actual article.
- The subject matter never strays from the niche area. Every post related to either the Chicago Bears or the NFL in general so the content is very focused around the niche area.
- They use pictures very well to complement the blog posts. Almost every blog has a picture after the heading. I think this is a very good way to both get the readers interested in the article and also adds to the organization of the blog.
Things I think the blog could work on:
- There is only one continuous page. There is no contact page or about page to let the readers know who is actually writing the blog. Without this information, the source of the blog cannot be validated. Without the contact page there is no easy way to contact the writer or writers.
- Poor placement of advertisements. The first thing you see in this blog is a big advertisement across the entire top of the page. It seems logical that the first thing a blogger would want you to see is the title of the blog or their name, not a big advertisement.
- Could use more advertisements. There are only two advertisements in the entire blog and none of them even related to football or the Chicago Bears. Both ads are on the landing page of the blog so there is a lot of room for more ads.
Things I think the blog does a good job of:
- This blog is very easy to read and well organized throughout. The entire blog is color cordinated and it is easy to tell the headings from the actual article.
- The subject matter never strays from the niche area. Every post related to either the Chicago Bears or the NFL in general so the content is very focused around the niche area.
- They use pictures very well to complement the blog posts. Almost every blog has a picture after the heading. I think this is a very good way to both get the readers interested in the article and also adds to the organization of the blog.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Promote Another Blog Post
For this post I will be promoting another Post from a different blogger.
This Bloggers name is Walt Culpepper, a fellow student with me at Illinois State University. His Blog is all about College Basketball and College Basketball Rankings.
He recently did a list post of the updated rankings for college basketball which could be extremely useful in filling out brackets. In his list he gives the top 25 teams in college basketball and their current record. Since we are only a couple weeks away from March Madness this is very relevant information. He basically states that all of these top 25 teams are basically a lock for the tourney so knowing their records and a little more about these teams could be the difference in your bracket challenge. I personally won my bracket last year so I am very excited for the 2016 March Madness. I have never been a big basketball fan in general but I do love March Madness and I think it could be the second or third best sporting event of the year. I got a chance to go to the festivities and watch a couple practices a few years back when Jokim Noah played for the Florida Gators. It was my first big sporting event and I could not believe all the hype around the town of Indianapolis at the time. I think this blog could be very interesting for the everyday college basketball fan and I might even continue to look for some help with filling out my bracket.
This Bloggers name is Walt Culpepper, a fellow student with me at Illinois State University. His Blog is all about College Basketball and College Basketball Rankings.
He recently did a list post of the updated rankings for college basketball which could be extremely useful in filling out brackets. In his list he gives the top 25 teams in college basketball and their current record. Since we are only a couple weeks away from March Madness this is very relevant information. He basically states that all of these top 25 teams are basically a lock for the tourney so knowing their records and a little more about these teams could be the difference in your bracket challenge. I personally won my bracket last year so I am very excited for the 2016 March Madness. I have never been a big basketball fan in general but I do love March Madness and I think it could be the second or third best sporting event of the year. I got a chance to go to the festivities and watch a couple practices a few years back when Jokim Noah played for the Florida Gators. It was my first big sporting event and I could not believe all the hype around the town of Indianapolis at the time. I think this blog could be very interesting for the everyday college basketball fan and I might even continue to look for some help with filling out my bracket.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
List Post
For this blog I will take a stab at who I think is the top ten Bears from the years of 2000 through 2015.
Top Ten Chicago Bears of the Last fifteen years:
10. Marty Booker
- He only had two seasons with more than 1000 yards receiving being an undersized wide receiver, but he was an iron horse at a position the Bears have not had one since.
9. Mike Brown
- A oversized safety that made wide receivers think twice about going over the middle. He had a career year in 2001 with five picks, two touchdowns, and two forced fumbles while playing all 16 games.
8. Tommie Harris
- Big run stuffing defensive tackle that had a the rare ability to also get to the quarterback. Too bad his career only lasted six years in Chicago.
7. Olin Kreutz
- Six time pro bowl center with the Bears. Leader on the offense and in the locker room. It could be argued he had as much influence with the team as Urlacher did.
6. Alshon Jeffery
- Has only played a couple seasons in Chicago but was a top wide receiver with Brandon Marshall. As long as the Bears can find someone to help Jeffery he should remain a top five NFL wide receiver.
5. Charles Tillman
- Pro Bowl cornerback that lead the Defense after Urlacher was let go. Everyone knew about his Peanut Punch and his ability to knock the ball loose from opposing wide receivers.
4. Jay Cutler
- This pains me to put him here but if you look at his stats he deserves to go down as one of the all time great Chicago Bears quarterbacks.
3. Lance Briggs
- Seven time pro bowler who played in one of the top linebacker duos for 10 years. Very underated because of the guy he played alongside.
2. Matt Forte
- Basically the lone offensive force in Chicago for many years. Typical work horse running back that was always a fan favorite. Will go down as the third best running back in Bears history along with Sayers and Payton.
1. Brian Urlacher
- Basically the face of everything about the Chicago Bears during much of the 2000's, bitter end to a all pro career that included eight trips to Hawaii.
Top Ten Chicago Bears of the Last fifteen years:
10. Marty Booker
- He only had two seasons with more than 1000 yards receiving being an undersized wide receiver, but he was an iron horse at a position the Bears have not had one since.
9. Mike Brown
- A oversized safety that made wide receivers think twice about going over the middle. He had a career year in 2001 with five picks, two touchdowns, and two forced fumbles while playing all 16 games.
8. Tommie Harris
- Big run stuffing defensive tackle that had a the rare ability to also get to the quarterback. Too bad his career only lasted six years in Chicago.
7. Olin Kreutz
- Six time pro bowl center with the Bears. Leader on the offense and in the locker room. It could be argued he had as much influence with the team as Urlacher did.
6. Alshon Jeffery
- Has only played a couple seasons in Chicago but was a top wide receiver with Brandon Marshall. As long as the Bears can find someone to help Jeffery he should remain a top five NFL wide receiver.
5. Charles Tillman
- Pro Bowl cornerback that lead the Defense after Urlacher was let go. Everyone knew about his Peanut Punch and his ability to knock the ball loose from opposing wide receivers.
4. Jay Cutler
- This pains me to put him here but if you look at his stats he deserves to go down as one of the all time great Chicago Bears quarterbacks.
3. Lance Briggs
- Seven time pro bowler who played in one of the top linebacker duos for 10 years. Very underated because of the guy he played alongside.
2. Matt Forte
- Basically the lone offensive force in Chicago for many years. Typical work horse running back that was always a fan favorite. Will go down as the third best running back in Bears history along with Sayers and Payton.
1. Brian Urlacher
- Basically the face of everything about the Chicago Bears during much of the 2000's, bitter end to a all pro career that included eight trips to Hawaii.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Running Backs
For my second post I will disscuss the Chicago Bears situation when it comes to running backs.
Current Depth Chart:
1. Matt Forte
2. Jeremy Langford
3. Kadem Carey
- I'll start off by saying that in my opinion Matt Forte has been the most consistent running back in the NFL in the past ten years. Usually running backs have one or two really good years and then kind of fade away. Year in and year out Forte continues to have extremely productive seasons regardless of his offensive line. The area of concern for the Bears is his age, Forte turned 31 this past season and historically, this is the age where running backs start to take a decline in production. Forte does so much both on and off the field for the Bears as he has been a team leader for many years. Having said this, Forte is a free agent and I think it would be smart for the Bears to move on without him. They should let him go chase a championship like they did with Charles Tillman. I really think Forte was getting tired of playing for a team that is in constant rebuild mode. Langford played extremely well for a rookie fourth round pick with six total touchdowns. Having said this I still dont think he is ready to take the full load at the running back position. Since the Bears are still at least a couple years away for being legitimate contenders, I think they should spilt the load between Langford and Carey. Hopefully during the next season one of them shows that they have what it takes to be a full time NFL running back.
Current Depth Chart:
1. Matt Forte
2. Jeremy Langford
3. Kadem Carey
- I'll start off by saying that in my opinion Matt Forte has been the most consistent running back in the NFL in the past ten years. Usually running backs have one or two really good years and then kind of fade away. Year in and year out Forte continues to have extremely productive seasons regardless of his offensive line. The area of concern for the Bears is his age, Forte turned 31 this past season and historically, this is the age where running backs start to take a decline in production. Forte does so much both on and off the field for the Bears as he has been a team leader for many years. Having said this, Forte is a free agent and I think it would be smart for the Bears to move on without him. They should let him go chase a championship like they did with Charles Tillman. I really think Forte was getting tired of playing for a team that is in constant rebuild mode. Langford played extremely well for a rookie fourth round pick with six total touchdowns. Having said this I still dont think he is ready to take the full load at the running back position. Since the Bears are still at least a couple years away for being legitimate contenders, I think they should spilt the load between Langford and Carey. Hopefully during the next season one of them shows that they have what it takes to be a full time NFL running back.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Quarterbacks
For my first couple of posts on this blog I will be going over some of the strengths and weaknesses of some of the different positions on the Bears, along with my opinions.
To start I'm going to discuss the most important position on any NFL Team, the quarterback's.
Here is the their current QB Depth Chart:
1. Jay Cutler
2. David Fales
3. N/A
-Let's first start with Cutler. Let me start off by saying that I have always been a fan of Cutler's skill as far as throwing the football. I don't think there are many quarterbacks in the NFL that can make some of the throws he does. However, along with many other Bears fans, once the game reaches critical time in the fourth quarter we sort of hold our breath and wait for Cutler to throw a pick. The other fact of the matter is his off the field demeanor. He almost never talks with teammates on the sideline's during the game and seems like he would rather be doing something else other than playing football. In my opinion, the Bears should actively seek for another franchise QB through the draft. However, this years draft is very weak for QB so I think the Bears should at least take a shot at one in the late rounds and let Cutler have at least one more year. I know Cutler did have statistically the best year of his career, but in the end the team finished 6-10 which in not good enough at all. As for David Fales, I think he is at best a career backup, maybe someone who could step up and manage a game every once in a while.
To start I'm going to discuss the most important position on any NFL Team, the quarterback's.
Here is the their current QB Depth Chart:
1. Jay Cutler
2. David Fales
3. N/A
-Let's first start with Cutler. Let me start off by saying that I have always been a fan of Cutler's skill as far as throwing the football. I don't think there are many quarterbacks in the NFL that can make some of the throws he does. However, along with many other Bears fans, once the game reaches critical time in the fourth quarter we sort of hold our breath and wait for Cutler to throw a pick. The other fact of the matter is his off the field demeanor. He almost never talks with teammates on the sideline's during the game and seems like he would rather be doing something else other than playing football. In my opinion, the Bears should actively seek for another franchise QB through the draft. However, this years draft is very weak for QB so I think the Bears should at least take a shot at one in the late rounds and let Cutler have at least one more year. I know Cutler did have statistically the best year of his career, but in the end the team finished 6-10 which in not good enough at all. As for David Fales, I think he is at best a career backup, maybe someone who could step up and manage a game every once in a while.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
About Me
About Me
The purpose of this blog is too spread knowledge and opinions about my favorite NFL team, The Chicago Bears. I am currently a Senior at Illinois State University. I originally grew up in St. Charles, IL which is about one hour west of Chicago. I have been a Bears fan as long as I can remember. I don't have much background in football, I only played in middle school for a couple years but I cannot remember the last time that I missed a Bears game. I have personally attended two games in person. I attended a Bears Packers game up at Lambeau Field a few years ago. As much as it hurts me to say this, being at Lambeau Field was by far the best sporting event that I have ever been to. I started this blog to give and get different opinions about the Chicago Bears. I consider myself somewhat spoiled in the fact that one of the first years that I really started paying attention to the Bears was in 2005 when they made the Super Bowl. I remember the first kickoff very fondly as Devin Hester took it all the way back for a touchdown. Since then it has gone downhill for the Bears in a big way. I think when a team struggles, like the Bears, it is much easier to debate and find many different opinions on how to turn the team around. The best way to contact me is through my email, jedieck1994@gmail.com.
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