DecemberDec. 1, 2008 Orton must get act back together for Bears The Bears’ inability to score after having a 1st-and-goal at the Minnesota 1-yard line, followed immediately by CB Charles Tillman’s mind-boggling meltdown on a 99-yard TD reception to ex-Bear Bernard Berrian, might have produced more unhappy growls from the team’s fan base. But those ugly moments overshadowed what might be a bigger problem worth pondering after the Bears’ 34-14 prime-time loss to Minnesota — the sudden ineffectiveness of QB Kyle Orton.
In the first game this season ... More> NovemberNov. 10, 2008 Bears must improve pass defense The focus this week leading up to the Bears’ visit to Green Bay is likely to be on QB Kyle Orton, who said after his team’s 21-14 loss to the Titans Sunday that he thinks he should be able to play against the Packers after a one-game layoff due to an ankle injury. But whether or not he or backup Rex Grossman is under center in Lambeau Field, the Bears could be in for a very ... More> Nov. 3, 2008 Orton's ankle injury costly blow for Bears Bears QB Kyle Orton, one of the league’s hottest quarterbacks heading into Week Nine action, is expected to be cooling off on the sideline for at least the next month or so after injuring his right ankle in the Bears’ 27-23 come-from-behind victory over the Lions. A more specific diagnosis of Orton’s injury will come Monday after he has an MRI.
Orton, who was taken off the field on a cart late in the second quarter with ... More> OctoberOct. 13, 2008 Another defensive breakdown kills Bears The Bears appeared to be on the cusp of what would have been one of their most uplifting victories in recent memory Sunday following QB Kyle Orton’s picture-perfect 17-yard TD pass to Rashied Davis that gave them a 20-19 lead with 11 seconds remaining. But as was the case in their previous two losses, the defense let them down at the worst possible time. After a squib kickoff by the Bears, Falcons rookie QB Matt Ryan ... More> Oct. 6, 2008 Bears' Orton making steady progress With every passing week, Bears QB Kyle Orton is starting to look like the real deal. Orton was never better at the pro level than he was in the Bears’ convincing 34-7 victory in Detroit, completing 24-of-34 passes for a career-high 334 yards (his first 300-yard game) and a pair of touchdowns, despite missing No. 1 WR Brandon Lloyd, who was sidelined with a sprained left knee. Orton had no interceptions or fumbles and connected with seven ... More> SeptemberSept. 22, 2008 Bears' latest loss leaves bitter taste After allowing their opponent to successfully come back from a double-digit deficit for the second straight week, it should come as no surprise that the Bears were hardly happy campers Monday. Chicago is stuck with a 1-2 record after allowing ex-Bear Brian Griese and the Buccaneers to rally for an improbable 27-24 overtime victory at Soldier Field Sunday. The Bears could just as easily be 3-0, but a host of ill-timed mistakes have killed them the last two weeks.
The biggest mistake ... More> Sept. 8, 2008 Bears rookie Forté off to smashing start How sweet it was!
Bears boosters might want to make special note of the first really big play in Matt Forté’s career — a beautiful 50-yard TD run on third down with 4:59 left in the first quarter that set the tone for the Bears’ stunning 29-13 upset victory over the Colts in the team’s Sunday-night prime-time opener in Indianapolis.
It might also set the tone for what could be a surprisingly successful Bears season if Forté can ... More> JulyJuly 23, 2008 The PFW spin: Bears' Hester opts for holdout Controversy figured to be a no-show at the Bears' training camp after star LB Brian Urlacher and the team's first-round draft pick, OT Chris Williams, agreed to new contracts within 24 hours of one another not long before the team's first practice in Bourbonnais, Ill., Wednesday afternoon.
But that all changed in a hurry when return specialist extraordinaire and emerging wideout Devin Hester was officially deemed a holdout after failing to show up for the opening practice. With two ... More> July 15, 2008 Bears sign RB Kevin Jones
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Kevin Jones
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The Bears hope they bolstered their backfield Tuesday afternoon, signing ex-Lions RB Kevin Jones to a one-year contract. Terms of the deal were undisclosed. Originally selected by Detroit in the first round (30th overall) of the 2004 draft, Jones rushed for 3,067 yards and 24 touchdowns on 761 carries in four seasons with the Lions. The 25-year-old Virginia Tech product rushed for 581 yards and a career-high ... More>JuneJune 20, 2008 Bears make Harris highest-paid defensive tackle
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Tommie Harris
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Before going into hibernation for the next month or so, the Bears took care of an important piece of business late Thursday, signing DT Tommie Harris to a four-year contract extension worth $40 million ($27 million over the next three years) that moves him to the top of the payroll list among NFL defensive tackles and makes him the highest-paid player at that position in NFL ... More> June 9, 2008 Bears decide to release Benson
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Cedric Benson
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As had been widely predicted, Cedric Benson’s latest arrest turned out to be his last straw with the Bears. Benson, the fourth overall selection in the 2005 draft, was released Monday, hot on the heels of his arrest on a drunken-driving charge in the wee hours this past Saturday morning in Austin, Texas. A month earlier, Benson was charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, also in ... More>June 7, 2008 Bears' Benson back in trouble Embattled RB Cedric Benson's already shaky status with the Bears was dealt another severe blow when he was arrested and charged with drunken driving in downtown Austin, Texas, Friday evening — just one month after being arrested on Austin's Lake Travis on charges of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, a charge that is still pending. Benson was released at 9 a.m. this morning on bond, Travis County Jail officials said. Addressing the local media at the 2008 Subway Bears Expo at Soldier ... More> MayMay 5, 2008 Bears' Benson could be in hot water
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Cedric Benson
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Bears RB Cedric Benson’s timing couldn’t have been any worse. While Matt Forté, the Bears’ second-round draft pick, was busy looking extremely impressive at the team’s rookie minicamp this past weekend, improving his chances to become the Bears’ new starting running back this season, Benson was busy getting busted near Austin, Texas, last Saturday evening. The Bears’ beleaguered running back was arrested on charges ... More>MarchMarch 2, 2008 Surprise: Briggs sticks with Bears
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Lance Briggs
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The sting of losing WR Bernard Berrian to the division-rival Vikings Saturday evening was lessened considerably just a few hours later when the Bears announced they had reached a new six-year agreement with OLB Lance Briggs, who was widely considered among the top five free agents available this offseason. Briggs’ deal reportedly is worth $36 million, with $21.6 million in salary the first three years and ... More>FebruaryFeb. 19, 2008 Bears cut Muhammad, Miller, Walker; re-up with Brown It ended up being a bloody Monday for the Bears, who released a trio of aging veterans — WR Muhsin Muhammad (34), ORT Fred Miller (35) and DT Darwin Walker (30) — and whacked away about $15.6 million in salary-cap fat in the process. None of the moves was surprising. Muhammad, who had three years left on his contract, has been in a steady decline; his 40 catches for 570 yards in 2007 were his lowest totals ... More>
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