News. Sports. Arts & Entertainment. Politics
Maurice Jones-Drew is inarguably the greatest running back in the brief history of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones-Drew retired this past March after nine seasons in the NFL. In eight years with the Jags and then spending last season with the Oakland Raiders he compiled career totals of 8,167 rushing yards and 81 total touchdowns.
Follow paulmbanks
It’s happening. The day has finally come where the play calling in the NFL resembles my own play calling from back when I first started playing Madden.
First and 10? Streak to the endzone. Second and four? Streak to the endzone. Third and short? Streak to the endzone.
Okay, it might not be that drastic. But if it hasn’t been apparent in the past decade or so leading up to this season, it should be clear to everyone now that the NFL is a passing league.
Follow paulmbanks
The rush of free agency has come and gone, and the NFL Draft has come to pass with mixed reactions about how the Bears decided to approach their first round pick. Way before all of that happened, the coaching staff was completely gutted and replaced.
There’s no doubting the Bears improved this offseason. The question now is “by how much?”
Follow paulmbanks
Imagine, if you will, Troy Polamalu returning a fumble he forced himself for a touchdown; Aaron Rodgers lofting up 50-yard bombs with pinpoint accuracy; and Maurice Jones-Drew dissecting a defense with his explosive speed.
Now, imagine all of those things happening… with those players wearing Bears jerseys. Call it crazy if you’d like, but the draft records show that former GM Jerry Angelo had the power to make all of this possible. In hindsight. [Read more…]
Follow paulmbanks
Well, that escalated quickly.
GM Phil Emery followed up his amazing opening act last season with an equally impressive performance in the first few hours of this year’s free agency period.
About 60 minutes after the opening bell, former Giants tight end Martellus Bennett was watching the ink dry on his new four-year deal with the Bears. The terms of Bennett’s contract have not yet been disclosed.
A few hours later, ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed that former Saints Pro Bowl left tackle Jermon Bushrod would be joining Bennett in the Windy City on a five-year, $36 million deal, making him the highest paid offensive lineman in team history. [Read more…]
Follow paulmbanks
It’s never too soon to think about how the Bears can improve for next season. I have some suggestions for GM Phil Emery.
I think with 2 key moves in the offseason, the Bears can find themselves on the right side of lopsided final scores like we saw in Jacksonville, only against much better opponents than the Jaguars.
Follow paulmbanks
We all know Tim Tebow is bad at quarterbacking, bad at throwing, bad at NFL football. There was even talk he could be out of the league once he was released by the New York Jets. After all he know how much Mark Sanchez sucks; and if you can’t beat him out for the position. And then he couldn’t even beat out the other guy, the kid from Alabama, well the future is not so bright.
But it looks like he’ll get another chance with the Jacksonville Jaguars. ESPN has already sent out an internal memo to all their staff to ramp up their Jaguars coverage 3000 %
Follow paulmbanks
The Indianapolis Colts have exceeded even the wildest of expectations this season.
The departure of Peyton Manning? A rookie quarterback and a young roster overall, working against a salary cap strapped with dead money? The Colts’ task was daunting entering the season.
And then, three weeks in, the team’s new head coach, Chuck Pagano, was diagnosed with leukemia and would miss most of the season while undergoing treatment (Pagano is in remission and could return to the sideline Dec. 30).
Anyone would have understood if this young squad had won just four games, and five or six wins would have been considered good given the circumstances.
But no. These “ChuckStrong” Colts (9-4) remarkably have showed grit and determination late in games, led by their sensational signal-caller, Andrew Luck; they amazingly stand one win away from clinching a playoff spot and control their own destiny for the AFC South title, the first of two crucial matchups with the Houston Texans (11-2) occurring at 1 p.m. today at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
Follow paulmbanks
Lovie Smith’s message to the team this week was to “have a fast start”. They clearly got the memo.
In 2000, the Tennessee Titans pulled off the famous “Music City Miracle”. In 2012, the Bears stormed into Nashville and put on a performance that from this day forth should be known as the “Music City Massacre” (I’m trademarking this).
If they hadn’t done so already, the Bear’s firmly placed their names amongst the NFC’s elite with their 51-20 shellacking of the Titans.
At 7-1 (I told you!), the Bears hold a 1.5 game lead in the division over the surging Green Bay Packers and are tied for 2nd in the NFL in winning percentage with their week 10 opponents, the Houston Texans.
The way the Bears dominated the Titans on Sunday was almost comical. They forced so many turnovers that defensive end Corey Wootton was visually disappointed when a pass he tipped fell harmlessly to the ground instead of being picked off. It felt like the players on defense were expecting to come away with the ball on every play.
Even though the defense stole the show once again, the offense and special teams put on a clinic as well. A one sided affair like this one is a gold mine for statistical gems. So without further ado, I present to you the best “Fun Facts” from Sunday’s game.
Follow paulmbanks
Andrew Luck was billed as the most NFL-ready quarterback prospect since Peyton Manning — some even said John Elway.
It seems fitting, then, that the 23-year-old rookie was drafted first overall by the Indianapolis Colts, the franchise that drafted both Manning and Elway (the latter forced a trade from the franchise when it was in Baltimore) with the top pick.
While the expectations of Luck have been enormous, he has shown promise in his first two starts as the Colts’ quarterback. He’ll look to build on that promise at 1 p.m. today as the Colts (1-1) play host to their division rivals, the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Follow paulmbanks
Celebrations like this should be frequent this year for the Bears.
After the dust had settled following the Bear’s third consecutive season opening win at Soldier Field, there was only one thing going through my mind:
“The Bears are WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE!”
But this time, it wasn’t as if Denny Green and the Arizona Cardinals “let us off the hook”.
The Bears couldn’t have had their opening 3 minutes go any worse if they planned to. But the following 45 minutes showed everyone what this team has the potential to do: hang points on people in a hurry, play suffocating defense, and dominate lesser opponents.
People may be quick to point out that the Colts were the worst team in the NFL last year, and that the Bears have gotten out to fast starts before only to flame out when it counts.
But Sunday’s game provided definitive signs to why this success will stick going forward.
Follow paulmbanks
Can MJD be the undoing of the Chicago Bear’s entire season?
According to my own sound reasoning, the Bears will either be 3-1 or 2-2 heading into the 2nd quarter of the 2012 NFL season. All things considered, 2-2 isn’t exactly reason for panic.
Luckily for the Bears, sandwiched between games 5 thru 8 is their bye week in week 6. And the next quartet of opponents appears to be a less daunting bunch… on paper.
But the Jaguars, Lions, Panthers and Titans will all be looking to show the Bears why the game isn’t played on paper.
Follow paulmbanks
