all the news

Okay folks, let get this season started.

I figured we could get a little talk going between these two
groups for the first game of the year.

I'm a Lions fan, and I'll say that I believe the majority of
Lions fans are looking at this as perhaps our best shot of
winning a road game this year. We'd certainly like to end
our streak and we're hoping that the Bears with their new
coach will take a bit of time to get their act together and
we can steal a win in Chicago.

As for the Lions, we're generally pretty pumped by our
draft. WR Roy Williams and RB Kevin Jones will
hopefully add some much needed pop to our offense.
A healthy Charles Rogers along with an improved OL
should help. Harrington is still a question mark to most,
but many feel he never had a shot with the supporting
cast he had his first two years. Additionally, the
conventional wisdom says a QB needs 3 years to really
learn, accept, and injest the WCO. This is year three
for Joey. Still, as talented as our offense is, it's still
very young. As I said, this is only year three for
Harrington. Add in our project starters at the other
"skill" positions 2xWR + RB = only 5 NFL games
experience (outside of exhibition).

Defensively, things are a bit less sunny. What used
to be the strength of the Lions is looking very suspect.
Our DL is a big question mark. We should be good
against the run up the middle with big guys Shaun
Rogers and Dan Wilkinson, but containment will be
a big problem, as will getting regular pressure on
the QB. Our LB are in a scary state right now. Our
big star of last year, Boss Bailey, is out for at least
two months with damage to his leg. Furthermore,
Donte Curry and James Davis, two other possible
outside starters both spent time in the exhibition
season on the shelf.

In the back field we've got a very nice CB tandum in
Bly and new pickup Fernando Bryant. Safety isn't
as strong with older guys in Brock Marion and Bryce
Walker, but Terrence Holt looks like he's a keeper and
might end up being the starter before year end.

Finally, Special team, again, a classically strong
Lions area. This year, it's a mixed bag. Jason Hanson
looks to be a dependable as ever, so FGs should be
fine. Our new punter (aquired last year after John
Jett was injured, and ultimately retired), Nick Harris,
was very questionable last year, but looked good
during the preseason. Of concern, however, was
our protection for run backs. We didn't have very
many big returns in the preseason. Worse, our
coverage on kick to the other team was even worse.
We regularly were giving up big returns to the
opposing team which really hurt the defense.

So, how are things looking for the Bears? How are
the draft picks shaping up? The new coach? Are
fans genearlly figuring a win against Detroit to
open the season?

Chris

rich

Bears fans are similar to Lions fans. Losses are shrugged off, but NOBODY
gets more excited when they win! This is a relatively new attitude; when
Chicago had their awesome season a few years ago, it was heartbreaking to
see how quickly they entered the toilet. For the record, if Detroit loses
this one they're in trouble. They are a vastly improved team, and Chicago
is exactly where Detroit was when Mariucci took over.

bcs

You also have a complete moron as defensive coordinator. Seriously,
that drooling retard will make your defense look like that of a high
school JV team. You won't get any pressure on the QB, as Jauron doesn't
believe in pressuring the quarterback (seriously, I shit you not: his
former DC Greg Blache said you don't have to have sack the QB to win in
the NFL). Those players that routinely generate turnovers (by taking
the kind of well-advised gambles that all professional football players
make) will be benched in favor of players who will stick to his mediocre
scheme and not take opportunities presented by the opposing offense. He
really hates generating turnovers. Really.

Jauron will never do anything aggressive like putting 8 in the box
(which he should do against us since our passing game was abysmal in the
preseason). He will rarely blitz, and when he does, his blitz schemes
will be so tame and readily identifiable that my 14 year old sister
could pick them up.

Oh, and if you have any talented rookies on your defense, don't expect
Jauron to play them. No matter how much better a rookie is than a
veteran, he won't get played until the veteran gets injured or really
starts stinking up the place.

You will rue the day he was chosen as your DC. I suggest firing both
your general manager and head coach for making that choice. Either they
were drunk or high out of their minds when they hired him, or Jauron has
compromising photos of them with cheap Detroit call girls.

bryan schwerer

Another thing. He will let the special teams coach grab your best
defensive players and tire them out so when they are realy needed they
will be sitting on the bench resting and watching your defense give up
a big play. Just be glad he has no say in running your offense.

all the news

Is this the general feeling of Bears fans? As an outsider, I'd thought
the Bears were still decent Defensively, but had a real problem with
their offense.

How much of what you said might be attributed to your DC rather
than Jauron? Certianly Jauron is ultimately responsible and the
blame should be his is the DC was doing something he wouldn't
have wanted, but perhaps part of Jauron's problem was that he
wasn't a good Head Coach...

Anyway, I certainly hope you're wrong for the Lions sake. I
would really hate to have yet another new DC next year.

Did Jauron call the defensive plays himself?

Chris

brian anderson

I can't figure for the life of me why a talented HC like
Mariucci who is struggling to bring a lifeless team back to
contention would take on a dead weight like Jauron. Jauron
coaches under a cloud of apathy and resignation -- we could
hear the Bears players coming to life again in the media right
after Jauron/Shoop got the boot. They were soooo glad to be
out from under that cloud.

The Detroit players know who Jauron is, they know how disliked
he was by the Bears players. They've been totally screwed
over by his hiring, and they know it.

IMHO, Jauron will severely hamper Mariucci's progress with the
Lions. Expect another 5-11 season this year, and hope for 7-9
by 2007. After that Jauron is gone, and maybe Mariucci with him.

This Sunday goes to the Bears despite their mis-timed offense
and spotty defense.

gw

I think what everyone forgets about the Bears and Jauron is that the Bears
haven't had a first line quality QB since Mac with the exception of the year
Kramer had. With the group of QB's the Bears have had over the years you
can't expect wonderful results.

all the news

Okay folks, let get this season started.

I figured we could get a little talk going between these two
groups for the first game of the year.

I'm a Lions fan, and I'll say that I believe the majority of
Lions fans are looking at this as perhaps our best shot of
winning a road game this year. We'd certainly like to end
our streak and we're hoping that the Bears with their new
coach will take a bit of time to get their act together and
we can steal a win in Chicago.

As for the Lions, we're generally pretty pumped by our
draft. WR Roy Williams and RB Kevin Jones will
hopefully add some much needed pop to our offense.
A healthy Charles Rogers along with an improved OL
should help. Harrington is still a question mark to most,
but many feel he never had a shot with the supporting
cast he had his first two years. Additionally, the
conventional wisdom says a QB needs 3 years to really
learn, accept, and injest the WCO. This is year three
for Joey. Still, as talented as our offense is, it's still
very young. As I said, this is only year three for
Harrington. Add in our project starters at the other
"skill" positions 2xWR + RB = only 5 NFL games
experience (outside of exhibition).

Defensively, things are a bit less sunny. What used
to be the strength of the Lions is looking very suspect.
Our DL is a big question mark. We should be good
against the run up the middle with big guys Shaun
Rogers and Dan Wilkinson, but containment will be
a big problem, as will getting regular pressure on
the QB. Our LB are in a scary state right now. Our
big star of last year, Boss Bailey, is out for at least
two months with damage to his leg. Furthermore,
Donte Curry and James Davis, two other possible
outside starters both spent time in the exhibition
season on the shelf.

In the back field we've got a very nice CB tandum in
Bly and new pickup Fernando Bryant. Safety isn't
as strong with older guys in Brock Marion and Bryce
Walker, but Terrence Holt looks like he's a keeper and
might end up being the starter before year end.

Finally, Special team, again, a classically strong
Lions area. This year, it's a mixed bag. Jason Hanson
looks to be a dependable as ever, so FGs should be
fine. Our new punter (aquired last year after John
Jett was injured, and ultimately retired), Nick Harris,
was very questionable last year, but looked good
during the preseason. Of concern, however, was
our protection for run backs. We didn't have very
many big returns in the preseason. Worse, our
coverage on kick to the other team was even worse.
We regularly were giving up big returns to the
opposing team which really hurt the defense.

So, how are things looking for the Bears? How are
the draft picks shaping up? The new coach? Are
fans genearlly figuring a win against Detroit to
open the season?

Chris

rich

Bears fans are similar to Lions fans. Losses are shrugged off, but NOBODY
gets more excited when they win! This is a relatively new attitude; when
Chicago had their awesome season a few years ago, it was heartbreaking to
see how quickly they entered the toilet. For the record, if Detroit loses
this one they're in trouble. They are a vastly improved team, and Chicago
is exactly where Detroit was when Mariucci took over.

bcs

You also have a complete moron as defensive coordinator. Seriously,
that drooling retard will make your defense look like that of a high
school JV team. You won't get any pressure on the QB, as Jauron doesn't
believe in pressuring the quarterback (seriously, I shit you not: his
former DC Greg Blache said you don't have to have sack the QB to win in
the NFL). Those players that routinely generate turnovers (by taking
the kind of well-advised gambles that all professional football players
make) will be benched in favor of players who will stick to his mediocre
scheme and not take opportunities presented by the opposing offense. He
really hates generating turnovers. Really.

Jauron will never do anything aggressive like putting 8 in the box
(which he should do against us since our passing game was abysmal in the
preseason). He will rarely blitz, and when he does, his blitz schemes
will be so tame and readily identifiable that my 14 year old sister
could pick them up.

Oh, and if you have any talented rookies on your defense, don't expect
Jauron to play them. No matter how much better a rookie is than a
veteran, he won't get played until the veteran gets injured or really
starts stinking up the place.

You will rue the day he was chosen as your DC. I suggest firing both
your general manager and head coach for making that choice. Either they
were drunk or high out of their minds when they hired him, or Jauron has
compromising photos of them with cheap Detroit call girls.