Chicago Bears: The implications of Kyle Orton

Wow, that happened about 2 months too early. You see I usually get depressed from the Bears after a month into the season after all the losing, inept coaching and amateur play. Well my depression just kicked in. I heard Kyle Orton was named the starter. As Lovie Smith will likely say several times this year, "Kyle is our Quarterback". A simple sentence, sure. But translated it means, "Kyle is terrible, we are terrible, but we need to stick with our terrible quarterback".

Now, this is obviosly unfair to Kyle. He admittedly looked okay in training camp and during pre-season. He might be a good QB that carries us to some wins. But, by selecting Orton as our QB, the Bears are really telling us, "Get ready for some boring offensive football". Orton as our starter really means the following:

1. We're rarely going to push the ball upfield. The Bears are going to settle for some 4 yard or less passing plays. Unfortunately, this will also yield 3 yard or less running plays.

2. The Bears will take zero risk in the passing game. Which, if you know anything about Finance means that the Bears will be granted zero rewards in the passing game.

3. Now I know why the Bears signed Marty Booker. His max potential right now is to be an okay possession receiver. Watch out for a lot of 4 yard outs and stop routes.

4. This also means saying good by to our play-makers. Bradley is likely gone. The Bears have no use for upside potential right now. We're going with Booker, Rashied Davis (aghhhhhhh) and Brandon Lloyd. Devin Hester may mix things about a bit on a play-action pass. But likely, he'll be used more as a dummy player or running trick plays. I can just see the John Shoop comparisons.

5. Speaking of Shoop. Get ready for some Shane Mathews football. QB 10 for 14, 101 yards, and 1.9 yards per catch stats.

6. The Bears are going to rely solely on their defense and Special Teams. This seems absurd as I am not sure we are a top 5 defensive team even when healthy. But what happens when Mike Brown gets hurt or Tommie Harris gets slowed down due to a nagging injury?

7. In order to win any game the defense must hold teams to 13 points or less. Thats 85 Bears/Baltimore Ravens realm. Do you really think they can do that?

8. This team's ceiling is 9 wins, and maybe 10. Which sounds great, but either way its a plan destined for a 1st round exit in the playoffs. The NFL has changed my friends. If you can't put up points on the board, its over. Do you think the Cowboys, Colts, Pats are going to score less than 13 points? That may happen one game all season for those teams.

9. The elevation of Orton, the "throw Grossman under-the-buss" off-season the Bears instituted, and the inept actions of Jerry Angelo, all lead to one conclusion. The Bears will never, ever, ever win a SuperBowl with Angelo or Lovie at the helm.

10. Lastly, just to pour the salt and alcohol in the wound, its rebuilding time for the Bears. Next year we're looking for a QB in the draft. We need to rebuild the offensive line completely. We need to find a whole new receiving core. Meanwhile, Urlacher and Brown get another year older. Yep, I fear my friends that the Bears little run is over. Its time to start looking towards 2011 when the Bears might be good again.

Finally, I have one last thing to say. The Bears threw Rex Grossman under the bus. I honestly feel sorry for the guy. They never gave him a chance. The put him behind a terrible OL, let Seattle blitz all day without any additional blocking. And then, they put Orton in for two series. The first one he goes 3 and out. The second one he takes advantage of a prevent defense in a 2 minute drill by throwing easy short passes to the flat for 5-6 yards a piece. He makes one nice throw to Lloyd. They then take him out of the game out of fear he'll show his truer colors. And then the idiots blame Grossman for the terrible offense and hang their hats on Orton's great 2 minute drive. Ridiculous.

Here's to 6-10 men. Open those bottles of Prozac.