NFL.com's Top contenders for ROY honors

[hebs]

I view that as a huge negative. A 3rd round pick is expected to get the majority of offensive touches on a 12-4 team?! Makes you wonder what on earth the GM is doing, and how the young QB is going to make the next step (fire up the Cutler 'supporting cast' sob story, too).

Wtf?

 

[Bearly]

It's a catch 22. You can't get value for RB in the 1st but 3rd RBs aren't good enough so the only round to draft your load back in is #2. If he should have been drafted in 2 than we can all sing kumbaya.

 

[Bort]

It's worth noting that the Bears rushed the ball a lot last year. Their 468 total attempts was 6th in the NFL. However, they only averaged 4.1 yards per attempt, which was 26th in the NFL.

It's also worth noting that Jordan Howard really dragged down the rushing average. Howard averaged 3.7 yards per carry while everyone else who had a carry combined to average 4.6 yards per carry (most significantly Cohen who averaged 4.5).

Howard's regression from his rookie season has been extremely disappointing. IMHO, Howard was not a good running back last season. A lot of people are using "the system" (or the offensive line) as an excuse, but Howard just did not have the burst last year that he had his rookie season.

 

[Bort]

I would say the Bears OL when healthy is above average.

That has a lot to do with the brutal OLs in the NFL and having 5 guys who are solid on the OL is often better than 3 really good players and 2 scrubs because of the unit aspect of the position.

They have the best OL in the division, but again that is not a huge accomplishment.

I just wanted to chime in and agree with the observation that it's much better to have 5 average to above average guys on the OL (which is what the Bears have) than 3 stars and 2 scrubs.

 

[JoJoBoxer]

I think going into this season counting on Long to contribute anything of value is a mistake, as evidenced by the past 3 seasons. Obviously, Pace disagrees with me, as they decided (and were limited by resources) to do very little to bolster the interior.

It's also possible we start to see a decline in Massie, as he'll be 30 entering the season.

Overall, I'd wager much of the same from this unit this season. Quite frankly, I'd be shocked to see a clear "improvement", and definitely don't 'expect' it.

30 years is the end for a running back, not so much for an offensive lineman.

 

[EDPeezy]

All those stats are meaningless without context

The Bears were up big in a lot of games last year. That’s when they ran the ball. They built leads throwing the ball nad then they’d kill the clock and run it a lot when they were already up big. When everybody on the field, in the stadium, watching on tv knew chicago running the ball. Of course they weren’t gonna be that efficient when it was so predictable .

The reality is with the rule changes you’re gonna be more efficient throwing the ball and these old adages about balance just don’t hold as much water today. The running game under Nagy just isn’t emphasized the way passing is. With today’s NFL I don’t think he’s wrong either. Defensive backs can’t even touch anybody anymore. Why wouldn’t you just throw it a majority of the time?

Howard averaged 3.7 per carry because probably 80% of his attempts everybody knew chicago was running the ball. I’d guess a chunk of his carries came when the bears were up 17 in the second half and were trying to run clock. Plays where the defense probably had 8 men in the box and everybody knew they were running the ball. Nagy never threw him the ball so you knew if he was in the game they were probably running it. They were up big in a lot of games and his touches came when it was obvious they were giving it to him to kill clock.

 

[Novak]

30 years is the end for a running back, not so much for an offensive lineman.

It's a declining process, not just a straight drop off a cliff. Notice I used words like "possible" and "start"

 

[xer0h0ur]

Linemen take on contact on nearly every single snap. You best believe their bodies break down.

 

[JoJoBoxer]

It's a declining process, not just a straight drop off a cliff. Notice I used words like "possible" and "start"

True, but I believe the decline starts at around 32 for offensive lineman. Of course, injury is usually what ends an offensive lineman's effectiveness faster.

 

[Visionman]

I just wanted to chime in and agree with the observation that it's much better to have 5 average to above average guys on the OL (which is what the Bears have) than 3 stars and 2 scrubs.

Absolutely. The OL is only as good as it's weakest link. And any weak link forces the OL players next to him to compensate, making them look worse than they are as well...

 

[Mdbearz]

Too many things stacked against him, suspect Oline, offensive scheme, and the biggest one that many have brought up is the number of touches. Honestly he could very well be the #3 RB, or 1C, however you want to view it.

 

[jive]

He's not even guaranteed a starting spot, so that will hurt Montgomery's chances. For all we know, Whyte could rise up in training camp or mid season and take the starting job ala Philip Lindsay.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

Wtf?

So you disagree that CCS made excuses for Cutler's average/below-average performance? Did you also miss the last 10 years of CCS?

 

[Mdbearz]

30 years is the end for a running back, not so much for an offensive lineman.

Agree, for a lineman it seems the drop off has moved more towards the 32 year olds, with some healthy Lineman playing well till 35.

 

[hebs]

So you disagree that CCS made excuses for Cutler's average/below-average performance? Did you also miss the last 10 years of CCS?

Actually I was just wondering what it had to do with a offseason puff piece about David Montgomery being in contention for ROY.

Also, nobody wants that Cutler horse dug up again. It’s just messy and rotten at this point. lol