Weekly Fantasy Roundup: Bench/Start Week 10

BENCH

WR Hines Ward/Santonio Holmes (Steelers) - Pittsburgh's talented WR combo has had its ups and downs through eight games this season, but with Big Ben Roethlisberger's status up in the air after getting knocked out of the Steelers' Week 10 game, I want no part of either Ward or Holmes come Sunday. Neither of these WR has yet to record 100 receiving yards in any game so far in 2008, and that trend is sure to continue in Week 10. Indianapolis has allowed a league low two (yes, TWO!) passing touchdowns all season, and their secondary is pretty much back at full strength now that 2007 defensive player of the year Bob Sanders has returned to action. I suggest leaving these underachieving WRs on your bench in Week 10.



RB Matt Forte (Bears) - With QB sensation Kyle Orton expected to miss Sunday's game, Rex Grossman takes over behind center - and that means trouble for the entire Bears offense. Look for the Titans to stack the box against Forte, and make Grossman beat them through the air - a task that we all know is almost impossible. Running backs have had their fair share of success against Jeff Fisher's defense, but with Grossman at the helm, things don't look promising for Forte. The rookie RB is coming off his best game of the season, but should struggle to find room against Albert Haynesworth and the rest of the Tennessee defensive line. If you have other options, you may want to think about giving Forte the week off.



RB Joseph Addai (Colts) - In his first game back since injuring his hamstring back in Week 6, Addai put on a pretty lackluster performance Sunday night against a very mediocre New England rush D. He ran for 32 yards on 17 carries, and looked like he should have waited at least another week to make his return. Things aren't going to get any easier for the former LSU standout in Week 10, as the Colts head to Heinz Field to take on a Steelers D allowing 70.1 rush yards per game. Pittsburgh has only allowed 3 rushing TDs all season, and when you combine that with the fact that Addai might not be 100% come Sunday, it might be a good idea to leave him on your bench until he shows that he's back to playing at a Pro Bowl level.

START

QB Matt Ryan (Falcons) - The #3 overall pick in the 2008 draft got off to somewhat of a shaky start, but has held his own in recent weeks and is starting to look more and more like he is going to be a star in the NFL for years to come. Ryan has averaged 266 passing yards per game the last three weeks to go along with five TDs and only 2 INTs. Look for the strong play to continue in Week 10, as The Ice Man gets to face off against the Saints in what should be his easiest match up of the season. New Orleans has one of the worst pass defenses in the league - they're allowing over 230 passing yards per game and have given up 12 passing TDs. If you were ever planning on giving Ryan a start, this is the week to do so.



RB Ryan Torain (Broncos) - Denver has been hyping up this rookie RB since the preseason, but due to a broken elbow, Torain hasn't been able to get on to the field. He made his largely anticipated return last week against the Dolphins, but was held to three yards on one carry. A lot has changed in the short week though, as Bronco RBs Michael Pittman and Andre Hall are both out for the year with injuries. That leaves Torain and Selvin Young as the only RBs in Mike Shanahan's backfield, and considering that Young is not 100% healthy, Torain could be in line for a big day. The Broncos head to Cleveland to take on the Browns and their atrocious rush D, which is allowing nearly 150 yards and a over a TD per game on the ground. He makes for a great play this week, and although unproven, don't hesitate to throw Torain into your lineup.



RB Tim Hightower (Cardinals) - Frankly, this is a no brainer - #34 is the real deal. Even before he was given the starting gig, he was fantasy relevant, but now that he'll be getting 15-20 carries per game - watch out. He is part of one of the NFL's most potent offenses, and can simply do it all - he has tremendous speed and is an absolute beast at the goal line. He faces a 49ers D that has trouble stopping the run, and should be in line for a monster game on MNF. There are only a handful of RBs I would rather have than Hightower the rest of the way, so if for some reason he's still a free agent in your league (he's only owned in 77% of Yahoo! leagues) stop reading this and go grab him immediately!

The Links--Bet With Your Heart Edition

• Bulls lose to Cavs as Lebron drops 41. Stormin' Norman loses five dollars to me.
• The White Sox have invited Obama to throw out the first pitch on Opening Day. Makes you wonder how many season ticket holders will be allowed to attend.
• Meanwhile Loul's Dong thinks Obama should make it illegal to be a Cubs fan.
• Tidbits from Ball Don't lie on Gooden's "Johnny", Rose's self-esteem, and a brief Q&A with everyone's favorite Bull, Larry Hughes on the AI trade.
• Jim Hendry urges Cubs fans to "be patient." After 100 years? Is he kidding? He also urged blind people to "just look harder."
• Blackhawks fan collapses and dies at a game. Just like her mother did 22 years ago.
• Almost forgot to have God explain the past week in the NFL. Still waiting for an explanation on Orton.

Bulls-Cavs Tonight

Hardwood Paroxysm did this preview of the Bulls-Cavs game tonight at 7pm cst. Love the picture and the sarcasm:

And A Child Shall Lead Us (Via The Corndogg):

Bulls at Cavs.

And a child shall lead us. Rose has been blindingly good for the Bulls, racking up lines like a Colombian drug lord. And with all these early games against the Cavs, Rose has a courtside seat to watch exactly how NOT to play point. HT: Delonte West. Bron Bron has started hitting on all cylinders yet, which could very well happen with the well intentiond, but infinitely underprepared Deng/Sefolosha defensive juggernaut going all matador on him. And please, keep an eye on Del Negro's coaching style. This guy could mix together the ingredients for a poundcake and turn it into a hand grenade. That whole coaching thing must be really hard when all your components are practically missing limbs, or basketball ability. Plus, no Ben Gordon news in the past two weeks! Keep this up and I may actually say something positive about the kid (actually, that was a lie. May he rot in D-League hell).

Big Ten Power Rankings

1) Penn State- No game this week for Penn State and since I'm not a voter in the Coaches' Poll, they don't fall any spots.

2) Ohio State- Also no game this week. So lazy.

3) Michigan State- What a win against Wisconsin. Sure, the Badgers performed another late game meltdown, but that was supposed to be the Spartans' job. At 8-2, Sparty should finish 9-3 and play lose in a New Year's Day bowl.

4) Northwestern- The mobile Mike Kafka was just what Northwestern needed to beat Minnesota Saturday. Well, that and a shocking interception return for a touchdown in the last minute. It was a huge win, as the Wildcats have a couple of tough games left on the schedule against OSU and Illinois.

5) Minnesota- The Gophers were on their way to a possible 11-1 finish. A home win against Northwestern would have given them a great chance, but Adam Weber chucked an interception while trying to drive for a game winning field goal and a couple of deflections later, they lost. Who knows how different the season would be if they took a knee.

6) Illinois- It wasn't the statement win that fans were looking for against Iowa, but Saturday the Illini moved closer to a bowl bid. This week against Western Michigan should be better. The Illini need to get their Zookiness back.

7) Iowa- The Hawkeyes almost scored a huge win at Illinois. This week they'll get the chance to make up for it with an even bigger upset when Penn State comes to town.

8) Wisconsin- What is it about Wisconsin in the fourth quarter this year? They gave Michigan its only win of the year in the conference, blew an upset bid against Ohio State, and up 11 against Michigan State they fell asleep and blew that one too. I guess it starts with the head coach, because you can't expect your team to keep it together while you're getting 15 yard penalties from the sideline.

9) Purdue- The hook and ladder was one of the best I've seen. Has to feel good for Tiller to grab a win against Michigan in his last season, no matter how bad the Wolverines are.

10) Michigan- Oh man, this year is not going well. The offense finally showed some life with 42 points, but when the defense gives up almost 300 passing yards to a backup running back, you suck.

11) Indiana- Here they are! The Hoosiers lost to Central Michigan this week. Indiana is really bad at football.

Neckbeard Thinks He's Starting

The Sex Cannon is back! It's going to be a longball-slinging, risk-taking party! Wooo...wait, what? Orton thinks he is still going to play this week? That neckbeard must have mutant healing powers because Kyle thinks he might play this week:

"I'm certainly not ruling out anything," Orton said when asked if he could play soon. "Just going week to week."

Orton said he has an ankle sprain. A source said Orton was told he'd be out three to four weeks but the quarterback isn't putting a timetable on his return.

"I feel like I got lucky," Orton said. "I'm hoping I don't miss any time."

I hope this didn't kill your boner StevieY19.

He's Back, and You Know It!

After calling for it earlier in the season, you can imagine how excited I am that the Sex Cannon is back in Chicago. Bears football is exciting again. Sure, the defense has tried to make it fun this year, giving up tons of points, falling behind to the Lions, and blowing games late, but this is what it's all about. Orton tried to woo me with his efficiency and success, but I'm not interested.

Time for the Cannon to fire it down the field, even when he has a guy open at the sticks. He's not scared. Rexy is a free agent at the end of the season and this is his chance to show some team that wants a bad ass gunslinger that he's their guy. I'm thinking the Lions.

Orton liked to overthrow his guys when they had a defender beat, but you should be prepared for the Cannon to let those guys run for a while longer and then try to throw the ball out of the back of the end zone. If you find yourself asking why this is a good idea, Rexy would tell you it's only second down and he can still blaze a bullet to Dez Clark on third down, plus the ladies love it. Then he'd kick you in the shin for asking a stupid question, because that's how he rolls.

The Sex Cannon knows that the Bears are in a tight race for the playoffs and have a good shot at winning this terrible division. Rex is no idiot, he has a plan. Don't get excited, you'll see the same old Cannon, but expect the defense to play better and Hester to finally come around in the return game. Is it Sex Cannon magic? No, the defense and special teams will be better because they know they have to. No more Orton bailing them out of games. They know that Sexy Rexy is too awesome to change, so it'll be on the rest of them to get the wins. Plus, yes it actually will be Sex Cannon magic.

Will he fumble some? Yes. Will he throw some picks and other terrible passes? Yes. But will this cost the Bears football games? Well, probably yes. But this is going to be a hell of a ride!

Vinny Del Negro Finds 3-Guard Game Plan in Skiles Old Desk

Let's set the scene: The Bulls are struggling against a superior opponent. Luol Deng seems to have disappeared offensively, Tyrus and Joakim have been relegated to the bench for what seems like no reason. The Bulls trail by double digits (let's say 17). The Bulls coach, in desperation, goes to the 3-guard lineup to try to shake things up. Somehow, miraculously, the Bulls mount a comeback with this lineup that falls just short. Sound familiar? Yeah it happened the other night in Orlando, but it was also the modus operandi of the Bulls under Skiles the last few seasons as well. Though the Bulls got some positive results from that lineup, the coach thinks (or in Skiles case insists) that the smallball lineup is effective.

The only reason those lineups worked was because there was a specific matchup that favored it (against Orlando, Howard is the only true big man, Rashard and Hedo are perimeter guys), or if the Bulls were down by 20 playing against the other team's scrubs. Otherwise the 3-guard lineup does not work. It makes the Bulls, already a rebounding-challenged team, even more susceptible to getting outboarded.

What Vinny has yet to understand is that players need to know their roles and play in the position that allows them the most success. He needs to stop mixing up the lineups and experimenting. Thabo is not a pg or sg, he is only there for his defense. Nocioni should be coming off the bench as a spark in certain situations. Hinrich should not be at the 2 (though this is being proven wrong, Rose is somehow able to raise Kirk's effectiveness at the 2). Deng and Nocioni should not be playing power forward ever. Tyrus should never be at the small forward. All of those things put players out of their comfort zone.

Regardless of his opinion of the 3-guard lineup, he needs to let people know their roles and put them in the best position to win. The jury is still out on Vinny, but for now, his biggest job should be to set a rotation and stick with it.

One last slightly unrelated note: If there is a possession with the potential to win or tie the game at the end (down 1, 2, or 3 with less than 30 seconds), the ball needs to be in Rose's hands. Ben Gordon needs to understand his role on this team. It will benefit him as well, since he will likely get better looks than he would have, since Rose creates good shots for everyone around him. That shot he took at the end of the Magic game was ugggggggly.

Today's Links

• New president elected last night. Alexi Giannoulias talks about the pick up game he played with Obama yesterday.
• Hawks rookie Kris Versteeg sings a little song. Hilarious.
• Tremendous Upside Potential thinks the White Sox won the election. It just goes to show if you meet a Sox fan, assume their IQ is about 20 points lower than the average.
• Some Bears news and notes. Is this Grossman different?
• Vinny brings in Lou Holtz to inspire the team. I'm not sure how I feel about that...oh wait yeah I do, Lou Holtz sucks.
  

Obama Gets Support From Annoying Bum

Home Run Derby is running a story that Ronnie "Woo-Woo" Wickers is an Obama supporter:


Seems unlikely that this guy is registered to vote or even has a real birth certificate. Either way this doesn't necessarily bode well for Barack. Remember who Ronnie usually cheers for? Yeah the Cubs, and look how that's turned out.

"Yes We Can" Have a College Football Playoff!

I'm sure most of you either saw Obama and McCain on Monday Night Football yesterday or heard about it. One of the last questions asked by Chris Berman (wtf?) was relating to sports and asked what each candidate would like to change in the world of sports.

In an age where the government is increasingly involved in sports, this question isn't so ridiculous. McCain went with eliminating performance enhancing drugs, which was about as surprising as a 3rd and 1 rush up the middle. Obama threw a double reverse pass and mentioned wanting to see a playoff in college football.

Yes! Get it done Barack. If you win, you call those university presidents and the NCAA decision makers to the White House and pummel them with your wit and your cadence until we see eight teams slugging it out for a legitimate championship.

It's too bad we couldn't get this in place for this season, as a playoff would be the only real way to get the best teams playing for the title. There are at plenty of teams with legitimate arguments to play for it all this season: Alabama, Penn State, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Texas, USC, and Florida as a start.

I don't care if you meant this as a promise or not, I'm holding you to this one Mr. Obama. FIX IT!

Fill In The Blank

We will be running a new feature on NQTC starting today. I'm not exactly sure how often I will run this, but basically I stole the idea from Ball Don't Lie's "Create-a-Caption". What happens is I will post a random picture I select, and you guys (the readers) create a funny caption for the photo. Post your caption ideas in the comments for this story and I will post the funniest caption under the picture at a later date. Here's this week's "Fill in the Blank".

Grossman spikes the ball after a touchdown run in Sunday's Bears-Lions game. Tait and Olsen can't seem to believe what they are seeing.




Last Week's Photo:

Best Caption comes from D-Train: "Andres Nocioni sees Mrs. Nocioni talking to Shawn Kemp"

Longest Most Racist Caption comes from Gavin: "It was at that moment, when the brave and chaste Sir Andres whose search took him to all corners of the globe, from Beijing to Buenos Aires, Chile to Chicago, caught a glimpse of what he had worked so hard to find... the legendary Arc, known in other cultures as the Finger Roll, the Tear Drop, the Giant Killer. On this night, the Arc would lead him in triumphant victory over the Moors of Milwaukee led by such exotics as Sheik Mbah a Moute and Imam Gadzuric."

Chicago Election Rules: Vote Early and Often

I know this is supposed to be a sports blog, but on election day I figured I should put up some election news. What better election news than voting shenanigans in Chicago? Well the Chicagoist is reporting that just such shenanigans are occurring, and in true Chicago fashion:

It's barely 8:30 a.m. and already a report of a voting glitch down in Pilsen.
Reader Lindsay sent us a tip, saying:
I was in line by 6:05 and at 6:30 I opted to vote with the electronic booth. Then I noticed something fishy, it was only asking me about Federal races. I had stayed up last night figuring which of the 100 judges was good and deciding how I felt about Con-Con and now I had no say? I asked the election judge who said, that's just the way it is. I know my rights and caused a fuss, saying something was wrong. In what world do you get a smaller ballot if you vote electronically? I then asked another election judge and there was major confusion before that realized that for me and everyone before me they had been using the wrong code. And now they did not know how to spoil my ballot. So in true Chicago style they let me cast my ballot and gave me a new card.

That reminds me of All-Star voting in the NBA and MLB. I always grab like 20 ballots and fill them out with all Chicago starters. The only difference is this is a real election. God Bless Chicago.

Today's Links

• Funny cartoon depicting "Take an NFL player to school day" starring Rex Grossman.
• Kelly Dwyer breaks down the Iverson-Billups trade (don't forget McDyess, the throw-in). Apparently this gives the Pistons a lot of cap room this summer. I'm just glad Rose won't have to face Chauncey 4 times this year.
• The Peavy trade talk rolls on. Cubs are still in the running.
• Bulls played crappy all game, then made a late run and almost won. Too bad. Also what was with that 3-guard small ball lineup? It actually was somewhat effective in short spurts, but I'm skeptical.
  

There's Only One Person To Blame For The Cubs Epic Collapse in 2008: Fukudome's Translator

While the finger pointing from outside the Cubs organization has piled up in the last month since the Cubs got on their knees and blew the NLDS, very little has been heard from within the organization about why they feel the Cubs screwed up. Well actions speak louder than words, and Jim Hendry is making a clear statement of blame here:

Hendry already has made...moves this off-season...firing Fukudome's interpreter, Ryuji Araki. Hendry wants to find an interpreter who jells better with the Japanese outfielder.

There you have it. So next time you hear them talking about team chemistry, don't just think about Theriot and DeRosa's ability to turn double plays or players getting along in the clubhouse. Remember, if a sacred relationship between a foreign player and his interpreter goes wrong, a whole season can go in the toilet. Wait wait wait, I have a better idea than firing Kosuke's interpreter: Acquire a power hitting left-handed bat! No, no that can't be right.(Thanks to Ethan for finding this little bit of news).

Big Ten Week Ten Wrap-up

What a week in the Big Ten. Strange that the most exciting action of the season came the week that the only two good teams in the conference were idle. The result of every single game Saturday was uncertain until the final minutes of play. The average margin of victory was four points, with the two biggest differentials (six and seven) decided on touchdowns in the last 30 seconds.

Northwestern upset Minnesota when Brendan Smith returned an interception 48 yards for a score with 12 seconds remaining to give the Wildcats a 24-17 road win. Quarterback Mike Kafka did the job offensively, filling in for injured CJ Bacher with 217 rush yards, a record for a Northwestern quarterback. The junior from Chicago overcame two picks to lead the Wildcats to the win.

Michigan State looked like they were starting the late season meltdown against Wisconsin Saturday. Javon Ringer was bottled up, Brian Hoyer was overthrowing receivers, and when he wasn't overthrowing them, the receivers looked like they were trying to catch the ball with their knuckles. Down 11 in the fourth, the Spartans charged back and won the game on a 44 yard Brett Swenson field goal with seven seconds remaining. State's first touchdown drive in the comeback was helped along by a five yard penalty, followed immediately by a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct call on UW coach Bret Bielema. MSU has a shot to share the Big Ten title if they can win against Purdue and upset Penn State.

Illinois did not look good against Iowa this week, but came through at the end when Matt Eller hit a 46 yard field goal with 24 seconds remaining to win by three. Illinois built a 24-9 lead before Iowa got a couple of fourth quarter touchdowns and tied the game. But Juice got his act together and led the Illini down the field to set up the game winner. Illinois moved to 5-4 and can become bowl eligible with a win over Western Michigan.

Speaking of bowl eligibility, any hopes Michigan had to extend its nation-leading 33 game bowl streak alive ended Saturday with a 48-42 loss at Purdue. Justin Siller filled in for the injured Curtis Painter at quarterback and tore up the Wolverines for 266 yards passing. Not bad for a guy who was a third string running back a few weeks ago. Purdue won the game on a hook and ladder with 26 seconds left.

Central Michigan came very close to getting a win against a Big Ten team against Purdue earlier in the season, but lost the game late. This week, the Chips got it done against Indiana. Backup QB Brian Brunner threw for 485 yards for CMU, filling in for the injured Dan LeFevour as the Chippewas became the second team this year from the MAC to beat Indiana.

Bulls Trade "Rumor" Turns Out To Be Old Man's Hallucination

If you are from Chicago you have heard of Sam Smith. He was the famous columnist/beat writer who has covered the Bulls since I was a kid. Throughout the Jordan years until last year, he worked at the Chicago Tribune. While he does good analysis of the Bulls and wrote a great book (The Jordan Rules, definitely check it out if you haven't), he also always comes up with crazy trades and calls them "rumors". I remember when he claimed the Bulls had all but completed the trade of Scottie Pippen for Shawn Kemp in the mid 1990s. I'm not sure how he's justified these crazy claims over the years, especially when I can't think of a single of his "rumors" that came true.

Well he was let go from the Tribune last year, but never fear! The Chicago Bulls gave him a blog on their official website. And it looks like he's up to his usual tricks again:

The first so called "big name" to come up in trade discussions has been Golden State's Al Harrington. The Warriors acknowledged Harrington asked to get away from coach Don Nelson, after which Nelson made Harrington a co captain. It apparently was a ploy to try to make Harrington look bad if his demand became public, which it did, and likely only further solidified Harrington's position.
The Warriors would send a plane for Hinrich and lifetime supply of Dungeness crab. Some Bay Area writers in columns already are urging the team to pursue Hinrich with Baron Davis gone and Monta Ellis out and Stephen Jackson handling late game point guard.

Ok I see the words trade discussions, which would imply that the two TEAMS are discussing a trade. The problem is he then goes on to discuss how sportswriters are the ones calling for the trade. Another credible rumor from the desk of Sam Smith. Don't get me wrong folks, I love Sam Smith and you should check out his new blog. Just don't trust everything you read.

Today's Links

• Orton is out for 4 weeks with a high ankle sprain. It's the Sex Cannon's time to shine. Oh and did anyone notice Rex was growing a little neckbeard of his own?
• I love Rose as much as the next guy, but a rookie should be hazed no matter how good he is. Don't you think.
• The Eamus Catuli sign that counts the years since the last Cubs World Series on top of the building on Sheffield has been reconfigured. Some people think the sign should be taken down altogether.
  
• Nike's commercial for LeBron's new shoe is very weird. Just think of it as some sort of weird softcore porn starring King James.
• Top Ten potential White Sox pick ups this offseason.
  
• Ron Zook lands another top recruit for Illinois Football. What is this guy's secret? I hope its not cheating.
• Bears-Lions recap.
• Sam Smith weighs in on the Bulls win against Memphis. There's also a Derrick Rose interview in there.
• Brett Favre may seem old, but he's still breaking records. No longer will NFL fans be able to say that no quarterback has 300 career interceptions. Thanks Brett!
  

Sex Cannon Saves The Day

In honor Rex Grossman coming back, here's a video tribute to the Sex Cannon via KSK:

Barack O'Balla Returns

In honor of the election Tuesday, I'm going to post this video I found of Barack Obama playing ball. Response to his last video was a bit lukewarm, though I felt he had excellent court vision. This video should convince you that you would pick him up in a playground game. He hits threes here, takes the ball to the hoop and finishes with some touch, makes some great passes and plays good defense. The only problem with this video is the nerdy kid who gives a play-by-play. Sorry about that. Enjoy:

Why Isn't The Bears Defense What It Used To Be?

The Bears defense has gone into a decline this year and everyone is asking why, or at least pointing fingers. I have only one place to point my finger. Defensive coordinator Bob Babich. What many people forget is that this defensive decline really began last year, when Babich first got promoted to defensive coordinator after Ron Rivera left. Even though he was and is still employing the Cover 2, Babich announced before that season he was going to abandon the blitz and completely rely on the pass rush of his front four. Lance Briggs doesn't want to blame Babich, however:

"From the outside, heat comes on the quarterback for the offense and on defense it comes mostly to the signal caller. That's Brian [Urlacher]and Bob Babich, but I don't feel that way," Briggs said. "Bob has called some great games. If we were to execute all the plays Bob has signaled in, we would be successful."

While Briggs does make a point, the play calling needs to take into account the players skills and strengths and put them in positions to be able to execute effectively. The Bears defense ranked 16th in scoring defense and 28th in yards allowed per game last year. That is a far cry from 2005 when the Bears 1st in scoring defense and 2nd in yards allowed per game.

What made Lovie and Rivera's version of the Cover 2 work so well was that there was pressure on the quarterback from all directions. Quarterbacks had to get rid of the ball quickly, allowing Peanut and Vasher (or whoever was playing CB) to make plays on the ball by undercutting routes and generally hawking for interceptions. Once the quarterback has time to settle, the CBs in the Cover 2 can be easily exposed for not being good cover guys.

Babich decided to essentially abandon the blitz last season, and while the sack numbers did not take a significant hit, the pressure on the quarterback did. This can be seen and felt most strongly in the number of turnovers forced by the Bears, especially interceptions. With the quarterback having more time in the pocket to check down and make good passes, the Cover 2 gets exposed, especially with system guys at CB who are not great cover guys but good ball hawks. Last year the Bears ranked 17th in interceptions with 16 INTs. This year the Bears have done better getting interceptions, but you can see that Babich is slowly opening up the Defense with more blitz schemes. Also 7 of their 10 picks this year came against 2 guys, Griese and Frerrote. Compare those 2007 and 2008 numbers with 2005 and 2006(2nd in INTs with 24 both years).

Babich has begun to open up the playcalling a bit and bring some pressure from different positions. Hopefully he continues that trend, because as has become blatantly obvious, his non-blitzing ways have been ineffective. Also, its just painful as a Bears fan who has come to love the smashmouth hard-hitting defense to watch a quarterback stand in the pocket for 4..5...6...7 seconds all game without even getting his jersey dirty.

While it is unfair to level 100% of the criticism at Babich, the playcalling has been primarily responsible for the decline of the defense. Other factors include: key pieces getting older, injuries, poor execution by players, etc. All those being said, Babich can rejuvenate this defense by getting creative. Its not like the Cover 2 doesn't allow for creative blitzing and coverage schemes. Use them Babich, confuse the defenses a little. Oh and PLEASE get some pressure on the quarterback.