Reaction to the holding call

I said earlier that this Bears/Packers game reminded me of last year’s first game. The reason for that is after each game each side complained about the refs. Last year the Packer’s fans were complaining that there were too many penalties called on the Packers; there were a total of 18.  This year Bears fans were the ones complaining, mainly of the holding call at the end of the game. Which it was holding, but the ref took forever to throw the flag. Also once again Fox added to the confusion, by showing relays of Cory Graham standing by himself.  The holding wasn't obvious, the fact that people had to search for it proves that. Also the fact that it happened around the 50-yard line and the flag was thrown around the 18 yard line also added to the confusion.  The thing I don’t like about the holding call was the situation in which it occurred, and the timing of the flag. Flag was thrown so late it is unbelievable; it was also thrown by the ref that is the furthest away from the play.

But as the video below shows it was a legit call, the hold happens at two seconds on the left side, just under the Fox Box or whatever they are calling it this year. I advise not to blink, look away, or do anything else that would distract you for the screen. Also make it a full screen before you start it or you might miss the hold.  This is also the only way one can see the hold.

A hold is a hold there is nothing else that really can be said.


But now Bears fans are idiots, for being unhappy about the call.  Which if the tables were turned, like they were last year, Packers fans would not be happy. We have short memories as fans; it’s all about what have you done for me lately. So before you call someone an idiot/something else think about what you were doing last year and before you get all pissed off about the holding call think about what you were say/doing last year. Because most Packers fans I know they were not happy with the officials last year, just as Bears fans are not happy this year.


More than just the holding call that played into the outcome of the game, the non-Pass Interference on Woodson is another one, which most likely saved a touchdown.  But there were bad calls both ways, also many good ones.   The Bears did not play a very good game at all, so before blaming the officials, blame the team for their play.
Also if there was no flag on the play, there would have been 52 seconds or so left.  The Bears would have still been down three with little chance of getting the onside kick.  The only people that really need to be upset about the holding call are the people that gambled on the game, as it was a 3.5 spread and the Bears would have covered.

Like it, Love it Steer Clear of it- Week 3

My Picks

Like it

Chiefs vs. Chargers (-15)

I know the point spread is huge, but the Chiefs are getting worst each week it hard to put any faith in them.  The Chiefs have lost their best player on each side of the ball.  Chargers are a great team, and they can score. Look for this one to be over in a hurry.  I would take the over also in this game, Chiefs are giving up an average of 44.5 points so far this year and they have not played a top five offense this year.

Love it

Lions (-3.5) vs. Vikings

The Lions have a good offense going against a subpar defense, although the Vikings do get defensive tackle Kevin Williams back this week we should help them out.  Lions are a well-balanced offense, and should keep the Vikings guessing all day.  Vikings offense has a strong running game, but a weak-passing attack.  Which plays right into the Lions hands.  As the lions have a strong front seven and a weak secondary.   Lions should be able to score touchdowns while the Vikings will be kicking field goals all day.

Steer clear of it

Packers (-4) vs. Bears

It’s a rivalry game these are never easy to get a handle on; great example is week one between Ravens and Steelers.  They tend to split the series every year.   Bears seem to be one of the few teams that can slow down the Packers.  The Packers are struggling with pass defensive this year.  So the Bears should be able to score, if the line can hold up.  I really think this game is a toss up, not because the talent levels are the same but because, the teams play each other tough.  They know everything about each other.

I went 1-1 last week.

NFC North-Defensive Lineman ranking

I have decided to rank defensive positions the same way that I did offensive positions.  It is going to be much harder to rank teams because of the different systems, but I have decided to give it a go.  The NFC North features 3 teams that play 4-3 schemes, the Bears, Lions and Vikings.  The Packers are the only team that plays a 3-4 scheme.

I am going to start with Defensive lineman; this is going to be based off of the teams depth chart.

     1.)    Chicago Bears- I have been back and forth with this ranking, it was between the Bears and the Lions.  I went with the Bears for the a few reasons they are healthy, they have depth, and are more experienced than the Lions.  The Bears also have Julius Peppers, who might be the best defensive end in the NFL.  He had, by his standards an offseason when it comes to sacks last year.  However, a lot of things he does do not show up in the stat sheets at the end of the game.  The next best athlete on the line is Henry Melton, who played part of his college career at running back.  Needless to say Melton has a first quick step.  This might be the biggest strength of the Bears.  On the opposite side of Peppers is Israel Idonije, who is coming off his first year as a starter and a career year.  The nose tackle is Anthony Adams is a space eater; he plays well against the run and provides a decent inside rush.  Also, look for Amobi Okoye and Matt Toeaina to make impact at nose and the other tackle positions.  Backing up Peppers and Idonije are Nick Reed, Corey Wootton, and Mario Addison.   Wootton is out with a knee injury, but should be return for week two.  It looks like Reed will get more time then Addison, even thought Addison is listed above Reed on the depth chart.

      2.)    Detroit Lions- The Lions come in at number two for one reason; there is a major lack of depth at every position.  Their starting four stacks up against any team in the league, but after that they have average players.  The Lions best lineman is Ndamukong Suh, who is only in his second year but is an absolute beast.  He might be the strongest player in the NFL.  Also, the added Nick Fairley in the first round of the NFL draft.  There are still a ton questions about how he makes the transition from college to pro, as he sat out the preseason with an injury and won’t be back for awhile due to having surgery on his foot.  If Fairly can make the transition quickly and have an impact, the Lions might have the best two starting interior defensive lineman in the NFL.  The scariest thing about that is that Fairly is only 23 and Suh is only 24 years old.  The Lions Defensive ends are Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril both are very good players in their own right.  The only down fall is that they are both not great pass rushers.  The Lions best back up is nose tackle Corey Williams.

     3.)    Green Bay Packers- Three and four are a tossup for me both teams have two good players, but after that there is not much to be desired.  The Packer’s best player is B.J. Raji who is a force in the middle, can play both the pass, and the run.  He is on the field a lot for the Packers.  Raji has a good first step and some good pass rushing moves.   Raji is a run stopper first and foremost and at 337 pounds he is a hard guy to move off the ball.  Ryan Pickett is the Packers next best lineman, and is a run stopper.  Pickett lack pass rushing skills but rushing the passer is not his job in this scheme.  He is there to eat up space so the linebackers can make plays. The other starter is Mike Neal, who is in his second year.  Neal played very little last year, but that is understandable since he was playing behind Cullen Jenkings.  Neal is not an upgrade over Jenkings, but he should play well as his replacement.

      4.)    Minnesota Vikings- The Viking lost two of their starting lineman from last year; they lost Pat Williams to retirement and lost Ray Edwards to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency.  The Vikings do however still have Jared Allen, who is one of the elite pass rushers in the league.  Allen is also a great athlete, he can play the run and will drop into cover every once and a while.  The Vikings next best lineman isn’t even on the field yet; Kevin Williams is severing a two game suspension.  The suspension stems for a violation of the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs program. Williams failed a test back in 2008 for taking StarCaps, along with a few other players, but the case has been on appeal ever since.  He will be back in week three but I’m not sure how much he has left in the tank.  The Vikings have pegged Brian Robison as the replacement for Edwards. Robison has been with the Vikings for four seasons and in limited time he has 13.5 sacks, which is a low number even for a backup over that time.  I don’t see him coming in and being much of a threat as a pass rusher.  In the middle the Vikings will go with Letroy Guion and Remi Ayodele.  Ayodele is a journeyman who has played will when given a chance.  In 2009 and 2010 he had a total of 67 tackles, he is a run stuffer and that is about it.  Ayodele will not provide much of a pass rush at all.  Guion has seen limited action backing up the Williams wall, also expect him to drop out of the starting lineup when Williams returns.   Their backups are all young and have very little experience.

All NFC North team- Offense

After ranking the teams as a whole by position, I thought that it would be a good idea to build a team using the players from the NFC North. This first installment is just going to be offensive players; I will put together a defensive team once I rank the teams.   Going to try and keep the team as close to 25 players, since rosters in the roster size in the NFL is 53. Three roster spots are for a long snapper, kicker and punter.  That leaves 50 roster spots; cut that in half leaves me with 25 spots, for each side.  There might be some guys on the team that will play a bigger role then where they are listed.  For example Devin Hester is the 6^th receiver, but he is more important in return game then he would be as a receiver.  Players are listed as they would be on the depth chart. So here goes nothing

QB

Aaron Rodgers

Jay Cutler

RB

Adrian Peterson

Matt Forte

Jahvid Best- Taking him over Ryan Grant because of his speed, and agility.

WR                 

Calvin Johnson

Greg Jennings

Percy Harvin

Donald Driver

Jordy Nelson

Devin Hester- Bigger role on special teams, small package of gadget plays on offense.

TE

Jermichael Finley

Brandon Pettigrew

Visanthe Shiancoe

LT

Jeff Backus

Chad Clifton

LG

Steve Hutchinson

Rob Sims

C

John Sullivan

Roberto Garza

RG

Josh Sitton

Chris Williams- Moving him from the left side, didn’t really like any other of the right guards

RT

Bryan Bulaga

Gabe Carimi- This one is more of a hunch, I think he will be a good player.

Number of players from each team: Bears-6, Lions-5, Packers-8 and Vikings-5.  Shockingly it’s a fair balance team.  Also only used up 24 spots so that gives me one more to use on defense, which is something I am sure I can use.  Next is defensive lineman, I know that the season has started but I am going to try and get them done as soon as I can.  I have been busy with work and the class I am taking.  I would like to thank you for your patience as I work on getting them done also hope you enjoy reading them.

NFC North Tight End rankings

These ranking are getting harder and harder, things are now turning into how teams use the players within their system. For example, the Packers use a tight end more than any other team in the division; I would hope so since they have five on their roster.  The Bears very seldom use a tight end, in their offense; they are more often use as an extra blocker than anything else.

Can Scheffler and Pettigrew take advantage of the middle of the field

      1.)    Detroit Lions-  This was not an easy decision for me to rank them as number one, but what put them over the top is the fact that they have two guys that can demand teams cover them. Those two being Tony Scheffler and Brandon Pettigrew.  Both guys take space up in the middle of the field.  Teams must respect both of them this provides Calvin Johnson more little freedom to move around on the outside.  The Lions other tight end on the other hand is really no threat at all, at 6-6 275 Will Heller is a glorified tackle.   

Can the Packers find another receiving option  besides Finley

      2.)    Green Bay Packers- When looking at their roster it kind of mind boggling as to why they would have kept five tight ends.  Even harder to believe, when looking at the fact that they are all within three inches of each other and within nine pounds.  On paper they look like they would be very identical players, but this is really not the case. Jermicheal Finley, who is the best receiving tight end on the roster.  Finley makes plays all over the middle of the field, he is the only real threat at the position as a receiver.  The next two are Tom Crabtree and Andrew Quarless both of whom are more of the traditional tight end.  They are both solid blockers. The last two are both rookies in D.J. Williams and Ryan Taylor, not sure what roles these two will play this season.  I don’t see them getting much time, unless someone get hurts.

Shiancoe needs to step up to help out in the passing game?

      3.)    Minnesota Vikings- The Vikings has a very good tight end in Visanthe Shiancoe.  He is a much better receiver than a blocker.  Luckily for Shiancoe, Jimmy Kleinsasser is a much better blocker then receiver.  These two really balance each other out, each is strong where the other is weak.  The Vikings also drafted Kyle Rudolph and Allen Reisner in April.  Rudolph should be a very good tight end in a few years, not sure how he will play this year coming off of his hamstring detachment last year.  Nonetheless, he is a very good receiver, but needs to work on his blocking.  Reisner is much like Kleinsasser he excels in blocking, but lacks some receiver skills.  Although, Reisner is a better receiver then Kleinsasser.   It looks like the Vikings might be looking to move on from Shiancoe and Kleinsasser, they already drafted two guys that will most likely replace them.  This year look for Shiancoe and Rudolph to pick up the slack from the receiving corp.

      4.)    Chicago Bears-  They are here by default because they only have one guy, Kellen Davis, that is really going to be a consistent threat  However, their offense doesn’t really involve the tight end all that much.  That is the reason they were able to part with Greg Olsen in the offseason, the basically gave him away. Davis is very unproven, coming into this year, he caught a total of ten balls, but he did have two very good tight ends in front of him.  Davis has a lot of upsides as a receiver and a blocker.  He is a big target at 6-7, 267 lbs.  He might turn out be the best overall tight end in the division, but we haven’t seen enough of him yet to make that claim. Matt Spaeth is the number two guy and he really only has one job, block.  He will leak out and catch some passes but it will be very little.   The last guy on the depth chart is Kyle Adams who is going to fill the H-back/FB/TE role for the Bears.  He is going to do a little bit of everything. 

This brings offense to a close.  I plan on doing defense ranks also, but have yet to decide exactly how I will do them.  Since every team plays a different system it hard to claim who has better corners or safeties, because they are all asked to do different things with in the system.  For example, the Packers use Charles Woodson in many different roles.  Woodson has played corner, safety, nickel back, and linebacker all in one game.  So trying to compare his stats to Charles Tillman of the Bears is hard because Tillman plays corner and that is it.

I would like to thank those of you who have taken the time to read any of these.  Also, I would encourage you to comment on them.  I like to hear what people have to say, even if you don’t agree with what I have to say.  It gives me something else to look for when watching games other then the game itself.

Finally, after reading I am sure one can tell that I am a Bears fan, that why there section tends to be longer because I know much more about them then I do any other team since I follow them more closely.  However, I am also a fan of the game, so I can respect people’s opinion, as long as it can be backed up.  It bothers me when people form opinions based off of what other people say, but don’t know facts or can’t back it up with anything.  I know everyone does it, I do it too, but I also try to bring something to help my case.  I don’t just hear something once and run with it, I don’t think that it is always a good idea.  So please, if you can give me some feedback.

Thanks,

John

NFC North WR rankings

Wide receivers are next on my list and one of the harder spots to rank thus far.  A true number one receiver is hard to find, there are only a handful in the league.  I believe there is only one true number one in the NFC North and that man resides in Detroit, Calvin Johnson.  He is the only receiver in the division that I believe can truly take over a game and dominate it.  Greg Jennings is knocking on the door, but he is not quite there yet and I don’t think he will ever be.  That’s not a knock on Jennings at all but there are just so few guys that can really be called a number one receiver.

  These ranking are going to be based off of the current depth charts of each team.

Greg Jennings is the best WR in the deep group in the NFL.

      1.)    Green Bay Packers- Are the deepest team in the NFL when it comes to receivers.  They have a star in Jennings, but after him any one of them could be number two.  This is a great thing for the Packers, because no matter who they put opposite of Jennings, there is no drop off.  Now each guy brings something different to the table but they are very similar receivers for the most part.  After Jennings, the Packers have Donald Driver, who is about to become the all time leading Packer in receiving yards. Then Jordy Nelson, James Jones and rookie Randall Cobb.  Cobb has shown everyone what he can do on opening night, he returned a kickoff 108 for a touchdown and caught a 32-yard touchdown pass.

Can anyone step up and help Johnson?

      2.)    Detroit Lions- Really the only reason they are number two on this list is because of Johnson, who is a top three receiver in the NFL.  After him there is a major drop off, the next best guy is Nate Burleson.  He put up decent numbers last year but playing on the opposite side of Johnson, his numbers should be much better since teams focus on Johnson.  The rest of the receiving core contains Maurice Stovall, rookie Titus Young, Rashied Davis and Stefan Logan who is really just a return guy.  Lions will lean heavily on Johnson and Burleson and hope that Young can fill the slot at some point this year.

Can Hester turn into a WR?

     3.)    Chicago Bears- I know, the Bears have one of the worst receiving corps in the league, blah blah blah.  I do not think it is bad as everyone makes it out to be, it’s more of a high risk high reward corps in the league. The Bears have Roy Williams, Devin Hester, Johnny Knox, Earl Bennett, Dane Sanzenbacher, and Sam Hurd who should play a bigger role on special teams than the offense.  Williams is the Bear’s best receiver at this point, which is really isn’t saying much but most people believe Williams dropped a lot of balls last year.  This is really not the case, as Michael C. Wright of ESPN Chicago and ESPN 1000 points out, Williams did not even lead his team in drops last year Miles Austin did.  Williams caught 57.8% of the balls that were thrown at him last year. Which is not a great number but looking at others in the division Jennings was not much better at 61.8%,and Johnson was lower at 56.2%. Is Williams a great receiver no, but he brings a new element to the offense and that is his size.  The one thing the Bears have is speed at receiver, but the lack a big body and  that is what Williams brings to the table. Hester is a work in progress one thing many people forget about him is that he is not a true receiver. He is well behind the Learning curve because of the fact he never settled on a position in college.  Most receivers have been playing receiver since at least college, but Hester is only in his fifth year playing wide receiver.  He is getting better each year, and could have a break out year this year. Knox busted onto the scene last year and put up great numbers, but he also cost the Bears a lot too.  Knox led the league in targets that resulted in interceptions, due to him running poor or the wrong route. Knox needs to play more disciplined then he did last year. Bennett and Sanzenbacher will both play the same role, possession receivers.

Harvin is the lone bright spot 

      4.)    Minnesota Viking- the Vikings have Percy Harvin and than a mix of castoffs.  After Harvin there is nothing there is no guy the clearly stand out. Their next best receiver is Michael Jenkins who had really done a lot down in Atlanta playing with Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez.  Next would be Bernard Berrian, who is a deep threat and that is really about it.  The next guy is Devin Aromashodu who is a bigger body, but lacks effort at times.  He was in the doghouse last year in Chicago, for not wanting to block.  The last receiver is Greg Camarillio, who is a possession receiver.  The Vikings are going to be feast or famine this year, if Harvin doesn’t have a good year I don’t see anyone else in this group taking over.  I would expect Harvin to see a lot of double teams and teams rolling coverage to his side.  Hopefully Harvin can stay healthy otherwise the Vikings will be in for a long year in the passing game.  When in doubt just give the ball to Adrian Peterson.

Like it love, love it, steer clear of it

My friend Sean Yerkes and I will each be pick three games a week, a game we love, a game we like, and a game we would steer clear of.  We will each pick are own games, so there is a chance for 6 total games.  We will also give a reason for why we think the team will win, or a reason to stay away from the game.  

Sean's Picks

 

Like It

Packers -10 vs. Panthers

Cam Newton had an impressive start to his NFL career, throwing for 422 yards and topping the rookie record. Cam Newton may see some success, but he does not repeat his week 1 performance against the Packers. Rodgers and Co. will be just too much for the Panthers defense and I don't think the Panthers can go touchdown for touchdown with the Packers.

Match-up to watch: Packers DB vs. Steve Smith. Cam Newton's favorite target will be blanketed with plenty of good defense.

Love It

Steelers -14.5 vs. Seahawks

Steelers were taken to the woodshed last week against the division foe, Ravens. The Steelers are going to take all of last week's frustrations out on the poor and lowly, Seahawks. Seattle struggled against the 49ers and I am almost scared for them to go up against a Steelers team that is most likely pissed and looking for some kind of self-redemption.

Match-up to watch: LaMarr Woodley vs. Breno Giocomini. YIKES! An All-Pro going up against a practice squad player...Tavaris better be able to run a lot.

Steer Clear of It

Saints -7 vs. Bears

This game is going to be a lot closer than people think. Saints have a good offense and the Bears have a good defense. Saints have an average defense and the Bears have an average offense. I believe this game comes down to the wire (much like the Saints last game). Cutler has to go knick-for-knack with Brees because regardless of how good a team's defense is, Brees will find a receiver. 

Match-up to watch: Any defender vs. Sproles. Sproles is a defense killer. If he is matched up against any linebacker and has an open field, the ball is going his way. 

My Picks

Like It

New Orleans -7 vs. Chicago

I would normal stay away from Bears games but I don’t think the Saints will cover the 7 point spread.  This should be a great game and should be close through the game.  Can see either team winning the game but this game will come down to a field goal then a touchdown.

Love It

Lions -8 vs Chiefs

The Chiefs gave up 41 points to the Bills last week; I'll let that sink in for a minute. The chiefs also lost their best defensive player in Eric Berry for the season. They also only scored 7 points against a Bills defense. The Bills defense is not a top-notch defense but the Chiefs offense has not been the same since Charlie Weis announced he was leaving. Lions have a very good front seven which will put pressure on the Chiefs line. Thinking the Lions win by at least 10 points.

Steer Clear of It

Vikings -3 vs. Buccaneers
I would steer clear of anything to do with the Vikings until they decide what type of team they want to be. They kept a good offense in check last week, but McNabb only threw for 39 yards. That is just unheard of for a starting quarterback. I cannot see McNabb having such a bad day again. Also hard to get a feel for the Buccaneers team because they are young and won a bunch of games in the fourth quarter last year.

NFC North-O-line rankings

Hard to believe that in this day and age there are not offensive line statistics, other than sacks given up as a team and rushing yards.  However, on the other hand it is easy to believe because it is hard for someone that does not know the blocking assignments to assign blame to a player.  Now teams have stats on their offensive lineman, mainly they are graded after each game.  Also, it is not always the offensive lines fault, as the quarterback calls out the protection, before each snap.  The QB sets the Mike (Middle linebacker) for the offensive line to block off of; usually it will be the backer that the QB thinks is blitzing.  The Reason for this is because Mikes tend to be bigger linebackers and the offensive would rather have linemen block a bigger guy then have a running back block him.

These rankings are based on stats such as sacks and rushing yards, from last year. 

Can Jeff Backus still play at a high level?

1.)    Detroit Lions- Jim Schwartz knows how to turn a losing team into a winning team.  In football everything starts and ends in the trenches, Schwartz understands this.  He beefed up the line last year by adding Rob Sims from the Seahawks.  The Loins return all their starters from last year left-to-right Jeff Backus, Sims, Dominic Raiola, Stephen Peterman and Gosder Cherilus.  The Lions gave up the six fewest sacks last year and averaged a very respectable 4.0 yards per carry last year.  The only problem with this team is keeping skill position players healthy.  Last year, the Lions, were down to their third string quarterback, as Matt Stafford was lost twice last year, he only played in 3 games.   Backup Shaun Hill suffered a fracture to his left forearm. The Loins also lost starting running back Jahivd Best to a turf toe injury, he played most of the year but it was obvious that his production suffered due to the toe injury.  None of these injuries were the result of the play of the offensive line, but the numbers could have been much better if they were able to keep these guys healthy.   The Lions offensive line is an older line with an average age of 29.4, but the oldest are in two of the most important spots center and left tackle. With Raiola being 32 and Backus being 33, there is a chance for their play to decline.  The question here is:  Can Raiola and Backus still play at a high level?

Can Hutchinson return to form after the injury?

2.)    Minnesota Vikings- Year after year the Vikings put together one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.  The Vikings will have a different look this year on the offensive line as they cut left tackle Bryant McKinnie, after he failed his physical upon his return to camp.  McKinnie’s weight was reportedly around 400 pounds.  I am not sure how much of a loss this is for the Vikings as McKinnie play had fallen off greatly last year.   The Vikings have tabbed Charlie Johnson to replace McKinnie.  Johnson has played his previous five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, where he was a swing tackle and even played a whole season at left guard. The Vikings, Anthony Herrera at right guard is slotted to replace Ryan Cook.  The Vikings offensive line looks the similar to last year with two new faces left-to-right Johnson, Steve Hutchinson, John Sullivan, Herrera and Phil Loadholt.   The Vikings have some new faces on their offensive line, but I believe they will be even better than last year. McKinne’s skills were diminishing quickly, along with his ability to move.  Johnson’s skill level is not as high as McKinne’s once was, but Johnson is a good player.  The question here is:  Can the Vikings improve without McKinne and Cook in the lineup?

Packers hoping Bulaga will continue to improve

3.)    Green Bay Packers- The Packers have been playing musical chairs the past few years on their offensive line. This year there is yet another change, Left Guard will be new but it is a familiar face T.J. Lang. Lang didn’t start any games last year but he played in 12.  Shockingly even with all the movement up front the Packers have still had a pretty good offensive line throughout the years.  This year the Packers will lineup (Left-to-Right) Chad Clifton, Lang, Scott Well, Josh Sitton and Bryan Bulaga. The Packers were in the bottom of the NFL in sacks given up last year with 38.  They should be better this year, as this unit played most of last year together with the exception of Lang.  Clifton is the key to the line; if he goes down they could be in some trouble.  Bulaga is a very promising Right Tackle and played very well last year as a rookie.  

Bears are hoping Carimi can play at the level he did in college

4.)    Chicago Bears- The Bears revamped their offensive line since last year, only Chris Williams is in the same position. However, only Olin Kreutz is gone, which personally I think is a good thing.  Olin was a great player, but he has lost his ability to pay at a high level.  He is still a good player, but he is not someone that is going to be able to move the pile, or the line of scrimmage.  I did not like how the Bears treated Olin, only giving him an hour to decide what he wanted to do.  Olin is a proud person and a family man.  He asked for more time to discuss it with his family, the Bears were not willing to give him any more time.  So Olin choose to walk, which I believe was the best thing for both sides.   This year the Bears will line up left-to-right: J’Marcus Webb, Williams, Roberto Garza, Lance Louis and rookie Gabe Carimi. Webb played in 14 games last year, also started 12 at right tackle for the Bears.  Webb has shown flashes of being a very good offensive lineman, but he has also struggled at times.  With Webb it usually is more of a lack of effort or bad technique that leads him to get beat.  If he can be more consistent with both of those, I believe he has a chance to be a good player for a long time.  Williams was a bust at left tackle, he has moved inside to left guard.  Williams started out last year at left tackle, but after pulling his hamstring, which lead to him missing time he was moved inside.   Last year, was not a good year for Williams as he got beat early and often.  This is going to happen to someone who is playing a position they have never played before.  Williams thus far looks more comfortable this year than last, one just has to hope that he can play better than he did a year ago. Garza is also playing a different position then he did last year.  Garza is lining up at center this year rather than his normal spot, right guard.  This is a good decision early on, as the Bears run a very complex offense and the center is the most important position on the field.  So going with someone who knows the calls and has experience playing in the offense.  This year more than any other because of the lack of the off-season due to the lockout.  The Bears did sign Chris Spencer to replace Olin, but I believe the Bears are going to wait till later in the season to work Spencer in to the starting lineup.  However, he will be the first one in the game if someone gets hurt or if the line begins to falter.  Louis to me is a mystery because I have seen very little of him.  He was supposed to be a starter last year, but he got banged up early and lost the job.  However, he did start four games last year.  Carimi is a rookie right tackle and he looks like he might be a good one.  Carimi won just about every award that an offensive lineman can win in college.  He looked good all preseason, struggled early in his first real game.  But once he settled down he did turned in a high-quality performance.   The Bears revamped line should be better than last year line.  This year’s version is much bigger and is more athletic then they were a year ago.  There will be many growing pains with this line however as they are very young, but they have a much better upside.  They will struggle early but I think they will settle down later in the season and turn in some very good performances by years end.