May 2008 - Chicago Bears Wiretap
Chicago Goal-Line Stand Fires Up Ashton Kutcher
ESPN's Kevin Seifert was walking to the Bears' locker room following their win on Sunday and passed actor Ashton Kutcher and his wife Demi Moore.
"Man, I can't believe that goal-line stand," said Kutcher. "Awesome!"
Lovie Smith: Bears 'Need To Get A Win'
Bears' Coach Lovie Smith believes that the team needs to beat the Eagles on Sunday night as they look to avoid falling into a 1-3 hole.
"We need to get a win," Smith said.
Chicago started the 2007 season 1-3, and never got above .500.
In the eighteen seasons since the NFL expanded the playoffs to six teams per conference, only 20 of 128 teams started 1-3 yet qualified for the postseason.
Bears D: This Is As Good As We've Seen McNabb
Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye believes that Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb is at the top of his game this season.
"This is as good as I?ve seen Donovan in the last couple of years," Ogunleye said. "He?s really on top of his game, so we really have to get a [pass] rush with the front four guys and let the back end cover."
McNabb recognizes his success, but has given credit to others.
"I?ve had a lot of great starts [to] seasons," said McNabb. "I think the thing that really stands out this year is that we?re getting everyone involved."
The Eagles will battle the Bears in Chicago this Sunday night.
Bears Like Orton Against Philly's Blitz
The Bears believe that quarterback Kyle Orton will be able to handle Philadelphia's propensity to blitz this weekend, according to Northwest Herald.
"You see a lot of different looks and, first of all, they've got great players on that side of the ball," Orton said. "Anytime you go up against that type of talent, it's going to be tough. We've got to be prepared to see anything and just try to execute from there."
"As long as we execute, they shouldn't be able to get to the quarterback that often," Orton added. "It's just different philosophies on offense. [The Steelers] took their chances with dropping back and trying to get the ball out, and we'll try to handle it our way."
Bucs' Trueblood: Someone Grabbed My Genitals
The Buccaneers claim that the Bears played dirty on Sunday, culminating in Charles Tillman's 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness after he took a swing at wide receiver Michael Clayton, according to Chicago Sun-Times.
"If you want me to be truthful with the situation, I don't know who it was, but they grabbed me in places they shouldn't have grabbed me after the play, and that's what started the whole thing," Tampa Bay right tackle Jeremy Trueblood said. "I think those guys take a lot of pride in what they do, and we take a lot of pride in what we do, but one thing I don't stand for is someone grabbing you in your genitals."
Trueblood wrestled on the ground with Chicago defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, and then the skirmish broke out that ended with Tillman engaging with Clayton.
"I don't know who it was," Trueblood said. "But whoever was beneath [me] paid the price. I was just doing what I do on a block. I was just laying on top of him, not moving. And then those guys ... we were kind of cool with the situation. That [stuff] happens on every play."
"Someone is going to grab and someone is going to poke. We were kind of letting it ride. I was going to get up, I was going to walk away."
Hester Now Says He Has 'Bruised' Ribs
Bears' wide receiver Devin Hester now claims that he has bruised ribs after initially telling the media that he had torn cartilage, according to Associated Press.
He remains a game-time decision after missing his second straight practice Thursday.
"It's a lot better," Hester said after practice. "It's improved a lot, and I'm feeling a lot better."
Briggs And Urlacher Defend Controversial Hit On Delhomme
Lance Briggs was aware of the talk from inside the Panthers' locker room regarding his hit on Jake Delhomme in the third quarter Sunday.
"If I hit him late, I would have been flagged for it," Briggs said Monday. "The play was clean. If he hadn't taken extra steps, he wouldn't have got hit.
"I'm not a dirty player and never have been," said Briggs, who insisted he would appeal any possible fine.
"They pay me to be mean on Sunday. It's football. You can't spend the rest of the game or after the game crying about hits. Not taking anything from Jake Delhomme; he's a great quarterback. But this is football. You're going to get hit."
When Delhomme got up he had a conversation with MLB Brian Urlacher.
"I told him to get off the field," Urlacher said. "It would have been different had they gotten the first down. Then I would have been ticked. But it was fourth down so, 'Go to the sideline. Your field-goal team is coming in.' "
Chicago's Booker Wants More Playing Time
Bears wide receiver Marty Booker is hoping to earn more playing time after rarely being used against the Colts in Week One, according to Chicago Sun-Times.
He caught one pass, and was on the field for just seven snaps against Indianapolis.
"I guess I am the interchangeable guy, knowing all three positions and trying to get them all down," Booker said. "Now I am trying to get reps in at each position and trying to learn everything in case somebody gets hurt.
"It's all concept. Once you get the concept and know the play and figure out where everyone is going, you know each person has a certain route. It's not bad. I pretty much have it so far. We'll see [if I get more playing time]. Hopefully, I can get out there a little bit more and help contribute."
RealGM's Top-10 Fantasy Starters For Week Two
Prior to last week's action we touched on how hard it is to predict each week's top individual performers, and boy did Week One highlight just how true that really is.
Who could have predicted that Michael Turner, Willie Parker, Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson would have burst out like they did last week?
Parker has already surpassed his touchdown mark from 2007, Turner was far more productive than former teammate LaDainian Tomlinson and both Royal and Jackson (rookie wide receivers) had the opposing defense guessing all game long.
Last week we told you to start Tom Brady, despite concerns over his "foot injury", and we all know how that turned out. Just like Brady's knee injury turned the AFC upside down, I'm sure one owner (hopefully not you) is still in a state of shock following Sunday's events.
Each week RealGM will rank the top ten players at each position, with prior performance and weekly match-ups taken into consideration.
The first rule of fantasy football is always to start your studs, but you can never over-prepare, either.
Quarterbacks
1. Drew Brees, New Orleans @ Washington
2. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh @ Cleveland
3. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis @ Minnesota
4. Tony Romo, Dallas versus Philadelphia
5. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia @ Dallas
6. Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants @ St. Louis
7. Brett Favre, N.Y. Jets versus New England
8. Philip Rivers, San Diego @ Denver
9. Kurt Warner, Arizona versus Miami
10. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati versus Tennessee
Sleeper: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay @ Detroit
Running Backs
1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota versus Indianapolis
2. LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego @ Denver
3. Frank Gore, San Francisco @ Seattle
4. Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia @ Dallas
5. Willie Parker, Pittsburgh @ Cleveland
6. Ryan Grant, Green Bay @ Detroit
7. Larry Johnson, Kansas City versus Oakland
8. Marion Barber, Dallas versus Philadelphia (injury risk)
9. Joseph Addai, Indianapolis @ Minnesota (injury risk)
10. Clinton Portis, Washington versus New Orleans
Sleeper: Matt Forte, Chicago @ Carolina
Wide Receivers
1. Terrell Owens, Dallas versus Philadelphia
2. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis @ Minnesota
3. Plaxico Burress, N.Y. Giants @ St. Louis
4. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona versus Miami
5. Randy Moss, New England @ N.Y. Jets
6. Greg Jennings, Green Bay @ Detroit
7. Braylon Edwards, Cleveland versus Pittsburgh
8. Andre Johnson, Houston versus Baltimore
9. Anquan Boldin, Arizona versus Miami
10. Calvin Johnson, Detroit versus Green Bay
Sleeper: DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia @ Dallas
Tight Ends
1. Jason Witten, Dallas versus Philadelphia
2. Jeremy Shockey, New Orleans @ Washington
3. Kellen Winslow, Cleveland versus Pittsburgh
4. Antonio Gates, San Diego @ Denver
5. L.J. Smith, Philadelphia @ Dallas
6. Chris Cooley, Washington versus New Orleans
7. Dallas Clark, Indianapolis @ Minnesota (injury risk)
8. Vernon Davis, San Francisco @ Seattle
9. Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City versus Oakland
10. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh versus Cleveland
Sleeper: Anthony Fasano, Miami at Arizona
Kickers
1. Nick Folk, Dallas versus Philadelphia
2. Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis @ Minnesota
3. Robbie Gould, Chicago @ Carolina
4. Jeff Reed, Pittsburgh @ Cleveland
5. Mason Crosby, Green Bay @ Detroit
6. Josh Brown, St. Louis versus N.Y. Giants
7. Neil Rackers, Arizona versus Miami
8. John Kasay, Carolina versus Chicago
9. David Akers, Philadelphia versus Dallas
10. Ryan Longwell, Minnesota versus Indianapolis
Sleeper: Rian Lindell, Buffalo @ Jacksonville
Defense/Special Teams
1. Chicago Bears, @ Carolina
2. Tennessee Titans, @ Cincinnati
3. Seattle Seahawks, versus San Francisco
4. Carolina Panthers, versus Chicago
5. N.Y. Giants, @ St. Louis
6. Jacksonville Jaguars, versus Buffalo
7. Pittsburgh Steelers, @ Cleveland
8. San Diego Chargers, @ Denver
9. New England Patriots, @ N.Y. Jets
10. Buffalo Bills, @ Jacksonville
Sleeper: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, versus Atlanta
Ogunleye: Peyton 'Didn't Know What The Hell Was Going On'
Adewale Ogunleye and the Bears looked much like their 2006 team that made it to the Super Bowl largely on the strength of their defense.
Peyton Manning was unable to get into a rhythm as the Bears loaded the box.
"Today you could see how confused Peyton was," Ogunleye said. "He didn't know what the hell was going on."
Briggs Still Upset About Bears Decision To Get Rid Of Thomas Jones
Lance Briggs revealed this week how upset the Bears were when they dealt Thomas Jones in favor of making room for Cedric Benson.
Orton Claims He's A Different Quarterback
Bears' quarterback Kyle Orton claims that he has grown as a player and isn't the same guy that was 12-6 as a starter over the last three seasons.