NEWS: Bears' Lloyd back to square one

[G08]

Bears' Lloyd back to square one

Lloyd's fast start just a memory after injury layoff

David Haugh
On the Bears

9:51 PM CST, November 6, 2008


Based on the reaction of players and coaches around the league to the presidential election of Barack Obama, this would be an uncomfortable week to be a Republican on an NFL roster.

I know among the most interesting yet overlooked data of the NFL season for the Bears came courtesy of a Wharton School of Business research initiative reported 10 days ago in the New York Times.

In a survey of 1,440 NFL players on 2007 rosters—80 percent of active players—Bears coach Lovie Smith was ranked second behind Indianapolis' Tony Dungy as head coaches for whom players would most like to play.

Dungy also was ranked as the top coach overall, ahead of New England's Bill Belichick with Smith third.

Of the players polled, 65 percent were African-American and 29 percent were white.

More than anything, it illustrates that Smith's popularity in Chicago really matters little given how much respect he commands in locker rooms throughout the league.

Here are nine other things I know.

2. I know receiver Brandon Lloyd has to restart the clock on his season if he returns Sunday. Lloyd hasn't played since Sept. 28, and the four-game layoff means he has to re-establish himself in the Bears' offense and in some ways prove himself to the organization all over again.

Lloyd's slow recovery time combined with comments that he was waiting to return until his left knee felt 100 percent raised some familiar questions about the journeyman wide receiver. Catching 15 passes for 249 yards in four games apparently wasn't enough to earn Lloyd the benefit of the doubt.

3. I know Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse should pick up the dinner tab for some Bears front-office executives while he's in town this weekend.

In 2004, agent Drew Rosenhaus leveraged the Bears against the Eagles in a two-team free-agent auction that ended with Philadelphia signing "the Freak" to an eight-year, $66 million deal with $16 million in bonuses. He joined Tennesee as a free agent.

4. I know so-called Bears fans booing Rex Grossman after incompletions says more about them than him.

Christian End, a psychology professor who studies fan behavior at Xavier University in Cincinnati, blamed the reaction on deep-seated civic anger toward Grossman for past inconsistencies and wondered if Chicago still hasn't forgiven him for his role in losing Super Bowl XLI.

"I think many Bears fans probably view it that [Grossman] had his opportunity and we know what we're going to get and the highs don't justify the lows," End said. "They're probably angry that this is who the Bears have to resort to. You also might be seeing the booing directed at the coaching staff and organization for not making the change [to Kyle Orton] sooner."

5. I know if Grossman needs any encouragement to fight through this awkward spot in his career, he can find it Sunday looking at his counterpart, Kerry Collins.

The last time Collins played at Soldier Field was Sept. 17, 2000, in a 14-7 victory for the Giants. Already on his third team in seven seasons that day, Collins completed 24 of 33 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown against a Bears secondary that included Mike Brown.

That was two teams and a Super Bowl loss away for Collins, who survived in the NFL after he learned to play within his limitations.

6. I know when Devin Hester's confidant, Deion Sanders, raises questions about the players blocking for Hester on special teams, the Bears need to make sure the finger-pointing doesn't spread into their locker room.

Asked on WMVP-AM 1000 Thursday whether he was worried about Hester's decreased production, Sanders, an NFL Network analyst, offered an explanation that Hester floated Sunday.

"You should be worried about the 10 guys blocking for Devin Hester, that should be your concern," Sanders said. "You're looking at different faces on the return unit that's normally blocking for him because Devin hadn't forgotten how to run."

7. I know if Danieal Manning returns from his hamstring injury as expected and Corey Graham nudges him out of the picture in the nickel defense, the Bears should give Manning a kickoff return or two.

Maybe seeing the way Manning attacks a return upfield without hesitation will remind Hester of the way he used to run the ball with the same abandon.

8. I know that no matter what their mantras suggest, statistics say the Bears shouldn't plan on starting or finishing strong Sunday. The Titans own the first and fourth quarters.

Since Week 14 of 2007, the Titans have given up a league-low 16 points in the first quarter over those 12 games. In the fourth quarter of games this season, Tennessee has outscored opponents more than any other team, 69-30.

9. I know that the latest compliment about rookie Matt Forte came from somebody who doesn't seem like the type to say nice things about opponents—Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

"Forte, he's an awesome back," Haynesworth said. "He has awesome feet and looks like a Deuce McAllister, maybe even better and fresher."

That's high praise. For the Bears to have a chance, Haynesworth will have to have between 20 and 25 chances to see how tough Forte is to tackle.

10. I know if Orton isn't healthy enough to start, the Bears should avoid any temptation to keep him active as the No. 2 quarterback. If Grossman gets injured, see what Caleb Hanie has.

Even if the quarterbacks stay healthy, the situation begs for the Bears' debut of the "Wildcat" formation with Hester or Forte taking a direct snap from center.

dhaugh@tribune.com

[wab]

If Lloyd doesn't get back soon he can wave bye bye to that new contract...