Julius Peppers

own in the pocket on the Denver scoring drives.

On special teams, Chicago certainly came to play. Julius Peppers stepped up to block a 28-yard field goal in the second quarter, shifting momentum away from the Broncos. Devin Hester’s 26 yard punt return to Denver’s 42 yard line set-up Robbie Gould’s record-setting 57-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter put the Bears up two scores, a key when facing the King of Comebacks. They recovered a high-bouncing onside kick with just over two minutes to go which looked to have all –but sealed the game. But it was not to be.

Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Broncos 13, Bears 10"

However, Julius Peppers, Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher have to make Tebow pay for running the ball and lowering his shoulder. Put him on the turf hard and repeatedly, which will make him more skittish in the pocket as the game draws on and could lead to an incredibly rare Tebow turnover. (Devil willing.)The Odds:

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is Dielman and left tackle Marcus McNeil, the Bear defensive line should have a freaking field day. Julius Peppers, Henry Melton and Israel Idonije can smell the sacks already. With no Malcolm Floyd on the outside, Charles Tillman can match-up one-on-one with the tall and dangerous Vincent Jackson. That leaves Antonio Gates as the Chargers’ only other play-maker. Chicago will continue to mix-in single high safety looks, but they’ll probably throw in more cover two schemes to prevent Rivers from getting downfield, which he loves, especially to Jackson. My only question is: how many boomerangs will I see today? My hope: six.

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However, on his third catch, Julius Peppers absolutely mauled Johnson, forcing a fumble that Brian Urlacher brought back to the Lion 30. A multitude of Matt Forte runs and a Kyle Vanden Bosch late hit penalty set up the Bears at the six, where Forte took it in to give his team a lead they would never relinquish. A Tim Jennings forced fumble gave the Bears their second possession, on which Cutler found Earl Bennett on their way to Robbie Gould’s first field goal. After Lance Briggs wrapped up Matthew Stafford during an incompletion, Devin Hester brought back the punt 30 yards to the Chicago 48, foreshadowing his next punt return. After an 82 yard run up the sidelines off what seemed like the Lions’ ninth punt of the game, Devin Hester made it 20-0 with fourteen minutes left in the second quarter and sucked the life out of the Lions. From there the defense pinned their ears back and the line went after Stafford as the corners sat on his throws.

Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Bears 37, Lions 13"

That was after the Bears knocked McNabb around, sacking the veteran five times on the night. Julius Peppers notched two sacks of his own and dominated Charles Johnson throughout the game, bad knee and all.

Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Bears 39, Vikings 10"

Chicago won’t get many chances at turnovers from McNabb, especially since Julius Peppers likely won’t play due to a knee injury. With only Israel Idonije, Nick Reed and Corey Wootton as their ends with any game action behind them, the interior defensive line rotation must get penetration to disrupt the Viking offense.

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nson to the inside toward the safety on his touchdown, which lead to a complete torching of Harris. Julius Peppers has just been injured on the play before, so the Lions took full advantage of his absence. Johnson ripped the Bears to shreds with 130 yards on only 5 catches. D.J. Moore made a great interception at the end of the first half to ensure the Bears took a surprising lead into the break, but it wasn’t enough. Not getting our pass rush going didn't help either. I’m just about finished with this cover-two defense hooey. (And by that I mean I was done two years ago.)

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After Jermichael Finley’s success, Stafford may try to get his tight end going. Julius Peppers should have the edge over right tackle Gosder Cherilus, but Jeff Backus is a dependable left tackle who could be left alone on occasion. Peppers HAS to win those battles. Jahvid Best is a danger out of the backfield, but the Lions are only averaging 3 yards a carry on the year. I’m not intimidated by their ground game.

Continue reading "Joe's Gameday 2011 Preview: Bears at Lions"

Of course, Charles Tillman got a hand on the kick and then Julius Peppers finished it off with his giant paw.

Thanks to the rushing attack, defense and special teams, Jay Cutler barely had to throw the ball, chucking it four times in the first half. He ended up with 17 attempts for 102 yards with one interception on an overthrown ball when the score was at 24-23. Cutler clearly felt some pressure when it wasn’t there at times today, necessitating the need for a ground game. To their credit, the offensive line showed up and made holes for Forte despite some more rotation. At one point Lance Louis, Chris Spencer and Frank Omiyale were rotating between right guard and right tackle for various reason. The continuity on the right side of the line is suffering.

Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Bears 34, Panthers 29"

Chad Clifton is a solid left tackle, but he could get exposed against Julius Peppers. Safeties Chris Harris and Major Wright are both game-time decisions, so Aaron Rodgers is going to look downfield early and often to exploit whatever back-up is next to Brandon Meriweather. It could be a long day for Lovie Smith’s defense. Rodgers is liable to go off, despite his past “troubles” against the Bears. Dude’s pretty good, so those troubles will end eventually.The Odds:

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ving the game with a groin injury.

Defensively, everything fell right into place for Lovie Smith. Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher made Matt Ryan’s life a living hell. Peppers racked up two sacks (plus an uncounted third on a failed two-point try) and a forced fumble off of Ryan. Mr. Urlacher picked off Ryan once and recovered the Peppers force for a touchdown. Henry Melton stepped up with two sacks on Ryan and Amobi Okoye contributed one of his own, adding up to five of the six put-downs of the Falcons QB. Charles Tillman had a great game after a couple rough plays early on, deflecting key passes and pulling out the ball-punch to cause Chicago’s first fumble. They were gashed at times on the ground, but the score got too out of hand too early for Atlanta to stick with Michael Turner.  Lovie Smith’s defense made Mike Smith’s offense one-dimensional, playing into the strengths of the cover-two.

Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Recap: Bears 30, Falcons 12"

o end?) Let’s see if they have the talent to keep up the intensity.

With the addition of Julius Peppers, Super-Freak, the Bear defensive line regained its former glory in 2010, despite the futility of now ex-Bear Tommie Harris. Peppers had a defensive MVP-type season, contributing with blocked field goals, QB pressures and tipped/intercepted passes at the line of scrimmage. Sure, the sack total was underwhelming from a statistical perspective (8), but no one can deny his impact on the defense. Israel Idonije definitely reaped the benefits of Peppers’ presence, equaling the All-Pro’s sack totals. End Nick Reed should get action as a back-up, spelling both starters when necessary. What is in question for 2011 in the interior rotation of the defensive line. Henry Melton gets to be a starter after two seasons as a back-up. If he can produce at a respectable level then the Bears won’t miss Harris at all. Anthony Adams is the veteran of the group, but he’ll get pushed for time by Amobi Okoye and Matt Toeaina. I’m excited to see Okoye in more action, as he was the Texans’ leading tackler from the line in 2010. Second rounder Stephen Paea didn’t show much during the preseason, so he may ride the bench more often than not unless Rod Marinelli can “coach him up.”

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What was most interesting to me was Julius Peppers lining up over the offensive guard at defensive tackle for multiple plays. Getting him on the inside should create more than a few speed mismatches against the slower guards, especially if the ends can clear out any offensive tackles that might double up on him.

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That could have gone… better.

Four years after the Bears made their run to a Super Bowl loss, Lovie Smith had his boys back in an NFC championship against the rival Packers. The stage was set for an epic win… or deflating defeat. Well, the latter came to fruition as the Bears dropped a heartbreaker on their home turf (re: dirt.)

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squo;m spinning a broken record, but Lovie Smith’s defensive success needs to start up front. Julius Peppers must make his presence felt on every play and find a way to routinely hit Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck had a fantastic game last week against a soft Saints defense, but this week he won’t have as easy of a time finding his receivers. Chicago needs to keep their eyes on three Seahawks on offense. Tight end John Carlson converts third-downs, running back Marshawn Lynch will break tackles and wide-out Mike Williams will expose loose coverage.

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the Bears started to ratchet up, with Henry Melton deflecting a Favre pass into the waiting arms of Julius Peppers, setting up an early field goal.  Later Corey Wootton took Favre down to the turf, putting him out for the night with what was termed a “head injury.” Enter rookie Joe Webb, who couldn’t mount much offense despite his improve mobility. Four sacks and three interceptions on Vikings quarterbacks equal a Bears victory.

Continue reading "Gameday Recap: Bears 40, Vikings 14"

Danny Woodhead, leaving them open to big hits from Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Chris Harris.

Julius Peppers cannot afford to have a quiet game today. Even if doesn’t get a single sack, his pressure and persistence should create opportunities for Israel Idonije on the edge. Where the game will get interesting is on the inside of the line, especially if Tommie Harris can stay vertical. If the Bears can pressure Brady with only four the way they did against Michael Vick, they can drop seven into coverage and make the receivers pay whenever they catch the ball. Because let’s be truthful, the Patriots are rarely interested in running the ball.

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made him dink and dunk down the field, closing off the big plays to him and those speedy receivers. Julius Peppers never gave up on a play, always around the ball at the end of a play. Chicago’s defense sacked Vick four times on the day, hit him another seven times and held him under 50 yards rushing. That’s a win in my book. Tommie Harris even showed up with a tipped ball that led to Chris Harris’ interception, the first of Vick’s season. Lovie’s cover-two kept a lid on the Eagles’ big play passing attack, making them earn every yard they got while the offense lit it up. With a late score (what a throw that was) the Eagles made it close, but they were fighting from behind the whole game. Keeping DeSean Jackson in check was huge. Vick couldn’t complete more than two passes to him.

Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Recap: Bears 31, Eagles 26"

blish the running game with more wildcat or power formations, gaining only 39 yards on 13 attempts. Julius Peppers was an absolute beast with three sacks and a tipped pass that led to a Charles Tillman interception. 

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If he's ever going to make an impact on the stat-sheets, Julius Peppers has to do it tonight against one of the best tackles in football. His freakish abilities will shine. (I hope.)

What the Dolphins are likely to run on offense is a ton of wildcat. Without their top QB's, Tony Sparano will rely on Ronnie Brown to take direct snaps with an extra blocker on the field. Don't be surprised if we see three or four wildcat plays in a row tonight. Still, the speedy Bear linebackers are the perfect defense against the scheme. Without Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee) in the starting line-up, the Dolphins are going to test Nick Roach on the strong side. He's the weak link.

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ly Mike could figure it out...

Oddly enough, the Bears match-up well with the Vikings on defense. Julius Peppers ate left tackle Bryant McKinnie alive last year when he was with the Panthers, so I'm sure he's frothing at the mouth for an opportunity to sack Brett Favre. Israel Idonije gets run-blocker Phil Loadholt on the right side, but Loadholt commits at least a few penalties a game, so don't forget about the other side. More than anyone else, the Bears must shut down Adrian Peterson early to get a win. If they can get help from the offense, Peterson will become less of a factor and won't be able to wear down Bear defenders as the game goes on. Peterson is so dangerous and his running style always gives the Bears fits, so let's avoid giving up record yardage today. Is that okay with you Lovie?

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more, but what do I know? Getting an extra point attempt blocked is classic Bills awesomeness too. Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije are a terrifying inside tandem on special teams.

Jay Cutler had a solid day under center, making better reads and getting time on enough throws to find receivers down-field, even if he was called on to throw more than I'd like. Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett found plenty of balls coming their way (had to write it) when Jay was under duress. Showcasing his athleticism, Cutler scrambled five times for 39 yards. His running ability is always overlooked by defenses, but I have no idea why.

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After not making a heavy impact against the Redskins, I expect Julius Peppers to put Fitzpatrick on the ground regularly. Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher need to corral the Buffalo backfield while the secondary keeps an eye on Evans. Game. Set. Match.

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Watch Julius Peppers match up with rookie Trent Williams, who handled Dwight Freeney with surprising regularity. Keeping Donovan McNabb from completing the deep pass will be the Bears' biggest concern, and a pass rush from Peppers will help that goal.

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tackle Russell Okung and guard Stacy Andrews are decent pieces, but the line isn't settled at all. Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije are likely to have big days rushing the QB. Brian Iwuh makes the start for Lance Briggs, whom the Bears could miss on the defensive side.

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g the ball with more frequency, playing right into the Bears' hands, who notched two interceptions. Julius Peppers earned his money again today, getting pressure on Jimmy Clausen and intercepting a pass off his own deflection. Brian Urlacher took it away late after Armanti Edwards failed to bring in a pass. (Tillman pulled in another in garbage time.) Israel Idonije notched three sacks of Clausen on the day, getting the benefit of increased playing time after the Bears cut Mark Anderson.

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If he hadn't been playing hard enough, Julius Peppers' return to Carolina will be motivation enough to put Clausen on his back several times. (I'm calling it now since tackle Jeff Otah is out this week.) I'm ignoring Tommie Harris until he decides to show up on the field.

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shut down the run the Giants were able to take advantage of play-action passes late in the contest. Julius Peppers was again all over the field making plays, proving his worth in every games this season despite his lack of sacks. Tim Jennings and Zack Bowman played well enough at the left cornerback spot, but eventually Lovie will have to pick one and stick with him. Bowman's strip of Ahmad Bradshaw probably earned him next week's start.

Continue reading "Bears lose Cutler in 17-3 loss to Giants"

Chicago will likely move Julius Peppers in front of McKenzie to draw mistakes like they did last week. 

If the Bears can keep the Giant offense stifled, they'll have to keep watch on their trio of young wide-outs. Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks are Eli Manning's deep threats, partnered with third-down target Steve Smith. Zack Bowman will be back in the fold at corner, but Tim Jennings earned playing time with his play aganst the Packers. Chicago won't be over-powered on the outside. Brandon Jacobs always gives the Bear linebackers trouble, but he's not out of Coughlin's doghouse yet. I'm not especially worried about Ahmad Bradshaw out of the backfield with Brigg and Tinoisamoa on the edge of the defense.

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make it into the end zone on a kick return for the first time in two years.

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Julius Peppers had a monster of a game, getting whatever Packer was in front of him to consistently false start and hold against him, preventing him from tallying a sack.  After limping off the field in third quarter, he came back on that same series to force a holding call and block a field goal attempt that would have put the Packers up six. You can't undersell Peppers' value to this defense. He's a monster.

Continue reading "Bears stun sloppy Packers on Monday night"

Giving him trouble in that respect will Julius Peppers, who should see plenty of Chad Clifton at left tackle. Clifton has been iffy this week with a knee injury, so look for Peppers to test him early and often with the speed rush. Tommie Harris has to help get penetration up the middle so Rodgers can't step up in the pocket and the limited Packer running game has to bounce it to the outside against the speedy Bear defense. ***UPDATE Harris will be inactive tonight due to a coach's decision. Sounds like someone's been a bad boy. Or an idiot, either one. That's not great. Matt Toeaina will get the start in his place. Without Ryan Grant, the Packers will only run the ball to keep Chicago honest. If they need a first down, they're going through the air.

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plays, begging the question, when were they going to change his effing cleats? I was calling for a Julius Peppers sack all day, but the pressure just never got to Romo.

In typical fashion, the Bear offense struggled to convert on third downs. As the game was tight headed towards the end of the fourth, Smith and Martz decided to run it on three straight plays and punt instead of trying for thr first down. For a coach that trusted his offense to get a fourth and goal from the one, it seems awfully suspicious that he wouldn't at least let them throw a screen pass on first or second down.

Continue reading "Cutler out-duels Romo as Bears win in Dallas"

e Kosier's return to the starting line-up (so no penalty-invoking Alex Barron today), defensive end Julius Peppers should have a great day coming off the edge. Columbo's is coming off a knee injury and left tackle Doug Free is still new to the position. What could be better for a skilled rusher? The trick will be getting Tony Romo on the ground, as he's extremely mobile and never stops looking for a receiver. Getting penetration up the middle from Tommie Harris could keep Romo off his game. Chicago played fairly well against the run last week, but the Cowboys have three solid runners on their roster. Marion Barber is getting older but he still punishes would-be tacklers, something the Bears' speedy but small defenders have trouble with. Safety Chris Harris will be integral in stopping Barber's runs. Felix Jones is the real issue, since his speed could make things ugly.

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Lovie Smith's defense caused three turnovers of their own, including one strip-sack by Julius Peppers that knocked Stafford out of the game with a shoulder injury. Brian Urlacher look four years younger on the day, but made a bone-headed unnecessary roughness penalty after the Peppers sack. In the secondary, the Bears kept Calvin Johnson and the other receivers in check until the Lions' final drive. However, it is after a Lance Briggs-caused turnover that I found the most troubling moment of the day.

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.  Certainly the Bears will have the same advantage on the line thanks to the presence of Julius Peppers. Sending him against Jeff Backus and Gosder Cherilus on the outside will undoubtedly result in hits on second year-QB Matthew Stafford. Even using Peppers on the interior could work against this Lion offensive line. Where the Bears will see issues is in pass coverage. With Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson and Bryant Johnson at receiver and Brandon Pettigrew at tight end, the Lions are going to get yards in chunks. If the Bears hold true to their corner depth chart, Zack Bowman should match-up with Johnson and Burleson will see Tillman across the line. If safety Danieal Manning gets Pettigrew duty, look out.

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nsive line, it's easy to see that the Bears felt they needed an impact player, hence the signing of Julius Peppers the day free agency started. Happy Julius Peppers Day! Peppers instantly brings a pass-rusher the likes of which Chicago hasn't seen since Richard Dent. They'll move him wherever they feel they'll have the advantage in order to put pressure on the opposing quarterback. He should get to double digit sacks, but if he doesn't it shouldn't seem a waste to Bears fans. He's the real deal. Anybody that talks about his motor and drive for the game hasn't seen enough of him on tape. His presence is hopefully going to ease the pressure of tackle Tommie Harris, who is far removed from the dominant force he was in his early seasons. Always with knee troubles, Harris doesn't have long to redeem himself before he's a lost cause. With Peppers, Harris will see far less double teams and must make the most of his opportunities to wreak havoc. Anthony Adams, Marcus Harrison and Matt Toeaina will fill the other tackle spot and give Harris rest on occasion. None are game-breakers, but they play the run well and serve as a quality three-man rotation. At the left end position, Mark Anderson and Israel Idonije must fill the void left by Alex Brown, whom the team let go in the offseason. Brown was always stout against the run, but his pass rush was never more than decent. If the two of them can tally between 8 and 10 sacks, I'd say they did their job. 

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Tonight the Chicago Bears take on the Arizona Cardinals in what will really be their final tune-up before their regular season opens up on September 12th. The third preseason game is always the outing in which you can place the most weight on how the team will perform in later weeks, as the starters will play into the third quarter and the coaches usually attempt to make a gameplan. Here's what I'll be watching for later tonight after I get back from being social and rev up my DVR.

Continue reading "Joe's Preseason Preview: Cardinals at Bears"

It was a less than stellar effort. Julius Peppers showed up on a few goal line plays late in the drive, but it was too late to jump-start the defense by then.

On the Bears following possession, the offensive line did its best to counter the defense's futility. After a short Forte run, linemen Chris Williams and Lance Louis were beaten by their rushers to allow two consecutive sacks of Jay Cutler, of which there were five in the first half. (Four by new Raider Kamerion Wimbley, who most often beat Chris Williams in one-on-one match-ups.) It was an ugly start. The offensive line improved over the first half, opening a hole for Forte on an 89-yard TD run, but their protection needs considerable work. Mike Tice should start earning his paycheck.

Continue reading "Bears hit early snags against Raiders"

Not much from Julius Peppers either, but with the quick plays San Diego was running, it would be hard for anyone to get pressure.

-The star of the night was undoubtedly Major Wright. In early after Craig Steltz (who was starting for the injured Danieal Manning) left with an injury, Wright came on and made his share of solid tackles in the backfield as well as downfield. Unfortunately, Wright eventually left the game with a finger injury. Eff. Need more safeties.

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Chris Williams has been getting all he can handle so far in training camp, going one-on-one with Julius Peppers almost exclusively. Still, this will be his first full year at left tackle, the position he feels most comfortable at. Unfortunately, the rest of the line isn't as solid.  Roberto Garza has shifted from right to left guard, ensuring a learning curve for his first few starts. Olin Kreutz is another year older and therefore more susceptible to the stronger interior defensive tackles. Seventh round pick Lance Louis is starting at right guard. Do I need to say anything else? Finally, Frank Omiyale is starting at right tackle, hopefully about to prove he's worth having on the team. Like I said, shaky at best.

Continue reading "Joe's Preseason Preview: Bears at Chargers"

yet.

As it stands I like Brown on the side opposite newcomer Julius Peppers. Brown plays the run very well and is known to make a big play now and again,  If he is traded or released, that leaves Mark Anderson and Israel Idonije as time-sharing replacements. 2009 draft picks Jarron Gilbert and Henry Melton figure to factor in heavily to this year's defensive line rotation, so we;ll see where they end up. (But I'm not holding my breath after they red-shirted all of last year.)

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y Chicago Bears ended up going "hog wild" in free agency after all, signing defensive end Julius Peppers, running back Chester Taylor and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna on Friday.

It was a complete departure from the norm for a Bears front office that is very particular about spending money on players it doesn't know. Anyone who says the Bears are cheap hasn't been paying attention. They shell out the money, but only for players they already have under contract. This year it was different. With no first or second round draft picks, Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith had to swing for the fences in free agency or they'd be on the chopping block for sure after the 2010 season. After a fantastic Friday, it's time to examine the moves the Bears made and how they improve the team going forward.

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ot even an hour into NFL free agency, ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that big fish defensive end Julius Peppers and highly touted running back Chester Taylor will both visit the Chicago Bears on Friday. Brad Biggs is also reporting that tight end Brandon Manumaleuna will also pay a visit.

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t a few positions and players the Bears should be targeting in free agency.

Defensive End

Julius Peppers (Carolina)

Undoubtedly the biggest fish in the free agent pool, the 30-year old defensive lineman would bring instant pass-rush to a Bears defense that is sorely lacking. In Lovie Smith's much maligned cover-two scheme, getting pressure with your front four is key. Adewale Ogunleye's impending departure and the death of Gaines Adams makes signing Peppers a no-brainer. When he wants to he's one of the best pass-rushers in the league. Every now and again he'll take plays off (or seasons, as evident by his 2.5 sack 2007), but he's racked up double digit sacks in six of his eight years in the NFL.

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Their defense isn’t loaded with stars. You gotta love Julius Peppers at defensive end, but really are there any more playmakers on that defense? The division they play in isn’t loaded with talent either, but you gotta believe that having a decent to good defense would give the Panthers an edge in their division. After all it was defensive football that won the division last year for the Tampa Bay Buccs. The only team from the NFC South to make the playoffs. Charles Godfrey out of Iowa may help out at cornerback and that could shut down opposing offenses. I’m hoping that Dan Connor out of Penn State can provide some spark to this otherwise dormant defense. Things have got to change in Carolina. The defense would have been a good place to start.

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