5. Adrian Peterson (Vikings)

Peterson is a freak of nature. He has some amazing runs and blows through defenders. But, he fumbles way too much. In fact, I believe if he didn’t fumble as much he would be one of the all-time greats. I cannot look past a running back that regularly puts the ball on the turf.

4. Eli Manning (Giants)

He’s not Peyton. Considering the hype surrounding this guy, he just isn’t as good as we are led to believe. More excuses are made for Manning’s failures than any other quarterback in football. I would like to see Manning carry the Giants, which doesn’t happen very often.

3. Jay Cutler (Chicago Bears)

I do not question Jay Cutler’s toughness. I do not question Jay Cutler’s committment. I question his talent. While I think he’s talented, I don’t know if he’s as talented as we were once led to believe. Cutler throws way too many interceptions and misses open receivers. While he will make some great throws, he also makes terrible ones too. Something is missing with this guy, and I cannot put my finger on it…

2. Clay Matthews, III (Green Bay Packers)

This shouldn’t be a secret to many of you that read my work regularly, but you should be shocked that he isn’t number one. Matthews thrives in Dom Capers 3/4 defense, but put him in another city, and I am not sure if you’d see the results. Plus, this guy sucks against the run and isn’t strong in pass coverage. He’s a good football player that is helped by a system. Case closed…

1. Michael Vick (Philadelphia Eagles)

He’s exciting to watch. He’s got freakish skills. But he’s overrated as hell. Hit him once and he stops caring. I’m not saying he doesn’t make spectacular plays…he does. But he also is a wuss that hates contact and kills dogs. For Madden and fantasy purposes, he’s a star. But besides that…you can have Vick.

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BRETT FAVRE!!!

NFL players aren’t loyal, they’re not loyal to fans, they’re loyal to their wallets. Do you really think Aaron Rodgers gives two craps about you? Favre acted like you all mattered, and ended his career with the Minnesota Vikings. So stop this charade of defending every Packer like they’re family. They ain’t and you really don’t matter to the million dollar cry babies.

Many of you think I’m bitter and jealous. I’m not bitter about the Chicago Bears. I’ll take a division title and trip to the championship game every year. When your life is more than milking cows and dreaming of Clay Matthews, I’ll take my Yuppy FIB lifestyle any day of the week.

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While the Chicago Bears do need help at wide receiver, Moss isn’t it. He ruined two teams last season and leaves a wake of bad everywhere he goes. The Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans probably don’t want anyone to know they had him last season and this is further enforced by the New England Patriots laughing to the world when they actually got something for his worthless services.

While Jerry Angelo isn’t exactly a smart man when it comes to free agents, he’s not going to bite on Moss.

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The 2011 NFL schedule makers did the Chicago Bears no favors. The first three contests will feature the 2010 NFC South Champion Atlanta Falcons at home, the 2010 Super Champion New Orleans Saints on the road and a home contest with the 2011 Super Champion Green Bay Packers. The Chicago Bears could easily start the season 0-3 and dig themselves into a deep hole. Everyone expects these three squads to be top teams in the NFC, so the Chicago Bears will be tested early. We will know a lot about this team after the first three games.

After a home contest with the Panthers, the Chicago Bears travel to Detroit for a Monday night contest. This is historical because it is the first time since October 8, 2001 that the Detroit Lions will be on the Monday night stage (remember, Detroit hosts a Thanksgiving Day game every year). This will be great for Detroit, but problematic for the Chicago Bears. This game could end up being a nightmare. The Lions are a much-improved football team, and playing on Monday night validates it.

Just because the NFL knows how much I love night games, they’ve decided to bless me with the Vikings at home the following Sunday night. Of course, after that, the Chicago Bears will play at noon in London against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (although this could be kabashed if the Collective Bargaining Agreement isn’t completed before the beginning of August). Just like the three beginning games are going to be difficult, the stretch leading into the bye week isn’t exactly a walk-in-the-park either.

Of course, another Monday night contest awaits the Chicago Bears after the bye week. The Bears will play in Philadelphia against the Eagles. A home contest with the Lions will be the last of the NFC we see for four more weeks. The Chargers will visit Soldier Field followed by a trip to Oakland before beginning December at home with the Chiefs and closing out this stretch in a match-up on-the-road with Denver. While the AFC West is a crazy group of teams, playing at Denver isn’t going to be a pretty scene for Jay Cutler. I am sure they’ll be waiting.

After the Chicago Bears close out the home schedule in a playoff rematch with the Seattle Seahawks, they travel to Green Bay for a Sunday Night contest with the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Night (although this can change if the game becomes meaningless). and a New Years’ Day game with the Minnesota Vikings (although this can change too).

I’m not a schedule ranking expert, but according to ESPN, the Chicago Bears have the 11th toughest schedule in the NFC based on the winning percentage of teams from last season. I would rather use the old eye test. This isn’t an easy schedule. There are many factors including start times and travel that make this even more difficult. While I would like to say the Chicago Bears are a good football team and will overcome this, it sets up to be a difficult season for the Chicago Bears. At this point, and I hope I am wrong, I cannot see the Chicago Bears making the playoffs. There are too many factors that will hurt their chances.

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October opens with Cam Newton’s most-likely team Carolina at home (10/2). The Chicago Bears first Monday night contest will be on the road against the much-improved Detroit Lions (10/10) and then home the following Sunday evening against the Vikings (10/16). The Buccaneers contest (10/23) will be played in London the following week unless the lock-out isn’t over by the beginning of August. If not, it’s Tampa. A bye-week will close out October.

The Bears open November in Philadelphia on Monday night (11/7). The following week will feature a home-rematch with the Lions (11/13). In the next four weeks, the Chicago Bears will play the AFC West portion of the schedule. The Chargers will visit Soldier Field (11/20) and the month will close out in Oakland (11/27).

The Chiefs will open December in Chicago (12/4). The following week will be the regular season homecoming for Jay Cutler in Denver (12/11). Think he’ll be booed? The Chicago Bears will close out the home portion of their schedule against in a playoff rematch against the Seahawks (12/18). The final two games give Chicago Bears fans two holiday division contests. Christmas night will be in Green Bay (although this could change) and then the Chicago Bears will close out in Minnesota on New Years Day.

I know one thing…this will not be an easy schedule. But the Chicago Bears will have a lot to prove on whether or not last season was a fluke.

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But, was it a disappointing season? In a single elimination tournament anything can happen. If Lovie Smith didn’t totally screw things up and played Caleb Hanie the whole second half instead of Todd Collins for a few series, maybe things would have gone differently. The Chicago Bears weren’t dominated but they were outplayed. And certainly outcoached.

The New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and New Orleans Saints were all teams projected to do better than the Chicago Bears. And yet, they didn’t.

I’m not upset. I’ll take a shot at the Super Bowl every year. Hopefully, Smith doesn’t screw up again.

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Today’s opening game features the surprising Chiefs being visited by the Ravens (never more). Like the Chicago Bears, many experts didn’t think the Chiefs would continue their early season success. The Chargers were always the favorites to win the AFC West but in typical Chargers fashion…didn’t. Meanwhile, the Ravens were projected to be a Super Bowl contender and that could start today.

Ed Reed of the Ravens is dealing with his brother’s disappearance after being involved with a high-speed chase. Reed almost didn’t make the trip to Kansas City. But he did.

I had to turn to my in-house expert (my wife) who likes the Ravens because “their uniforms are cooler”. I’m thinking she’s right on the prediction and I’m indifferent to the uniforms. The Chiefs’ good run ends today.

In the most meaningful match-up of the day from the Chicago Bears standpoint the hated Packers visit the dog killing Eagles (or at least one member of that squad Mr. Mexico oops Vick). The Packers are still being projected by some to win the NFC while no one quite knows what to expect from the Eagles.

Despite the big comeback against the Giants a few weeks earlier, the Eagles haven’t played very well down the stretch cultivated by a Tuesday night loss to the Vikings two weeks earlier. This cost the Eagles any shot at a playoff bye.

Meanwhile, the Packers were in a dog fight (yeah I went there) with the Chicago Bears for the NFC North until the Packers decided to lose at Detroit. The Packers didn’t even know if they were making the playoffs until they beat the Chicago Bears last Sunday. While the game meant nothing to the Bears, Lovie Smith played his starters the whole game. It was a lot closer than the Packers would have liked.

My lovely wife thinks the Eagles will win today because of the home-field advantage, and I’m once again not going to argue. The Packers lack of a consistent running attack and the speed of the Eagles is a lot to handle.

Both teams squared off in week one with the Packers defeating the Eagles at home. This was before Vick was inserted as the starter (he entered because of an injury to Kevin Kolb). The Eagles mounted a comeback in the second half but it wasn’t quite enough. These are different looking teams since that game.

I think the Eagles will be in Chicago next week. Seattle scares me more because they’ve got nothing to lose. That’s a dangerous team. I presented incorrect information in yesterday’s blog when I said Seattle would be in Chicago when they won. They will be here if Green Bay wins which won’t happen. The Jets will travel to the Patriots and the Steelers get the winner of today’s AFC match-up.

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At home, the Bears will play Green Bay, Minnesota, Detroit, Seattle, Falcons, Panthers, Chiefs and Chargers.

On the road, the Bears will face Green Bay, Minnesota, Detroit, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Denver and Oakland.

Get ready for a lot of Sunday/Monday/Thursday night affairs. The Chicago Bears get ratings, and this schedule has some made-for-television drama. It would actually be nice to see the Bears play on Thanksgiving this year. It has been a long time and frankly, I think the powers that be may actually recognize that Detroit is a team on the rise and the Chicago Bears get ratings. Plus, you know the hype on Jay Cutler’s return to Denver for a meaningful game will also be hyped.

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This now means that at worst, the Chicago Bears now have a first-round bye in the playoffs. If the stars align, they can still get first seed but that would require wins by Carolina and Tampa Bay along with a win by the Chicago Bears. I am guessing that much won’t happen. But you never know. This has been a strange season.

The Bears/Packers game is being played at 3:15. By that time, the Chicago Bears will know what is at stake. The Packers, on the other hand, are playing for their football lives as long as the Giants beat the Redskins and the Buccaneers beat the Saints. The Saints may be playing for nothing, so the Buccaneers could win. The Giants, on the other hand, now need to play with some urgency. If all three teams win, the Packers are in and the other two are out. If the Buccaneers win, then they are in if the Packers and Giants lose. And if the Giants win, then the Buccaneers are out and the Packers have to win. If all three lose, the Packers are in.

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So what do the Chicago Bears do if they are playing for nothing? Do they rest the starters? I’ve been going back and forth on this one. On the one hand, the Chicago Bears owe it to the league to play as if this game means something. On the other hand, they owe the league nothing because it is important this team stay healthy for the playoffs. Now if the Packers make the playoffs before this game starts, what do they do? There is no way for them to improve seeding, so they have nothing to gain.

Now, if the Chicago Bears have a chance at the top seed, they should play to win. If they have a shot at nothing, I think the starters should play the first half and Devin Hester should not see any punts or kickoffs. He’s way too valuable. Lovie Smith says the Bears are playing this game to win, but I am sure he changed slightly after the Eagles lost tonight.

Regardless of what happens Sunday, I think that we owe the Chicago Bears a lot of credit for not screwing the pooch the way the Eagles, Packers and Giants did down the stretch.

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During his post-game remarks, Hester was very humbled by the whole experience and thanked his teammates for helping him achieve success. He got choked-up when he talked about how he has always been put into a box as a returner only and wanted to prove to coaches and others he could do more than just return kicks. It was a very honest moment for  Hester. He also caught a touchdown pass earlier in the game.

It is refreshing to see an athlete actually be thankful for the success they’ve achieved. Hester seemed genuine in his comments. He has been one of the hardest workers on the Chicago Bears and certainly it has shown in his results.

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One of my friends asked me today where I think Hester ranks all-time in Chicago Bears’ history. It is a very interesting question. He certainly is the best returner the franchise has ever had. Statistically speaking, he is also the best returner the NFL has ever had as well. So does this make him the best Chicago Bear of my lifetime?

It is hard for me to put him in the Walter Payton category. But, Hester is the most exciting Bear I’ve ever seen. Whenever he has the football in his hands, anything can happen. Even on offense, he can create immediate excitement.  It is a great argument to have, but Hester certainly is as responsible for the success this season as anyone else on the roster. I am curious to hear everyone’s thoughts on the matter.

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