Alternate Reality: A Chicago Bears Franchise

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Week 9 Wrap-Up: Is Dallas The Best In The NFC?

Dolphins 28, Steelers 7

Dave Wannedstedt has Jeff George playing at a high level, and the Dolphins are 6-2. George passed for 265 yards and another 3 TD's. Jay Fiedler played his worst game of the season by far, and this was the worst week for him to do so. The Steelers are 2-7, but their season isn't completely over because the entire AFC North is garbage.

Giants 27, Seahawks 23

This was a huge win for the Giants, who needed this game to keep up with the Cowboys in the NFC East. They forced Jon Kitna to play like his pre-2000 self, as he tossed 2 late game interceptions and the Giants scored 17 unanswered 4th quarter points to steal the victory. For the Seahawks, they now fall a game behind the Rams, and they could not afford this loss.

Rams 44, Cardinals 7

What can I say? It appears the Cardinals have quit this year based on their last few losses. Jake Plummer had another one of his yikes games, throwing for only 121 yards and 4 interceptions. For the Rams, Kurt Warner threw for 407 yards and 5 TD's. Its safe to say he's certainly in midseason form as the Rams have won 6 straight and they now lead the NFC West. If there's a good name to nap on, the Cardinals go up against the Bears next week. Bleh.

Lions 34, Bears 14

Give the Bears credit: they actually tried in the 4th quarter. Problem is, they didn't try during the first 3 quarters. Rookie Lamar Cobb went off this week, running for 183 yards including an incredible 94 yard TD run. Charlie Batch managed the game well, passing for 158 yards and 2 TD's as the Lions are now 5-3.

Redskins 16, Ravens 9

The Redskins have not laid down and died yet, they have now won 3 straight and are right in the thick of the NFC playoff race at 4-4. This week Washington needed a heavy dose of Stephen Davis, as he ran 27 times for 129 yards. Meanwhile, the Ravens are now 2-6, and are in a 3 way tie for 2nd in the AFC North. That's how bad this division is. In his first start Brady Hughes didn't turn the ball over, and he passed for 250 yards.

Chiefs 35, Chargers 14

As we all knew, Moses Moreno isn't the answer San Diego fans. The Chargers are now 2-6, and in order to save their season Ryan Leaf needs to play like he did in weeks 1-3, but I doubt San Diego will make the playoffs this season. The Chiefs do keep their season alive at 4-5, and they need Elvis Grbac to continue taking care of the football like he has the past couple weeks.

Cowboys 34, Vikings 24

This Dallas Cowboys team is legit. At 7-1 they now lead the entire NFC and have shown for the second straight year they have the inside track to the Super Bowl. Once again Kordell Stewart drove the bus, passing for 234 yards, a TD and an interception. Emmitt Smith also added 126 yards and a TD on the ground.

The Vikings have shown me they need another year before they are really Super Bowl contenders. They have lost their last 2 games, and are now in a 3 way tie atop the NFC North. Daunte Culpepper threw 2 TD's, but he also tossed 2 costly interceptions. Culpepper has played well this season, but he needs to step up to an elite level to carry the Vikings to the playoffs this year with the sheer amount of competition in the NFC.

Saints 27, Panthers 20

Is there a QB controversy in New Orleans? Jim Haslett has a decision to make after Jake Delhomme's 400 yard performance in this win and Rob Johnson returning from injury. Either way, the Saints are 5-3 and now lead the NFC South. Who would've thunk it? The Panthers now fall to 4-5 as they have more losses this year then they did all last season. Steve Beuerlein has picked up his play as of late, but it just hasn't been enough to get Carolina wins.

Browns 38, Eagles 35

What a game. These 2 teams combined for 45 points in the 4th quarter as believe it or not, Ty Detmer's Browns came out on top. Speaking of Detmer, he threw for 339 yards and 4 TD's in this game. I have found the answer to my question from last week, no the Eagles are not from real. The Browns at 2-6 are in a 3 way tie for 2nd now in the AFC North. Let that sink in.

Broncos 37, Falcons 13

What is up with the Falcons? Their high flying passing offense has fallen off a cliff as of late as Chris Chandler was held to 203 yards and a TD. Atlanta now sits at 3-6, and they are quickly losing pace in the NFC South. For the Broncos, they are back at .500 now at 4-4 thanks to Brian Griese. Griese has taken his play to a new level, and if I had to rank the NFL QB's he'd be in the top 5 for sure, he's just so efficient.

Patriots 31, Bengals 3

So maybe the Bengals aren't as good as we thought they were. One has to wonder if head coach Bruce Coslet will continue to cost himself games by seeing what Akili Smith has or if he will bench Smith for the clearly better QB in Jeff Blake to make a run at the playoffs. Smith was a putrid 10/27 for 80 yards and an interceptions, but even at 4-4 the Bengals hold a 2 game lead over the rest of the AFC North. For the Patriots, they took care of business. Still, at 4-4 they are tied for 3rd in the rough AFC East with the Jets.

Bucs 27, 49ers 10

Dave Brown was signed by the 49ers in the 2000 offseason. This past week, the 49ers cut him. After losing 3rd string QB Eric Zeier to injury, the Bucs picked him up and ironically his first game was against the 49ers. Brown picked apart his former team of a week ago, going 18/24 for 206 yards. He outplayed current starter Jeff Garcia, who went 11/23 for 99 yards, a TD and an interception. One has to wonder when 1st round pick Edward Jackson (Giovanni Carmazzi) who is Bill Walsh's guy will see the field. For Tampa Bay, they get another win to get to 4-4, but I can't see them getting that many more wins this season with their QB situation.

Colts 42, Jaguars 36 (OT)

What a classic. For his first start, rookie Jimmy Obregon ironically had to face his predecessor at Tennessee, Peyton Manning. Obregon was 30/51 for 304 yards and 3 TD's, but he also tossed 3 interceptions. Looking at Peyton Manning, he tied an NFL record with 70 pass attempts, completing 43 of those attempts for 468 yards and only 1 TD with an interception. Edgerrin James and Ken Elias combined for 4 rushing TD's and Terrence Wilkins caught 13 balls for 177 yards. These teams combined for 27 4th quarter points to send the game to overtime, when Manning completed a pass to EG Green for the game winning TD.

Both of these teams now sit at 6-2 atop the AFC South. However, this isn't just a 2 horse race, the Titans sit at 3rd in the division at 5-3. This AFC South race should be one to really pay close attention to down the stretch this season.

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Bears Week 9 Wrap-Up: Lions 34, Bears 14

Another week, another blowout loss. What surprised me about this game is the Lions were such a potent team on offense. They took care of business early beating the Bears into submission and they didn't even let Chicago think this was a game.

For the positives in this game, Curtis Enis actually got things going on the ground this week, running for over 70 yards. Shane Matthews actually played moderately well this week, but most of his completions and yardage came in garbage time. Chicago scored 14 points this week, which believe it or not is tied for their season high.

For the negatives, where do we start. This vaunted defense which has played really well the last couple weeks was shredded by this Lions offense in the air and on the ground. Rookie Lamar Cobb (Jamal Lewis) ran for 180 yards and ran through numerous arm tackles on his 2 TD runs, including a 94 yard TD run. Charlie Batch exposed this awful Bears secondary, throwing 2 TD passes for a combined 84 yards to Johnnie Morton. Believe it or not, Batch didn't throw at young Farrington Lucas, but he did only throw 12 passes all game.

Next week the Bears head to Arizona to take on the Cardinals, who are 2-6 and are just about as hapless as the Bears over the last few weeks. If you would like to get a nap in next Sunday, tune into this game.

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Because Madden 17 is coming out in a little over a month, I'll try to get as far in this as I can, but once 17 comes out this will be on hiatus. Hopefully I'll be at the start of 2001 by August 23rd, but I'm not sure yet.

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Mel's Partial Mock 1.0 | Top 10 Picks

As you all know, I don't do a full mock draft until the night before the draft, but everyone has been requesting I do a mock draft earlier so I'll do one.

1. Texans: Kasey Beckwith QB/Michigan

I think all Houston fans know that David Carr is not the answer, and they are ready to move on. They do so here with this stud 2 sport athlete from Michigan in Beckwith.

2. Bears: Mack Bruton DT/Florida

With Beckwith already off the board at this point, the Bears have to settle for Bruton. However, Bruton may be better than Marcus Gardner, who went #1 overall to the Texans last year.

3. Steelers: Justin Bynes WR/Michigan

I don't expect the Steelers to be picking this high when the draft fully rolls around, but if they are they'll need a guy to draw attention away from Hines Ward. Its safe to say Troy Edwards is a bust, so Pittsburgh upgrades big time with Bynes.

4. Browns: Kyle Fulton DE/Missouri

The Browns are a very bad team, and they need help everywhere. One way to mask some of their many holes on defense is with an elite pass rusher, and I believe Fulton can be that at the NFL level.

5. Chargers: Tajvio Brandon T/Florida

While HB is indeed a big need for San Diego, I'd say its more important to build up an elite offensive line that even average running backs could thrive off of.

6. Cardinals: Jason Williams DE/California

Don't be surprised to see the Cardinals orchestrate a trade with the Texans for the #1 overall pick when the draft rolls around, I have a feeling after trading back and letting the Chargers have Ryan Leaf in 1998, they will try and get their franchise QB this year. If not, they can replace their 1st round pick in the 1998 draft Andre Wadsworth, who has been a bust so far.

7. 49ers: Darren Mims WR/NC State

This offense was so good last year with an old Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens as leading pass catchers in 1999, but in 2000 teams are keying in on Owens and shutting this passing attack down. Mims is no Jerry Rice, but he's pretty darn good.

8. Ravens: Garrod Smith T/Texas

Whoever ends up starting at QB for the rest of the year in Baltimore will be wishing they had a stud left tackle like Smith at their disposal.

9. Falcons: Sefa Lee CB/Ohio State

This is another year where there really isn't a shutdown corner at the top of the draft, but if a very raw guy like Farrington Lucas can go #5 overall, I feel pretty good about putting Lee here.

10. Eagles: Quinn Grimes LB/Miami (FL)

The Eagles continue to re-make their linebacking core, this time getting a day 1 starter potentially at MLB.

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From now on, instead of writing articles I'll do game recaps like this:



These are a lot faster and its what I plan to do for Madden 17 as well.

Note: you will have to turn up the sound quite a bit to hear my narration.

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Week 9 Wrap-Up: Rams Are Getting Real Hot

Dolphins 41, Browns 10

This Browns success story had to end sometime soon, there's no way they were going to realistically play as well as they had been. The Dolphins are now 7-2, and with the Bills losing again they are now tied with Buffalo for 1st in the AFC East. Jeff George tossed another 4 TD's, and believe it or not Dave Wannedstedt has George playing at a high level. 1st round pick Dontae Brown from Alabama is also coming into his own with 113 yards on the ground.

Ravens 30, Jets 28

Tony Banks needs to be a little fearful of his job after rookie Brady Hughes' 379 yard performance. Hughes also passes for 2 TD's as he willed the Ravens to this victory. For the Jets, once 4-2 they have fallen to 4-5 after three straight losses. Luckily for them the Patriots lost as well, but they are now 3 games behind the Bills and the Dolphins in the East, and they are also 3 games behind the Jags and Colts for the 2nd Wild Card spot.

Packers 51, Eagles 24

The Packers continue to keep the pressure on the Vikings, and at 6-3 they are right on the Vikings' heals atop the NFC North. Brett Favre was injured again, and he's actually unlikely to play next week so Matt Hasselbeck will get another start to up his trade bait, but that start will be against the 8-1 Cowboys. For the Eagles, it'll be another year before I feel they'll be true playoff contenders.

Bengals 24, Texans 8

Basically a free win for the Bengals as they hold their 2 game lead in the AFC North. Akili Smith was ok, but this was against the Texans so it means nothing. Speaking of the Texans, if they lose 2 more games they will break the record set by an old expansion team, the 1976-77 Buccaneers.

Jaguars 44, Titans 14

This was a statement win for the Jaguars. With a backup QB and HB, they were still 30 points better than the Titans on this day. This Jaguars defense drove Steve McNair crazy, forcing him to throw 3 interceptions. Jimmy Obregon took care of the football, throwing for 254 yards and 2 TD's. This win for the Jags keeps the AFC South as a 2 horse race between the Colts and Jaguars.

Colts 40, Patriots 10

This was another statement win this week, this one by the Colts. This stingy Colts defense held Drew Bledsoe to 119 yards and an interception, his worse performance of the year by far. Peyton Manning had another 400 yard game, this time he threw for 4 TD's as well. The Colts keep up with the Jaguars by moving up to 7-2, while the Patriots don't look like they will be able to make the playoffs again this year as New England falls to 4-5.

Saints 10, Giants 7

This was a physical, brutal battle between 2 teams fighting for their playoff lives. This Saints defense knocked out backup Giants QB Kent Graham, and without him New York really couldn't do much on offense. Saints coach Jim Haslett chose to go back to Rob Johnson, and that didn't look like too bad of a decision this week. Either way, the Saints are 6-3 with a one game lead atop the NFC South, while the Giants have fallen from 4-1 to 5-4, and they are losing ground with every loss in the NFC Wild Card race.

Vikings 41, Redskins 27

The Vikings could not afford a slip up after the Packers won, and they took care of business again this week. At 6-3, Minnesota continues to lead the NFC North. Daunte Culpepper threw for 305 yards and 3 TD's, while Robert Smith added 83 yards on the ground. For Washington, Rodney Peete continues to turn back the clock, as he threw for 325 yards and 3 TD's, but it still wasn't enough. Washington falls to 4-5, and they are starting to lose ground in the NFC Wild Card race.

Sidenote: RIP Dennis Green.

Seahawks 26, Bills 12

This Seahawks squad is not going down without a fight. Believe it or not, Mike Holmgren has his QB Jon Kitna playing at an MVP type level this season, and although Kitna only threw for 240 yards and a TD this week, he didn't turn the ball over. The Seahawks are sitting pretty at 6-3, and if the season ended today they'd be in the playoffs via a Wild Card spot. For the Bills, Doug Flutie has come back to earth these last couple weeks, this week throwing for 230 yards and an interception. Buffalo needs to get back on the gas pedal and start winning games again because at 7-2 the Dolphins are now tied with them for the AFC East lead.

Bucs 30, Chargers 22

Can we enter Dave Brown into the Tampa Bay QB controversy? Brown threw for a whopping 372 yards and a TD and don't look now, but the Buccaneers are sitting at 5-4 and are 2nd in the NFC South. Ryan Leaf returned for the Chargers, and he was 20/37 for 266 yards, 2 TD's, and a pick. Not a bad statline for Leaf, but it wasn't enough as the Chargers have now lost 6 straight games. San Diego desperately needs to find a running back that can actually do something to take pressure off Leaf because Natrone Means and Kenny Bynum are not the answer.

Cowboys 27, Lions 20

These Cowboys are scary good I tell ya. Kordell Stewart continues to manage games well while handing the rock to Emmitt Smith over 25 times a game. This Dallas defense is also pretty darn good in their own right, as they held rookie Lamar Cobb from Tennessee to 66 yards on 16 carries. At 8-1, Dallas holds a commanding 3 game lead on the Giants in the NFC East, and I really hope this year we can see a Cowboys-Rams NFC Championship. For the Lions, they fall to 5-4, but give them credit, they did put up a good fight in this game. At least they showed they can hang with the best team in the NFL.

Cardinals 23, Bears 15

Let this sink in: the Bears completed one pass in this game. Yes, only [b]ONE PASS![b] While that pass did go for 98 yards and a TD, how was this only a one score game? You tell me Arizona.

Rams 52, 49ers 24

No Marshall Faulk, no problem for Kurt Warner, who put up another 422 yard, 5 TD game to move the Rams to 7-2. Man I really want to see a Cowboys-Rams NFC Title game. Anyways, for the 49ers, Jeff Garcia wasn't horrible, passing for 291 yards and 2 TD's, but the 49ers are 2-7. Edward Jackson time appears to be coming very soon in San Fran.

Broncos 31, Raiders 27

On the first play of this game, Brian Griese went down with a sprained shoulder after a sack and did not return. Would you believe me if I told you the Broncos won this game with Chris Miller at QB? This was a bad loss for the Raiders, but luckily for Oakland fans Rich Gannon returns in a week. Unluckily for Oakland fans, they are 6-3, and the Broncos are now 5-4 breathing down their necks. They must win against the hapless Chargers next week to keep their division lead. For Denver, Brian Griese returns next week, but the Broncos face the red hot 7-2 Dolphins next week. Good luck winning that game.

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Bears Week 10 Wrap-Up: Cardinals 23, Bears 15

Another week, more painful Bears football to watch. This week, the Bears managed to complete one pass all game, yet somehow only lost by 8. You tell me how that happened.

For the positives, Curtis Enis ran for 139 yards, and he carried the offense pretty much the whole day. The Bears defense also kept the team in the game all afternoon, and they forced their first safety of the season midway through the 3rd quarter. And believe it or not, but 15 points is the most this team has scored all season.

For the negatives, besides the obvious one pass completed on the day, Jake Plummer tore up this trash Bears secondary to the tune of 198 yards and a TD. James Stewart also added 87 yards on the ground. This offense remains historically bad.

Next week the Bears take on the NFC North leading Vikings, who need a win to keep the division lead. These two teams met in week 1, with the Vikings winning 23-14. Cade McNown returns next week, and it'll be interesting to see if Dick Jauron chooses to start him again or stick with Shane Matthews.

Leaders
CHI
Passing: S. Matthews: 1/12, 98 yds, TD
Rushing: C. Enis: 19 rush, 139 yds
Receiving: M. Booker: Rec, 98 yds, TD

ARI
Passing: J. Plummer: 11/17, 198 yds, TD
Rushing: J. Stewart: 22 rush, 87 yds
Receiving: D. Boston: 4 rec, 75 yds, TD

Next Week: vs. Vikings (6-3)

Vikings Leaders
Passing: D. Culpepper: 133/212, 1,858 yds, 14 TD, 7 int
Rushing: R. Smith: 168 rush, 758 yds, 8 TD
Receiving: J. Pearson (Danny Farmer): 48 rec, 872 yds, 6 TD

Note: I'll go back to doing video recaps for the next game, its just for this game my PS4 stopped streaming at the start of the 2nd quarter so I didn't have any footage for highlights.

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Beckwith to Bynes: The Most Electric Connection In College Football?

Kasey Beckwith and Justin Bynes could both be top 5 picks when the 2001 NFL Draft rolls around.

By: Mel Kiper, NFL Draft Lead Analyst

When I watch tape of these college prospects, I'll tell you guys, my 2 favorite prospects to watch are QB Kasey Beckwith and WR Justin Bynes from Michigan. These two guys, I'd have to argue, are two of the top 10 college football players in the enitre country and its so fun to watch these guys connect with each other time after time on Saturdays.

Looking at Kasey Beckwith, the highly touted recruit committed to Michigan back in 1998. He played some in 1999, but that year senior Brady Hughes was mostly the starter. This year was his first year where the starting job was fully his, and he has seized the opportunity. Beckwith has thrown 13 TD's to 3 interceptions this season after missing the first 3 games with a foot injury, and he has made a top of NFL throws along the way. Other than his first bad game last week against Penn State where he threw all 3 of his picks, Beckwith has taken care of the football and he's been efficient all year. He's risen to #1 on my big board and he will go #1 overall, there's no doubt in my mind.

But, Beckwith hasn't been putting up these numbers without some help. Enter the big bodied receiver Justin Bynes, at 6'2", 215 pounds he can go up and get anything. The junior produces no matter who the QB is, and to put it plain and simple he's an accuracy eraser. It doesn't matter where you throw the ball, Bynes will go get it. He's my 2nd favorite receiver prospect in this draft behind Darren Mims from NC State, but to everyone else he's #1 on their big boards.

The interesting thing about these two guys is that many of times there's normally either a highly touted QB or a highly touted WR, but these two are just so good they are both top 10 prospects in their own right. If these two both come out, I think they will both be top 5 picks in the 2001 draft, and you heard that here first.