The banality of training camp continues Let’s overreact to some more stuff!
URLACHER GETS SCOPED
Urlacher received a knee debridement yesterday morning – “the medical removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue to improve the healing potential of the remaining healthy tissue.” Urlacher, Lovie Smith and the organization believe the middle linebacker is still on pace to appear in the season opener on September 9th.
The truth? Who cares about September 9th? Who cares about the following Thursday night trip to Green Bay either? If this knee isn’t ready for the impact of the NFL, the Bears would be better off dropping Urlacher to PUP and ensuring a healthy star come the seventh week of the season. We can’t be shortsighted. We can’t be impatient. As I wrote a few days ago, if the Bears expect to make a deep run into the 2012 postseason, they’ll need Urlacher in January not September.
WILLIAMS & WEBB WORTH WATCHING SATURDAY NIGHT
It is a meaningless game, of course, but not for one position on the Bears roster. Mike Tice has said Chris Williams will see time for the first team offensive line Saturday night against the Washington Redskins due to J’Marcus Webb’s subpar work in the opening preseason game. The first-team unit is expected to play the entirety of the first half.
Unless you want to overreact to Cutler or Forte’s first action of the year, these two are the only players on the roster worth truly watching Saturday night. If Williams significantly outperforms Webb – in a way visible to fans – the sounds from the Soldier Field faithful will become deafening. There has been personal vitriol lobbed at Webb. Fans seems to be angry at not only the player, but the man as well. If Williams keeps a clean sheet, he’ll win in the court of public opinion.
HEALTH UPDATE
Stephen Paea spent Monday in a walking boot but was getting around pretty well Tuesday, per reports across the sideline. Major Wright came out of the preseason opener with hamstring tightness but hasn’t missed a beat at practice since. Knock on wood but outside Urlacher the Bears have yet to face a significant injury this summer. Three weeks to go!
SIDE NOTE: I don’t know how much energy I have for these inane preseason posts but I’ll keep trucking along. I see what other blogs out there are doing and, let’s be honest, I’m not going to do that. I’ll start putting my heart & soul into this thing when the players do – Wednesday, September 5th.
