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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 • PROFOOTBALLWEEKLY.COM
BOOM OR BUST
Hub Arkush: With all the story lines, Super Bowl 50 could be one for the ages, or a blowout 2
THE LIST
PFW staff picks greatest Super Bowl champions ever 3
WHO HAS THE EDGE?
PFW breaks down Super Bowl matchups 4
SUPER BEARS?
How far is Chicago from title contention?
PASSING THE TORCH As Peyton Manning looks to end his Hall of Fame career on top, Cam Newton is ushering in a new era
ProFootballWeekly.com • ChicagoFootball.com • Thursday, February 4, 2016
| PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
2
Manning, Newton top long list of stories For the Denver Broncos, the road to Super Bowl 50 must come with many of the trappings of a return to the scene of the crime. It was just two years ago that the Broncs traveled to Super Bowl XLVIII in blustery New Jersey as a favorite over the upstart Seattle Seahawks. Denver took a beating that can only be classified as somewhere between aggravated assault and attempted murder. Most of these Denver players have been there and are desperate not to do that again. It also is a shot at vindication for Broncos boss and Hall Of Fame quarterback John Elway, who shocked the world by firing now Bears coach John Fox last season after he very nearly took Denver to another Super Bowl. To the Panthers’ players, this is the road less traveled. Only five of them have played in a Super Bowl before, but all of them to a man believe they are the team to beat as they come off one of the most dominating NFL seasons in recent history. While the Panthers only other Super Bowl trip in franchise history came in the 2002 season, at least
FROM THE EDITOR
By HUB
ARKUSH
harkush@chicagofootball.com @Hub_Arkush
for head coach Ron Rivera, this will be like coming home. Rivera was born in Fort Ord, Calif., and played his high school football in Monterey, an easy and absolutely gorgeous drive a little less than two hours down the California coast. Rivera won a ring as a sophomore linebacker on the legendary ’85 Bears Super Bowl champions. He lost one as the Bears defensive coordinator to Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning in the rain in South Florida, when Manning was still at the helm of the Colts.
Talk about “been there and done that.” Rivera should know how to get his Panthers ready, and Manning – the first player ever to go to four Super Bowls with four different head coaches – will have a pretty good idea of the job at hand as well. The wild card in this one will be the 2015 Most Valuable Player, Panthers QB Cam Newton. They say, “It ain’t bragging if you can back it up!” Newton has done more of both this season than any player since Joe Namath – interesting comparisons between the two have been rampant all week long in San Francisco. That’s to the great delight of Panthers players and fans, but the disapproval of many others. Many have taken the path that, if you don’t like Newton’s act, stop him and shut him up. That is easier said than done. Many others point out they admire his skills and acknowledge his right to preen, they just feel he’d be that much better if he wasn’t his own biggest fan. One of the best things about almost all Super Bowls is that, in the end, all that usually matters
is winners and losers, and nobody wants to lose. For the Broncos, that means finding a way to pressure Newton but keep him in the pocket. That will be a much tougher trick than it was versus New England, since Carolina is the No. 1 running team in the NFL. Denver must run the ball against one of the league’s best run defenses and Manning has to have enough magic left in that right arm to avoid interceptions and make enough plays to his receivers down the field to challenge Carolina’s only obvious weakness. The Panthers must make sure the moment isn’t too big for them. History is cluttered with great teams that went to their first Super Bowl and found a whole new level of pressure. They’ll also have to play two complete halves, something they’ve struggled to do all season long. Carolina is a clear favorite. They’ve earned that. But this one has more than enough classic story lines to make it a Super Bowl for the ages.
BY THE
8
NUMB3RS
Number of Super Bowl appearances for the Denver Broncos, including this Sunday, which ties for the league record. They’ve won two.
2
Number of Super Bowl appearances for the Carolina Panthers, an expansion franchise that entered the NFL in 1995. That’s two more than the Browns and Lions, both of whom were in the league well before the 50-year Super Bowl era began.
114,400,000
Estimated number of people who watched last year’s Super Bowl, a record. Pro Football Weekly is produced by Shaw Media, the Daily Herald Media Group and the Chicago SunTimes in partnership with other Illinois daily newspapers.
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PFW’s five greatest Super Bowl champion teams of all time By
ARTHUR ARKUSH
aarkush@chicagofootball.com @ArthurArkush
Picking the five best teams of the Super Bowl era is subjective, of course, and it also can be complicated. For instance, how can the undefeated 1972 Dolphins or transformative 1968 Jets miss the cut? Both were great football teams and a part of Super Bowl history, but they don’t match up with and would have been significant underdogs against the five best of the Super Bowl era. Buffalo is the only team to reach four consecutive Super Bowls, but without a Lombardi trophy, we can’t build a case for them here. The 2000 Ravens have supporters who claim their defense was as good as the 1985 Bears, but the Trent Dil-
2. 1978 STEELERS
fer-led offense was flawed. This is our list of the five greatest teams in the NFL for a single season that won Super Bowls.
1. 1985 BEARS Hall of Fame coach Mike Ditka’s “Monsters of the Midway” featured arguably the most feared defense ever, Buddy Ryan’s dominating “46,” with three Hall of Famers helping generate an unfathomable 61 takeaways while permitting an NFL-low 12.4 points per game. Walter Payton, arguably the greatest running back of all time, finished No. 3 in rushing (1,551 yards) and totaled 11 touchdowns for the league’s second-most prolific offense. Chicago’s point differential of plus-258 is the widest
Pittsburgh won four Super Bowls from 1975-80, but this group, anchored by “The Steel Curtain” defense surrendering the fewest points in the league, and Terry Bradshaw tossing 28 touchdowns for the most powerful Pittsburgh offense of this era, went 14-2 while dismantling opponents. Chuck Noll’s club was the first to three Super Bowl victories after topping Dallas 3531 in Super Bowl XII. This club boasted nine Hall of Famers.
3. 1984 49ERS The first team to go 15-1, one year before the Bears, Bill Walsh’s group shut out Chicago in the NFC championship game. Joe Montana, Dwight Clark and Freddie Solomon propelled the passing game, with Roger Craig
and Wendell Tyler forming a versatile backfield behind an O-line with three Pro Bowlers. Feared Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott spearheaded the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense, which sent four defensive backs to the Pro Bowl. Montana piled up 390 total yards and four touchdowns en route to a 38-16 Super Bowl XIX triumph versus Dan Marino’s Dolphins and his second Super Bowl MVP trophy.
4. 1994 COWBOYS Jimmy Johnson’s second consecutive Super Bowl victory punctuated a 12-4 season, in which Dallas overcame a two-week holdout by league and Super Bowl XXVIII MVP Emmitt Smith to begin the season; Troy Aikman missing twoand-a-half games with injuries, including exiting the NFC Championship game early; and Leon Lett’s infamous botched field goal recovery that wrestled defeat from the jaws of victory. Hall of Famers Smith and wide receiver Michael Irvin, and vertical threat Alvin Harper led a high-flying offense, and DE Charles Haley, LB Ken Norton and DT Russell Maryland anchored the defense, both units
finishing No. 2 in the NFL in scoring.
5. ’13 SEAHAWKS, ’66 PACKERS We couldn’t overlook the first or last great team of this era. Led by Vince Lombardi and Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr, Green Bay finished 12-2 in the regular season, with Starr earning his only MVP award for overcoming the NFL’s worst rushing offense with a league-leading 2,257 passing yards and career-high 105.0 passer rating. Linebacker Ray Nitschke was the face of the league’s best scoring ‘D,’ holding opponents to just 11.6 points per game. Green Bay toppled Dallas in the NFL championship, two weeks before destroying the Chiefs in the inaugural Super Bowl. Pete Carroll’s “Legion of Boom” defense yielded a leaguelow 14.4 points and 172 passing yards per game while tallying the most interceptions (28), and budding star Russell Wilson piloted the offense en route to a 13-3 mark and 43-8 throttling of the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.
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on this list. No team had more swagger and star power. And their 36-point blowout of New England in Super Bowl XX is the second-largest ever, the culmination of a postseason in which the Bears allowed just 10 points in three victories.
SUPER BOWL 50 PREVIEW
ProFootballWeekly.com • ChicagoFootball.com • Thursday, February 4, 2016
| PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
4
BRONCOS
VS.
PANTHERS
GAMEDAY: 5:30 P.M. SUNDAY, FEB. 7 / LEVI’S STADIUM, SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA By
KEVIN FISHBAIN
Luke Kuechly and teammates
kfishbain@chicagofootball.com @kfishbain
PANTHERS RUSHING OFFENSE vs BRONCOS RUN DEFENSE
We open with each team’s biggest strength, going up against one another in the trenches. The Broncos finished the season as the league’s third-best run defense overall and No. 1 in yards per carry allowed (3.3). The Panthers were second in the NFL in rushing and 10th in yards per touch at 4.34. Jonathan Stewart has been stellar in the postseason, averaging 5.0 yards a carry on his 38 touches. Cam Newton is a much bigger threat as a runner than the Broncos’ previous postseason opponents with his 10 rushing touchdowns in the regular season. Mike Shula is one of the most creative play-callers in the run game, using different formations and misdirection in the backfield. In the AFC Championship, the Broncos held the Patriots to 44 yards on 17 carries (2.6-yard average). It starts on the line with Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson, two defensive ends who can knife into the backfield. Inside linebackers Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall are the Broncos’ tackle leaders, and Marshall had nine tackles for loss. Shula’s rushing attack vs. Wade Phillips’ front should be the best matchup of this game, one that goes to the team that had 100+ yards rushing in every game this season.
percentage of 59.8. In two playoff games, he is completing 70 percent of his passes and has a 113.4 rating. The Panthers didn’t throw it a ton, so they were 21st in sacks allowed per EDGE PANTHERS pass attempt, but gave up only one sack in each of the two postPANTHERS PASSING season games. With a focus on OFFENSE vs BRONCOS the ground game, the passing game can beat teams deep with PASS DEFENSE Cam Newton threw 35 touch- play-action thanks to Newton’s downs to only 10 picks this strong arm, in or outside the season despite a completion pocket, and speedy Ted Ginn
AP photo
on the outside (16.8 yards per catch). Newton also will attack defenses with the Panthers’ leading receiver, tight end Greg Olsen. The Broncos were first in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game and sacks, and tied with the Panthers (of all teams) for yards per pass play allowed. They harassed Tom Brady last week to the tune of 17 hits – seven for Demarcus Ware, four for Von Miller and three for Malik Jackson. Quar-
terbacks had only a 78.8 rating against Denver this season thanks to a trio of exceptional corners – the physical Aqib Talib, who could draw snaps against Olsen, Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby. The Broncos certainly will try to get to Newton, but can they contain him in the pocket? Extended plays may lead to big gains for Carolina, but this is too tall a task, even for the likely MVP.
EDGE BRONCOS
BRONCOS RUSHING OFFENSE vs PANTHERS RUN DEFENSE Won’t anyone think of the running backs? They’re people, too. With such a focus on Newton and Manning, what if this game came down to Denver’s ability to run the ball, taking the pressure off Manning? Gary Kubiak’s zone scheme has helped C.J. Anderson, especially down the stretch. He averaged 4.7 yards
Peyton Manning
5
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
AP photo
AP photo
per carry in the regular season and is running at a rate of 4.6 yards a touch in two playoff games. Ronnie Hillman has not been effective in his 27 playoff carries for 54 yards. Carolina counters with one of the NFL’s best defenses, especially up the middle. Luke Kuechly is as good as they come bringing down the ball carrier, if he can get past star defensive tackle Kawaan Short and his 16 tackles for loss. Even if Thomas Davis can play, he won’t be as effective, which is an issue for Carolina. The Broncos’ rushing attack has definitely improved, but is it good enough to be successful against a Carolina ‘D’ that was fourth in the league against the run?
EDGE PANTHERS
BRONCOS PASSING OFFENSE vs PANTHERS PASS DEFENSE
Which Peyton Manning will we see Sunday night in Santa Clara? Will he conclude his career with a vintage Manning outing, picking apart a fantastic pass defense, or will he be limited to the player we’ve seen most of the season, hoping to simply manage the game. Either of those Manning’s would work for Denver, as long as it’s not the one who threw 17
interceptions to only nine touchdowns during the regular season. We won’t recap all of Manning’s limitations, or go on and on about how his intelligence is such a weapon, but the numbers haven’t been good this postseason. He completed 55.1 percent of his passes, despite zero interceptions. Demaryius Thomas has only six catches in the two playoff games, with Owen Daniels catching the two touchdown passes. Those two throws last week against the New England Patriots had pinpoint precision, helping alleviate the fact that they hung up in the air. Can that work against Carolina? Here’s what Manning is facing – the league’s best defense in terms of opponent passer rating during the season (73.5). The top interception team with 24 picks. Josh Norman emerged as a lockdown corner with 18 passes defensed. Kuechly and Davis each had four interceptions. Kurt Coleman had seven. Of all the scenarios to consider in this matchup, the only one that gives the Broncos the edge is if the 2012-13 Manning walks out of the tunnel on Sunday. That’s not happening.
EDGE PANTHERS
SUNDAY’S OVERALL EDGE
Analyzing special teams, the only noteworthy disparity comes in kickoff coverage, where Carolina is 28th and Denver is sixth, so maybe the Broncos can get a big return. The issues for Denver on offense, though, are magnified in key situations. They were 25th in the league in third-down conversion percentage. Carolina was seventh. The most significant disparity is in the red zone, and what will hand the Panthers the ultimate advantage. Carolina was second this season, scoring touchdowns on 68.2 percent of red-zone trips. The Broncos were 28th, finding the end zone on 47.7 percent of trips inside the 20. And Denver’s defense is only 20th in the red zone. The Panthers are the better all-around team. The X-factor obviously is Manning, and the type of impact he has on this game. Denver’s defense could cause real problems if Newton becomes erratic, but the thought of the Broncos putting up the necessary points against Carolina’s defense does not instill much confidence. The Panthers are the clear favorite in Super Bowl 50.
EDGE PANTHERS
“The Broncos offense has been struggling, they’ve been counting us out ... Yes, we do have the No. 1 defense. Those guys have done an extremely good job. ... Offensively, don’t count us out. ... We have playmakers all over the field and we can go out and put up points as well. I like being an underdog.” Emmanuel Sanders Broncos wide receiver
“We have to be on top of our game because we know [Peyton Manning] is going to be on top of his. We will have a good plan, and I’m sure there will be some back and forth going on.” Luke Kuechly Panthers linebacker
“Eight-year vet, finally here, man. Everything I dreamed of. A win, a win in the game would
definitely really be everything I dreamed of.” Aqib Talib Broncos cornerback
“Yeah, it’s a big game. The result of the game is big, but when the ball is kicked off, it’s still football. The field isn’t any bigger. The players are the same.” Jared Allen Panthers defensive end
“We’ve been the underdogs all year. It’s nothing new to us. We just play ball. After Sunday, we’ll see. We’ll be ready to play though. You can count on that.” Darian Stewart Broncos safety
“I don’t think this team needs any extra motivation. ... We can’t wait. We’re eager for Sunday.” Ryan Kalil Panthers center
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | Thursday, February 4, 2016 • ProFootballWeekly.com • ChicagoFootball.com
Von Miller
ProFootballWeekly.com • ChicagoFootball.com • Thursday, February 4, 2016
| PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
6
BRONCOS
VS.
PANTHERS STAFF PREDICTIONS
Wednesday spread: Panthers -5½
Hub
Kevin
Arthur
Nate
Bob
ChicagoFootball.com
ChicagoFootball.com
ChicagoFootball.com
ChicagoFootball.com
Daily Herald
Broncos 19 Panthers 30
Broncos 22 Panthers 26
Broncos 20 Panthers 24
Broncos 26 Panthers 24
Broncos 13 Panthers 20
Denver’s ‘D’ is outstanding, but matchups that worked against the Patriots favor the Panthers here. Newton, Short and Kuechly are the difference-makers.
Carolina’s offense is at a slight disadvantage against Denver’s ‘D’, but that Panthers defense should be way better than this version of Manning’s offense.
Cam is NFL’s MVP for learning to thrive in pocket; he’s Super Bowl MVP for escaping it, Denver’s rush. Peyton gutsy but too giving against opportunistic ‘D.’
I’ve picked the Broncos all year and won’t stop here. The Panthers are better, but two weeks of prep favor Peyton Manning, Wade Phillips and Denver’s ‘D.’
Panthers QB Cam Newton has the athleticism to neutralize the Broncos’ fierce pass rush that made life miserable for Tom Brady in the AFC title game.
Jon
Patrick
Jay
Kyle
Dan
Northwest Herald
Chicago Sun-Times
Rockford Register-Star
Kankakee Daily Journal
Shaw Media
Broncos 21 Panthers 18
Broncos 13 Panthers 20
Broncos 24 Panthers 34
Broncos 14 Panthers 27
Broncos 23 Panthers 22
Carolina was best team during year, but this is different. Denver’s defense is unmatched. Can imagine end of game with ball in Manning’s hands ...
The Broncos are being criminally underrated, and an ugly game suits them here, but the Panthers have won 20 of their last 22 games. Make it 21 of 23.
The Broncos’ defense will slow Cam Newton early, but this is the Panthers’ time to shine, and an old Peyton Manning won’t be able to keep up late.
Don’t expect the Panthers to roll up big points again, but Cam Newton’s ability to make plays on the ground will make life more difficult on Denver’s defense.
I know, Carolina is the better team. But Peyton Manning going out on top is too good of a storyline to resist, especially with John Elway on his side.
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THE WAY WE HEAR IT
BY HUB ARKUSH
Will Chargers stay in San Diego beyond next season? For those of you who thought the NFL had finally satiated its Los Angeles cravings, trust us, the drama, the arm-twisting, the back-room horse-trading, power plays and plot twists have just begun. What we know is that the Rams will play in the Los Angeles Coliseum beginning in 2016 and through 2018, and hope to move into the new Taj Mahal of football that Rams’ owner Stan Kroenke plans to build and have ready for the 2019 season. We also know the Chargers will play the 2016 season in San Diego and spend the year trying to convince the city of San Diego they are worth keeping long term in a new football palace of their own. As leverage to gain the new stadium they’ve wanted in San Diego for years, the Chargers also have a guaranteed right to join the Rams in Los Angeles as “partners” in Kroenke’s development as long as they exercise that right before mid-January 2017. The operative word there, of course, is partner. While NFL owners have promised to oversee those negotiations to guarantee Chargers owner Dean Spanos a fair shake, the bottom line is Kroenke doesn’t need a partner, and would much rather have a tenant to help defray the costs of his new project without having to share a significant piece of the profits. The problem in San Diego is, even with the extra $100 million the NFL has promised to kick in to get a new stadium, based on prior offers from the city, they and Spanos are still about $300 million to $400 million short of the funding needed to get a billion-dollar-plus palace built there.
St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke, above, applauds during a news conference at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on Jan. 15, 2016. The Rams are returning to play in 2016 in the Los Angeles area. A new stadium is to be built on a site near the Forum. San Diego Chargers Chairman Dean Spanos, right, watches warmups before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville, Fla. The Chargers will stay in San Diego in 2016, but are considering a move to Los Angeles. AP photo
The simple question for Spanos is, where does he gain more value and annual profit for his team? The simple answer is in a true partnership and it’s clearly Los Angeles. The problem is the distance between a “true partnership” and the deal Kroenke wants to negotiate. Finally, there is the issue of the Raiders. If the Chargers stay in San Diego, Raiders owner Mark Davis then has a one-year window in which he can negotiate a move to L.A. as Kroenke’s “partner.” The problem there is, neither the NFL nor Kroenke want the Raiders in L.A., and while
Davis continues to be courted by San Antonio and Las Vegas with no hopes of getting a stadium built by the city of Oakland or county of Alameda, everybody wants the Raiders but nobody really wants Davis as a partner or tenant. The legendary Al Davis’ son may be a very nice guy and could even be bundles of fun to have around, but he is nowhere near qualified to run an NFL team or capable of managing or overseeing the kind of projects Kroenke and Spanos envision. What the other 29 owners would really like is for the Raiders to stay in Oakland, which is a growing area with great promise for the future in a new
stadium privately financed by new ownership. But it’s Marc Davis’ team, nobody can force him to sell it and neither the NFL nor Oakland will be playing the eminent domain card they played with back in the days of Al Davis’ wars with Paul Tagliabue and his fellow owners. Just when you thought it was all over, now it’s time for the real games to begin.
Which coaches will start 2016 on the bubble?
No coach dodged a scarier bullet on “Black Monday” than Mike McCoy did in San Diego. He clearly is the choice of gen-
eral manager Tom Telesco, who got himself a contract extension last season. Injuries h a v e d e v a s - Mike tated this ball McCoy club the past two seasons, but with Philip Rivers moving ever closer to the backstretch of his career, McCoy cannot afford another non-competitive season. While he is one of the more respected coaches in the league and has been a head guy forever, no coach has done less with more talent in Jeff recent seasons Fisher than Jeff Fisher has in St. Louis. It is near impossible to imagine Fisher surviving a first year in L.A. that doesn’t include a winning season and perhaps even a playoff run. Jay Gruden surprised an awful lot of folks in Washington last year, but was it good coaching, a horrible division and cream puff schedule, or just good fortune? Regardless, owner Daniel Snyder has the patience of a gnat and football savvy of a preschooler, meaning Gruden better have another winning season or he will be in big trouble. Jim Caldwell earned another shot with the Lions’ 6-2 finish to 2015, but with a new G.M. in town, Jim a s l o w s t a r t Caldwell would practically guarantee he doesn’t make it to the bye week. The way we hear it, Jason Garrett lives to fight another day in Dallas solely because firing him would have been a bigger hit to owner Jerry Jones’ ego than keeping him.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | Thursday, February 4, 2016 • ProFootballWeekly.com • ChicagoFootball.com
More Los Angeles drama still to come
7
ProFootballWeekly.com • ChicagoFootball.com • Thursday, February 4, 2016
| PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
8
Retired Bear Tom Thayer reflects on playing days In the midst of the Bears’ 1985 season, which ended in the franchise’s only Super Bowl championship, right guard Tom Thayer had a conversation with Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton that illustrates how the game has changed in 30 years. “I remember walking out of the locker room one day with Walter, who was in his 11th year,” said Thayer, who was an NFL rookie on that team. “I asked Walter, ‘Why are you still playing?’ He said, ‘Because I’m not rich.’ ” Payton was arguably the best player in the NFL during his prime, and at that point, before the 1982 season, he signed a three-year deal for $2 million – total. In the previous six years, Payton had AVERAGED 1,488 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Dallas Cowboys placekicker Dan Bailey now makes almost five times what Payton made then. And if Payton didn’t consider himself rich, imagine how the rest of the league felt. The millions of dollars that today’s players “earn” before taking an NFL snap did not exist. “I think back,” Thayer said, “and every day we went to work, from the first day to the last, we had to earn money. We didn’t have multi-million dollar bo-
OPINION
By BOB
LeGERE
rlegere@dailyherald.com @BobLeGere
nuses in the bank already when we were playing. Every dollar that we got paid to play we earned it. “You never felt like you had the luxury of finally making it. That whole era of guys, even when you retired, you were only retiring to think about what your next career was going to be. ‘What is my next job? What am I going to do?’ ” For Thayer, the next move was to the broadcast booth. For the past 19 years he has been the analyst for Bears radio broadcasts. Thayer said retiring NFL players of that era were not like 60-something re-
tirees who wonder how they’ll fill their days once they stop working. “It’s not because you’re trying to occupy your time, it’s because you need money,” he said. “No one gradauated from that era of football financially secure.” But don’t, even for a second, believe that Thayer has any regrets. His first season with the Bears was the second complete season Thayer played in 1985. He had already played in 18 regular-season games for the Arizona Wranglers of the old USFL, which played its games in the spring. Thayer took a month to catch his breath and then went to his first NFL training camp and played 23 games for the Bears, counting the preseason and postseason. Despite playing three years in the USFL, Thayer was still an NFL rookie when he joined the Bears in 1985, three years after they had drafted him in the fourth round. “Every day was intimidating for me,” Thayer said. “But it wasn’t because of the players, it was because of [offensive line coach] Dick Stanfel and [head coach] Mike Ditka.” Thayer doesn’t recall feeling physcially or mentally beaten down by the grueling marathon he endured playing
football year-round in ‘85. He played seven more seasons as the Bears’ starting right guard, missing just five games. “It helped that I was going to the Chicago Bears,” said Thayer, who grew up in Joliet as an avid Bears fan and was an All-American at Notre Dame. “Mike Ditka, Walter Payton, all the guys on the defense. There were so many reasons to be excited about it. “I was super nervous every single day, and I knew nothing was guaranteed. I knew everybody there were good football players, and they had already had a bad-ass attitude instilled in them from Ditka’s influence of being around there for a couple of years.” That attitude flourished in ‘85 and manifested itself in some games, even before the opening kickoff, as Thayer fondly recalled. “During warmups, the two teams would be on the side of the field going through their drills,” he said. “In those days, [defensive linemen] Steve McMichael and Dan Hampton would go to the other side of the field and face the opponent and just stand there and stare them down. Nowadays it would end up being a fight, but back then it was just Hampton and McMichael loving the sport.”
Greg Olsen: Trade is ‘best thing to ever happen to me’ Former Bears tight end has been a star since his move to Carolina Panthers SAN JOSE, Calif. – Greg Olsen had never felt rejected as an athlete before. He hasn’t since. When the Bears decided to trade him in July 2011 rather than consider extending his contract, the tight end didn’t know what to expect. The Panthers had gone 2-14 the year before, fired coach John Fox and drafted Cam Newton No. 1 overall. But Olsen signed an extension as soon as he moved, and has been instrumental in building the Panthers’ culture to the heights of Sunday’s Super Bowl appearance against the Broncos. “Pretty much what happens is, they say, ‘We don’t want you. We don’t feel like we have a place for you. We don’t have a need for you. We’re going to get rid of you,’” Olsen said. “Any time that happens to guys in our world who tend to have a lot of self-confidence, you take that to heart.” He tells the story with a smile. “Looking back,” he said, “that trade from Chicago was the best thing to ever happen to me.” Since the Bears got a third-round pick for him – a move then-GM Jerry Angelo
By PATRICK
FINLEY
pfinley@suntimes.com @patrickfinley
admitted was a mistake, despite the belief the tight end didn’t fit with Mike Martz’s offense – Olsen has been one of the game’s great tight ends. He set career highs with 123 catches and 1,104 receiving yards this year. Among tight ends, only the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski had more yards. Between Pro Bowl nominations last year and this, Olsen signed another contract extension. None of that happens if he stays in Chicago.
“When I was there, I had some personal success, to a point,” he said. “We had a lot of changes. We had three offensive coordinators. We had a lot of ebbs and flows of our team. We had a lot of moving parts at quarterback. “But since I’ve come here, we’ve had so much consistency. I’ve been able to grow and kinda evolve as a player and have people believe in me, to let me go out and do what you brought me here to do. “Across the board, from the organization to the community of Charlotte, and then obviously on the field professionally, it’s been a home run.” The Olsens embraced Charlotte, and vice versa. Their son, T.J., was born with a rare congenital heart defect three-and-ahalf years ago, and the Olsens spend their free time helping families, financially and otherwise, in the same situation. “Changing teams and everything we went through there with our family and personally with our son, this would be a great exclamation point on an interesting – and kind of up and down – few years for us,” he said. “It’s been a great year for
us personally and now professionally we have a chance to make it truly special.” The Super Bowl is dripping with Bears connections. Both teams once employed Fox. Denver has two Bears assistants from the Marc Trestman regime, while the Panthers’ Ron Rivera played for the 1985 Bears. Panthers defensive end Jared Allen has two sacks in 12 games. Teammate Charles Tillman has a torn ACL and will not play. Olsen, then, stands alone. “It’s his ability to go out and compete at a high level,” Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis said, “when everybody knows that he’s the guy.” He wouldn’t be the man without the trade. “That was really the first time I’ve been really rejected in my sports career,” Olsen said. “But I learned a lot about, ‘Things happen for a reason.’ “I’m here at the Super Bowl five years later, playing the best ball of my career, playing on, hopefully we’ll find out, the best team in the league.”
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Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Kevin White warms up before practice drills during organized team activities at Halas Hall in Lake Forest.
HOW CLOSE ARE BEARS TO BEING SUPER?
By HUB
ARKUSH
harkush@chicagofootball.com Follow@Hub_Arkush
W
hat would Chicago Bears fans give to see “The Beloved” back in the Super Bowl as soon as possible? Considering they’ve been there just twice in 50 years, 21 years apart with the most recent visit already nine years ago, I’d say the sky is the limit. How soon might they be able to make that happen and how far away are they? That’s a much trickier question. First of all, who are these guys? Will Matt Forte and Alshon Jeffery be back? How much will they miss Adam Gase and Mike Groh? Can Dowell Loggains keep Jay Cutler’s arrow pointing up? Can Loggains be a quality play caller in the NFL and will Kevin White be the player we all hope he is? Let’s assume the answers to all those questions are yes. These Bears are at least two more seasons away from being a legit contender. Here is problem No. 1: This year, the Carolina Panthers were in the top 10 in every
major defensive category except passing yards allowed, in which they were 11th. They were second vs. the pass, fourth vs. the run, sixth in points allowed and first in takeaways. Denver was in the top 10 in every major defensive category and first in yards allowed, first in passing yards allowed, first in sack percentage, and fourth in points allowed. While Denver struggled on offense, Carolina was second running the football and first in points scored. Carolina also was first in turnover/takeaway ratio while the Broncos were tied for 19th. The only major defensive categories the Bears were even in the top 15 in were passing yards allowed, in which they were fourth, and total yards allowed, where they were 14th. But those numbers are skewed because the Bears were so awful against the run – 22nd in yards allowed and 26th in average gain per run. The Bears were 20th in points allowed and tied with Denver at 19th in TO/TA ratio. They were just as bad on the other side of the ball, too: 21st in total yards, 11th running but 23rd passing, and just 23rd in
H. Rick Bamman - Shaw Media
Bears quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains (left), David Fales and Jay Cutler enter Soldier Field before their Jan. 3 game against the Detroit Lions. Loggains is now the Bears offensive coordinator. H. Rick Bamman - Shaw Media
points scored. The Bears literally need to get better everywhere to contend. Here is why the Bears are struggling so badly: For Carolina, Cam Newton, Greg Olsen, Ryan Kalil, Kawann Short, Star Lotulelei, Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis and Josh Norman are all among the very best at their positions. The same can be said for Demaryius Thomas, Ryan Clady (when healthy), DeMarcus Ware, Derek Wolfe, Von Miller, Aqib Talib and Chris Harris, Jr. on Denver. And, of course, there’s the Peyton Manning factor. I will save space by not listing the obvious top end star power on the Patriots, Cardinals and Seahawks, this year’s other
legit contenders. As a guard, Kyle Long is one of the best in the NFL at his position, but as a tackle he is not yet. Forte will never see his 20s again, and Jeffery has to prove he can stay on the field long enough to deserve being in the conversation. Who else on the Bears can you legitimately discuss as one of the best in the league at what he does? Nobody. The talent gap on the Bears right now is so severe the conversation isn’t worth having. That said though, the first year of the Bears complete overhaul appears to be a success. In Eddie Goldman, Hroniss Grasu, Jeremy Langford, Adrian Amos and Bryce Callahan at the nickel, the Bears
I do not believe Charles Leno, Jr. can do the job by himself at left tackle, and Jermon Bushrod is almost certain to be a salary cap casualty this offseason. If White and Grasu are the real deal, the Bears need two more starters on the offensive line. If any of Forte, Jeffery or Bennett is gone, well ... On defense, the Bears need huge upgrades at both defensive ends, both inside linebacker spots, at least one safety and at least one cornerback, or possibly both. You tell me who’s currently on the roster to fill any of those spots and play at a very high level? I’m not here to depress you folks, I’m here to inform. If Pace gets absolutely everything right – which would be a small miracle in itself – perhaps 2017 can be the Bears year. With just a couple of missteps along the way, which in itself could win Pace an Executive of the Year Award, 2018 or 2019 seem like much better bets for the Bears to have a chance to be super again. That, of course, relies on whether John Fox can get the job done. Considering he took both of this year’s super clubs to the Super Bowl for their last visits, we’ll assume that’s the one spot that’s covered for now.
Chicago Bears defensive lineman Eddie Goldman (91) walks off the field after a Dec. 13 game against Washington in Chicago. AP file photo
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added five starters with Ryan Pace’s first draft. That’s outstanding. It’s also fair to assume Kevin White will be a sixth starter when healthy. The reason we never evaluate a draft for two or even three seasons is, whether or not they will be quality starters who can join the top talent at their positions remains to be seen. Pace needs two more drafts like that in 2016 and 2017 to significantly close the talent gap on the NFL’s top teams. To contend, the Bears also must do better than Pace did on his maiden voyage in veteran free agency. Pernell McPhee could join the conversation of top outside rush linebackers if he can stay healthy and produce over a full season, but he’s never done it before in five years in the league. Tracy Porter could be a dependable starter at cornerback if the Bears choose to and can re-sign him. Where does that leave this team? If Cutler can continue to ascend and play near the level he did in 2015 with better talent around him, he can win playoff games in Chicago. Cutler, Langford, Forte, Jeffery, Martlellus Bennett, Long and Matt Slauson may be players you can run a Super Bowl offense around.
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‘Going to be one of the biggest blessings I’ve received’ Crete-Monee’s Laquon Treadwell to hear his name called on Day One in Chicago By KEVIN FISHBAIN kfishbain@chicagofootball.com Laquon Treadwell is expected to be the first wide receiver taken in April’s NFL Draft. When Roger Goodell steps to the microphone and says the name of the Ole Miss receiver who overcame a gruesome broken leg in 2014 to star as a junior, the cheers will be heard from down the road in Crete, Ill. Treadwell led Crete-Monee to a 6A state title in 2012 with 85 receiving yards, 93 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and the significance of hearing his name called and his dream realized near his hometown is not lost on Treadwell. “It’s going to be one of the biggest blessings I’ve received,” he said. “Growing up in Chicago, knowing what people go through in Chicago ... having the draft in Chicago the year before, and now it’s back. 2016 will be an exciting year. I will enjoy every minute of it.” Treadwell’s childhood made him “appreciate life” and the opportunities he was able to get. “I’ve had friends die at a young age.
from Chicago who want to do what I did to show them it’s possible.” “Growing up in the neighborhood, it was fun, but people started to figure out they had to make a living and they went the wrong route, and others tried the right route and ended up in the wrong situation at the wrong time,” he said. “It shaped me to the person I am today to appreciate to go out in a nice environment where people are smiling and having fun.” Treadwell recovered from his broken leg to catch 82 passes last year in Oxford for 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns. The skills are visible on tape, and NFL teams will start to learn about the person Treadwell has become in the coming months. “He’s a very likable young man. He always was in high school and even after,” said Jerry Verde, who was Treadwell’s high school coach and now coaches EverAP photo green Park. “They’re going to find it very I’ve had friends get locked up. I knew all interests and be loyal to the people that easy to talk to him and I know they’re these people. I’ve seen the worst of the surround me, and be in it for the long run going to like what they hear. When your worst and I’ve seen some of the best of the and appreciate it all.” work ethic is advanced by a likable perKnowing that many from the area have sonality, it only adds to your stock. I think best,” he said. “I’ve got to appreciate the opportunities I have more and the people watched him since high school, Treadwell that’s only going to pay dividends for that want to help me and have the best said he wants to “be a role model to kids him.”
Laquon Treadwell
CARS815.com
Top of the draft
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By
NATE ATKINS
Myles Jack
natkins@chicagofootball.com @NateAtkinsCF
A few days after the Bears’ season ended with a 6-10 mark, John Fox and Ryan Pace expressed a desire to add playmakers, and not through big free-agent signings. They might sound cliché, but they believe in building through the draft, and the way the picks from their first draft stepped in and held key positions made that belief clear. Of the five first picks Fox and Pace made together last spring, only first-rounder Kevin White failed to start at least two games, and that’s because he missed the season with a shin injury. He should be a focus of the offense this year, but a team lacking big plays and key stops all last season will hope to add more of those kinds of future game-changers starting with this year’s draft. Here’s a look at the three biggest needs the Bears have, as well as some starter-quality options they could have available when he looks like more of the rangy 4-3 ‘Will’ linebacker he played the draft rolls around: at UCLA than a tight tackler in a 3-4. Inside linebacker There’s some debate over No position on the roster had whether Ragland is a first-round a bigger dearth of playmaking talent; Greg Gabriel, Chicaability in 2015 than the two ingo Football’s draft scout and side linebacker positions. The a former scouting director for Bears went from Shea McClellin and Christian Jones to undrafted the Bears, gives Ragland a secrookies John Timu and Jonathan ond-round grade. Ragland is only Anderson, with none showing average in coverage, an area enough to be labeled starter-cal- where Bears inside linebackers must greatly improve, in part beiber at this point. If the Bears wanted to be bold cause he only has good but not and address it right away in great speed. No inside linebacker has been the first round, they could look at UCLA’s Myles Jack or Ala- taken in the top 15 of the draft bama’s Reggie Ragland. Jack is since the Panthers took Luke clearly the superior athlete, as Kuechly in 2012. It’s hard to arhe matches Ragland’s tackle-ma- gue a true 3-4 inside linebacker chine nature but adds dimen- would be worth the investment sions as a pass defender with this year. But Ragland could certainfour interceptions and 18 pass deflections in 29 career games; ly fall to the second, where the he even ran the ball at UCLA. Bears also could give a look at But he’s a bit of a wild card, com- Missouri’s Kentrell Brothers, a ing off a major knee injury that player who lacks ideal size but ended his upperclassman career has the instincts, motor and at all of three games. He’s one of play-making skills that consisthe elite talents in the draft who tently lacked in Chicago all seahas worked hard to rehab, but son.
Reggie Ragland
Defensive end
The Bears found their nose tackle in the second round last year, as Eddie Goldman looks like both the run-stuffer and enough of a one-gap pass rusher to build around. Doing so will mean finding effective five-techniques, and the Bears could probably use two for next year with neither freeagent Jarvis Jenkins nor Will Sutton earning for-sure roles. This draft is top-heavy here, but both Ohio State’s Joey Bosa and Oregon’s DeForest Buckner are out of reach for the Bears. The next best option in terms of fit in the one-gap scheme is arguably Alabama’s A’Shawn Robinson. He’s currently much more of a runstuffer at an estimated 315 pounds, but his pass rushing still can be developed. He’s a talented player and is still only 20 years old. Robinson could be a wild-card pick as high as No. 11, but it’s also hard to find good value picks of potential starters here later.
Offensive line
Dave Magazu received all kinds of credit for his grooming
AP photos
of Charles Leno Jr. at left tackle last season. But Leno was a seventh-round pick for a reason, with limited athleticism, and his inability to play on the right side makes the position a priority even if Kyle Long finds a home at left tackle. The Bears also could improve their right guard spot, where neither Patrick Omameh nor Vlad DuCasse solidified down the stretch last season. Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley could be a great fit at left tackle in the first round, if he’s still available. He could use some more
lower-body strength, but with his frame and an NFL offseason waiting, that should be no worry with the sheer athleticism he brings to the position. Ohio State’s Taylor Decker might be a reach at No. 11, but he’s a strong, hard-working tackle who looks like he could play on either side in the NFL. This draft doesn’t have firstround guards, but an athletic player like Washington State’s Joe Dahl could be a good complement to the power Matt Slauson plays with on the left side.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | Thursday, February 4, 2016 • ProFootballWeekly.com • ChicagoFootball.com
Bears have a few roster holes they could fill in 1st couple rounds
ProFootballWeekly.com • ChicagoFootball.com • Thursday, February 4, 2016
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Senior Bowl draft prospects for Bears Pro Football Weekly’s Kevin Fishbain and Arthur Arkush spent last week in Mobile, Ala., watching the Senior Bowl practices, along with GMs, coaches and scouts from all 32 teams. They recap what they saw, and who could appeal to the Bears. FISHBAIN: In Ryan Pace’s first draft, Arthur, he took two players from the Senior Bowl – Jeremy Langford and Adrian Amos – and signed another one after the draft, Anthony Jefferson. Their needs are pretty focused on the front seven on defense, so let’s start with the defensive linemen we watched in Mobile. Any of them catch your eye as someone who could fit in Vic Fangio’s defense? ARKUSH: Well, Kevin, our trip to Mobile confirmed it’s the right year to covet D-linemen, a position group talented
enough to bring eyesight to the blind. Alabama’s Jarran Reed, Illinois’ Jihad Ward, Louisiana Tech’s Vernon Butler and BYU’s Bronson Kaufusi are just a few of the studs whose size and athleticism seemingly fits the Bears’ 3-4 profile, and they’d look awfully good flanking Eddie Goldman. I know you also took a liking to Louisville’s Sheldon Rankins and Penn State’s Austin Johnson. With inside linebacker a dire need position, what second-level defenders did you observe who might strike Pace’s fancy? FISHBAIN: Our trip to Mobile confirmed that it can be cold in Alabama, too. When I wasn’t trying to regain feeling in my fingers during Wednesday’s practice, I kept a close eye on Alabama’s Reggie Ragland, who I know already has won the hearts of many Bears fans – but that is for his abilities as an inside linebacker.
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out talking about the need at safety, right? FISHBAIN: It’s a pre-draft tradition around these parts to talk about the Bears’ need at safety, even though they have Antrel Rolle under contract and 16-game starter and playing-time leader Adrian Amos returning. Why not add a player to compete with Rolle, who didn’t make as many impact plays as the team hoped for when he was on the field? Cornerback has to be a position to discuss, too, and there were a few cover men we liked (great minds think alike, Arthur): Boise State safety Darian Thompson, and Alabama’s Cyrus Jones and LSU’s Jalen Mills at corner. Of course, this is just one tiny piece of the giant puzzle that Pace has to put together in the next few months as he prepares for his second draft. But this is his wheelhouse – scouting, which has to get Bears fans excited for late April, right? ARKUSH: Absolutely. Pace’s predecessor, Phil Emery, was a self-described pro personnel specialist, and we all know the number of teams that win Super Bowls based off their activity in free agency versus the draft. If Pace’s first draft class continues to improve – and that includes Kevin White becoming the blue-chipper the Bears think he is – and they stack another draft class with as much promise as the last, well, then they’ll be cooking with gas and all those “ifs” might start becoming “whens.”
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In Mobile, he wanted to show he can play off the edge, rush the passer and help in coverage. The more you can provide an NFL team, the better your draft stock, and Ragland understood that. Kentrell Brothers and Antonio Morrison (Bolingbrook’s finest) seem to have the desired physique and speed to play inside, too. Quarterback and wide receiver aren’t as high on the Bears’ list, but those are the players who get most of the attention at the Senior Bowl, like the cool kids in the lunchroom. I wasn’t one of the cool kids, Arthur, but who were the popular offensive players you noticed? ARKUSH: Prior to last week, you might’ve had company outside the cool table with North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, who’s gone from shunned by the FBS to as cool – and as far ahead of his Senior Bowl peers – as Miles Davis. But Jacoby Brissett (North Carolina State) and Brandon Allen (Arkansas) also showed well and might be more realistic mid-round possibilities. Given Eddie Royal’s disappointing debut, slot receiver and punt returner are question marks, and no DBs in Mobile had an answer for Ohio State’s Braxton Miller and Oklahoma’s Sterling Shepard. With Pace’s B1G leaning last spring, Minnesota’s mini KJ Maye also played big. If Matt Forte leaves, the bare backfield needs attention. And what about the defensive backfield? It wouldn’t be a Bears draft discussion with-
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