Huddle Up

Huddle Up is moving to chicagobreakingsports.com

chicagosports — 2009-10-25T18:06:33-05:00

Hello, Huddle Up readers. We've moved your blog.

Please take a look at chicagobreakingsports.com, the site for breaking sports news important to Chicago, including the Bears. Contributions come from the staffs of the Chicago Tribune, WGN-Ch. 9, WGN-AM 720 and CLTV as well as the biggest headlines from around the Internet.

Be sure to check that link for frequent updates.

Thanks for reading Huddle Up.

Mike Kellams

Tribune Sports

Tommie Harris, Adrian Peterson out for Bears

chicagosports — 2009-10-25T13:58:17-05:00

By Vaughn McClure

No surprise among the Bears inactives for Sunday, with Tommie Harris (knee) and Adrian Peterson (knee) both out with injuries.

Marcus Harrison will start at nose tackle for Harris. Hunter Hillenmeyer will start at strong-side linebacker with Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee) soon to be placed on injured reserve.

Also inactive for the Bears are Matt Toeaina, Jarron Gilbert, Lance Louis, Juaquin Iglesias and D.J. Moore.

Bears rookie pleads not guilty to misdemeanor assault

chicagosports — 2009-10-23T15:10:27-05:00

By Vaughn McClure

Bears rookie offensive lineman Lance Louis pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault charges, according to the San Diego Union Tribune.

Louis has a court date scheduled for December, according to the report. He is accused of injuring former San Diego State teammate Nick Sandford.

Louis was not required to appear in a San Diego court Friday and practiced with the Bears.

Coach Lovie Smith said Louis' status would be addressed after the matter goes through the court. The seventh-round pick could be subject to league discipline at any point during the process.

Tommie Harris 'doubtful' for Bengals game

chicagosports — 2009-10-23T11:28:37-05:00

By Vaughn McClure

Bears coach Lovie Smith said defensive tackle Tommie Harris is doubtful for Sunday's game against the Bengals. Harris has been bothered by a knee injury and missed his third consecutive practice Friday.

His left knee has given him problems since the 2007 season, when he first injured it against the Cowboys. Despite that, Harris hasn't missed a game this season.

Marcus Harrison has gotten first-team reps at defensive tackle with Harris sidelined and should step in next to nose tackle Anthony Adams.

Lovie Smith will address the injury list after practice but expect Harris to be either out or doubtful on the final injury report.

Running back Adrian Peterson also won't play with a right knee strain.

Pisa Tinoisamoa to have season-ending knee surgery

chicagosports — 2009-10-21T16:13:17-05:00

By Vaughn McClure

Lovie Smith said linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa will go ahead with season-ending knee surgery.

Tinoisamoa played in just two games after signing a one-year contract with the Bears.

Tinoisamoa, who ruptured the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the season opener, suffered articulating cartilage damage in the same knee in Sunday's 21-14 loss to the Falcons.

The good news for the Bears is that linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer returned to practice Wednesday after being out since Sept. 27 with a cracked rib. Either Hillenmeyer or Jamar Williams will take over at strong-side linebacker in place of Tinoisamoa. Nick Roach is expected to remain in the middle.

Hillenmeyer returns to Bears practice

chicagosports — 2009-10-21T13:52:53-05:00

By Vaughn McClure

Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer returned to practice today after being sidelined with a cracked rib.

It will be interesting to see how the Bears line up at linebacker with Hillenmeyer back in the mix. Starting strong-side linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa is considering season-ending knee surgery.

Hillenmeyer was the starter at middle linebacker before the injury, but Nick Roach is the starter in the middle now. Either Hillenmeyer or Jamar Williams will start at strong-side linebacker against the Bengals.

Also, running back Adrian Peterson remains out with a knee strain.

Ask Dan Pompei: The Ron Turner version

chicagosports — 2009-10-20T17:51:15-05:00

Bears fans will have to "suffer" with offensive coordinator Ron Turner at least until the end of the season. And then they will have to "suffer" with another play-caller who probably won't be able to satisfy them. Bears fans have been griping about the offensive coordinator since I have been covering the team, starting in 1985 with Ed Hughes.

To say that Kyle Orton's success in Denver reflects poorly on Turner is not fair. If you remember, Orton had a 21-12 record as a starter under Turner (15-2 at home)--so he was pretty good in Chicago, too. Give Turner some credit for that.

Orton has not won games singlehandedly in Denver, just as he didn't very often in Chicago. But he is in a system that might fit him better than the system he was in with the Bears. Orton also is a more mature quarterback now; he has been through virtually every situation and has a better feel for playing the position. He should be playing the best football of his life, and he is.

Dan, what has Ron Turner got against running some plays on the outside rather than most of the time in the middle? --Tony Di Viesti, Park Ridge

Of the Bears' 119 rushes this year, 45 percent have been behind a tackle or further out. They are not just running up the middle repeatedly. But any good running team has to mix up the runs in different gaps and has to have a good chunk of runs between the tackles to keep defenses honest.

Is the Bear's offensive line relatively weak? There doesn't seem to be a lot of "chatter" on the O-line issue, but I have thought that all year and Sunday, to me, that was the real difference in the game, mistakes aside. --Gary Funk

The offensive line is average, like most offensive lines in the league. There aren't many great ones anymore. The pretty good ones, in no particular order, are the Giants, Jets, Vikings, Dolphins, Patriots, Ravens, Titans, Colts, Broncos, Falcons and Cowboys. The Bears need to get their line in that group.

I'll be making my annual trip to Chicago for the Nov. 1 Bears-Browns game. I hope to see Josh Beekman starting at left guard for the Bears that weekend, given Frank Omiyale's up and down play. Do you think it's time for a change at left guard? --Greg Brady, Windsor, Conn.

If I were Lovie Smith, I probably would give Omiyale another chance to prove himself. He played very well against the Lions. Let's see if the Falcons game was an aberration, or if the Lions game was. And I'd probably give Josh Beekman a couple of series at left guard just to see how he does.

Dan, nice article today on your break-down analysis of the two fumbles. I also like the statistic of Forte getting hit in the backfield 40 percent of the time. It's points like this that help me understand what's going on with my Bears. Keep up the good analysis.

I assume you have access to watch the game films to break things down for us like you did in your article. How does Olin Kreutz grade out so far? I know he's getting older and it seems like I don't see his impact as much this year. Has that been a case of him having to play a couple 3-4 teams where he has a nose tackle on top of him, or are the Bears not pulling him for lead blocks as much? Do you still consider Olin one of the Top 10 centers in the NFL? --Jeff Cummings, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Thanks for your kind words Jeff. I didn't think Kreutz played a great game against the Falcons. He was caught off balance a couple of times and was beaten by defenders on a couple of the plays in which Matt Forte lost yardage. But overall, I think he's been very good this year. I think he has been the Bears' best offensive lineman and he is definitely one of the top 10 centers in the league--as long as he doesn't have too many more games like he did Sunday.

Hey Dan, is there any particular time of year or particular date or games in which the Bears wear their alternate orange jerseys? Do they wear them more than once a year? and if they do make it make it to the playoff (which I have no doubt) will they wear it or have they ever worn them in the postseason before. --Wally Colón, Bear fan Orlando,Fla. (lived in Lisle and Evanston in the '80s)

They will wear their orange jersey against the Browns on Nov. 1. It will be the fifth straight year they will wear the jersey for one game. They are 3-1 in orange, losing only to the Lions in 2007. They have never worn them in a postseason game.

Bears drop Baldwin from practice squad

chicagosports — 2009-10-20T16:03:52-05:00

By Vaughn McClure

The Bears have released defensive end Ervin Baldwin from the practice squad, according to a league source.

There has been plenty of movement on the practice squad all season long, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see Baldwin back. He spent the last seven weeks of last season on the active roster.

The Bears also added center Donovan Raiola to the practice squad.

Pisa Tinoisamoa may have significant injury

chicagosports — 2009-10-19T13:02:16-05:00

By Vaughn McClure

Bears linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa has suffered cartilage damage, the extent to which has yet to be determined.

Tinoisamoa left the game with 10 minutes, 6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 21-14 loss to the Falcons. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI Monday afternoon after having severe swelling and soreness in the knee.

Tinoisamoa ruptured the PCL in the knee against Green Bay and missed three games before returning to the starting lineup at Atlanta. He forced a fumble before exiting the game.

If Tinoisamoa's is out for a while or has a season-ending injury, the Bears will have to consider bringing in another linebacker with Hunter Hillenmeyer still out with a cracked rib. Jamar Williams stepped in a strong-side linebacker when Tinoisamoa went down Sunday.

The Bears wouldn't have much depth at linebacker for their next game against the Bengals without adding another player or two. Behind probable starters Lance Briggs, Nick Roach, and Williams are unproven players Darrell McClover and Tim Shaw.

Veteran Derrick Brooks remains an option, and Brooks has a tight relationship with Bears head coach Lovie Smith stemming from their days in Tampa.

Marcus Harrison expected to start at nose tackle for Adams

chicagosports — 2009-10-18T19:02:22-05:00

By Vaughn McClure

With Anthony Adams battling a sprained toe on his left foot, Marcus Harrison is expected to start at nose tackle for the Bears Sunday night.

Adams is active but how much he plays remains a mystery.