Former Bear Cedric Benson was signed today by the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bengals running backs are thin, with starter Chris Perry averaging 2.9 yard per carry and 52.0 yards per game and backup Kenny Watson averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 10.7 yards per game.

They also announced that third string running back DeDe Dorsey is out for the season with an hamstring injury.

I guess the running back position couldn’t be worse with the addition of former first round pick Cedric Benson.

The Bengals now have two former 1st round picks at the running back position with Chris Perry from Michigan and Cedric Benson from Texas.

We all know what happened last season and this offseason with Benson.

The Bears traded Thomas Jones to the Jets and handed there supposedly future star the #1 spot.

He didn’t before well in his first starting season.

He played in eleven games, before getting injured against the Broncos for the rest of the year.

He ran the ball 196 times for 674 yards, averaged 3.4 yards per carry and only scored four touchdowns.

He was bad at getting through any whole that was given to him last season and was just terrible at catching passes.

He did have a terrible offensive line in front of him and that may be the reason he was bad, but look at Matt Forte this season.

Forte has almost the same offensive line excluding LG Josh Beekman, and he 3.8 yards per carry in his first four games.

Will Benson Get Any Playing Time?

Benson will probably see the field this weekend against the Cowboys because they need some kind of spark on that team.

The Bengals are just terrible so far this season.

Benson’s Future with the Bengals?

Look for Benson to try an resurect his career in Cincinnati.

It will likely be a failure because the team is so bad, how is Benson possibly going to look good.

I’m starting to get the feeling that the Chicago Bears should play all there games on Sunday night.

They looked great on offense in the first half and then great on defense in the second half.

What I liked the most, was that the Bears came away with seven points instead of just a field goal after turnovers, which killed them in the last two weeks.

The Bears came out in the no-huddle and Kyle Orton completed two big passes, to Rashied Davis and Greg Olsen, who finally had a good game.

Rashied Davis disappeared from the game after that catch.

Marty Booker awoke from the dead when he scored a big touchdown.

The big loss for the Bears is Brandon Lloyd, who was playing some good ball the last two weeks and obviously becoming the go-to-guy.

They really played some good ball in the first half.

Orton had a passer rating of 106.6 with his three touchdowns in the first two quarters, but Forte was shut down the whole game by the league’s best run defense.

The second half was a whole different ball game the Bears came away with only a field goal which proved to be enough to win the game.

Orton’s turnovers started after a Kevin Payne interception where the Bears had a the ball at the Eagles eight yard line and Orton through a pass to Dez Clark which was intercepted in the end zone.

He was intercepted one more time and fumbled after getting lit up by #58 Trent Cole of the Eagles.

The Bears play calling was very conservative in the second half unlike the first half, but the defense came up big the goal line stand at the end of the ball game and that was the difference this week.

Alex Brown made the touchdown saving tackle on that big goal-line stand.

You can say all you want that the Bears should be 4-0, we all know that but you can’t look in the past when the future is right in front of you.

That was a huge win for the Bears for two reasons there now 2-2 atop the division with the Green Bay Packers and they play Detroit and Atlanta in the upcoming weeks.

Did You Notice?

Nick Roach took over for Hunter Hillenmeyer at LB for a couple of drives.

He also recovered a muffed punt made by Desean Jackson in the first half.

Kyle Orton tied his career high for TD’s with three.

Who They Need Back for Next Week?

It would be nice to have Charles Tillman and Brandon Lloyd back next week, but who knows what there conditions currently are.

Also, Tommie Harris will probably not rush back to risk more damage to his knee, as Israel Idonije and Anthony Adams filled in well for the Pro-Bowler.

Best Quotes from the Game:

Mike Brown: “It’s make a play, everybody was thinking the same thing. I was the guy who got my hands on him, but we had other guys keep him out of the end zone. It wasn’t just me. I’m not going to sit here and take credit for it. That play was a complete defensive effort and it was a special way to end that game for us. It was great.”

Lance Briggs: “It was one of the best fourth-down finishes I’ve ever been a part of, finishing is the key.”

Rashied Davis: “Kyle was good; we won.”

Greg Olsen: “We didn’t play perfect, and we were still able to overcome mistakes and beat a good team.”

Marty Booker: “We escaped and got lucky on this one.”

Dusty Dvoracek: “I was shocked. I thought they’d run a quarterback sneak, it was six, eight inches from the goal line.”

What to Expect Next Week?

Look for the Bears to take the lead early in this one against the Lions.

The defense should get pressure on QB Jon Kitna all game.

#1 Marty Booker

Until last night Marty Booker had caught one ball all season, I know he’s 31 years old and hasn’t been on the Bears in three years, but come on look at Muhsin Muhammad for the Panthers.

#2 Kevin Payne

This guy is worst player on that defense. He is always too deep in coverage, when he needs to play closer to line. He does have two interceptions, but he needs to step it up or he will be where Adam Archuleta is and that’s no where.

# 3 Greg Olsen

I knew he would bounce back with a big game, but the Bears have yet to really utilized there two very talented tight ends and Greg Olsen was very bad the first three weeks of the season, failing to get open and fumbling the ball constantly.

# 4 Rashied Davis

This guy was supposed to be our main WR, but Brandon Lloyd has taken that spot. Rashied looks good in some parts of the game, but than just fault out disappears for most of the game. If he caught a great pass from Orton against Tampa Bay, we would be 3-1, but he needs to step it up because the coaches will look like fools if he fails. They were raving about this guy all training camp.

Defensive tackle Tommie Harris’ status seems in doubt for Sunday night’s game against Philadelphia as he continues to battle knee problems.

Tommie Harris sure didn’t look like himself against the Buccaneers on Sunday and I think it would be better for the team if he sat out and got a rest.

Harris hasn’t practiced all week, and coach Lovie Smith indicated that Harris got banged up in last Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay.

“However you put it, he’s not in condition to practice right now,” Smith said.

Asked if he would consider shutting Harris down, Smith said he would consider it, if Harris is not ready to go.

Smith said if Harris can’t play, Anthony Adams would be active.

Harris, however, sees it differently. Asked about his status for Sunday, he said, ”I’ll see you on the field.”

What’s Next?

Look for both Marcus Harrison and Anthony Adams to get more playing time Sunday vs the Eagles.

Tampa Bay’s Jeremy Trueblood and the Bears Charles “Peanut” Tillman were each fined $5,000 by the NFL for their roles in a skirmish during last week’s game between the Buccaneers and Bears.

The Bears had stopped Tampa Bay deep in its own territory in overtime when Trueblood took some shots at Chicago defensive end Adewale Ogunleye.

Peanut Tillman ran over and jumped on the pile, then got caught taking a swing at Michael Clayton.

That resulted in a 15-yard penalty that kept the drive going and led to a 21-yard field goal by Matt Bryant that lifted the Buccaneers to a 27-24 victory at Soldier Field on Sunday.

The Chicago Bears have announced the release of former second-round pick WR Mark Bradley today.

Bradley was injured in his first two years, from 2005-2006. He injured his knee, ankle, and ACL in the time span.

Last season Bradley played in 15 games, catching just six passes for 71 yards and one touchdown. He primarily played on the special teams.

I always thought Bradley had the big play ability, but I guess the Bears didn’t see that.

DT Tommie Harris, who is coming back from knee surgery, didn’t agree with his former teammate’s release.

“I don’t feel like he had a fair chance,” Harris said. “I feel like he just had his job taken from him. You know how it goes: He had a knee surgery, then he lost his job.”

Bradley knew his release was coming; he thought during the preseason that he would be waived. He was surprised he even made the 53-man roster.

Harris said he had a conversation with Bradley in the preseason, where Bradley indicated he asked the team for his release.

“Mark understood that this was going to happen from the beginning,” Harris said. “He asked for his release so he would have a fair chance to be on somebody else’s roster. But I guess they wanted to wait until week four for whatever reason.”

Bradley was inactive for the opening game against the Colts, and he played on special team against the Panthers and Buccaneers.

Bradley had 36 catches for 583 yards and four touchdowns in his three seasons with the Bears.

What’s Next for Bradley?

Harris believes Bradley’s future is bright.

“He’s a great receiver, he’ll get picked up by another team and do well,” Harris said.

Harris and Bradley were teammates at the University of Oklahoma and developed a good relationship in their time together in Chicago.

What Now?

Lovie Smith said in the preseason that Bradley would have the No. 1 WR spot to start the season, but then Bradley had knee surgery and he lost his spot.

The Bears expected Bradley to take over for Muhsin Muhammad (released) and Bernard Berrian (signed with the Vikings).

Expect the Bears to promote WR Brandon Rideau from the practice squad if Devin Hester stays out of the lineup for a while.

So, Hamilton Played Against Us Four Days Ago and Now He Is on Our Team?

Yes, after spending his entire rookie season on Tampa Bay’s practice squad last year, Marcus Hamilton made his NFL debut Sunday against the Bears, recording one tackle and two pass breakups.

The seventh-round draft pick from Virginia forced the Bears to punt on their first two possessions of the second half by breaking up third-down passes intended for Brandon Lloyd and Marty Booker.

Hamilton was brought in to help a struggling secondary.

Did You Know?

Bradley’s release leaves quarterback Kyle Orton as the lone member left from the Bears’ 2005 draft class.

Bradley is also the second second-round pick Jerry Angelo has cut in the last month, following Dan Bazuin out the Halas Hall door.

Why Was Bradley Released?

Obviously Bradley couldn’t stay healthy and when he played he struggled to keep focus. Look for the Dolphins or Seahawks to pick him up.

Rex Grossman is currently the No. 2 option for the Chicago Bears, behind Kyle Orton.

Grossman is 28-years old and was the 22nd pick of the first round back in 2003.

In his first three seasons with the Bears, he had four touchdowns, five interceptions, and one rushing touchdown in nine games.

The beginning of his career with the Bears was cut short by injuries.

Grossman showed some promise, and Bears fans wanted him back because he was their best option.

The 2005 season was the year where Kyle Orton led the Bears to an 11-5 record and the Bears played the Panthers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs and suffered an early exit.

Grossman was put into that game for the rookie (at that time) Kyle Orton, who basically had a great running game in front of him, with Thomas Jones controlling it.

In 2006, Grossman played in all 16 games, throwing 23 touchdowns, 20 interceptions, and losing five fumbles.

He finally got his chance to prove himself.

He played great at times that season, and he played horrible at times as well.

You can say the Bears got to the Super Bowl despite Rex Grossman, but he did look great in about half of the games.

That is the problem with him; he needs to show up every single game.

People call him Good Rex and Bad Rex.

Ever since that loss, Chicago Bears fans have hated Rex Grossman.

They have booed him on many occasions, and they even wanted to see Brian “stinking” Griese in as the QB.

Griese is so bad, but that is besides the fact.

Grossman would be great on another team, in a smaller city with a good offensive line.

I think the problem with him is that his confidence level is shot.

Losing a Super Bowl can take that confidence from you.

Last year, he didn’t receive much help from his receivers, offensive line, and running backs, which forced him to make plays on his own.

It might not be the last of Grossman in a Bears uniform, because who knows if Kyle Orton will stay QB for the whole season.

I would like the Bears to put Grossman in, but if the Bears win, I don’t really care who is throwing the passes.

All I can say is that if Rex Grossman doesn’t come back next season, I guarantee he will be a starting QB in the NFL in the next couple of years.

Bears fans can say, “Oh he couldn’t even be in the CFL” or “he is Rex Pussman.”

Jerks like Jay Mariotti don’t really help a guy perform better on the field.

Those are the things that bring a guy’s confidence level down, and that is what Rex Grossman has experienced in his wild ride in the Windy City.

Circuit City Game Day Tour with Samsung will be rolling into the Chicago area today

Chicago Bears die hard fans can meet William “The Refrigerator” Perry, who will be making a special appearance from 12pm to 1pm today on the stop of the tour.

Featuring a tour bus loaded with 22 Samsung HD plasma and LCD TVs, Bears fans can stop by for the ultimate HDTV football viewing experience. What’s more, gamers can test their Madden skills on 14 Xbox 360 gaming systems, and five PC gaming stations. There will be a Madden tournament each day of the tour, and the winner for each day will receive a $100 gift certificate to Circuit City.

Game Day Tour visitors can also pick up a coupon to receive $15 off on Circuit City purchases of over $100. Also, any visitor who purchases a Samsung TV on the Tour will get a $100 gift card to Circuit City.

Fans can also get on the bus and register to win a fifty-two inch Samsung LCD HDTV that will be drawn in February at the conclusion of the tour. There will be other Circuit City & Samsung giveaways on site throughout each day.

For those not able to attend, I hope you’ll let your readers know about Circuit City’s current sweepstakes with Samsung – the grand prize winner gets a trip for 2 to Super Bowl XLIII (including airfare, hotel, tickets and transportation)!

Now through October 4th, 2008 visit http://circuitcity.parago.com/livethegame where upon receiving a promotional code, you can enter every day for your chance to win an HDTV & home theater package every day for 28 days! Instant prizes are also up for grabs like $50,000 in Circuit City gift cards.

Tour Dates, Locations and Times

* Friday – September 19, 4pm to 8pm
* Saturday – September 20, 10am to 4pm
* Sunday – Surprise game day location

All stops take place at Lincoln Park Circuit City, on North Elston Avenue, Chicago, IL.

So make your way to Circuit City, all you Chicago Bears fans.

Three running backs, Shaun Alexander, Vernard Morency, and Cedric Benson visited the Detroit Lions today.

In a report by News 8 Austin, a 24-hour news channel in Texas, Martinez and Cedric Benson, a former Chicago Bears running back, were supposed to announce a program by Benson’s charity to help children get winter coats, but Benson was not in Austin for the announcement.

“Unfortunately, but fortunately, Cedric Benson is not here today,” he said.

“He is actually signing a contract today to get back in the game with the Detroit Lions and the reason why that’s a good thing is that the foundation will continue to grow as long as Cedric continues to do what he does on the field.”

Benson rushed for 674 last season with the Bears before an injured ankle ended his season.

During the offseason, he was arrested twice for separate alleged alcohol-related incidents.

He was cut this offseason.

Look for the Lions to add one of these running backs, to a decent backfield, with rookie Kevin Smith and Rudi Johnson.

The offensive line of the Lions won’t be able to help out those running backs and the Lions will continue to struggle.

Running back Kevin Jones signed with agent Drew Rosenhaus today, giving him seven clients on the Bears.

Kevin Jones will be a free agent after this season.

This is not a good thing for the Chicago Bears, Rosenhaus tries to get the most money from teams on his players.

If Jones keeps performing well, he might get a big contract somewhere else.

Look at Bernard Berrian he got his dough with Vikings, Briggs almost went elsewhere and Tommie Harris is among the league’s highest paid at his position.