Donald Driver Disses the Chicago Bears WR's.

[SnakeLH2006]

I heard it on ESPN radio 2 nites ago, but it's interesting, as I like Double D, but here it is:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2009/07/packers_driver_disses_bears_wi.html

Packers' Driver disses Bears' wide receivers and he's got a point

We didn't stumble across Donald Driver's assessment of the Bears' wide receivers until a big headline was plastered across ProFootballTalk.com, but the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel came across something that position coach Darryl Drake might want to print out and stick in his training camp bag. Now.

Driver, talking to Sirius NFL Radio, was very complimentary of the Bears' acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler, and had nice things to say about the offensive line, running back Matt Forte and the defense. But the wideouts ... what wideouts?

"I think Chicago did a great job, and Lovie Smith went out there and got Jay Cutler to lead this team, but one thing they don't have is they don't have the receiver group," Driver said. "They have the running back, they have the offensive line and they have a great defense. But you're going to have to need receivers to make plays down the field, and they don't have that right now. So I can see on our end we have all of that on our offense. And then you go back to look at Minnesota. Minnesota has a great running game, but they just don't have the top-of-the-line quarterback that they need. So I'm hoping my guy [Brett Favre] doesn't go over there, but if he does then I wish the best for him."

The way the Bears' wideouts played against Green Bay last season, Driver may have let them off easy. Packers cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson did a public mugging of the wide receivers in the first meeting. The Bears managed to lose 37-3 and in the process they completed four passes to wide receivers. Yes, they lost by five touchdowns (minus one extra point) and couldn't get five passes to the biggest playmakers on offense.

Brandon Lloyd has two receptions for 17 yards.

Rashied Davis had one receptions for 36 yards.

Devin Hester had one reception for seven yards.

Four catches. 60 yards.

Granted, that was the week Kyle Orton came back a week too early from an ankle injury but Orton wasn't the only player struggling at Lambeau Field.

Fast forward to the Week 16 rematch at Soldier Field that the Bears won 20-17 in overtime. Bears wide receivers made only three receptions in this game. Hester had two for 12 yards and Lloyd had one for 16 yards. The conditions were awful as it was two degrees at kickoff with a wind chill of 13 below zero, but the Packers were not playing in sunny conditions when they were on offense. Aaron Rodgers passed for 260 yards and Driver and teammate Greg Jennings each had six receptions.

If Driver is basing his opinion on those two games, you know what, he's dead on.

Interesting stuff, as DD is prob. tailing off a bit at 34, but really respect what he says...esp. when the pro-Bears journalist agrees....

In the full radio interview, Snake heard...DD goes on to say that Hester is their best WR, and he couldn't make the Packers five-wide strictly as a wideout, saying (paraphrased), Hester has amazing ability, but is their best WR option and is not even close to being a good WR. The dude is a CB/return guy...keep him there.

Somehow, Snake agrees..and appreciates DD's candidness. I know plenty of Bear fans. They won't agree. At least they got Cutler.....Good luck with that mess, yo.

[Brando19]

Hester should have remained a KR man. He seems too exhausted to return kicks after playing WR.

[SnakeLH2006]

Hester should have remained a KR man. He seems too exhausted to return kicks after playing WR.

Hester WAS an amazing return guy, but really tailed off last year....He really didn't seem to do much (without looking at stats) at WR. That hurts them 2-fold....A guy who is just pretty good at ST returns and pedestrian at WR...vs. a guy who won tons of games as a beast on ST.

I dunno, Snake seems to think the dude (Hester) has amazing return ability (without the flashy speed ala Deion, et al) but just seems to know it (how to return kicks) but looks tired at WR and then at ST. It's their (Da Bears) call...not trying to make the Bears better..but maybe they should stick with what made Hester special....record-setting ACE solely on ST. But it's tough, as those guys want the ball too, like Deion did. At least Deion was an ACE at CB too, and at ST returns. Devin just looks tired running patterns at WR, and don't see the same burst on Returns anymore (2008).

Deion looked average at WR, but hey....he was returning all kicks, and playing lockdown CB coverage too. No one can play every snap unless we go back to the 60's or HS football.

Devin is prob. overmatched at WR. Anyone know his 40 times? I just don't think he's got Deion's 4.18 40 speed.....more like 4.4 or so, but just had a knack for ripping it up and making dude's miss on PR. He's missing a step (looks tired) at WR, then on PR or KR. No?