Post by JABF on Oct 2, 2016 20:08:46 GMT -6
He sure looks legit to me. Love watching him play. Yet another bright spot on our young roster. We have some gems to build around.
LINK
Bears Fans, Welcome to the Jordan Howard Era
Over the past 50 years or so, the Chicago Bears have had the pleasure of some very good running backs. There was the Gale Sayers Era. "The Kansas Comet" was arguably the best pure runner and return man ever, with a career cut a bit short due to injury. Then, of course, there was the Walter Payton Era. A player that Mike Ditka calls the greatest football player he has ever seen. 16,726 yards and 110 TDs is a tough act to follow.
After Walter retired, the Neal Anderson Era was borne. You remember the "Ultraback", don't you? He rushed for a total of 6,166 yards on 1,515 attempts with a total of 51 touchdowns. This was followed by the Anthony Thomas Era. Sure, the "A Train" only played from 2004 to 2006, but he had 3,332 yards and 21 TDs in that span.
The Thomas Jones Era was next, and in just two years he rushed for 3,493 yards and 22 TDs. Next up was the Matt Forte Era. Forte carried the rock for Chicago from 2008 through 2015, rushing for 8,602 yards and 45 TDs. He was also a prolific pass catcher, leading the NFL in receptions with 102 in 2014.
And now, after just one start, I am proclaiming this to be the start of the Jordan Howard Era. Sure, it was only one game against a bad defense in Detroit, but Howard looks like the real deal to me. A power runner who always seems to get that extra yard or two after being tackled, Howard has terrific field vision and awareness.
Howard is also a patient runner, who buys time for the hole to open and then hits it hard and quickly. Plus, being drafted by the current front office, you know he is going to be given every chance to become the starter for the Bears. The 111 yards on 23 carries certainly won't hurt his chances of becoming The Next Big Thing for Chicago.
His emergence is right on time, too, because it's not as if the Bears have caught up to the rest of the pass-happy NFL. With Brian Hoyer at the helm, it's not as if balls will be flying around like vultures at a cemetery. This Bears offense needs a strong, reliable rushing attack to be successful and to control the clock and Howard has the best chance to offer that than anyone else currently on the roster.
Look, Hoyer had a very nice game, and the defense definitely stole the show on Sunday, limiting one of top offenses to just 279 yards and zero offensive TDs. Eddie Royal had himself a game, too, catching seven balls for 111 yards (there's that number again) and a TD.
But you cannot discount the importance of what Howard did because he is young and a big part of the future for these Bears, who are undergoing changes faster than a chameleon. For a team going through a rebuild (and that's what this is, even though you won't hear those words from Ryan Pace or John Fox), hope has to come in young packages.
The Bears want to dominate time of possession and the best way to do that is to run the football. That also keeps the defense off the field and fresh.
Moreover, Pace has got to start showing something from his draft picks. Last year's top pick missed all of last season and hurt his ankle again on Sunday, while this year's top selection, Leonard Floyd, appears to be too small. So having a kid like Howard step up gives everyone confidence that maybe—just maybe—the GM can pick talent.
Meanwhile, the guy who was supposed to be next up on the RB depth chart following Forte's dismissal, Jeremy Langford, is hurt. Watching Howard juke and jive while also playing smash mouth when need be, makes one wonder if Langford will get his job back even when healthy.
Hey, maybe the Bears have their next running back. Maybe. Oh and by the way, it would be nice if the next young QB was on the roster too. That will have to wait, I guess.
Bears Fans, Welcome to the Jordan Howard Era
Over the past 50 years or so, the Chicago Bears have had the pleasure of some very good running backs. There was the Gale Sayers Era. "The Kansas Comet" was arguably the best pure runner and return man ever, with a career cut a bit short due to injury. Then, of course, there was the Walter Payton Era. A player that Mike Ditka calls the greatest football player he has ever seen. 16,726 yards and 110 TDs is a tough act to follow.
After Walter retired, the Neal Anderson Era was borne. You remember the "Ultraback", don't you? He rushed for a total of 6,166 yards on 1,515 attempts with a total of 51 touchdowns. This was followed by the Anthony Thomas Era. Sure, the "A Train" only played from 2004 to 2006, but he had 3,332 yards and 21 TDs in that span.
The Thomas Jones Era was next, and in just two years he rushed for 3,493 yards and 22 TDs. Next up was the Matt Forte Era. Forte carried the rock for Chicago from 2008 through 2015, rushing for 8,602 yards and 45 TDs. He was also a prolific pass catcher, leading the NFL in receptions with 102 in 2014.
And now, after just one start, I am proclaiming this to be the start of the Jordan Howard Era. Sure, it was only one game against a bad defense in Detroit, but Howard looks like the real deal to me. A power runner who always seems to get that extra yard or two after being tackled, Howard has terrific field vision and awareness.
Howard is also a patient runner, who buys time for the hole to open and then hits it hard and quickly. Plus, being drafted by the current front office, you know he is going to be given every chance to become the starter for the Bears. The 111 yards on 23 carries certainly won't hurt his chances of becoming The Next Big Thing for Chicago.
His emergence is right on time, too, because it's not as if the Bears have caught up to the rest of the pass-happy NFL. With Brian Hoyer at the helm, it's not as if balls will be flying around like vultures at a cemetery. This Bears offense needs a strong, reliable rushing attack to be successful and to control the clock and Howard has the best chance to offer that than anyone else currently on the roster.
Look, Hoyer had a very nice game, and the defense definitely stole the show on Sunday, limiting one of top offenses to just 279 yards and zero offensive TDs. Eddie Royal had himself a game, too, catching seven balls for 111 yards (there's that number again) and a TD.
But you cannot discount the importance of what Howard did because he is young and a big part of the future for these Bears, who are undergoing changes faster than a chameleon. For a team going through a rebuild (and that's what this is, even though you won't hear those words from Ryan Pace or John Fox), hope has to come in young packages.
The Bears want to dominate time of possession and the best way to do that is to run the football. That also keeps the defense off the field and fresh.
Moreover, Pace has got to start showing something from his draft picks. Last year's top pick missed all of last season and hurt his ankle again on Sunday, while this year's top selection, Leonard Floyd, appears to be too small. So having a kid like Howard step up gives everyone confidence that maybe—just maybe—the GM can pick talent.
Meanwhile, the guy who was supposed to be next up on the RB depth chart following Forte's dismissal, Jeremy Langford, is hurt. Watching Howard juke and jive while also playing smash mouth when need be, makes one wonder if Langford will get his job back even when healthy.
Hey, maybe the Bears have their next running back. Maybe. Oh and by the way, it would be nice if the next young QB was on the roster too. That will have to wait, I guess.
