Benson's chances?

[moochman]

Early word is that it looks unlikely that T Jones will start Sunday against the Vikes. How do you guys think Benson will do and could he overtake Jones should his knee injury linger?

[Mercer Boy]

This is the last thing Jones owners (like myself... ) wanted to see. Of course, it's apparently nothing new with this guy.

Benson has looked like poop the first few games. I saw him fumble away the ball in the one carry I noticed him have last week against Cleveland. But, he's going to get the ball a lot this week since Jones probably won't play.

Judging by the Vikings run defense (last in the league in yards allowed - 178 a game!!! and giving up over 1 TD per game on the ground), Benson could end up having a very huge day. I would start him if I had him. I don't care what he's done before with that type of matchup.

This will really bite Jones in the butt if Benson does well this week. They'll assume they've found their guy...after all, he was their top draft pick. They very well might not give the job back to TJ when he comes back.

That's assuming he DOES come back - apparently he's talking to Dr. James Andrews about his LCL injury. If you play fantasy baseball or watch a lot of baseball in general, you know that this guy is probably one of the most notable butchers in sports medicine. Everyone goes to this guy when they have arm issues, and it seems like 90% of the time he does Tommy John surgery on them.

I really don't like this...I wish I had traded TJ last week for a freaking good WR...stupid me.

[logan]

I really don't like this...I wish I had traded TJ last week for a freaking good WR...stupid me.

i feel your pain there. i was in the middle of a trade with him involving me getting holt (not straight up). just a couple more days and i would have been golden. ah well.

anyways from what lovie said yesterday it looks like peterson could get some touches as well(mostly passing downs because of his blocking and catching abilities). benson could break out or bust hard. tough to say. if i had no other option and was a benson owner i would role the dice. they could be running alot in that game if int-pepp shows up.

[skibrett15]

Jones owners gotta hope that the vikes take an early lead, and Orton sucks it up. Then the bears won't run it much. Of course I think that the vikes run D isn't that bad. I mean their front 4 is pretty good, they shouldn't be that bad.

[footballchick23]

Jones owners gotta hope that the vikes take an early lead, and Orton sucks it up. Then the bears won't run it much. Of course I think that the vikes run D isn't that bad. I mean their front 4 is pretty good, they shouldn't be that bad.

I agree...I know they've given up a lot on the ground, but hopefully MIN took the bye week to get their s%#t in order. Since CHI doesn't have much of a passing attack, I can see MIN making it especially difficult to run the ball.

[Sixxgunn]

Don't forget Petersen is still lurking. He may not be the best blocker, but he can rip off some nice runs, and if the Bears have shown anything, they tend to stick with the hot hand. I don't think Lovie is as smitten with Big Ced as much as he lets on in the media, and his lack of practice is an excuse to keep him out of games. The lack of playing time makes him look bad, creating a vicious circle that Benson stuck himself into by the most retarded holdout in the history of football. Benson should get an increase in playing time, but not as much as you might think. I'll be willing to bet you see some guy you never knew existed get a few carries this week. BTW, no matter what Benson does this week, when TJ comes back the following week the job is still his. You simply don't bench a guy who is averaging 103 yards a game because you drafted another guy #4.

[Cornbread Maxwell]

Time to go and get Benson (actually it was last week or earlier).

MIN's D is poor right now - thier front 4 are nowhere near as good as they looked on paper this preseason. Kenechi Udeze is done for the year, and Spencer Johnson - an undrafted, inexperienced DE who was supposed to replaced him - has a knee injury. The rookie Erasmus James needs time before he can be a contributer to this team. They still have the great Williams tandem in the middle though. Their LBers are a mess as was expected - easily the weakest portion of this D even after the DLine losses. Teams are running against MIN much more now which has reduced the impact of their secondary.

On the other side - the Bears got a HUGE scare as both of their best OLinemen suffered minor injuries last week - Tait and Brown. Both are expected to play on Sunday against MIN.

Bottom line: CHI is gonna run all over MIN this Sunday - and if Benson is basically their only option, then so be it, the battle will still be won in the trenches and I expect CHI to open up some nice holes for whoever is running the ball.

[Challie]

Chicago Tribune article, for what it's worth: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/fo ... &cset=true

Definitely don't assume that Benson gets 25 carries. Peterson was the guy they went to last week. Caveat emptor.

[awwchrist]

when TJ comes back the following week the job is still his. You simply don't bench a guy who is averaging 103 yards a game because you drafted another guy #4.

But if Benson rips into Minnesota for 150 and two TDs....

crazier things have happened.

[Cornbread Maxwell]

Chicago Tribune article, for what it's worth: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/fo ... &cset=true

Definitely don't assume that Benson gets 25 carries. Peterson was the guy they went to last week. Caveat emptor.

registration required Challie.

Any way you can give us a recap of what it says?