Benson Thrown Under the Bus
By Benjy Lipsman in News on Aug 23, 2006 7:23PM
Last year's Super Bowl champs had a running game lead by The Bus. One of this year's Super Bowl hopefuls, our own Chicago Bears, begin the season by throwing their supposed starting running back under the metaphorical bus.
Prior to the opening of training camp, coach Lovie Smith announced that Thomas Jones, who ran for over 1,300 yards last year, had been supplanted in the starting lineup by last year's first round draft pick, Cedric Benson. Was this due to Thomas' decision to participate in "optional" off-season workouts? Was this due to pressure from above to play the high price top draft pick?
Many expected an intense position battle, pitting Jones against Benson. However, that competition never materialized -- both have been sidelines pretty much since the beginning of training camp with injuries. Jones has been nursing a strained hamstring, while Benson dislocated his shoulder.
Bears teammates seized the opportunity to cast their vote in the competition off the field, when they ratted Benson out to the Sun-Times for leaving the sidelines during Friday night's game, and for missing a mandatory team meeting following the game. While Lovie Smith may have wanted to keep this event quiet, players forced into public view. Smith acknowledged "punishing" Benson, who claimed he wasn't fined. Management tried to minimize the size of the infraction, while it was clearly a bigger deal to players who commented about it.
Benson didn't seem surprised that it was fellow player who went public with his Sammy Sosa act, "That's cool. I don't care to know who. Probably ones who don't like me." Well then .... that should limit the suspects. Between his lengthy holdout during training camp last year, his undeserved ascension to the first team this year, and then his skipping out on the game and team meeting, he's clearly not winning many teammates over.
So is the starting RB job now back in Jones' hand? It sure looks like that to us. In addition to Benson's more recent transgressions, Jones' return to the field in this week's preseason game seems to lock up the starting job. Once the season begins, and both guys are healthy, let 'em fight it out for top back.