Joniak's Journal: Bennett Brothers On Either Side Of Bears-Seahawks Matchup
By Jeff Joniak--
(CBS) The Bears (0-2) visit the Seahawks (0-2) for a 3:25 p.m. contest Sunday. Here are my observations heading into the game.
First impression
This is the game in which it's good to turn to Martellus Bennett -- not only on Sunday against the Seahawks, where he hopes to be a difference maker, but also in previewing his on-field reunion with his brother Michael, a dangerous game-wrecker as a Seattle defensive lineman.
"We've always been super, super close," Martellus said. "We talk every single day".
Bennett called his brother passionate, loving, caring, a great father and a great brother.
Second thought
It was quite the thrill for 26-year-old receiver Joshua Bellamy to score on his first NFL catch against Arizona last Sunday. Bellamy came out of a three-man bunch formation to the left, and Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson busted the coverage. Bellamy was wide open down the left sideline on a 48-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Jay Cutler.
"It gives you confidence," Bellamy said. "On that play, Jay told me this could be a touchdown, so keep your angle high, and it happened like that. Once I seen everyone flow to the flat, I was just like oh, man."
Bellamy's fast, saying he runs in the 4.3-second range in the 40.
"I've got to put my speed on film," Bellamy joked. "They be doubting me, man. They don't really respect the speed. I've got to put the burners on."
Bellamy is referencing NFL defensive backs, whom he said don't realize how fast he is and that it sneaks up on them. Maybe this has earned Bellamy more targets. He's another example of a player who refuses to quit. He entered the league in 2012 with Kansas City and played three games. He played another five in 2013 with Washington and now six with the Bears in the last two seasons. He's been involved in 16 different transactions and waived five times.
Third degree
I asked Martellus Bennett to give a strict evaluation of his game right now and that of his brother's.
"I feel like I am better in all phases," Martellus quipped.
He said maybe the biggest expansion of his game is being a leader.
"The teammates have pushed me into a leadership role," he said. "You either step up to the plate or you back away from it. I have stepped up and embraced it, and it's kind of cool."
As for his brother Michael: "He's a hand grenade. He's just been messing everything up. He's destroying every single thing you are trying to do, messing up your concepts, your blocking schemes, by blowing up the guard and the tackle and everybody else rallies to the ball. We really have to slow him down if we want to move the ball at all."
You can hear more on the brothers Bennett in the audio version of "Joniak's Journal" in the second hour of WBBM's "Countdown to Kickoff" from Seattle.
Fourth-and-short
Underscoring just how difficult the challenge is for the Bears are the numbers.
-- Seattle is 32-10 in its last 42 regular-season games, outscoring opponents 26.9-15.6.
-- Seattle is on a streak of 72 games, including playoffs, where it has led or has been within one score in the fourth quarter.
-- Seattle has won 11 of its last 12 home openers since 2003, outscoring opponents by a ridiculous 317-119.
-- In its last 24 home games, Seattle is 22-2 with a plus-357 point differential, an NFL-best 55 takeaways and plus-30 turnover margin.
Jeff Joniak is the play-by-play announcer for the Bears broadcasts on WBBM Newsradio 780. Follow him on Twitter @JeffJoniak.
