Western Conference

OFFENSE : The Bears have one of the most exciting and powerful offenses in the long history of the club. With a double handful of great running backs—Galimore, Perry Jeter, Rick Casares, Bobby Watkins—and one of the truly great offensive ends of the modern era in Harlon Hill, only possible question lies at quarterback. Ed Brown has been usually good for most of the season and tailed off; if Zeke Bratkowski can step in to run the Bear juggernaut when Brown fades, then this team will be reminiscent of the Bear wonder teams of the early '40s—on offense, anyway. With the tremendous speed inherent in Galimore and Jeter, look for the Bears to use short passes with quick laterals often this year.

DEFENSE: The Bear pass defense was spotty against deep throws last year, although its over-all performance was not really poor. Some of the secondary's difficulties came from lack of rushing by the Bear ends, and this may hurt again this year. Driscoll must find strong, rough rushers to help his pass defense. Elsewhere, the Bear line is strong.

1957 SCHEDULE (1956 score):

SEPT. 29 at Green Bay (37-21)
OCT. 5 at Baltimore, N (21-28)
OCT. 13 San Francisco (31-7)
OCT. 20 Los Angeles (30-21)
OCT. 27 at San Francisco (38-21)
NOV. 3 at Los Angeles (35-24)
NOV. 10 Green Bay (38-14)
NOV. 17 Baltimore (58-27)
NOV. 24 at Detroit (10-42)
DEC. 1 Washington (no game)
DEC. 8 at Chicago Cardinals (10-3)
DEC. 15 Detroit (38-21)

DETROIT
Lions

RATING: Third.
1956: W 9, L 3, finished second,
EXHIBITIONS: W 3, L 3.
COACHES: Head, George Wilson; assistants, Aldo Forte, Garrard Ramsey, Bob Nussbaumer, Red Cochran.

WATCH FOR: Scampering runs of tiny Marv Brown at halfback, rotation of Quarterbacks Bobby Layne and Tobin Rote, throwing to one of the best recent pass receivers—Dave Middleton.

OFFENSE: The Lions may suffer from a decided lack of running attack this year. With Rote and Layne on hand to spell each other at quarterback, it seems likely that the Detroit air forces will be effective, but none of the running backs on hand are impressive. Rookies Tom Tracy and Marv Brown have provided most of the spark in a lackluster ground offense; John Henry Johnson, acquired from the San Francisco 49ers to plug a hole at fullback, was disappointing in exhibition games, but he is a strong runner and should help. The Lions have good receivers in Dave Middleton, Dorne Dibble and Hopalong Cassady.

DEFENSE: The Lion secondary quartet—Yale Lary, Carl Karilivacz, Jack Christiansen and Jim David—is the best in the West. The Lion rushers are vast and violent, and the linebackers, with the addition of Roger Zatkoff from Green Bay, are magnificent. George Wilson, taking over from Buddy Parker, may have to depend on this stout defense until he can acquire or develop some really competent running.

1957 SCHEDULE (1956 score):