I started to write this post in the theme of the song, you know “On the first day of Christmas…” but that was way too cheesy and dumb. So here it is in simple numerical form.
Click to continue reading “12 Days of Bears Christmas”
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Posts Tagged ‘Chicago’
12 Days of Bears Christmas
Sunday, December 21st, 2008
Current Playoff Situation
Friday, December 19th, 2008Ok, in the previous post we broke down the Bears playoff situation and it wasn’t too great. Well, last week, it got even worse. We will break it down again.
Essentially the only chance the Bears have of getting into the playoffs is if they win both remaining games, and the Vikings lose both remaining games.
Click to continue reading “Current Playoff Situation”
Chicago Bears vs Atlanta Falcons – Keys to the Game
Friday, October 10th, 2008Some interesting things to note here that we talked about in our podcast previewing the game.
1. Roddy White has 26 receptions. The Falcon with the next highest receptions is Jarious Norwood with 11 and he is a running back. The next receiver with the most receptions is Michael Jenkins with 9. That means Matt Ryan rarely looks anywhere but to his #1 target. If there was a good game to rest Nate Vasher it would be this game because of Ryan’s inability to look more than 1 place.
2. The Falcon’s have the #2 rushing attack in the NFL. The Bears have the #4 rush defense in the league. This is a good match-up for the Bears D. In the Falcons 2 losses Michael Turner has been held to 56 yards(Carolina) and 42 yards (Tampa Bay). Michael Turner can be stopped and when he is, the Falcon’s struggle.
3. The Bears have a more balanced attack than the Falcons with the emergence of Matt Forte. The Bears have had 1 aspect of their game shut down in games and the other aspect has come through, so it is not like the Falcons where if you shut down Michael Turner they are very limited on offense. The Bears are 12th in the league in passing and 9th in rushing.
Additional note: the Bears put together 2 wins in a row. They didn’t do that until the final 2 games of the year last year (when Kyle Orton was the quarterback).
I think the Bears come out on top in this one 24 -10.
- Decatur Nate
We Broke The One Rule When Playing An Underdog
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008The ONE thing you don’t want to do when playing an underdog is to say things like “We aren’t taking this team for granted.” Or “We know what this team is capable of, it doesn’t matter what their record is.” That is pretty much guaranteeing that you WILL take the team for granted. See USC vs Oregon State on August 25th. Pete Carroll assured everyone his team would be ready for Oregon State and we all know how that turned out (good for those of us who can’t stand USC).
The Bears do have one major thing working in their favor. They were demoralized last year when they played the Lions, and the Lions somehow managed to score 34 points (an NFL record 34 points) in the 4th quarter. This should stand as motivation for the Bears to not let this one get away from them and do what they have been trying to do (and did against Philly) all season… Finish. Lovie preached this all season in 2006 when the Bears went to the Super bowl, and it is why the Bears didn’t make the playoffs last year. They blew more 4th quarter leads than Patrick Ewing (link not relevant just awesome) missed clutch shots (as fans of all things Chicago we are all grateful for those).
Now if the Bears can limit the amount of times they say they are not taking the Lions for granted (the sure way to take a team for granted) and focus more on the way the Lions abused them in the fourth quarter, they should be ok.
Quick note: The players who led the team in passing, rushing, and receiving (the second game Greg Olson led) for the Bears in both games against the Lions last year are all playing in different cities this year. Brian Griese – Tampa Bay, Cedric Benson – Cincinnati, and Bernard Berrian – Minneapolis.
- Decatur Nate
Anything that can go wrong….
Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008The Chicago Bears team that I am so accustomed to seeing is not the Bears team that I have seen these past two weeks. What happened to the team that comes up big when we need them most, especially on defense? Where is the Tommie Harris that I love to see create havoc in the backfield? How did this team lose a game because the DEFENSE couldn’t hold up their end of bargain?
These were all questions that I have had to ponder over the last day after what could only be described as one of the worst losses I have ever had to endure. Why was this one of the worst you ask? For a couple of reasons. Number one, we are better than the Bucs. No doubt in my mind. Two, it wasn’t as if we were smashed and I could see it coming. This team was beaten by itself, for the second week in a row. Terrible.
I don’t know what was the worst part about this loss? The collapse of the defense, the Rashied Davis drop in OT, one of the most atrocious personal fouls that cost us the game? It was staggering to see how many things had to go right for the Chicago Bears to LOSE this game. I certainly will not go so far as to say this is not a playoff team, but good grief, need they make it that hard on themselves, this early in the season???
- Bears Addict
Question Marks Don’t Equal Negatives
Monday, August 4th, 2008We definitely have question marks, but question marks can be looked at optimistically or pessimistically as well. I choose to look at the question marks as opportunities for guys to prove themselves. Sure some of them will let us down, but not all of them.
A lot of fans in Chicago, and on talk radio in Chicago KILL me with their assumption that question marks mean holes. This is entirely untrue in this great league of parity. Question marks mean just that, question marks. Some guys will step in and surprise us and some will disappoint. I just believe that the guys who might disappoint will not have a big enough impact to cause our team as a whole to fail.
I am not sure how it is fun to be a fan and be so pessimistic. Looking at the bright side (while still being “realistic”) is a lot more fun than thinking that your team is going to suck because there is open competition at some of the positions.
Right now, we have one the most proven solid defenses in the NFL with everyone healthy and ready to go.
We have a reworked offensive line where we have moved guys around to where they are better suited (John Tait). We have a rookie who has been hurt, but when he comes in is going to be an upgrade to some of the guys who left on the O-line.
We have a running back that IS (this is not even debatable in my mind) better than the uncommitted Cedric Benson.
We have 2 QBs that have been in this system for a while now, and are getting more and more comfortable with every snap (I like our chance with either one of them under center).
We have serviceable WRs who will get the job done, and one guy who has potential that is out the roof in Devin Hester. Some say Booker is old, but he just had his 32nd b-day. lets look at who all in the NFL is around the same age or older than he is: Terrell Owens 34, Torry Holt 32, Marvin Harrison 35, Plaxico Burress 31 (in 10 days), Randy Moss 31. Brandon Lloyd had one off year in a place that never really gave him a chance (unfortunately this is similar to Adam Archaletta, but I think he was done long before he got here).
If Devin Hester continues to return punts and kicks, we have AUTOMATIC field position advantage in every game, even if they just kick it out of bounds. Aside from Hester we have one of the best special teams units in the NFL.
We have a very accurate kicker who is working on his distance. Not too hopeful with that, but inside 45-50 yards he is money.
We have a head coach that has turned this into a hard working, team that has been to the playoffs 2 out of the 4 years he has been here, and 1 super bowl. We have guys who are now happy with their contracts and ready to play football. There are some teams (and ours has been one of them in the past at times) that are NOT focused on winning, and neither is their front office. You can’t say that about this team. They are obviously willing to pay to get the best players, and keep the ones they have.
This is a freakin long post so some of you might not ever read it, but some of you will and STILL will not be optimistic about this year, and nothing will change your mind. I don’t understand that, and I don’t see how that is fun. I am looking forward to this year, and have high hopes.
GO BEARS.
Chicago Bears Training Camp – Day 6
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008Some more highlights from Chicago Bears Training Camp. Continuous props to for providing these videos to hardcore Bears fans.
Bad note about this day of camp. Rex fumbles 2 snaps. Can’t happen Rex, can’t happen.
sorry. had to take the videos off.
Chicago Bears Training Camp – Day 5
Monday, July 28th, 2008Chicago Bears Training camp day 5. Peanut refining his outstanding quarterback skills. Some good some bad. It really looks like Rex is outplaying Kyle in camp. This is no surprise to me, because Rex has always been a great practice player. He just needs to relax and play his game once the season starts. The interesting things to watch here is the WR battles that are going on. Not only are Brandon Lloyd, Devin Hester, Rashied Davis, and Marty Booker battling it out, but Mike Haas has been looking good. As Roy from SportsFansNetwork points out, Rex and Haas seem to have something going. He is a Tom Waddle type receiver who just seems to hang around, and won’t quit.
To sum up, I think Rex is going to have the starting job going into the preseason, but the real battle is at the WR position.
Had to remove. Sorry.
Farve and Super Bowl, or no Farve and no SB for 20 years?
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008A friend of mine, Luke McIntosh, posed a question to me yesterday. It is a question that I am still pondering, and can’t determine what I would rather have. Here is the question: Would you rather obtain Brett Farve in some sort of trade (not sure what that would be, not important for our hypothetical situation though) and win the Super Bowl in 2009? Or would you rather have no Farve, and KNOW that you weren’t going to win the Super Bowl for the next 20 years?
This is an interesting question on so many levels. Not only because it is a question of would you want Brett Farve to win the SB, but would you be able to put team above your hatred of one particular person that has tormented you for so many years. On the outset, there is NO possible way I would want Farve. He is the essence of everything un-Bear. I think all true Bear fans would agree, a trade for Brett Farve would not only cause mass sickness and vomiting in the streets of one Windy City, but it would cause ticket sales to plummet to the floor (that is probably not true, but I would like to think it would be true). It would be like Walter Payton going to the Packers at the end of his career. It is unthinkable. But throwing in the wrench of a Super Bowl coming with Brett Farve, and no SB’s for 20 years without him starts to make your wheels turn.
So what about you? Are you willing to forget about names on jerseys and take a Super Bowl. Or do you think names on jerseys are what makes the sport so much more interesting? I am still pondering the scenario. I will get back to you…
