Nobody really was great for the Bears today, and there should have been some great games against a lousy Jacksonville team.
I think Israel Idonije was about as good as any Bears player today.
Kyle Orton was good. Matt Forte was good. Danieal Manning was very good, and it may be time to let him replace Devin Hester on punt returns
But nothing great.
Still, it was a win. And with the Vikings winning, the Bears couldn't afford to blow this one.
By the way, can we please get away from this Bears' Weather talk. It's a myth. This wasn't about the weather, it was about the Jaguars.
to be fair, Roman, the Bears have let worse teams than this get the best of them, and the Jags certainly failed to do so today.
Granted, I'm not going to rate this as a "good" win either, but I find it worth mentioning that the Bears' D managed to put together a series of decent stops--again, against a subpar team, but it's nice seeing the team do what they're supposed to do for a change.
I could do with some more production on offense in the second half.
We'll see if the Bears can deal with a challenge Thursday. Prime time game = bad news, but it's on NFL Network..anything can happen when nobody's watching, right?
Bears...playing their hearts out for the right to get their butts kicked in the 1st round of the playoffs.
Party pooper :(
Consider the Packers, Bears, and Vikings remaining three opponents, and then tell me that the Packers are out of it.
Only because this game was such a sleeper....I put in the Ice Cube movie Long Shots instead....
Good Movie...about a girl QB from downstate illinois...who takes the Pop Warner team to the Superbowl.
you know who directed it?
Fred Durst!!!
See....dont sleep on the Bizkit baby!!!
B
Only because this game was such a sleeper....I put in the Ice Cube movie Long Shots instead....
Good Movie...about a girl QB from downstate illinois...who takes the Pop Warner team to the Superbowl.
you know who directed it?
Fred Durst!!!
See....dont sleep on the Bizkit baby!!!
Blog Full Circle
B
First of all, Mr. Turner needs to quit packing it in after a decent 15 minutes of play calling. I'm sorry, but he's still a knucklehead!
Urlacher and Hester need a serious pay check cut, because the weight of those contracts is slowing them WAY DOWN.
Defense played decent, considering the amount of times they had to go back out there, but they continue to have problems with a power running back, even if he is only 5'7".
If this Williams kid ever gets his butt out there to replace Ole' Claire at LT we improve our blocking.
Those tight ends are GOOD. I'm just sorry we don't see more of the kid from Michigan State.
Is it me or are we loaded with all #3's at wide receiver. Everybody keeps saying "Who's our #1, but shoot, I don't even see a #2!
We're ranked right in the middle of the pack of the N.F.L., but with the exception of the G.B. game, we played well with any of the guys up front. Granted, the likes of Pitt., Balt., N.E., and maybe the surging Colts worry me match-up wise, but I don't believe there's one team in the N.F.C. that we have no chance against.
N.Y., Tenn., and Tampa are all beatable. Dallas and G.B. are probably our toughest match-ups, but the Pack is done and the Cowboys can't holster their guns nowadays without shooting themselves in the foot.
3-0 for the Good Guys versus 1-2 for the Viqueens looks like a strong possibilty.
Why, I think the party is just beginning.
Come to think of it, maybe playing just a #3 wide receiver is the answer. Put 82 out wide, 87 in the slot, and 88 on the line, with 23 the other wide. Power passing attack. I know damn well Olsen and Davis can catch balls amongst the little guys.
Nah, that would mean Turner would have to get creative, and we all know where that's goin'.
Make for an interesting running game though!
Yes, it's nice to see the Bears dominate teams they're expected to. I'm still concerned how they did virtually nothing in the second half. We were up two scores with tons of time and Ron Turner was calling runs on third and long??? That kind of playcalling will result in games like Tampa and Carolina. The Bears did some things right but it was more so the Jags who did themselves in.
Random thoughts:
-I wish our defense had the same drive and killer instinct that the Ravens D has.
-Finally, Mark Anderson!
-Hope Garrett Wolfe feels better because he is a maniac on STs! Who knew the guy could tackle so well? He's just a football player and that's all I can say about that.
-If Matt Forte leads the Bears in rushing and receiving, does that make him our #1 back and #1 WR? And if so, does Angelo devote 1/6 of the salary cap just to Matt?
-Maynard had a fantastic game.
-I hate how Kevin Jones has been inactive. He's a good, speedy RB and if we're really a running team, why don't we use our 1-2 punch every game? Peterson not too bad but he's seldom used either.
-Yeah Roman, gotta love Idonije's work ethic.
-With a need to win out these last few games, we're one down and three to go. Unfortunately we beat the easiest team on our remaining schedule, but it's a step in the right direction.
Tommy, c'mon man! Let's try to be more optimistic. The Bears are very inconsistent, but at any moment things could click. Danieal Manning could suddenly emerge as the star DB the Bears drafted him to be. Anthony Adams and Marcus Hamilton could jump start the dormant D-line.
Other teams have been inconsistent. The Steelers are on a roll, but their offense has been terrible. The Panthers are doing good but sometimes DelHomme just fizzles. The Cowboys were expected to win the SuperBowl but they've been up and down with injuries and team chemistry.
All that matters is that we get into the playoffs and then anything can happen. Personally I want to see my team for as long as possible. Go Bears and get a W this Thursday!
Hey,guys, a win is a win! I didn't get the Bear game in this hot bed of Packer and Viking fans here by the Mississippi in Wisconsin so kept switching between the Packer and Viking games. I had hopes that both would lose and got excited at the way Detroit was playing, but only half of my hopes were fulfilled.Actually I was really glad to see the Packers lose because I was more worried about them than the Vikings. Let's hope the Giants and Atlanta get their acts back together and are able to pound Adrian P. and the Vikes. The Bears need to only take care of business, especially the business coming down from Green Bay.
Will someone give Navarro a Silver Jacket and a blank play book already?
The guy obviously knows a few things....
Can we end the Rashid Davis experiment? He sucks and NO he's not as good as the Bears advertised. He’s dropping the easiest catches. There are others like Hass that can do as good if not better than Davis. Orton was on the bench until this year he turned into our franchise QB. Why can’t we see what the others have? At least give them a chance….
Bears will tie for division lead, and miss playoffs on tie breakers. Both the vikings and packers games were more fun to watch.
Looks like jags could use a qb, maybe rex could play for them?
Not much interesting for the Bears this season, won't even get a decent draft pick for jerry to dither with.
Unfortuantely I think the Bears are out of the playoff picture.
Highly doubtful any wildcard team comes from the NFC North so that means they must win the division.
The Vickings are on the road next week against a mediocre Arizona team that just clinched their division. Then at home against Atlanta and the Giants. I see them winning 2 of 3 and finishing 10-6. Even if the Bears can win the final 3 (which would be 4 in a row - something they havne't done all year) they still lose the tiebreaker with the Vickings.
Possible but unlikely. This team doomed itself by playing terrible against GB and Minnesota on the road. The Vickings essentially have a 2 game lead with 4 to play.
I'll take the win, but I didn't like the offensive play calling in the second half. We looked like we packed it in. If we are going to do that, then get the starters out (especially Orton, Forte and Olsen) and let someone else play. I would hate to see any of them get injured while we "waste" the final 30 minutes.
Prediction for Saints game: 35-31 Bears W (if not too windy). If windy (like in last year's game against the Packers), Bears 35-10. Since this is the battle of the Boilermakers, I also predict one drunken, rowdy crowd.
Our corners and their ability to cover receivers concern me against the Saints' receivers, so come on grounds crew, don't touch the field between now and Thursday. Leave it ragged and slow. It will help the Bears more than the Saints.
Kyle, hit Olsen and Clark (a lot) and Forte in the flat. Please, please, please forget the Wide Receiver screen. We don't have the personnel to run it effectively. If you must audible to it, then you must change the play. Instead of throwing the ball, pump it, which will signal Hester to run up the field instead of dropping off the line for the screen pass. $300 says the corner will bite on the pump and Hester will be wide open down the sideline. Another $100 says Hester will drop the pass, but oh well. That's our receivers this year (except the TEs).
Tommis Harris should manhandle the Saints o-line. If he doesn't, that will say volumes about his ability (or lack of it).
Mr. Urlacher, these final three games would be a good time to make an appearance this season. Remember last season when the NFL players voted you the most over-rated player on defense? This season, allegedly healthy, you are playing down to their nomination.
Honestly, I think a lot of your struggles are caused by the inconsistent d-tackle play in front of you, but certainly not all of them.
Par for the course. Bears are not going to make it. Bears need the Vikes to lose and they are not going to until the Giants. Bears are going to save us all the drama and just sell out. I love my guys, but they have been up and down like gas prices.
Keith, we losing you again on the south side. Bears will make it, Vikings bettter than the Giants, Falcons, and a mediocre Arizona team. Wow Kurt Warner Larry Fitz, Quan, Edge, average. What fans. Vikes are lucky, it will run out. Not enough talent in the backfield even with AP(the real AP). Pack.....he gone!! we get in at 10-6. Like our chances. Cmon, Houston, Saints, and Pack, we can't win these 3, we deserve to be out of it then.
Roman, what happened to my comments???
I've been a Bears fan all my life folks, but I am also a realist. This team will NOT win the divison ! I thought you all would have learned by watching the Cubs implode under pressure all these years, if yesterdays game taught us anything,it's the same old Bears. Lovie is lost, Ron turner goes into a shell w/ a lead ( as we saw SEVERAL times this year) and our "D" is average at best. The Bears beat a bad team !!! Did you get all excited when they beat the Rams too ?
Come on guys!!!! Don't get distracted!!! You're missing the big picture!!!!!!!!!!! Who gives a crap if the Bears limp into or backdoor themselves into the play-offs? Even if they do so what? They win the right to get blasted by one of the good teams in the NFC. How does that help anything? Once the Bears miss the play-offs or get killed in the first round what exactly changes? Nothing!!!!!!! They will still be a mediocre, very badly coached team. What's the new cheer in Soldier Field going to be? Hooray we're average????????? We're great we're 8-8???!!!!
This team stinks from the top down and getting excited about them beating a bad team that gave up on the season weeks ago is pointless!!!! They even looked bad beating the Jaguars for crying out loud!!!! They looked terrible against a truly bad team. What's to celebrate? Does anyone thing this is the road to becoming one of the elite teams in the NFL? Don't any of you want a great team in Chicago???!!!!
If Angelo, Lovie and his staff aren't fired today this Team just sinks even further into mediocrity. This time next year we will be wondering whether the Bears or the Lions will lose more games.
With a bad front office and bad coaching what are you hoping for? Why aren't you rising up and demanding that your Team, the one you put your heart, time and money into get better?
Bears fans unite!!! The only thing we should focus on is getting rid of Lovie!! Once that is done then let's work on Angelo. Although after the coming 2009 Draft debacle there is no way the McCaskey's can't fire him. If there are any often injured mediocre players in the draft, Angelo will find them.
I mean really, he drafted Williams, an injured OL from a school that has a bad football program as his #1 pick AHEAD of the guy I wanted, Jeff Otah. You know Jeff Otah, the rookie road grader who helped the Panthers run up over 300 yards on the ground vs Tampa Bay tonight!!!!!! How bad of a GM do you have to be in this league to get canned? OMG, I forgot that Matt Millen lasted 10 years............Angelo......Millen.......what is the difference?
Sorry about going off on a tangent!!
Let's focus! We have to unite and get rid of Lovie now!!!! This season is over an next year will be if we don't unite and demand more from the Bears!!! Get on the bandwagon!!! If we lose Lovie we can hire the guy who should be here. You know that one who just took the 49ers on the road and beat the Jets!!!!! You know the one who is turning around a terrible team instead of what Lovie is doing: taking a good Team and making it terrible! Mike Singletary is the kind of guy we need coaching the Bears in 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seedy, you sound halfway intelligent on this blog's comments. are you suddenly taking smart pills? seriously, your comments seem right on to me. I would be tempted to take one of those bets, but I wouldn't be able to validate whether or not I won because they probably will televise some other game here, one that means absolutely nothing.
If we get to the playoffs, it will be luck.
If we get to the playoffs, we will lose in the first round. Let's face facts.
Here are the sad facts:
ON DEFENSE
1. Against an average O-line, we have NO pass rush.
2. Against an average passing team, we get torched.
3. Alot of our blitzes do not get there.
If you take these two together, it means that blitzing is a very risky proposition, but it is our only choice for QB pressure. We have trouble covering when our guys are back covering. In a blitz? Not pretty.
4. We can stop the run against a team with a poor O-line or with an obvious weak link, or average to sub-average RB if we sell out to stop the run.
5. We cannot stop the run against an exceptional runner or a team with a beefy O-line. No one on our team is a legit speed/power rusher. Bradley was, but he has disappeared.
6. When we sell out to stop the run, we have NO CHANCE AT ALL against the pass.
If you take these together, it means that we can occasionally stop the run but will get beaten on the pass, and stopping the run against a good running team is something we cannot really do.
ON OFFENSE
1. Against a poor running defense team, we can run very well.
2. Against an average or better running defense team that sells out, we are limited to very few yards and become ineffective on the ground.
3. Against a good or great run defense team, they do not have to sell out, and they stop our ground game.
4. Teams which blitz or who have a good pass rusher can consistently get to Orton--either in terms of pressures, hits, or sacks.
5. Teams with a large, strong D-line can simultaneously stop our running game AND consistently pressure Orton. That means no blitzing, which means their secondary can stay out and cover. MOST teams in the playoffs have a good or great defense.
6. When your running back and tight ends are the best receivers on the team, that means your receivers are not getting open. Kyle Orton would rather throw a touchdown or big gain than a 5 yard out to a TE or a dumpoff to Forte.
7. Orton is nowhere near as good as some want him to be, and has shown that he, too, can be inconsistent and inaccurate.
COACHING
1. Whenever the Bears hire a flashy offense guy, his system does not work. So, the Bears hire conservative offense coordinators.
2. A conservative offensive scheme is the ~correct~ scheme to run when you want to be a running team that wins on defense. Ron Turner is a smart guy, but personnel means alot. Matt Forte is single-handedly the only reason we have any offense at all. If the Curtis Enis clone/drunken sailor was in the backfield, bad.
3. The cover 2 and its slight variants are about done, unless you have legitimate stars on the D line and at linebacker, and an above average secondary helps, too. The Cover 2 is essentially the "Prevent" Defense from the 1980's and 1990's. But when you have studs who can run and out-speed your opponent, it looks great.
4. Superstar players can make any system look really good, and when others try to duplicate it, the shortcomings of the system become obvious. It is USUALLY the case that the player makes the system, rather than the system making the player.
5. Urlacher, Tommie Harris, are required to be Pro-Bowl material for the Cover 2 to work in Chicago. They are both over paid and over rated, at least this year. Lance Briggs is a jerk, but he is our best linebacker, hands down. Dusty Dvoracek might be our best lineman on the D-line. Ogunleye is getting old. Alex Brown has ups and downs, Mark Bradley was a flash in the pan, Idonije is usually not a factor on the line, Anthony Adams couldn't win a starting job. No one on our line is a Warren Sapp. But that's what we need for Cover-2 to work--penetration on every snap with out 4 down linemen.
6. Lovie Smith is out-coached in almost every game during half-time. No adjustments are being made, or insufficient adjustments are being made. We are being out-coached.
7. Bob Babich is not to blame for the Defense, because Lovie has taken over (more or less) since having to deal with Ron Rivera. Lovie wanted a yes man as a DC, and he found one. But Cover 2 sucks.
The playoffs might be a "whole new season" where the conventional wisdom is that "anything can happen" but in the case of the Bears, let's face it--we know what will happen. One and out.
Scott --
Good post. Personally, I agree with point #6 in the coaching punch list. Lovie has been and continues to be out-coached at half-time.
He is one stubborn mule and the league takes advantage of his stubbornness every single game.
One other thing re coaching...
This team lacks a personality. I mean look at the Steelers or the Ravens or the Giants or Carolina or Tampa Bay. Those teams all have personalities. When you walk on the field, you best have your helmet strapped on tight because they will knock you flat on your a$$ every single play. They are freaking relentless on both sides of the ball -- and that's said knowing how inept the Ravens', the Steelers' and the Bucs' offense can be at times.
The Bears? Hmmmmmmm. We are freaking... uh... umm... ponderous.
We lack intensity and on the rare occasion that we have it, we can't display it for an entire 60 minutes.
We continue to play "pets" based on their draft status or salary increases and sit seemingly better players (e.g., Graham, Adams).
Lovie's "know-it-all" smugness rubs the wrong way. He cost the Bears a win vs. Atlanta and that game may come back to haunt the Bears if they can run the table in December.
Of course, that requires the Bears to remain focused for the next 3 weeks. That's been a tall order during the past 2 seasons.