So forget the legal remedies, Minnesota defensive lineman Pat Williams reportedly is out 2-6 weeks with an injury.
What does this mean for the Bears?
The Bears still have to win out against the Packers and Texans, and I don't think they will. They could lose both games.
It's possible the Vikes will lose to the Falcons and Giants, but I see at least one victory between those two. And that's all the Vikes need to win the Division.
And the Bears could just about forget about a wild-card berth.
But look, how many of us thought the Bears were close to being playoff-caliber before the season started? I don't see many hands up in the air.
Before the season, an 8-8 record was considered optimistic - if not foolish. Bears likely will win at least nine games, and to me, that's better than expected.
Darn right it does!
1) Gives the vaunted Atlanta running game a better chance for controlled offense. This game should be very interesting!
2) Gives the N.Y. Giants (now riding a three game losing streak after being defeated by the N.F.C. best Panthers) an added weak link to go along with their desperation of not wanting to enter the play-offs on a 4 game losing streak. Jackson goes down and Peterson disappears.
That's the bright side. Now to the flip side of the coin.
1) G.B. would love, more than cheese itself, to keep us out of the playoffs. Nuf said.
2) Houston is about as good as it gets on their home field. Nuf again.
All I can ask for is that we are having this same discussion next Tuesday afternoon, same Bat time, same Bat channel.
Go Bears!!!
Roman, I applaud you for reminding the rest of our fellow Bears fans of our preseason expectations for this team. If any of us thought that at the start of the year that this 2008 Bears team would either make the playoffs OR reach .500, then that person needs to lay off the Bears kool-aid. The Bears have surpassed my expectations for this season (I had them winning no more than 5 games), and I looked at it as a test year to determine who would be worthwhile to keep/dump/trade. The rest of you should have thought that way as well.
I think the key question to ask now before the Bears end this 2008 season is the QB situation for the 2009 season. Assuming the Bears do not tender an offer to Rex Grossman, the Bears will have 2 QBs going into next season: Kyle Orton, who will be in the last year of his contract, and Caleb Hanie. Not a great bunch of QBs, I know. So, what to do, what to do, what to do? I suggest the Bears sign a veteran QB, somewhat of the Brian Griese-type (veteran guy with a good grasp of the position, past their prime, still has something left in the tank, etc.) to compete with Orton for the starting job in 2009. Trading for Donovan McNabb will not be the answer, no matter how many fans will clamor for him during the offseason. Orton hasn't done enough of a job to convince me he should be the starting QB in 2009, but he hasn't been bad enough to convince me he shouldn't get a chance to start. So, let Orton compete for it, with him as the favorite.
Ideally, I think the Bears need to finish the overhaul to the offense. We need an infusion of youth or a difference of experience on some parts of the offensive line. I also think that the Bears should use their 1st round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft on a wide receiver. Devin Hester never will be a #1 or #2-type WR in the NFL (maybe in the Madden video game, but not in real life) and it's time the Bears realize that. Let him re-focus on what he does best (or what he used to do best) and that's taking punts and kickoffs. What's the harm in that? If Hester takes PRs and KRs, and maybe dabbles in the offense as a deep threat WR as a #3 or #4 WR, he has a greater probability of returning to the guy who put the fear in the minds of his opponents.
And, hopefully, the Bears will not meet expectations in 2009. The QB situation becomes a mess, with the rest of the offense returning to solid form. The defense makes us proud of our despicable team. And, the Bears get a high draft pick in 2010 and use it to select Tim Tebow to be their franchise QB, where he will end the QB curse and lead us to several Super Bowl victories. Ahhh, a fan can dream, can he? :-)
Evans did well enough behind pat williams, however pat will be missed. I wouldn't be overly surprised to see the bears fall off and loose both games. The Vikings showed ALOT of depth against AZ and the back ups played really well the week before. Niether team needs to stop looking towards 2009 because we can all tell the bears have no hope in the post season and the Vikings chances are slim at best. Both teams come down to good running back but Peterson is better by a long long ways.
Yes they may exceed most expectations this year but what does that mean for 2009?
They will be a year older and they have proven themselves that the window of opportunity does not stay open for very long.
The offensive line is still very old and who knows if Williams is going to be a total bust or not.
So far that pick was a bad one and it is magnified by the fact that they did not draft the guy that I wanted in Joe Flacco.
They still have no receivers and with Jerry Angelo's track record I have no real reason to believe that they will any time soon.
They have players on the defensive side of the ball making big money that are starting to look old, washed up or injury prone. Players like Urlacher, Vasher, Harris and Tillman.
Will Mike Brown play another year with out going on the IR?
If Orton is the starter then who is the back up? Surely not Rex and they seem to be afraid of Caleb Hanie because he looked decent in the chances he was given. Their new fly in the ointment.
To top that off they will be bringing back Lovie, Turner and Babich to lead them while Jerry Angelo pulls the stings with more clueless decisions on player evaluation.
Does this give you optimism for next season or do you see the same old problems being regurgitated again and again?
Ask the Packers if having a good year in 2007 makes the 2008 season any easier to swallow. Ask the Bengals how quickly you can go from Super Bowl contender to the dung pile.
You win now and stop dreaming of next year all the damn time.
One championship in the last 45 years for a team with the Bears history, fan support and monetary value does not cut it.
"playoff-caliber" aint what it used to be in the NFC
Perhaps I am one of those "kool-aid" drinkers, Qumar, but I expected the Bears to return to Super Bowl form. I would have been right if the defense had developed some level of consistency and not had a tendency to start resting before the game was over. The games they blew in which they were ahead and almost had the game locked killed them. So,no, Roman, I do not agree with you.
On another note. I'm surprised some commentator or journalist has not said the Vikings are a much more dangerous team since Jackson took over, the way they did when Rex took over a few years ago.
"The Bears still have to win out against the Packers and Texans, and I don't think they will. They could lose both games."
Way to support the Bears, Roman! Sure, why don't we just raise the white flag and surrender? We're facing two teams with a .500 win average or worse and both are out of the playoffs. My word, we obviously have no chance at anything.
There's this guy named "Creighton" on Biggs' blog who thinks like that Roman and, if you've ever read his incendiary rants against the Bears and how bad hey are, or how all their fans are knuckle-headed sheep, you would retract your statements at once for fear of being classified in the same vicinity as that poor, wretched fellow. (Note to self: Don't know why I end up writing like a 19th century Englishman, but it amuses me. Keep it up.)
Roman responds: I shall take your advice and act accordingly henceforth.
Roman, if the Bears find a way to end the season on a positive note (by positive note, I mean win the two remaining games) then I would have to say that overall, this was a very successful year purely in terms of improvement.
Looking ahead to next year, the Bears will have plenty to be excited about...
We'll have a stud young running back who isn't going anywhere for a long time (sorry Ced Benson, keep your 1800 yard kool aid, there is no way in heck that you are better than Matt Forte!), a QB who is steady, if not spectacular, a budding Wide Receiver who is capable of being a game breaker (and who knows, may even be able to get back his old punt returning ways), and a division that is in transition (I see the Packers and Lions struggling again next year).
Ah, splendid news Roman old boy. See to it that you do.
All season I have given da Bears' coaching staff the benefit of the doubt. I figured they've done a decent enough job considering Chicago is in the playoff hunt. Yet, in retrospect its apparent the coaching is def a huge problem. I believe da Bears personel is good enough to win the NFC North & have a shot at the NFC championship game. They just have been so inconsistent and I believe that all comes down to coaching, game-planning, adjustments & motivation. Whenever the thought that a certain team "plays up or down to their competition," or "isn't prepared enough some Sundays" comes into the equation, its obvious the coaches aren't doing their jobs. Look at the defense for instance. How does a unit with several pro bowl players degress so fast? Babich's new look 'd' with the backers and safeties playing at the line of scrimmage every down hasn't worked. But he continues to run the same damn plays over and over. How about Turners play-calling? How many times have we seen passes for minimal gains or losses, when Forte could have picked up at least 4 yards. What about the consistently horrible calls in short yardage situations. Why is Turner calling McKie's # in the most critical of circumstances only to see him fail over and over. It's time for both coordinators to be fired, but I would give Lovie one more year or less. He has earned it because da Bears have performed better in these last 5 years. Is it good enough? Nope, but changes will be coming.
Hey,Mike and Roman. Nineteenth century levity is refreshingly different. Why not go back to the Elizabethan age, faith and forsooth?'Od's blood 'tis a pleasure to read these missives from literary titans!
Qumar, you have some very interestings points in your blogs, but I have to tell you that Tim Tebow will be a tight end or fullback in the N.F.L. before he's Q.B. As great an athlete as he is, he's just not an atypical signal caller for pro ball; a lot like the Smith kid from Missouri.
Now, if you're looking for a franchise Q.B. to kill the curse, the name Bradford has a special ring to it.
Go Bears!!!
i wish we could get that name/email remember button.
Guns of Navarro I totally agree and actually called for it a while ago myself. BRADFORD, But I dont know if he will come out.
Tebow is a taller Rex with no arm, how on earth could management possibly take a chance on another Gator?
Culzie, if Oklahoma beats Florida in the Big One, I guarantee he's gone. No way he'll be more than the third player chosen, I'm guessing #1.
Now, if the Sooners should lose, he may opt for a third year. Good news for us? Not unless we pull a Detroit and fold 2009.
Derrick Rose was a one-in-a-million that fell into our laps. This is more like lightning hitting the exact spot, twice. Exactly one year later.
But hey, it snowed in Malibu. Stranger things have happened!
I AGREE ANTHONY.
CAN WE TRADE UP? BRIGGS AND SOMEONE FOR THE #1 PICK?
ALSO...IS IT JUST ME, OR DOES ANYONE ELSE THINK
TYLER HANSROUGH AND TIM TEBOW ARE THE SAME KID?