Sorry for the late post. The early game turned into a seven-hour pissup that ended with me doing the old college trick of ordering a pizza and promptly passing out.
Rex was godawful and I will refrain from making any further intercessions on his behalf. That's all I care to say about that. A much brighter spot was Cedric Benson. As much as I appreciate what TJ has done for the Bears, I think we have to trade him while we can still get something for him -- an offensive lineman maybe?
It's interesting to note that the Trib and the Sun-Times had widely diverging opinions on who was responsible for the Vikings' big rushing output. These report cards are always pretty frivolous, but I can't see how the Tribune would give the line an A-. After Tommie left, the interior became noticeably more pliable, while all three linebackers came up with big plays. Can anyone explain why the defense can be counted on to give up one 40-yard run every game? I don't get it. I thought the secondary was very good, but it's a little worrisome to see Chris Harris leading the team with 13 tackles.
In all, a fantastic day for the whole defense. Whereas Rex needed no help to look terrible, the Vikings' poor quarterbacking was mostly the result of solid play by the Bears defense. (People at the bar were only half-jokingly wondering whether the number 7 who came in was Randall Cunningham.) Ron Rivera also deserves credit for throwing Jeff a bone and calling some very timely blitzes.
It's too bad to see Rashied Davis go from arena league success story to special teams pariah. On the positive side for the special teams, I can't add any superlatives to the synchronized adulation of Devin Hester, but I will say that Brad Maynard is one badass punter, despite Rex's best efforts to steal his job.
I thoroughly enjoyed this Vikings ass kicking, as I enjoy every Vikings ass kicking. And yet, while the Bears were almost thoroughly dominant, the one area in which they weren't will be all people care to talk about this week. I can't say that I blame them, but it is unfortunate. Other than the Bears aerial ineptitude, everything was pretty reliable, including Darren Sharper being an asshat and the Vikings still sucking hard.
#2 Megan said . . .Lovie is a great coach. Why does he expect to go to the Superbowl, with his Quarterback on the Bench? Or is he so thrilled with the Defense, and Special Teams, he wants to prove the Bears do not need an Offense? He has a blind spot bigger than OJ's Jury. Thank God the Vikings had as bad a Dimeback on the field as the Bears did, and and the Bears have had for quite a while. Too poor a position player to be called a Quarterback. Some people can not master their emotions. Rex can't. He may have the mechanics, but he can't control his emotions. Let him grow up on the bench and put a Quarterback on the field. Play time is over. Marvin E. Frisbie Lovie; Don't want to go to the SUPERBOWL?
December 4, 2006
#3 Marvin E. Frisbie said . . .I was working yesterday so I didn't have the ability to drink my self silly while wincing and watching the game, otherwise I would have been right beside you (in a cyber-sort-of-way) getting blottoed on Guinness. I hope you didn't pass out ON your pizza.
Gosh, I love the Bears, I'm glad they won, but what the freakin' freak of freak was that?!?!
As I bite my lip, put a cork in it, get out my duct-tape to contain myself, I will respectfully wait for Tuesday.
December 4, 2006
#4 District Selectman said . . .Next years draft. Look at the Notre Dame Quarterback. Makes great decisions, and plays hurt, Has Brought his team back from a first half pasting while getting hammered. The Bears Solid Defense, and Special Teams need that type of Quarterback. Stable, Smart, and Tough. Damn good passer, also. Marvin E. Frisbie. Lovie would own the Superbowl for a decade. His Brains and drafting savvy would do it, with a great quarterback.
December 4, 2006
#5 Still said . . .I didn't even get the pizza. I passed out probably fifteen minutes after I hung up the phone.
I agree, great win, and I was cheering my ass off, but I feel a little silly gloating. Which, as you can imagine, is killing me.
December 4, 2006
#6 Noah said . . .Grossman sucks. Long live Grossman.
December 4, 2006
#7 Cade Mcnown said . . .i heart brad maynard
December 4, 2006
#8 Jerry said . . .I have been playing catch in the backyard of the Playboy mansion. My arm feels good and I think I am ready for an Ali-Like triumphant return to the Bears.
By the way, getting Brady Quinn would be a joke. What's the difference between Grossman and Quinn. I would rather we get Ron Paulus
December 4, 2006
#9 Pissed off said . . .Well, well, well... We all know...but I will wait till tomorrow.
December 4, 2006
#10 max said . . .Lovie is trying to prove that we dont need offense. And well...we dont. Lets keep Rex in there, maybe he'll throw a TD or two before the years over.
December 4, 2006
#11 Adam said . . .I swear if we draft another damn QB in the first round i will cry. Im tired of rebuilding. We have been rebuilding for the better part of 13 years ('93?). And Quinn is not the answer. Product of the system.
December 4, 2006
#12 Berry Happy said . . .Either Rex is the answer, or we go for a new QB in the spring. Griese ain't it.
Also, I 'm all for Benson being our back for first and second down, and TJ for 3rd down. Trades don't happen much in the NFL, I wouldn't hold my breath.
December 4, 2006
#13 District Selectman said . . .I agree with Max. We've been rebuilding that position forever; why is it that the Bears always seem to have decent guys, except for the one throwing the damn ball?
It was interesting to watch the post-game conferences, and see everyone happy except the boys on offense; it looked like they had just been issued a collective kick in the gut by the booing Chitown fans. Hopefully this will be some sort of wakeup call. Rex should be having flashbacks to the pre-season, when it seemed like he was doomed before he even started; at least he came out blazing for 5 games.
December 4, 2006
#14 Pissed off said . . .TJ's contract is up next year, anyway (my hangover prevented me from understanding that earlier), so it all seems like kind of a moot point. I would assume they'll let him go, no?
And I just want to point out that Benson's 25-yard TD came on a fourth-and-one. I haven't seen any evidence that Benson shouldn't be an every-down back.
Even though it's way too early to be talking draft, I think the Bears' most pressing need is on the offensive line. There are some really good tackles coming out, but I have no idea how deep the draft will be at all those positions. Seriously, though, Garza is killing me. He has gotten some real kick-in-the-balls false start penalties, and he got absolutely run over at least once yesterday. Hell, I bet the only reason that fourth-down run was so successful was that the Vikings figured there was no way the Bears would run to behind Garza and Miller in that situation (which they didn't). Plus, Tait and Ruben aren't getting any younger. Over then next couple years Angelo's going to have some work to do in that department.
December 4, 2006
#15 Shamen said . . .I will admit it, I am a Rex apologist, I love the guy and want him to do well soooo badly. I hope he QBs this team for another decade. I hope he snaps out of his funk and gets it in gear, I just wish there was a happy medium, at least, with this guy. No QBs in the draft! Rex IS THE GUY. Lets keep going with him. We are 10-2, our defense is stellar, we just need to run simpler plays for a while for Rex to get his confidence up. by the way Quinn wont be available when we pick and rookie QBs are never the answer although I could see a Drew Brees type situation developing. We draft a promising young QB and Rex kicks it in the ass and steps up so the rookie cant get in a game for two years...only in this situation the Bears keep Rex and dont trade him to the Saints. How does that sound? I still love you Rex even when no one will. You have the potential to be our savior.
December 4, 2006
#16 District Selectman said . . .All right, DS, I'll take a shot at the '40 yard run every game' question. I find myself screaming "TACKLE" at the television at least 3 or 4 times a game. This is because the Bears tackle the ball, not the player. This forces lots of turnovers, but it also results in some missed tackles, and thus 40 yard runs. It's frustrating because the extra yardage on those plays makes the Bear's D look bad on the stat sheet, but they normally buckle down in the red zone and little damage is done. The Bears red zone D is outstanding, so giving up the 60 yards between the 20s once or twice a game isn't that bad. And the forced fumbles win games, so all in all it's a pretty good trade-off.
December 4, 2006
#17 Still said . . .Shamen, sounds very plausible. I agree totally that the yardage doesn't really bother me in the end because they are so stingy with points, but man do those half-field gallops raise my blood pressure.
December 4, 2006
#18 Kordell Stewart said . . .Amen, Shamen.
Those long runs don't do anything but jack with people's fantasy stats. They usually have little to do with the outcome of the game because it rarely goes for six and they stop them in the next series.
The other reason they give up long runs is that they are agressive and sometimes guess wrong. Sunday when they caught those guys with their backs to the play? Goose made it sound like they do that on every play. BS!! They simply were guessing the play was going right. Urlacher guess right too and missed the tackle.
The other thing is, they can guess wrong and still usually have the team speed to run the guy down before he makes it to the end zone.
Not that I'm saying it doesn't piss me off to see a couple of those long runs a game, DS. It does. I just don't think it giving up a couple of long runs makes a poor run defense. Just not a perfect one.
December 4, 2006
#19 tera said . . .Hey Cade, come back to bed.
December 4, 2006
I'm all for Rex as a human, but as far as football, this is how the REAL fans feel:
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/985/grossmanaolsv4.jpg
December 7, 2006
Here at DaBearsBlog, you are free to kill us or the Bears as you so wish. You are not free, however, to be an asshole. So if you spew racism or ill-meaning foul language (cursing about football is just fine) or anything of that ilk, your comments ain't gonna last long, jerk.
