The Bears aren't 0-2 like the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints - both picked by prognosticating geniuses across the Worldwide Leader to walk past the Bears into the Super Bowl. The Bears coaches haven't been caught with a camcorder on the sidelines. The Bears are a plodding, humdrum 1-1 and they've managed to hide their anemic offensive performances from the gaze of the national media behind the curtain of the great and powerful OZ. "Pay no attention to the man behind center!"
The curtain drops Sunday as the Bears play on Football Night In America (or the most self-importantly titled sports program in television history). They also play the NFL's most popular team, the Dallas Cowboys, who've had something of an offensive explosion in their opening two weeks. The Cowboys are a certain threat to the Bears. They feature a running quarterback, a disadvantage to a defense that's shown themselves to be a bit over-aggressive in the early going. They feature one of the league's best tight ends - frightening for a team that has been torched by tight ends in back-to-back weeks. (The Bears have actually allowed 67% of their passing yards to tight ends and running backs.) No one who remembers the Bears overtime victory over San Francisco in 2001 is afraid of TO so we won't worry about him.
All being equal, the Cowboys are going to score SOME points in Soldier Field Sunday night. The Bears must capitalize on a bad Cowboys defense. And don't believe what happened this past Sunday: the Cowboys are disgraceful against the pass. This is, of course, thanks to their freak show emcee #31 Roy Williams - whose big hits are most often the product of never being within ten yards of a completion. (Full disclosure: I hate Roy Williams.) Sunday night - in front of a national audience - the offensive line must block and Rex Grossman must play well. He must hit receivers down the field. He must throw more touchdowns than interceptions. Because if he doesn't, the Bears offense will have no place to hide and our tired fan base will be forced to listen to the most annoying mantra in coaching, "Rex Grossman is our quarterback."
No, Sunday night is on Rex and the offense. A win and solid offensive effort places them where they belong: at the top of the NFC pecking order. A loss and no-show from half the team means they are what a lot of people think they are: a good defense with a question mark taking snaps.
#2 jdawg said . . .first
I got nothin
September 19, 2007
#3 Shady McBears Fan said . . .wait -- I got something
Hey Jeff,
There's 10 other guys on that side of the ball. If they don't play also, we will suck.
September 19, 2007
#4 Scott said . . ."There's no place like home, there's no place like home."
I hope that is what Rex Grossman is gonna be thinking Sunday night. Wouldn't it be nice if Sunday night was going to be Sexy Rexy's coming out party. If an unfocused Rex Grossman comes to play, he better hope the D saves his ass (again) so Chicago fans don't completely run him outta town...Wait a minute. What am I talking about? Lovie wouldn't sit this guy, we've already been through this in 2006. Did anyone else think Grossman performed better when there was some competition for his #1 spot on the depth chart?
And the Defense. I have to say that I'm LOVING the aggressiveness Bob Babich is showing early, effectively shutting down two of the top backs in the NFL. However this game, I believe the Bears need to respect Romo and the Dallas passing game a bit more compared to the 1st couple games. Like you said Jeff, people know the Chicago Bears have a great Defense (even with key injuries in Mike B and Dusty D), the key is Grossman hitting receivers down field and eliminating unacceptable turnovers. Keeping Urlacher and the Defense well rested for the 4th quarter usually ends in a Bears win.
What I believe:
Chicago will beat Jerry Jones this Sunday. They will beat Jerry and his little 'boys too.
September 19, 2007
#5 BK said . . .Nice post, Jeff. The O is clearly the only part of this team that has failed to deliver on its promise. But I disagree that it's on Rex. The O-Line has got to be better at diagnosing and picking up blitzers. Rex has been tagged to many times and, for a guy who's prone to happy feet, that ain't good. No QB is going to succeed if he can't trust the line. Regardless, the O is on the spot this weekend. They need to bring their A game.
September 19, 2007
#6 Decatur Staleys #7 said . . .let's not forget TO's 20 catch game against the Bears in 2000 though.. he'll be a big factor
September 19, 2007
#7 Phil from SATX said . . .Just something off subject for the Roster moves for the David Ball fans
The Bears signed running back P.J. Pope to the practice squad Tuesday. Pope was on the Bears' practice squad for the first half of the 2006 and led the Bears in rushing during exhibitions with 153 yards on 40 carries.
Pope, who played college football at Bowling Green, appeared in one game with the Green Bay Packers last season.
To make room for Pope on the eight-man practice squad, the Bears terminated the contract of receiver David Ball.
September 19, 2007
#8 BRIANsong said . . .Re: David Ball - I guess if Mark Bradley can't make the squad and 5th receivers are about as useful to Lovie Smith as tits on a boar, I can't worry about David Ball being gone, much less wish for some Mike Hass hands. Apparently ain't gonna happen.
Which is also to point out that the Bradley issue, and Lovie's addressing of it, is the first real criticism I have of Lovie this season. I can't profess to know what's going on in the locker room or on the practice field, but I really feel he's making a big mistake in slotting Hester as the 4th receiver - in my opinion, based on what I've seen in terms of him getting open and having hands, Bradley should be the 3rd receiver, not the 5th.
Regarding the Cowboys, on D, Witten is the biggest weapon they have. Barber is a good hard runner but nothing compared to what we have just seen in LT and LJ, and Julius Jones is well below him. Terrell Owens can still make catches, and do something with the ball once he catches it, but he's a shadow of his former self and hates big contact - he'll get alligator arms and he won't try that hard to make the catch. I think this game is all about controlling Witten and getting the pressure on Romo. Romo should be good for 1 INT and 1 fumble - he'll get hit from behind when he starts scrambling (because he generally doesn't take off, just runs around to try to make a throw).
On O, I'm quite sure the Cowboys have zero respect for Rex Grossman, so they will be surprised when he starts hitting people in the field - they're going to assume he will crumple as soon as he's blitzed. And I will give Rex that credit, he does look better this year at keeping his head under severe pressure. That doesn't explain 2 picks when he wasn't under pressure, but it is substantial improvement over last year. I also think there's a chance that they will be trying to help the pass coverage (especially after Rex hits a few) which will open up running lanes for CB and AP.
Just play smart, don't freak out if they score a touchdown, they will, but we'll still hold them to 17. We have to score more. I'll repeat - 26-17 Bears.
September 19, 2007
#9 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . .The 2000 defense was terrible. They manhandled him in 2001.
September 19, 2007
#10 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . ."Uh-oh, we're not in Dallas anymore..."
September 19, 2007
#11 Pissed Off said . . ."Uh-oh, we're not in Texas anymore..."
September 19, 2007
#12 Phil from SATX said . . .I hope one of our defensive players, anyone of them knocks the snot out of TO on a slant route. Something reminiscent of the hit Rex took in SD where it looks like his head is going to be separated from his body.
Rex has played 6 average quarters of football this year and 2 bad ones. In the game he played 2 bad quarters we won. With the teams we've played and pressure Rex has seen I am more impressed than disappointed. He has not had a "bad rex" game and no snowball effect even with all the pressure he has gotten. If this were last year who knows hom many INTs and lost fumbles he would have. This means he's grown. Now lets just improve a bit at a time and get back to the Rex we know. No more conservative game plan, let him throw down the field and be a gunslinger and if he hangs himself, so be it, of course I dont think thats going to happen.
Rex has performed well in SNF outings in the past and prime time games in general. Let this week be the breakout week and put us atop the NFC.
September 19, 2007
#13 Rancid said . . .Uh oh, we're not playing the Giants this week... or the Dolphins...
September 19, 2007
#14 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . .The Cowgirls have always been a team I love to hate, my least favorite team besides the Pack. So I am really excited about this game. I feel they have a high octane offense whose flaws are yet to be exposed. I want us to expose them. They have not played against a great Defense. I feel that they will come out throwing and after a couple quick turnovers they'll switch to run-heavy, which won't work. In case they didn't know, they're playing the Bears. Running the ball isn't a good idea. They're still good enough to score a few points, I'd like to think just under 20. So in that sense it's back to Orton-ball in 05. Just score 20+ points and you win. In my opinion Turner has turned Rex into 05 - Orton. If he can't pull off a game plan with some more aggressive passing, we'll really never know if Rex was Good Rex or Bad Rex. Personally, I feel it's worth the risk to find out. This is a great (and by that I mean they're lousy) defense to let Rex try to air it out against.
September 19, 2007
#15 ron - not a rex hater said . . .Whoa- there's a ghost in my computer!
September 19, 2007
#16 Phil from SATX said . . .We need 21 offensive points against Dallas.
END OF STORY. Not 21 combined points. Combined we should be high 20's or in the 30's.
If the offense puts up 10 points again, and hangs on spec teams and D to put up 10 we are in trouble. Dallas will get get a couple of TDs. Our defense is great but GREAT is n the NFL is keeping a team that can average 4 TDs per game to 2.
Jeffs right. It is Rex's night. But it is also Ron T's night, Benson's night, The Oline's night. THEY ALL HAVE TO SHOW UP.
Oh, and stop with Devin H for 1 play on offence. I am tired of it. As I said before. If you want to get a big play play him 4 or 5 plays in a series... make them account for him every play or start to forget about him. THis one play stuff is crap...
oh wait. The O has a hard time getting drives that long.
ron
September 19, 2007
#17 Pissed Off said . . .Rancid, you are totally right, that game against the Chiefs really felt like a Kyle Orton win from 2005. 20-10 was right in that zone, with a non-offensive TD. In fact, if Rex hadn't thrown the two picks, (big IF of course but we all know they were unnecessary and not forced), we would have liked the morphing into Orton - Orton but with a much more accurate arm. I think Mike had it right - they are trying to turn Rex into that, and Rex is just uncomfortable with it right now. But PO'd is also right, there hasn't been a "Bad Rex" game yet, just a Bad Rex half. So there's hope. A decisive game plan to start off with is what Rex needs, and one that gives him best chance of early success with the confusing 3-4 defense he'll be facing.
September 19, 2007
#18 Pissed Off said . . .Good point about the holding Rex back Rancid. If Lovie or Turner pulls the reigns on Rex every week we will never know if he can be good rex. I think its worth finding out. Also I will diagree with your Orton ball take, I get the point that Rex is being told to manage the game etc but Orton sucked ass, he is not anything like Grossman, at no point in Ortons career will he accomplish what Rex has with some of those stellar games, 4TDs or 250+ passing yards. And Rex would have had lots of 300 yard passing games if Lovie hadnt pulled him in the 4th Quarter so many times last year cuz we were blowing teams out.
Nobody knows what will happen Sunday but I cant wait. As I said in a previous post before the season started, this is the key game on the schedule. In that post I distinctly remember saying we may lose to SD, would definitely beat KC and that this game will be exactly what its turned out to be. Two of the top NFC contenders facing off for supremecy in the NFC. I remember last year when we held a semi-potent Seattle offense to 3 points (I think it was) so if the offfense holds the ball and scores some points, the D can force some 3 and outs and we can repeat that performace.
September 19, 2007
#19 Mike said . . .This is a statement game this week. I might be more nervous for this game than I was for the Super Bowl. At least last year we saw Rex have two really good games leading up to the Bowl. We're not sure what to expect now. He could break free or falter again. I CANT WAIT!
September 19, 2007
#20 beardown1982 said . . .Re: Mark Bradley
People are mad at Lovie because Bradley has been demoted to 5th receiver?!? Please explain THAT one. It's obvious that there is more to the story here. Bradley is the first player Lovie has ever taken an swipe at via the media (albeit an indirect swipe). Make no mistake, deliberately labeling Bradley the 5th receiver publicly was a swipe. I get the impression that Bradley suffers from David Terrell disease.
September 19, 2007
#21 Rancid said . . .This game reminds me of the Seahawks game last season. It is the first true measuring stick for our team, and I think, a very crucial game for the Bears. Let's not forget that following this game, we have 3 straight games in the division. I would love for the Bears to head into those 3 with a good taste in their mouths...not with any doubts in their minds. From what I've seen, Detroit, Green Bay, and Minnesota are all improved, so there should be no taking them lightly this year. Winning your division is always the first step...
I digress though...it will be up to the offense against the Cowboys, I completely agree. Above all else, we need to win the turnover battle. So, running backs and receivers please hold onto the ball. And Rex, well, does it even need to be said? Whatever your assessment of his play so far, the cheap turnovers have to be limited.
Also, keep in mind that the Bears may have some good field position as well, because there is no way Dallas kicks to Devin this week. Time to take advantage of those situations. (unlike last week)
September 19, 2007
#22 Bill said . . .PO'ed - I hear ya. I'm not saying that Rex isn't a better QB than Orton, but that Ron seems intent on using him the way Orton was used. I agree that Rex has put up some great numbers, but he never will again if this is how Ron is going to run the offense all year. I worry that what we saw in KC was Ron using Rex the way Orton was used. I'm with you, I want to see what Rex has got this year. Throw the ball, Ron. Of course, I'm also not convinced the O-line can consistently give him enough time to throw the ball even if Ron does lossen up a bit. We'll see, this game is going to tell us a lot.
September 19, 2007
#23 Phil from SATX said . . .Someone said this is a statement game, and I agree.
We can't seriously say we're one of the best teams in the league if we're forced to hold back on offense. Holding back means we have the talent but are afraid to use it. We used to rely on the D, but that was becasue the O was bad. We have to show teams - good teams - that we can play all three phases.
Obviously the D and Special Teams are the best - but we can't dumb down the offense and be considered an elite team.
Sunday will answer all the questions, one way or another, I suspect.
September 19, 2007
#24 Bill said . . .One way or another... That's kind of what I'm thinking of this game. I think in a perverse way we should be in sort of a no-lose situation. Hear me out.
I think the only way we lose this game is from QB play - I don't think we're going to think differently about our D or ST after this game. If Rex throws up a super-stinker and we lose as a result, then there's no doubt in my mind that changes will be made at the QB position - even if that change means intragame benchings and shuttling QBs in and out, rather than Rex simply becoming second (or third) string. If Rex does have that kind of game, I will welcome that change - thereby the upside of losing.
I don't think it's going to happen, I don't want it to happen, but if it does happen I will welcome the change.
It truly may all come down to this game for Rex. And also, speaking of Orton, let's remember that it wasn't the Bears offense that sucked that year, it was the QB - we had receivers back then who could catch the ball if it was thrown to them. Orton was a rookie QB thrust into an unexpected situation, and the game was dumbed down for him and because of him. If we are doing the same thing this year, it's not because of the overall offense, it's because of the QB running the offense.
September 19, 2007
#25 Pissed Off said . . .Phil - you captured exactly how I feel; I think we're all tired of the debate and Rex is doing nothing to end it.
September 19, 2007
#26 Mike said . . .Remember how pissed Moose was that his 1st year here he had f-ing Orton throwing to him. I think thats why Moose loves or loved Rex so much the last couple of years. Everyone is predicting either a Rex failure or a statement game. What if he's just medicore again and he has 0 or 1 TDs and 1 or 2 picks, 150 yards but no fumbles or anything that would blatently make him appear incompetent? Are most of you saying he better have a "good Rex" game or bench him?
September 19, 2007
#27 Phil from SATX said . . .It is obvious that Lovie Smith and Ron Turner have waning confidence in Rex Grossman. There can be no other explanation for the dramatic alter to the passing game. I can't blame Lovie. With the defense, special teams and Robbie Gould it is idiotic to open up the reins to Grossman. He can lose a football game a heckuva lot more than he can actually win one. But don't worry. Unlike Dave Wannstedt and Dick Jauron, Lovie and Turner are smart enough to know that a "three yards and a cloud of dust offense" won't work.
September 19, 2007
#28 Phil from SATX said . . .If he's mediocre and they win, he keeps his job. If he's mediocre and they lose, then I would say they see if any of the other QBs on the roster can rise above mediocre.
That's at least how I see it, but I'm not Lovie so who knows.
September 19, 2007
#29 Mike said . . .Rex has a history of rising up when the pressure's on. Like Mike said, I think he knows the pressure's on. I think he will rise up, regardless of the game plan.
If he doesn't, I think we'll have somebody else to lambaste.
September 19, 2007
#30 Phil from SATX said . . .Wrong, wrong, wrong. If Rex Grossman has a great game against Dallas, it removes none of the doubt surrounding him. Because we have been down this path before. Grossman is not dependable week-to-week.
Will Grossman have a "great game" against Dallas? I highly doubt it. The game plan will be to establish the running game first and foremost. Two factors working here. One, the Cowboys have a nice offense and they can hurt you both running and passing the football. Two, the Cowboys have real weapons in that defensive secondary, not the least of which is Roy Williams. I sure don't want Grossman throwing into the teeth of their secondary. That has disaster written all over it.
The Bears need Rex Grossman not to fuck it up. Which means a game plan where he can neither truly shine or kill this team.
September 19, 2007
#31 Pissed Off said . . .Mike, you're dead wrong - Dallas is great against the run and SHIT against the pass. Haven't you been watching? I think Newman's still out too, their corners are WEAK and the illustrious Roy Williams can't cover a pass to save his life. Rex will need to throw it in this game.
September 19, 2007
#32 Phil from SATX said . . .Correct Phil. Mike is one of those fans where Rex could be great the rest of the year and the next year and even then have a horrible game with 3 or 4 picks and 2 other turnovers and he'd still say "I told you he's inconsistent, we've been down this road before."
I am convinced that Mike and fans like Mike will never be satisfied with Rex no matter what he does. Its like Philly fans getting on McNabb (greatest Philly QB ever, 1 SB appearance, 4 NFC champ games, multiple pro-bowls etc) or Minnesota fans when they had Culpepper (pro-bowl and 2nd in MVP voting that one year when he would have won it if Manning had not had the best season ever by a QB). Its just stupidity. God doesnt play QB in the NFL so he's not available. All we can really ask for is good play and wins.
September 19, 2007
#33 Bill said . . .Speaking of Bradley, as I think back to preseason I am remembering him doing well with Griese and Orton. Could it be that Rex doesn't have chemistry with Bradley like he does with the starting 3, but if we end up with Plan B at some point (whether Griese or Orton) we would see more of Bradley?
September 19, 2007
#34 Mike said . . .The QB rating stat is imperfect at best, and yet in my mind Rex has to get into the 70's consistently before I'm willing to say people should back off on calling for Griese.
PO'd: your "mediiocre" stats gives him a rating of about 54 (assuming 14/25, which is his completion percent lately.) To me, we can do that with Griese or Orton and not risk the downside of an impending 0.0 game.
Point is - that's not good enough. That has to be his low point, not his average.
September 19, 2007
#35 Phil from SATX said . . .Some get ridiculously defensive of Rex Grossman. To the point of treating him like a family member or something. Look, Grossman is paid handsomely to serve as a quality caliber NFL QB. If he performs poorly and doesn't get the job done, then he is subject to criticism. Expectations are sky high in Chicago. Either take the heat or get out of the kitchen. By objective measures, Grossman is far from being a "quality and reliable" NFL QB. Nobody any longer expects him to be Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Brett Favre or Matt Hasselback. But he is expected to be good in the context of not being asked to do too much given a great defense and special teams unit. All Grossman needs to do to make the world happy is to be Jon Kitna Lite. He hasn't been able to do that. Therefore his ass should rightfully be on the firing line.
September 19, 2007
#36 Pissed Off said . . .Well said Mike, possibly your most reasoned post ever.
September 19, 2007
#37 mikebdot said . . .Bill if we can do that with Orton or Griese than whats the point of putting them in. And if your answer is becuase maybe they'll do better I can argue that with Rex and at least with him we've seen flashes of greatness.
Mike I think you are really Jay Mariotti. I do. Your writing with the Sun Times sucks as bad as your posts here. You say essentially the same things in the media or in the paper as you do on here. Its all negative. Your writing skills are second to none, which shows your an eduacated fellow which further proves my Mariotti point. But dont start throwng out stupid shit, I know its hard to ask cuz every post is seemingly that way but "paid handsomely"? C'mon, he's in a contract year and he's still on a rookie contract. By comparison he makes shit, so paid handsomely does not even come close to applying here comaparitively speaking.
The problem with Bears fans, or FWFs to be exact, is your heat in the kitchen analogy. If we had Manning there still would be heat in the kitchen, if God himself was the QB there would be heat on him. That shouldnt happen, fans should support the players and the team, period. And you with your Debbie Downer attitude proves your not a real fan. You may be an objective, smart guy who writes for a living but your not a true fan. Thats my opinion.
September 19, 2007
#38 Pissed Off said . . .All, just so everyone stops re-writing history, Rex was borderline "bad rex" in the first half against SD. One fumble, sacked three times (two of which because he didn't even LOOK at the right side of the field and he almost fumbled on that second sack, well, even on that first one the ball was a bit loose in there, but the second one was worse, I think the ball actually came free on that one but they just didn't count it as a fumble), and that INT to Berrian. 5/11 for 55 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 3 sacks, 1 (official) fumble.
So that makes it two good rex halves and two bad rex halves (in my eyes), even considering Berrian's lazy route running, he was obviously not open as the guy picked the ball off and was thus in the immediate area.
September 19, 2007
#39 Pissed Off said . . .And yes all fans are entitled to their opinions and if they think someone stinks its their right to voice it but they need to look deep in their heart and decide why they are ripping someone SOOO much. Too much is too much. If one needs to take it as far as it has gone sometimes they need to clear shit up with themselves. But maybe it make people feel better about themsleves if they rip others. He hasnt raped anyone or killed anyone. Hell we went to the Super Bowl on two previous good outings leading up to it from Rex.
Coxy and Al where are you?
September 19, 2007
#40 nutjob said . . .#37 Disagree, you can try to blame Rex for being sacked but its on the O-line no question and Berrian quit on the route, did you see replay, I did.
September 19, 2007
#41 Mike said . . .gotta check this out:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=3025713&sportCat=nfl
if they think that is bad they should read dabearsblog.com
--- Nuts ----
September 19, 2007
#42 Bill said . . .Pissed Off, you've obviously got a screw less and an agenda. You take vehement objection to any critique of Rex Grossman. And you will fight to the death anybody who doesn't share your opinion on all things offensive football. Whatever. It's like arguing with Norman Bates. I'm done with you. Let's mutually ignore one another. You can call me a not real Bears fan or whatever your little heart contends. I dont' give a rat's ass.
Debbie Downer? Well, just as it applies to Grossman, the o-line and wide receivers. I'm Mr. 50-50 on Ced Benson because I've lowered my expectations. The defense is tremendous. So too is Robbie Gould and Devin Hester. So I guess overall I'm Mr. Decisively Positive.
Thanks for playing our game. Vanna will give you a parting gift on the way off stage.
September 19, 2007
#43 jdawg said . . .PO'd - you wrote "Bill if we can do that with Orton or Griese than whats the point of putting them in."
As I said later in that post, because Rex I beleive has that ridiculously low rating game (10.0 or 0.0) in him. To me, it's seems that he loses focus once things start to go OK (A bads game after a good game, a bad half after a good one, a bad series after a good one.) No real pattern, but there is noconsistency either.
I think the bottom line for many people - at least myself - is we're getting tired of the debate. I supported him very strongly last year, and I really never expected to be going through it again this year. Another game in the 50's and it's time to end the issue. He's had more than enough chances to act like a number 1 draft choice.
And it's time to pull the plug on the "it's only his second year starting." To paraphrase another poster - he wasn't exiled on an island when he was hurt. He had film and games to watch and sessions with coaches etc. He's far from a rookie or second year player.
I think the tendency to support him comes from two things: we in Chicago know what a bad QB is, we've seen dozens, and Rex at his best is light years better.
And second - the last #8 we had was a real *sshole and given that Rex generally is a nice guy makes it hard to be too rough on him.
September 19, 2007
#44 Pissed Off said . . .you know, I remember the first Detroit game last year at home. We were marching on the Lions side of the field. Grossman goes back and to his right on a bootleg and it looks like nothings there. He runs towards the sideline, pump faking. As he nears the sideline he lets up like he's jogging out of bounds, then fires a laser te Dez Clark for a first down. Clark pumps his fist and points the football at Grossman, nodding the whole time.
I want that Rex back.
September 19, 2007
#45 Mike said . . .Ok Debbie, or shall I say Jay, I will ignore you now and you will ignore me. I dont know what the fuck your problem is but no good comes from your negativity. It can hardly be called objective if your a fan. I'm not sure if your parents raised you to be an asshole or just plain rude to everyone but it is what it is. Maybe you feel better about yourself to rip others. I call myself a realist which most people take as a pessimist, anyone who knows me thinks I'm a negative guy but you take it to another level. Happy Blogging and good luck attracting readers. Not sure but I think your relatively new to the site so FWF may be in play here which would explain the negativity. You want the controversey. Its OK, I get it.
September 19, 2007
#46 big rob said . . .The new mantra of the Bears is this -- D.L.R.F.A.G.T.U. Or in other words, "don't let Rex fuck a good thing up." The good thing is the production of the defense, special teams and Robbie Gould. This precludes letting Grossman pretend he is a gunslinger ala Brett Favre.
September 19, 2007
#47 big rob said . . .I have been reading/occasionally blogging here for 2 an 1/2 years and Mike is new and a big cock blower.....
PO'd your my hero....
September 19, 2007
#48 'nuff said . . .On another note...
I hope this Bears team has a steller game this week, all this pessimistic bullshit is really bringing me down.....
I will don my #8 jersey with pride this Sunday....
Long Live Grossman!!
September 19, 2007
#49 StartOlsen said . . .Naw, you right, mu'fucker. I give you that. I give you that one thing. Buff buff don't play you mu'fuckers. It's stupid we don't play you. Cause if we did, we'd trample right over you little Grizzly's. Ha ha ha.
Bunch o'weetawds. Ha. Weetawded grizzly bears.
Bear down? I'll bear you in yo mu'fuckin' mouth. Shit.
Me and HewDown.
Out.
September 19, 2007
#50 Donovan McNabb said . . .UH, didn't someone refer to our past QB situation as a "clown car" of backups? Very accurate. Rex is still the best QB we've had in decades, and a return to rotating through the Henry Burris' of the world is not a pleasent thought.
Like it our not, he likely has this year to make his case. Get used to it, and remember the alternative.
September 19, 2007
#51 DTB said . . .I am the answer for the Bears in 2008. Andy Reid and the Eagles are imploding. I've gone from favorite son to recepient of boos in Philly. And I'm also pissed off that Reid drafted my heir apparent in the 2nd round.
Howsa bout' a hometown welcome for Donovan McNabb in 2008!!!!! I'll get you that Super Bowl victory.
September 19, 2007
#52 Pissed Off said . . .What was that?
September 19, 2007
#53 Pissed Off said . . .Sorry McNizzle our QB has looked better than you so far this year.
September 19, 2007
#54 'nuff said . . .nuff': its obvious that no one, I mean no one responds much less reads your "mu'fuckin" comments so please shut the hell up. Buffalo sucks a fat one, you will finish last in your division like usual, Lynch is a bust and your team is screwed for years. If we played Buffalo we would crush you by 30 even with our mediocre offense. Get a fucking education you dumb bastard.
September 19, 2007
#55 jdawg said . . .Good ol' Pissed to the rescue.
Thanks for lettin' me win, mu'fucker. Yer post proved it all right there. You be the "no one" that proves my point. And I never had point to begin with other than the Buff buff's are gonna take it this year.
Ya'll read my posts mu'fucker. Thanks for the reply, Pissed. You made my day.
I've never laughed harder... mu'fucker.
September 19, 2007
#56 DTB said . . .Well, Olsen's going to play Sunday night and I hope the offense comes out pissed.
September 19, 2007
#57 Mike said . . .Sunday Night, let's judge it then. Rex can have a huge game and we win but that is not what Sunday is all about. Sunday is about bullying Romo all night long. To me, this game is reminicent to Carolina in 'o5. If I remember correctly Delhomme and Smith were setting the NFL on fire. We walked of Soldier Field with a win, sacked him a rediculous 8-10 times. All we have to do is pressure Romo and run the ball effectively and we win, it's that simple. As far as Rex goes, he teased us all with his big games last year, got our expectations up and becasue we haven't seen anything like that in years we expect to see it every week. Let me tell you all, it's not gonna happen week in/week out. Lower your expectations, hold him accountable when he plays bad and praise him when he plays well but to call for his head every time he does anything outside of a bomb to Berrian is rediculous. We lost the opener, tough game. But to complain that we didn't put up 50 on a play-off team from a year ago is absurd. Does anyone else realize that this year is not about how pretty our regular season is? It's about getting into the playoffs and playing our best football once they start. People are acting like its the Super Bowl every figgin Sunday.
September 19, 2007
#58 Don K. Balls said . . .DTB, you may also recall the Carolina playoff game that year. I still have memories of Steve Smith catching the football every 3.5 seconds.
September 19, 2007
#59 DTB said . . .Don K. notices lots of hostility today. All this hostility would go away if Grossman could patch togeher a few games in a row where he doesn't play like a numb nuts. He doesn't need to be a world beater. I like the Jon Kitna Lite analogy.
September 19, 2007
#60 Pissed Off said . . .True, but we didn't any pressure on Delhomme in that game.
September 19, 2007
#61 Don K. Balls said . . .Very true DTB, and apparently Donkey Balls didnt read DTBs post cuz your wrong about Rex. If he plays lights out Sunday or even a few games in a row, the first time he has a game like he did yesterday the FWFs will come out again dissing him. No matter what he does, It will never be enough, I've learned to live with that, too bad it took so long. McNabb will probably be a hall of famer and he gets booed at his city. What a nice memory that will be for him when he's enshrined. I hope at his speech he puts down the entire city of Philly and say he was good despite the support of his town.
September 19, 2007
#62 nfamus said . . ....whatever he does, it will never be enough?
===
A practical question. When has Rex Grossman done anything? Did I miss something? Name one football game that Grossman's performance was primary reason the Bears won the game. The Bears have won a number of games in spite of Grossman, but rarely (I'm thinking never) because of him. The elephant in the room concerning Grossman is this...he can single-handedly lose you a football game.September 19, 2007
#63 Max said . . .Im tired of seeing Grossman throw...we need a new arm in there....maybe it will spark something in the offense!!
September 19, 2007
#64 Mike said . . .Rex won us the Bucs game last year. . . and maybe the second lions game. . . but my memory is hazy on that one.
September 19, 2007
#65 Max said . . .Grossman won't have a bad game against Dallas. That much I am convinced. The game plan will be watered down to let Cedric Benson do the heavy lifting. Lovie has a P.R. dilemma brewing. He knows if that Grossman plays like shit then the fans are going to turn on Grossman like a pack of abused pit bulls who haven't eaten for two weeks on a Michael Vick wearing a suit of filet mignons.
Come next Monday we will once again be talking about how boring the offensive attack was. But so long as the Bears win I can care less. Don't fuck it up Rex. Let Urlacher, Harris, Hester, Gould and company do their work.
September 19, 2007
#66 PS248 said . . .I'm not gonna lie, i sleep in and wake up at 10 to find im 60+ comments behind. . . this shit takes forever to read. Apprently I've missed another PO'ed vs. Mike fight. While i did enjoy the Kitna Lite line, I am still solidly in PO'eds corner on this one. No matter what Rex does, there will always be naysayers. I just hope that he gives them nothing to go on this week.
In regards to Bradley, I have no idea what is occuring there or why. I do feel he should be in the rotation even if that means he takes Hesters spot or ::GASP:: my boy Rashieds.
Clark, Olsen, A.P. need to come up big this week with some first down catches and we need to THROW THE BALL DEEP. . . at least once in awhile.
I think the Cowboys D sucks, but they did have 4 INT's last week. just food for thought. Im gonna go eat breakfast now.
September 19, 2007
#67 Bill said . . .You have to be either kidding me or kidding yourselves. The way the entire Chicago team played in last year's Super Bowl exposed the team for what it was then and is now: overhyped. Your 2006 season was the one-hit wonder and now you will go back down into the soupy netherlands of the NFC also rans. What is happening to the Sains is exactly what is happening to the Bears, but you can't see it because all of the NFL execs and the Eastern media want so desperately for a team in the northeast (or the Second City) to be in the running....all for ratings. If they can't have that (and they don't because both New York teams and the Philadelphia Eagles are floundering), then they'll take the next best thing: a renaissance of the Dallas Cowboys. And that's exactly what they are getting this year: a rebirth of the Dallas Cowboys led by the most dynamic quarterback the NFC has seen in years: Tony Romo. He's the real deal. And lest you rest all of your hopes on the "sad secondary" of the Cowboys, let me remind you that Dallas intercepted Miami four times -- and last I heard the Miami quarterback (and O-line) was a little bit better than Chicago. As for your defense, yeah, you've got a good defense, but so did Miami -- it was ranked third or fourth in the NFL last year. Dallas simply shredded it. Be afraid....be very, very afraid....the Dallas Cowboys are back!
PS: Thanks for Tank Johnson! He's going to fit in quite nicely here in Texas where we still believe in the Second Amendment.
September 19, 2007
#68 Bill said . . .PO'd - just so you know, not that I thought you were referring to me in your FWF comment - I've followed them since the early 60's; my Dad and Uncle had tickets at Wrigley and I've had tickets since the mid-70s through a friend, and had my own for the last 10 years or so. And I plunked down $$ for two PSLs that will belong to my kids eventually.
I can name bad QBs going back to Larry Rakestraw from memory - and then I'm sure if I looked them up I'd remember a few further back than that. Overall, Rex is clearly in the top 10% of all the QBs I've seen.
When he plays, that is.
When he loses focus, he hurts us worse than the medicocre QBs I've seen - such as Jack Conannon, Virgil Carter, and as I said Jim Miller and Eric Kramer.
But more than anything now, the inconsistency hurts the team in ways that don't show up in the stats. The "dumbed done" game plan - and the fear that the fans will turn on him at home.
And don't compare us to the Philly fans.
The fact is, the debate is NOT clear cut. Saying Rex is in the top 10% of the Bears QB class is damning with faint praise. It SHOULD be good enough, but the sense clearly is that the potential for devastating play looms too large.
He can end that this year and I really thought he would. And he still might - but it has to start Sunday; not with one of his Super games, but with a so-so game without any costly mental errors.
And that's only a start. He has to pull together a lot of those games. Last year is over - the Great Rex games don't count anymore any more than the Terrible Rex games do.
When you think how many millions of dollars are at stake for him (in his contract year) you'd think this year woudl be his absolute best effort.
September 19, 2007
#69 PS248 said . . .PS248 - you're welcome for Tank Johnson (from the MidWest, where we still believe in obeying the law.)
September 19, 2007
#70 Mike said . . .#68Bill -- Oh, please...since when does owning assault rifles break the law? Even at Mount Carmel in Waco, the Feds eventually had to defend their actions against David Koresh by saying he was a child molester -- not because of the guns! Tank Johnson's going to fit in nicely here -- we all respect a man who knows his guns. I guess people in the MidWest expect the police to protect them from harm -- here in Texas we take care of ourselves. And that's exactly what Dallas is going to do to Chicago on Sunday night. I'm actually looking forward to a rematch in December down here in Dallas. (Admit it -- if you didn't have the weather on your side during last year's playoffs, you wouldn't have gotten to the Super Bowl, so stop acting like you're a better team than you are.)
September 19, 2007
#71 PS248 said . . .Good luck with Tank-less Johnson. He'll cut your heart out. And I'll let you in a little secret...he isn't very good. Tank-less as a nose tackle in the Dallas 3-4? That's an opposing offensive coordinator's wet dream.
September 19, 2007
#72 Rancid said . . .Mike - Oh, he's not very good, is he? I suppose that's why the Bears were so reluctant to let him go and why they moved all kinds of mountains to get approval from his probation officer to go to the Super Bowl? I'm one of many here in Dallas who thinks that a man like Tank is just what we need. The whole thing with his guns doesn't scare us -- most of us grew up owning guns. Hey, you can still legally drive around here with a shotgun in your pickup's gunrack. Tank's going to be just fine.
September 19, 2007
#73 Bill said . . .PSwhoever - It's not about the guns. Chicago kept Terry after the guns. Its about respecting the organization after they give you 7 second chances. You know why you go out drinking and then drive at 3 a.m. when you have been given a last chance? Its because you don't care about your team and you think you're above the law. Now that I see it that way, I think he'll fit right in with Dallas and you can have him.
September 19, 2007
#74 Bill said . . .Well, the staory is old, but my ecollectin is that he went to jail for SOMETHING, and usually that's for breaking the law. I didn't say anythign about the guns.
(Though he kept them out in his house with small children around.)
The weather in Soldier Field at the Championship game was relatively mild. It wasn't freezing, and the snow was pretty light. (I was there.)
If we played indoors at NO? WEll, that would have required NO having a better record than the Bears. They didn't, so we played it at home. I guess I'm missing the point.
There is an old Jewish saying" if my Grandmother had balls she'd be my Grandfather.
In other words - it's pointless to say "if this, if that...)
In the Trib today, in describing other media's take on the Bears-Cowboys:
"So the Bears' defense is a test for the Cowboys' offense and the Cowboys' offense is a test for the Bears'… offense. No mention of the Cowboys' defense, which is 26th in the league overall and 31st against the pass. So either the Cowboys are the cure for what ails Rex or Rex is the cure for what ails the Cowboys. "By the way - Tony Romo DOES appear to be the real deal. But he will be judged this year based on the results of this game - fair or not. That is, if he fails, they media will say he can't do well against a great D. If he does well, he will be king of the league.
"Stop acting like you're a better team than you are." Are you reading this board?? Everyone is debating our offense as though we're going to 1-15! I don't hear anyone claiming we're anywhere near as good as last year.
September 19, 2007
#75 Mike said . . .Mike- I want to echo your thought. I was wondering just when Tank Johnson became so good - it sure wasn't when he played for us!
September 19, 2007
#76 How bout' dem ca-boys !!! said . . .Nobody in Chicago shed a tear the day Tank-less Johnson was mercifully cut. He's a two-bit gangster who is dumber than a hockey puck and has literally no judgment. Whens Tommie Harris went on injured reserve Tank Johnson proceeded to get run over by opposing linemen and running backs. It's bloody ridiculous to think he has the bulk, center of gravity and bull rush technique to play nose tackle in a Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense. Like I said, good luck with that.
September 19, 2007
#77 Bill said . . .Rex Grossman is caucasian right hand throwing version of Shawn King. Discuss.
We're goin' to smack that Steve Spurrier pussified piece of crap silly. You might as well get Brian Greaseball warmed up now.
Devin Hester? We're goin' to close line that sumbitch if he trys to run up the gut against us. That'll stop em.
Ca-boys ... 17
Bears... 13September 19, 2007
#78 Phil from SATX said . . .How 'bout: I agree; Hester can't be stopped within the rules.
September 19, 2007
#79 jdawg said . . .I appreciate PS286 (that means elementary school was the furthest he got) getting the troops to rally around us. Fact is, talk about delusional, Cowboys fans are the worst. And it all comes out of the Official Dallas City Personality - self-centered, self-absorbed, self-important, materialistic and shallow - which is why Tank IS perfect over there. And rest assured, when Tank fucks up again, it'll be up to Roger Goodell and the cops to discipline him, because not a chance in hell Jerry and his boys will do it - especially not since Parcells left town.
No, Chicago and Dallas as cities couldn't be more different (for that matter, San Antonio and Dallas couldn't be more different). And that inherent lack of discipline translates to the football field, and even the likes of Bill Parcells couldn't sweat it out of them. This is a team that has a history of winning two and losing one, winning one and losing two, they'll go up and down all season. This is going to be a down night for them, all right. This guy apparently forgets about all the games Romo acts the bonehead - he'll giveth, and he'll taketh away (or more like, WE'LL taketh away). Now we understand we have no room to talk, but at least our quarterback is villified for his swings beyond belief while Romo gets in the Pro Bowl!
But it won't be Romo being the reason we win this game, no, it's going to be Rex and his O crew. Because he has shown he can rise up on the big occasions, when a lot is at stake. He'll get his, the defense will take theirs, and who knows what the Devatron will do?
But PS, come back and visit us on Monday when you can talk about how you were cheated out of that game by the refs. And how your wives and girlfriends have bigger fake boobs and yellower fake hair than ours.
September 19, 2007
#80 The Pack is Back said . . .wow -- I'm shocked that a couple of Dallas fans took time off from rolling around on top of the dead squirrel in their front yard to come an post.
Now remember you two, try not to breath through your mouths when you read this.
September 19, 2007
#81 jdawg said . . .What was that last response to me about a few days ago? Oh yeah - another grossman is like Favre comment. Give me a break. Favre has ALOT of fumbles. It comes with the territory of being the toughest, most durable, and arguably the greatest QB of all time. rex isn't anything like that. He's an abberation, a mistake, a shameful waste of such a good defensve unit. Too bad it's getting too late. The rest of the division is no longer a push over. This will be the last year for the faker, wanna-be qb named GROSS-MAN.
September 19, 2007
#82 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . .Wow -- we're treated to PiB and a couple of Cowboy fans in the same post.
I believe and anthropologist would call that a "marginal society".
Actually PiP, I have a lot more respect for Packers fans than the 'Boys fans. There are a lot of things to admire about the devotion of the Packers fan base, and Wisconsin in general.
Texas, on the other hand, and Dallas in particular, seems to be a place where yankees go to learn to be a dumbass. Just take a sniff around DC.
September 19, 2007
#83 Max said . . .Hey ladies: Pull down your skirts and listen to this idea.
How about we ignore all the non-fans that come on here and bitch their opinion on gun control/child molestation/elections, etc.
I can only imagine how unimportant their lives are if they have enough time on their hands to go on an opposing teams blog, talk smack and pick fights like a sissy.
Chat with the fans you're familiar with, discuss relevant topics and ignore the bullshit already.
September 20, 2007
#84 Z said . . .Ok, first off, you have to get close to Hester to clothesline him, which is harder than youd expect.
Romo might be the real deal, we will certainly find out this week.
I have a buddy who is a cowboys fan, but then he isnt from Texas. He called me today to talk some shit and it was fun. Theses guys. . . kinda dumb.
On a much more personal note, I start work this friday, which is all well and dandy but then I am told my second day of work is Sunday at 1 p.m. . . . and what time is the game???? OH IT STARTS AT 2 PM!!! DAMN IT. I havent even started work yet and my job is already pissing me off
. . my buddy has Tivo, so i guess ill live, but it wont be the same. ugh
September 20, 2007
#85 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . .My internet has sucked the last 2 days and I have had less to read in a whole semester long course than catching up on here. It is good to see so many opinions and so much passion about our Bears but damn you folks get personal. Nicole right on. The hell with the haters unless they have something intelligent to discuss.
Now about them Bears. We definitely miss TJ's blocking and sure hands so far, but with pretty much the same team we made it to the Super Bowl. The SUPER BOWL. There is only 1 place better and I was 9 last time we were there. Pretty cool wasn't it, winning in the playoffs. With Rex (and all of his faults and bumblings) as our QB for his first even close to full year we are the defending NFC Champions. Our D and ST are I think by far the best in the NFC. We may not win every game or blow everybody out, but this is the personnel we have and unless Rex is having "Bad Rex" games than it doesn't make sense to yank him for unknowns that may have a much harder time playing OK and almost no chance of playing good or very good, which Rex does at least have that chance. Has Rex been great or even very good? No. Does he need to get it together for us to dominate? Yes. Does the whole O need to get it together from coaches on down? Yep.
I don't think dumbing the O down that much works in our favor. NFL D's are too talented to basically let them know we won't try tricky stuff or throw downfield much. Let him sling it sometimes. I would rather see INT's deep anyway. Almost like a punt. Let our D and ST do what they do. We can afford to play the field position game and kick some FG's and get some scoring help from the D if we have to. Shit a deep INT and then a 3 and out from our D may get us better field position. Is that an offensive strategy? If the O is going to struggle at least let them go down swinging and taking shots instead of whimpering for 1st downs. We are not consistent enough for many long drives so take a few shots, some won't work, sometimes it will and hopefully since they are sluggish anyway the few successes they may have in a game will give them a little swagger that at least some of the time they can be dangerous to someone else besides to our own D and ST. Open it up Ron, especially against the 30th ranked pass D so far. You are not doing your job if you don't. Damn the risk, go down swinging.
12-4 if we lose this one. 13-3 if we win which I think we will. And back to the SB either way. Olsen's 1st career TD and 24-10 Bears. Oh and somebody light TO up plz.
Bear Down
September 20, 2007
#86 Phil from SATX said . . .Max- I feel for ya buddy. Hopefully the new dresscode will allow you to wear your Bear flare.
September 20, 2007
#87 PS248 said . . .Very good post Z. I like the analysis, especially of the deep interception - it can actually help the Bears, and is magnitudes different from an interception deep in our side of the field that results in or automatically leads to points. No change of possession plays are good, but some are way better than others. It was pretty much a fluke (and a missed Moose tackle) that that one interception in the Super Bowl turned into a pick 6 - it was picked off pretty deep in their side of the field if I remember right.
So Greg Olsen is back, that's excellent. I also see that the team wants more balls to go to Muhammed. That's good too. Moose tends to get better the more times balls go his way. Let's hope that the team has some great practices focusing on the blitz pickups - probably the biggest single issue facing the team in this game. Don't get hurt by the blitzes, and we win this matchup.
Here's a question for those who really know the x's and o's of football. If there's a lone setback (which would be typical on a known passing down), is that back able to get to either side of the QB to pick up a blitzer? Don't they usually pick one side or the other to set up? And if so, isn't it easy for the other team to have two blitzers ready at the line reading the blocking back, with the opposite side blitzing once they know which side the blocker's going to be on?
If so, how does an offense defend against this?
September 20, 2007
#88 Pissed Off said . . .Trust me, there are plenty of Bears fans who rip the Cowboys on our threads, so I don't mind lurking around your thread. In fact, I've lurked for a while but finally had to step in because of the Bears fans' delusional belief that this year will be a repeat of last year and that the Bears somehow deserve to be accorded respect beyond their true worth.
Dallas is going to put the Bears in their place and it's not going to be just because of Tony Romo. Here in Dallas we have a love/hate relationship going on with Jerry Jones (and Mark Cuban for that matter -- how can any idiot trade away Steve Nash over a few million?). We hated Jerry when he fired Landy, hated him more when he fired Jimmy Johnson, and thought he was an idiot when he hired Garrett as the offensive coordinator before hiring his head coach. But then he turns around and does something really great, like trade Herschel Walker to the Vikings that set up our three Super Bowl championshnips in the 1990s. Or he manages to build a $1 billion state-of-the-art stadium. (Now, if he can only get beer to be sold at the stadium.)
But Jerry's hiring of Jason Garrett was a stroke of genius. Remember, it's the same guys on the Dallas offense this year as last. But whereas Parcells would rein them in and try to control every action, Garrett (who has a quarterback's perspective and love of the game) has opened up the entire offense and given Romo the unfettered ability to make plays downfield. Do you know how important that is? It means when you're ahead of the Giants, instead of nursing a lead by trying to control the clock with predictable running plays and short passes, you go for the jugular and hit Sam Hurd on a 30-yeard touchdown pass to put the game out of reach. Two weeks in a row the Cowboys have done that. Romo says it over and over again in interviews: you attack, attack, attack.
Now, you tell me, does anyone in Chicago think that the Rex Grossman is capable of attacking anything? Does Chicago have coaches who know how to attack offensively?
No, I didn't think so, and that's why the Cowboys will win on Sunday. (And, yes, our women do have bigger boobs and yellower hair than yours.)
September 20, 2007
#89 Pissed Off said . . .Good to see the troops rallying against the boys fans. It will be nice that we can knock the fans off their pedastal this week and expose that D even further. Cant wait for Sunday.
September 20, 2007
#90 Bill said . . .Hey PSdouche, nobody cares about your thoughts on Jones, Garrett, Romo etc. Spare us. We're happy for you but nobody cares here.
September 20, 2007
#91 Phil from SATX said . . .Max - the game is SNF on NBC; starts at 7:00PM Central (though you may still be at work, but I suspect you'll be able to see most of it.
PS248 - better post this time. I agree with most of what you said. Don't forget though that there are dozens of ways to win a game, there is not one way that is intrinsically better than another. More entertaining perhaps, but the idea is still to score at least one more point than your opponent. For every score the defense prevents, our chances of winning improve.
Or are you one of those who thought the Browns Bengals game was good football? To me, it was probably one of the worst games in the history of the league. Different perspectives.
September 20, 2007
#92 Pissed Off said . . .Especially when those network bastards kept that game on so we could permanently miss practically the entire first quarter of the Bears game. My God was that maddening - I still don't know how Berrian fumbled, or how KC had such a disparity in time of possession without scoring points. That is the rub of having the Bears increasingly on national television - the NFL Ticket that we pay big bucks for is usurped and then we can't control the idiot networks. Not to continue a rant that only affected some of us, but why in Peyton's name wouldn't you switch to the next game as soon as the game is decided? When they know it's going to be 2 knees and out, we have to stay around to watch that? And then more commercials? ARRGGGHH! And you're right, that game was ridiculous.
At least we'll get the whole thing on Sunday night, with no less than Madden and Al hopefully witnessing the resurrection of Rex and the dismantling of Romo, one brick of hype at a time.
September 20, 2007
#93 Bill said . . .Oh my God Phil I totally hear you about the network shit. I went home to watch the game instead of at my favorite establishment because it was on local CBS. Well i was getting so pissed I was ready to punch a F-ing hole in the wall waiting for the last 3 mins of that Bengals game take F-ing 30 minutes and missing the 1st quarter of the Bears almost in entirety. Man was I pissed. Same shit happened the week before with the SD game. It was on local Fox so I stayed home to watch the game but then I had to watch the end of the fudgepack game. Granted I only missed about the 1st 3 mins of that game but shit. Makes me so happy when we play at noon or primetime so I can see the WHOLE game. I was going to put that in my Sunday night blog after the game how pissed I was about that.
September 20, 2007
#94 Mike said . . .I wasn't aware that they stayed with Browns/Bengals game. (I was at the Bears game.) I thought they always switched to the local game no matter what. (Or did this happen with the satelite packages?)
First quarter was good. Berrian fumble was borderline. The crowsd was convinced his elbow touched first - but of course you can see what you want to see. The ref probably didn't have enough evidence to overturn.
I wish receivers would stop fighting for extra inches.
But overall it felt like the Bears were in control; I honestly was unaware there was a big time of possession difference in KC's favor.
September 20, 2007
#95 Bill said . . .Fearless prediction
Bears -- 17
Cowboys -- 16Grossman does an okay job and staves off public lynching for at least another week. Mushin Muhammed has a nice game. Cedric Benson rushes for 75 yards. Tony Romo flashes brilliance, but gets bit by the interception ball. Adam Archueleta can't keep up with Jason Witten. Robbie Gould is game MVP.
September 20, 2007
#96 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . .Are the Cowboys favored? Anyone know the line?
September 20, 2007
#97 BRIANsong said . . .I also missed almost the first quarter of the game on Sunday. Does anyone know if they post the full game online anywhere?
September 20, 2007
#98 beardown1982 said . . .Bears favored by 3
September 20, 2007
#99 Mike said . . .I didn't realize that so many of you aren't from the Chicago area...Good to know there are many displaced Bears fans out there. I heard a rumor that the Bears are slowly becoming America's Team...
I'm glad to see that all this bickering back and forth about Rex die down for a bit. I think we can all agree that no matter our assessment of his performance so far in 2007, we ALL want to see him succeed from here on out.
That said, I'm surprised by the supreme confidence of Cowboy fans on this post. I don't think either team is head over heels better than the other one, and both have much to prove on Sunday night...including Golden Boy Tony Romo. I shouldn't wish the weekend away, but I don't even want to bother with Saturday, let's go straight to Sunday night!
September 20, 2007
#100 Phil from SATX said . . .Fearless power rankings....
1. New England -- WOW, is all I can say
2. Indianapolis -- a suprising defense
3. San Diego -- only a matter of time before it gels
4. Pittsburgh -- they've got it back together
5. Dallas --
6. Chicago
7. Green Bay -- a very underrated defense
8. Tennessee -- a team nobody is talking about, but should be
9. New Orleans -- there IS a lot of talent there
10. Washington -- Campbell is impressive to go along with Portis, MossTop 4 teams are AFC. The NFC remains the ugly step-sister.
September 20, 2007
#101 Bill said . . .To Cowboys fans, it's a very simple analysis: Rex vs. Romo - and they know which side to be on that one, thus their supreme confidence. Unfortunately for them, the game isn't nearly that simple, there's 3 phases involved all of which need to work together for a win. I'll give them 1 against our 2, and that's a matchup that works in our favor. I am also surprised to read in our local paper that their pass rush has been weak this year - I thought that was one of their strengths (remember I don't actually watch them unless they're losing). If their pass rush is down this year (makes sense without Jason Ferguson at the nose) AND they have a weak secondary, I'm feeling REAL good about this game. And reading the Sun-times today, Rex is apparently getting ready to air it out - we should see the Rex of mid-December, parts of November and all of September 2006 in this game.
September 20, 2007
#102 Mike said . . .To stray off topic a bit, I agree about the Packers defense. I'm more worried about them than I expected to be. If they find a decent QB (Rogers or whowever) they could build up that defense and become a serious contender next year.
The window of opportunity doesn't stay open long.
September 20, 2007
#103 Phil from SATX said . . .Oh great, Rex is getting ready to air it out. That means the probability of him losing the football game for us just skyrocketed. The reward simply isn't worth the damned risk. I can see it now. Grossman throws one of his patented ill-conceived passes 20 yards down the sideline and Terence Newman steps in front and intercepts for a touchdown. That script is so old and tragic. Please no more.
September 20, 2007
#104 Bill said . . .I'm going to say something else about Rex, after writing that last line of my last post. Everyone but PO'd (and maybe Big Rob) forgets that Grossman was far more than a September wonder who was later "solved" by opposing defenses. He had strong, plus-100 games throughout the season - 2 in September, 3 in October, 1 in November and 2 in December. And that doesn't count 80+ games in November (Jets) and December (Lions) that were wins.
After watching the steady slide beginning the the first playoff game (and they do represent a steady slide: 77, 73, 68, 54, 56), I believe that the beginning of Rex's immasculation began in the playoffs and the attempted transformation has been pretty much of a disaster. Even though we won those two home playoff games, there has been a steady throttling down that has really impeded his performance. I think we would be better off taking our chances with Regular Season '06 Rex, than with this new version. Especially if the coaches weren't so beholden to leaving him in at all costs when Bad Rex gets off the bus. Go ahead and stick Griese in there when Mr. Bad Rex Hyde has arrived, but let's have the opportunity of Dr. Good Rex Jeckyl. Then, if Good Rex shows up in the Super Bowl, we'll win hands down. But this current incarnation sucks, and ain't working.
September 20, 2007
#105 StartOlsen said . . .Phil - great post and great analysis.
What is it about the Bears that seems to force the coaches to become so conservative? Lovie said from day 1 "we're a running team". WHY?? Becuase that's the way Halas did it? Or is it Virginia or Mikey who forces the coaches to shy away from opening up the offense.
The saem thing happened to Orton. Once he had a multi-INT game, it was "pull it in, take a knew on first, second, and third down, and we'll let the defense win the game."
No - I agree. Let Grossman be Grossman; if that's not good enough, then bring in Griese the rest of the game. Start Grossman all year unless /until he gets pulled two games in a row.
September 20, 2007
#106 Al in WI said . . .Jeff, you have to promise that AFTER REX HAS A HUGE GAME SUNDAY (yes, I am predicting that and you can all eat it when it comes true) you have to label your next post "REX TELLS WORLD TO FUCK OFF, THROWS 3 TDS"
Promise, Jeff, if it happens you will do this for him.
Rex is going to shred the boys, fuck all of you, and people will have to shut up for at least a week.REX GOING DEEP
TO BERRIAN...
TOUCHDOWN BEARS!!!!!!!September 20, 2007
#107 Al in WI said . . .Phil, Nicole, Po'd I'm with you on the network BS. I have Direct TV Sunday Ticket, and I'm paying a lot of money for it but now when Bears are supposed to be on local tv they block the game on the direct tv channel. And I went through the same thing. I called some bastard from direct tv and bitched him out, I got a lot of apologies but no action. My letter to CBS, DTV, and NFL went out in the mail on Wed.
In the meantime if you'd really like to see the whole game check out www.backintimedvd.com the owner sells and trades old games on dvd including the current games. There high quality and reasonably priced. Just a suggestion.September 20, 2007
#108 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . .Phil, Nicole, Po'd I'm with you on the network BS. I have Direct TV Sunday Ticket, and I'm paying a lot of money for it but now when Bears are supposed to be on local tv they block the game on the direct tv channel. And I went through the same thing. I called some bastard from direct tv and bitched him out, I got a lot of apologies but no action. My letter to CBS, DTV, and NFL went out in the mail on Wed.
In the meantime if you'd really like to see the whole game check out www.backintimedvd.com the owner sells and trades old games on dvd including the current games. They're high quality and reasonably priced. Just a suggestion.September 20, 2007
#109 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . .Thanks Al- the power of the pen is a grossly underused source in today's e-world.
September 20, 2007
#110 GP said . . .Brian: Can you post the link where Bears are up 3? Thanks
September 20, 2007
#111 Pissed Off said . . .Interesting thought by PS248 about Offensive Coordinators. Ron Turner apparently played WR in college...does he lack some insights having never played the most important position on the field. On the other hand, Bill Walsh was a running back in college, and he knew a thing or two about offense.
In general, I think that have a great OC is overrated. Brady and Manning would be just fine if you put Ron Turner on their teams. It's all about the QB, so IF Dallas does go nuts on Sunday, don't go patting yourself on the back about the genius of having Garrett. Consider yourself lucky/smart that you found Tony Romo off the street.
Anyway, the fact is that Ron Turner ran the most explosive offenses in Chicago history the last time he was here. My suspicion is because he had the 2nd best QB I've seen play for the Bears in Erik Kramer, with number one being McMahon, of course. By the way, I noticed that someone called Kramer "mediocre". His best season was 29 TDs and 10 INTs, which is absolutely the best season any of our QBs has ever had since Sid Luckman!
September 20, 2007
#112 jdawg said . . .Amen StartOlsen, I love that title. I hope it comes true and you may want to give a shout out to JB for that title, it is his turn to write the Sunday blog. It would be nice to see that be the title in the paper too.
Al, a man of action writing the letters, I love it. Have you or others been reading Mikes posts? I stopped after we got in a tiff the other day (though I never should have started up again) but I dont see many responses to his posts as I read everyone elses. He was generating quite a stir at the begining of the week when everyone was reading his posts. Pack is Back is delusional, thought I better give him a shout out too, havent read his posts since last year.
September 20, 2007
#113 Al in WI said . . .I don't get all the head-scratching over the offense being conservative and Rex being muzzled. Does Lovie strike anyone as having a gun-slinging attitude? Plus, he's a defense guy. Anybody remember Buddy taking a swing at Gilbride because his offense was wearing Buddy's defense out?
On an unrelated note -- did anybody feel sick to their stomach when the slo-mo, instant replay showed Peanut getting kicked in the peanuts?
September 20, 2007
#114 Bill said . . .Hey Po'd,
I have been reading those posts. I had some exchanges with him in the last thread. But I've been away from the computer a lot the rest of the week.
I don't know if it's even worth getting into it with some people anymore over Grossman. Nothing he does will ever be good enough. In this thread alone he's been attacked for taking enough chances and being pro bowler, and then he's attacked for not being Shane Matthews and throwing 2 yard passes and playing it safe. Sometimes by the same person, which is it?
The truth of the matter is Rex is best when he's throwing down field and making big plays. That is what he did at Florida to get into the 1st round, and that is what he did last year when he posted the 7 games with a rating over 100. He needs to play aggressive, I think the Bears can live with a few ints if they are 40 yards downfield. I will take a qb who throws 15 ints or so if I can have 30+ tds. He is capable of that.
September 20, 2007
#115 Phil from SATX said . . .This is starting to feel like a playoff game. Or at least like the Seattle game early last year. Hopefully with the same result.
Nicole, I found the odds on the Chicago Tribuen sponsored spaorts site:
http://chicagosports.sportsdirectinc.com/odds/allsports.aspx#NFLYou may have to register (it's free.)
September 20, 2007
#116 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . .jdawg, head's are being scratched not because of their decision to try this, which is understandable, but with the results, which are awful and unintended. Only two games in, but I'll still point to that trend of declining QB ratings, proof that it's not working. I don't know if Lovie will have the stomach to go back to feast or famine (he probably doesn't and would rather deal with Griese than the media pounding him about Rex every week) but I still maintain he SHOULD do that, with the one tweak being the use of Griese as stand-in when necessary. And who knows what would happen to Rex if Lovie sat him down and said this:
I want the old Rex back. Start playing like that, and we'll start calling games that help you be like you used to be. If you have a Bad Rex day, you'll be benched, not as punishment but to help us try and win the game. You'll still be a starter the next game. Just remember, though, if we see too much of Griese and he looks too good, you may lose your starting job. But hopefully this will ease your mind and let you go back to your old 100+ ways, and hopefully the longer you play like this the fewer bad days you'll have. Now get after it!
September 20, 2007
#117 Nicole is miserable in this blue city said . . .Jdawg: I don't have peanuts or cashews for that matter, but it did look painful.
September 20, 2007
#118 Pissed Off said . . .Thanks Bill!
September 20, 2007
#119 Pissed Off said . . .Great points Al, you are becoming far and away my favorite blogger on this site. We have yet to differ on any issue. I consider plenty of others on here "on my side" such as JB, coxy, midway, etc (of the longer term bloggers) and yes Phil too (but we have our moments of indifference) regarding Bears issues but its weird how much we think alike. I dont think I'm related to anyone in WI? Bear down Vs the cowpokes damnit!
#8TTAT
September 20, 2007
#120 Max said . . .Weird point I just thought of. Maybe it can be explained or maybe its just a matter of being in Chicago and hearing it so much everyone starts believing it but its noticable that the bloggers on here that live in the Chicago area are more "Rex bashers" than are the displaced fans who are more "pro Rex." Not sure how it can be explained. I could say that the displaced fan has a different view from afar but I dont know how to completely explain why they support Rex more. Of course there's exceptions but I'm speaking generally.
September 20, 2007
#121 Coxy said . . .Bill, I go to school in Hawaii. . . so if the game is 7 oclock central, then its 2 oclock hawaii time cause we be 5 hours behind. . . it was only a problem when the Bears played division games at the normal noon time (CST) because then id have to wake up at 6 a.m. (HST) so i could find a bar that was playing the game by 7 a.m. (HST). only downside to living in the middle of the ocean.
I love it StartOlsen, that is the perfect title if Rex goes nuts.
September 20, 2007
#122 Bill said . . .Yea- Mike really brings nothing to the table. Broken record - Rexy sucks blah blah blah. In all seriousness I appreciate Pack is Back's posts more because he says the same thing, but at least he follows it up with a hilarious comment about how good Favre still is, or how good the Pack are. And to whoever put the Packers at 6 or 7 in that ranking, you are nuts. They have been so lucky the first couple weeks it has been amazing. They got away with no offense because Philly special teams truly was "special" and took the short bus to the game that day. And they looked ok against the Giants. Big deal. There will be a 38-3 wake up call this week for them.
September 20, 2007
#123 They Comin' said . . .Max :
oh - I get it.Never would have thought there was a DOWNSIDE to living in Hawaii!!
September 20, 2007
#124 Mike said . . .The history of Absurd started on January 2, 1992 in a small Thuringian town, when Wolf, Sebastian 'DMD' S., and Hendrik 'JFN' M. decided to respond to the New Wave of Black Metal with a band of their own. The choice of the band name is now apocryphal, and stands open to multiple interpretations. It is thought correct to assume an interrelation between the band name and one of the pastimes of the band members at this time: watching poorly performed, yet hilarious, horror B-movies.
September 20, 2007
#125 JB said . . .Mental masturbation has overwhelmed the board. Why the lack of understanding on why the offense has gone conservative?!? It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. One, the defense is dominant. Two, Rex Grossman can lose football games a heckuva a lot more than he can win them. So what would you do if you were Lovie Smith? Answer is that you would pull in the reins and go with a supposed ground-pounder in Cedric Benson complemented by the short passing game.
Some of you morons are searching for answers that are already apparent while some of you attack the intellect of Ron Turner. Why?!? If Lovie and Turner had Brett Favre behind center or a less reliable defense and special teams, then they would embrace a bolder offensive strategy.
It's called molding the offense to the talent on hand and to produce in safest fashion the predicted level of offensive production the team needs to win. NOT ROCKET SCIENCE ladies and gentlemen.
September 20, 2007
#126 Mike Litisore said . . .Why is Mike such a dick? We're all bears fans Mike, chill the fuck out and enjoy the site.
September 20, 2007
#127 StartOlsen said . . .I like Mike. He's the only voice of objectivity on this blog. He's been dead on with his predictions so far too.
September 20, 2007
#128 Pissed Off said . . .Here's the snap
handoff to Bens... No- playfake!
Grossman looking...
Bernard Berrian ran right by Terrence Newman!
Grossman goes DEEP...
CAUGHT
TOUCHDOWN BEARS!
TOUCHDOWN BERNARD BERRIAN! Terrence Newman got TOASTED!!! ROY WILLIAMS BIT ON THE PLAYFAKE!!
REX YOU ARE THE MAN!September 20, 2007
#129 Don K. Balz said . . .What predictions are those? He hasnt been here long enough for any of them to be executed.
September 20, 2007
#130 Mike Litisor said . . .Don K. is not optimistic about this game. Bears don't do well on national primetime. Neither does Grossman.
Don K's prediction....
Dallas -- 23
Chicago -- 13Don K. will be at the game. Look for Don K. on TV. I'm the devilishly handsome guy with the attractive dish wife by my side.
September 20, 2007
#131 Rancid said . . .He was almost spot on about the Chiefs game. And he predicted the Bears would lose to San Diego.
September 20, 2007
#132 Doug (COWBOYS WILL OWN CHICAGO) said . . .Mike is not objective, POed probably isn't entirely either but I don't think he would disagree with me writing that. If Bad Rex returns for game after game after game all season long, I think that POed would admit that he had his chance and let him go. Mike isn't giving him the chance. Did Mike watch the SD game? That is conservative crap calling, and if Mike wants a 10-6 season and an early playoff loss, that's what this will get us. That's why overall I agree with POed right now. I want Rex to have the chance to play big and win some games for us. I stated it in the preseason when we were talking about this and I believe that the only chance we have for a ring is for Ron to let Rex prove himself and then for Rex to step up and show us he is for real. Mike's conservative Ron Turner approved plan is a death sentence.
September 20, 2007
#133 Bill said . . .******NEWS FLASH*******
Terrence Newman (one of the best CB's in the NFL) will play against Chicago. Please come out slinging Wrecks!!!!September 20, 2007
#134 mikebdot said . . .Don K. - Rex had some great games on PrimeTime last year. All overshadowed by the Arizona disaster that Urlacher and Hester saved for us.
(Speaking of that - notice how no one calls Urlacher overrated anymore? I wish someone from the Cowboys woudl be the game starts.)
September 20, 2007
#135 Doug (COWBOYS WILL OWN CHICAGO) said . . .mikebdot does not refer to himself in the third person unless mocking someone else.
I love the Bears. I hate the 'boys. Sometimes I have such plain feelings about the upcoming game rather than convoluted bs about Rex, etc. I just want to watch football. It's ALWAYS going to be an emotional roller-coaster. Get over it.
September 20, 2007
#136 jdawg said . . .LOL @ StartOL - Keep dreaming!!!
September 20, 2007
#137 Bill said . . .OK Cowboy fans, Let's hear some objective reasons why we're going to lose to you guys.
Here's why I think we'll win:
1) The Bears have possibly the fastest defense in the NFL and now, with Babbich calling the signals, possibly one of the most aggressive;2) Benson is a power runner and, with recent injuries, you guys look soft up the middle; expect a lot of Benson as the clock ticks away.
3) We'll see if Romo is as good as advertised. He's got about, what, 8 games under his belt? Maybe he will see some stuff Sunday night that he hasn't seen before, like 10 guys on the line, staring into his eyes
that's it
oops, I almost forgot
4) 23
September 20, 2007
#138 Max said . . .If Mike Brown was playing, this wouldn't be close. He'd light up TO (aka "aligator arms") if he dared go over the middle.
But he isn't here, so TO will get his yards. I suspect Romo will do OK. I think he's getting a sense for the game and may be ready to face this test. Not to say he'll be flawless - probably 2 or 3 clear INT chances - but he'll come out of it OK.
So how do we win? Well, it's only 2 games but Dallas D is ranked near the bottom of the league. How does that happen? I guess one way is becuase they gave up a lot of yardage during time they had a big lead. So we can't be too confident on numbers alone.
Still, I suspect we have to test them and stretch the field. Look for Moose to get nearly 10 catches and for Olsen to get his first TD. Wildcard will be effectiveness of Maynard. And Devin will clearly get his chances. I can't imagine the Cowboys of all teams to be scared to kick to him.
September 20, 2007
#139 jdawg said . . .Sounds bad, but if Rex has to be benched, I want him to be benched on Rex's terms. Throw long several times. Open up the play book. Its like an all or nothing bet.
To make a terrible Nascar comparison, its like taking a turn to fast or to slow. If you go to slow around a turn (short passes, play conservative), your either gonna get passed or someone is gonna ram you from behind. If you go to fast (throw the ball deep alot), you risk spinning out and losing control and normally you'll end up in a wall or in the infield. Id rather have Rex go to fast and risk crashing and burning than go slow and not even give us the chance of getting the big play.
oh, and if i ever make another nascar analogy, please rip on me mercilessly. Thank you.
September 20, 2007
#140 GOOSEY said . . .I would caution against expecting an air show. Rex didn't throw those 2 ints because he wasn't getting to throw bombs. He could have made either of those picks in any game last year. I almost think of them as brain farts.
I expect to see a lot of Benson. And when Hestor and/or Wolfe is in the game, they'll be decoys.
Also, this will be Olsen's first game as a pro. Don't expect him to turn into Gates overnight.
This game will be won by the D, the running game and Rex being efficient, in that order, except that Hester returning kicks should go before the running game.
September 20, 2007
#141 Al in WI said . . .I'LL NEVER FORGET THE WAY YOU FUCKED THE NATION.....WITH YOUR T FORMAAAAATION.
September 20, 2007
#142 The Pack is Back said . . .I agree that we'll see a lot of Benson in this game. But the way to attack the Cowboys is to make Roy Williams have to cover somebody. He can't. The Saints paved the way last year on a Sunday night, and a couple weeks back Eli Manning torched them.
Spread them out and create mismatches!!September 20, 2007
#143 Shady McBears Fan said . . .Did anyone notice the confidence displayed by lovie towards the offense. At 6:23 left in the game he declined the penalty on KC and went to 3rd down instead of taking 5 yds and keeping his offense at 2nd down.
Lovie knows his best shot at winning is to get his offense off the field and keep it there!
September 21, 2007
#144 Nicole is heading to Chicago this weekend said . . .Hey Mr. Fudge Packer,
Don't be jealous that the Green Gay Fudge Packers don't have a wonderful coach like Lovie Smith.
Mike McCarthy according to Wikipedia:
"...In 2005, McCarthy served as offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers; his unit, beset by injuries and led by a rookie quarterback (top draft pick Alex Smith), finished the season ranked last in the NFL in points scored and yards gained.
McCarthy was interviewed by Packers general manager Ted Thompson on January 8 and was offered the head coaching position just three days later. This decision spurred ire among some fans. Nevertheless, McCarthy became the youngest head coach in the NFL, aged just 42 years. However, days later he lost that distinction as 35-year-old Eric Mangini was hired as head coach of the New York Jets..."
Hmm 10-8? Not too impressive.
Moral of the story: Don't hate on a coach who is better than your own, Jackass.
September 21, 2007
#145 Nelson said . . .PS- Maynard calls into a Chicago radio station every Monday morning (segment is called Maynard Monday) I listen via webcast and he said his groin was feeling better last week but just to be safe, he stretched an extra week for this Sunday. I'll be sportin my 4 jersey in Chitown this weekend.
September 21, 2007
#146 Start Olsen said . . .Rex Grossman is the 33rd ranked quarterback after the first two weeks of the 2007 NFL season. But you stupid fucking lemmings keep on defending the douche bag.
Ha-ha.
September 21, 2007
#147 Pissed Off said . . .Hey Pack, your team plays the Chargers Sunday... can't wait to compare the results to the Bears game.
September 21, 2007
#148 PS248 said . . .Why we will win:
1) We will control the field position game all night with #23, and the boys arent good enough to go the length of the field on this defense. Devin gets pumped for primetime games.
2)Rex will have one of his classic star studded prime time games like he did vs STL, SEA, NYG etc. That will ensure the offense puts up points and we control TOP.
3) The boys defense is about the worst in the NFL, we've played a top 5 defense in SD and a top 10ish defense in KC. (Ok I guess that ties in with #2) Dallas has won 2 shootout type games against bad defensive teams. That will change Sunday.
4) The Bears are at home, its primetime, c'mon who's gonna come in to Sodier and win under those circumstances? No one.
September 21, 2007
#149 Phil from SATX said . . .Da Bears are really confident. You're going to show up the 'Boys on Sunday Night. You're going to show the world that you're just as good as you were last year and that you deserve to be the reigning NFC champs!
...except you're not the same team and let's look at what you've done THIS year: you lost to a high-powered offense (San Diego). Where was your defense there?
This is a win-win game for Dallas. If we lose the game, that's OK because no one expects us to win the game. Dallas is the underdog -- the up-and-coming team. Chicago is supposed to be THE team. You'd better win big or you'll be exposed as a team that's ripe for the picking to every other team. And if Dallas wins (and I'm pretty confident that Dallas will win), then you'd better start scrambling for another quarterback because there's no way you can go back to a championship team with Rex Grossman at the helm.
September 21, 2007
#150 Pissed Off said . . .Mike's a contrarian. I thought he made a great post explaining why Rex needed to be on the hot seat. But that's it - he's going to keep going small and negative and maybe he'll be right. If that's the Bears game plan, they may still win, but it'll be nip and tuck the whole way - very much how Parcells called games in Texas for 4 years. He was so freaking conservative that as soon as he had a lead he'd start protecting it, trying to win by 3. Problem is, when you play that game, a freak touchdown, an iffy pass interference, a long bomb can lose you the game late.
The Bears had a great, albeit higher risk, offense last year and it worked out pretty well for them, didn't it? Same exact cast of characters this year, minus 1 plus 3 (counting Olsen, full-time Benson and Hester, although he may be just a rumor). And insufferably smug Mike, despite you saying it "with authority," it doesn't make it true to say a blanket statement like "Rex can lose it for you a heckuva lot easier than win it" - well guess what, last year's results don't bear you out. Rex played an integral part in a bunch of butt kickings last year, and an integral part in a bunch of closer wins, and he was not helpful in some that we won anyway because of great D and 23, and he was marginal to bad in others that we lost (only 4 times of course).
I'm with Rancid, and StartO, and no doubt PO'd, and Al and Bill and others who say there has to be reins loosened in order for this offense to operate with the success it had last year. (Sorry if I mischaracterized any of you on that list). And these people are not morons, young Mike (pretty convinced you're young and precociously smart, but way too rude - grow up a little, Bear fan!)
Hope the BT is seeing the same thing.
September 21, 2007
#151 Bill said . . .Great points Phil, there are a lot of articles out ther today on Suntimes. I generally dont read it but as long as its not Mariotti its usually OK.
PS187, we only gave up 14 points to San Diego, our defense did show up, dont be stupid. We held Tomlinson to like 40 yards rushing, and Rivers to like 150 yards passing, no TDs and an INT, unless you are "special" you should be getting info before you make wild assumptions. Our offense didnt produce against a good defense. Thats all. Their offense is far more potent that Dallas' and therefore we will hold you to 14 points or less and we will win by 2 TDs because your defense is ranked about 64th in the NFL. Not to metion we have the home field advantage and the best defensive player in the NFL.
September 21, 2007
#152 Rancid said . . .Well, it's probably not worth it, but PS123 or whoever makes some strange points:
A win-win game for the Cowboys?? I guess it depends on how you lose - but showing you can't beat a team with such a horrible QB (your words, not mine) means your team is not ready to take a step up. If Rex is so bad, your 'boys shoudl win, period. So if you lose, in your words you lost to a vastly inferior QB.By the way, the BEARS are not "really confident". Maybe you got a wrong impression, but we're all just fans here. Non of us are players or (as far as I know) friends of players. So I'm not sure where you get that from. No doubt the Bears beelive they can win. Bu they respect the offensive stats the Cowboys put up and are preparing themselves for the challenge VERY SERIOUSLY. This defense purely enjoys the opportunity to show what they can do.
Where was our defense in SD???? Come on - if you're going make us read your comments, take a momenet to think. They scored all of 14 points and LT was held very much in check. The defense was very much there, as they were against KC and will be against Dallas.
I agree that if Dallas wins they will be declared the next big thing and rightfully so. Coming in to Chicago to win is not easy. But if the lose - they don't "win". They go home losers and wondering if they are really good or overhyped.
There is no win-win in football.
September 21, 2007
#153 PS248 said . . .We probably shouldn't be giving PSwhoever this much attention. I'll give it to PIB and Dave because they've been coming back again and again, but not this guy. If the Cowboys win (and they won't) He be all over the blog Monday and then disappear to go be a douche on the next team they play's blog. When Da Bears win (which we will) he will skip step one and go right to being a douche elsewhere, which is fine with me. If he wants to stick around and become one of this sites beloved/hated enemies, that's fine too, but he doesn't seem like the type. I think the only reason we are reacting to him is that this blog is at 150+ and we are bored and need to talk something. I hate waitng for the game.
September 21, 2007
#154 ****NEWS FLASH**** said . . .The Bears LOST to a high-powered offense (San Diego). So what if you only lost by a couple of touchdowns -- that's a couple of touchdowns that the DEFENSE didn't score for you. Since your anemic OFFENSE can't score anything, you have to rely on your DEFENSE and your SPECIAL TEAMS to score your points. So, yeah, the Bears have a good defense and the best special teams player in the league -- but they can't show up for every down on every game, otherwise you would have won against San Diego. In fact, considering that the Chargers are a similar team to the Cowboys (without Romo, Terrell Owens or Jason Whitten), I think the results Sunday night will be very similar, with the Cowboys winning.
My point about the win-win is very valid. Nobody expects the Cowboys to win so there's no pressure on the Cowboys to win. All of the pressure is on the Bears to win and to win big. Now, tell me again how the Bears react to pressure? Just look at your awful performance in last year's "Super Bowl" -- and we all know how Rex Grossman performs under pressure. (Although we'll see a great deal more of it on Sunday night.)
As for Benson, we'll have Roy Williams dogging him all night long; Williams won't leave the line to go chasing after receivers. Wade Phillips (a defensive minded guy) is smarter than Parcells -- you don't put a safety who plays like a linebacker on receivers; you use him to stop the run. (Parcells is an idiot and vastly overrated as a coach -- the truth is that he lost it before he joined the Cowboys.) Chicago's best play -- Chicago's only play -- will be a screen pass to Benson, but Roy Williams will pick that up. We'll leave Rex Grossman to Brady James and DeMarcus Ware.
Bring your "A" game, Chicago, because you're going to need it.
September 21, 2007
#155 Z said . . .Date: Sunday 09/23/2007
T.O. takes off hat to Bears Defense;
What a game this was tonight huh folks? An injury report will be coming soon on Wrecks Grossman and Cedric Benson later in the story. After a thrilling win for the Cowboys after torching a mediocre defense for 375 yards. The Cowboys' own Terrell Owens gives his shoes to Nathan vasher in hopes one day he could fill them. Adding insult to injury he gives Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher his jock strap showing it would take them both to fill it. Well so goes the Cubs (I mean bears) season. After the concussions given to Wrecks and Benson its gonna be a long season for the defeated Superbowl hopefuls. On to a new era in the NFC. Thanks for stopping by Chicago don't call us we'll call you.
September 21, 2007
#156 Z said . . .I just couldn't let that pathetic post be the last of any thread on this wonderful site. I'll take our dominating advantage in two of the three areas of football anyday. I would not trade out all of our players for all of your players in Dallas and you would probably drool yourself to drowning to get our D and ST and have to deal with our offensive question marks.
With some other NFC teams faltering so maybe we won't get to play them in the playoffs (NO, PHI), maybe Dallas will sneak in and we can beat you guys again after the Pack. Since we will have a bye again in the first round, I guess that is all the room for opponents we will have until the big game. No two teams I would rather beat now that TO is down there. Just another arrogant receiver hanging around the top 10 at his position in his prime (which Mr. drop it like it's hot is not) who has a much bigger ego than his ability warrants. How would a defensive player fill the shoes of someone on O and how do you know how big TO's jock is? So that is what Dallas fans do in their spare time besides hang out on Bears' blogs. I hope someone crushes TO early so he gets those alligator arms out for Sun. night. Make sure to come back late Sun and Mon Cowboys fans and let us know how much you enjoyed the game.
Thank god there is enough intelligence on here to balance all the lack of it out. The people who insult eachother on here are usually pretty smart and football knowledgeable just a little closed-minded and hostile. None of us has enough football brilliance to make a living off of it. We are all just fans (well most of us) who are giving our amateur opinions. This is not a cure for cancer or a new source of global energy we are working on here folks, so calm the mother fuck down and focus on the football stuff instead of eachothers mothers and sexual orientations and maybe we can even learn a thing or two from one another. The Bears fans on here all want the same thing right. To win every week including a Super Bowl right. If your communication is that ineffective that the people you are taking the time to try and convince on here aren't reading your posts anymore than obviously you are not as intelligent as you think. A very important form of intelligence is not just what you say but how you communicate it so others can learn from it or even want to listen to you. That seems to be lacking in some on here, although I do read every post and some of the funniest and most entertaining are from the bickering, so whatever, keep it up if you want to.
With Rex being more aggressive last year we went to the Super Bowl. We are the NFC defending champions. It happened. We beat two good teams in the playoffs (crushing a red hot NO team) and lost by 12 to one of the better offenses I have ever seen in my life with a very good D. We were a play or two from being right in that game with the D playing a pretty rough half. We did all of that with Rex Grossman at QB. There are 30 other NFL teams that were jealous of how far we got last year, including Dallas. So back off our defending NFC champion Bears unless you are springing for some luxury tax money to get better players or want to focus your career on working for the Bears to get better players or implement better plays, armchair coaches and GM's.
Bring on Dallas. 6 sacks on Romo and somebody please, please crush TO.
Bear Down
September 22, 2007
#157 Great Gazoo said . . .Ooops, the NFL only has a hard salary cap. Guess I am not ready to be GM yet either, but you can donate that extra money to get the troops some better armor since Bush can't find it in 9 billion a month over there(for vehicles or on their person). Sorry to go political.
Go Bears. Am i the youngin on here at 31? Sweet.
September 22, 2007
#158 flo said . . .Rex will get pulled well before halftime...no doubt. That little pecker flat out can't play.
September 23, 2007
#159 PS248 said . . .That window of opportunity that good teams have closed a little bit more tonight. Green Bay whipped on the Bolts after the Bears score 3 on them. Is Bernard Berrian REALLY a go to guy? After a good start the Bear O-line looked O-ld while the D line weakened as the game went on. And Rexy - right on cue - threw a tomczak. The hope is that it's early and the team can bounce back. This was not an encouraging performance folks. This was a BIG game as big games go early. And the Bears shit all over themselves. Pretty sickening late running game by Dallas. Good thing there's next week.
September 24, 2007
#160 *****NEWS FLASH**** said . . .No, I’m not here to gloat. As a Cowboys fan, I've lived through too many miserable seasons. I’m truly impressed with the Bears’ defense. I wish Chicago the best. Maybe if you can get your quarterback thing straightened out we’ll meet again in December (hopefully, in Dallas). Good luck.
September 24, 2007
I could gloat but I won't. Its a new era in the NFL and the Bears let their chance pass them. At least the Bears did something that made sense. Sit Wrecks on the bench. But Damn you guy have a bad ass defense. I don't think Dallas will face a better defense the rest of the year. Good Luck
September 26, 2007
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.