(1) Enough with dividing the schedule into four quarters. Have we really become so stupid that we can't divide by a number larger than four? The Bears schedule is clearly seven separate entities, breaking down like this: 2 road, 2 home, 2 road, 3 home, 3 road, 3 home, road.
(2) Take a look at that again. They don't play a road-home-road or home-road-home set of games all season long. I've never seen that before.
(3) They don't play the Packers for the first time until the 16th of November.
(4) The New Orleans Saints will come to Chicago (Dec. 11) in the dead of winter for the third consecutive year. The combined score of the last two games? 72-39.
(5) 7-5 heading into that December would be nice. Finishing then with the Jags, Saints, Pack at home and a trip to Houston makes ten wins reachable (but 9 might get you into the playoffs).
(6) Final note on December: hope you have something else to do on Sundays because the Bears play a Thursday and Monday night.
(7) This has to be the first 7-9 team in league history with five scheduled primetime games.
(8) Most important game of the season? Week 2 at the Carolina Panthers. Why? (a) If the win Sunday night, the Bears will begin the 2008 season with two straight road wins and alarming confidence. (b) If they lose Sunday, a road win will stabilize the ship. (c) When you're making a list of teams the Bears should beat, Carolina without Steve Smith should be on it. (d) I like to see what my team is made of as early in the season as possible. I'll know by the number of times they let Moose run across the middle of the field. (e) All conference games against possible contenders become pivotal late in the year.
(9) I love where the bye week comes - after six games, end of October, following their first game with the Vikings.
(10) Here's an absolutely fool-proof method to discover if the Bears are a contender this year. If the lose a single game in October, they're not. (at Detroit, at Atlanta, home Minnesota)
#2 Phillip from NYC said . . .The first two games of the season will really test the run defense of the Bears! . Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes week 1 and Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams week 2! If they can keep these RB's under 100yards on the road with constant QB pressure, we can come back home flying high as a kite!!
September 3, 2008
#3 Albert n Tucson said . . .I need to hurry up and buy my Bears/Vikings tickets before they all get sold out... Is it predicted to be a good game?
September 3, 2008
#4 Albert in Tucson said . . .AND... as if things weren't unsettled enough about the run defense, now comes word that Tommie Harris has some sort of knee issue.
The Bears are playing their usual game of smoke & mirrors as to how serious it is but he's questionable for Sunday and that makes it PLENTY serious as far as I am concerned.
Can they exploit the Colts depleted O-line WITHOUT Harris? I doubt it.September 3, 2008
#5 Jimbo said . . .AND... as if things weren't unsettled enough about the run defense, now comes word that Tommie Harris has some sort of knee issue.
The Bears are playing their usual game of smoke & mirrors as to how serious it is but he's questionable for Sunday and that makes it PLENTY serious as far as I am concerned.
Can they exploit the Colts depleted O-line WITHOUT Harris? I doubt it.September 3, 2008
#6 Idonije said . . .I am so sure the bears will win 10 games this year that i put $20 on it.
Here's how i objectively break it down:
Sept: 2-2
Oct : 3-0
Nov: 3-2
Dec: 2-2I think you're right Jeff. If this team is any good, we should sweep october. I also think we own the pack and lions for 4 wins. Split with the queens. When it comes down to it... we NEED to play better against our division. we lost a heart breaker against detroit (on the road) and the vikes (at home) last year.
In the NFC 10-6 gets you to the playoffs. With a little luck we can pick up 1-2 extra wins and take the division. Toughest games are: Colts, Pack (in nov), Vikes (in nov), and Jags at home.
Most important game... i agree... is the Panthers. Starting the season 0-2 is not good (although it worked for the giants last year if my memory is correct).
Go bears.
September 3, 2008
#7 Tyger said . . .I believe that optimism is contagious because you guys are making me feel real bad about my 5 win prediction. Bear down.
September 3, 2008
#8 Pissed Off said . . .Wait, wait, wait. You think this team has a chance at the playoffs? You think this team has a chance at sweeping October? I can't even find a game the Bears will be favored in until Week 9 w/ Detroit at home (w/ Tampa Bay being 50/50.) Their best chance at having fun will be November, when they might actually win 3 out of 5 games.
Oh, oh, and most laughable of all, you think the Bears have a chance against the Colts?
My guesstimating says 4-6 wins on the year.
Oh dear lord, I'm embarrassed to be a Bears fan. Ohhh, this is not going to be fun.
September 3, 2008
#9 Bill said . . .Some are seeing the grim reality, I like to be an optimist and be excited for the season but this year it aint happening. Maybe a few weeks into it there will be something to be excited for, we'll see what happens with personel changes and whatnot but right now I have never been less excited going into the opener. All you complete and utter optimists need to just chill out on ripping the realists...we have our opinions too and this blog cant be nothing but sunshine and daisies all the time. I'm not as negative as some here but the picture ain't rosie right now. I like Tygers point that we probably wont be favored until week nine, unless of course we come out of the gate on fire and beat indy, carolina, etc.
Jimbo, its bears/vikes, do you really need a prediction on if its going to be a good game....have you ever watched a bears/vikes game....how about a bears/packers game? I already got my tix for that one, I suggest you get yours. Its an interdivision rivalry, it'll be good.
September 3, 2008
#10 Jimbo said . . .My prediction is 7-9 (optimistically). The O-line is the biggest problem. Angelo is a bad GM, period.
I agree that Carolina is a key game. Can't go into the first home game 0-2 and expect a highly energized crowd.
An 0-3 or 0-4 start will have Angelo in the center of a media and fan storm.
September 3, 2008
#11 jeff said . . .I'll reserve my panic button pushing until after week 3. If we get creamed on the road, then lose to Tampa Bay at home... we are screwed. I just dont think this team is as bad as people think.
The O-line could be solid... they've been good at times. Orton is improved... maybe not awesome, but still probably the 2nd best starting QB in the division. WR's. Whatever, we've never had any, B-twice dropped as many critical passes as he caught... i'll be happy just to see catches at all.
Our RB situation is about 10 times better than last year. Benson sucked balls, and AP is just not any good. Forte looks the part and Jones can provide a saftey blanket we have lacked since 2006.
I will give you my honest opinion about the D after this weekend. I think they have more potential than any other unit in the NFC. Fuck preseason. And if they do suck again I want Bob Babich's head.
Our special teams will win a minimum of 1-2 games alone (see denver last year).
Sorry guys... there is no reason to be anything but up beat at this point. We are in the NFC... worst to first happens in at least one division every year... and our division sucks. I'll eat my words if i'm wrong... put me down for 10+ wins.
September 3, 2008
#12 Minnie mad dog said . . .a couple things i never understand:
1. why would they go from a 7 win to a 4 win team? maybe i'm crazy but i think this is a better team than finished the season.
2. they'll be favored week 3 at home against a 1-1 or 0-2 tampa and week 6 on the road against atlanta.
3. by the way...don't call your bullshit reality and our bullshit optimism. i say what i always say: i chose not to be a negative human until they actually play a game.
September 3, 2008
#13 Tyger said . . ."Don't call your bullshit reality and our bullshit optimism."
Jeff's qoute above is one of the best things I have ever seen on this site. Any site, actually. Dude must be a poet or something. And he is right, you know. None of us will really know shit until the season gets underway.
I sit somewhere between the fruit loop optimists and the doomsday naysayers. I am eternally optimistic, a fanatic Bears fan. Doesn't take that much to make me happy. Couple of trashings of either the Queens or the Cheesheads will do. but I am worried about the pre-season play of the defense, the crappy O-line, and the fact that of our mediocre QBs, the better one is on the bench.
The answer? Wait until the season starts and we shall see.
Good words, Jeff.
September 3, 2008
#14 Tyger said . . .Jeff...
Why they're worse:
1.) O-line was horrendous last year and the only thing that did (will Williams out) is get older. That doesn't spell "better" when they're on the wrong side of 30.
2.) Brian Griese was better last year than Caleb Hanie will be this year. Orton and Grossman have shown no reason to think they're better than what they were.
3.) No matter how overrated you think Bernard Berrian is, he's better than anyone they have at WR this year--by far.
4.) Teams will NEVER kick to Hester this year, which will kill field position.
5.) The defense is better, but only because it's not injured. Injuries happen. When they do, the defense won't be any better than last year.I really don't doubt that this team will win a game or two that I don't expect. However, I also don't doubt that they'll lose a game or two that they shouldn't. And I'm glad you're a glass half-full person. I tend to be objective in my analysis. This is a bad team. It's not absolutely horrible (like some think), but it's bad.
The Bears have a few great talents in Hester, Harris and Briggs and few really good ones (at this point) in Urlacher, Brown, Vashar, Tillman, Ogunleye, etc. but someone's going to get injured. It's a fact of football as obvious as the Bears wanting to be a running team. This is not-good team that is paper-thin in depth. That's not BS. That's fact.
September 3, 2008
#15 jeff said . . .my fault: #1) "only thing that did (will Williams out)" should be only thing THEY did (with Williams out)"
Sorry for the bad writing. (not for my bad opinions)
September 3, 2008
#16 jeff said . . .i'll bite:
1. O-line is younger. Those are facts you can research.
2. Griese is better than Hanie but I believe Orton is more stable up front.
3. I don't think Bernard Berrian is a loss because I believe Devin Hester compensates on the deep threat and anyone can drop balls over the middle.
4. "Teams will NEVER kick to Hester this year, which will kill field position." Insane? Yes. Where do you think they're going to kick it? Field position actually improves when teams avoid kick returners.
5. You think the defense will not be good because they'll get injured. If that's a way to make an argument, then I'll counter: Adrian Peterson will get hurt. Jon Kitna too. And Aaron Rodgers.
We win the division.
Just let them play football.
September 3, 2008
#17 Jimbo said . . .and i don't think it's a bad team. i think it's a good defense. great special teams. and a suspect offense.
September 3, 2008
#18 Phil from SATX said . . .According to the sun times: Tommie is expected to start sunday. Limited Practice. Thats good news. Mike Brown participated fully, will play sunday too.
September 3, 2008
#19 Shady said . . .PO'd, that was Phillip from NYC who asked about the Bears/Vikings game, not Jimbo. And Phillip, that was an odd question wasn't it? I think you meant something different than it sounded.
This year needs to be our revenge year - revenge against our division opponents who beat us four times last year. We need to beat both teams both times. I am confident we will, because I am not confident in either of those teams. And the Packers, who we don't need revenge against, we beat them straight up because there's no way they are going to be better this year, and if Lovie can only do one thing right, it's get the troops up to beat the Pack.
That's six wins right there and logically a division title.
You know the world hates the Chicago Bears, we might not be favored in any games - so what? What does that mean?
Jimbo has it right - agree with his comments. There's no way you can't be excited about the inevitable improvement in our running game (making the caustic comments of some of the new names on here inexplicable) and I think that the success of our new runners is really going to energize the line. Offensive lines behave and appear much differently with different skill personnel behind them - specifically QBs and RBs - and with no slam against Rex intended, I think that the combination of Kyle and Forte/Jones is going to make our line both look and actually play much better than they could have with last year's skill group.
We may lose to the Colts - two years in a row now we're facing the best team we will face all year in the first game - and it's not disastrous if we do - but we should beat the Smith-less Panthers, and that will quickly turn us around. I think we beat the Bucs but could also see us losing to the Eagles - plenty of historical precedence for it. That puts us at 2-2 in September.
5-2 after October since I agree with Jeff, and given my opinion that we're going 6-0 against our division, that shockingly means WE DON'T LOSE IN NOVEMBER EITHER - do you really see us losing to the Rams (who we routinely beat) or the Titans, who have great coaching but not so great players? However, against that we have the Lovie Bye Week Jinx which could mean we lose to the Lions at home on 11/2 - but we don't - so... 10-2 after November and the Bears on a 2006-like 8 game win streak.
After that I'm going Lose (Jags)/Win (Saints) /Lose (Packers - it's a Monday night game which we have historically not done well with) - then rest players against the Texans, thus giving that hapless team one of their few wins in 2008. 11-5, North champion, tie-breaker with Cowboys who are also 11-5. [Sidebar on Texans - Tetco gas stations down here promise free cups of coffee after Texans' wins - and that has been a great bet for them, expense-wise]
We go on to avenge the Week 3 2007 loss to the Cowboys on our road to the Super Bowl.
I also agree with Jimbo about the D - if they can't bring it this year assuming relative health it's all on Babich.
And I still think we can beat the Colts without Tommie - Idonije has really been eye-opening this preseason - and Dusty will turn his motor on. We'll be okay. I guess that explains my previous question about "where's Tommie been" - now I know, and I'm glad there's at least a reason for it - sorry Tommie.
September 3, 2008
#20 Idonije said . . .Jimbo/Phil- Make no mistake, this defense is Lovie Smith's defense, not Babich's. Regardless of what happens this year with the defense, Lovie should be held responsible, good or bad.
1. Why don't we divide by 16 and take 1 game at a time?
2. The most important game of the season? The next.
3. Sunday night can't come fast enough.
September 3, 2008
#21 Polygonhell said . . .1. The O-Line is obviously younger with the loss of R. Brown and F. Miller, but replacing them with St. Clair and Metcalf/Beekman probably does not improve us much if any.
2. Orton has not proven anything yet, so while you can think he is more stable up front, it is just as likely he is still the same old quarterback who won't make bad decisions, but can't be counted on to consistently make all the throws.
3. Hester will not be playing every snap on offense like Berrian did last year. So, while Hester is a legitimate deep threat that will have to be watched, that threat will not be there on every play like it was with Berrian.
4. Field position will undoubtedly improve this year if teams kick away from Hester.
5. I think the defense will have to be better than last year because of all the injuries we had, but I do not think we will be as good as we were 2 years ago.
While I agree with some of your reasons for improvement this year Jeff, I see just as many reasons to believe the contrary. I hope that Buenning can provide some well needed reinforcements on the O-Line, but I am just not comfortable with a line that features John St. Clair at LT. So for me it boils down to Orton, who in my mind will do a much better job of keeping us in most games this year, but at some point he is going to need to show what he has and win a game, and I just don't think he can do that.
I hope like hell I am proven wrong, and would be the happiest person to see the Bears rattle off 8+ wins this year, I just don't see it happening.
September 3, 2008
#22 jeff said . . .I've reached the point of the season where I look at the schedule and start thinking with a little luck we can win any one of those games.
I just want to see the Defense silence their critics Sunday and the offense to show some sign of life in a real game situation.
It's easy to be down on the team having seen the pre-season games and everyone remember last year. But until the games are played it's all speculation.
September 3, 2008
#23 pankster said . . .do you mean the kyle orton that won 10 games in 2005? he's proven he can do nothing and win. i think he'll play well.
September 3, 2008
#24 Max said . . .11-6 if orton can manage the o and if the d can stay healthy somewhat through the season special teams a lock! Carolina is a must win especially when I would have tohere it from all these redneck band wagonin jumpin ex redskin fans when the panthers moved here years ago
September 3, 2008
#25 jeremy34 said . . .Yo off topic, but i got tickets to Bears vs Packers MNF December 22. Is anyone else going???
Should be me, the Rev, my pop and a buddy. We will be tailgating. We will be bundled and we are looking forward to a Big Bear Win. . .
Oh and Jeff, a reason this years Bears are better than last years Bears:
Forte is already an improvement over Benson.
September 3, 2008
#26 Idonije said . . .I wonder how positive the actual team is right now.
Remember when Lovie first got here and Urlacher was wanting to rip off opponents' heads during pre season games (ask AJ Feely)?
That's the type of defense I want to see start out the year. Except without the actual ripping off someone's head of course.
Wouldn't it be nice if we get to Manning so much that he blames his o-line after the game....again
September 4, 2008
#27 jeff said . . ."do you mean the kyle orton that won 10 games in 2005? he's proven he can do nothing and win. i think he'll play well."
This is exactly the Kyle Orton I am referring too, and like I said I think it comes down to how good the defense will be. The 2005 defense ranked 1st overall in points and 2nd overall in yards. That is the defense that caused a shit-ton of turnovers every game. We also finished 8th in rushing yards that year. In 2005 Orton completed 51% of his passes, threw for a little over a 100 yards a game and 9 touchdowns in 15 games.
You are emphasizing my point here...
2005 Bears Def. + 2005 Orton is still greater than the current Bears Def. and 2008 Kyle Orton.
I know everyone is going to paint me as a pessimist here, but I am just trying to be realistic. Hopeful, but realistic none-the-less.
September 4, 2008
#28 Rancid said . . .hey max....i'd be an upgrade over benson.
September 4, 2008
#29 animal said . . .Who fuckin cares what we think really? I'm gettin sick of reading it. They're gonna play Sunday. At that point we'll know something.
Around here, They're aren't any Bears fans besides me. Most guys follow the Gmen, there's a decent amount of Jets fans, and then after that there a few "die-hard" Colts fans who've followed the team since "way back" (2006). What I'm getting to is that I spend a lot of time listening to these guys and once a season goes to shit (Jets last year, Gmen year before) their fans give their team hell.
Maybe its the years of shittiness piling up for Bears fans but we seem to take a different approach. We like to predict 4 win seasons and drink ourselves into depression before the opening kickoff. Then if they are somehow great, we can be elated, and if they suck, well, we told you so. I think all drunk, bitter, unshaven old guys who sit at the ends of bars by themselves must be Bears fans. Maybe this is the end that we all will face someday.
I'm not there yet. Maybe someday I'll succomb to it but at this point, I still get a lot of joy out of watching Da Bears. I had a blast last year watching our losing record Bears play the spoiler to the Pack and the Saints playoff plans. This year I'm planning on watching a winning season but regardless, I sure as hell ain't ready to have a funeral when there's no body in the coffin yet.
September 4, 2008
#30 DTB said . . .Jeff, you called me stupid. Yes, I think looking at the first 4 games is telling.
I feel so little. So ashamed. If our Governor wasn't the sweetheart of all America right now, I might have just ended it all after that insult. Im going to bed.September 4, 2008
#31 Pissed Off said . . ."The sweetheart of all America" Now that is laughable. Let's just stick with football there buddy.
September 4, 2008
#32 Pissed Off said . . .Jeff, Either way their both bullshit until a game is played, your bullshit is no more justified than my bullshit.
Sorry Jimbo, I guess you didnt ask about the Bears/Vikes game, it was Phillip.
Hey pankster, do we not get a bye this year or what....11-6?
There is a lot of negativity on this thread, and I call it objective realism at this point.....attmepting to see things from any outsiders point of view, without bear goggles. And its not good. I will withhold negative comment now though until the game is played. I think most are just hoping for the best but its hard to stay really positive right now.
September 4, 2008
Pankster, do we not get a bye this year or what?
Sorry, Jimbo, I guess it was Phillip asking about the bears/vikes game.
Jeff your bullshit is no more justified than my bullshit at this point, keep that in mind.
What I'm reading on this thread is a lot of objective realism...looking at thinks with an outsiders view, without the bears goggles on...and it aint good. I will withhold all negativity though now until the game is played, then I'm sure I'll be letting some of it out again.September 4, 2008
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.