Last week I went out of my way to pick the Chicago Bears in a game I never believed for a single moment all week that they would win. This week I face the opposite problem. I’m trying to find a way to pick the Chicago Bears to lose a ballgame they’d have to go out of their way not to win.
Here are ten things the Bears have to do wrong to not beat the St. Louis Rams.
(1) Alex Brown and Mark Anderson have to fail to exploit a shaky left tackle position, now that Orlando Pace has been essentially ruled out for the next month.
(2) Kyle Orton has to continue to be hobbled by the bad ankle that plagued him throughout the debacle of a week ago.
(3) Ken Darby and Antonio Pittman have to gain yards on the ground. If they do, clean out the lockers at Halas Hall before the team gets back.
(4) The offensive line has to allow Leonard Little...
You know what? Forget it. The Rams lost to the 49ers last week by 19 points. They lost the week before to the Jets by 44 points. They stink. They worse than stink. They sub-stink. If the Bears are a team willing to fight like dogs over the next six weeks to win the NFC North and get themselves into the postseason with momentum, this game will be meaningless in the fourth quarter. If they’re not, they’ll allow Marc Bulger to throw uncontested all afternoon and have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to beat a team that lives there.
I have more faith than that...but not much more.
Chicago Bears 34
St. Louis Rams 10
And the other Sunday game of note…
Adrian Peterson should have a big game against the 20th ranked Jacksonville rush defense but when he doesn’t break long ones, Minnesota hasn’t had the easiest time putting the ball in the end zone (13 TD passes, 12 INTs on the season from their quarterbacks). Jax allows 21 points a game. The Vikes allow 23.4 points a game. That works. Jacksonville 23, Minnesota 21.
#2 The Knight of Ownage said . . .First...sorry, not trying to be a jerk...I just logged in and saw there were no comments....and the top of the blog did say 'be the first.'
I will be watching the Bears game from beginning to end, as is customary when the Pack plays at a different time than your Chicago Bears.
November 20, 2008
#3 Sdwat51 said . . .Second to None.
This Rams game is pivotal damn it. If Da Team doesn't win, we can forget postseason. Don't be so pessimistic about our club. Myself included. I know we're all probably tired of the comparisons, but just look at the 'o7 Giants. They ended the season hot and took it to The Dance. This sorry loss may be just what this team needed. Players like Mike Brown, inspiring the team through on-the-field performance and locker room leadership. This team might rally, using a game they SHOULD win against the Northeast Missouri St. Univ. Lambs. I have hope, I believe in these gentlemen. I love this team, and can't see myself being a passionate about any other. Kinda like that high school sweetheart you had, some really hot girl, you'll never forget her. We'll my Bears are my sweetheart, and I'll be talking them up on my deathbed. Never give up. Never lose hope.
Bear Down Bears Fans!
November 20, 2008
#4 Shady said . . .----WCPF----Thanks for watching Sunday. I will win zero points for this amongst most, but, having grown up in the era where the only 2 teams in the NFL that mattered were the Bears and the Packers, y'all have always been my #2.
Jeff, I admire the hell outta your optimisim. Personally, I think if any team other than the Lions can find a way to lose to the Rams, it's us. We seem to quit earlier and with more sincerity every week. I don't know WHAT the hell is going on, personally.
That said, I'll take us, but only by 7...
November 20, 2008
#5 shonbear said . . .Windy, why don't you PACK yourself into a UPS box and ship your Packers fan ass back outta here to Green Bay, no Packers fan should EVER be 1st on a BEARSBLOG, dammnit!
All kidding aside, that game last week was a fucking joke. The team that comes off the bus "enter your football cliche here" didn't come off the bus AT ALL! The Packers came out and DOMINATED the game at the line of scrimmage. At all starts and ends with the battle of the trenches and the Bears got owned last Sunday. Who isn't tired of Lovie saying the same old thing? But honestly what do you say after something like that?
It's time for this team to SNAP out of it! Clearly this whole mantra of "we'll continue to work on fixing things and go from there" has just about run it's course with the team. It's obvious that the defense does not equal the pricey sum of their parts.
What is this like bizzarro season or something? Devin Hester looks like an average WR and POOR return man. The offense has been performing WAY above expectations while the defense has remained relatively healthy and has been playing well BELOW expectations. Finally Chicago is blessed with steady QB play and the defense doesn't show up... WELL IT'S TIME TO SHOW UP DEFENSE! The Get whatever fucking swagger you need back in St. Louis and come to play, NOW. Show me some RESULTS.
The offense has been overachieving and are bound to catch up with their personnel, and it's time the defense does the same. If Bears fans have to listen to their coach spoon feed them stale bullshit in front of the media again this Sunday, you can kiss the 2008 season goodbye.
November 20, 2008
#6 WCPF got us twice in a row on the FIRST said . . .A couple things:
First:
It sure is disappointing to know that when we gave away those wins against the currently 21-9 top three of the NFC South how important those games really were, now looking at our current state.
Second:
Lovie and everybody else that is saying we are in first place or tied for first just needs to just stop. WE ARE IN SECOND PLACE!! If the season ended today we would not be in the playoffs period! What the fuck is wrong with these people!
Third:
I'm sick and tired of everybody saying that the reason Devin Hester isn't doing well on run backs (kick and punt) is because of his extra duties as a receiver). It's clear when you've virtually watched every down of every game more than once that the following conditions exist:
- Teams have adjusted to him.
- Our blocking (ST overall) isn't as good.
- Devin himself!
- Coaching.Devin is the main problem, it's in his head, he doesn't do things the same, but it's clearly in his head with his decisiveness or lack thereof. HE IS NOT BEING DECISIVE, HE IS THINKING TOO MUCH and then the play if over, were lucky to get out of it without a fumble from him.
The proof of it is watching Daniel Manning, not think, but just act, for that matter, when DH got hurt early in the season, Vasher looked better on returns also.
This is all about Devin, now whether or not the extra responsibility has contributed to his demise, I will not deny, but to me it is absolutely clearly in his head. He's not playing loose, the pressure has gotten to him and it's not as fun for him anymore.
Can this be resolved and how long will it take? Who knows...and why would they have to wait over half the season not noticing that he just isn't as effective as he used to be. Again, coaching!!
Funny thing is that his collapse is like a microcosm of what's happened to the whole Defense, they are not having fun anymore either. In days past they would receive no respect (ex. preseason going into the colts game) and then come out and prove everybody wrong, then of course they would blow it the following week when everybody thinks they found their groove and overconfidently find a way to lose.
Putting the lame game plans aside Offensive and Defensive, if our guys start getting some good plays put together, those good plays will begat more good plays and coaching won't matter, problem is they aren't following up good plays with good plays, it's always sporatic, so the coaches play a part in creating game plans that will encourage building the rythem they are always talking about that rarely seems to exist on both sides of the ball at the same time.
Can we create some "rythem" against the hapless Rams and carry it forward to the Vikings, time will tell. I will be wathching every minute.
Bear Down!
November 20, 2008
#7 enderwiggin said . . .He is taking advantage of our MUG defense and our Cover no one scheme
November 20, 2008
#8 Rancid said . . .We'll get him converted soon enough
November 20, 2008
#9 willie from Chicago said . . .Hope is a cruel mistress
November 20, 2008
#10 Rancid said . . .WCPF, your not being a jerk, everyone says first when they post the first comment including me a couple threads ago.
Does anyone else think that we should sit Kyle Orton this sunday-+ just so he can rest up for the sunday night game vs the Vikings? I think Rex can get the W vs the Rams.
I think Devin Hester will end his Td slump on the carpet in ST Louis.
Bears 24
Rams 14November 20, 2008
#11 mikebdot said . . .Most of you don't know this but I'm heavily involved in church and I just can't help but draw some comparisons to my current attitude as a Bears fan to church people. Some people come to church and are excited. They're passionate. They sing loudly, yell amen, follow along, testify, etc... Then there's the old guy who sits in the back. He knows he needs to be there. He knows he's always going to come every Sunday. He always has. But there's no passion. He nods off, mumbles through songs, and cuts out as soon as the service is over.
In the First Church of the Chicago Bears, I officially became that guy in the back pew at some point during last weeks game. I'm just here. I always will be. But the passion is gone. After last week (but really the last few games) can I really be expected to jump around, go crazy and write some impassioned plea to the defense and coaches? No. Even if I were to do that it would be empty bravado, not a true measure of my faith in this team. Something big must happen to cause revival in this Holy First Church of the Chicago Bears. I don't think it can happen this week. Nothing supernatural is required to beat these bottom-dwellers, so I don't know when or in what form revival will take place. Hopefully it will happen this season. When that day comes I'll gladly step out in the spirit, come down the aisle and proclaim the goodness of the Bears loudly. Until then I'd prefer that Rev. Smith keep his voice down, I'm trying to catch up on some sleep back here.
November 20, 2008
#12 Phillip from NYC said . . .Rancid:
I've heard Lovie goes to church too. Is he the guy in the back? He should be preacher!
Metaphors are fun, especially for un-believers.
Speaking of which, you should all do yourselves a favor and look up "charlie the unicorn" on youtube (can't post the link as my access to youtube is currently blocked while at work).
November 20, 2008
#13 BearDown1982 said . . .Rancid,
As a Presbyterian, I believe there's also a third class of church-goer - the ones who don't sit in the back, but also don't jump up and down screaming like a bunch of yahoos. They're the "get things done without a bunch of hooplah" group, of which I believe Mike Brown and Matt Forte are members. And them's some serious members.
November 20, 2008
#14 Bill said . . .I was at the STL game in 2006...what an awesome game to be at. Hester was amazing and the crown was at least 50-50 Rams/Bears fans. Needless to say, the rest of the night was fun too with so many Bear fans at the bars afterward.
A lot has changed since then of course. It would do this team a lot of good to blow the Rams out, but I just don't see it right now. At this point, we should just take a win any way we can get one and head up to Minny for a big one the following week.
November 20, 2008
#15 animal said . . .WCPF - from the other thread - Planes, Trains is one of our favorite movies in our house. My wife cracks up every time she sees John Candy doing the "Mess Around"!
We Bear fans can only hope the GB Monday nighter is for the division title. MAN - this city will be electric that day, I wonder if the division will come down to a tiebreaker between two (or three) 8-8 teams.
My predictions: win Rams, Jax, GB (more hope than prediction) and Houston. Lose Saints and Vikes. 9-7 and probably tied with GB and maybe Min too.
November 20, 2008
#16 animal said . . .First!
Oh wait... what?
15th!This season is OVER if we fuck this game up.
November 20, 2008
#17 animal said . . .Are you online voting for Matt Forte?
We have GOT to get Matte in the pro bowl.
http://www.nfl.com/probowl/ballotvote! Im going to sit here and submit 100 votes today.
November 20, 2008
#18 animal said . . .Ok I just did 25 straight Orton, Forte votes online. 75 to go. Step up to the challenge fuckers: we would have NO season and NOTHING to watch without those two gentlemen. The development of Orton and surprise success of Matte have been the bright spots on a strange and often dissapointing season.
They deserve to go. Get online and start voting.November 20, 2008
#19 Packfan said . . .Im up to 50 votes for KO and Matte
November 20, 2008
#20 Willie from Chicago said . . .Fuck all of you Bears fans, you guys are noot goin to make the playyofs.
November 20, 2008
#21 Rancid said . . .Great use of spelling PackFan im glad to see that 1st graders are starting to become active bloggers, and what did i tell you about going on this site, seriously get off or shutup.
I think the humiliating loss to the Cheese is much better than a close loss in terms of this week vs the Rams, im sure the D will come out playing pissed off and be looking to take some WRs heads off.
Its quite sad to see how far Devin Hester has fallen from being the scariest player in football to someone that has teams trying to challnge him. Its not because teams have adjusted to DH, last year proved that point, but instead he is hesitant and thinking too much (as shonbear said), however, i think Hester will get back to form this week vs the Rams and get his first punt return TD of the year.
This team could be 7-3, but the Bears could also be 3-7, this year was filled with ups and downs, now can the Bears keep it up for the remaining 6 games?
BEAR DOWN
November 20, 2008
#22 reverenddave said . . .Warning, more negativity to follow. The longer this season goes the more we sound like weird psychos predicting the end of the world every week when we predict a Hester TD every week. It just doesn't happen. It might not ever happen. If it does, we will not be suddenly vindicated because it happened. If you predict something every week, and then, after 3 months it happens, that's called coincidence. Hester and his blockers have given us no logical grounds to predict return TDs.
Shit. I'm beginning to fear that I am becoming the new Mike. Some will remember that bastard. I think there is a key difference though. Mike thought all the players, coaches, fans and basically everyone ever associated with the Bears sucked, and therefore predicted losses and epic failures week in and week out, even when the team was playing well. Conversely, I think the Bears are great, but they have just stopped playing with passion. My negativity comes from an entirely different source. So I am not the same as Mike.
November 20, 2008
#23 animal said . . .man i hated mike
November 20, 2008
#24 animal said . . .Rancid, get positive: go vote for Matte and Kyle. Im up to 75 votes online today.
Packfan, Willie is a 370 pound high school senior who signed with a major college program to play O-line. Look the fuck out, he is going to track you down and eat you.
If you are posting from a home computer, Jeff can backtrack the IP number from his site and get a name and address.Look the fuck out son.
November 20, 2008
#25 Windy City Packer Fan said . . .WILLIE GUNNA KILL YOU SON!!
November 20, 2008
#26 WCPF is always welome here said . . .Don't send the info to Willie....send it to me. We need to do some internal house cleaning. Packfan, are sporting the #4 Jets jersey these days?
November 20, 2008
#27 DOH!!! said . . .True Sportsman
Definitely have seen planes, trains 6-8 times
November 20, 2008
#28 Willie from Chicago said . . .WELCOME
November 20, 2008
#29 Willie from Chicago said . . .As far as the comment of me being a 350+ lineman thats fals lol, Im a 120 pound sophomore quarterback at Palm beach central high school, but i can still woop as lol growing up in the windy city will do that for ya.
Thanks for having my back guys!
November 20, 2008
#30 Willie from Chicago said . . .As far as the comment of me being a 350+ lineman thats false lol, Im a 125 pound sophomore quarterback at Palm beach central high school (Go Broncos), but i can still woop ass, growing up in the windy city will do that for ya.
Thanks for having my back guys!
Sorry for the double post, my spelling on my last post was worse than Packfan.
BEAR DOWN
November 20, 2008
#31 Willie from Chicago said . . .Guys, when will the NFL network wise up and start broadcasting the Thursday night games on cable TV? I don’t know how I will be able to watch the Bears- Saints game, but I have a feeling that it will involve a bar.
November 20, 2008
#32 Phil from SATX said . . .Animal, i appreciate you having my back, but Id take it easy on the threats, the last thing i need is some cop coming to my house accusing me of trying to "kill" packfan. Thanks though.
Hey, remember a couple months ago you guys said "we need a villain in this site" well i guess you have your villain, having packfan on this site may be a good thing if he presents arguements that include some type of logic. If he or she does that, then packfan is welcome to this website, until then he needs to clean up his act.
November 20, 2008
#33 Big Julie from Chicago said . . .You fuckers are All Right! That was some funny shit!
Rancid, God Bless, I love you brother. There I said it.
Mikeb, God is real, how the fuck do you think we got here? And God has a MAJOR sense of humor, just look around.
Many of you around here don't remember that we used to have a cadre of Pack fans running smack around here, it was really relevant in 2006, then in 2007 they shut up and left because we beat their ass TWICE even while we sucked. Now a few are back, WCPF is obviously class and we welcome him, Packfan is tres normale for La Fromage. We welcome him too, because we had far worse before.
This year's favorite new posters are The Knight of Ownage and Shonbear.
I'm really in tune with Rancid right now. I just can't get up for anything right now - I'm not a believer in the 2008 Chicago Bears. Just not.
The bad news (good news) is that I will be on an 8 day road trip starting Saturday, meaning I will NOT be seeing the Bears/Rams. Perhaps will get a chance to post from my brother's house in Temecula. However, home DVR is set. The real good news is that the following Sunday game against ViQ's is Sunday night, so I will be back.
Some football notes - I'm sure the blocking is worse this year, but there is no doubt whatsoever that Devin Hester looks COMPLETELY different returning anything this year. His body language is 180 degrees from the last two years. Why? I blame him being a wide receiver. I could be wrong. But what a disaster that is this year.
Phillip from NYC, good job, last coupla days. Animal, thanks for the personal Pro Bowl machine. You rock Alaska-style.
Knight, I just can't get up for it. I hate to be pessimistic, always a Bearimist, but there's just no way I see this team turning into the '07 Giants, going on a roll - yes they could but it will only be because of the weak shit teams they're playing. I guess maybe it can happen but I'm so far away from believing in this lame duck coaching staff it just doesn't seem real.
I'll be checking in tomorrow, then out for Thanksgiving.
Whatever happens, we're all still BEAR FANS!!!!
BEAR DOWN AMERICA!!!!
November 21, 2008
#34 Big Julie from Chicago said . . .I will start by saying I'm NOT a Bear fan. I've been a Packer fan since 1959. However, I enjoy the articulate and football smart Bear fans on this site. There is a ton of knowledge flying around here, especially from Jeff. I refuse to gloat about the Packers' win on Sunday. There's still another game to be played on 12/22 and funny things can happen. I don't believe in chirping.
I will say, though, that there are several reasons the Packers won last Sunday and have more of a shot at winning the division (simply to probably get eliminated early in the playoffs). First, they have impact players on both sides of the ball. They have more talent at this point. The player people admire most on this site (and he is admirable both as a player and probably as a man and leader) is Mike Brown. He's no longer the impact guy he had been, yet he's the player who gets the most "props" on the defensive side of the ball. He deserves respect for his huge heart, but that's not enough to win games, unless he can inspire the pantloads around him. That doesn't bode well for this team. Second, the scheme has seen better days - on both sides of the ball. No further comment need be made - you all talk about it with great insight every week. Third, as a corollary to the second reason, the coaching staff is a disaster. Lovie needs to wake up...literally. He is the most passive aggressive coach in a game that requires "AGGRESSIVE", not passive. Good family man, probably great neighbor, fine son, fair defensive coordinator...really bad head coach. Turner, Babich...c'mon. The entire group sucks. Mike McCarthy has more head coaching game in his little finger than Lovie has in his whole body.
Bears' fans, whom I don't enjoy when they're winning - I'll have to admit, are knowledgeable and more loyal than the team deserves. I still contend that, as the old Italian proverb goes, the "fish stinks from the head down." The players are who they are...their talent level is what it is. That ain't gonna change overnight. But, the coaches can't possibly have their respect. And, my least favorite member of the Bear "family," Jerry Angelo (and, as an Italian American, this pains me) needs to be given his exit visa at season's end. He's not only a Bears type stand up guy...he's a class A weasel. Never willing to accept accountability for anything. Bring in a new ownership group, while you're at it. Even if the Bears squeak into the playoffs (and my Packers don't), I say the future is brighter in GB with its wealth of young talent, great head coach, professional management team, sound offensive and defensive systems, etc. than in Chicago with bloated salaries on aging defenders (Urlacher, Harris), offensive challenges each and every year (although Orton, Olsen and Forte have decent futures if they get the right coaching), crappy coaches, and incompetent senior management. As someone who's spent a career in reasonably senior corporate positions, I would say the "culture" needs an overhaul and that starts with those who have the most culture impact. So, goodbye, Lovie and staff; goodbye, Jerry; and put up a for sale sign, McCaskeys. Give these great fans something to root for. They deserve it.
See you guys on 12/22.
November 21, 2008
I will start by saying I'm NOT a Bear fan. I've been a Packer fan since 1959. However, I enjoy the articulate and football smart Bear fans on this site. There is a ton of knowledge flying around here, especially from Jeff. I refuse to gloat about the Packers' win on Sunday. There's still another game to be played on 12/22 and funny things can happen. I don't believe in chirping.
I will say, though, that there are several reasons the Packers won last Sunday and have more of a shot at winning the division (simply to probably get eliminated early in the playoffs). First, they have impact players on both sides of the ball. They have more talent at this point. The player people admire most on this site (and he is admirable both as a player and probably as a man and leader) is Mike Brown. He's no longer the impact guy he had been, yet he's the player who gets the most "props" on the defensive side of the ball. He deserves respect for his huge heart, but that's not enough to win games, unless he can inspire the pantloads around him. That doesn't bode well for this team. Second, the scheme has seen better days - on both sides of the ball. No further comment need be made - you all talk about it with great insight every week. Third, as a corollary to the second reason, the coaching staff is a disaster. Lovie needs to wake up...literally. He is the most passive aggressive coach in a game that requires "AGGRESSIVE", not passive. Good family man, probably great neighbor, fine son, fair defensive coordinator...really bad head coach. Turner, Babich...c'mon. The entire group sucks. Mike McCarthy has more head coaching game in his little finger than Lovie has in his whole body.
Bears' fans, whom I don't enjoy when they're winning - I'll have to admit, are knowledgeable and more loyal than the team deserves. I still contend that, as the old Italian proverb goes, the "fish stinks from the head down." The players are who they are...their talent level is what it is. That ain't gonna change overnight. But, the coaches can't possibly have their respect. And, my least favorite member of the Bear "family," Jerry Angelo (and, as an Italian American, this pains me) needs to be given his exit visa at season's end. He's not only a Bears type stand up guy...he's a class A weasel. Never willing to accept accountability for anything. Bring in a new ownership group, while you're at it. Even if the Bears squeak into the playoffs (and my Packers don't), I say the future is brighter in GB with its wealth of young talent, great head coach, professional management team, sound offensive and defensive systems, etc. than in Chicago with bloated salaries on aging defenders (Urlacher, Harris), offensive challenges each and every year (although Orton, Olsen and Forte have decent futures if they get the right coaching), crappy coaches, and incompetent senior management. As someone who's spent a career in reasonably senior corporate positions, I would say the "culture" needs an overhaul and that starts with those who have the most culture impact. So, goodbye, Lovie and staff; goodbye, Jerry; and put up a for sale sign, McCaskeys. Give these great fans something to root for. They deserve it.
See you guys on 12/22.
November 21, 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.