I eagerly invite all fifty-three active members of the Chicago Bears roster to wake up this morning, get into their Cadillac Escalades, drive to Denny's, smother it, cover it and enjoy a good victory over the faded Jacksonville Jaguars. Then get back in your recklessly large vehicle and drive to Halas Hall.
Because Sunday's win means nothing if you don't beat the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night. Nothing. Zero.
Three quick thoughts on yesterday:
(1) Say what you want about Jerry Angelo but he may forever be remembered as the man who brought Matt Forte to the Chicago Bears. Just look at what this kid has done in his rookie season.
(2) Danieal Manning has provided a tremendous spark on both special teams and defense and he'll need to keep it up Thursday night against a passing attack that will try to exploit every possible mismatch.
(3) We've got the tight ends. We've got the back. We've got the skunk. But this passing game can not continue to get production like yesterday from Lloyd, Booker and Davis. 5 catches for 42 yards? Davis drops too many passes, Booker lacks breakaway speed and Lloyd has been flat-out invisible.
Short week here at DaBlog. I'll have something tomorrow, the preview on Wednesday and will leave it to one of the faithful to be here Thursday night and Friday - as I will be in sunny Chicago.
#2 Joseph said . . .FIRST!
December 8, 2008
#3 Urlacher FTW said . . .This Thursday's game is totally in our favor!
* Home field advantage
* Playing a dome team
* We practice in the cold, the Saint can't
* No major injuries
* Coming off a win/Momentum
* Orton is healthier/Showed some mobility
* Hester ALMOST returned one/could this be the week?
* Mark Anderson is back?
* A. Adams led the team in tackles/Better than Dusty D?
* Matt Forte! Nuff said
* Our TE's are best in the league
Stop Reggie Bush and ADJUST to the Saints pass game at the half...and we are half way to a Division Title!
December 8, 2008
#4 BearDown1982 said . . .Yah I am pretty happy with the personnel on the field this last game. Adams and Idonija, Anderson has developed a spin move. Lots of batted passes, Tilman did nearly get beat deep again but really, good D. One offensive difference I'd like to see is Davis dropped off dressed roster and replaced with Bennett or Rideau. We have seen this guy do nothing but drop balls this season. Give Earl or Brandon a shot; we have yet to see them in a real game environment to know how they perform, couldn't be much worse than Rasheed at this point.
I really like Orton, he is picking teams apart that don't get pressure. I wonder if a couple of his picks aren't due to him and Devin beng on different pages, sure what the one yesterday looked like, anyhow there probably aren't 3 other QBs in the NFL that make the 30 yard strike to Hester look that easy. One of those plays I could watch over and over.
So this offseason I am thinking needs are 1. RT and 2. WR and 3. WR and 4. QB 5. Special teams stud/FB (We miss Ayenbadejeyo really bad. Go pick a new one :) maybe one that can double as a blocker so we don't need a FB next year.) The added bonus there is maybe RT is forced to take it out of the playbook.December 8, 2008
#5 Urlacher FTW said . . .I didn't get to watch the game yesterday...I was flying back to Chicago from KC after watching my Mizzou Tigers get absolutely demolished by Oklahoma. Man, that was ugly.
Everyone I've talked to said that yesterday's game had more to do with Jacksonville playing poorly than the Bears playing well. Any thoughts? A win is a win of course.
I read that the Vikings hold the tiebreaker if we finish with identical records. Meaning the Bears need to win out and hope the Vikings lose two games. Won't be easy, but it has been a crazy season for sure. Is there still a possibility that the Williams Brothers can be suspended for any of these remaining three games? My guess is that we need the Vikings to lose in Arizona and then hope they stumble again in one of their remaining home games.
Also, I will be there on Thursday night freezing my ass off and cheering on the Bears nonetheless. Looks like it will be below 10 degrees. Any other brave soles planning on being in attendance?
December 8, 2008
#6 jeremy34 said . . .For playoffs, Bears have to win out and
1.) Minnesota lose 2 out of last 3 (likely with Ari and NYG left)2.) Have Dallas and Atlanta lose 2 of thier last 3 (Atlanta especially would need to lose 2 because they own a H2H tiebreaker over the Bears.)
So really other than hoping for multiple teams to breakdown, they just need the vikes to lose while they win. Taking the division is the only real shot since the redskins could still pull it together and challenge for the final wild card. There are 2 NFC divisions where all 4 teams have winning records atm, wildcard hopes are very slim.
December 8, 2008
#7 Urlacher FTW said . . .Throw the ball to G Reg (Olsen)....throw the ball to G Reg.....keep throwing the ball to G Reg.
Good game Sunday.
Can someone please knock Reggie Bush out of the game after waving to Urlacher a couple years ago on a cheap touchdown...I am pretty sure that play involved an illegal screen.
December 8, 2008
#8 Phillip from NYC said . . .Oh and as far as the Bears not playin good as much as the Jags played bad, that is approaching a Yogi Berra statement. But I would say it was a game where the D played 4 quarters and the Offense played 3. Turner turned the O into KOs first year offense in the 3rd seemingly attempting to protect a 20-3 lead for an entire half. When the Jags scored to make it 20-10, I guess it woke him up because he started calling aggressively again. I really like watching KO run the no huddle, so for me other than the Hester muffs, the drop bug (even Forte dropped one), and the one awful throw by Orton, it was actually a fun game to watch for me. I would say Maynard, Idonijae, and Manning were the most consistent players but we were.... quietly dominant. To me this years Ravens are last years Jags, but it was still a good game. I just think we Bear fans are getting to the point where we get that no lead is safe type of feeling especially when our offense seems to shut down whenever we get one.
December 8, 2008
#9 mikebdot said . . .Rut roh - Tribune Co just filed for Chapter 11.
December 8, 2008
#10 Albert In Tucson said . . .jeremy: it was a pick play, but pick plays are apparently legal...see Colts, Indianapolis. They run them all the time. It's damn near bread/butter for them.
December 8, 2008
#11 Phillip from NYC said . . .Ho Hum. I saw a .500 football team beat sub-.500 team that seems to have quit on it's coach. I still don't see these guys running the table, especially with the wideouts unable to cut the drops down to even 1 or 2 a game. I counted 5 yesterday, including the first one I've seen from Forte. And they ALWAYS seem to be drive-killers. Frankly, based on what I saw Sunday, the NFC North does not have a team worthy of post-season play. The Packers? The cheese has officially now been cut . The Vikings? Good luck covering Boldin and Fitzgerald next week in Arizona and lord help Minnesota if that Federal Judge quashes that injucntion (Decision due this week). I say 9-7 wins this sorry division. Heck it could still be 8-8, and that's gonna probably leave a 10-6 team at home. For those if you who want to say the glass is half-full, I say maybe, but full of what? In other news... Way to go , Sammurai Mike Singletary!
December 8, 2008
#12 Willie from Chicago said . . .Guess who's got a cracked rib? Marty Booker. Surprise!
December 8, 2008
#13 mikebdot said . . .Guys, the vikings still have to play @ Arizona, Atlanta and New York. Those are not easy games, especially since they almost lost to the Lions yesterday. If the Williams brothers are out for the next 3 games then I dont have the vikings winning 2 out of 3.
Now, Atlanta plays Tampa, @ Minnisota, and St Louis, if they loose to Tampa next week, then the Vikings game may turn out okay even if the Vikings win because it will put us ahead of Atlanta in the wild card (if they loose to Tampa.
The Cowboys play New York, Baltimore, and @ Philly, they are not winning 2 out of 3 either.
A wild card spot is still possible if we dont win the division, hopefully the Vikings loose 2 out of 3. But, if we dont win out, then it wont matter what happens.
BEAR DOWN
December 8, 2008
#14 Phil from SATX said . . .Phillip: Are you saying Booker is hurt a lot (which is not true) or that he is "hurt" so we can put other receivers into the line-up?
December 8, 2008
#15 mikebdot said . . .Was it just me, or was the site way hung up? Looks like it was because of the multiple posting disease yesterday. Anyway, I think most of us are on the same page from that game, and I appreciate the Sun-Times column http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mulligan/1318963,cst-spt-mully08.articleabout these coaches' seeming inability to evaluate who to put on the field. I mentioned the same thing yesterday, saying that it's too bad it took injuries to get the right folks on the field.
I guess now we need Rashied to have a mishap with a staple gun or something, because apparently they refuse to just bench for benching's sake, unless it happens to be Adam Archuleta.
I don't want to beat a dead horse, but we're back to coaching, aren't we? That said, we have plenty to play for and to be excited about right now. Even special teams looked rejuvenated, and Hester came close. We may just be coming together at the right time.
Game of the season on Thursday night, Jeff congratulations for getting to go to it. Looks like I won't be able to watch it real time (damn!) but I'll be following along on my Blackberry and watch the Bears win starting at about midnight when I get home.
More Izzy! More Adams! More Roach! (good call it looks like there, HH has actually gotten benched and it looks like D is benefitting) More Danieal Manning! (the guy DOES make plays on D, I don't know how he fell so far out of favor)
More receivers who can actually catch! More Greg O and Des C! More lining up G Reg at fullback! More o line pulls! More hurry up!
Less coaches!
BEAR DOWN!!!
December 8, 2008
#16 Willie from Chicago said . . .Goddamnit Willie, it's "LOSE"....or are you being irritating on purpoose?
December 8, 2008
#17 Willie from Chicago said . . .Do any of you guys know what happened to stoogetv?
December 8, 2008
#18 The Professor said . . .Fuck, I can't spell shit, what the fuck.
December 8, 2008
#19 mikebdot said . . .Seriously. Is Earl the Pearl really behind these guys at WR. Lets get him some snaps other than special teams and figure out what we have there. I know he can drop as well as 'Sheed and is faster than Booker.....who isn't.
Break the Pearl out of his Shell!!!
December 8, 2008
#20 Phil from SATX said . . .Nope, Willie. Does your cable service offer NFL network? Concerned about not being able to view it because your parents won't shell out the extra $8 per month? Start a paper route, dude. It will be the proudest you ever make them. It should make up for your poddy-mouth. Or look up sopcast on "the google". You should find what you need. *hint* - adding a .com to that would be just as good. At least, I think they're still in business...
Incidentally, my mother started coming to this site after I linked to it from my blog (when I was actually semi-motivated to do that) and she makes me feel bad about my propensity to say nasty shit about the powder-puffs in the league and the crappy play of our team. I'm not sure at what point dropping the f-bomb in front of her didn't phase me anymore, but it is awesome that she lets me be myself and I don't have to worry about it at the age of 28. I think it was when my grandma dropped a few in mixed company. At that point, I knew I was golden...crazy old broad.
December 8, 2008
#21 Nick said . . .Professor, it's elementary -
Earl Bennett is simply too high of a draft pick to play for the Bears at wide receiver. He has way too much pedigree - it makes everyone else uncomfortable, like he's better than them or something.
We greatly favor Arena League players, converted cornerbacks, receivers that have been cut by at least three other clubs and those old enough to have consulted on the Magna Carta.
Earl, don't bring that highfalutin' shit and all your airs and such around here. We don't cotton to that nonsense! Your help is NOT NEEDED, suh!
December 8, 2008
#22 GrotesqeMan said . . .Improvement is something that I saw Sunday that needs to continue to be built upon. Our receivers need to hang on to the ball and our D-line needs to continue getting pressure. Like Joseph said we have a number of things in our favor this week. I think we are caching hot at the right point in the season.
Go Bears!
December 8, 2008
#23 Phil from SATX said . . .Maybe the coaches have something against Vandy players b/c Bennett and Williams are both from there. Although, the O-Line was good enough yesterday, I'd still like to see a little more of C. Williams. As far as receivers go, throwing Bennett out there can't get much worse than Rashied. How many dropped passes have the Bears had in the past two weeks???
December 8, 2008
#24 Z said . . .I like a short week to the next game - they can keep the taste of this strong game in their mouths - and I expect those same parties who helped out a lot in this game to be featured PROMINENTLY and for the one who didn't to be BENCHED (Rashied).
Because of the short week, I expect RT to be able to remember that WE DO NOT RUN THE SLOWDOWN EFFECTIVELY and that we were lucky to have been able to take a quarter off and still win handily.
I expect Devin to be able to remember to RUN NORTH-SOUTH (at least within reason given his natural creativity) on returns.
I expect Izzy to remember to BE HIS BADASS SELF and KEEP RAISING THOSE STRETCH ARMSTRONG ARMS, and the same goes for the rest of y'all on the D line.
I expect Anthony Adams to CONTINUE TO REMIND US THAT OUR COACHES ARE STUPID and that HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLAYING ALL ALONG.
I expect Mark Anderson to remember how great it feels to MAKE AN IMPACT PLAY AGAIN.
I expect Matt Forte to use these next three games to MAKE IT 2000 ALL PURPOSE YARDS for his historic rookie year - even though I quite agree that he cares less about stats than most.
And I expect Kyle Orton to complete his proof that the temporary setback this year was 100% DUE TO A SPRAINED ANKLE AND NOT TO ANYTHING ELSE - time to show he's the QB of the future for Da Bears!
ALL THIS IN A SCANT 72 HOURS OR SO!!!!
YEE HA!!!!
GO BEARS!!!!!!!
December 8, 2008
#25 Old Bears said . . .I forgot we are a game behind the Eagles too for the 2nd Wildcard spot. Or two thirds of a game or three fourths or whatever that shit counts as. Neither team can kick a Field Goal within 15 minutes? Yeah you have to be sucking pretty hard for that or have two of the sickest defenses around.
And whoever loses Tampa/Carolina tonight will have 4 losses and we are only 2 behind them.
Just saying. Keep hope alive.
December 8, 2008
#26 animal said . . .Bernard Berrian 3 Rec 29 yards
Bobby Wade 2 Rec 19 yards
Punk ass Vikings
The RB 2 not be named 16 Att 57 yards 2 Rec 1 yard
Justin Gage 2 Rec 18 yards 1 TD
Thomas Jones 10 Att 56 yards 1 TD 3 Rec 12 yards
Tank Johnson 0 tackles 1 assist
December 8, 2008
#27 Z said . . .Regardless of what happens, we have the next LT (running back not LB) and I'm going to enjoy the rest of the season. Im going to pray for playoffs no matter how it happens because a. its another Bears game to watch, which we would pay dearly to have in July and b. anything can happen and any team can get hot in the playoffs.
Win or lose (or loose, Willie) against the Aints, I'm going to try hard to not get sucked into the negative and to just enjoy Forte and Bears football.
December 8, 2008
#28 Injuries said . . .Yeah we have definitely gotten a little spoiled when we have fans saying thanks but no thanks to a Division title and a home playoff game. I remember so many stretches of years when I would have been grateful to even be still playing in games that matter at the end of the season.
Didn't get to see the game but sounds like RT was ok for 3 quarters? How about Babich? How did they do?
December 9, 2008
#29 Al In WI said . . .Wolfe out 3-4 weeks with a hamstring injury
Booker cracked rib, Questionable for Thursday
Harris sat 2nd half after he tweaked his right hamstring, left stadium with ice on it
December 9, 2008
#30 Murph said . . .I've been thinking, does everyone realize we've only beaten one decent team since September? Beating the Vikings at Soldier Field (late October) is the last time we beat someone with a winning record.
This is why I'm having trouble having faith in the Bears pulling off the upset and winning this division.December 9, 2008
Just great to see a second round pick on the roster let alone doing a fantastic job. Our receivers just plain suck though, what do Turner and Lovie see in thses guys? Joseph...Mark Anderson back? Jags have possibly worst O line in NFL. Lets see if our boys can stop Drew Brees, if they can we stand a chance for the playoffs, if not time to make some serious changes.
December 9, 2008
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