If the Minnesota Vikings win two of their next three games against two division champions and a terrific Atlanta Falcons team then they deserve to win the NFC North. The Bears lost that right when Peanut Tillman decided Visanthe Shiancoe needed to be triple-teamed and Bernard Berrian wasn't a threat down the field. The Vikings earned control of their destiny and - if they capitalize - we tip our caps to the better football team.
But Thursday night in Soldier Field (and beyond) the Chicago Bears shouldn't concern themselves with the Minnesota Vikings or any wayward wildcard fantasies. The Bears have control of over one thing and one thing only: the ability to win ten games. This club - which many believed would finish in a distant last place - has a chance to be 10-6. And even if that doesn't lead to a postseason trip, it will establish a forward momentum into 2009 and beyond. You might scoff at that but I don't. 10 wins in the NFL is still 10 wins in the NFL.
Thursday night on national television the Chicago Bears will show us all what they are. I'm glad I'll be there first-hand to see it my own eyes. It's December in Chicago and there's meaningful football being played in Soldier Field. It started against the Jags. It continues against the Saints. The Bears will need the four best quarters of their 2008 season. Four intense, frigid quarters of football. If they play like they're capable of playing, they'll win. Easily. And we'll see what happens from there...
#2 mikebdot said . . .First!
It's time to start the Earl and see what we have got. Like someone said in the last thread, he can't drop more passes than 'sheed can he??
Bear Down and make Friday extremely enjoyable.
December 9, 2008
#3 Shady said . . .Jeff: The Bears have been showing us what they are all season. It's why I didn't watch the second Vikings game (sorry fellas, was "busy"). I got a two-fer that day...
December 9, 2008
#4 Z said . . .Still thawing out from Sunday...
December 9, 2008
#5 Anytime said . . .Yeah Jeff. Make Brees and company too deaf along with them being too cold to run that offense.
We already have the meaningful part and the Bear weather part.
Now we need Da Bears to provide the smashmouth, in the trenches, physical football that makes us love them and football in general so damn much.
Unleash the Pearl, or Rideau. Get some fresh blood, er hands, in there.
December 9, 2008
#6 Max said . . .Fifth.
December 9, 2008
#7 I like KO but I am just saying said . . .Ok . . . Ok . . . what can I say. Rashied has been bad. He . . . he has not been playing that well. Way to many dropped passes. I dont understand but I will admit that my boy is dropping the ball (both literally and figuratively)
It better be fuckin freezing on Thursday night cause otherwise, Drew Brees might throw for 500 yards against us.
It worries me greatly.
Bear down
December 9, 2008
#8 And the Carolina 2 headed monster said . . .Jeff Garcia was 24/38 for 321 yards 2 TD 0 INT against a good Carolina D.
Why didn't we go after this guy when we had a chance?
Who are the Bucs amazing WR's making this happen?
If the team is not cheap then they are just not aggressive in going after good players that could be had as an upgrade.
December 9, 2008
#9 The Duke said . . .Williams 19 Att 186 yards 2 TD
Stewart 15 Att 115 yards 2 TDThat's 301 yards rushing and 4 TD's
WOW
Against a consistently excellent Tampa D
Didn't we have both of these very, very good teams by the balls for the win?
We are so Jekyl and Hyde
That is all
December 9, 2008
#10 BearDown1982 said . . .Anyone know what the weather's looking like for Thursday night? Jeff? I don't like our chances unless it's cold as hell or snowy. N.O. has a sick offense and will torch our shite secondary if it ain't cold as balls.
December 9, 2008
#11 Willie from Chicago said . . .Jeff, glad you get to go to the game as well. I didn't think I was gonna get to go to a game this year, but jumped on a couple of stubhub tix for $50 each (which is actually reasonable). I'll be in section 356 row 2...layered up like the little brother in The Christmas Story and throwing down some (literally) frosting brews. How are your seats looking?
Honestly though, I think we kind of know who the Bears are at this point. All year, they have played like an 8-8 football team. They are just good enough to beat anyone, but make enough mistakes to lose to anyone. That won't stop me from cheering my ass off for them on Thrusday though and hoping they can find lightning in a bottle for these last 3 games and hopefully clinch the division with a Minny slip up.
Duke: per weather.com....overnight low of 24 degrees with 'few snow showers'. I was actually hoping it might get a little colder, but that will feel like zero degrees to the Saints.
December 9, 2008
#12 Joseph said . . .10-6 would have sounded pretty damn good at the beginning of the season. So why dont we win out and get to the 10 win mark, and try to make the playoffs while we are at it.
BEAR DOWN!
December 9, 2008
#13 shonbear said . . .This is gonna sound crazy but I have a feeling Rashied Davis is gonna have a big game.
We need his speed in the slot. Slants and more slants. He usually catches everything and I believe it's all in his head.
Remember when Olsen couldn't hold on to the ball (fumbled) and everybody wanted to crucify him? Olsen stepped up and in my opinion should be a Pro Bowler.
Trust me I want to see what Earl Bennet and Rideau can do but mybe these guys don't understand the routes! In my guess thats why they aren't on the field.
I say stick with Davis and throw him the ball MORE! Build his confidence up.
GO BEARS and FUCK THE NFC SOUTH!
December 9, 2008
#14 Phil from SATX said . . .Joseph,
Are you kidding?!? Rash has been doing this at critical stages killing drives the whole season, he's not the only one, but he is clearly the one with the most drops this season and coming off the statements from the organization about he was the guy the defense feared, he just hasnt measured up. Bring in Mike Haas, he's hungry.
December 9, 2008
#15 shonbear said . . .Joseph, I would comment that Olsen did that in one game, which we all knew was one bad game.
Unfortunately, Rashied has done that repeatedly in more than two straight games. However, he too was previously known as someone with very good hands, so I agree with you that he's got a head problem right now. And he's a good character guy, so you know the drops are killing him as much as it is us. So actually I'm going to say I don't think what you say is so crazy.
As much as I bash these coaches, there very well may be something to the fact that the guys we want to see aren't picking up the offense well enough. But couldn't you try them anyway, with limited plays? My problem is when we go a whole season without getting to see what a receiver can do in live action (see Hass, Mike). Well here we are again - your third round draft pick, about whom you publicly stated you picked to contribute right away, has not gotten into an offensive series yet, with only three to go.
At least we're still in the hunt, giving the coaches a reasonable excuse for playing who they're playing, if they believe they give them the best chance of winning. Last year, at 5-9 and undeniably out of the playoffs, it was absolutely INEXCUSABLE that Lovie didn't go to the bench and see what he had, using Hass, Beekman, Rideau, etc. I believe the sole reason for not doing so was to pad stats and make the season look less awful than it was.
I was about to get into a discussion about how I would guess we'd play the Bucs and Panthers worse now than at the beginning of the season, mostly because they've improved during the year (as good coached teams tend to do) and we haven't (as... well you know).
But I'm not going to do that, because actually I do feel strangely (and probably stupidly) optimistic about them right now, at this moment in time. I know the last win was against the hapless Jags. And it's been quite a while since we've had a "quality" win. In fact, you can argue that our last quality win was not even the October 19 win against the Vikings, because that game featured truly awful defense. So then you have to go back to... yikes, September 28, 24-20 against the Eagles.
If we win against the Saints, that will be a quality win, regardless of how it occurs. Then we have a chance for another, against the Packers, who are really likely better than their record right now.
We'll find out on Thursday, if the Bears are who we thought they were, or not. I'm hoping for the not, because that will mean a win.
RASHIED, IF YOU GET ANOTHER CHANCE, CATCH THAT BALL!!!!
December 9, 2008
#16 Tom - gettin' it ready Jeff said . . .Two more things:
1. Is there a Steve Smith school for punt/kick returners converted to receivers that Devin could go to so he could get a clue about the way to do business, that guy is the one who is really ridiculous. There is no way we would have been close in that game had he been there. He has single-handedly won like three games for them this season.
2. Is there any stat the NFL keeps on dropped passes, seems like the commentary guys spout off dropped passes stats all the time, but who keeps them, where can they be found, I would love to see that stat for the last two seasons, because Moose and Berrian were dropping a lot last year too. Please someone let me know.
Go Bears!
December 9, 2008
#17 shonbear said . . .About 6 inces snow cover but we warmed it up for a nice freezing rain last night and this morning. Then we got more snow coming in. Watch out for O'Hare (or Midway). Oh yeah...just for kicks we arrested Gov Blagojevich and several associates for big time corruption.
Welcome home. It'll be just like you remember. Are you staying downtown?
December 9, 2008
#18 NittyGritty34 said . . .Phil,
I think the Phily game was a lucky goal line stand that could possibly been called either way and it was mainly bad play calling on their part much like ours against the Vikings. So I would go with the last quality win was the "shock and awe" Colts game.
December 9, 2008
#19 JP said . . .Any win in the NFL is a quality win. Who cares, we're still in this. Besides, look at it this way, we've won all the games against supposedly "inferior" opponents (Rams, Lions, Jags). We've had several very good teams on the ropes and lost (Car, TB, ATl, Tenn). We beat a couple good teams (Colts, Eagles). We split with Minni and have a chance to do the same against GB. To me, this means we're one or two plays away from being a playoff worthy team. Good teams beat the teams their supposed to beat and compete weekly. We do these things. Let's not forget, there's a lot of parity in todays NFL. The difference between a good team and an average team is 2 or 3 plays a game. We need to catch the catchable balls, stop the run, and keep NO in front of us on D. Nothing deep. Hold onto the ball, get a few sacks, protect the qb, and force a few turnovers. All of these things are within our power. I believe.
BEAR DOWN
December 9, 2008
#20 mikebdot said . . .I would have to disagree that any win in the NFL is a quality win. There are always games that are much bigger than others. A win against a team in our own division fighting for first place is much more important than a win against a team that flew into town and couldn't wait to get out. Do you honestly think Jacksonville cared about that game? It was freezing, they aren't going to the playoffs & most of them probably partied the night before.
I'm a show me type of guy. You want me to be impressed? Beat a team that earns respect. Listen to anyone who knows anything about football and they will tell you certain wins earn you respect, others are simply earning your check.
December 9, 2008
Joseph: He may very well make the pro-bowl for the NFC...if he was in the AFC no way, but perhaps in the NFC. After Witten and Cooley it's kind of a log-jam. John Carlson? for Seattle has more yards and receptions and a higher first down pecentage and 0 fumbles...if he can block at all he has Olsen beat, hands down.
December 9, 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.