Pressure up the middle.
I'd love to see Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye dominate the edges of the Saints offensive line but Drew Brees simply does not get sacked - averaging about one every fifty attempts. If the Bears are going to have success against the game's most prolific passer, they'll need a significant push up the gut from Tommie Harris, Israel Idonije and Anthony Adams. Brees is not a big guy so the emphasis should be on disrupting sight lines and cutting off the middle of the field, where he'll look to find Jeremy Shockey and Reggie Bush all day long.
Run the ball 25 times.
I'm not big a quota/statistics guy when it comes to a football game but I feel confident in saying that if the Bears run the ball less than 25 times Thursday night, they're probably in catch-up mode and the season is over. This should be an opportunity for Matt Forte - who'll celebrate his 23rd birthday tomorrow - to show Chicago fans that even a boy from the bayou, from Lake Charles, Louisiana can handle anything Mother Nature throws his way.
Keep it up, Brad.
Maynard has his best game punting the football in a couple years on Sunday against Jacksonville and the Bears will need the same output on Thursday night. In the kind of weather that's expected, long drives will be hard to come by and turnovers could determine the outcome. Pin Brees and company inside their own five a couple times and the Bears might run away with this thing.
#2 Duff Diggler said . . .first!
December 9, 2008
#3 Duff Diggler said . . ....anyway, there are a couple other things things to think about in this game as well....
1. It's a night game (even colder)
2. For the past couple years, it's been the Bears that have finished what Katrina started in beating the saints either in the playoffs, or crushing their playoff hopes...
3. four days of rest seems alot more difficult to overcome when you go on the road....
4. and the Aints are a shitty road team anyway...
December 9, 2008
#4 Max said . . .Bears 31
Aints 17December 9, 2008
#5 Jokey said . . .I am not going to see the whole game. I have a final on thursday night. You know im gonna speed through that thing.
I am so nervous, I dont even wanna think about this right now....
AHHHHH
Bear downDecember 9, 2008
#6 Duff Diggler said . . .Anyone know what the local tv coverage will be? I thought I saw something about channel 50? Doesn't seem right to me though.
December 9, 2008
#7 Jokey said . . .here's something that nobody's talking about as well....
Eveyone keeps talking about the division. "We have to win the division to get into the playoffs." Right?
Well we don't.
Give Tampa the 5 seed. Falcons (8-5) still have Tampa, Minny, and the Rams. I could easily see them going 1-2 there giving them a record of 9-7. Dallas (8-5) still has the Giants, Ravens, and Eagles (even tougher!) say they win one, then they finish 9-7.
If we win out, and the skins and eagles lose one game each, we're in.
Don't think for one second i don't want us to win the division. I do. And that's still possible.... but so is the wildcard....
We just need to bear the fuck down!
December 9, 2008
#8 IA Bears Fan said . . .WPWR channel 50 and digital 50-1. Bear Down! Screw you NFL Network!
Gamewise, I can't see us stopping the Saints passing attack. Every week I see pressure from the front 4 listed as a key to the game, and we've only seen good pressure a few quarters the entire season. This is not the same D that dominated the Saints in '06 so forget the past.
Saints 31
Bears 14
December 9, 2008
#9 jeff said . . .So I read some of this wonderful blogs older posts (i.e. 2005) and I am amazed by two things
1) We were actually stoked to have Cedric Benson on the field for the Bears
2) Jeff was just as sarcastic in 2005 as he is now...The Jerry Angelo wire tap thing was hilarious
As to the Saints, The D needs to maintain their gaps and get in Brees's face...a couple weeks ago, the man threw a 70 yard touchdown pass WHILE AT FULL SPRINT. Just making him move out of the pocket will not cut it in this game...
Of course, we could all hope for some dumbass rookie taunting Urlacher on a touchdown run. It worked the last time.
December 9, 2008
#10 Urlacher FTW said . . .duff, i think it's just easier to win the division. if we win thursday night and the vikes lose on the road to the cardinals...we're dead-even with two to go.
they play two playoff teams.
we don't.
December 9, 2008
#11 Urlacher FTW said . . .Here we go again...
So the Bears wave the kid from Oregon St. whose name escapes me atm, release Bradley, both because they are insitent that they have depth at WR.
So here we are, Booker's hurt... who could have foreseen possible health issues with a 33 year old at a skill position? Davis can't catch a cold, and Dvoracek gone for the season. This is easy? Dress Bennett and see what your own draft pick can do. Or hell dress Rideau and line him up at wideout. But no even when givin a golden chance to see what they have in the closet, they go digging through another teams trash can to dig up Asmu Amuhanghanasondkjjhadza!
He better not dress before Bennett/Rideau.December 9, 2008
#12 Phil from SATX said . . .Jokey I would doubt the score gets that high for either team unless we are talking lots of Def and ST scores. The weather should stop a lot of the passing for us, remember they will play on grass.. outside.. in the weird swirling winds of Soldier Field, and it will be damn cold and dark with probable snow. I'm not saying you can't pass for 300 yards in those conditions but you would have a lot working against you, even with blown coverage and open receivers, the ball is cold, hard, and slippery. There will be a lot of dropped passes by both teams I would guess. It should boil down to running the ball, not committing turnovers, and controlling field position on ST. I would think a 23-13 win by the Bears is much more likely with Devin getting his first PRTD of the season.
December 9, 2008
#13 So.Ill Bears Fan said . . .I wouldn't be surprised if Brad is really the same guy he's been these past few years, but just with more responsibility of booming us out of danger given the twin failures of D allowing drives and ST not changing field position on their own.
In the Jags game, the success of our offense, and of improved ST play, gave him lots of opportunities to do what he is best at - directional, precise punting. And he was flipping fantastic in that game. The awful, semi-frozen Soldier Field turf probably helped in that regard, and will likely continue to. So my best guess is, if we happen to get pinned back, it will be ugly, but if we have the chance to pin, Brad will continue to produce.
Six simple reasons why we will win this game:
1) Kyle is back to 100%.
2) Hester will be running forwards, not backwards on returns.
3) Turner won't be calling a slowdown game.
4) Izzy, Adams, Marcus and Tommie on the inside.
5) Urlacher is coming around, finally, and with him and the line, so comes the D.
6) Dome team comes to Soldier Field. Welcome to winter!It's going to happen, folks!
December 9, 2008
#14 Tony said . . .we jus' signed a cat off the 'skins practice squad....
anybody ever heard of this dude?
Devin Aromashodu
here's the link from Da Site
http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5435
December 9, 2008
#15 The Knight of Ownage said . . .If the Bears hold Bush and Breezy to under 250 yards passing, they will win. Bear the fuck down. Chicago Bears.
December 9, 2008
#16 Chigacgo Joe said . . .Aromashadu is good. Had a few good games w/ the Colts. A little raw.
December 9, 2008
#17 CA BEAR FAN said . . .agreed.
on a random note, Lovie looks absolutely ridiculous in that head warmer. I swear I thought I was looking at a 5-month-old the first time I saw him.I want one.
December 9, 2008
#18 CA BEAR FAN said . . .LOVIE kinda looks like a drag queen in that head warmer..i dont know just the expression and they way he looks make him look like a drag queen..lol
December 10, 2008
#19 The Ghost of Halas said . . .BEAR DOWN!
December 10, 2008
#20 who's laughing now said . . .I've noticed a sense of accomplishment amongst Bears fans which I have not seen for two years.
Wow. What a game. People say, "Yeah BUT it was only Jacksonville!" I'm tired of hearing that. Sunday was the most alive that Bears team has been all season. The defense really was clicking; mainly, in my humble opinion because a good group of guys has finally emerged with Anthony Adams, Marcus Harrison, Corey Graham, and Danieal Manning...all of whom ( I think) were not playing in Week 1.
I think the most surprising thing to me on Sunday was to find out that Mark Anderson was still alive.
The Defensive Line is doing it! They're clicking and I love it. There was pressure like hell all day on Garrard. Jones-Drew was almost a non-factor in that game.
How could anyone who has seen both Matt Forte and Chris Johnson from Tennessee run the football think that Forte is inferior? Shannon Sharpe thinks so. But if I were able to converse with Mr. Sharpe I would have to ask him which team has benefitted from their respective rookie Runningbacks. Would anybody say anything but Forte and Chicago??
Now, when it comes to Thursday Night: I agree with Phil (as usual). The way to beat the Saints is pressure. Pressure. Pressure. That's how Chicago dismantled their offense in that amazing NFC Championship game nearly two years ago. Brees is one of the best in the league, but put enough pressure on him...knock him down a few times...punish him a little bit...and he'll make bad decisions. Defense: Pressure. Pin 'em in and let the offense go to work.
Offense: I'm a big fan of the Orton-run no-huddle. Turner needs to keep Gary Gibbs guessing and not break into a rutine (as he OFTEN does).It is very possible to destroy these Saints and keep this season going. Win agains the Saints and they'll have the division. I guarantee it. Pray for Bear Weather!
Sorry about the jumbled post. I haven't said anything in a week and I found that my thoughts were bottling up inside of me.
December 10, 2008
#21 New Guy said . . .On the eve of a home game against this Saints, what a good time to stop and remember ... Bears over the Saints in the 2006 playoffs. The best Bear win of the last 20 years? Things that still stand out to me: As mentioned above, Bush outracing the Bears D and showboating - and then Urlacher and co. playing absolutely inspired the rest of the way; just the very fact that Devin Hester was Devin Hester on returns still and not the imposter we've seen this season; Thomas Jones off-tackle, off-tackle and off-tackle again; and Bernard Berrian with that absolutely amazing catch to seal the win.
Bear donw.December 10, 2008
#22 animal said . . .Devin Aromashodu is 6'2" which makes him taller than any other WR that plays (if that's what you want to call it) for us. Rideau is 6'3". That is 5 inches taller than Davis.
21.4 yard average per catch his Junior season at Auburn. Caught nine passes of 20 yards or longer and six of 30 yards or longer
December 10, 2008
#23 Murph said . . .I'm traveling tomorrow. Our volleyball team made the state tournament and I'm going to watch them play. They play their first game during the Bears game. Im recording it... so I get to go home and watch it. Ideally, Jeff, you would post a blog just after the game saying, "Animal, watch it" or "Animal, don't watch it." Wishful thinking but it would be nice. You don't have to base it on if they win or lose. Just base it on how competitive the game is. See, I have this reasonable fear that the Saints will blow out our Bears tomorrow. If that happens you could save me the anguish and tell me not to watch. However, if they play well and stay in the game, win or lose Ill want to watch it.
Tell me to watch, please. Tell me Matte ran for 120 and caught 6 balls. Tell me KO threw for 200 and two TDs. Most importantly, tell me the D played well. Tell me Corey Graham and Payne had big hits and big plays and limited the hottest passing attack in the league. Tell me Harrison and Wale got pressure and Briggs tattoo'd that fucking homo bitch Bush, and he hid under a big coat like Vick did (REMEMBER THAT?)
Post a blog that says "watch the game, Animal" and hopefully Ill post an answer this weekend saying thank you, and telling you all that our Malamutes are State champs.
December 10, 2008
#24 Willie from Chicago said . . .Is Tommie Harris still playing??
December 10, 2008
#25 Phillip from NYC said . . .Animal, good luck to your team tommorow, make us proud!
BEAR DOWN
December 10, 2008
#26 Urlacher FTW said . . .For the record, it really irks me when people repeat that loathsome "Bears finishing what Katrina started" thing. Duff, I'm looking at you. A lot of decent folks lost their lives during Katrina, and the Hurricane and the events surrounding it shouldn't be used so cheaply.
We're Bears fans, not assholes. Any time somebody from NoLA sees the photo of that asshole holding the "Bears finishing what Katrina started" sign, it looks really bad. Why continue that?
December 10, 2008
#27 Rancid said . . .Phill I guess I see the sign differently. Too often people take something with the worst possible spin that could be on it. I doubt that the signs maker nor the previous poster meant anything to do with the lives lost or the real life tragedies that took place in New Orleans during Katrina. They are more likely inferring that the Bears should end the season that Katrina caused to start bad by displacing them from thier home football field, nothing more. But the media can twist things however they want depending on what would sell the most papers.
December 10, 2008
#28 Joseph said . . .Thursday games blow. Curse you NFL Network
December 10, 2008
#29 Phillip from NYC said . . .Turnovers....that's how you can beat this team! And last time I checked we lead the league in that catagory.
Jar that fucking ball loose on every play baby!
December 10, 2008
#30 Urlacher FTW said . . ."They are more likely inferring that the Bears should end the season that Katrina caused to start bad by displacing them from thier home football field, nothing more. But the media can twist things however they want depending on what would sell the most papers."
You're doing your fair share of twisting, too, bud. The media has nothing to do with this. That's the benefit of photographs, they speak the truth - it's up to whoever looks at the photo to make up their own mind about what's going on in the photo, and I'm saying that a phrase like that is going to cause a lot of flack for all the normal fans out there.
December 10, 2008
#31 NittyGritty34 said . . .Well I suppose that is freedom in it's essence then Phil.
Anyhoo I was just looking at the playoff chances for the Bears and it really is going to rely on winning the division. The Bears currently have a 15% chance to win the division, needing 2 losses out of 3 from Minny and winning out. They have less than 1% chance to take the first wildcard spot and only a 3% chance to take the second wildcard needing Dallas and Atlanta to lose 2/3, and Washington 1/3, or Tampa Bay to lose out along with 2 of those scenarios. Every game to them is the playoffs, and every win of Minns takes more control away.
December 10, 2008
#32 the dude said . . .I'm all for insensitivity, just don't drag my bears into it.
December 11, 2008
1:40 to go
December 11, 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.