How Bout Dem Bears?

I haven't watched his interview but now I'm not going to because it will just make me annoyed. I was OK with them holding out the starters in game three (I guess game four for us) even though I'm generally wary of anything too novel or clever like that, tends to stink of Trestman. But whatever, it meant we didn't have major injury issues, so that's grand. But when you forfeit those reps, you also forfeit the right to use the lack of reps as an excuse for being rusty, that's the whole reason you play the starters in game three. I really want to like Nagy so I'm not listening to the interview.

That said he did lots of cool stuff, the problem was nearly everything great we did was either in the first quarter or while Kizer was in. Also I really liked Trubisky's decision making, even when things started to go south. I was very nervous for him at the start but you can see he's learning. There were times where he needed to be more patient about passing before going on the run, and other things like that, but he was fine.

The real infuriating thing is the manner of the defeat though. Because the result is almost exactly what I had predicted, but I never thought it would happen off the back of us going up 20-0. It was embarrassing to watch us lose a game against a team that we manifestly have the beating of. I get that Rodgers was heroic, and proved himself to be worth every penny he is paid and more once again. But it was terrible to watch a team that was dominating the opponents somehow have absolutely no answer whatsoever as soon as those opponents changed up their approach. It showed a lack of in-game inventiveness from the coaches, including Fangio.

I, and others, have been bemoaning the performance of the corners, and it was really depressing to see Fuller with another very wobbly performance. He's capable of being very good, but he's so inconsistent. Makes you wonder about the wisdom of paying him the way we did.

I think the manner of the defeat, and the opposition it happened against, is making it hard to be objective about this result and the progress it might signal. I think next week will tell us which team we saw last night was real, our first quarter team, or our second half team (not really counting the Kizer stuff, he was awful). Seahawks are beatable, so if we're a serious team now, as we're meant to be, a loss is absolutely unacceptable.

bannerman2005 wrote: »

So after what happened in week 1 are we confident in how the Seahawks game will go.

I presume both Roquan Smith and Mack will see more snaps which should improve the defence. Not sure what to make of the secondary against the Packers. I mean its not the first time that Rodgers has shredded them but I thought this time they could hold on.

Early days for Nagy but the offence has to be able to close games out better. Hopefully Trubisky can continue to improve.

Still excited about the season though. Great to have at least some optimism left.

Fuller blows hot and cold too much for my liking but after last week he better be (and I think will be) coming out with a point to prove. I expect him to to something big, maybe an INT. Either way the secondary needs to step up, no excuses with the front seven they've got. I also want to see more from Floyd, all in all he's been pretty disappointing for a first round pick. He was pretty good in coverage last day actually, and I'm guessing the QB pressure is going to be mainly coming from Hicks and Mack again, but I want to see him get some QB hurries in obvious passing situations as well. Russell Wilson is working behind a bad enough O line that we should be able to make his life absolute hell. And that's what I would consider a success.

Trubisky needs to show better decision making under pressure. It's grand doing well with scripted plays but he needs to be able to see adjustments and be patient with his receivers later in the game. That will take time to develop but another performance like last week and doubts will really start creeping in for me. Last year I remember him taking the team up the field in clutch situations, so he can do it, but last week he just wasn't convincing, at all. The tight ends we've been hearing so much about need to be getting more separation too, so that he can go to work.

Basically if we go out with no excuses and perform for a whole football game, there is no reason on earth to lose to the Seahawks. But until the team do that we as fans have no reason to just trust them on it. We have great players here, at least one REALLY great player. But games aren't 30 minutes long. But I'm predicting a win for us. 24-17

EDIT: Oh, and Nagy needs to wind his neck in, and realise that if you need two yards on third, give the fcuking ball to Jordan Howard, one of the best short yardage RBs in the league.

I love this picture from last night.

That was a scrappy game we would have lost in recent years.

Still can't see us making the playoffs unless the unforced errors are eliminated.

We lead the league in sacks but blitz the least. Beautiful.

https://twitter.com/kfishbain/status/1044602566401757186

The Bears play the Bucs at home on Sunday. I'd say they are likely to win that?

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

I don't think Trubisky is likely to turn into a franchise QB, but it is still very early to be dismissing him, as I was inclined to do Sunday. He can make some great throws, I think he is a little inclined towards panic and getting flustered, and he tends to overthrow some big passes to avoid interceptions, especially in the red zone. None of that is good, but it's not grounds for hitting his eject-seat button either. I think we can forget about any Rodgers/Brees ceiling for him, yeah, but maybe an Alex Smith ceiling? I'd be OK with that...hopefully faster than it happened with Alex Smith

I was listening to the Bill Simmons podcast today, and they are killing Trubisky the last few weeks. Personally, I think he looks like a great athlete, throws a gorgeous (looking) ball, although his decision making is still suspect and seems to throw high when pressured. That said, he started only a handful of games in college, and Chicago went to him very early on last season. To my mind he is still very much in the development/project QB stage of his career, but happens to be starting. Way too early to make a call on him for now either way, but I actually like what he has shown so far.

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

I'm not saying we'll make the playoffs, but for the first time in years and years I'm not already looking at draft position in week 3. That's good, right?

For me the Bears have a great chance of taking the North. It's certainly a lot more up for grabs than we believed after week 2!! The Defense is playing lights out, and is likely to keep playing that way. Good defenses can take a limited team a long way, especially come playoff time. The offense has great skill poistion players (Robinson looks like a great pick up at WR) and are only likely to get better as the season progresses.

Wow! What a fantastic game. We go into the bye week in good shape. Dolphins and the Pats coming up next

It's the hope that kills you.

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

It's the hope that kills you.

You can say that again... oh wait.

Huge game on Sunday. The win would put the Bears at 4-2 with these fixtures next:

vs Jets
@ Bills
vs Lions
vs Vikings

3-1 should be achievable from those. Dare I dream of the Bears being 7-3 going into the Thanksgiving trip to Detroit?

Us beating the Patriots would be far from the biggest upset of the year so far or anything, but win or lose our schedule for the rest of the year is really favourable, there's no good reason not to finish the year with eleven wins or more, if we're any good. Big if, though... Defense looked wrecked Sunday with the heat, but the dolphins did the same thing as the Packers in the second half of week one, fast release for short gains, reduces the effectiveness of our pass rush, gasses our front seven and opens up the game as it wears on. Fangio needs to adjust because that's a description of Tom Brady's whole approach to the game, and if you can't beat Brock osweiler at it you sure as **** aren't beating him.

Long injury looked bad, would be a huge loss to the line this season but more importantly he had been a great bear, often a few years back he seemed like he was the only one on the team you could say that about. Injuries have hindered what could have been a truly great career, so that it had been only a been really really good one.

Other than that, nice win, against a bad team. Need to do it against someone good obviously, but the defense without Mack looked really on top of their game, and trubisky is improving, though still over throwing the ball on deep throws. The running for first is great, really turning into an extra dimension of our offense, which has lots of dimensions already.

But yeah, the Jets were bad today so no need to go mental.

Top of the division again. At the start of the year I think most people thought this would be a close fought division, but I expected that to be a reflection of 3-4 very strong teams, whereas in reality it probably reflects that nobody in the division is particularly strong right now. I don't think any major contender would fear the Vikings, Packers, or Bears. Lions look to have more rebuilding to do anyway, although that certainly doesn't mean we're any kind of shoe in to sweep them this year either!

But making the playoffs is still in our hands.