How Bout Dem Bears?

SameOleJay wrote: »

Hi fellas, first timer.

Strange game Thursday. So many problems and nearly all of them on D. The pass rush is embarrassing at this stage and it's still a notch above the tackling. I think Emery needs to consider a trade at this stage- there's too much in the offence to toss it away. Rodgers will absolutely torch that secondary with the time he'll have. I'm anticipating a clear-out at season end.

The offence is growing on me every week. The triple receiving threat with Forte from the backfield allied with Trestmann's nous gives so many dimensions. The line has been an unmitigated success. And finally Thursday's was one of my favourite performances from Jay- given any sort of time the man can boss it.

Strange, but exciting times.

Yeah, pass-rush is brutal. I don't know if there are any trade options available, but if you're going to do something, now is probably the time, with the Redskins next week and then the bye week after that.

Maybe if there are no options available, they just try and get the defense to an average level (which seems about the best you can expect right now), and try and win games with offense.

Also thought Cutler was excellent on Thursday, maybe his best game under Trestman. The number weren't crazy, but very accurate, recognised the blitzes and hit the hot man, threw it away when necessary. Just a very accomplished game.

Note on Lance Briggs who had another big game, at the top of the charts in Football Outsiders invidual defensive stats from weeks 1-5:
Early Leaders in FO Defensive Stats

Not quite sure what "most defeats" means, but if Briggs is #1, and JJ Watt is #2, it must be pretty good.

I'm excited for the game.Jay should get enough time to torch that Washington secondary. Bush is red useless but Forte will tick things over. D will give up plenty to Morris and Griffin but I'm confident they'll take it in a shoot-out.

I fear the Pack could tear us a new one in Lambeau. That pass rush against Rodgers doesn't bear thinking about.

Chris Conte, and I mean this, can never play for Chicago again.

I'd back myself to get separation on Conte in a phonebox.

Major is a write off too, pun fully intended. I won't shed any tears on Jennings' departure either.

As for Peppers, Jesus wept.

Briggs out for 4-6 weeks, huge loss.

Still waiting to hear about Cutler but not looking good.

Update:

Michael C. Wright ‏@mikecwright 1m

Bears announce that Jay Cutler has a muscle tear in groin. Out at least 4 weeks.

Time to tank!

If he's back from a torn groin muscle injury for St. Louis I'll be shocked. I'm looking at the Dallas MNF game.

I saw someone mention recently that Rex Ryan would be a good DC option if he leaves the Jets. I find it unlikely to happen, but it would be awesome to bring him in after this season to run the D as his father once did in Chicago.

Sounds like a good read:
Ditka vs. Ryan: The Feud That Fueled the '85 Chicago Bears

Comes out next week.
Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football

SameOleJay wrote: »

So Jay may only miss the one game after all… or so the noise goes.

Monday is gonna be one long night. We could genuinely be talking career numbers for Rodgers and Lacy. I think McCown has enough time and options to put up 20 odd. I suspect The Packers may triple that.

Yeah I'm not nervous about being beaten (I think only a miracle would prevent that), but the way our D has been going, and the rate at which they are going down injured, a serious annihilation could be on the cards. Big night for the running game to keep the pressure off McCown. Presume we'll be seeing a lot of Michael Bush. That is not a sentence that fills me with joy.

Badabing wrote: »

When did then Bears last beat Green Bay? This season is looking like a 8-8 or a 9-7 at best as i see it now.

Not since 2010. And we didn't beat them in 09 either. So it's pretty long overdue. And given that the Packers, who have been torching us with their passing game all that time, are now also the league's 4th best in rushing yards, I just don't see how our D can handle them.

Is it just me or are other bears fans not sure what to do watching tonight - All interested to see how mcCown does hope he continues his form from last day, or cringing at what Rogers & Lacy might do to the badly beaten up defense?

Innish_Rebel wrote: »

Is it just me or are other bears fans not sure what to do watching tonight - All interested to see how mcCown does hope he continues his form from last day, or cringing at what Rogers & Lacy might do to the badly beaten up defense?

No that just about sums it up for me. As the week has worn on I've gotten more confident about the offense and hopefully mccown will keep things motoring while I have total faith in forte. Mccown doesn't seem to have a great arm so I would like to see martellus Bennett and forte a good bit in passing. But I'd fear for our d, it's so depleted and has been so inept that we could get carved up. Hopefully we'll see some signs that we are making progress, the offense was progressing beautifully up until cutlers injury and I'd still give us hope of picking up a wild card spot if we can resume our form in next week's game. Really can't see anything but a loss tonight though.

Still...it's a funny league and stranger things have happened. Would love to wrong tonight!

Would be looking forward to it more if Cutler & Briggs were playing, but still looking forward to it in a no-lose kind of way. You're not supposed to win with your backup QB on the road, and it's still Bears-Packers. I think McCown will do ok, and could actually do quite well. And while it's hard to make a case for the Bears winning the game with how the defense has been playing, if you move the ball on offense, you'll always have a chance.

Just looking for a good performance, even if it's a losing result. Don't beat yourself on offense. Play within the restrictions of a backup QB, but at the same time, don't be overly conservative/predictable. Part of the process this year has been developing a more structured offense, so I think that continues this week.

On defense, it's probably gonna be damage limitation, but at least make them earn it, make some receiver other than Jordy Nelson beat you. Kind of hard to see the defense keeping up, but you never know.

Feeling a bit under the weather so bit the bullet and did not stay up to watch last night - did sky+ the game though... Woke up this morning thinking I'll check the phone for the result & while waiting for it to load I was even wondering would I be able to watch the recording tonight. Pleasantly surprised... Great win. Still worrying how many rushing yards the packers had but looking another way. Greenbay had a blocked punt, recovered an onside kick & 200 yards on the ground and still the Bears won - very impressive.

Trestman must have b*lls of steel, 4th & inches own 32 yard line leading by 4, 4th quarter & he goes for it... Forte is having some year - lets be honest he's having a great career, one of the most underrated running backs in the league

adrian522 wrote: »

Where was the confidence going into this?

Epic drive there at the end of the game to take about 9 mins off the clock, McCowan was actually very good and much better than the packers backup.

Check my later post on this thread from yesterday, where I expressed growing confidence in mccown. Wasn't expecting a win mind you, and certainly wasn't expecting the D to turn up as well as they did, particularly peppers and mcclellin. Rodgers or no Rodgers, it was a great performance, although the difficulty they had dealing with lacy was very troubling when we knew he was pretty much their only viable offensive weapon. Tbf he was unstoppable though.