2013 Bears

[Dan Michler]

Despite the loss, the Bears are still 2 games clear of the last Wild Card spot.  If we win 2 of the final 4, we are most likely a lock for the playoffs.  @MN vs GB  @AZ  @DET

Honestly I can see the Bears winning all of those games, and I can also see us losing all of those games.  You're never a lock to win any game when you can't score points.

I heard some talk on ESPN about Jay Cutler as an MVP candidate.  Please...stop.  That is embarrassing.  We are 31st in passing.  I'm not an expert, but I think passing is Jay Cutler's job.  Outside of the obvious candidates (Manning, Brady, Rodgers), I think RG3 would be an interesting choice.  The Redskins have a real shot at the playoffs.  His efficiency passing the football has been incredible (T2 with Manning with a 104.6 QB rating).  Granted, he doesn't have to throw it nearly as often as those other guys.  But when you factor in his 650 yards 6 TD running the ball, he's a huge factor in every game.  I did not see it coming.  I thought he'd be a bust as the #2 pick.

[Jon Brakel]

I've heard the argument but they're thinking of Most Valuable Player wrong. The Bears don't win without Cutler and they win most of the time with him. That makes him the most valuable player to the BEARS, not in the NFL. If you had the choice of any QB in the league to come to Chicago to be the starting QB and you don't select Cutler then he's not the mvp! I think there would be at least 3 or 4 QBs I'd pick to lead the Bears before Cutler. I really like Cutler. I'm just saying that he's not the best in the nfl.

[jasonc]

ESPN will create a story just to put it on the air or on the net. 

The Cutler MVP talk this season is the same as Manning for MVP last year....yes, the team suffers without them.  No, that does not mean anything to MVP voters at the end of the year.

Cutler is not even the best QB in the division.  Him and Stafford are this/close to grabbing the #2 spot behind the cheesehead.

[Dan Michler]

Sounds like Urlacher is most likey out the rest of the regular season with a hamstring issue.  How much do you think that hurts the Bears? 

Lets face it, he's not exactly our best player on defense anymore.  I don't think we have alot of depth at LB though, so the impact might be significant.  He's also the on-field leader of the defense, but we have a veteran defense so I wouldn't expect that part of it to really hurt us.

The Bears have not extended his contract after this season, so who knows, with all the injuries (especially the knees) this could be it for him.

[Jon Brakel]

The only way that Urlacher has been able to keep up this year is because of his knowledge and experience. Depth is a problem at LB but its not going to kill them. If this is his last year I hope he's able to get some game time in. The hardest part about pro players retiring is that their best games are behind them but they always think that they can have one more great game...just one more time...

[Tom McManus]

Man, it has been quiet around here. 

Here is an excerpt from an SI article, this would be great:



December in the NFL makes for plenty of drama and suspense, but I really want to skip ahead to January and the first round of the playoffs right now. If we could keep everything exactly the way it stands at the moment, the postseason would open with a spectacular quadruple-header straight out of the league's wildest TV-ratings fantasy:
In the AFC, we'd have No. 6-seeded Pittsburgh at No. 3 Baltimore, the rubber match between the two bitter AFC North rivals, and their third meeting in the span of eight weeks; and No. 5 Indianapolis at No. 4 Denver, with Peyton Manning vs. Andrew Luck and all the multi-layered history that surrounds that particular pairing. Nothing to chew on there.
In the NFC, it'd be the Karma Bowl, No. 6 Seattle at No. 3 Green Bay, in a Lambeau Field rematch of that replacement-ref-inspired Week 3 Monday night fiasco of a finish; and No. 5 Chicago at the No. 4 Giants, in a showdown of traditional NFL rivals and two of the league's monster TV markets. Where do we sign?
How much fun would that first round be? Then we'd get coast-to-coast divisional-round games hosted by New England and San Francisco, with Houston and Atlanta also kick-starting their playoff drives to meet in the middle, meaning in New Orleans' Superdome in early February.
December is fun, but the playoffs this season could be fantastic. Waiting another four weeks might be the hardest part. Now on to this week's rankings...

[Jon Brakel]

I think I'd like the Bears chances @ the Giants. Really, they can beat any team if the defense plays great and the offense and special teams play ok. Not sure what the chances of that happening all the way through the super bowl is though!

[CEValkyrie]

This is a huge weekend after last week. What a brutal game that was. Both sides of the ball and the coaching staff had chances to win that game. I still think the Bennett drop was the biggest of them all. That would have put them up 14-0 and set the tone. Lovie would have taken the 3 instead of going for it.

At least Harvin is out of the season. This is a must win game. I want to see next weeks game mean the top of the division.

[Dan Michler]

This is a must win game.

Which games are not 'must win games'?  If we lose this week, is the season over?  We'll still be firmly in the playoff picture.  I still say we have to win 2 more games.  If we lose this week and next week, then the next game is a must win.  I think it perhaps feels like a must-win if you are assuming we'll lose to the Packers next week.  But, if you're assuming we can't beat the Packers at home, then we might as well pack it up now and be done with the season anyways.

[CEValkyrie]

Absolutely pathetic!

[jasonc]

I felt bad for Cutler yesterday.

Why trade away draft picks and pay big money to an above average QB and give him a rookie Offensive Coordinator calling plays for the first time in his life???  He seemed like a good O Line coach and installing him as the OC seemed like a reach at the time. 

Tice continues to make rookie mistakes in Week 14.  This just does not make sense with a roster full of veteran players.   

[Dan Michler]

GB, AZ, DET left on the schedule.  If we win 2 of 3, the only team we need to really worry about is Washington.  They have CLE, PHI, and DAL left.  All games they could easily win.  I'm not sure who the tiebreak would go to.  If the Bears lose 2 of the next 3, then they'd need quite a bit of help to get in the playoffs.  Also, if we win this game against GB, the division is still up for grabs.

So, big game for both teams this Sunday.

[Jon Brakel]

At times it seemed like only Cutler, Marshall and Briggs had a desire to win yesterday. Yesterday was not a must win to get into the playoffs but I also no longer have any notions of them winning a game in the playoffs. They will win 2 out of their next 3 games, make it into the playoffs, lose but having done well enough that we'll be stuck with Lovie, Tice and crew for at least another year.

[pdga#7648]

I felt bad for Cutler yesterday.

Why trade away draft picks and pay big money to an above average QB and give him a rookie Offensive Coordinator calling plays for the first time in his life???  He seemed like a good O Line coach and installing him as the OC seemed like a reach at the time. 

Tice continues to make rookie mistakes in Week 14.  This just does not make sense with a roster full of veteran players.   

Does my sleeper pick in Washington, still make you laugh?? they are just behind you guys, and should be tied with them after this next game!

[jasonc]

I felt bad for Cutler yesterday.

Why trade away draft picks and pay big money to an above average QB and give him a rookie Offensive Coordinator calling plays for the first time in his life???  He seemed like a good O Line coach and installing him as the OC seemed like a reach at the time. 

Tice continues to make rookie mistakes in Week 14.  This just does not make sense with a roster full of veteran players.   

Does my sleeper pick in Washington, still make you laugh?? they are just behind you guys, and should be tied with them after this next game!

Yes...just not as much as in the preseason.  Bob Griffin has certainly performed better than most people thought in August. 

[Dan Michler]

At times it seemed like only Cutler, Marshall and Briggs had a desire to win yesterday. Yesterday was not a must win to get into the playoffs but I also no longer have any notions of them winning a game in the playoffs. They will win 2 out of their next 3 games, make it into the playoffs, lose but having done well enough that we'll be stuck with Lovie, Tice and crew for at least another year.

I'm not as confident as you that they will win 2 of the next 3.  Nothing is a given when you struggle to score more than 1 TD in a game.  Who would have ever guessed that the Bears early season success against terrible teams that handed our defense 2 TD per game, was not sustainable?  Oh wait...pretty much every non-Bears fan predicted that one.  The Bears are a laughing stock.

I'm also not as confident as you that Lovie and crew will be back for next season.  I think Lovie has 1 more year left on his contract.  Its very typical for teams to walk away from that final year instead of having a lame duck head coach.  I also think it would be very natural for Emery to want to bring in his own guy.  I won't be shocked if this is Lovie's final year in Chicago.

[Jon Brakel]

At times it seemed like only Cutler, Marshall and Briggs had a desire to win yesterday. Yesterday was not a must win to get into the playoffs but I also no longer have any notions of them winning a game in the playoffs. They will win 2 out of their next 3 games, make it into the playoffs, lose but having done well enough that we'll be stuck with Lovie, Tice and crew for at least another year.

I'm not as confident as you that they will win 2 of the next 3.  Nothing is a given when you struggle to score more than 1 TD in a game.  Who would have ever guessed that the Bears early season success against terrible teams that handed our defense 2 TD per game, was not sustainable?  Oh wait...pretty much every non-Bears fan predicted that one.  The Bears are a laughing stock.

I'm also not as confident as you that Lovie and crew will be back for next season.  I think Lovie has 1 more year left on his contract.  Its very typical for teams to walk away from that final year instead of having a lame duck head coach.  I also think it would be very natural for Emery to want to bring in his own guy.  I won't be shocked if this is Lovie's final year in Chicago.

I'm not sure of my confidence level either. I just think that would be a worst case scenario. Do just well enough that they don't make any coaching changes this year. After they dumped almost everyone except for Lovie, I figured he was here to stay. He's Virginia's boy!

[Sr.]

A coaching system would work for the Bears since they have none. Hester wasn't a receiver in High School and College for a reason, he isn't one. Tight ends are needed to win Championships, we have none. Offensive lines are where wins and losses start and we have none. And why the hell are the Bears only 3 point dogs this Sunday? Bet the house on Green Bay, I'm going Xmas shopping!

                                                       

[damonshort]

A coaching system would work for the Bears since they have none. Hester wasn't a receiver in High School and College for a reason, he isn't one. Tight ends are needed to win Championships, we have none. Offensive lines are where wins and losses start and we have none. And why the hell are the Bears only 3 point dogs this Sunday? Bet the house on Green Bay, I'm going Xmas shopping!

                                                       

This man is wise beyond his very advanced years.... 

[Tom McManus]

I don't think the final result would have been different, but that officiating was pretty one sided in favor of the Packers today.