Game Thread: Lions at the Bears

[Lake Shore Drive]

Normally I wait until at least Tuesdays to post our games for each week. But I figured while the Rams-Falcons game tonite still has seeding value for the NFC playoffs, it has no direct bearing on our standing as we face the Lions in the regular season's finale. If we win, we're the #2 seed in the playoffs. If we lose, then we'd need the Eagles to lose as well in order to secure the 2nd seed, otherwise it's #3 for us.

Looks like we'll be missing not only Odunze, but Burden as well, and it's far from certain that either will be ready for the following week when the playoffs begin. It's too bad, especially with Burden as he's really been coming on of late. But you play the cards you're dealt, so that's that. Not sure of the Lions injuries status, but my guess is they're not as bad off, at least in the weapons dept, so we're gonna have our hands full. And not to mention, with the way the Lions have collapsed in recent weeks, I'm sure HC Dan Campbell want to end their nightmare on a positive note. I expect them to come out with all guns a-blazin'.

 

[richig07]

Yeah, I also anticipate that Johnson wants to beat his old team and avenge week 2.

We are two teams trending in different directions. We should win this game and secure the second round home game, IMO.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

A few interesting stats to mull over here:

-The Bears are a surprising 3rd in the league when it comes to total yardage at 375.4 YPG, whereas the Lions are 6th at 369.4 YPG. However the point differential between the two teams has Detroit in front with 462 pts vs the Bears 425.
-It's already been noted that Caleb needs 270 yards to reach the forever elusive 4k passing mark. But he only needs 109 yards to set a new Bears single season record, currently 3838 yards, which has been held by Erik Kramer since 1995.
-Ironically, even with Caleb's overall yardage, not a single Bears receiver has even reached the 700 yard mark, altho there are four who have over 600 yards.
-A fascinating battle is brewing over the tandem rushing yards crown between the two teams. Right now the RB duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery total 1817 yards, while D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai have 1816 - just one stinking yard difference.

 

[wood20ks]

Yeah, I also anticipate that Johnson wants to beat his old team and avenge week 2.

We are two teams trending in different directions. We should win this game and secure the second round home game, IMO.

Ben has already gotten his revenge,Bears in,Lions out....

I just hope he doesn't worry about a revenge game,and keeps the players injury free Sunday to get more revenge with a playoff win.....

 

[Sam Squanch]

Ben has already gotten his revenge,Bears in,Lions out....

I just hope he doesn't worry about a revenge game,and keeps the players injury free Sunday to get more revenge with a playoff win.....

We can’t be thinking of injuries. There’s too much to play for.

 

[wood20ks]

There’s too much to play for.

There is.....but we need guys healthy for the po's.....I think Burden got hurt last play of the game...??
We don't need anymore.

Lock up the 2 seed,if the 1 seed goes down,we could get 3 straight at home......thats a win right there in itself.

We would get GB first round,thats the game that if for whatever reason we lose,it will be another year they got the best of us....( that 2012 NFCCG still haunts me).

I just don't trust our def enough even if we play GB,. And no matter what anyone thinks,it took a miracle to get that onside kick......if we are gonna lose,lose to an NFCW team,not the Packers.....but they are our best bet for a win.

Vs the Lions is a damn if you do,damn if you don't scenario for me.
And like I said,Ben already has his revenge.....

 

[Sam Squanch]

There is.....but we need guys healthy for the po's.....I think Burden got hurt last play of the game...??
We don't need anymore.

Lock up the 2 seed,if the 1 seed goes down,we could get 3 straight at home......thats a win right there in itself.

We would get GB first round,thats the game that if for whatever reason we lose,it will be another year they got the best of us....( that 2012 NFCCG still haunts me).

I just don't trust our def enough even if we play GB,. And no matter what anyone thinks,it took a miracle to get that onside kick......if we are gonna lose,lose to an NFCW team,not the Packers.....but they are our best bet for a win.

Vs the Lions is a damn if you do,damn if you don't scenario for me.
And like I said,Ben already has his revenge.....

Nah, we want the 2 seed. Resting players seems like the right move, but it’s a week half assing it. Then the next week you get get started half assing it. It’s worth the risk, especially when there is something to play for.

And if we lose to GB, we lose to GB. I’m not scared of them because the stakes are higher against them. We need something big to put this curse behind us.

 

[wood20ks]

Nah, we want the 2 seed. Resting players seems like the right move, but it’s a week half assing it. Then the next week you get get started half assing it. It’s worth the risk, especially when there is something to play for.

And if we lose to GB, we lose to GB. I’m not scared of them because the stakes are higher against them. We need something big to put this curse behind us.

Well you always play to win.....so theres that factor.

Our offense is mostly healthy,the health of Rome and Luther is bothersome.....I think they should sit to keep the injuries from lingering,but play the rest of them.
See how it goes,and if it gets out of hand like the last game,start sitting guys.
So we can still play to win....not saying to sit the whole team.

 

[richig07]

Ben has already gotten his revenge,Bears in,Lions out....

I just hope he doesn't worry about a revenge game,and keeps the players injury free Sunday to get more revenge with a playoff win.....

Some don't realize the importance of this game and think it's a throwaway. There's A TON on the line. The 2 seed is incredibly important. It's the difference between going on the road in round two versus hosting. It's the difference between playing a banged up GB team and SF/Rams. It's the difference between hosting the NFC Title game if the 1 seed goes down versus going on the road.

This isn't just a "let's keep the boys healthy" game. This game is absolutely worth any risk you associate with it. Winning or losing this game could mean winning a playoff game or going home.

 

[wood20ks]

It's the difference between playing a banged up GB team and SF/Rams

We beat Detroit,SF loses,we will the same record,so would the SF team have the tiebreaker being they would have the same record.....??

I don't know.....

**edit**
Maybe cause we were the division winner....??

 

[wood20ks]

It's the difference between going on the road in round two versus hosting

I mentioned that somewhere here....

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I'm just grateful that the game is being televised here in Vegas, so no need for me to hit up the local watering hole in order to watch the game, along with all those goofy commercials.

 

[Jiddy]

Yeah, we want the 2 seed.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Yeah, we want the 2 seed.

For me it's less about nailing the 2 seed than it is not wanting the Bears going into the playoffs having lost their two games. Then again winning Sunday gives us the 2 seed, so there's that.

 

[BeaReylo]

Let's avenge the loss against Det and lock up the Two Seed. After that handle their business, Post Season while pulling for whoever plays Sea/SF. And if Caleb reaches 4,000 yds it's a nice bonus but not a big necessity.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Here are the practice report updates for the Bears and Lions:

Bears' Thursday injury report: Updates on Rome Odunze, Luther Burden

The Bears released their second injury report ahead of their Week 18 game vs. Lions.

bearswire.usatoday.com

Being we're usually kept up on the Bears injury status thruout the week, the list contains the usual suspects and respective status. The only bit of a surprise here, at least for me is G Jonah Jackson missing practice due to illness. It's a safe guess the illness is that flu bug which has hit the Bears pretty hard the past week+. If it's also the case with Jonah, then I'm confident he'll be ready.

There were more Lions listed on the report, especially those who did not practice yesterday. No update on their status for today tho. The two key players for them who missed practice were RT Penei Sewell (ankle) and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle/knee). But unless they're really banged up, expect to see them on the field Sunday.

 

[averagejoe]

We beat Detroit,SF loses,we will the same record,so would the SF team have the tiebreaker being they would have the same record.....??

I don't know.....

**edit**
Maybe cause we were the division winner....??

Division winners are awarded the higher seed. Even if SF wins and Bears lose giving SF a better record, Bears are the higher seed having won the division.

 

[wood20ks]

Division winners are awarded the higher seed. Even if SF wins and Bears lose giving SF a better record, Bears are the higher seed having won the division.

I knew that,was not sure wth I was thinking......we could still drop to the 3 seed with a loss and an Eagles win....
Now that I dont know why that is being we already beat them.

 

[Jiddy]

I don't really know how I would react if we got smoked again this time like we did in week 2.

Either way, this is going to be a tough game for us.

 

[averagejoe]

I knew that,was not sure wth I was thinking......we could still drop to the 3 seed with a loss and an Eagles win....
Now that I dont know why that is being we already beat them.

If the Bears and Eagles end up with the same record, we should hold the head-to-head tiebreaker for the 2 seed.