Three Things That Need to Transpire for the Bears to Finish with a Winning Record

[richig07]

I remember feeling things would've been very different in 2006 if Tommie Harris and Mike Brown were healthy. There's always injuries, it just always seems the timing and the importance of the player with the Bears. Brown and Harris were the unsung spark-plugs of that D.

Man, the way Brown went down that year was shit too, after one of the greatest Bears games of all time(AZ comeback). Freak fucking play en shit.

Yeah, I honestly think that until Harris went down that the 06 D may have been the absolute best of all-time and the numbers up until that point in the season indicate it ain't a crazy notion.

Our D went from being "all-time" great -- to just normal "great". A #1 NFL D... but we had vulnerabilities. Which were actually exposed a bit by Holmgren and Seattle in the divisional round. Then ultimately by Peyton in the SB. Even though holding Peyton to 22 offensive points and only 2 offensive TD's isn't a bad performance. Especially seeing how much they were on the field.

Regardless, the QB play was going to comeback to bite us at some point. But who knows... maybe if those two players are healthy - he's another Trent Dilfer?

The weird thing about Grossman. Is that it wasn't like he was a game manager. Like you saw with Dilfer or Bortles in Jacksonville this past year. We had the retard version of Brett Favre out there... just slinging the ball around for grabs. Weird... Orton may have been a more appropriate QB for that particular team. Even if he was young and still raw. (Not that the finished product was anything special... but he had a respectable career)

 

[beardown07]

Yeah, I honestly think that until Harris went down that the 06 D may have been the absolute best of all-time and the numbers up until that point in the season indicate it ain't a crazy notion.

Our D went from being "all-time" great -- to just normal "great". A #1 NFL D... but we had vulnerabilities. Which were actually exposed a bit by Holmgren and Seattle in the divisional round. Then ultimately by Peyton in the SB. Even though holding Peyton to 22 offensive points and only 2 offensive TD's isn't a bad performance. Especially seeing how much they were on the field.

Regardless, the QB play was going to comeback to bite us at some point. But who knows... maybe if those two players are healthy - he's another Trent Dilfer?

The weird thing about Grossman. Is that it wasn't like he was a game manager. Like you saw with Dilfer or Bortles in Jacksonville this past year. We had the retard version of Brett Favre out there... just slinging the ball around for grabs. Weird... Orton may have been a more appropriate QB for that particular team. Even if he was young and still raw. (Not that the finished product was anything special... but he had a respectable career)

Bears looked pretty good until the half. Rhodes and whatever the fuck his name his killed us on the ground in the second half, if I remember correctly?

Rex's picks hurt, ultimately, but our D couldn't get off the field in the second half.


I remember thinking the Gods had smiled on us with the rain, but Rex's lil' baby hands proved me wrong.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I think you can include 2013 into that... no? We lost a massive chunk of our D and were pulling DB's and D-lineman off of the streets. Cutler missed 5 games... etc...

Yes, I may have stated it poorly, but I was quoting from an article a few months back that pointed it out that since that year (and including it as well), the Bears accrued more lost time due to injuries than all other teams in the NFL. At some point this has to even out a bit. Let's have a reasonably healthy year for a change.

 

[richig07]

Bears looked pretty good until the half. Rhodes and whatever the fuck his name his killed us on the ground in the second half, if I remember correctly?

Rex's picks hurt, ultimately, but our D couldn't get off the field in the second half.


I remember thinking the Gods had smiled on us with the rain, but Rex's lil' baby hands proved me wrong.

Benson not showing up and then leaving injured after a lost fumble also hurt. I mean, the degree to which that guy f'd us over -- I was so STUNNED to hear he had some kind of a vendetta against the Bears. If anything, it should have been the other way around. I suppose losers will always blame others for their failures.

I thought the same thing about the rain. Actually, the moment I thought we may have it won wasn't when Hester returned the opening kick, it wasn't even Harris's INT on the ensuing drive... It was when Indy eventually scored to make it 7-6 (holder dropped PAT snap in rain) and then WE answered with a very impressive TD drive. Capped by a very clutch 3rd down pass by Rex to Muhammad. I really thought at that point... "man, this team is up to the task".

We were right in that damn game until Rex's pick six. Really a damn shame.

I'll also add onto your Mike Brown point. By saying that the 3rd down blown coverage on the Reggie Wayne TD would never happen if he was manning the defensive backfield.

Eh... what if... what if. Let's create a new string of playoff runs. That way we can stop reliving Steve Smith Divisional Playoff in 05, Super Bowl XLI and the Cutler/Hanie NFC Title game in 2010. I'm excited to turn the page. Up until now, it hasn't felt like we've ever recovered from all of that Lovie era crap.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Just looking at the schedule right now looking for possible QB variance, a few weeks stand out

Week 3: Cardinals

Would not count out the possibility of Bradford being hurt or being benched for Rosen by this time. Could also just see Bradford.

Week 8: Jets

I really have no clue who the Bears are seeing at this point. Bridgewater, McCown, or even Darnold are possibilities by this point. Enough offensive talent for that team to be annoying if they got decent QB play.

Week 9: Bills

Kind of a who cares deal here to a degree as they all suck imo, but feel free to debate on who the Bears see between McCarron, Peterman, or Allen by this point. I expect the Bills to contend for a top 5 pick, personally.

Week 17: Vikings

Could see the Vikings resting starters for this game and getting the Vikings backup in there. Not that bad a draw for a Bears team that will probably need help to sneak into a WC field if it came down to week 17 if the Vikes are as good as I think they are.

There are of course injuries, but outside of the Cardinals there's no incredibly obvious injury risk at QB outside of maybe Brady by default just for being over 40; and you tell me if you want to bet against Brady being healthy.

 

[richig07]

Week 9: Bills

Kind of a who cares deal here to a degree as they all suck imo, but feel free to debate on who the Bears see between McCarron, Peterman, or Allen by this point. I expect the Bills to contend for a top 5 pick, personally.

They were much worse than their 9-7 record last season. I think their win expectancy was like 6.4-9.6 -- but the AFC was such a shallow conference.

They might be in the running for a top 5 pick, but I'd probably just bet on the usual subpar/mediocre 6-10 or 7-9 finish. It seems like they're always irrelevant, but somehow not a complete catastrophe.

 

[Nosferatu]

L-@GB
W-vSEA
L-@ARI
W-vTB
W-@MIA
L-vNE
W-vNYJ
W-@BUF
W-vDET
L-vMIN
L-@DET
W-@NYG
L-vLAR
L-vGB
L-@SF
W-@MIN

This is the way I see the season possibly shaking out for the Bears as a close-to-best-case scenario: 8-8.

• I really like the Bears beating SEA, TB, NYJ at home and splitting with DET.
• I'm reasonably comfortable with giving them a good chance to steal away games against MIA, BUF, NYG and splitting with MIN.
• They can't afford to lay an egg against any of these teams and lose one of these winnable games.

Then...

1. If the Bears could manage to sweep a divisional opponent, there's that extra win.
2. If the Bears could manage to steal a tough win against another one of the NFC West teams, there's that extra win.
3. If the Bears could manage to steal a win from Aaron Rodgers, there's that extra win.

And don't tell anyone I said this, but I kinda hope the Bears finish 2nd in the division this year. DET 3rd & MIN 4th.

Only way they are winning in Minnesota is if the game means nothing to the Vikings.

1. Be allowed to play the AFC North again this year.
2. Be better than 2 - 6 in games decided by eight points or less
3. Be better on third down.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

1. Trubisky needs to step up and have a good year. This one is obvious. We know the running game will probably be there.

2. Our OLBs have to get pressure on the qb. Floyd needs to dominate and lynch and forts need to prove they have it.

3. Nagy needs to prove he’s a good head coach. He’s shown he can call plays. He needs to lead. And he also needs to make sound decisions on game day. He’s a large unknown at this point. We can’t have bone headed challenge gaffs like we got with Lovie Smith and John Fox.

I am not worried about the running game. I’m not too worried about the oline. I’m not worried about the DLine or the secondary. Our receiving might be a project this year trying to build chemistry, but it’ll be way better than it was.

 

[averagejoe]

I'll bite.

1) Offense needs to use the clock. I don't expect the offense to be outstanding. Trying to be realistic. But as good as the defense was last season, the offense didn't help by having one of the worst time of possessions. By the end of games, the defense was spent. Five of their 11 losses were by a TD or less. The offense needs to tire out the opposing defense and not its own. The way to do that is kill the clock and keep the chains moving.

2) Set the tone early. (Both sides of the ball.) Bears ranked 25th scoring in the FIRST quarter (scoring 48 points). Can't fall behind early. They also allowed opposing offenses to score 64 first quarter points (20th).

3) Beat the Packers and Seahawks in weeks 1 and 2. Not such a tall order IMO. Nagy's run offense beat the Patriots in Foxborough week 1 last year, trouncing them 42-27. Seahawks meanwhile have lost key players on defense and are vulnerable. Beating the Packers in week 1 would trickle over to week 2 at home. (Worth noting that Nagy beat the Super Bowl champ Eagles in week 2 after beating Hoodie in week 1.)

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I'll bite.

1) Offense needs to use the clock. I don't expect the offense to be outstanding. Trying to be realistic. But as good as the defense was last season, the offense didn't help by having one of the worst time of possessions. By the end of games, the defense was spent. Five of their 11 losses were by a TD or less. The offense needs to tire out the opposing defense and not its own. The way to do that is kill the clock and keep the chains moving.

2) Set the tone early. (Both sides of the ball.) Bears ranked 25th scoring in the FIRST quarter (scoring 48 points). Can't fall behind early. They also allowed opposing offenses to score 64 first quarter points (20th).

3) Beat the Packers and Seahawks in weeks 1 and 2. Not such a tall order IMO. Nagy's run offense beat the Patriots in Foxborough week 1 last year, trouncing them 42-27. Seahawks meanwhile have lost key players on defense and are vulnerable. Beating the Packers in week 1 would trickle over to week 2 at home. (Worth noting that Nagy beat the Super Bowl champ Eagles in week 2 after beating Hoodie in week 1.)

Good grief, I could have written the above. You pretty much stated what my biggest concerns were going into the season and in item 3, my predictions would be, as I also think we win the first two games. Good stuff.