Well, we're halfway home

[richig07]

Thoughts?

Where is this team compared to where you thought it would be? What are some things you're pleasantly surprised with? What are some things that you're disappointed with? *COUGH* DEFENSE *COUGH*

What are some things that you hit the nail on the head with in the pre-season? (Yes, Leo, we know... you said the D-line wasn't good. Moving on... lol)


Currently, in the NFC NORTH:

Lions 5-3 (2-1 in Division and 4-2 in NFC)

Packers 5-3 (2-1 in Division and 3-2 in NFC)

Bears 5-3 (2-1 in Division and 3-3 in NFC)

Vikings 1-7 (0-3 in division and 0-6 in NFC)

Offensively

Ranked 2nd in scoring

Ranked 2nd in PPG

10th in Total YPG

15th in Rushing YPG

14th in Passing YPG

Defensively

25th in Total YPG

24th in Points Allowed

29th in PPG Allowed

28th in Rushing YPG

25th in Passing YPG



So... Locked in a three way tie, and 2-1 within the division with a win against the Packers. If you would have told me this is where we'd be before the season, I'd be content. 5-3 is about where I thought we'd be. However, it's been a bit more of a roller coaster ride than I expected.

The strengths and weaknesses of this team are all pretty evident. So, I'll leave the analysis part to you guys. I'll just say that the one big disappointment to me, which others may not point out, is the special teams play. It's cost us many times so far this year, and almost cost us the game versus Green Bay.

Also, just for fun. One game the Bears should have won? Washington. That loss really hurt. I feel like this team should be 6-2. However, I'll take 5-3 considering the injuries. You have to think if we don't lose JUST ONE of our two guys (Briggs or Peanut), that we find a way to make a stop at SOME POINT in that second half. The game we got lucky with, IMO, was obviously tonight with Rodgers going down. However, I'm willing to listen to cases being made for the Cincy game.


Anyway, good win tonight. Looking forward to Sunday back at home versus Detroit. Going to be a good one. I just hope our defense is capable of stopping a top offense that's healthy. As far as I'm concerned, LET IT SNOW! Not a bad time for the first big snowstorm of the year come Noon Sunday.

Cheers guys! I'm really happy about this win! I didn't expect it at all! Great to beat those guys again. Rodgers or not... Cutler or not!

 

[antone112]

One of the weaknesses got a tremendous boost tonight IMO. The 4 man rush looked exponentially better tonight. If they can build on that, it makes the D soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much better. It's the key to this style of D. I'm so excited for next week. I may streak, and you assholes better hope they don't catch any of it. I gotta huge penis.

 

[richig07]

One of the weaknesses got a tremendous boost tonight IMO. The 4 man rush looked exponentially better tonight. If they can build on that, it makes the D soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much better. It's the key to this style of D. I'm so excited for next week. I may streak, and you assholes better hope they don't catch any of it. I gotta huge penis.

The pass rush definitely looked improved. However, this front seven is still awful against the run. Missing Briggs makes our run D almost non-existent.

Props to Shea though. He stepped up tonight. People were writing him off. I counted 2.5 sacks tonight (not sure how they counted the one where him and Pep both got a paw on Wallace on the way down) and a handful of QB hurries.

 

[beardown07]

McClellin's best game as a Pro.


D-line looked much better last nite.....still getting gashed on the ground tho

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

yeah, I'm not really at all buying into this rejuvenated D Line stuff. Not even slightly. Did you notice how much extra time they had to rush the QB last night? It was huge. Of course when you have a garbage QB and two of their top 4 passing threats are out, that's what happens.

When the Bears D line can beat a solid offense, then we can talk. Until then, sorry, not on the D line bus.

 

[anotheridiot]

D line was better because they knew they were basically running every down. Bostic got some good hits on Lacy seemed to be going sideline to sideline, not credited with many tackles though, only 4, only 59 tackles for the entire defense, wright led with 8.

Conte looked terrible, only 2 tackles. They say when the line plays better the safeties wont look so bad, well the d line played better and still the safeties were horrible.

I was most impressed with that 18 play drive and Forte staying in bounds to keep the clock running, mccarthy only used time outs starting with less than a minute to play. That is what we have sorely missed over the past 5 seasons, that four minute drill, last night was almost 9.

Can the offense carry the defense and special teams?

They did verify Rodgers with a broken collarbone, why he didnt come back out with at least a sling though, who is to say. Maybe he was supposed to keep his hand in his pocket.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

The offense is ahead of where I thought we would be at the halfway point. We have more talent on offense then anytime in Bear history. The Def is far off where anyone expected. Tucker blows, STs blow. The new DT will change this whole def once he gets going. He will stop the runs up the middle and allow our pass rushers to move back outside. I truly believe our def will improve in the second half. It's not how you start but how you finish and we should get better later in the season on both sides of the ball. These rookie LB,s should improve after a few games. I'm not sad with 5-3 but with even a avg def we would be 7-1. Briggs coming back, the new DT, the rookies improving after getting some playing time. All good things. We may finish strong and that's what I see happening.

 

[anotheridiot]

I really hope this thing gets blown up on defense. We have watched the cover two give up drives for too many years now. I know shea had a dominant game, but him standing in a 3-4 would have him dominant every week. Peppers and Wooten have shown they might be better inside.

I guess just being an old fart watching buddy ryan completely go different with the 4-6 defense and defining domination just wants us to have a d that leads and does not follow.

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

I really hope this thing gets blown up on defense. We have watched the cover two give up drives for too many years now. I know shea had a dominant game, but him standing in a 3-4 would have him dominant every week. Peppers and Wooten have shown they might be better inside.

I guess just being an old fart watching buddy ryan completely go different with the 4-6 defense and defining domination just wants us to have a d that leads and does not follow.

I don't get it. Buddy Ryan ran 4 and 5 down lineman sets....and what the fuck does standing up have to do with HELPING beating an O lineman? Do you understand even the first thing about football?

 

[beardown07]

D line was better because they knew they were basically running every down. Bostic got some good hits on Lacy seemed to be going sideline to sideline, not credited with many tackles though, only 4, only 59 tackles for the entire defense, wright led with 8.

Conte looked terrible, only 2 tackles. They say when the line plays better the safeties wont look so bad, well the d line played better and still the safeties were horrible.

I was most impressed with that 18 play drive and Forte staying in bounds to keep the clock running, mccarthy only used time outs starting with less than a minute to play. That is what we have sorely missed over the past 5 seasons, that four minute drill, last night was almost 9.

Can the offense carry the defense and special teams?

They did verify Rodgers with a broken collarbone, why he didnt come back out with at least a sling though, who is to say. Maybe he was supposed to keep his hand in his pocket.

I don't get the bolded?

 

[beardown07]

Are you saying GB was more predictable?

Hmmm...maybe? But sacks are sacks. Pressure is pressure.

I'm talking about pressure on the QB. When they passed, there was pretty consistent pressure, all night. That's good, right? LOL

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

I don't get the bolded?

don't fault yourself my friend. The bolded comment is nonsensical. It is as if defensive linemen don't read keys and don't act differently towards the O linemen depending on whether it is a run or a pass. you can obviously be the judge of that for yourself, as you already clearly have.

 

[wood20ks]

D line was better because they knew they were basically running every down. Bostic got some good hits on Lacy seemed to be going sideline to sideline, not credited with many tackles though, only 4, only 59 tackles for the entire defense, wright led with 8.

Conte looked terrible, only 2 tackles. They say when the line plays better the safeties wont look so bad, well the d line played better and still the safeties were horrible.

I was most impressed with that 18 play drive and Forte staying in bounds to keep the clock running, mccarthy only used time outs starting with less than a minute to play. That is what we have sorely missed over the past 5 seasons, that four minute drill, last night was almost 9.

Can the offense carry the defense and special teams?

They did verify Rodgers with a broken collarbone, why he didnt come back out with at least a sling though, who is to say. Maybe he was supposed to keep his hand in his pocket.

Or maybe he had a hole in that pocket........

 

[wood20ks]

The offense is ahead of where I thought we would be at the halfway point. We have more talent on offense then anytime in Bear history. The Def is far off where anyone expected. Tucker blows, STs blow. The new DT will change this whole def once he gets going. He will stop the runs up the middle and allow our pass rushers to move back outside. I truly believe our def will improve in the second half. It's not how you start but how you finish and we should get better later in the season on both sides of the ball. These rookie LB,s should improve after a few games. I'm not sad with 5-3 but with even a avg def we would be 7-1. Briggs coming back, the new DT, the rookies improving after getting some playing time. All good things. We may finish strong and that's what I see happening.

I don`t know joe...........Thats hard to say with the difference in the way offenses are ran anymore.
The 70`s hell yes.That was a horrendous decade even with payton.The years previous of that,I don`t know,Id have to do research and really don`t care to.lol
As for the 80`s,that o-line was probably the best ever we had.
No question here who the better rb was..........
QB.....mcMahon was more of a leader than Jay has ever been,but mcMahon was injury prone all the time too.I was at two games where he had the freak injury(lacerated kidney) and then the charles martin slam to the turf.I always will say if Jimmy Mac had never been out for the season in 86 and 87,Bears definetley could have won back to back and possible a 3rd straight SB..........
As for wrs,I may give you that,but it was a different era when passing was not as it is today.
Te same as above,but Mooehead was good te as bennett has been for us.
Its just way to much research for me to deem this years offense being the best ever.It`s your opinion and I have no qualms with it.

 

[beardown07]

Definitely the most talent on O....now whether that translates into our best O ever? Debatable.

 

[55briggs]

It has to be one of our best Offenses in our history. The line is good, and we have 4-5 guys who consistantly catch passes even when their not open, they are just getting started right now. I think we can do better on offense than we have already . alot of potential still. The OC Kromer should be getting some credit now. Too bad we don't have a good defensive coach.

 

[richig07]

In the modern era (SB Era)... yeah, I'd have to say that overall this offense has the most talent of any Bears team.

Which isn't saying much, but nevertheless... it's true.

In the mid-80's the Bears had Payton, a great O-line, and an efficient QB (when healthy). However, they did not possess the skill players that the Bears currently have at the WR or TE position. Plus, this O-line is REALLY starting to look sharp. The Bears of the mid-80's also didn't have a QB capable of making plays like Cutler is. McMahon was good, but Cutler has a chance to be great in this offense over the next few years if things fall in place.

The 2006 Bears had a great O-line as well, and were very fundamentally sound. Unfortunately, the QB play capped the ceiling for what otherwise could have been a great offense.

 

[63bears40]

The current Bears have the POTENTIAL to break every record in the Bears book. Simply because the change of the game. No D.
The 85 Bears had a very good WR corp. Gault ( Devin Hester who could actually play WR), Mckinnen who was 1 of the toughest WRs we ever had, and Gentry in the slot .
Tried to look it up, but failed.
But the year Kramer was directing Conway, and others was probably their best O season.

 

[NCChiFan]

The O is having to win us games, man is that such a weird feeling... I'm not used to this concept. In years past it was always, I hope the O doesn't blow it for the D. Hope the O doesn't turn over the ball, I hope the O runs the ball a lot, anything but pass it.

So weird.