Week 6: Bears @ Arizona - Monday, Oct. 16th, 7:30 pm CT

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Monday Night Football - University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ.

 

GO BEARS!

 

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/d8/full.getty-71465316pm027_buffalo_bills_6_15_51_pm.jpg

 

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/d9/full.getty-71465316pm024_buffalo_bills_5_21_19_pm.jpg

[Banedon]

Last game before the bye week. Bye weeks make me sad.

[da bears]

Last game before the bye week. Bye weeks make me sad.

 

Yeah, whoever invented the bye week sucks. It's gonna be a long wait until next Monday night. At least we get to see those Monday Night Football commercials featuring da Bears this week.

[Brian]

I love the team picture :D

 

8 day wait and then 2 weeks off :(

[UMFan83]

Well the good news is that minor injuries won't be a huge concern this week.

 

My prediction:

 

Bears 31 Cardinals 13

[EricG]

I need tickets to this game. Stupid sellouts. With the way the Cardinals season is going maybe I can get tickets cheap.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

That stadium is awesome.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Bears 38

Cardinals 6

[UMFan83]

I need tickets to this game. Stupid sellouts. With the way the Cardinals season is going maybe I can get tickets cheap.

 

Just wait until midway through the first quarter. My guess is that when the Bears are up 24-0, a lot of late arriving Cardinal fans won't even bother and sell you their tickets for cheap. The bad news is you will only get to see maybe a quarter of Grossman action before Griese comes in.

[Balsa]

And now for the foregone concluSHUN that is tah-day's game.

 

http://img.snlarc.jt.org/arc/char/George%20Wendt-Bob%20Swerski.jpg

 

My prediction is

 

Bears 35

Cardinals 3

[UMFan83]

Pictures

 

http://peninsulaclarion.com/images/101501/CARDINALS_BEARSLR.jpg

 

http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/34/348472.jpg

 

Meh, pictures are bad but they are hard to find on Google image search if they aren't a division rival. Oh well, keeping the tradition alive.

[CubmanPi]

Leinert was looking pretty studly today, and he has a raw talent on a level that the Bears' D hasn't encountered too many times. Plus, the Bears D showed at the beginning and end of the second half today just how quickly and severely they can go flat. I also don't think TJ is the back that his numbers seem to keep suggesting. Cardinals fight to keep this one close, and an untimely turnover late in the game is just enough for the rookie QB in AZ to hand the mighty Bears their first loss, 16-13.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(reverse jinx)

[Brian]

fyi, Mr. Gould is holding steady in my avatar until he misses.

[UMFan83]

fyi, Mr. Gould is holding steady in my avatar until he misses.

 

He did sorta miss today...the refs just love the Bears so much.

[Brian]

i'm going by the record book, all that matters :)

[burnt out cubbie fan]

I'm calling 2 sacks for Tommie Harris, 2 for Alex Brown, 1 for Mark Anderson, 1 for Tank Johnson, and 1 for Israel Idonije (just for ish and giggles). Oh yeah, 38-10 Da Bears.

[Banedon]

Ya know, with the Bears doing so well, I wonder if they'd try to do a superfans sketch again? It wouldn't be the same without Chris Farley though.

[goonys evil twin]

The Bears are giving 10 points, on the road. San Diego is the next biggest road favorite, giving 9 points.

 

The Bears are just freaking amazing. I thought they had a chance to be excellent if Grossman just had an average season. But a good Grossman, let alone a fantastic Grossman, makes this team a freaking force.

[soapy]

I've really been trying to temper my enthusiasm thus far, but it's getting tough. I couldn't have imagined they'd be as dominant as they have been so far. This could be a season to remember.

[goonys evil twin]

I've really been trying to temper my enthusiasm thus far, but it's getting tough. I couldn't have imagined they'd be as dominant as they have been so far. This could be a season to remember.

 

I think it's already a lock to be a season to remember, either because of the team going all the way, or with a big disappointing collapse. You can't start 5-0 with this big of a point differential, and just fade away.

[CubmanPi]

I've really been trying to temper my enthusiasm thus far, but it's getting tough. I couldn't have imagined they'd be as dominant as they have been so far. This could be a season to remember.

 

I think it's already a lock to be a season to remember, either because of the team going all the way, or with a big disappointing collapse. You can't start 5-0 with this big of a point differential, and just fade away.

Very true. I've been trying to keep my enthusiasm down a bit too, probably because Cubs fans are genetically predisposed to expect disappointment, but I no longer think it's too early to call for Miami or bust.

[bukie]

The Bears' point differential through 5 games is the second largest in NFL history. The 1999 Rams outscored their opponents by a total of 123 points after 5 games.

 

No team has ever finished with both the #1 scoring offense and the #1 scoring defense, which the Bears currently sport. And Robbie Gould just set a team record for consecutive FGs to start the season, and leads the NFL in points. And Devin Hester leads the NFL in punt return yards, and is tied for the league lead in return TDs.

 

From here on out, the expectations are at a new level.

 

EDIT: The differential is the second largest in NFL history since the merger. The 1941 Bears outscored their first 5 opponents 209-52, a 157 point margin, highlighted by outscoring the Cardinals and Lions 102-7 in weeks 3 and 4.

Edited October 9, 2006 by bukie

[CubColtPacer]

Enjoy it while it lasts Bear fans. It's quite a ride. I've been comparing the 2006 Bears team to the 2005 Colts team.

Both have had one side of the ball that have been built up methodically into a juggernaut

Both the year before had a great one side of the ball, and a bad other side-but both sides struggled in the playoff loss

Both sides then got a breakout performace from their weak side (2005 Colts D starters only gave up 1 TD through their first 5 games, Bears O has been wonderful)

Both teams have a huge free agent on the strong side of the team where it is highly debated how important they really are to the team and if they should even be considered to be re-signed (Edge, Briggs)

 

I would never wish what happened to us last year to happen to you-to play your worst game in the playoff game, and just fall a little short (although I hope the Colts and Bears meet up in the SB, and you know who I will be rooting for then).

 

Also, try to not raise expectations too high-most of the Colts fans I talk to cannot even enjoy this season because they got used to all the blowouts the Colts had last year. Enjoy a win over any team regardless of the score-and stay on for the ride!

[goonys evil twin]

If I had my choice I'd always prefer my defense to be the juggernaut side of the ball, and the offense to be the formerly bad and presently improving side.

[Banedon]

Per Jay Mariotti, Sports Illustrated was at the game this weekend, and it seems he expects a cover story.