Week 8: Bears vs San Francisco - Sunday, Oct. 29th, 12 pm CT

[Magnetic Curses]

Rivera has already said he's not going to alter the defense for anyone. If they go up against Steve Smith again, it's going to be the same defensive alignment---count on it.

 

This scares me too, because Seattles' defense really isn't all that special, yet they shut down Carolina and Smitty with no trouble because, well....Carolina is a one-trick pony and can be easily stopped with a few defensive tweaks.

 

But we won't make those tweaks, so we struggle against some teams.

 

the bears defense is personnel-contingent. they allow the players to make the adjustments on the field. without brown, those adjustments might not be made correctly.

[Banedon]

their strategy was just to get it to boldin, who would "post up" our CBs, or just run right by our linebackers, which he did often when he had the ball. there was little we could do to stop it. there isn't another receiver in the game like him, so i'm not worried.

 

Isn't Steve Smith pretty similar? Carolina still worries me if we were to meet them in the playoffs.

 

not really. boldin is about 4 inches taller and about 40 pounds heavier. the announcers had it right on, he's a lot like sterling sharpe used to be, only faster.

 

steve smith is a guy that uses his elusiveness to find the holes in the defense. boldin will run right up to the DB, use his body to seal the defensive player off, catch the ball, break a tackle and run by everyone else. guys like plaxico burress, moose, keyshawn johnson, and randy moss all are big, but don't have the bulk, agility, or strength of an anquan boldin.

 

Fair enough...doesn't make me less afraid of Smith though... :P

[gflore34]

Rivera has already said he's not going to alter the defense for anyone. If they go up against Steve Smith again, it's going to be the same defensive alignment---count on it.

 

This scares me too, because Seattles' defense really isn't all that special, yet they shut down Carolina and Smitty with no trouble because, well....Carolina is a one-trick pony and can be easily stopped with a few defensive tweaks.

 

But we won't make those tweaks, so we struggle against some teams.

 

Watching what Seattle did in the NFC Championship, I kept thinking why didn't the Bears do the same? It appeared Seattle double-teamed Smith and dared Carolina to throw to anyone else.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

their strategy was just to get it to boldin, who would "post up" our CBs, or just run right by our linebackers, which he did often when he had the ball. there was little we could do to stop it. there isn't another receiver in the game like him, so i'm not worried.

 

Isn't Steve Smith pretty similar? Carolina still worries me if we were to meet them in the playoffs.

 

not really. boldin is about 4 inches taller and about 40 pounds heavier. the announcers had it right on, he's a lot like sterling sharpe used to be, only faster.

 

steve smith is a guy that uses his elusiveness to find the holes in the defense. boldin will run right up to the DB, use his body to seal the defensive player off, catch the ball, break a tackle and run by everyone else. guys like plaxico burress, moose, keyshawn johnson, and randy moss all are big, but don't have the bulk, agility, or strength of an anquan boldin.

 

Fair enough...doesn't make me less afraid of Smith though... :P

 

Sulley is right, they're two different players. You're right, both of them can torch the Bears, especially in the cover two.

[Chocolate Milk]

Let's not forget that on Steve Smith's 3 big play's, 2 of them had the corner slipping and falling down and the other Tillman was in position to make a play on the ball and it was just a great play by Smith to hold on. I'm not saying Steve Smith shouldn't be a concern, but I doubt we'd to Chris Thompson lining up on him.

[badger1679666666]

their strategy was just to get it to boldin, who would "post up" our CBs, or just run right by our linebackers, which he did often when he had the ball. there was little we could do to stop it. there isn't another receiver in the game like him, so i'm not worried.

 

Isn't Steve Smith pretty similar? Carolina still worries me if we were to meet them in the playoffs.

 

not really. boldin is about 4 inches taller and about 40 pounds heavier. the announcers had it right on, he's a lot like sterling sharpe used to be, only faster.

 

steve smith is a guy that uses his elusiveness to find the holes in the defense. boldin will run right up to the DB, use his body to seal the defensive player off, catch the ball, break a tackle and run by everyone else. guys like plaxico burress, moose, keyshawn johnson, and randy moss all are big, but don't have the bulk, agility, or strength of an anquan boldin.

 

He'd be a good player for a biddy-basketball league coach to use to teach his kids how to post up and box out.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

SI rates their top 10 rookies so far: link.

 

9. PR Devin Hester

4. DE Mark Anderson

1. RB Reggie Bush <-- :shock:

[CubmanPi]

Just keeping this on the front page. We let it slip off during the week before the Cards game, and that was almost catastrophic.

 

I'll open the bidding with Bears 27, 49ers 6

[UMFan83]

Just keeping this on the front page. We let it slip off during the week before the Cards game, and that was almost catastrophic.

 

I'll open the bidding with Bears 27, 49ers 6

 

I predict we come out rusty after the bye week. Grossman has a much better game, but the running game is anemic, leading to a high number of stalled drives.

 

Bears 20 49ers 10

 

Grossman 17/29 235 yards 2 TD 0 INT

Jones 17 carries 60 yards

Benson 12 carries 34 yards

[Soul]

Rivera has already said he's not going to alter the defense for anyone. If they go up against Steve Smith again, it's going to be the same defensive alignment---count on it.

 

This scares me too, because Seattles' defense really isn't all that special, yet they shut down Carolina and Smitty with no trouble because, well....Carolina is a one-trick pony and can be easily stopped with a few defensive tweaks.

 

But we won't make those tweaks, so we struggle against some teams.

 

Watching what Seattle did in the NFC Championship, I kept thinking why didn't the Bears do the same? It appeared Seattle double-teamed Smith and dared Carolina to throw to anyone else.

 

....which is all you have to do to stop Carolina. It's really very simple. They stink without Smith. Double him and they wouldn't sniff the endzone against us.

 

I mean, having a philosophy and sticking with it is fine. But there's a limit. When you have one player who can blow you up, you've got to make the adjustment.

 

If this is how Rivera plans on running his own team next year, then I fear he won't experience much success.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Bears 34

49ers 9

[CubmanPi]

Are the Bears winning yet??

 

 

 

I hate this week. :(

[Banedon]

Are the Bears winning yet??

 

 

 

I hate this week. :(

 

After Monday night, I'm ok with another week to recover...heh.

[CubmanPi]

That's what I was saying all week, but now that all those "other" teams are playing, I miss them again.

[UMFan83]

That's alright in about 20 minutes I'm going to pretend that our noon game this week is over and we are officially in preparation for SF next week!

[CubmanPi]

A friend of mine is getting married on Sunday the 29th. The first thing I did was make sure it didn't coincide with the Bears game. Then I told him sure, I'll be there :D

[Fred Hornkohl]

A friend of mine is getting married on Sunday the 29th. The first thing I did was make sure it didn't coincide with the Bears game. Then I told him sure, I'll be there :D

 

After that fiasco in Atlanta 2 years ago, it's good to see you're learning !! :wink:

 

btw...... I'm in Augusta, and you're not. Go figure !

[Soul]

Bears 34

49ers 9

 

....only if Wale can play and somebody steps up to take Mike Brown's place.

 

Otherwise, we will be giving up more points in future games if we must play minus 2 pro bowlers every week.

[CubmanPi]

A friend of mine is getting married on Sunday the 29th. The first thing I did was make sure it didn't coincide with the Bears game. Then I told him sure, I'll be there :D

 

After that fiasco in Atlanta 2 years ago, it's good to see you're learning !! :wink:

 

btw...... I'm in Augusta, and you're not. Go figure !

I still hold that weekend against him, not only for the Cubs losing, but that he should have perceived the bad omen for his marriage. (I know it's harsh, but one of the first pics he sent me of their daughter was when he let his wife dress her up in a little Yankees getup. If only he knew then what he knows now...)

 

Enjoy that paper mill smell!

[CubmanPi]

Bears 34

49ers 9

 

....only if Wale can play and somebody steps up to take Mike Brown's place.

 

Otherwise, we will be giving up more points in future games if we must play minus 2 pro bowlers every week.

I'm optimistic that Todd Johnson will do well. He's definitely no Mike Brown, and the defense will suffer at least a little in his absence, but he'll have had plenty of time to practice knowing he's the full-time replacement, and this isn't exactly a bad team against which to get his feet wet. Hopefully Rex's head-removal surgery went well and he will give the defense a little room for error this week.

[UMFan83]

Wale will play. I think Lovie said that if it was a playoff game, he could have played before the bye. 4 weeks off should be enough to get him back in there

[Banedon]

I'm deluding myself into thinking that the Mike Brown injury won't have a huge effect. With the exception of the fumble return for a TD last week, Brown had been extremely quiet overall this season. I'm hoping Todd can fill that hole adequately. That said, you know they'll go right at him.

[goonys evil twin]

Bears are currently favored by 16.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Bears are currently favored by 16.

 

that's a lot of points for looking pretty bad on Monday night.

[goonys evil twin]

Bears are currently favored by 16.

 

that's a lot of points for looking pretty bad on Monday night.

 

Classic bounce back game expectations.