Divisional Round: Bears vs. Seahawks - Sun Jan 14, 12 pm CST

[USSoccer]

"In this league at this position, you have to bring it every single week no matter what (and) in the situation (against the Packers) it felt like I was going to play about a half, it's the last game, New Year's Eve, and there were so many factors that brought my focus away from what is actually important," Grossman said.

 

I'm sorry, but you're an NFL QB. Don't blame New Year's Eve for a reason why you sucked. Some of these excuses are pretty funny. He should've just said he sucked and moved on. Now everyone is going to say how he shouldn't start because, mentally, he might not be "prepared" for the playoff game.

 

Right. So again, you're going to rip him for saying what everyone already knew about the entire team's performance. The game meant nothing, they prepared and played like it meant nothing to them, and he said as much.

[UMFan83]

I do get what you are saying. If any sport relies on intensity more then the others its football and I think intensity is not something you can just manufacture. But then again, the best in the league seem to bring it almost every game, and when they don't bring it, they aren't absolutely horrible like Grossman has been. If you look at his season as a whole, his numbers are mediocre at best. You can't blame that all on intensity or what not.

 

I realize you were addressing the team as a whole, but I wanted to focus on Grossman

[goonys evil twin]

I have no idea what to think of Grossman now.

 

To be honest, the entire team has motivation problems, and that reflects on the coach.

 

Now all the sudden they don't have the motivation to beat the Packers, a team Lovie said was his #1 goal to beat when he was hired?

 

As much as fans want to beat the Packers, the game was meaningless to the Bears. It's completely understandable why they couldn't beat the Packers. New England couldn't beat Miami a few weeks ago when they had their division all but wrapped up. Good teams can lose games when there is no obvious motivation. It doesn't matter if that is what he said was his number 1 goal. The #1 goal is winning the super bowl. And the result against GB had absolutely zero baring on their ability to win the SB, aside from health.

[da bears]

"In this league at this position, you have to bring it every single week no matter what (and) in the situation (against the Packers) it felt like I was going to play about a half, it's the last game, New Year's Eve, and there were so many factors that brought my focus away from what is actually important," Grossman said.

 

I'm sorry, but you're an NFL QB. Don't blame New Year's Eve for a reason why you sucked. Some of these excuses are pretty funny. He should've just said he sucked and moved on. Now everyone is going to say how he shouldn't start because, mentally, he might not be "prepared" for the playoff game.

 

Right. So again, you're going to rip him for saying what everyone already knew about the entire team's performance. The game meant nothing, they prepared and played like it meant nothing to them, and he said as much.

 

Bingo. Obviously it's troubling that he had that kind of performance, but the game did mean absolutely nothing. I'm gonna say they're gonna be prepared for the playoff game, and if they aren't then they deserve to get bumped in their first game.

[rawaction]

Every single player and coach is at fault for last week. You don't let your QB come into a game laid back like that. You don't let any of your players do that. As a player, you don't take a game this physical that lightly. Every single player and coach risked a major injury by just going thru the motions on Sunday.

 

I don't buy the excuses. Green Bay had nothing to play for. Sure, they had Favre, but his possible retirement has nothing do with the other 53 players.

[USSoccer]

I have no idea what to think of Grossman now.

 

To be honest, the entire team has motivation problems, and that reflects on the coach.

 

Now all the sudden they don't have the motivation to beat the Packers, a team Lovie said was his #1 goal to beat when he was hired?

 

As much as fans want to beat the Packers, the game was meaningless to the Bears. It's completely understandable why they couldn't beat the Packers. New England couldn't beat Miami a few weeks ago when they had their division all but wrapped up. Good teams can lose games when there is no obvious motivation. It doesn't matter if that is what he said was his number 1 goal. The #1 goal is winning the super bowl. And the result against GB had absolutely zero baring on their ability to win the SB, aside from health.

 

Lovie's "#1 goal is Beat Green Bay" mantra was likely fashioned to appeal to the lowest common denominator of fan. It's a stupid goal to have, like "competing within the division" was for the MacPhail Cubs.

 

If the Bears go 14-2 every year and lose to GB twice, I won't bat an eyelash if we win championships.

[Chocolate Milk]

Seriously, I think the way Lovie handled Grossman in the Lions game had a lot to do with what Rex is talking about. Lovie took him out when the game was on the line, without telling him about it before hand:

 

"I thought I was going to play the whole game," Grossman said.

 

He even asked Lovie if he could keep playing and was told that he couldn't.

 

So basically Lovie showed him that winning these games isn't important and he wasn't going to play a lot. I'd also guess he was a little bit bitter about not knowing what the plan was for the Lions game. With all the holidays along with this crap, I can see how his preparation took a dip.

 

I'm not tring to defend Grossman here, he should always be prepared to play, but Lovie sent a pretty strong message that these games don't matter. Especially for Rex.

[Chocolate Milk]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I was listening to a interview of Lovie the other day and he seemed pretty excited to get Hester out of the defensive lineup. It sounds to me like Lovie thinks he's awful out there.

[goonys evil twin]

I do get what you are saying. If any sport relies on intensity more then the others its football and I think intensity is not something you can just manufacture. But then again, the best in the league seem to bring it almost every game, and when they don't bring it, they aren't absolutely horrible like Grossman has been. If you look at his season as a whole, his numbers are mediocre at best. You can't blame that all on intensity or what not.

 

I realize you were addressing the team as a whole, but I wanted to focus on Grossman

 

They may "seem" to bring it, but I don't think they necessarily do. San Diego came as close as anybody to bringing it every week, but they were playing for homefield advantage up until the very last game. And they didn't exactly play perfect football down the stretch (although their record was perfect). Their QB had some 2nd half stinkers as well. New England, the ultimate professional team, suffered an ugly midseason home loss to the inferior rival Jets, and then a humiliating road loss to the bad Dolphins. New Orleans lost to the crappy Redskins and a blah Carolina team down the stretch. Philly had a great stretch run, but they sure didn't bring it every game. Dallas? Uh-uh. NYG? Obviously not. Seattle? No.

 

I think the Bears should have, and could have done a better job this regular season, and so should Rex. But I don't think the Bears, nor Rex, suffered anymore down games than most teams. It's just that when they were ugly, they were really ugly. I don't think you can have a problem with the good/bad game ratio. I do understand having a problem with how bad he and they were in those bad games.

[rawaction]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I was listening to a interview of Lovie the other day and he seemed pretty excited to get Hester out of the defensive lineup. It sounds to me like Lovie thinks he's awful out there.

 

It's not just Lovie. :D

[goonys evil twin]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I was listening to a interview of Lovie the other day and he seemed pretty excited to get Hester out of the defensive lineup. It sounds to me like Lovie thinks he's awful out there.

 

Well, he has a good eye for talent then.

 

Seriously, Hester needs to be a kick returner and occasional offensive weapon. Having him on defense is really bad.

 

And they need to draft defense this April.

[Chocolate Milk]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I was listening to a interview of Lovie the other day and he seemed pretty excited to get Hester out of the defensive lineup. It sounds to me like Lovie thinks he's awful out there.

 

It's not just Lovie. :D

 

Yeah, I disagreed with you about this earlier, but I'm coming around. His entrance into the lineup and our awful passing defensive performance are linked.

[Chocolate Milk]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I was listening to a interview of Lovie the other day and he seemed pretty excited to get Hester out of the defensive lineup. It sounds to me like Lovie thinks he's awful out there.

 

Well, he has a good eye for talent then.

 

Seriously, Hester needs to be a kick returner and occasional offensive weapon. Having him on defense is really bad.

 

And they need to draft defense this April.

 

I agree. I also think that playing defense probably hurts his return ability as well.

 

I'd like to go defense early (SS/OLB) then look to pick up a tackle in the 2nd or 3rd.

[USSoccer]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I was listening to a interview of Lovie the other day and he seemed pretty excited to get Hester out of the defensive lineup. It sounds to me like Lovie thinks he's awful out there.

 

Well, he has a good eye for talent then.

 

Seriously, Hester needs to be a kick returner and occasional offensive weapon. Having him on defense is really bad.

 

And they need to draft defense this April.

 

A safety and another corner would be nice.

[rawaction]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I was listening to a interview of Lovie the other day and he seemed pretty excited to get Hester out of the defensive lineup. It sounds to me like Lovie thinks he's awful out there.

 

It's not just Lovie. :D

 

Yeah, I disagreed with you about this earlier, but I'm coming around. His entrance into the lineup and our awful passing defensive performance are linked.

 

I think the Rams game is dominated if Hester isn't playing Torry Holt all night.

[Chocolate Milk]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I was listening to a interview of Lovie the other day and he seemed pretty excited to get Hester out of the defensive lineup. It sounds to me like Lovie thinks he's awful out there.

 

It's not just Lovie. :D

 

Yeah, I disagreed with you about this earlier, but I'm coming around. His entrance into the lineup and our awful passing defensive performance are linked.

 

I think the Rams game is dominated if Hester isn't playing Torry Holt all night.

 

I think that people underestimate Tillman's impact on the defense. Getting him back is going to make a huge difference, IMO.

[USSoccer]

So is the date of the Bears game going to be determined by their opponent or the network?

[UMFan83]

So is the date of the Bears game going to be determined by their opponent or the network?

 

I believe the speculation is that if the Giants win on Sunday, the Bears game will be Sunday. But if they lose, the winner of Seahawks/Cowboys will play the Bears on Saturday. This kinda sucks because the Bears might only have 6 days to prepare for their opponent.

[USSoccer]

So is the date of the Bears game going to be determined by their opponent or the network?

 

I believe the speculation is that if the Giants win on Sunday, the Bears game will be Sunday. But if they lose, the winner of Seahawks/Cowboys will play the Bears on Saturday. This kinda sucks because the Bears might only have 6 days to prepare for their opponent.

 

I really hope that they play Saturday. I don't want to miss chunks of the game. I can blow off what I'm doing Saturday, but Sunday will be trickier.

[rawaction]

So is the date of the Bears game going to be determined by their opponent or the network?

 

I believe the speculation is that if the Giants win on Sunday, the Bears game will be Sunday. But if they lose, the winner of Seahawks/Cowboys will play the Bears on Saturday. This kinda sucks because the Bears might only have 6 days to prepare for their opponent.

 

I really hope that they play Saturday. I don't want to miss chunks of the game. I can blow off what I'm doing Saturday, but Sunday will be trickier.

 

I'm hoping it's Sunday, because that's when football should be played. Hoping for the 4:00 game too, because my house should be empty then.

[UMFan83]

So is the date of the Bears game going to be determined by their opponent or the network?

 

I believe the speculation is that if the Giants win on Sunday, the Bears game will be Sunday. But if they lose, the winner of Seahawks/Cowboys will play the Bears on Saturday. This kinda sucks because the Bears might only have 6 days to prepare for their opponent.

 

I really hope that they play Saturday. I don't want to miss chunks of the game. I can blow off what I'm doing Saturday, but Sunday will be trickier.

 

I'm hoping it's Sunday, because that's when football should be played. Hoping for the 4:00 game too, because my house should be empty then.

 

Would be nice to be able to watch all the other games before the Bears. I would probably be too depressed to watch the rest of the weekend games if the Bears lost.

[USSoccer]

So is the date of the Bears game going to be determined by their opponent or the network?

 

I believe the speculation is that if the Giants win on Sunday, the Bears game will be Sunday. But if they lose, the winner of Seahawks/Cowboys will play the Bears on Saturday. This kinda sucks because the Bears might only have 6 days to prepare for their opponent.

 

I really hope that they play Saturday. I don't want to miss chunks of the game. I can blow off what I'm doing Saturday, but Sunday will be trickier.

 

I'm hoping it's Sunday, because that's when football should be played. Hoping for the 4:00 game too, because my house should be empty then.

 

4pm on Sunday would be slightly better than the early Sunday game. My daughter's baptism was stupidly scheduled for Sunday at 3pm.

 

What are the times for the weekend games?

[Banedon]

I'm torn...football should always be on a Sunday...it just fits there, but if the game is Saturday, it would have some benefits. I tend to stay up late the night after a game watching highlights shows and whatnot all night...that will be much easier with another day off the next day. Although the game being on Saturday will completely throw my body clock off.

[goonys evil twin]

So is the date of the Bears game going to be determined by their opponent or the network?

 

I believe the speculation is that if the Giants win on Sunday, the Bears game will be Sunday. But if they lose, the winner of Seahawks/Cowboys will play the Bears on Saturday. This kinda sucks because the Bears might only have 6 days to prepare for their opponent.

 

I really hope that they play Saturday. I don't want to miss chunks of the game. I can blow off what I'm doing Saturday, but Sunday will be trickier.

 

I'm hoping it's Sunday, because that's when football should be played. Hoping for the 4:00 game too, because my house should be empty then.

 

4pm on Sunday would be slightly better than the early Sunday game. My daughter's baptism was stupidly scheduled for Sunday at 3pm.

 

What are the times for the weekend games?

 

I'm with raw, hoping for Sunday.

 

What kind of Bears fan allows their kids' baptism to be scheduled on a potential playoff day?

[Chocolate Milk]

Interesting article on playoff success:

 

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/2007/01/04/ramblings/stat-analysis/4785/