NFC Championship: Bears vs. Saints - Sun Jan 21, 2 pm CST

[CuseCubFan69]

One thing that I think could be a factor is this game is if the Saint receivers finish or run out their routes if they are secondary receivers. I thought the Seahawk receivers did a horrible job of doing that. They just glided around without a purpose if they were not the #1 option and when Hassleback got in trouble did a very poor job of trying to get open. If the Saint WR's can do that, they have a good chance to win.

 

Also, does Alexander always turtle when he's about to be hit?

Edited January 16, 2007 by CuseCubFan69

[Soriano12]

One thing that I think could be a factor is this game is if the Saint receivers finish or run out their routes if they are secondary receivers. I thought the Seahawk receivers did a horrible job of doing that. They just glided around without a purpose if they were not the #1 option and when Hassleback got in trouble did a very poor job of trying to get open.

 

Good point. Seattle's receivers are terrible.

 

 

I really hope the Bears consider using Tillman as a shadow on Colston like the Giants game. Shadow Colston and gang up to stop the run. Make Brees beat you with his secondary WR's and TE's. He very well may, but I don't want to see Colston making big catches over Vasher and Manning Jr.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

Updated weather forecast for Sunday: Partly sunny. High: 33 degrees. Low: 24 degrees.

 

For those who live in cold weather areas, you all know that you can actually feel the difference between 33 degrees and 26 degrees. So the weather is turning slightly better if you're New Orleans. This will more than likely change again by sunday though.

[hardcorecubfan]

Tired of this PC crap with New Awleens or however you pronounce it. The "WHAT a wonderful story they have for the City" has gotten on my last nerve.

 

I hope the Bears destroy them and then their owner moves them to San Antonio.

 

(It's already been a tough Tuesday)

 

Well, don't you dare think that Saints fans give a crap about the feel good story. It pisses us the hell off. Most of my friends and I were born Saints fans and raised diehard Saints fans who follow all the stats, players, and watch every game, etc.

 

It sucks to have the attention diverted away from a good football TEAM and focused on a good STORY.

 

As Cubs fans, we've followed their stats, players, schedules, and scores for years and years now, just waiting for the time when we can revel in the fact that we have a good team and look forward to something good coming from the Cubbies. What if all that patience and devotion were suddenly thrown to the wind thanks to a "feel good story".

 

It's bullcrap.

 

Honestly though, there was so much talk about the Saints possibly moving, does this anull (sp) the idea or will this be a case like Baltimore Colts and Cleveland (original) Browns and he will sneak the team out of town?

[Andy]

OMC's sig just made me a bigger Saints bandwagoneer

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

I don't see how there is any way he can move the team now. Not with all the Katrina talk and all that. He'd become public enemy number 1 throughout most of the country. For as much as we don't like to hear about it, the Saints playing in the Superdome was a huge moment for that city. It showed that they were rebuilding, and that the city wasn't gone.

[OleMissCub]

 

Honestly though, there was so much talk about the Saints possibly moving, does this anull (sp) the idea or will this be a case like Baltimore Colts and Cleveland (original) Browns and he will sneak the team out of town?

 

His house would be burned to the ground, his kittens stomped, and he'd be thrown into the river with alligator bait wrapped around his body if he did that.

 

Not happening.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

OMC's sig just made me a bigger Saints bandwagoneer

 

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/580/1226138wi4.jpg

 

 

Still a Saints fan??

 

OleMissCub is cheating. He knows the Honeybears have been gone for a while. We can't retaliate. :lol:

[Soul]

 

Honestly though, there was so much talk about the Saints possibly moving, does this anull (sp) the idea or will this be a case like Baltimore Colts and Cleveland (original) Browns and he will sneak the team out of town?

 

His house would be burned to the ground, his kittens stomped, and he'd be thrown into the river with alligator bait wrapped around his body if he did that.

 

Not happening.

 

After NO fixed the Super Dome for him, there's just no way. That entire city would hunt him down and chop him into little pieces. It would make Modell look like the Pope.

[hardcorecubfan]

 

Honestly though, there was so much talk about the Saints possibly moving, does this anull (sp) the idea or will this be a case like Baltimore Colts and Cleveland (original) Browns and he will sneak the team out of town?

 

His house would be burned to the ground, his kittens stomped, and he'd be thrown into the river with alligator bait wrapped around his body if he did that.

 

Not happening.

 

After NO fixed the Super Dome for him, there's just no way. That entire city would hunt him down and chop him into little pieces. It would make Modell look like the Pope.

 

Ya, I lived in cleveland area when it happened and we thought the same thing and the NFL sided with Modell. His family is still not welcomed in that city.

[YearofDaCubs]

Yea... It's pretty much assinine to point to last year at all when the team added the best QB in the league this year and a top RB, the two most important positions on offense.

Aaron Brooks to Drew Brees that's all you need to know :) I'm also impressed with Deuce. The guy had a torn ACL last year and has been very solid for them. Very impressive considering most people need a full year to get back to where they were.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

 

Honestly though, there was so much talk about the Saints possibly moving, does this anull (sp) the idea or will this be a case like Baltimore Colts and Cleveland (original) Browns and he will sneak the team out of town?

 

His house would be burned to the ground, his kittens stomped, and he'd be thrown into the river with alligator bait wrapped around his body if he did that.

 

Not happening.

 

After NO fixed the Super Dome for him, there's just no way. That entire city would hunt him down and chop him into little pieces. It would make Modell look like the Pope.

 

Ya, I lived in cleveland area when it happened and we thought the same thing and the NFL sided with Modell. His family is still not welcomed in that city.

 

How is being banned from Cleveland a bad thing?

[CP_414]

I cannot believe it is only Tuesday. This week is going way too slow.

 

No practice for the Bears today just weights and film. Anyone know anything about Bradley's injury yet?

 

GO BEARS!

[YearofDaCubs]

I cannot believe it is only Tuesday. This week is going way too slow.

 

No practice for the Bears today just weights and film. Anyone know anything about Bradley's injury yet?

 

GO BEARS!

They are saying he will not be available to play on Sunday.

[treebird]

interesting fact: if you're like me and think the bears have no chance of winning, the week doesn't go by slowly and you don't have to be nervous all the time.

 

kind of sucks for other reasons though : (

[David]

I don't get where all the Saints fear has been coming from. Yes, they have weapons on offense. Scary ones. That aside, their defense is weak, and they barely eeked out a win against the Eagles at home last week.

 

How are some people suddenly thinking they're going to come into Soldier Field and mow the Bears down (I'm not referring to anyone on here in particular, but I'm sensing that this is a common perception among NFL fans)?

 

The game is a toss up, and it is going to come down to who plays a better game on this particular Sunday (yea, I know, obviously). It's that simple.

[OleMissCub]

I don't get where all the Saints fear has been coming from. Yes, they have weapons on offense. Scary ones. That aside, their defense is weak

 

Saints defense is weak? They are 11th in the NFL, and over the last 5 regular season games, not including the throwaway Carolina game where our starters only played one series, the Saints have only given up an average of 12.6 points per game.

 

Over that same 5 game stretch, not including the throwaway game against the Packers, the Bears defense gave up 21.8 points per game. Less than a month ago, the Bears defense gave up 31 points to the 29th ranked offense in the NFL.

 

they barely eeked out a win against the Eagles at home last week.

 

Kinda like the Bears barely eeked out a win against the Seahawks? The Eagles had the 2nd highest ranked offense in the NFL; Seattle the 19th ranked offense.

 

How are some people suddenly thinking they're going to come into Soldier Field and mow the Bears down (I'm not referring to anyone on here in particular, but I'm sensing that this is a common perception among NFL fans)?

 

That's why.

[Sammy Sofa]

Hey, I'm still not optimistic about the Bears winning. I had to be convinced they won last week even after Gould's kick was good. The Saints are far from perfect and I love the Bears, but it's the playoffs...the Bears have a ton of really glaring flaws that can potentially bite them in their behinds hard this time of year. I'm not saying the Saints can cruise, but they don't have the same QB issues and their defense hasn't plummeted from superhumanly awesome to "thank God for this schedule/home field advantage!" over the course of the season.

[David]

Wow. You don't need to prove anything as far as the Saints are concerned. I'm plenty nervous about this game myself.

 

None of what you said, NONE of it, points to the Saints coming into Soldier Field and decisively beating the #1 seed in the conference championship game. I never said the Saints have no chance to win, or even little chance. I stated that whoever plays a better game is going to win (an obvious point, I know, but one that seems to be lost on a lot of people).

 

But the fact is that people left and right are predicting the Saints to come in and roll through the Bears. That is ridiculous. Even a good amoutn of Bears fans are acting like the season is over already. Saints fans should be just as nervous about this game as Bears fans. You admitted as much yourself.

 

 

Don't gimme that stuff about the Bears/Bucs game either. You know (at least, if you saw the game) that the Bears had that game flat out dominated and a couple of lucky big plays after the game was in the bag resulted in the OT and the high point allowed total. I would hope you also know that the Bears secondary was nowhere near in tact for the last 4 or 5 games of the season.

 

You point out that the Bears barely eeked out a win at home against the Seahawks as if I didn't know it already. The difference is nobody is predicting (nor am I) this as a clear Bear victory.

 

They beat the Eagles 27-24, and could have easily lost, people.

 

EDITED- TO MAKE SENSE

Edited January 16, 2007 by David

[CP_414]

I don't get where all the Saints fear has been coming from. Yes, they have weapons on offense. Scary ones. That aside, their defense is weak

 

Saints defense is weak? They are 11th in the NFL, and over the last 5 regular season games, not including the throwaway Carolina game where our starters only played one series, the Saints have only given up an average of 12.6 points per game.

 

Over that same 5 game stretch, not including the throwaway game against the Packers, the Bears defense gave up 21.8 points per game. Less than a month ago, the Bears defense gave up 31 points to the 29th ranked offense in the NFL.

 

they barely eeked out a win against the Eagles at home last week.

 

Kinda like the Bears barely eeked out a win against the Seahawks? The Eagles had the 2nd highest ranked offense in the NFL; Seattle the 19th ranked offense.

 

How are some people suddenly thinking they're going to come into Soldier Field and mow the Bears down (I'm not referring to anyone on here in particular, but I'm sensing that this is a common perception among NFL fans)?

 

That's why.

 

If the Saints are so strong how did they go 5-5 in their last 10 regular season games? How did they lose what seemed like a must-win game to the Redskins...at home? Why aren't we playing this game in New Orleans?

 

Listen, the Saints are a good team. They are the second best team in the NFC, but this Saints lovefest is absurd. The Bears finished 2 full games ahead of them in the NFC. Both teams played the same number of games against playoff teams and both won the same number of those games. The Saints are capable of beating the Bears, but if they do so it will be an upset. The Bears are the better team and they have been so all season long. Everyone fears the Saints offense, and it is very good, but the Bears outscored them this season.

[goonys evil twin]

 

Saints defense is weak? They are 11th in the NFL, and over the last 5 regular season games, not including the throwaway Carolina game where our starters only played one series, the Saints have only given up an average of 12.6 points per game.

 

Over that same 5 game stretch, not including the throwaway game against the Packers, the Bears defense gave up 21.8 points per game. Less than a month ago, the Bears defense gave up 31 points to the 29th ranked offense in the NFL.

 

The Bears had been playing throwaway games for a month. Those two situations aren't even close to comparable.

 

You didn't point out anything that would suggest New Orleans should mow the Bears down. And this new trend of only talking about the most recent games is quite amusing. That's the same logic that had people picking the Eagles as the most complete, and most dangerous NFC team entering the playoffs. It's also why the Colts stood no chance to advance. The Saints are quite a flawed team. They lost to a bad Redskins team when the postseason positioning was still in doubt. They lost 6 games this year, to some very good, very mediocre and very bad teams. They've given up a lot of points to a lot of Only one of those losses can truly be considered throwaway. I think its pretty clear the Bears could hand them number 7 without anything out of the ordinary happening.

 

Obviously this Bears team has its flaws, and Vegas is quite justified in only making them a 2.5 point favorite. I'll just say that I'm enjoying seeing the football world basically hand this game to the Saints, saying they are clearly the better team, and that its up to the Bears to prove people wrong.

 

This is a very evenly matched ballgame. I don't see any reason why one side would think they're poised to mow down the other side, besides wanting to be a blowhard.

[Banedon]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=teamrush&pos=def&league=nfl&season=2&year=2006

 

NO has the 23rd ranked rushing defense.

[David]

 

Saints defense is weak? They are 11th in the NFL, and over the last 5 regular season games, not including the throwaway Carolina game where our starters only played one series, the Saints have only given up an average of 12.6 points per game.

 

Over that same 5 game stretch, not including the throwaway game against the Packers, the Bears defense gave up 21.8 points per game. Less than a month ago, the Bears defense gave up 31 points to the 29th ranked offense in the NFL.

 

The Bears had been playing throwaway games for a month. Those two situations aren't even close to comparable.

 

You didn't point out anything that would suggest New Orleans should mow the Bears down. And this new trend of only talking about the most recent games is quite amusing. That's the same logic that had people picking the Eagles as the most complete, and most dangerous NFC team entering the playoffs. It's also why the Colts stood no chance to advance. The Saints are quite a flawed team. They lost to a bad Redskins team when the postseason positioning was still in doubt. They lost 6 games this year, to some very good, very mediocre and very bad teams. They've given up a lot of points to a lot of Only one of those losses can truly be considered throwaway. I think its pretty clear the Bears could hand them number 7 without anything out of the ordinary happening.

 

Obviously this Bears team has its flaws, and Vegas is quite justified in only making them a 2.5 point favorite. I'll just say that I'm enjoying seeing the football world basically hand this game to the Saints, saying they are clearly the better team, and that its up to the Bears to prove people wrong.

 

This is a very evenly matched ballgame. I don't see any reason why one side would think they're poised to mow down the other side, besides wanting to be a blowhard.

 

Thank you, goony. This is exactly what I'm trying to say.

[CDBears1259]

 

Saints defense is weak? They are 11th in the NFL, and over the last 5 regular season games, not including the throwaway Carolina game where our starters only played one series, the Saints have only given up an average of 12.6 points per game.

 

Over that same 5 game stretch, not including the throwaway game against the Packers, the Bears defense gave up 21.8 points per game. Less than a month ago, the Bears defense gave up 31 points to the 29th ranked offense in the NFL.

 

The Bears had been playing throwaway games for a month. Those two situations aren't even close to comparable.

 

You didn't point out anything that would suggest New Orleans should mow the Bears down. And this new trend of only talking about the most recent games is quite amusing. That's the same logic that had people picking the Eagles as the most complete, and most dangerous NFC team entering the playoffs. It's also why the Colts stood no chance to advance. The Saints are quite a flawed team. They lost to a bad Redskins team when the postseason positioning was still in doubt. They lost 6 games this year, to some very good, very mediocre and very bad teams. They've given up a lot of points to a lot of Only one of those losses can truly be considered throwaway. I think its pretty clear the Bears could hand them number 7 without anything out of the ordinary happening.

 

Obviously this Bears team has its flaws, and Vegas is quite justified in only making them a 2.5 point favorite. I'll just say that I'm enjoying seeing the football world basically hand this game to the Saints, saying they are clearly the better team, and that its up to the Bears to prove people wrong.

 

This is a very evenly matched ballgame. I don't see any reason why one side would think they're poised to mow down the other side, besides wanting to be a blowhard.

Well said. =D>

[OleMissCub]

The Bears are the better team and they have been so all season long.

 

How do you figure? Our offense is ranked higher than your defense, and our defense is ranked higher than your offense.

 

Besides, the Bears were DEAD LAST in strength of schedule this year. The Saints were 3rd highest.

 

You beat a team in the Seahawks who were ranked 19th in the NFL and had lost 3 of their last 5 games, and only beat the Cowboys because Romo messed up.

 

Whereas the Saints beat the Eagles, the 9th ranked team in the NFL, who had won their last 6 games.