Week 2: Bears at Panthers - 12 noon CT, FOX

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Repeat performance plz.

 

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080908/capt.67c3edc6424d4841800e6d227c242bd5.bears_colts_football_nas120.jpg

[UMFan83]

No Steve Smith!!

 

Lookout for a letdown game.

 

Lovie coached a brilliant well thought out game plan against Indy, but he knows Dungy very well and had a lot of time to prepare.

 

The Panthers went into SD and beat the Chargers this week, they are legit. Should be a decent game that could go either way.

[splintersag]

I'm really excited for this game. My birthday, in my state, and I don't have school the next day. It would've been perfect for me to go to see it in person, but NFL tickets are really, really pricey.

 

Anyway, at least I'll catch it on TV. I think Carolina is a good team this year, but if the Bears play near the level that they did today, we're off too a 2-0 start \:D/ .

[Slugger_16]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/graphic/2008-09/42188306.jpg

 

That is some hard hitting journalism by the Tribune there.

[NCCubFan]

I'm going to the game. With both teams pulling off upsets on the road this week the game is suddenly looking more interesting than I previously thought. If the Bears start 2-0 with two road wins over playoff contenders it will definitely be time for people to reassess expectations for this year.

[BigSlick]

Dear Soul,

 

I know I put in a really depressive, thought out post in the previous game thread.

 

The Bears must have heard me from the heavens and delivered me to the promised land. They probably will be mediocre or worse this year, but that win was very very satisfying.

 

Thanks for hanging in there

[Butterscup1679666578]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/graphic/2008-09/42188306.jpg

 

That is some hard hitting journalism by the Tribune there.

 

Plus, no one grows a beard like that. That's not a real neckbeard. Orton still had hair on his face with his neckbeard. It's just a beard that extends down the neck. That's how I grow mine too (even though I shaved it recently :()

[Brian]

yes a proper neckbeard is you let everything grow. and it is glorious.

[Cynosure]

I'm going to the game. With both teams pulling off upsets on the road this week the game is suddenly looking more interesting than I previously thought. If the Bears start 2-0 with two road wins over playoff contenders it will definitely be time for people to reassess expectations for this year.

 

I agree...

 

Starting 2-0 would instantly make my previous 6-10 prediction an 8-8 prediction because I had the Bears starting out 0-2.

 

The defense last night started off pretty bad but by the end of the game, they really looked like 2006.

[bukie]

I'm going to the game. With both teams pulling off upsets on the road this week the game is suddenly looking more interesting than I previously thought. If the Bears start 2-0 with two road wins over playoff contenders it will definitely be time for people to reassess expectations for this year.

 

My expectations have been officially revised from historic failure to the 2001 Carolina Panthers. In that season the Panthers began the season with a road win vs. the previous year's NFC Championship runner up (the Vikings), only to lose the next 15 games in disappointing fashion.

 

I also like to keep expectations as low as possible for as long as possible to avoid expecting too much.

[MPC]

damn you bears for getting me excited about you again.

[ctcf]

damn you bears for getting me excited about you again.

 

What he said. Although so far I have been able to control my expectations so far.

[Soul]

Dear Soul,

 

I know I put in a really depressive, thought out post in the previous game thread.

 

The Bears must have heard me from the heavens and delivered me to the promised land. They probably will be mediocre or worse this year, but that win was very very satisfying.

 

Thanks for hanging in there

I was pretty down on the team too. But I think we should all keep an even temper here. That was a great win yesterday, but one good game does not make a season. They'll need to follow it up -- not necessarily this week, but consistently through the year.

 

And the Panthers are a completely different football team than the Colts, so next week presents a whole different set of challenges and matchups.

 

Glad Steve Smith won't be there -- I've got to say that. That guy just destroys us. I think we can handle Moose a little better :D)

[CubbieBum]

I just wanted to post in Panthers game thread before Andy does. And he calls himself a fan ...

[jersey cubs fan]

The Bears open as 3 point underdogs.

 

This is an interesting game. If the Bears win, they are vaulted into the discussion for best in the NFC. Lose, and they are quite possibly underdogs in each of their next 2 games.

 

A 2-0 cushion for a team that was expected to struggle to reach 8 wins would do wonders.

[Banedon]

The Bears open as 3 point underdogs.

 

Funny what a good Sunday will do. 3 points for home field, so they basically have the Panthers and Bears even.

[Banedon]

This is an interesting game. If the Bears win, they are vaulted into the discussion for best in the NFC. Lose, and they are quite possibly underdogs in each of their next 2 games.

 

I dunno, I'm not sure they can get in the "Best in the NFC" discussion until they beat the Packers and Vikings. These games are great, but they're early and we don't know how good these teams are yet.

[jersey cubs fan]

This is an interesting game. If the Bears win, they are vaulted into the discussion for best in the NFC. Lose, and they are quite possibly underdogs in each of their next 2 games.

 

I dunno, I'm not sure they can get in the "Best in the NFC" discussion until they beat the Packers and Vikings. These games are great, but they're early and we don't know how good these teams are yet.

 

2-0 with a dominating defense and good enough offense will easily put them in that discussion. Peter King has them 8th in his power rankings already. If they win this game, people will talk about Dallas, the winner of tonight's game, and probably Philly.

 

2-0 obviously does not mean they are one of the best, and does not guarantee any sort of playoff spot. But I'm just talking about how they are going to be discussed by the general population. When really good teams have an off year, people are willing to get back on the bandwagon quickly if they follow that up with better play. The Bears are a year removed from dominating the NFC and coming off two straight solid seasons where they covered most every spread. If they win on Sunday, and do so in at least semi-impressive fashion, I think most people will be talking about them as legit contenders again.

[David]

Looking forward to seeing Moose get knocked the hell around.

[Handlebar McSkullet]

Looking forward to seeing Moose get knocked the hell around.

[BigbadB]

Looking forward to seeing Moose get knocked the hell around.

 

Delhomme was throwing to Moose (incomplete, of course) on deep patterns. LOL. If they do that again this week, Mike Brown will put Moose in the hospital.

[bukie]

The Bears are somehow already on the "Best of the NFC" radar after Sunday's game, along with the entire NFC East, New Orleans and Carolina. I'm still approaching the season with guarded optimism and low expectations to this point. They could still very easily be 1-3 after four weeks, and yet still not be a bad team.

[Banedon]

The Bears are somehow already on the "Best of the NFC" radar after Sunday's game, along with the entire NFC East, New Orleans and Carolina. I'm still approaching the season with guarded optimism and low expectations to this point. They could still very easily be 1-3 after four weeks, and yet still not be a bad team.

 

Really? Not saying you're wrong, but where have you read/heard that talk?

[UMFan83]

I'm going to the game. With both teams pulling off upsets on the road this week the game is suddenly looking more interesting than I previously thought. If the Bears start 2-0 with two road wins over playoff contenders it will definitely be time for people to reassess expectations for this year.

 

My expectations have been officially revised from historic failure to the 2001 Carolina Panthers. In that season the Panthers began the season with a road win vs. the previous year's NFC Championship runner up (the Vikings), only to lose the next 15 games in disappointing fashion.

 

I also like to keep expectations as low as possible for as long as possible to avoid expecting too much.

 

Thanks for depressing me... I hate you.

[bukie]

The Bears are somehow already on the "Best of the NFC" radar after Sunday's game, along with the entire NFC East, New Orleans and Carolina. I'm still approaching the season with guarded optimism and low expectations to this point. They could still very easily be 1-3 after four weeks, and yet still not be a bad team.

 

Really? Not saying you're wrong, but where have you read/heard that talk?

 

Peter King, specifically. Not the most reputable of sources or analysis, but at least getting a mention in the upper echelon already.