Bears game 16: January 2 @ GB, 3:15 on Fox

[Banedon]

Things can still change, but it's looking more and more like it's probably a safe bet that this will be the NFC playoff scenario

 

#1 Falcons

#2 Bears

#6 Packers @ #3 Eagles

#5 Saints @ #4 NFC West

 

While the NFC West champ is possible, it's probably going to be either the Eagles or Saints for the Bears in the 2nd round.

[rawaction]

Wow. I can almost taste the Superbowl at this point. I know I am getting WAY ahead of myself, but I can't help it. This really was the best case scenario for the Bears. One thing I never thought of was the fact that there's a very strong chance that the NFC Championship game is played in Chicago.

 

Atlanta is set up to get a home game vs. either NO (who just beat them in Atlanta) or Green Bay (who should have beaten them in Atlanta).

 

Chicago either gets a Philly team that they already beat in Chicago, or a New Orleans team that is 2-6 in their last 8 games under 40 degrees (including one of those losses vs. the Bears in 08).

[jersey cubs fan]

Wow. I can almost taste the Superbowl at this point. I know I am getting WAY ahead of myself, but I can't help it. This really was the best case scenario for the Bears. One thing I never thought of was the fact that there's a very strong chance that the NFC Championship game is played in Chicago.

 

Atlanta is set up to get a home game vs. either NO (who just beat them in Atlanta) or Green Bay (who should have beaten them in Atlanta).

 

Chicago either gets a Philly team that they already beat in Chicago, or a New Orleans team that is 2-6 in their last 8 games under 40 degrees (including one of those losses vs. the Bears in 08).

 

Yeah, I keep picturing them facing New Orleans at home in the NFC Championship game. I like every potential matchup except @ Atlanta or vs GB.

[Guest]

If we can generate the same type of offense we got against the Jets, we are definitely going to have a great chance to go all the way. This was the offense I envisioned when we first got Cutler. Ignoring the running game for a moment, having Hester, Knox, Aromashodu, Bennett, Olsen and Forte (and Taylor) to throw to on a regular basis seemed like it was a lot of weapons at Cutler's disposal.

 

Getting back to the running game, the combination of Forte and Taylor was supposed to be a nice 1/2 punch that opened up the passing game even more. Taylor was a very solid receiver out of the backfield for the Vikings. Not sure why he's been excused from that role almost entirely with the Bears. Maybe that's what is needed to break Taylor out of the funk he's in.

 

I don't think it's too late for him to make some sort of an impact to this offense. It would be nice to have a secret weapon in the fold while everyone is studying Bears game films for the playoffs.

[jersey cubs fan]

If we can generate the same type of offense we got against the Jets, we are definitely going to have a great chance to go all the way. This was the offense I envisioned when we first got Cutler. Ignoring the running game for a moment, having Hester, Knox, Aromashodu, Bennett, Olsen and Forte (and Taylor) to throw to on a regular basis seemed like it was a lot of weapons at Cutler's disposal.

 

Getting back to the running game, the combination of Forte and Taylor was supposed to be a nice 1/2 punch that opened up the passing game even more. Taylor was a very solid receiver out of the backfield for the Vikings. Not sure why he's been excused from that role almost entirely with the Bears. Maybe that's what is needed to break Taylor out of the funk he's in.

 

I don't think it's too late for him to make some sort of an impact to this offense. It would be nice to have a secret weapon in the fold while everyone is studying Bears game films for the playoffs.

 

I think Taylor is an old dude who benefitted from backing up a dynamic running back in Minnesota. He backs up a fairly dull plain vanilla runner in Forte, and teams don't need to gameplan around either. Don't count on him.

 

Cutler has some weapons, but it's mostly a bunch of handguns and no big guns.

[Guest]

If we can generate the same type of offense we got against the Jets, we are definitely going to have a great chance to go all the way. This was the offense I envisioned when we first got Cutler. Ignoring the running game for a moment, having Hester, Knox, Aromashodu, Bennett, Olsen and Forte (and Taylor) to throw to on a regular basis seemed like it was a lot of weapons at Cutler's disposal.

 

Getting back to the running game, the combination of Forte and Taylor was supposed to be a nice 1/2 punch that opened up the passing game even more. Taylor was a very solid receiver out of the backfield for the Vikings. Not sure why he's been excused from that role almost entirely with the Bears. Maybe that's what is needed to break Taylor out of the funk he's in.

 

I don't think it's too late for him to make some sort of an impact to this offense. It would be nice to have a secret weapon in the fold while everyone is studying Bears game films for the playoffs.

 

I think Taylor is an old dude who benefitted from backing up a dynamic running back in Minnesota. He backs up a fairly dull plain vanilla runner in Forte, and teams don't need to gameplan around either. Don't count on him.

 

Cutler has some weapons, but it's mostly a bunch of handguns and no big guns.

 

Agreed regarding the handguns, but Cutler's arm can make a bunch of handguns much more dangerous if they can keep finding some extra protection for him.

 

Maybe you are right about Taylor, but the offense is extremely one dimensional with Taylor when he is in there. You can count on a 2 yard carry when he's in the backfield. Why not toss a screen his way?

[jersey cubs fan]

Maybe you are right about Taylor, but the offense is extremely one dimensional with Taylor when he is in there. You can count on a 2 yard carry when he's in the backfield. Why not toss a screen his way?

 

I think you can count on a 2 yard run largely because Taylor isn't offering up much in the terms of threatening to turn that into a 12 yard run.

[Guest]

Maybe you are right about Taylor, but the offense is extremely one dimensional with Taylor when he is in there. You can count on a 2 yard carry when he's in the backfield. Why not toss a screen his way?

 

I think you can count on a 2 yard run largely because Taylor isn't offering up much in the terms of threatening to turn that into a 12 yard run.

 

I just looked Taylor up, and as recently as 2008, he caught 45 passes for a decent amount of yardage, and even returned 10 kicks for a 23.4 average. I was even surprised he has 20 catches with the Bears this year, as I am struggling to remember a single one of those.

 

It's just a shame he isn't contributing to this offense.

[jersey cubs fan]

The site that had this game as Bears +5, then + 6 and + 6.5, is now showing +6 again. Not seeing a line in other spots, but CBS sports is using Bears +5.5. People should be teasing this Packers game with Indy and New Orleans or Atlanta.

[BigSlick]

The site that had this game as Bears +5, then + 6 and + 6.5, is now showing +6 again. Not seeing a line in other spots, but CBS sports is using Bears +5.5. People should be teasing this Packers game with Indy and New Orleans or Atlanta.

Wow, I might go out of my way and put some money on the Packers then. They'll take this in double digits, I mean, given Lovie's history, Caleb Hanie is going to have serious minutes in the second half.

[jersey cubs fan]

I had this little conversation this weekend.

 

Friend's first point: Eli Manning is overrated, without the Super Bowl victory he wouldn't be considered much of a franchise QB.

 

Friend's second point: Jay Cutler can't be considered a franchise QB until he wins in the postseason.

 

So one guy with better weapons but disappointing results is overrated due to his postseason wins, but another guy with lesser weapons and protection and better results, shouldn't be rated higher until he wins in the postseason? Seems confusing. Not to mention Eli has had a lot of coaching stability, the same head coach for his entire career, the same offensive coordinator for 4 years, and that OC was his QB coach before that, plus he was drafted 2 years earlier. Cutler has dealt with much more coaching turmoil and turnover.

[JonJayCutler]

What does it mean to be a franchise QB anyway? To me it means that a player is automatically assumed as a team's QB going into each season without any question or controversy. Eli and Cutler have both reached that status. They don't necessarily have to be elite QBs to build a team around them.

[rawaction]

What does it mean to be a franchise QB anyway? To me it means that a player is automatically assumed as a team's QB going into each season without any question or controversy. Eli and Cutler have both reached that status. They don't necessarily have to be elite QBs to build a team around them.

 

I think franchise QB implies "elite" or near elite status.

[chuckywang]

You know, the Packers getting knocked out of the playoffs by the Bears with the Bears having nothing to play for might just be the worst thing that can happen.

[UMFan83]

The site that had this game as Bears +5, then + 6 and + 6.5, is now showing +6 again. Not seeing a line in other spots, but CBS sports is using Bears +5.5. People should be teasing this Packers game with Indy and New Orleans or Atlanta.

Wow, I might go out of my way and put some money on the Packers then. They'll take this in double digits, I mean, given Lovie's history, Caleb Hanie is going to have serious minutes in the second half.

 

I don't think Calib Hanie will play at all. My guess is Cutler in the first half and the backup QB Collins in the 2nd. Hanie will probably be active in the game instead of emergency 3rd QB like he is most games but I don't think he'll play. They had their chance to remove Collins as the backup QB, and they moved him back in there, so obviously they believe Collins is their man if Jay goes down.

Edited December 29, 2010 by UMFan83

[Old Style]

You know, the Packers getting knocked out of the playoffs by the Bears with the Bears having nothing to play for might just be the worst thing that can happen.

for who? or is it for whom?

[UMFan83]

You know, the Packers getting knocked out of the playoffs by the Bears with the Bears having nothing to play for might just be the worst thing that can happen.

for who? or is it for whom?

 

I've always wanted to play the Packers in the playoffs but this season, I'm really glad we avoided it. I would want to come into that game as the inferior wild card team where a loss is expected and a win brings unbridled joy. In a situation where the Bears finish 11-5, win the North and play a WC Packers team that most people believe is better than the Bears, it just sets the fans up for a deflating loss. A win would still bring a ton of happiness, but a loss would be more crushing.

[javy knows my name]

Yeah, I'm still confused

[JonJayCutler]

I've always wanted to play the Packers in the playoffs but this season, I'm really glad we avoided it.

 

I'm sure you already know but the NFC CG remains a possibility. That game would be nothing short of indescibably devastating for the losing fanbase.

[chuckywang]

You know, the Packers getting knocked out of the playoffs by the Bears with the Bears having nothing to play for might just be the worst thing that can happen.

for who? or is it for whom?

 

For Packers fans, duh. It would be the best thing that can happen for Bears fans.

[javy knows my name]

I'm not confused anymore

[Banedon]

"I expect to play the whole game," Cutler said Wednesday. "That's how we're preparing at this point."

[SpongeWorthy]

I know we have an outside shot at the #1 seed but I'd hate to see Cutler go out there and get knocked senseless because he and the offense in general aren't 100% focused. Seemed like it happened to the Eagles last night who thought the Vikings would be a walk over and Vick got smashed a few times.

[jersey cubs fan]

I know we have an outside shot at the #1 seed but I'd hate to see Cutler go out there and get knocked senseless because he and the offense in general aren't 100% focused. Seemed like it happened to the Eagles last night who thought the Vikings would be a walk over and Vick got smashed a few times.

 

Vick gets smashed because he's much more of a runner.

 

Personally, I have no problem if they let the starters play all game.

[SpongeWorthy]

He got hit in the pocket quite a bit last night. The Eagles weren't focused, IMO. It's like they had never seen a corner blitz.

 

Plus I worry about Cutler not having much to play for. As glorious as it would be to knock GB out on their field that seems like more of a motivation for fans. The Pack will be in desperation mode from kickoff...and they have a good pass rush to begin with.