Bears vs. Seahawks, Sunday Jan 16 at noon

[Guest]

Sorry to go back to the previous discussion but I want no part of Jacobs. The Bears don't need another slow RB which is what a bruiser is. They need a guy who is dynamic and fast.

[rawaction]

I was looking at the boxscore from the last game and the Bears just got beat. Straight up. The outcome wasn't decided by penalties, or key turnovers, or special teams (though ST made it closer)....the Bears just got whooped up front.

 

I don't think the Seahawks can beat the Bears again in a game this straight up talent vs. talent. The Bears can run the ball now. The Bears can better protect the QB now. Briggs will be playing. And presumably the defense will try this time.

 

Seattle will need to get turnovers from the Bears, not get any TOs themselves. They will need to run the ball, and not get run on. They will need to make big plays on special teams and not get any on them. I don't think that happens. Not saying the Bears win by double digits, but I'm confident they will win despite being scared to death for Sunday.

[Guest]

I'll be disappointed if the offense only puts up 16 points like that 16-13 prediction. Obviously less disappointed if they do win with only 16 points.

[rawaction]

Sorry to go back to the previous discussion but I want no part of Jacobs. The Bears don't need another slow RB which is what a bruiser is. They need a guy who is dynamic and fast.

 

Plus, you don't sign free agents over 27 years old, unless they are rare cases like Julius Peppers and are true studs at their position and clearly not over the hill.

[rawaction]

I'll be disappointed if the offense only puts up 16 points like that 16-13 prediction. Obviously less disappointed if they do win with only 16 points.

 

Yeah, me too. I'd really like Cutler to have a game like the 2nd Vikes game or the Jets game. I'm not asking for 81% completion like the Detroit game or 4/0 TD/INT ratio like Philly. But 55-60% completion, 22-27 attempts, 190-220 yards, a couple TDs and no more than 1 INT.

 

I won't have very much confidence in beating GB/Atl if Cutler doesn't have a QB rating over 80.

[davell]

If we went the FA route with a RB, I'd like Michael Bush. That said, I think he'd be pretty expensive and we could probably spend that money more wisely than on a RB. No idea what kind of cap hit we'd take in releasing Chester either(if any, after new CBA). That said, I think it's very possible to find solid value in the middle rounds of the draft for a RB. (Obviously, since JA passed on Starks last year in the 6th)

[jersey cubs fan]

I'll be disappointed if the offense only puts up 16 points like that 16-13 prediction. Obviously less disappointed if they do win with only 16 points.

 

Yeah, me too. I'd really like Cutler to have a game like the 2nd Vikes game or the Jets game. I'm not asking for 81% completion like the Detroit game or 4/0 TD/INT ratio like Philly. But 55-60% completion, 22-27 attempts, 190-220 yards, a couple TDs and no more than 1 INT.

 

I won't have very much confidence in beating GB/Atl if Cutler doesn't have a QB rating over 80.

 

I'd like to see 60% be the floor.

[minnesotacubsfan]

any interest in Reggie Bush to back up Forte?

[jersey cubs fan]

any interest in Reggie Bush to back up Forte?

 

I'd prefer Jamaal Charles, but sure.

[Guest]

If we went the FA route with a RB, I'd like Michael Bush. That said, I think he'd be pretty expensive and we could probably spend that money more wisely than on a RB. No idea what kind of cap hit we'd take in releasing Chester either(if any, after new CBA). That said, I think it's very possible to find solid value in the middle rounds of the draft for a RB. (Obviously, since JA passed on Starks last year in the 6th)

 

I'd imagine Bush would be looking for (and finding easily) a starting job. And I don't think a backup RB should be signed via FA since there's only so many dollars to spend on FA.

[Fred Hornkohl]

My fearless prediction..........

 

Seattle     14
BEARS       27

 

 

Go BEARS !!

[BigSlick]

oh this will not end well

 

 

he's saying if they load up on the run they will pass 60 times, which is correct, but of course people will look at it and misinterpret it purposefully

 

the worst thing the bears can do is run it into a stacked line and throw away possessions. if they force you to throw, then you throw, and you will have success if they keep 8 in the box.

[mul21]

If we went the FA route with a RB, I'd like Michael Bush. That said, I think he'd be pretty expensive and we could probably spend that money more wisely than on a RB. No idea what kind of cap hit we'd take in releasing Chester either(if any, after new CBA). That said, I think it's very possible to find solid value in the middle rounds of the draft for a RB. (Obviously, since JA passed on Starks last year in the 6th)

 

I'd imagine Bush would be looking for (and finding easily) a starting job. And I don't think a backup RB should be signed via FA since there's only so many dollars to spend on FA.

 

Never mind, I'm occasionally illiterate.

[Jon]

You can buy corner 400 level seats on StubHub for pretty much what you'd have to pay on Ticketmaster.

 

I think there are also a few singles on Ticketmaster.

 

Yeah not a high demand at all. Everyone is assuming we move on to next week and hoping its at Soldier Field against GB. Hope the team doesn't have the same feelings about the game.

They've got a few pairs of seats now on Ticketmaster in the 400 level corners.

[UMFan83]

I read in the Red Eye today that the demand for Bulls/Heat on Saturday night has now exceeded demand for Bears/Seahawks.

[Jon]

I read in the Red Eye today that the demand for Bulls/Heat on Saturday night has now exceeded demand for Bears/Seahawks.

The supply seems to be pretty healthy for both. I had a pair of SRO tickets to the Bulls/Heat game that I sold last month on Craigslist. I was lucky to get back what I paid for them, but nothing more. Margins on sports tickets are getting very small given rising prices and a higher percentage that hit the secondary market. There are going to be lots of disappointed people who buy Cubs tickets just to sell this year, especially given higher ticket prices and the craptacular summer weekend schedule.

 

Lots of Bears fans who would shell out for a playoff game are waiting for a potential game against the Packers, but I think there's just a different vibe than 2006. It's not as much of a "new" experience.

[UMFan83]

I don't know I think the lessened demand has everything to do with the former reasoning (waiting for Packers NFC champ game) than the latter. New experience or not, its a Bears playoff game. Anytime they are good and have a shot at the Super Bowl, people go bonkers. People don't want to admit it but deep down they think the Bears will roll over the Seahawks and want to try to buy potential Packers tickets instead of Seahawks tickets. That and the weather forecast and the growing trend of people thinking their home theater experience is as good as the game experience are a couple of the reasons the demand is down.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I'm sure demand will be a bit higher after the Falcons win Saturday night.

[JonJayCutler]

I read in the Red Eye today that the demand for Bulls/Heat on Saturday night has now exceeded demand for Bears/Seahawks.

 

If this is true, that's just insane. A regular season NBA game over an NFL playoff game? I don't care what team is coming to town...

 

I agree though, most Bears fans are predicting a blowout and probably don't see a point in forking out the money for that. Personally, I'd have a lot of fun watching a Bears blowout in person.

[jersey cubs fan]

I read in the Red Eye today that the demand for Bulls/Heat on Saturday night has now exceeded demand for Bears/Seahawks.

 

If this is true, that's just insane. A regular season NBA game over an NFL playoff game? I don't care what team is coming to town...

 

I agree though, most Bears fans are predicting a blowout and probably don't see a point in forking out the money for that. Personally, I'd have a lot of fun watching a Bears blowout in person.

 

Depends on how you define demand. There are 3 times as many Bears tickets out there. You only need 21,000 people who want to go to the Bulls game for demand to outstrip supply, but you need 62,000 people wanting to go to the Bears game. Also, Bears playoff tickets are much more susceptible to high levels of brokers trying to make a buck, so secondary market supply is bound to be high.

[Jon]

Well, you have to factor in the prices of Bears playoffs tickets. After fees, the absolute cheapest you can get at face value are $115, and those are just upper corner 400 level seats. I want to say that I paid about $80 for playoff tickets against the Seahawks in 2006. And those seats were in the 1st row of the 400 level at around the 40 yard line.

 

I'm not sure what the true average face value cost of Bears playoffs tickets is at this year, but I'm guessing it's somewhere around $150.

[mhuber92211]

From the Seahawks side, not having a 100% Tatupu Will be a huge issue. He is the run support (of Hawthorne) and the one linebacker we have that has any sort of cover skills for a player like Forte in the flat. If he is not 100% then expect a lot of Zone and a blitzing Aaron Curry (Better this year, but still not the best pash rushing LB). I can actually forsee some Trufant corner blitzes and Babineaux coming from Nickel Saftey.

 

On Offense, they seem fairly loose from the interviews this week. Hass was on the Dan Patrick show this morning (great as always, he is geniunely a funny, easygoing guy) and something stuck out. He was asked why so inconsistent and Hass basically said that each game, the gameplans were different and in the blowouts particuarlly complicated. Sounds like Bates is still learning gameday prep and the offense has had a hard time adjusting.

 

I think this might be a subtle advantage for the Seahawks since they have already seen this gameplan before. I am getting slightly more confident about this game compared to last week which is dangerous. They will have to play better than last week to win but I think its possible.

[UMFan83]

What gameplan have they seen before? The Bears? The Bears gameplan is like night and day from their gameplan in week 6. In week 6 it was all 7 step drops and passes downfield, no checkdowns and no running game. Now its short passes, 3 step drops, balanced running attack. They couldnt be more different. If you are talking about defensively, of course they will be the same. The Bears have been running the same defense for 6 years now with slight adjustments each game. By my count Hasselbeck has seen the same Bears defensive game plan 5 times since 2006. Nothing new there, but its effective when the pieces are there.

 

Hope is a dangerous thing. There's no doubt the Seahawks can win, but after beating the Saints, its like most fans and the media immediately changed their perception of the team as a whole based on one game (they didnt look particularly good in that Rams game). They forget all the things the Hawks did badly, and try to find reasons why its different than it was 2 week ago. Come Sunday we will find out if those reasons are legit, or if its just false hope from one game.

[jersey cubs fan]

What gameplan have they seen before? The Bears? The Bears gameplan is like night and day from their gameplan in week 6. In week 6 it was all 7 step drops and passes downfield, no checkdowns and no running game. Now its short passes, 3 step drops, balanced running attack. They couldnt be more different. If you are talking about defensively, of course they will be the same. The Bears have been running the same defense for 6 years now with slight adjustments each game. By my count Hasselbeck has seen the same Bears defensive game plan 5 times since 2006. Nothing new there, but its effective when the pieces are there.

 

He's talking about the Seahawks own offensive gameplan against the Bears, as opposed to how they gameplanned for that crazy Denver defense or the confusing 49ers and Tampa.

 

It's meaningless throwaway nonsense.

[rawaction]

The Seahawks might be able to blitz their way to some run stopping D. But if they don't come or time the blitzes perfectly, I think Forte runs all over them.

 

The key will be early in the game. Teams playing in an atypical situation (bye, short week, long week, game moved due to roof collapse) usually start off slowly. The Bears defense is going to have to come out flying to the ball. The offense should try to run the ball and play field position early.