Bears vs. Seahawks, Sunday Jan 16 at noon

[JonJayCutler]

Interesting that this story was written this week. We all compared the Bears last game of the season against the Packers with the Giants/Pats game a few years ago. Many of us observed that the offense was doing things they hadn't done since before the bye, and it led to their offensive ineptitude. Now there's this from the Giants.

 

The Giants didn't pull out all the stops against the Patriots in the final game of the 2007 regular season.

 

New England defeated New York 38-35, allowing the Patriots to end the season with a perfect 16-0 record.

 

"Well, I'll let you in on a little bit of a secret," Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, then New York's defensive coordinator, said.

 

"You know, as much as we wanted to win that game -- all of us did -- and we played it to win it, we made a decision defensively we weren't going to jeopardize trying to win the Tampa Bay game (in the first round of the playoffs) by throwing out our whole game plan in the 16th game of the season. So there was a little bit of a pullback there."

 

The Giants did play their starters until the very end of that mostly meaningless game, but they may not have realized that the game plan was scaled back.

 

 

It's nothing revealing or shocking, but it proves that teams do stuff like this because there is nothing to gain by playing to win with the same gameplan you plan on playing in the playoffs.

 

I'm still convinced they weren't trying their best to win the game against GB. That they only ran one play between the 3:00 to the 2:00 minute warning is where I think they gave away their secret agenda to eliminate the Giants from the playoffs. It looked to me like they played a click or two below their true abilities, didn't get creative with their game plan to prevent anything meaningful for oppoents on game film and just made it look good.

 

Yeah, they played the starters most of the game. But it was a lackluster effort. And that they still only lost by 7 points seems like a good thing to me if they weren't playing 100%.

 

Racing down the field and tying the game might have meant overtime, which meant playing the starters even longer. You can't pull the starters in overtime, right? IIRC, Chicago already knew that if they played Green Bay at all in the playoffs, it would be in the final game. What better match up in the final game than a team you will be playing at home, play twice a year and know everything about that team, and it really wasn't all that likely they'd even face GB.

 

Lovie and the boys took a thumping against the Giants. Maybe Lovie didn't like how the Bears matched up against the Giants if they matched up in the playoffs. Eli certainly has more playoff experience than Rodgers.

 

Maybe I really am way off base here. But something about that Packers game tells me that we weren't seeing the best of effort in that game.

 

That's a bit of a stretch, but I do think you're right about the Bears not fearing the Packers. I did read an article yesterday in which Urlacher said he "wasn't worried at all about GB", but of course it's not like he would have admitted it if he was.

[JonJayCutler]

Had a dream that the NFC championship game rolls through Seattle now...wouldn't that be wonderful

 

Not unless you can beat GB, which you can't.

 

But it would be played in Seattle should the Seahawks win today...so the game "rolls through Seattle" Perhaps my urbanspeak is missing this morning

 

No, I'm saying it wouldn't be wonderful unless you can beat GB.

[Soul]

Here's hoping Lofa will make it

 

Here's hoping he won't.

 

Breaking out my Shaun Alexander road jersey for this one...

 

Oh goodie. I'll be sure to mentally picture that as you post in here today, thanks.

 

Had a dream that the NFC championship game rolls through Seattle now...wouldn't that be wonderful

 

Sure, if you're a fan of things that don't deserve stuff getting it anyway.

[mhuber92211]

is it odd wondering what a mental picture of me is? Kinda just hit me that no one really knows what each other look like and people likely have a wide ranging view as to what a seahawks fan looks like.

 

For the record, I do not have my face painted today...

[Soul]

Well that's good.

 

I know what your dog looks like, but not you.

 

Maybe put your Alexander jersey on your dog.

[UMFan83]

At least one Packer thinks he saw the real Bears offense in Week 17:

 

The Bears have made strides offensively since the middle of the season after they balanced the play calling to get running back Matt Forte more involved. Raji doesn't see much difference from a year ago when he was a rookie.

 

"They look like the same offense to me," he said.

[JonJayCutler]

At least one Packer thinks he saw the real Bears offense in Week 17:

 

The Bears have made strides offensively since the middle of the season after they balanced the play calling to get running back Matt Forte more involved. Raji doesn't see much difference from a year ago when he was a rookie.

 

"They look like the same offense to me," he said.

 

I hope he's not the only Packer who thinks that.

[Guest]

That's a bit of a stretch, but I do think you're right about the Bears not fearing the Packers. I did read an article yesterday in which Urlacher said he "wasn't worried at all about GB", but of course it's not like he would have admitted it if he was.

 

Cutler knows how to run a 2 minute offense. He's had to do it quite often with this Bears team, and probably quite often with his former team. 1 play was snapped between the 3:00 and the 2:00 minute warning. 1 play with 70 yards to go.

 

Enough time to get down the field easily, but there was no sense of urgency at all. I just can't find another explanation than the one I provided above. Even if they score, you're looking at the potential for overtime, which is maybe the entire reason they didn't hurry things up at all.

[JonJayCutler]

That's a bit of a stretch, but I do think you're right about the Bears not fearing the Packers. I did read an article yesterday in which Urlacher said he "wasn't worried at all about GB", but of course it's not like he would have admitted it if he was.

 

Cutler knows how to run a 2 minute offense. He's had to do it quite often with this Bears team, and probably quite often with his former team. 1 play was snapped between the 3:00 and the 2:00 minute warning. 1 play with 70 yards to go.

 

Enough time to get down the field easily, but there was no sense of urgency at all. I just can't find another explanation than the one I provided above. Even if they score, you're looking at the potential for overtime, which is maybe the entire reason they didn't hurry things up at all.

 

That part I believe, but I thought the part about the Bears fearing Eli and the Giants and therefore preferring the Packers was a bit of a stretch. I don't think there was any "hidden agenda" behind the lack of urgency, but I could be wrong of course.

[UMFan83]

That's a bit of a stretch, but I do think you're right about the Bears not fearing the Packers. I did read an article yesterday in which Urlacher said he "wasn't worried at all about GB", but of course it's not like he would have admitted it if he was.

 

Cutler knows how to run a 2 minute offense. He's had to do it quite often with this Bears team, and probably quite often with his former team. 1 play was snapped between the 3:00 and the 2:00 minute warning. 1 play with 70 yards to go.

 

Enough time to get down the field easily, but there was no sense of urgency at all. I just can't find another explanation than the one I provided above. Even if they score, you're looking at the potential for overtime, which is maybe the entire reason they didn't hurry things up at all.

 

In my mind, I'm almost certain the Bears would have went for 2 if they scored.

 

But lets stop talking about the Packers until we need to. There's kind of a much more important thing to worry about in 2 hours, and a team that's ready to stop us if we aren't focused. Not to say that us talking about GB has anything to do with it, but it just looks stupid if we lose and bad karma.

[Soul]

I don't think the Bears are looking past the Seahawks, that's what is important.

 

But yea -- we aren't playing the Packers this week. All I care about is this week.

[Mark Priors Calves]

dear god, please let the bears win.

[Guest]

At the Bears own 24 with 3:14 left in the game (clock stopped by incomplete pass on previous play) and 2 time outs remaining, the Bears ran one up the middle for a first down at the 31. The next play went off at 2:30, which was a 6 yard pass. The clock ran down to the 2:00 minute warning.

 

In a minute and 14 seconds, they ran two plays with basically 70 yards to go. An odd way to "try" to win a game, if you ask me.

 

Okay, I'm done. Bring on Seattle. This should be fun.

[sneakypower]

Sure, if you're a fan of things that don't deserve stuff getting it anyway.

what the hell do the Bears deserve? they've seemingly played virtually every team with their 2nd, 3rd string QBs. if not for some weird process rule, they'd have missed the playoffs altogether.

[Soul]

Sure, if you're a fan of things that don't deserve stuff getting it anyway.

what the hell do the Bears deserve? they've seemingly played virtually every team with their 2nd, 3rd string QBs. if not for some weird process rule, they'd have missed the playoffs altogether.

 

they're not 7-9 after the regular season

[cl smooth]

a few months back, i ventured into a seahawks bar in manhattan to watch the bears/seahawks game. now my friend who is a seahawks fan is coming to brooklyn to the bears bar i frequent. should be a blast! can't beat $4 bottles of goose island! GO BEARS!

[UMFan83]

Sure, if you're a fan of things that don't deserve stuff getting it anyway.

what the hell do the Bears deserve? they've seemingly played virtually every team with their 2nd, 3rd string QBs. if not for some weird process rule, they'd have missed the playoffs altogether.

 

And if the refs saw cutler clearly cross tue end zone before fumbling the Bears are back in the playoffs. And if the bears won handily over Detroit like the yardage showed they'd be 12-4.

[Guest]

Lofa Tatupu is playing.

[Soul]

I figured he would.

[Wilson A2000]

At least one Packer thinks he saw the real Bears offense in Week 17:

 

The Bears have made strides offensively since the middle of the season after they balanced the play calling to get running back Matt Forte more involved. Raji doesn't see much difference from a year ago when he was a rookie.

 

"They look like the same offense to me," he said.

 

I hope he's not the only Packer who thinks that.

 

I don't believe Cutler really wanted to play at his best. He did just what Grossman did in 2006. Knox looked like he wasn't trying. And the Bears were without Earl Bennett.

[Wilson A2000]

Lofa Tatupu is playing.

 

Hub's sources told him that he just barely passed the concussion test and would have graded at a D- if there were grades.

[Flames24Rulz]

Lofa Tatupu is playing.

 

Hub's sources told him that he just barely passed the concussion test and would have graded at a D- if there were grades.

 

After all, Hub Arkush knows everything.

[UMFan83]

At least one Packer thinks he saw the real Bears offense in Week 17:

 

The Bears have made strides offensively since the middle of the season after they balanced the play calling to get running back Matt Forte more involved. Raji doesn't see much difference from a year ago when he was a rookie.

 

"They look like the same offense to me," he said.

 

I hope he's not the only Packer who thinks that.

 

I don't believe Cutler really wanted to play at his best. He did just what Grossman did in 2006. Knox looked like he wasn't trying. And the Bears were without Earl Bennett.

 

The sad thing is, I think Knox was trying. I think he really wanted the 1,000 yard season. I think he was trying too hard if anything and that threw him off.

[woodchip2153]

I loved the bears dropping a F bomb during the pregame speech and then saying edit that when he was done.

[Wilson A2000]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2011-01/58828911.jpg