Bears game 2: Sunday, Sep 18 @ NO, noon on Fox

[jersey cubs fan]

Bears open the week as 6.5 point dogs to New Orleans as the Saints debut at home. This is where you do not want to face the Saints, but for as explosive as they can be, New Orleans has had some strange home losses the last few years. Cleveland, Tampa, Dallas and Atlanta have all managed to go into the Superdome and come away with wins. The Bears, as a speed team that rarely gets to play on a fast track, could very well be capable of pulling off the upset.

 

I'd expect the secondary to get torched and the offensive line to struggle with noise issues, but you never know. Pull off the road upset and hopes for this season are going to skyrocket. This was penciled in as a loss by just about everyone.

[bukie]

If the front four gets as much pressure as they did yesterday, the pass defense should be awesome. If anything, the run D was a little concerning yesterday, but fortunately Atlanta had to basically abandon the run by the middle of the 3rd quarter.

[Banedon]

That's a pretty crazy opening line. That's a lotta points.

[jersey cubs fan]

That's a pretty crazy opening line. That's a lotta points.

 

6.5, and over/under of 47. That's the third highest over/under, and tied for the 5th highest spread.

[Guest]

Can't wait to see our line get to face Kreutz.

[jersey cubs fan]

Can't wait to see our line get to face Kreutz.

 

I hope everybody saw him 8 yards in the backfield on some of those short yardage plays.

[mul21]

Can't wait to see our line get to face Kreutz.

 

I hope everybody saw him 8 yards in the backfield on some of those short yardage plays.

 

Yep, watching him get pushed around by Raji all game made me really happy he's gone.

 

If the Saints defense is really as bad as GB made them look last week, I like the Bears chances here. Especially if the d line gets the pressure they did this week. Biggest concern is NO getting an early lead and allowing their D to be super aggressive and really go after takeaways.

[Old Style]

Is anyone else going to be in New Orleans this weekend?

[kujay]

I'm ever the pessimist. Thought ATL would roll the Bears.

 

I think we'll cover this week, but probably lose.

[Banedon]

I wonder if Kreutz gives the Saints an advantage this week, as far as scouting reports and inside info go?

[Guest]

I wonder if Kreutz gives the Saints an advantage this week, as far as scouting reports and inside info go?

 

 

Whatever advantage he gives them strategically he'll give up many times over in his matchup with our interior line.

[bukie]

The only real advantage Kruetz gives the Saints this week is similar to how helpful it is to know exactly where a dam will be leaking.

[Guest]

Can't wait to see our line get to face Kreutz.

 

I hope everybody saw him 8 yards in the backfield on some of those short yardage plays.

 

Specifically the last play of the game where the Saints got stuffed up the middle. When that play was completely over, Kruetz was where the halfback typically lines up. I don't believe we will be regretting letting him go.

 

The Packers got pretty good penetration on the line against Brees, causing him to scramble quite a bit. I think our line can create the same havoc in this game. Colston is one less weapon Brees will have at his disposal in this game. I think Lance Moore is still hurting as well, leaving the 3 headed monster in the backfield and D. Henderson as the guys they will need to focus on.

[SpongeWorthy]

Saints won't have Colston.

 

Edit: But may have Lance Moore back I think.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Henry Melton's going to beat Kreutz's ass all game. Bears by 3.

[Banedon]

Lance Louis is in a walking boot and will likely be out this week at a minimum. Probably Edwin Williams or Chris Spencer filling in.

[Banedon]

BTW, 2 of the 5 sacks on Cutler are pretty bogus. One was where he fell on his own fumble, and the other was him scrambling toward the sideline in the last 2 min of the game and he slid behind the line of scrimmage.

[Guest]

BTW, 2 of the 5 sacks on Cutler are pretty bogus. One was where he fell on his own fumble, and the other was him scrambling toward the sideline in the last 2 min of the game and he slid behind the line of scrimmage.

 

The other 3 weren't though. Absolute, complete breakdown in coverage all 3 times. A few per game is to be expected, even with a great line. While I didn't expect them to be awesome, they got the job done well enough. I was very happy about the amount of times Cutler was able to get the ball to Spaeth and Davis. One was a walk in touchdown if they connect on the pass. I wasn't originally happy about losing Olsen, but I can see now that this offense needs better pass blocking TE's that can spin around for dump passes rather than someone like Olsen, who typically runs lengthy routes that take way too long to develop, nor blocks worth a darn.

[Banedon]

Yesterday was the second time in Cutlers career that he wasn't credited with a rushing attempt. The other time was the NYG game last year where he got a concussion.

[Soul]

To state the obvious: this one will be an even bigger test than Atlanta, and GB will be an even bigger test.

 

So we're being put through the gauntlet here, right off the bat.

 

My predictions are worthless, but I do think the Bears can win this game if they do all the things they do when they're successful: limit mistakes, bleed the other team's offense dry, grab a few turnovers, etc. etc.

 

Give Brees & Co. an opening though, and I would think it will go downhill quickly.

[Banedon]

A couple of rational posts, but Saints fans are pretty darn confident....

 

http://saintsreport.com/forums/f2/0-2-real-possibility-207095/

[UMFan83]

A couple of rational posts, but Saints fans are pretty darn confident....

 

http://saintsreport.com/forums/f2/0-2-real-possibility-207095/

 

I'd be confident if I were them. Playing at home after torching the Packers D and faced with a team that according to everything they've read about them was a huge overrated fluke last year. They should be worried about their own D of course, but in their minds the Bears offense sucks, they will get constant pressure on Cutler, and Cutler will throw 3+ INTs because that's what the media tells them he will do.

 

I feel strangely optimistic about this one. I'm excited to see the Bears in a dome. I think Martz will draw up a great offensive strategy.

 

Brees w/the Saints has never beaten the Bears. Unfortunately, we've never played them in the Dome. The previous times we played them were: In mediocre to bad conditions in the 06 NFC title game, a late December 07 game in mediocre conditions, and a December night game in 08 that we won in OT.

 

06: 27-49, 354 yards, 1 td, 2 int

07: 35-60, 320 yards, 2 td, 3 int

08: 24-48, 232 yards, 2 td, 2 int

Total: 86-157 (54.7%), 906 yards (5.8 YPA, 10.5 YPC), 5 TD, 7 INT

 

My very preliminary prediction is 27-23 Bears, but I absolutely understand anyone who picks the Saints. I know I'm going against the grain here.

[UMFan83]

This is good content:

 

The Bears are gonna give us all we want... they have always given us problems (although we usually get stuck playing on their frozen concrete). That annoying Cover 2 defense has given Brees fits during his entire time here in NO, and now without a big short-yardage, possession receiver like Colston, it's gonna be even tougher.

[bukie]

BTW, 2 of the 5 sacks on Cutler are pretty bogus. One was where he fell on his own fumble, and the other was him scrambling toward the sideline in the last 2 min of the game and he slid behind the line of scrimmage.

Those were both the second-half sacks. Overall, the line played better in the second half (Webb penalties notwithstanding). The sack-fumble was caused at least partially by pressure, though, too.

[jersey cubs fan]

This is good content:

 

The Bears are gonna give us all we want... they have always given us problems (although we usually get stuck playing on their frozen concrete). That annoying Cover 2 defense has given Brees fits during his entire time here in NO, and now without a big short-yardage, possession receiver like Colston, it's gonna be even tougher.

 

Tampa has beaten them twice in the past two years in the dome. Not sure what their defense is doing these days, but that film is probably going to be evaluated.