Game #12 KC Chiefs @ CHICAGO BEARS 1:00 PM

[rawaction]

Well, that brings up another issue too. Lovie and crew are still 1 bad season away from getting the axe, IMO. Do you risk starting from scratch this year, going 7-9 next year, and then needing an entire new coaching staff the year after?

 

I definitely don't want Tice as OC, unless it's only as a figurehead like Lovie as DC. But I don't really want to start over just yet.

 

Hmm...I disagree about Lovie being anywhere near the hot seat. He's had his ups and downs, but he manages to take teams that experts don't think belong near the top of the league and keeps them playing hard, and really, beyond the level that most think they should be playing. I can see an argument for Angelo being on the hot seat, but I think Lovie's pretty safe, actually.

 

Well I kind of think raw is right that he's one bad season away from the ax, but 7-9 isn't going to do it. 4-12 could cost him his job, but simply changing offensive systems shouldn't cause them to take such a step back.

 

Eh, I don't know. He's at the point where he's tenured long enough that the team could just want an excuse to go in a different direction. Kinda like Andy Reid this year, Jeff Fisher last year, etc. Granted their teams were/are going to be worse than 7-9, but they also had longer success. I think an early playoff exit this year (if they make it in), a 7-9 season next year, combined with another possible Packers SB ring could cause the team to go in a different direction.

 

And I agree changing offenses shouldn't cause a huge step back, but changing offenses + another bad draft + another year older for Urlacher, Briggs, Peppers and Tillman + how they handle the egos in these contract situations (Forte, Briggs, even players who will be FAs after this year) could help deter this team as early as next season.

 

I'm probably being way to pessimistic, though as that would be absolute worst case scenario.

[jersey cubs fan]

Eh, I don't know. He's at the point where he's tenured long enough that the team could just want an excuse to go in a different direction. Kinda like Andy Reid this year, Jeff Fisher last year, etc. Granted their teams were/are going to be worse than 7-9, but they also had longer success. I think an early playoff exit this year (if they make it in), a 7-9 season next year, combined with another possible Packers SB ring could cause the team to go in a different direction.

 

If 7-9 was going to do it then I think it was after year 6 when he was 7-9 for the second time in 3 years. The Bears aren't really a change for change's sake organization. Wanny had three straight sub .500 seasons. Jauron went 7-9 but that followed 4-12. Ditka went 5-11. At this point, back to back 7-9 seasons might do it, but one? I doubt it.

[sneakypower]

Now really sure how Martz managed to revive his career with the Bears. I mean it hasn't been a disaster, and he's working with less than optimal talent, but nothing he's done here, to me at least, screams "I deserve another chance at head coaching" Prior to taking this job, I got the impression that his career was at an all time low and it was almost a favor that we hired him.

that shouldn't have been the prevailing sentiment; Martz actually did a very good job with the offense, i thought, considering the talent he had (albeit, some of it hand-picked)

 

then Marinelli randomly decided he wanted to become a "pound the rock" team after 07 and fired Martz to hire Jim Colletto, whose resume basically consisted only of miserable failure as a coach at Purdue

 

he also hired his thoroughly unqualified son-in-law to serve as defensive coordinator, which eventually prompted the otherwise terrible Rob Parker to hilariously ask Marinelli if he wished his daughter had married a better defensive coordinator

 

(you can guess how it all turned out)

[Butterscup1679666578]

Roto:

 

Jay Cutler (thumb surgery) is unsure of when he'll be able to resume practicing.

Cutler said he's "just getting some movement back" in his thumb after undergoing surgery last Wednesday, but refused to speculate on when he might be able to return. "I don’t want to put a number on it, because I just don’t know," Cutler said. "We'll just have to see, week-by-week." Reports have had Cutler missing anywhere from 5-8 weeks. A Week 16 return remains on the table.

[rawaction]

Eh, I don't know. He's at the point where he's tenured long enough that the team could just want an excuse to go in a different direction. Kinda like Andy Reid this year, Jeff Fisher last year, etc. Granted their teams were/are going to be worse than 7-9, but they also had longer success. I think an early playoff exit this year (if they make it in), a 7-9 season next year, combined with another possible Packers SB ring could cause the team to go in a different direction.

 

If 7-9 was going to do it then I think it was after year 6 when he was 7-9 for the second time in 3 years. The Bears aren't really a change for change's sake organization. Wanny had three straight sub .500 seasons. Jauron went 7-9 but that followed 4-12. Ditka went 5-11. At this point, back to back 7-9 seasons might do it, but one? I doubt it.

 

Yeah, good points. You're probably right.

[UMFan83]

Roto:

 

Jay Cutler (thumb surgery) is unsure of when he'll be able to resume practicing.

Cutler said he's "just getting some movement back" in his thumb after undergoing surgery last Wednesday, but refused to speculate on when he might be able to return. "I don’t want to put a number on it, because I just don’t know," Cutler said. "We'll just have to see, week-by-week." Reports have had Cutler missing anywhere from 5-8 weeks. A Week 16 return remains on the table.

 

That would mean only missing Chiefs, Broncos and Seahawks games.

 

If Cutler was coming back for the Packers and Vikings, we could probably go 2-1 in those games and have a pretty good shot.

[jersey cubs fan]

Roto:

 

Jay Cutler (thumb surgery) is unsure of when he'll be able to resume practicing.

Cutler said he's "just getting some movement back" in his thumb after undergoing surgery last Wednesday, but refused to speculate on when he might be able to return. "I don’t want to put a number on it, because I just don’t know," Cutler said. "We'll just have to see, week-by-week." Reports have had Cutler missing anywhere from 5-8 weeks. A Week 16 return remains on the table.

 

That would mean only missing Chiefs, Broncos and Seahawks games.

 

If Cutler was coming back for the Packers and Vikings, we could probably go 2-1 in those games and have a pretty good shot.

 

Call me crazy but I think they mean the Bears' 16th game, and not week 16. It says 5-8 weeks, which would mean at least the next four weeks, which includes the GB game.

[Banedon]

Roto:

 

Jay Cutler (thumb surgery) is unsure of when he'll be able to resume practicing.

Cutler said he's "just getting some movement back" in his thumb after undergoing surgery last Wednesday, but refused to speculate on when he might be able to return. "I don’t want to put a number on it, because I just don’t know," Cutler said. "We'll just have to see, week-by-week." Reports have had Cutler missing anywhere from 5-8 weeks. A Week 16 return remains on the table.

 

That would mean only missing Chiefs, Broncos and Seahawks games.

 

If Cutler was coming back for the Packers and Vikings, we could probably go 2-1 in those games and have a pretty good shot.

 

Call me crazy but I think they mean the Bears' 16th game, and not week 16. It says 5-8 weeks, which would mean at least the next four weeks, which includes the GB game.

 

I've heard the possibility of him being back for the GB game since the surgery was announced. It seems pretty unrealistic though.

[JonJayCutler]

So Patrick Peterson is a rookie and has 4 punt return TDs in 11 games. It's obviously a little early to speculate where he'll end up compared to Hester, but right now he's easily on pace to put up Hester-like numbers over his career, especially considering he's only 21.

 

Hopefully it's just a phase that he'll grow out of. See: Josh Cribbs and Desean Jackson.

[UMFan83]

So Patrick Peterson is a rookie and has 4 punt return TDs in 11 games. It's obviously a little early to speculate where he'll end up compared to Hester, but right now he's easily on pace to put up Hester-like numbers over his career, especially considering he's only 21.

 

Hopefully it's just a phase that he'll grow out of. See: Josh Cribbs and Desean Jackson.

 

Dante Hall

[Guest]

11 wins would be a lock for the playoffs at this point, I would imagine. I'm even thinking that they can get in with 10 if everything works out as I expect. It's nice to have Minnesota for that last game, while also potentially getting Cutler back for that game if need be. So, win 2 of these next 3 games and we should be in a pretty good place.

 

Oh, and kill Rodgers in week 16. Nothing else in that game will matter. :D

[Banedon]

10 wins will be enough.

[apete6]

10 wins will be enough.

 

Not according to the Playoff Machine on ESPN. There are several scenarios where the Lions, Bears, and Falcons are all 10-6 and the Bears are left out due to strength of victory tiebreakers. If it's just us and Atlanta at 10-6 and the Lions even at 11-5, it's better for the Bears. We have the tiebreak on ATL head to head, but when 3 teams are in it, there's some weird scenarios.

[bukie]

10 wins will be enough.

 

Not according to the Playoff Machine on ESPN. There are several scenarios where the Lions, Bears, and Falcons are all 10-6 and the Bears are left out due to strength of victory tiebreakers. If it's just us and Atlanta at 10-6 and the Lions even at 11-5, it's better for the Bears. We have the tiebreak on ATL head to head, but when 3 teams are in it, there's some weird scenarios.

In a 3-way tie with Atlanta and Detroit, it'd never get to strength of victory, because the Bears win the first tiebreaker of head-to-head among the three teams.

[Formerly Snayke]

It was a common belief after Martz was fired by the Rams in '06 that he would be going back to college where he could be as crazy and imaginitive as he wanted. I think he should get another shot in the NFL and would welcome him back to St. Louis in a heartbeat, but I think his reputation has (wrongly) disqualified him from getting another shot.

 

yeah, it's not his resume that's the issue, it's his ability to piss anyone and everyone off.

 

he's a czar, and if he'd won a super bowl as a head coach, he may have more leeway, like a parcells, but he didn't.

 

Has he rubbed people the wrong way in Chicago? His problem in St. Louis was working for one of the worst ownership groups in professional sports and a team president with no experience in football trying to usurp any power he had.

[Banedon]

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said on Wednesday he'd "want to play next week if they let me," but he also expressed uncertainty about the time frame for his recovery from the broken thumb on his throwing hand, adding that "it could be [that] I'm done for the season."

 

Oops...article already posted in the other thread.

[CubColtPacer]

10 wins will be enough.

 

Not according to the Playoff Machine on ESPN. There are several scenarios where the Lions, Bears, and Falcons are all 10-6 and the Bears are left out due to strength of victory tiebreakers. If it's just us and Atlanta at 10-6 and the Lions even at 11-5, it's better for the Bears. We have the tiebreak on ATL head to head, but when 3 teams are in it, there's some weird scenarios.

In a 3-way tie with Atlanta and Detroit, it'd never get to strength of victory, because the Bears win the first tiebreaker of head-to-head among the three teams.

 

This is not true. In the event of a 3 way tie, first Detroit and Chicago would go through the tiebreakers before Atlanta is even in the picture. Right now the Bears lead the common games tiebreaker (4-1 vs 3-2). Whoever comes out of that division tiebreaker would then have their head to head against Atlanta. If it's Chicago, then Chicago gets the 5 seed and Atlanta would get the 6. If it's Detroit, then Atlanta gets the 5 seed and then Detroit would get the 6.

[Banedon]

TO BREAK A TIE FOR THE WILD-CARD TEAM

 

Three or More Clubs

(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of applicable two-club format.)

 

1.Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tie breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.

2.Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)

 

*snip*

 

Just verifying what CCP said.

[Banedon]

Palko to start!

[JonJayCutler]

Palko to start!

 

Bears 3

Chiefs 0

[Banedon]

Palko to start!

 

Bears 3

Chiefs 0

 

As I commented on PFT, flex this game to SNF, fast!!

[Banedon]

Sounds like Cutler would prefer Martz to stay...

 

"I don't want to learn a new offensive system, I know that," Cutler said. "I think we have a good thing going here. ...

 

"We're building something here," he added. "If you look at the offenses around the league that are really good -- Green Bay, the Patriots, the Saints -- there is consistency there. They've been in the same system. They've had the same offensive coordinator. They've had the same receivers, tight ends, guys around them that have grown up in the system.

 

"If you want to be an elite offense in this league, that's what you have to do. You can't keep shipping guys in and out. You can't keep doing different offensive coordinators left and right. It's hard on quarterbacks and it's hard on everyone to learn that kind of stuff."

[jersey cubs fan]

Sounds like Cutler would prefer Martz to stay...

 

"I don't want to learn a new offensive system, I know that," Cutler said. "I think we have a good thing going here. ...

 

"We're building something here," he added. "If you look at the offenses around the league that are really good -- Green Bay, the Patriots, the Saints -- there is consistency there. They've been in the same system. They've had the same offensive coordinator. They've had the same receivers, tight ends, guys around them that have grown up in the system.

 

"If you want to be an elite offense in this league, that's what you have to do. You can't keep shipping guys in and out. You can't keep doing different offensive coordinators left and right. It's hard on quarterbacks and it's hard on everyone to learn that kind of stuff."

 

Of course, I'd expect him to say nothing else considering how he and Martz have been verbally petting each other the past couple years. Maybe he really just wants an internal option to take over, like Shane Day.

[Magnetic Curses]

So Patrick Peterson is a rookie and has 4 punt return TDs in 11 games. It's obviously a little early to speculate where he'll end up compared to Hester, but right now he's easily on pace to put up Hester-like numbers over his career, especially considering he's only 21.

 

Hopefully it's just a phase that he'll grow out of. See: Josh Cribbs and Desean Jackson.

 

patrick peterson is a future defensive superstar who won't be returning punts for very long in the league.

[UMFan83]

10 wins will be enough.

 

Not according to the Playoff Machine on ESPN. There are several scenarios where the Lions, Bears, and Falcons are all 10-6 and the Bears are left out due to strength of victory tiebreakers. If it's just us and Atlanta at 10-6 and the Lions even at 11-5, it's better for the Bears. We have the tiebreak on ATL head to head, but when 3 teams are in it, there's some weird scenarios.

 

If the Lions and Bears both finish 10-6 (and Atlanta better than 10-6), it is very likely that Detroit wins the tiebreaker with the Bears. The only way the Bears win it is if they can somehow beat GB or Detroit somehow loses to Minnesota. The most likely scenario is that the teams both split their remaining division games, both losing @ GB, and both winning @/vs. MIN. In that scenario, the Lions make it due to record vs. Common teams, which Detroit has already clinched.