Game 4 - BEARS @ Dallas Cowboys - MNF 7:30 PM

[Theo]

Huge break for the Bears. Outside of Ware now, they have no one that scares me as a pure pass rusher. Just don't leave Webb 1 on 1 with Ware please.

[Banedon]

Huge break for the Bears. Outside of Ware now, they have no one that scares me as a pure pass rusher. Just don't leave Webb 1 on 1 with Ware please.

 

I feel like the Bears want to give Webb a 1 on 1 shot each week, but when Cutler gets pressured early, it gets him all out of whack. I'd like to see them give Webb help early this time. I think if we can get an early lead, we can see this offense do some of what was expected.

[Mark Priors Calves]

GD I hate primetime football. I cannot stress that enough. I am not looking forward to staying up past midnight to watch this one. I have no faith this week, maybe that's a good sign because usually I can picture a Bears victory. One way or another tomorrow is going to suck. Either I'll be too excited about a win to get much sleep or too annoyed about another loss. I hope no clients need anything tomorrow.

I'm not even in Eastern time and I can't stay up to watch the whole game. I'll wake up 20 minutes early tomorrow and watch the 4th quarter or so.

[Banedon]

Jay Glazer says that Forte will play tonight. Telling teammates he'll be active.

[Banedon]

So I guess the whole Spencer thing was BS? Or are they just trying to hide his status?

 

Cowboys V.P. Stephen Jones told 105.3 The Fan that the team expects Spencer to play tonight.

 

“I think he should be good to go,’’ Jones says. “You always wait to see how they warm up. But he should be fine.’’

[Soul]

So I guess the whole Spencer thing was BS? Or are they just trying to hide his status?

 

Cowboys V.P. Stephen Jones told 105.3 The Fan that the team expects Spencer to play tonight.

 

“I think he should be good to go,’’ Jones says. “You always wait to see how they warm up. But he should be fine.’’

 

He didn't receive clearance to play, according to NFL.com:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000068311/article/cowboys-anthony-spencer-will-miss-mondays-game-vs-bears

[jersey cubs fan]

So the line I've seen went from 3.5 to 3. Interestingly the Bears are -4 against Jacksonville next week. The Jags have been outscored by 35 points this year. I'd have to imagine that if Chicago manages to pull off the upset this week then next week's line will be bigger than 4.

[Smack]

MNF/TNF is the worst because I can't focus at work all day. At least SNF is still part of the weekend.

 

You are a football nut.

 

Guilty.

[Guest]

@vxmcclure23

Keep an eye on Michael Bush, though. Heard he's really toughin it out with a shoulder injury that might be significant.

[UMFan83]

This is only interesting for nerds like me, but I was thinking back and wondering when the last time the Bears and Cowboys competed for a playoff spot (obviously Wild Card) and it took me back to 2008. In that year, the Eagles, who the Bears beat that year, finished 9-6-1 and took the 2nd wild card over the 9-7 Bears and Cowboys. Had they actually lost that Bengals game instead of tying it, there would have been a 3 way tie in which the Eagles would be eliminated for having a worse division record than the Cowboys, setting up a head to head matchup against the Bears. They didn't play that year, so that wasn't a problem, they both finished with 7-5 records against the NFC, so they move on to record in common games, which the Bears and Cowboys tied at 3-2. So next we go to the Strength of Victory tiebreaker. The Cowboys beat their 9 opponents by a combined 100 points that year, while the Bears beat their by.......101 points. Thus the Bears would have won the tiebreaker by 1 point and made the playoffs.

 

Looking back on that year, its amazing that we didn't make the playoffs. Here are a 3 ways they could have made it.

 

1. The aforementioned scenario. The Bears get the 6th seed if Philadelphia loses to Cincinnati instead of inexplicably tying them.

2. The Atlanta game....I'm sure most remember that the Bears took the lead with 11 seconds left on an Orton pass to Rashied Davis, but a stupid decision to squib kick led to a quick completion and a heart breaking 50+ yard FG for the win. If the Bears win that game, not only do they make the playoffs, but they win the Division by besting the Vikings in Strength of Victory, +102 to +87 (tied division record, conference record and record vs. common opponents).

3. Same scenario with the Buccaneers game. If the Bears don't blow a 10 point lead with 3 minutes left, or Tillman doesnt get that stupid penalty when the Bucs are about to punt in OT, the Bears win the division by virtue of strength of victory as well.

 

Strangely enough, I thought about how the Vikings made a FG as the clock expired to beat the Giants in their last game of the year, but the Bears would not have made the playoffs if they missed that kick, as they'd both finish 9-7 and the Vikings would win the record vs. common opponents tiebreaker.

 

I know really random stuff, but sometimes my mind goes on random tangents when I'm bored at work waiting for the Bears on MNF.

[CubColtPacer]

Strength of Victory is not margin of victory. It's calculated by taking the records of all the teams a team has beaten and putting them together.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://instagram.com/p/QQP9XMKAuM/

[tfarks]

Instagram filters are the absolute worst.

[Banedon]

@vxmcclure23

Keep an eye on Michael Bush, though. Heard he's really toughin it out with a shoulder injury that might be significant.

 

Bush is my flex this week. If I was remotely close to winning, I'd be a bit upset.

 

Kinda figured there was something there though. There'd have been no reason for them to be trying out RB's otherwise.

[Smack]

@vxmcclure23

Keep an eye on Michael Bush, though. Heard he's really toughin it out with a shoulder injury that might be significant.

 

Bush is my flex this week. If I was remotely close to winning, I'd be a bit upset.

 

Kinda figured there was something there though. There'd have been no reason for them to be trying out RB's otherwise.

 

Wouldn't it make sense to just sit him through the bye week? Especially if Forte is playing and we have Bell back?

[Guest]

ESPN guys like the Bears (on Monday Night Countdown).

 

I'm not sure how I feel about that.

[UMFan83]

ESPN guys like the Bears (on Monday Night Countdown).

 

I'm not sure how I feel about that.

 

Weird...all the NFL Network guys took the Cowboys, as did a majority of pundits I've seen this week.

[UMFan83]

Strength of Victory is not margin of victory. It's calculated by taking the records of all the teams a team has beaten and putting them together.

 

I'm an idiot and my entire post is worthless. Thanks lol.

[Guest]

Zach Zaidman ‏@ZachZaidman

Earl Bennett dressed in gear generally reserved for inactive players.

 

vaughn mcclure ‏@vxmcclure23

Dane Sanzenbacher filled in for Earl Bennett in practice last week. Looks like Sanzenbacher might be active for first time this season.

[bjam12]

Bears 20

Cowboys 17

 

Bears offense starts strong and gets the fanbase excited. Defense holds the Cowboys in the second half.

[rawaction]

Zach Zaidman ‏@ZachZaidman

Earl Bennett dressed in gear generally reserved for inactive players.

 

vaughn mcclure ‏@vxmcclure23

Dane Sanzenbacher filled in for Earl Bennett in practice last week. Looks like Sanzenbacher might be active for first time this season.

 

Sanzenbacher is going to have a huge role in this game. I think the Cowboys are going to try to force Cutler to throw to someone other than Marshall for most of the game. Dane in the slot could be key. Bennett has kinda sucked this year (drops, not coming back to the ball, not creating enough separation) so I think Dane could be a nice change of pace tonight.

[Banedon]

Bennett has been nearly invisible for the first 3 games.

 

6 catches for 82 yards. 3 and 50 of that was against Indy.

[Guest]

Chris Williams is inactive but he isn't hurt. Tice just doesn't like him. Gotta thing his career as a Bear is done.

[rawaction]

Chris Williams is inactive but he isn't hurt. Tice just doesn't like him. Gotta thing his career as a Bear is done.

 

Also means Jonathan Scott is ready to play if needed. J Webb should be looking over his shoulder. You'd think with the league as OL starved as it is the Bears could at least get their pick back from the Brian Price trade for Williams before the deadline. But I'm guessing he'll hang around on the bench all year.

[Guest]

Chris Williams is inactive but he isn't hurt. Tice just doesn't like him. Gotta thing his career as a Bear is done.

 

Also means Jonathan Scott is ready to play if needed. J Webb should be looking over his shoulder. You'd think with the league as OL starved as it is the Bears could at least get their pick back from the Brian Price trade for Williams before the deadline. But I'm guessing he'll hang around on the bench all year.

Yeah, Jonathan Scott is the swing tackle. Not sure I want to see him in there if he started the year behind Webb and C. Williams.