Week 16 The Desperate Bears @ Arizona Cardinals

[SpongeWorthy]

Mike McCoy is really intriguing. He's done good things in Denver and proved to be able to adapt to personnel. He had a hand in Carolina when Delhomme was actually pretty good.

 

Anyone willing to give Kyle Shanhan a whirl as HC?

 

Payton's a pipe dream obviously and I'd be down for Gruden. Cowher's been away from the game too long for my liking.

[UMFan83]

“Yesterday’s game was a must-game for the NFC North championship, but besides that, it wasn’t a must-game with what can happen for our season,” Smith said at his press conference on Monday. “This week it is a must game.”

 

Typical Lovie speak.

 

Yesterday wasn't a must win for the season, but it was a must win to control their playoff destiny. Now they have to hope the Vikings and either the Giants or Redskins lose again, along with winning the last 2 games.

 

I still think the Bears will win the next 2 games and finish 10-6.

 

If anyone cares about the playoffs anymore, here are the schedules for the other 3 teams:

 

Vikings:

@ Houston

vs. GB

 

Redskins:

@ Philly

vs. Dallas

 

Giants:

@ Baltimore

vs. Philly

 

To me, the most important game outside the Bears games is the Giants and Ravens this week. The Ravens are on a free fall, after a season of putting up close, sometimes discouraging victories. Ravens have clinched a spot and the Giants are on the brink of falling out of the playoff race. Knowing the talent the Giants have shown at times this year, and the way they had to crawl into the playoffs both of their Super Bowl years, I can't see the Giants losing this, but the Ravens have a crapload to prove too so we'll see.

 

So if the Giants win this, the Bears are looking at either the Eagles beating one of the 2 teams somehow or the Cowboys winning in Washington, and I don't think Dallas is good at all despite their record (sorry vance). If the Vikings win in Houston against a team that still has a lot to play for, and then beat GB who may be playing for a bye, then whatever it wasn't to be, but I'm not worried about that at the moment.

 

According to playoff odds, these are the WC chances for the aforementioned teams:

 

Bears: 30.0%

Giants: 26.7%

Vikings: 22.5%

Redskins: 20.0%

Cowboys: 2.2%

 

Somehow the Bears are the most likely team to get that 6th playoff spot...how about that

[treebird]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8735671/what-chip-kelly-spread-offense-need-succeed-nfl-college-football

 

That's a terrible article. It didn't say a damn thing.

 

i was really excited to read it until i realized it wasn't written by chris brown of grantland/smart football

 

(by the way, how the hell does that guy not go by christopher or something? I guess it's probably a mike bolton situation, but still)

[sweetpeteman]

“Yesterday’s game was a must-game for the NFC North championship, but besides that, it wasn’t a must-game with what can happen for our season,” Smith said at his press conference on Monday. “This week it is a must game.”

 

Typical Lovie speak.

 

Yesterday wasn't a must win for the season, but it was a must win to control their playoff destiny. Now they have to hope the Vikings and either the Giants or Redskins lose again, along with winning the last 2 games.

 

I still think the Bears will win the next 2 games and finish 10-6.

 

If anyone cares about the playoffs anymore, here are the schedules for the other 3 teams:

 

Vikings:

@ Houston

vs. GB

 

Redskins:

@ Philly

vs. Dallas

 

Giants:

@ Baltimore

vs. Philly

 

To me, the most important game outside the Bears games is the Giants and Ravens this week. The Ravens are on a free fall, after a season of putting up close, sometimes discouraging victories. Ravens have clinched a spot and the Giants are on the brink of falling out of the playoff race. Knowing the talent the Giants have shown at times this year, and the way they had to crawl into the playoffs both of their Super Bowl years, I can't see the Giants losing this, but the Ravens have a crapload to prove too so we'll see.

 

So if the Giants win this, the Bears are looking at either the Eagles beating one of the 2 teams somehow or the Cowboys winning in Washington, and I don't think Dallas is good at all despite their record (sorry vance). If the Vikings win in Houston against a team that still has a lot to play for, and then beat GB who may be playing for a bye, then whatever it wasn't to be, but I'm not worried about that at the moment.

 

According to playoff odds, these are the WC chances for the aforementioned teams:

 

Bears: 30.0%

Giants: 26.7%

Vikings: 22.5%

Redskins: 20.0%

Cowboys: 2.2%

 

Somehow the Bears are the most likely team to get that 6th playoff spot...how about that

 

The Bears have to win the next two games. They can't get in at 8-8 and more than likely won't at 9-7. The good news is: Houston wins next week and they clinch home field through the playoffs, Green Bay is still fighting for a bye, and the Ravens are still fighting for the division vs. a wild card, and can clinch the division next week. Since the Skins and Dallas play each other, one is going to end up at 9-7. The Vikings are probably going to lose at least one of their next two games for the previous reasons. The big issue is the Giants and Redskins. One of them needs to lose one game, because in a three way tie at 10-6, the Skins and Giants go.

 

At 9-7 it gets really confusing and based on so many different tie breakers that, depending on which NFC East team loses which game, several different scenarios exist. It's really confusing.

[Banedon]

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/12/17/24-hours-later-laurence-holmes-breaks-down-bears-packers/

 

As things continue to spiral downward, I’m told that support inside the locker room for Mike Tice as offensive coordinator is at an all-time low. There are some who are wondering if making a move to Jeremy Bates might be the best thing for the offense, even at this late date.

[sweetpeteman]

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/12/17/24-hours-later-laurence-holmes-breaks-down-bears-packers/

 

As things continue to spiral downward, I’m told that support inside the locker room for Mike Tice as offensive coordinator is at an all-time low. There are some who are wondering if making a move to Jeremy Bates might be the best thing for the offense, even at this late date.

 

 

Mike Tice, in desperation, calls for a WR screen.

[Soul]

A good article overall -- and big bonus: not behind a pay wall.

[sweetpeteman]

I think I figured out 9-7 (These results are using ESPN's Playoff thingy, so I'm assuming they're accurate, but I may be wrong):

 

If the Bears go 1-1 (Doesn't matter which game they lose), they would need the following to happen to be in:

 

Vikings 0-2.

 

AND

 

In the NFC East:

 

Both the Skins and Giants go 0-2

 

OR The Giants needs to go 0-2 AND the Skins have to win the Division.

 

OR the Cowboys need to beat the Skins AND the Giants need to be at 2-0.

 

In the first scenario (Bears 9-7, Skins 8-8, Giants 8-8, Cowboys 9-7): Cowboys 4th, Bears 6th

In the second scenario (Bears 9-7, Skins 9-7, Cowboys 9-7, Giants 8-8): Skins 4th, Bears 6th

In the third scenario (Bears 9-7, Giants 10-6, Cowboys 9-7, Skins 9-7): Giants 4th, Bears 6th

If you flip the Skins wins, the Skins are the 6th seed (Skins lose to Philly but beat Dallas, even if Dallas beats the Saints)

[UMFan83]

So this means that no matter what happens, the Bears will be playing for something in Week 17 correct?

[sweetpeteman]

So this means that no matter what happens, the Bears will be playing for something in Week 17 correct?

 

 

No. If they lose to the Cards and the Vikings win, it's over.

[Banedon]

Sean Jensen ‏@seankjensen

 

#Bears place DT Matt Toeaina on IR and elevate OT Cory Brandon from P-S to 53-man roster.

[WrigleyField 22]

Has Toeania even been active? How was he hurt, haha. Phantom injury?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Banedon]

Has Toeania even been active? How was he hurt, haha. Phantom injury?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I believe he's been inactive recently due to an injury.

[cubbyvirus00]

Wow they add another OT to the mix, which means they have to take somebody off their roster here shortly.

 

I'm a huge Bears fan, but with all the positivity that can be had with them losing this game, I have to root for Arizona for the greater good of the franchise. They nearly spoiled my fantasy prospects by playing a pretty hard game yesterday.

[jersey cubs fan]

Wow they add another OT to the mix, which means they have to take somebody off their roster here shortly.

 

In addition to Toeaina?

[Banedon]

Brad Biggs ‏@BradBiggs

#Bears DT Matt Toeaina expected to undergo MRI on knee and could very likely require arthroscopic surgery.

[Pushfrog98]

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/12/17/24-hours-later-laurence-holmes-breaks-down-bears-packers/

 

As things continue to spiral downward, I’m told that support inside the locker room for Mike Tice as offensive coordinator is at an all-time low. There are some who are wondering if making a move to Jeremy Bates might be the best thing for the offense, even at this late date.

 

 

Mike Tice, in desperation, calls for a WR screen.

Well, do you have a better play to call on 3rd and 15? After a Roberto Garza false start, obviously.

[rawaction]

All for a trip to either GB or SF where they've already lost.

[Guest]

On this game:

 

Bears 24

Cardinals 10

 

They'll do enough to win this one, the Cardinals just beat a team that gave up awhile back. Big deal. It's been bad for the Bears, but not this bad.

 

The Cardinals won, but the first 21 points were absolute gifts. And I mean the extremely charitable kind of gift.

[Guest]

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/12/17/24-hours-later-laurence-holmes-breaks-down-bears-packers/

 

As things continue to spiral downward, I’m told that support inside the locker room for Mike Tice as offensive coordinator is at an all-time low. There are some who are wondering if making a move to Jeremy Bates might be the best thing for the offense, even at this late date.

 

 

Mike Tice, in desperation, calls for a WR screen.

 

That out route to Brandon Marshall with 3rd and long made me blind with rage.

[mul21]

On the head coaching search, did Payton ever get anything done after his contract was voided in NO? If he's willing to leave after all the BS down there, he's by far #1 on my list. How many dump trucks do we need?

[JonJayCutler]

One small detail that I didn't see mentioned above and realized thanks in part to the playoff machine... Even if the Bears win the final two, and we get a loss from both Washington and Minnesota, we still miss the playoffs if the Giants and Cowboys both go 2-0, which would actually give Dallas the division and put the Giants in a WC tie with the Bears, in which the Giants would be given the final playoff spot. Because of the Giants losing in Atlanta, there is actually no possible way left that we tie alone with Dallas for the WC at 10-6 (and thus win the tiebreaker). It's still possible at 9-7 but extremely unlikely as it would require either Giants/Washington, as well as Minnesota going 0-2, as has already been mentioned.

 

Anyway, what this means is that the Ravens vs. Giants game is extremely important. If the Giants win that game, our chances for playoffs would decrease immensely, as they would need to lose vs Philly the following week. If they don't, our only other way in would be for either Dallas or Washington to lose this week with the team that loses winning the Week 17 game. Both losing this week works too of course. But if they both win, then their matchup next week is for the division with the WC spot going to the Giants providing they go 2-0. And of course Minnesota has to lose one of their remaining two as well. If the Ravens win against New York, then yeah, all the Bears have to do is win their remaining two and get one loss from Minnesota and they're in. This is by far the easiest path in.

 

I'm not even sure why I'm putting this much thought into it, as it's almost certainly better for our long-term future if we miss the playoffs. This team isn't catching fire and getting three road playoff wins.

[Banedon]

I think I figured out 9-7 (These results are using ESPN's Playoff thingy, so I'm assuming they're accurate, but I may be wrong):

 

If the Bears go 1-1 (Doesn't matter which game they lose), they would need the following to happen to be in:

 

Vikings 0-2.

 

AND

 

In the NFC East:

 

Both the Skins and Giants go 0-2

 

OR The Giants needs to go 0-2 AND the Skins have to win the Division.

 

OR the Cowboys need to beat the Skins AND the Giants need to be at 2-0.

 

In the first scenario (Bears 9-7, Skins 8-8, Giants 8-8, Cowboys 9-7): Cowboys 4th, Bears 6th

In the second scenario (Bears 9-7, Skins 9-7, Cowboys 9-7, Giants 8-8): Skins 4th, Bears 6th

In the third scenario (Bears 9-7, Giants 10-6, Cowboys 9-7, Skins 9-7): Giants 4th, Bears 6th

If you flip the Skins wins, the Skins are the 6th seed (Skins lose to Philly but beat Dallas, even if Dallas beats the Saints)

 

 

Playoff clinching scenarios for the Bears per a guy on Reddit:

 

Chicago

 

Win both games; Seahawks lose both; Two of Dallas, Washington, Giants, and Minnesota lose 1

Win both games; Minnesota loses 1; two of Washington, Dallas, and Giants lose one

Win one game; Minnesota loses both; Washington wins NFC East; Dallas and Giants 9-7

Win one game; Giants wins NFC East; Dallas and Washington 9-7; Minnesota 8-8

 

Scenario 2 seems to be the best route.

[Banedon]

Bears expected to re-sign Khalil Bell today. Bush still fighting rib injury.

[Banedon]

Earl Bennett expected to play this week.