Week 11 - Bears (5-4) vs Baltimore (4-5) - 12:00 PM, CBS

[Butterscup1679666578]

the elements also made passing quite ineffective. the D was mostly fine but i wouldn't call their performance a win.

 

also, apparently ravens GM Ozzie Newsom was taken to the hospital in an ambulance after the game

[UMFan83]

So if the Panthers lose tomorrow at home against NE (no sure thing) there will be 4 teams tied at 6-4 for the 2 WC spots. Also you cannot count out 5-5 Green Bay considering Rodgers is hoping to play next week and they have an easy schedule the rest of the way. So it's looking like you need 10-6 at minimum to get in (and that might not be enough).

 

(Also I know the Bears are only 1 virtual game behind Detroit for the North and I'm not counting them out there but just looking at the WC here).

 

The Bears have 6 games left, with 4 of them coming on the road. @ STL, @ MIN, vs. DAL, @ CLE, @ PHI, vs. GB

 

To go 4-2, we should probably win 3 of those 4 road games and beat Dallas at home. All 4 of the road games are winnable, but STL is coming off a bye and destroyed the Colts on the road the last time they played. It's always hard to win in the Metrodome but the Vikings look like they've given up on the season. Cleveland is fiesty and has a tough D but should be beatable. Philly looks great right now and I'm worried they will carve up our defense, although we might be a bit healthier by then with Briggs back.

 

If we can't win 3 of the 4 road games, we always have a tough but winnable home game in Week 17 against a GB team that, if Rodgers does come back next week and is back to form, will probably still be alive for a playoff spot.

[RynoRules]

It's so odd to me that we're 6-4. I feel like this season has been a terrible depressing mess and yet we have a winning record and we're somehow sitting in a (not really) tie for first place.

 

I guess this is what it's like to root for one of those very good offense meh defense teams.

 

Exactly. The reason they actually have a shot at the playoffs and maybe beating someone is that their offense is in the top 1/4 of the league. Does anyone have a tandem at WR like they do outside of maybe Denver? Forte and Bennett may not be all-pros, but they are solid second teamers. The O-Line has been excellent. [expletive], if Tillman and Briggs come back they can probably play with anyone in the NFC except perhaps Seattle.

[Soul]

So if the Panthers lose tomorrow at home against NE (no sure thing) there will be 4 teams tied at 6-4 for the 2 WC spots. Also you cannot count out 5-5 Green Bay considering Rodgers is hoping to play next week and they have an easy schedule the rest of the way. So it's looking like you need 10-6 at minimum to get in (and that might not be enough).

 

(Also I know the Bears are only 1 virtual game behind Detroit for the North and I'm not counting them out there but just looking at the WC here).

 

The Bears have 6 games left, with 4 of them coming on the road. @ STL, @ MIN, vs. DAL, @ CLE, @ PHI, vs. GB

 

To go 4-2, we should probably win 3 of those 4 road games and beat Dallas at home. All 4 of the road games are winnable, but STL is coming off a bye and destroyed the Colts on the road the last time they played. It's always hard to win in the Metrodome but the Vikings look like they've given up on the season. Cleveland is fiesty and has a tough D but should be beatable. Philly looks great right now and I'm worried they will carve up our defense, although we might be a bit healthier by then with Briggs back.

 

If we can't win 3 of the 4 road games, we always have a tough but winnable home game in Week 17 against a GB team that, if Rodgers does come back next week and is back to form, will probably still be alive for a playoff spot.

Coming back from a broken bone in 3 weeks? That's pushing it.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Isn't our tiebreaker situation pretty dire?

[Butterscup1679666578]

well he doesnt play for the bears so it's amazing he hasnt come back already

[UMFan83]

Isn't our tiebreaker situation pretty dire?

 

It's not terrible I think. We are 3-4 in the conference. I think SF is 4-4 and Arizona is 3-3

[RynoRules]

Isn't our tiebreaker situation pretty dire?

 

It's not good and the schedule is tough. That said, I think the offense gives them a reasonable chance to get 10 wins and sneak in. Plus I am not convinced that Detroit won't fall apart. Other than the Vikings to close they don't have any games I would give them for sure.

[Butterscup1679666578]

honestly, detroit has meltdown written all over them. that said, i still expect green bay to win the division.

[Cubswin11]

Isn't our tiebreaker situation pretty dire?

 

It's not good and the schedule is tough. That said, I think the offense gives them a reasonable chance to get 10 wins and sneak in. Plus I am not convinced that Detroit won't fall apart. Other than the Vikings to close they don't have any games I would give them for sure.

I think I'd give them TB at home this week and GB at home on Thanksgiving if Rodgers is out. But I get what you're saying

[Soul]

honestly, detroit has meltdown written all over them. that said, i still expect green bay to win the division.

I don't know. Biggest thing is Detroit is easily the healthiest of the 3 clubs.

 

The Packers are absolute junk without Rodgers, so depending on his actual return date things will flow from there.

[rawaction]

Regardless of the tiebreaker situation., more is better. The Bears aren't going for 1 playoff spot like last year. They're tied for 3 right now. 10-6 probably gets them 1 of those.

[JonJayCutler]

Forte and Bennett may not be all-pros, but they are solid second teamers.

 

He's a top 5 RB in this league.

[radarluv1]

Is the field always that bad this time of year?

[Soul]

Is the field always that bad this time of year?

 

Sometimes it's bad game 1.

[jersey cubs fan]

Is the field always that bad this time of year?

 

It's always that bad when they stupidly take the tarp off to play a game during what they know will be a huge storm. Had they just delayed the start and kept it covered until the worst passed they would have been fine.

[UMFan83]

From MMQB:

 

When lightning struck and winds in excess of 40 mph whipped through Soldier Field, players were relegated to their locker rooms, tasked with staying loose and focused for an undetermined amount of time. The Ravens lunched. The Bears passed around granola and Gatorade. They plugged in headphones or called their wives or told jokes to liven the mood. Bears veterans like Brandon Marshall and Roberto Garza worked the room, keeping everyone awake and focused with encouragement and hype. “I couldn’t sleep,” said tackle Jermon Bushrod. “I wanted to. I was yawning. But we were just passing time because we didn’t know how long we were gonna be in here.” At least two Bears gave in to the urge, and what they did next kept Chicago in the NFC North hunt. Backup quarterback Josh McCown, starting in place of the injured Jay Cutler, laid down and began visualizing plays, and before he knew it he was asleep. “I closed my eyes and just tried to think about the game,” McCown said, “and I think I dozed off.” Reserve defensive end David Bass did the same: “I napped for 15 to 20 minutes. It was refreshing.” Bass came out after the interrupted first quarter and picked off a Joe Flacco throw before it passed the line of scrimmage, returning it for a 24-yard touchdown in the second quarter. And McCown woke up to lead the Bears on a game-winning overtime scoring drive to improve to 6-4. Gentlemen, sleep psychologists everywhere salute you.

[Guest]

Is the field always that bad this time of year?

 

It's always that bad when they stupidly take the tarp off to play a game during what they know will be a huge storm. Had they just delayed the start and kept it covered until the worst passed they would have been fine.

 

Don't think they could keep the tarp out no matter what during a tornado warning.

[Guest]

Also loved this quote from McCown:

 

"It was definitely one of those days when you look across the field and [see] Joe Flacco, and look on the sideline and Jay's [Cutler] over there and I'm like can I borrow someone's arm?" McCown said.

[jersey cubs fan]

Is the field always that bad this time of year?

 

It's always that bad when they stupidly take the tarp off to play a game during what they know will be a huge storm. Had they just delayed the start and kept it covered until the worst passed they would have been fine.

 

Don't think they could keep the tarp out no matter what during a tornado warning.

 

They could have kept it on longer than they did and kept the players off until the storm passed. Instead they started it "on time" knowing there would be a delay. That led to pregame and 1st quarter activities ripping up the field and an impossible condition to return to.

[Guest]

Bostic made an Urlacher-like interception yesterday, that was nice to see.

[Guest]

Forte and Bennett may not be all-pros, but they are solid second teamers.

 

He's a top 5 RB in this league.

 

outside of Peterson and McCoy, you could make an argument for a lot of guys as 3, 4, 5. Forte has been a relatively healthy, one-cut back that blocks well and catches the ball well. he's been solid for a long time, and he still doesn't have a ton of mileage on him.

[jersey cubs fan]

Bostic made an Urlacher-like interception yesterday, that was nice to see.

 

Yeah, that was really impressive. For some reason he also looked "bigger" to me on the field. Maybe Baltimore has some smaller offensive players (not just Ray Rice), or maybe he was just making more of an impact. The third option is that I was sitting closer to the TV.

[jersey cubs fan]

and he still doesn't have a ton of mileage on him.

 

You don't think so?

 

1700 pro touches, more than another 900 in college. He's right there with Ray Rice, and just about exactly where Shaun Alexander did when he fell apart.

[Guest]

and he still doesn't have a ton of mileage on him.

 

You don't think so?

 

1700 pro touches, more than another 900 in college. He's right there with Ray Rice, and just about exactly where Shaun Alexander did when he fell apart.

 

yeah, but aside from his first season, he hasn't come close to 300 carries in a single year, so the mileage has been spread out. Alexander had 5 straight seasons of 300 or more carries jus before he fell apart. he hasn't been abused between the tackles like Alexander was. Rice has also seen his carries/receptions spike over the last two previous seasons. And you can say that the touches are there for Forte, but receptions are a little bit less taxing than carries.

Edited November 18, 2013 by Stannis