Week 8: Bears (3-4) @ Patriots (5-2) Noon Fox/780

[Sammy Sofa]

CHEATING.

[minnesotacubsfan]

WTF has happened here

[UMFan83]

Bears Injury report for Sunday - OUT: McCray; DOUBTFUL: Briggs, Bostic; QUESTIONABLE: Mills; PROBABLE: Fuller.

 

Looks like old man Briggs and his backup Bostic will be sitting again. Great news on Fuller

[UMFan83]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-bears-linebackers-injuries-20141024-story.html

 

Also this article says that Christian Jones will be starting in place of Greene this week (assuming Briggs doesn't play of course)

[Chocolate Milk]

Bears opened at +7.5 at 5dimes and are now down to +5.5. 60% of the bets by volume against the spread are for the Patriots, but the line is moving the other way. This usually indicates the game will be closer than the public expects.

 

Take it for what it is worth.

[UMFan83]

Bears opened at +7.5 at 5dimes and are now down to +5.5. 60% of the bets by volume against the spread are for the Patriots, but the line is moving the other way. This usually indicates the game will be closer than the public expects.

 

Take it for what it is worth.

 

Probably has a little to do with Chandler jones and others being out

[Soul]

I don't understand how movement in the betting line has any bearing on the game at all.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't understand how movement in the betting line has any bearing on the game at all.

it doesn't have any bearing on the game at all, it just indicates what "smart money" may be thinking. I believe this is similar to what happened with Bears/Buf at the beginning, most people picked the Bears but the line moved toward Buffalo.

[Guest]

I don't understand how movement in the betting line has any bearing on the game at all.

 

reverse line movement is often an indication that the huge bettors are pounding that side of the game.

 

it's not "this is happening with the line so this will happen"

 

it's "this is what is happening, so this appears to be where the smart money is"

[Guest]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-bears-linebackers-injuries-20141024-story.html

 

Also this article says that Christian Jones will be starting in place of Greene this week (assuming Briggs doesn't play of course)

 

This is great news.

[rawaction]

Only a matter of time until Sharpton takes over for Williams too. Already comes in for him in the nickel and the Bears play mostly nickel so........

[Guest]

So if the Pats put Revis on Marshall, its likely that Jeffery will be matched up against Alfonzo Dennard. The two played against each other in college at the Capital One Bowl, got into a fight and were both ejected. Should be interesting to see that matchup.

 

 

Jeffery lit him up before ejection (4/148/1): http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=320022579

 

Caught a Hail Mary to end the first half.

[Cubswin11]

Vereen is apparently questionable as he has some sort of illness

[UMFan83]

Vereen is apparently questionable as he has some sort of illness

 

You'll have to be more specific as there's two of them in this game. Hope you mean Shane.

[Cubswin11]

Vereen is apparently questionable as he has some sort of illness

 

You'll have to be more specific as there's two of them in this game. Hope you mean Shane.

Yes, Shane. Only know because I just looked at my fantasy roster for tomorrow that he is tentatively in.

[JonJayCutler]

So if the Pats put Revis on Marshall, its likely that Jeffery will be matched up against Alfonzo Dennard. The two played against each other in college at the Capital One Bowl, got into a fight and were both ejected. Should be interesting to see that matchup.

 

 

Jeffery lit him up before ejection (4/148/1): http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=320022579

 

Caught a Hail Mary to end the first half.

 

I think we'll see Revis on Jeffery and Browner on Marshall, which won't be good for us. Good chance both are locked down. Expect a lot of Forte and Bennett, and it'd be nice if Morgan/Holmes stepped up in the slot for once.

[Guest]

i'm not scared of any corners playing man vs those two receivers healthy

[Guest]

i don't recall if browner or sherman was matched up on b more often in the 2012 game, but marshall had a monster game

[rawaction]

i don't recall if browner or sherman was matched up on b more often in the 2012 game, but marshall had a monster game

 

It was Browner. Sherman ducked Marshall all day long until B caught that hail Mary over him.

[rawaction]

Not overly concerned about their corners on our WRs. Browner hasn't played a game in almost a year due to injury and suspension. Revis is more shutdown corner on reputation/history than he is currently, though he's still very good. What they do very well as a team though is stop the big play in the pass game. The Pats are #1 vs the pass, but they do allow almost 62% completion but do a good job of keeping things in front of them. That combined with the 24th ranked run D plays right into what the Bears probably want and need to do to win. Establish the run with more than 2 Forte carries in the first half and get the ball out of Cutler's hands in a hurry and to the playmakers. I actually think this may be a tough game on Bennett and Forte in the passing game, because the Pats will give a lot of attention to them and they do have aa very good group of guys that can cover at LB (Collins), safety (McCourty) and Dennard and Ryan can really cover in the nickel/dime. So, if there plays to be made, I think they will come quickly and on the outside to the Bears best receivers. In their losses, teams have been able to successfully throw quickly and short to move the ball and keep Brady off the field. Their 2 losses have come to dink and dunk extraordinaires, Ryan Tannehill and Alex Smith.

 

As for the task of actually beating the Pats, it's going to be extremely difficult with a perfect game on offense and a turnover generating game on defense. Brady is 40-3 at Foxboro since coming back from his lost season in 2009, and they haven't lost an October home game in 9 years, for whatever that is worth.

 

Defensively, I don't know that there is a whole lot the Bears can do to stop Gronk. And even Edelman will probably get his 7-9 catches for 7-9 yards a pop. But the key is to stop everyone else. They've been able to get the other guys to make big plays like LaFell, Vereen out of the backfield, and even Tim Wright the backup TE had a good game recently. Gotta stop the run and force them into 3rd and long, though they will pass on first down and use that as a way to get an easy 5 yards to make 3rd down easier. But it's the same formula the Bears have always had on D. Get pressure on the QB consistently. Get a couple turnovers. Keep the defense on the sideline as much as possible.

[rawaction]

Jordan Mills inactive. Ola will start @ RT

[Guest]

Briggs and Bostic are inactive too.

 

Christian Jones has jumped ahead of Khaseem Greene and will start at WILL.

[WrigleyField 22]

Jordan Mills inactive. Ola will start @ RT

Huh did they have Ola with the first team at all this week? Either way we probably need more Ebon Britton sets for some additional help.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Soul]

How strange to actually be somewhat relieved to be playing the patriots on the road

[Soul]

I love the Fox pregame show where everything's funny. Even the stuff that isn't. which just happens to be most of what they say.