Week 1 Bears (0-0) @ Texans (0-0) Noon, FOX/780

[UMFan83]

Might as well start this one since its game week.

 

I think we would all prefer there to be actual expectations for this season but let's be honest there are few this year. John Fox second year, Pace's 2nd draft etc. Bears also have an easy schedule so I would think last years 6-10 is the absolute floor for this year but maybe I'm being optimistic.

 

Bears have never beaten the Texans in 3 tries. The last time we faced them, these teams had the 2 best records in the league. The last time we faced them in Houston we needed to win to make the playoffs and didn't.

 

That's all I got. Go Bears.

[JonJayCutler]

Sure would be nice having Sitton out there blocking Watt. Hopefully they can get him up to speed quickly here.

[raw]

Bad matchup for the Bears offense. OL's first time playing together will be against the best defensive player in the league and I think they have a lot to worry about with Mercilus and Clowney on the edges. The Bears are going to have to have a running game going and get the ball out of Cutler's hands pretty quickly.

 

On defense, if the Bears can stop the run game (and Houston has a good OL) then they pretty much only have to worry about Hopkins. They don't have much else established as receiving options right now.

 

I'd expect a game similar to the Denver game last year (Osweiler start). Relatively low scoring. The Bears will have trouble protecting against a strong pass rushing group. Bears didn't have Jeffery in that game, and that combined with the upgrades on the OL and in the front 7 give the Bears a chance to come out on the other side of the matchup this time. Though, if I was a betting man, I'd put my money on Houston to win this game. Turnovers will be key. Houston historically protects the ball.

[Sammy Sofa]

[Sammy Sofa]

I demand either a shocking surprise of a good season or some really sloppy, terrible football that I can just soak my hatred in. None of this middle of the road, namby-pamby horsefeathers.

[jersey cubs fan]

I demand either a shocking surprise of a good season or some really sloppy, terrible football that I can just soak my hatred in. None of this middle of the road, namby-pamby [expletive].

A professional and seemingly competent 6-10 is predetermined

[raw]

I demand either a shocking surprise of a good season or some really sloppy, terrible football that I can just soak my hatred in. None of this middle of the road, namby-pamby [expletive].

 

That was last year. I'm thinking 7 to 9 wins this year.

[jersey cubs fan]

Assuming 7.5 remains over/under for bears wins, I'd have a really hard time taking the over

[Guest]

Fox is an even worse game manager than Lovie, when it comes to the 4th quarter.

 

However, if Cutler plays 16 games, the bears will win at least half of them.

[PackLandVA]

 

However, if Cutler plays 16 games, the bears will win at least half of them.

 

Ummm....NO.

[David]

 

However, if Cutler plays 16 games, the bears will win at least half of them.

 

Ummm....NO.

 

Nah, yeah.

[David]

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[Derwood]

Gooney didn't start the thread so the season is already doomed

[jersey cubs fan]

 

However, if Cutler plays 16 games, the bears will win at least half of them.

 

Ummm....NO.

 

Nah, yeah.

at least half? Nah

 

They might win 8 with cutler, maybe 3 w/o.

[Butterscup]

I'm hesitant that Sitton will be good for the Bears, if only because I view the Packers as 2010-2014 St. Louis Cardinals where they don't make mistakes or get rid of good players for nothing. If the Packers just made a mistake and the Bears successfully pounced, could be a pretty big move for the Pace regime.

[David]

I'm hesitant that Sitton will be good for the Bears, if only because I view the Packers as 2010-2014 St. Louis Cardinals where they don't make mistakes or get rid of good players for nothing. If the Packers just made a mistake and the Bears successfully pounced, could be a pretty big move for the Pace regime.

 

This is from last year...https://www.profootballfocus.com/josh-sitton-complete-right-guard/

 

This is from this offseason https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro-should-packers-spend-on-josh-sitton-t-j-lang-or-david-bakhtiari/

 

At left guard, Sitton has turned into a consistent Pro-Bowler, and he’s earned it. For the third straight year, he led all guards in pass-blocking efficiency, while his run-blocking grades have been noticeably above-average in all eight years of his career.

 

Despite his consistency, Sitton is at the age where you can expect to see a decline in play, and that decline may have already started in 2015. He allowed 23 pressures last season, the most he has surrendered since 2009. He allowed just one pressure over the first five games of the season, and then at least one pressure in every game after that. He was penalized 10 times, which was a career-high, and his run-blocking wasn’t as good as he’s produced in the past. Even though Sitton was better in past seasons than in 2015, he remained a top-six guard—but his play might be a sign of things to come.

 

So maybe he won't be as great as he has been but it has to be seen as a significant upgrade, regardless.

[JonJayCutler]

 

However, if Cutler plays 16 games, the bears will win at least half of them.

 

Ummm....NO.

 

ThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingNoTurkeyForJayThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingFavreThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgivingThanksgiving.

[Guest]

 

However, if Cutler plays 16 games, the bears will win at least half of them.

 

Ummm....NO.

 

Hey look, packer fan grossly misinformed on effectiveness of Jay Cutler

[Guest]

 

Ummm....NO.

 

Nah, yeah.

at least half? Nah

 

They might win 8 with cutler, maybe 3 w/o.

 

They would struggle to win one without him.

[Banedon]

Dead last.

 

http://www.sbnation.com/2016/9/6/12798464/nfl-power-rankings-2016-week-1-cardinals-seahawks-patriots

[David]

Dead last.

 

http://www.sbnation.com/2016/9/6/12798464/nfl-power-rankings-2016-week-1-cardinals-seahawks-patriots

 

This is wrong and bad.

[UMFan83]

I just don't see it. The Bears might be bad, but with their schedule and FA improvements on defense, it would have to take significant misfortune for the Bears to be very bottom of the league bad IMO

[David]

I just don't see it. The Bears might be bad, but with their schedule and FA improvements on defense, it would have to take significant misfortune for the Bears to be very bottom of the league bad IMO

 

I think 9-7 is more likely than worst record in the league (though I'm more in the 7-9 camp, probably).

[bukie]

This has all the makings of a surprise paper tiger playoff team that gets trounced in the first round by a coasting Seattle wild card team.

[jersey cubs fan]

I just don't see it. The Bears might be bad, but with their schedule and FA improvements on defense, it would have to take significant misfortune for the Bears to be very bottom of the league bad IMO

it would take one early season injury to cutler to put them at the top of the draft