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

[Sammy Sofa]

 

They were highly competitive, i mean, almost won or did win, every game that Cutler started and finished except the second vikings game.

 

As it's been pointed out, looking it in terms of games they "almost won" or "should have won" is a mostly faulty approach. Ultimately the Bears played a lot of very close games last year, but that's not necessarily a good thing, win or lose.

 

yes, but we aren't judging their place in last year's mix, we're trying to predict how good they'll be this year. if they got even a little bit better, they could be a playoff team.

 

But that's the faulty way to look at it; you're basically the games they barely lost they should have won, yet the games they barely won are, what, not in question at all?

 

They were a very mediocre team last year, which is what so many close wins and losses points more clearly at than the idea that they were "almost a good team" and being just a little better probably isn't going to make much of a difference.

[jersey cubs fan]

 

They were highly competitive, i mean, almost won or did win, every game that Cutler started and finished except the second vikings game.

 

As it's been pointed out, looking it in terms of games they "almost won" or "should have won" is a mostly faulty approach. Ultimately the Bears played a lot of very close games last year, but that's not necessarily a good thing, win or lose.

 

yes, but we aren't judging their place in last year's mix, we're trying to predict how good they'll be this year. if they got even a little bit better, they could be a playoff team.

The issue is they needed to get significantly better, not a little bit. You're really grasping and looking at last year through rose colored glasses. They were bad. They needed to make substantial steps forward, but in my eyes they have really only gotten a little better.

[UMFan83]

 

As it's been pointed out, looking it in terms of games they "almost won" or "should have won" is a mostly faulty approach. Ultimately the Bears played a lot of very close games last year, but that's not necessarily a good thing, win or lose.

 

yes, but we aren't judging their place in last year's mix, we're trying to predict how good they'll be this year. if they got even a little bit better, they could be a playoff team.

The issue is they needed to get significantly better, not a little bit. You're really grasping and looking at last year through rose colored glasses. They were bad. They needed to make substantial steps forward, but in my eyes they have really only gotten a little better.

 

But even if they got a little better, they are going from the hardest schedule in the NFL based on opponents win% to I think the 3rd easiest. Obviously what looks like an easy schedule before games start is not necessarily as easy when we find out how good teams are, but it should be considerably easier than last year's schedule.

[WrigleyField 22]

I don't think any of us knows how much they got better by. How often is it that the crappy teams who "win the offseason" are actually the crappy teams with the biggest turnarounds?

 

Like last year, i expect competitive games each week.

[Guest]

 

As it's been pointed out, looking it in terms of games they "almost won" or "should have won" is a mostly faulty approach. Ultimately the Bears played a lot of very close games last year, but that's not necessarily a good thing, win or lose.

 

yes, but we aren't judging their place in last year's mix, we're trying to predict how good they'll be this year. if they got even a little bit better, they could be a playoff team.

 

But that's the faulty way to look at it; you're basically the games they barely lost they should have won, yet the games they barely won are, what, not in question at all?

 

They were a very mediocre team last year, which is what so many close wins and losses points more clearly at than the idea that they were "almost a good team" and being just a little better probably isn't going to make much of a difference.

 

Basically, they're 6-10 based on a handful of plays. If those plays go differently, the season goes in a much different direction. If those plays go differently this year, then they might have a shot at getting into the playoffs.

 

If Jay stays healthy and plays all 16 games, they'll win 10. That's my prediction.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't think any of us knows how much they got better by. How often is it that the crappy teams who "win the offseason" are actually the crappy teams with the biggest turnarounds?

 

Like last year, i expect competitive games each week.

competitive is realistic, unless white, long and fuller all can't play

[Guest]

 

As it's been pointed out, looking it in terms of games they "almost won" or "should have won" is a mostly faulty approach. Ultimately the Bears played a lot of very close games last year, but that's not necessarily a good thing, win or lose.

 

yes, but we aren't judging their place in last year's mix, we're trying to predict how good they'll be this year. if they got even a little bit better, they could be a playoff team.

The issue is they needed to get significantly better, not a little bit. You're really grasping and looking at last year through rose colored glasses. They were bad. They needed to make substantial steps forward, but in my eyes they have really only gotten a little better.

 

the year before, they were bad. last year, was entertaining and games meant things, they had a chance every time that Cutler took the field. They beat the Packers without Rodgers being injured, and the other divisional games were a coin flip, except the second Vikings game.

 

This is all without their first round pick and a lot of it without Alshon Jeffery.

[WrigleyField 22]

I don't think any of us knows how much they got better by. How often is it that the crappy teams who "win the offseason" are actually the crappy teams with the biggest turnarounds?

 

Like last year, i expect competitive games each week.

competitive is realistic, unless white, long and fuller all can't play

Unlike last year where Jeffrey, Forte, McPhee were out for stretches?

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't think any of us knows how much they got better by. How often is it that the crappy teams who "win the offseason" are actually the crappy teams with the biggest turnarounds?

 

Like last year, i expect competitive games each week.

competitive is realistic, unless white, long and fuller all can't play

Unlike last year where Jeffrey, Forte, McPhee were out for stretches?

 

and they lost 10 games.

 

 

I was mostly commenting on how those guys are questionable for Sunday and that Kevin White is unavailable to media.

[Guest]

I don't think any of us knows how much they got better by. How often is it that the crappy teams who "win the offseason" are actually the crappy teams with the biggest turnarounds?

 

Like last year, i expect competitive games each week.

competitive is realistic, unless white, long and fuller all can't play

Unlike last year where Jeffrey, Forte, McPhee were out for stretches?

 

and White. Also, Long was playing tackle with a club for a hand and Jay missed two full games.

[Guest]

 

and they lost 10 games.

 

yes, but they were competitive. And you're saying that's realistic, but if they lose any of the players mentioned, you're saying they'll be worse than that.

[WrigleyField 22]

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/2015_roster.htm

 

There's some decent room for injury unluck while still producing lineups that put up a better record than a 2015 team that was competitive in most of their games.

 

And do Fox's injury reports carry that much weight?

[jersey cubs fan]

 

and they lost 10 games.

 

yes, but they were competitive. And you're saying that's realistic, but if they lose any of the players mentioned, you're saying they'll be worse than that.

I was really just joking about this early injury report (and how ridiculous it is that White remains on it after all this time).

[WrigleyField 22]

Well I guess your jokes fell flat. But yes, it sucks to see White on the injury report and our DC saying our other top 10 pick is coming off a rocky TC. I've liked a lot of what Pace has done, but both at the time and still, those top 10 picks aren't inspiringy confidence.

[Sammy Sofa]

 

and they lost 10 games.

 

yes, but they were competitive.

 

You're still putting too much stock into that. "Almost won" is just the other side of the same coin as "almost lost." It's not like this is a significantly younger team with a bunch of potential; it's still mostly a collection of spare parts, older players and some scattered younger players they're praying can pan out and/or stay healthy.

 

I agree it's a better team, but at best they've likely gone from bad to OK if enough people stay healthy.

[David]

Well I guess your jokes fell flat. But yes, it sucks to see White on the injury report and our DC saying our other top 10 pick is coming off a rocky TC. I've liked a lot of what Pace has done, but both at the time and still, those top 10 picks aren't inspiringy confidence.

 

i think too much was made about the floyd comments, after having seen him saying it and the overall context. just seems like he was making excuses ahead of time for why floyd was going to be used situationally early on (which i think most of us expected to be the case, anyway).

 

hopefully this white injury doesn't end up amounting to anything.

[David]

 

and they lost 10 games.

 

yes, but they were competitive.

 

You're still putting too much stock into that. "Almost won" is just the other side of the same coin as "almost lost." It's not like this is a significantly younger team with a bunch of potential; it's still mostly a collection of spare parts, older players and some scattered younger players they're praying can pan out and/or stay healthy.

 

I agree it's a better team, but at best they've likely gone from bad to OK if enough people stay healthy.

 

i'd say it's more accurate to say it's the older players that are scattered. a few older guys on offense but the defense is very young.

[Sammy Sofa]

 

yes, but they were competitive.

 

You're still putting too much stock into that. "Almost won" is just the other side of the same coin as "almost lost." It's not like this is a significantly younger team with a bunch of potential; it's still mostly a collection of spare parts, older players and some scattered younger players they're praying can pan out and/or stay healthy.

 

I agree it's a better team, but at best they've likely gone from bad to OK if enough people stay healthy.

 

i'd say it's more accurate to say it's the older players that are scattered. a few older guys on offense but the defense is very young.

 

The defense can be old, young or purple; it's probably only going to be a bit better than last year's, and last year's was simply an improvement from godawful. It's trending in the right direction, but I think it's going to take another solid offseason, or maybe even two, and there's little reason to think it's going to take a big jump this season. Basically both the offense and the defense look to be middle of the pack at best if they stay healthy.

 

Special teams, I have no idea, and don't really care.

[Sammy Sofa]

And I think it's hugely optimistic to think that Cutler is likely to repeat or improve on what was arguably his best season as a Bear.

[WrigleyField 22]

The defense made some pretty big upgrades. And last season was not Cutlers best.

[Sammy Sofa]

The defense made some pretty big upgrades. And last season was not Cutlers best.

 

As a Bear? It's pretty much either his best or second best season.

[WrigleyField 22]

The defense made some pretty big upgrades. And last season was not Cutlers best.

 

As a Bear? It's pretty much either his best or second best season.

Maybe second best. Basically he protected the ball better than he eeverhas, but i wouldnt say it was his best. Seems like they're ready to just pound the ball this year, so we may see him limit TOs again, but Im not expecting to be wowed. If we do make the playoffs it will be on the backs of an improved D in year two of the system.

[Sammy Sofa]

Well, now I'm curious as to what you think his best season was.

[jersey cubs fan]

The defense made some pretty big upgrades.

 

at middle linebacker

[David]

The defense made some pretty big upgrades. And last season was not Cutlers best.

 

Yeah. I expected the defense to be much improved. The McPhee situation is a major setback though. He was one of the best pass rushers in the league.