Week 17 Chezhead McGees vs Bears

[minnesotacubsfan]

sigh

 

 

Everyone knows what's about to happen. The Bears are done for the season after this game as they really have no realistic chance at 1) beating GB or 2) having AZ beat a shell of a Rams team. But I guess, if I was to play devils advocate I would suggest this:

 

The Bears can beat a HoF QB.

 

In week 5, they beat Brady for the first time in history. In week 8 they took NO to OT. Both those games were under the steady guidance of Nick Foles, however, and with a D that was playing at a higher level than more recent trends. But for now, let's consider the possibility:

 

1) The offense has to play at its current high level. This means roll-outs, play action, 1/2 field reads, lots of Monty, and an O-line that has been dominating. Against Jax, it almost looked like Nagy was play calling again as those types of pass plays were not being featured. I don't think they can beat GB that way.

 

2) Pagano can't be (as Raw calls him) a bitch. It's time to gamble, Chucky, and BLITZ. The D HAS to get pressure on Rodgers. He is already playing at an otherworldly level, so don't help him by giving him all day to sit in the pocket. They HAVE to hit Rodgers, they HAVE to sack him, they HAVE to knock him around. And, as importantly, the Bears need Johnson back.

 

If the Bears do those two things, I think they can make a game of this. Mitch will always throw 2-3 passes that we all clench our teeth at, but lately, the offense has been playing at such a level it hasn't killed the team. And as mentioned above, the Bears are playing HoF QBs well this year. While GB has a tight D, both TB and NO's Ds were better.

 

If I squint real hard...maybe?

Edited December 31, 2020 by minnesotacubsfan

[UMFan83]

I agree that the most likely outcome is what you've suggested, but I dont think either one of them are a stretch, especially the Rams over the Cardinals. If Kyler is hobbled and isn't able to run he becomes a much much different and worse QB. When he injured his shoulder earlier in the year and stopped running, he put up some pretty mediocre performances. On top of that the Rams defense is the best in the NFL and are ridiculously good at rushing the passer. They can shut down this Cardinals team especially given the QBs health.

 

Bears/Packers I feel less good about but still think its winnable.

[NOLA]

Go Bears.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Odds of Rams beating Arizona: 40%

 

Odds of Bears beating Packers: 0.001%

[UK]

If they blitz they're done, it means no rush from the front 4 and one on one coverage. They're going to need a similar outing as they did vs TB combined with an ability to disguise blitzes and coverages. If Mack and Quinn play like they have been (minus TB), the Bears are losing 45-20.

[minnesotacubsfan]

If they blitz they're done, it means no rush from the front 4 and one on one coverage. They're going to need a similar outing as they did vs TB combined with an ability to disguise blitzes and coverages. If Mack and Quinn play like they have been (minus TB), the Bears are losing 45-20.

Disagree. No QB plays better when blitzed, including the best at facing a blitz, Rodgers. The Bears need to blitz him to keep him at Jesus level. If they keep at a 4 man rush, Rodgers will play at a Holy Trinity level.

[d_money]

If they blitz they're done, it means no rush from the front 4 and one on one coverage. They're going to need a similar outing as they did vs TB combined with an ability to disguise blitzes and coverages. If Mack and Quinn play like they have been (minus TB), the Bears are losing 45-20.

Disagree. No QB plays better when blitzed, including the best at facing a blitz, Rodgers. The Bears need to blitz him to keep him at Jesus level. If they keep at a 4 man rush, Rodgers will play at a Holy Trinity level.

Let’s hope the Bears D is loaded with atheists.

[UMFan83]

Any news on Jaylon Johnson and Buster Skrine? If Kindle Vildor (still convinced this is a name from that Key and Peele sketch) is forced to defend Davante Adams for large chunks of the game, this one might be over almost before it starts.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Well, hopefully this fires up Quinn, Mack, Hicks and Co

 

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/nbcsports/bears-eddie-jackson-hears-all-the-shots-packers-are-taking-at-them/2405779/

[raw]

If they blitz they're done, it means no rush from the front 4 and one on one coverage. They're going to need a similar outing as they did vs TB combined with an ability to disguise blitzes and coverages. If Mack and Quinn play like they have been (minus TB), the Bears are losing 45-20.

 

Obviously, can't blitz every play, but the most Rodgers has been blitzed all years was 48% against Tampa, and that is the only game of the last 14 that Rodgers had under a 107 QB rating. Yes, literally other than that game he's been the best QB in NFL history every week this year except Week 2 vs. Carolina (where he had a mere 91 QB rating).

 

So, the Bears have to blitz him. They have to get pressure. IF they cant do it with the front 4, they gotta bring Roquan or Trevathan. You have to play man against top QBs anyway because they'll destroy zone defenses. The Bears get beat vs man against Rodgers as is. They've actually done a pretty decent job at shutting down Adams throughout the years. He's averaging 100+ receiving yards per game, but has only done so three times against the Bears in the last 5 years and took at least 13 targets each time to do so.

[raw]

Any news on Jaylon Johnson and Buster Skrine? If Kindle Vildor (still convinced this is a name from that Key and Peele sketch) is forced to defend Davante Adams for large chunks of the game, this one might be over almost before it starts.

 

Sounds like he's getting close, but still didn't practice today. They said last week he could play without practicing and didn't even rule him out until Saturday despite him not practicing last week. Biggs seems to think he might play.

 

I'd love to see Johnson out there on the outside (on Adams), Vildor on the other side, and Fuller roaming the slot. Jackson over the top helping on Adams. Fuller's never done it before, but has the skillset for it and did play slot in college some. Duke Shelley has played well in the slot though, so I doubt they'd make such a bold change right now.

[raw]

Apparently, David Bahktiari tore his ACL in practice today. HUGE break for the Bears, HUGE loss for the Packers.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Apparently, David Bahktiari tore his ACL in practice today. HUGE break for the Bears, HUGE loss for the Packers.

 

We might have shifted from blowout loss to merely heartbreaking end-of-game loss.

[d_money]

Apparently, David Bahktiari tore his ACL in practice today. HUGE break for the Bears, HUGE loss for the Packers.

It’s be a shame if any of the Packs other starters get hurt in the game. Maybe the injury to Bahktiari will force them to rethink playing everyone, with eyes focused on the playoffs.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Apparently, David Bahktiari tore his ACL in practice today. HUGE break for the Bears, HUGE loss for the Packers.

Hahahahaha KARMA BITCH

[CoolHandLuke]

Apparently, David Bahktiari tore his ACL in practice today. HUGE break for the Bears, HUGE loss for the Packers.

Hahahahaha KARMA BITCH

 

Karma for what? Did he cause someone else to tear their ACL? Or are you talking about him doing the same thing that every single offensive lineman does in every single play? Weird take.

[UMFan83]

If the Bears manage to make the playoffs, they will be playing their 1st road playoff game since 1994. It’s weird that the Bears have been mostly futile in those 26 years, but in those rare situations that they’ve made the playoffs, they’ve always been good enough to win their division and in every case but one (2018) they’ve won a bye.

[UMFan83]

I was reading an article about the 8 times the Bears have had a chance to clinch a playoff berth on the final week of the season and wow I never knew about this wild day:

 

1979

 

The Bears entered the final day of the regular season with two routes to the playoffs: They would win the NFC Central with a win over the St. Louis Cardinals coupled with a Buccaneers loss to the Chiefs. The second path was much more improbable: they would earn a wild card berth with a victory at Soldier Field and a Washington loss to the Cowboys by a combined total of at least 33 points.

 

The Buccaneers slammed the door on the first possibility, edging the Chiefs 3-0 in a monsoon in Tampa. The Bears led 21-0 at halftime when they found out that the Buccaneers had won, meaning they needed to blow out the Cardinals. They did just that on a snow-covered field, calling a flea-flicker, fake field goal and fake punt in an eventual 42-6 thrashing.

 

The Bears had surpassed the 33-point differential all by themselves, but they still needed a Cowboys win over Washington in Dallas. Things looked bleak when Washington took a 34-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter. But Dallas staged a miraculous rally. With Bears players listening to the game on transistor radios in the parking lot under the stands at Soldier Field, Roger Staubach threw two touchdown passes in the final 2:20—including an 8-yarder to Tony Hill with just :39 remaining—to lift the Cowboys to a stunning 35-34 victory and send the Bears to the playoffs.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Apparently, David Bahktiari tore his ACL in practice today. HUGE break for the Bears, HUGE loss for the Packers.

Hahahahaha KARMA BITCH

 

Karma for what? Did he cause someone else to tear their ACL? Or are you talking about him doing the same thing that every single offensive lineman does in every single play? Weird take.

All o-lineman laughingly talk about wanting to beating the piss out of their opponents? News to me.

 

But whatever, ACLs are standard procedure nowadays. And it's not like they can't win w/o him, they did it earlier when he had rib issues. They really have no excuses.

 

horsefeathers the packers

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Hahahahaha KARMA BITCH

 

Karma for what? Did he cause someone else to tear their ACL? Or are you talking about him doing the same thing that every single offensive lineman does in every single play? Weird take.

All o-lineman laughingly talk about wanting to beating the piss out of their opponents? News to me.

 

But whatever, ACLs are standard procedure nowadays. And it's not like they can't win w/o him, they did it earlier when he had rib issues. They really have no excuses.

 

horsefeathers the packers

I'm going to narrow my angst to just horsefeathers you.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Do you think that I would have any sympathy for the Packers or any of their players after watching them go from Favre to Rodgers? Watching Rodgers crack jokes about "the best thing is beating the Bears right ol friend Favre??!!"

 

I didn't break Bakhtiari's ACL, he did.

 

It shouldn't matter; everyone knows who the better team is. But again, horsefeathers the packers, and horsefeathers you too.

Edited January 1, 2021 by minnesotacubsfan

[raw]

I was reading an article about the 8 times the Bears have had a chance to clinch a playoff berth on the final week of the season and wow I never knew about this wild day:

 

1979

 

The Bears entered the final day of the regular season with two routes to the playoffs: They would win the NFC Central with a win over the St. Louis Cardinals coupled with a Buccaneers loss to the Chiefs. The second path was much more improbable: they would earn a wild card berth with a victory at Soldier Field and a Washington loss to the Cowboys by a combined total of at least 33 points.

 

The Buccaneers slammed the door on the first possibility, edging the Chiefs 3-0 in a monsoon in Tampa. The Bears led 21-0 at halftime when they found out that the Buccaneers had won, meaning they needed to blow out the Cardinals. They did just that on a snow-covered field, calling a flea-flicker, fake field goal and fake punt in an eventual 42-6 thrashing.

 

The Bears had surpassed the 33-point differential all by themselves, but they still needed a Cowboys win over Washington in Dallas. Things looked bleak when Washington took a 34-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter. But Dallas staged a miraculous rally. With Bears players listening to the game on transistor radios in the parking lot under the stands at Soldier Field, Roger Staubach threw two touchdown passes in the final 2:20—including an 8-yarder to Tony Hill with just :39 remaining—to lift the Cowboys to a stunning 35-34 victory and send the Bears to the playoffs.

 

I'm guessing the point differential thing isn't a thing anymore, but that's something that needs to come back. Bring back incentive to beat the breaks off of teams!

[minnesotacubsfan]

I was reading an article about the 8 times the Bears have had a chance to clinch a playoff berth on the final week of the season and wow I never knew about this wild day:

 

1979

 

The Bears entered the final day of the regular season with two routes to the playoffs: They would win the NFC Central with a win over the St. Louis Cardinals coupled with a Buccaneers loss to the Chiefs. The second path was much more improbable: they would earn a wild card berth with a victory at Soldier Field and a Washington loss to the Cowboys by a combined total of at least 33 points.

 

The Buccaneers slammed the door on the first possibility, edging the Chiefs 3-0 in a monsoon in Tampa. The Bears led 21-0 at halftime when they found out that the Buccaneers had won, meaning they needed to blow out the Cardinals. They did just that on a snow-covered field, calling a flea-flicker, fake field goal and fake punt in an eventual 42-6 thrashing.

 

The Bears had surpassed the 33-point differential all by themselves, but they still needed a Cowboys win over Washington in Dallas. Things looked bleak when Washington took a 34-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter. But Dallas staged a miraculous rally. With Bears players listening to the game on transistor radios in the parking lot under the stands at Soldier Field, Roger Staubach threw two touchdown passes in the final 2:20—including an 8-yarder to Tony Hill with just :39 remaining—to lift the Cowboys to a stunning 35-34 victory and send the Bears to the playoffs.

 

I'm guessing the point differential thing isn't a thing anymore, but that's something that needs to come back. Bring back incentive to beat the breaks off of teams!

 

 

I thought they did away with the points system when they went to the 4 division conferences. That made it easier to schedule one division against another, allowing the head-to-head games to be more prominent.

[raw]

Jaylon Johnson (and Buster Skrine) out on Sunday.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Jaylon Johnson (and Buster Skrine) out on Sunday.

 

Uhh, how worried should we be that Skrine has missed 3 games now with a concussion?