Week 1 - 49ers at Bears, Noon CT, FOX

[David]

 

Kind of how I feel too. Despite reading nothing but articles about the Bears being terrible this year, I can still kind of talk myself into thinking that if things go right and coaching is competent and fields takes a leap they can be a surprisingly decent team. Don’t get me wrong, we’re talking about 7-10 or 8-9 instead of 4-13 but that seems so much more satisfying and enjoyable. Probably just a homer trying to have hope against all odds but who knows.

 

I just hope they aren’t unwatchable bad like some of those Fox era teams. Give me something to look forward to each week even if it’s Fields making strides

 

For me the outcome of the game is unimportant, I just want to see Fields light up Niners thereby, giving the national media and other experts a collective middle finger. Of course, it's the Bears so the most probable result is the usual garbage we've come to expect.

Fields doesn't have the supporting cast and can't do it himself. Everything that's happened to this point suggests that they aren't invested in him being successful.

 

Darnell Mooney is a legit star receiver. The national media hasn't gotten the memo yet. They will. Cole Kmet will take another step forward this year. I've seen the Bears go into contending seasons with worse skill talent (go check out the 2010 team's WR corps and OL). The rest of the receivers aren't great, but they each have some strengths that I'm gaining confidence Getsy will be able to take advantage of. I have loved everything I've heard from Luke Getsy and think the Bears made a very good hire there. They also drafted Justin's hand picked WR, like it or not. Don't love the pick but definitely see enough there that he could be a contributor. They've also been effusive in their praise of Justin since they've had time to work with him.

 

The line... Well, I wish as much as anybody else that they'd done more (same at WR), but it's starting to feel like they're onto something there and it won't be horrible. We'll see. The reports on Jones have been overall very positive, but he's a 5th round rookie so there will be growing pains.

 

All that said, I think the idea that they're not sold and want to get their own guy or something is nowhere close to the truth and lazy and uninformed.

 

They chose a path for better or worse (I don't like it but I'm optimistic on the early returns) to not go all out this year, but I don't think it's a referendum on their thoughts on Justin.

Edited September 8, 2022 by David

[David]

All that is to say I'll take the over on 6.5 wins. Especially with their schedule. Not much else.

 

Edit: and I definitely don't think they'll be in the conversation for worst team in the league. There's a team starting Geno Smith FFS.

Edited September 8, 2022 by David

[raw]

 

For me the outcome of the game is unimportant, I just want to see Fields light up Niners thereby, giving the national media and other experts a collective middle finger. Of course, it's the Bears so the most probable result is the usual garbage we've come to expect.

Fields doesn't have the supporting cast and can't do it himself. Everything that's happened to this point suggests that they aren't invested in him being successful.

 

Which brings us back to WTF was Poles hired if not fully invested in Fields' success? Doesn't make sense that Poles would just immediately write him off without at least, seeing what they have to work with. Is that what a smart GM would do? Moreover, I get the sense that many think Poles had the roster flexibility and, or draft picks to make some kind big time moves on offense. Thanks to Pace' ineptitude he didn't, I'm not defending Poles just stating realistically, there's not much he could have done this offseason.

 

I've explained my view on this situation before. Honestly, from a personal standpoint, it would have been stupid for Poles to throw all his eggs in the Fields basket. QBs cost people their jobs. Many top WRs changed teams and got paid this offseason. Not that Poles really had the ammo to get any of them, but even if he did, I don't think that's a direction he would have chosen.

 

My analogy I used previously was that I trust my wife to be faithful, but I wouldn't lock her in a room with a naked Jason Momoa. Poles can trust Fields to be the next great NFL QB, but that doesn't mean he should have gone out and traded a bunch of future assets and financial flexibility to put that pressure on him right away.

 

Poles is fully invested, he's just not betting his NFL future on it....which is probably the smart play. Now, as I've said before, there's definitely a middle ground between what Pace thought he was doing year 2 of Trubisky and what Poles has done year 2 of Fields. But I don't think we should read too much into how invested Poles is in Fields based on this offseason based on your last sentence.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I was in the world of thought that said Poles was really hamstringing Fields, but if reports are true that the O-line is something to work with...well thats all I really wanted in the 1st place.

 

As for the WR position, I hope Fields can make the most out of Mooney, Kmet (yes I know he's a TE, lets call them all "pass catchers") and whatever chopped hash sees the field. It feels like this position is the target for next off-season/draft. At least, that's a best case scenario at this point - meaning Fields continues to develop and Mooney and Kmet both have good years while the O-line continues to gel and fortify

 

so..I'm excited for the season. Lets see what Poles and Co can do

[gflore34]

I think one facet of the Bears where we'll most definitely see improvement is them being prepared, less mistake prone, in general, a whole lot less of the head scratching stupidity of Nagy. I know the bar's pretty low but, I feel there's been a step up in coaching and we'll take notice.

[jersey cubs fan]

 

so..I'm excited for the season. Lets see what Poles and Co can do

It’s a little late for that, we saw what he did, which was very little. He hired a coach, collected some picks and added fringe players and random utes. Now it’s time to see what Eberflus & Co can do. We’ll have to wait until the spring to see what Poles really has planned.

[David]

 

so..I'm excited for the season. Lets see what Poles and Co can do

It’s a little late for that, we saw what he did, which was very little. He hired a coach, collected some picks and added fringe players and random utes. Now it’s time to see what Eberflus & Co can do. We’ll have to wait until the spring to see what Poles really has planned.

I generally agree but we could see that he's a much better talent evaluator than we know yet

[minnesotacubsfan]

 

so..I'm excited for the season. Lets see what Poles and Co can do

It’s a little late for that, we saw what he did, which was very little. He hired a coach, collected some picks and added fringe players and random utes. Now it’s time to see what Eberflus & Co can do. We’ll have to wait until the spring to see what Poles really has planned.

 

Eberflus doesn't count as part of Poles and Co?

[jersey cubs fan]

 

so..I'm excited for the season. Lets see what Poles and Co can do

It’s a little late for that, we saw what he did, which was very little. He hired a coach, collected some picks and added fringe players and random utes. Now it’s time to see what Eberflus & Co can do. We’ll have to wait until the spring to see what Poles really has planned.

 

Eberflus doesn't count as part of Poles and Co?

He hired him, but this isn’t baseball. Football coaches matter. And there aren’t going to be a bunch of mid season trades. Poles’s influence on this season is over, now it’s up to the coach and qb to determine the results.

[minnesotacubsfan]

It’s a little late for that, we saw what he did, which was very little. He hired a coach, collected some picks and added fringe players and random utes. Now it’s time to see what Eberflus & Co can do. We’ll have to wait until the spring to see what Poles really has planned.

 

Eberflus doesn't count as part of Poles and Co?

He hired him, but this isn’t baseball. Football coaches matter. And there aren’t going to be a bunch of mid season trades. Poles’s influence on this season is over, now it’s up to the coach and qb to determine the results.

 

understanding Poles influence on the season is just starting, we are only now going to see what he truly accomplished good or bad

[David]

[UK]

 

Hopefully the bad weather conditions limit Kittle from playing and slow Debo down.

[UMFan83]

3rd round pick Velus Jones is doubtful after not practicing all week. 5th round pick DE Dominique Robinson is questionable after getting a full practice today. That's it for the injury report.

[UMFan83]

Forecast just keeps looking worse and worse as we get closer to gametime. Might be a mess out there.

 

On the bright side, probably not the best conditions for someone who is iffy with a groin injury like Kittle is.

[Derwood]

wrong thread Edited September 10, 2022 by Derwood

[UMFan83]

omg I fell for Derwood posting in the wrong thread Edited September 10, 2022 by UMFan83

[WrigleyField 22]

Dieter being called up from practice squad. So seems Patrick definitely isn't ready to snap. Will be interesting to see if he starts at RG over Jenkins though.

[UK]

17-10 SF.

 

Bears Oline leads to turnovers in Bears' territory.

[WrigleyField 22]

This is gonna be a wet surface. Bermuda to the test!

[Wilson A2000]

[Wilson A2000]

Looks terrible, especially the striping

 

[UMFan83]

Are they going to delay the game? This doesn’t seem like your normal wet turf that you suck it up and play through

 

Edit: I guess more recent reports are saying they were able to push out a lot of the standing water so maybe it’s somewhat playable

[Derwood]

Bears ownership: See? THIS is why we need to build a new stadium on the taxpayer's dime!

[Wilson A2000]

3” of rain in two hours is tough to deal with on any grass field. Issue is the city had multiple concerts recently, so the sod wasn’t able to take. Means there will be more of a mess on the field today. One of the reasons the Bears are moving.

[UMFan83]

3” of rain in two hours is tough to deal with on any grass field. Issue is the city had multiple concerts recently, so the sod wasn’t able to take. Means there will be more of a mess on the field today. One of the reasons the Bears are moving.

 

Yes but when Rammstein wants to play in your city, you hold off that resodding for a week!