rawaction

One interesting thought I had is that if the Bears feel inclined to give Garza some playing time because he's been a team leader or whatever BS....then how about using him as the 6th OL, the way they are using Britton? Britton is a candidate to be cut when both Slauson and Garza are healthy anyway (along w/ Boggs). And I know Garza can't really play out on the edge like Britton does in the 6 OL set, but I had a wild idea to play him basically as the RG, with Long going out to RT, and Mills being the TE eligible. Mills stays as an edge blocker and gets a further edge away from the QB in passing situations. Long is athletic enough to handle rushers to his outside if necessary. I'd rather Garza just watch the rest of the season unless he's needed, but I have my doubts that will happen no matter how irrational they may be.

I wish they would go back to white on white on the road. Seems like they ditched that after the awful 09 opener. Yes! I really like the white on white at indoor stadiums. It looks so clean and it will stay clean indoors. I also did like the all blues a little, but I don't mind them not wearing those.

Was hoping for "Overs" #badjoke

He also had a big INT in that game. His range in the deep middle is a big key in this game. Conte has never been bad in coverage when he knows the coverage.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/feature/24720844/jay-to-the-redskins Long article, but short video about Cutler almost becoming a Redskin.

Not sure why we should assume health improves during the season while they are still playing. Because Marshall and Jeffery were both improved on Monday? Marshall got re-injured. Maybe the MNF injury doesn't happen if he didn't already have a bad ankle, but Jeffery went from out 2nd half week 1, to not being able to stretch it out and go deep week 2, to having no visible limitations going deep or elevating in week 3, to not on the injury report to start week 4. Marshall was better physically in SF than he was to end Week 1. He was better physically to start Week 3 than he was to start Week 2. If your argument is the risk of re-injury, it's not really going to change at any point without extended rest. That is some really odd thinking. Marshall has been hurt in every game and was hurt again on Monday. He would have been unavailable to practice today. Getting hurt early in the season is bad and thinking they will improve throughout the season, while still playing, is silly. Ignoring the fact that they were both healthier to start Week 3 than they were in Week 1 is sillier. Jeffery has clearly improved throughout the season while still playing as I pointed out in my last post. How can you not dispute that and then say it's silly to think that they will improve?

Not sure why we should assume health improves during the season while they are still playing. Because Marshall and Jeffery were both improved on Monday? Marshall got re-injured. Maybe the MNF injury doesn't happen if he didn't already have a bad ankle, but Jeffery went from out 2nd half week 1, to not being able to stretch it out and go deep week 2, to having no visible limitations going deep or elevating in week 3, to not on the injury report to start week 4. Marshall was better physically in SF than he was to end Week 1. He was better physically to start Week 3 than he was to start Week 2. If your argument is the risk of re-injury, it's not really going to change at any point without extended rest.

What's amazing is that it's their defense carrying that ranking. 4th in defensive DVOA, 11th in offensive, 18th in special teams. Turnovers are good.

The Packers are 4-8-1 in their last 13 games, including the playoffs. Granted, some of that was without Rodgers, but they've been blown out a few times and have 2 1-point wins, a blown coverage on 4th down win, and won because a game-tying TD was called back by a timeout. They are really struggling. The offense isn't clicking and the poor OL, losing Finley, Jones, offensive coordinator, etc. could be getting to Rodgers. Not to mention they are getting nothing on defense. If they get any pressure from the front 4, they have a great shot at this one. I'm expecting this to be Allen's best game. I hope they piggyback the Lions and always keep the safety up top on Nelson. Since they can't run the ball, I'm expecting a shorter passing game featuring Forte to eat up the clock. Yeah, seems like a good idea. Cobb has been strictly underneath and they don't have Finley to take the safety's attention anymore. I do worry that they'll dink the [expletive] out of whoever Frey is covering. I also think the Bears will be able to run the ball some this game. They basically admitted they knew the last 2 weeks they weren't going to put up any big games running. I still don't think they will run the ball 30 times or anything, but I'd be surprised if they didn't get a decent ypc average this week and are much less one-dimensional provided they aren't playing from behind all game.

Yet he gets to date Olivia Munn. Front. He's gay as sandals.

The Packers are 4-8-1 in their last 13 games, including the playoffs. Granted, some of that was without Rodgers, but they've been blown out a few times and have 2 1-point wins, a blown coverage on 4th down win, and won because a game-tying TD was called back by a timeout. They are really struggling. The offense isn't clicking and the poor OL, losing Finley, Jones, offensive coordinator, etc. could be getting to Rodgers. Not to mention they are getting nothing on defense.

You're right. We should look at it as we did when the schedule came out in July. Not as teams that have greatly struggled in 2/3 of the actual games played so far.

Yeah, I will still be happy if we come out of the first 9 games at 5-4 and if its only 4-5 it will be manageable. I think we beat GB, one of Carolina/Atlanta, and Miami. To add to the [expletive], the Patriots are coming off a Thursday night game before our game so they will have 10 days off, the Packers are coming off a bye before we play them (as will we), both road games, and the next week the Vikings are coming off a bye. Or you could look at it as...... The only team in this stretch that is currently playing even close to as well as the Bears have (which isn't their best) is Atlanta, and they aren't exactly special. GB has struggled in 2 of 3 games and 5 of 6 halves played so far. Carolina just got destroyed by Pittsburgh on the ground at home. Miami doesn't even know who their QB will be on Sunday. New England was a bogus holding call away from potentially losing to the Raiders. 5-4 is probably pretty realistic. But, I'm hoping for 6-3. Gotta at least split with GB, because it's a division opponent. Gotta win the home game vs. Miami, especially if they lose this one and are 0-2 at home to start. Then you figure they win at least 1 of Carolina/Atlanta. That's 3 right there. Then they just have to win one of @ GB, @ NE, @ TB/ATL. I think if they beat GB this week, they'll beat them after the bye too.

Lovie is already on his second OC? And I thought burning through one every year was too much... Uhm, he had heart surgery before the season. It's medical.

Yeah. I wonder if that might actually help the Bears pass rush. Edge guys have clearly been hesitant at times with 3 QBs that like to get outside the pocket. The Bears have actually done a very good job containing QBs overall the first 3 weeks. So, when they don't have to worry about that, I wonder if it will allow guys like Allen, Young, and Houston to pin their ears back and just go after it. We saw Allen still had something the last 2 weeks when he knew that the QB was definitely going to be throwing the ball from the pocket as the Bears had TD leads late.

Kapearnik? Nah.

I didn't notice him very much at all. He had a couple big hits. I thought he played pretty decently against the run. He did get lost on at least 3 occassions in pass coverage, though. But he was solid. Definitely much better than PFF grades him as the worst player on the defense last night. I thought Bostic was better (especially in coverage) and DJ was probably similar or slightly better. But Briggs didn't have a bad game to my eyes. FWIW, I thought he was better in SF, but still monumentally better yesterday than he was Week 1 when I wasn't sure if he could even play anymore,.

In the opener, he was as close to completely ineffective as he'll ever get and still he was better to have out there than Holmes, Morgan and the since cut, Spurlock. I'm not saying put him out there at all costs. But I'm also not supporting what you guys are basically saying and sitting him because he isn't running 100%. Right now, he looks like a 50-60% of the snaps type WR who is a factor in the redzone. I'm not sitting him just to give him a week off. He gets practice off. And 35-40 plays every Sunday won't kill him or the team.

But NY double teamed him and Jeffery killed them for 100+ yards and Bennett was running free in the secondary on at least a couple ocassions. He's not a very limited possession WR. He's a redzone monster. He's an attention grabber as it concerns opposing secondaries. He's the best blocking WR in the league. It's not like he is wasting space out there. I understand wanting him to rest up and get 10- 100% games from him rather than another 6- 50-75% healthy games from him. But you are not going to sit him out unless he's completely ineffective. And he hasn't been completely ineffective. He still has some value and more than any other 100% healthy option out there other than Jeffery.

this again? Yes, he had some bright shiny moments, but his health very clearly limited him in that game. The fact he scored touchdowns on very short fields does not change the other fact that he is very banged up and it has affected his play. Those three TD should have absolutely no influence on the decision to play or rest him this week. He's banged up and it has gotten worse. I already said the question is his effectiveness, so why don't you stop with this nonsense? Or are you just in a bad mood (again)? Because you are somehow acting as if his effectiveness has not been affected and that 3 TD in SF is at all meaningful to the discussion. I agree he hasn't been very effective, but I don't see how 3 TDs in SF isn't meaningful.

Brandon Marshall 75 catches, 667 yards (4th on team in both), 21 TDs Matt Forte 725 yards rushing, 773 receiving Alshon Jeffery the only receiver over 1000 yards, at 1182.

That's only if you count the Bills OT score.

Yeah, I'm not worried about the run game too much. A) the Bears don't really need it to win games. B) they've faced 2 really good run defenses. If they can't get the run game going to the tune of 4.5 ypc or so the next few weeks, I'll be worried. Packers run D is 30th. Carolina is giving up a 2013 Bears like 6.3 ypc. Atlanta has been ok this year, but don't really have the great history of run defense in Atlanta. They also haven't played many good run teams, at least not any when they've had less than a 35 point first quarter lead.

Why not just let it play out if there's any uncertainty? Thats my point. I don't think there was uncertainty that's why it was blown dead. I thought live, "oh that's obviously the ground, he had no reason to fumble otherwise".

Was it him or Fuller that ended up touching it out of bounds? DJ Williams should have recovered the fumble in bounds but one of those 2 got to it first...not a very heads up play. Fuller I will not attack Fuller because he's awesome and the best player ever but that and the running out of the end zone after the int [-X He also picked a terrible time for his only missed tackle on that big 51-yard play on the final drive. REally could have cost the team the game.