Banedon

Yeah, for me early football is fine, just not that many games at the same time.

I will say, while I don't like monday games, having 10 noon games on Sunday is silly.

http://www.everyjoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/danny-trevathan-gif.gif

Ok then. Actually made me feel like our depth at LB is far better than it has been in many years. DB is another matter. LT depth is scary.

Toews doesn't love the Team Canada jersey. Don't blame him. http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/S2UrFNKplh3lazro0OZQ.A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnhlexperts/179600832.jpg http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/team-canada-olympic-jersey-photo-010748899--nhl.html

At least he made fun of his math skills a moment later.

Weather delay, wtf....

Ok then.

This is why the Red Zone Channel is the greatest thing ever, for people like you and me who watch non-Bears football in that manner. I wish I could order it on directv without getting the whole sunday ticket package.

I voted yes, but I haven't watched enough Cubs recently to really validate my opinion in any way.

I'm crushed. For some reason I eat that stuff up. Power Rankings, game picks...I'm a sucker for it all.

Peter King tweeted that he will not be picking games weekly this year.

Cornelison to do the anthem at Soldier Field this weekend.

Sunday night is the featured game now like Mondays used to be. That changed when NBC took over Sundays and ESPN got Mondays. I think they made that move because Monday ratings had dropped off regardless of the quality of the game that was on. I know that. But MNF wasn't this bad. And SNF wasn't this bad pre-06 when it was the secondary prime time game (at least, not as far as I remember). I'm just saying that there have to be at least 2-3 somewhat compelling matchups every week, at least to the point that the 2013 Dolphins should never see a national broadcast. Well I think MNF gets the 3rd choice every week, after SNF and whoever has the CBS/Fox doubleheaders 3pm premier game. Then you have to factor in schedules and regulations. I think teams can only be on prime time games 5 times a season and I believe every team plays on Thursday at least once (bc I believe each team can only play on Thursday once a year sans thanksgiving). So that leaves 4 appearances per year for the teams. I'm not sure if they go week by week and say "SNF who do you want? Now Fox, now MNF" or if SNF selects all their games for the season first, then fox/CBS goes, then MNF picks what's left but if that's the case I'm guessing MNF doesn't have great choices left. Well, part of the problem, and part of the reason they moved the prime matchup to Sunday night, is that you can't flex MNF. TNF has the same issue. They pick all of those games at the beginning of the year and go with it. They don't want teams to have to change travel plans, and preparation schedules by switching Monday games to Sunday, and vice versa. SNF and the 3pm games don't have that issue. They can flex those as the season goes on with little impact.

Peter King doesn't have the Bears in the playoffs. http://mmqb.si.com/2013/09/03/the-mmqbs-2013-predictions-and-preview-spectacular/

Agreed. Maybe, maybe I could get excited for MNF if it was still the best matchup of the week, but why wait an extra day, and watch a late game between the Cardinals and Raiders or something. Nobody is forcing you to watch it and it's not like there's time for an additional nationally televised game on Sunday. Why wouldn't you want more games available to watch? What does "forcing you to watch" have to do with anything? If I want to watch the Bears and they are on MNF, I am forced to watch, otherwise I don't watch it at all, because it sucks. Yeah, I'm not complaining that I'm forced to watch...though I sometimes do for fantasy purposes...and even then, it's usually just checking in. I'm complaining that it's bad football at a bad time on a bad night with bad announcing. It's basically the worst the NFL has to offer.

I don't see anything saying it's guaranteed.

I'm not really convinced that either the Vikings or Lions are good though. I'm also not sold that the Lions will wind up worse than the Vikes. I feel like there's a chance that the Vikes were a blip last year and wind up worse this year. I think the Vikings are easily the worst team in the division. I expect a bounce back from the Lions. I don't. The Lions have weapons, but they're a seriously undisciplined team, and I think they'll implode in one way or another.

Two ESPN guys picking the Vikings to win the division. http://espn.go.com/nfl/preview13/story/_/id/9605585/experts-nfl-predictions-2013

Can't unsee.