UMFan83

Supposedly coming out any minute now. What we know so far:

San Francisco didn't do anything yesterday apart from what Tony Romo gifted them. I wasn't impressed. I'm not really panicking on the Bears, but really, the same thing could be said of the Bears....Buffalo didn't do anything yesterday other than what the Bears gifted them. Wouldn't that be a good thing (relatively speaking) and a point in US's favor, then? If the Bears had to gift-wrap it to lose by 3, that's a lot better than them playing as well as they should and losing. Same goes the other way for what US is saying (although jersey is right that they didn't HAVE to do anymore). For me its that there was a continuation of the Bears habit of shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly the last 2 years. All my evidence is anecdotal, so I'd be willing to change my view on this but it sure seems like an increase over the Lovie regime. By this I'm referring to bad penalties at inopportune times (yesterday Marshall gets a 15 yarder tacked on to the post interception), turnovers while the Bears are driving or in scoring range (happened twice yesterday), breakdowns in critical situations (Conte in week 17), boneheaded mental errors (Bears standing around with a live ball that was picked up by the Packers for a critical TD), and questionable coaching decisions (Trestman opting for that long FG in Minnesota instead of getting closer and losing the game). Again, I know Lovie's Bears had their share of these, and every team does, but it seems like there are more with this squad....or maybe its more noticable because they are losing more because of them. Anyways, with a really tough schedule, the Bears needed to win this. It's great that they probably have better performances in them, but they also have superior opponents coming up.

All of which is fairly meaningless unless your point is that flying out west makes for a tough game, which I can buy. Only one of those games is even slightly relevant otherwise. Stuff like this is one of my biggest sports-related pet peeves. Which is why I said "just for fun" and not "relevant statistic for next weeks game". But yeah the west coast thing might be relevant.

I still have no idea how Briggs managed to avoid serious charges and a suspension after that incident.

Um...not really all that boggling. He was hurt almost the entire preseason. I interpreted the statement as to why he had to settle for a back-up role instead of signing with a team where he would have been the starter. Right...the Bears signed him fairly late in the FA process as a backup/possible challenge for Garza. Doesn't seem like he had many other offers, and if he did it was for roster depth on other teams.

Briggs is probably going to be the latest Chicago sports guy to be run out of town by a lynch mob. This is the kind of news that never would have made the light of day if the pitchforks weren't already out. That said, he appears done as a football player.

The PFF quick summary is out at least: Definitely surprises me that Houston was graded so highly for pass rushing. https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/09/08/refo-bills-bears-week-1/

Just for fun...the scores of the last 8 games the Bears have played at SF 32-7 10-6 49-7 17-0 44-15 (1994 Divisional Playoffs) 52-14 26-0 41-0 Average score: 34-6

I think it usually comes out around midday, and Reddit will post shortly after. I'm eagerly anticipating them too.

Someone on a MLIVE account made a comparison between Hoke's tenure at Michigan and Charlie Weiss when he was at ND. Early over-achievement. Initial recruiting success. Big time hires at coordinators. Never really advanced that much. Recruiting fell off after a couple of yrs. Hammered in the ND/Mich game I have come off the ledge a little over MSU's collapse last night against Oregon. I still think they can compete with the big boys. However, that loss combined with the B1Gs awful day may have eliminated them from getting a shot at the playoff, even if they win out. That is my fear, that Michigan is the new Notre Dame. They used to be consistent for years to the point where it was newsworthy if they dropped out of the top 25 for a week. Now this will almost certainly be the first year that they are not ranked at least one week for an entire season (including preseason rankings) since the 60's. They are still getting the recruits, because they are Michigan, and they still have years like they did a couple years ago when they win the Sugar Bowl, but inbetween there is a lot of mediocrity and coaching turmoil. Some of it is the changing landscape of college football and the location of top talent, some of it is probably not finding the right coach who can both recruit and coach, but its a mess right now in Ann Arbor.

Curious to see how people have altered their predictions based on the loss to Buffalo. On one hand, fluky losses happen a lot in the NFL. In 2010 when the Bears went to the NFC title game, they lost in consecutive weeks to the Redskins and Seahawks (who were both mediocre to bad), and needed a late comeback to beat the Bills after a bye week, before they got it together. On the other hand, in light of the loss yesterday, the schedule looks really really tough coming up. If the Bears lose to SF and NYJ, the season could really get away in a hurry. I'll say the Bears finish between 7-9 and 9-7.

Well the season must go on. First regular season game at Levi's Stadium. I guess the 49ers didn't look too impressive yesterday, and they are dealing with a lot of issues. But Harbaugh should be able to coach circles around much of the Bears staff. 49ers 35 Bears 24

No. No [expletive] way. I didn't see the game today because I wasted it at Arrowhead watching a horrendously bad Chiefs effort. In a nutshell, what happened? Bears shot themselves in the foot repeatedly. Marshall fumbled in FG range. Cutler threw a pick in FG range, and another near midfield. Bears defense wore down and gave up a couple of long runs. Dumb penalties killed us too. Just a bad bad game. Oh and injuries to 4-5 offensive starters throughout the game

I think most people wish we had Romo instead of Jay. At least Mccown just threw a horrible pick in the red zone when 3 pts would probably seal a win. Nah I'd rather have Jay, warts and all

Jay did you think about running on that interception? "Obviously not..." *long uncomfortable silence*

Arians is the primary one that comes to mind Him and Darrell Bevell were the other 2 finalists along with Trestman.

Where the [expletive] was Allen and Houston today?

He is who he is, sure, but that's nowhere near who he is. Has there been a QB who at 31 became the player everyone thought he could be? If not, that will be the last word on Jay. Rich Gannon? How old was Kurt Warner? I guess Warner was a case of never getting a solid chance.

Cutlers performance crushed me. I know he will have better games, and games where he will look like the best QB in the league but if there was any hope that Cutler would have a career year where he is consistently a great QB, it's gone now. I guess I shouldn't expect that kind of leap at age 31 anyways. Every QB makes dumb throws. He made 2 in the game, and one of those happened to be severely punished. I think you're overracting. 2? I didn't see the whole game and saw more than that. Lucky for him one of them bounced off the numbers of a defender. First of all: of course I'm overreacting, I'm angry and overreacting is what I do. Second: cutler made a LOT more than 2 bad throws. He could have easily had 5 INTs today. That said, most of his throws were very good today. It was when he was scrambling or trying to make something happen, everything broke down and he made terrible throws. Those are things you'd expect a 9 year veteran to have eliminated for the most part 3-4 years ago. Cutler will never stop making those throws. He might have 3-4 games in a row where it doesn't happen, but it will happen eventually.

BA down to .169

I guess I will say that the Bears should have lost to the Lions in week 1 if not for a wacky rule in 2010 and ended up hosting the NFC title game. That said the Bears 2010 schedule was a LOT easier than the Bears juggernaut coming up. They are going to have to play a LOT better to even be 4-5 after the gauntlet ends.

Yeah, no. Definitely not Angelo. Maybe Lovie but it's hard to compare 2 completely different types of coaches.

Cutlers performance crushed me. I know he will have better games, and games where he will look like the best QB in the league but if there was any hope that Cutler would have a career year where he is consistently a great QB, it's gone now. I guess I shouldn't expect that kind of leap at age 31 anyways.

This one is on injuries and Cutler. Cubs swept, michigan [expletive] out, bears lose to Bills at home, top Cubs prospects go 1-23 the last 2 days. Great weekend