UMFan83

at one point Suh was also getting pimped for DPOY and not just rookie DPOY.

The Packers need to win out to make the playoffs OR they can lose to the Bears if the Giants lose out and the Bucs lose 1 of their 2 games. So if the Packers beat the Giants next week, and the Bucs lose to the Seahawks, the Packers will need just a Giants loss to Washington OR a Packers win over the Bears to get in. If the Bucs beat the Seahawks this week, they will need a Giants loss to Washington AND a Bucs loss to the Saints OR just a win over the Bears.

I bet Wilson is looking forward to the Jets game, so he can see Cutler and Sanchez go head to head to help him determine which QB is better.

I was on the "Bears have the potential to go 4-12 or 12-4 this year" bandwagon. I really didn't know what to think given that our biggest need wasn't addressed (o-line) in the offseason, our second biggest need was addressed big time (Peppers), but partially negated (so I thought) by cutting Alex Brown. They looked awful in the preseason even though I thought I conditioned myself to not take much from preseason results, and they were facing what looked like a really really tough schedule. But I knew the potential of Cutler, I was optimistic about the return of Urlacher and Pisa to go along with Peppers and Major Wright as additions, and hoped the team would respond with Lovie's back against the wall. They did.

If the Eagles were playing anyone but Joe Webb's Vikings I would suggest a letdown for the Eagles after pretty much clinching the division in an emotional comeback victory over a heated rival. But I just can't see the Vikings offense giving the Eagles any sort of threat after whats happened to them the last 2 weeks. We need a win. I know jersey said that teams don't seem to get up for these byes or seeding after they clinch the division, and he is right. But I think these Bears know how much a bye means to their Super Bowl chances and will play their asses off to try to clinch it. They control their destiny.

Fixed for minnesotacubsfan. it was fantastic out there, ladys and gents. and no, I don't have any relatives involved in the stadium design/construction (although a few classmates). I just thought the "OMG THE FIELD IS DEADLY" crap the past few days was completely overblown. it didnt seem to bother the Bears at all, they scored 40 friggen points on it. I'm gonna let bygones be bygones and just say that I thought it was a fantastic stadium. Michigan hasn't played there yet and Minnesota football has been to awful to have any reason to watch one of their games the last two years, so it was the first chance to see a game on tv in that stadium. They certanily did do a nice job preparing it on short notice for the game despite the obvious limitations they had that they never would have been able to fix. It wasn't safe imo but they did as good of a job as they could have.

You lost the argument so now you are going to resort to making fun of jersey for reading or listening to NFL columns and discussing them on a message board thread discussing the NFL? http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PVyJhi3ZcBc/TBUjogKZlwI/AAAAAAAAAHk/7k-EeebkKPU/s1600/sore+loser.jpg

Here is a video of the Favre sack. Tell me the whistle was not too early, I dare you. They don't hold him up very long at all. He was in the process of falling down when they blew the whistle in the middle of his fall. There is no way that's not an early whistle. I understand the early whistle because of the field conditions but it screwed the Bears there.

A 4 way tie at 10-6 gives the 5 seed to Green Bay, and the 6 seed to the Giants.

Who could have possibly thought that roughing the passer by Harris on Webb was really iffy? He launched himself into him helmet to helmet. That was as textbook as it gets. I would have flipped out if they called helmet to helmet on Winfield during the pick. He completely tried to stop as well as he could on a slick field and just grabbed onto Cutler and held him. You can't penalize him because he's short and the field is slick. I'm not talking about Harris to Webb. That was about as easy a call as you can have. I'm talking about whoever hit Cutler late after a pass and was called for roughing the passer. Someone here, maybe multiple people was saying it was iffy. Helmet to helmet is the rule whether its intentional. I've seen unintentional helmet to helmet called all season. It was enought to make Cutler's chin bleed all game.

Fixed for minnesotacubsfan.

Whistle blew a sack of Favre dead a second after we began wrapping him up before he was even really falling, and he fumbled the ball on the way down but didnt count because it was dead. Also, Cutler was hit helmet to helmet on the play he threw his interception and it was not called. The Bears were driving before halftime on that drive and at the time it was a big swing. Some have said the roughing the passer call on the Vikings later in the game was really iffy too. I could see an argument made. It's much harder for me with biased eyes to see plays where the Vikings were screwed instead of the Bears though.

I think its more likely we lose 1 of the last two than Philly loses one of their last 2 (vs. Vikings, vs. Cowboys both in Philly). So I'm not at all eliminating the 2 seed, but it makes sense to discuss possible opponents for the 3/6 matchup. Here are the contenders, in the order I'd like to play them: Buccaneers (8-6) - Haven't beat a +500 team all season, really choked last week at home against improving Lions team, the youngest and maybe least talented of the contenders. They need to win their last 2, while several other things could to happen. The Packers I believe clinched a tiebreaker over them, and it looks like the Giants have that tiebreaker as well. Since GB and NYG and TB can't tie, they either need to overtake the Saints or hope for an Eagles collapse (at least that's what the playoff machine is telling me). If TB wins their last 2 (1 against NO) and the Saints lose their other game (against Atlanta), and the Packers lose on of their last 2 then they are in Giants - Really good team who dominated us defensively when we played them. I strangely don't feel all that intimidated facing them again. The Bears d played really well against them until they spent a majority of the 2nd half on the field and got gassed. Still a dangerous team that could beat us. Really good running game, dangerous receivers, and one of if not the best defensive line in football. There's a ton of scenarios that get this team in, and they can clinch at least a 6 seed (and eliminate GB) with a win this weekend. They can win 1 of 2 and make the playoffs I believe. Saints - They can still slip into the 6th seed and they can still slip out of the playoffs with 2 losses and 2 TB wins (one is head to head). The Saints are a really tough team with a still explosive offense but they seem to be missing that extra gear this year. And while both teams have changed, the Bears have owned the Saints the later half of the decade, beating them 4 consecutive years from 2005-2008 (3 at home with brees). But they still are a really solid team and if they can get some blocking from their line, Brees could light up are secondary all game. Packers - Another really good team that's been banged up keeping it from reaching potential. I think we can beat this team, especially in Chicago (as we did earlier in the year), but its a different team now that doesn't expect to commit 18 penalties this time. Plus the fans would look at this as a mini-super bowl between the 2 rivals. They control their own destiny with 2 home games left, and believe it or not can still make the playoffs with a win against the Giants and a loss to the Bears, but it would require the Giants losing to the Skins, and the Bucs losing one of their last 2 games. GB can still take the 5 seed as well. The Eagles also have a somewhat remote chance of winning the 6th seed but I don't feel like typing anymore. They'd probably go either before or after the Packers even though we beat them.

3 in 6 years and would have had a 4th playoff appearance if he didn't choose to squib kick in atlanta. Mostly good results, and there have been some things about Lovie that I've always liked. There are plenty more things I don't like and some decisions he's made that are inexcusible.

yeah i like you flames, and i like neifi, and bcl. elcaballo isn't bad either. you guys are alright. chuckywang inconspicuously missing from that list.

They just said on the Score that Webbs agent is holding out for 7.5 million a year. Looks like it's gonna come down to who offers him the most. Advantage Rangers. I no longer hope to sign him but will be happy if he does.

I'm sure the NFL will heed your concerns. It's not just me: The player's union, the media, fans. Have you not been paying attention? He's gonna blindly ignore all the damning evidence that's out there all so he doesn't have to admit he was completely wrong. I think a family member must have designed that stadium or something so he takes it really personally.

You weirdo. You were the one that brought it up after the game. I'm thrilled that we won and that takes precedence over any other concern of mine. But it doest change the fact that everyone was worries about concussions and two players left the game with head injuries/concussions. Ask the referees who blew plays dead in .2 seconds if the field was safe. Go bears!

yes. perfectly safe. Yup only 2 concussions and several players sliding around the field like it was a slip an slide. And referees blowing plays dead as soon as anyone touched the QB for a sack. Im sure they just did that for fun.

I guess critics can't use the "losing QB" excuse for Cutler anymore now that he's made the playoffs.

Not that matters but how many turnovers have the Bears had overturn or not given tonight? 2 INTs overturned by penalties, a fumble blown dead way too early.

What does NO need to do to clinch that 5 seed. 1 more win? Kinda crazy the Bears and Packers might very well play each other 2 weeks in a row, one at Lambeau and one at Soldier Field.

Collins? What about Hanie? Collins quietly took back over the #2 QB role a couple of weeks after his Carolina disaster. Hanie can only play if Cutler and Collins both leave the game with an injury, as he is inactive and designated as the emergency 3rd QB.

Chester Taylor has 11 carries for 5 yards tonight. Forte has 17 for 92. I want him to get 100 but we may not have another chance.

Cutler is still in the game because? Lovie should be fired immediately if Cutler is seriously hurt the rest of this game. Great and now the announcers are marveling at how few injuries the Bears have had.