I think the Bears definitely had an assist from the weather. Bears out gained them in total yards and our soft defense held the top scoring offense in the NFL to 17 points in regulation. Stafford looked miserable.
They had the game in their grasp. Just so aggravating. Even our season of enchantment ends with an overtime interception and self inflicted wounds in the divisional round. We wouldn’t have been kicked in the nuts without being on the winning end of these games for what it’s worth.
Not to mention Brown and Wicks. Why wait until late January to decide you’re willing to go over the LT when every high impact arm is off the market? I’d rather go over the tax for Devin Williams than Gallen or whoever they’re making an exception for.
If you’re going over the LT then they missed out on Devin Williams who’d legitimately make the team better. Signing Gallen for injuty insurance and or just to swap him with Tailon is just reshuffling a rotation full of number 4 starting pitchers.
Valdez would legitimately make the rotation better but it’s already been discussed that the Cubs wouldn’t view him as a locker room fit.
Stafford ranked 19th in completion% by the way and was league average almost on the dot. Josh Allen ranked 24th last year and was below league average.
He can get by with 63-64% if he misses a couple layups for every circus throw.
You couldn’t learn from the last game about what happens when you go for it on every fourth down in the first half? This team starts out slow and needs all the points available.
Cubs are a Kyle Tucker away. He’s no longer available. Same conversation people had in 2024 when Bellinger crashed down to earth. The lineup is much better at least.
He projects to post 4.4 ERA and a 1.2 fWAR, basically Ben Brown with better BABIP luck.
I think a couple more wins and well over an earned run less is way more realistic assuming he makes at least 25 starts. He’s not Arrieta but he’s certainly better than a 5 starter.
Is PCAs second half cliff dive a regression to who he is as an above average hitter on the aggregate or a negative trend that’ll continue into this year?