Dec 23rd 2008 11:55AM by Matt Snyder (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, Packers, NFC North
I have to just keep telling myself how much I love this team, because they are torturing me this season. I know I’m not alone. Last night’s game should have been so much easier. The Packers were reeling big-time. Yeah, you do have to assume they are gonna show up to play spoiler in the rivalry game. Bravo to them for being professional enough to play with pride like that. They deserved to win the game, as they outplayed the Bears in nearly every facet. In the end, though, two huge special teams plays swung the pendulum in the Bears favor, and clutch-kicking Robbie Gould put the icing on the already frozen cake.
The Bears offense was dreadful. Just dreadful. The defense played admirably when you consider how many bad situations in which they were repeatedly put. The most notable example of this being a blocked field goal — by Alex Brown — to send the game to overtime after a ridiculous horse-collar five yards out of bounds by Adrian Peterson after terrible kick coverage.
If you’d like the Packers fan point of view here, I’ve got Bruce Ciskie on the horn:Continue Reading
Dec 24th 2008 2:00AM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, Giants, Patriots, Vikings, Pressing Issues, NFL Coaching, NFL Real Talk
It’s entirely arguable that the way the New York Giants played in Week 17 against the Patriots, despite losing, propelled them into the postseason and eventually to a Super Bowl win.
Of course, you could also argue that such a discussion is pointless. Whatever. My main point is that Tom Coughlin typically — as he wrote in a book — does not believe in resting players in the final week of the season if there’s nothing at stake.
“It is a difficult decision,” Coughlin wrote after noting that many NFL coaches bench their stars in similar situations. “It becomes clear that the media and fans care more about a playoff game and therefore don’t want our first-teamers to play. But I feel differently.”
Naturally, then, you would expect to see every single Giant — including Justin Tuck and Brandon Jacobs, both recently banged up — playing full games against the Vikings this Sunday. Or perhaps not; it appears, judging by the somewhat hemming nature of a recent statement to the media, that Coughlin might have changed his tune.
“My answer to all of your questions will be that in conjunction with the medical people and with the idea of improving our game, having individuals perform at a higher level than we did in the last game, which is always our theme, we will do the best thing for our football team,” Coughlin said.
“What’s best for the Giants” and “Play every game like it’s win or go home” are two different statements. And while Coughlin isn’t the type of guy to go back on his word, I don’t think, he would be doing exactly that if the Giants don’t pull out all the stops to beat the Vikings on Sunday.Continue Reading
Dec 22nd 2008 12:00PM by Bruce Ciskie (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, Packers, NFC North, NFL Eliminated Teams
In the midst of a four-game losing streak, with their defense in shambles, the Green Bay Packers have finally taken the band-aid off the bullet wound.
Someone in the organization had the brilliant idea to move Pro Bowl starting cornerback Charles Woodson to safety. Theory was apparently that Woodson could play safety, Tramon Williams could slide into Woodson’s spot, and there wouldn’t be any reason to adjust the Packers’ aggressive man-to-man coverage scheme.
Um. Wrong.
While Woodson didn’t play badly, Williams was a disaster. We tried to convince the Packers this was a bad idea, but they have just now figured it out.
It’s too late to change Green Bay’s dead-in-the-water playoff plans, but Woodson moves back to cornerback for Monday night’s game in Chicago. Second-year pro Aaron Rouse starts at safety.
It’s about time.Continue Reading
Dec 22nd 2008 12:45PM by Matt Snyder (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, Packers, Vikings, NFC North, NFL Real Talk
As if the Chicago Bears needed an extra boost of motivation for tonight’s rivalry game against the Green Bay Packers. It’s been provided anyway, courtesy of former unproductive Bears’ wide receiver, Bobby Wade, who is currently a Vikings wideout. “We need the Bears to blow it,” Wade told reporters in Minneapolis with a laugh. “Where are they playing, at home? Great. They’ll definitely blow it.” I don’t know what’s so funny. The Bears beat the Vikings 48-41 earlier this year in Chicago, and the Vikings blew the opportunity to control their own fate this week by losing to the Falcons at home. In fact, if you wanna talk about blowing it, the Vikings fumbled the ball seven times and lost four of them. This translated into a loss despite significantly outgaining Atlanta and winning the time of possession battle. If the Vikings didn’t blow that game, the Bears wouldn’t even presently matter to them.
Maybe Wade’s laughing about how he’s never mattered in the NFL, or that casual fans wouldn’t recognize the difference between him and a used car salesman?Continue Reading
Dec 22nd 2008 3:38PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, Packers, Ravens, Steelers
There was a controversy in the NFL this season when Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs suggested that his team had a bounty out on Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, and then backed off those comments. But anyone who thinks bounties aren’t a part of life in the NFL should talk to Jim McMahon.
Best known for winning a Super Bowl with the 1985 Bears, McMahon was once injured by a player on the Packers, Charles Martin, who openly talked about having a bounty on McMahon and other players on the Bears. And at an ESPN-sponsored event today to promote tonight’s Bears-Packers game, McMahon said bounties are an everyday part of pro football.
Asked if he knew about bounties in the NFL, McMahon said, “Every week.” He added, “I played for seven different teams. There are bounties out every week on everybody.”
That’s certainly not the image NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell likes to project of his league. So the question becomes: Has the NFL changed significantly since McMahon retired? Or do teams just do a good job of keeping their bounties quiet?
Dec 22nd 2008 4:59PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, Packers, NFL Media Watch, NFL VideoAt an ESPN event today in Chicago, I pulled Monday Night Football play-by-play man Mike Tirico aside to ask him a few questions about his preparation for the games, Ron Jaworski’s film study, and whether Tony Kornheiser talks too much about Brett Favre:
Tirico, Jaworski and Kornheiser conclude their season with tonight’s Packers-Bears game.
Dec 22nd 2008 8:00PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, Packers, NFC North, NFL Fans
That’s right, folks, it’s the last Monday night game of the season. Which means nine months of Kornheiser-free football viewing starts at midnight. Parting, as they say, is such sweet sorrow. Except in this case it’s just sweet.
In any event, the Bears are hosting the Packers in a huge NFC North get-together. After consulting my Playoff Odds Abacus, it looks like Chicago needs to win out. Or maybe I’m reading it wrong. Whatever, this much is true: Green Bay’s season ends next week and it’s all because Ted Thompson traded Brett Favre to the Jets. I mean, look how good he’s doing in the Big Apple. Wait, what?
Live chat fun starts at 8:20-ish PM EST. Snyder’s bringing the egg nog.Continue Reading
Dec 22nd 2008 7:34AM by JJ Cooper (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, Broncos, Buccaneers, Chargers, Colts, Cowboys, Dolphins, Eagles, Falcons, Jets, Giants, Panthers, Patriots, Ravens, Steelers, Titans, Vikings, NFL Playoffs
This was the week when seemingly everyone decided they didn’t want to go to the playoffs. For three weeks, the injury-ravaged Broncos could have earned a playoff spot by simply winning one game. But here we are with a week to play and the Broncos still need one win.
In the NFC wild card race, Dallas came into the weekend controlling its own destiny, but they lost. That then put the ball in the Falcons and Bucs’ court. Atlanta did come through with a win to clinch a playoff spot, but the Bucs also punted their chance with a loss to the Chargers. That meant that the Eagles could put themselves in the driver’s seat with a win over the Redskins (the same team that just lost to the Bengals). Of course Philadelphia lost that game, which means that Dallas is right back where they began the weekend–win next weekend and the Cowboys are in the playoffs.Continue Reading
Dec 18th 2008 12:44PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Bears
Halfway through the year, Bears quarterback Kyle Orton was one of the pleasant surprises of the 2008 NFL season. At the time of the Bears’ bye in Week 8, Orton had completed 143 of 230 passes for 1,669 yards, with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.
But since that bye, Orton has completed 94 of 171 passes, for 917 yards, with five touchdowns and six interceptions. He’s just not the same player.
So now the Bears need to figure out: Is Orton struggling because he’s not fully recovered after he suffered an ankle injury in the Bears’ first game after the bye week? Or is it just that the Orton we’ve seen in the last five games (looking a lot like the Orton we saw in 2005, the last time he was the Bears’ starter) the real Kyle Orton?Continue Reading
Dec 18th 2008 5:10PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Bears
I talked today to Mike Murphy of 670 The Score in Chicago about my post today on Bears quarterback Kyle Orton, and whether he’s struggling recently because he’s hurt, or whether he’s struggling recently because he’s simply not a very good quarterback.
Bears fans have to hope Orton’s ankle, which he injured in Week 9, is still bothering him. Because if Orton is healthy and he’s playing this badly, the Bears might need to find a new quarterback this off-season.
Here’s the audio (or right-click here to download the MP3):
