Sunday Playoff Preview…Ravens/Chiefs & Packers/Eagles
Yesterday, this Chicago Bears blogger went two-for-two in his playoff predictions. Ironically it was the two Super Bowl participants from last season that were eliminated from the playoffs.
Today’s opening game features the surprising Chiefs being visited by the Ravens (never more). Like the Chicago Bears, many experts didn’t think the Chiefs would continue their early season success. The Chargers were always the favorites to win the AFC West but in typical Chargers fashion…didn’t. Meanwhile, the Ravens were projected to be a Super Bowl contender and that could start today.
Ed Reed of the Ravens is dealing with his brother’s disappearance after being involved with a high-speed chase. Reed almost didn’t make the trip to Kansas City. But he did.
I had to turn to my in-house expert (my wife) who likes the Ravens because “their uniforms are cooler”. I’m thinking she’s right on the prediction and I’m indifferent to the uniforms. The Chiefs’ good run ends today.
In the most meaningful match-up of the day from the Chicago Bears standpoint the hated Packers visit the dog killing Eagles (or at least one member of that squad Mr. Mexico oops Vick). The Packers are still being projected by some to win the NFC while no one quite knows what to expect from the Eagles.
Despite the big comeback against the Giants a few weeks earlier, the Eagles haven’t played very well down the stretch cultivated by a Tuesday night loss to the Vikings two weeks earlier. This cost the Eagles any shot at a playoff bye.
Meanwhile, the Packers were in a dog fight (yeah I went there) with the Chicago Bears for the NFC North until the Packers decided to lose at Detroit. The Packers didn’t even know if they were making the playoffs until they beat the Chicago Bears last Sunday. While the game meant nothing to the Bears, Lovie Smith played his starters the whole game. It was a lot closer than the Packers would have liked.
My lovely wife thinks the Eagles will win today because of the home-field advantage, and I’m once again not going to argue. The Packers lack of a consistent running attack and the speed of the Eagles is a lot to handle.
Both teams squared off in week one with the Packers defeating the Eagles at home. This was before Vick was inserted as the starter (he entered because of an injury to Kevin Kolb). The Eagles mounted a comeback in the second half but it wasn’t quite enough. These are different looking teams since that game.
I think the Eagles will be in Chicago next week. Seattle scares me more because they’ve got nothing to lose. That’s a dangerous team. I presented incorrect information in yesterday’s blog when I said Seattle would be in Chicago when they won. They will be here if Green Bay wins which won’t happen. The Jets will travel to the Patriots and the Steelers get the winner of today’s AFC match-up.
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Saturday Playoff Preview…Saints/Seahawks & Jets/Colts
The Chicago Bears earned the bye and can sit back like the rest of us and watch football. Saturday’s slate of games features last year’s Super Bowl match-up playing for a trip to the divisional round.
Let’s start with the less important of the two games (from a standpoint of the Chicago Bears). The Jets were many people’s pick to go to the Super Bowl from the AFC. While the Jets have looked good at times, I would hardly classify them as the class of the AFC. Standing in the Jets way are the Colts. We all know that the Colts feature Peyton Manning. However, the Colts have overcome countless injuries to win the AFC South. The Colts almost missed the playoffs, but were able to get in thanks to a mini-collapse by the Jaguars.
In this game, it will be interesting to see what Jets team shows up. There are times when the Jets look like world-beaters, but at other times, it ain’t so pretty. In the case of the Colts, they’re like McDonalds. You know what you’re going to get from a standpoint of game-play. I’m thinking the Jets will win this one for reasons unknown. The Colts dynasty is at the beginning of the end.
The game with huge implications to the Chicago Bears begins at 3:30 local time. Everyone’s favorite reason to revamp the whole playoff system (Seahawks) hosts everyone’s favorite story (Saints). For the record, am I allowed to be sick and tired of the Saints story already. The Saints didn’t save New Orleans. The Saints are a crappy franchise that finally turned the corner. That is all…there’s no silver lining and Drew Brees is a hell of a quarterback and a nice guy…and we’ll leave it at that.
The Saints have been losing players at an alarming rate. Veteran Pierre Thomas and rookie Chris Ivory are done for the season. The bulk of the running responsibility will fall on undersized Reggie Bush and over-the-hill Julius Jones. While the Saints have other weapons on offense, it is very difficult to replace the production of Thomas and Ivory. Bush just isn’t a pound-it-between-the-tackles back. Jones looks like everyone’s first car. He runs and we’ll leave it at that…
The Seahawks did defeat the Chicago Bears this season. Ageless wonder (and fellow baldy) Matt Hasselbeck looks as if he will go today instead of Charlie Whitehurst. While there are many fans of the Seahawks that would prefer to see Whitehurst, Hasselbeck is the dame they know. First year head coach (and scum bag) Pete Carroll will have his work cut out for him with the Saints. However, the Seahawks claim to have an unbelievable homefield advantage.
Guess what folks…Jonathan isn’t drunk but I am picking Seattle in this game. The Saints aren’t as good as everyone wants them to be, and the Seahawks will run the ball down their throats. The Saints may be able to throw the ball, but with a poor running attack will struggle to control the clock.
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Chicago Bears Schedule 2011
The NFL released what the Chicago Bears schedule will look like if they actually play next season and if the format remains 16 games (there hasn’t even been a discussion of where the two additional teams will come from). The Bears will see the AFC West and the NFC South. Also sprinkled in are the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles.
At home, the Bears will play Green Bay, Minnesota, Detroit, Seattle, Falcons, Panthers, Chiefs and Chargers.
On the road, the Bears will face Green Bay, Minnesota, Detroit, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Denver and Oakland.
Get ready for a lot of Sunday/Monday/Thursday night affairs. The Chicago Bears get ratings, and this schedule has some made-for-television drama. It would actually be nice to see the Bears play on Thanksgiving this year. It has been a long time and frankly, I think the powers that be may actually recognize that Detroit is a team on the rise and the Chicago Bears get ratings. Plus, you know the hype on Jay Cutler’s return to Denver for a meaningful game will also be hyped.
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A Bears Fans Look at Lambeau Field
John Rehor will have control of this blog soon as I owe him from our bet, but despite many of the idiot Packer fans I encounter on Twitter and this blog, I will have to say that Lambeau Field is a great place to watch a football game.
I was surrounded by Packers fans. Despite our common hatred of each other’s football team, I had a lot of fun. The tool sitting to my right that was blaming the refs for screwing over Green Bay on every call, but everyone else was great. Even the tool came around. At the end, like the gentleman I am, I shook hands with all of the fans. The NFL’s best rivalry is built on respect.
I thought the music selection was interesting. On one time out, Hip-Hop would blast through the stadium. Then during the next one, there was something completely different. The bass guitar and saxophone (Go Pack Go) was not played as often as I thought.
For those of you that have never experiencd the stadium, I am here to tell you that there is nothing like the experience. Basically, a pro sports team plays in a small town. It is all about the Packers. Nothing else in that town even matters. While there was some good teasing, fans generally respected each other. You would hear the occasional “The Bears Still Suck”, but other than that, nothing too hurtful.
The Chicago Bears showed themselves well on Sunday. They played like it actually mattered and almost pulled off the victory. However, Jay Cutler decided to have a bad game. No excuses, it was a great game. And kudos to Lovie Smith for playing his starters the whole game. As we learned today, this team needs to make some improvements. They have two weeks and a healthy roster to figure these things out. While this team is far from perfect, the Chicago Bears are a talented team.
The Chicago Bears will play a week from Sunday at noon local time against either the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints or Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field. Three wins baby!!!
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The Chicago Bears Have a First-Round Bye
Man bites dog (or at least dog bit man in the case of Michael Vick). The Minnesota Vikings actually showed up last night and beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-14 in wussed-in Philadelphia. I am so glad this all got shoved up the ass of the Eagles. I just cannot stand that team.
This now means that at worst, the Chicago Bears now have a first-round bye in the playoffs. If the stars align, they can still get first seed but that would require wins by Carolina and Tampa Bay along with a win by the Chicago Bears. I am guessing that much won’t happen. But you never know. This has been a strange season.
The Bears/Packers game is being played at 3:15. By that time, the Chicago Bears will know what is at stake. The Packers, on the other hand, are playing for their football lives as long as the Giants beat the Redskins and the Buccaneers beat the Saints. The Saints may be playing for nothing, so the Buccaneers could win. The Giants, on the other hand, now need to play with some urgency. If all three teams win, the Packers are in and the other two are out. If the Buccaneers win, then they are in if the Packers and Giants lose. And if the Giants win, then the Buccaneers are out and the Packers have to win. If all three lose, the Packers are in.
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So what do the Chicago Bears do if they are playing for nothing? Do they rest the starters? I’ve been going back and forth on this one. On the one hand, the Chicago Bears owe it to the league to play as if this game means something. On the other hand, they owe the league nothing because it is important this team stay healthy for the playoffs. Now if the Packers make the playoffs before this game starts, what do they do? There is no way for them to improve seeding, so they have nothing to gain.
Now, if the Chicago Bears have a chance at the top seed, they should play to win. If they have a shot at nothing, I think the starters should play the first half and Devin Hester should not see any punts or kickoffs. He’s way too valuable. Lovie Smith says the Bears are playing this game to win, but I am sure he changed slightly after the Eagles lost tonight.
Regardless of what happens Sunday, I think that we owe the Chicago Bears a lot of credit for not screwing the pooch the way the Eagles, Packers and Giants did down the stretch.
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