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Monday morning quarterback

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This is a Chicago Bears open thread.

Have at it.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 10:46 am

Comments

The key word is pass rush, and without blitzing, the Bears don’t have one. A good quarterback with good protection will sit back and pick apart the secondary. They basically have three weeks to figure out how to get more pressure on the quarterback if they want to play in Miami in January. They haven’t been very good against the run all year, but that hasn’t been able to beat them. A poor pass rush in the playoffs will beat them.

The offense looked pretty good, but I still don’t think they win many shootouts, so the defense is going to have to step up.

I still like their chances at home with the other NFC teams beating each other up for three weeks before the Bears see another good team. They couldn’t ask for a better end of the season schedule. They should be able to win these last two games and still work on some skills they will need to use against better playoff teams.

Comment by Jaded Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 11:10 am
Da Bears! To all naysayers, let’s bask in the glory of being 12-2 and having home field advantage thru the playoffs. On to Miami!!

Comment by Bobbyc Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 11:17 am
12 and 2 is great, and they drew a record like other teams draw from time to time…but this is a bad time for the wheels to come off on the defensive line…could be 2 and done…

Comment by Mongo Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 11:47 am
A win is a win….

Comment by Lovie's Leather Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 11:57 am
The Bears still look good. It would be nice to make Tank Johnson could give Tommie Harris his hamstring. Agree with Mongo, not a good time for the d line to unravel. Now to dovetail with politics, if Natarus doesn’t get Ice Bar shut down he is done. I’ve lived across the street for the last few years and there have been noise and traffic problems there since that place opened. Just another reminder for 42nd warders that this guy doesn’t get things done. Go Bears.

Comment by Punky QB Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 12:02 pm
All these idiots trying to get him kicked off the Bears are ridiculous. The guns are one thing, but linking him to the murder of his bodyguard is crazy.
From my limitted understanding, they were at t club, some guy started drama, Body guard/thug did his job and got killed. Someone will sue Club Ice since their weapons checks didn’t work too well.

Looks like Rex and the O saved the D again.

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 12:22 pm
Tommie Harris was the team’s MVP before going down. Losing him completely changes the complexion of the defense. The NFC stinks so the Bears still have a good shot at going to the Super Bowl provided Grossman protects the ball.

Comment by Tom Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 12:33 pm
Just think — If Burton Natarus had done his job, Tank Johnson might still have a chance of playing this year.

The bar where the shooting took place had been the subject of numerous complaints, including a number of complaints about people with guns going in there.

Natarus didn’t act until somebody got killed.

It is unfortunate that it takes a genuine tragedy to get him to take a look at his ward.

* * *

On a pure Bears note — anyone else note that Coach Smith didn’t have enough confidence in his offense to let the try and go down the field on the final possession? This team claims that it should be playing in the Super Bowl, but the coach doesn’t think that offense can move the ball against Tampa Bay without screwing it up?

Smith says good stuff about his team, but his decisions speak volumes.

Comment by Skeeter Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 12:47 pm
Sorry. Not a sports fan.

Comment by Squideshi Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 1:17 pm
It looks like the Anti-Natarus people are already blaming the Bears impending playoff disaster on Burt.
Who says off year elections aren’t fun?

In other news, Jon Gruden just schooled Ron and Lovie in the second half, Bears got lucky they didnt lose to a 3-10 team.

Comment by Bakersfield Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 2:28 pm
I’m not blaming Natarus for the disaster. I blame the loss of Brown and Harris for that. Brown, even more than Urlacher, is the heart of that defense.

I do blame Natarus for the death of Johnson’s friend though. He knew about problems at the bar and ignored them.

Comment by Skeeter Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 2:51 pm
Who cares; it’s professional sports and a bunch of taxpayer subsidized gladiators and their owners enlisted to quiet the masses while Rome burns.

Comment by independent downstater Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 3:54 pm
Injuries can kill a team. Yesterday was a wake up call for the defense. Da Bears definitely will need a couple of breaks to do the Superbowl Shuffle. Natarus will need a lot more than that to hang on to his seat.

Comment by hurt Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 4:01 pm
Jaded,

You can’t blitz too much playing zone as the Bears do. I’d like to see more of a blitzing scheme, too.

My biggest gripe is with Grossman; he is indeed gross, man! Every time he goes long 10’s of thousands cringe, so they’ve resorted to a dink passing game - the kind of game that Greise excels at. So, why is that headcase still starting??? Just like last year, he’ll cost them the playoffs in the 1st round.

Comment by Snidely Whiplash Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 6:14 pm
Snidely, I see your point about Grossman but he played OK in that playoff game against the Panthers. Steve Smith killed the Bears in that game — Chicago had no answer for him.

Comment by Tom Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 8:04 pm
Sorry I’m a Steelers fan stuck in Illinois and they kicked some serious butt yesterday, but I was in the frozen tundra giving my son his Christmas present letting him watch his favorite team, and the bane of every Bears fans existence. The look on his face was worth more than anything any Bears fan could give me.

Good luck Bears fans! See I can be a good sport once in a while.

Comment by Tessa Monday, Dec 18, 06 @ 9:29 pm
Tessa,

I actually do feel back for Steeler’s fans right now. That superbowl jinx really hit them hard.

Comment by Snidely Whiplash Tuesday, Dec 19, 06 @ 5:04 pm