jason

It seems that the coaching staff has decided that Olsen is a mismatch in certain situations, and those are the situations in which he'll be used. However, they have yet to explore the type of routes I saw Owen Daniels use against the Bears today. Like a person first learning how to play chess, Turner sticks with what has worked before, seemingly never learning from his mistakes. Frankly, I'm amazed that any team in the league doesn't know that when the Bears are near the goal-line they are planning on spreading out Olsen and throwing either the jump-ball, fade, or slant to him simply because he is taller. The Texans' DBs showed today that taller is not all you need. Next year I'd like to see Olsen used on more long drag routes underneath the coverage, deep slants, and deep crosses...not to mention the skinny post that seems perfectly designed for a player with Olsen's size and speed.

1. Fans don't directly bring the coaches, but they do indirectly affect how the business is run. If you don't believe that, then you're naive. A coach I would bring in is the DC from Philly, Johnson, a guy who has consistently put a product on the field that has intimidated and troubled opposing offenses. On the other side of the ball, I have said for years that I'd love to get Alex Gibbs, the guy who has turned numerous average RBs into superstars while coaching for the Broncos, and seems to be have made a significant impact on the Texans this year. 2. Lovie has a good record after 85 games. I won't even bother to research it because I know it's true. However, that doesn't mean he's not without serious fault. In a skilled person's hands, one set of ingredients can be turned into a delicacy. In another's, the same ingredients can turn into something noxious. I'd say Lovie's somewhere in between because he employs lesser "chefs" and doesn't hold them accountable for failures. He could be putting out a much better product. 3. You clearly haven't heard/read my posts on this board about the offense. I may be the only one, but I happen to think the WRs are a lot better than most give them credit for, and with proper coaching they could be substantially better. I'd say this holds true for the past several years. I'd also say that the improvement by nearly every WR that leaves the Bears supports that concept. 4. As for your question, how they are going into the last game of the season with a chance to win the division? Simple, look at my answers for 2 and 3. I think there is a lot more talent on this team than most think. I think that the coaches have done some good and bad, but more of the latter. I think that the players have simply done well in spite of the coaching inadequacies, and under a different set of coaches the Bears would be doing even better.

If the Bears were to sign Jeff Garcia, he would be the starter. Well, any good coach, who actually has common sense and a bit of talent evaluation ability, would quickly realize that Jeff Garcia just seems to win...and would naturally beat out Orton.

Easy for me... If the Bears pick up a solid OT in FA, then I want to see the Bears draft an OG in the first and a WR in the second. If the Bears pick up a solid WR in FA, then I want to see the Bears draft an OT in the first and a OG in the second.

Hey tough guy...check out this link. Some of us actually thought the Bears had talent pre-season, and the coaches were horrible to begin with. I still stand by the thought that this team could be incredibly better if not for very bad coaching.

The main thing about this article is that it signifies how slowly this coaching staff makes decisions and adjustments. You know how you'll hear someone say something, and you have a incredibly hilarious, witty, sharp, biting comment as a retort...but you think of it the next day? Well, that's this coaching staff. Except they think of the retort weeks and months later. I'm quite positive Turner had his first child because he put the condom on after sex.

Regardless of whether or not JA makes his money in the later rounds, I will absolutely hate any draft that doesn't get the Bears an OLineman in either of the first two rounds.

That's scary. It reminds me of when Jauron the Moron "won" coach of the year, even though it was plainly obvious to those who actually watched all the Bears' games that the team won in spite of him rather than because of him and his horrible staff. And, just for the record, there were some on this board, who are obviously more informed of the Bears than the average media turd, who predicted that the Bears would win 9 or 10. Bears with 10+ wins? State of the Bears pre-2008

Bennett was in on another run play as a slot WR. He hit his DB, engaged him, and held his own very well, gaining ground even.

I've actually seen this a few times over the course of the last three or four games. Usually you can tell when it happens because it catches the other team completely off guard, and the Bears get a huge play out of it. It's almost as if Babich thinks he has to save up his "secret" play for a big moment, unleashing it when the opponent least expects it...which makes no sense of course. It's like a boxer having a great jab, but refusing to use it until the tenth round.

For the most part we agree. But I did see Davis out there a few times on offense.

Davis was out there a few times. I noticed him and yelled about it.

Agreed with the overall sentiments. Why bring in another guy when there are others in the pecking order before him. On the logistics of it, however, I disagree. I don't think it's that they can't crack the starting lineup. I think it's that the coaches won't let them crack the starting lineup. Big difference.

The Bears do, indeed, need players. However, they don't have an empty cupboard. A better coach would have done much more with this collection of talent. I'm convinced that with someone like Ditka or Cowher, a guy with fire (who would bring in a DC of a similar mold), the Bears would have 11 or 12 wins right now.

My thoughts: Booker - Gone Davis - Gone Hester - The team's #2, grooming for #1 Bennett - Should have been in before this game Lloyd - Gone, but shouldn't be. He has the talent to actually make plays and do well, if properly used.

The sign in question:

I cannot add a thing to this except for agreement and a head nod. Perfect post.

YES!!!! YOU NAILED IT PIX!!! I was the guy with the Hester sign. I was ready to use it just in case of a return opportunity. FYI - On the other side: NECK BEARD ARMY (that one never got on TV)

Guys...take it for what it's worth... THE OFFENSE 1) Turner still out-thinks himself. I called more Bears' plays before they happened than I care to mention. If I can do it, surely the other teams can do it. That's the major reason, IMHO, why the Bears offense is not scary. It's very rarely a surprise. The majority of the time when our offensive players do well, it's in spite of Turner, because the plays are very predictable. 1a) Playing AP makes no sense. Kevin Jones is active; let him get the carries when resting Forte. 1b) Booker drop, Hester at least on drop. I am sick of this argument that the other WRs can't "crack the starting lineup". At a certain point, and it's well past that point, the offensive coordinator has to be blamed for not bringing in another player when the guy who is starting isn't doing the job. Conveniently enough, Bennett was active...but of course he wasn't used. 1c) The ball-fake, TD pass to Olsen, even though it was incredibly predictable, worked because there was fake handoff to the RB. This type of play-action doesn't happen enough. At one point there were several successful runs, and the GB defense was primed for a PAPass. Too bad Turner didn't see it. THE DEFENSE 2) Speaking of doing something in spite of a coordinator, Babich is a moron. He does things that work, then abandons them when the team needs them most. He still doesn't understand that it's OK to step on another team's throat. He still doesn't understand that he needs to mix up the DLine play to get pressure (which it didn't - only pressure came via blitz). He still doesn't understand, for the life of me because I sure as hell called the play at least five times before it happened, that the opposing offense is going to abuse the slant route if the DB is eight yards back. Babich needs to be fired. Period. He completely mismanages the talent he has on defense, and leaves very good players in absolute voids during plays because of horrible design. THE EXTRAS -I was going to go shirtless, but when wind chill got to -18, I called it off. Being cold is fine, cold weather injuries are not. -I didn't warm up until easily 4 hours after the game while driving back to Alabama. -A guy next to me took two drinks of his beer, put it down, and the next time he grabbed it, half of the beer was frozen. -I had 7 cups of hot chocolate, none of which were hot by the time I had the last drink. -The jalapeno hot dogs and the chili did a better job of warming us up than the hot chocolate did. -Several of the Packers players exude a confidence (cockiness?) that they shouldn't have. During crucial moments of the game, you could see them nodding their heads, almost taunting the crowd. At other times, it was easily apparent that several weren't even paying attention to the game, and probably didn't even know the score. This was serious insight into why they have fallen the second half of the season. -Johnny Jolly is a complete bitch. Several of us were ragging him in a friendly nature, telling him he was weak because he was practically having sex with the portable heaters near the bench (remember, two friends of mine were shirtless). He looks at us, and tauntingly waives us on to the field, as if we were allowed. After that, he starts to grab his crotch and mouth what appeared to be "freak you". Somewhere in the early third quarter, Jolly has a tantrum while leaving the field, and he throws his helmet. Of course it hit someone. Jolly didn't apologize. Then the pitiful team helper coat guy asks Jolly if he wants his coat. Jolly treats him like a king treats a peasant, waiving him away with a backhand movement. Later, when Orton threw an INT - which was not the result of pressure at all, just a bad read by Orton - Jolly comes back to the bench and yells into the crowd, "I don't hear you now!" Finally, after the Bears go down and score the tying TD, Jolly "suddenly" gets an "injury". WTFever. The only thing injured was his pride. He just didn't want to come back to his spot and face the thunder from a group of about, by then, 15 people ready to give him the business. All of this comes as no surprise to anyone who remembers this: Jolly meets the law -Conversely, Charles Woodson seems like a composed, class act. -My friends and I are at least partially responsible for the Mason Crosby miscues. We were yelling at him for the entire second half, and it unequivocally had an affect on him. You could tell he wanted to say something to us, but chose not to. But anyone being screamed at for 2 hours will get upset. It wasn't just random heckling; it was highly-focused, concentrated heckling. During time outs, when the Bears were on offense, when the Bears were on defense, when there were instant replays. He was facing the vocal barrage similar to what a young private faces in Basic Training; except, there were many more fans than there are drill sergeants. When he missed the first one, all you could hear was stuff like, "The High School kid made a 40 yarder at halftime!" and "If the Packers lose it's all on your shoulders!" One guy - who got a warning from security - told Crosby that he was going to "gut him" (obviously over the line). And when the Packers were moving into position for the final FG attempt in regulation, it was absolutely relentless. He made eye contact once or twice, and heard nothing but negativity spewing from our section of rowdy hecklers. There is no doubt in mind that we made an impact into his head, and we pulled off what was essentially a fan version of "icing the kicker".

Just FYI... (I'm in the tophat - the guys without the shirts didn't last long)

I'm thinking about making signs because I KNOW I am getting on TV. 1) Hey Devin, run this way ------------> 2) Zombie Lovie wants brains 3) Dear Turner: THE FB DIVE DOESN'T WORK! 4) Dear Babich: Feel free to blitz more often 5) Member of the Neckbeard Army

Count me in as someone who hates Green Bay with a passion, and merely dislikes Minnesota. In fact, I feel that if you dislike Minnesota more than Green Bay, you're missing a little historical perspective. As far as the game, look for me on TV. Two friends (one just back from Iraq) and I are going to the game, and there is a guarantee we'll get face time. No shirts. Painted bodies. Book it.

Hell, I'd say Hester is alread AHEAD of Berrian in big play "ability". The only difference is actual execution, where Berrian is much further ahead.

No doubt. That's a stupid article. There is a play or two each game that the Bears have screwed the pooch on (minus the blowout games), and they could very easily have 10 or 11 wins right now, WITHOUT Bernard Berrian.

My credentials Five leagues, four championship games this week