adam

Here we go, the first playoff game thread since January 2011. We have knocked GB and MIN out of the playoffs, and now get a chance to knock off the champs. Our defense is elite and our offense is balanced and efficient. I feel like we are going to finally unleash the full offense next week for the first time. I think we win handily and the defense creates a few turnovers. I am praying for good officials and no BS calls. Bears 27-13

Bears allow the least amount of points on the season as Indy scores 33 on Tennessee. 5 straight wins at home, and 9-1 overall in the last 10 games.

Trubisky ends the season 289/434, 66.6% Comp%, 3223 yds, 24 TD, 12 INT, 95.4 QB Rating. He also ends the season with the 3rd highest QBR at 72.8, behind only Mahomes and Brees.

Refs were crap again, game should not have been that close. The Vikings only TD drive was gifted by the refs. Phantom calls left and right keeping the drive alive. Complete BS. Otherwise, a huge win in a very hostile stadium in a game that meant everything to the Vikings. So we knocked both the Packers and Vikings out of the playoffs, won the Division, and now get a home game against the reigning SB champs.

Looks like Kyle Long is going to play. Nice to see him back. He is going to be a huge upgrade for our O-Line.

Funny you should say that. I don't know if any of you are on Twitter, but if you are, you should follow Dan Orlovsky, yes, the ex-Lions QB. He breaks down Trubisky's games and loves him and Nagy. Here is his last one about in-game adjustments:

Just look at the Passing Defenses, we don't want to play Minnesota again and Philly has a horrible pass defense (worst in the league allowing 280+ yards a game). I am taking Philly.

What are they not buying into? He has a 96.0 QB Rating (15th in NFL) and with his running, his QBR bumps him to #4 in the league. That is about right where he is as a player. What's wrong with that? He didn't get a year to sit and learn the system, and in some ways Loggains and Fox set Trubisky back some.

If we can't beat the Vikings on the road, then can we beat the Rams or Saints on the road? I would rather win and knock them out of the playoffs and go into the playoffs with a win.

I agree, that was a huge drive. He also had another one earlier in the game that was over 7 minutes long. The narrative stuff is beyond ridiculous. Now the national media is praising Jackson from Baltimore for doing less than Trubisky has done all year. Funny to see Trubisky have the best record (10-3) out of all the 2017 QBs (Mahomes is 11-4 and Watson is 10-5). KC is 0-2 in their last two games, Houston is 1-2 in their last 3, while the Bears went 3-0 against LAR, GB, and SF (who beat SEA).

Thru Week 16 (13 games): Trubisky: 271/408, 66.4%, 3060 yds, 7.5 Y/A, 24 TD, 12 INT, 96.0 QB Rating Bears Records: 1. QB Rating is the highest for a Bears QB with more than 10 games started 2. 24 TD's is 5th all-time for the franchise 3. 66.5% Comp % is the best of all-time in franchise history passing Jay Cutler (66.0%) 4. Needs 5 completions in Week 17 to move into 5th all-time for a single season NFL QBR Leaders: 1. Mahomes - 81.4 2. Brees - 81.2 3. Roethlisberger - 73.5 4. Trubisky - 71.1 5. Rivers - 70.7

Week 17 - Flexed to the afternoon slot to align with LAR/SF and PHI/WAS games. Early line has the Vikings favored by 5. If they are assuming we are resting starters, fine, but it seems odd that the Vikings are favored by more than 3 at home against an 11-4 team. In comparison, the Ravens are favored by 5.5 at home against Cleveland. A lot on the line. Potential to get a first-round bye with a win and Rams loss. Also, the outcome of our game directly impacts who we play as the #6 seed. If we play everyone, I think we win another tough game 23-20. If we rest players, I think Minnesota wins 27-17.

Tough call, Cousins completely chokes in Prime Time games, but Minnesota is probably the better team on paper. Philly looks like they are playing with confidence with Foles at QB and with the return of Sproles. It is really tough to beat teams in back to back weeks, so I would lean towards playing Philadelphia. Also, it wouldn't even feel like an achievement to beat a team in Week 17 just to get to play them again in the WC round. At least a game against Philly would feel like a step forward. Also, it would suck to lose to Minnesota, at home, in the playoffs (regardless of the outcome of Week 17). That would really be a bad ending to a truly unexpectedly great season. This is my favorite narrative: Beat GB, clinch Division and knock them out of the playoffs, then beat Minnesota in Week 17, knocking them out of the playoffs. Then beat the World Champs in the WC round, followed by the Rams and Saints, before beating the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Talk about all demons exorcized in one year. That would be insane.

Congrats to Brad and MyDeflatedBalls as the TalkBears Keeper Champion for 2018. He completely dominated down the stretch riding Mahomes, McCaffrey and Kittle to the promised land. I got cold feet and started Jones over Anderson and it will cost me the championship. Crazy how one or two moves decide the season.

1. NO 13-2 (vs CAR) 2. LAR 12-3 (vs SF) 3. CHI 11-4 (@MIN) 4. DAL 9-6 (@NYG) ------------ 5. SEA 9-6 (vs ARZ) 6. MIN 8-6-1 (vs CHI) ------------ 7. PHI 8-7 (@WAS) Seeding Scenarios (4): 1. First Round Bye and #2 Seed – CHI win and LAR loss 2. #3 Seed and plays MIN: SEA win and CHI loss or CHI win and PHI loss 3. #3 Seed and plays PHI: CHI and PHI win 4. #3 Seed and plays SEA: SEA loss and CHI loss So if we win against MIN, we can get the #2 seed or play PHI or MIN. If we lose to MIN, we could play SEA or MIN. The only way we play SEA is if they lose to ARZ, which is very unlikely. So it ultimately comes down to the CHI vs MIN game and the PHI vs WAS game. Assuming PHI wins like SEA, then with a win we play PHI, with a loss we would re-play MIN at home WC weekend. Interesting scenarios. I would rather win to have a shot at the #2 seed and bring on PHI. That would give us a chance to win the Division at home against GB (while knocking them out of the playoffs), knocking MIN out of the playoffs in MIN, then knocking off the World Champs in Soldier Field before heading to play LAR in LA. Our playoff path would be at home against PHI, at LAR, then at NO. That would be an impressive run.

Trubisky was 25/29 for 246 and a TD. If not for all the fumbles, we win this game by 3 TDs. The officials gifted SF a FG before halftime. They essentially allowed SF to get their FG unit on the field without a timeout or loss of down. The catch on 3rd was short and there wasmo way to get the FG unit on the field in that time.

Dallas looks like they will win, so Bears need a win to stay ahead for #3 seed.

We have two games different than the other teams in the Division. Where we get Rams and Saints, Vikings get Seahawks and Panthers and GB will most likely get Atlanta and SF. Atlanta and SF were decimated with injuries this year, so they will be better next year. Carolina started 6-2 before dropping 6 straight. I also don't think the Rams and Saints are as good as the national media has made them out to be. We also get the Saints, Chiefs, Chargers and Cowboys at home. That is huge. Our toughest non-divisional road games are at Philly and Denver. Home: Lions, Packers, Vikings, Cowboys, Giants, Chiefs, Chargers & Saints Away: Lions, Packers, Vikings, Eagles, Redskins, Broncos, Raiders & Rams

Bears 10-4, still have outside shot at a first-round bye, though very unlikely. The game is still important to at least lock in the #3 seed. Interesting to see the line only at -4. Based on some bookie sites, a lot of money going SF's way. Hopefully not a trap game, we need to finish strong and Trubisky needs to string together some solid games. Bears 27-13.

I would be great to get some work in before the playoffs. Even if it is just for a few series. Conditioning is going to be the issue. Hopefully he can knock off some rust and get some game time in versus Minnesota.

During the press conference, MT mentioned that GB was taking away the deep ball so he had to take what they gave him.

12 players recognized, 5 on offense and 7 on defense. So more than half the starters were recognized. 8 draft picks and 4 free agents/trades: Mack, Hicks, Trevathan, and Burton. Guys like Robinson, Gabriel, Daniels, Goldman, Amos, Howard, Miler, and Amukamara who didn't have Pro Bowl numbers really fill out the roster.

I was thinking about this as well. Either way he will get his 5th year, whether that is with an option year or new contract will depend on his health and durability.

Yes, not a dream. Worst to First in one year. Looking back at our projections, I don't know if anyone expected them to be this good.

Gabriel averages 10.0 yds per catch and 42.8 yds a game. He is 60/599 right now, Robinson is 49/669 and Miller has dropped off to 30/399. He has half as many receptions as Gabriel, which is shocking at this point. Again, not a big deal as we are winning, but interesting nonetheless considering we traded up to get him.