adam

Here is what we have left, if we show any additional improvement, and get some guys back off injury, we actually have a shot at the playoffs, but the next 3 games will be critical. @ STL (4-4) - winnable game, STL defense is tough, and Gurley has emerged, however, we are better against the run than the pass, so this plays into our defensive strengths, and if Forte and Royal are back, we have great shot with our offense. vs DEN (7-1) - Denver's defense has masked just how bad the offense and Manning have been. A mid-November game in Chicago and Fox knowing a lot about the players gives us a shot. If Indy can beat them, we can beat them. I expect a close game, and would not be surprised if we win. @ GB (6-2) - We played them tough in Week 1 and they look vulnerable as hell right now. They will be coming off a Sunday afternoon game in Minnesota and we will be coming off an early game against Denver at home. Rodgers seems to have our number and they will be honoring Favre. This has GB blowout written all over it, and the media will aid in that view. However, I think it will be close and another winnable game. If we were somehow (a huge reach obviously) to win these first 3, I would have no reservations to believe we couldn't win out at this point. vs SF (3-6) - I can't believe this team has 3 wins, they are a hot mess with no running game and Gabbert at QB. This is a game we are supposed to win (at home) with an extra few days prep after Thursday game. vs WAS (3-5) - Another team with 3 wins that should probably have 1 or 2. They have been aided by an easy schedule, and this is another game we should win at home. @ MIN (6-2) - We should've beat them a few weeks ago and they look like one of the weakest 6 win teams in the league. They could be 6-7 by the time we play them again with game in OAK, vs GB, @ATL, vs SEA, and @ARZ. @ TB (3-5) - Lovie bowl, another team benefiting from a ridiculously easy schedule. Another game we should win. This is the farthest place we travel since SD. vs DET (1-7) - Last game of the season, and if Minnesota does falter down the stretch against a tough schedule, and Atlanta comes back down to earth, this game could be for a Wild Card berth against a team playing for the #1 pick. So if you consider that we are only playing for a Wild Card slot, we need to pass the lesser of GB/MIN at 6-2 (which I believe is MIN), ATL at 6-3, PHI/STL/SEA at 4-4 and NO at 4-5. I think MIN fades with that tough schedule and they end up 8-8, and 9-7 at best. GB probably wins the division with 11 wins, so it will come down to the other teams. Atlanta is an extremely weak 6-3, have lost 3 of 4 (only win was 10-7 against TEN), and they still haven't played Carolina. I see them going no better than 3-4 to finish 9-7 at best. Philly, STL, and NO all seem destined for 8-8, and Seattle's season seems like it will be determined this week against ARZ, but they can make a run with a super easy schedule down the stretch. I could see them winning 9-10 games. That means if we go 6-2 we will need a lot of help and tie breakers to get in at 9-7 (probably won't with current 0-5 conference record), or 7-1 and go 10-6 as the 2nd Wild Card. To me that seems like the only realistic way to make it in. Obviously a win in STL will go a long way towards this goal. A loss and we are done.

Once you are out of the top 6-8 picks, it seems like 9-20 are all the same anyway. With our last 5 games all being winnable games, I figure will settle in around 7-9 or 8-8 with a mid teens pick.

AZ, I agree, we were playing with a Guard as a Center (or 3rd String Center), a converted Guard at RT, a backup LT, and backup Guards. So our entire Offensive Line was in new positions from where they were in preseason with multiple backups starting. We were missing Matt Forte who had accounted for over 1/3 of our offense, haven't had White all year and was missing Royal again. To me that was much worse than the O-Line woes of SD and missing Allen. In regards to the game, the O-Line played decent enough to only allow one sack. The penalties were what killed us, but the TV never showed what Long did to get the penalty. The good part is we won with them playing like that, so if we get Grasu back and Ducasse can sit on his Duc-ass, we will be better next game (and will need to with the STL D-Line). WR - Alshon was clearly over-hyped because you can tell by his reactions after the drops. On the Pick-6, there was a lot of contact at the top of the route, and he was actually stumbling backwards when the ball was thrown. A bad throw by Cutler, but without contact, Alshon easily makes a play on the ball. After that he just said throw me the damn ball and started to make plays. I like that mentality from him. Every other WR was non-existent, which is fine until they start rolling coverages. TE - Probably the best all-around game for this group. They were everywhere, in the backfield, in the slot, on the outside, blocking, and making crazy catches. Miller's catch was Biletnikoff-esque, and one of the best catches all year. I love how it takes 3 dudes to take Bennett down. RB - Langford had 4 yards per carry with a make shift line, and had a ridiculous catch himself. He has played numerous positions and can't just see the potential oozing from him. If he keeps this up, this will be Forte's last year as a Bear. Carey looked solid as well. What I liked about both of those guys is they rarely went down on first contact (a lot of spin moves), and almost always fell forward. Cutler - The INT is on him, but like you said, there was contact at the top of the route which moved Alshon off his spot. 345 yards, 67.5% with a few drops, 2 TDs, and an INT is a really good game. INTs are going to happen, but the only play I didn't like is the fumble on the only sack. He needs to practice having his arm hit and how to stick the ball in his gut. Otherwise, he orchestrated some huge drives (80, 93, 80), and was incredibly solid under pressure and in the 4th (again). Lastly, the game could've gotten away easily after the Pick-6 and 13 point deficit, but Cutler didn't seem flustered at all (he wasn't throwing tablets - ala Rodgers, or fighting on the sidelines). DLine - Solid and stepped up when we needed them to. Houston came up big and redeemed himself after the penalty with 2 huge sacks when we needed pressure. The D-Line had a couple of batted balls (Sutton for sure) and only allowed Gordon 2.8 yards per carry. The Chargers only had 2 runs longer than 10 yards (10 and 15). LBs - It is funny that you mention Anderson, he led the team with 11 solo tackles and next closest was Jones with 5. Sure there were a couple of cross up plays, but that will come with more playing time. I know on the Woodhead pass they got picked by Gates on the crossing route. On the Gates long pass, it looks like he was expecting short pass in the flats and didn't follow Gates. Definitely a blown assignment, but again, it is a good learning point to build on. Otherwise, I was totally impressed with the gap discipline on running plays. We rarely lost gap control and there was always an LB or Amos in there to make a play on the ball carrier. Overall a decent game from another young group in the middle. I would like to have seen more from McPhee and Acho. CBs - Porter had a forced fumble and a huge pass defended on that last SD drive. Callahan wasn't get blown away and Fuller continues to make tackles. This group doesn't have much talent, so I would say this was a great game based on the talent level. S - Amos is legit and getting him a partner will be one of the top priorities in the offseason. Rolle is there for leadership and was not a liability from what I saw. Yeah, you know Woodhead is feeling that hit today. Special Teams - Gould was off, hopefully that is his only bad game of the year, because we can't afford to leave points of the board. Other than those missed kicks, a decent day covering kicks and Mariani actually had some positive returns. Also, I believe we didn't have any penalties on Special Teams, which helped keep field position. Coaching - All around great game plan. I believe the game was not as close as the score indicates. Defense only allowed 13 points on the road. Offense scored 22 with 2 missed FG's. Pick-6 killed another potential scoring drive, and Long's penalty took us out of FG range on another drive. So that is a 15 point swing and makes it potentially an 18 point win. Over 33 minutes of possession, 58/42 Pass/Run split, 9/15 on 3rd Downs, only 6 penalties. This team is very hard to read this year. The last 5 games have all been decided by 3 pts or less and we can be 5-3 just as easily as we can be 0-8. After seeing GB struggling of late, how Denver looked against IND, I think we can be competitive in every remaining game (though we will probably only win 3 or 4 of them). Good team win, hopefully we can use this as a building block and string together a couple of wins.

Well we beat Rivers and SD and the defense played pretty good. I think you have the game order messed up. The next 3 are STL, DEN, then GB. We finish with SF, WAS, MIN, TB, DET. That final 5 can't get much easier. 1. DET 1-7 (7) 2. CLE 2-7 (11) 3. SD 2-7 (9) 4. TEN 2-6 (32) 5. JAX 2-6 (18) 6. BAL 2-6 (4) 7. DAL 2-6 (3) 8. SF 3-6 (1) 9. HOU 3-5 (28) 10. TB 3-5 (27) 11. MIA 3-5 (25) 12. WAS 3-5 (20) 13. CHI 3-5 (6) 14. KC 3-5 (5)

Jay Cutler became the Bears TD Passing Leader with 2 TDs, passing Sid Luckman and also won his 47th game with the Bears, breaking a tie with McMahon. Jay now owns every major team passing record. Here is where he looks overall: - 2,545 completions (38th, 31 from 37th and Phil Simms) - 29,536 yards (45th, 209 from 44th and Jon Kitna) - 193 TD (T-46th, 1 from 45th and Ken Stabler) Robbie Gould - 1,142 Points (41st, 22 pts from 40th and Neil Rackers) - 260 FG Made (T-37th, 4 from 35/36th and Lou Groza/Neil Rackers) - 362 XP Made (51st, 3 from 50th and Bobby Walston) Alshon Jeffery (Bears All-time Receiving Numbers): - 231 receptions (13th, 7 from 12th and Dick Gordon) - 3413 yards (12th, 111 from 11th and Brandon Marshall) - 22 TD (12th, 1 from 11th and Jim Keane) Martellus Bennett (Bears TE All-Time Receiving Numbers): - 200 receptions (T-3rd, 42 from 2nd and Desmond Clark) - 2056 yards (4th, 583 yards from 3rd and Desmond Clark) - 14 TD (T-4th, 4 from 3rd and Desmond Clark)

Yeah it was Porter. Great win, the defense only allowed 13 pts, and the offense had some huge drives and 3 TDs. If Gould hits those FGs, it wouldn't have even been close.

Houston came up huge and redeemed himself after the penalty. Then Porter with a great pass defended.

Those missed FG's loom large, would be up by 9 here.

Wow what a drive. Miller with a silly catch.

One of the best drives of the year, I would love to see that type of drive more often. A great mix of pass and run and Cutler was locked in.

It should be 20-10 without 2 missed FG's and Pick6. Crazy how entire game is decided by a couple of plays.

Rivers is a little beotch, that is the 2nd time he flopped when he was barely touched.

Yeah 6 pts lost on special teams and a pick 6, that is a 13 pt swing.

Almost 5 yards a carry and over 100 total yards is pretty solid, and that catch was sick. He is also picking up blitzes which is promising.

Why would we play that defense and give them a FG? That is the 3rd or 4th time we did that this year and gave up points. I hate that.

Good defense on both drops? The ball hit Alshon's hands and Verette didn't touch the ball. Those were bad drops.

Kyle Long is going to kill someone. Can't believe there was not a roughing the Passer call on that play.

He looks pissed, nice to have him back.

Glad Jeffery showed up tonight, wtf.

I forgot the Alshon drops.

*Breaking News* We forced a punt on a 3 and out and Mariani had a positive punt return. Now we are going to score and tie the game right?

Which part? The missed FG, inability to stop the Chargers, or the Cutler fumble? Other than that we look pretty good.

I have no clue but I believe it is tied to the conference. Here is a good BR article on how schedules are made: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1350023...l-schedule-made

Go Bears! Does Fox continue his AFC West dominance tonight? Does Cutler break Luckman's TD Record? Does Langford outduel Gordon? Does Mariani have a legit return? Does our Special Teams not allow a return TD? So much drama!

https://twitter.com/caplannfl/status/663840593404035072 Back to back Pro Bowls, and now cut by 2 teams in half a season, wow.