So the Bears are 5-3

['TD']

It's half way through the season for the Bears. So i figured it would be a good time to revisit and remake end of the season predictions. Below I got listed who the Bears have beat so far and who they have defeated, plus who they will face the rest of the season.

 

Teams the Bears beat

Lions 2-6

Cowboys 1-7

Packers 6-3

Panthers 1-7

Bills 0-8

Combined record: 10-31

 

Teams that defeated the Bears

Giants 6-2

Seahawks 4-4

Redskins 4-4

Combined record: 14-10

 

The Bears schedule coming up

Vikings 3-5

@Dolphins 4-4

Eagles 5-3

@ Lions 2-6

Patriots 6-2

@Vikings 3-5

Jets 6-2

@Packers 6-3

Combined record 35-30

[Guest TerraTor]

The Bears schedule coming up

Vikings 3-5

@Dolphins 4-4

Eagles 5-3

@ Lions 2-6

Patriots 6-2

@Vikings 3-5

Jets 6-2

@Packers 6-3

Combined record 35-30

 

Could Easily win 5 of those games. However, not sure If that makes me happy.

[balta1701-A]

Could Easily win 5 of those games. However, not sure If that makes me happy.

If the Bears win 5 games, they probably both make the playoffs and save Lovie Smith's job.

 

I think a playoff birth would be worth it.

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

Could Easily win 5 of those games. However, not sure If that makes me happy.

Exactly. While the Bears aren't that good, Minnesota is a mess, Philadelphia is up and down, NE can't stop anyone, the Jets have played back-to-back bad OR average games, the Lions just lost after being up 10 with 5 minutes left AT HOME, and the Packers are also up and down.

 

If the Bears win 5 games, they probably both make the playoffs and save Lovie Smith's job.

 

I think a playoff birth would be worth it.

Agree. I'd love to see this team get in. In 2008, the Giants barely got in, and won the Super Bowl.

[flea]

Hate Lovie but yeah I'll take a playoff spot

[adam]

Exactly. While the Bears aren't that good, Minnesota is a mess, Philadelphia is up and down, NE can't stop anyone, the Jets have played back-to-back bad OR average games, the Lions just lost after being up 10 with 5 minutes left AT HOME, and the Packers are also up and down.

 

Agree. I'd love to see this team get in. In 2008, the Giants barely got in, and won the Super Bowl.

I wouldn't say the Packers are up and down. All their losses have been by 3 pts. They had a chance to win every game.

 

I figure NYG, GB, ATL, NO and a random 8-8 team from the West as the first 5 playoff teams. The Bears are vying for that last playoff spot with PHI, TB, SEA, and WAS. The problem is we have already lost to SEA and WAS. So we really need to string a couple game together here in the next few weeks.

 

For how good our defense has been, only 3 teams have less sacks. We need more QB pressure.

[defiantgiant]

Hate Lovie but yeah I'll take a playoff spot

 

Yeah, I have no problem if Lovie gets this team to the playoffs and saves his job. I can't say the same for Angelo, on the other hand. If the Bears do get into the postseason this year, it'll be in spite of Angelo's drafting, not because of it.

[Bears4Ever_34]

10-6 will definitely make the playoffs in the NFC and probably win the division in the north. The Packers won't go 11-5 with all the injuries they've had. I could see them going 9-7 or 10-6 and be right with the Bears in the end. If we can beat them in our 2nd meeting I think that will decide who wins the division.

[Bears4Ever_34]

The Bears schedule coming up

Vikings 3-5 L

@Dolphins 4-4 W

Eagles 5-3 W

@ Lions 2-6 W

Patriots 6-2 L

@Vikings 3-5 W

Jets 6-2 L

@Packers 6-3 L

 

I predict the Bears will end up 4-4 in the last 8 games of the year and they'll finish 9-7. That's probably going to get them in with a wildcard but I think they really need to go 10-6 to secure a spot in the playoffs.

 

 

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

The Bears schedule coming up

Vikings 3-5 L

@Dolphins 4-4 W

Eagles 5-3 W

@ Lions 2-6 W

Patriots 6-2 L

@Vikings 3-5 W

Jets 6-2 L

@Packers 6-3 L

 

I predict the Bears will end up 4-4 in the last 8 games of the year and they'll finish 9-7. That's probably going to get them in with a wildcard but I think they really need to go 10-6 to secure a spot in the playoffs.

Winning a night game with Cutler as your QB in Miami isn't going to be easy.

 

I wouldn't say the Packers are up and down. All their losses have been by 3 pts. They had a chance to win every game.

 

I figure NYG, GB, ATL, NO and a random 8-8 team from the West as the first 5 playoff teams. The Bears are vying for that last playoff spot with PHI, TB, SEA, and WAS. The problem is we have already lost to SEA and WAS. So we really need to string a couple game together here in the next few weeks.

 

For how good our defense has been, only 3 teams have less sacks. We need more QB pressure.

What I meant by up and down is their inconsistencies. One game, Rodgers is great and the next he's average. They rack up too many penalties and their running game isn't there. Also, like someone mentioned, they have tons of injuries as an excuse.

[AZ54]

I wouldn't say the Packers are up and down. All their losses have been by 3 pts. They had a chance to win every game.

 

I figure NYG, GB, ATL, NO and a random 8-8 team from the West as the first 5 playoff teams. The Bears are vying for that last playoff spot with PHI, TB, SEA, and WAS. The problem is we have already lost to SEA and WAS. So we really need to string a couple game together here in the next few weeks.

 

For how good our defense has been, only 3 teams have less sacks. We need more QB pressure.

 

For sure I'd like to see more QB pressure I think the greater need right now is better coverage from our DBs to stop the quick passes. CBs are playing too soft once again. Maybe we could see them stop any pass, anywhere on the field.

[jason]

I wouldn't say the Packers are up and down. All their losses have been by 3 pts. They had a chance to win every game.

 

I figure NYG, GB, ATL, NO and a random 8-8 team from the West as the first 5 playoff teams. The Bears are vying for that last playoff spot with PHI, TB, SEA, and WAS. The problem is we have already lost to SEA and WAS. So we really need to string a couple game together here in the next few weeks.

 

For how good our defense has been, only 3 teams have less sacks. We need more QB pressure.

 

That is a direct result of a garbage system.

[jason]

Yeah, I have no problem if Lovie gets this team to the playoffs and saves his job. I can't say the same for Angelo, on the other hand. If the Bears do get into the postseason this year, it'll be in spite of Angelo's drafting, not because of it.

 

I'd say the same could be said of Lovie. If the Bears get in this year, it will be in spite of Lovie.

[defiantgiant]

I'd say the same could be said of Lovie. If the Bears get in this year, it will be in spite of Lovie.

 

I don't know. I don't think he's the best head coach in the world, and that non-challenge on Cutler's goal-line dive was incredibly stupid, but it's hard to argue that his defense isn't working. They're top-10 in basically every important statistical category: #3 in rushing yards, #8 in total defense, #4 in points allowed, #5 in third-down percentage, #1 in forced fumbles, #6 in interceptions. They've gone against some explosive offenses (Giants, Packers, Lions) and held them to 17 points or fewer. Buffalo hung 34 points on the Ravens' D, but they only scored 19 on the Bears.

 

I haven't been the biggest Lovie fan in the world, but I can't knock his defense so far this season. They're doing what the Tampa-2 is supposed to do: get turnovers, end drives, and prevent scores. The defensive line is finally playing well enough to make Lovie's scheme work, and they're only doing it after Lovie and company purged all of Angelo's draft picks from the starting lineup. Angelo's obsessed with drafting d-line, and the coaches have finally owned up to the fact that they have basically nothing to show for it. THAT'S what makes me say that Lovie is succeeding in spite of Angelo.

[madlithuanian]

Smith is not a good hc...plain and simple.

 

There is virtually no player development under him. Every success is pretty much due to the talent level of the players at hand. I could go on for hours on all his issues...

 

If given the choice of getting rid of Smith or Angelo, I'd honestly settle for either! Both gone would be bliss...but I think the reality of it has better odds of Angelo going. Angelo isn't giving Smith great players in the draft...so at least if we get better talent, they can succeed on their own merit while Smith stares blankly at the sky...

 

 

 

 

I don't know. I don't think he's the best head coach in the world, and that non-challenge on Cutler's goal-line dive was incredibly stupid, but it's hard to argue that his defense isn't working. They're top-10 in basically every important statistical category: #3 in rushing yards, #8 in total defense, #4 in points allowed, #5 in third-down percentage, #1 in forced fumbles, #6 in interceptions. They've gone against some explosive offenses (Giants, Packers, Lions) and held them to 17 points or fewer. Buffalo hung 34 points on the Ravens' D, but they only scored 19 on the Bears.

 

I haven't been the biggest Lovie fan in the world, but I can't knock his defense so far this season. They're doing what the Tampa-2 is supposed to do: get turnovers, end drives, and prevent scores. The defensive line is finally playing well enough to make Lovie's scheme work, and they're only doing it after Lovie and company purged all of Angelo's draft picks from the starting lineup. Angelo's obsessed with drafting d-line, and the coaches have finally owned up to the fact that they have basically nothing to show for it. THAT'S what makes me say that Lovie is succeeding in spite of Angelo.

 

[defiantgiant]

I mean, Lovie's a defensive coach, and I think he's done a good job developing some defensive talent. I'd argue that Briggs, Alex Brown, Peanut, Tank Johnson, and Chris Harris all developed pretty well under Lovie. Tommie did too, before he wrecked his knee. Urlacher and Mike Brown were already good when Lovie showed up, and Wale was good in Miami, but a lot of that Super Bowl defense were guys that really came along under Lovie's tutelage.

 

Obviously, there were a bunch of busts who failed to develop, from Michael Haynes to Mark Anderson to Jarron Gilbert, but I'd put that much more on Angelo than Lovie. How are you supposed to develop a guy whose only claim to fame is jumping out of a pool?

[Lucky Luciano]

Smith is not a good hc...plain and simple.

 

not only is lovie a poor (to say the LEAST) head coach, he is a poor coordinator. for those doubters, can the statistics of THIS season overshadow the 4 years prior to the 2010 season?

 

1. why was ron rivera fired/released? it was ego on lovie smiths part. he let an important coach go who had proven to be effective to replace him with a friend/crony/yes man in babich who had NO business or qualifications stepping into the DC position. for TWO years this coach held our defense in a stranglehold and was only forced to step back when lovie's own job was questioned for letting this train wreck continue.

 

2. after lovie 'demoted' babich he took over the reins of the defense personally. we saw little or no difference in the actual results or changes in scheme. lovie can't even justify his position as a defensive coordinator!! he is a one-trick-pony that either doesn't have the knowledge, or worse yet he is stubborn beyond stupidity, to change or adjust the defense he is implementing to the players he is forced to play and the opponents he faces!!!!!

 

3. even when he SHOULD have been fired in 2010, the poor management running this franchise (the JOKE of a president of football operations, ted phillips AND CEO mike mccaskey) decided the millions paid to this BAD coaching staff and inept GM were more important than winning superbowls. thus we ended up with a lame duck coach/staff who couldn't even entice fewell to become a freaking DC. so what happens? we stay in lovies comfort zone and raise a DL coach that is basically a clone of the lovie/tampa 2 system because no one in the football world is buying into lovie smith and his closed system.

 

oh yea, i forgot... the EXACT same thing happened on the offensive side of the coaching staff when turner fell on the sword so management could justify lovie's contract and throw dust into the media/fans eyes yet again.

 

4. can anyone really say that lovie smith is an ASSET on game day? his stubborness and stupidity outshine any redeeming qualities he could possibly muster. his clock management is horrendous. his game-day adjustments are near non-existent. his player/coaching preparations on EITHER side of the ball are in question to say the least.

 

how long had we seen our CB's playing so far off the receiver that any semi-pro qb could look like joe montana? at LEAST 2-3 years!! how long had we used the idiototic notion that our LB's were confusing qb's by faking a blitz up the middle only to drop back at the snap or stupidly BLITZ from that position? at LEAST 2-3 years!!

 

5. i don't have any facts to substanciate this but it has been floating around that lovie actually had some say during angelo's drafts after the superbowl. if this is true can anyone possibly say he is able to evaluate talent to any degree?

 

so what are the qualities, beside MONEY, that would entice any competent owner to keep this staff around?

 

There is virtually no player development under him. Every success is pretty much due to the talent level of the players at hand. I could go on for hours on all his issues...

 

you mean like him PERSONALLY tutoring d. manning to become a better safety last season? that worked out pretty well.

 

If given the choice of getting rid of Smith or Angelo, I'd honestly settle for either! Both gone would be bliss...but I think the reality of it has better odds of Angelo going. Angelo isn't giving Smith great players in the draft...so at least if we get better talent, they can succeed on their own merit while Smith stares blankly at the sky...

 

this is just another compromise to mediocrity. in a world that owners know anything about football or even running a corporation it should start with a ted phillips firing first and foremost and hiring someone who is competent and understands the game of football and how it works on multiple levels. let that person with knowledge hire and fire his own GM, coaching staff and scouting department. but...

 

since this organization is run like a complete joke the best to hope for is to hire a good GM. someone who could evaluate talent on both sides of the ball and have the cajones to USE the draft picks he has to draft quality players. not just players who he thinks can start or contribute immediately but with some forethought to the future and players who need to develop like offensive linemen and quarterbacks.

 

the problem with that? NOBODY in this franchise would know one if his name were tatooed on their foreheads!!! how did we find the idiot we currently have? we hired a firm, for gods sake, who took FIVE MONTHS to narrow it down to angelo!!!! what happens when he leaves/is fired? do we hire the same imbeciles who gave us him? or is the guy that ruined the seahawks, angies buddy, our successor to angie? oh boy, happy days are here again....

 

final note...... wouldn't a good president already have had this figured out for years now?

 

 

[jason]

I don't know. I don't think he's the best head coach in the world, and that non-challenge on Cutler's goal-line dive was incredibly stupid, but it's hard to argue that his defense isn't working. They're top-10 in basically every important statistical category: #3 in rushing yards, #8 in total defense, #4 in points allowed, #5 in third-down percentage, #1 in forced fumbles, #6 in interceptions. They've gone against some explosive offenses (Giants, Packers, Lions) and held them to 17 points or fewer. Buffalo hung 34 points on the Ravens' D, but they only scored 19 on the Bears.

 

I haven't been the biggest Lovie fan in the world, but I can't knock his defense so far this season. They're doing what the Tampa-2 is supposed to do: get turnovers, end drives, and prevent scores. The defensive line is finally playing well enough to make Lovie's scheme work, and they're only doing it after Lovie and company purged all of Angelo's draft picks from the starting lineup. Angelo's obsessed with drafting d-line, and the coaches have finally owned up to the fact that they have basically nothing to show for it. THAT'S what makes me say that Lovie is succeeding in spite of Angelo.

 

All that jazz and it doesn't relate to quantifiable wins necessarily.

 

Lovie's system is meant to allow the opponent to score; it's a built in flaw of the system. Granted, it may do the "bend but don't break"-thing, but it's a weak, passive defense. The turnovers are fortunate, but they can't be relied up. I'd rather not have a defensive strategy that hopes the opponent screws up. I'd rather FORCE them to screw up.

 

As for the DL, I think they've played average at best. The pressure is inconsistent at best, and there are nearly no sacks. List THAT stat. And I don't even want to go into the details of why every single blitz from the Bears seems to be sniffed out and stopped.

 

And that's ignoring all the points brought up in the posts above.

 

I understand your point of view, but I don't think the two things are mutually exclusive. I think the Bears are winning in spite of Lovie AND Angelo.

[madlithuanian]

He's been fair at defense. He got the job due to the Rams having such a potent offense, that his D could gamble and get turnovers. That he has done here. I'm not so sure about developming players... Briggs could have been a stud anywhere. Borwna dn peanut...yeah, that could be credited. Johnson and Harris were bounced off the team and have flourished elsewhere. Not sure he deserves credit for that.

 

...and you are really saying he's a good D coach. To me, that's not good enough to be a HC...

 

 

 

I mean, Lovie's a defensive coach, and I think he's done a good job developing some defensive talent. I'd argue that Briggs, Alex Brown, Peanut, Tank Johnson, and Chris Harris all developed pretty well under Lovie. Tommie did too, before he wrecked his knee. Urlacher and Mike Brown were already good when Lovie showed up, and Wale was good in Miami, but a lot of that Super Bowl defense were guys that really came along under Lovie's tutelage.

 

Obviously, there were a bunch of busts who failed to develop, from Michael Haynes to Mark Anderson to Jarron Gilbert, but I'd put that much more on Angelo than Lovie. How are you supposed to develop a guy whose only claim to fame is jumping out of a pool?

 

[madlithuanian]

Brilliant post Lukcy!!! Spot on!

 

not only is lovie a poor (to say the LEAST) head coach, he is a poor coordinator. for those doubters, can the statistics of THIS season overshadow the 4 years prior to the 2010 season?

 

1. why was ron rivera fired/released? it was ego on lovie smiths part. he let an important coach go who had proven to be effective to replace him with a friend/crony/yes man in babich who had NO business or qualifications stepping into the DC position. for TWO years this coach held our defense in a stranglehold and was only forced to step back when lovie's own job was questioned for letting this train wreck continue.

 

2. after lovie 'demoted' babich he took over the reins of the defense personally. we saw little or no difference in the actual results or changes in scheme. lovie can't even justify his position as a defensive coordinator!! he is a one-trick-pony that either doesn't have the knowledge, or worse yet he is stubborn beyond stupidity, to change or adjust the defense he is implementing to the players he is forced to play and the opponents he faces!!!!!

 

3. even when he SHOULD have been fired in 2010, the poor management running this franchise (the JOKE of a president of football operations, ted phillips AND CEO mike mccaskey) decided the millions paid to this BAD coaching staff and inept GM were more important than winning superbowls. thus we ended up with a lame duck coach/staff who couldn't even entice fewell to become a freaking DC. so what happens? we stay in lovies comfort zone and raise a DL coach that is basically a clone of the lovie/tampa 2 system because no one in the football world is buying into lovie smith and his closed system.

 

oh yea, i forgot... the EXACT same thing happened on the offensive side of the coaching staff when turner fell on the sword so management could justify lovie's contract and throw dust into the media/fans eyes yet again.

 

4. can anyone really say that lovie smith is an ASSET on game day? his stubborness and stupidity outshine any redeeming qualities he could possibly muster. his clock management is horrendous. his game-day adjustments are near non-existent. his player/coaching preparations on EITHER side of the ball are in question to say the least.

 

how long had we seen our CB's playing so far off the receiver that any semi-pro qb could look like joe montana? at LEAST 2-3 years!! how long had we used the idiototic notion that our LB's were confusing qb's by faking a blitz up the middle only to drop back at the snap or stupidly BLITZ from that position? at LEAST 2-3 years!!

 

5. i don't have any facts to substanciate this but it has been floating around that lovie actually had some say during angelo's drafts after the superbowl. if this is true can anyone possibly say he is able to evaluate talent to any degree?

 

so what are the qualities, beside MONEY, that would entice any competent owner to keep this staff around?

 

 

 

you mean like him PERSONALLY tutoring d. manning to become a better safety last season? that worked out pretty well.

 

 

 

this is just another compromise to mediocrity. in a world that owners know anything about football or even running a corporation it should start with a ted phillips firing first and foremost and hiring someone who is competent and understands the game of football and how it works on multiple levels. let that person with knowledge hire and fire his own GM, coaching staff and scouting department. but...

 

since this organization is run like a complete joke the best to hope for is to hire a good GM. someone who could evaluate talent on both sides of the ball and have the cajones to USE the draft picks he has to draft quality players. not just players who he thinks can start or contribute immediately but with some forethought to the future and players who need to develop like offensive linemen and quarterbacks.

 

the problem with that? NOBODY in this franchise would know one if his name were tatooed on their foreheads!!! how did we find the idiot we currently have? we hired a firm, for gods sake, who took FIVE MONTHS to narrow it down to angelo!!!! what happens when he leaves/is fired? do we hire the same imbeciles who gave us him? or is the guy that ruined the seahawks, angies buddy, our successor to angie? oh boy, happy days are here again....

 

final note...... wouldn't a good president already have had this figured out for years now?

 

[defiantgiant]

All that jazz and it doesn't relate to quantifiable wins necessarily.

 

Lovie's system is meant to allow the opponent to score; it's a built in flaw of the system. Granted, it may do the "bend but don't break"-thing, but it's a weak, passive defense. The turnovers are fortunate, but they can't be relied up. I'd rather not have a defensive strategy that hopes the opponent screws up. I'd rather FORCE them to screw up.

Nobody's defense is meant to allow the opponent to score. The Tampa-2 is meant to allow the opponent to gain yards, absolutely. That's the whole "bend but don't break" thing - allow yards, but not points. Also, the Tampa-2 isn't the only defense that relies on forcing the other team to turn the ball over. Baltimore's D is predicated on Ed Reed generating turnovers, reliably, every game. The Eagles' D lets Asante Samuel gamble and jump routes to get a turnover. The Saints' D does the same thing with Darren Sharper. Same thing with the Steelers and Troy Polamalu. There's nothing wrong with building a defense around forcing turnovers.

 

I'm not gonna lie, I'm not the biggest fan of the Tampa scheme. The off-coverage is incredibly frustrating to watch. The whole scheme doesn't work without a couple of elite defensive linemen. Players miss tackles when they're going for the strip. The defense breaks down in the 4th quarter if the offense can't get them some rest. But I have to admit that, this season, the defense has absolutely contributed to quantifiable wins. I mean, how many games has the offense won for us this year? If the defense were playing on the offense's level, we'd be 0-8.

 

As for the DL, I think they've played average at best. The pressure is inconsistent at best, and there are nearly no sacks. List THAT stat. And I don't even want to go into the details of why every single blitz from the Bears seems to be sniffed out and stopped.

I think the d-line's been better than it looks on paper. Their sack numbers suck (12 sacks, #25 in the league) but sacks don't always equal a good pass defense. Detroit is #5 in the league for sacks, they have twice the sacks Chicago does, and their pass defense is WAY worse. Peppers has applied a lot of pressure, even if the other three have been just average. The Bears' d-line hasn't been stellar, but they've done enough to make the Tampa system work.

 

I understand your point of view, but I don't think the two things are mutually exclusive. I think the Bears are winning in spite of Lovie AND Angelo.

I can get down with that. They're clearly both at fault to some degree, I just think it's more Angelo's fault than Lovie's. If I had to choose between firing both of them and firing no one, I'd give them both the axe. But ideally I'd rather keep Lovie around and just fire Angelo, if I had the option. Lovie's not the best coach in the world, but I'm not sure the best coach in the world could succeed with Angelo running the draft.