Two Down Two to Go

The Bears have done it again. They have managed to get their stuff together and beat a challenging football team in the New Orleans Saints. The Bears won in overtime with a Robbie Gould field goal to defeat the New Orleans Saints 27-24.

The Bears did a much better job on defending the rush and the pass this Thursday and we should expect to see more as they need to close the remaining two games for a chance to enter into the playoffs.


GO BEARS!!!

New Orleans Will be a Challenge

The Bears will face the New Orleans Saints this coming Thursday night. New Orleans is coming off a win of their own and they will be ready to give the Bears all that they got.

If you can recall New Orleans beat Atlanta, a team the Bears failed to defeat in the forth quarter, 29-25 last Sunday. New Orleans is first in offensive passing and first in offensive yardage in the league. This is a sure challenge for the Chicago Bears. The Bears must prepare against an opponent that will be no doubt much more difficult to defeat than Jacksonville. The Bears can beat them, but it is just a matter of preparation and consistency.

The Bears defense must put it together and tighten the way they defend the pass. The majority of New Orleans drives is propelled by its passing. The Bears have to do a better job of containing the pass if they want to end any possible scoring drives by New Orleans. They also have to keep doing what they are doing on defending the rush. New Orleans has some pretty good running backs in Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush.

The Bears offense has to continue where they left off on Sunday. They have to continue to mix up the plays and be consistent. Last Sunday the Bears offense was consistent on scoring 20 points in the first half with 10 points in those first two quarters. However, in the second half it was a totally different story. The Bears only scored a three-point field goal for the entire second half. Luckily the Bears defense was able to contain Jacksonville to only a touchdown. This won't fly so well against tougher opponents. Tougher opponents like New Orleans will continue to strike and it is up the the Bears' offense to respond and remain consistent. They have to score the TD when they have the chance and not settle for the three-point field goal all the time. Playoff teams can't do this and this is exactly what the Bears must overcome in order to increase their chances at topping Minnesota for the NFC North division lead.

Prediction:

Watch for special teams. Devin Hester will have his chance for a TD kickoff return. The Bears will win this one 23-17.

GO BEARS!!!

One Down Three to Go

The Bears played a much better game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. They took control of the game with the first turnover and converted touchdown pass from Kyle Orton to Desmond Clark (Clark's first TD of the season). The Bears won 23-10.

The Bears defense did a terrific job against defending the run which was a big strength of Jacksonville. The Bears defense was able to contain Jacksonville's two solid running backs Jones Drew and Taylor to a combined 108 yards rushing. The total yards passing allowed by the Bears defense was much less this Sunday than last Sunday's game against Minnesota, but there is still room for improvement. The majority of the first downs completed by Jacksonville came by the pass. The Bears need to tighten up the pass if they expect to beat higher quality opponents such as the New Orleans Saints.-the team they will be facing Thursday night.

The Bears offense played much more like how I expected them to play. Orton was a little more calm and the plays that were called spread out Jacksonville's defense and allowed Orton to really mix up plays with less hesitation. Just as I suspected the Bears' offense connected early and more often to tight ends Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen. This and the Matt Forte's yardage opened opportunities for the wide receivers to gain some yardage and allow the offense to better manage the field.

The Bears have four days to work out their kinks and heal up because there are three games to go and we are going to need every single one of them. Minnesota won against Detroit 20-16 which still separates them a game from the NFC title. All the Bears can do is to keep winning.

GO BEARS!!!

We Got to Be Ready for Jacksonville

The Chicago Bears who are now 6-6 on the season have some catching up to do now that they are in second place in the NFC North. A good start to getting back on track is beating Jacksonville and carrying momentum against our division opponent Green Bay a week after this Sunday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8) are a tough team although their record doesn't show it. They have been having an off-year after entering into the postseason from last year. This just adds more opportunities for the Bears,

Jacksonville has two solid running backs and a mobile quarterback that always seem to give teams trouble. Their quarterback, David Garrard, runs when he has to and likes to sling the ball. What is more interesting is how he and Kyle Orton have very similar passer ratings. -Orton leads by 0.5 points. It is also pretty interesting how evenly ranked they are offensively and defensively in the league and yet their is a big record difference.

With that being said we Bears fans know that as of late the Chicago Bears have not been playing their best football and we are yet to see their best game, which hopefully will come starting with this game.

The Bears defense needs to be that Bears defense that made there presence felt the past couple years. Defensive coordinator, Bob Babich seems to enjoy pressuring the opposing quarterback on almost every play, but with that come the consequences of a more vulnerable backfield which of late has been exploited by the Bears' recent opponents. I say they should back off on blitzing the opponents quarterback and give the defensive lineman a chance to get their sac, especially now that Tommy Harris is coming back to full strength. The defense has to adjust and the safeties need time to react to throws in the backfield. Babich's aggressive play has done a lot better on defending the run, but their is a huge deficiency on defending the pass which has been the difference in every Bears' loss this season.

The Bears' offense has to get back to its original form. Brandon Lloyd needs to get active and catch all those great throws Orton threw up for him early in the season. Orton needs to get back to mixing plays with Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen needs to start catching the balls that are right in front of him. Devin Hester needs to keep distracting people and not think too much when returning kickoffs and just look for the open gaps. As for Kyle Orton he needs to clear his mind and learn from his mistakes that he made late in the game last Sunday. He should realize that he lost his focus and rushed throws that had no room for error.

The Bears can get this sorted out. I know they can. Before they started on a losing spell you could just see that they were on the brink of becoming the dominant team that we remember in 2007.

Predictions:
The must win this game. They have no room for a loss because it is win the next four games or stay home. This is the mentality they should have. Minnesota is in first place and we can't rely on them to lose instead the Bears should focus on winning the games that are left. Bears will win. Bears 27 Jacksonville 17.

GO BEARS!!!

Little Things Made Big Difference in Minnesota Win

The little things that the Bears have been trying to fix all season finally caught up to them in Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Bears' defense gave up 200 yards running and 178 yards passing in a loss to Minnesota 14-34.

The inconsistency of the Bears' defense yet again is still vulnerable to attack. The Bears were unable to shut down the passing game which kept a lot of Minnesota's drives going. However, it was the running that ultimately brought down the damage. At first the Bears defense did an excellent job of containing Minnesota's running back Adrian Peterson, but as Peterson got more carries he was able to put together some big runs that spread out the Bears defense and left it open for wide receivers to pick up large gains.

The game all started down-hill once the Bears offense failed to convert on forth down at Minnesota's one-yard line for a touchdown. Right after the failed conversion Gus Frerotte threw a pass to Bernard Barrian for a 99-yard touchdown run. From there on things just started to get out of hand.

The Bears offense was just a little off their game. The Bears offense combined for a total of 331 yards compared to Minnesota's 556 yards. A lot of Orton's passes were "catchable" for the receivers he threw them to but were dropped- a lot of times just bobbled off their fingertips. Many of these dropped passes were crucial to keeping the Bears' drives alive and giving some time to create some flow to the game. I have to admit, however, that after Orton threw his first interception some time in the second half we knew that the game was over. The offensive lineman throughout the game was hassled by the defensive lineman of Minnesota. Orton was constantly being pressured which led to his three interceptions and 17 Minnesota points.

No matter what the Bears have to bounce back and adjust. The Bears defense has to play consistent, Orton has to react when being pressured, and wide receivers have to make plays when they are called upon. Let's get ready for Jacksonville.

GO BEARS!!!

Bears Cut Losing Streak, Win Big Over Rams

The Bears played like they should have played last week and there are still signs of hope. They defeated the St. Louis Rams 27-3 with the defense fulfilling their assignments on defending the rush and pass.

The Bears' defense allowed a net of 14 yards rushing and 193 yards passing. They also got through the offensive line, handed 5 sacs in the game and created 4 turnovers. Now the only question is can they play like this against Minnesota this coming Sunday. We are just going to have to wait and see.

The Bears' offense played very well. They took some chances in the beginning of the game with the hand reversal to Devin Hester which then set up a quick touchdown and put the pressure on St. Louis to react. Kyle Orton is getting better, but as you can probably tell he is still limping out of the huddle. You have to give him credit for his conservative plays. He knew his limits and made short quick throws to his wide receivers. He was calm and cool and managed the offense very well. He is very fortunate that when he plays Minnesota he will be a lot more healthy and motile against a defense that is a lot more physical and effective on getting to the quarterback.

The Bears are going to have their hands full this Sunday for sure. They are 6-5 on the season and they are going to be facing a 6-5 hungry Minnesota team in their home stadium. No doubt it is going to be a run to the finish for the NFC North playoff spot. The Bears defeated a team they should beat this Sunday and they should defeat the teams in their division starting this coming Sunday. They have the skill. All we can do is see if they have the drive to seal up the division with 5 games remaining in the regular season.

GO BEARS!!!

Bears Can't Mess This One Up

The Bears just can't mess this game up this Sunday when they verse the Saint Louis Rams who are 2-8 in the season.

In the two wins that the Rams have managed to generate they have raised a lot of eyebrows. They defeated the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys, both who are favorites as playoff contenders. However, besides those two wins their losses have been pretty gruesome. St. Louis is towards the bottom of every offensive and defensive category in the league. The Bears need to take advantage of this.

In order for the Bears to win they really have to get back to basics. The Bears have been playing great rush defense but lately they have been lackadaisical on defending the pass. This is why the Bears are on a two game losing streak. The pass defense has been absolutely horrible and has made up the huge differences in the game.

The defense also has to get to the quarterback. Last Sunday the Bears were unable to get to the quarterback and create any type of pressure and intimidation to the offensive line. With this being said the quarterback of the Rams, Mark Bulger, is a much better QB than the guy we faced last Sunday. He likes to throw the long ball and he is pretty good at it. The key to this game is to contain Mark Bulger's passes to only a few yards at best. It seems to me that every time the Bears seem to play a team who has a quarterback that is either at the same playing level as their starting QB or higher, they seem to have problems on both sides of the ball. This is something that must be changed.

As for the offense they really need to mix up the plays like how they were doing before their losing streak. They need to take more chances and spread the field. Right now their plays are too easy to predict. Orton should be a lot healthier than he was in the last game so we should expect the Kyle Orton that manages the ball and breaks down the opposing team's defense.

Prediction:

Bears will win this one. Bears 38 St. Louis 28. Also look out for Devin Hester. He has had some good opportunities to go all the way for some kick returns. There is a good chance that he can break through his slump and get on a roll. St. Louis' special teams is not so hot.

GO BEARS!!!

Bears Lose Big Time

What a disappointing loss for the Chicago Bears. I was expecting a lot more from them and they played at a much lower level that I have seen all season. The anticipation to have Nathan Vasher back as starting cornerback hasn't paid off. In fact, every time we see a replay of him we see him chasing after the wide receiver in that "work in progress, out of shape body" he seems to present on television. To top it all off the pass defense is so horrible I was ready to guzzle some Tylenol down my throat and order an ABC, defense tutorial for the Bears' D as a early Thanksgiving present.-And that is something they would be thankful for. Right now the Bears need as much help as they can get.

How could it be that a team with a quarterback who has barely played a few quarters before this season can go ahead sling some throws for yardage and score 37 points on a Chicago Bears' defense? The Bears gave up 200 yards rushing and 227 yards on passing and we couldn't even touch the guy for a sac. This loss has been the biggest scoring difference all season long. This doesn't seem like the team we knew last Sunday at least on the rush defense, and I especially know that the Bears passing can be much improved upon. The Bears have got to straighten their stuff out fast because we all know that the Bears are a much better team and a much more talented team than the Packers-period.

And another thing: we can't blame everything on Kyle Orton. We know that when he put his laces on he was still banged up and adjusting to the speed of the game that he hasn't seen in a week. He played solid and lets hope he gets healthy and finds the rhythm he had before he was injured two weeks ago.

A disappointing day overall, but we just got to pick ourselves up and get back to work. The Bears are now 5-5 and they are tied for first with Green Bay and Minnesota. There is still life, hopefully we see it this Sunday against Saint Louis.

GO BEARS!!!

No Favre No Problem. Rodger That?

Sure maybe the Bears won't have to play against Brett Favre this Sunday, but we are still are going to have our hands full. Green Bay is excited about their new quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, who just signed a multi-year contract with the Packers. The guy was the back-up for Favre and Green Bay has high hopes for his potential. He certainly is a force that has contributed to Green Bays' record of 4-5- one game behind the Chicago Bears. I don't think he will ever be the player Brett Favre has been, but he is someone the Bears' defense has to keep an eye on.

The Bears will have to take care off all those bad habits they have showed in the last two games and defend their lead of the division. The Bears' opponents have managed to capitalize on every mistake the Bears have presented to them. In the game against the Titans, the Titans' offense at first resisted to only throwing the football, but after they realized that the Bears were constantly stuffing up all the holes for their runningback they decided to throw the ball 90% of the time in the second half. The result: The Bears defense never adjusted and the Titans come on top winning the game. The Bears defense must adjust and close on the holes the cornerbacks and safety's are leaving open for the opposition's' wide receivers to make
huge yardage.

The Bears are currently ranked 30th in the league in pass defense. If they wish to take on the Packers they need to tighten up their defense against the pass. Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers is known for not being afraid to let the ball lose and go for a big touchdown throw.

On the hopeful side, Kyle Orton appears to be the starter for the Bears. He has had a couple of reps this week and has been placed as probably for Sunday's game. No matter who is quarterback on Sunday, one thing we should expect out of the offense is running the football and more accurate passing. The Packers do a poor job against defending the run so this is something we should expect and see this Sunday. Whoever the quarterback is must connect with their receivers. Too many times the Bears' wide receivers were wide open but Rex Grossman failed to deliver the ball.

Prediction:
The Bears are going to be fired up for this game especially coming off a loss against the Titans. I believe the Bears expected a whole lot more than what happened at the end of the day against the Titan's last Sunday. I feel they are going to want to prove to themselves this Sunday against their rival opponent that they are a force in the NFC North and teams cannot overlook them. Bears will win in front of the Packers fans. It going to be great. Bears 31 Packers 19.

GO BEARS!!!

He's BACK

After a disappointing loss to the Titans Bears fans like myself are dying to the latest status on starting quarterback Kyle Orton's sprained ankle. Yes I know we just would love to see him play against Green Bay this Sunday. But let's face it whether you love Rex Grossman or hate him we are just going to have to deal with him if he plays in place of Orton.

Sundays game against the Tennessee Titans Rex Grossman's inconsistency was half the reason the Bears lost the game. Grossman in the first quarter was very accurate with his throws which allowed the Bears' offense to move the chains and score the first touchdown in the game. But after that Grossman was way off on his throws except for maybe about two minutes in the fourth quarter in which the Bears barely threatened to put something on the board.

I guess we can't put all the blame on Grossman. -The guy hasn't played an actual game since last December. He had one week to get reps with the starters and you have to admit that playing your first game in a while to an undefeated team that prides itself on defense and closing games certainly doesn't help the cause.

I believe that most of the blame can be put on the Bears' defense. Yes they did an excellent job defending the run, but they continue to allow yard and points to be gained through the air. The Bears allowed 289 yards of passing and this was the game changer. Another thing the Bears couldn't do was get to Titans' quarterback Kerry Collins. They barely touched the man and he can barely run on his own power. The bears got their first and only sac in the fourth quarter.

Bears got to get their things straight. Rex Grossman is back for now and and we can't afford more inconsistencies from either side of the ball.

MVP:

The MVP for the game is Kerry Collins. He out passed the Bears' defense and managed to maintain great time possession of the ball which resulted in 3 touchdowns in a 21-7 victory. I would have to say the the MVP for the Bears would have to be Matt Forte. He kept the offense alive and brought enough attention to the Titans' defense to spread out the field and create scoring opportunities for the Bears' offense- which they did not capitalize on.

GO BEARS!!!

Titans May Come Prancing to Soldier Field But That Will Change

The Bears better be ready come Sunday afternoon because they are going to play the only undefeated team in the NFL- the Tennessee Titans who are 8-0 so far into the season. They are going to have their hands full. Here are the keys to the game:

Defensively: Say it ain't so, but the Bears really need to tighten up their defense. Their defense was mediocre last Sunday and it was only a couple of throws by Grossman that closed the game for the Bears. It wasn't until the forth quarter in the game against Detroit that the defense actually started doing something. They actually started making Detroit punt the ball. Other than that the defense would either let Detroit's runningback Kevin Smith pass one defender and run out of bounds after he received the first down or the would let quarterback Orlovsky throw a couple bombs to their wide receiver for some huge yardage. The Bears’ defense has got to get back to basics. They got to pressure the 35 year old veteran, Tennessee Titan Kerry Collins. They got to tighten up on their top receiver Bo Scaife. And most importantly they got to hold down successful rookie runningback Chris Johnson to the least amount of yard as possible.

Offensively:
The offense just has to play it safe. Whether it is Grossman or Orton who ends up starting the game, the need to be extremely careful where they place the ball. Tennessee leads the league in the fewest points allowed and takeovers. In order for the Bears' offense to be effective the quarterback needs to be crisp on passing and handing the ball. That is why it is extremely important that Grossman got in his reps this week because it would be a nightmare to see a misplay like in the game verse Minnesota where Orton and Forte failed to connect with handing over the ball which resulted in a lost fumble.

Prediction:
I think that the Bears' are really going to be pumped up for this game then they usually are. This is a very important game and might be what defines the rest of the season for the Bears. If Grossman is able to play well and manage the football and the defense does what they do best it, will tell us a lot of what the Bears can do against an opponent who knows how to finish games. The Titans are not invincible by no means. If the Bears want to win the defense has to be what we call the “Monsters of the Midway“. The defense has to come ready to play and the offense has to find a way to be consistent managing the football. The Titans may come prancing to Soldier Field, but after Sunday's game it will be different. Bears 21 Titans 16

GO BEARS!!!

A Comeback Win and an Injured QB

Somehow the Bears were able to pull off a win against Detroit this Sunday. It was a very sloppy game on the defensive end for much of the first half of the defense and the offense for the Bears in the first have couldn't get anything rolling as for the most part they were in unfavorable field position. Right before the half Orton twisted his ankle as the defender following him landed awkwardly on Orton's leg as Orton was brought down near the side line. In the second half the old Rex Grossman put on his helmet to replace Orton for the remainder of the game. Grossman played solid enough to give the Bears two more TD's and overcome the Lions lead ten point lead in a 27-23 win. The Bears managed to pull it off with about 3 minutes left in the game. But what a relief that the Bears defense was able to hold on despite giving up 55 yards to the Lions offense, and still being able to fight off the final last attempt throw to Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

The Bears got to start playing a lot better than they did in this game. The defense was playing mediocre and it seemed as if it were part of the offense that really kept the Bears in the game- hard to believe.

As for Kyle Orton you got to feel bad for the guy. In the game you can just see through his body language that he was confident in what he was doing and he was for once actually working the field and the offense. He seemed to be reaching the point where he was playing chess with the defense. Through the plays that he administered he didn't seemed rushed and took his time handling the football despite the Lions putting on pressure half the time. Hopefully his injury is not too serious and he will come back to the field as we know him.

GO BEARS!!!

Round 2: Bears v Lions

Yes that's right it is round two Bears v. Lions but this time it is Chicago. You know- New Soldier Field the one that got taken off the National Landmark by the Illinois government and the one that looks like a spacecraft just landed in a coliseum. --Sorry to get off topic but this game will be interesting. Brian Urlacher says he misses Roy Williams- the wide receiver for the Lions since he was traded to Dallas because it go the team fired up every time they faced them. I guess Urlacher will just be more emotional than he usually is before he starts a game and dedicate his hard hits in living memory of the now ex-Lion/new Cowboy. -So sad.

But really the Bears need to come out with a bang in what is "unofficially" the middle of the season for the Bears. With 9 games left in the regular season they really need to take advantage of their opponents and finish the remaining half of the season on a good run. Last time the Bears faced the Lions, which was four weeks ago they defeated the Lions 34-7 so we should expect similar performance out of a healed and recharged Bears roster.


Prediction:
I expect the Bears to lay it all down on the Lions in front of their fans. They Bears have had two weeks to heal up and I bet they are just dying to play some football. Finally the scouting reports can be put to the side and the Bears can get back to kicking butt. I believe that the Bears may be a little overanxious when the game starts but will eventually settle down and do their thing. Bears 35 Lions 17.

GO BEARS!!!

Folks Are We Ready For Chris Williams?

According to the Chicago Bears media Chris Williams is ready to play some football. Don't you remember? You know the Chris Williams the Bears drafted 14th in the first round of the NFL draft. Well, after undergoing surgery to repair his torn herniated disc in his back and going through a couple weeks of practice and reps he is now ready for some action.

Should he start?

I don't think so. Left tackle John St. Clair is doing a terrific job and we really don't want to break the groove that the offense has provided to protect Kyle Orton.

Now maybe when St. Clair needs a few breathers put him in there to get his feet wet. I am not really familiar whether Chris Williams is comfortable playing other positions on the offensive line so I would rather have him stick to his true position and have him excel off of that, especially since he just came off an injury. We don't want to make him more uncomfortable than he will be when he sees those defensive tackles come launching themselves off the line of scrimmage for a shot at Orton.

GO BEARS!!!

What I Love About the Bye Week

I know many of you might be say: "What are you crazy I want to see a Bears game every Sunday!" I got my reasons:

The Bears badly needed this Bye week. Starters like Charles Tillman, Nathan Vasher, and Brandon Lloyd did not play in the last game and they really needed the rest. Let's not forget that the secondary for the defense got pretty banged up in the game against Minnesota as well. Who knows what kind of roster Lovie Smith could have come up with if there was a game this Sunday. The Bears' health is crucial in order to have a successful season. If we were to have a game this Sunday just imagine a banged up defensive secondary out there and our two starting cornerbacks on the sidelines. If anything were to happen to those players we got problems the following week with a probable Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher. With halfway (9 games left) into the season the Bears can focus on healing up and closing the season with them on top of their division.

Bye week also gives us a chance to eyeball the other NFL teams around the league and see what were up against, which was pretty entertaining with the Steelers v Giants game. For me personally Bye week gives me a chance to enjoy the autumn weather before the real Bear weather comes into effect once it starts getting cold. Oh, and I also got a chance to take a glimpse at the World Series. I predict the Rays coming back and winning it.

Plus Bye week gives us a chance to talk some smack. You know those Bears' fans who had there doubts well here is our chance to prove them wrong and laugh at them. The Bears have played better than many people have expected, especially the offense, which by the way I predicted despite the two game losing streak in the beginning of the season that they would get better and better with every game and really show their potential. Just look now. Now people on ESPN and such are talking about Kyle Orton and how well he has played as of late.

GO BEARS!!!

Lance Briggs and Mike Brown: Triumphs Despite Difficult Obstacles

Seven games into the season and already we can fully appreciate the hard work Lance Briggs and Mike Brown have contributed to the Bears' success. Together they lead the team in tackles, sacs, and crucial stops that were game-changers.

I recall just a little over a year ago before the start of the 2007 season Lance Briggs and the Chicago Bears may never have been mentioned in the same sentence, after Briggs contract was up and the Chicago Bears were tight on money after already putting several other contracts in place. There was the wait out of Briggs in which during that time he said to the media there was very little chance that he would return to the Bears in the 2007 season. It seemed like the end of Lance Briggs' fabulous career in Chicago and early signs of a possible rebuilding season which we Bears' fans have had our fair share. The Bears, however, managed to scrape up a one year deal with a possible one year extension contract that was reasonable enough for Briggs. Now we fast-forward in the 2008-2009 season and realize how much we really need the man. To me his arguably the best and effective defensive player in the Bears' defense this season. He is the MVP of the defense this season so far.

Mike Brown has so far made a wonderful comeback as Bears' safety. After four consecutive seasons of injury, three of which were season ending and involved the tearing of his ACL he is back on the field, healthy and to my understanding has played the most games in every single year he was hurt in that 4 year time period. It must have been really discouraging to rehab and then get injured for what was basically four NFL seasons and it takes a lot of heart for a guy to get back up after getting knocked down and return to doing what he loves. So many times an NFL player will call it quits after repeatedly getting injured for multiple seasons. It just shows how much Mike Brown is committed to the game and the Chicago Bears and I really admire him for all that he has had to overcome. I think a key to his health so far has been Lovie Smith's move to have him rotated from free safety to strong safety. In an earlier press conference Lovie Smith talked about how Mike Brown always got hurt playing strong safety and I give him credit for really getting to the problem and allowing Mike to continue to be successful on the football field. This has been a great story for Mike Brown who has overcome a lot and I hope he gets nominated for comeback player of the year.

These are just two of the many great feats that two Chicago Bears players have overcome. Their character is present with their willingness to overcome obstacles on the field every Sunday afternoon.

GO BEARS!!!

Vikings No Match for Bears Artillery

Wow what a game. Who would have ever guessed before the season that a Kyle Orton offense would have scored so many points in a game? The Vikings kept up, but they were no match for the Bears' artillery.

Entering into the game the Bears were banged up. A lot of their questionable starters did not play on the defensive side of the ball and that is what made it a such a closer game than what was expected. The absence of cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher showed with the first possession by Minnesota ended up with a touchdown. Of course Adrian Peterson got their offense rolling again as usual which then opened up the Bears' defense and allowed Gus Frerotte to take advantage of the second-string cornerback starters who really had not had a lot of playing time. However, the Bears responded with some fire of their own. After a few quick plays the see-saw scoring effect between Chicago and Minnesota- a score, a tie, a lead, a tie, etc. The Bears defense knuckled down and came on top defeating Minnesota 48-41. holding Adrian Peterson to only one big run.

MVP:
My MVP would have to be Kyle Orton and the second-string cornerbacks. Kyle Orton is getting really comfortable in the offense and he is getting better with every start and we really witnessed it in this game. If it weren't for Marty Booker missing some rockets from Orton the Bears might have added another fourteen points on the board. Kyle Orton is really coming onto himself and it is exciting to see him develop and be successful so far into the season.

But also very important to this win is the Bear second string players who filled in for the injured starters. The second-string cornerbacks were a little rusty in the beginning but really got it going in the game. They got two interceptions and a couple key stops by the Vikings wide receivers.

GO BEARS!!!

Bears to Hunt Vikings This Sunday

The Bears will verse the Minnesota Vikings this weekend. They are second to last in the division but let us not overlook them. They are a sleeper.--They are Vikings for goodness sakes. Didn't they a long time ago sack a couple villages in Europe during the Middle Ages?

Well, the Minnesota Vikings certainly have the capability to do the same thing football-wise of course. Last season Adrian Peterson, who was only a rookie during that time for Minnesota, ran all over the Bears in both of their two confrontations- running away with a win in the first one. The Vikings got some solid defensive players in big defensive tackle Pat Williams, who seems to always get through the Bears' offensive line, and Kevin Williams who has been making a lot of plays for the defense. Also let's not forget cornerback Cedric Griffin who is currently leading the team in tackles.

On the offensive side of the ball the Bears will face veteran quarterback Gus Frerotte who is 2-1 and has had solid QB ratings in Minnesota's last two wins. What I am really eager to see is the wide receivers Bernard Berrian and Bobby Wade who were both former wider receivers of the Bears, Berrian just one year ago and Wade about three years ago. They lead the team in yards and receptions and I can't wait to see the match up between them and our cornerbacks. I can't wait to see the line backers and safeties pummel them.

Prediction:
I believe the Bears a really going to come out with some steam in this game. After a disappointing effort for a comeback finish against the Falcons, I believe the offense is going to be ready for Minnesota's defense and really hand it to them the way the should have handed it to Atlanta. Bears 32 Minnesota 15.

GO BEARS!!!

One Second. One Loss.

Of course many of us Bears' fans might be saying after this heart breaker game that the Bears should have punted the ball after scoring a touchdown and obtaining the lead for the first time in the game. But let's face the facts the Bears did not bring their whole "A" game sort-to-speak.

The Bears were trailing the Falcon's entering the half 3-9 and managed to score a field goal and a touchdown to have the lead 20-19 with 6 seconds left in the game. Unfortunately the Bears luck came to a halt. The Bears special teams made a short punt kick to run off the rest of the time remaining in the game. This gave the Falcons field position around the 40 yard line. Then Matt Ryan threw a pass to wide receiver Michael Jenkins who goes out of bounds after the reception at the 38 yard line leaving 1 second to go on the time clock. This allowed Falcons' kicker Elam to kick a 48 yard field goal and give Atlanta the win 22-20.

The Bears just didn't bring all of it in this game. It just seems like the Bears were off by just a little bit. It seems that they were just a step off on the defense and offense. The Bears defense did a wonderful job of containing Atlanta's offense to just 9 points in the first half when it could have easily been 24-0. But the Bears have to tighten up on the passing game. Their were a lot of open throws for Atlanta's receivers that gave them first downs and kept their possession alive. I also expected the defense to get to Matt Ryan more often. He seemed to run away from the Bears blitz and come up with a first down throw every single time. It drove me crazy in my living room. I was waiting for the Bears to break out. I was waiting for that big play either a sac, fumble, interception, or a big throw by Kyle Orton.

The Bears' offense was also off. The Bears' offense played pretty well in the fourth quarter but it was too late too little after the other three mediocre quarters they played. They just didn't get a roll on the ball until their was about 4:30 left in the game.

There are also some positives that come out of this game. We see how well the Bears defense can hold a quality offense to a couple field goals and I was very impressed how Kyle Orton handled himself in the fourth quarter. In my mind I was thinking with 4 minutes left in the game with the Bears having possession of the ball "I hope they don't go three and out and punt the ball like the countless times we have seen in so many Bears' comeback attempts." That possession really showed the character the Bears' offenses was carrying themselves with, and it really shows that they are improving offensively. Let's just hope next time the Bears put it all out and put the "W" in the bag. I know they will and you'll see it this Sunday.

GO BEARS!!!

Bears Must Hold Down Falcons' Wings

The Bears will have a tough time facing a quality opponent this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. They need to hold down their wings as they attempt to rejuvenate themselves ever since Michael Vick has disappeared into the oblivion following his infamous dog-fighting scandal. Atlanta has a 3-2 record and is second in the league in running with Michael Turner as their running back and the head of the offense rookie quarterback Matt Ryan. The Falcons have a pretty solid offense, but their defense not so much as they give about 21 points per game.

I believe the defensive strategy for the Bears will be to stop the Atlanta's run and put a lot of pressure on the rookie QB to make some difficult throws as so far he has proven to be a promising quarterback for an Atlanta Falcon team that was last in their division last season and second under Carolina. - A division where the Bears have received 2 loses from Carolina and Tampa Bay. The Bears' offense needs to shake up the Falcon defense on the offensive side of the ball by running the ball and mixing it up like last week. Kyle Orton especially needs to make his presence felt as the veteran quarterback this Sunday. He needs to mix up his passes and run the football. He needs to prove that he is the better quarterback in his decision-making with the football. It will be interesting to see which side imposes their will and creates the rhythm of the game. I am sure it will be the Bears of course, but with both teams heavily equipped on opposite sides of their strengths it will be the determining factor whether the Bears' defense can take over the Falcons' offense.

Prediction:

I predict a fast start to the game. In the first couple of minutes I bet we will see a big catch or run happen following up with a score. If the Bears can stop the run and shake up rookie quarterback Matt Ryan they will be able to take over Atlanta's defense and win the game. However, let's not forget the Bears' offense has to respond and take advantage of an average Atlanta defense. Kyle Orton needs to look like the veteran this coming Sunday. So here is the score: Bears 24 Atlanta 14.

Players to Watch:

Look for Matt Forte to have a big game this week running the football and look out for a long ball to Devin Hester. The Bears are working on mixing up the run with a long ball and you bet it will be Hester catching the long ones for a TD or two. Also take a look at the Bears' special teams this Sunday as I also predict that they will be able to make a TD return. Finally look out for Tommie Harris and how he responds to the Falcon's run this Sunday. I bet his extra week of rest due to a suspension by the team will better suit him as he attempts to get back on track on being one of the top defensive tackles in the league.

GO BEARS!!!

Bears Eat Lions

I didn't expect this but the Bears went beyond my expectations on Sunday and ate the Lions for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They beat a team they should beat and that's a beautiful thing. They did a terrific job of taking advantage of the Lions poor defense and running the ball on them in order to get the rest of the offense going. Devin Hester was able to get open and catch those long balls we have been expecting out of him, as he continues to make the conversion to wide receiver. And the defense was able to contain the Lions to one touchdown in the entire game.

Most important of all of this is one thing: the Bears finished the game. When the Lions had that one ray of hope with a TD and as they looked to create some momentum, the Bears right away said to themselves basically with their body language: "we had enough we are not going to let a game like this slip a away from us"--and that's how a winner's mindset should be. It seems in those Bears losses, the Bears after obtaining the lead seem to leave their guard down and play to their opponents level of play. This is something the Bears must be working on because they certainly played to their potential in this game.

The ultimate question is, however, can they play more like this every game? OR a more reasonable question would be: Can they play like this against quality opponents?

-I think they can. The Bears are getting stronger and their offense is beginning to smooth out their creases.--Just think about all that the Bears offense has to overcome.-They have a quarterback who has not played this many games since the beginning of his career. They have a new running back, a new go-to wide receiver in Rashied Davis and Brandon Lloyd, and not to mention much of the offense is a total experiment with Devin Hester, Kyle Orton, and pretty much any player that can create some fluidity in what currently is a rigid, mechanical offense. -Sure it's a work-in-progress but I believe it's getting better and I believe you will witness it as the season goes on.

GO BEARS!!!

Don't Underestimate Lions

The Bears really need to take advantage and hand another loss to the Detroit Lions this Sunday. The Lions are currently 0-3 and I say we should expect an 0-4 record after Sunday's game. Having said that we must not underestimate the Detroit Lions ability as a football team.

There has always been a rivalry between the Bears and the Lions and it seems that lately every time they meet it turns out to be a close game or the game completely turns around one way or the other unpredictably. Jon Kitna is a solid quarterback and always finds a way to maneuver through a Bears' blitz from time to time and come up with a big throw to put points on the board. The Lions have some pretty good receivers that were high picks in the draft of recent years and certainly have the ability to cause some damage receiving-wise. So here is a chance for the Bears to prove that they are the true leaders of the NFC North League and win games they should win. This is a chance for the Bears to work on their offense and create as many scoring opportunities to keep their offense improving week by week. And this also creates an opportunity for the Bears defense to improve against defending against the pass. For last week's game there were several close throws that kept the Philadelphia Eagles in sight of a possible victory.


Prediction:

Bears 28 - Detroit 17

I believe that the game will start out a little shaky in the beginning as most games against the Lions typically to turn out in the first quarter. However, after the first quarter comes to an end I believe that if the Bears' defense imposes their will on Detroit and the Bears' offense gets on a roll by running the ball against Detroit, who is last in the league in defending the run, the Bears should win easily.

Just Enough

I put on my Bears pajamas and put in a bag a popcorn in a last effort to bring some luck for da team. After losing two games in a row after entering the forth quarter with the lead, the Bears made sure this wasn't going to be their third. They defeated the Eagles 24-20 in a game that seemed to include as much drama as anyone could ever expect out of a Bears v Eagles game. There were fumbles, interceptions, hard hits, sacs, a missed field goal, missed opportunities, and opportunities that were taken advantage. The Bears again almost let the Eagles through the door in the fourth quarter, but they were able to shut them down in the very crucial first and goal attempts by the Eagles that went nowhere. The Bears had just enough room to avoid a touchdown by the Eagles with a few minutes left in the game.

Now with a 2-2 record they are now back in their division and have a chance to make things right again. They are even with the Green Bay Packers who also have a 2-2 record.

A few things the Bears can improve on is a little more consistency by the offense. Kyle Orton and the Bears' offense got their first down in the second half at the start of the fourth quarter. The rest of the time it was either a fumble, interception, or a punt. Failed opportunities for the Bears offense almost again cost them the game as they made no response to Philadelphia's 6 points they scored after the half until Robbie Gould's field goal with 2:53 left to play in the game. The Bears also committed 4 turnovers two of them fumbles and two of them interceptions. Luckily for the Bears, the Eagles were unable to capitalize and I sure don't want to see when a team actually does. Consistency by the Bears' offense has to be met to keep the defense fresh, keep the opposing defense off balance, and add a couple points on the board. They played a lot better this game than the last game and I liked that they made two quick touchdowns on turnovers brought about by their defense, but they still have some work to do if they want to close games for good without shining any sign of hope for their opponents. As I said in my last blog- the goal for the Bears’ offense should be finishing the game.

MVP:

My MVP for the game would have to be Lance Briggs number 55. He came up with a lot of crucial big hits in the game and has been playing very well. He kept the Bears in the game and helped make that huge stop of the Eagles’ last effort to win the game.

Let's Prepare For A Win

Let's prepare for a win this time that sets the tone on how the Bears should play the rest of the season, hopefully with them getting progressively better. The Bears need to Finish the Game bottom line. The last two games they had in their pocket and the other team snatched them away from them. Just think about it. The Bears are 1-3. Imagine if they were 4-0- It's a huge difference because they would be in first place of their division. But since they are 1-2 this game will decide if the Bears will be at .500 or if they got a big hole to dig themselves out of with a 1-3 record. The Bears need to take advantage of their schedule and take out the opponents that they should beat. Down the road their current record could affect them if an injury were to happen or something of that magnitude takes a couple players out of a game that could make the difference.

Chances against the Eagles:

The Bears have to really get themselves together to defeat the Eagles. The Eagles are last in their division but they have 2 wins compared with 1 that the Bears have. Donovan McNabb is back and healthy and he is always a force to be reckoned with. The Bears' defense has to deal with him and Brian Westbrook. And the Bears' offense have to deal with a pretty good Philadelphia defense. Come to think of it the Bears are similar to the Eagles. They are known for their hard-nose defense and running the football.

It going to be tough but here is my prediction:

I can’t predict against the Bears so I’m going to say this is going to be a tough and interesting game that is going to be decided on whose defense can overmatch the other’s. I’ll predict a Bears win 20-17.

GO BEARS!!!

What Happened?

Unfortunately, my prediction for the game winning score turned the other way on me. Tampa Bay 27- Bears 24. The Bears had another win in their pockets but they threw it away just like last week. They had many opportunities to cash in on turnovers from the Buccaneers but they would always result in a lousy 3-point field goal. If the Bears expect to compete this season they need to get their head out of the water and wake up. There are only 16 games in a season and every game counts.

Now you may think I ‘m panicking just too early, but the Bears are just not playing to their full potential. If they were playing well and losing then it would be a different story. By and large the Bears are a lot more talented than they have presented so far this season- even when they were playing against the Colts.

Here are some stats: The Bears had 2 turnovers and the Bucs had 4. The Bears were ahead 24-14 in the fourth quarter and had more time of possession with the ball. It seems like from just a couple statistics that the Bears had the game- and they did, but they gave the Bucs a chance in the fourth quarter and they capitalized on it. The Bucs tied the game and made the game-winning field goal in overtime to steal the game. There is no excuse for losing this game.

Don’t get me wrong Tampa Bay is a solid team and deserve credit for coming back and winning in the road, but I know we have a better defense and our offense is about the same if not slightly better than the Bucs. The Bears defense should have got their way to getting to Griese since he is not a particular good runner and he wasn’t what he was a couple years ago. And the Bears offense should have earned their yards here and there against the Bucs’ pretty good defense- tallying on enough points for the defense to work with each quarter.

And another thing: What was with all the fighting between both teams in between plays? All this fighting built up and lead to Charles Tillman, Bears cornerback, giving 15 yards to the Bucs for the personal foul he committed which then contributed to the Bucs drive that lead to their game-winning point.

It’s disappointing to see the Bears scoring the first couple points in the beginning of their game and have the lead in the fourth quarter only to lose in OT in front of the fans. The Bears got to get their groove back before it starts to affect their psyche. They have the talent now they just have to show it on the field like we all know they can.---The Bottom line is Finish the game strong.

MVP:

My MVP for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is Brian Griese. He made the game-winning drive for the Buccaneers to come back and win against the Bears in overtime. My MVP for the Bears would have to be Brandon Lloyd. He's been having consistent games so far and he lead the team in total yards receiving while keeping them in the game.

GO BEARS!!!

Funny How Things Come Around

As the Bears welcome the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Soldier Field they will have to face the "gun-slinging force" Bob Griese. --Wait a second that name sounds familiar. HHHHMMMMM. Ah now my memory is coming back to me. Ah yes now I remember.

It's funny how things come around in the NFL. Last season the Bears starting quarterback was Rex Grossman with Kyle Orton at third string and Brian Griese at second string.--There was that whole drama thing of who was going to be the starting quarterback and who deserves it and what not and now our third string quarterback from last year is the one who will be facing Brian Griese the former second string quarterback of the Chicago Bears. -The guy who if I remember correctly quarterbacked a good portion of last season and ended the season with the most passing yards on the team which was like 200 -not much if you ask me. Anyways it will be interesting to see both QBs face off as Orton shows off what he learned from Griese all those years he served as the official benchwarmer/beardy QB cheerleader.

Prediction:
My prediction for the game is Bears 27 Tampa Bay 10. I believe the Bears offense will do a lot better after their disappointing performance last Sunday. I believe this game will not be their best offensive performance but they will get better as the season progresses.

GO BEARS!!!

Bears Fail to Respond Against Carolina

Bears 17 Carolina 20

After the first half the Bears seemed to be carrying all their momentum their way despite a Bear turnover by Greg Olsen that lead to a Carolina field goal. But the Bears offense that was doing so-so for a Bears' offense in the first half went completely flat and it was only their defense gave them any real chance to put points on the board. Without any key plays by the offense the Carolina Panthers came back with 17 unanswered points to defeat the Chicago Bears 17-20.

What lead to a Bears' loss?

The biggest problem for the Bears was obviously the offense. There were too many failed completions and key turnovers. Creating favorable field position was also a top contributor.

I lost count of how many times the wide receivers dropped the ball or just the quarterback, Kyle Orton, failed to connect with them. The Bears also had 2 turnovers, which I believe were key parts to the game. Right before those two fumbles by Greg Olsen the Bears offense seemed to be running very smoothly. The fumbles changed the rhythm of the offense and never gave them a chance to establish their will on Carolina and really punish them in the first half.

Finally, Brad Maynard, the punter, just didn't have his punting down. He usually averages 40 yards when punting the ball and his average in the game was about 35. Also his spiral on the ball that creates enough hang time for the Bears; special teams to reach the receiving team wasn't always there. This lead to large punt return yardage by Carolina and thus leading to unfavorable field position for the Bears' defense.

In order for the Bears to be successful in their upcoming games they need to do 2 things:

1: Hold onto the ball and reduce penalties

Like I said earlier those 2 fumbles could have been the difference in the game. During these drives the Bears were able to pick up decent yardage from Carolina. No doubt that they could have scored more points or at least prevented Carolina from scoring on the 2 turnovers that they did commit. The Bears also had 12 penalties totaling 85 yards. Penalties lead to yardage and yardage leads to points and time of possession. If the Bears can reduce penalties they can cut the opponents points down and give fewer breaks for the opposing offense to make long drives.

2: Orton needs to connect

Part of the failure for the wide receivers to connect was overthrown balls and throws that were dangerously close to the cornerbacks who were defending the wide receivers. So for the next game Orton needs to have just a little bit more accuracy in his throws.

Orton also needs to connect more often with his go-to-guy who he says is Rashied Davis. He needs to establish him as his go-to-man so that it will force the opposing team to really pay attention to him. If he can do this it will spread the opposing team's defense and create more opportunities for Orton to pass the ball to other receivers and keep the opposing team guessing. A lot of times in the game Marty Booker or Mark Bradley would enter the for one play and Orton would throw it to them every time. This seems to obvious. You got to keep the opponent guessing to the very end. If you get the opponent to think that 90% of the time you will throw it to Davis then you can switch up your plays and get other players involved to create havoc in the defense. Make the Bears' offense a little more interesting for Pete's sake.

I am confident that if Orton can make just a few more adjustments along with the rest of the offense they will come out with a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. -You'll see.

MVP:

Jonathon Stewart of the Carolina Panthers is the MVP of the game he had 2 touchdowns which made the difference in the game. If I were to choose from the Bears side it would be Lance Briggs because of the huge hit he made on Panther's quarterback, Jake Delhomme.

GO BEARS!!!

Introduction to Da Blog

From this moment on the following blogs will provide coverage and analysis of team play and player performance of the Chicago Bears. My blog will cover anything and everything that deals with the Chicago Bears 2008-2009 season- on and off the field. I am a huge Bears fan and I have been watching the Bears and listening to them on the radio for quite some time. So I thought what better way to express my diehard loyalty for Da Bears then to provide a new voice for Bears fans. Now it will be tough but I hope you will find my blogs enjoyable.

So why read my blog?---My blogs will show the fans voice of Bears pride, hope, and criticism. Nowadays there seems to be an all-knowing sports news station that predicts world series winners and tells you who to pick on your fantasy sports team when in reality they only see the big picture. It is the team followers and sports fan's who live and die with teams that really know what is going on with their team and their potential.

So then you may ask “Why blog if there is sports talk radio to voice my opinion?” Here’s your answer: ask yourself how many times do opinionated callers get cut off because they do not agree with the radio host- a lot. Here is your chance to voice your opinion as I voice mine. Check out my blog to see my MVP of each game and every step Da Bears take towards the playoffs. Please leave comments I'd like to here what you think.

What if I am not a Bears fan? What’s in it for me?---Sure my blog only covers the Bears season, but you will be surprised how much you can relate to my blogs as they do more than cover the Bears in one aspect. You will find that my blogs entangle with the different phases that we go through in life: failure, success, hard work, friendship, optimism, etc. And as many sports fans know a sport’s season is a soap opera all in itself and does not go unheard of without something juicy happening. This blog will give you the idea of what it feels like from a fan's perspective which I hope you will find amusing Bears fan or not, sports fan or not.

GO BEARS!!!