adam

Sorry not to get the thread posted, currently on business travel. I am glad that Trubisky is back to 100%. The key to the defense will be to limit Gurley and they got a good taste of an all-around back with Barkley last week. For our offense, the key will be to control Donald. I feel like the best way to neutralize him is with roll-outs and bootlegs. Don't allow his inside pressure to affect the pocket by moving the pocket. I also like the idea of running Howard right where Donald was. Allow him to get inside a gap, seal him off and let Howard go into the next gap. Without Kupp, who was a popular 3rd down target for Goff, they will have to look to Cooks and Woods. We have 5 players with at least 30 receptions, the Rams have 3x playing (Gurley, Cooks, and Woods). We are 3-pt underdogs at home, which is essentially a TD gap on a neutral field. I feel like this is going to be a back and forth game with the Bears getting the ball last and winning. The weather may play a role in the game's outcome, sub-30 temps is expected (Bear weather!). This, with our fans is our home field advantage. Bears 27-24 Minnesota plays in Seattle, and Green Bay hosts Atlanta. A win for us and losses for those two teams would make our magic number 1 with 3 to play.

I was traveling during the game, but saw the highlights. What an epic game by Cohen. I was surprised to see Barkley have so many yards. That play right before halftime that got them into FG was deadly. That was essentially the difference in the game. What the hell were the officials doing on the Cohen TD that was called down by contact. That is the worst call in the game because you can't challenge it. They shouldn't blow those dead. Another game deciding blown call.

I thought I read that whatever suspension he got, it might exceed 6 games due to another incident (punching some dude in the face). What would suck would be for him to come in mid season and disrupt any chemistry with the current team.

Josh McDaniels would be interesting. Very few NE assistants have been successful.

Also, something worth noting, we have held a lead in the 2nd half in every game this season. If not for some freak plays (Cobb 75yd TD, Wilson 75yd TD, NE 2x Special Teams TDs, and Beckham 49yd TD pass), we would be undefeated. I have to also say we have been on the short end of the stick on a lot of calls or blown calls. The Cohen one was another game changing one. Refs have killed us this year.

You are correct, we lost to NE at Soldier Field.

I am going with Bears 27-10

NO looked very ordinary against Dallas. Pittsburgh has a very good defense and a better offense. They can easily lose that one as well.

and MadLith picked up Ware before Hunt was even released, lol.

Howard will eventually go off.

That was quick. This behavior is getting out of hand. How many guys are doing crap like this all the time and getting away with it? Also, what type of idiot chick (19 yr old) is hanging out with dudes like Hunt (23 yrs old) at 3am?

So with the Dallas win, things get very interesting for us for a potential first-round bye. First off, our only chance is to take care of our own business and win out (or at least go 4-1). 4-1 seems realistic, and if we can beat the Rams, we are in great shape. Either way, if we win out, we would finish with a 11-1 conference record and would have the conference tiebreaker over NO and LAR (both with 2x conf loss). Now to move up to the 2nd or 1st seed, we would need some help, but after the Dallas game, I am not as high on NO as I was before the game. NO finishes at TB, at CAR, vs PIT, and vs CAR. If they lose even one of those games, we have a shot at passing them in the seeding. If they lose two, which would not be crazy (at CAR and PIT), they would end up 12-4, which would allow us to go 4-1 and still get a first-round bye. That seems like a very realistic scenario. For LAR, they are at DET, at CHI, vs PHI, at ARZ, and at SF. The only two games they have any shot at losing is vs us at Soldier Field and vs PHI. So it actually seems like they have a better shot at the #1 seed than NO does. What do you think? I am thinking something like this is a realistic possibility: 1. LAR 14-2 (4-1) 2. CHI 12-4 (4-1) ------------------------- 3. NO 12-4 (2-2) 4. DAL 10-6 (3-1) 5. SEA 10-6 (4-1) 6. MIN 9-6-1 (3-2)

Good find, I didn't see the actual quote.

But based off of this comment, the play in the 2nd quarter seems more likely:

Yeah it happened in the 2nd quarter, you can see it here: