balta1701-A

I'd like to see the Bears D offer up a surprise blitz next possession. The Iggles think they're going to do the exact same setup every play now.

How about a big standup by the D now, to really push the Iggles to the edge.

I don't know which I'd prefer...another year without an O-line upgrade, or a lockout.

A win today and the Bears are firmly in control of the division, thanks to the Falcons.

Asante Samuel is officially out.

If there's a serious labor issue this year, following a down season, followed by perhaps another season of indifference...I could see that being enough for him to call it quits. He could be 4+ years removed from the super bowl before you know it.

I wouldnt' say he's had general autonomy...he's had important decisions for that franchise made above his head. For example...it's pretty well known that the Titans coaching staff didn't really want Vince Young, but their owner, who happened to be a Texan, thought it would be a great thing to take a quarterback from Texas and have him leading his team.

Hell, that's probably the best matchup on the schedule next week anyway.

Minnesota won't make sense for any veterans after this season. Not only will Favre be gone and Jackson be taking over, but they'll have a new coach and they'll be coming off an epic collapse/quitting on a season. Plus, management gambled a ton of money and picks and such on this season (3rd rounder for Randy Moss) to try to get over the hump, and they're probably somewhat overextended from that.

Colin Cowherd is the Jay Mariotti of ESPN Radio. His job is to get people so pissed off that they keep listening.

Which really is the end of this season. If the doors lock, who knows where things will go from that point.

The problem of course is that there's no guarantee that there will be a next season, which is why all the extension talk happens in the first place.

Said this at the time and I'll say it again. If the Packers didn't have all those holding penalties, they'd have a 1:1 exchange of holds for sacks, probably with a forced fumble or forced INT thrown in.

If Jake Long is out, I don't know how they can slow down the Bears' D-line.

Chad Pennington out for the season. Chad Henne possibly out for season. Jake Long separated a shoulder and may need surgery. LB Cameron Wake also is likely out for this week. Not a good week for the Fins to be on short rest.

ESPN Chicago

Does an Al Harris injured to the point GB was willing to waive him really make the Dolphins better?

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.

They're going to have to play a lot better in the 2nd half of the season if they want to save those coaches' jobs. It's still going to take 9-10 wins to get to the playoffs, esp. since the Bears already have a loss to the Redskins, and the Bears don't look like a 9-10 win team right now. That said...there's no shame in playing a close game against the Bills right now. The Bills took the Ravens down to the wire a few weeks ago when the Ravens were playing well. The only shame would be in losing to them. They're playing decent football right now, but they have no idea how to actually win a game.

Have you watched the Cowboys or Bills?

How he hasn't figured that out over the last 3-4 years...

First of all...Buffalo switched to the 3-4 this year. Secondly, yes, he's been terrible. So have the Bills. Worst that happens is he's terrible. It's certainly not like that will cost them a playoff birth.

Did you just say that Moss will teach the Bears receivers how to not give up on routes?

Randy Moss teaching people how to run routes? Are you listening to yourself? He never runs a route as drawn up unless that route is a straight line. If he beats a guy on the fly, he goes. If the guy succeeds with the bump or stays with him on coverage, he'll slow up. His method of getting open is to run faster than the DB and to avoid the contact at the line. The idea that the other guys would learn something from him? That makes zero sense given his game.

The ones from Minnesota have seemingly been ripping him already.