Bears4Ever_34

Yeah, I brought up that fact about the 1986 Jets a few days ago in reference to the Packers losing streak. Historically, the Packers are in a worse position than the Bears entering this game, but for reasons I mentioned above, the situations feel differently. Jordan Love hasn't played a full game in a month. On the other side, the Bears defense has had almost everybody back from injury for several games now and have fallen apart. Their issues feel more existential to me, but maybe that's just my cynicism. The optimistic side is that maybe Jordan Love is rusty coming back, and maybe the Bears broke them a little on defense after their collapse. I'm not completely bought in to that argument, but I understand it when you watched how they played against Baltimore.

I'm not going to lose any sleep if they made a change at DC, but I would lean towards keeping Allen for another season. They need to make some significant changes to their front 7. There's only so many things a DC can do without a pass rush. Their LB'ers are too slow, and their best blitzing DB has been out most of the season. They don't have enough talent to be a great defense. In saying that, I also don't think Allen has done himself any favors this year. They've had to rely way too much on turnovers to get off the field, which we know is not a sustainable model. The reason I lean towards keeping him, though, is because I know he's been really good before with the Saints, and I also know that if the defense returns to form soon, he's in no danger of getting a head coaching job again. That was one of the main reasons I was as hyped as I was about his hiring in the first place.

It's unfortunate now that both teams come in to the game on a downswing instead of the Bears being the team that looks like it's peaking at the right time. They negated any positive momentum/vibes/psychological advantage they may have had after last night. The difference is the Packers have had time to rest up and let the stink wear off from that last game against the Ravens while the Bears come into the matchup on short rest immediately after one of their worst performances of the season. The Packers were also playing with their backup QB's for the most part, which probably makes it easier to not get too demoralized. I think the Bears have to be panicking right now about their defense. Dennis Allen has no answers for anything. The Packers defense is vulnerable, but they're well coached and only surrendered 9 points before the onside kick late in the 4th quarter of the previous game. If the Bears are going to win, they're going to have to start faster and dominate the time of possession in ways their opponents have done to them as of late.

Bears are playing on Saturday at 7 on Prime.... Short week. Brutal. Was hoping for a Sunday game.

Eagles lost. Bears are the 2 seed.

Nothing like a 2 game losing streak going into the post-season waiting for the Packers to end your season. I am already dreading next week. This team has no shot to do anything in the playoffs.

Burden cannot drop that pass. Ruined the whole drive.

Wow!

The Bears keep inventing new ways of getting back into games they have no business being in. Loveland has come alive. Need to finish this now.

Bears defense gets a break with a mind-numbingly stupid play call by Dan Cambell.

Inexcusable effort by DJ Moore. That interception is on him. Get the starters out now. Burden looks like he got concussed. What a nightmare of a game.

3 and out to start the 2nd half, lol. freak Ben Johnson.

If this game gets pushed to 3 scores, they should just sit everybody and accept their fate before they get somebody hurt.

This reminds me of 2020 when they lost their last game and backed their way into the playoffs. They're getting blown out by whoever they play. At this point, I really hope it's not the Packers.

Ben Johnson should be embarrassed. This is a total gutless performance. Second time in a row he's gotten destroyed by Dan Cambell.

This team isn't winning shit in the playoffs, lol. What are they doing on offense? Where is Burden?? Wake up!

Slow starts on offense combined with a clueless DC is a recipe for disaster. The Bears look like they don't want to be there right now.

I haven't noticed CJGJ on blitzes as much, either, lately. I could be wrong. They tried blitzing in the first Packers game, and Love killed them. Their defensive line is so bad, and their team speed is so slow that they're really kind of damned if they do or damned if they don't at this point.

I'd rather play Sam Darnold than Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan, personally, but Seattle's defense is really damn good. It's kind of a pick your poison. The most ideal matchups for the Bears to get to a Superbowl is to get the 2 seed, beat the Packers, root for the Eagles to beat SF, beat PHI, and then probably root for the Rams to beat Seattle so the NFC Championship game is in Chicago.

Something interesting I discovered the other day: If the Packers lose their final game to MIN, they'll be going into the playoffs on a 4 game losing streak. The last team to win a playoff game on a 4 or more game losing streak to end the regular season was the 1986 NY Jets. Just some food for thought.

The Commanders are on their 3rd string QB and probably resting guys, too. It's totally conceivable Philly will win that game even if most of their starters don't play. The only way he should pull the starters is if the Bears are winning by 3 or more scores in the 4th quarter and have the game in hand. Ben mentioned in the other day, you want to go into the playoffs on a high note, not on a 2 game losing streak.

To me, the 4k number is meaningless if he doesn't do it in 16 games. Same with the Kramer record. The extra game negates the achievement, in my opinion. Regardless, I don't really care about it anymore, because he'll do it at some point with Ben Johnson. Right now, the focus should just be on winning the game and securing the 2 seed.

Odunze probably ends up close to 1,000 yards if he never got injured, but otherwise, this equality of numbers for these receivers is really impressive. Very curious to see if Burden eventually becomes the Amon Ra of this offense next year. It kind of feels like he's in the middle of a potential breakout that is coming at the perfect time. His last three games against the Packers, Browns, and 49'ers: Packers: 4 catches, 67 yards Browns: 6 catches, 84 yards 49'ers: 8 catches, 138 yards, 1 TD He's improved in each game, becoming more of a focal point of the offense. If he can close out the year strong against DET, you go into the playoffs feeling really good about this offense, especially with Odunze coming back.

George Kittle and Trent Williams being out were huge losses for SF, and they still dominated. I don't know about that. Odunze's absence is big, too, but I don't think nearly as impactful as those two players. The caveat, for me, is what kind of weather there'd be at Soldier Field for a playoff game? Purdy is notoriously bad in wet conditions, because his hands are small. An ugly weather game would give the Bears a better chance, but SF would still probably just run it down their throats and score anyways. As I said before the game, for the Bears to beat SF (or any team with an elite offense), they have to dominate time of possession and win the redzone matchup on offense and defense. They didn't do either of those things last night.

It's looking like the Bears got 4 high level impact players from last year's draft. Burden, Loveland, Trapillo, and Monangai are all starting caliber players who are not just out there, but have been major pieces in this offensive resurgence. You couldn't ask for a more ideal outcome. The Bears may have found their new #1 receiver, their LT, TE, and complimentary RB all in the same class. Remarkable.