like the non-TD fade; I predicted that by the way. Cutler threw it flat, but Olsen simply didn’t make a play on the ball. He really needs to work on his basic catching skills. Forte and Bell could be a great tandem in the future, but Shaffer is not the answer at RT. I am less concerned about the overall talent on this team than most people, but more concerned that the coaches will be brought back for a swan song season next year. A few FAs(DB, DT, DE, or OL), one or two draft picks that pan out and a new coaching staff could change the Bear’s fortunes rather quickly. There is no reason on earth, not even money, to bring Lovie back. He has absolutely lost this team and that is “unfixerateable”!

Terrible. He’s terrible. Lovie needs to take Frank with him. There’s absolutely no way in the world he comes back next year. He’s the weakest link on our bad O Line. Followed by Pace. Sometimes building the OL through free agency works it, sometimes it doesn’t. So far, it hasn’t. Pace and Omiyale are a couple of the biggest free agent busts in Chicago Bears history.

- Danieal Manning looks really fast when returning kickoffs. He also seems like he could be very shifty, but has a straight-ahead approach to his returns.

They might try to turn him into a wide receiver if you keep saying things like that.

I might have obsessed slightly in the game thread but Brian Billick should never be in the booth for a Ravens’ game. Listening to him, I could have sworn every Raven he ever coached was gonna be a Hall of Famer.

WTF did Roach run directly into Manning on the 40ish yard return?

he was running hard after he gets a head of steam, but he still is not a short yardage back. Why they took Bell out when they got down to the goal line is a mystery. He has a much better chance of picking up a tough 2 yards than Forte does.

Olsen does not fight for the ball at all, but I still don’t think he had a realistic shot at the fade pattern on the TD attempt. That was a terrible throw by Cutler, as most of his throws have been the last few weeks, and a poorly designed play. Watch the replays of that play and the successful fade pattern that Heap caught. The way the two routes were designed made the chances of the Raven’s play much better than the “no room for error” design of the Bears.

I do know that Lovie Smith has never been swept by the Packers and Vikes in the same year

Hey, there’s always a first time for everything! They’re going to be pissed after being embarrased last night. Don’t forget we’re 0-4 on night games that are nationally televised.

they gave up long ago. the only reason Lovie is playing starters at this point is because they’ve got incentive money on the line and wants to give them a shot at getting it. outside of that, you can tell this squad lost heart and hope weeks ago — maybe it was the Packer game, maybe it was before then — but this team does not give a rat’s ass about winning.

it shows in the way they play, in the way they carry themselves and the way they lose. they’re not even competitive. it’s heartless football. the Ravens would have been better off playing Notre Dame yesterday.

and to your point about Hillenmeyer having no business being a starter in the NFL – you could say that about more than half of the team. Briggs is the only guy who brings it week in and week out. he is the only one that i see that still gives a shit. the rest of them are garbage.

but Cutler 7.9 rating? He has had bad games before but this has to be the career low. Disappointing this late in the year.

Ciao!

Orton is playing much better than Cutler and until we choke away our wild card lead, we’re in the playoff hunt. Suck on that.