Thoughts From NFL Week 15: Chicago Bears and beyond
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Dec 19, 2011 3:00 PM CST
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Two weeks remain in the 2011 NFL season, and the playoff combatants are just about finalized. The NFC looks to be all but determined, but the AFC has some wiggle room for a few teams. Here's a couple things I really didn't see coming, the Packers finally lost and the Colts finally won. But as we've talked about all year, the NFL is such a week to week league. I'd hate to have to earn my living picking games.
1) How soon til Ortonmania sweeps Kansas City? All kidding aside, I've always liked Kyle Orton, I'd like to see him latch on somewhere and grow some roots.
2) The Colts better watch out, they may creep out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes? The 2 win Rams and Vikings are right on their heels now!
3) Did I really see Denver fans proclaiming Tim Tebow better than John Elway? Tebow Time has officially jumped the Shark.
4) A good comeback by the Lions, I may despise their dirty play and their fist pumping head coach, but they've amassed a lot of talent in Detroit.
5) Sticking with the Lions, I can't be the only one that noticed this resemblance?
6) Oh look, the Eagles are on a winning streak. Yay Philly... Go Dream Team...
7) And what do you know, the Chargers have put up 3 W's in a row. Will their ownership finally grow tired of the team having to rally to some late season wins under Norv Turner? I think it's time for a change in San Diego.
8) Drew Brees is back to putting up Madden numbers, 412 yards and 5 TDs. Are the Saints, winners
9) Pittsburgh at San Francisco for Monday Night Football, finally a watchable game!
10) Chicago's Caleb Hanie may not only have played his way out of a job, he may have played his way out of the league. When you're pulled for a guy that was coaching high school football about a month ago, it's time to start thinking about putting that Colorado State education to the test.
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A lot of them are
Did I really see Denver fans proclaiming Tim Tebow better than John Elway? Tebow Time has officially jumped the Shark.
I reminded McGeorge or whatever his username is that Tebow’s heroics have been in a limited amount of starts; very small sample size. He continued to rave about how he’s a “winner,” and a bunch of things you can’t directly point to.
In my opinion, the Bears defense gave everyone else in the league the blueprint on how to beat the Broncos and Tebow.
"I'm sore and I'm pissed off. I'm a baller. I want to feel the leather. I love thumb wars. 6-8 weeks? 6. follow me for healing, Jay Cutler does" - Jaysthumb twitter acct
That should be tatooed upon lovie's playcalling forearm.
Cacti are prickly.
by crackedcactus on Dec 19, 2011 6:31 PM CST up reply actions
Several teams have given the blueprint
It’s not like the Bears game was the first time a defense shut down the Broncos’ offense for 3+ quarters only to screw it up down the stretch. The Dolphins, Lions, Chiefs, Jets, and Chargers also held the Broncos offense completely down for 3+ quarters only to find a way to lose it late.
That’s what makes the loss so frustrating. The Bears have seen other teams go prevent against the Broncos and blow it. And yet they still did it anyway. Well, that and Marion Barber screwing up twice.
The funny thing is that the Patriots didn’t really shut Tebow down. He had a decent (for him) passing day and ran for two TDs, and the Broncos scored more points than they have in most of Tebow’s starts. They just didn’t putz around on offense at let it come down to the end when crazy stuff could cost them.
Lions and Dophins games were exceptions
cause they’re running a different offense now.
"I'm sore and I'm pissed off. I'm a baller. I want to feel the leather. I love thumb wars. 6-8 weeks? 6. follow me for healing, Jay Cutler does" - Jaysthumb twitter acct
Okay, fine. Doesn't really change the point
The Jets held Denver’s offense to 3 points (their first TD was on an INT RET) until the final seconds. The Chiefs held Denver’s offense to under 20. The Chargers gave up only 10 points through 3 quarters.
The fact that the Broncos changed offenses doesn’t change the point. My point was that the Bears weren’t the first team to contain/stop Denver’s offense (old or new) under Tebow for 50+ minutes. The blueprint was already out there. Both the blueprint for how to stop Tebow and NOT how to stop Tebow was already available.
Gotcha
You’re right, I just thought the Bears D did better at shutting down their offense. For 57 minutes they dominated them.
"I'm sore and I'm pissed off. I'm a baller. I want to feel the leather. I love thumb wars. 6-8 weeks? 6. follow me for healing, Jay Cutler does" - Jaysthumb twitter acct
Jets blitzed a saftey
Barber went out of bounds…Tebow wouldn’t do anything if the other team didn’t screw up royaly
"Violence is not always the answer."
"Violence is the question, and the answers always YES!"
San Diego helped them a lot too
By not recovering an easy fumble (which led to a TD) and then missing two game-winning FG attempts.
Credit Tebow for capitalizing when given chances late. But he’s been given a LOT of breaks and has been carried for most of each game by his defense and special teams.
Love the Goonies reference...
and Tebow can go away anytime. And beside the Bears new truly epic collapse, the Eagles and Chargers have to be 1 and 1a for most disappointing team of the last 10 years.
There's a fine line between stupid...and clever!
I'd definitely like to see a change in San Diego
It would make getting their best players easier…and I’m not talking about just Vincent Jackson. I’m not sure how well he is doing this season, but Malcom Floyd seems like a good player to look up when FA starts. And Jarred Gaither would be nice, have him at LT and have Carimi remain at RT.
Jay Cutler is our QB, and I for one am proud of that
by Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter on Dec 19, 2011 3:32 PM CST reply actions
Floyd has been Floyd
Solid Wr, but still in the shadow of VJax
"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders
It's all about THE []_[] baby!!!
~"Smile when u being attacked,laugh when they talking boutcha,wave when they hating on u and Pray when they leave u alone Somethings wrong!"~ Deion Sanders
At least FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER before you judge me fool
When was the last time
the 3rd receiving option on a really goo dpassing team earned his FA contract on another team? And that’s before you take into account Floyd’s inability to stay healthy. Only once in his career has he played all 16 games in a season. Pass
Quick question
When Lovie takes questions from a group of 6 year olds, does he treat them like adults?
Just wondering
When you take questions from a group of adults
do you treat them like 6 year olds?
"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders
It's all about THE []_[] baby!!!
~"Smile when u being attacked,laugh when they talking boutcha,wave when they hating on u and Pray when they leave u alone Somethings wrong!"~ Deion Sanders
At least FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER before you judge me fool
Generally.
Or they end up growing into malcontent jerks with an overwrought sense of entitlement.
Five foot three seems to thrive on his misery...
by awfullyquiet on Dec 20, 2011 11:24 AM CST up reply actions
Packers better look out for the Saints
They already played, but that was week 1 with no offseason. Saints are for real.
"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders
It's all about THE []_[] baby!!!
~"Smile when u being attacked,laugh when they talking boutcha,wave when they hating on u and Pray when they leave u alone Somethings wrong!"~ Deion Sanders
At least FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER before you judge me fool
You're right and I'd put the 49er's in that category as well.
Now that the Packers have lost, I think Jim Harbaugh has to be “Coach of the Year” for their performance. I can see either of those 2 teams and even the Lions giving Green Bay a tough time in the playoffs.
The NFC playoffs will be extremely hard fought this year.
Marvin Lewis or Jimmy Harbaugh
"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders
It's all about THE []_[] baby!!!
~"Smile when u being attacked,laugh when they talking boutcha,wave when they hating on u and Pray when they leave u alone Somethings wrong!"~ Deion Sanders
At least FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER before you judge me fool
by suckmyditka on Dec 20, 2011 11:19 AM CST up reply actions
and regarding #2
Rams and Vikes have made long term commitments to their QBs, each are top 15 picks, I doubt either of them would draft Luck, they’d probably look to trade down, or draft the best available player not named Luck
"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders
It's all about THE []_[] baby!!!
~"Smile when u being attacked,laugh when they talking boutcha,wave when they hating on u and Pray when they leave u alone Somethings wrong!"~ Deion Sanders
At least FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER before you judge me fool
you never know...
I think a lot depends on how the scouts view Luck vs. their current guy. Some GMs may view Luck as a no brainer after the combine.
When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Dec 19, 2011 9:50 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions
Yeah but
What would they do about Ponder / Bradford?
"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders
It's all about THE []_[] baby!!!
~"Smile when u being attacked,laugh when they talking boutcha,wave when they hating on u and Pray when they leave u alone Somethings wrong!"~ Deion Sanders
At least FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER before you judge me fool
by suckmyditka on Dec 19, 2011 10:30 PM CST up reply actions
may the best man win...
When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Dec 20, 2011 12:07 AM CST via iPhone app up reply actions
Essentially the same as the Panthers did.
Weekend contributor and official editorial lackey/waitstaff at Windy City Gridiron
If a people-avoiding gaming hermit is on Twitter, I should be too. Follow me!
by Steven Schweickert on Dec 20, 2011 8:42 AM CST up reply actions
a good example
When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Dec 20, 2011 10:18 AM CST via iPhone app up reply actions
Clausen wasn't a top 15 pick
"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders
It's all about THE []_[] baby!!!
~"Smile when u being attacked,laugh when they talking boutcha,wave when they hating on u and Pray when they leave u alone Somethings wrong!"~ Deion Sanders
At least FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER before you judge me fool
by suckmyditka on Dec 20, 2011 11:10 AM CST up reply actions
No.
But you typically don’t burn out on high second-rounders in the second year, either.
Weekend contributor and official editorial lackey/waitstaff at Windy City Gridiron
If a people-avoiding gaming hermit is on Twitter, I should be too. Follow me!
by Steven Schweickert on Dec 20, 2011 11:20 AM CST up reply actions
Clausen wasn't good though
Bradford and Ponder have both showed tons of promise.
Clausen just plain… sucked
"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders
It's all about THE []_[] baby!!!
~"Smile when u being attacked,laugh when they talking boutcha,wave when they hating on u and Pray when they leave u alone Somethings wrong!"~ Deion Sanders
At least FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER before you judge me fool
So?
They picked a quarterback in the second round, then instantly jumped on a quarterback first overall.
Is that any worse than grabbing a new first round quarterback two or three years after picking up a first round quarterback?
Weekend contributor and official editorial lackey/waitstaff at Windy City Gridiron
If a people-avoiding gaming hermit is on Twitter, I should be too. Follow me!
by Steven Schweickert on Dec 20, 2011 6:53 PM CST up reply actions
They picked Cam Newton because Clausen sucked. Ponder and Bradford are better than Clausen, therefor they don’t need to replace them. The Panthers knew that Clausen wasn’t “the guy”.
Cam Newton was a huge upgrade over Clausen. I don’t see how Luck is that much of an upgrade over Bradford, or Ponder.
"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders
It's all about THE []_[] baby!!!
~"Smile when u being attacked,laugh when they talking boutcha,wave when they hating on u and Pray when they leave u alone Somethings wrong!"~ Deion Sanders
At least FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER before you judge me fool
There's the thing where Ponder will be a second year player next year
(which would be Carolina writ large)
And the thing where Bradford would be a first-rounder they’re already looking to replace in his third year.
You asked…
Yeah but
What would they do about Ponder / Bradford?
I thought it was a good answer.
Weekend contributor and official editorial lackey/waitstaff at Windy City Gridiron
If a people-avoiding gaming hermit is on Twitter, I should be too. Follow me!
by Steven Schweickert on Dec 20, 2011 8:24 PM CST up reply actions
Bradford hasn't been very impressive this year
When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Dec 20, 2011 8:01 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions
he hasn't been Clausen bad though
"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders
It's all about THE []_[] baby!!!
~"Smile when u being attacked,laugh when they talking boutcha,wave when they hating on u and Pray when they leave u alone Somethings wrong!"~ Deion Sanders
At least FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER before you judge me fool
by suckmyditka on Dec 21, 2011 12:41 AM CST up reply actions
Trade whoever loses
or just trade Ponder/Bradford before the draft.
"I'm sore and I'm pissed off. I'm a baller. I want to feel the leather. I love thumb wars. 6-8 weeks? 6. follow me for healing, Jay Cutler does" - Jaysthumb twitter acct
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