Chicago Bears vs Carolina Panthers: NFL Week 5 Pre-Party Livestream and Open Thread

The second half of Bears/Packers left a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths, and understandably so. We can only hope today's game is a palate-clensing one as the Bears take to the road to take on the battered Panthers.

Raise your hand if you can name the Panthers starting running back today without finding someone that could be playing through injury. Darrin Reaves is the only running back that hasn't shown up on the injury report, unless you count the newly signed Chris Ogbonnaya or the slightly-dinged Fozzy Whitaker.

I guess a Bears fan is one to talk about injuries though, given all the injuries to the left side of the offensive line (Roberto Garza, Matt Slauson, and now Jermon Bushrod), the weekly montage of Safeties Getting Injured (TM), and the hampering injury of one Brandon Marshall. But both teams are hunting for that elusive third win, and that means finding a way to get things done.

We've got a lot to talk about today, let's get to it.

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For your day in WCG Linkage, from the Lester A. Wiltfong, Jr., School of Self-Promotion:

Dane has some words for everyone that wants to fire everyone, cut everyone, and hire everyone after last week's game against the Packers: "R-E-L-A-X." Or "Be patient," but that doesn't have the same ring.

WCG Livestream Partner In Crime (or Host) Sam Householder thinks Brandon Marshall's set for a resurgent day against the Panthers.

David Taylor tells you why he's not watching the game live in Carolina despite living in the vicinity.

Stephen Ronkowski and Les both have you set on X's and O's, between this week's Playbook, Sackwatch, and a look at last week's interceptions.

I've got this week's PTMY, the Six-Pack, and the TV/How to Watch the Game post.

Les put together the Injury Report for the week.

And if I didn't mention the Den, Spongie would create me as a crew member in FTL, let my character die instantly, and then send me a screenshot of it. Because he puts a ton of work into it, he does an awesome job, and I apologize for the times I let him die in XCOM*. But he's updated it (or will update it) with all the game previews and other pieces from today, so seriously, he does more linkdump work than any other linkdumper that linkdumps.

*Did not actually happen, because I fear the Spongie.

Procedures for today, your typical noon kickoff, so the first quarter thread will pop at noon with subsequent quarter threads to appear as the game goes on. Immediately after the game, we'll have our quick recap, with Notes to follow in the morning, and additional threads today for your viewing of other games.

With the propers out of the way, Bear down, my friends.

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Today's WCG Sunday Livestream is brought to you by the letter A for Awesome - we think.

Starting at 9:30 AM CT, we'll go live with this week's edition, going for two hours as usual, to break down this week's game, last week's debacle, and what going to 3-2 means for the Bears (and the Panthers).

To get a hold of us for this week's stream, there are the usual avenues of commenting:

• Here, in this thread, in these comments. If you have to have a link to get here from here... No, you're fine, don't go anywhere.
• On the Twitch channel itself - I'm at http://twitch.tv/sjs_illini.
• Over on the Twitters - I'm at @SJS_illini, Sam's at @SamHouseholder.

We're going live in half an hour - we'll see you then.

Watch live video from SJS_illini on www.twitch.tv