1. Power Rankings: The Bears jumped really high - too high to me: CBS - #5: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...ld-top-spot-surprising-team-jumps-up-to-no-3/ ESPN - #10: http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...ngs-standout-rookies-all-32-teams-2018-week-5 NFL - #8: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...er-rankings-week-5-bears-ravens-barrel-upward Can't find FoxSports, not sure if they do it anymore. While it was great to see Trubs come alive, and the defense is pretty dominant, the teams they've played are not great themselves. I could see these numbers if we beat the Patriots. Right now, I think it's still premature. 2. The NFL is hard to predict, but here's the remainder of the schedule with the records of the teams thus far: @Dolphins - 3-1 Patriots - 2-2 Jets - 1-3 @Bills - 1-3 Lions - 1-3 Vikings - 1-2-1 @Lions - 1-3 @Giants - 1-3 Rams - 4-0 Packers - 2-1-1 @49ers - 1-3 @Vikings 1-2-1 I broke it into Lovie "quarters" of the season, and we get basically the AFC East which will be a big test for the Bears, then on to where it really matters, the Division, followed by Rams/Packers at which point we should really know how far this team has to go. 3. Is this still a rebuilding year, or win now? My expectations of this team are now on the bubble of the wildcard, but it feels like I'm out beyond my skis. To me that puts them at the end of the rebuilding process. But there are a lot of holes I'm still concerned about when I look at this team. Pace's acquisition of Mack says he thinks it's win now and all the pieces are there. 4. Khalil Mack. I still am dumbfounded what an impact he has made on this team. I think it's entirely possible if he was in game shape for 4 quarters (and fucking Roquan had been in game shape) we win the Packers game. I remember when we got Peppers the knock was he sometimes took plays off. Mack looks to go full speed, and most of all seems to have the intangibles. It was awesome to see someone else get a pick or the sack, and there's Mack high stepping his way up to congratulate them. I get the position the Raiders were in and 2 first rounders are HUGE, along with his salary. But thus far it is really working out. And most of all, he has made this team fun to watch again. Really can't say enough about Mack. Also, if the Raiders did choose the Bears in part because they thought the draft pick would be the highest... well we'll see how it turns out I guess. Reddit has a fun meme. "Khalil Mack is Khalil Mack, but a draft pick could be anything! It could even be a Khalil Mack!" - Jon Gruden, probably. Always makes me smile. 5. The Bears are getting calls This might be a bit controversial here, but I think the Bears have benefitted this year when it comes to the refs. Yes, not getting penalized is on better discipline and there have been about 100 missed holding calls on Mack. But there have been a bunch of ticky-tack calls, PI, etc, that have gone the Bears way. It's really strange to not be a whipping boy of the ticky-tack nonsense. 6th least penalized team in the NFL: https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/penalties-per-game -- Where are you guys at with this team? I really feel like they are massively improved over last year, but I would put them in the middle of the pack, with some breakout potential. I really do think, with the problems team have across the board that the Bears could sneak into a wildcard this year. Is anyone drinking the kool aid full on? Anyone totally down on this team?
I'm in 1984 not because of what Trubisky did last week but what the defense has been doing. The defense in 1984 had turned the corner and you saw that it was turning into something special. I have the same feeling this year about it. This defense was impressive last season considering the previous seasons, but still lacked consistent pressure on the QB. The addition of Mack has made the world of a difference, and I was so wrong saying it was too much to give up that I will not only eat the crow, I'm going back for seconds, and I'm going to like it. Trubisky has still so much to learn. We still haven't seen him respond well to pressure, and he needs the pressure of dealing with coming from behind. We saw a glimpse of that ceiling that he was drafted for last week but we need to see consistency in all aspects of the position not just playing with a lead. When you look at the combined record to date for these teams remaining on the schedule it's 19-26-2 so it doesn't appear to be out of the realm of possibility. I really think these guys bought into and believe what the staff has been shoveling, because when you listen to them they all echo the sentiment of the coach. So yes I can see the Bears making the playoffs but like 1984 I don't think they can finish what they started just yet anyway, because I'm not convinced Mitch can turn the corner at this point, but I was wrong about Mack so I hope to eat more crow. Go Bears!
Looking at your schedule the remainder of the season, I only find two games I count as a loss for you guys the way you are playing now. The Patriots and Rams. The rest of the games look like you will be favored if you guys stay healthy. The biggest factor in your season will be Trubiskies play. Mack will keep your defense playing right.
Prior to the season I had us going 11-5 after we made the Mack trade and that is still a possibility but... I still have doubts about our ability to win games in the division, or when it matters most. The Packers game really deflated me and as enjoyable as Sunday was, week 1 turned me back into a skeptic about this team's playoff chances. It's tough to win in this league. Beating any team no matter how bad they are is tough. And I'm happy to see us winning games that we would have lost under Fox (Seattle, Arizona). That is progress. The offense (QB!!) is showing progress. The defense is legit. WE ARE HEALTHY! It's safe to say we're not a bad team any more. We're a lot closer to being good than we are to being bad. This is a dead horse I've been beating and will continue to fucking beat until the Bears prove otherwise, but we gotta fucking win in the division. 10 losses in a row, 25 losses in the last 31. The one reason we've been bad and finished last place these last few years is our divisional record. 1-5, 2-4 will not cut, we will miss the playoffs if that is our divisional record. Got to win tough divisional games at home and on the road. If we can, we're absolutely going to the playoffs this year and Tuna's 1984 comparison is on the money. Stay healthy (we need luck dammit after all the injuries we've had in recent years), continue to see progress from Trubisky and win a big game when it matters. That's what I want to see out of the remaining 3 quarters of our season.
This is a team that was likely intended to win next year. But a funny thing happened - we got Mack. And then another funny thing happened - teams that were expected to be great, so far are looking pretty mediocre. Then another funny thing happened - Trubs (maybe) figured it out. So, I think this could be the 1984 Bears. That team went way further than anyone thought they would and likely would have been a SB contender if McMahon hadn't gotten injured. BTW, in 1984, we beat the Bucs 44-9...
3 of the 4 refs we've had so far have been, IMO, very fair and neutral. I don't mean that with regards to the game itself, but their record leading into the games. IT's why I always do a "Ref Factor". We've definitely gotten the better ref crews this years so far.
1. I think the power rankings are fine for what they have done so far. A loss to the Dolphins will drop them and deservedly so. Over all they don’t mean much it s just nice to see your team near the top. 2. Like Blang said the most important part of the remaining schedule are the 5 games in the division. If we can’t take care of the division we aren’t going anywhere. 4-2 or better is the mark. It’s kinda weird getting an early bye and then playing four non conference games in a row but that’s what we have. Hopefully we roll into the second half of the season with a full head of steam ready to make our mark in the division and conference. 3. The rebuild was over the minute we signed Mack. This season was gonna be about wins and losses either way. Teams can always add talent but I don’t see any glaring holes on the roster. We could use an upgrade/depth at the tackle position oand you can never have enough quality corners. It’s win now time anything short of the nt t is a disappointment. 4. DPOY. 5. I don’t think the refs have been any real advantage for the Bears. There haven’t been any game changing calls. Over all I think they have been disciplined. Let’s hope that keeps on keeping on with a dose of holding calls against Mack for good measure. Over all I’m happy with where the team is. We haven’t really gotten the running game going so Nagy still has that is his pocket. Nothing has changed as far as how this team will go. It will go as far as Mitch can take it. The defense will only help him get there. It can’t do it for him.
To be fair Mongo was the one that actually said this just a few weeks ago. I began to think the same thing at the time because I could see it too except back then the Bears had a solid defense and an okay but inconsistent offense, but back then they ran the ball. This defense like that one is building steam and gaining confidence with every game. You can see it on the field that even rotational players are having an impact by coming in and making plays. I think at some point Nagy has to get Howard involved in the game because in spite of that score the Buc's offense won the TOP battle and had the ball for nearly 32 minutes. While putting up all those points is nice and something we don't often get to see, establishing a ball control offense is good at keeping the ball out of the hands of teams going forward with good QB's and keeping the defense fresh and wearing down opposing defenses, and the Bears don't have the QB experience to survive a shootout, as least not yet anyways.
Power rankings are just that. Opinions from talking heads. Sports has become inundated with "analysts." Makes for something to watch that's not politics. Doesn't mean its right. Take it with a grain of salt. Not to be "that guy," but football is about "any given Sunday." Bears have to prepare and show up, and they have a chance to win or lose any game. I'd prefer the bye week later in the year, but here's where the dice rolled. This should be the last year of the rebuild. There's no draft picks in the first 2 rounds next spring. Speaking of that, 6 weeks into College Football I have no write up/things to watch for prospects. I believe safety (Amos is a pending FA) and tackle are the two biggest needs right now, but I'll hold it there. The bears are playing meaningful games and I don't know 3/4 round guys right now. Just too damn early to tell. I love Khalil Mack. He's not an idiot like Clay Matthews. He's fundamentally sound, and double, sometimes triple teams aren't enough. Gruden and Oakland fucked up so hard on him. If they knew they couldn't pay him, why wait until September? Why not auction him off in April/May when the draft was? I love the bears' discipline. As mentioned, they're wrapping and twisting the QB down, not pile-driving him. For the conspiracy theorists, refs giving the bears breaks may be in NFL's interest. All the goobers and inbred southerners (and a particular clown of a troll who believed the Eagles won it all last year because nobody took a knee for the national anthem) all upset about the anthem "stopped watching the games." I don't subscribe to that. Parity in the NFL has been scarce the past 5 years, unless you're a fan of the Steelers, Pats, Seachickens, or Packers. And when your team sucks, you don't care about the playoffs. I didn't. The sleeper game of Bills/Jags in January was the only playoff (Superbowl not included) game I watched, because for once it wasn't Nance/Buck/Collinsworth performing verbal fellatio on Rodgers, Brady, Carroll, etc. When the blackhawks and cubs started winning, this city made bank for the MLB and NHL, ratings and otherwise. I think the NFL, who's been losing money sees a rebounding market here, along with LA. One week at a time. I'm going to be nauseated when the bears don the fugly bright orange jerseys against the Phins in a week and change.
I think they could be more tolerable if we wore the navy pants with them. The orange on white look from previous years is embarrassing.
I'm down with the orange jerseys - at least, from what I remember of Reebok's iteration. We'll see what the Nike version looks like... My only issue was when they decided to bring them out. The orange against a team wearing their road whites, or wearing a darker home color (blue, black, etc.)? Love it. Against a Miami Dolphins team whose home colors are bright aqua and orange? I don't really get it... But, hey...
I was surprised when you offered that up. That should earn you about 5 years of free entry into the league.
I'm not sure if this has been posted but it seems like this is a good place. Khalil Mack named NFC Defensive Player of the Month https://247sports.com/nfl/chicago-b...6-FA-28-5B181004_114030ChicagoBearsNewsletter
Random bye week thoughts... Did my college roommate steal my tape of the Wall, and if he didn’t, wtf happened to it? I had to go out and buy one of those new-fangled expensive CDs to replace it.
Anybody else watching Vikings-Eagles? Alshon Jeffery is doing his best Roy Williams impression. Dropping everything. Also, the packers are garbage. And the lions may have a running back, but because its the Lions--he's hurt.
The Packers really lost because of Crosby. I thought all along the Lions would find a way to blow it. But it does piss me off that every team in the division has played the Packers and we're the only one to lose to them. I don't miss Alshon. Easy to say that now but glad he's not our problem anymore. Too bad the Eagles played like crap today. Was a winnable game and would have been nice to see the Vikings at 1-3-1.
