Sports: NFL

[dok]

Only one undefeated team now (Rams). You can run on them, which isn't a great weakness to have, but if they have HFA in Los Angeles through the playoffs, they can get to Atlanta without having to grind out a foul weather playoff game.

KC is kind of like the Rams except even worse against the run and not great against the pass, either. A team nobody should ever be confident playing against, for sure, but it's tough to string three strong offensive performances in a row together in the playoffs, and that's what they will have to do. (Same goes for the Saints.)

Baltimore is very good; their only notable weakness is the mirror image of the Rams in that they aren't explosive in the running game. But they do manage to convert well in short yardage, owing to their excellent offensive line play. Very good on defense and pretty good on offense is a good formula to bring to the playoffs.

I know they just lost a close game to drop to 3-2, but I wouldn't sleep on the Bears. Trubisky has shown major improvement in year 2 and might be the real deal. If he continues to progress, that defense could carry them pretty far.

I also (barf) wouldn't count out the Pats.

[Tornado]

Or the Lions.

[IAmBatman]

Bears don't trust their QB to make plays when they need him to. And that close game was against a Brock Osweiler led offense that put up points on them.

[Hahma]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

Bears don't trust their QB to make plays when they need him to. And that close game was against a Brock Osweiler led offense that put up points on them.

I don't know about that. He was making plays (or at least trying throughout the game), but Nagy got real conservative in their final drive before the failed field goal. He's done that before. They should have tried a pass, reverse or something. Or Trubisky could have rolled out with the option to pass or run to get more yards for a 1st down or at least more yards to make it closer for the kicker.

Also, Nagy screwed up when he took so long to call a time out when the Dolphins punted at the end of the game. Cost them at least 15 or 20 seconds they could have used for a final drive. They took a knee to go into overtime, but should have at least tried a couple plays.

The Bears had a team loss, as all phases let them down at one point or another. Trubisky threw an interception in the end zone and it was a dumb decision on his part, but that was after a good TD throw that got called back because of a horrible call saying the TE interfered with a pick. But Trubisky did throw 3 TD's.


Jordan Howard fumbled on the 1 yard line to cost the Bears a possible TD and at least a FG. Cohen fumbled on a drive in the 2nd half that cost the Bears momentum and a chance at another score.

While the Bears defense got 3 turnovers, the rest of time they were pedestrian against. They got no pressure on Osweiler, didn't do good against the run and the secondary had no answer when Osweiler started throwing to his playmaker in the 2nd half, and getting a ton of YAC.

Trubisky has 9 TD'S in the past 2 games. He started out rough in the 1st quarter yesterday, but got better. They could easily be 5-0 if Fuller made the interception vs Green Bay, when the ball was thrown right to him, as that would have sealed it. And had Howard not fumbled on the 1 yard line or if the kicker made that FG yesterday, they would have won.

The Bears are coming together offensively and have a lot of weapons. Yesterday was by far the worst game for their defense, but I expect them to bounce back.

One weakness that seems consistent, is that Trubisky will make at least one dumb throw into lots of coverage or across the field when running to his right. And on the defense, if an opponent throws the ball to a playmaker that has some space, the Bears secondary seems to give up big plays.

[IAmBatman]

I think the Bears have a legit defense that will keep them competitive all year. I don't have any real faith in their offense. I'd say the NFC North is wide open, as it's a group of four pretty flawed teams. Bears might have the best unit (defense) in the division and I think the Vikings have the most overall talent, but the Packers have the best single player (Rodgers) and I don't think you can totally count the Lions out.

[japes]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

.. I don't think you can totally count the Lions out.

Oh you are going for the slow painful band aid rip this season. Sometime you just need to rip that sucker off and accept the little bit of pain now rather than the long drawn out realization that you team sucks.

But that's easier for me to say when my team is 1-5 and there is actually a huge difference between the Raiders' one win and the Lion's 2 as odd as that is to say.

At least my son's Cowboys gave us something decent to watch yesterday.

[Tornado]

I think Bats is japing you.
Any Lions fan knows how this will all end. How they get there is always new and interesting, like beating the Pack and the Pats this year.
Expect them to get demolished the last two games of the year.

[IAmBatman]

Hey, if we beat all the good teams and lose to all the bad and mediocre ones, we could easily get to three wins this season.

[dok]

Originally Posted by Yodaking

That Bortles is pretty terrible. Not sure why they haven't cut him yet and just signed Kap already.

And this is why we don't read too much into one week of results. Bortles is still Bortles.

[superfrog]

Anybody watch the Good Place? Bortles is one of my favorite running gags in the show.

[IAmBatman]

Yes. Great show. Almost as good as the Lions' running game in Miami yesterday.

[Yodaking]

Originally Posted by dok

And this is why we don't read too much into one week of results. Bortles is still Bortles.

Yup, Bortles had a bad week, he'll most likely have another bad week at some point too. And Kap is still Kap, so if he were actually still playing he'd be having bad weeks too. There's only a handful of guys who can consistently play QB at a high level week after week, Kap was not one of them.