The Home Stretch -- 8-4

[wab]

3 - I think the Bears win out.

Where is this confidence coming from and how may I procure some?

You wake up and say "I feel pretty good about how this team matches up against the remain 4 opponents on the roster". Then, you're done.

[Boris13c]

well, I'm now all in with the Kool Aid, so I'm with wab ... the winning 4 game scenario :

Dec 9 - Rams @ Bears : the return of Trubisky has the paid talking heads bleating about yet another prime time QB showdown, but the reality will be the exact opposite ... Bears defense still smarting from letting Barkley get the better of them in the second half of the Giants game make sure Gurley does not duplicate the effort ... on the other side, Aaron Donald will make the return of Trubisky an adventure in not getting creamed ... Bears get 2 defensive TD's and 5 field goals and hold off a furious Rams charge at the end for a 29 - 24 win

Dec 16 - Packers @ Bears : Rodgers will be Rodgers and pose a serious danger to the Bears until a sack to begin the second half removes him from the equation ... Trubisky and friends get back to being comfortable with each other and the Bears avoid another second half meltdown thanks to Rodgers not being around to cause one ... Bears 31 - 20 (Packers score no second half points)

Dec 23 - Bears @ 49ers : Bears again score 2 defensive TD's (Eddie Jackson gets 1 of them on a pick 6) and the offense plays fast and loose in a game that gets away from San Francisco early ... Bears cruise 37 - 17

Dec 30 - Bears @ Vikings : Minnesota desperately fighting to hang on to a Wild Card spot will pose a full game challenge for the Bears and come out with a few tricks of their own for an early lead that carries to halftime ... Bears then flip the script and turn in their finest second half performance of the season to pull out a 31-28 win

Bears finish 12-4 and get ready for Wild Card Weekend as they watch and wait to see who survives week 17

[UOK]

The trend this season has been losses that were absolutely winnable followed by a successive series of victories:

- disappointing loss that should've been a win - GB
- win - SEA
- win - AZ
- statement win - BUC

- disappointing loss that should've been a win - MIA
- disappointing loss that should've been a win - NE
- win - NYJ
- statement win - BUF
- win - DET
- statement win - MIN
- statement win - DET

- disappointing loss that should've been a win - NYG
- statement win? - LAR
- statement win? - GB
- win - SF
- statement win? - MIN

It's possible. The Packers are always a pain in the fucking ass, the Rams game is beyond huge, and the Vikings could be playing for their playoff lives. Just gotta stay healthy and fight to the finish like they do every week.

[wab]

The Rams game is huge, no doubt...but there are some warts that are starting to show. If they can stop Gurley and block Donald, they should have a punchers chance.

The Packers are going to be interesting. Do they collapse under the weight of a fired coach, or do they play with new energy and roll off a bunch of wins to end the year?

The Niners just don't have the horses right now to play with the Bears.

The Vikings...they will either be out of it by then and will be looking to play spoiler, or will be fighting for the playoffs. Either way, that's a big game.

[EricTighe]

We will be in all 4 games thus giving us the opportunity to win out.

[mohner1]

1. Who is the offensive impact player of the last four games? Biscuit. Sure won't be the running game, so it starts and stops with him.

2. Eddie Jackson was the undisputed king of the 3rd quarter. Who's the hero in the 4th? This is the hard one. could be Mack/Biscuit/Fuller/Smith/AR12/Hicks, but I'll take a long shot and go with Turbo. Lets see some fireworks eh?

3. Which game do we lose to bring us to 5 losses? don't care, as long as it's only 1. ideally it'd be MN because we'll be resting guys.

[Boris13c]

realized I never actually addressed the questions you asked ... so here goes

It seems like just yesterday we were dropping our loads all over our computers when we found out Ryan Pace fleeced the Raiders for Khalil Mack (all of us except WAB of course). That was three months ago and twelve games. Prior to that we were predicting a good season, but even the most optimistic BFO'er was 10-6 at the most, and 2nd place in the NFC North.

Well here we are boys. We are 8-4, in complete control of the division. The Packers are imploding, and we are headed into the last four games of the season. I think if, back in July, someone would have said we would be 8-4, with control of the NFCN, we would have taken it. For all the bitching and moaning that has gone on about losing to the Giants...we're in pretty good shape.

Dilly Dilly

So for the final four games. For the Bears to finish 11-5.

I prefer my scenario above which highlights them going 4-0 and finishing 12-4

1. Who is the offensive impact player of the last four games?

for the Bears to go 4-0 as I think they will, it has to be Trubisky ... he has to make that step forward to be the man who controls the offense and the leader to make that control effective

2. Eddie Jackson was the undisputed king of the 3rd quarter. Who's the hero in the 4th?

I think it will still be Eddie Jackson ... others will also step up their games for the playoff push, but Eddie will continue to be in a class by himself, robbing people blind

3. Which game do we lose to bring us to 5 losses?

if they do lose one (and I am on record above saying they will go 4-0 to finish 12-4), it will likely be the last game to the Vikings when half the starters are on the sideline in street clothes

This is the home stretch. All of the belly aching aside, this has been a season full of hope and promise. With the anticipation of even better things on the horizon. Enjoy the ride boys! Bears are in first place in December...and the Packers are flailing. Life is GOOD!

this is the first time in a long time I can turn on a Bears game with the realistic expectation they can/should/will win ... and to think this is Nagy's rookie year figuring this stuff out ... he will get better at it which means the team will get better accordingly

AND the Packers look to be in disarray and facing a rebuilding effort while trying to placate an aging (but unfortunately still effective) diva QB

life is good indeed

[Otis Day]

Well, well, well, here the Bears are at 8-4. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought this. Only had them for about 6 wins this year. I believe they have the ability to win out, no doubt if both sides play their 'A" game, they can beat anyone left on their schedule.

Now, O impact player last 4 games - has to be Mitchell. We saw what happened when he was not in there and if does not play against 3 of the last 4 teams, I believe the Bears would lose.

D hero over next 4 games - I am going with Hicks. I believe Hicks continues to wreak havoc from the inside. Someone to think about Prince. Fuller has 6 ints, 2nd in the league in passes defended. Does that mean Prince is doing a helluva job and is covering his dude like a blanket? Does that mean teams would rather try Fuller than Prince? Things that make you go hhhhmmmm.

Again, I believe the Bears can go 4-0 to finish the season. My history with the team (I know it is history, but...) I see them losing Sunday night to the Rams. Donald scares the hell out of me, especially as it seems Whitehair ia back on his fucked up snaps. I am not sure either guard is up for Suh and Donald. This the game Suh will finally show up.

As for 9ers and Minny = W

The Packers. The Bears have not shown they can beat the Pack. They have not made the plays necessary to beat the Pack. I believe the Pack's confidence when going against the Bears is always sky high. Until the Bears control them for a number of games in a row and until Rodgers is retired, it is hard for me to pick the Bears.

[Richie]

Funny what a week does... the reason we don't win out could simply just be due to not having anything substantial to play for by the time this weekend is up. Especially if Dallas loses at Indy. Unless LA or NO loses... we'd be 2 games up on Dallas and 2 games back of LAR for the #2 seed. Very unlikely we budge from that point.

I know we'd still mathematically be alive for a bye and that we could lose out - with Dallas winning out to fall to the #4 seed.

I don't think Nagy would rest healthy guys until the Minnesota game, but those questions will begin this next week should we beat GB. Judging by the way we handled injuries to Mack, Robinson and Trubisky. I think Nagy is the kind of coach who will rest virtually everyone week 17.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

The Rams game is huge, no doubt...but there are some warts that are starting to show. If they can stop Gurley and block Donald, they should have a punchers chance.

I'd say this was accurate...

[wab]

The Rams game is huge, no doubt...but there are some warts that are starting to show. If they can stop Gurley and block Donald, they should have a punchers chance.

I'd say this was accurate...

Sometimes I know what I'm doing around here.

[BR0D1E86]

The Rams game is huge, no doubt...but there are some warts that are starting to show. If they can stop Gurley and block Donald, they should have a punchers chance.

I'd say this was accurate...

Sometimes I know what I'm doing around here.

As is befitting Charles Leno’s new biggest fan.

[Mikefive]

The Rams game is huge, no doubt...but there are some warts that are starting to show. If they can stop Gurley and block Donald, they should have a punchers chance.

I'd say this was accurate...

Sometimes I know what I'm doing around here.

As is befitting Charles Leno’s new biggest fan.

[G08]

The Rams game is huge, no doubt...but there are some warts that are starting to show. If they can stop Gurley and block Donald, they should have a punchers chance.

I'd say this was accurate...

Sometimes I know what I'm doing around here.

As is befitting Charles Leno’s new biggest fan.

[wab]

1 - Biscuit is the obvious answer, and it'll probably be him, but I'm going with Cohen. Sunday was just a drop in the bucket in regards to what that kid can do.

2 - I think it's still Jackson. He's been an impact player all season, and I see no reason for it to stop. Again, Mack is an easy answer.

3 - I think the Bears win out.

Yessssss

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

1 - Biscuit is the obvious answer, and it'll probably be him, but I'm going with Cohen. Sunday was just a drop in the bucket in regards to what that kid can do.

2 - I think it's still Jackson. He's been an impact player all season, and I see no reason for it to stop. Again, Mack is an easy answer.

3 - I think the Bears win out.

Yessssss

You were one of a couple people saying the Bears would win out, and I was thinking "no f#&%@ing way". They drop at least one. I am just so, so impressed with the way Nagy has those guys ready to play every week.