Wk 2 // Bears def. Giants 17-13

[Otis Day]

2-0 better than 1-1 and 0-2. It is the NFL, any given Sunday. I am sure this season there will be a game the Bears play lights out and lose in a funky way. Ugly wins, sure, but they are better than pretty losses. I think play will shore up in a couple of more weeks (if the season is still going). Consistency is an issue for most teams right now.

I love the play calling. Nagy is sticking with the run game. It is working so he needs to ride it.

[dplank]

Agreed!! I'm just worried Atlanta is going to drop 40 points on our shaky D. Not liking that match up right now, Ryan is going to pick us apart.

[docc]

"CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Bears were happy with another close win, while the New York Giants have greater concerns than their 0-2 record: a potentially serious injury to star running back Saquon Barkley.

Mitchell Trubisky threw two touchdown passes and the Bears hung on to beat the Giants 17-13 on Sunday.

The Bears (2-0) chewed up New York early on, grabbing a 17-0 halftime lead, and withstood a big push a week after rallying from 17 down at Detroit for their first season-opening win in seven years.

''Like, 2-0 is not a bad situation,'' defensive tackle Akiem Hicks said. ''I don't care how you get it. Two-and-oh is delicious. I'll eat that every day of the week."

Personally..I'd NEVER argue with Akiem...

[Otis Day]

Agreed!! I'm just worried Atlanta is going to drop 40 points on our shaky D. Not liking that match up right now, Ryan is going to pick us apart.

Maybe, possibly, but I am not going to worry about it. I think the D will improve as time goes on. I think Quinn getting healthy and consistent PT will surely help.

[Mikefive]

This team is really frustrating. 2-0 against 2 teams who are a combined 0-4, and each of those teams had a chance to win against us. Right now we don't look like a playoff team, unless we clean some things up. Despite the scoreless 2nd half, there's no doubt that 10 played decently well. And Nagy stuck to the run game, which was reasonably effective. But that 2nd half was a joke. I don't know what it is exactly, but this would've been a perfect time to stick the dagger in and twist it around. C'mon coach Nagy. Biscuit was throwing it with conviction. Mix run and pass and go for the kill.

Is 5th round rookie Darnell Mooney more consistent than Anthony Miller? Should he be starting across from ARob? Speaking of ARob, that one ball was a bit short, but you don't let it hit you in the hands and have a smaller player snatch it away. That doesn't erase the decent day he had, but that one should stick in his craw.

Encouraging to see Quinn and the pass rush look a bit more alive. When both he and Mack are healthy, look out.

Danny Travathan is starting to look old.

[Ormazd]

Worth noting that after last week when the Bears offense had just one penalty (a delay of game) they followed up with just one penalty this week, Ifedi's chop block.

That's impressively clean, especially by the offensive line. No false starts, no holds, no illegal hands to the face, all of which happened all too frequently last year.

Overall, with a much improved offensive line and running game helping an improved Trubisky it feels odd that this team still seems to struggle to put points on the board.

EJax and his pick 6...

[HurricaneBear]

Worth noting that after last week when the Bears offense had just one penalty (a delay of game) they followed up with just one penalty this week, Ifedi's chop block.

That's impressively clean, especially by the offensive line. No false starts, no holds, no illegal hands to the face, all of which happened all too frequently last year.

Overall, with a much improved offensive line and running game helping an improved Trubisky it feels odd that this team still seems to struggle to put points on the board.

EJax and his pick 6...

HRS said the Bears offense had just one penalty, not the team.

[IE]

Hoo boy... this team is going to get smoked against all but the worst teams.

I know the D does drive you mad giving up first down after first down. Like wab said there's also some defensive playmaking there (and they will get better). If I squint this reminds me of Lovie's D - which always seemed to hold the opposition to not much but always gave up a lot of yards. It is just uncomfortable to watch.

The offense? Yuck. I'm not going to point any fingers. Could be Nagy. Could be Mitch. Could be the WRs. Could be the underutiliztion of the TEs, or them not being quite "there" yet. But this offense is definitely fools gold. Dropped TD? OK fine. David Montgomery is a good player and he efforted one. On the other, fortunate that Mooney looks like a real gamer - because a better CB and different WR and that might have been a 100 yard pick 6. Not good. Lucky.

This team is just lucky. Luck in itself is good. But lucky teams don't keep winning unless they are lucky and good.

Where oh where is this offense going to find the 5 TDs needed to beat Atlanta? Saints? Pack? Rams? Probably Colts, Texans?

Starting 2-0 and ending 8-8 at best. Never been disappointed at 2-0 before.

[dplank]

I’m more bullish on this offense than most I guess, the things we needed to happen have happen thus far: The OL is playing well and Mitch is seeing the field much better. Neither are great per se, but a major improvement and I see the up arrow here and hope it continues.

Without trying to be a broken record, I see our defense as holding the team back- even holding back our offense. What everyone seems to gloss over (glossed over last year as well), is when you keep giving up first downs and long, extended drives then you kill any chance your offense has at a big day! I keep coming back to that Raiders game last year as case in point, 3 long TD drives killed us and limited our otherwise efficient passing attack (75% comp rate, moved the ball well through the air even though we couldn’t run at all). Sure, you can artificially keep scoring down this way but it’s fools gold.

Combine this problem with our renewed focus on running the ball and you will get shortened, tight games. But our defense with this bend don’t break garbage is doomed to lose these games IMO. We were gifted a drop in Week 1 or the narrative would be way different (I can already hear the “we are 2-0” responses). We should’ve lost to Detroit and we barely scraped by a bad Giants team without their only weapon. This is alarming. I fully understand that it’s better to be alarmed and 2-0 vs losing, but you can’t allow the 2-0 to prevent honest assessment of our problems on defense. And here’s a simple assessment:

Our DL is not consistently winning at the point of attack, only Hicks appears to be playing at a high level. We REALLY miss Goldman. That said, teams are clearly designing short drops and quick passes against us, so it can be a little hard to tell. But if so, we should be jamming / pressing playing tight man and dropping LBs into space for disguised picks. All I see are open receivers though, open QUICKLY on a three step drop for EASY gains. Teams stay patent and can just march down the field this way. It’s Pagano 100%.

[Hero]

Just going to call this like I see it...

I’m sick and tired of Nagy! I hate him more than any coach we’ve ever had. He’s not a winner! Mitch wasn’t the problem, Mitch didn’t have a shaky second half. Nagy did what Nagy does...I’m up at the half how can I quit playing Offense, “bend but don’t break” on defense and run out the clock entire 2nd half. That’s what Nagy was thinking at half time because that’s what he ALWAYS thinks at half time when the Bears are up.

He’s terrible! He should have kept playing ball, let Mitch gain confidence on another bad team. NOPE...escape with a win, not defeat a team...the Nagy mantra.

I’ll continue to watch every single snap of the 2020 season, just like I’ve watched the last 30, but I’m really tired of this team and I’m DEFINITELY tired of Nagy.

This could be a really good team if we had an actual HC and actual DC. Pagano is the same garbage or somehow actually worse at his job than Nagy.

I remember my first beer.

[G08]

I'm happy to be 2-0, but I can't say that I feel happy overall. This team has flaws and the optimist in me thinks that this unprecedented off-season is playing a role in our overall performance. The team has fight and character -- that much is obvious -- but I think they are collectively still trying to figure out who they are.

I can't hate on not putting up 35-40 points a game because I've been beating the drum for committing to the run and taking calculated shots off play action. Montgomery was a STUD yesterday and I think if Miller catches his TD and/or Robinson doesn't allow a 50-50 ball to be picked off this would be a different feeling. Hell, even if Santos hit his fucking FG the game wouldn't have been as nerve wracking.

It's a work in progress, and again if you told me the Bears would be 2-0, averaging 4.7 yards per carry, and our QB would have a 92.7 rating I'd be happy. So I should be.

[dplank]

I remember my first beer.

[IE]

Agreed - 32 is a stud!

G - I'd rather not have shootouts either, and would definitely not want to have to put up 30 to win most times. It does look like that's where the league is at, though. It's a scary prospect, because I just have very little confidence that this offense can keep up with any really good team. Are there that many bad defenses in the league, or is it just that offenses have such an advantage in this environment and for some reason the Bears can't take advantage of it? The Oline is better, and Mitch seems more in synch. Is it just that they really don't have deep threats or big play capability? Or is it Nagy....

[wab]

I'm still confused at how people can be down on what Nagy has done the last two games?

[dplank]

I'm still confused at how people can be down on what Nagy has done the last two games?

If there's one spot on the team that is fair to judge largely on W/L, it's head coach. That and GM I suppose. I love Nagy as a leader and despite being frustrated as hell last year with him, he's come out and been humble enough to change his approach. I give him lots of credit for that. I just hope he holds his assistants as accountable as he holds himself, I won't shit on Pagano again but will point out that Tabor hasn't exactly been lights out either.

Nagy was at his best when he had a Robin to his Batman, but Robin moved to goddamn Denver.

[wab]

I mean, statistically the Bears defense is doing just fine (their pass defense is lights out). I still maintain that we aren't bitching about the defense today if Miller doesn't drop a TD, and Robinson hangs onto those two balls that were picks. And of Santos makes the FG. It's at least 27-13 and it doesn't feel that close.

[G08]

I mean, statistically the Bears defense is doing just fine (their pass defense is lights out). I still maintain that we aren't bitching about the defense today if Miller doesn't drop a TD, and Robinson hangs onto those two balls that were picks. And of Santos makes the FG. It's at least 27-13 and it doesn't feel that close.

3rd in points allowed, stellar in the passing game. My major concern is our run D, 4.5 YPA is garbage.

[wab]

I mean, statistically the Bears defense is doing just fine (their pass defense is lights out). I still maintain that we aren't bitching about the defense today if Miller doesn't drop a TD, and Robinson hangs onto those two balls that were picks. And of Santos makes the FG. It's at least 27-13 and it doesn't feel that close.

3rd in points allowed, stellar in the passing game. My major concern is our run D, 4.5 YPA is garbage.

I know not having DT at full speed for whatever reason has resulted in the Bears playing a lot of Big Nickle with Bush in at LB, but I'm really starting to think Urban or Jenkins should replace RRH. He's terrible against the run.

[GSH]

Shout out to the strength and conditioning team, despite the linebackers looking pretty slow its pretty wild how the bears have been able to emerge relatively unscathed by injuries up to this point without a pre-season. A lot of teams getting ravaged by injuries.

[The Grizzly One]

*Klunk...Klunk...KLUNK!* (knocking on wood.

[Middleguard]

Your scores for week 2:
2 dplank
14 Hema2.0
26 UOK / Atkins&Rebel / MoFugger
42 Z Bear
56 Moriarty
72 Mr.Irrelevant
74 HurricaneBear / Middleguard
78 spudbear
86 Otis Day
98 Mikefive
104 JaxBearsFan
152 wab
158 VA_Mountain_Bear
168 HisRoyalSweetness
200 Forebears
224 southdakbearfan
248 Johnny Bollocks
254 SgtPerry
294 Ormazd
296 Noots
312 G08
314 The Grizzly One
326 crueltyabc
438 IE
578 Umbali
632 Bearfanuk
686 AZ_Bearfan
698 GSH
1502 Arkansasbear
4322 RustyTrubisky

Duplicate predictions:
56 mmmc_35
74 Richie
86 WagonForce / Boris13c
200 Bears Whiskey Nut (this counts BWN > G08)

[Umbali]

You know how they been saying " let Russ cook' ? Well we need to Let Monty Run