2018 NFC North Champions: Chicago Bears

For all things Chicago Bears

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KOP_Snake
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If the Steelers can pull this off, the Bears would just need the Saints OR Rams to lose next week to get a bye (and beat the Vikings).

If by some one-in-a-million chance the Saints lose this Steelers game, and the Saints AND Rams lose next week and the Bears win, the Bears are all of a sudden the number 1 seed.
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Yippeee Kiyaaa it is the season of miracles.
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Otis Day
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Saints took care of business and clinched #1 seed. I just want the Bears to win next week in a convincing manner. I think that will be a hard feat as they suck on the road.
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wab
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Otis Day wrote:Saints took care of business and clinched #1 seed. I just want the Bears to win next week in a convincing manner. I think that will be a hard feat as they suck on the road.
Next week is gonna be tough.
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docc
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Bears open as 6.5 point underdogs...

Need to smash..
BR0D1E86
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docc wrote:Bears open as 6.5 point underdogs...

Need to smash..
That’s a hedge against the possibility that the Bears don’t play their starters. Any other week it would probably be Bears by 1 or so.
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docc
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Ninny needs to win to get in. So that too
BR0D1E86
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And on the topic of playing starters...

https://twitter.com/JJStankevitz/status ... 12001?s=20
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UOK
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BR0D1E86 wrote:And on the topic of playing starters...

https://twitter.com/JJStankevitz/status ... 12001?s=20
One of the benefits about playing in the afternoon.
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I'm not all that concerned with how it ends up.

If we end up with Minny again in a WC Game we play a team we're very familiar with at home and we don't have that "dreaded week off".

If we win and assuming we stay healthy we play LA and again they're a team we've played and beaten so we know it can be done.

I never even expected the playoffs this year so for me it's all a bonus no matter how if comes out although I would not like losing a WC Game to Minny at all.

A SB in 2018/2019 is more of a dream than hard core reality but next year I think we'll be peaking both offensively and defensively and that's when our odds improve quite a bit.
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UOK wrote:
BR0D1E86 wrote:And on the topic of playing starters...

https://twitter.com/JJStankevitz/status ... 12001?s=20
One of the benefits about playing in the afternoon.
Yep. Now playing at the same time as the Rams. If they go way up, starters will definitely go bye-bye.
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FWIW - I used to not want to see Minny twice in a row.

Now, with Foles doing his magical BS again - I'd much rather see Minnesota.

However, I'd also much rather get a first round bye... so... let's get this. However, we need to be smart. I'm sure we'll play hard in the 1st half, then Nagy will get a halftime report from LA and make his decision.

One thing is for certain - which is that losing someone like Trubisky, Mack, Hicks... etc... would be far worse than any potential outcome in this football game or the ones connected to it.
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Interesting twist: our week 17 game has been flexed to the 3:25pm slot.
9 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES IN THE PAST 35 SEASONS

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G08 wrote:Interesting twist: our week 17 game has been flexed to the 3:25pm slot.
Yeah, the league started this last year. Where they're not giving any teams the chance of an unfair advantage based on the schedule. This will also limit how much teams can rest players. Which the NFL wants - as they want competitive football games.

All the teams with outcomes dependent on one another play at the same time. Hence, we play at the same time as LA. Minnesota plays at the same time as Philly... etc...

This is why there was no Sunday Night game Week 17 last season. No game was 100% guaranteed to have playoff implications. This year IND/TEN are win/in and can only impact each other. Perfect fit.

I like it, personally.
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vikings forums really think they are gonna beat us big time this week
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The Marshall Plan
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This weekend is probably a loss let's be honest.

As far as the playoffs are concerned, I don't care if we have to play actual Vikings from the show like Ragnar, Bjorn Ironside, Lagertha, and Rollo who are coached by Ivar The Boneless. We're gonna fuckin' win. It's the playoffs.

Bear Down.
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docc
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I never do predictions.. The teams I coached won games and championships when not given any chance..
It's sports//sometimes..I say usually the dog with more fight wins..

Go do it..
Losers many times do not believe in their talent and effort..
Winners do..

May I say//

FUCK MINNY..and their women folk//

I want to eat their children..
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I would like to know I'd they play the stars the entire game. To me they shouldand if they do it will be close.

Bears 20
Vikings 17
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docc
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The Marshall Plan wrote:This weekend is probably a loss let's be honest.

As far as the playoffs are concerned, I don't care if we have to play actual Vikings from the show like Ragnar, Bjorn Ironside, Lagertha, and Rollo who are coached by Ivar The Boneless. We're gonna fuckin' win. It's the playoffs.

Bear Down.
MMMMM...Lagertha...
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I read this morning that the Bears schedule was the easiest in the NFL (when you take into account their opponents total record), and it is the easiest schedule for any team in several years. Now, that's not to diminish the accomplishment of going 12-4, but it made me think we really need to see this team step up and take what's in front of them NOW. Yes, the offense will continue to grow in year two and beyond, but so many things have lined up well for the Bears this year: schedule, divisional opponents taking steps back, Khalil Mack becoming somehow available via trade, defensive coaching continuity, and, probably most imporantly, team health.

The prospects for this team are good for at least a few years, which is very exciting, but there are too many variables from season to season to not take advantage of a golden opportunity when it presents.
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BearButtseks wrote:I read this morning that the Bears schedule was the easiest in the NFL (when you take into account their opponents total record), and it is the easiest schedule for any team in several years. Now, that's not to diminish the accomplishment of going 12-4, but it made me think we really need to see this team step up and take what's in front of them NOW. Yes, the offense will continue to grow in year two and beyond, but so many things have lined up well for the Bears this year: schedule, divisional opponents taking steps back, Khalil Mack becoming somehow available via trade, defensive coaching continuity, and, probably most imporantly, team health.

The prospects for this team are good for at least a few years, which is very exciting, but there are too many variables from season to season to not take advantage of a golden opportunity when it presents.
The funny part is that at the beginning of the season, it looked to be one of the more difficult schedules.
The Packers and Pats are perennial playoff teams. The Seahawks were supposed to be rebuilding but still good. The Fins were supposed to contend for a wildcard. The Bucs were supposed to challenge for the division. The Niners were the hot team. The Bills were in the playoffs last season. The Vikings and the Rams were supposed to meet in the NFC Championship.

Really only the Lions, Jets, and Cards were thought to be automatic wins. The Giants were a tossup.

It wasn't a cakewalk schedule at the onset.
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BearButtseks wrote:I read this morning that the Bears schedule was the easiest in the NFL (when you take into account their opponents total record), and it is the easiest schedule for any team in several years. Now, that's not to diminish the accomplishment of going 12-4, but it made me think we really need to see this team step up and take what's in front of them NOW. Yes, the offense will continue to grow in year two and beyond, but so many things have lined up well for the Bears this year: schedule, divisional opponents taking steps back, Khalil Mack becoming somehow available via trade, defensive coaching continuity, and, probably most imporantly, team health.

The prospects for this team are good for at least a few years, which is very exciting, but there are too many variables from season to season to not take advantage of a golden opportunity when it presents.
I would sort of look at that stat as revisionist history. You can't go back, after the end of the season and THEN say, they had the easiest schedule. It automatically discounts their wins. As you said, they have to play the teams in front of them. Their schedule was set-up based on their record last year, as well as every other teams' records. The fact that other teams did not fare as well as the Bears this year, with their schedules, can't be used as an excuse to diminish the Bears' achievements.
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Bears Whiskey Nut wrote:I would sort of look at that stat as revisionist history. You can't go back, after the end of the season and THEN say, they had the easiest schedule. It automatically discounts their wins. As you said, they have to play the teams in front of them. Their schedule was set-up based on their record last year, as well as every other teams' records. The fact that other teams did not fare as well as the Bears this year, with their schedules, can't be used as an excuse to diminish the Bears' achievements.
I agree it shouldn't be used to diminish the accomplishment (the same place I saw this mentioned that the Saints had a similarly "easy" schedule when they won the SB in 2009), but I always hate when people say a schedule is easy or hard before the season, when we really know nothing about teams. I think it's more fair to judge retrospectively. You're right - you can only play the teams on your schedule, and winning 12 games is very tough, even if you had to play the Raiders every week. Hell, the Cardinals are going to have the 1st overall pick and they nearly took the Bears out.
wab wrote:The funny part is that at the beginning of the season, it looked to be one of the more difficult schedules.
The Packers and Pats are perennial playoff teams. The Seahawks were supposed to be rebuilding but still good. The Fins were supposed to contend for a wildcard. The Bucs were supposed to challenge for the division. The Niners were the hot team. The Bills were in the playoffs last season. The Vikings and the Rams were supposed to meet in the NFC Championship.

Really only the Lions, Jets, and Cards were thought to be automatic wins. The Giants were a tossup.

It wasn't a cakewalk schedule at the onset.
I remember thinking the 2nd half of the schedule looked pretty tough at the outset of the season, but the Bears went 9-1 over the last 10 games, easily besting the first part of the season. Pretty impressive.
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We had 4 wins vs teams with winning records - I think that actually ties us for 2nd in the league.

We also have a +138 point differential. That is a much stronger indicator of a contender than SOS.
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I read this morning that the Bears schedule was the easiest in the NFL (when you take into account their opponents total record), and it is the easiest schedule for any team in several years. Now, that's not to diminish the accomplishment of going 12-4, but it made me think we really need to see this team step up and take what's in front of them NOW. Yes, the offense will continue to grow in year two and beyond, but so many things have lined up well for the Bears this year: schedule, divisional opponents taking steps back, Khalil Mack becoming somehow available via trade, defensive coaching continuity, and, probably most imporantly, team health.
When a team goes worst to 1st, this is automatically going to happen to some extent due to the fact that your making 3 teams in your division that you played twice worse. 5 losses to our division foes happened BECAUSE of us. Basically we help make our own schedule look soft.
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The preseason easy schedule comment is bullshit. There are only 2 games a year that are different than your division opponents. This year it just happened to be the Giants and Tampa, next year it will be the Saints and Rams. Your division oponents record play way more into the post season strength of schedule, when you go 5-1 in your division you are going to end up with a soft schedule! Especially with the Puke and Detoilet sucking it up.
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Z Bear wrote:The preseason easy schedule comment is bullshit. There are only 2 games a year that are different than your division opponents. This year it just happened to be the Giants and Tampa, next year it will be the Saints and Rams. Your division oponents record play way more into the post season strength of schedule, when you go 5-1 in your division you are going to end up with a soft schedule! Especially with the Puke and Detoilet sucking it up.
Detroit to take the division in 2019.
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Lions_Guy wrote:
Z Bear wrote:The preseason easy schedule comment is bullshit. There are only 2 games a year that are different than your division opponents. This year it just happened to be the Giants and Tampa, next year it will be the Saints and Rams. Your division oponents record play way more into the post season strength of schedule, when you go 5-1 in your division you are going to end up with a soft schedule! Especially with the Puke and Detoilet sucking it up.
Detroit to take the division in 2019.
Put down the crack pipe.
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Lions_Guy wrote:
Z Bear wrote:The preseason easy schedule comment is bullshit. There are only 2 games a year that are different than your division opponents. This year it just happened to be the Giants and Tampa, next year it will be the Saints and Rams. Your division oponents record play way more into the post season strength of schedule, when you go 5-1 in your division you are going to end up with a soft schedule! Especially with the Puke and Detoilet sucking it up.
Detroit to take the division in 2019.
Take it where ? To DeToilet ?
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