Some thoughts on the game...
Brian Griese drove this offense 97 yards in under 2 minutes with no timeouts for a game winning touchdown. This was the single most impressive drive I have ever seen from a Bears offense/quarterback.
While it is true the Bears stayed alive by winning this game, they absolutely MUST win next week at home against Detroit, and the game at Oakland following the bye, to have any chance at the playoffs. These are both very winnable games against flawed teams, and the Bears must take advantage of these 2 opportunities if they want to have a chance at making the playoffs.
The running game needs to improve in a hurry. In 7 games only once (W against the Chiefs) has our running game truly had a good game. As the weather cools, and defenses wear down from fatigue an injury, Turner/Benson/the line need to find a way to get AT LEAST 100 yards, preferably 120, per game. At some point we are going to need the running game to win, and while I think it's a little better now than it was early on, they need to start making big progress soon.
The D played well overall, although as usual they surrendered a score late. Don't get me wrong, holding an offense featuring Brian Westbrook, Donovan McNabb, a very good o-line, and Andy Reid's play-calling, to 16 points on the road in a tough stadium is impressive, but it would be nice to see them put a complete game together, get a couple turnovers, and hold a team to single digit points (hasn't happened yet this year).
It was nice to see them contain Westbrook. I do think Adrian Peterson's (of MN) game against us was more a fluke than anything else, but it was good to see them buckle down.
Hopefully they continue to round into form. Getting Darwin Waker & Nathan Vasher back will both be helpful, and hopefully the other guys will clean up their games so this D will be ready to climb into the top 10 in the 2nd half of the season.
I think guys like Adrian Peterson & Rashied Davis need to be confident in their kick return abilities. I have no problem with opposing kickers doing what Akers did yesterday, but our upbacks need to be able to turn those short kicks into AT WORST the 35 yard line for starting field position.
The main thing I took from this game is that our team showed character, backbone, and resolve, and this should be a confidence boost for them. They do need to be sure it isn't too much of a confidence boost & get overconfident (like they did after GB, only to be embarassed by MN the following week). I don't think that will happen this time. The defense seems to have gotten its attitude back, and if they can get healthy and get a few more sacks and/or turnovers against Detroit, I think they can get their swagger back & start playing like they did in 2006.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
This team is driving me crazy. I can't remember a football season as goofy and bipolar as this one. The Bears really had no business winning this game - all of the signs pointed to Philly taking a step forward and the Bears taking a step backward.
And yet, that's why they play the games, I guess.
Enough with the back and forth between Benson and Peterson already. He's either not conditioned or a bad blocker, and either way the Bears have to fix this.
Scary thought: it's possible the Bears are nearly as good as last year, but are total head cases who need special motivation. Losing to SD did it for them. So did playing GB. Having their backs against the wall in Philly, too, for that matter. Not a recipe for a good season if that's the case.
BTW, Mark Anderson can start playing anytime now. Notice how quickly he gets upfield... and completely out of the play on running downs? Ugh.
Post a Comment