It was Bear weather. The temperature hovered around 18 degrees and likely felt a lot colder than that. The Bears came out of hiberation to pummel Jacksonville early in the first half, and then ride that wave to a 23-10 win.
About the only real exciting play was early in the game with Daniel Manning intercepted a pass and almost scored. The ball was placed at the 2 yard line. Orton hit Desmond Clark with a pass for the score. He also hit Greg Olsen for a late score in the first half to basically put the game out of reach.
The Bears play good against bad team. They don't play that well versus good teams. So, they are in the middle, with a 7-6 record, still in the hunt for the NFC North crown. Now, the Bears don't have long to get ready for the Saints who come into Soldier Field for a Thursday night game. If it was cold on Sunday, then be prepared for some serious winter chill. Then again, it could be 35 degrees too.
One thing is for sure, the Bears have to win this game. No if's and's or but's. It's time to show up and make a statement. The Saints have the same 7-6 record and are still alive for a playoff berth. A lot is on the line.
Can the Bears play smart and tough? Can Kyle Orton make some accurate throws and not throw interceptions? Can the Bears play tough on Defense? Chicago is hard to figure out. If they lose this game, still may still be alive for a berth, but this is it. The team has to be able to win back to back games at home. If they can't, then they are a .500 team.
Matt Forte, who might be NFL's rookie of the year, has rushed for over 1000 yards and has caught 50 passes. He's the 3rd Bear player to accomplish this feat, the others being Walter Payton and Neal Anderson.
This is a game to strap it on, and do some hard-hitting. The offense has to make enough plays to keep New Orleans offense off the field. Drew Brees is a great quarterback. He can beat the Bears with his arm. The defense has to say "Not in our house." Bears need some key turnovers to have a shot. It should be a good game.
