Maybe the Chicago Bears at 6-6, aren't out of making the playoffs this season. If they want to get in, the team is going to have to turn it around in a hurry.  After witnessing the disaster in the Metrodome yesterday, The Bears look like they don't deserve to be in the post-season.  The Bears played hard, but dumb at times, and the game turned in a few moments on two or three plays. 

Chicago was poised to take command of a 7-3 game when it got down to the 2 yard line. But they couldn't punch it in. Matt Forte, who played admirably for most of the game, looked like a gnat compared to the behemoth Viking linemen.

The Bears tried to score on 4th down and were turned back. The crowd went crazy, and then Gus Frerotte found a streaking Bernard Berrian down the left sideline for a 99 yard scoring play.  Vikings take the lead, 10-7, the crowd got so noisy it seemed like the players were going to meltdown.  Minny would score again to take a 17-7 lead in half-time, and to this long-time Bears fans, the game looked over.

Continue reading "Bears Slammed in Minny, Lose 34-14."

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.

Continue reading "Bears Chill Jags 23-10 in Chicago"

The Bears won a game they had to win. And, they nearly gave it away.  The Bears had three turnovers, that last one late in the 4th quarter, when Kyle Orton threw an ill-timed interception.  The Saints scored a TD to take a late lead, but the Bears came back and tied the game up on a Robbie Gould field-goal with :02 left. 

The FG attempt was lucky because Orton was caught in a scamble deep in the Saints' red-zone and was tackled. He immediately called a time-out to stop the clock. If the Saints didn't touch him, the clock could have ticked off. But the Bears got a break and made the game-tying kick.

Then Chicago got another break when Devin Hester was interfered with on a long pass play in OT.  The ball was now deep in Saints' territory, and Gould hit another field-goal and the Bears won 27-24, thus keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Continue reading "Bears Slip Past Saints in OT"

The Chicago Bears did two remarkable things last night. They played football in frigid conditions, with a temperature of 2 degrees and a wind chill of -10degrees.  It was cold, it was freezing, it was unbelievably frigid, but the fans came and screamed and the Bears played and won in OT.  Two, The Bears did this with a  minimal offense. There was no offense of the first half. The Bears had two first downs, and gained 48 yards. Green Bay was marching up and down the field and the defense seemed like Rocky holding on for dear life.

But Rocky had guts and determination, and when the Offense woke up and put enough points on the board to tie the game at 17-17. Green Bay lined up for the game winning field goal.  Except it was blocked by the outstretched arm of Alex Brown. The freezing fans screamed, the players on Green Bay looked dejected, and this game was going to OT.

Continue reading "Bears Beat Pack in OT 20-17, Survive Frigid Cold"

The Bears simply ran out of gas down in Houston. Andre Johnson made two terrific TD catches, catching 10 passes for 148 yards.  Well, Johnson may be a great receiver. But a  team can't allow that to happen in a big game. This was a big game. The Bears didn't get it done.

They lost 31-24.  After taking a quick 10-0 lead, The Texans went to the air and scored two touchdowns to take a 14-10 lead.  Right then, I knew the game was over.  The Bears were exposed by an excellent passing attack.  They gave up over 350 yards in the air, maybe more. 

I read qoutes from Bears' players that "They wanted it more than we did."  "We just didn't do the job."  That in a nutshell, sums up their game, and the season. The Bears could have won a game against Tampa which they gave away, and the one in Atlanta, which they gift-wrapped as well. Ok, the Bears got lucky against Green Bay.  But, they could have been an 11 win team that would have gotten them in the playoffs. 

Continue reading "Bears Bite Dust in Houston"