BAD DOG! BAD! BAD! BAD!
Apologies for not posting anything about my beloveds and their Super Debacle earlier. And no, it was not because I was prostrate with grief or hospitalized for an attempted suicide.
For those who may not be aware, I work 3 days a week – Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – from 10:00 PM - 6:00 AM at a convenience store. For just sitting around for 8 hours, I get an obscene amount of money. It really is offensive to me that someone is willing to pay me what some employees make in a 40 hour week just because they can’t find anyone else to work the graveyard shift on the weekends.
Be that as it may, it truly is an exhausting ritual to constantly change my bio rhythms in this fashion. And since I was beginning to feel like I was coming down with a cold, I took yesterday off and slept around 12 hours. The entire weekend, I think I managed around 9 hours of sleep so I hope I am forgiven my sloth.
As for the game, I thought my analysis of what would happen and what the Bears needed to do to win was on target. I still can’t believe the Bear’s defense went into a shell and failed to attack the Colts offense. But I predicted Hester would return one, that Wayne would probably catch a long one for a TD. I also predicted that Indy would score more field goals than touchdowns (4 FG attempts to 2 TD’s and that if the Bears corners played off the Indy wideouts, it would be a very long, depressing day.).
That last was the key to the game. By playing 5 yards or more off Harrison and Wayne, the Bears defenders were out of position when Manning began to toss flat passes to his backs. By the time a Bear defender showed up, the Indy backs were already 5 yards downfield. Manning nickled and dimed the Bears to death.
And anyone who puts the onus for this loss on Rex Grossman doesn’t know anything about football. Yes, Wonder Dog was bad. But I would also mention that he didn’t have a chance to show what he could do because the offense never had the damn ball! When the game was actually on his shoulders in the 4th quarter, it was almost like he wasn’t even warmed up. I thought he was reasonably accurate but suffered from the fact that there didn’t appear to be an offensive game plan. Or at least one that would have made a difference.
No team will win a Super Bowl if the defense gives up 400 yards. You can have the greatest quarterback in history and the Bears still would have lost because the defense played soft. The fact that this is exactly the same problem the Bears had last year in their playoff loss to Carolina makes me question the overall coaching in this game and whether they changed strategies as a result of the weather. It was almost as if the coaches were playing not to lose – a sure way to defeat. In any case, Lovie was outcoached by Dungy.
So my beloveds are now 1-1 in the Big Game. And, as I mentioned in my preview, I don’t think it will take another 21 years before the Bears make a return visit. Next year, Grossman will be better, Brown and Harris will most likely be back, and there will be lessons learned so that when they make a run at the brass ring again, they’ll at least realize what it takes to grab it.
With the potential loss of Lance Briggs to free agency, a huge hole could open up at outside linebacker. However, I think the Bears will slap a franchise tag on Briggs which will bring him back for another year but not at the kind of salary that he would get in free agency. And they will use the nearly $30 million they have available under the cap to improve. Perhaps acquire an outstanding offensive lineman via free agency or another impact player at D-back.
One thing is sure; Lovie Smith won’t let them fall back. And if they can stay reasonably healthy next year, the playoffs are almost a certainty even with their much tougher first place schedule. As Indy proved, you don’t need that first round playoff bye to win it all.
A disappointing loss to be sure. But it should make most of them hungry again next year. And this time in the Presidential election year of 2008 when the NFL crowns a brand new champ, I really believe that my beloveds have as good a chance or better to be on that podium accepting the Lombardi Trophy and being acknowledged as the league’s best.
5:37 pm
> And anyone who puts the onus for this loss on Rex Grossman doesn’t know anything about football. Yes, Wonder Dog was bad. But I would also mention that he didn’t have a chance to show what he could do because the offense never had the damn ball!
The offense would have had the damn ball more if they had been able to get more first downs. “Three and Out” is very close to a turnover.
I agree that Grossman will develop into a better quarterback over time.
6:55 pm
One has to wonder how seriously teams are looking at Ron Rivera after having blown yet another big game with a terrible defensive scheme. But Lovie’s the boss and a defensive coach as well. I really am beginning to question if Lovie is the answer. Rex will be a Pro Bowl player one day.
8:16 pm
Football aside for a second, Rick how does one go about scoring a decent weekend gig like the one you’ve got? Is it like a part-time 7-Eleven job? I work a 40 hour a week day job, but I’m still looking for a 2nd job, something like what you do, to pay some bills.
8:26 pm
Your blog entry certainly demonstrates the triumph of hope over experience.
8:49 pm
For what its worth, most of the guys I watched the game with agreed that the offensive game plan was nonexistant. Wonder Dog should never been in the position to throw those two interceptions. We also thought the offensive line had one of their worst games, as Rex really had no chance on too many plays. Can’t wait til next year.
8:59 pm
JT:
Just luck. They had a need – I filled it. And yeah – it’s a convenience store/deli.
1:13 am
I have to agree with Arthur – the defense would not have been put in a position of having to win the game if the offense could have moved the ball for some first downs.
The entire gameplan should have revolved around keeping the ball out of Manning’s hands, by effectively running the ball.
Rex Grossman lost this game for the Bears – he couldn’t even hold onto a snap, let alone get the ball to Jones or pass for a completion.
9:06 am
Sorry, but on a day when the team needed leadership, Wonderdog was utterly inadequate for the job. Whether the ultimate fault for lack of sustained drives was the offensive game plan, I do not know. But from 2Q on, Rex had that deer-in-the-headlights look that he was completely lost. What we needed was a caretaker game, not the big play, and his two INTs and the underthrown pass to Berrian that could have been a TD were killers all. Not to mention basic Pop Warner stuff like not fumbling snaps.
I do not say that Rex is beyond hope and needs to be taken to the dump. But Rex is an utterly ordinary QB who needs something – a reality check, perhaps. I honestly think that Griese would be better, on those “Bad Rex” days when he thinks he’s something he’s not, or doesn’t appear to be thinking at all.
On a day they needed him to be good (not great, not better than Manning), he was BAD.
1:05 pm
Two more reasons for optimism for the Bear’s future:
1. Dusty Dvorak. Oklahoma DL draft from last year, sidelined with injuries all this year. This guy is supposed to be an animal.
2. We have been drafting well lately. This should continue.