Bears
- I don’t know if I should respect this or be worried by it.
- Tom Skilling‘s game day forecast:
- Bears head coach Lovie Smith on Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers via the Chicago Tribune:
“Of course Dom does a great job. It’s the final four. There are a lot of great coaches coaching this week, but in the end, what it will come down to is it’s a players game. I think it will be something as simple as blocking and tackling. Some of those basic fundamentals will win this football game.”
Give the Bears credit. No matter what happens tomorrow it has to be admitted that they are generally a well-coached team with good fundamentals. Smith has a point.
- Dan Pompei at the Chicago Tribune credits the Packers organization as he answers your questions:
“Would the Bears be playing in the NFC Championship had they lost as many starters for the season as Green Bay has? Tom Zanette, West Chester, Pa.
“I doubt it. I doubt any other team would have made it this far with as many injuries as the Packers had. And I’m surprised the Packers made it this far. I don’t think the Bears have the same depth. Look at what happened to them last year when they lost Brian Urlacher. It’s a real testament to the entire Packers organization that they made it this far. General manager Ted Thompson and his staff built up the team’s depth with draft choices, and then they found replacement parts on the street. Coach Mike McCarthy and his staff found ways to minimize the impact of player losses. And substitute players stepped up big time.”
Hard for even a jealous Bear fan to argue though I might point out that the Bears have a pretty good coaching staff as well.
- Dan Pompei at the Chicago Tribune answers your questions:
“How come Jay Cutler never pump fakes before throwing a pass? I think there are a few times a game where he could get a D-back or D-lineman to bite. Jim from Los Angeles
“He pump fakes a little, but certainly he could use the pump fake more frequently and effectively. Some players are just more comfortable doing it than others. What’s more important is that he’s not locking onto receivers and telegraphing his passes. And for the most part, he’s not doing that.”
- A chilling thought for the superstitious from Rick Telander at the Chicago Sun-Times:
“PEOPLE ARE WORRIED about the SI cover jinx now that Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, center Olin Kreutz and guard Roberto Garza are on the current cover of Sports Illustrated.
“You know how the superstition goes: Be on the SI cover, and you’re doomed.
“‘Doesn’t affect me because I’m Mexican,’ Garza said with a chuckle at Halas Hall.
“Here’s the thing: Joe Montana, John Elway, Michael Jordan and every Super Bowl winner has been on the cover of SI.
“It’s kinda up to you.”
“Maybe it’s me, but I’ve sensed a I-know-something-you-don’t attitude from the Bears all week.”
Maybe its me but I’m sure the Packers are giving off the same vibe. I’ll bet they all have some surprises in store.
- Dez Clark tweets that he’ll be active Sunday (via Sean Jensen at the Chicago Sun-Times).
- From Pro Football Weekly‘s Audibles:
“(Bears WLB Lance) Briggs plays with great base. He is great taking on blocks. He is always around the ball. He is very underrated. … (On the other hand, Bears RB) Chester Taylor is 31 and can’t avoid anymore. He’s done.”
- Many will day that Cutler proved himself to naysayers last Sunday. Somehow I don’t think the people at The Onion are convinced.
- Antonio Freeman and Tom Waddle discuss the Packers-Bears rivalry:
- For those who put any stock in such things EA Sports simulates the NFC Championship Game:
- These characters kind of look like Brian Urlacher. If he had hair:
- For those looking to make an investment:
Elsewhere
- David Caldwell at The New York Times says that the Jets are just almost done talking about Bart Scott‘s hilarious intereview with Sal Palantonio at ESPN. Almost:
“On Friday, Mark Sanchez said of Scott: ‘That’s his personality. If I would have done an interview like that, it wouldn’t have gone over so well. That’s just not me. But that’s Bart to a T.’”
- The Buffalo Bills have hired former Bears head coach Dave Wannstedt as assistant head coach and inside linebackers coach. Wannstedt certainly knows his X’s and O’s. Good hire.
- And the Browns have hired another former Bear head coach, the stubborn but even-tempered Dick Jauron, as their defensive coordinator.
- Todd McShay at ESPN thinks that another quarterback from Delaware might be on the NFL radar:
- Former Jet Greg Buttle talks about the inspiration the Jets have drawn from Dennis Byrd:
- Adam Schefter at ESPN talks about how the Steelers are different compared to the first time they played the Jets:
- More good betting advice on the Jets-Steelers:
- There isn’t a single comment I could make about this college mascot that wouldn’t get me in trouble. From The Sports Pickle:
- Brett Favre is finally ready to give the Packers a break. Again, from The Sports Pickle:
One Final Thought
The author’s name isn’t going complete on the page but I’m going to guess its Telander:
“The game today hasn’t even started, but there’s already an elemental urge to preserve it, to keep it just as it is, in suspended anticipation. The game can’t possibly live up to the buildup, can it?
“Can it?”
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