iamshack

Bears open up as 3.5 point dogs

QUOTE (HeGone33 @ Nov 21, 2011 -> 12:42 PM) The numbers are exteremely close for both teams with the niners having a slight edge in scoring, I'm going by the eye test. It's obovious Cutler > Smith, but I'd take Gore Davis Edwards Crabtree Walker all over any of the bears.... Not really sure what stats you're looking at...the ones I'm looking at show the Bears having a slight edge in just about everything, except rushing yards, and even in that, we have the same ypa, the Niners just have more attempts due to that defense of theirs. The Niners have also done it against a weaker schedule, IMO, than the Bears have.

QUOTE (HeGone33 @ Nov 21, 2011 -> 11:15 AM) No Shi8$ they've evolved, I'm not saying they haven't. But how about the Saints? They've evolved too. Sorry, a playoff game in round 1 down in NO might not be the lock everyone seems to think it is...... I disagree with you that the Niners are playing better offensively than the Bears. The SF defense has been better, which is giving their offense more opportunities, but I don't think they are better than the Bears offense.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Nov 21, 2011 -> 09:47 AM) ....Really? Well, to be fair, Lovie did say this weekend that this was his best Bears team he's ever had.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Nov 21, 2011 -> 10:44 AM) lol. Dramatic much? They weren't going to beat the Packers anyway. Yeah, this is basically the only solace I am taking in this mess... Obviously you never know what might happen in any one game, and who knows, Rodgers could sustain the same injury...but we aren't even the best team in our division this year.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 21, 2011 -> 08:52 AM) Apparently the inventor of Siri graduated from my high school 6 years ahead of me. Small world. He sold it to Apple for $200 million about a year and a half ago. Now is the time to reconnect...

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 21, 2011 -> 08:35 AM) And by the way, anyone who questioned Jay's toughness, you probably contributed to this mess. If Cutler doesn't have in the back of his mind that a significant section of the Bears fan base through he b****ed out during the playoffs last year, I really doubt he chases after Cason as hard as he did. Oh my.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Nov 20, 2011 -> 07:10 PM) Oh god I HATE that. Icing the kicker is so stupid. I swear I've seen the kicker miss the first and make the second much more often than the other way around. That it hit the crossbar was luck. I don't mind icing him on a kick HE SHOULD MAKE. What you don't do is ice him on a kick where he has to play the wind. Why give him an opportunity to see where the wind pushes the ball?

QUOTE (lostfan @ Nov 20, 2011 -> 07:05 PM) I don't expect many people to agree with me about the fake punt, but in any case at least if you want to b**** at someone about the play, don't b**** at Martz like I've seen some people do on Facebook. That's either Toub, or Lovie who signs off on decisions like that. I was more angry about Lovie calling TO before Novak attempted the 55 yarder....wtf are you thinking?

QUOTE (lostfan @ Nov 20, 2011 -> 07:04 PM) On the last big play Conte took a bad route to the ball and didn't get himself into position to do anything about the play. Still though I wish he would stick with what works. There's no need to blitz Rivers if you're not getting pressure, we could use the extra guy in coverage to help Peppers and Idonije. Oh I don't disagree with what you're saying about the blitzing. I was just commenting on Peanut's play.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Nov 20, 2011 -> 06:59 PM) My thoughts about that game: Edwin Williams did a solid job filling in for Chris Williams. He wasn't as good, but he was ok. No big mistakes or anything. Martz called a solid, balanced gameplan. It helped that Cutler was brilliant and could do no wrong today (not really reflected in his completion percentage for whatever reason). Williams dropped another perfectly thrown bomb from Cutler early on (again) but redeemed himself later with like 3 straight catches in a critical situation. Knox actually showed up to play too, he actually made a catch in traffic, and THEN he even tried to fight off a defender! Wow! But then, as if to make sure he limited the amount of props he would be getting at the game, he fell down on a perfectly delivered throw from Cutler that got intercepted, reminding us all he is still Johnny Knox and that's what he does best. Marinelli's gameplay was WTF. Instead of playing zone he decides to play Cover 1 and blitz Rivers, which wasn't working (Rivers 0 sacks and no pressure worth mentioning). Tillman was getting smoked in man against Jackson (not all that uncommon actually) but he stays with it anyway. So much for limiting the big play! Forte got shut down almost completely. Clearly their entire defensive gameplan was to limit Forte, every time he touched the ball there was a sea of white jerseys. I agree with this, but it doesn't help that his safeties can't seem to get over the top in time...it's not his responsibility to stick with Jackson 40 yards down the field. The safety has to be rotating over on those plays and Peanut is more responsible for the shallower routes. That being said, he wasn't exactly stopping those either. He did cause a critical fumble though which really turned the tide of the game.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Nov 19, 2011 -> 04:53 PM) NFL Picks for the week: 1) Carolina +7 2) Arizona +10 3) Atlanta -6 4) Philadelphia +5.5 5) New England -14 6) Washington/Dallas over 41.5 7) Dallas -7 8) Buffalo +2 Yikes...what a brutal week...the NFL giveth, and the NFL taketh away The Carolina and Atlanta outcomes were especially frustrating... Let me see...that's 1-4-1 on the day. Buffalo is now terrible, Miami is a completely different team with Matt Moore hitting his stride, and I will forever hate the Atlanta Falcons for blowing that cover against Jake Locker.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Nov 20, 2011 -> 06:50 PM) I have no issues at all with that fake punt playcall at the end. That's the exact situation you want to call a play like that. Podlesh just didn't make the throw. If he does, then that's 6, because clearly San Diego wasn't expecting it and nobody was in position anywhere. If not, then at least it's a first down, and San Diego had no timeouts left because Norv Turner is a f***ing idiot. If it fails then they are still losing by 11 and need a TD, an onside recovery, and another TD (or a 2-point conversion and a FG) inside of 2 minutes with no timeouts left. Not exactly a piece of cake. I just don't see the need to even bother taking the risk. Kick the ball and make them drive the majority of the field, get an onside kick, and score again. Don't cut the field in half for them. And I disagree about it being the perfect time to do that. The perfect time to do it would have been in a closer game later in the season (perhaps the playoffs) when we really needed points. But whatever, a great win nonetheless. Jay played great. The receivers played a great game I thought as well. Only disappointing thing is our run blocking is just not what it has been. The loss of Williams has really hurt us it seems. Either that, or teams are just really gearing up for the run and allowing the passing game to benefit. One thing I would love to see is more screens to Forte now that they are shutting him down in the running game.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Nov 20, 2011 -> 10:08 AM) Conveniently when they were out of it. Thornton's a valuable set up man, but everyone thinks he's better than his results show him to be because of his 95-97 mph fastball. He had a bad April...granted, they might have been out of it by April but it's not like he sucked through July and then figured it out in August and September... He's put up several solid seasons now...the time has passed for him to be getting by just on the eye test.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Nov 20, 2011 -> 02:53 AM) You are quoting the wrong guy but I think he figured out 10 was a bit of a stretch. With that said, the Big Ten blows this year, that BCS game isnt going to be very good with the team performing as they are right now. Second, good to see Oregon get knocked out, I'm sick of seeing them exposed in BCS games, give them a year or so and then they can come back. And third, I think I like Barkley over Luck, and I'm serious. I've been watching Luck and trying to see the infatuation for a year now...I don't doubt that he is a very good prospect, I just don't see what makes him "one of the best quarterback prospects ever." The way the ball comes out of his hand just doesn't impress me all that much. Of course, I thought David Carr was going to be an awesome NFL quarterback.

NFL Picks for the week: 1) Carolina +7 2) Arizona +10 3) Atlanta -6 4) Philadelphia +5.5 5) New England -14 6) Washington/Dallas over 41.5 7) Dallas -7 8) Buffalo +2

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Nov 18, 2011 -> 09:58 PM) A lot of teams would love to have Thornton. Just not as his salary. If you look at the Yankees and all their deficiencies, a 35-year old lefty that would be relegated to loogy status at a $5.5 million a year clip is not really all that attractive. I know KW likes to act tough and pretend that he has all these GMs calling him about his players. To me, until proven otherwise, it's all talk. KW died to me when he traded Gonzalez a second time (forget about the Hudson debacle). A shrewd GM would've been able to somehow find a way to snag Swisher without dealing an elite prospect a second time after promising that said prospect was going nowhere this time around. Edit: Let me add that I know it's not KW that perpetrated this supposed rumor. I was speaking more in general terms. KW opens up his mouth and claims that he has all these trade partners. Really? Thornton? Already been covered. Danks? A year away from FA and whatever hypothetical team(s) want him better be prepared to pay him a premium price after '12, otherwise you're not getting much back outside of maybe an A-ball prospect with upside. CQ? Injury-prone as any position player not named Nick Johnson (is he still playing?). Also a year away from FA. Floyd? Definitely an asset. But nobody is emptying out their farm for him. Sorry, KW. You're not fooling anybody. You suck at your job. Have you actually looked at what premier relief arms have been getting recently? His salary is really not that prohibitive. If a team has a need, and isn't the Pirates, his salary is not going to detract from his value all that much.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Nov 18, 2011 -> 02:24 PM) Ha, I passed my 4 to my dad as well. I would hold out for the 5 unless you are switching carriers, I find basically no advantage to the 4s. The camera is a touch better, it really doesnt seem faster at all, and Siri. Oh, and speak a text or email is nice. Ok, thanks for the advice... Maybe I will pitch the idea to my mom when she visits in a few weeks and see if I can sucker her into paying for my new one in exchange for giving my old one to pops...

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 18, 2011 -> 12:18 PM) There will be things you ask it that it cannot do/find yet -- but it'll get better. This is like complaining that when Google maps first came out it couldn't find some things. It's new, it's still beta, and it's database has to grow, and this will take time. The times I've used it to make calls, or dictate texts for me while driving, it's worked wonderfully. When I asked it where the nearest pizza place was too me the other day when people said to order pizza -- it worked fine. When I asked it how to split a 15% tip between 7 people on a 450$ bill -- it worked. I'm SURE there are things it cannot do yet. That STILL doesn't mean it "plainly sucks" as you stated. See, in Vegas we can no longer use cell phones while driving, unless using a hands-free device. So basically, I can't use my phone for anything at all once I am in the car. I would like to dictate texts, auto-dial numbers, lookup locations, etc., while I am in the car so I can actually get use from it in one of the situations I use it most. My dad needs a new phone, so I would just pass my iPhone4 to him, but I just wonder if I should hold out for iPhone5.

I think it's a topic any team's fanbase with a s***ty qb is discussing.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Nov 18, 2011 -> 11:39 AM) The phone itself? No. I barely notice any difference. Switching to Verizon, yes. How often do you use Siri?

So tell me Rock, is the phone worth the money if you already have the 4, or no?

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 18, 2011 -> 10:08 AM) I think the Jets and Ravens would be two teams ready to give up a lot to get Peyton. Wow, the Ravens bailing on Flacco would surprise me, even if it was for Manning.

QUOTE (TheHugeUnit @ Nov 18, 2011 -> 10:41 AM) I know you're being sarcastic but I think maybe what you could get is Betances and some lower guys. Oh I was just bringing the actual names of who Kenny would start out asking for into the thread...No idea what the Yankees would be willing to do...or how far Kenny would be willing to go to get certain guys. It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities to trade both Danks and Floyd together to the Yankeees, and if that was the case, I don't think anyone is out of the conversation.

Who's the big Yankee SP prospect? Edit: Manny Banuelos...I'm sure Kenny will start out by demanding him and/or Montero.