Call me crazy but I feel the Patriots game will be very competive.

[richb688]

I have to see what happens with the Dolphins game first but if they play well and win they can beat the Patriots. That almost causes me to get to light headed lol. If the Bears get that push up the middle without the blitz Brady will have a tough day. In years pass I might have muted the Patriots game and read a good novel. As long as the Bears get the job done with Miami. That is how the giants beat Brady in the Super bowl. As Brady gets older his happy feet start sooner, I don't blame him.

 

[HeHateMe]

Yeah me too

 

[ijustposthere]

I'm a little curious as to why the Dolphins game would be a barometer to the Pats game. Like, if they win, that means they can hang with NE, who just absolutely dismantled Miami? Not seeing the correlation.

 

[Speed]

Well if they shit the bed versus the Dolphins its more like 0.0% chance of winning versus 0.1

 

[Bearly]

I don't know. Do you really think the Pats have a chance?

 

[mecha]

Patriots got their dicks slammed in a car door against the Jaguars (who we crown as the elitist of the elite defense) and Lions (beaten worse). Brady's still playing at a high level but he's showing weakness against the better defenses. he showed that 10 years ago. he may be the GOAT but he never responded well to pressure. it's incredible those great Bears defenses of the past couldn't get to him. this is probably their best chance ever to finally beat him.

for all the people talking playoffs, the Patriots like the Packers are the team to beat to show they can play to that level. if they can't do it against the Patriots now and Packers game 2, they're not going anywhere. put it that way. and if they can't take the Dolphins, well, that obviously means they're not doing anything.

 

[Outlaw Josey Cutler]

Patriots got their dicks slammed in a car door against the Jaguars (who we crown as the elitist of the elite defense) and Lions (beaten worse). Brady's still playing at a high level but he's showing weakness against the better defenses. he showed that 10 years ago. he may be the GOAT but he never responded well to pressure. it's incredible those great Bears defenses of the past couldn't get to him. this is probably their best chance ever to finally beat him.

for all the people talking playoffs, the Patriots like the Packers are the team to beat to show they can play to that level. if they can't do it against the Patriots now and Packers game 2, they're not going anywhere. put it that way. and if they can't take the Dolphins, well, that obviously means they're not doing anything.

All due respect but your first point isn't even relevant. Patriots have recently been starting slow, and even getting blown out once or twice. Past few autumns people have mumbled if this is the year that they finally get removed as king of the AFC East, only to turn around and start dominating their way to 12 wins again.

You eventually get to the same correct conclusion in your post, but in no way does the fact that JAX and DET beat them mean that they will in any way shape or form be the same team. They already are a different team from then and are doing their run of winning now to be just as alpha as ever. So yes, I ultimately agree with you: meeting the Patriots and GB and MIN and LA will be very good tests of how we stack up against some of the best of the NFL.

 

[Warden of the Northeast]

The Patriots won't be an easy game. They've added a lot of pieces since they got beat down by the Jags in week 1.

 

[Black Rainbow]

When you have a defense like ours you can beat anybody. We create turnovers and put a dent in teams' TOP.

I just wish our kicker didn't make me so nervous every time. There's going to be games he has to win...

 

[Outlaw Josey Cutler]

When you have a defense like ours you can beat anybody. We create turnovers and put a dent in teams' TOP.

I just wish our kicker didn't make me so nervous every time. There's going to be games he has to win...

Agreed. Parkey sucks. And he has shown he is inconsistent over his career. He has a hot streak or two but most kickers that last do. That's kinda why they last.

I recall the broadcasters saying Nagy is not even trying to win TOP; he just kinda had to when Mitch struggled to hit on any downfield throws the first 3 games.

The TOP vs. Tampa was the worst of the 4 games. But if the offense explodes like that and the defense causes QBs and WRS to point fingers at each other then it'll be a win.

I guess I am agreeing but only adding that if Nagy's game plan works, TOP is irrelevant even to him (allegedly), but if something stops the big plays, he can still create enough momentum in smaller plays to win TOP and win small if he can't win large.

He still makes confusing timeouts or headscratching "money calls" when he absolutely needs a first down, but I am getting more impressed with how he approaches gameplanning and adjusting to what is happening in-game and finding a different way to come out on top than what he first planned.

 

[Outlaw Josey Cutler]

Agreed. Parkey sucks. And he has shown he is inconsistent over his career. He has a hot streak or two but most kickers that last do. That's kinda why they last.

I recall the broadcasters saying Nagy is not even trying to win TOP; he just kinda had to when Mitch struggled to hit on any downfield throws the first 3 games.

The TOP vs. Tampa was the worst of the 4 games. But if the offense explodes like that and the defense causes QBs and WRS to point fingers at each other then it'll be a win.

I guess I am agreeing but only adding that if Nagy's game plan works, TOP is irrelevant even to him (allegedly), but if something stops the big plays, he can still create enough momentum in smaller plays to win TOP and win small if he can't win large.

He still makes confusing timeouts or headscratching "money calls" when he absolutely needs a first down, but I am getting more impressed with how he approaches gameplanning and adjusting to what is happening in-game and finding a different way to come out on top than what he first planned.

ADDENDUM: Overall average TOP is only 33 minutes for Bears vs. 26 minutes for opponents.

Couple notes I notice is that when Bears go up big, the TOP switches like in GB and TB (to utter disaster in GB). But when the big plays aren't happening, Nagy seems to win TOP a lot (SEA and ARZ). The points also kind of dry up then too, but the TOP plays into our strong defense becoming more of a factor.

My takeaway is that if the Redzone TDs can still happen even if 20+ yard plays don't happen then our offense will be a two-dimensional monster: take away the big play and the Bears will WCO time of possession you to death with back breaking little redzone TDs OR run up on the bubble screens (eg Bellamy TD) and the Bears will kill you over the top for a non-redzone TD.

Potentially very exciting times ahead of us.

 

[Beast15]

Of course it will be competitive. Pats have weapons that are starting to click. White and Michel out of backfield are no joke.

 

[Chicago Staleys]

Of course it will be competitive. Pats have weapons that are starting to click. White and Michel out of backfield are no joke.

Plus adding Gordon and getting Edelman back is only making them better.

I think the Bears win by a last minute FG.

 

[dennehy]

The Chiefs also blew the Patriots out in the most recent two regular season games they played, in 2017 and 2014. So Nagy may have some idea of how to attack the Patriots.

 

[Toast88]

FPI has the Bears favored right now. Won't know on Vegas until next week. Of course, that could change with a loss to the Dolphins, but I don't think that's going to happen.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

The Chiefs also blew the Patriots out in the most recent two regular season games they played, in 2017 and 2014. So Nagy may have some idea of how to attack the Patriots.

It seems like the Chiefs MO against the Pats is to pound the ball and isolate the TE on NE's LBs. Historically, it seems like Belichick can outscheme any offense, but he typically does not have an answer for smashmouth football. It will be interesting to see if Nagy will deviate from his spread offense and instead go with Jordan Howard.

 

[dennehy]

It seems like the Chiefs MO against the Pats is to pound the ball and isolate the TE on NE's LBs. Historically, it seems like Belichick can outscheme any offense, but he typically does not have an answer for smashmouth football. It will be interesting to see if Nagy will deviate from his spread offense and instead go with Jordan Howard.

I think we'll see a lot of clear out routes from WRs with Cohen and Burton working underneath against LBs. New England hasn't been good at getting to the QB so there should be some time to run drag routes, wheels, and delays underneath. Hopefully if that works they can force NE to go small and then hit up Howard.

 

[bamainatlanta]

NE usually starts off slow. In 2014, KC destroyed them on MNF and everyone talked about how they were finished as was Brady. Then went on to win the SB. That's why I wasn't surprised or impressed with DET's victory over them--NE just didn't show up.

 

[Bearly]

ADDENDUM: Overall average TOP is only 33 minutes for Bears vs. 26 minutes for opponents.

Couple notes I notice is that when Bears go up big, the TOP switches like in GB and TB (to utter disaster in GB). But when the big plays aren't happening, Nagy seems to win TOP a lot (SEA and ARZ). The points also kind of dry up then too, but the TOP plays into our strong defense becoming more of a factor.

My takeaway is that if the Redzone TDs can still happen even if 20+ yard plays don't happen then our offense will be a two-dimensional monster: take away the big play and the Bears will WCO time of possession you to death with back breaking little redzone TDs OR run up on the bubble screens (eg Bellamy TD) and the Bears will kill you over the top for a non-redzone TD.

Potentially very exciting times ahead of us.

With TB, it was partially because we were scoring quickly. It's not about the big plays in the 2nd 1/2 against GB. We couldn't sustain drives or score against GB and didn't run enough. We scored a TD in 37 sec from 30 out and only had one 3 and out against TB in the 2nd 1/2. TOP was affected for different reasons against those 2 teams.

 

[anotheridiot]

Depends how many times the bears get flagged for sacking Brady.