Lions Loss was the Dagger, Time to Move on to 2023

[mecha]

You mentioned him at the beginning of last year. But not much if at all later in the season when Nagy was all but toast and much before we ended up with Eberflus. Maybe one random post in some random thread. But where is the thread? Especially since you are one to make BS threads fir no reason.

And you obviously know I meant Christian Watson and was right about what I said. One could say the same thing about Cole "Cement" to you.

you know I'm trying to be nice now. you people keep trying to instigate shit though.

I have no beef with you. they might, but I don't.

 

[Anytime23]

You mentioned him at the beginning of last year. But not much if at all later in the season when Nagy was all but toast and much before we ended up with Eberflus. Maybe one random post in some random thread. But where is the thread? Especially since you are one to make BS threads fir no reason.

And you obviously know I meant Christian Watson and was right about what I said. One could say the same thing about Cole "Cement" to you.

I have consistently mentioned wanting Greg Roman for the past couple years. Ask my friend @run and shoot who i repeatedly kept DMing naked photos of Greg Roman to. Sorry but you're wrong and doing that denial thing again. I will not entertain it any further.

Me right. You wrong!

 

[mecha]

@vabearsfan15 this is supposed to be fun. really.

 

[vabearsfan15]

All I ask is that you give the topic/conversation at hand a chance. If you disagree, so be it. Talk it out.

But to immediately call people names and throw in a short, concise jab doesn't really convey you are interested in having respectful dialog and get treated as such.

 

[mecha]

All I ask is that you give the topic/conversation at hand a chance. If you disagree, so be it. Talk it out.

But to immediately call people names and throw in a short, concise jab doesn't really convey you are interested in having respectful dialog and get treated as such.

I do it for engagement. it obviously works.

 

[vabearsfan15]

Just post the thread or in depth comment about you going to bat for Roman between November 2021 and Jan 2022. There probably isn't much..

Liking Roman when Lamar Jackson was MVP doesn't mean much. We didn't have Fields back then..

 

[Spankypants]

 

[TL1961]

The only reason you think those teams are better off losing is because they have alot of pieces to work with as it is. They don't need to rebuild completely like true bottom 5 teams. Sure they could use an extra top playmaker.

Except maybe the Patriots who have won multiple championships with Brady and are coming back to earth. Bellicheck isn't great at drafting.

The same is true for the Bears as a WC team. They had assets to trade. Mack, Quinn, Smith, all resulted in draft picks to work with.

Plus, those teams have competed and had meaningful seasons in the recent past. Better than being a Jaguars, Lions, Texans, etc fan

Are you suggesting then that "true Bottom 5 teams" are NOT better off losing and gaining better draft position, but teams outside the bottom 5 ARE?

Help me follow this reasoning. Explain.

 

[vabearsfan15]

@vabearsfan15 this is supposed to be fun. really.

Sorry, but losing to the Lions and having teams go through our defense like slicing through warm butter is not fun.

In all seriousness I will be much more tolerable in the offseason as there is alot to be hopeful about. Team is headed in the right direction if the short term is painful. Just hard for me to get there right now.

 

[botfly10]

Believe it or not, the Bears were well alive in the playoff hunt before today's loss to the Lions. Contrary to what some boneheaded posters said about draft positioning, losses to the Commanders, Giants, Lions, etc were devastating to our playoff chances. Those games actually had meaning for the present. Despite many rejoicing when we lost, winning just 2 of those games would put us at 5-5, and put us around 30-50% chance of making the playoffs with upcoming matches against the Falcons and Jets.

But I digress. According to this site, we now have around 1% chance of making the playoffs. Our season officially has no meaning from a postseason perspective.

2024 NFL Post Season Probabilities

The 2024 NFL Post Season Probabilities table presents the probabilities that your team will proceed to different playoff rounds.

www.playoffstatus.com

So, now is the time to officially move on from 2022 and start looking ahead to 2023 and the offseason..doing so before now would have been malpractice, but now is warranted..

I propose:

1. Cut ESB and Dante Pettis - they are taking snaps from younger guys and aren't really doing much as it is.

2. Activate Velus Jones and Nkeal Harry - give VJJ the end around and see if Justin builds a connection with either guy. ESB and Pettis have run their course. No connection.

3. Make offense more pass friendly - F*** controlling the clock or shortening the game. That doesn't matter any more. We know we can run effectively. Now try and build the passing game. Get Claypool at least 5 targets a game. See what we have in our other guys. That doesn't mean abandoning the run. Just do it a little less.

4. Put VJJ back on punt/kick returns - let the guy build up some confidence again. Who cares if he fumbles? We are used to the defense giving up endless points anyways.

5. Defensive Youth Movement - all we can do is just keep giving our young guys opportunities. No thankyou to AJ Klein or Joe Thomas getting playing time. Let's see Sterling Weatherford at LB.

6. Try some tempo and lengthen the game. - Again, there is no need to shorten the game anymore. Let's see if some more tempo opens up more passing lanes. Justin already has defenses huffing and puffing trying to catch him. Why not try and capitalize on this by speeding up the playcall?

NOTE: I did not say anything about now purposely losing. I do not believe in doing that. You still try and win, but there are higher objectives to accomplish in the game now. You are more so in evaluation mode and making winning plays is still a good thing.

What say you?

Sounds like you are typing to murder Justin Fields

 

[vabearsfan15]

Are you suggesting then that "true Bottom 5 teams" are NOT better off losing and gaining better draft position, but teams outside the bottom 5 ARE?

Help me follow this reasoning. Explain.

Not quite. I'm saying, considering our circumstances ( a promising QB on rookie deal, lots of cap space) it I better to be a borderline wildcard team that is only a few players away from being a superbowl contenders than be a bottom 5 team that may have a higher draft pick but have more holes to fill.

 

[vabearsfan15]

Sounds like you are typing to murder Justin Fields

Having him pass more could be risky considering our current pass protection, but the idea is to have us do more uptempo that will keep the pressure at bay and keep DLineman tired.

But running him as we are is a risk as well. I tensed up watching him run for that TD today.

 

[DrGonzo]

I’m not sure how you can make a statement that this staff is sold on Fields being their QB. Have I missed some press conference that they said this in?

We can speculate all we want. The fact is, when a team does nothing but lose, then every, and I mean every player, is evaluated in their total game.

None of us know that when they are reviewing the game film if the staff tells Field's he missed this particular play, even though one group of fans says, that’s on the online, while another says well that’s on the receivers.

As the season goes on, and the loses pule up, and play gets uglier by all players, it will influence evaluation on all players, you can book on that.

This has to be an act, right?

 

[mecha]

This has to be an act, right?

I really don't think it is

 

[DrGonzo]

I really don't think it is

That hurts my heart a little.

 

[mecha]

That hurts my heart a little.

he genuinely believes he's more intelligent than me.

 

[DrGonzo]

he genuinely believes he's more intelligent than me.

My southern inlaws would say "bless his heart".

 

[Bonferroni Correction]

Not quite. I'm saying, considering our circumstances ( a promising QB on rookie deal, lots of cap space) it I better to be a borderline wildcard team that is only a few players away from being a superbowl contenders than be a bottom 5 team that may have a higher draft pick but have more holes to fill.

Or you could be a borderline wildcard team and still get a top 5 pick due to shitty luck like missed DPI penalties, injuries, and close unlucky 1 score game losses.

I would say that’s much better than that 8-8 Mitch trubisky team that made the playoffs in meaningless fashion then had to trade another 1st round pick to draft fields instead of just drafting him outright.

 

[TL1961]

Not quite. I'm saying, considering our circumstances ( a promising QB on rookie deal, lots of cap space) it I better to be a borderline wildcard team that is only a few players away from being a superbowl contenders than be a bottom 5 team that may have a higher draft pick but have more holes to fill.

I'm not trying to be a smart ass but you're literally saying it's better to be a playoff team with few holes than a bottom 5 team with a lot of holes?

Earlier you sad it's better to be a playoff team with a lot of cap space than a bad team with a lot of cap space.

Wow.

But I think what you're suggesting - incorrectly - is that if the Bears would somehow make the playoffs they'd be closer to a Super Bowl win. But actually, that is not true. It's about the talent you have not simply whether you made the playoffs.

The 2020 Bears made the playoffs and the Super Bowl got farther away, not closer.

It's not simply linear. At least in terms of record, the Bears are a worse team right now than the Falcons and Commanders, for example. But the Bears path to contending is every bit as good as that of the Falcons and Commanders. I would argue the Cardinals as well. And the Lions, Saints, Panthers.....

I wouldn't trade places with any of them right now. (And Bears fans have not been able to say that about anyone other than Detroit for years)

 

[SugarWalls]

I agree with your assessment about the OLine and appreciate the football post.

I would like to see if playing more uptempo would change things though. Who cares if we go 3 and out? I'm curious to see if defenses, particularly the DLine get exhausted trying to chase Justin and then having to go after him in hurry up offense. Don't give them time to rest, sub out, and come after Justin.

I do think we have a winning formula, but we are exposing Justin by running him so much. Now that the ganes have less postseason meaning, it seems a bit excessive. I'm proposing we work on other aspects a bit more, even if they take away from our chances of winning. I think developing chemistry with Harry, Claypool, VJJ are more important fir longterm success.

He is running for his life in a pass first offense. I'm more worried about him sitting back there taking blind side hits. At least if he is running he can control the contact.

I agree with developing chemistry but there is no need to change the formula. Until some team shuts them down they should continue the offense they are running. There is no reason this offense can't work next year. I agree with getting VJJ some snaps. Harry may not be on the team next year so it is meaningless. I think pettis is bad but he is serviceable in low usage situations and as long as he is not relied upon to be win a 1 on 1 battle deep. They need to get claypool more involved, and mooney.