Official Chicago Bears (0-0) vs Atlanta Falcons (0-0) Week 1 Game Thread

[Rush]

I think it'll be a fairly even game. Our defense didn't get carved up by Aaron Rodgers last season and we saw how Rodgers did against ATL in the playoffs.

I think everything comes together and our DL smashes Ryan's head off the turf many times.

 

[onebud34]

I went for Bearss..eventhough...this game has me a bit nervous.

Hopfefully our defense can dictate how the game will go...not the other way around. And we need to jump out to an early lead...it seems like Matty Ice wants to press his game once they are down...which leads to mistakes on their ofense.

 

[marky mark]

Has anyone else noticed the spread?, deadbirds by 3. Someone forgot to tell Vegas that D usually dominates the first few games.

Bears didn't get the lines last season, and probably wont this seasons either.

 

[Sunbiz1]

Bears didn't get the lines last season, and probably wont this seasons either.

I'll take the Bears and 3 all day long. The lockout favors D, and the birds are starting a rook without the benefit of off-season programs.

Let Vegas take a bath, and motivate the team as well.

 

[Scoot26]

Call me a debbie downer, but this is what I think the Bears will be this year...This is how they usually follow up a successful season, and last season was pretty much a fluke. We were completely injury free minus a few guys for a game or to (Cutler and Briggs). This game will be close, but Atlanta will win by 1-7 points.

I of course I"m all wrong and the Bears come out with fire, the offense reminds everyone of the St. Louis Rams from 1999-2001 and the defense looks like the 2006 defense. We'll see though.

 

[Uman85]

Call me a debbie downer, but this is what I think the Bears will be this year...This is how they usually follow up a successful season, and last season was pretty much a fluke. We were completely injury free minus a few guys for a game or to (Cutler and Briggs). This game will be close, but Atlanta will win by 1-7 points.

I of course I"m all wrong and the Bears come out with fire, the offense reminds everyone of the St. Louis Rams from 1999-2001 and the defense looks like the 2006 defense. We'll see though.

I agree. Don't want to be seen as a pessimist, but realistically I just don't see this team being able to contend this year. Not with JA being cheap in the off-season. This team was very lucky last year and the depth isn't good enough to sustain many injuries this year.

 

[Scoot26]

I agree. Don't want to be seen as a pessimist, but realistically I just don't see this team being able to contend this year. Not with JA being cheap in the off-season. This team was very lucky last year and the depth isn't good enough to sustain many injuries this year.

Linebacker and cornerback really scare me. Cornerback scared me last year, but Tillman somehow stayed healthy all year.

 

[marky mark]

eveyone thought nothing of them last year too, but they surprised everyone......hard to doubt them again

 

[ClydeLee]

What's bizarre to me is in pregame talks Cutler and now Harris have said, "You don't get to open seasons playing against Division II schools" But you kinda do in the fact you actually get a preseason in the NFL.. And when you play your starters in some positions long into the game like the Bears did, you are basically playing a level of talent far worse than yours to get ready for the real conference games upcoming.

 

[Gunzaan]

I think it'll be a fairly even game. Our defense didn't get carved up by Aaron Rodgers last season and we saw how Rodgers did against ATL in the playoffs.

I think everything comes together and our DL smashes Ryan's head off the turf many times.

I saw this comparision 2 or 3 times in this thread. You can't compare Packers/Bears games to any other games because those two teams know each other way too well. You have to throw those games out the window when comparing how the Bears will do against other competant offenses...

That said, I'm going to pick the Bears. I think it is a HUGE advantage for them to be at home, on that shitty ass field, as opposed to the turf. I think that Atlanta will have big problems running their routes on offense because of said turf.

Therefore, Bears 24 - Falcons 13.

 

[ClydeLee]

And everyone thought nothing of them in 2009, 2008, and 2007....and were proven correct.

I think its a bad sign that the Bears are still signing players at the end of preseason...and the guys they are signing are expected to start. Doesn't say much for the depth of the team.

Not entirely true! Plenty of people expected the great offense with Rex having his new best friend on the field in Greg Olsen to be improved and the D to continue to dominate in 2007... As well as think Benson would be a bruising feature back.:crazydance:

Never happened... Then what was it that people were saying in 2009... Jay Cutler = SUPER BOWL! Peter King named them his super bowl team in SI, although, a week later he reseeded that choice but other people were expecting big gains from a healthy Urlacher and new QB. Plops.

I do say, one thing about Lovie apart form his 1st year coaching in all of this, in the years the national media expected big things out of the team, it's been a let down. I would say disaster but 7-9 seasons aren't mega disasters but it's unquestionably a terrible year. 06 I didn't hear many super bowl aspirations but they were likely seen to stand pat or fall back to "reality."

The years that people wrote them off in overwhelming majorities, like last year and 05, were many predictions were for them to maybe win 6 games, they turned those into playoff successes. Even 08 which was a non-playoff year with 3 terrible losses in the final moments of the 4th quarter/O.T. The majority opinion of Bears fans and the media was they would be like a pitiful 4-5 win team because all the stars were aging and hurt and Kyle Orton was starting.

The only thing Lovie ever seems to have to motivate his players is the whole underdog routine... They even used it through 06 when they were getting the spreads in most of their match-ups. Yeah maybe they better hope they remain that way if they want to win this year otherwise I see no motivation from their coaches coming.

The guy(s) expected to start are just Brandon Merriweather. What other player is expected to start coming in now? The fullback Clutz? I don't think you or many others would associate the word starting fullback with Mike Martz offense.

 

[onebud34]

But still the starting fullback. And it doesn't lessen the retardation/fright at the Bears signing Merriweather and expecting him to start.

Wouldn't be the first time a team has done this....nor the last.

 

[nwfisch]

Don't remember claiming the move was unprecedented, or would be the only time in NFL history that it occurred.

I understand if a team is hit with injury and need to sign someone because they lack a quality backup at that position (Colts with Manning and Kerry Collins signing), but its very sad that the Bears pretty much have everyone healthy in the defensive backfield, yet they still pick up a guy off the street and expect him to start. That is a total breakdown in talent acquisition and evaluation.

It's not like Merriweather is a project like Vernon Gholston and the other 1st round busts picked up this offseason. He was a pro-bowler last season. The Patriots don't always do the right thing.

 

[Sunbiz1]

Not entirely true! Plenty of people expected the great offense with Rex having his new best friend on the field in Greg Olsen to be improved and the D to continue to dominate in 2007... As well as think Benson would be a bruising feature back.:crazydance:

Never happened... Then what was it that people were saying in 2009... Jay Cutler = SUPER BOWL! Peter King named them his super bowl team in SI, although, a week later he reseeded that choice but other people were expecting big gains from a healthy Urlacher and new QB. Plops.

I do say, one thing about Lovie apart form his 1st year coaching in all of this, in the years the national media expected big things out of the team, it's been a let down. I would say disaster but 7-9 seasons aren't mega disasters but it's unquestionably a terrible year. 06 I didn't hear many super bowl aspirations but they were likely seen to stand pat or fall back to "reality."

The years that people wrote them off in overwhelming majorities, like last year and 05, were many predictions were for them to maybe win 6 games, they turned those into playoff successes. Even 08 which was a non-playoff year with 3 terrible losses in the final moments of the 4th quarter/O.T. The majority opinion of Bears fans and the media was they would be like a pitiful 4-5 win team because all the stars were aging and hurt and Kyle Orton was starting.

The only thing Lovie ever seems to have to motivate his players is the whole underdog routine... They even used it through 06 when they were getting the spreads in most of their match-ups. Yeah maybe they better hope they remain that way if they want to win this year otherwise I see no motivation from their coaches coming.

The guy(s) expected to start are just Brandon Merriweather. What other player is expected to start coming in now? The fullback Clutz? I don't think you or many others would associate the word starting fullback with Mike Martz offense.

Associating a FB named Clutz(c or no c)starting anywhere seems like a paradox.

 

[nwfisch]

And neither do the Bears. This isn't really a knock on Merriweather, its more of a knock on Major Wright, Craig Steltz, etc. and the Bears blind faith in them and inability to evaluate the talent on their own team.

What would you have thought if the Bears passed on Merriweather?

 

[nwfisch]

Power to the Bears for signing Merriweather...I guess its better late than never. Don't know why Lovie has been so high on Major Wright. It would have been better if the Bears brought in some more defensive secondary help at the BEGINNING of training camp, because 1) they already knew they had to replace a starter in Manning, and 2) Merriweather is a poor fit for Lovie's Cover 2 scheme.

Agreed. I would have loved to see an upgrade at 2 corner, even for a year until the draft next season.

I was disappointed the Bears didn't sign a corner this offseason.

 

[Uman85]

Power to the Bears for signing Merriweather...I guess its better late than never. Don't know why Lovie has been so high on Major Wright. It would have been better if the Bears brought in some more defensive secondary help at the BEGINNING of training camp, because 1) they already knew they had to replace a starter in Manning, and 2) Merriweather is a poor fit for Lovie's Cover 2 scheme.

Cover 2 sucks.

 

[brett05]

Just because the line is Bears + 3 doesn't mean that they are 3 points worse then ATL (or six since home field is an auto 3 points). It means Vegas gets equal action on both sides. Never question the "EMPRIRE" that is Vegas.

 

[AE23]

Barber is out.?

 

[ClydeLee]

Barber is out.?

Affirmative, Bell is the backup running back.