My Friends,
We’ve counted down the months, the weeks, the days, and now we’re down to hours before the real games begin. And we hope it’s games, because if it isn’t we just witnessed a 20-game exhibition season. Just like Tony Romo, who took a page right out of the script for North Dallas Forty and blew the placement on the biggest kick of the Cowboys’ season. But he’s going to the Pro Bowl over Rex Grossman, who had more 100+ passer rating games this year than any other quarterback in the league. Hopefully Robbie Gould can sit down with Romo on Waikiki, listen to a little Don Ho, enjoy an umbrella drink and relate how it feels to be a playoff victor. Maybe he can give Romo some tips on how he likes the ball spotted, too.
Without the distractions of a meaningless finale or planning for a trip to Hawaii it sounds like Grossman will put all his effort into preparing for what amounts to the most important game of his career. That’s what they all are as long as the Bears continue to advance. It’s bad enough that the Bears force us to pay full freight for the two home games in August, but they really should be offering refunds when the quarterback says he wasn’t into it during part of what Dick Jauron used to call the “Championship Season.” I know - fat chance. Happy New Year. Enjoy the game. Thanks for ponyin’ up.
The week after the packer debacle was spent watching potential suitors rack up frequent flier miles with thoughts of pillaging the Bears coaching staff. Pursuit of Bears’ defensive wunderkind Ron Rivera was most intense, though even Ron Turner garnered interest from the Dolphins. I don’t know about you, but after watching the up and down play on both sides of the ball over the last half of the season I don’t feel any angst about potentially losing Turner or Rivera, not like I did when Buddy Ryan left. I do think Turner will improve as Grossman matures. As for Rivera, it’s anybody’s guess whether the defense would be any better with someone else running it, but at least we’d find out whether Rivera is holding back owing to Lovie Smith’s scheme.
I must admit it was refreshing to watch the Bears get back to work this week without the bravado they displayed before the Panthers handed them their lunch last year. That the Seahawks were heaped with praise, real or feigned, in the Bears locker room is immaterial. What matters is that our guys seem to have learned from their embarrassment last season and are approaching Sunday with a single-minded purpose.
Win THIS game.
Because if they don’t you can lump these guys in with the one-and-done Jauron squad, one notch below the Dave Wannstedt bunch that at least experienced some measure of playoff glory in a postseason victory at the Metrodome. Pretty pathetic, especially in the NFC these days.
Shaun Alexander has been a shadow of his MVP self this season while recovering from a broken foot, and watching him hobble to the sideline late in last week’s game doesn’t make me think he’s going to make a difference on Sunday. The Seahawks wide receiver corp is banged up, too, while their DBs include three guys who were out of football three weeks ago. They don’t strike fear into your heart, but what is it they say about an injured animal? Then again, these are birds. Is a bird an animal? Can you corner a bird? I’m so confused.
I think it’s game over if the Bears start out pounding the ball and keep their throws short. Seattle finished the season ranked 22nd in rushing defense, and there’s no reason to think they’re ranked any higher now other than the fact there are only eight teams left. Once the running game gets established, Grossman will use play action to pick on their decimated secondary and extend the lead with a few deep throws. The Bears defense will pick up a score when they tee off on Matt Hasselbeck in catch-up mode, and the ground game will finish them off, chewing up 20 minutes of the second half. Simple.
One of the coaches allegedly planted a sign on the road leading to Halas Hall. It said, “PLAY ANGRY.” What a relief it didn’t say “PLAY ORTON.”
LBF
1/12/2007