Season Opener! Bills @ Bears - All Eyes on Mel

[emperorjones]

Coverage: FOX
1:00 PM ET, September 7, 2014
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

2013 Buffalo Leaders
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Passing: Manuel - 180-306, 1972 yds, 11 tds
Rushing: Spiller - 202 car, 933 yds, 2 tds
Receiving: Chandler - 53 rec, 655 yds, 2 tds

2013 Chicago Leaders
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Passing: Cutler - 224-355, 2621 yds, 19 tds
Rushing: Forte - 289 car, 1339 yds, 9 tds
Receiving: Jeffery - 89 rec, 1421 yds, 7 tds


PREVIEWS
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CBS Sports Preview

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi89wxqx_Wo[/youtube]


Chicago Sun Times Preview with Hub Arkush

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgoarE8QrZs[/youtube]


ESPN: http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/nflprevie ... =400554232
USAToday: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/even ... 6/preview/
Fox Sports: http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/gametrax?id=7062
CNNSI: http://www.si.com/game/1381776

[CBS7]

woooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let's start with a W

27-21

[rimjobprotector]

Game Thread Coming soon...

Would have to think this would be a relatively easy game, bills won't have sammy watkins it looks like.

[RedBulls23]

Run defense is going to get tested right away. Bills may not be the best team, but they have some formidable backs.

[NZB2323]

I have a 2 team teaser on the Bears covering the spread against the Bills and the Seahawks covering the spread against the Packers. If both happen I win 72 dollars off of my 20 dollar bet.

[patryk7754]

I'm really worried about this defense. The only worth while outing was against the Eagles, which was probably more of the Eagles not being ready than us being good. Lets hope that this defense is able to show more in a full game instead of just quarterly play.

[johnnyvann840]

Game Thread Coming soon...

Would have to think this would be a relatively easy game, bills won't have sammy watkins it looks like.

No such thing as an easy game when you cannot stop the other team. We're gonna find out really quick if this team is going anywhere. If the defense isn't at least above average, we'll be lucky to make the playoffs. It's hard for me to have any faith in Mel Tucker even with a talented group.

[CBS7]

To make the playoffs the defense just doesn't need to be all time bad. If we had like, a 24th-26th ranked defense last year we would have made the playoffs.

Average/above average and we become a real contender, but still probably not good enough.

Top 5 and one of the super bowl favorites.. but that isn't happening.

[patryk7754]

To make the playoffs the defense just doesn't need to be all time bad. If we had like, a 24th-26th ranked defense last year we would have made the playoffs.

Average/above average and we become a real contender, but still probably not good enough.

Top 5 and one of the super bowl favorites.. but that isn't happening.

It might be hard to make the playoffs with a average defense this year. Teams in the NFC are just to stacked on both sides of the ball. You got the west, which could easily have three teams in the playoffs and two for sure, and the Rams can still beat a lot of teams with that defense and run game. The south has four playoff potential teams. Two offensive power houses in the Falcons can Saints (the saints might have on of the best defenses this year). The Panthers have a top defense. The Bucs can be top 16 on both sides of the ball. It seems like the Eagles are the only team that is good from that division. Then you got our division with the Packers and Lions. The Lions will most likely have a top 5 offense and I wouldn't be surprised if they had a top 10 defense. They have had all the talent but never the coaching. Now they got head coach who has been to two super bowls and won one because he coached flacco into having the best playoff of all time. I wouldn't be surprised if buy mid season the Lions are favorites to come out the NFC. For the bears to make the playoffs I think we need to win the division, have an average defense and Cutler needs to play like an MVP.

[johnnyvann840]

To make the playoffs the defense just doesn't need to be all time bad. If we had like, a 24th-26th ranked defense last year we would have made the playoffs.
.

The Bears ended the season 5-8 last year with some really bad losses. Got blown out by the Rams and Eagles. Going from worst D in the league to bottom 5-6, aint gonna make a difference, CBS. Every win last years team had was by one score and we barely squeaked out games against some crappy teams. Yeah, the team was ravaged by injury, but they were NOT a good football team. In fact, they were lucky to be a .500 team.

You could argue without the great play of McCown, last year, they could have easily been 6-10, or worse. It's amazing to me how people just brush off how terrible this defense was and, perhaps, still is. A lot of holes and a terrible, easily predictable scheme being run by Tucker makes this team very vulnerable to any decent football team.

I'm also VERY concerned about this team's ST's being as bad as they appear to be. This is another much overlooked part of the game and another where the Bears went from being the best in the NFL to being near the bottom.

[CBS7]

To make the playoffs the defense just doesn't need to be all time bad. If we had like, a 24th-26th ranked defense last year we would have made the playoffs.
.

The Bears ended the season 5-8 last year with some really bad losses. Got blown out by the Rams and Eagles. Going from worst D in the league to bottom 5-6, aint gonna make a difference, CBS. Every win last years team had was by one score and we barely squeaked out games against some crappy teams. Yeah, the team was ravaged by injury, but they were NOT a good football team. In fact, they were lucky to be a .500 team.

You could argue without the great play of McCown, last year, they could have easily been 6-10, or worse. It's amazing to me how people just brush off how terrible this defense was and, perhaps, still is. A lot of holes and a terrible, easily predictable scheme being run by Tucker makes this team very vulnerable to any decent football team.

I'm also VERY concerned about this team's ST's being as bad as they appear to be. This is another much overlooked part of the game and another where the Bears went from being the best in the NFL to being near the bottom.

2 bad losses, one vs the Eagles, 1 vs the Rams. Having a mediocre, but not terrible, defense probably wouldn't have helped us out there.

The rest of our losses were one score games (granted, a couple of those were late 'comebacks' that fell short by 8 points). If just one or two of those turn into wins we're a playoff team.

Most notably vs the Redskins (500 yards, 45 points allowed) and Packers (two boneheaded plays, fumble + conte breakdown in coverage, that ultimately decided the game), and Vikings (500 yards allowed in OT loss)

Granted this is a new year and mediocre might not be enough. But we didn't have to be much better to sneak into the playoffs as a 9-7 team last year.

[CBS7]

And yeah, ST was consistently bad throughout the preseason. Returns and coverage. Very problematic.

Semi optimistic view of the season, we finish top 5 in offense again, around 20 ish in defense, and sneak into the playoffs at 9-7 or 10-6. Could be better on defense but the preseason was not very reassuring.

[RastaBull]

I completely empathize with the pessimism over our defense, and it improving to the lengths necessary for us to make the playoffs. ST was disappointing, but I'm putting little weight into it until I actually see at least a couple quarters of regular season play.

Until then, here are just a couple reasons why I am still optimistic about our D.

1) I am very confident about our secondary. I'm a HUGE Tillman fan from his rookie season, and Jennings from his first year with us. These guys aren't getting any younger, I know, but they are both incredibly savvy and reliable (long as they are healthy). One of them bring solid size, the other great speed and athleticism. Jennings can be placed on elite down-field/speed WR and Tillman on bigger/over-the-middle elite WR. Even though they're older than the Gilbert/Hayden Cleveland duo, they still bring us (IMO) a top 5 CB duo.

And especially considering we just added to that a young stud with Fuller (with both size/athleticism/speed). I'm really excited to see him use his raw ability and develop under the tutelage of Jennings/Tillman. He's not just insurance for their injuries (although he is great for that reason), but in a conference with GB and Det and many 3 WR sets, he give us an advantage that our opponents don't similarly when dealing with our offense.

As poor as ST was, I actually enjoyed seeing Mundy. I think he's going to be a strong addition and be a leader for our safety rotation. We still need someone at Strong Safety, if Brock could step up that would be HUGE, but I didn't really get a read on him in ST. Still, I REALLY like Mundy's physical play and I think he'll be a huge asset against the bigger WR and TE in the NFC.

2) Our defensive line is so drastically different. I'm not blindly optimistic that it will be a huge success. But I don't think we even got a glimpse of it in ST. I never saw much of Allen or Houston and I want to see more of Ego and Sutton. I'm still very intrigued by the potential of all the parts along the line. I would feel even better about it if good ol' Rod was in charge haha, but still we brought in new coaches and I want to give it a chance because all the pieces seem to be there.

Bills will be a good eye test, seeing how they handle what is sure to be a heavy run-attack (with no Watkins and an already passing-limited Manuel). Would really increase my expectations if they can break into the backfield and rattle Manuel into some turnovers.

Again, that relationship of DB and DL will be huge. Our DL might take a lil time to fully gel, and if our DB and put tight coverage on it'll give our DL more opportunity.

3) DJ Williams...if he can remain healthy he can be a big plus to our defense, especially our run d. Our LB core is the weakest spot for sure, and I (like most here) have little confidence in the Shea plan. I also am a little worried about Briggs running into a sharp decline, but I don't want to doubt one of our true stalwarts! DJ was really good those first few games last year. If he and Briggs can adequately fills those gaps, and read the offense like true vets, it would be a huge plus for our DL.

[bearadonisdna]

And yeah, ST was consistently bad throughout the preseason. Returns and coverage. Very problematic.

Semi optimistic view of the season, we finish top 5 in offense again, around 20 ish in defense, and sneak into the playoffs at 9-7 or 10-6. Could be better on defense but the preseason was not very reassuring.

Its too bad thats the optimistic scenario. We wnet form firing lovie for superbowl aspirations , to if we make the playoffs its better than last year. Its gonna suck-if the bears suck- we will hear oh, well its only trestmans second year, lovie didnt make the playoffs until however many years.
We are gonna hear the theo epstein schpiel about how its takes time.

[RedBulls23]

Its too bad thats the optimistic scenario. We wnet form firing lovie for superbowl aspirations , to if we make the playoffs its better than last year. Its gonna suck-if the bears suck- we will hear oh, well its only trestmans second year, lovie didnt make the playoffs until however many years.
We are gonna hear the theo epstein schpiel about how its takes time.

You have said this multiple times in the past and not once has it been correct. When the Bears fired Lovie it was for playoff aspirations. That was the goal...to get into the playoffs first. Getting into the playoffs would be a success this year and a step into the right direction. Plain and simple.

[bearadonisdna]

Its too bad thats the optimistic scenario. We wnet form firing lovie for superbowl aspirations , to if we make the playoffs its better than last year. Its gonna suck-if the bears suck- we will hear oh, well its only trestmans second year, lovie didnt make the playoffs until however many years.
We are gonna hear the theo epstein schpiel about how its takes time.

You have said this multiple times in the past and not once has it been correct. When the Bears fired Lovie it was for playoff aspirations. That was the goal...to get into the playoffs first. Getting into the playoffs would be a success this year and a step into the right direction. Plain and simple.

Its actually been correct everytime i have sed it. Trestman and emery both stated multiple times
about having a championship team. This year u dont hear that.

[RedBulls23]

Its actually been correct everytime i have sed it. Trestman and emery both stated multiple times
about having a championship team. This year u dont hear that.

False, being a Superbowl contender was not something Emery or Trestman talked about. Infact they deflected such talk...here is a quote from Emery himself back in 2012:

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/articl ... 64bb537b48

“I think we’ve made progress. But to say [we’re] a Super Bowl contender, it has to be earned on the field,” Emery said Tuesday as the Bears kicked off training camp in Bourbonnais.

“Do we have good, talented players that can contribute towards a winning team and moving towards our goals to win a championship? Yes, we do. Are we there? No, we’re not. We have to earn that every day on the field.”

Lovie wasn't fired because the Bears didn't win the Superbowl. He was fired because of the continuous losing to the Packers and missing the playoffs. That's why he was given one last chance and the Bears failed at getting in.

Bears need to make the playoffs first. That is something they haven't been able to do but ONCE since 2006. That doesn't sound like a Superbowl contender one bit. Those are the facts.

[CBS7]

Lovie was fired for making the playoffs once in a 6 year span. I thought that was common knowledge?

[RedBulls23]

Lovie was fired for making the playoffs once in a 6 year span. I thought that was common knowledge?

Common knowledge to everyone but bearadonisdna.

[bearadonisdna]

Lovie was fired for making the playoffs once in a 6 year span. I thought that was common knowledge?

Common knowledge to everyone but bearadonisdna.

ENOUGH with the slam campaign.

General Manager Phil Emery and new head coach Marc Trestman held a joint press conference at 2:00 PM and here are a few quotes from their presser:

Phil Emery began the press conference congratulating the Chicago Blackhawks and saying: "My only sorrow is I didn't get to shake Ray Emery's hand" now that the backup goaltender has moved on to Philadelphia.

In his opening statements, Emery noted that: "Our organizational goal is to win championships. It's a long journey, but we are relentless."