Week 12: Bears vs Raiders - Hanie dances with the stars

[emperorjones]

Caleb Hanie Info
Career Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caleb_Hanie
Stats: http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11540/caleb-hanie
ESPN: Who Is Caleb Hanie: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_ ... aleb-hanie
John Elway comments on Hanie: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/co ... 842.column


Game Previews
ESPN: http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/nflprevie ... =311127013
CBS Sports: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/gametracke ... 27_CHI@OAK
CNNSI: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/footba ... ml#preview
From Raider Nation: http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/R ... 1b31cdecf3

Injury list

By Brad Biggs, Tribune Reporter
Fri Nov 25 2011 4:25 PM
The Chicago Bears will go to Oakland without quarterback Jay Cutler and nickel cornerback D.J. Moore will not play, but the Raiders are facing a host of injuries that will limit them on Sunday. It could be a good time to catch the AFC West leader.

Oakland (6-4) ruled running back Darren McFadden (foot), wide receiver/kickoff returner Jacoby Ford (foot) and defensive end Jarvis Moss (hamstring) out for the game. McFadden and Ford are explosive parts of the team’s offense.

The Raiders also list nine players as questionable and six of them are starters. Defensive tackle Richard Seymour was added to the report Friday with a knee injury and was limited in practice. Wide receivers Darrius Heyward-Bey (neck) and Denarius Moore (foot) are questionable. Other starters classified as questionable are defensive end Lamarr Houston (knee), safety Michael Huff (ankle) and cornerback Chris Johnson (hamstring/groin).

Oakland also lists running back Taiwan Jones (hamstring), safety Michael Mitchell (ankle) and running back Manase Tonga (knee) as questionable. Center Samon Satele (concussion) is probable and had full participation in practice Friday.

Stat of the Week

Chicago's defense is allowing an NFL-low 66.8 rushing yards over the last six weeks.

Weather:

58° Broken Clouds

[The Explorer]

Feels like a loss, but it could go either way. McFadden's status is still uncertain. Its not an impossible game to win if the D gets some takeaways and Hanie can limit the mistakes.

[emperorjones]

I'm really not impressed with the Raiders. Looking at their wins (@ Den, Hou, San & Min and Home vs NYG and CLE), I don't see much quality. The best win they have is on the road vs Houston and that was an emotional win pulled out of the fire after Al Davis died.

That said, The last two games Carson Palmer has been spot on with a QB rating of 125 & 107. I'm much more worried about our defense getting shredding than I am Caleb Hanie & the offense.

A win is possible, but I don't see it now.

Raiders 24 Bears 13.

[mattbulls]

"Consider too that not only will Hanie allow the Bears to keep their postseason goals alive, he will give the Bears an edge at the position in four of their final six games if he stays within himself. Sure, Carson Palmer of the Raiders and Aaron Rodgers of the Packers enjoy clear-cut advantages. But, sorry, neither the Chiefs' Tyler Palko, Broncos' Tim Tebow, Seahawks' Tarvaris Jackson nor Vikings' Christian Ponder gives his respective team a better chance to win than Hanie does."

Great Quote from the Elway article.

[Chewie]

I'm really not impressed with the Raiders. Looking at their wins (@ Den, Hou, San & Min and Home vs NYG and CLE), I don't see much quality. The best win they have is on the road vs Houston and that was an emotional win pulled out of the fire after Al Davis died.

That said, The last two games Carson Palmer has been spot on with a QB rating of 125 & 107. I'm much more worried about our defense getting shredding than I am Caleb Hanie & the offense.

A win is possible, but I don't see it now.

Raiders 24 Bears 13.

Who are you and what have you done with emperor "glass half full" jones?

Surprised at you but I sadly agree. Picking Oakland on this one. When you become one dimensional even average teams will find a way to beat you. I'm stacking the box if I'm the Oakland D and dare Hanie to win it with his arm.

[SportsWorld]

Raiders 31, Bears 13.

[The Explorer]

Raiders 31, Bears 13.

Oakland is terrible defensively, they are 24th against the run. Forte & Barber should fare just fine in this one. Bears will get their takeaways.

Raiders 17
Bears 20

[JDRochholz]

Bears 24-14

Hanie - 14-22 178yds 1TD 1INT

Forte/Barber run it in for 2TD's

Gould is Gold from 51yds

Defense has 2 picks and a fumble recovery

Hester NEARLY takes it to the house leading to the lone TD pass from Hanie

BOOK IT

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

I don't fear Oakland neither. I only fear the play calling of Mike Martz. Hanie will probably need a couple games before he'll be comfortable enough to produce in the passing game for our Bears, but Martz tends to get pass happy at the wrong times. Cutler's injury last week is a perfect example: We were up by two scores, middle of the 4th quarter, close to FG range, & it wasn't third down.

If our D & running game produces, we will win. If Martz becomes pass happy, we will unfortunately lose against the Raiders.

[heir_jordan22]

Based on Oakland's ridiculously long injury list I think the Bears will win.

[emperorjones]

Who are you and what have you done with emperor "glass half full" jones?

Surprised at you but I sadly agree. Picking Oakland on this one. When you become one dimensional even average teams will find a way to beat you. I'm stacking the box if I'm the Oakland D and dare Hanie to win it with his arm.

I posted that on Tuesday. I'm always pessimistic on Tuesdays when I look at the next opponent. By Wednesday I'm happy by Thursday I'm drinking the Kool-Aid baby!

Bears 24 Raiders 16

[Chewie]

Who are you and what have you done with emperor "glass half full" jones?

Surprised at you but I sadly agree. Picking Oakland on this one. When you become one dimensional even average teams will find a way to beat you. I'm stacking the box if I'm the Oakland D and dare Hanie to win it with his arm.

I posted that on Tuesday. I'm always pessimistic on Tuesdays when I look at the next opponent. By Wednesday I'm happy by Thursday I'm drinking the Kool-Aid baby!

Bears 24 Raiders 16

[emperorjones]

[Chewie]

Well it's got to help that the Raiders' WR corps are just decimated. Ford, Moore, and Heyward-Bey may all be out though I hear DHB may now be active after practicing on Fri.

You don't lose much with DMF out as Bush has picked up the slack nicely.

[NZB2323]

Bill Simmons:

SG: I loved how Cutler was playing for the Bears, but let's give their Ewing Theory potential a one-week test run just for the hell of it. And if that doesn't totally sway you, repeat after me: Carson Palmer against the Bears' defense. Carson Palmer against the Bears' defense. Carson Palmer against the Bears' defense. Carson Palmer against the Bears' defense … "

...add that to the fact that Oakland is horrible against the run and our run game has been fantastic lately, and I just don't understand the people predicting a Bears lost.

[Chewie]

Bill Simmons:

SG: I loved how Cutler was playing for the Bears, but let's give their Ewing Theory potential a one-week test run just for the hell of it. And if that doesn't totally sway you, repeat after me: Carson Palmer against the Bears' defense. Carson Palmer against the Bears' defense. Carson Palmer against the Bears' defense. Carson Palmer against the Bears' defense … "

...add that to the fact that Oakland is horrible against the run and our run game has been fantastic lately, and I just don't understand the people predicting a Bears lost.

I just think they're going to load up vs the run knowing the Bears are going to put Hanie into game-manager mode and Forte is definitely beatable when the other team knows what's coming.

In fact, I'll go ahead and predict that to get him comfortable, the Bears will call a nice, safe WR screen for Hanie's first pass that goes for 2 yards. The Raiders' corners should be playing tight on the line and they'll be putting at least 8 guys in the box, daring the Bears to air it out.

I'm very interested to see how this plays out.

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

The rivalry between you two guys is awesome.

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

This news should help us out.

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is expected to be suspended at least two games for shoving Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith's head, stomping on him and then not owning up to it in his post-game comments, league sources told ESPN.

The NFL has not determined exactly how long Suh will be suspended, but league officials believe two games will be the minimum. Sources say the league also could require Suh attend anger management courses.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/72865 ... ources-say

[emperorjones]

The rivalry between you two guys is awesome.

and all because Aaron Gray became the Bulls starting center (for a week )

[emperorjones]

This news should help us out.

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is expected to be suspended at least two games for shoving Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith's head, stomping on him and then not owning up to it in his post-game comments, league sources told ESPN.

The NFL has not determined exactly how long Suh will be suspended, but league officials believe two games will be the minimum. Sources say the league also could require Suh attend anger management courses.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/72865 ... ources-say

We really need him out 3 games to make a difference. They're losing next week in New Orleans with or without him IMO and there's no way the Vikings are going to win in Detroit. So it's that 3rd game against the Raiders in Oakland where he could be a real difference maker.

That said, I don't think he deserves 2 games let alone more. I think he should get the same one game suspension Tommie Harris got for punching a guy on the ground. But since he's got (and deserves) the bad rep, I can see how he'll get more. Personally, I think he's a throwback to football when I started watching in the 70s and I love it. Has me reminiscing over late hits by Doug Plank.