Week 17 Chicago @ GB 3:15CST TV:Fox

[mattbulls]

I'm on the play the starters knockout GB bandwagon.

What are you?

[The Explorer]

Play the starters. I don't want them to be rusty playing a hot team 3 weeks from now. Knocking the Packers out of the playoffs would be a huge confidence/morale booster heading into the playoffs. Laying down for the Packers so they could walk into the playoffs would leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth heading into the playoffs.

Only if the game gets out of hand should Lovie pull his starters.

[WEFFPIM]

Might be one of the most difficult choices Lovie will make in his tenure. Play the starters with a shot to knock out your rival, risk them getting injured and out for the playoffs.

I lean more towards playing the starters with the bye week now.

[CjayC]

Wouldn't it suck if we beat them and the Giants lost anyways?

The Redskins are a capable team and have beat several teams this year that are probably better than them on paper. All those teams in the NFC East have a seething hatred of each other, and the Giants are playing horrible football right now.

[WEFFPIM]

Wouldn't it suck if we beat them and the Giants lost anyways?

Tampa can still make it if they win and the Packers and Giants lose.

[IbreakNeckZ101]

Laying down against our rivals the greenbay ***** ... is an embarrassment to this organization by far.. play our starters and eliminate them from the playoffs and watch the greenbay fans on realgm become irate and start to cry. PLAY OUR STARTERS AND ELIMINATE THEM FROM THE PLAYOFFS!

[WEFFPIM]

Yeah, if the Bears had a game in Round 1 I would say play the starters for a half. But with a bye week? Go for it. If things get out of hand then take guys out. But if this thing is close down the stretch, go for the knockout. The Packers love to find ways to s*** the bed in close games anyways.

[SportsWorld]

In 2006, we only played the starters for a half against the Packers and that turned out well. Of course, neither team had anything to play for.

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

We will know by kickoff if we still have a shot at the #1 seed. If we still have a chance, then we should go all out for a victory. If we have no chance at the top seed, we should protect our players by playing them limited minutes.

I know that a lot of people fear the Packers, but I don't. I don't fear any team in the NFC. Any team has a chance to beat any other team in the playoffs. The year that we made it to the Superbowl, everyone feared the Saints & we smashed them. Playoff teams are ALL dangerous teams, but I don't fear any of them.

[emperorjones]

There's no need to play the starters because of fear of the Packers. 1st, the only way we play them again is in the NFC Championship game at home - which would be awesome win or lose. 2nd, if people think we can knock them out at their place with their playoff lives on the line....what would you be worried about if we face them later?

That said, I'd love for the bears starters to play to stay sharp and if possible knock out the Packers just for fun. If we do knock them out, the national media will finally take note. - OT - did anyone see the ESPN video/report asking if the Bears were overrated? OVERRATED????!!!! GOD I HAAAAAATE ESPN.

[SportsWorld]

Okay, I didn't believe in this team at the beginning but what more do they have to prove? They beat the Packers, they beat the Eagles, they beat the Jets. God forbid they win games that they're supposed to win! I guess it's a good thing the media is against us because if you remember back in 2006, it almost felt like ESPN was rooting for the Saints against us with all the hype they had for them. **** ESPN.

[The Explorer]

They are constantly making excuses for all other teams. Drew Brees has 20 INTs and they constantly praise him. Meanwhile, the Bears handle the Vikings and Eagles, and they talk about Cutler's bad mechanics and his near INTs. Its obvious they have an agenda against him.

[SportsWorld]

Mark Schlereth and Trent Dilfer are the worst. I'm convinced Cutler banged their wives or something. Schlereth is a former Bronco so maybe that has something to do with it. Not sure what Cutler did to Dilfer though.

[The Explorer]

Schlereth is not nearly as bad as Tim Hasselbeck.

[WEFFPIM]

Have the Bears caught some breaks? Sure. But you don't get to 11-4 on luck alone, and anyone who thinks that is (Please Use More Appropriate Word).

*looks north*

[SportsWorld]

Yeah of course we've caught some breaks but you can't take any team in the NFL for granted. We crushed the Joe Webb led Vikings on the road and the Eagles got pretty much dominated by that same team at home in a must-win game.

[ChronicKerr]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/ ... id=5966457

Front page ESPN Insider Article titled "The luck of the 2010 Chicago Bears". KC Joyner goes into this analysis about tipped interceptions, etc. It's hogwash.

[SportsWorld]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/columns/story?columnist=joyner_kc&id=5966457

Front page ESPN Insider Article titled "The luck of the 2010 Chicago Bears". KC Joyner goes into this analysis about tipped interceptions, etc. It's hogwash.

That's a good article...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB6nYFAhiVI[/youtube]

[The Explorer]

Tipped interceptions happen to every quarterback, every game. Why the hell is it that only the Bears/Cutler are punished for this?

[barnett114]

Fucc ESPN, they hate on the Bears too much but they love the Jets.