Posts tagged ‘Bears’

This week’s preview will have a bit of a fairy tale theme. In part because I still can’t believe we actually won last week and also because the thought that we’ll make the playoffs is still a bit of a fantasy. Either way this will be a game that goes a long way to determining both teams fate. At 8-5 the Giants could take a deep breath and feel the playoffs are within their grasp, but at 7-6 the shadow of another 2nd half collapse begins to grow. For the Bears a loss means 5-7 and the crack in the playoff window gets slammed shut, but 6-6 leaves them right in the thick of things and I can continue to live in my fantasy land for one more week.

Bears Offense vs. Giants Defense: The Giants defense seems like it would be ideally built to give Rex and Co. a lot of problems. They lead the league in sacks and will be attacking an offensive line that has struggled in pass protection all year. Additionally the Bears will be without Cedric Benson, which could limit their ability to pound the ball inside (please hold the laughing) but more importantly might limit the effectiveness of play-action. But there is reason for hope considering this Giants team just gave up 139 QB rating to Tarvaris Jackson, at least the Vikings beat us with the Evil Twin (Adrian Peterson). This game will undoubtedly come down to the Bears ability to protect Rex and run the ball a little bit. With a little help from his receivers (by finally catching the ball consistently) Rex just might cut down the bean stalk in time to bring this Giants Defense down.

Bears Defense vs. Giants Offense: The Giants come to town with the only Quarterback in the NFL who might be more criticized than our own Rex Grossman. Eli Manning has become the Wizard in the “Wizard of Oz”, and last weekend against the Vikings might have finally pulled back the curtain. He had enticed the people of New York with the mirage that he might become his brother and is instead nothing but an average Quarterback. The problem in this game is the Bears once vaunted Defense has gone a long way this year to making average team look like juggernauts. Add in that they may be without Harris and a slowed Briggs and Vasher and you can see another frustrating performance coming. The Bears must stuff the run and apply pressure to force Eli into the rushed decisions that cause his mistakes. Wally Ogunleye has been on a tear over the last few weeks and if someone else can step up (:cough: Mark Anderson :cough:) to apply pressure from the other side the Bears might finally force some turnovers and give us a little peak back in time.

Special Teams Glance: Ok… I’ll admit it. The only reason I ever added this section was so I could devote an entire paragraph to talking about Devin Hester. Can you blame me? Maybe some of it is because the rest of the Bears outstanding special teams has been so consistent it’s seems rather repetitive to write every week that Maynard and Gould are amongst the best at what they do. Throw in Tillman’s punt block (has there been a more valuable Bear this year) and Izzy and the boys creating lanes for Hester and it just brings a smile to your face. The big question will be how the Giants handle kicking to Hester, but whether they give him the chance to burn them or not the field position will swing big in the Bears favor. Is this enough for our struggling offense? I think somehow Superman comes to the rescue again.

Prediction: Bears 24, Giants 17. Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.