2022-2023 NFL Season

[MU82]

Belichick accepted no blame for simply not having his QB take an effen knee and going to OT.

[JWags85]

Belichick accepted no blame for simply not having his QB take an effen knee and going to OT.

I have no issue with calling a simple running play there, cause who knows.  The chances of a fumble that is returned for a TD on a basic inside run are near zero, FAR less than breaking that HB dive/stretch/counter into a TD run.

Now if he called or sanctioned a lateral drill, then there is tons of blame

[dgies9156]

I think everyone pretty much agrees with the Bears' strategy in that the front office is saying "we are building to be successful in 2-3 years, and we are indifferent to the results in the meantime."  I think the disagreement boils down to: after you accept the front office's decision to punt on near-term results, is the Bears future brighter if they go 4-13 instead of 8-9?

I'm in the camp that no, the Bears' future is not materially impacted by whether they win or lose these games.  As a Dolphins fan, I had to deal with this exact issue during the 2019 tank for Tua year.  Flores and Fitzmagic went on a meaningless heater, and I was in fan no man's land about whether winning those games was a good thing.  That was even more pronounced because the front office's indifference to winning was in service of getting a specific QB, whereas the Bears debate is just about the value of picking 4-6 spots earlier with no particular draft target in mind. 

My two cents is that a front office punting games is the hardest position to be in as a fan - its actually easier to root for your team to lose than to be told that the games don't matter.  But fortunately in the NFL, the value of losing games just isn't significant enough to ever actually root against your team (e.g., Tua got hurt, slipped, and the Dolphins got him anyway, which never would have happened in the NBA).  So just root for your team to win with the standing disclaimer that you know the front office isn't putting the players and coaches in the best position to succeed, in service of future success.

I take a very different tactic. While the Bears will have a high draft choice this year and probably next, don't expect them to spend a dime more than they absolutely have to until Arlington Heights is secured and under construction.

Assuming Arlington Heights opens in 2027 or 2028, look for the Bears to begin break-out spending in 2026. They'll build slowly and very gradually until then. As long as people show up at Daley's Dump on the Lakefront, they won't care!

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I take a very different tactic. While the Bears will have a high draft choice this year and probably next, don't expect them to spend a dime more than they absolutely have to until Arlington Heights is secured and under construction.

Assuming Arlington Heights opens in 2027 or 2028, look for the Bears to begin break-out spending in 2026. They'll build slowly and very gradually until then. As long as people show up at Daley's Dump on the Lakefront, they won't care!

The Bears haven't been shy to spend in free agency before. They are making money hand over fist already.

[WhiteTrash]

The Bears haven't been shy to spend in free agency before. They are making money hand over fist already.

I agree with this.

Generally, I don't see spending money as a significant issue for any NFL team. Not like you see in other sports. Just MHO.

[jficke13]

I agree with this.

Generally, I don't see spending money as a significant issue for any NFL team. Not like you see in other sports. Just MHO.

I could see them prioritizing *flexibility* to be in a position to have lots of resources to make big moves in either FA or trading for vets with an Arlington Heights debut year in mind. E.g. sign/spend but with contracts set to expire or be easily voidable so they have big cap space and key pieces in place for the move.

[4everwarriors]

MLF wuz playin' 'gainst hiz friend. Mite bea a different deel if he hated da udder koach's gutz, aina?

[GB Warrior]

The Packers got a little momentum but ultimately the teams they should have beaten. They still need to beat 2 playoff caliber teams, and they still have one more against the Vikings.

[DegenerateDish]

The Packers got a little momentum but ultimately the teams they should have beaten. They still need to beat 2 playoff caliber teams, and they still have one more against the Vikings.

I like them a lot this week in Miami, even coming off a short week. I think it'll be one of the better games on this week's slate.

[MU82]

I have no issue with calling a simple running play there, cause who knows.  The chances of a fumble that is returned for a TD on a basic inside run are near zero, FAR less than breaking that HB dive/stretch/counter into a TD run.

Odds of breaking a TD run there were extremely low. Take the knee and go to OT, and everybody isn't talking about Belichick's team suffering the humiliation of being victimized by one of the worst plays in the history of the sport.

The odds were long against the Pisarcik fumble/TD return, too. It happens. The Giants should have taken a knee there back before you were born.

Bottom line: For better or worse, coaching is a results business. The result of Belichick's decision to hand the ball to a dumb-ass was a crucial loss.

[JWags85]

Odds of breaking a TD run there were extremely low. Take the knee and go to OT, and everybody isn't talking about Belichick's team suffering the humiliation of being victimized by one of the worst plays in the history of the sport.

The odds were long against the Pisarcik fumble/TD return, too. It happens. The Giants should have taken a knee there back before you were born.

Bottom line: For better or worse, coaching is a results business. The result of Belichick's decision to hand the ball to a dumb-ass was a crucial loss.

Stevenson had 150 yards to that point.  He was killing the Raiders on the ground and had broken a 35 yard gain for a TD 3 minutes before.  Against a prevent defense from midfield, it wasn't a bad call at all.  You're talking about it like it was a fumble on a draw play that was returned for a TD instead of a comedy of errors.  Again, unless Belichick called a lateral play as it occurred, thats literally not in your consideration set.  They don't do it if they were on their own 20/25.

The Miracle at the Meadowlands was late in the game that wasn't tied, inside the Giants 30, with the Eagles throwing everything at the LOS.  Not even a remotely similar scenario.

Coaching is risk reward.  You call that run, you have a 5% chance of breaking a TD, a 94.9999% chance of going to OT by any number of outcomes, and a .0001 (probably smaller chance) of your RB and WR going rogue and throwing the ball around like that.

[MU82]

5% chance of a TD run? Hmm.

It’s OK Wags, we’ll agree to disagree

[tower912]

Hmmmm, lack of defensive playmakers. Check.
Can't stop power running.   Check.
Same old Lions.   Check.
Improved, but not a playoff team.  Check.

Detroit plays a base 4-2-5 and never put in  a third linebacker while betting destroyed up the middle.

The worst thing a Lions fan can have is hope.

I never believed the hype.

[Uncle Rico]

Hmmmm, lack of defensive playmakers. Check.
Can't stop power running.   Check.
Same old Lions.   Check.
Improved, but not a playoff team.  Check.

Detroit plays a base 4-2-5 and never put in  a third linebacker while betting destroyed up the middle.

The worst thing a Lions fan can have is hope.

I never believed the hype.

Packers fans think they can win a Super Bowl with this roster, so don’t feel bad

[tower912]

You have to have hope or believe to feel bad.

[MU82]

Hmmmm, lack of defensive playmakers. Check.
Can't stop power running.   Check.
Same old Lions.   Check.
Improved, but not a playoff team.  Check.

Detroit plays a base 4-2-5 and never put in  a third linebacker while betting destroyed up the middle.

The worst thing a Lions fan can have is hope.

I never believed the hype.

Lions made the Panthers' running attack look like the '72 Dolphins.

In the first half, it was 7-7, the Lions had stopped the Panthers and the Lions were doing everything they wanted on offense in taking the ball 80+ yards into the red zone. Goff was playing incredibly well and it looked like Detroit was about to go up 14-7. Then Goff and the center flubbed a routine snap, the Panthers recovered, Carolina went 90+ yards to take the lead ... and Detroit seemed to lose focus.

Crazy stuff. If the Panthers win their last two against Tampa and New Orleans -- teams they've already beaten -- they'll win the division at 8-9.

[tower912]

Congratulations on a franchise best yardage total.

[MU82]

Congratulations on a franchise best yardage total.

Mostly ... congratulations to my chipping game!

[DegenerateDish]

Amazing, if Carolina wins out, they’ll be NFC South champions.

If I’m Dallas, I’d much rather go to Tampa.

[PointWarrior]

Vikings will lose 1st round of playoffs

[tower912]

Maybe.   They will be hosting, so I give them a puncher's chance.   I really like their chances if it is a one possession game.

[tower912]

I said this last week when Detroit was getting love that you are what your record is.    Minnesota is going to be a 2 or 3 seed.    Dallas will play the winner of the NFC south.   Minnesota will host Washington, Seattle, Detroit, or Green Bay. 

They could lose.   But I think they win.

[WhiteTrash]

Bears within striking distance of the #1 pick. 

[DegenerateDish]

One more Texans win, Bears lose out would get Chicago the first pick.

[MUeng]

One more Texans win, Bears lose out would get Chicago the first pick.

would they take Bryce Young?