2012 NFC North/NFL Thread

[DegenerateDish]

  Like I been sayin'.......

Sorry, what you said made no sense.

[ATWizJr]

Read it again.  Has a nice ring to it.

[DegenerateDish]

Ok, read it again. Makes even less sense now. So you like the Bears defense? Weird.

[🏀]

Read it again.  Has a nice ring to it.

You should think about letting it go.

[hairy worthen]

Really?  Who have they played?  Next 4 weeks will tell the tale.

1-3, -- interesting tale.

[ATWizJr]

Ok, read it again. Makes even less sense now. So you like the Bears defense? Weird.

 Not sure what you are reading, but here it is: NFC North Division leading Green By Packers.  Has a nice ring to it.  You are probably used to it.

The Bears "vaunted" defense?  The same one that gave up a 97 yard drive in the second half and an 80 yard drive in OT to a rookie QB in a loss on the home turf?  Yeah, as a Packer fan, I really love 'em.  Thanks Bears!

[hairy worthen]

 Not sure what you are reading, but here it is: NFC North Division leading Green By Packers.  Has a nice ring to it.  You are probably used to it.

The Bears "vaunted" defense?  The same one that gave up a 97 yard drive in the second half and an 80 yard drive in OT to a rookie QB in a loss on the home turf?  Yeah, as a Packer fan, I really love 'em.  Thanks Bears!

That defense looked old and tired during that last drive. This is what happens when you depend on the defense to get touchdowns to win, it dosent happen all the time.

[MerrittsMustache]

That defense looked old and tired during that last drive. This is what happens when you depend on the defense to get touchdowns to win, it dosent happen all the time.

Very true. They allowed a 12-play, 97 yard drive and then basically went back out onto the field and allowed another 12-play drive. Any D is going to look tired when they put themselves in that situation. When a D is already aging and has been carrying the team for 13 weeks, it's going to look even more tired.

There's no doubt in my mind that the Bears are better than Seattle and no doubt in my mind that the Bears deserved to lose to Seattle yesterday. You could see it coming from the failed 4-and-inches on. It reminded me a lot of the Bears-Panthers game except that Seattle is a better team than Carolina. You can get away with a clunker against a bad team. You can't get away with it against a playoff-caliber team.

[hairy worthen]

Very true. They allowed a 12-play, 97 yard drive and then basically went back out onto the field and allowed another 12-play drive. Any D is going to look tired when they put themselves in that situation. When a D is already aging and has been carrying the team for 13 weeks, it's going to look even more tired.

There's no doubt in my mind that the Bears are better than Seattle and no doubt in my mind that the Bears deserved to lose to Seattle yesterday. You could see it coming from the failed 4-and-inches on. It reminded me a lot of the Bears-Panthers game except that Seattle is a better team than Carolina. You can get away with a clunker against a bad team. You can't get away with it against a playoff-caliber team.

The Bears are much better than Seattle although the Seattle defense is pretty good. I was surprised and delighted that Seattle could beat the bears at home. The Bear offense has to pick it up or they will go down quickly in the playoffs.  similiar to what happened to the packers last year with the opposite problem, no defense great offense.

[GGGG]

 Not sure what you are reading, but here it is: NFC North Division leading Green By Packers.  Has a nice ring to it.  You are probably used to it.

Seriously?  They are leading because of a head-to-head tiebreaker and both teams are 8-4.  Are you really bragging that up?

[GGGG]

The Bears are much better than Seattle although the Seattle defense is pretty good. I was surprised and delighted that Seattle could beat the bears at home. The Bear offense has to pick it up or they will go down quickly in the playoffs.  similiar to what happened to the packers last year with the opposite problem, no defense great offense.

I see nothing that is going to suggest that the Bears' offense is going to "pick it up."  They have the skill players, but the OL stinks and the guy calling the plays is a meathead.  And yeah, the defense is starting to look old.  They are going to need a major overhaul on that side of the ball.

That being said, the Bears, Niners, Packers and Giants are all about the same...anywhere from 2-5 in the NFC.  I would say GB and Chicago are slightly behind the other two, but as players come back from injury and the football bounces this way and that, you never know.

[hairy worthen]

 Not sure what you are reading, but here it is: NFC North Division leading Green By Packers.  Has a nice ring to it.  You are probably used to it.

Might be eating crow in a couple of weeks. That will be the game to decide it.

[DegenerateDish]

 Not sure what you are reading, but here it is: NFC North Division leading Green By Packers.  Has a nice ring to it.  You are probably used to it.

The Bears "vaunted" defense?  The same one that gave up a 97 yard drive in the second half and an 80 yard drive in OT to a rookie QB in a loss on the home turf?  Yeah, as a Packer fan, I really love 'em.  Thanks Bears!

Is the parade down Lombardi avenue for the 3/4 of a season NFC North Championship trophy presentation today or tomorrow? Are schools closed today in Green Bay?

[GGGG]

Is the parade down Lombardi avenue for the 3/4 of a season NFC North Championship trophy presentation today or tomorrow? Are schools closed today in Green Bay?

Heh.

[DegenerateDish]

Getting back to football talk, that was what good teams do yesterday, and kudos to the Packers for bouncing back. Good teams get back off the mat and respond. Vikings without Harvin are an entirely different team. Peterson is the heart of that offense, but Harvin balances them. Take one away, and the Vikings will continue to struggle.

Lovie's decision not to kick that FG on 4th and inches from the 15...I'll never understand it. To have been able to go up double digits in the first quarter, at home, momentum completely in your favor, makes no sense. Bears in game coaching yesterday was really really bad. Almost as bad as the Bears tackling.

Let's just say the seat warmer has been turned on in Lovie's car (from what I'm hearing).

For the record, the Pack will win the NFC North.

[GGGG]

Packers just need to get Matthews back...Woodson would help too.

The Packer's OL is just a mess right now.  If Lang is done for significant time, I think it's going to be very difficult for them to do much more this year.

[hairy worthen]

Getting back to football talk, that was what good teams do yesterday, and kudos to the Packers for bouncing back. Good teams get back off the mat and respond. Vikings without Harvin are an entirely different team. Peterson is the heart of that offense, but Harvin balances them. Take one away, and the Vikings will continue to struggle.

That offense other than Peterson is not very good, Harvin or no Harvin. Ponder is the problem, below average QB at best. A few more play making receivers would help though.

Let's just say the seat warmer has been turned on in Lovie's car (from what I'm hearing).

May be true, but not justified in my opinion. The Bears are right there year after year with Lovie. Maybe drafting competent offensive linemen and receivers would help.

For the record, the Pack will win the NFC North.

I am not convinced of this. The way the packers are playing right now I would be happy with 2-2 the rest of the way. The first half against the Vikings was horrible, a better team would have buried them right then.

[hairy worthen]

Packers just need to get Matthews back...Woodson would help too.

The Packer's OL is just a mess right now.  If Lang is done for significant time, I think it's going to be very difficult for them to do much more this year.

Matthews yes, Woodson only from a leadership on the field standpoint not from an actual play standpoint.

I thought Barclay held his own. If Lang does come back they should put him back at guard and let Barclay play right tackle and slide help his way. McCarthy said after the game that Langs injury did  not appear serious according to the team doctor.

[ATWizJr]

Is the parade down Lombardi avenue for the 3/4 of a season NFC North Championship trophy presentation today or tomorrow? Are schools closed today in Green Bay?

Let's just say that there are smiles all around.

[DegenerateDish]

Let's just say that there are smiles all around.

Congrats then, enjoy!

I guess I have to give my "Bears are 8-3, in first place in the NFC North" t-shirt to Goodwill.

[ATWizJr]

Congrats then, enjoy!

I guess I have to give my "Bears are 8-3, in first place in the NFC North" t-shirt to Goodwill.

  No. Keep it.  It will be valuable someday.

[JWags85]

I think it is justified.  I was having this conversation with a friend after the game last night.  Lovie isn't a bad coach, but I do feel he's had a hand in preventing this team as a whole from realizing their full potential over the last few years.  Its hard when there is an NFC championship game 2 years ago, but he's shown terrible game management over the years, his personell management has been crappy as well (sure some is on Angelo, but Lovie could easily speak up and complain about the lack of depth overall, or lack of an OL in general), and his promotion of Tice, who has no playcalling experience whatsoever, at any level (unless you count his mediocre period as Viking's HC) and was responsible for the worst performing unit on the team, is a bit ridiculous.

As was mentioned, the defense is rapidly aging, and who knows how long Forte will be good as we've seen how quickly RBs can decline (he's been meh this year, but a large portion of that I feel goes to horrible playcalling).  There is a window that is closing.  That is what worries me

[GGGG]

Matthews yes, Woodson only from a leadership on the field standpoint not from an actual play standpoint.

I thought Barclay held his own. If Lang does come back they should put him back at guard and let Barclay play right tackle and slide help his way. McCarthy said after the game that Langs injury did  not appear serious according to the team doctor.

I thought Barclay did OK.  Now give a good team a week or two of tape on the guy and who knows.  The coaching staff obviously feels better with Lang at RT and Dietrich-Smith at LG...as poor as he has been.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I can't decide if Ponder is that bad or if the Vikes receivers are so bad.

Probably a combo of both, which makes solving the problem even tougher.

On some throws, Ponder is accurate and looks great. He's mobile. His teammates appear to respond to him.

But, on other throws (where guys are open), he just flat out misses. I think the mental learning curve can take some time... but physically, he has to be able to make the throws. If he can't do it today, is he suddenly going to be able to do it next week? Next year?

The Vikes receivers are bad. They get a lot of single coverages and they can't get open. I don't know how that's possible. Play action throws to the tight end and the occasional deep shot to a WR should give the vikes 100 yards passing per game. I don't know how they are messing that up.

AP honestly looks better than he ever has. In fact, he might be better now than anybody ever has been. Stupid good.

There is still some hope for Ponder, but his ceiling is Alex Smith... which isn't bad... but the Vikes can't wait 6 seasons for him to get there. He needs to be Alex Smith tomorrow.

[🏀]

There is still some hope for Ponder, but his ceiling is Alex Smith... which isn't bad... but the Vikes can't wait 6 seasons for him to get there. He needs to be Alex Smith tomorrow.

It he becomes Alex Smith on this Sunday, I don't think they'll be complaining either.