SnakeLH2006
12-31-2010, 12:29 AM
http://www.rrstar.com/carousel/x1733658400/More-important-for-Bears-to-stay-healthy-than-beat-Packers
Now let’s see, which is more important: beating the Packers in a meaningless Week 17 game, or getting everything you can out of your team in hopes of a long playoff run?
Surprisingly, it depends on whom you ask.
Obviously Packers coaches, players and fans are all clearly on the same wavelength when it comes to going all out in Sunday’s Bears-Packers game to close out the regular season in Green Bay. There is a playoff spot on the line for the Packers, clear reason for the dire urgency in that locker room.
“For us,” Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews said in a teleconference, “it’s almost a do or die.”
Those on the Bears side, strangely enough, are not all on a parallel train of thought as to the importance of a win Sunday. It seems odd to me, as a reporter and a fan, considering this one should only be a big deal if they lose a star, not the game.
The talk around the Bears locker room, where very few injuries have struck this season, does not always support that idea.
“Lovie (Smith) said we’re going to be going hard in this game,” Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said, “and we’re going to be going full go on Sunday.”
Smith isn’t the only coach singing the same tune.
“This is a very important game for us, pure and simple,” offensive coordinator Mike Martz added.
No, it’s not.
Everybody’s No. 1 goal from Day 1 is to win the Super Bowl. Next on the list: make the playoffs, and put together a nice run. Winning the NFC North was often heard as well, but that one has already been checked off the list.
Just beating the Packers — that one’s usually reserved for old-school fans, and those who refuse to look at the big picture.
The Bears cannot finish lower than the No. 2 seed in the NFC, and can only get the No. 1 seed if their win over Green Bay is coupled with a New Orleans loss to Tampa Bay and an Atlanta loss to Carolina.
That last one? Won’t happen.
And the crazy idea that beating the Packers is more important than winning in the playoffs is one that makes Bears fans sound stupid.
Even Pro Bowl middle linebacker Brian Urlacher agrees with me.
“Obviously, we want to play well every game, but if we don’t, it’s not the end of the world,” he said. “We still have a bye week to fix whatever problems we may have. So, it’s not a huge issue.”
But Pro Bowl outside linebacker Lance Briggs is on the other side.
“In the years before there was absolutely nothing to get out of the game besides beating Green Bay,” Briggs said. “This game, even though we have clinched a first-round bye, we can knock our opponent out of the playoff race. That’s enough to play hard for.”
Green Bay has shown that it is no better than the rest of the playoff-caliber NFC teams this season. If the Packers and Bears meet in the postseason, it will be a much different scenario than the teams face this week.
The only logical argument to playing the starters the whole way Sunday is to keep this team rolling. And there is nothing out there to prove that can’t be accomplished with a strong half or three quarters of play, followed by a little social sideline time.
Even the notion that they need the game experience because they will be off because of the bye is ludicrous. Even the healthiest of teams could use some rest this time of year, and that won’t knock the focus out of this Bears team’s head.
“With this team, none of that will matter. We have a certain focus of winning the championship,” linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa said. But then he added: “We don’t want to let off the gas, though, no matter what team it is.”
And then the best-ever return man Devin Hester said: “I just want to eliminate another good team.”
Me too, but not at the expense of a playoff run.
Play Cutler, play Hester. Let Urlacher and Briggs run around like madmen for a while. But either when the game gets out of hand, or somewhere late in the third quarter — whichever comes first — get them out of there, along with a few of their friends.
Playing some more backups this weekend when it’s all but set up for you is a much better prospect than having to play them in the playoffs.
_________________________________-
Yeah, whatever....we'll whoop their asses no matter what with a healthy Arod.
Does anyone think Cutler is a good NFL QB? (Partial is gone right? Bring him back, Joe...I miss that idiot)
No matter what: Chicago Bear Fans = Ignorant Bitches.
Now let’s see, which is more important: beating the Packers in a meaningless Week 17 game, or getting everything you can out of your team in hopes of a long playoff run?
Surprisingly, it depends on whom you ask.
Obviously Packers coaches, players and fans are all clearly on the same wavelength when it comes to going all out in Sunday’s Bears-Packers game to close out the regular season in Green Bay. There is a playoff spot on the line for the Packers, clear reason for the dire urgency in that locker room.
“For us,” Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews said in a teleconference, “it’s almost a do or die.”
Those on the Bears side, strangely enough, are not all on a parallel train of thought as to the importance of a win Sunday. It seems odd to me, as a reporter and a fan, considering this one should only be a big deal if they lose a star, not the game.
The talk around the Bears locker room, where very few injuries have struck this season, does not always support that idea.
“Lovie (Smith) said we’re going to be going hard in this game,” Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said, “and we’re going to be going full go on Sunday.”
Smith isn’t the only coach singing the same tune.
“This is a very important game for us, pure and simple,” offensive coordinator Mike Martz added.
No, it’s not.
Everybody’s No. 1 goal from Day 1 is to win the Super Bowl. Next on the list: make the playoffs, and put together a nice run. Winning the NFC North was often heard as well, but that one has already been checked off the list.
Just beating the Packers — that one’s usually reserved for old-school fans, and those who refuse to look at the big picture.
The Bears cannot finish lower than the No. 2 seed in the NFC, and can only get the No. 1 seed if their win over Green Bay is coupled with a New Orleans loss to Tampa Bay and an Atlanta loss to Carolina.
That last one? Won’t happen.
And the crazy idea that beating the Packers is more important than winning in the playoffs is one that makes Bears fans sound stupid.
Even Pro Bowl middle linebacker Brian Urlacher agrees with me.
“Obviously, we want to play well every game, but if we don’t, it’s not the end of the world,” he said. “We still have a bye week to fix whatever problems we may have. So, it’s not a huge issue.”
But Pro Bowl outside linebacker Lance Briggs is on the other side.
“In the years before there was absolutely nothing to get out of the game besides beating Green Bay,” Briggs said. “This game, even though we have clinched a first-round bye, we can knock our opponent out of the playoff race. That’s enough to play hard for.”
Green Bay has shown that it is no better than the rest of the playoff-caliber NFC teams this season. If the Packers and Bears meet in the postseason, it will be a much different scenario than the teams face this week.
The only logical argument to playing the starters the whole way Sunday is to keep this team rolling. And there is nothing out there to prove that can’t be accomplished with a strong half or three quarters of play, followed by a little social sideline time.
Even the notion that they need the game experience because they will be off because of the bye is ludicrous. Even the healthiest of teams could use some rest this time of year, and that won’t knock the focus out of this Bears team’s head.
“With this team, none of that will matter. We have a certain focus of winning the championship,” linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa said. But then he added: “We don’t want to let off the gas, though, no matter what team it is.”
And then the best-ever return man Devin Hester said: “I just want to eliminate another good team.”
Me too, but not at the expense of a playoff run.
Play Cutler, play Hester. Let Urlacher and Briggs run around like madmen for a while. But either when the game gets out of hand, or somewhere late in the third quarter — whichever comes first — get them out of there, along with a few of their friends.
Playing some more backups this weekend when it’s all but set up for you is a much better prospect than having to play them in the playoffs.
_________________________________-
Yeah, whatever....we'll whoop their asses no matter what with a healthy Arod.
Does anyone think Cutler is a good NFL QB? (Partial is gone right? Bring him back, Joe...I miss that idiot)
No matter what: Chicago Bear Fans = Ignorant Bitches.