Gapers Block has ceased publication.

Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
 Thank you for your readership and contributions. 

TODAY

Friday, March 29

Gapers Block
Search

Gapers Block on Facebook Gapers Block on Flickr Gapers Block on Twitter The Gapers Block Tumblr


Tailgate
« Fire Headed to Eastern Conference Final WCR All-Stars Skate Into National Championships »

Bears Sun Nov 08 2009

Footballic Ramblings: Bears Meet the Woodshed

This game got ugly. Fast. How fast? Oh about 65 seconds into the game, I'd say:


"You stay classy, Chicago."

Following the amateur pugilist's ejection, the bloodbath was sooooo on! Cardinal quarterback/testament to clean living and Bible reading, Kurt Warner, got his Old Testament wrath of God on against the infidels in Chicago's secondary, peep the stats: 5!! touchdowns, 261 yards, 22 of 32 and a robust rating of 132.9 (a perfect rating is 158.3) As overwhelming as the aerial assault from Warner, the Cardinals offense managed a startlingly balanced attack with Tim Hightower and Chris Wells leading a two-headed ground game that was good for 186 yards on 31 carries against a very depleted Bears defense (sans Harris thanks to stupidity and sans others thanks to various injuries).

For the Bears, the problems that have been apparent all year (and really the problems were around last year too) all came out of the woodwork on Sunday. Defensively: Sieve-like defensive line without anyone really anchoring the point of attack? Check. Lack of pressuring opposition's quarterback? Check. "Deer in headlights" secondary? Check. Against a team like the Cleveland Browns these soft spots are problematic but manageable because, well, the Browns suck. Against a hi-octane offense such as Arizona? How fare ye, Danieal Manning? What's that? You can't hear me because Larry Fitzgerald cut your ears off and fed them to you in between his twin touchdown grabs and his cute little 123 yard day at the office? The Bears defense is without a rudder and with games against Philadelphia, Minnesota (twice), San Francisco, Baltimore and Green Bay still up, the defense will be getting the "log in wood chipper" treatment for the foreseeable future.

But surely the offense will manage something? Nope. The Bears offensive line has been abysmal and won't be improving against the likes of those teams either. Honestly, Jared Allen, following a sack, could very well slice Cutler's heart out like the priest in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The running game is going to continue to be buried under an avalanche of furiously angry and oversized men meaning Matt Forte and Garret Wolfe great harm. Jay-Bot 5000 is struggling through the pains of a porous offensive line and his numbers will continue to stagnate in the middling range of starting qbs and his lack of smiles will continue. Cutler, who for the most part this season has been fairly blameless in his interceptions and miscues, has to take the blame for an ugly pick he threw in the fourth after the Bears had tried to manage a modest rally. But let's face the facts, a very old and decrepit Bears defense lost this game --Chicago was down by 27 before they even scored a second touchdown and you will not win very many games when you face that sort of deficit. With a very imposing second half schedule the Bears and their fans will have to begin altering their expectations and maybe accept the fact that for the team to get back to competing some very difficult personnel decisions will have to be made this winter.

 
GB store

Add a Comment




Please enter the letter j in the field below:



Live Comment Preview


Notes & Tags

Items marked with a * are required fields. Please respect each other. We reserve the right to delete any comments borne out of douchebaggery or that deal in asshattery.

Permitted tags and how to use them:

To link: <a href="http://blahblahblah.com">Link text</a>
To italicize: <em>Your text</em>
To bold: <strong>Your text</strong>

GB store
GB store

Tailgate on Flickr

Join the Tailgate Flickr Pool.


About Tailgate

Tailgate is the sports section of Gapers Block, covering all Chicago sports. More...
Please see our submission guidelines.

Editor: Chad Ruter, cr@gapersblock.com
Tailgate staff inbox: tailgate@gapersblock.com

Archives

 

Tailgate Flickr Pool
 Subscribe in a reader.


GB store

GB Store

GB Buttons $1.50

GB T-Shirt $12

I ✶ Chi T-Shirts $15