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

Tuesday, March 19

Gapers Block
Search

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


Tailgate
« Hawks beat 'Lanche, bad news for Bolland's back Indian Lakes 'Cross! »

Bears Thu Nov 12 2009

Footballic Ramblings: Bears Visit the Niners

The struggling Bears travel tonight to San Francisco to take on the equally as woeful 49ers in an intriguing match up of teams that both raced out of the gates to 3-1 starts but are now sitting on the outside of the playoff picture and looking in. The Thursday night tilt is spiced up a little more with the fact that San Francisco's head coach, Mike Singletary, spent 12 seasons prowling the turf of Soldier Field as one of Chicago's most fearsome linebackers, winning a Super Bowl title with the 1985 Bears. For the Hall of Famer this will be his first time facing his former team. What can you, the modestly-intrigued NFL watcher, expect tonight? Points. Lots of 'em. The over/under is 43 and I can see both teams approaching 30+ considering, for both offenses, it's strength versus weakness.

Both the Bears and Niners defenses rank in the bottom half of the league in total defense, so, really, pick your poison, defensive coordinators? For Chicago, yes, Frank Gore (SF's mighty buffalo/running back of doom) will be gashing the Bears pilowy-soft defense for yards, yards, yards!

In spite of Vernon Davis' braggadocio, dude's got a solid, solid point: the Bears defense has been horrendous in all aspects the past month. However Davis might be forgetting that the young, not-so-good Jedi, Alex Smith, is quarterbacking for the 415 area code. Joe Montana he aint, people. Also, Frank Gore will run, run, run, run for yards, yards, yards, yards against the Bears. So expect the 49ers pass game to be somewhat limited unless, by some miracle of Halas, the Bears run defense gets extra inspired by Davis' comments or Frank Gore falls apart or something...

Speaking of the Bears defense, Tommie Harris won't be suspended by the NFL or Bears organization for his "gettin' punchy" on 'Zona's Deuce Lutui in Sunday's loss. When asked for comment NFL commisioner, Roger Goodell, quipped, "I too hated that "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo" movie." Harris still could face a fine and one does wonder what precedent it sets when accidental hits to quarterbacks are penallized/fined and yet deliberate assaults on prone and unprotected opponents aren't met with more than a wrist slap. The NFL: Home of moral indignation and subjective punishments.

But, oh, we digress! So what will the Bears offense do against a truly Stygian Niners pass defense? Jay-Bot 5000 hasn't had a truly awesome game for a few weeks and he should be eagerly licking his chops at the chance to decimate the San Fran secondary.*
Forte and Wolfe should be involved in the play calling but merely as play action decoys and or safety valve routes in the passing game. Greg Olsen and Cutler hooked up for 3 touchdown passes against Arizona and that should continue tonight in the Bears mini-tour of the NFC West.

Kickoff is at 5:20 PST which, of course, is 7:20 CST. Find a speakeasy with a TV and prepare for fireworks.

*Caveat Emptor: If the Bears offensive line can't produce a semblance of protection, all bets are off on Jay-Bot 5000 going off. [sad face emoticon] across all Bears message boards and Twitter feeds.

 
GB store
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