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Bears Sat Oct 16 2010
Footballic Ramblings: The One Where Cutler Returns
Two teams that should both be about 2-2, and while only the Seattle Seahawks are actually .500, the Bears have been very, very, luck thus far. But as I was reminded by a Bears backing friend of mine this week, "Hey, what's so wrong with being lucky?" True that, friend. So here we go, predictions and "analysis" or ramblings. Whatever. Go.
Cutler is back in the saddle. The Bears have been juggling their o-line some more this week to find a semblance of pass protection and I'm expecting Cutler to get hit and sacked too much (again.) The Seahawks actually are sporting a fairly excellent run defense this season: 72.8 yards per game, which is a spot higher than the exceptional Bears rush D. Granted, it's been against very weak competition -San Francisco, Denver, San Diego and St. Louis aint exactly "battering ram" offenses. Still don't expect another statistically freakish explosion of rush offense ala, last week at Carolina. But let's face it, the 'Hawks pass defense is atrocious. If Cutler Bot 5000 returns from his concussion and his targeting systems are online, he'll find his receivers.
Seattle sports a modestly good pass rush ('tis their passing defense that's abysmal) so Cutler will get knocked around, but with Martz's system QB sacks are an acceptable casualty. Offensively the Seahawks are breaking in Marshawn Lynch, who was recently acquired from Buffalo. With Lynch running in tandem with Justin Forsett, Seattle actually, well, on paper, is sporting a very above-average running game. The duo will be attacking the Bears at their strength, though as Chicago's rush defense has been absolutely 
suffocating. Just ***hyperbole alert*** brutal and python-esque in allowing no yards to anyone this season. Chaining every running back to a radiator ala: Christina Ricci in Black Snake Moan. Of modest concern is that Chicago has yet to really face a "game breaking" running back like Lynch can, on occasion, be. The Bears have shut down adequate running backs, but, yeah, I sorta see Lynch going off, but that's spurious and merely a "hunch" of mine. So let's not really worry about Seattle's horrible offense. It's much better than Carolina's, but still, no. If Seattle wants to knock the Bears out it's going have to target Cutler Bot 5000 and get his mainframe as jumbled as possible.
Kickoff is at noon. Soldier Field. FOX 32 is broadcasting the game locally in spectacular "color" "television" and the forecast is supposed to be amazing. Enjoy.
