Chicago Football Chili

We've had a week off.  And we look to have a patsy for an opponent.  But I gotta tell ya - the Lions at Soldier Field are a little scarier than you might think.

What?  Are you kidding me?  The Harris Bank lion is scarier than these guys!

I know, I know.

Yes, it's true that they haven't won a game all year.  And yes, it's true that they've lost seven consecutive road games as well.  And they have traded a "star" receiver and have no quarterback to speak of.

And the newly released 75th anniversary team contains exactly ONE current Lion - and he's the kicker!  (Congrats, I guess, Jason Hanson)

So why worry?

Well, the Lions are holders of the NFL record for consecutive road losses - 24, ending in 2004.  Specifically, against the Bears in 2004.

And, as I said, they currently have a seven-game road losing streak.  Their last win before the futility began?  That's right, last year at Soldier Field.

And you gotta believe that they will win at least ONE game this year.  We don't graduate much in the way of winless teams in this league.

So, the Bears need to have focus.  They can't think about the 7-0 team around the corner (next week's Tennessee Titans).  They need to keep the Kittens from becoming 1-7. 

So we play the game.

That said:  Bears 45, Lions 10.

CHILI DAN

Posted by dawn2 at 08:45 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

10.  Cry.

9.  Work on your Madden impersonation. 

Posted by dawn2 at 05:42 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

10.  Their quarterback has a kicker’s name (Gus Frerotte).  

9.  The Vikings very best running back ever can visit the Hall of Fame and read about five Bears running backs who are better than him.

8.  Jim McMahon won a Super Bowl for us.  What did he ever do for them?

7.  Our Adrian Peterson is more humble than their Adrian Peterson.

6.  Bear claws are much more dangerous than horns on a hat.

5.  Randy Moss didn’t bring us a championship either, but at least it didn’t cost us $40 million.

4.  Their ex-governor (Jesse ‘ the Body’ Ventura) used to pretend to be a bad guy.  Ours is actually in prison.

3.  The Vikings are too lazy to come up with their own Divisional arch-nemesis, so they use ours instead.

2.  Minnesota has four times as many Super Bowl losses and one less Super Bowl win.

1.  Number of Saturday Night Live skits about Vikings fans – Zero.

Posted by dawn2 at 07:59 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Let's face it - it was a good game.  Except for the final score, of course.

I think some people will question that decision to go for the touchdown when it was 4th and Goal with the team two scores down.  We would have needed a field goal anyway, some will say, so why not just do that now?

Because then we'd be just an Atlanta field goal away from being two scores down again.

I understood it.  It made sense.  So it didn't work out.  These things happen.

And it led to some really, really good football at the end of the game.  I loved that we were able to put together a drive in the last two minutes to take the lead.  It is definitely progress over a few weeks back.  It has to give the team confidence.  It has to give the coaching staff confidence.  It's a good thing.  It will pay dividends later.

Likewise, despite the complete and utter clock domination by the Falcons in the first half, the Bears entered halftime only down by six.  Which speaks well for the defense's ability to contain damage.  Also a good thing.  Will also pay dividends later.

They just got burned on a long pass and a long field goal.

These things happen.  It's OK.  We'll beat Minnesota next week.

 CHILI DAN

Posted by dawn2 at 07:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

For those who had some concerns after the first few weeks, let this be your notice:  the Bears can administer a beating!

Yes, yes, I know that the Lions are not exactly the creme de la creme of the gridiron world.  But they don't have to be.  Our victories over the Colts and the Eagles have already shown that we can bring a big game to a big opponent.

No, the revelation about Sunday's game was that the Bears can take a team they SHOULD beat, and really drop the boom on them in a very convincing way.

This is news I've been waiting for.  I recall waaaaayyyyy back in 2006 when the Bears were on the way to the Super Bowl that this was a team that found a way to win.  Which is a good thing, don't get me wrong.  A championship-caliber team needs that.

But what they really need is an ability to strike fear in the hearts of opponents, and then back up that fear with some unpleasant reality.  They NEED to be able to crush the Lions at will.

And they did.

And we're all the better for it today as Bears fans.

Next week, the Bears deliver a much-needed setback to the Atlanta Falcons.  I'll be watching excitedly, with a bowlful of chili at hand.

 CHILI DAN

Posted by dawn2 at 04:08 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)