Chicago Football Chili

Oh, that hurt.

Gotta tell ya, by the time the Vikings kicked their field goal to win it in the last seconds over the Giants, thus ending the Bears chances of winning the division, the wind was already out of my sails.  

But the capper comes three hours later as the Eagles completely wipe out the Cowboys.  Which would have ensured the Bears a wild card entry - if they had won.  Which they didn't.

All roads to the playoffs required a Bears win.  And there was none to be had today.

I'd like to have that positive mental attitude.  You know, that "well, they did a whole lot better than people predicted they would" feeling.  But I'm just not there.  It always felt to me like they might be able to get there.  Call me naive.  But I had a decent feeling back in Bourbonnais, and it didn't go away until today.

Granted, that feeling has been sweating profusely for a couple of weeks just trying to get to today.  But it was there.

So our Bears season is over.  There was a lot of talk today among the folks with whom we were eating chili about what should happen next.  Start making the O-Line a bit younger?  Seek out a Number 1 type receiver?  Convince Jerry Angelo to let someone else make the first round pick for us (since he's not been so good at it lately)?  Not really sure what the magic formula will be.

But I do have to admit that anytime you have a playoff-related reason to watch every single game, even when some of those games are stupefying, it's because you've had a good season.  So I guess that might be the first sign that I'm coming around to the positivity stuff. 

Who knew it would be so fast?

 CHILI DAN

Posted by dawn2 at 07:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

It's the day before the big game, and we're thinking plenty about it.

We have a rather full Christmas-and-related schedule this year, and you'd think there'd be no time to think about football.  But you would be wrong.

Dawn is making chili right now.  We're already thinking about chili match-ups depending on how the Bears make it into the playoffs and who all of their potential opponents could be.

Tomorrow, we're taking some chili to a group of friends that we'll be watching the big game with.  Small group or 13 or so.  Lots of chili.

I'll be wearing some of my new gear to the game.  My schmancy new Bears "Hawaiian-type" shirt, and my www.chicagofootballchili.com apron.  Gotta feed the fanatics, even the inner one.

And I find myself really hoping for a Bears blowout like we haven't seen in some time.  That Green Bay game was just unsatisfying (minus the win, of course), and to have two consecutive overtime games is a bit much for me at this time of year.  I need some Peace of Mind.  If anyone is looking for some last-second Christmas ideas for me, I'd like a decided smackdown of the Houstonites.

Santa, can you hear me?

 CHILI DAN

Posted by dawn2 at 12:48 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Well, I think I've recovered enough to actually write about this now.

Was a rather emotional game for me last night, and most of it not in a good way.  I was about as ornery a cuss as one could be after one half of play.

I was wondering out loud if anyone had told the team that this was an important game, because it looked like only the Packers knew.

I was ready to call in special counsel to investigate the coaching staff, as there must be something illegal about the ineptitude I was seeing. 

And I was screaming for them to put in Caleb Hanie at QB (though, to be honest, I do that every game).

But then they made it all better.

Sure, it took a blocked field goal, a coin toss off of Urlacher's head, and some Robbie Gould magic, but hey, what else is new?  We are BIG, BIG fans of the Bears Special Teams.  How could you not be?

So, we have two ways to make it into the playoffs.  There's the Bears win, Cowboys lose, Buccaneers lose way (boooorrrrrr-ing).  And then there's the preferred, Bears win and Vikings lose way.  This is what we will be pulling for, and it's not unreasonable to hope for.  I don't think we'll be underestimating the Houston team, so it's really just a matter of recovering with the shortened week (both Monday night play AND the holidays getting in the way of this one), and actually performing with some fire on Sunday.

Then it's up to the other guys to do (or not do) their parts.

Of course, there's a whole slew of playoff games after that, but now is the time to take these one at a time, I suppose.  Nevertheless, we're keeping the chili pot warm.

Should be a great Sunday coming up!

 CHILI DAN

Posted by dawn2 at 02:59 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

More later.

But in the meantime...OH MY GOD!!!

 CHILI DAN

Posted by dawn2 at 11:14 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In 2005, the Green Bay Packers finished 4-12.  No matter what happens, they cannot lose 12 games this year.  And that makes me sad.

But our Bears can take them to 10 this coming Monday.  And that seems worth the price of admission to me.

Sure, we still have playoff hopes.  We could maybe take the division, or possibly even eke out a wild card spot.  But this is even more important.  This is the Packers.

This is the team that beat us 37-3.  Or more specifically, the 5-9 team that previously beat us 37-3.  The team that would currently have a seven-game losing streak if it weren't for that particularly brutal pasting they gave us.  It was humiliating.  I'd have preferred a loss to the (currently) 0-14 Lions.  A landslide loss.  A 900-nothing loss.

But now is the time for redemption.  This is Monday Night Football.  People watch this game.  We can make things a whole lot better in one fell swoop.  Regain our dignity with a big win.  Position ourselves as a final week contender for the playoffs.  End the Packers generation-long win streak against us on Monday nights (we're 0-5 against them since 1986).

This is a chance to shine.  This is a chance to prove we're for real.

This is the way to kick off the holiday festivities!

 CHILI DAN

Posted by dawn2 at 09:31 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Gotta tell ya, it was a bit upsetting losing to the Vikings a week+ ago.  It almost makes me think that the Bears feel a need for an underdog status in order to do well.  Because Jacksonville was convincing.

I know, I know - the Vikings are better than the Jaguars.  So what.  The Vikings just about lost a game to the Lions on Sunday.

I know, I know - WE almost lost a game to the Lions about a month ago.

Really, why all the negativity?

We've got some good things going.  Orton was lighting it up on JAX.  It was the most confident that I've seen him.  He threw with authority.  And Forte runs with the same kind of belief in self.  He was doing some slippery work on Sunday, and it was a beautiful thing to see.

Yeah, Thursday is a test, mostly defensively.  Because the Saints are playing well.  Brees throws forever, over and over.  And it's no secret that we have more issues with passing teams.  We prefer beating up on teams that run.  It's what we do.  But they don't have to be mutually exclusive.

We CAN defend the pass.  And with just 3 games left, and a game to make up on Minnesota, we HAVE to defend the pass. 

So we will.  Don't worry about it.  Just watch the game.

By the way, I'm a REALLY big fan of the hot/sweet combo that's prevalent in the Bourbon Street Chili this week.  Hope you like it, too!

 CHILI DAN

Posted by dawn2 at 04:52 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)