Up next for Bears: Titans

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10-29-2012, 11:48 AM
JustAnotherBearsFan99

Up next for Bears: Titans

Sure would be great to extend our record to 7-1.

Quote:

LINK to the article

Up next for Bears: Titans

http://www.trbimg.com/img-1351450359...-20121028/1280

Quick look: The Titans are coming off an overtime loss to the Colts but have played better since Matt Hasselbeck took over at quarterback a month ago, winning two of his four starts.

Hasselbeck's veteran leadership and ability to manage games has helped give direction to a team that lost three of its first four under second-year quarterback Jake Locker. There is a chance Locker will be healthy enough to return Sunday.

Running back Chris Johnson also has heated up after a slow start, which has taken some of the pressure off the passing game. Rookie Kendall Wright, the team's first-round pick, has been productive.

Hasselbeck, Johnson, Wright and company usually need to put points on the board to offset the Titans' leaky defense.

The Titans' secondary is vulnerable, and the defense has struggled in the red zone.

Key stat: The Titans went into Week 8 having given up more points per game (34) than any team in the NFL. The Bears went into Week 8 having given up fewer points per game (13) than any team in the NFL.

Key matchup: Titans RB Chris Johnson versus Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. In his first five years in the league, Johnson has 27 games in which he rushed for 110 yards or more. But he also has disappeared in his fair share of games. For the Titans to have a chance of beating a good team, they need to get Johnson going. He has dangerous speed in the open field, and it will be up to Urlacher and the Bears linebackers to stop him before he gets going.
10-29-2012, 12:06 PM
short faced bear

To me this is a "must win" game. With a brutal second half of the schedule I'm thinking realistically we split the rest of the season. That would give us 11 wins and I hope the team peaks towards the end of this schedule esp. the offense.
10-29-2012, 01:48 PM
bearsinhouston

This should be and needs to be a win for us. This is one of the last games against easier teams we have before we go into our "meatgrinder" portion of our schedule.

I think we will win most of those games, but we will start to lose some against those better teams. We need to have as many wins as we can get before moving to play the Texans and 49ers
10-29-2012, 02:10 PM
JustAnotherBearsFan99

I'm hoping for three things:

1. We win.

2. The offense improves (and continues to improve with each remaining game now).

3. We stay healthy. No major injuries.
10-29-2012, 02:19 PM
bearsinhouston

Frankly, the boat may have already left the dock in regards to point #2. I had hoped that process would have been unfolding during this "easier" part of the season. I don't think the time for the O to get better will be when the Texans and 49ers are in Jays face. Honestly, I thought the OL was getting better, but think they have regressed some in these last few games.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAnotherBearsFan99

I'm hoping for three things:

1. We win.

2. The offense improves (and continues to improve with each remaining game now).

3. We stay healthy. No major injuries.
10-29-2012, 02:36 PM
JustAnotherBearsFan99

Quote:

Originally Posted by bearsinhouston

Frankly, the boat may have already left the dock in regards to point #2. I had hoped that process would have been unfolding during this "easier" part of the season. I don't think the time for the O to get better will be when the Texans and 49ers are in Jays face. Honestly, I thought the OL was getting better, but think they have regressed some in these last few games.

They've had an opportunity to "experiment" a bit on other teams to find out what they can and cannot do. Cutler has had the same experience with this year's WR's. I feel like this is going to be extremely valuable the 2nd half of the season. The stupid plays will be cut from Tice's playbook moving forward. The oline has made a lot of progress - when Tice doesn't try to call plays that are beyond this oline's ability to execute.

The oline has made a lot of progress IMHO. I'll probably get flamed for that comment, but I could see a lot of good execution, coupled with 5 or 6 missed assignment plays or just our guys getting beat. The play calling killed us early.

It's weird. Some years you can see there's not much hope due to the talent simply not being there for us. But this year you can see that we can DEFINITELY clean up a few things, and be solid on offense. This is stuff that can be fixed (Tice has to help here......and he will). Cutler's chemistry with the receivers seems to be getting better (the gusting wind didn't help his passing game yesterday.....it was a tough day for passing and kicking with that wind).