Season vs Postseason

I am not as concerned with the rest of the season as some are. While I beat Tice and the OL mercilessly, I still think we have a pretty good chance to sweep the rest of the season. Even with a few more losses I think the season will look good.

I do not think however, that we have the chops to gat far in the Postseason. I don't think we match up well coaching wise as well as offensively against the best teams -- which are what we will see in the postseason. The OL is pretty much a train wreck with all of the injuries. It was pretty ugly even before that.

We can hold our own now against some very good teams. We held off the Vikings pass rush and while they are not elite, they have a pretty good rush. I was concerned about the better than average teams, but I think we do well against them. Were we fall short is against the really good teams -- Giants, 49ers, Texans (although we did ok against them), etc. The postseason teams.

What do you guys think? Am I off base here, or is that the way everyone else pretty much sees it?

I think now if we were to get a first round bye and get a bit more healthy a deeper run could be made. Tice would have to get his clipboard out of his sphincter but it could happen. If Hester could just go back to returning kicks only and find a spark that would be nice. More Bush, Rodriguez, and a Bennett sighting more than bigfoot it's definitely within the realm of possibility.

Right now though as it stands I'm on the 10-6, 11-5 with a first round and out boat.

I don't see more than 5 losses, but I think a one and done in the playoffs is probably where the odds are. Maybe two at most. Anything beyond that would surprise me -- but it would be nice to see. i think a first round bye is apossibility, but then I don't think we would win two games at that point.

I agree with the changes you mention, but don't see them happening. Hester is still going to be a WR, Bennett will not get targeted as much as he should, and Lovie & company just haven't shown me the ability to go toe to toe with the Belichicks and Harboughs in terms of strategies and counter-strategies.

They may say they are going to spread the ball around and say they will go to Bennett or give the ball to Bush more, but they have said those things before. In the end, they will continue to do what they do and I'm afraid it will not be enough for the postseason.

I think we will know a lot more about this team after this next game against Seattle. I believe it is a pivotal game for our season - not because of the "W" or "L" but because it will give us an indicator of:

1. Will the oline, be decent, regarding the change in personnel? This is important looking forward to the playoffs. If the oline is decent, then that means our offense could be "good enough" with our "D" to let us go deeper into the post-season. If the oline is a disaster, then our post-season hopes dim, because RIGHT NOW in December, the better teams should be playing their best football. What we see Sunday is pretty much "our team" for 2012. The "gelling" time is pretty much over, and our team "is what it is" for this season.

2. Are our receivers going to show that they can compliment B.Marshall enough that if teams shut him down, we still have a passing game? If we're just a one-trick pony, then our post-season hopes dim. We're entering our December schedule, so the WR problems should be solved by this Seattle game. It's really now or never for them to step up for our 2012 season.

3. Our TE's. See #2 above.

4. It's "showtime" for Mike Tice to show if he can put together a winning game plan for the offense - and call a rock solid game. Again, it's December. If by this Seattle game he is still struggling, then our post-season hopes dim. One and done is the forecast for our 2012 post season if Tice hasn't gotten his act together now.

5. Can the defense have a second consecutive good game - and put to rest worries after falling apart in San Francisco. This would show that the SF game was just an aberration and an off night. Seattle will be a GREAT test. They seem to play us tough most years. If we take care of business on Sunday, then our post-season hopes for a deeper run in the playoffs also goes up.

The only thing I would add JABF is that we might need to see how the bears perform on the road as well. Have to be able to win at opponents stadiums. Particularly if the Bears go into the playoffs as a wildcard.

Seeing how 3-4 defenses gives our o-line fits, we need to figure that problem out. Either way, If we're hosting anybody in the first round, it's likely the Vikings or Bucs, and neither team plays well outdoors. If we travel, it's gonna be against the Giants or Packers, either game could go either way.