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Smith: Bears focused inward
By Brad Biggs, Tribune reporter
1:20 p.m. CST, December 10, 2012
Lovie Smith conceded his Chicago Bears no longer control their own destiny in the NFC North. But the coach made it clear that his struggling team, which has lost four of its last five games, will dictate its postseason future.
The Bears stumbled Sunday, losing 21-14 at Minnesota, to fall a game back of Green Bay (9-4) in the division. The Packers can clinch the title with a victory Sunday at Soldier Field. But the Bears (8-5) are still alive for the division and will be assured a playoff berth if they win out.
The schedule gets easier after the Packers game, but the Bears will have to go on the road in Weeks 16 and 17 to Arizona and Detroit.
The Bears could reach the postseason with fewer than 11 wins, but at that point they could get entangled in wild-card tiebreakers. All three teams that were trailing the Bears by two games in the conference – Minnesota, Dallas and Washington – won Sunday, so they are all within a game now.
“The pressure we're feeling right now is just on our performances improving,” Smith said when asked if the pressure has been turned up. “It's on us. We talked about someone else controlling the division. But what happens to us, it doesn't really matter about the teams ahead of us or the teams behind us right now. It's just what we do. So we're not looking at that at all.
“And to be in a situation where the team that's leading our division is coming in this week. Because really you look at the big picture, you look at Minnesota and other things that happened in the past, it's about this week. We have the Packers coming in and that's enough right there for all of our thoughts to just go on that.”
The Bears started the season 7-1 in Smith’s first year working under new general manager Phil Emery and speculation has been all along that the coach needed to reach the playoffs for just the second time since the 2006 Super Bowl appearance to ensure he would return in 2013.
“I think every day I've been here, each day I think all of us come to work we're going to do the best job we possibly can,” Smith said. “All of our futures are tied. It's all based on wins and losses, really, and I'm OK with that.”
The Bears outgained the Vikings 438-248 in total yards, but two interceptions by quarterback Jay Cutler were turned into 14 points by Minnesota and the defense failed to create big plays against quarterback Christian Ponder after being shredded for 104 yards by Adrian Peterson in the first quarter.
Smith said the offensive line play was satisfactory again and blamed dropped passes for hurting the offense. More than anything, he wanted to move past the game as quickly as possible to gear up preparations for the Packers.
Green Bay thumped the Bears 23-10 in Week 2 at Lambeau Field and the Packers have won five straight in the series. A victory could provide the Bears with some badly needed momentum. A loss and the Bears will be doing scoreboard watching down the stretch while trying to sneak into the postseason.
“We haven’t played our best football the last couple weeks and when you don’t play your best football you get in a situation where you don’t control what happens in the division; we’re in that position right now,” Smith said. “Need a little bit of help as far as the division title and all that is concerne,d but we do control our playoff hopes and that’s what we have to lay everything that we do now to just play better football.”
Smith didn’t shed much light on injuries, but said Cutler is suffering from general neck soreness and he didn’t believe it was serious. Cutler could not finish a game for the second time in five weeks.
Defensive end Shea McClellin (knee), safety Craig Steltz (chest) and cornerback Sherrick McManis (knee) are being further evaluated.
Robbie Gould (left calf muscle) wasn't able to kick deep against the Vikings, and Smith didn't rule out bringing in kickers for tryouts Tuesday in case Gould remains limited.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,7279072.story
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
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That's great if your into transcendental meditation and the growth of your higher being but right now he needs to be focused on what the guys 250 miles north maybe up to. One more embarrassing loss to the Packers and his agent should be on the phone with college teams looking for a HC. His days as an NFL coach are probably numbered.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. 
Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Originally Posted by
soulman 
That's great if your into transcendental meditation and the growth of your higher being but right now he needs to be focused on what the guys 250 miles north maybe up to. One more embarrassing loss to the Packers and his agent should be on the phone with college teams looking for a HC. His days as an NFL coach are probably numbered.
And we should cut the fat with the players as well. Cut all the players who once again fail to show up for the game.
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High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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Originally Posted by
The Benjamin And we should cut the fat with the players as well. Cut all the players who once again fail to show up for the game.
LOL, we couldn't afford it. The caps hits we'd take next year would be enormous. Besides the guys who have been carrying the team are the guys without the big contract, bonuses and guarantees like Marshall, Cutler, Jennings, Tillman, Wootton, Melton, and Briggs.
The let downs are coming from guys like Davis, name any OLineman, Hester, Weems, Bennett (due to constant injuries), and even Forte. He's not been the same ever since that ankle injury. With the exception of Cutler and Marshall it's hard to find any offensive player whose played anywhere near the level expected. The entire unit sucks.
Last edited by soulman; 12-11-2012 at 06:26 PM.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Originally Posted by
soulman LOL, we couldn't afford it. The caps hits we'd take next year would be enormous. Besides the guys who have been carrying the team are the guys without the big contract, bonuses and guarantees like Marshall, Cutler, Jennings, Tillman, Wootton, Melton, and Briggs.
The let downs are coming from guys like Davis, name any OLineman, Hester, Weems, Bennett (due to constant injuries), and even Forte. He's not been the same ever since that ankle injury. With the exception of Cutler and Marshall it's hard to find any offensive player whose played anywhere near the level expected. The entire unit sucks.
And Lovie takes the blame. Not saying he should be free of it, but the players are the ones sucking it up and not executing. But yea, I was just speaking tongue in cheek
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Originally Posted by
The Benjamin And Lovie takes the blame. Not saying he should be free of it, but the players are the ones sucking it up and not executing. But yea, I was just speaking tongue in cheek
Of course he takes the blame or at least a goodly portion of it. It's his job to make sure his players are prepared to do their jobs and that they do. Every manager of every enterprise on earth knows that when he accepts the job. Lovie is no different.
If an assembly line is falling behind as far as meeting it's production goals the company isn't gonna fire 50 people and keep their manager. At least not anywhere I've ever worked or managed. The boss always gets the axe first unless he own the company.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Originally Posted by
soulman Of course he takes the blame or at least a goodly portion of it. It's his job to make sure his players are prepared to do their jobs and that they do. Every manager of every enterprise on earth knows that when he accepts the job. Lovie is no different.
If an assembly line is falling behind as far as meeting it's production goals the company isn't gonna fire 50 people and keep their manager. At least not anywhere I've ever worked or managed. The boss always gets the axe first unless he own the company.
But, the never ending question is, is it really his job to motivate a player? Personally, I think they should be motivated by the fact they are playing the game and know what is at stake. If they can not get up to play what they know is a big game, they do not belong in the NFL
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Originally Posted by
The Benjamin But, the never ending question is, is it really his job to motivate a player? Personally, I think they should be motivated by the fact they are playing the game and know what is at stake. If they can not get up to play what they know is a big game, they do not belong in the NFL
Oh really!
Well if that's the way you think it works then I hope you'll be happy being a "worker bee" for most of your career.
Managers constantly look for ways to motivate employees. Those are called bonuses.
Merchants constantly look for ways to motivate buyers and that's called advertising and having sales.
Parents and schools constantly look for ways to motivate children to get top grades or do well in competitive events and those are called awards or prizes.
So if you believe otherwise Benji I can only surmise that you're not a manager, a merchant, a school administrator or a parent and have never been given one minute of encouragement from an adult in any capacity in your whole life. You just wake up every day and ring the bell at every thing you do or ever have done just because......well just because that's just you dog gone it. 
Reality check is right around the corner. Take a number and wait your turn. You ain't so special after all. 
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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And I am sure being screamed at is a great way to motivate people.
Don't know if you have kids.... but do you scream at them when you are trying to encourage or motivate them?
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Smith: Bears focused inward
yep, Lovie is so focused inward that he looking up his own ass.
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