Black and Blue Chicago Bears’ Predictions
Published by Carl Stine on September 7, 2009
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears enter this season with expectations almost as big as Terrell Owens’ head.
The arrival of quarterback Jay Cutler and the emergence of running back Matt Forte last season are only two of the reasons the Bears are riding high.
While there are certainly some questions to be answered in the defensive secondary, the linebacker play and defensive line will be better than last season.
And as much as the Bears defense is maligned for having “too many players on the wrong side of 30”, there are only three defensive players that are older than the big 3-0 Linebacker Brian Urlacher, end Adewale Ogunleye and end Alex Brown…
On the offensive side, for the Bears to be successful, they will have to find some receivers for Cutler to throw to other than Greg Olsen. Devin Hester has still not shown he can run a good route, and Earl Bennett is very inexperienced. Call the receivers young, but full of potential.
The Bears have some big games with teams not in their division, i.e. Steelers, Cardinals, Eagles, but the Bears’ success this season will hinge on their play within the division. Here are my predictions as to how they will fare:
Green Bay Packers- @Lambeau Field 9/13, Soldier Field 12/13
When Lovie Smith came to Chicago, he promised the Bears would beat the Packers, and they have. From 1994-2003 the Packers won eighteen out of twenty meetings between these two teams, but since then Smith and the Bears have evened things up a little.
The Bears’ revamped offense will will try to stop the Packers’ new defense. Cutler will be effective and have big games against the Packers’ new look 3-4. During the Bear’s preseason game against the Broncos, Orlando Pace looked lost at times. Watch for the Packers to try and exploit the Bears’ older offensive line.
Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers also will be out to prove that last season’s numbers were no fluke. Rodgers threw for 4038 yards and had a 93.8 passer rating.
Matchup to watch: Bears’ defensive front seven against the Pack’s o-line. The only sure way to stop Rodgers from throwing the ball all over the field is to hit him before he throws.
Key to the games: The Bears’ secondary, shaky at best, will be tested heavily in the first contest, and that game will set the pace for the whole season. Until the defensive secondary pulls it together, Rodgers will rip apart the Bears’ defense, and the Packers will punish the Bears.
Prediction: Bears – 2 Packers – 0
Yes, a split, I can’t really see the Bears losing the first game, and I think that momentum will be the start of a great season.
Detroit Lions – Soldier Field 10/4, @Ford Field 1/3/10
Rookie quarterback Mathew Stafford will spend much of his day on the grass, and the Bears’ offense will have it’s way with a young, inexperienced Lion’s defense in both these games.
Matt Forte will have big days against the Lions, and the team that went 0-16 last season will finish this season 3-13.
The Lions have started to build a young, talented team, however, they are still too young and too inexperienced for a great season, especially against a team with as much offensive firepower as Chicago has.
Matchup to watch: Lion’s cornerbacks and safeties on Bears receivers. As already mentioned, the youth movement in Detroit will be schooled by the Bears’ offense.
Key to the games: Matt Forte…if he gets to the second level of the defense at all, the Lions are weak tacklers, and Forte looks a little quicker this season than last season.
Prediction: Bears-2 Lions-0
The Bears will win both of these games, and clinch home field advantage for the playoffs in the game Jan. 3.
Minnesota Vikings – @ the Metrodome 11/29, Soldier Field 12/28
The Vikings acquisition of Brett Favre was a big deal. How big? Big enough that the Vikes will be tied with the Bears at the end of the season. Adrian Peterson is the best running back in the league, and the defense is scary good. Add Favre to the mix, and the Vikings are set.
Matchup to watch: Brian Urlacher and Brett Favre. Adrian Peterson and the Bears front seven. Matt Forte and the purple wall. Favre and the secondary. on and on the list goes.
Key to the games: Turnovers, plain and simple. Cutler and Favre both have the “gunslinger” mentality. Peterson led the league in fumbles(9) last season.
Prediction: Bears-1 Vikings-1
These teams will split this season, and both will make the playoffs.
The Bears will finish 5-1 in the division, especially if the defensive secondary is even a little bit good. Watch for high scoring games on both sides against Green Bay, high scores by the Bears against the Lions, and defensive battles against the Vikes…let the games begin.
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