Are You Ready for Some Football

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Sava


You can split hairs about what defense they have now. I'm looking at the entire roster, how the defense has performed over the entire season, and how they are going to look going into the playoffs.

Vasher is coming back, Tank Johnson is going to be out one game, Harris is out for the season, I'm not sure what Todd Johnson's status will be... but to focus on one or two games (especially one marred by turnovers) and say that the defense isn't what it has proven itself to be is just idiotic.

But then again, idiocy is generally a choice. I can't force anyone to choose to be intelligent. I can only try to reason with people, but I've found that to be too much of a pain in the ass, so I just mock idiocy when I see it. Whatever is going to happen will happen, and the football retards can continue to focus on meaningless rankings and yardage averages instead of looking beyond the numbers and focusing on what actually happened in the games.

YOU ARE THE ONE SPLITTING HAIRS!!!!!

Baltimore has the best defense, statistically.

You are the one saying, if Chicago had all it's starters, if Chicago didn't have all the turnovers, etc.

Splitting hairs requires "ifs", I haven't supplied any, you have.

You haven't shown anything to prove that the Bears are the best defense.

ACK!

[-Jrabbit]

In fact, the Bears defense played great vs. Gradkowski. Rattay came in and really provided a spark, and Tampa got on a roll. Rattay did a great job of finding weakness in the patched-up secondary. Mix in a few key errors (like Hester's fumble of a kickoff), and the game turned around in a hurry.

Of course, this whole discussion is just chest-thumping. It's clear they are the two best defenses in the league. As to who's the best, it's really driven by matchups, game plans and execution on "any given Sunday."

[Lord Avalon]

In games where they held the opponent to 13 pts or less, I think the Ravens have put the clamps on more impressive offenses than the Bears, though they lost 2:

Chicago, 7-0
GB 26-0
Det 34-7
Sea 37-6
Buf 40-7
SF 41-10
NYJ 10-0
Min 23-13

Baltimore, 6-2
TB 27-10
Oak 28-6
SD 16-13
Den 3-13
Atl 24-10
Pit 27-0
Cin 7-13
KC 20-10

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by -Jrabbit
Of course, this whole discussion is just chest-thumping. It's clear they are the two best defenses in the league. As to who's the best, it's really driven by matchups, game plans and execution on "any given Sunday."

Not the whole discussion, I don't really care.

Sometimes though, it's easy to bait Sava.

ACK!

[Donegeal]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


What in the Hell are you talking about? In terms of yards allowed per game and points given up per game, the Baltimore Ravens are #1 in both categories. The Bears are 3rd in points allowed per game and 5th in yards given up by game.

The Bears aren't even the best defense this season and you are putting them in the same sentence with the 2000 Ravens?!

And to Sloww's point, the Bears had 3 defensive starters. Baltimore had 2 defensive starters and 2 reserves. Why are you guys (aside from -JRabbit) such whiners?

Says the guy who thinks Michael Vick is a first ballot hall of Famer!

[Imran Siddiqui]

It's nice of you to acknowledge you have no counter argument

(btw, how did that undefeated Bears season go? )

[Donegeal]

Meh... they didn't make it. So what. I said repeatedly that I really didn't think they would. I think I gave them about a 20% shot. Even by my biased thinking you had an 80% shot at winning that bet. Hell, you probably thought it was a 100%, but you never pulled the trigger.

Who's loss is that?

Come to think of it, I see that you still have that quote in your sig. Is it there as a reminder to never make bets with me?

[SlowwHand]

[Imran Siddiqui]

It's because he is going to be showing his arse on stage soon... and anyway, I'm just content that the 16-0 crowd got some humble pie... though not enough it seems .

[rah]

Hmmm, I think most people here thought it was possible but didn't think it likely. (myself being on of those) All I can say is thank god we didn't have to settle for a record as bad as the Giants, which some people were touting as a team that was going to kick the bear's ass this year.

[Lord Avalon]

I get a kick out of the Dolphins being the ones to hang the first loss of the season on the Bears.

Again.

(Not much else to celebrate this year. )

[rah]

The last time they did it was much more dissapointing.

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by Lord Avalon
I get a kick out of the Dolphins being the ones to hang the first loss of the season on the Bears.

Again.

Originally posted by rah
The last time they did it was much more dissapointing.

Depends on your perspective....


Anyways, looks like we get Ronnie Brown back this week, and Saban is going to start Harrington as well: since this is as close as the 'Phins are gonna get to the playoffs this year, then there'd be nothing better than knocking a division rival out of the playoff picture as well!


D

[Lord Avalon]

Especially the Jets. Didn't they knock the Dolphins out a few years back, and it was a winning season?

Still, I'd rather be in the playoff hunt than be reduced to rooting for knocking other teams out of it.

Or better yet, get in the playoffs while knocking other teams out.

[SlowwHand]

IN THE HUNT

(Teams, listed with record and previous week's ranking, that look good enough to be among the 12 playoff qualifiers but not based on conference)

1. San Diego (12-2; unchanged): The Chargers shouldn't panic, but they have to be at least slightly uncomfortable about Philip Rivers ' struggles vs. Kansas City.

2. Chicago (12-2; unchanged): For a change, the hand-wringing among Bears fans isn't because of the quarterback; it's because of the defense.

3. Baltimore (11-3; unchanged): Steve McNair 's sore hand shouldn't be a problem, especially with the Ravens' dominant defense carrying the load.

4. Indianapolis (11-3; 5): The Colts have their offensive groove back. Even their defense stepped it up vs. the Bengals.

5. New England (10-4; 6): The Texans are always a good get-well opponent, but the Patriots face a much greater challenge at Jacksonville.

6. New Orleans (9-5; 4): Did the Redskins come up with the defensive blueprint to stop Drew Brees?

7. Dallas (9-5; 8): Tony Romo 's bounce-back performance vs. Atlanta was impressive, but can he upstage an even more amazing story of quarterbacking magic authored by Jeff Garcia?

8. Cincinnati (8-6; 7): The Bengals looked like zombies vs. the Colts. If they aren't careful they could sleep-walk right out of a playoff spot.

9. Jacksonville (8-6; unchanged): It's hard to win when you're playing against the other team as well as your own quarterback.

10. Seattle (8-6; unchanged): If the Seahawks aren't careful, they could squander a chance to win the NFC West ... which isn't easy to do.

11. Philadelphia (8-6; 12): Jeff Garcia's impact goes beyond his impressive work at quarterback; everyone around him is playing harder.

12. N.Y. Jets (8-6; unranked): Their ball-control passing game worked to perfection vs. the top run-stuffing team in the league. Do they have an encore for the final two games?


MIDDLE OF THE PACK
(Listed alphabetically)
Atlanta Falcons (7-7)
Buffalo Bills (7-7)
Denver Broncos (8-6)
Kansas City Chiefs (7-7)
Miami Dolphins (6-8)
New York Giants (7-7)
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7)
San Francisco 49ers (6-8)
Tennessee Titans (7-7)

https://www.nfl.com