How do we beat the bears?

[nukin]

I agree to the above except the point about the homefield advantage.

The new turf should be better for the Bears for 2 reasons:

1 - The Bears are faster on D than most/any D. This is potentially more dangerous for Brady & crew to try to block & get by us.

2 - Arguably, the Bears have been playing on this exact surface for the last 2 weeks.

Point #2 isn't hugely influential I know. And of course the fans etc. will be an advantage for your Pats.

BTW, you don't look like a happy fan in that pic....what's up with that? You might want another more pleasant photo. Not for another 2 weeks though

Haha, yeah... I was sick as a dog that day. I have never been so sick in my life, uhg... but it's the best picture of me with pat's gear on.
You know, college life.... out one night, sick the next. You get the idea.

I was just in chicago a few months ago, busy city. Saw soldier field from the Sears Tower.




I really think that the bears lose here. I am very confident going into this game, almost as confident as I was going into that Green Bay game


... almost.

 

[Starion87]

haa. I hear that. I missed many a first halfs due to late-nighters.

I'd love a mud-bowl game, but was also glad to hear about the turf install. It should help eliminate one more excuse for whoever comes out behind on Sunday.

 

[Patfandango]

Thanks for the thoughtful inputs from Bears fans, Starion87 and Bearessentials. As for iabearfan, your mother must be very proud. By the way, if that is a picture of your mother, please keep posting here.

There seems to be consensus that running up the middle will work and the loss of Mike Brown may allow Dillon to have a big day. I think the the Bears will have a tough day running on us. It's been the priority of the defense this year and except for Harrison, our best players are in place. I had suggested reverses and misdirection but the Bear's defense sounds like its too fast for that to work. Taking advantage of overpursuit however may work. Special teams could be a clear advantage for the Bears given Miller's recent problems and Hester on the other side. I'm hoping Seeley's working overtime and last games execllent coverage carries over.

 

[patpatriot]

The facts are, you make it to the playoffs relatively healthy and it's a new season. Those are the true and only facts.

No it's not. You mean to say that a team that hasn't beaten a quality opponent all year gets into the playoffs and magically morphs into a completely different team? Don't think so. Yes the playoffs are a short season (especially if you get a bye) so you can get lucky for a game or two. But it's highly unlikely that you can become something you are not. The Pats have benefitted all year from an easy schedule. If they can't put the Bears away now when they should have fully jelled as a team, I have very little hope that they will magically get hot and beat the Colts/Broncos/Chargers/Ravens (tho it is possible- see last years Steelers who are showing the world that they are really a mediocre team who got hot at the right time.) We have been making excuses every time the Pats have lost this year. For me, the final straw was the Jets game. It's time for this team to show us who they really are.

 

[RayClay]

No it's not. You mean to say that a team that hasn't beaten a quality opponent all year gets into the playoffs and magically morphs into a completely different team? Don't think so. Yes the playoffs are a short season (especially if you get a bye) so you can get lucky for a game or two. But it's highly unlikely that you can become something you are not. The Pats have benefitted all year from an easy schedule. If they can't put the Bears away now when they should have fully jelled as a team, I have very little hope that they will magically get hot and beat the Colts/Broncos/Chargers/Ravens (tho it is possible- see last years Steelers who are showing the world that they are really a mediocre team who got hot at the right time.) We have been making excuses every time the Pats have lost this year. For me, the final straw was the Jets game. It's time for this team to show us who they really are.

I was going to mention the Steelers, but you already did.

I am tremendously confused now. Are you saying The Steelers didn't win the Super Bowl last year?

Help me out here, I'm desperately trying to get your point

 

[carolinatony]

Simple
If we don't turn the ball over we win by 10 points or more

 

[RayClay]

And how do you explain the Colts? How many big, crucial games have they won in mid season only to choke when it counts?

By the way, I'd be more than happy to win a 4th Super Bowl by the Steelers method or any other way.

You know it's all about the Bling doncha?

 

[patpatriot]

I was going to mention the Steelers, but you already did.

I am tremendously confused now. Are you saying The Steelers didn't win the Super Bowl last year?

Help me out here, I'm desperately trying to get your point

Ray, it's the difference between "it's possible" and "it's likely" It was possible that the Steelers could have won the SB last year after their 5-4 start but it wasn't *likley*. It's not only possible that one of the Colts/Chargers/Broncos?/Ravens will get to the SB but it's also likely. It's certainly possible that the Pats will get to the SB but is it likely? They haven't proven that yet.

BTW

On the Bears board they are all saying that if the Bears beat the Pats it will prove that they are an upper echelon team...now where have I heard **that* before?

 

[RayClay]

Ray, it's the difference between "it's possible" and "it's likely" It was possible that the Steelers could have won the SB last year after their 5-4 start but it wasn't *likley*. It's not only possible that one of the Colts/Chargers/Broncos?/Ravens will get to the SB but it's also likely. It's certainly possible that the Pats will get to the SB but is it likely? They haven't proven that yet.

BTW

On the Bears board they are all saying that if the Bears beat the Pats it will prove that they are an upper echelon team...now where have I heard **that* before?

You're confusing looking good in mid season and the cover of Sports illustrated from being a proven winner.

By your reasoning it's almost impossible the Colts haven't been in a Super Bowl. Yet they haven't, (Peyton version).

I'm talking flat, dead reality. The Steelers did win.

The Patriots did win three times. How many times has this Bear team won? Zero. Games played before rookies were born don't count.

By your reasoning, the Rams, who beat us in the regular season, could not have lost that Super Bowl. But they did.

 

[patpatriot]

You're confusing looking good in mid season and the cover of Sports illustrated from being a proven winner.

By your reasoning it's almost impossible the Colts haven't been in a Super Bowl. Yet they haven't, (Peyton version).

I'm talking flat, dead reality. The Steelers did win.

The Patriots did win three times. How many times has this Bear team won? Zero. Games played before rookies were born don't count.

By your reasoning, the Rams, who beat us in the regular season, could not have lost that Super Bowl. But they did.

DRay all I'm saying is that the pats have to prove they truly have what it takes to compete with the elite teams just like Btdy is saying in this Reiss article:

On how he feels about some calling the Patriots a second-tier team

?I don?t know. It?s all different every year. Last year we were a second-tier team. We weren?t at the top. There is still so much to play out this year. We didn?t play very well against the Broncos, we didn?t play very well against the Colts, and that?s why we lost. There are still six regular-season games left. I hope we end up being one of those upper-echelon teams but that comes through playing well and playing well down the stretch. We?ll see if that?s what we?re made of.

 

[RayClay]

DRay all I'm saying is that the pats have to prove they truly have what it takes to compete with the elite teams just like Btdy is saying in this Reiss article:

On how he feels about some calling the Patriots a second-tier team

?I don?t know. It?s all different every year. Last year we were a second-tier team. We weren?t at the top. There is still so much to play out this year. We didn?t play very well against the Broncos, we didn?t play very well against the Colts, and that?s why we lost. There are still six regular-season games left. I hope we end up being one of those upper-echelon teams but that comes through playing well and playing well down the stretch. We?ll see if that?s what we?re made of.

The Arizona cardinals had to prove they were mentally tough against the Bears. They didn't.

I'll grant you that, they didn't have confidence, they beat themselves.

The Patriots have won 3 of the last 5. Some with teams far less talented than this one. They have confidence in themselves and all the smart, (playoff type) teams will not take them lightly.

The core of this team has been tested and proved to be winners. No one game changes this just as no huge Arizona win will get over their mental block.

The Pats made a run last year with 6 DBs on IR and a running back hopping on one leg that should have been in a cast.

They lost to another mentally tough team because they were still injured as well as mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted.

But they were not under confident and no one would take them lightly.

They have more healthy talent this year, but they have a lot of new talent and have been inconsistent. I think they're ready for the Bears, but once in the playoffs will have enough to go all the way IMO. confidence will not be an issue with this team IMO.

If you want to see an example of confidence overriding the odds, look at the 1969 Celtics. They finished 4th in a 6 team league!! They were old as in retirement age for most of their top players.

It takes a lot of accomplishment to build true confidence. Once it's attained, it doesn't disappear based on the results of any one mid season game.

 

[RayClay]

Of course Brady is disappointed and unsatisfied with anything less than victories.

Of course we're still 7-3. That means we still take care of business most of the time. Cincinnati and Vikings were both considered top teams on the rise before we whomped them.

It's not our fault they didn't respond like confident vets.