OT: Official Bears/NFL Thread XXVIII: Are you ready for some football? Circle one - Y N

[Kurtosis]

Of course they could have benefitted from a better quarterback. McMahon was good enough though. There are plenty of examples of mediocre QB's winning the Super Bowl. At the end of the day Ditka wasn't all that great, which is the overarching point.

No need to make excuses for him.

 

[hawksrule]

In 86 it was defense that let them down in 2nd half
In 87 it was Flutie throwing away game
In 89 the 49ers were better team ,, Home game didn't mean anything when looking at rosters
1990 and 91 teams were not very good teams ,, Vets were starting to decline and only a few young guys (Carrier , Woolford , etc) were productive

In 1986 the Bears scored zero second half points.
In 1987 Flutie wasn't even on the team.
In 1989 SF was better, but getting crushed at home 28-3 is not exactly to Ditka's credit.
In 1990 they were again crushed 31-3.
In 1991 they were again a home favorite and lost. Of course they weren't as talented as the 85 team, but they were favored and they lost.

And none of this addresses that the teams the Bears lost to were able to win with mediocre/bad qb's, so if Ditka were a great coach, he should have been able to as well.

And let's face it, they won in 85 because of Buddy Ryan and that great defense. Ditka had nothing to do with that, and supposedly didn't even understand the defensive schemes.

 

[Sarava]

In 1986 the Bears scored zero second half points.
In 1987 Flutie wasn't even on the team.
In 1989 SF was better, but getting crushed at home 28-3 is not exactly to Ditka's credit.
In 1990 they were again crushed 31-3.
In 1991 they were again a home favorite and lost. Of course they weren't as talented as the 85 team, but they were favored and they lost.

And none of this addresses that the teams the Bears lost to were able to win with mediocre/bad qb's, so if Ditka were a great coach, he should have been able to as well.

And let's face it, they won in 85 because of Buddy Ryan and that great defense. Ditka had nothing to do with that, and supposedly didn't even understand the defensive schemes.

The now famous Doug Flutie loss was January 3, 1987. The Bears probably would have been better off if he wasn't on the team though.

 

[hawksrule]

The now famous Doug Flutie loss was January 3, 1987. The Bears probably would have been better off if he wasn't on the team though.

Playoffs games from january 1987 represent the 1986 season/team. Flutie was not on the 1987 team, which lost its playoff game in jan 1988.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

I got the Flutie Skin loss mixed up with McMahon skin loss

QB performance in those playoff games

Flutie vs Skins = 11-31 for 134 yds with 1 TD and 2 INT
McMahon vs Skins = 15-29 for 197 yds with 1 TD and 3 INT
McMahon vs 49ers = 14-29 for 121 yds with 1 INT
Tomczak vs 49ers = 6-12 for 55 yds
Tomczak vs Giants = 17-36 for 205 yds with 2 INT
Harbaugh vs Cowboys = 22-44 for 218 yds with 1 TD and 2 INT

Sorry but Ditka got stuck with no talent at QB positon. Team was great in 85 and overcame that handicap

Couldn't do it vs strong Skin/49er/Giant teams nor a rising young Cowboy team

 

[IU Hawks fan]

I wasn't alive for any of this, and therefore have no comment.

 

[Kurtosis]

I wasn't alive for any of this, and therefore have no comment.

Haha, I was just born during the 1986-1987 season.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

I remember losses to Giants and Cowboys

I was to young to remember 89 much (Though I do recall my uncles yelling at TV how they hated the 49ers)

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Haha, I was just born during the 1986-1987 season.

Old man.

 

[Kurtosis]

Old man.

Yup, I'm getting up there. 30 is approaching way too quickly.

 

[hawksrule]

Sorry but Ditka got stuck with no talent at QB positon. Team was great in 85 and overcame that handicap

Couldn't do it vs strong Skin/49er/Giant teams nor a rising young Cowboy team

1986 & 87 were the 'shoulda been a dynasty' years. Skins were strong, but the Bears were even or better everywhere but head-coach. Joe Gibbs, who could coach circles around Ditka, found a way to beat the better team, on the road no less, with Jay Schroeder (who was terrible) and Doug Williams (who was below average).

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Doug Williams was better QB then McMahon and Schroeder was an enigma

All the talent in world but absolutely no consistency

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/colum...ar-ready-to-give-up-on-stephen-hill-1.9157983

Thankfully the Bears didn't have chance to select Hill

I remember a lot of talk the Bears liked him

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Bears lose final preseason game 33-13

Preseason over

 

[Sarava]

Playoffs games from january 1987 represent the 1986 season/team. Flutie was not on the 1987 team, which lost its playoff game in jan 1988.

Ok, if you're looking at it that way - then your SF comment was incorrect. Because the 28-3 loss was the 1988 season....but the game was in early 1989.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Bring on the real pro football now, please.

 

[Bubba88]

next game matters

I like that

 

[Duke33]

I got the Flutie Skin loss mixed up with McMahon skin loss

QB performance in those playoff games

Flutie vs Skins = 11-31 for 134 yds with 1 TD and 2 INT
McMahon vs Skins = 15-29 for 197 yds with 1 TD and 3 INT
McMahon vs 49ers = 14-29 for 121 yds with 1 INT
Tomczak vs 49ers = 6-12 for 55 yds
Tomczak vs Giants = 17-36 for 205 yds with 2 INT
Harbaugh vs Cowboys = 22-44 for 218 yds with 1 TD and 2 INT

Sorry but Ditka got stuck with no talent at QB positon. Team was great in 85 and overcame that handicap

Couldn't do it vs strong Skin/49er/Giant teams nor a rising young Cowboy team

In regards to Flutie I wouldn't say Ditka was stuck with him. He was the main driver for going and getting Flutie, even though he could barely even see over the offensive line. Bringing him in caused a ton of friction in the locker room which was already starting to fray as early as just after the Super Bowl win.

But yeah it was the defense that was the real weapon on that team. Ironically the 86 Bears allowed fewer points than the 85 champions, but the "terror" factor that Ryan's defense installed in opponents was gone.

 

[hawksrule]

Ok, if you're looking at it that way - then your SF comment was incorrect. Because the 28-3 loss was the 1988 season....but the game was in early 1989.

You're right, I confused 88 and 89. 89 was the year they started 4-0 and finished 6-10.

 

[ColdSteel2]

Prediction time

How does everyone think the Bears will finish this season?

I'm going with 10-6. The offense looks great. Special teams looks like it is going to be better this year too. The defense, I'm just not seeing enough guys step up and show promise so far. They'll be better than last year, but I'm not sure we're going to see the big improvement we wanted. I don't think we will. I'm just hoping the rookies/young players start to show something late in the season and we go into the playoffs with a better D than we had in the regular season.

SUN 9/7 BILLS# NOON FOX W
Sun 9/14 @ San Francisco 7:30pm NBC L
Mon 9/22 @ New York Jets 7:30pm ESPN W
SUN 9/28 PACKERS# NOON FOX W
Sun 10/5 @ Carolina* Noon FOX L
Sun 10/12 @ Atlanta* Noon FOX W
SUN 10/19 DOLPHINS#* NOON CBS W
Sun 10/26 @ New England* Noon FOX L
Sun 11/2 Bye
Sun 11/9 @ Green Bay* 7:30pm NBC L
SUN 11/16 VIKINGS#* NOON FOX W
SUN 11/23 BUCCANEERS* NOON FOX L
Thu 11/27 @ Detroit 11:30am CBS W
THU 12/4 COWBOYS 7:25PM NFLN W
MON 12/15 SAINTS 7:30PM ESPN L
SUN 12/21 LIONS* NOON FOX W
Sun 12/28 @ Minnesota* Noon FOX W

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

In regards to Flutie I wouldn't say Ditka was stuck with him. He was the main driver for going and getting Flutie, even though he could barely even see over the offensive line. Bringing him in caused a ton of friction in the locker room which was already starting to fray as early as just after the Super Bowl win.

But yeah it was the defense that was the real weapon on that team. Ironically the 86 Bears allowed fewer points than the 85 champions, but the "terror" factor that Ryan's defense installed in opponents was gone.

I remember Flutie talking about how the rest of Bears hated him and Jim McMahon led the charge against him

Reason Ditka liked Flutie so much was because he was sick of McMahon at that point. The constant battles on sideline and McMahon being undependable

 

[Bubba88]

I'm going to say 11-5 for the season

 

[madgoat33]

How does everyone think the Bears will finish this season?

I'm going with 10-6. The offense looks great. Special teams looks like it is going to be better this year too. The defense, I'm just not seeing enough guys step up and show promise so far. They'll be better than last year, but I'm not sure we're going to see the big improvement we wanted. I don't think we will. I'm just hoping the rookies/young players start to show something late in the season and we go into the playoffs with a better D than we had in the regular season.

SUN 9/7 BILLS# NOON FOX W
Sun 9/14 @ San Francisco 7:30pm NBC L
Mon 9/22 @ New York Jets 7:30pm ESPN W
SUN 9/28 PACKERS# NOON FOX W
Sun 10/5 @ Carolina* Noon FOX L
Sun 10/12 @ Atlanta* Noon FOX W
SUN 10/19 DOLPHINS#* NOON CBS W
Sun 10/26 @ New England* Noon FOX L
Sun 11/2 Bye
Sun 11/9 @ Green Bay* 7:30pm NBC L
SUN 11/16 VIKINGS#* NOON FOX W
SUN 11/23 BUCCANEERS* NOON FOX L
Thu 11/27 @ Detroit 11:30am CBS W
THU 12/4 COWBOYS 7:25PM NFLN W
MON 12/15 SAINTS 7:30PM ESPN L
SUN 12/21 LIONS* NOON FOX W
Sun 12/28 @ Minnesota* Noon FOX W

The bears are going to eviscerate the buccs and we will all get to watch lovie stand on the opposingsideline with that dumbfounded look on his face

 

[ColdSteel2]

The bears are going to eviscerate the buccs and we will all get to watch lovie stand on the opposingsideline with that dumbfounded look on his face

Sounds nice. I just worry about his team being like, "Let's win this for Coach Lovie". I see this game as a 50-50 toss up if that happens.

 

[hawksrule]

How does everyone think the Bears will finish this season?

I'm going with 10-6. The offense looks great. Special teams looks like it is going to be better this year too. The defense, I'm just not seeing enough guys step up and show promise so far. They'll be better than last year, but I'm not sure we're going to see the big improvement we wanted. I don't think we will. I'm just hoping the rookies/young players start to show something late in the season and we go into the playoffs with a better D than we had in the regular season.

If Cutler gets hurt, no chance of playoffs. If Cutler stays healthy for at least 13 games, then I think Chicago is a first round playoff team. You can't go far with a really bad defense, and that's what the Bears are. The LB are plain bad, and the DL is an injury or two from being what it was last year, which was atrocious.

We'll see how their rookies play, but it's not realistic to expect an impact from them in '14.