Here it comes. The inevitable onslaught from the Bear fans who will try and use this last game as a platform to "prove" that the Bears are better than the Packers. Newsflash: They're not. This only shows that the Bears have had the Packers' number the last few years. The bottom line is that the Bears will still be watching the Packers in the playoffs from home. And honestly, the Bears winning did not hurt the Packers terribly, or help the Bears at all. I know a lot of people think that the Bears should be playing for pride, but the Bears have A LOT of work ahead to improve their team, and they need high draft picks. I actually hope they beat New Orleans next week so that they get an even lower pick.

As far as the game went, well, it was pathetic. I felt like I was watching the 3rd string offense out there for the Packers. They had one beacon of light--Ryan Grant--among the sea of darkness that was the offense and special teams. "Special" is right. I've seen mentally handicapped children that could play better on a punting unit. It was awful to watch. And the worst thing is, the Bears haven't exactly been doing this all year long. Yes, Hester has been running the punts back, but they haven't been blocking them much. Simply awful. No adjustments, nothing.

Thankfully, the Packers will NOT have to face Chicago in the playoffs. That feels good to say. Maybe they will get lucky and draw Minnesota somehow...

In the rest of the NFL, the Patriots marched on to 15-0, only one game away from perfection. Next Saturday they face a Giants team with nothing to gain by playing their starters, so they have that much better a chance of going 16-0. I personally hope they do it, and erase the '72 Dolphins' record we can't stop hearing about. I was happy to see the Patriots clobber the Dolphins, but I think the records the Patriots are chasing may be affecting their game. I hope that Brady and Moss get their respective records, but they seemed predictable in the second half, whereas they were near-perfect in the first half.

Anyway, here's to a (mostly) pointless week 17, looking forward to the playoffs.

Until next week,

Kimmy

To all my Bears fans out there:  Better luck next year.  Not really.  I hope this run of miserable QB play, offensive line disaster, poor RB performance, and lackluster defense continues for years to come.  With so many holes to fill, they might be better off just starting from scratch.  They are in real trouble barring some miracles in the draft and free agency.  Good Luck.  Thanks for continuing the trend--6 of the last 7 Super Bowl LOSERS have failed to make the playoffs the next year, and the teddy Bears did not disappoint.

Watching last night's game brought a smile to my face.  The Bears stated that Kyle Orton is going to start against Green Bay.  Good.  As bad as Grossman has been, he still finds a way to play well against the Packers.  Hopefully,  Orton will not have the same success.  And I was happy to see Minnesota win.  If they capture a playoff berth, the Packers may end up playing them again--the Packers have taken the last 2; no reason to think 3/3 is out of the question.

 

The MNF crew is horrible.  They are seriously about 1 step up from the NFL network play-by-play guys.  Tirico is not bad, but Jaws is incompetent and Kornheiser is no longer even watching the games.  He is simpy rattling off one nonsensical line after another.  Here's a line from Kornheiser concerning Hester: "They should clone 22 of this guy right away.  maybe they could have them ready for the second half."  This was a paraphrase, but you get the point.  This is what we have been subjected to all season long, and it's not getting any better.  He s.u.c.k.s. on PTI (Wilbon carries that show), and he's even worse when we're FORCED to listen to him.  Why can't we get Scott Van Pelt?  He already works with Tirico on Tirico's radio show--Van Peezy is awesome.  He is by far the funniest person on ESPN, and would be a great counter to Tirico's calm play-by-play.  And how about a woman to round out the apparent need for three commentators in the booth?  Michele Tafoya does a fantastic job both on the radio and on the sidelines--she could easily be the third voice.  Her talents are being wasted with two line remarks on the status of so-and-so's leg/hip/groin injury, or what adjustments are being made at half-time.  Please, ESPN, get it right next year.  You don't want to be viewed in the same light as the NFL network.

 

Well, the "Game of the Year", NFC-style, has come and gone.  The Dallas Cowboys proved they were the better team, and Charles Woodson proved he may actually be the Packers' MVP, since the other defensive backs appeared incapable of stopping Romo.  Period.  If TR had suddenly decided to toss TO a beach ball, he probably would have scored 4 TDs.  Likely two of them would have come off of penalties by Atari Bigby.  How in the world did he fool so many people into thinking he can play safety?  Or football?  Bigby is a liability for the Packers defense, and needs to be removed, immediately.  There does not seem to be any chance of the Packers gaining home-field at this point, given the Cowboys remaining schedule.  I don't see another loss mixed in anywhere, much less the 2 that would be needed.  So we will in all likelihood be seeing the Packers march back to Dallas in January, with 0-10 in Dallas being a distinct and probable statistic.  In a word, dissapointing.

In other news, at least my family got to share in my dissapointment after razzing me post-Packer defeat.  Nothing gave me more pleasure Sunday than watching the Bears squander a 9 point lead with 12 minutes left.  At home.  Good stuff.  Unfortunately, the Packers have not locked up the division yet.  Next week, with any luck.

BTW, how bad can things get for Miami?  You have to be thinking that if they were going to win, this was the week for it.  Anyone who really thinks Miami is going to beat new England for their first win doean't really watch football, or really needs to increase their medication.

Finally, God Bless Sean Taylor, and his family and friends.  I thought the missing-man formation was so touching.  As for the Bills, I don't think people should be mad at them.  If Gibbs didn't know the formation was coming, then there's no way Jauron knew. 

Until next week,

Kimmy