[CBFF] Rendered meaningless

[Jim Ferolie]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ryan Dietzenbach" <ryandietzenbach at gmail.com>


> On 12/31/06, Jerry Madsen <jerrywm at gmail.com> wrote:
Throw-in
>> the backups early.  Get ready for two weeks of healing and
>> preparation.
>
>
> If the starters don't get a good number of reps, there won't be a
> Super Bowl.

Well, from that perspective, things went well tonight. I saw Rod Wilson on 
the field in the third quarter, and he was towing Leon Joe and Brendon 
Ayanbadejo with him. RMJ started, and Worrell got PT on the first series. 
And yet I think the starters that were deemed healthy did get plenty of 
reps.

Curiously, I thought I saw Peanut dressed in a uni on the bench.

Anyone know if Todd Johnson will be back? I think he might add some 
stability to the defense, as far as people being in the right places and 
making secondary adjustments. He's got to know the defense and offensive 
playcalls better than Harris and Manning. I think we are very susceptible to 
the audible.

If it had to be a loss and it had to be ugly, I'd much rather it was this 
way than like last year. Last year there were 1,000 excuses for why the game 
never went well, but this year the starters were on the field and got 
punched in the mouth by a very motivated team. The backups, in fact, held 
their own better, at least on defense.

Thank God they got punched in the mouth this week and not in the playoffs. 
They'll have time to let that cut heal, time to stew over the feeling, time 
to hear the crap on the talk radio, time to let the boos rattle around in 
their head and piss them off and hopefully will come out with renewed vigor.

Griese did not thrill me. He will be able to fill in or provide a change of 
pace if needed, but Rex has got to be the QB. It kind of pisses me off that 
he was throwing lazy passes instead of bullets, but hopefully watching Favre 
slice up the offense in the first half inspired him a little.

Then again, Favre was far from perfect. After a couple of close calls, I 
announced that there was going to be an interception soon, and about two 
plays later there was. He was going for broke like he knew he would remember 
this game for the rest of his life. I found it interesting that he 
downplayed the victory in at least one aspect -- saying that the Bears' 
minds were probably on the playoffs -- while storing it away as a cherished 
memory.

I also noticed that the Bears did a good job on Driver, but these nobody 
guys were eating us up. That's a factor of the missing secondary depth, 
without both Tillman and Johnson (and with Wesley apparently 
untrustworthy?).

Tait also looked awful at the start and only got marginally better. He 
apparently is still healing and had quite a bit of rust to shake. Heck, in 
the fourth quarter he was the only starting lineman (Garza having moved over 
to center) and ended up getting a holding call. Keeping my fingers crossed 
there, but again, if he starts to suck in a playoff game, they can always 
start St. Clair (gulp!). Yes, he sucks, but he was just as good last week as 
Tait was this week.

I can't get it out of my head that it will be Dallas. I still don't see 
Seattle beating the Cowboys, even with Detroit surprising them this week. 
And I don't believe the depleted Giants can hold up in a playoff game. Not 
yet. Even with their QB out, Philly is more battle-tested.

I think Tillman-Owens Vasher-Glenn is a good matchup. I'm just worried about 
that damn pass rush. They needed blitzes again, and I'm getting a little 
annoyed at not seeing Ogunleye and Brown in on more plays. They weren't 
invisible today, just quiet, like they have been for weeks.