Fire Ryan Poles | Fire Ben Johnson

These emotions, I can’t fucking handle. Screaming at the TV. Almost in tears early on when it’s 14-3. My life as a fan of this team flashing before my eyes. The nightmare of 1995 when the 49ers killed the Bears in the Divisional Round. Jim Miller getting knocked out in 2002 against the Eagles in the same round. The Super Bowl loss in 2007. The Packers humiliating this team in 2011 in the NFC Championship. The Wild Card game in 2019 against the Eagles. You name it. This was going to be another game added to that misery.

We rarely see this team in the playoffs is what I’m trying to say.

Caleb showing calmness despite his shitty head coach putting him in a position to fail. They could have had a chance to get field goals early on. Instead, going for it on 4th down. Nothing. Then, that last offensive drive, I haven’t seen anything like it. Then, the defense actually waking the fuck up in the second half despite their best efforts to give this game away in the final two minutes. With the exception of the game against the Browns, this team and the defense specifically, has not put together four full quarters of solid play.

In past years, that ball bounces off Kyler Gordon’s hands and into a receiver for the Packers. It’s just fucking insane.

We will find out tomorrow evening who the Bears will play next week. I didn’t sleep all week. I probably won’t sleep tonight or next week either.

As I expected, this is all I’ve been thinking about the entire week.

Run the ball. Cover your receivers. Don’t do stupid shit. This is a simple game when common sense is used by the coach. The talent is there.

I know I have written that same headline before at some point in all these years of having this website. But it is appropriate.

As I was getting ready to type this, the Commanders just beat the Eagles. So the Bears will have the second seed and play the Packers next week at home.

I have zero confidence in this team. Everything that worried me was confirmed these last two weeks. No defense at all. AT ALL. They have the inability to cover a receiver. They have the inability to tackle. They are just not a good defense. And enough with the “they lead the lead in takeaways!” Your point? They let the Lions drive down the field at will countless times today. Same last week with the 49ers. The offense is absent for half of the game. They have ran out of miracles as we have witnessed the last two weeks.

The miracles are over. The lucky turnovers are over. Even though Caleb lead a comeback to tie it today, the offense fell apart after the defense got away with a pass interference and intercepted Goff.

Is the talent there? Many say so. I don’t see it. C.J. Gardner Johnson was one of the bright spots this season. He was awful today and got hurt at the end. So who knows if he is going to play next week.

Here are the facts: Ben Johnson is a fucking idiot and is putting the offense in a position to fail. Dennis Allen is a fucking idiot who is putting the defense in a position to fail. How difficult is it to cover a receiver? These are fucking professionals. My experience doesn’t go past junior tackle in terms of playing. But even we were taught back then how to cover a receiver. None of this fuckery “cover two” bullshit. As I said almost 20 years ago, it should be called the “cover who?” defense.

So what is it going to be? Is this team going to play like professionals or are they going to be the same old Bears that we have witnessed most of our lives? It’s their fucking choice.

I don’t care about 4,000 passing yards. This obsession is fucking weird. Rest the starters and don’t risk the players who are already hurt. The goal is to win the Super Bowl.

I didn’t expect the Bears to win this game before it started. But the fact that this defense was absolutely horseshit is fucking humiliating. To add injury to insult, Luther Burden was hurt on the final play of the game. Caleb was running for his life and it was a disaster as soon as it was snapped. Caleb does not do that well on the run, especially while running backwards.

I am completely exhausted. Physically and mentally. The Bears showed their true colors tonight. Ben Johnson was fucking awful on the last two drives that didn’t result in the end zone. Terrible clock management as well. Dennis Allen should be fired before the plane ride tonight. This “bend but don’t break” defense was shattered tonight. I cannot keep screaming at the TV for someone to cover a receiver. I’ve been doing that for decades now.

Bigger picture now: The Bears don’t really have anything to play for next week. Just rest everyone important against the Lions. Get rested and healthy for what will probably be the Rams or Packers coming to town in two weeks. I doubt this team makes it past that anyway. But at least put them in a position to compete.

I meant to get this thread up earlier in the day. For the last week, I’ve been dealing with this shitty flu and still trying to work some days.

Last night, I was at a wrestling show in Hoffman Estates and after the Packers were about to lose, the entire crowd was chanting “Green Bay sucks.” It felt amazing as we don’t get this feeling very often in life. I am happy the Bears won the division. That being said, that’s not the goal of a team. We all know what is.

As I am posting this, the Seahawks just won. The Bears must win the last two while the Seahawks lose next week against the 49ers. We will see what happens.

How many of you assholes thought the Bears were going to come back to win when down 16-6 while showing absolutely zero life?

If you raised your hand, you are a fucking liar. Nobody on this planet thought the Bears were going to win. Not even their own players. There were some costly penalties and while some were bullshit calls, this team needs to be more disciplined. The culture needs to change with that.

This team was absolutely quiet. The defense was letting the Packers drive down at will. Yes, field goals. But the Packers didn’t punt once this game. I am aware there were turnovers and some fuckery from Matt LeFluer. But damn. I cannot take this shit. Malik Willis was Donovan McNabb out there. Completely shredding the defense.

I still feel Caleb is suffering from horrible coaching. I am certain he called those plays on his own. I am certain he did the same on all those other game-winning drives. Ben Johnson is still a fucking idiot.

Jahdae Walker saved the game. That ball looked like it was going to sail into the stands. Instead, it went right into Walker’s hands on 4th down and his toes touched right before going out of bounds. I seriously need to get my blood pressure checked. I am still waiting for this team to put together four full quarters of solid play and zero stupid calls from Ben Johnson.

I will give credit to Cairo Santos. He hasn’t had a great year. He’s had some struggles. But holy shit. Kicking those three field goals in howling winds isn’t easy. So he deserves a free dinner tomorrow.

As it stands now, the Lions need to lose one of their last three games for the Bears to get into the playoffs. If the Packers lose one of the last two and the Bears win at least one of the next two, they clinch the division. The Bears play the 49ers on the road next Sunday night.

It’s Round 2. Odunze and Burden are out. The running game needs to get going. When passing, the tight ends in Kmet and Loveland need to be utilized more.

I was on a plane watching the first half of this game. I spent the second half watching it from my car before heading home. I refuse to listen to Jeff Joniak.

If this was any other team, I highly doubt the Bears win by this same score. Yeah, I am going to complain about Ben Johnson’s display of stupidity with the play-calling and clock management. 2nd/3rd and 1 and this fucking guy is calling pass plays? I am tired of seeing this shit. One of those drives, Santos misses the field goal. Another instance was before halftime where it was 2nd and 1 and two straight pass plays go for nothing. Then, the Bears got the ball again before halftime and Ben Johnson ran the clock all the way down instead of driving to get closer for either a field goal or Hail Mary.

Thankfully, the defense showed up when the Browns didn’t. Shedeur Sanders was picked off three times. It didn’t seem anyone other than Myles Garrett wanted to be there. The weather was awful and whoever had the better running game was going to win. The Browns couldn’t get much going and Sanders was forced to throw often. Many passes didn’t even reach the intended receiver.

These last three games are probably the most difficult of any team playing. Packers, 49ers and Lions. The Bears must win at least two of these to make the playoffs. Anything less and they will be watching them from home.

It’s been a rough go lately for my teams. The Blackhawks are in a downfall, especially after what happened on Friday with Connor Bedard. The Bulls are back to being shit. The Illini basketball team is fucking horse manure.

These are all bad omens. Like some kind of cloud hovering over my superstitious self. When it rains, it pours. And of course, here are the Bears. I felt after last week that it was basically over barring a miracle. That miracle needs to happen today. -10 wind chill. BEAR WEATHER ACTIVATED. I can just hear Mike Ditka ask me “Who ya crappin’?” after talking about BEAR WEATHER.