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ESPN.com - NFL - Recap:
Huh.
I tell you true: going in, I thought the final score of this game would be something like Seahawks 28, Bears 13. That the Bears came out of this game with a win is truly remarkable.
That said: the Bears didn't win this game so much as Seattle gave it away. Repeatedly. Literally, with a late back-breaking interception and a late mishandled fourth-down play. And Grossman, for a wonder, really wasn't the problem this time; his one interception wasn't his fault (although his fumble really was -- only an idiot tries to make that pass at that point). The problem was a defense that couldn't shut down the middle -- its alleged strength -- and had problems maintaining containment in the passing game.
It's going to be interesting to see whether or not the Bears can deal with the Saints' offense well enough to win. "Interesting" in the Chinese curse sense of the term, that is. That said, this seems to be the playoff season for weak defenses (and the Bears' defense is wounded enough to be considered weak, with a slide from first in the league to fifth in only its last four games) to rise up and play above themselves. I mean, whoda thunk that Indianapolis, with the 31st ranked rushing defense, would manage to absolutely shut down two powerful rushing games, and could play well enough to win even without strong games from Manning? One would think they were inspired.
Truly, if you go for teams playing above themselves, you're expecting a Chicago-Indianapolis super bowl. If you go for, you know, sanity, you're expecting a New Orleans-New England final.
Two swings of the foot by Robbie Gould were all the Chicago Bears needed to offset any shortcomings in Rex Grossman's arm.
And the Chicago Bears got their first playoff win since 1995, moving them one step from the Super Bowl...
Huh.
I tell you true: going in, I thought the final score of this game would be something like Seahawks 28, Bears 13. That the Bears came out of this game with a win is truly remarkable.
That said: the Bears didn't win this game so much as Seattle gave it away. Repeatedly. Literally, with a late back-breaking interception and a late mishandled fourth-down play. And Grossman, for a wonder, really wasn't the problem this time; his one interception wasn't his fault (although his fumble really was -- only an idiot tries to make that pass at that point). The problem was a defense that couldn't shut down the middle -- its alleged strength -- and had problems maintaining containment in the passing game.
It's going to be interesting to see whether or not the Bears can deal with the Saints' offense well enough to win. "Interesting" in the Chinese curse sense of the term, that is. That said, this seems to be the playoff season for weak defenses (and the Bears' defense is wounded enough to be considered weak, with a slide from first in the league to fifth in only its last four games) to rise up and play above themselves. I mean, whoda thunk that Indianapolis, with the 31st ranked rushing defense, would manage to absolutely shut down two powerful rushing games, and could play well enough to win even without strong games from Manning? One would think they were inspired.
Truly, if you go for teams playing above themselves, you're expecting a Chicago-Indianapolis super bowl. If you go for, you know, sanity, you're expecting a New Orleans-New England final.
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