Never Let Me Down Again

Don't get me wrong. I still hate you, Ron Turner. Also, I think you're terrible at your job. Those two facts are kind of interrelated.

But, I'm still a Bears geek. And the Bears are still playing Favre this week. And apparently I'm just never going to learn when it comes to that particular matchup. Because I'm pretty sure, sitting here right now, after letting the fantasies run through my head all day, that the Bears are going to beat the Packers this week. They freaking have to.

The thing is, it really will not be that difficult of a thing to beat this Packers team. I know the Packers defense is really good and fired up. But the Bears offense really doesn't have to do all that much to ensure a victory against this team. All that needs to happen is for Ron Turner to, one last time, pretend that he is mildly competent at his job. I know he can do it; I've seen it happen a few times before.

All the Bears have to do on offense is not turn the ball over. I don't even care if they gain any yards. It would be a bonus to see a few first downs, but, really, all they'd be doing is giving the defense some extra breathing time. They'll start out in field goal position on at least three or four drives tomorrow, which is all they should need to win this game. But, really, Bears offense vs. Packers defense is not what this game is all about.

I know the Bears defense is depleted. In fact, it's desperately depleted. But even so: look at that defensive line that's going to be out there playing this weekend. Ogunleye, Walker, Harris, and Anderson. And you can be sure they're going to be playing out of their effing minds this week. Plus, Alex Brown will be rotating in off the bench every few plays. Plus, they'll have Urlacher behind them, who sounds like he's getting ready to have an insane game, and Archuleta will be back to bring pressure with safety blitzes whenever Urlacher drops back into coverage. With that unit, what the Bears need to do, and what I fully expect to see happen on Saturday, is bring the pressure. Every. Fucking. Play. Who cares if Green Bay picks up the blitz a few times? Favre won't be able to get off good throws on most plays with those guys coming at him. I think the Bears should go for the single game record for sacks. That's what I want to see. Actually, now that I've got myself all worked up about this, I'd almost be happy with that even without a win. Of course, I think that would lead to the Bears having a really good shot at winning, but if the Bears make Packer nation watch their precious bestubbled golden calf have to hobble himself back onto his feet after virtually every play, it will be a very satisfying game. What the Bears need to do, almost even more than they need to win this week, is make the Packers and the rest of the league afraid of them again.

For too long this Bears defense has let the focus rest on the offense and it's improvement--or lack thereof. This is not a team that worries about their offense. This is a team that expects to win with defense and special teams alone, and gives the offense a little pat on the butt whenever they manage not to look completely hopeless. If the Bears remember that this weekend, they will win. Bear down!