# Packers @ Bears, moved to NBC Primetime on New Year's Eve



## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

The NFL has given NBC their last Christmas wish.

The pulled the Packers @ Bears to Primetime, on New Year's Eve.

My guess, this was done for two reasons:

1) The Packers have a slim outside chance of making it into the playoffs
2) Brett's possible last game, at their NFC rival ... In Chicago (going for a 14-2 record), Weather is going to be "mild" for this time of year..

IMHO... it is a total crock.
Listening to sports radio, there are a *LOT* of ticked off fans and employees (of the stadium), that just now had all of their plans trashed.

I had a chance to purchase tickets for the game, at cost.. ($300 for two).
And I passed last week, just because I wanted to sit and veg, and watch it on TV, while catching a nap afterwards, so I am not a zombie at our New Years Eve party.

I am so glad I did... As there is ZERO way I would have even made it back for New Year's Eve...

Now you are also mixing in people getting seriously hammered at the game, and driving around the city, and highways... at 10:30pm

Not a good Idea IMHO... 
I am not sure why they would have even scheduled a game for the evening anyway...

Why not do what they did this past weekend, and have two games on the 1st?

Ah well.


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## jimbo09 (Sep 26, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> The NFL has given NBC their last Christmas wish.
> 
> The pulled the Packers @ Bears to Primetime, on New Year's Eve.
> 
> ...


I think they don't have a MNF game on the last week, so there is no worry of a team playing on Monday, and having a short week going into the playoffs.

If the Giants win, the Pack have little chance.

The Bears have been playing "Pro Bowl defense" (as in, how defense is played during the Pro Bowl, not what it takes to get there) for three weeks now, so it will probably be close.

Will we get to see Kyle Orton this week?


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

jimbo09 said:


> The Bears have been playing "Pro Bowl defense" (as in, how defense is played during the Pro Bowl, not what it takes to get there) for three weeks now, so it will probably be close.
> 
> Will we get to see Kyle Orton this week?


True, they are not playing the same "defense" a they did earlier in the year... and it is so hard to tell if it is because of the lost of two Defense Linemen... the injury's in the backfield... or just ramping down a bit, since they have everything locked up.

Frustrating as a fan to watch and see the defense play that way, and not have a concrete reason why...

Anyway... not a chance in all of Chicago land will you see Kyle Orton this week, unless they are doing it is a "farewell" cry for last seasons performance. You have a better chance of seeing Brian G for the entire second half.


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## racemanva (Nov 3, 2006)

Damn, that makes about 5 weeks( i think) this year that NFL ST has been a waste of money for me. Being a die-hard Bear fan in Virginia have had numerous opportunities this year to watch nationally on Sunday and Monday nite!  I know I shouldn't complain, if we were 8-8 or worse probably wouldn't have been on once!


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## jimbo09 (Sep 26, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> True, they are not playing the same "defense" a they did earlier in the year... and it is so hard to tell if it is because of the lost of two Defense Linemen... the injury's in the backfield... or just ramping down a bit, since they have everything locked up.
> 
> Frustrating as a fan to watch and see the defense play that way, and not have a concrete reason why...
> 
> Anyway... not a chance in all of Chicago land will you see Kyle Orton this week, unless they are doing it is a "farewell" cry for last seasons performance. You have a better chance of seeing Brian G for the entire second half.


:lol: I don't think Orton was very good last year, but I think he got trashed once Rex came back. The least they could do is give him some garbage time.

A couple of times, like on a punt out of the Lions end zone, I saw the defense just stand up after the snap; no kind of pressure at all. I'm no Jay Marriotti, so I don't care what they do until the playoffs.

I guess the best thing about Brian Griese as back-up is noone will bother throwing Rex Grossman to the ground, ala Hugh Douglass to Jim Miller 2001 or Charles Martin (RIP) to Jim McMahon 1986.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Exactly.... I am more worried about someone trying to take a cheap shot on 54...

That is the worst part about how things layout... Once you lock up home field, there is little incentive to play the games out, much more risk then reward.

Catch-22, as you can't just sit them or they get a little game rusty.
That is one major advantage that the other sports with "series" have. You can have that one bad game, but the better team usually can recover and end up winning a series.


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## kikkenit2 (Oct 26, 2006)

I was hoping they would move an afc game to nbc just to get less sunday morning games in SD. I try to record all the games shown in HD.All you bears fans gotta be nervous about bettin big bucks on them in the playoffs the way they have been playing lately. Honestly they lucked out several times especially against Arizona. Come on let Favre win. Is Tank Johnson gonna play anymore? If Brian E.(54) gets hurt my SD Chargers will take em in SB 41.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

kikkenit2 said:


> I was hoping they would move an afc game to nbc just to get less sunday morning games in SD. I try to record all the games shown in HD.All you bears fans gotta be nervous about bettin big bucks on them in the playoffs the way they have been playing lately. Honestly they lucked out several times especially against Arizona. Come on let Favre win. Is Tank Johnson gonna play anymore? If Brian E.(54) gets hurt my SD Chargers will take em in SB 41.


Nah, not really... the Media people seem to have their undies in a twist about the way the Bears have played the last few weeks.

And it is not "comforting", but we have seen the defense play earlier in the year. They didn't "forget" how to play defense, they have had a few players out the last few weeks. But they all should be back for the first playoff game.

And really it boils down to how well they play "that" day... 
The "defense" didn't luck out against Arizona, hell they won that game.

The Offense has improved steadily over the last 4 weeks, so yep.. it is on an up swing.

And if Brian Urlacher gets hurt, or Lance Briggs... the defense becomes something VERY different... As for Tank Johnson... According to the coach, and media here in Chicago... he will be playing this week.

Could they be beaten? Sure... One one team in the history of the NFL has gone undefeated...
Any team can be beaten... these are all "good" players out there. And this isn't college... you only need 1 more point on the board then the other team when the clock hits zero....
There are no "quality" victories... just win or go home.


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## jimbo09 (Sep 26, 2006)

The Bears are fairly good ATS this year, and I expect them to be underdogs against whoever they play. Everyone has the entire NFC field beating them, and if they make it to the SB, then I expect them to be 2 touchdown underdogs...I'll take that action.


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## kikkenit2 (Oct 26, 2006)

Thanks Earl and Jimbo for your response. I forgot how to spell Urlacher's name. Opps! A very exciting player to watch and a great play when he ripped the ball out of the running back at the end of that game against Arizona. The Bears defense definitely won that game as Grossman has been very inconsistent this year and i'm surprised he lasted all season. Several teams have replaced quarterbacks and done well this year. I don't bet on sports so I don't pay attention to the spread but I assumed they were usually favored most games this year due to their record.

I live in LA so i'm biased toward Matt Leinert, Reggie Bush and Maurice Jones-Drew and I gotta admit I wanted Arizona to win that game after that great start. All these guys and Vince Young are improving a lot before our eyes. I figured Tank would play but hadn't read anything locally. Their defensive line is awesome but wasn't their best player hurt for the rest of the season?

I guess i'm for the Saints and Chargers in the playoffs but I mostly watch sports for how they won (the action) then who won. Anybody know why Fox is so slow to declare what games are HD this week (all but one) and D* listing the HD channels. Just curious. I'm surprised CBS is showing the Raiders in HD instead of say Pittsburgh/Cincinnati.


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## SamC (Jan 20, 2003)

I can see people's gripe, but, in the fourth largest collection of people on the continent, I would hope that 80,000 people can be found to go to a pro football game. What about Dallas fans, who got home games on Thanksgiving and Christmas days, meaning 1/4th of the schedule was on a major holiday.

Fot this one, a PT game would have been better, ending about 8:30 PT.

As Christmas and New Years work their way around the calendar (next year Tuesday, etc.) the system will work better.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

The game is already sold out... has been for a while.

One of the problems, is the way the Season Tickets are done. The PSL's which are almost like a "mortage", are the key. If a Season Ticket holder gets rid of their tickets, and those that get them act like idiots and get kicked out of the game... the expensive PSL can be yanked from them.

So a lot of peole that can't go to the game, just don't want to give them or sell them to just "anybody". Added to the confusion is that there already is going to be an estimated 1.25 million extra people in the downtown area because of all the New Year's events.

Just makes things really goofy... 

As for the "team".
Yep, we lost probably our best defensivie lineman, Tommie Harris

But with Tank back.. the line is the least of our problems right now.
The secondary is the big ? mark right now, and their play over the last 4 weeks is what has a lot of the "experts" denouncing the defense.

Rex has been pretty fair/good over the last 4 weeks. Not as much of a concern as it was a month ago.

If the Bears are anything more then a 7 point underdog... If I had the money to play, I would take that action.


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## jimbo09 (Sep 26, 2006)

The Jets game will be in HD, due to it being a big market team - even if it is the second NYC team - being in a "win and in" scenario. Yeah, Cincy/PItt, that should be good, too. Also, CBS protected NYJ/Oak from the Primetime slot. Fox protected the Atl/Phi game, and that's how Chi/GB got picked. Denver/SF was automatically ineligible, since the Broncos have played in Primetime SIX times.

There trying to spin it, but really, this game was the NFL's 4th choice. 

I am in the Pacific Time zone; the games are always on pretty early for me, so I forget how late they are in the eastern and central zone. Hehe...if they go into OT, they could be on the field at midnight. I bet the refs have orders to "speed along the game".

Oh yeah, and I wouldn't mind kicking the Cowboys off Thanksgving and Christmas, but I'll bet they play on some Christmas Eve (MNF) double header next year. It wouldn't be the holidays without rooting against the Cowboys:lol:


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

And I saw my first NBC Corporate Ad for the Sunday Night Game...

Any guess on what it was all focused on...

I'll give you "4" guesses, and you shouldn't have to use your "last" guess to play this "game"...


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## racemanva (Nov 3, 2006)

Earl: THe problem with the defensive backfield over the last few weeks is three-fold, 1) no pressure from the front four(injuries and suspension have obviously taken their toll) anytime even a decent QB has all day they will pick apart even a good secondary a.k.a., Tim Ratay, 2) THe blitz packages they are using aren't being disguised worth a darn, leaving the corner's on an island and 3) The secondary has seen near as many injuries, hopefully with Vasher back we will get Todd Johnson and Peanut Tillman back on the field, was such a big blow to lose Mike Brown the heart and soul.

Finally, I am so damn and sick and tired about you know who's last game, never will be so glad to see someone retire, let's send him out with one more butt whippin!


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

#1 is for certain, but Tank comming back should help a lot with that... one more fresh body.

#2 I want to think that is designed like that right now... to blanently obvious, to not give any playoff opponents 4-5 more games worth of film data to find any tendencies or "tip-offs"

#3) Mike Brown was a hugh blow.. but hopefully if Todd and Peanut don't re-aggrivate anything this week... they should be good to go by the 2nd row playoffs.

I feel kinda bad for Favre to a degree... the Media is so desperately trying to make something out of nothing.

This is the 2nd year of his retirement, but there is no real indication that he isn't going to come back next year.

Save all this hoopla for the NFL-Network for the days following his press-conference.


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## jimbo09 (Sep 26, 2006)

It would be best if Aaron Rodgers comes back, and Favre holds the clipboard for a year. He has so much experience, and sees so much (just check him out when he's mic'd) that it would totally set the Pack up for years to come.

"I just want to help the team" really means "give me the ball' He's no T.O or anything, but he's should help GB out for the future, by helping out the new QB or get traded for some draft picks. 

He wears that S. Miss shirt so much I wonder if he's trying to get a job down there.


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## colavsfaninnwia (Jan 25, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> Any guess on what it was all focused on...
> 
> "4" "last" "game" ...


I might need "2" "more" guesses to figure out this game. It could even take "years." :hurah:


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## MartyS (Dec 29, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> Exactly.... I am more worried about someone trying to take a cheap shot on 54...
> 
> That is the worst part about how things layout... Once you lock up home field, there is little incentive to play the games out, much more risk then reward.
> 
> ...


I agree with the cheap shots... but I look at this time for the coaching staff to seriously watch film of the teams the Bears will meet in the playoffs, and develop a defensive and offensive strategy that those teams haven't seen from the Bears yet.

With nothing to lose, they can try out anything that they want to see what works and what doesn't. Hopefully Lovie, and the rest of the coaching team are doing just that.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Final Score: Da Bears 73; Packers Negative 6


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## Spazzman (Oct 8, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> Final Score: Da Bears 73; Packers Negative 6


Hey Earl -

LOL.. Da bears......DA BEARS........... Woops having a heart attack......

Our defense has improved quite a bit. Last week was a good example. Thursday night game vs. the VikQueens. They scored one defensive TD.

Oh.. and our offense is terrible but come on this is Da Bears..

And this is not Favre's Last game. Do you realize that 50% of Wisconsinites will off themselves causing mass disruption to our State's economy. We will blame it it on people from Illinois and our state legislature will declare war on Illinois.

My prediction is the Bears will choke and they will loose their first game in the playoffs.

Pack 86 - Bears - Zip.


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## jimbo09 (Sep 26, 2006)

Spazzman said:


> Hey Earl -
> 
> LOL.. Da bears......DA BEARS........... Woops having a heart attack......
> 
> ...


That Thursday game was the worst football game of the year. Even Bret Farve said the game sucked, check out his comment on Inside the NFL. He was mic'd for the game.


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## jdspencer (Nov 8, 2003)

Watching the game now on DirecTV ch 82. Audio and Video breakups are happening. The fast motion artifacting is very noticable.


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## JM Anthony (Nov 16, 2003)

Good game. Too bad Chicago didn't show up.

John


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

jdspencer said:


> Watching the game now on DirecTV ch 82. Audio and Video breakups are happening. The fast motion artifacting is very noticable.


Yeah, what's with ch. 82 lately? I tried watching football (Giants-Redskins game) on 82 on Saturday as well and got nothing but constant audio breakups. I noticed that at the exact time of every audio breakup the video part had a problem as well. When I turned to ch. 95, the so-called "national" HD broadcast of the game, it was fine, as was the SD broadcast of the game on the NFL Network, ch. 212.


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

jdspencer said:


> Watching the game now on DirecTV ch 82. Audio and Video breakups are happening. The fast motion artifacting is very noticable.


Here too.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Earl Bonovich said:


> Final Score: Da Bears 73; Packers Negative 6


As much as I would have liked that to be true, Earl, I went into the game honestly believing we'd lose. We did. I do NOT--repeat, do NOT--have good feelings about the postseason.

Our defense has major holes in it, with our pass defense being terrible. We needed overtime to beat Tampa, got lucky and beat Detroit (thank you, Mr. Williams), and got embarrassed on national TV against the Packers. Not good. At all. We have the be the worst 13-3 team I've seen in a long time.

Rex Grossman is just awful, plain awful, and Griese isn't exactly Joe Montana or Tom Brady, but I'd take him over Grossman in a heartbeat. In fact, I'd start him in the postseason for one main reason: simply put, he's a much better quarterback. Period.

I can see us winning the first round game the weekend of Jan. 13/14. However, I foresee us getting bounced out the following week. If we make it to the Super Bowl, it will be luck and not skill that get us there.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

While it may be true that Grossman isn't the best choice at quarterback... Griese didn't impress much either, and he hasn't in his past seasons with other teams.

All-told, the Bears still finish 13-3 in the regular season with people screaming for the head of the quarterback... Meanwhile LOTS of teams this season finished 8-8 or worse and aren't mired in a quarterback controversy.

For example... How are the 8-8 Giants so much better off with Eli Manning at QB? Put Grossman on the Giants and I bet he could finish 8-8 with that team... would Eli Manning do better than 13-3 with the Bears?

Not bashing Eli or praising Grossman... but for as important as the QB position is, there are lots of players on the team that make contributions that don't always get taken into account.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Griese on his previous teams played better than Grossman has on the Bears. Rex just isn't that good of a QB. He never has, never will be.


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