Keys to the Bears vs. Broncos Game

            Tim Tebow's impressive 6-1 record this season as a starter will be tested when he faces the Chicago Bears in Denver today. Tebow will have the hardest time scoring today out of any regular season game this season, but the Broncos will have great chances at winning.

Keys to the Game:
Bears: Force turnovers on defense, getting good field position on special teams, have a double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter, scoring on defense/special teams
Broncos: Don't turn the ball over, put pressure on Caleb Hanie, keep the game close in the first three quarters
           
            The Bears defense has wreaked havoc this season, intercepting sixteen passes, forcing eleven fumbles, and recovering nine of them. Tebow will have more pressure than ever to play smart. The few times he throws he will have to place the ball in places where only his receivers can catch the ball. When he scrambles, he'll have to hold onto the ball very tightly because Chicago is the best team in the league at stripping the ball. With Chicago's top two offensive players, Matt Forte and Jay Cutler, out with injuries, the Bears will need the defense to give them the best field position possible so that they can settle for field goals if they can't put the ball in the endzone. Caleb Hanie has struggled in the two games that he has played, completing less than half of his passes. His touchdown to interception ratio is 1:3, throwing three picks in both games. As we saw last year in the playoffs, Hanie does have the ability to perform well, we just haven't seen it in 2011. He may need a few games under his belt to get warmed up, but if that is not the case, a defensive touchdown would be critical to the Bears winning the game. If there was ever a game where Chicago needs  Devin Hester to be a big-time playmaker it's today. If he can get to a least the Bears own forty yard line a two or three times on kickoffs, Chicago will have a much shorter field to work with and will take some of the pressure off of Caleb Hanie. The Chicago Bears will need to have at least a two score lead going into the fourth quarter because of Tim Tebow's ability to lead the Broncos to comeback victories.  The longer the Bears hold onto the ball in the fourth quarter and the more they slow the game down, the less time Tebow will have to put together a potential game-winning drive.

Courtesy of http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/6ilGKu3ghRf/Houston+Texans+v+Denver+Broncos/QxLpplhlnIb/Tim+Tebow

            I think that the Chicago Bears will play the Broncos very tough and Tebow will have one of his worst statistical games this season. Chicago's offense is missing too much of its firepower and will struggle offensively. Caleb Hanie will have his best game this season, throwing for 200 yards, 2 touchdowns, and one interception. The Bears will force three turnovers and have one defense or special teams touchdown. However, the Broncos defense will keep the game close in the first three quarters so that Tebow can win the game in the fourth. Denver Broncos win 24-20 over the Chicago Bears in a close game at Denver.

2011 Christmas List

            Since today is December 1st, it is officially time to start thinking about Christmas and making a Christmas list. Here is my sports-related Christmas list:

• AFC Wild Card spot for the Cincinnati Bengals
• Jay Cutler's finger to heal towards the three week side of the three-to-ten week recovery period
• A Chicago Bears win on Christmas Day
• Chris Paul traded to the New York Knicks
• Chicago Cubs sign Albert Pujols
• Andy Dalton wins Offensive Rookie of the Year
• Xavier Musketeers finish the season in the top 10 of the polls in basketball
• Jacksonville Jaguars move to Los Angeles

Getting to Know Caleb Hanie

             After Jay Cutler's season-ending injury to a finger on his throwing hand after chasing after Antoine Cason, who intercepted Cutler in the fourth quarter, it will be back-up quarterback Caleb Hanie who will look to lead the 7-3 Bears into the playoffs.

Courtesy of http://planbphilosophy.blogspot.com/2011/01/are-you-prepared-for-opportunity-caleb.html

             The last we saw of Hanie was when he replaced Cutler after an "injury" in last year's NFC Championship Game. Hanie was 13-20 for 153 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, which for a replacement QB in the biggest game of his life, was by no means a bad performance. Hanie is in his fourth NFL season after playing at Colorado State. He is almost the same size as Cutler, at 6'2" and 222 lbs. Luckily for both the Bears and Hanie, the team is capable of winning without relying too much on the play of the quarterback. As we saw against Detroit last week, Chicago managed score with its defense, special teams, and dual running back system under Mike Martz. As long as the defense can limit the scoring opportunities of their opponents, Hester gives the offense good field position, and Matt Forte and Marion Barber are able to carry the offense, Hanie will be gradually re-introduced to the offense. If he is able to lead the Bears over the Packers in Week 16, he'll become a living legend in Chicago.

It's Hard to Lose with Chicago's Defense

                The Chicago Bears got revenge at Soldier Field today after losing to the Detroit Lions in Week 5 at Detroit. The Bears were able to score in four different ways today and what is most promising for Chicago is that they were able to win despite Jay Cutler having a mediocre game. Cutler went 9-19 for 123 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. Matt Forte also had a bit of an off-night with only 64 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. However, the Bears defense and special teams carried the team against the Lions. Detroit never got into an offensive rythm after turning the ball over on their first two possessions in both halves. Detroit's fumbles, both lost by wide receivers, turned into ten easy points for the Bears and they never looked back. The second quarter started with a Robbie Gould field goal and less than a minute later, after the Lions went three-and-out, Devin Hester returned his NFL-leading 12th career punt for a touchdown. Despite being questionable leading up to the game he turned a mishandled punt into his third special teams touchdown this season. The Lions went into halftime down 20-6 and their woes continued when quarterback Matthew Stafford threw two pick-sixes on consecutive possessions to Major Wright and Charles Tillman. After Stafford's third interception to Tim Jennings, he took his anger out on Bears defender D.J. Moore, tackling him by his helmet, setting off a chain reaction that escalated along the Lions' sideline. Moore ended up charging back at Stafford before getting pummeled by two Lions players. Moore ended up getting ejected from the game, but that was the least of his worries since his team was up 37-6 in an absolute rout of Detroit.

Courtesy of  http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/14112011/5/photo/14112011004810.html (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

                     The Lions picked up a touchdown in garbage time, but seven more points could not heal Detroit after such a bad loss. While I wasn't thrilled with the Bears' offense, this was the type of game I love watching Chicago play. They didn't rely on Cutler trying to throw the ball across the field and be Tom Brady, but their defense forced six turnovers and they scored three touchdowns while their offense was on the sideline. Chicago definitely has a long way to go to make it to the playoffs, but having such a potent defense and special teams that can both limit their opponent's scoring opportunities and find their way to the endzone will give them an extra advantage against most of the Bears' opponents. As seen by Stafford's temper tantrum, a defense as good as Chicago's gets in the heads of their opponents and causes them to make more mistakes later in the game.The Chicago Bears are in great position at 6-3 in second place in the NFC North behind the Super Bowl Champion Packers. With a few more stellar performances by the Bears defense and if Hester can continue to tear it up on special teams, Chicago has great chances at making it to the playoffs, hopefully after finishing first place in the NFC North.