I'm starting to think the Niners might win this game.

Lol.

Like I said, the Bears aren't going to win a lot of games from here on out.

the Cowboys just aren't good

No argument there. But they've played the Giants even and Baltimore and Atlanta very close, and beat Tampa Bay. That's the weird factor, I guess, that they've had some "any given Sundays" against decent opposition, and then turn around and lose miserably or can barely beat Cleveland.

Thanksgiving should be a fun game, with RG3 returning to Texas for the first time as a pro.

OK, last night's game nearly sent my blood pressure into the stratosphere.

First, the offensive line. I have never seen an OL play so badly in all my years of watching professional football. I understand that San Francisco has a terrific defense; I expected the OL to struggle. But they didn't struggle; they were imitating tissue paper.

J'Marcus Webb was consistently beaten. Gabe Carimi didn't look at all like an NFL lineman. He didn't just get beat; in many cases he barely seemed to even make CONTACT with whomever he was trying to stop. And Chilo Rachal should just be cut right now. Not only is he utterly ineffective; he makes frequent dumb mistakes and doesn't seem to understand that. At least one of the times he got penalized for holding, he had an incredulous look on his face, shook his head and mouthed something like, "that's ########." But the replay showed a clear hold. Does he not know what holding is? And on the fumble in the end zone, he looked like he had no idea what to do.

Second, the defense. It seemed like we couldn't get any pressure on the quarterback, couldn't cover the receivers, and couldn't stop the run. I don't really fault them for the eventual high score, as they were probably exhausted later in the game, but jeez, a backup quarterback (even a talented one) shouldn't be able to come in and just march down the field over and over.

Hang on, I think Kaepernick just threw for another first down.

Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of having the defense have a bad game or two. Our offense is poor and it won't be getting better.

Also, can we end the Devin Hester receiver experiment? As near as I can determine, he can't catch a pass without falling down. His value as a receiver is not in the catching -- he has, at best, average hands, and he's too small to go up and grab passes. The theory was that his breakaway speed would be good for yards after the catch and/or deep routes, but there's been zero sign at either. Seems to me it might be worth letting him go back to being a full-time return guy to see if he can get that magic back; at least then he'd provide some real value.

Finally, did it feel to anyone else like the Bears got out-schemed by Harbaugh? I'm not an expert on schemes, and I'm not a Lovie-basher, but if Gruden was correct on even 10% of the things he said, the 49ers' offense seemed to be switching up to continually exploit gaps or flaws in the Bears' defense. (NOTE: I am certainly willing to concede that Gruden wasn't right on anything, but if someone can explain to me how the 49ers manhandled the Bears defense, I'm all ears.)

Like I said, the Bears aren't going to win a lot of games from here on out.

I don't think I've ever been more in agreement with McCoy than I am right now.

Even if the Bears manage to tread water and make it into the playoffs, they haven't got a prayer of going deep. Last night's game will provide numerous examples on what any team has to do to completely nullify the offense.

Such is Jerry Angelo's legacy. Just prior to the Bears' Super Bowl appearance, John Clayton (yes, yes, I know, insert analogy about stopped clocks or blind pigs or whatever) pointed out that the Bears OL was getting old and needed attention in pretty short order. Angelo went on to more or less ignore this, patching in crappy players as needed. Occasionally a higher draft pick would be spent, but none worked out.

Because of the salary cap, etc., it will take years to fix this. By the time it's fixed (assuming it ever is), the stars of our aging defense could well be retired.

Bah.

First, the offensive line. I have never seen an OL play so badly in all my years of watching professional football. I understand that San Francisco has a terrific defense; I expected the OL to struggle. But they didn't struggle; they were imitating tissue paper.

You need to watch a quarter of the 2012 Eagles. Tissue paper, you say? Luxury!!!

You need to watch a quarter of the 2012 Eagles. Tissue paper, you say? Luxury!!!

There were two games last year where the Bears and the Eagles just ran through Sam Baker two games in a row and killed Matt Ryan.

Last night's game will provide numerous examples on what any team has to do to completely nullify the offense.

Sure, be stacked from top to bottom with great defensive players.

We'll see how many teams are able to make that plan work.

Sure, be stacked from top to bottom with great defensive players.

We'll see how many teams are able to make that plan work.

Fair enough, but even a mediocre defense can manhandle that line and disrupt the Bears' offense. If the defense doesn't get lucky with turnovers, the Bears just can't score many points.

I have yet to see a good offensive line for the Bears in the 21st century. They haven't had one in decades.

A good offensive line is the #1 priority in the modern NFL (college too, really). It's that simple. The Patriots have been great the last 10+ years because they have a solid offensive line that can protect the QB. Having a top QB is also important, but I'd rather have a mediocre QB behind a great OL than a great QB behind a mediocre OL.

i have to confess that while i did not expect carimi to be joe thomas i did not expect this..........ugliness

he didn't struggle like this before getting hurt. is it the injury? his lateral movement looks to be nonexistent. guys were just faking him out at the line last night. and this is not the first time where someone feints one way, goes another and gabe is waving at air.

Could be, Harvey. Either way, he just looked awful.

I must confess, I wondered why the Bears refused to use him at LT, but I doubt he could even play at J'Marcus Webb's level now.

Not sure how this class action suit by the retired players has a leg to stand on - but, then, the tobacco litigation shouldn't have succeeded either. It seems one major hurdle is assumption of the risk: the players knew that playing football was dangerous, and they accepted the risks anyway - and got paid for it. (And the players are not part of the labor union or CBA now.)

Demonstrating that the NFL had some special knowledge about a link between on-field head injuries and health later in life - beyond the obvious that, yes, getting hit in the head a lot isn't a good thing - seems difficult. And even if the NFL had such special knowledge, the players were taking hits since pee wee and high school and in many cases through college.

sdeb

the packers line is average at best and rodgers is still able to make plays. not saying it won't come back to haunt them against the good defenses but so far the guy has been able to get by.

i am a big fan of line play but across the league offensive lines just stink. it's not fun to watch

And on the fumble in the end zone, he looked like he had no idea what to do

That's not really fair. He knows if he falls on it, its a safety; if he doesn't its 6. You can almost see the smoke coming out of his ears. His actual decision: deal with the ball and try to somehow get it out of the endzone is pretty good! In fact it almost worked!

As for the Bears defense. Its clear that they for a quarter and a half they sold out to stop the run and made the backup QB beat them. In fact its what lots of teams do to defense the Niners with Smith at QB. Kaepernick burned them, the LBs and safeties backed off to defend the pass and Gore and Hunter destroyed them.

Barnwell blames Bears' Safeties (and game plan)

I see Lovie Smith as Miracle Max: "Kaeperniiiick...Kaepernick, Kaepernick, Kapernick!"

If Bill Barnwell says someone's to blame they probably aren't. The entire Bears team played like crap. There's no one unit to single out.

As for the Bears defense. Its clear that they for a quarter and a half they sold out to stop the run and made the backup QB beat them. In fact its what lots of teams do to defense the Niners with Smith at QB. Kaepernick burned them, the LBs and safeties backed off to defend the pass and Gore and Hunter destroyed them.

The Bears under Smith have almost always keyed on stopping the running game while preventing the big play and looking to be opportunistic. The problem is that if they don't force a turnover and the offense can either manage to still run anyway or the offense is able to string together a bunch of passes then the Bears' defense and the entire team in general is going to be in trouble. Smith's teams are almost always beat by teams that can implement their passing attack.

The Bears offense is a horrendous unit that has been masked so far this year by playing bad teams and having the defense take the ball away from opposing offenses a lot. I talked about it last month or so but I'll say it again. Once the Bears play better teams and the turnover dry up and Cutler gets hurt they are going to lose a lot of games. At this point I don't even know if they'll get to 10-6.

reports have come out about ed snider and brian burke and various other hockey-lifers who have stepped up recently and gotten involved in the negotiations. if they can't move this along in the next few days, i don't think there's much hope for a deal anytime soon.

big meetings today resulted in...absolutely nothing.

Bears offensive lineman leaves the team. Chilo Rahcal became upset after finding out he wouldn't start next week. He's been put on the reserved/left squad list.

Geez, how unstable do you have to be to walk out on an NFL job?

I've always thought you had to be a little unstable to walk *into* an NFL job.

I think its safe to say that Chilo Rachal will be the next case study on how to become broke after spending time in the NFL.

Hockey news of the day: Leafs Fan Buys Toilet For $5,300.

it'll be just like the summit series vs. the soviets in '78.

As a Canadian, I have to point out that the summit series was in '72.

Hockey news of the day: Leafs Fan Buys Toilet For $5,300.

As a Leafs fan, I have to point out that a toilet is a VERY apt souvenir for the last 40 years of Leafs history.

*sigh*

Can anyone explain why that TD is not reviewable?

I think it's because Schwartz threw the challenge flag. The penalty for throwing the flag on the play like that is 15 yards *and* they don't review it upstairs. That's why he was doing the "my fault" thing on the sideline.

Okay, the rule is that an automatically reviewed play is not reviewed once a flag is thrown? Insane.

The purpose of an automatic review is to get things right.

I don't understand it either. It takes five seconds to say "Jim, pick that thing up."

Mike Smith had that happen to him on Sunday. Dumbest rule imaginable. Let the challenge happen and have the coach waste a timeout or use of a challenge as his punishment instead. Then only he looks dumb.

I hate being a Lions' fan...

Boswell thinks the NHL is following baseball's 1994 gameplan...

I can understand baseball's desire in 1994 to get a salary cap, and the NHL's desire in 2004, and why that would be potentially worth wiping out a season... but this, this is chump change. This is stupid.

Detroit Lions: good team who find a way to lose week in and week out...

RGIII just keeps on unleashing the dragon.

Where the heck was this Redskin team most of the year?

I'd just like to mention that the eagles have lost to the lions AND the redskins AND the cowboys this year.

What a stupid ####### rule that is. Having a coach challenge negate an automatic review is so insanely stupid that I don't even know if I can accurately describe its stupidity.

all scoring and turnovers are reviewable! Unless the HC decides to throw their challenge flag, we simply can't have that. The hubris of a HC to throw that flag, don't you know we've got this one covered. Really, let us do our job.

Sadly, no shortage of meatheads defending this as 'rules are rules.' The penalty should be Suh kicking him in the balls.

Keep the 15-yard penalty if you want. Negating the review is just the dumbest ####.

My prediction of 42 to -12 Pats is looking good.

My prediction of 42 to -12 Pats is looking good.

You really think the Patriots are going to stop at 42?

More like you think the Jets are going to score 12 in this game.

More like you think the Jets are going to score 12 in this game.

That's not 12. It's -12.

you should have picked 42 to +12

Where the heck was this Redskin team most of the year?

Playing better teams.

But since there aren't any real standouts left in the NFC, and none in the NFC East, it wouldn't shock me in the least if the Redskins actually made it to the playoffs. The Eagles and the Cowboys are obviously stiffs, and even though the Giants were playing much better (and playing at home) the last time they played the Skins, they barely escaped on the strength of a Manning miracle. Griffin is surreal, Moss seems to have gotten a second life, and unless the Giants can beat the Packers there's a good chance that after next weekend's games the Skins will be tied for first in the NFCE.

And in fact, the only strong Redskins opponent left is the Ravens, whose defense on the road has been erratic as hell. I hate to say it because I hate Snyder, but this team may just be coming into its own.

Sadly, no shortage of meatheads defending this as 'rules are rules.'

I'm afraid to ask where these meatheads are. Between here, FO and the NBC postgame show it's about 54-0 in favor of "stupid rule".

all scoring and turnovers are reviewable! Unless the HC decides to throw their challenge flag, we simply can't have that. The hubris of a HC to throw that flag, don't you know we've got this one covered. Really, let us do our job.

That was horrible because (a) not only should the Oilers not have had a touchdown, but (b) the runningback essentially cheated by continuing to run after he was tackled, and then (c) the refs screwed up by not blowing the whistle, and (d) the league screwed up by not having the play reviewable - despite all touchdowns being reviewable - because... the coach made a harmless mistake by throwing the challenge flag? The 15 yard penalty was just pouring it on.

Sadly, no shortage of meatheads defending this as 'rules are rules.' The penalty should be Suh kicking him in the balls.

What _is_ the non-frivolous defense of the rules? Because it is worse than just blowing a call. "We think this kind of play is so important that we would review it on our own, but, hey, you threw your flag, so, no."

Are there people out there who still think the Jets don't suck? The problem is not Sanchez, and it's not (Chris Collinsworth) the players around Sanchez. It's the head coach, who directs his offensive coordinators not to have a vertical game.

The Jets simply do not throw the ball down the field. You watch them for a couple of quarters, and watch what the other team is doing, and this smacks you in the face.