For Bears Fans Eyes Only
PSA: THIS BLOG IS FOR BEARS FANS’ EYES ONLY.
IF YOU ARE NOT A BEARS FAN, DON’T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU ON THE WAY OUT.
Alright, everyone, get in the Trust Tree. For my five consistent readers, this one won’t be as organized (a low bar I have set for myself) as my usual blogs. This is more of a therapy session in the group chat. And if I’m being honest, I am currently in an absolute glass case of emotions.
I want to preface this by saying: I am NOT scared. However, I am terrified of watching this game.
The anxiety attack this game is going to induce will quite literally push me, and likely the majority of Bears fans, to the brink. I’ve spent the last five days running through every possible scenario in my head. Group chats are blowing up with game plans. All-caps texts screaming “WE HAVE TO START FAST.” Refreshing Twitter 75 times an hour to see if Kyler Gordon is going to play.
I’ve been a mess.
And yet, while all of that is true, it goes without saying that this is what we’ve dreamed of for years.
We begged for meaningful games. We begged for a real chance. We begged for the tide to turn against the Packers, finally.
And now we have it. A golden opportunity. Which somehow makes it worse.
This Is How the Game Has to Go
The Chicago Bears have to start FAST. I am exhausted watching this offense sleepwalk through the first half, only to throw on the Superman cape late in the second. This is the playoffs. This is a familiar foe who literally fumbled a game away to us two weeks ago. That formula will not win this game.
I did some big-J journalism (scrolled Twitter) and discovered we’re 10–1 when we score 7+ points in the first half. I’ll let you do the math on how the other games went.
Translation: the Bears need to play with a lead for once.
Why Do We Need to Play With a Lead?
Because this defense… kind of stinks.
There’s no polite way to say it. We have:
- No consistent pass rush
- DBs getting cooked like BBQ chicken
- a defense that is surviving almost entirely on takeaways
Which brings me to my Second Point: GO GET THE BALL.
Am I crazy, or has this defense gotten less aggressive in stripping the football lately? Early in the season, it felt like 11 hats on the ball, everyone trying to rip it out as their life depended on it. That energy has dipped. I need that ferocious, football-hungry defense back in my life. I need the football.
Bend, Don’t Break (and Pray)
I’m realistic. Green Bay is going to move the ball. That’s happening.
What can’t happen is giving up the back-breaking, explosive plays we’ve had in the past. As painful as it will be, we have to let them drive 50–60 yards and then bow our necks in the red zone — or force a turnover.
That’s just reality.
We don’t need perfection. We need discipline. We need violence at the point of attack. And we need the offense to stop spotting them a half.
For the Real Ones Still Reading
That’s it. I’m done being (somewhat) rational.
I genuinely have a lot of confidence in this team. And yes, I know a TON of people are already writing us off as “the same old Bears.”
News flash: we are not the same old Bears. This team is different.
Ben Johnson is in absolute war mode (did you see him at those press conferences?), and this team is locked and loaded. Rome is back. Kyler is back. Ozzy is back.
And you can feel the confidence oozing out of that locker room. Soldier Field is going to be absolutely BUZZING, and the team is going to feel every ounce of it. This is what we deserve.
I still kick myself for not enjoying the ride more when the Cubs were in the playoffs, and I am not making that mistake again. I refuse to let this week pass without soaking it all in.
So look around.
Smell the roses.
The Chicago Bears are in the playoffs, and we are privileged enough to have the opportunity to absolutely KICK GREEN BAY’S ASS.
Enjoy this. Embrace this.
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Categorized:Bears