Bears Blitz

Published by Bryan Dietzler on December 29, 2010
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

Is it too premature to ask whether or not the Bears could be going to the Super Bowl?  Is it still a little too early to wonder if the Bears will actually get to the big game?  

Chicago is going into their game with the Packers with a record of 11-4 and some pretty nice wins under their belt.  Remember that they beat the Packers in their first meeting this season and could have the upper hand in this game again.  

Both teams will be treating this game as a playoff game because the Packers will need the win to get into the playoffs while the Bears will naturally want to beat the Packers and have some momentum going into the postseason.  That will make for a very interesting game on Sunday.

So where do the Bears go after they play this coming weekend?  They now have a bye week (thanks to the Vikings beating the Eagles) which will help them rest up and get ready for their first game with a team yet to be determined.  They will face that team at home since they will be at the least the second or perhaps even the first seed in the NFC so having that home field advantage will be important.

The Bears could face one of a bevy of playoff teams in the playoffs.  Of all the teams that are either going to the playoffs or are potentially going to the playoffs (to include the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks) the Bears have played four of these teams and in four games against them (one of these teams is the Packers and they will play another game against them this Sunday) they are 2-2.

The teams that they beat were the Packers and the Eagles while the Bears have lost against the Seahawks and the Giants.

We all know that things change in the playoffs and that you can practically throw out regular season records when it comes to playing for the Super Bowl but there are still some things to be encouraged about and perhaps worried about as we head into the postseason for Bears fans.

Here is a quick breakdown of the Bears possible opponents as they head into the playoffs and their chances for beating each team in the playoffs (if indeed they do meet).

Philadelphia Eagles-The Bears met the Eagles once before this season and beat them.  They were able to control their biggest threat, Michael Vick, and can easily do it again.  The Bears chances of beating the Eagles in the playoffs if they were to meet would be very good.

New York Giants-Anyone reading this article will remember what the Giants defense did to Jay Cutler when these two teams met in Week 4 of the season.  That was a different Bears team back then and it’s a different Giants team now.  With good protection and some pass pressure from the defense, the Bears should be able to beat the Giants in a rematch.

Green Bay Packers-If they were to meet in the playoffs it could be a tough game for both teams.  Depending on the outcome of their game this coming Sunday, it would be one of the most contested playoff contests in league history. This game right now would be too close to call until they play the second game on Sunday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers-The Bucs have struggled against teams with a winning record this season so that already gives the Bears an advantage over them if they were to meet.  Tampa Bay traditionally struggles in colder weather and the weather will be nice and chilly if they meet the Bears at Soldier Field.  A Bears win should come against the Bucs.

New Orleans Saints-The Bears and the Saints have an interesting history against one another and this game would be good for the Bears if it was played at Soldier Field.  It would all depend on whether or not the Saints win their division but a game between these two teams would be good.  The Bears could win a game between these two teams if they can get enough pressure on Brees and keep guys like Marques Colston and Robert Meachem covered.

Atlanta Falcons-The Saints gave us the formula for beating the Falcons.  Take out Michael Turner and put a lot of pressure on quarterback Matt Ryan and you can beat the Falcons.  If the Bears meet the Falcons and do these things, they should be able to win the game.

St. Louis Rams-If the Rams make it into the playoffs and face the Bears, it could be the ideal situation for Chicago.  Remember that St. Louis has a young starting quarterback in Sam Bradford and Bradford hasn’t fared that well against team’s with strong pass defenses (in particular those with a strong pass rush). The Bears could make quick work of the Rams and move into the NFC title game.

Seattle Seahawks-The Seahawks beat the Bears earlier this season but these two teams have changed a bit since then.  We all know what the Bears are now capable of, with a good pass rush on the defensive side of the ball and a much more improved offense, they should be able to beat the Seahawks and continue on in the playoffs.

Securing the first round bye will really help the Bears and give them an opportunity to rest before having to play against whichever opponent they will play against first in the playoffs. Naturally it would be nice if they could meet a lesser opponent who would give them a better chance at making it to the NFC Championship game but right now, with the way that they are playing, the Bears could beat any team that’s heading into the playoffs.

So what are their chances for getting into the Super Bowl?  They look very good and if certain things fall their way, they could represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

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