Bears and Redskins

Man, what a weekend. The Bears continue to roll with clearly the best defense in the NFL. Their offense does just enough to win. It is working for them but they will likely need to score about 20 points a game in the playoffs to really do some damage.

The Redskins lose another gut-wrencher. Their defense is just not what it needs to be. As I expected, LT just killed them. They still have a chance at the playoffs because they are 2-1 in the division - but they need to beat the Giants, Cowboys, and Eagles and get a little help. It could happen, but given that they have lost 6 of the last 8 I would not count on it. They may want to consider getting Campbell some snaps.

Michael Irvin's Drug Problems

That's not mine!

What an idiot! Maybe this will get his butt off of NFLCountdown. The guy does not provide any analysis - all he does is yell and laugh.

Day 1538!

Football Picks for the Week

1-1 last week. As I expected, the Bears shocked Carolina but again the 'Skins lost in a game I expected them to win. For this week:

Bears will pressure Simms and take away the running game. The running game will roll and Orton will continue to show signs of improvement. The end result will be a Bears will win by at least 10 points this week.

Redskins will struggle to stop LT and the big plays will again kill them. Marty will have his revenge as the Chargers top the Redskins in a surprisingly comfortable win. The Redskins will be all but out of the playoff hunt.

Day 1536!

You are Hired!

This is a joke - Brownie is starting a disaster planning firm. I guess he is really good at creating disasters.

Day 1535!

Do you love turkey?

I guess this woman does.

Day 1534!

Good Night T.O.

Sleep tight. Eagles win - you lose.

Idiot Ohio Republican Politicians

If you have followed the Iraq War debate over the last week or so, you know that Republican Congresswoman Jean Schmidt called Democratic Congressman Jack Murtha a "coward" for suggesting that the troops should come home. Murtha is a decorated Marine vet who has been a war hawk, but who has seen the failures of the Iraq policy and has now changed his mind. Schmidt is just an idiot and now she is feeling the wrath of Americans across the country.

Read Olbermann's take on Schmidt.

Of course, you can always just look at Republican Congressman Bob Ney for his simple garden-variety acceptance of bribes.


Day 1533!

Updated Weekly Stats

Big win for the Bears - if Minnesota loses tonight the division is pretty much locked up. A very bad loss for the Redskins - inconsistency and turnovers are killing them. Barring a miracle, the 'Skins are basically out of the playoff hunt. They should think about getting Jason Campbell some reps.

Here are the updated stats:

Defense:

Bears - #1-ranked scoring defense (11.0 pts/game - 4 less points than #2 Indy), #1-ranked defense in terms of yardage/game (252 yds/game - 20 yards better than #2 Baltimore).

Redskins - 16th-ranked scoring defense (20.1 pts/game), 10th-ranked defense in terms of yardage/game (299 yds/game).

The Bears have only allowed only 2 rushing touchdowns this year (ranked #1). The Redskins have allowed 11 rushing touchdowns (ranked #24).

Offense:

Bears - 23rd-ranked scoring 0ffense (16.9 pts/game), 28th-ranked offense in terms of yardage/game (264 yds/game).

Redskins - 21st-ranked scoring offense (20.0 pts/game), 13th-ranked offense in terms of yardage/game (338 yds/game).

Thomas Jones 11th-ranked running back (840 yards, 6 touchdowns), Clinton Portis ranked 8th (856 yards, 5 touchdowns). Solid games this week by both TJ and Portis - but Portis fumbled deep in Redskins territory leading to a field goal.

Red Zone Stats:

The Bears continue to dominate in the Red Zone on defense. They score touchdowns on offense 52% of the time they get in the RZ and only allow opponents to score touchdowns 17% of the time (the next best team, Seattle, gives up touchdowns 37% of the time) .

The Redskins are at 57% on offense and 46% on defense.

Standing Tall With Mongolia

So what if most of the world thinks American foreign policy is messed up, Bushie can always count on Mongolia.

Of course, the fact that Bushie promised $11 million to improve the Mongolian military and that Mongolia will share in $1 billion in U.S. aid for the region probably had nothing to do with their praise for Bushie.

Redskins are Pretenders

Quoting Michael Wilbon in today's Post, "And since the season is now 10 games old, there's only one thing to conclude at this point: The Redskins aren't very good. And they're not a serious contender."

The Redskins blew a home game against a weak and undisciplined Raiders team. If the Redskins had any hope of getting to the playoffs, they had to win this game. At 5-5, it is likely that they need to win 5 of the last 6 to get in. That is not going to happen with San Diego, New York, and Dallas on the schedule (although they are all home games). The should beat St. Louis, Arizona, and Philly - but will probably find a way to lose at least one of those games.

This is an 8-8 team that has some holes to fill - they need some front 4 help on defense and probably another difference maker, and their offensive line, receivers, and quarterback need to be upgraded if they are going to be serious about winning a Super Bowl.

Bears are Contenders

The Bears played inspired football and did what they do best - play defense, run the ball, and get efficient play from their rookie QB to dominate the Panthers. The defense held Carolina to 3 points and had 8 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 3 forced fumbles against what was the NFL's fourth ranked scoring offense going into the game.

There is no question this is a special defense. Even football fans are starting to see the Bears as contenders.

Day 1531!

Bears Notes

Most people would probably agree with Cris Carter that, "The Bears have done well playing in a weak division and should win the NFC North, but they're not going to do much else after that." That may be true but let's put this in perspective, for a team that finished with only five wins last year and who is starting a rookie at quarterback, that would be huge.

Even SI's Dr. Z. now admits that the Bears have made progress, after picking them to only win 3 games this year. If Orton's play has leveled off and he makes no more progress, there is still the possibility that Rex Grossman will return in 2-3 weeks and could help push the Bears up another level. Although Rex is still unproven, it could be a very interesting post-season if that happens.

Day 1529!

McNabb should Leave Philly

The Eagles were already in trouble and probably would not have made the playoffs, but the T.O. situation has gotten worse. Some members of the team want T.O. back. Imagine if you are McNabb and Andy Reid and there are players who want to bring T.O. back after everything he has said and done.

McNabb must feel bad about the situation. I don't hear any players coming to his defense and sticking up for him. Whenever T.O. was ripping him, you did not hear players coming to his defense. I think that says something about how Donovan McNabb is viewed by his team. Trade McNabb to Chicago and let him go back home (he is from Chicago). His teammates do not seem to respect him enough, and given the T.O. mess and the disappointing season, perhaps it is time for a change.

NFL Picks for this Week

Bears will play inspired footbal this week and surprise most experts by beating Carolina in a tight, hard fought football game this week. This is the biggest game for the Bears since their last playoff game in 2001 and the defense will rise to the occasion. They will get pressure on Delhomme and take away Steve Smith. The weather will be in the 40s, so it will be good Bears football weather. I expect Orton to play a solid game and the running game to do its thing. The Bears know that they and their division are not being taken seriously and they have something to prove. I know I am a partisan fan, but I honestly think they will play like champions.

The Redskins will have no problem beating an undisciplined Oakland team that leads the league in penalties. The only way the Raiders are going to win is if the Redskins continue to turn the ball over and give up big plays on defense. I think the defense has something to prove after allowing Chris Simms to look like Phil Simms. I also expect the Redskins to have zero turnovers this week. The improved effort over last week will lead to a victory by at least two touchdowns.

New (Expensive) Johnnie Walker

Here is a great gift to spread a little holiday cheer. There is a special edition Johnnie Walker whisky that is available for about $25,000/bottle. There are only 200 bottles total - I would love to see what about $800/sip tastes like.

Day 1528!

War in Iraq

There has been a lot of discussion about whether Bushie manipulated pre-war intelligence to take the country to war against Iraq. Whether you believe that or not the fact is that there were no WMD and Iraq posed little threat to the U.S. At the very least the U.S. made a mistake, and more harsh critics of the Bushies will say they lied. It is important to find out whether there was manipulation, but the bigger question at this point in time is what to do in Iraq NOW!

It should be obvious by now that the Bushie crowd does not know what it is doing and it is becoming painfully more clear that they are just leaving our troops in harm's way and are just hoping for some type of improvement without a real plan. With almost 2100 soldiers killed and no end in sight, it is time to set a timetable for the return of the troops. I do not see any reason we should be there any longer than 3 to 6 months.

Almost half of all Americans now want the U.S. to mind its own business. This is going to be difficult if we are going to wage a continued "global war on terror."

Bears vs. Carolina

This is a "measurement" game. The Bears have rolled to five straight wins against sub-par opponents. They have a chance to make a statement and show just how good (or bad) they are this weekend when they play the Panthers at home. The expert opninion and the fan opinion is they will not "measure up" but I think they will surprise some folks. I am going to wait on my final picks for the Bears and Redskins game until tomorrow but I do expect that they will play a solid game with their defense and running game (TJ will be back in the backfield this week).

The fight between starting Bears linemen Olin Kreutz and Fred Miller is behind the team, but Miller's jaw is wired shut and he has not eaten solid foods for over a week. He has lost 15 pounds and is likely to feel a little weaker. He will be taking on Julius Peppers, but the Bears are a running team so even with the weight loss I expect him to handle the smaller Peppers just fine. The impact probably will not be as bad as one might think.

I cannot wait to see what happens.

Day 1527!

A good laugh!

Cheney calling critics "dishonest" and "reprehensible?" Hilarious! I love the hypocrisy because the guy clearly has not looked in a mirror lately. His Chief of Staff was just indicted and he doesn't say a word - but he takes aim at people who think Iraq is a mess.

Parenting 101

Here is one way to make an impression with a child who won't listen. I'm mixed on the situation, but I am not the parent who had to deal with the child in question.

Chemical Weapons Found in Iraq!

Turns out that chemical weapons have been found and used in Iraq - the only problem is that it is the U.S. that is using them. As usual, we defend the use of the weapons when we use them, but if anyone else uses them we call them WMD. The hypocrisy is astounding.

Day 1526!

Bushie being Bushie

On his way to Asia, Bushie called those who now question the war in Iraq and who want to investigate pre-war intelligence "irresponsible." You gotta love his moxie. The guy just does not know when he is beaten.

The polls have Bushie's approval rating in the 30s and more than half now believe that Bushie misled the nation into war. This kind of divisive rhetoric is not likely to stem the rising tide of discontent about the president.

Eagles Shoot Themselves

Man, Donovan really messed up. The interception he threw was just sickening for Eagles fans. It looks like the Eagles are done for the year. I wonder if the fans are going to turn on McNabb.

Day 1525!

Torture and Murder for the Good of the Nation

We have no legal or moral authority to conduct violent and even homocidal interrogations, yet Bushie has authorized it. If you say sometimes it is necessary in order to protect the American people, then when it happens to our own soldiers - now and in the future - what legal or moral ground can we stand on?

Shawn Springs got it right

With regard to the somewhat debatable 2-point conversion yesterday, the Post quotes Springs as saying:

"We should never have been in that situation," Springs said. "We gave up too many points today. That was the bottom line."

Ultimately, that is what did the Redskins in - not a single call.

Weekly Stats Update

Another win for the Bears so it was a great week - five in a row and they are still two games up in their division. Tough loss for the Redskins - their defense really let them down. Given the NFC wild race, the Bucs game may come back to haunt the 'Skins.

Here are the updated stats:

Defense:

Bears - #1-ranked scoring defense (11.9 pts/game), #1-ranked defense in terms of yardage/game (254 yds/game).

Redskins - 19th-ranked scoring defense (20.6 pts/game, 7th-ranked defense in terms of yardage/game (295 yds/game).

The Bears have only allowed only 2 rushing touchdowns this year (ranked #1). The Redskins have allowed 11 rushing touchdowns (ranked #24).

Offense:

Bears - 24th-ranked scoring 0ffense (17.3 pts/game), 28th-ranked offense in terms of yardage/game (264 yds/game).

Redskins - 17th-ranked scoring offense (20.8 pts/game, up 1 spot from last), 11th-ranked offense in terms of yardage/game (348 yds/game, down 1 spot).

Thomas Jones 9th-ranked running back (753 yards, 6 touchdowns), Clinton Portis ranked 8th (764 yards, 5 touchdowns). TJ did not play this week. Portis probably had his best game as a Redskin.

Red Zone Stats:

The Bears continue to dominate in the Red Zone on defense. They score touchdowns on offense 52% of the time they get in the RZ and only allow opponents to score touchdowns 18% of the time.

The Redskins are at 52% on offense and 52% on defense.

Bears and Redskins Recap

Bears won their fifth in a row and have a 2 game lead in the North. Ugly, ugly win on a day when wind was gusting 50 mph in Chicago. Still they won with great defense and by running the ball effectively. The injury to Cedric Benson may come back to hurt them as Jones and Benson are now out. At 6-3 they are in pretty good shape, but it now looks like the Vikings have woken up and are going to make a little noise. This week Carolina comes to town and they will be a good opponent to measure how good this Bears team is.

Redskins lost in a shootout. I did not watch the game closely, but here are a couple of observations. First, there was no clear evidence to overturn the Allstot conversion. Second, as Gregg Williams said after the game, it should not have even come down to that play. The offense is playing extremely well, but building on Williams' comment, where is the Redskins' defense? It was supposed to be the strength of this team but it has been pretty ordinary to downright bad over the last few weeks. This was a significant blow to the Redskins playoff chances, but they can overcome this loss.

Day 1524!

Bears and Redskins Game Predictions

Bears play San Francisco at home. The 49ers have played two good games against the Rams and Bucs, but this should be an easy win for the Bears. Their defense will overrun a weak 49er offense and unlike most Bears win, I expect them to win by at least 14 points.

Redskins on the road in Tampa Bay. Tampa is reeling, having lost 3 of 4 since their 4-0 start. The losses of Griese and Cadillac have really hurt their offense, but their defense seems to be fairly solid. Tampa lost to the 49ers who I think is a horrible team. I expect the Redskins to post a solid 10 point win this week on the road.

I was 1-1 last week - the Redskins proved me wrong. I hope the same results come out with the Redskins proving me wrong this week.

Bushie is a liar.

At least that is what most Americans now believe.

Day 1521!

Bushie sinking further.

The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll has another new low for Bushie's approval rating - 38%.

Maybe the fact that Brownie is now finally off the payroll, Bushie will rebound. Doubt it given the complete mess he has created.

Redskins should sign T.O.

I am not joking when I say this. They could rent the guy for the rest of the year and cut him loose after the season. You know the guy is a super talent and that he has to be on his best behavior. A team like the Redskins who has a strong coaching staff and appears to be close knit, as well as a good passing game could use his talent.

He does not work for the Bears because there is little passing attack - the Bears are built to run and play defense.

Another Record for Bushie

Yet again, as a result of Bushie's trade policies the U.S. has achieved another trade deficit. Not only did he beat the record, he trounced it. September's trade deficit was over $66 billion - more than 11 percent higher than the previous monthly record. Way to go Bushie!

Intelligent Voters

The school board that brought "Intelligent Design" to the classroom was booted by voters. People can believe in God and worship in whatever way they want, but such discussion belongs in the home, churches, temples, and other religious outlets - not in science classes. It is nice to see that people have good sense.

Day 1520!

Oh Dexter!

Dexter Manley was back in the news today.

TO is an idiot

Finally, TO was suspended. He is a super talent and more than likely will get another chance; however, he has cost himself millions in future contracts for his idiotic behavior. He had his most productive year with the Eagles and was a perfect fit for that team from a physical standpoint, but his mental state and erratic behavior was too much. Good riddance.

Day 1518!

Unbelievable

These guys had to have quit - nobody loses a basketball game that badly.

Kilgore vs. Kaine

Huge race for governor in Virginia. It is likely to have a significant impact on national politics for the next few years. Bushie is going to a rally today to drum up support. Given Bushie's woeful poll numbers we will see if it helps or hurts Kilgore.

If Kaine wins it will be a win for Mark Warner and it will show that he has coattails in a Red State. It would be a major springboard for the 2008 presidential campaign. If Kaine loses, Warner loses.

"We do not torture!"

So says Bushie. However, it has been revealed the the CIA is operating secret prisons for terror suspects. They are "interrogating" these suspects outside of any oversight.

If we are not torturing suspects then why do the Bushies oppose the Senate's recent legislation banning torture?

Weekly NFL stats update

Great week for the Bears - another win. Four in a row and a two game lead in the division. Another typical Bears game. Tough defense and just enough offense to win. Redskins got back on track after last week's debacle. They defeated a tough but shorthanded Eagles team in a must win situation.

Here are the updated stats:

Defense:

Bears - Second-ranked scoring defense (12.3 pts/game, no change from last week), third-ranked defense in terms of yardage/game (265 yds/game, no change from last week).

Redskins - 13th-ranked scoring defense (18.6 pts/game, up 4 spots from last week), 7th-ranked defense in terms of yardage/game (290 yds/game, down 1 spot from last week).

The Bears have only allowed only 2 rushing touchdowns this year (ranked #1). The Redskins have allowed 9 rushing touchdowns (ranked #23).

Offense:

Bears - 23rd-ranked scoring 0ffense (17.4 pts/game, no change from last week), 27th-ranked offense in terms of yardage/game (267 yds/game, down 1 spot).

Redskins - 18th-ranked scoring offense (19 pts/game, up 1 spot from last), 11th-ranked offense in terms of yardage/game (343 yds/game, down 1 spot).

Thomas Jones 8th-ranked running back (753 yards, 6 touchdowns), Clinton Portis ranked 11th (620 yards, 4 touchdowns).

Red Zone Stats:

The Bears continue to dominate in the Red Zone on defense. They score touchdowns on offense 57% of the time they get in the RZ and only allow opponents to score touchdowns 21% of the time.

The Redskins are at 56% on offense and 47% on defense.

Day 1517!

Now this is scary!

Carnivorous lizards emerging for the toilet! What's next? I can already imagine what JD is going to say.

Bush keeps sinking

The polls continue to spiral downward for Bushie. People are finally getting the fact that he is a horrible president.

Weekend NFL Preview/Predictions

I was 2-0 last week with predictions. Here are my thoughts for the Bears and Redskins this week.

The Bears will struggle all game, but in the end should end up with their fourth win in a row. New Orleans is a solid defensive team but their offense struggles to score. The Bears will win the battle of turnovers and that will carry the day.

The Redskins are going up against an Eagles team that is struggling. Both teams are coming off bad losses and this game is a toss up. With TO out, McNabb ailing, rain in the forecast and the home crowd behind them the Redskins should prevail given the fact that the Eagles are the worst rushing team in the league - but they won't. LaVar will have a monster game in his first start, but the Eagles will come into Washington and fight like cornered, wounded animals and a costly turnover and yet another big play given up on defense will allow the Eagles to pull it out in the final minutes. I think the Eagles just have too much pride to allow themselves to fall into last place in the division.

Let's see what happens.

Day 1514!

More Brownie Nonsense!

In today's Washington Post there is a short blurb about Brownie's concern about his wardrobe as Hurricane Katrina was destroying the Gulf.

In an email, Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs wrote, "You look fabulous - and I am not talking the makeup!"

Brownie's email reply was, " I got it at Nordstroms . . . Are you proud of me?"

An hour later, he added, "If you look at my lovely FEMA attire you'll really vomit. I am a fashion god."

CNN has a story of some of the other ridiculous things he was worrying about when the Hurricane hit.

Bushie really chose a winner in Brownie.

Day 1513!

They guy was hungry!

This thief broke into a pizza place and robbed it. But before he left, he tried to make a pizza.

CIA's Secret Prisons

I think this is just scary. Someone can be sent to a secret prison on the order of Bushie and no one has any way of finding out why. I realize there are terrorists out there, but there must be moral clarity in the policies of this country. Either we condone human rights violations, torture, the rule of law, and due process or we don't. Obviously, Bushie does not care about the Constitution and human rights.

Day 1512!

Media Watchdog

For those of you who want to see the bias and false information that is spread through the media, I would highly recommend Media Matters.

If you think Bill O'Reilly is an idiot and a liar here is their info on how misleading he is.

Vikings Demise

Man, I am shocked at how bad things have gone for the Vikings in such a short time. Culpepper may be done for his career with three ligaments gone. If he comes back we are talking two years. There is no reason to fire Tice at this point of what now seems like a lost season, but they need to clean house in the off season.

The thing is there is talent on this team but they need a new coach and organization structure as well as to root out a few players and this team could easily rebound next year.

Day 1511!