In a new column here on ChiCitySports.com, we introduce “Bears Bits”. Bears Bits is a weekly column by Bears writer Zack Pearson. It’s not just a column though. Bears Bits will also feature stories, videos, pictures, and anything related to the Chicago Bears from around the Internet. Look for Bears Bits to hit ChiCitySports every Wednesday.
Should the Bears play their starters?
This is a question your going to hear all week long up until, well until game time in Green Bay. There has already been a lot of talk on this subject on various forums and radio stations. From what I’ve gathered, the reaction is that the majority of the fans don’t want the starters to play.
I’ve heard some interesting theories on why the starters shouldn’t play. Including the risk of injury, or how in 2006 they didn’t play in the final game and went to the Super Bowl. Those weren’t the most interesting however.
Today as I was driving home from work I tuned into 670 the Score in Chicago. They were talking about the Bears and what Lovie should do Sunday. Well a caller called in and explained his theory which went something like this. “The Bears should rest their starters and let the bench warmers play. They deserve to play after watching the starters all season long”. Much like the show hosts did, I couldn’t help but laugh.
On this subject of starting or resting the starters, I’m 50/50. I have thought about it a lot but just can’t come up with a good enough reason to lean towards one choice. Here’s what I’ve come up with for both reasons.
Rest the starters. The main reason to rest the starters would be for injury purposes. I really don’t want a key player like Jay Cutler, Devin Hester, Brian Urlacher, or Julius Peppers to go down with an injury. Green Bay needs a win, so they will be playing with all they have. It could be a dangerous situation if Chicago decides to play. If the Falcon’s or Saints win, Chicago can’t get the number one seed. Therefore the Bears will have nothing to play for. In 2006, the Bears rested their starters in the final game of the season. They went on to play in the Super Bowl that season.
Start the starters and let them play. The Bears have been on a roll in the past two games. They put up 40 and 38 against the Vikings and Jets. Both those teams have to of the better defenses in the NFL. To sit an offense who is hot, and make them wait two weeks to play a game is silly. That could take this offense out of rythum, and have them try to re-establish that in the playoffs. Not a good idea. In 2005, the Bears sat their starters in the final week against the Vikings, and the Bears came out flat two weeks later against the Panthers. Plus, if Chicago has the chance for the number one seed, why not play the starters?
This is going to be a long discussion for Bears fans all week. There will be many different views and opinions on this. Like I stated earlier, no one will know until kickoff.
Bears around the web
Chicago Bears offensive line. The Rockford Register Star has a good article on the Bears offensive lineman. Written by Bears reporter Jay Taft, he talks about the Bears offensive line and how they are clicking at the right time. You can read it here
ESPN Chicago. ESPNChicago.com has an article on why the Bears will be pushing for the number one seed. A video of the breakdown can also be found here
The Bears Playoff implications are as follows for Sunday. The Bears can clinch a number one seed with a Falcons loss, and a Saints loss OR tie.
The Great Debate about the playing the starters on Sunday heats up here on ChiCitySports.com’s Forum.
The Chicago Sun Times ran a article on 10 facts you might not know about the Chicago Bears.
Bears try, but lose to Packers
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2 Comments
Lovie Smith should play the starters the 1st half and see how it goes….if the game dictates and asks for the starters to remain and finish, then he should play all the starters from start to finish….Either way…starters or no starters, these are Pro Athletes…All should play to win this game like it is a playoff game…bottom line
We have a bye as it is anyways so 2 weeks off is alot and maybe too much….this is a divisional rivalry game and a win puts good thoughts in our head going into the playoffs. Green Bay will be coming out shoo-ten their guns and so should we…….We start the game with our starters…No Question about it