Is the pendulum starting to swing?

[fatkid73]

The Bears hopefully have a quarterback and a competent Offensive minded coach for the first time forever. However, looking at the current landscape of the league, running the football and defense is on the comeback.

Who would have thought that the three of the four QB's in the Championship round would be Bortles, Keenum, and Foles. A strong Defense and power running game has propelled those teams to the top some times in spite of the QB's (although Keenum has been pretty solid). We will see if it is enough to topple Brady/Belichick, but it is interesting that defense has ruled right when the Bears are pushing the offense. Don't get me wrong, I am happy with where we are at and excited about the future, but I hope Nagy/Pace do not ignore the defense and continue to build around an already solid running game. I presume that Vic came back, in part, because he is confident the defense will continue to get additional pieces.

A good place for Pace to look for a blueprint is his old team the Saints. For years they were all in offensively and had some record setting offensive teams, but the last few years, they have been very middle of the road because the defense could not stop anyone. This season, it seems they made a commitment to be more balanced with a really good running game and solid Defense to pair with a great QB.

 

[fatbeard]

No.

If you want sustained success, as in year-in-year-out playoff appearances, you need a great QB. Defense and a running game can win in small windows, but it never sustains. Too little margin for error.

 

[WindyCity]

The Bears hopefully have a quarterback and a competent Offensive minded coach for the first time forever. However, looking at the current landscape of the league, running the football and defense is on the comeback.

Who would have thought that the three of the four QB's in the Championship round would be Bortles, Keenum, and Foles. A strong Defense and power running game has propelled those teams to the top some times in spite of the QB's (although Keenum has been pretty solid). We will see if it is enough to topple Brady/Belichick, but it is interesting that defense has ruled right when the Bears are pushing the offense. Don't get me wrong, I am happy with where we are at and excited about the future, but I hope Nagy/Pace do not ignore the defense and continue to build around an already solid running game. I presume that Vic came back, in part, because he is confident the defense will continue to get additional pieces.

A good place for Pace to look for a blueprint is his old team the Saints. For years they were all in offensively and had some record setting offensive teams, but the last few years, they have been very middle of the road because the defense could not stop anyone. This season, it seems they made a commitment to be more balanced with a really good running game and solid Defense to pair with a great QB.

Watch the all get bent over by Tom Brady on his way to his 6th ring.

Pendulum swings back.

 

[Adipost]

Interestingly, the Raiders and the Vikings started their rebuilds at roughly the same time. The Raiders went all in on offense while the Vikings went all in on defense.

 

[fatkid73]

No.

If you want sustained success, as in year-in-year-out playoff appearances, you need a great QB. Defense and a running game can win in small windows, but it never sustains. Too little margin for error.

I don't disagree with you about the QB. You can win a lot of games with a great QB during the regular season and get to the playoffs every year, but to me, to win in the playoffs consistently, I feel like you have some balance.

Perfect examples of your argument are the Saints, Green Bay, and the Payton Manning Colts. All three teams racked up a TON of wins during the regular season on the back of GREAT QB play, but found marginal success during the playoffs.

I'm not opposed to winning a lot of games, but hopefully we will do both under this new regime.

 

[fatkid73]

Watch the all get bent over by Tom Brady on his way to his 6th ring.

Pendulum swings back.

Ha, you may be right Windy, but Brady won't be around forever...I don't think...

 

[xer0h0ur]

I don't know what you've been watching in the playoffs. Defense has almost always been floating teams in the playoffs except its only been the teams that also had a competent offense paired with that defense that managed to get them that playoff success. People like to shit on the remaining quarterbacks in the playoffs not named Tom Brady except those people are ignoring the offensive output they have had throughout the season and in the playoffs.

 

[Hotwheelz24]

I think we all had front row seats to what happens when you focus everything on defense and neglect your offense. In all the Lovie years we won a lot of games but never won the SB. I would say our defense in 06 was better than the Vikings this year, but the Vikings offense this year is FAR better than ours was in 06.

There's no way around it, you need balance but without a franchise QB you can't expect sustained success.

 

[BearbaFett]

I don't know what you've been watching in the playoffs. Defense has almost always been floating teams in the playoffs except its only been the teams that also had a competent offense paired with that defense that managed to get them that playoff success. People like to shit on the remaining quarterbacks in the playoffs not named Tom Brady except those people are ignoring the offensive output they have had throughout the season and in the playoffs.

do you always make it a point to be passive-aggressive (or even just downright aggressive) in your posts? do you think that you have to insult or condescend whomever you're talking to in order to get your point across?

is this how you are in real life? i was just wondering if this is like an online tough-guy persona or what your personality just is.

you're a good poster and contribute a good deal to this board. i even agree with alot of what you say...but man, sometimes you come off real douchey.

 

[napo55]

Saw a stat the other day that only two teams that led the league in rushing won the Superbowl, one being the 1985 Bears. Nobody's saying that a strong running game isn't a big asset, but the NFL is now a passing league. Thankfully, we can finally have some hope with Trubisky, assuming he is provided some decent receivers.

Obviously defense is also key. In the case of the Bears though, the need now is to augment one of the worst offenses in the league.

 

[xer0h0ur]

do you always make it a point to be passive-aggressive (or even just downright aggressive) in your posts? do you think that you have to insult or condescend whomever you're talking to in order to get your point across?

is this how you are in real life? i was just wondering if this is like an online tough-guy persona or what your personality just is.

you're a good poster and contribute a good deal to this board. i even agree with alot of what you say...but man, sometimes you come off real douchey.

I've never hidden the fact I speak and post like a dick fairly frequently. I am who I am. I don't change it for anyone. You can either take me for what I am and block me if it bothers you that much or accept me for what I am. I stopped trying to make people happy a long time ago.

 

[TheWinman]

JAx gave up 42 points. Minny gave up 24 2nd half points, but keep telling me how defense is doing it.

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[TheWinman]

Balance is the key and that is what the Bears are aiming to do. If you were in doubt, in making sure we got fangio back should have made you feel better

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[BearbaFett]

I've never hidden the fact I speak and post like a dick fairly frequently. I am who I am. I don't change it for anyone. You can either take me for what I am and block me if it bothers you that much or accept me for what I am. I stopped trying to make people happy a long time ago.

fair enough....appreciate the real response.

like i said...you're a good poster, so wouldn't make sense to block you with the trolls.

 

[xer0h0ur]

JAx gave up 42 points. Minny gave up 24 2nd half points, but keep telling me how defense is doing it.

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Oversimplifying. A common mistake by NFL fans. The exception to the rule doesn't make it the rule. Anyone who saw these games can tell that it took franchise playoff records being broken by the Steelers to make that comeback and its not like Jaxonville's defense was getting shredded out there. It was a HOF quarterback and a HOF receiver doing work. Mind you, they still lost... As for Minnesota, that is completely their own fault. They had that game over and in hand into the 3rd quarter and by their own screw ups allowed the Saints to get back in it. An ill advised interception and a blocked punt let the Saints make a comeback.

But by all means, lets just gloss over the fact they were the #1 and #2 defenses in the league AND won.

 

[doctorbear]

Balance

 

[Hotwheelz24]

Oversimplifying. A common mistake by NFL fans. The exception to the rule doesn't make it the rule. Anyone who saw these games can tell that it took franchise playoff records being broken by the Steelers to make that comeback and its not like Jaxonville's defense was getting shredded out there. It was a HOF quarterback and a HOF receiver doing work. Mind you, they still lost... As for Minnesota, that is completely their own fault. They had that game over and in hand into the 3rd quarter and by their own screw ups allowed the Saints to get back in it. An ill advised interception and a blocked punt let the Saints make a comeback.

But by all means, lets just gloss over the fact they were the #1 and #2 defenses in the league AND won.

Without that INT and blocked punt, I don't think this game ever gets as close as it was. The offense/ST would have been to blame if they lost. I was getting flashbacks to our 2006 team when every game you just prayed the offense wouldn't fk it all up, and even if they hadn't by halftime you knew it might come any minute.

 

[Viciousjay]

I believe it's beginning to swing back in our favor but will take a little time unless we pull a Jacksonville to whom I'm routing for! I'm all about TB12 and letting him set records but I've been a Jack fan since they were an expatiation team back in '95.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Yes. It is.

 

[bufordht]

Isnt it ironic? Don't you think?

It's like rain on your wedding day. It's a free ride when you've already paid...