What I Predicted:
Week 9: vs. Arizona (FOX) The Super bowl runner up has something to prove this year and their high-flying Offense with Fitz and Bolden are just too much as the Cardinals win in a shootout 37-30.
What Happened: Cardinals 41, Bears 21
Well, now that that this week is over even the most loyal Bears fans can agree that this 2009 team is not going to the postseason. Blame it on Urlacher’s absence, on losing 3 starting O lineman from last year, on Lovie’s play calling but any moderate football fan can see that this team is not talented or deep enough to compete against the teams who are moderately above average (Arizona).
You could tell this was going to be a long day when our “star” DT Tommie Harris punched an offensive lineman of the Cardinals 4 plays into the game and was rightfully ejected. Tommie has since apologized but what he should have atoned to is his lack of play since 2006. What will make you even more sick is his salary ($11,926,200).
The start of the game was all too familiar to that dismantling in Cincinnati as Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald marched right down the field and punched it in to go up 7-0. Jay Cutler and Greg Olsen responded with a solid drive that culminated in a 33 yard touchdown to Olsen. At this point you are thinking that this may be a shootout but Arizona’s firepower was just too much and the Bears lack of ability to cover a true number one receiver (Fitzgerald) spelled doom on a beautiful day at Soldier Field.
It took 6 possessions (TD,TD,TD,TD,FG) by the Cardinals in order for the Bears to even get Arizona’s punter on the field that brought on a slew of Bronx cheers from Bears fans. They can’t get pressure, they can tackle, they can cover, and they can’t play. The only ray of light in this game is when Ken Wisenhunt called off the dogs after Warner’s 4th TD and Matt Lineart came in and gave the Bears D a few gifts.
Once you could feel the momentum start to shift in the Bears favor, Warner came in only to dash the Bears hopes with his 5th touchdown pass eliminated any flashbacks Bears might have had from 2006. Give the Bears credit, they fought hard at the end but getting into a 31-7 halftime deficit at home is inexcusable.
I look back to the Cutler trade and when it happened every Bear fan was shocked, why, Because Jerry Angelo and the Bears brass has never done a move quite like it. Now I see why they did, it was a last gas move to save their jobs, they saw how bad the “new-look” O-Line was, they saw the stats about the production of a running back that gets as many touches as Forte in the previous year. They knew that with the receiving corps was weak.
They made a move to try to put a band-aid over a gashing wound and what you have is this year’s team. Yes, Jay Cutler will be here for a long time. Yes, Forte is a solid back with a competent O-Line but there are way too many holes right now to become a winning ballclub.
The question I have is how will the powers that be fill those holes with too many overpaid players and no first or second round draft picks until 2012?
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