Bears make statement with Week 1 win over Falcons

Let's be honest, you didn't have the Bears beating the Falcons Sunday to open the NFL season did you? I'll be honest, I figured if they were going to win, it was going to be close. As the game progressed it was clear one team came into the game prepared, the other was not.
The Bears were clearly prepared on both sides of the ball. I'll start with the defense because with plays from Julius Peppers and the above pictured Brian Urlacher, the unit dominated Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense. It was more than just Urlacher and "Pepp" as Henry Melton became an opening day starter and made his presence felt. As Brad Biggs said in his "10 Thoughts" in today's Chicago Tribune, Melton showed flashes last season (his first career sack was the one that ended Brett Favre) and playing the Three technique in this scheme means he will play a prominent role. He had two sacks Sunday and an unbelievable seven hits on Ryan meaning he practically lived in the offensive backfield. He has a chance to be a big part of this defense this season and could be a great compliment to Peppers and Israel Idonije on the other end, along with tackle Anthony Adams. I will not anoint him just yet, as he has to back it up with another game, but he's well on his way.
Of course, Melton's emergence would add young blood to the "usual suspects" that contributed on defense. I mentioned Peppers, who had a couple sacks and won't get credit, but forced the fumble Urlacher recovered and ran in for a touchdown. Urlacher's interception showed he's still as athletic as ever. And then there's Charles Tillman. I tweeted during the game about Peanut after he forced yet another fumble. In the NFL Preview edition of SI, Peter King broke down the best players at knocking the ball loose and he was not mentioned. He's just notorious for it.
On the offensive side of the ball, what a difference nine months made for Jay Cutler, who threw for two touchdowns and over 300 yards. If you're a "real" Bears fan, you can't not root for the guy (Yes, I know that's a double negative. Figure it out.) and he delivered. The offensive line was not great, but wasn't awful and has time to get better as the season moves on as Jay had time to throw and make decisions out there. I'd have to say the biggest part in that was the play calling by Mike Martz who, aside from a couple bone headed Wildcat and end around calls, kept the Falcons defense off balance with enough plays downfield to open up the screen passes intended for Matt Forte and short plays for Devin Hester that allowed both to get out and roam.
I'd have to say the wide receivers in this game had a big hand in things, too. Roy Williams may have had just a couple catches before leaving with a groin injury, but he opened some things up for Johnny Knox and Hester, who both made big catches on some long third downs. It has seemed to be something that was missing for this team in recent years. If they can stretch the field, it will only make Jay more dangerous of a passer.

So, I'm not anointing the Bears anything after one win, but it has to make the people that picked them to finish the season 7-9 take notice and show this division will not be handed to Green Bay. Seems every year Lovie Smith is under estimated as a coach and year after year finds a way to get the most out of his players on a team that has won the NFC North three of the last six years.

Wilber's Way Super Bowl predictions made

Yesterday I broke down my NFL regular season picks, picking division winners and Wild Card teams that will make up January's playoffs. So here we go with the seeds and the matchups with my Super Bowl XLVI picks that will be certainly scrutinized throughout the season.

NFC Playoff teams and seeds
1. Packers (12-4)
2. Eagles (11-5)
3. Falcons (10-6)
4. Rams (9-7)
5. Bears (10-6)
6. Saints (10-6)

Wild Card matchups
Saints at Falcons: I see these two splitting during the season and the home team will have the advantage. That's why I see the Falcons taking this very tight and close game.
Bears at Rams: Can Sam Bradford take it to the Bears defense? That will be the difference in this game. This game is all about Julius Peppers, which is why I see the Bears winning a spot in the Divisional round. As I'll talk about in my Bears season preview tomorrow, I expect this offensive line to come together in a few weeks and solidify. With that Jay Cutler will have a career year that carries this team.

Divisional Round
Falcons at Eagles: Michael Vick in big games means bad things for the Eagles. Add to that the chip on the Falcons' shoulder from the thumping handed down by the Packers last season and this team has its eye on the prize and gets it done on the road. The so-called dream team can't get it done when it matters most, just showing chalk doesn't rule in the NFL playoffs.
Bears at Packers: Lambeau Field is a place the Bears historically don't play well (Well at least since Rex Grossman left town). No Packers fan I know is giving the Bears a shot in this game, but they'll have a lead for most of the game before Aaron Rodgers steps in and cements himself with a great fourth quarter comeback to break my heart once again. Yeah, I hate the guy.

NFC Championship
Falcons at Packers: The Falcons will be looking for payback from the last season's playoffs, but coming into Lambeau evens things out. Repeating as champs is one of the most difficult things a team can do and I have a hard time seeing all the breaks go the way of Green Bay another season. That's not to say this one won't be close, but just like the last time the Packers hosted an NFC Title game, a bad break late will turn the tide and the Falcons will head to the Super Bowl.

AFC Playoff teams and seeds
1.Chargers (13-3)
2. Patriots (12-4)
3. Steelers (11-5)
4. Texans (10-6)
5. Ravens (10-6)
6. Jets (10-6)

Wild Card matchups
Jets at Steelers: This was last year's AFC Title game. A lot of things will change for these teams throughout the season. If the Jets can find a way to limit the mistakes from Mark Sanchez, they'll be in this game. And with a Jets defense that will limit Ben Roethlisberger, I see the Jets taking this one on the road.
Ravens at Texans: Houston not only makes the playoffs, but hosts a playoff game. And with the young guns on offense and a revamped defense, it's almost like a passing of the guard in Houston as the Texans take it to Ray Lewis and company.

Divisional Round
Texans at Patriots: As good as the Texans could look the week prior, they will be humbled by the machine in Foxboro. The Pats will be just too good this season on both sides of the ball. This one might be ugly.
Jets at Chargers: The best offense in the league with Philip Rivers at the helm will meet a defense with all the wrinkles it needs to shut it down. This one will be knock down and drag out with Gang Green finding a way and LT putting the dagger in his old team's season.

AFC Championship
Jets at Patriots: You thought that Bears/Packers NFC Championship game last season was big, wait until this one jumps off. The coaches are huge personalities and players on both sides will make this a great one and a true chess match. So will it be the old guard or the new guard? I think Rex Ryan finally backs up his talk and guides his team to the Super Bowl with a big play from the Jets defense on Tom Brady that sets it up for Mark Sanchez to deliver to Plaxico Burress.

OK, got all that? Here we go...
Super Bowl XLVI....... Falcons vs. Jets: The Falcons have the advantage at quarterback, wide receiver and running back, but going against the Jets defense, it turns the attention to the Jets offense. Can Sanchez do it on the big stage? The Falcons aren't as talked about on defense, but I still think they are solid, especially with their front seven. That could be the difference as I see the Jets leaning on a running game with Sanchez.
With things close, it will come down to which defense can make the big play that gives a short field to its offense, and that's where I think the Jets make their move and make life easy on LT and Sanchez.
Score: Jets 24, Falcons 20.

NOTE:
There ya go. What did you think? Be sure to comment below and tell me where I screwed up.
Remember, Thursday I'll have my full Bears preview and my Week 1 picks for the Pick 'em polls.

Jay can't do it all by himself!

Just want everyone to know first and foremost, I survived and am OK after watching the Bears loss. I did not harm myself. Just went home and mourned the mistakes that led to defeat.
Those mistakes, not just on the final drive of the game that have gotten magnified (a holding penalty on right tackle Orlando Pace and a false start penalty on Fourth and 1 from the five yard line). I mean you get into the Red Zone twice and you throw an interception and fumble it before the final drive and you're not going to be able to have a good shot at winning the game. Still Jay just ran out of magic that almost pulled out another one.
It was on both sides of the ball as the Bears had a shot to recover a fumble and get a pick on the Falcons' final drive. A drive that I might add started across the 50-yard line because the special teams did not cover the kick. A rare gaffe by Greg Toub's bunch.
This one is a frustrating one to swallow. They shot themselves in the foot too many times and when you do that against a team like the Falcons (which I think would do a 5-5 series in 10 games the teams are that close), it tips the scales.
The good thing about those areas is that it can be corrected. It's not that there isn't someone on the team that can't play a position (although Nick Roach did look lost at times).
The one thing that does need to get fixed is the running game. Not sure whether it's all on Matt Forte, but some of the reasons for the Bears not being able to run the ball is on the offensive line. Heard a line today on 670 AM The Score out of Chicago and it was a good one. "Run the ball and you can protect your quarterback." That was obvious last night because Jay was scrambling out of the pocket most of the night.
One area that did shine was the tight ends. Both Desmond Clark and my boy Greg Olsen (my fave player) were big targets for Jay all night.
Everything has to come together next week on the road against the Bengals in what is being dubbed the "Benson Bowl" as the Bears get a chance to see their former first round pick Cedric Benson. He's doing well in Cincy and should be fun to see again. (I have him in fantasy, too so might need him to have a somewhat decent game).



Other Bears news from over the weekend was the Bears trading for defensive end Gaines Adams, whom the Bears traded a 2010 second round draft pick to Tampa Bay for. Makes sense, most of the brain trust in this organization has roots in Tampa under Tony Dungy, and he was a guy they drafted as the No. 4 overall selection in 2007. He was introduced at Halas Hall today (Video) and the stories are already coming back from Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye, the incumbent defensive ends that are going to be pushed.
Personally, I like the move. It gives them some depth at the position. But one question I do have is I thought they needed a linebacker not an end on defense. If Pisa Tinoisamoa's injury is severe, there may be a problem there. I'm not panicking just yet, but I'm concerned.

From the Bears to former Bears. Yesterday, former Bear Dante Wesely made an ass of himself with this ridiculous hit on Clifton Smith of the Panthers. Saw it today on my boy Jerrett's Facebook page (I was in the middle of Sunday Funday when it went down). So this was jaw dropping. Wesely got ejected from the game and today word came down he got a one-game suspension. Heres' the hit.



In another former Bears "great" being caught in a pickel. Read this today that Bernard Berrian, now with the Vikings was in a bit of trouble for a Tweet he sent out last week that featured a naked woman in a shower. Well problem with that is (other than the obvious) was that he said he was trying to send a pick from the Chinese restaurant and had just taken a suki bomb. Check that story I linked to. Sarah is pretty funny and I actually like her "artist's rendering" of the photo. Haha.

Now we've finally arrived at the Nussie Hunter portion of the broadcast. Came across the list today of the Top 100 most searched women on the Internet (Link to the Top 10). The usual suspects are on the list, but the order was a bit not what you would have thought. At No. 1 is (one of my faves) Mandy Moore!!! I've been of fan of hers for some time and was super excited that she showed up as Vinny Chase's "Aquagirl" in Entourage a couple seasons back. Why do I like her? Simple. She's smart and she shows it by not needing to take the slutty route to look hot. She's funny, otherwise she wouldn't have been in like half a season of Entourage with the boys. Seems like I need a third and I will say that her looking better as a brunette over the blonde look, wins it for me. Without further ado. Ms. Moore!

Not about revenge for the Bears against "Matty Ice"

The Bears take over Georgia Dome in Atlanta Sunday night and it is a game some are saying the Bears are trying to get revenge for from last year's disappointing loss, 20-19 against the Birds after Kyle Orton led a drive that ended in a touchdown with 23 seconds left. Lovie has made it clear it's not about revenge this year and he's right. What can be changed from that game? The defense kept Matt Ryan and Michael Turner quiet for the most part.
Well, the defense looks a bit different this time around, thanks in most part to injuries. Either way, the confidence is there from that game to build on. You know, it's not just because I'm a Bears fan that I think they can do the same this year.
Nick Roach looks like he'll be the guy that gets the starting job at middle linebacker with Hunter Hillenmayer out and Garrett Wolfe will backup Matt Forte in the backfield with Adrian Peterson on the shelf.
One of the key matchups in this one is going to be Charles "Peanut" Tillman agains the Falcons' Roddy White. He's become the guy the Bears put on the opponent's No. 1 receiver and I see Lovie doing the same again. He's got the size and speed and overall ability to shut him down. Look for that one while you listen to Chris Collinsworth ramble on and on Sunday night.
And I can't write a Bears preview story without saying that Jay Cutler is going to do well. There's a story in today's Sun Times about the Bears waiting for Cutler and Greg Olson (whom I predicted would make the Pro Bowl) to click. I say, give it time.
Right now, Jay is gelling well with Earl Bennett, Johnny Knox and Devin Hester. You know, those receivers everyone said wouldn't amount to much. Defenses are taking away Greg and Desmond Clark. In time the tight end will be there. Speaking of Desmond Clark, be sure to check out his blog, here.
Another big matchup is the Bears defensive line getting pressure and stopping Turner. They are better than the stats would lead you to believe and are getting their chances. The ends, Alex Brown and Adewale are playing well. So just be ready for them.
My prediction: This is a close one, but Bears win the trenches and the game, 24-20.

Here we go, my Friday NFL picks. Winners in bold (pretty simple, I know).
Texans @ Bengals
Lions @ Packers
Ravens @ Vikings
Giants @ Saints
Panthers @ Bucs
Chiefs @ Redskins
Rams @ Jaguars
Browns @ Steelers
Cardinals @ Seahawks - (Hasselbeck's mom 16-0 when she attends games!)
Eagles @ Raiders
Bills @ Jets
Titans @ Patriots
Bears @ Falcons
Broncos (21) @ Chargers (17)

You know the worst feeling in sports? Wanting to high-five a teammate and no one is around. That's what Badgers QB Scott Tolzien experienced last week. Ha!



Today is boss' day. So what better than to pay tribute to two awesome bosses. How about the Big Boss Man! Dude was bad ass in his prime and was a force to be reckoned with in the WWF. Loved him kicking ass and taking names.



He was a good boss, but how about another awesome boss? "Angela, Mona, Jonathan!?!?"



That was pretty sweet, but this may just be sweeter. The Nussie Hunter was interested in buying an NFL team and he may have found one to latch onto. Not sure if you heard that Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas is looking to buy a stake in the Miami Dolphins. How would you like to have this as your owner? Hmmm....