Not a cutler game.

We just beat one of the best defenses in the NFL and slowed down the best rushing team in the NFL despite a shit load of injuries. #ThisIsTheYear

I gotta believe that Adrian Wilson could now start for this Bears defense. This is the worst possible week to be decimated in the secondary with injuries with the Packers up next.

Whatever one thinks of Conte's play, his inability to stay healthy is becoming a major problem. I wonder which shoulder it is this time. Last year it was the D line, and now the secondary. What the fuck.

Not super impressed by the offense stalling in the second half, but Cutler made good safe plays.

But really, the Bears won because of the bad calls. Just ask Kirkwood.

We just beat one of the best defenses in the NFL and slowed down the best rushing team in the NFL despite a shit load of injuries. #ThisIsTheYear

My wife said 2 things about Bernstein today:

"He sounds like a man that was never challenged to be a man."
"He gives a lot of opinions without probably having many life experiences."

Geno Smith threw a touchdown pass to the Chicago Bears on the second play of the game. Jay Cutler would add two TD passes of his own helping the road dog to its second straight “gift” victory in a prime time TV matchup.

Last Sunday, Chicago upset San Francisco 28-20 despite getting outgained by 145 yards. Monday, Chicago upset the Jets 27-19 despite getting outgained by 157 yards. Turnovers were 4-0 in their favor last week, 3-1 this week.

Chicago 27, NY Jets 19
Chicago: 257 yards, 4.1 per-play, 1 turnover, 50% third downs
NY Jets: 414 yards, 5.9 per-play, 3 turnovers, 40% third downs

You want more? San Francisco won YPP last week 5.6 to 4.2, while the Jets won it tonight 5.9 to 4.1 (based on the initial ESPN boxscore I was using right after the game). Of course, the spacing of everything was different because the Niners didn’t implode until the fourth quarter last week. The Jets stumbled out of the gate, and stumbled periodically through the evening to create some suspense.

Other Stats
Rushing Yardage: Chicago 63, NY Jets 114
Passing Stats: Chicago 23-38-0-197, NY Jets 26-43-2-300
Drive Points: Chicago 10, NY Jets 10
Stat Score: Chicago 14, NY Jets 24
Sloppiness: Chicago 20, NY Jets 32

(For you new visitors, Drive Points are those scored only on drives of 60 yards or more; Stat Score is a calculation of what the final score “should” have been based on the formula: 2 times rushing yards, plus passing yards, times 0.67, divided by 15; and Sloppiness is a quick assessment of sharpness based on 5 times the number of giveaways plus the number of incomplete passes. The lower the number, the better in sloppiness because you want to avoid being sloppy)

Haven’t had much of a chance to talk about sloppiness this year. I’ve seen many writers say something along the lines of “the NFL feels different this year, and it’s not just the off-the-field stuff.” I think that’s very much about the emphasis on conservative swing passes that cut down on incompletions and turnovers. That 32 from the Jets wouldn’t have wowed us last year in sloppiness terms. Sloppy, yes. But, not "Oh my god are you kidding me?!" This week, it was the second worst mark in the league…topping only the 39 posted by Tampa Bay in last Thursday’s debacle. Nobody else was over 30. Jacksonville’s awful game only registered at 28.

Teams with young quarterbacks are playing it very safe. And, really, EVERYBODY is playing it fairly safe because they’re tired of seeing their star receivers get obliterated by headhunters on downfield throws…and their quarterbacks constantly taking shots. When was the last time you saw a quarterback bruise or break a finger banging it on a pass rusher’s helmet? That had become commonplace with more aggressive pass rushes. Doesn’t happen on a wide receiver screen.

Anyway, I think that’s at the heart of what “feels” different to so many people. And, that’s very much an influence on the scoring explosion that DIDN’T happen after the emphasis on officials calling more defensive holding.

Chicago moves to 2-1, with two road wins helping make up for that home shocker at the hands of Buffalo that opened the season. The Jets fall to 1-2, with their only win coming over the lowly Oakland Raiders.

Back with you Wednesday night with this week’s look at the estimated NFL “market” Power Ratings. Then we’ll look at stats from NY Giants/Washington and Texas Tech/Oklahoma State Thursday night (UCLA/Arizona State will start too late to write up). See you Wednesday.

The Jets outplayed the Bears

It's more fun to be a victim

There will never be an effective vaccine. I'll never get one anyway.

It's more fun to be a victim

There will never be an effective vaccine. I'll never get one anyway.