Bears Close Out Home Season With Close Loss

December 22, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Monday meanderings: If Jimmy Clausen is sending out Christmas cards this year, he might want to send ones to Chicago Bears management for giving him a chance to resurrect his career. Albeit for one game (and possibly two). With Jay Cutler benched for Sunday’s contest vs. Detroit at Soldier Field, Clausen was amazingly adequate. Even if the Lions did win 20-14. Well, what did you expect?

Stephy C always is welcome here to brighten up Bears fans. And others.

* Speaking of Clausen, he did go 23-for-39 for 181 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw an interception on a fourth-down play on the Bears’ final possession of the game in what could have been a game-winning drive. Seemed somehow fitting, like an homage to Cutler.

* Speaking of Cutler, he does have at least one supporter — outside the organization, that is — and it’s his former coach at Denver Mike Shanahan, who did not coach this season and is available for another NFL opportunity. In an interview with ESPN, he spoke of the Bears and said: “No, my first order of business wouldn’t be to run Jay Cutler out of town.” That would seem to qualify him as a contender to replace Marc Trestman, if (when?) the Bears part ways with him. Oooh, and Shanahan is from suburban Chicago and went to Eastern Illinois and … And would like to coach a contender-like team, if he does return to the sidelines. Not sure the Bears meet that last description. But, you never know.

* If it’s any consolation to Bears fans (and the guess here is that it is not), Clausen is a better former Notre Dame quarterback to play for the Bears than Rick Mirer and Rusty Lisch were. OK, so the bar wasn’t set very high, but still …

Video below of Crystal Hefner at the Playboy Mansion, what she can call home.

* Instead of having “GSH” (for George Stanley Halas) on their jerseys and ski caps, the Bears should have “GOSH” until further notice. You know, like when they can field a team that can play — and win — with a bit of swagger. Of course, at this point most every Bears fan would settle for a team that can win (meaning next season because this one has been over for a long time). Something says it will be quite some time before anyone considers the initials being changed to “GUSH.” Bears fans haven’t done much of that since the 1985 season.

* The Associated Press report of the Bears-Lions game said Joique Bell “scored on a neat touchdown run in the fourth quarter” to account for the winning score. Of course, some of us prefer messy touchdown runs. If you’re going to use an adjective, make sure it says something; otherwise don’t use it. And if you do use it, don’t wait 13 paragraphs to provide the explanation for the adjective. This concludes class for the semester. Maybe.

* Speaking of running, the Bears did have Matt Forte carry the ball 19 times for 55 yard (2.9 yards per attempt) with a long of 10. If that doesn’t say Pro Bowl, what does? In defense of Forte, the Lions’ defense is about as good as there is in the NFL this season. And the Bears’ offensive line is not the team’s strength (then again, what exactly is?).

* Speaking of Forte, he had six receptions for 40 yards and one touchdown with a long of 11 yards. If that doesn’t say Pro Bowl, what does? If it’s any consolation to Bears/Forte fans (and the guess here is that it actually might be), he did move up on the all-time list of season reception leaders among running backs. He has 94, which ranks fourth. The all-time leader if Larry Centers with 101 for the Arizona Cardinals in 1995. Clausen targeted Forte six times Sunday. An uneducated guess (the only kind you will find around here) is that Forte has at least that many thrown his way in the season finale at Minnesota.

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