Unless you're talking actual football, in which case roll the dice to decide that title between every single AFC playoff game. Holy Jordan, have you seen three more boring playoff games than Chiefs-Colts, Pats-Jets and Colts-Ravens? In contrast, how exciting have the NFC playoff games been? The AFC may be the better conference (just like the AL was the better league), but the NFC has produced better television.
And while I think it's all been said, some more was said this morning. On "The Sports Reporters," Jimmy Roberts said that while Rex Grossman has been up and down, he hasn't had two bad games in a row. At Patriots, hosting Vikings. Those were in a row. Mike Lupica agreed, saying "He has a bad game and then an atrocious one."
Michael Kay said he wasn't sure what to think of this game. Maybe that's because he spends all his time in the New York area and has been watching the "football" they play at the Meadowlands. He also said he wouldn't be surprised if we saw Brian Griese this game. I don't think the Bears will be leading by that much at any point, but whatever.
Related links
Speaking of Ol' Rexy, Mike Ditka (you may have heard of him), Tom Jackson, Michael Irvin and Ron Jaworski all stand by Lovie Smith's decision to stick with Rex. Jaworski said Grossman will play well today, and as for fans screaming for the backup, Da Coach warned, "Be careful what you wish for." He should know.
As for Lovie being under the gun, Jackson brought up Nick Saban's two losing seasons and his giant contract at Alabama. "Lovie Smith gets double-digit wins in back-to-back seasons, and the Bears don't know if he fits with them," Jackson said. "Think about it, get back to me next week."
I'm hoping that we'll all have a reason to watch next week, if for no other reason than a Seahawks-Saints NFC title game would be awful.
You know the drill by now, unless you're new in town, in which case, welcome. Auto-refresh and comment board on the right, along with a new feature, where you get to see Web cam updates from Tribune staff reporter Brian Hamilton in the Soldier Field pressbox and from my ugly mug in the Tribune newsroom. I believe you can also submit your own comments if you want to. Go nuts, but not too nuts 'cause we have standards. E-mail me and check out the injury report and the (lousy) Chicago weather. Football can't come soon enough.
Great weight-loss commercial just ran. Mike Ditka standing on a split-screen with a photo of him 15 pounds heavier to his right. The voice over announces "Ron Jaworski has replaced Mike Ditka's 'before' picture with this picture of a male ballet dancer," with accompanying video of Jaws doing just that. Then Ditka says, "Hi, I'm Mike Ditka, and I used to look like that [points to his right]." The tagline of whatever weight-loss company it was: "Change your 'before' picture, join our program now." Solid.
Oh, and I almost forgot, ChicagoSports.com's Amanda Kaschube scored tickets to this game, so she'll be texting me from the stands with occasional updates. Her first: "Bears fan to another fan in handcuffs: 'You wanna sell your ticket?' " I imagine Mr. Handcuffs was not amused.
To the comment board: Matt in India, Happy Pongal indeed. An oversight on my part. SDFan, you get my coach's much-coveted "Attaboy" award for meritorious achievement for ditching Chargers-Patriots tickets so you could watch the Bears. That's devotion, people.
Everybody on Sunday NFL Countdown is picking the Bears, and they're all picking the Chargers, too. We've seen the promo for the Earl Anthony Medford Classic, which means it's time for me to change the channel to Fox. The only reason I've heard of Earl Anthony is because he was from Kent, Wash., and I worked for the the summer he died.
Okay, let's not have the Pacific Northwest be the last thing I mention, so here. Football soon.
FIRST QUARTER
"I see that it's almost time for the foregone conclusion that is today's game," says Bill Swerski. Except he's talking about the foregone conclusion of a Bears victory, while the foregone conclusion from everyone around these parts has been the third one-and-done in six years. The Seahawks squib it, but it corners perfectly in the end zone for a touchback. Thomas Jones up the middle for a couple. Joe Buck said while Cedric Benson is not a starter, he's a "1-A-type threat." Grossman hits I believe Bernard Berrian on an out route right for five yards, then Jones finds a hole for five yards and the first. Fake handoff to Jones, end-around to Rashied Davis, who takes it around the left side for eight yards. Jones gets met at the line of scrimmage, stiff-arms his way to the right side but is brought down for a gain of one. Jones gets seven up the middle and he's stoked. That's the first time I've seen him get overly emotional for a run that didn't result in six points. Grossman drops back, checks down to Jason McKie in the right flat and it's a little high. Even if it had been there, McKie would have gotten a yard. Handoff to Jones on a sweep left gets nothing, 3rd and 10. The first big test comes for Grossman, the Seahawks blitz, the Bears pick it up, Grossman hits Davis just over the hands of Jordan Babineaux and Davis is off to the races. The Seahawks don't get him down until the 15, from where Jones gets a couple. David Haugh said he thinks Rashied Davis will be the X-factor in this game, and so far he has a catch for 37 yards and a run for eight. Jones gets four, then the touchdown to the roar of the crowd. Aikman talked about how bad it would have been had Babineaux come down with an interception on that pass to Davis. Well, he didn't come down with it, and the Bears have a touchdown lead, capped by a Robbie Gould PAT.
Bears 7, Seahawks 0, 8:35 left in the 1st quarter
HB, I will load the foam finger pic on Facebook after the game. Chicagofan says it best on the board: Much better start than last year. Nate Burleson takes the kick at the 6, looks contained, but breaks to the right and has space up the sideline. He isn't run out until the Seahawks' 47, which I believe is the closest to midfield any team has returned a Bears kickoff this season. Not to sound alarmist, but I feel like poor kick coverage had a hand in the Bears' loss last year. The Panthers' average starting point was their 36-yard line, compared with an average start at their 25 in the regular-season game. We shall see if the defense steps up with a short field. They don't need to on first down, as Matt Hasselbeck skips a pass to no one. Shaun Alexander tries to bounce outside left, and Chris Harris suggests that's not possible. He and Alex Brown are both very pumped up after that stop, 3rd and 10. Ricky Manning comes in on a nickel blitz, Hasselbeck gets it off just in time, Charles Tillman jumps the route, the interception rattles around his chest and arms, pops up in the air and into the hands of Darrell Jackson, but Tillman recovers in time to bring Jackson down before he gets the first down. I think Tillman was stealing a look at the 55 yards of open field in front of him. Great punt goes out of bounds at the 7.
Jones gets four, then four more. He looked like he was stuffed after a couple but he just drove his tacklers for two more yards. Grossman hits Muhsin Muhammad on a stop route to the right side for six yards and the first, then hits Berrian on the right for six more yards. Jones gets slammed on a run up the middle, LeRoy Hill planted him at the line of scrimmage, 3rd and 4. Babineaux comes in untouched, but Grossman's arm is going forward so it's an incomplete pass. Maynard's punt bounces inside the 30 and Dante Wesley flattens Burleson at the 29. That's 42 yards, all net. Good start to the punting game.
Bears blitz, Seahawks pick it up and Hasselbeck makes a good throw to hit Jackson at the 50, and he rolls into Bears territory to the 47. Danieal Manning almost made a big gaffe there, not touching Jackson down, but Harris saved him. Hasselbeck checks down for nine yards, then Alexander gets a couple for the first. Hasselbeck was shaking his injured left (non-throwing) hand after that pass. Alexander slips at the line of scrimmage, 2nd and 10. Hasselbeck has some time but he sails Deion Branch up the left sideline. Lance Briggs and Nathan Vasher in on a blitz, Hasselbeck throws off his back foot and hits Jackson for the first down plus a couple. Another blitz and Hasselbeck throws it out of the back of the end zone. Alexander gets five and that's the quarter.
