So what if they're not playing at Soldier Field, this pic is too good to pass up. BEAR DOWN!!!

The Bears and Giants face off in a Sunday night showdown in the Giants shiny new stadium in front of a national audience.  The Bears are coming off a prime-time win on Monday night against a Packers team that seemed to have the edge everywhere except the scoreboard.  Jay Cutler hasn’t performed especially well under the lights while the Giants have struggled so far this season.  Here are my keys to the game.

Gimme Fewell Gimme Fire

Does the name Perry Fewell ring a bell?  He’s a former Bears assistant who turned down the Bears Defensive Coordinator job to take the same position in New York.  He is a Cover-2 disciple, so there shouldn’t be anything that he’s doing that Jay Cutler hasn’t seen in practice.  Giants would love to get pressure on Cutler with their front four, but injuries have left the line in shambles.  Look for lots of blitzes and lots of hot routes by Cutler.

Tommie Can you Hear Me?

Julius Pepper has been a beast, but he’s been going to battle alone along the defensive front for the Bears.  Last week, Tommie Harris was a healthy scratch.  Will he come out motivated?  The coaches have issued the challenge.  Does Harris hear them?  Will he respond?  Now is the time to step it up.

It’s Johnny’s Turn

The Giants Special Teams are brutal.  Giants head coach Tom Coughlin has promised that his punter will be kicking away from the resurrected Devin Hester.  What does that mean?  It means it’s Johnny Knox’s turn to bring one back on a kick return.
That should cover all three phases.

My prediction?  Bears 26-23.

BEAR DOWN!!!

Through the month of October, my usual BEAR DOWN signoff will be in pink to raise awareness for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“I am ecstatic to come to work for the New York Giants. It’s a good football team with good defensive players, and it is a franchise known for defense.”

Translation – Thank God there was another option out there so I don’t have to go to the Bears to be Lovie’s puppet.  I prefer to take a job with more stability than the rickety house of cards that the McStooges offered.

Time to start combing the NFL unemployment line for the otherwise unemployable.

Mike Tice salutes you, Bears fans!

Warm up the party boat, Bears fans!  Another name has surfaced in the Great Coordinator Search of 2010 and it’s former Vikings Head Coach Mike Tice.  You remember Mike Tice, don’t you?  He was the Vikings head coach under whose leadership the Vikings had their infamous Love Boat scandal, where 17 Viking players took to the high seas of Lake Minnetonka with a bunch of hookers.

Tice is currently under contract as the assistant head coach in charge of tight ends with the Jacksonville Jaguars.  What kind of title is that?  Is that like The Office’s Dwight Schrute: Assistant to the Regional Manager?

It’s possible that the Bears could hire Tice in a capacity other than full-fledged offensive coordinator.  There is also some speculation that the Bears may be considering splitting up the offensive coordinator duties among several individuals.

It also is possible the team will not have one person handle all of the traditional offensive coordinator responsibilities. They could divvy up the job among two or even three coaches. Tice, for instance, could be the running game coordinator while another coach could be in charge of the passing game.

What is this, the College of Coaches?  How did that work out for the Cubs?  We couldn’t get the plays in on time with just one coordinator!

What a freaking joke!  The only thing that would be the cherry on top of this steaming pile would be if Perry Fewell decides to take the Giants‘ DC job and the Bears come up empty there too.

On the bright side, if Tice does take a position with the Bears, at least he knows how to throw a decent party.

All aboard!!!

Even though we’re still a couple of hours away from the official press conference, early reports out of Halas Hall indicate that heads are rolling after the Bears‘ disappointing 7-9 season.

Offensive coordinator Ron Turner has been fired, along with offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton and tight end coach Rob Boras.

The very latest news as of this writing contradicts earlier reports that Rod Marinelli will be handed the keys to the defense.   The Bears will supposedly relieve Lovie of his defensive coordinator responsibilities and look outside the organization for a new DC.  It will be interesting to see how far outside they go.

Some rumbles around former Bears’ assistant Perry Fewell, recently fired as interim Head Coach in Buffalo, makes me think that even though there will be a new person holding the clipboard, don’t expect any philosophical changes or a departure from the Cover-2.

Lots more coverage after this afternoon’s presser.

BEAR DOWN!!!