Okay this seems to be a really stupid question. But as a Chicago Bears fan, I'm getting crap from a bunch of other people (primarily Packers and Seahawks fans) that think that the Bears are gonna lose the next game against the 8-9 Seahawks. From a win-loss standpoint, the Bears have the edge. But everyone else argues that because the Seahawks beat the Bears in the regular season that the Bears will inevitably lose again in the playoffs. Well this is why that won't happen.
1. The Seahawks beat the Bears before their bye week.
Yes this sounds like a stupid point, but if you watched the Bears before and after their bye (especially those last four games going into the bye), there was a vast difference. I'm not gonna statistically analyze anything, but I'm pretty sure that their quarterback Jay Cutler was sacked much less after the bye. He threw more efficiently and the offense and defense were clicking (except for one minor hiccup against the New England Patriots). As John Madden would say, the quarterback's throwing it, the running back's running it, the defense is playing good defense. They are beatable, but ever since that bye, it seems like Mike Martz, their offensive coordinator, really got his offense going. And of course, the Bears have an exceptional defense.
2. The Seahawks beat the New Orlean Saints using deep passes and the running game.
The Bears play a cover-2 defense. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is pretty much the two safeties play really deep, essentially to stop the big play. It leaves the team vulnerable to short, fast throws, but the Bears mix a great pass rush with good down field coverage. Yes, Matt Hasselbeck, the Seahawks starting QB, is experienced and accurate, but he didn't tear apart the Saints by using a lot of short passes. He hit them up deep. Just look at the pass to Brandon Stokley for the touchdown. He simply beat every single guy, but in the cover-2, there will usually be a safety playing back and ready to tackle Stokley. Speaking about tackling, the Saints did a crappy job on that part. Marshawn Lynch broke 7 or 8 tackles en route to one of the most electrifying plays ever. But against the Bears, they would not allow that. The defensive corps stresses good tackling more than anything. Just imagine Brian Urlacher whiffing on a tackle like that. Inconceivable, no?
3. The Seahawks aren't that great on the road.
The Seahawks went 2-6 on the road. Sure one of those 2 wins was in Soldier Field, but that was Jay Cutler's first game back from an injury. But the Seahawks are atrocious away from home and the Bears, with a 5-3 record at home including wins against the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, and New York Jets, are more than formidable.
There are many other reasons why one team or another is going to come out on top. But these are three main reasons and they are big reasons. Many people slated the Bears to lose their first playoff game. But these same people expected the Seahawks to be gone by then too. All I know is that the last time the Bears played the Seahawks after earning the bye, the Bears ended up in the Super Bowl. Serendipitous or just coincidence? We'll find out Sunday January 16. My guess is the Bears win with a score of 24-7. I just can't imagine another great game by the Seahawks offense against a very strong Bears defense. So all that's left to say is GO BEARS!
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