Bears started awful and their comeback fell short. This season now OFFICIALLY becomes about next season. Rapid. Fire.

• Robbie Gould didn’t miss the game-tying field goal because of the conditions. He missed the game-tying field goal because he pushed the ball right. And Robbie – being a scratch golfer – knows what’s going on. He has the yips. The question is how long do the Bears wait to see if he comes out of them.
• And no, this game isn’t on Robbie. But that’s the less important note. Bears now have a serious question mark at a position they didn’t expect.
• Jay Cutler is terrific. With his receiving corps decimated and offensive line no-showing Sunday, he kept his team alive and gave them a chance to win. Love to see Jay play with some healthy receivers.
• Shea McClellin was horrendous. He was in position to make multiple plays and allowed backs to run over him. Bears need to address this position on day one of the draft.
• Kyle Long. Sheesh. Give you a pass, buddy, but you don’t get many.

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I’m putting $100 on each of these bets all season. Will be keeping my total down below. (For those of you who are not gamblers, if you lose a $100 bet you actually lose $110. If you push a $100 bet, you lose the $10 vig.)

Tennessee +2 at Cleveland

Anti-Manziel pick. When I watch Johnny Football on an NFL field he reminds me of a young kid wearing his father’s suit. His lack of awareness inside the pocket is usurped only by his lack of understanding that the men sharing the field with him are faster and smarter than just about every player he faced at Texas A&M. Titans 23, Browns 16

St. Louis -3 at Washington

Washington v. Miami was the worst game played last Sunday. Neither deserved to win. Now the Redskins, without Desean Jackson, face the most ferocious defense in the NFC? Rams win on the road. Rams 20, Redskins 7

Jacksonville +6 vs Miami

Line is too high. Simple as that. Dolphins 24, Jags 21

Record Through One Week: 1-1-1

(-$20)

I am heading to Baltimore this weekend for a Crab and Beer Festival so I figured I’d have some “fun” with my Friday column.

Washington Monuments

Phallic and delightful, the Washington Monuments helmets could immediately become the most interesting in the NFL.

D.C. Comics

City listed? Check. But I’m not putting Superman on my helmet. My helmet looks like this:

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Did you ever think the day would come? Did you ever think we’d be sitting here post game discussing an offense so good they can put up forty with a backup quarterback and a defense so bad they can’t make that number stick? Well that’s exactly where we are.

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Three final thoughts on the ball game:

1. A lot has been made about the expectations surrounding rookie MLB Jon Bostic. I sure hope fans and media do not let this game become a referendum on him. In this defensive system a lot is asked of the position manned by Brian Urlacher for a decade and Bostic should not be expected to find a comfort level in the defense after a few meaningless preseason games and nine days of practice. Bostic should not let the nerves/excitement of his first start stir his penchant for over-aggressiveness. Stay disciplined. Play within the system.
2. I missed the stories in the lead-up to my game preview but the Washington Redskins have struggled mightily on special teams thus far in 2013. If there was ever going to be a week for Joe D to figure out the team’s coverage and blocking issues, this is it. (The more I look at tape of the Bears special teams units the more critical I become of Joe D’s work.)
3. I watched the Jay Cutler press conference live. Jay was asked if he had any specific comments about facing DeAngelo Hall again. Jay said Hall was “just another player”, meaning he was preparing to face Hall like he’d prepare for Kerrigan or Orakpo or me. Of course Pro Football Talk runs this headline: JAY CUTLER ISN’T IMPRESSED BY DEANGELO HALL. This is what PFT – once the most important website in the NFL – has become. Cutler vs. Hall should be trumpeted this week as a grand football rematch. But we don’t have that media unfortunately.

Bear down. The action of a new generation. And since you all wanted a chat room…

Injuries have dominated the conversation surrounding the Chicago Bears since their hold on for dear life victory over the Giants at Soldier Field. They have not been a good defensive club and, as expected, their offense has yet to put together four consistent quarters of football. So…

Why do I like the Chicago Bears this week?

I always like the Chicago Bears.

BUT WHAT FOOTBALL REASONS, JEFF?

• Washington’s defense is 27th against the run, 24th against the pass and are allowing 28.6 points per game. This has to be considered the most disappointing unit of the 2013 season. We can go into all the details imaginable but the Bears have no excuse not scoring between 28-35 points at a minimum. That is what a good offense does against these Redskins.
• Robert Griffin isn’t right. He is tentative stepping up into pressure and delivering the ball down the field. He has lost his acceleration as a runner. You beat this Bears defense, even in current form, with accuracy and patience. You have to be willing to stand in and take the 7-10 yard throws over the course of a ten-play drive. Is Griffin currently that player? He hasn’t been in 2013.
• Washington enters Sunday coming off an emotional, lifeless loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The only thing keeping them out of last place is the existence of the New York Giants. Chicago enters Sunday off ten days rest and a chance to get a starting corner and defensive tackle back on the field. They are tied for first. If Washington punches early, I think the Bears have the motivation to fight back. If Chicago punches early, I question whether Washington does.

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