The panthers have been inconsistent this year
The Bucs have Chris Simms at QB. That game last week was Bad QB+Good Defense vs. Bad QB+Great Defense, and the bears snuck out with the win. YOu beat...the bucs...wow.
If I were a Bears fan, I would look at the Bears\Steelers game as a guage to know where they really are. Since the bears are a poor mans steelers anyway, thats a game to watch.
Sure being 8-3 is great, and any team should be happy with that record. The playoffs are a no brainer at this point, so start looking at what you can do in the playoffs. You've played the packers(who suck this year), lions (who suck this year), vikings(who suck this year, even with brad johnson in there), the SAINTS, and the 49'ers. the only real good team the bears have played were the Bengals, and the Bears lost.
The Bears will make the playoffs, and thats a good thing in itself, I've always thought that and I won't take that away from the Bears. Getting in the tourny bracket deserves recognition. But...how will you do. If you face the Vikings are some jobber team who sneaks in, yeah you should get to the next round. But if you have to play the Giants or Seahawks(who I think are overrated) then enjoy your stay in the playoffs, and see you next year.
If I was a Bears fan, I would want a real QB. Ortons QB rating is last in the league(it was before sundays games, i dunno about now, 2nd to last maybe?). The defense is great, the running game is solid, both offensive\defensive lines are money. But where is the QB? Moose and Gage are decent recievers, but Orton simply isn't very good.
The Bears are victims of their own success here. Since they are winning, they won't even think about changing their QB, no matter how ineffective he is. If I am a bears fan, since the playoffs are in the bag anyway, I would be hoping for a loss or two, and an Orton choke job.
People think I hate the bears. People think I am jealous and spiteful of them. Not really. I'd rather see them in the playoffs than the Lions and Vikings anyday. That is why I am so critical on the QB situation. I live in chicago and see every game, I listen to local radio and hear them and everyone question orton with 2 minutes left in their shows, so they can sneak in the little fact that he sucks. Grossman is back now..I would really like to see him get some snaps. His accuracy,power, and decision making are better than Ortons. Bears will win 1 game at the most in the playoffs with Orton back there, because eventually they will play a team who can stop the bears run, and get some points on their great defense. Then Ortons over and under throws are magnified, and its a big "Oh man, we shoulda played grossman" fest out there.
Enjoy it, chicago. It wont last though. If you guys got Drew Brees you could be super bowl contenders though.