Patriots 17, BEARS 13: I Guess I Didn't Miss Much

OK, this one’s going to be brief. I was fighting a cold all weekend, and for much of the BEARS game I could have gotten flagged for unintentional napping.

But I saw the important stuff. And nothing was bigger than the BEARS’ last play from scrimmage. After the marauding defense went out and got the ball back on a forced fumble with 1:52 left, Rex Grossman – throwing off his back foot – heaved his third interception of the day. (It was his fourth turnover overall, although I’m not sure his fumble in the second quarter was his fault or the result of a bad snap.)

At any rate, Grossman is clearly the key to the BEARS’ success at this point. The defense is championship caliber, so the BEARS will go only so far as Rex Grossman can take them.

Still, I’m not worried about a loss to the Patriots. The BEARS still hold a two-game lead on the rest of the conference with five to play. They also hold the tie-breaker right now over everyone else in the conference, although if the BEARS did lose two more and the Saints (6-1 vs. NFC) won out, I’m pretty sure the Saints would win the tie-breaker because at that point the BEARS would have two conference losses. But with a schedule of Minnesota at home, at St. Louis, Tampa Bay at home, at Detroit, and Green Bay at home, the BEARS should be favored by at least a touchdown the rest of the way.