The Bye Week prediction
 

Its pretty unfair to hold people to their "before the season started" win/loss predictions, or to predict the next 13 games.


So... We are sitting at 3-0, what does our record look like in week 7 our BYE week? Some people thought we would drop Atlanta, some were afraid of the Bucs, some thought Arizona would be to much to handle. I think we are playing good enough Defense to sweep to 6-0.
None of our opponents are in the top 1/2 of the league in offense, the Patriots have a top 10 defense but the other two are below 20.

We have
Dolphins @ home
Bears @ Away
Patriots @ away

The Dolphins look like our toughest game in this stretch but I will be damned if I can find a reason to put money any where but New Orleans on a MNF at home in the dome.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

I think the Bears D has the potential to give the Saints offense fits. Playing in Chicago, that could possibly be our first loss of the season...but I still predict we finish that week 5-0.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

The bears are looking like the toughest team on that slate. Plus the game is at soldier field. It's not cutler but the fact that he has more weapons and his line is doing a great job this year of protecting him. In the past I would've said he'd implode by the 2nd quarter. now I'm not so sure. Plus, the bears defense still looks as good as it's looked in the past. I think the dolphins are a solid team but a little overrated. I think the patriots just aren't very good on offense. Unless Gronk and Amendola make a full recovery, I'm not as concerned about that game.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

We normally Play the Bears @ Soldier Field in Nov/Dec and the weather takes it toll. This year it is in the beginning of OCT.

We have played them 6 times since 2000:
Oct. 8, 2000: Saints 31-10 Soldier Field 66,944
Oct. 12, 2002: Saints 29-23 Memorial Stad. 63,216
Oct. 12, 2003: Saints 20-13 Superdome 68,390
Nov. 6, 2005: Bears 20-17 Tiger Stadium 32,637
Dec. 30, 2007: Bears 33-25 Soldier Field 62,064
Dec. 11, 2008: Bears 27-24 OT Soldier Field 61,692

Its split 3/3 but we own the month of Oct. :)

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Bears away, how they are playing right now.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

The Bears will be tough. I think they are a real contender this year. Kromer finally has their line problems straightend out for the most part and Cutler is looking better.
I do believe we have the advantage schematically as we know what to expect out of Kromers line, but he will not be familiar with Rob Ryans new defense. Hopefully we can put some pressure on Cutler and bring him back down to his regular crappy self. If not its going to be a shoot out. The Patriots do not scare me as much as Miami. Honestly I believe this Miami game is going to be a lot tougher that most might think.
They seem to have a legit team this year.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

We played them in the playoffs in 2006, in Chicago, Jan 21st (2007) Bears won 39-14.
We played them on Sept 18th 2011 in the dome and beat them 30-13.

Still even.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Article was the day before the Sep 18th game:p The weather has a huge effect when we play them.
New Orleans Saints vs. Chicago Bears series history | NOLA.com

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Chicago has been putting up points but their Defense has been allowing an abnormally high amount of points as well.

Bengals scored 21
Vikings Scored 30
Steelers scored 23

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Good. The Vikings did put some numbers on them and they suck.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Steelers did get to Cutler a couple times last night and Forte may have sprained and ankle. Jimmy Graham will own the Bears if they try to cover with Briggs. He's a good LB but he can't drop back in coverage as well as Urlacher did.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

I'm still not drinking the South Florida kool-aid. They beat a very banged up team, at home, on the last play of the game. Atlanta gave them every opportunity to win.

I think we will really rattle Tannehill. He's reckless back there, and I don't he will be able to handle the noise level.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Ok ... anyone want to go out on a limb and predict our record at the BYE? Sort of like the question in the title?

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

I'll say 6-0, but plz give me a 2-game margin-of-error

realistically, I think we win the next two and struggle at Foxboro

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

4-2

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Bears give up a ton of points.

Patriots are hot and cold. Even their hot is nowhere near ours.

We win both.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Always the next game.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

I see absolutely no reason why this team could not be undefeated come the bye. Not the same thing as saying the team doesn't have any flaws, but:

Can they win ugly games when things don't go their way? YES

Can they hold a lead, and hang on? YES

Can they score, when they need to score from behind, to get the W? YES

Can they make the other (good) team have a bad day? YES

Given those things after only 3 games, the sky is still the limit here. Until proven otherwise, they are kicking a**. There will be time to worry about the fatal flaws and Achilles Heels and ticking time bombs later. My biggest complaint about yesterday is that apparently Rob Ryan did not burst into a bar somewhere and buy another round of drinks.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

The only thing stopping me from saying 6-0 is that I don't want to get ahead of myself. I want to be a little cautious but....

I simply cannot see us losing against the Dolphins. That could get real ugly and show the Dolphins up.

Bears away is not an easy one but if our D keeps doing what it does then our offence should easily take care of business.

Patriots D is improved but I doubt their rookies are going to be given much grace and Brady could be smashed a number of times.

So 6-0 is probably what I do think, but 5-1 is what I will say to give myself a cautionary loss in there somewhere. Bears is hardest game on paper but if we 'have' to lose one, the Patriots game is the least damaging and allows us to head into the BYE week to recover and reverse any problems.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Repeat after me... "It is ok to get ahead of your self, it doesn't affect the team one bit. There is a huge difference between being positive and a delusional Falcons Fan... :)":bng:

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

I'll say 5-1 before the bye, which would be great. 6-0 would be awesome, but I don't see us any worse than 4-2.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

I thought the question was our toughest game before the bye? These polls are confusing!:jester:

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

I did sort of run those together didn't I. :)

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

I'm gonna go with Chicago jusst because of the history of how Drew plays when we go up there. Plus their oline might actually give our d a hard time.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

And the Steelers don't?

I see NE as the biggest test before the bye. There O is starting to gell & there D is playing well. If it was in NO I would feel better about it.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

5-1
Not sure who the loss will be though.
The Bears worry me as they generate turnovers and im worried about Drew forcing pass and getting picked.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

6-0 Man. Believe! And yet no one rates this team. There is almost NO discussion on the NFL Network about the Saints...yet.

I am a wee bit anxious about Miami. They are obviously creeping up and I really hope we have our game ace on and don't take anything for granted.

Having said that, I'd love to knock Cutlles down a notch.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Will Peppers be across the line from Brown? Nightmare about to begin!!!
Bears worry me the most.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Peppers is not playing at his usual level so far this season.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

God forgive him..... We'll be Six and Eaux anyway!

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Ever eat at Three B's? Their hatch green Chili cheese burger rocks..

Sorry.. just realized you were in The Woodlands.
:broccoli:

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

I'm gonna say 6 and oh.. I'm just picturing Jimmy vs Gronk.. Gronk may give our defense problems. We struggled a little vs Gonzo and Brady is much better than Mattyice. So ... Is it Sunday yet?

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

I feel a lot better about the Bears if we were playing at home.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

That's the reason I chose the Bears game in this poll. I hate Soldier Field. I hate when the Saints play there and I hate going to games there. The Saints never seem to play well there. And the inside the stadium is uncomfortable and ugly and the fans there are as rude as any stadium I've been to. (haven't been to Philly, the Linc or Veterans heard they're worse)

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Yeah but, as stated before, we play them in October. That means we win!:bng:

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

There is only one right answer to this...6 & 0

WHO DAT!!!

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

Interesting stat for all those still holding the 49ers Defense in reverence.

Last 6 regular season games they allowed an average of 29 points. A number I would put as a comparison 2012 saints Defense allowed an average of 28.4.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

bears will be a rough game the saints have a bad history with smash mouth football games.

New England scares me. their defense is looking really sharp this early in the season. but they have the same issues with the OL as we do. they stink

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

+1. Every week it seems that the Bears defense is running back a pick 6 or long interception return. Ball security is a MUST against this group. In my mind, they will be the toughest game before the bye week.

Re: The Bye Week prediction
 

That I buy into.. The turnovers.