Bears facing a must-win game vs. Carolina
The Chicago Bears head to Carolina this weekend, and I confess I have no clue which team will win the game.
Both teams are 2-2 and are struggling offensively and defensively.
If the Bears lose this game to fall to 2-3, our whole mindset shifts, and we start looking forward to the Bulls' regular-season opener. But if they win, they are 3-2 and are right there in the NFC North race.
Since the Bears are 2-0 on the road this season, they might have the advantage, but Carolina still has to be steaming over the whipping it got from the Baltimore Ravens. Steve Smith gave his former team a beat down with his 139 yards, 7 catches and 2 touchdowns. Even days after the loss, Carolina fans and players are still upset with the game and the loss of Smith, and the Panthers need to play as soon as possible to get the bad taste out of their mouths.
Fortunately, the Bears aren't facing a seasoned Aaron Rodgers this week, and a good Cam Newton will be an easier opponent.
As far as my prediction, let's be realistic: I don't care what the score is — just win the game!
High hopes for Bulls:
Anticipation for the Chicago Bulls are high. Many NBA scribes and scouts are saying the Bulls may have two of the top five rookies in the league. Nikola Mirotic, the all-around player from Europe, is turning heads even among the players. The Creighton Blue Jay, Doug McDermott, already an excellent shooter, just needs to listen to Tom Thibodeaux to round out his game.
When you put these two with a healthy Derrick Rose, they form a pretty good nucleus along with Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson and the team's newest secret weapon, Pau Gasol.
Bulls fans can't help but get excited over this roster. Las Vegas bookmakers have installed 58.5 victories as the over/under total for the Cleveland Cavaliers with LeBron James and Kevin Love. The Bulls are not far below at 55 games.
If the Bulls win 55 games or more, that would mean D-Rose is healthy and doing well.
According to the sports books experts in Vegas, the Cavs/Bulls are picked 1-2 in the East. The Toronto Raptors are third at 49 wins, so it looks like it might be a 2-team race.
I will be holding my breath on opening night just hoping Rose makes it through unscathed. It is a legitimate concern after losing the former MVP to injury for most of the last two seasons.
Will LeBron be able to get the Cavs into the finals like he did in Miami? I don't know, but if Rose is healthy this Bulls team could be one of the greatest outside of the Jordan-era to take the floor.
It's not a slam-dunk with the Cavs, the Raptors and the Washington Wizards, but the Bulls' chances look very good.
Program notes:
Follow me on Twitter@ north2north, and listen to Fox Sports Daybreak with Andy Furman and myself from 5-8 a.m. Monday through Friday on Fox Sports radio, and check me out on iHeart radio or Foxsportsradio.com.
• North's column appears each Tuesday and Friday in the Daily Herald, and his video commentary can be found Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at dailyherald.com. For more, visit northtonorth.com.