Thoughts on Bears-Packers game

[Senser81]

*The Bears Defense played well enough to win. They did what they had to do…they put pressure on Rodgers, they gave up rushing yards but they stopped the run when they had to on 3rd and short, they had a couple turnovers, which gave the Bears an easy TD and prevented a Packer score. You can’t blame them for the fake FG TD, and the pass to Driver was more like the dam finally breaking than anything else.

*The Packers really missed Jennings. Not only is he their best skill position player other than Rodgers, he also is Rodgers go-to guy because of his hands. The Packers had a ton of drops from Nelson, Finley, and Jones. I think this made the Packers run on all short yardage plays, because Mccarthy couldn’t trust his guys to actually catch the ball. Jones dropped a fairly easy TD catch, which was one of the big plays in the game.

*Dave Toub’s special teams were putrid. It seemed like the Bears D would force a punt, and everyone was waiting for Hester to spark the team with a big play, but nothing ever happened. Even the kick returns were disappointing, because Crosby would kick the ball short but Hester couldn’t take advantage. The fake FG was surprising, but the Bears are so predictable in overloading one side to get Peppers a FG block, that it was a pretty simple TD for Crabtree. I’ll have to look at it again, but I think the Bears had 8 players on the left side of the Packers long snapper. It was too easy for Crabtree to run to the right, because Conte and DJ Moore both had two blockers on them.

*To be honest, I think the Bears comeback hopes evaporated when Matt Forte got hurt. When I saw him on the sidelines, I thought there was no way Michael Bush was going to beat the Packers running up the middle for 4 yards a pop. Bush just wasn’t threatening enough to keep the Packers from running in on Cutler.

*JaMarcus Webb got away with murder on his holds, and he still was ineffective. Some plays he would try to grab Matthews, but he would still whiff. Tice might be the new coordinator, but the scheme still looked too much like Martz for my taste. In the 2nd half Tice would have Davis or Bush chip Matthews then flare out, but Cutler would hold the ball so long that Matthews could regain his balance and still get to Cutler. On one play Webb grabbed Matthews shoulder pads and simply threw him past Cutler…but Cutler still hadn’t throw the ball and was scrambling so Matthews turned around and ran at Cutler, and Webb jumped on Matthews’ back as he ran by.

*I’m not getting into Cutler’s “demeanor” and “bitchiness”, but his play on the field was terrible. His best pass was dropped by Marshall in the end zone (one of the biggest plays of the game in retrospect), but most of the time he was either getting sacked or running in circles from imaginary pressure. Cutler needs to learn when to throw the ball away. On all of his scrambles, I can’t think of one play that actually had a positive result. They were either sacks, INTs, or incomplete passes. Rodgers was also getting pressured (not to the extent of Cutler), and he would dump the ball off. His only INT came when he and James Jones weren’t on the same page.

 

[MrBill]

Pretty solid take. It seemed like the Bears defense came to play but could only absorb so many mistakes from their offense before the Packers pulled away. The talk of trading Jennings that has been gaining ground this week should be dismissed as foolishness now. Pay the man and the price just went up after his agent saw the James and the Family Stone Hands out there last night.

I do bear some of the burden in Jones' performance last night since I picked him up off of the wire in two of my fantasy leagues once he was named as the starter in Jennings absence.

 

[Derrville]

One of the sorriest displays from a QB/Oline Ive seen in a while.

 

[jms493]

I thought it was going fun entertaining game.......all I got was a bunch of sacks, cutlet running around like a chicken with his head cut off, finely and bmarsh dropping balls like they are getting paid to and 2 of the most forgettable announcers ever. It was like white noise.

The Fake FG was the highlight.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention I have Marshall and Finely on my fantasy team this week.:leake:

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Packers have played two very good defensive teams in their first two weeks, and I think this proves that, even with the rules favoring offense in the NFL, a great defense still trumps a great offense. Both Niners and Bears put on great performances.

Bears line is terrible, and the worst part is Cutler's mobility in the pocket made them look a little bit better on the stat sheet. They needed Brandon Marshall, no doubt about that, but they did nothing to improve that line, and that may cost Lovie Smith his job.

And I also got taken for James Jones in fantasy this week. That is why I don't like drafting players from teams like Green Bay and New Orleans. There are just too many options on offense and these guys don't get consistent touches and make starting them on a weekly basis a tough decision.

 

[Senser81]

And I also got taken for James Jones in fantasy this week. That is why I don't like drafting players from teams like Green Bay and New Orleans. There are just too many options on offense and these guys don't get consistent touches and make starting them on a weekly basis a tough decision.

I had Jones on my fantasy team this week, thanks to the "advice" from VSN. Jones had a few touches last night, including one in the end zone...he just didn't catch it after he touched it.

 

[leaffan]

I had Jones on my fantasy team this week, thanks to the "advice" from VSN. Jones had a few touches last night, including one in the end zone...he just didn't catch it after he touched it.

This is where I'm thankful I had WR depth as I decided to put Jones on the bench in favour of another WR who will start sunday.

I honestly thought anyone starting Jones in place of Jennings at that time where really playing with fire. I'm sure a lot of lessons have been relearned about unknowns playing well one week and taking a nose dive the next.

 

[leaffan]

As far as the game If I was Cutler I probably would of lost it the same way. You could tell by the end of the first half he had enough and his passes and timings were long gone. That dropped pass in the end zone was annoying.

That Oline needs to man up. There is simply no way Cutler is surviving all year with that sort of punishment being brought to him game after game.

I'm rather pissed because I'm starting to get really worried as a Cutler owner in fantasy that he's not going to survive overly long and with no backup and my other QB being vick I'm really playing with fire.

 

[kmanharris]

Is there any QB in the league who gets more frazzeled in the pocket than Cutler? Every throw was off his back foot and incredibly late. Sometimes it was because of the pressure and other times he just began dancing when nobody was near him. Once Forte (the 2nd RB on my fantasy team behind Fred Jackson to go down with an injury) went down that was it. He was their entire offense up until that point.

However, I don't think GB played that great of a game either. 7 points came from a fake FG, which was a great call. Another 6 came from an overturned 12 men on the field call, which was incorrect, and a dropped INT that hit Briggs in the hands, twice. Did more points come after Cutler's first INT? I thought it was obvious it hit the ground, but I guess it didn't.

 

[bucky]

You would think the Bears were the only team on the field last night by all the BEARS analysis in this thread.

I thought the GB defense played extremely well. T. Williams, along with a Safety over the top took Marshall away. And while they did that, the other DB's and LB's had to cover the other eligible receivers. Not only did guys like T. Williams and C. Woodson have very good games, but some of the really young guys played very well on defense. Mathews had most of the sacks, but another vet in Raji was getting penetration, and young guys like D.J. Smith, J. Worthy, Mike Daniels were making plays and getting pressure, I didn't hear Sam Shields name mentioned so he must have had a good game. I only saw Perry in at LB during the first half, but the OLB opposite Mathews was also getting some pressure.

If these young guys continue to develop, and are able to help get more pressure on QB's then GB did last year, that will help out the GB secondary.

GB running game was OK, it was great compared to what it has been.

Rodgers under pressure > Cutler under pressure.

GB Defense won this game. Pressure on QB, turnovers, stopped the run for the most part. I would say Dom Capers, the GB vets playing like they usually do, and the young guys on defense really stepping up won the game.

You will not get me to say GB's defense > Bears defense. Even as a Packer fan, and as much as I hate the Bears, you give your opponent the respect they are due. But GB's defense really stepped up last night.

I expect growing pains from the young guys. But I think we can be somewhat optimistic that the defense will be more consistent and better the second half of the season. These young guys have earned playing time, and they should only get better.

Their, I feel better. Some GB analysis to go along with ALL THE BEARS ANALYSIS.

Oh, and my favorite part of the game last night wasn't the fake field goal td, or the Driver TD catch, or the Mathews beast of a night, it was actually being able to hear the crowd chanting "the bears still suck" over and over again. Ah, good times.

 

[jms493]

Yeah Briggs Choked....hit him in the hands like 3 times.

 

[Tailback U]

Packers have played two very good defensive teams in their first two weeks, and I think this proves that, even with the rules favoring offense in the NFL, a great defense still trumps a great offense. Both Niners and Bears put on great performances.

This is what I've been saying for quite some time now. Yes, passing is easier than it has ever been because of the rule changes but defenses have also gotten so much better.

Look at the amount of freakishly elite pass rushers 20 years ago and look at them today.

Think of what guys like Demarcus Ware, JPP, James Harrisson, Aldon Smith, Clay Matthews, Suggs, Von Miller, Julius Peppers, etc. would have done if they played 20 years ago when the Left Tackle position wasn't as coveted as it is today and DB's were allowed to rape wide receivers.

Not to mention teams seem to have more depth and top to bottom talent than in years past, also.

 

[Ravin]

While you were reading this thread, Cutler got sacked again by Clay Matthews.

 

[ram29jackson]

Packers have played two very good defensive teams in their first two weeks, and I think this proves that, even with the rules favoring offense in the NFL, a great defense still trumps a great offense. Both Niners and Bears put on great performances.

Bears line is terrible, and the worst part is Cutler's mobility in the pocket made them look a little bit better on the stat sheet. They needed Brandon Marshall, no doubt about that, but they did nothing to improve that line, and that may cost Lovie Smith his job.

And I also got taken for James Jones in fantasy this week. That is why I don't like drafting players from teams like Green Bay and New Orleans. There are just too many options on offense and these guys don't get consistent touches and make starting them on a weekly basis a tough decision.

LOL no it doesnt, the Bears still lost with their great defense..ie they didnt trump the packers. A great defense means nothing unless the offense produces enough to win the game.

...Its only game 2, this will/can/probably bounce back and forth before its all over. Both teams are obviously capable of racking up the points and Chicago could lose both Packer games and still win the division for all you know?

 

[ram29jackson]

While you were reading this thread, Cutler got sacked again by Clay Matthews.

time for a head to head Clay matthews vs Von Miller sack tracking thread ?

 

[FirstTimer]

*I’m not getting into Cutler’s “demeanor” and “bitchiness”, but his play on the field was terrible. His best pass was dropped by Marshall in the end zone (one of the biggest plays of the game in retrospect), but most of the time he was either getting sacked or running in circles from imaginary pressure. Cutler needs to learn when to throw the ball away. On all of his scrambles, I can’t think of one play that actually had a positive result. They were either sacks, INTs, or incomplete passes. Rodgers was also getting pressured (not to the extent of Cutler), and he would dump the ball off. His only INT came when he and James Jones weren’t on the same page.

.

To touch on this, I agree Cutler needs to get rid of the ball more quickly or in scramble situations but he had few dump off chances because the Bears went max protect a lot.

One view of the game demonstrated this to me perfectly. it was 2nd or 3rd and long and the Bears went max protect and only put three guys out in the route. The Packers, not needing to blitz to bring pressure, dropped 7 or 8 guys into coverage. The Bears didn't release anyone off the max protect after a chip block so even with the "added protection" Cutler was still playing 3 vs 8 in the secondary.

The Packers, and especially Matthews, ability to get absurd amounts of pressure with just their front 4 so quickly(almost immediately at times) and Tice having to counter by holding in Davis and Forte/Bush to block so much really changed the game from the early going.

The Packers offensive line obviously didn't hold up great but they at least held back the Bears enough most of the time for the Packers to still put 4-5 guys out in routes and give Rodgers time to find one of them. Had the Bears offensive line been as competent as the Packers I think Cutler and the Bears O preform better because they could get the ball to the outside more and take advantage of the bracket coverages on Marshall by running digs/crosses underneath it.

Webb is going to get shit on a lot, and rightfully so, but Garza and Spencer played absolutely awful last night. The entire left side of the Bears offensive line stunk. Louis, and Carimi(outside of the personal foul on Hawk) I thought played well enough for the Bears to do what they needed to do on offense...it's just that the other 3/5ths of the line didn't hold up at all.

 

[packersfan4eva]

1) I have no idea what to expect from the Green Bay Packers defense this season. In week 1 they played like they did last season, but against the Bears they put on a 2010 show with deflected passes and pressure from the front 4. This Packers team could go any way this season.

2) If the offensive line holds up, Cedric Benson could be the difference maker this season. As long as the defense doesn't meet him in the backfield, he has the potential to turn any run into a larger gain.

3) Drops

 

[Maynard]

I thought it was going fun entertaining game.......all I got was a bunch of sacks, cutlet running around like a chicken with his head cut off, finely and bmarsh dropping balls like they are getting paid to and 2 of the most forgettable announcers ever. It was like white noise.

The Fake FG was the highlight.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention I have Marshall and Finely on my fantasy team this week.:leake:

yeah, it was a terrible game. the announcers made it even worse. this is the best the nfl network could come up with

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

While you were reading this thread, Cutler got sacked again by Clay Matthews.

And much like the putrid Rams of the last half dozen years or so, the Bears don't have Mike Martz to kick around anymore.

 

[Primetime]

1) I have no idea what to expect from the Green Bay Packers defense this season. In week 1 they played like they did last season, but against the Bears they put on a 2010 show with deflected passes and pressure from the front 4. This Packers team could go any way this season.

2) If the offensive line holds up, Cedric Benson could be the difference maker this season. As long as the defense doesn't meet him in the backfield, he has the potential to turn any run into a larger gain.

3) Drops

Cedric Benson has been the difference maker to an NFL team the same amount of times as me. 0.