2012 Week 15 - Packers beat Bears to Clinch the 2012 NFC North Title

As a Packer fan and resident of Chicago since 2003, every Packers/Bears game feels like a playoff games, especially the ones played in Chicago.  Thanks to having uncles with Bears season tickets, I have been to nearly every Packers/Bears game in Chicago for the last decade.  Usually I've taken Cheesehead Chick or a buddy but this time I really wanted to go with Papa Cheese.  Luckily schedules worked out so Papa Cheese and I could enjoy the 186th installment of the Packers/Bears rivalry together at Soldier Field.

The Packers beat the Bears 21-13 to narrow the Bears' lead in the series to 92–88–6.  Instead of giving a blow-by-blow game recap of the game, which felt like a bigger blowout than the final score indicated, I decided to employ a gimmick of my favorite national football writer Peter King that he calls "10 Things I Think I Think":

#1) Three touchdown receptions by James Jones helped erase some of the horrible memories of him fumbling away a regular season win at Soldier Field in 2010.  I was dead wrong when I said that James Jones was the 4th most overpaid Packer going in the 2012 season.

#2) Rookie cornerback Casey Hayward's 6th interception completely changed the complexion of the game because it gave the Packers good field position in the waning moments of the first half, which they took advantage of by scoring a touchdown to take a 14-7 lead.  Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has taken some heat over the years for his horrible body language but his reaction to Hayward's interception might have been an all-time low for Cutler.

#3) There is no doubt that Ryan Grant gives the Packers a fresh set of legs at running back but let's not get too excited about Grant.  There is a reason why Grant was a free agent for most of the season.  That doesn't even factor in Grant's fumble as the Packers were about to put the game out of reach.

#4) The Packers notching their 12th straight division win while clinching their 2nd straight NFC North title with two games left to play still does not mean they should get complacent, especially when a first round bye is within reach if the Packers win out and the 49ers lose one of their last two games.

#5) Head coach Mike McCarthy has made some bold special teams calls this season (think fake field goal against Bears and fake field punt against the Saints) that worked out, but dialing up a trick play with the Packers leaning 21-10 midway through the 4th quarter was downright foolish.  For those that don't know what I am talking about, return man extraordinaire Randall Cobb fielded the punt then threw the ball all the way across the field to Jeremy Ross for Ross's first touch in the NFL.  Some speculated that McCarthy called the fake because Rodgers tweaked his ankle but that presumes that McCarthy's high risk play call would definitely result in a touchdown, which is a stretch.  The smart play is to let Cobb return the kick and have back-up quarterback Graham Harrell play for a series while Rodgers received medial attention.  Thankfully the defense held the Bears to a field goal, otherwise the special teams blunder could have cost the Packers the game.

#6) Wow is it nice to have a healthy Clay Matthews.  Not only is Matthews one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, but you would be hard pressed to find a better rush outside linebacker that defends the run so well.  The only chink in Matthews's armor is that he does not drop into coverage very well.  I support Matthews occasionally spying the quarterback in passing situations but having him drop into coverage seems like a waste.

#7) Although Bears fans hate to agree, it was nice to finally see offensive pass interference called in an NFL game.  I get that three offensive pass interference calls against Alshon Jeffrey feels like too much since refs rarely call offensive pass interference but I applaud the referees for making the right calls.  Plus, if anyone deserves to get a few calls in their favor it is Sam Shields.

#8) Another game, another dreadful performance by placekicker Mason Crosby.  The first miss rivaled Crosby's miss as time expired against the Colts for the worst kick of his career.  The second miss struck the upright to make Crosby 0-2.  I hope I am wrong, but it feels like Crosby is going to have at least once kick with the game on the line in the playoffs, which gives me nightmares.

#9) There is no doubt that the Packers/Bears rivalry is the most historic in the NFL but it has been one sided, both ways, for long periods of time.  Take the current streak for the Packers, they just beat the Bears for the 6th straight time and it was their 8th win in their last 9 tries (only loss was the James Jones fumble game discussed above) to push head coach Mike McCarthy's record against the Bears to 10-5.

#10) Usually Peter King talks about non-football things for #10 so if I am going to borrow his column gimmick, I might as well do it properly.  If you've never been to Chicago, please put it on your bucket list for next summer.  The winters are harsh in the Midwest but the summers make up for it.  Do yourself a favor, come to Chicago the weekend of the Old Town Art Fair.  Besides checking out the art fair, try to catch (no pun intended) a Cubs' game from the bleachers at Wrigley Field, check out a concert at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, tour one of the many museums in and around Grant Park (can't go wrong with the Art Institute, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, or the Field Museum), grab a bite to eat in Greek Town or Little Italy, attend a show at Second City, grab a night cap at the Hancock Tower, and grab brunch at one of the many tasty breakfast spots (I highly recommend Orange, Wishbone, or Yolk) on your way out of town.  I know some of those things sound touristy, but they are all worth it.

I am going to the Packers/Titans game next week at Lambeau so check back for my review of (hopefully) another Packers' win.

Steve Stricker named 2012 Payne Stewart Award Winner

For those that don't know, Payne Stewart was one of the most liked players on the PGA Tour that tragically died when a Learjet he was flying on lost cabin pressure.  As a result an award was created in Stewart's honor.

According to our good friend Wikipedia, the Payne Stewart Award is given annually to a golfer that "shows respect for the traditions of the game, commitment to uphold the game's heritage of charitable support and professional and meticulous presentation of himself and the sport through his dress and conduct." (Source)

The initial award winners were Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer in 2000.  Since then there has been one winner each year with a ton of quality golfers winning.  Steve Stricker is the next in a long line of quality individuals that have won the award.

As I've said many times in the past, I absolutely love the Midwestern Cougar of the PGA Tour aka Steve Stricker.  I've chronicled Stricker's good play on the golf course many times in this space.  Honestly my only complaint with Stricker is that he was born in Wisconsin but roots for the Chicago Bears instead of the Green Bay Packers.  Just to show how much I like Stricker, despite being a Bears fans, Stricker is still hands down my favorite golfer of all-time.

Stricker wears his emotions on his sleeve so I presume that he teared up when he actually received the award or attempted to give a speech.

Stricker gets $100,000 for winning the award, which he is going to use to start a foundation in his name.  I can't wait to hear more plans for the foundation because I will be writing a check, probably a very small one, but a check nonetheless to Stricker's foundation.

Congratulations to Steve Stricker on being named the 2012 Payne Stewart Award winner.

2010 NFC Championship Game Review of Packers/Bears

The Green Bay Packers met the Chicago Bears for the 182nd time on Sunday, January 23, 2011 but that was only their second post-season meeting all-time. The first post-season meeting between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears came on December 14, 1941 at Wrigley Field. The Bears won round one but the Packers won round two beating the Bears 21-14 for the right to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV in the Jerry Dome in North Texas.

The Green Bay Packers became the 10th different NFC Champion in the last 10 years*. With only 16 teams in the entire NFC that leaves only six other NFC teams that have not won the NFC Championship in the last 10 years**. Of those six NFC teams only the Detroit Lions, thanks in large part to Matt Millen, have not won at least one playoff game since 2000. The NFL thrives on parity and the NFC sure does its part to send new teams to the Super Bowl year in and year out.

At kickoff it was downright balmy in the north end zone where Cheesehead Chick and I took in the game thanks to my very generous Uncle Phil and Uncle Tony. Once the sun went down between the 3rd and 4th quarter it got cold but it was actually really pleasant weather-wise for the first three quarters. Here are the "nuggets of information" that I gleaned from the NFC Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on January 23, 2011 deemed "Epic Showdown" by the souvenir cup:

Greg Jennings:
Starting with the first drive, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Greg Jennings were in sync. Rodgers found Jennings on consecutive plays to pick up 22 and 26 yards respectively. That helped Jennings on his way to amassing 8 catches for 130 yards. It took Rodgers almost two months to get on the same page with Jennings but as the NFC Championship showed, they are clicking on all cylinders now.


Jay Cutler's knee:
Just about everyone and their mother weighed in on Bears quarterback Jay Cutler's knee by now. In fact, there has been so much coverage that it went from NFL players being critical of Cutler to a backlash against those players for speaking out against Cutler. Right after the game the entire Chicago Bears organization from middle linebacker Brain Urlacher to head coach Lovie Smith and everyone in between backed Cutler. That lead to a reverse backlash that made the NFL players that spoke out against Cutler look foolish.

What was lost in the shuffle is that Cutler played much worse (6 for 14, 80 passing yards, and 1 interception) than the Bears’ 3rd-string quarterback Caleb Hanie (13 for 20, 163 passing yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions). Cutler will most likely be the Bears quarterback for the next decade and his post-season performance will define how he is perceived in Chicago. If Cutler wants, he could have the city of Chicago eating out of his hand but that is not how he chooses to play it. Now Cutler's play on the field will have to improve in the playoffs or he will be remember for his knee as opposed to being the most physically gifted quarterback in Chicago Bears history.


Tim Masthay:
After not even having to punt last week against the Atlanta Falcons, Packers punter Tim Masthay helped take the heat off embattled special teams coach Shawn Slocum. Of Masthay's 8 punts, all of them landed inside the Bears' 20-yard line***. The Bears only had 48 punt return yards and 22 of them went to Earl Bennett on one return. Devin Hester (possibly the best punt return man in NFL) was limited to three punt returns for 16 yards. Masthay's stat line for the day, 8 punts for an average of 41.8 (34.5 net) yards with five punts pinning the Bears inside their own 20-yard line.


B.J. Raji's Interception:
Packers’ defensive tackle B.J. Raji being left off the Pro Bowl team is moot since he would be unable to participate. Raji’s performance against the Bears shows exactly why he deserved to be invited to the Pro Bowl though. Although Raji only recorded one tackle in the game, he was consistently double-teamed. Those double-teams opened up lanes for other defenders to make plays. All of that is window dressing to Raji's interception that he returned for a touchdown. The pick-six came with 6 minutes left in the game to put the Packers up 21-7. That play helped the Packers punch their Super Bowl ticket.

The Packers drafted Raji and outside linebacker Clay Matthews in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Although Matthews gets more praise because of the sack numbers he puts up, with out Raji occupying blockers, there is no way Matthews has any where close to the same production. Raji is one of the best up and coming defensive linemen in the NFL. I'll take it one step further; the NFC North might have the two best defensive tackles in the entire NFL over the next decade in B.J. Raji and Detroit's Ndamukong Suh.


Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz's play calling:
Of the 64 offensive plays Martz called, the worst was the 3rd and 3 play call from the Packers' 27-yard line with 1:15 remaining in the game. Coming out of a timeout, Martz called an end around to wide receiver Earl Bennett. Packers’ middle linebacker Desmond Bishop tackled Earl Bennett for a two-yard loss on the play setting up a 4th and 5 from the Packers' 29-yard line with 47 second remaining. Martz had extra time to think about the play call and that's what he dialed up? Bennett is possibly the slowest wide receiver on the Bears' entire roster. Even if the play were dialed up for wide receiver Devin Hester it would be a questionable play call.

The only positive thing Martz did all day was that he kept running back Matt Forte heavily involved in the game. For the day Forte amassed 160 yards (70 rushing and 90 receiving) on 27 touches. After Forte the rest of the offensive superstars were non-existent: Johnny Knox had 2 catches for 56 yards, Devin Hester had no catches, and Greg Olsen had 3 catches for 30 yards. The Bears played half the game with a backup quarterback but that still does not excuse Martz from failing to get Devin Hester a single touch from the line of scrimmage in the NFC Championship game.

Sam Shields:
Packers rookie undrafted cornerback Sam Shields came up with three huge plays on the day:
#1) Strip-fumble sack of Cutler that was recovered by Forte.
#2) Interception of Cutler at the end of the first half at the Packers' 3-yard line to keep the Packers up 14-0 going into halftime.
#3) Interception of Haine with 37 seconds left in the game at the Packers' 12-yard line to seal the victory.

Here is my only complaint about Shields. Much like cornerback Tramon Williams against the Eagles two weeks ago, why did Shields try and return the interception? Shields picked the ball off with 37 seconds remaining in the game so the only way the Packers could lose the game at that point was if Shields fumbled the interception. It looked like Shields was trying for a pick-six. Sam Shields is one of the fastest players in the NFL but he has to be more aware of the game situation. Especially after Williams made the same mistake a few weeks ago, Shields should have learned and simply went down. Just to end on a positive note, Shields became only the 4th player in NFL Playoff history to intercept two passes and force a fumble in the same game.


Rodgers tackling Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher:
On 3rd and goal, eating the ball is much better option than throwing an interception. If the score were 17-0, the Packers essentially would have iced the game. Instead Rodgers gave the Bears life again. After throwing the Favre-like interception, at least Rodgers tackled middle linebacker Brian Urlacher at the Bears' 45-yard line to save a touchdown.


Bears Defense:
As Peter King pointed out in his Monday Morning Quarterback column, the Chicago Bears defense only allowed 14 points in 13 offensive drives in the NFC Championship Game. Furthermore, excluding kneel downs, the Packers offense only scored 41 points (5 touchdowns) on 34 possessions in the three meetings this season. For the day, the Packers were 1 for 8 on 3rd down. It was the tale of two halves. After surrendering 252 yards in the first half, the Bears only gave up 104 yards in the second half. Long story short, it was a typical Bears performance...great defense backed up by a horrible offensive performance.


What does this all mean?

The NFC is sending their second 10-win team to the Super Bowl since 2007****. Packer fans remember that the Giants beat the Packers in the NFC Championship Game in Green Bay to head to the Super Bowl. I attended that frigid game in person at Lambeau Field with my buddy Fernando. Seeing the Packers’ victory in person with Cheesehead Chick over the Bears at Soldier Field helped erase the loss to the Giants. It was sweet once the game was over but downright nerve racking being a fan of the road team in the NFC Championship Game. Kudos to Bears fans though, most were cordial and quite complimentary once the game finished.

The Packers joined three other NFL teams that have won three consecutive road playoff games to get to the Super Bowl:
- 2007 New York Giants - Won the Super Bowl over the New England Patriots
- 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers - Won the Super Bowl over the Seattle Seahawks
- 1985 New England Patriots - Lost the Super Bowl to the Chicago Bears

Finally, the 2010 Green Bay Packers became the first team since the AFL/NFL merger to never trail by more than 7 points through the NFC Championship Game. If you have read this far, you clearly have enough time to watch NFL.com's highlights of the NFC Championship Game.

Check back for more coverage of Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Footnotes:
* – St. Louis Rams in 2001, Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002, Carolina Panthers in 2003, Philadelphia Eagles in 2004, Seattle Seahawks in 2005, Chicago Bears in 2006, New York Giants in 2007, Arizona Cardinals in 2008, and New Orleans Saints in 2009.
** – Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, and Washington Redskins.
*** – Bears' 13-yard line, Bears' 3-yard line, Bears' 11-yard line, Bears' 16-yard line, Bears' 11-yard line, Bears' end zone, Bears' 10-yard line, and Bears' 18-yard line.
**** – The NFC also sent a 9-win Arizona Cardinals team in 2008.

Week 17 of 2010 - Packers/Bears Review

The Green Bay Packers dispatched the Chicago Bears 10-3 to secure the 6th seed in the playoffs. Despite losing to the Packers, the Bears still lead the all-time series 92-83-6 (including the postseason). Here are the things that stood out to me from the Packers/Bears game from Week 17 of the 2010 regular season:

The Timeout by Lovie Smith:
With a little over a minute left in the 3rd quarter the Bears were facing a 3rd and 15 from their own 45-yard line. Bears head coach Lovie Smith called a timeout right before the ball was snapped. None of the players on the field realized and the Bears picked up the first down. Thanks to the time out the Bears did not pick up the first down on their actual attempt and were forced to punt.

Jordy Nelson:
On 3rd and 15 from their own 41-yard line the Packers ran a wide receiver screen for Jordy Nelson. The play was designed and blocked perfectly. If Nelson went inside instead of heading for the sidelines, which he should be doing anyhow since the Packers were trying to run down the clock, Nelson would have picked up the first down. Instead, Nelson got stopped a yard short and the Packers were forced to punt.

Tramon Williams punt return:
I have long been critical of the Packers using starting cornerback Tramon Williams as their primary punt returner because an injury to Williams on a punt return would be catastrophic for the Packers’ defense. I guess today is the reason why the Packers decided to stick with Williams despite the potential injury risk. After making the first guy miss, Williams gave the offense their best starting field position of the day. It was a nice return by Williams but I still contend that Sam Shields or Pat Lee have the same ability back there to make a return like Williams did on that play. All Williams had to do was make the first guy miss because the punt was perfectly blocked for may be the first time all season. Please McCarthy, put another guy back there to return punts.

Packers special teams still gave up a big return:
After tying the score 3-3 instead of going up 7-3 despite having 1st and goal from the Bears’ 1-yard line, the Packers tried a short high kick to limit the return. Despite having good intentions, the Packers gave up a big return and the Bears got the ball at midfield with 2:32 left in the 3rd quarter with the game tied 3-3. I have been very critical of special teams coach Shawn Slocum all season and this is just more evidence why Slocum looks out-coached more often than not.

Erik Walden filling in at outside linebacker:
The Packers have been in “next guy up” mode at the outside linebacker spot opposite Clay Matthews all season. The Packers already lost two outside linebackers for the season to injury (Brad Jones and Brady Poppinga) while another guy (Frank Zombo) has been out for an extended period of time. In a sign that this might be a magical season despite all the injuries that the Packers suffered the 4th guy in line to play, who was acquired during the season, put together one of the best defensive performances of the season. For the day Walden had 11 tackles and 3 sacks. Performances like that continue to earn Packers general manager Ted Thompson goodwill with the fans. Although Walden is anything but a household name even in Green Bay, he showed the promise that the Packers saw in him earlier in the season.

Bryan Bulaga looked like a rookie:
For the second week in a row the Packers faced one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. Rookie offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga had possibly his worst game of the season. Not only did Bulaga commit silly penalties but he was consistently beat. Bulaga is only a rookie so days like that are expected. The Packers need to make better in game adjustments to help Bulaga when he struggles because the competition is only going to be fiercer in the playoffs.

Cover Bears wide receiver Rashied Davis:
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler tends to lock onto receivers, which either results in careless interceptions or a big day for that receiver. Davis was the leading receiver for the Bears (7 catches for 63 yards). Granted that is not a huge day for a receiver but it seemed like Cutler locked onto Davis on every third down play and still completed most of those passes. The Packers have to recognize that better and make the proper adjustments.

Packer punter Tim Masthay’s impressive performance:
Packers special teams maven Jarrett Bush downed a punt at the Bears’ 2-yard line to force the Bears to go 98-yards in less than 5 minutes to have a chance to end the Packers’ season on a two-point conversion. That was set-up by yet another impressive punt by Masthay. Coming into the season punter was probably the weakest position on the team but as crazy as it sounds, Masthay is turning into an above average NFL punter.

Mike McCarthy finally calling a play-action pass at the goaline:
After failing to score a touchdown despite having a 1st and goal at the Bears’ 1-yard at the end of the 3rd quarter, McCarthy finally wised up and called something different than his usual fullback dive up the middle. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers found a wide-open Donald Lee for the only touchdown of the game. McCarthy would probably say running in short yardage situations set-up that pass but it has taken way too long for McCarthy to realize that passing is better than running in that situation.

Jay Cutler somehow stayed healthy:
If this game was supposed to help Cutler prepare for his first ever post-season start it can only be teaching via the negative. For the day Cutler was 21 for 39 throwing for 168 yards, 2 interceptions, and was sacked 6 times...yikes.

Lovie Smith:
In Lovie Smith’s first press conference as head coach of the Chicago Bears he said that his #1 goal was to beat the Green Bay Packers. I give Smith credit for playing the game as if it mattered despite the fact that the Bears were already locked into the 2nd seed. As Smith intimated, you never want to let your divisional rival get into the playoffs. Smith is now 4-3 at Lambeau Field, 5-5 against Mike McCarthy, and 8-6 overall against the Packers. Will the Packers and Bears meet again in the playoffs? Odds say no because they have only met once in the post season and that was all the way back in 1941. Either way give Smith credit, he did his best to keep the Packers out of the playoffs.

Tip of the cap to Peter King:
Peter King in his Monday Morning Quarterback column compared the best three year stretch for Bart Starr and Brett Favre (keep in mind that Favre won three MVPs in 1995-1997) with Aaron Rodgers' first three years in the league:

- Rodgers (2008-10): 27-20 record, 2 playoff appearances, 12,723 passing yards, 86 touchdowns, 31 interceptions for a 99.4 passer rating.

- Starr (1964-66): 29-10-2 record, 2 playoff appearances, 6,456 passing yards, 45 touchdowns, 16 interceptions for a 97.0 passer rating.

- Favre (1995-97): 37-11 record, 3 playoff appearances, 12,179 passing yards, 112 touchdowns, 42 interceptions for a 96.1 passer rating.

Final regular season thoughts:
- Aaron Rodgers’ 98.4 career regular season passer rating is the best in NFL history for a quarterback with a minimum 1,500 career passes.
- The 2010 Green Bay Packers went 10-6 in the regular season. Of those six loses all of them came by four points or less: two overtime losses by a field goal, two losses in the waning seconds of the 4th quarter on field goals, and two losses by four points on the road minus Aaron Rodgers in crunch time.
- The 2010 Green Bay Packers never trailed by more than 7 points throughout the entire regular season. That is the first time that has happened since the AFL/NFL merger.
- The 2010 Green Bay Packers outscored their opponents by 187 points, which lead the entire NFL.

All of the aforementioned stats make the 2010 Green Bay Packers one of the most dangerous teams heading into the playoffs despite the fact that they are a 6th seed. The Packers’ road to the Super Bowl must come via three road playoff victories but with how well they are playing anything can happen.

Sunday Funday - Cheesehead Sports Nut, Cheesehead Chick, & Sug finished the Chicago Spring Half Marathon

I thought I would go with a non-traditional Sunday Funday post since Cheesehead Chick, Sug, and I ran the Chicago Spring Half Marathon today.

It was a beautiful day to run and a perfect course along the lakefront path, despite the dodgy start/finish line. I knew that the race was going to go well when a spectator held up a "Run for Cheese" sign only a few miles into the race...definitely my kind of crowd...Cheesehead Chick could barely contain herself.

The highlight of the run (besides finishing along side Cheesehead Chick) was running by Soldier Field knowing that Rodgers and Company are going to pound the Bears there on Monday Night Football September 27.

The gold medal for the race goes to Sug with a time of 1:57:22. The shared silver medal goes to Cheesehead Chick and myself since we finished together with a time of 2:03:58.

With 4 miles left in my 11 mile training run last week, I swore that this would be my last half marathon (I have run a total of two, so it is not that big of a proclamation). But today's race went really well. It might not be my last after all.

Time for a bloody mary and a nap! Guilt free laziness...the best part of finishing!

I hope everyone else had a Funday Sunday, too!

2009 - Packers v. Bears Analyzed

The Green Bay Packers broke their two game losing streak in Chicago with an ugly win over the Chicago Bears. By beating Chicago, the Packers extended their winning streak to five games (the fourth longest current winning streak in the NFL behind New Orleans-13, Indianapolis-13 and San Diego-8).

The Packers defense set the tone early by forcing a 3-and-out on the Bears' first offensive series. After the Bears punted, Ryan Grant took the Packers' first offensive play to the house for a 62 yard rushing touchdown. After Mason Crosby hit his second field goal early in the second quarter to give the Packers a 13-0 lead, the game looked to be a blowout. Credit the Bears, they settled down and made the game interesting. With the Bears leading early in the fourth quarter, Jay Cutler threw a horrible interception and the Packers pulled away for a 7 point victory.

Below are the five most important plays analyzed and a new section added to the end of the column:

#5) Green Bay leads 13-7, Green Bay ball on the Chicago 29 yard line, 1st and 10 with 12:56 left in the 3rd quarter:
Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay) FUMBLES and RECOVERS at the Chicago 36 yard line. Aaron Rodgers FUMBLES at the Chicago 38 yard line RECOVERED by Anthony Adams (Chicago) and returns the ball 3 yards to the Chicago 44 yard line.

Analysis:
With the Packers driving in Chicago territory on their first possession of the second half Rodgers was under intense pressure and tried to make something out of nothing. At first blush it looked like Rodgers attempted two forward passes but upon further review Rodgers did in fact commit two fumbles. Rodgers recovered the first fumble but unfortunately did not recover the second fumble. The turnover also prevented Rodgers from scoring a touchdown to start the second half for the 29th consecutive game (for those counting at home that is every 2nd half since taking over for Brett Favre to start the 2008 NFL season).

This play sums up the offensive line play by the Packers. Right after the snap Roders was under siege. All in all the Packers offensive line was ineffective after their first play from scrimmage, Grant's 62 yard touchdown run. Although the Packers only gave up two sacks, Rodgers was under pressure all day. Luckily the Bears secondary was suspect and they didn't have an answer for match-up problems Jermicahel Finely creates.


#4) Green Bay leads 21-14, Green Bay ball on the Chicago 24 yard line, 4th and 9 with 6:10 left in the 4th quarter:
Mason Crosby (Green Bay) 42 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Right.

Analysis:
Mason Crosby continued his abysmal season by missing another important kick. If Crobsy converts that kick, the game is pretty much out of reach. Instead, the Bears got the ball on their own 32 yard line only down a touchdown.

After hitting all 4 field goal attempts against Detroit in Week #6, Crosby is 13 for 19 with 3 of the 6 misses coming from less than 50 yards away. The right hash mark has been his kryptonite, the same spot where Crosby missed from today. The Packers have to stick with Crobsy since it is so late in the season.

Crosby's poor kicking begs the question: if it is 4th and less than 3 yards between the 35 and 20 yard line does Mike McCarthy leave Aaron Rodgers and the offense on the filed? The Packers offense has a much better chance of picking up a few yards than Mason Crosby converting a kick from further than 35 yards out at this point.


#3) Green Bay leads 10-0, Chicago ball on their own 28 yard line, 1st and 10 with 3:31 left in the 1st quarter:
Jay Cutler (Chicago) threw deep right intended for Devin Aromashodu (Chicago) INTERCEPTED by Charles Woodson (Green Bay) at the Chicago 48 yard line and returned the ball 9 yards.

Analysis:
Woodson had an up and down day. On the positive side of the ledger Woodson picked off a poorly thrown ball by Jay Cutler and had a great shoe-string tackle that saved a huge gain. On the negative side of the ledger Woodson was responsible for consecutive back of the shoulder receptions (a long pass to Johnny Knox and a touchdown pass to Devin Aromashodu) on the drive that put the Bears up 14-13 early in the 3rd quarter. With how well Woodson has played all season, it is hard to get on him for giving up a touchdown catch but it shows the expectations that Woodson has created. With another interception, Woodson continues to make his case for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.


#2) Game tied 0-0, Green Bay ball on their own 38 yard line, 1st and 10 with 13:23 left in the 1st quarter:
Ryan Grant (Green Bay) ran left tackle for 62 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Analysis:
For those that took a little while getting through security they missed an explosive run by Ryan Grant. Take a second...you read that correctly that "explosive" and "Ryan Grant" did in fact appear in the same sentence. The long touchdown run by Grant was blocked beautifully (one of the only times you can say that today) and Grant outran the Bears secondary for the 62 yard touchdown.


#1) Chicago leads 14-13, Chicago ball on their own 32 yard line, 3rd and 5 with 13:39 left in the 4th quarter:
Jay Cutler (Chicago) threw short left intended for Johnny Knox (Chicago) INTERCEPTED by Nick Collins (Green Bay) at Chicago 42 yard line and returned 31 yards to the Chicago 11 yard line.

Analysis:
Jay Cutler had a chance to make a play on 3rd down to help the Bears move the chains and possibly upset the Packers but he flat out blew it. Dom Capers dialed up a blitz that forced Cutler to throw the ball earlier then he wanted. Cutler's badly under thrown ball was easily intercepted by Nick Collins. Once Collins picked off the ball it looked like he had a chance to take it to the house but Collins was forced out of bounds by Matt Forte at the Bears' 11 yard line.


Trojan Bonner of the Week Award - Lovie Smith
This is a new award that I am adding to my weekly game analyzed column. The award goes to a player/coach/referee that makes a stupid play/decision/call during the game. This is quickly turning into one of the most talked about awards in all of sports so Lovie Smith should feel like a trailblazer for winning the first installment.

Green Bay leads 21-14, Chicago ball on the Chicago 20 yard line, 2nd and 22 with 4:58 left in the 4th quarter:
Jay Cutler (Chicago) threw incomplete deep middle to Greg Olsen. Chicago takes their first charged timeout of the 2nd half. After the timeout, Chicago challenged the incomplete pass ruling and the play was Upheld. Chicago is charged their second timeout of the 2nd half.

Analysis:
Lovie Smith made Mike McCarthy look like a genius today...that is really hard to do. With 5 minutes remaining in the game, the Bears had 3 timeouts and 2 challenges. After an incomplete pass the Bears faced a daunting 3rd and 22. Instead of challenging the play, Lovie Smith calls a timeout. That left the Bears with 2 timeouts and 2 challenges.

The Bears fan in front of me turned around and said "I bet you Lovie challenges the play after the timeout...he is a complete idiot." Right on cue, the Bears offense heads back onto the field for 3rd and 22 just as Lovie Smith throws the red challenge flag. The refs took a look at the play but did not find enough evidence to overturn the play. As a result the Bears lost a challenge and another timeout. That meant before ever running their 3rd and 22 play, Lovie Smith burned two timeouts and one challenge leaving the Bears helpless to stop the clock in a tight contest.

Obviously Lovie Smith should have just challenged the play originally, what are the chances that there would be two more challenge worthy plays in the final 3 minutes of the game?

As I was walking out of the stadium the same Bears fan that called Lovie Smith's bone head move before it ever happened put it very succinctly: "same old Bears bull s^&t, you are so lucky to be a Packers fan." Today is a sweet day to be a Packer fan living in Chicago...9-4 and a good chance to go to the playoffs!

2009 Week #14 - Packers v. Bears

The Packers/Bears rivalry is one of the most historic rivalries in sports. The two have played 178 times (only once in the playoffs), the most games between two teams in NFL history. The Bears hold the upper hand in the all-time series: 90-81-6.

The Packers dominated the Bears in Chicago for more than a decade, winning 12 of the last 16 meetings. The tide of the rivalry shifted recently, the Packers lost their last two trips to Chicago. Both games were played in frigid conditions just like they will be on Sunday (weather report). Sunday's installment marks the sixth consecutive season the Packers played the Bears in Chicago after November 30th.

Although the Bears are already eliminated from the playoffs, a win would give the Bears the satisfaction of putting a big dent in the Packers' playoff hopes. The Bears don't have a draft pick until the 3rd round of the 2010 NFL Draft so they have no reason to tank the rest of the season for a better draft pick.

Here is a quick look at the top 10 Bears that will face the Green Bay Packers:

#10 - Robbie Gould (K): after a subpar rookies season in 2005 (77.8% field goal accuracy) he has turned into one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL over the last four seasons. Gould routinely has a field goal percentage in the high 80's (all-time statistics). Recently Gould has sputtered, two field goal attempts have been blocked in the last five games.

#9 - Tommie Harris (DT): made this list on reputation more than production this season. Harris's most notable play so far this season is getting ejected from the Cardinals/Bears game for punching Arizona Cardinal offensive guard Deuce Lutui: video. Quick question for all NFL players, why punch a guy wearing a helmet? Besides being a bone headed play and getting ejected what damage does it really do? Baseball and basketball fights are so much better:

Exhibit #1 - Nolan Ryan beat Robin Ventura (video): It makes sense that his first name is Robin. Why charge the mound on a living legend only to get your brain beaten in by a guy almost twice your age?

Exhibit #2 - David Stern's Worst Nightmare (here): When Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson go into the stands anything is possible. Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson are lucky to be collecting a pay check in the NBA after going Kermit Washington on the entire crowd in Detroit.

#8 - Johnny Knox (WR/KR): not too sure why he shares return duties with Danieal Manning (Devin Hester occasionally contributes as well). With Hester, Manning and Knox the Bears have one of the most potent groups of return men in the NFL. By the way, why did Manning's parents name him Danieal? I am not trying to be sexist but it seems like a female spelling right? Back to Johnny Knox, the Bears selected Knox with the 4th pick in the 5th round of the 2009 NFL Draft (a pick they got back from Denver in the blockbuster Jay Cuter trade that is discussed later). A raw prospect coming out of college, Knox ran the 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds. In the Packers/Bears first meeting this season Knox beat the Packers' defense for his longest catch of the season, 68 yards.

#7 - Chris Williams (LT): at 6'6" and 315 lbs, Williams has the ideal combination of size and weight to excel as an offensive tackle in the NFL. One of the three members of the Vanderbilt Bears offense (along with WR - Earl Bennett and QB - Jay Cutler). After an injury riddled rookie season Williams has had a much better sophomore campaign. Since Orlando "Less than Half of His Hall of Fame Self" Pace got injured again, Williams moved to left tackle where he should be a staple for the Bears for the next decade.

#6 - Charles Tillman (CB): he plays much bigger then his nickname ("Peanut") leading the Bears with 6 forced fumbles. Similar to Charles Woodson, Tillman is a sure tackler that always looks to strip the ball from a player when he is within arms reach. In an otherwise underwhelming Bears secondary, especially after parting ways with the oft-injured Mike Brown, Tillman is the clear standout.

#5 - Olin Kreutz (C): the rock of the Bears offensive line has started at center for the Bears for more than a decade. This week Kreutz had to go on the defensive when Packers rookie B.J. Raji questioned Kreutz's strength. This is stupid rookie move #2 by Raji, stupid rookie move #1 was holding out and missing most of training camp for what amounted to a few extra dollars. With Packers DT Ryan Pickett doubtful for the game, Raji and Kreutz will get their chance to settle it on the field Sunday.

#4 - Jay Cutler (QB): the honeymoon is over. The Bears sent two first-round picks in 2009 (18th overall, LB Robert Ayers on Denver) and 2010 (TBD, most likely a top 10 pick), a third-round pick in 2009 (84th overall, WR Mike Wallace on the Pittsburgh Steelers) and under appreciated Kyle Orton for Jay Cutler and a fifth-round pick (140th overall, WR Johnny Knox on Chicago). The Bears thought they were getting their best quarterback since Sid Luckman, who played for the Bears before the invention of electricity. Here is a look at the 2009 production of just the quarterbacks involved in the trade:
- Kyle Orton: 229 for 369 for 2627 yards, 14 TDs and 7 INTs, 18 sacks, 88.2 QB Rating and 8-4 record.
- Jay Cutler: 261 for 421 for 2814 yards, 17 TDs and 20 INTs, 26 sacks, 75.3 QB Rating and and 5-7 record.

Is Cutler's poor play really his fault? Clearly the Denver Broncos are a better team then the Chicago Bears so that factors into the equation for comparing Orton and Cutler. TO quote Bill Parcells (and Sugawitz), you are your record. Orton has 29 wins (21 as a Bear and 8 as a Bronco) and 16 losses (12 as a Bear and 4 as a Bronco) while Cutler has 22 wins (17 as a Bronco and 5 as a Bear) and 27 losses (20 as a Bronco and 7 as a Bear). For a quick tail of the tape the Broncos have Kyle Orton, Robert Ayers and an extra 1st round pick in the deep 2010 NFL Draft while the Bears have Jay Cutler and Johnny Knox. A little less than a year after the trade the Broncos looked to have gotten a better end of the deal. This also doesn't factor in that Cutler looks to be a prima donna that complained his way out of Denver...sorry Bears fans those are the facts.

#3 - Greg Olsen (TE): is a huge target at 6'5" and 255 lbs that creates a real mismatch in the red zone. Olsen is among the team leader in almost offensive receiving category: 49 receptions (2nd), 449 yards (3rd) and 6 touchdowns (1st). The Packers will need to key on Olsen because he creates match-up problems (similar to Jermichael Finely) when facing undersized safeties.

#2 - Matt Forte (RB): holds the distinction of being the biggest first round fantasy bust this season (taken on average 7.3 overall in ESPN Fantasy Drafts). Forte is more of a threat in receiving then rushing for the Bears. Forte has 47 receptions (3rd on the team) and 438 yards (4th on the team). In terms of rushing, Forte has 189 rushing attempts (11th in the NFL), 634 rushing yards (22nd in the NFL), 3.4 yards per rush (42nd in the NFL), 4 touchdowns (tied for 23rd in the NFL), 3 fumbles (tied for 9th in the NFL) and 2 fumbles lost. Some argue that Forte's lack of production has to do with the problems the Bears have on their offensive line (sound familiar Packer fans?) but Forte was expected to have a much bigger season after his impressive rookie campaign.

#1 - Lance Briggs (OLB): Tiger's recent one car crash made me think of Briggs' one car crash: quick refresher. Obviously the crashes are different circumstances (a million women have yet to come out ans say they slept with Briggs to the best of my knowledge) but anytime there is a single car crash at 3 AM it is never a good thing. What makes Briggs even more culpable is that he ditched the car and gave sketchy details to the police.

Enough bashing Briggs, on the positive side he has taken over as the heart and soul of the Bears defense since they lost Brian Urlacher to a wrist injury Week 1 in Green Bay. Briggs leads the Bears in tackles (83) and paces the Bears defense.

Preview of Week #1 of the 2009 NFL Season – Packers v. Bears

The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears renew one of the oldest rivalries in professional sports this Sunday night on NBC. There are two subplots that jump-start the storied rivalry. First, the Bears made the blockbuster acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler in the off-season. That gives the Bears’ their first pro bowl quarterback since Jim McMahon in 1986. Second, the Packers made the transition from the 4-3 defense to the 3-4 defense under new defensive coordinator Dom Capers. That gives the Packers’ a new look on defense, which they sorely need after their poor defensive performance in 2008. Here is a position-by-position breakdown of the upcoming game:

- Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers v. Jay Cutler Round 1. They are two of the youngest, undeniably talented and most promising QBs in the NFL. Cutler is learning a new system but by mid-season he should know it like the back of his hand. Rodgers returns to the same system that he has worked in for the last four seasons, which gives him a leg up Cutler. The Packers have the advantage at quarterback.

- Running Back: the Bears hold the advantage here with promising 2nd year running back Matt Forte coming off a very successful rookie year edging out incumbent Packers’ starting running back Ryan Grant. The Bears have the advantage at running back.

- Wide Receivers: the Packers have much better top end WRs with Greg Jennings and Donald Driver over the Bears’ Devin Hester and Earl Bennett. Furthermore, the Packers have better depth with James Jones, Jordy Nelson and Brett Swain over Rashied Davis, Devin Aromashodu, Juaquin Iglesias and Jonny Knox. On both top end talent and quality depth the Packers have the advantage at wide receiver.

- Tight End: although this season might be Finley’s coming out party, he has to prove it on the field. The Bears’ have better TEs in Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark over the Packers’ Donald Lee and Jermichael Finley. As a result, the Bears have the advantage at tight end.

- Offensive Line: both the Packers and Bears have a revamped offensive line coming into the 2009 season. The Bears signed starting left guard Frank Omiyale and left tackle Orlando Pace as free agents in the off-season. 2008 1st round draft choice Chris Williams takes over at right tackle for the retired John Tait. Holdovers, right guard Roberto Garza and center Olin Kreutz return. The Packers return starting left tackle Chad Clifton and left guard Daryn Colledge. Jason Spitz started all over the offensive line last season for the Packers; this season he took the starting center job away from Scott Wells. The Packers tabbed promising young players Josh Sitton at right guard and Allen Barbre at right tackle. With both offensive lines in flux, it almost too early to tell. The offensive line is a wash.

- Defensive Line: the Bears have a veteran line with Adewale Ogunleye, Tommie Harris, Anthony Adams and Alex Brown. As long as the Bear’s defensive line stays healthy, they have a very formidable front four on defense. The Packers are trying to see what players fit where in their new defensive scheme. NT Ryan Pickett and DE Johnny Jolly have excelled in the preseason but rookie defensive lineman B.J. Raji has been limited in the pre-season because of contract negotiations and an ankle injury. The Bears have the advantage at defensive line.

- Linebacker: although early reports are that Urlacher had one of his best training camps in years, the Bears’ linebackers got a year older with Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher. The Packers’ transition to the 3-4 means they will utilize more linebackers (they kept ten on their 53-man roster). Aaron Kampman seems to have made a smooth transition from defensive end to outside linebacker. Nick Barnett has made a healthy return to middle linebacker along side A.J. Hawk. With all of their depth and talent, the Packers have the advantage at linebacker.

- Defensive Backs: the Packers’ have a better starting defensive backfield in Charles Woodson, All Harris, Atari Bigby and Nick Collins over Trumaine McBride, Nathan Vasher, Kevin Payne and Daniel Manning. The Packers have the advantage at defensive back.

- Special Teams: Devin Hester, Daniel Manning, punter Brad Maynard and place kicker Robbie Gould are much more accomplished then Will Blackmon, Jordy Nelson, punter Jason Kapinos and place kicker Mason Crosby. The Bears have an advantage at special teams.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Packers and Bears both won two positions and tied on one. As a result, the offensive side of the ball is a wash. On the defensive side of the ball, the Packers won two positions and the Bears won one position. As a result, the Packers won on the defensive side of the ball. For special teams, the Bears have the advantage on paper. Add that all up and it looks like there will be a great battle between the Packers and Bears at Lambeau Field tune into NBC Sunday night to see it unfold.