You’d have a hard time saying this one was pretty. In a game in which most everyone thought the Green Bay Packers would throttle the Chicago Bears, the Packers just managed to pull away late for a 31-23 win in Chicago.
The story behind what many will say was a lackluster effort was the Packers defense, which, as we predicted, was not in midseason form.
That defense let Bears running back Matt Forte do pretty much whatever he wanted and you’ve probably heard that story before. Well, nothing has changed.
Forte ran for 141 yards and a touchdown, 110 of which came in the first half.
That allowed the Bears to hold a 13-10 lead at the half.
The Packers offense took over in the second half, when they outscored the Bears 21-10.
We’d like to point to one or two guys who did the damage, but it really was a balanced effort.
Aaron Rodgers was 18-of-23 for 189 yards, three touchdowns and no picks. Not spectacular, but damn efficient.
Two of those touchdowns went to James Jones, who caught four for 51. The other touchdown went to Randall Cobb, who had five for 38.
Davante Adams led the team in receiving with four for 59. Meanwhile, Eddie Lacy had himself a workmanlike 19 for 85 yards and a touchdown.
For the Packers defense, it really seemed like the same old B.S.
They were able to get pressure on Jay Cutler — including 1.5 sacks by Julius Peppers and five total QB hits. Clay Matthews essentially closed out the game by intercepting Cutty! late in the fourth quarter.
And that’s all great, but the Packers didn’t even bother to paint the illusion that they had a top-tier defense.
We’re sure there will be talk of pad level very, very soon.
And we can’t wait for that.
In the meantime, we’ll take the win.
Not as dominant as we wanted it to be, but we’re going to chalk that up to this being a work in progress.
Shields had a horrific game.
His worst game in living memory. Let’s hope that this was an anomaly, and that it is now out of his system.
It was terrible. First visit to soldier field, bears fans were all over us until #1 got the INT……
That’s when mass exodus began….
It was hard watching Fortegoing nuts in the first half. Hoping they were holding back for SeaHags game…. Impressed by Randall and Jim Jones…..
“It’s gonna be a fun season” – Aaron Rodgers
IN RODGERS I TRUST!!
Just so nobody else has to say it…
“Fire McCarthy! Fire Thompson! This team is going no where with that defense! I AM THE HELL GOD OF FIRE & BRIMSTONE!! AAAAGGGGHHHG!”
Yes the D is a work in progress, however they do appear to have the bend but don’t break part fairly well down. Red zone efficiency is starting out well. GO PACK!
One of these weeks, mid-pants shittingly infuriating all-out god damn defensive meltdown, we’re going to hear Dom Capers described as a “genius” or “brilliant” or some other dogshit he’s been doing his best to disprove for years now. It’s like Joe and Troy never even watch the games, just read from a script. I do not understand.
I don’t put a lot of stock in this game. Several key players for both teams were either out or playing with significant injuries. Add to that the fact that week one across the NFL is unpredictable because players are over-amped and facing a ton of unscouted looks from their opponents. The challenge is to analyze this game and find the key players and coaching schemes that might make a difference down the road. For the Pack, A-Rodg, J. Jones (!!), Lacy, Matthews, and Peppers looked pretty good. Hyde got in a handful of good plays, and even Big Fat BJ Raji got in on a half sack.
The real test begins next week against SEA, and into the following weeks, as the team gets back some players and begins solidifying its identity. For now, I think we’re still in wait-and-see mode, to some extent. With the new CBA rules, September tends to look like an extension of preseason football for most/all teams.
I still don’t see how our defense is any better than last year…we go into the season with a need at ILB and don’t fill it – and don’t give me this Jake Ryan shit. Now we have injuries to the 2 warm bodies in the middle and gave up 150+ yards on the ground. We are the Browns without Rodgers…
Man, Shields had one of the worst games of his career
What I’m most worried about is the fact that the defense made Smokin Jay look like Cam Fucking Newton
Shields kept falling down. Ilb play sucks. Can we draft an ilb already?
I can only imagine this happened on the sideline today:
Tom Clements: “Hey coach, we have a crucial 3rd and 3 in the 4th quarter – dive play with Kuhn right?”
MM: “No, no, no, let’s get creative. Go empty backfield and line up Eddie as a WR outside.”
TC: “BRILLIANT IDEA COACH, why didn’t I think of that?”
And a few random things I noticed:
-Shields was beaten all day after jumping offsides.
-Clinton-Dix wiffed on some serious wood-laying hits.
-Aikman and Buck couldn’t get enough of the new Cutty and Gase duo. When they were finally done sniffing Jay’s jock they realized Cutty! was still Cutty! 50% comp percentage with a game-breaking INT.
-And when did Joe Buck become a Ginger, what an awful excuse for a beard.
Dom Capers had no answer for Forte. Dom has to be let go as the defensive coach.
You guys ready for Seattle? I’m not, the way we played against the run was just trash
Do not worry about the front 7 against the run. Capers and big Ted got this. give them some time. It’s not like this has been a problem for years.
Seattle had a couple issues against the Rams. Wilson was running for his life, but the Rams have a strong defensive front. The Packers probably can’t put that kind of pressure on Wilson.
More importantly, the perennially weak Rams offense scored 34 points against Seahawks, and this was even with the Rams missing several offensive starters, including their top two running backs.
That was not pretty, the defense isn’t a work in progress, it is what it is and that isn’t super bowl quality…please…how long are the Pack going to hang onto Perry and Neil….and a bunch of other JAG’s….oh well, back to outscoring everyone….nice meltdown by the Lions!!!!
“I just pooped my pants”
-Sam Shields
As much as I hate listening to Shannon Sharpe talk, he was the only one who made a point to say that Capers should have been let go some time ago in Green Bay. Outside of most fans who know that also nobody else seems to get that. When the players refuse to respond to what’s set in place then a culture change is needed.
We have nobody at Inside Linebacker and our Defensive Line gets pushed around like stiffs. Daniels should keep his mouth shut about a new contract for awhile because he just got beat like a damn drum. Shields is not a premier corner and never will be, he lacks any manner of physicality and can’t cover top receivers. We truly would be better of sitting his 40 million overpaid backside on the bench and let both Randall and Rollins start, heck even Gunter, ALL of them are more physical then Shields will ever be. If not for Clay and Peppers this defense is toast, though missing Burnett today didn’t help them.
Offense will score as always, but Chicago showed everyone the easy formula today. Keep Rodgers on the bench and just make nice long drives attacking our soft linebackers. Seattle is gonna do it all day long next Sunday. Oh yeah, Lynch and Peterson have to be licking their chops after seeing this crap today. Anybody else see the Rams defensive front stuff him for no gain on 4th and 1? Damn I wish our lineman could do that, but they are all undersized.
At least the receivers were about as good as could be expected san Nelson, though I would like it if our coaches would explain very firmly to Lacy that his frame is NOT built to travel East and West. Just hit the damn hole or make one. You are big enough to get something no matter what, but the moment you move sideways you’re dead.
Penalties were in excusable and Montgomery did well, so did Adams on the onside kick, helps when some “heroic” tight end isn’t in the way.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. we have to outscore everyone.
I’m happy with the victory, but not many Championship teams give up 189 yards rushing. With Lynch and Co coming to Lambeau, we will see where this team is at. I’ll take a win..anyway, shape or form.
James “freaking” Jones!!!
Everybody fucking relax. It was the same shit last year, “fire dom” “TT sucks” “we aren’t going to win the superbowl.” Correct me if I am wrong, but we got a win on the road against a division rival,it’s only week 1, Burnett and Guion were both out, Raji started and hasn’t played in a regurlar season game since 2013, and one of our starting ILBs got hurt early in the game. Oh, and it’s fucking week one!
Dont worry guys. Jake ryan is gonna save the day. Hes the next coming if aj hawk.
26 year old A.J. Hawk would be a welcome site right now. For the right price of course.
The Bears are a better team this year.
They didn’t completely drop a load like they did last time against the Pack. For most of the game Cutler wasn’t terrible, which was a surprise. He is an improved quarterback.
The Pack won and against a division rival no less. That’s 1-0 overall and 1-0 in the division for most of (not all of) you posting on here. That’s like a double win.
I’m starting to not understand this site. When I first started reading here it had an anti-establishment type take but was balanced in positive and negative. It was fun.
It’s starting to change. The articles are starting to become cynical just for the sake of being cynical and so are a lot of the posters.
The content seems negative 80% of the time now. It almost seems like this is becoming a lets-rip-on-the Packers destination.
I mean we just opened up 2015 with a solid win against the Bears and all the feed back is negative. WTF?
And its the same recycled crap…fire TT, Capers and MM…the D-line is the worst ever…ILB is awful..Barrington got hurt..and that’s somehow Mike’s fault and he’s a fat slob and an idiot etc.
The overly critical and cynical view is starting to become detached from reality.
It almost seems like the Packers are #2 and the negative opinions of the writer and a large percentage of posters are becoming #1.
I know nobody on the writing staff gives a shit, which you make clear, but I really hate to see the direction this is all heading.
WTF? Where this is heading is: if they don’t straighten up I may unload my owner shares.
There is more that goes into preparing a game plan then most of us know, showing things one week and holding packages out so the next weeks opponents have no film to ready themselves. R.E.L.A.X.
Forte was going to get his yards, especially with Morgan and some interior defensive lineman out. The big difference I saw was that Cutler made plays under pressure where as in the past he would wilt under the pressure. That was the biggest difference this year and you have to credit the new coaching regime of the Bears for that.
This game was deeply alarming at first. The new-look Cutty had me concerned. Controlling the game, looking confident, making the right reads and adjustments, commanding the offense. He was leaning on Forte, taking what was there, making good reads on his throws.
By halftime, with the Packers trailing, I thought to myself, has someone messed with the space-time continuum? Had Cutty finally reached the point where he’s capable of leading the Bears to victory over the Pack.
Then, fittingly, late in the game he suffers a pick, not so much to his error as to Clay’s read and they show the shot of him walking off the field, not in full “I shit my pants” mode, but clearly walking without bounce, more of an “I just sharted myself” demeanor and I knew then that order had been restored to the universe.
The defense stunk. We couldn’t stop anybody.
Haha Clinton dicks is the worst tackler I have seen in a ling time..a serious liability
McCarthy on the pre game interview with Wayne Larrivee : “Cobb is 100%, like every player I’VE ever out on the field”
I’ve got to agree with the general sentiments of Mike R. And knucklehead on this. The full context and reality of the situation is that the Packers won on Sunday, and they have been winning consistently for many years to include a Super Bowl in the recent past. Last year they were a 4th quarter meltdown away from playing for the Super Bowl against the Patriots (whom the Packers had already beaten during the regular season).
I think we can all agree that there are shortcomings, even serious ones, with the Packers. But at the same time, it’s unreasonable to act like they’re terrible. There are posters here who literally want to sell their Packers stock, cancel their NFL Ticket packages, fire everybody on the coaching staff, etc., despite the fact that there is arguably no team in the NFL, except for maybe the Patriots and one or two others who have been as good as the Packers for as long of a time.
What will you people say when the Packers win the division again and make another deep Playoff run or win the Super Bowl this year? I mean, at what point do you accept the fact that the Packers are one of the best franchises in the NFL? I understand wanting them to fix a few problems, but I’d hate to see what you’d say if you were a fan of any of the other 31 teams. Christ, the Seahawks, whom everybody seems afraid of, just shit the bed in their last two games. Every team has problems.
Well said. Cue up the “we have Aaron Rodgers, so we should be winning a minimum of two super bowls every year if it wasn’t for the worst coaches and GM in the league” talk.
Fuck every writer and commenter here. Whiny cunt turds. 1-0 in the division and they’re crying about it. What a bunch of spoiled, ignorant fucks.