Tag Archives: Chicago Bears

2011 NFC North Previews & Predictions

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We are marching toward the 2011 NFL season and the anticipation has gotten to many a football fan. We are no different. As we look forward to an exciting 2011, it’s hard to believe we are just 7 months removed from the most important NFC North game ever. The rumble for the NFC Championship Game between the Chicago Bears, and the Green Bay Packers.

The NFC North, formerly the NFC Central, had it’s first NFL champion in 15 years and ironically both times it was the Green Bay Packers. So how much has changed?? Does this division still hold the NFC’s best two teams?? Did the Chicago Bears let a golden opportunity get away from them by not capitalizing in the 2010 NFC Championship Game??  Will Donovan McNabb solidify the Vikings and give them another chance to get to the Super Bowl as Favre did for them two years ago?? What about the Lions?? Have they made enough of the right moves to chase down their heated rivals in Chicago and Green Bay?? Huh, ….oh and what about the Lions??

2011 NFC NORTH PREDICTIONS

Green Bay Packers 13-3*

Detroit Lions   11-5#

Chicago Bears 7-9

Minnesota Vikings 5-11

We were the first to speak of the champion Packers having won the Super Bowl with their second string. Aaron Rodgers ascended to the upper echelon of quarterbacks who are playing this game and at 28 has a ton of time left to become an all time great. Accurate, mobile, and fearless he stands to wrest the mantle of NFL’s best QB from Tom Brady and Peyton Manning with an excellent 2011.  Think about it.  Of the 3 Super Bowl seasons Tom Brady had the best statistically in 2004, where he threw for 3,690 yards 28TDs, and 14 interceptions.  Last year despite missing 2 games with injury, Rodgers threw for 3,922 yards 28 TDs and only 11 interceptions for the Packers. That’s before we get into last year’s magnificent playoff run.

The Packer offense will see some transition with RB James Starks fighting it out with injured incumbent Ryan Grant returning. Jordy Nelson nearly broke Jerry Rice’s Super Bowl record for receiving yards so he will take some time away from aging Donald Driver. As for the defense, gone is longtime Packer Nick Barnett who was admirably replaced by new ILB starter Desmond Bishop. Clay Matthews has entered the realm of NFL super star. He is a complete defender and an excellent pass rusher with 10.5 sacks last year who is only going to get better in his 3rd year.

The new safety tandem is Morgan Burnett and Nick Collins, with Atari Bigby having moved on to  Seattle. The Packers young secondary is still anchored by All Pro Charles Woodson who has had a positive influence on the growth of fellow corners Tramon Williams and Sam Shields.  All told, this secondary was responsible for 24 interceptions (2nd in the NFL) and should improve in 2011. No chance they are unseated as NFC North champion, they are just too well equipped.

Yet there is a storm brewing to Green Bay’s southeast. Dormant for more than an NFL decade, has been the moribund Detroit Lions. Draft busts of the Matt Millen regime behind them, his former Washinton Redskin teammate Martin Mayhew is putting together a championship caliber squad. One that will see great gains this year if Matthew Stafford can stay healthy. Its paramount he matures with his team onfield this season.  The Lions also brought in Titus Young from Boise St. to give them another deep threat alongside Calvin Johnson.

There was a setback when they lost draft pick RB Mikel Leshoure, fomerly of Illinois, for the season. This team still has quick striking Jahvid Best out of the backfield and signed Jerome Harrison and Maurice Morris to pick up the slack.

However it was the selection of DT Nick Fairley in the 1st round that sent shockwaves throughout the league.  He is joining a Motown defensive line that had 44 sacks last year. Fairley should terrorize NFC North quarterbacks with Ndamokung Suh for years to come. He should be fully recovered and ready to roll when the regular season will get under way.  After a four game winning streak to conclude last season, this team was bolstered by a solid beating handed to the Patriots in last week’s pre-season game.  Never underestimate what it means for a team to learn how to win and see themselves as winners.

Sadly, the great Devin Hester (The U)  is being legislated out of the game.

Now lets be fair… the new kickoff moving to the 35 yard line, was a bullshit move by rule makers to negate the special teams advantage the Chicago Bears have enjoyed with Devin Hester. The NFL’s greatest kick returner. It’s backlash for his turning close games into Bear victories over favored opponents.

There is no other way to see it.  There in lies the problem.  It’s not a television show of who’s to be voted off of the island, it’s a sporting endeavor. The Bears play smashmouth, close to the vest  football in cold weather and rely on stout defense and superior special teams. Last year they had improved play from the quarterback position as Cutler trimmed his interception totals and showed more command of the offense.

Team brass finally brought in some help with the signing of Marion Barber and Roy E. Williams, fomerly of Dallas to help with the running game and the receiving corps. With the shortened off season, most teams will struggle to find their offensive rhythm early and the Bears could be one of those offenses. Yet they have drafted several young offensive linemen and should be ready to roll in 2012. Problem is they should have a few growing pains in ’11.

When will the Vikings learn to bite the bullet and develop a quarterback?? They have run retread after retread at this position and haven’t come up with a championship yet. There was magic in the first year with Favre, however reality set in once he was injured and Sage Rosenfels had been released.

The Donovan McNabb experience should only be one year, unless he has an outstanding season. Which is the two fold problem. When do you take the reigns from an elder quarterback and take the lumps with a young and growing one?? From Sean Salisbury to Jim McMahon, to Warren Moon, to Randall Cunningham, to Jeff George…they’ve been doing this since 1992 at the expense of developing a young signal caller. The one exception was to allow Daunte Culpepper to develop and he gave the Vikings some great seasons.  So if the season goes well, McNabb could retard Christian Ponder’s growth.

With McNabb, we see a quarterback going through the motions, not one with a chip on his shoulder to prove himself. That won’t bode well for the Vikings if they look to him for leadership. They have a strong running game in Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart yet are suspect at receiver. Right now the strength of this team would be to run the football and keep their aging defense off the field.

If it doesn’t go well this year, be ready to move in another direction and build with your young quarterbacks. At this point we see a fading legend hanging on with a mediocre receiving corp and a defense that last year started to give up  yards on the ground toward the end of the season. Donovan takes a look at the tapes of last year’s offensive line performance and the hits on Favre, he may audible to all rollouts. Add to that LT Bryant McKinnie (The U) gets cut for coming into camp out of shape?? Donovan could be in for a long year. As Donovan goes, so go the Vikings. A tough year indeed

SUPER BOWL XX CHAMPIONS 1985 CHICAGO BEARS: The Best In NFL History

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William Perry’s ring could fit others like a watch.

Quite simply the best team in NFL history. No football team played so powerfully against their strongest competition.  In their march through the ’85 playoffs they didn’t give up a point until the Super Bowl. Back to back shutouts in the playoffs? Should have been 3 in a row but an early Payton fumble gave the Patriots the ball at the Chicago 19. Then the Bears ran off 44 straight points and once the defensive starters came out of the game was when the Patriots drove into scoring range. They starters came out to protect against the endzone but they couldn’t hold off the Patriots those final 20 yards when Irving Fryar scored to make it 44-10.  Yet by this time they were no longer being compared to other 1985 performances, they were being compared to some of the best teams in NFL history.  Here is my case on why I think they are the strongest team in NFL history. Care to debate? Bring your “A” game to this argument…

SUPER BOWL XX CHAMPIONS 1985 CHICAGO BEARS <————————–CLICK LINK (Word 2007 document)

*from an upcoming book on Championship Teams and their rings

Walter Payton’s Super Bowl XX ring

1956 NFL Championship Ring

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You are looking at the first championship ring won in the NFL by both Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi. Each would go on to become legendary head coaches but they were offensive and defensive coordinators for the New York Giants at the time.  The 1956 NFL Championship Game between the New York Giants and Chicago Bears was won by New York 47-7.  In the fabled house of the New York Yankees, these two teams fought it out in the first ever nationally televised NFL championship game.  Its notoriety reduced because of the blowout and the famous game held in the same stadium 2 years later between the Colts and Giants…uh…you may have heard of it.

Furthermore this ushered in a new era that saw the Giants rise to prominence after copying Philadelphia Eagle coach Joe Kuharich’s defensive scheme, the 4-3, and cruising to the championship.  In the ensuing years Sam Huff became a household name along with DE Andy Robustelli, DTs Rosie Grier, and Jim Katcavage, LB Karl Karilivacz, S Jim Patton, and Hall of Fame CB Emlen Tunnell.

This team dominated the league for the next 7 years. They became household names and the first chants of “De-Fense- De-Fense” was first heard in Yankee Stadium.  This was the first time in the history of professional football where a defense was introduced before games. Although the team of the 1950’s was the Cleveland Browns, who had played in 6 championship games during the 1950s, it was this stalwart defensive unit that kept the Browns out of the championship game the rest of the decade.

This team had a few offensive players of mention in halfback Frank Gifford, QB Charlie Conerly, WR Kyle Rote, K Pat Summerall, and RB Alex Webster.  These men really did play their roles well.  Frank Gifford was a Hall of Fame RB who was as dangerous catching passes out of the backfield as he was a runner.  He was the Marshall Faulk of his day and later in his career was switched to receiver.

Now he did star on television and became a game analyst who saw further fame with his nearly 30 year run on Monday Night Football. Alex Webster was a steady fullback who later became the Giants head coach in the late 1960s once New York couldn’t lure back budding legends in Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry from championship situations in Green Bay and Dallas respectively.

Did you know the original Marlboro Man was Giants quarterback Charlie Conerly? LOL Go take a look at those first posters. Guess what?? He didn’t smoke!  Being a champion in New York allowed this team to break down barriers unheard of in other places.

Kyle Rote was a good receiver for this team yet needs to be remembered for his courageous stance in spearheading the movement that became the first players association (Union) fighting for equal opportunities for all players.  Not for money like today’s lockout!! For the equal treatment of all players of all races when the teams played on the road.  This WASN’T the radical 1960s, so be respectful of these movements in rememberance.

Now Pat Summerall?? You know his smooth voice as being one that helped lead the NFL to further prominence as a character and announcer with Tom Brookshier for one generation (60s-1980), then brough the game to another generation (1982-2000) while being teamed with Hall of Famer John Madden. Now lets throw in legendary coaches Vince Lombardi (team of the 60s) and Tom Landry (nearly team of the 70s) overall league contributions and you see why this team is to be held up reverently.  Talk about pillars of the league…

This group would go on to play in famous championship games later  in 1958, ’59, ’61, ’62, and ’63. They kept the once powerful Cleveland Browns out of the championship so much that all time RB Jim Brown had to wait until their run was over to win a championship in 1964.  Although they only won 1 championship, this team should never be forgotten.  These men helped reshape the league and are one of the reasons we love the game. What would the league have been like without ’em?

2011 Chicago Bears Preview

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Julius Peppers will have to get after opposing passers to cover up a youthful linebacker set.

The Windy City had a special football season going in 2010.  The pyroetechnics (fireworks) and excitement filled the air as the first ever NFC Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers v. Chicago Bears aroused passions, renewed a century long rivalry as the Super Bowl beckoned.  The sky was blue, the air crisp and hitting could be heard all around Soldier Field and then a mysterious injury to Jay Cutler brought an end to Super Bowl dreams for the Bears and cast a pall over a town, its team, Jay Cutler’s integrity, and the Bears immediate future.  This team wasted a perfect window for themselves! What happened??

Many of us who observed that game were unhappy with the way Cutler removed himself from the NFC Championship. We never saw him hurt in the game.  For me it wasn’t that he looked aloof and didn’t seem interested in a game where he should have had to have been carried off the field against the hated Packers.  He would not help 3rd string qB Hainie as he scrambled through polaroids trying to get a bead on what he was going into.  A few questions come to mind…

How could a quarterback on the brink of rewriting his own image, after the Seahawk playoff game, do so much to reinforce his selfish veneer? Was the response by his teammates and Lovie Smith genuine??  The rest of the players of the NFL sounded off on twitter, as well as fans during our interactive football madness, with a ferocity questioning Cutler’s lack of heart that seem to permeate all media outlets before the game even ended.  Where does Cutler go from here?  Has he lost his teammates?  These are questions that are right on the Chicago Bear’s mantle that have to be addressed before this team can move forward.

Quarterback: Sigh, this is one where we won’t know the extent of the fallout damage from the NFC Championship until the season unfolds.  Cutler showed signs of improvement with the system Mike Martz installed and they came into the second half of 2010 on a roll with the emphasis more on running.  Early on Martz was afflicted with trying to empty the backfield and the sacks, interceptions, and mistakes were prevalent.  Most notably the 9 sack first half of the Giants game on Monday night.  Cutler removed himself from that game in a questionable fashion… hmm?

Entering his 6th season, Cutler should be in his prime, especially with this being his third year in Chicago.  This second under Martz could prove to be a coming out party for him or the nail in the coffin.  The truth of the matter is we have to see if Cutler has lost his team and we’ll get back to that.  In all actuality, his play improved to 23 TDs and 16 interceptions from 27 TDs and 26 interceptions between his second and first seasons in The City of Broad Shoulders. Cutler was asked to throw the ball 123 less times in 2010 in an attempt to minimize turnovers.  He was still sacked a league high 52 times and was accused of holding the ball too long.  There are times when he lacks a feel for the pass rush that comes back to haunt him at inopportune times.   Martz is working on Cutler delivering the football on 5 step drops on time.  He needs to show more consistency in throwing the ball away quicker.  At quarterback the Bears are average and we need to see how Jay deals with throwing the ball away to avoid sacks and turnovers. This year is career make or break for Jay and right now you’d have to call him a break even quarterback at best.  Could see a draft pick going to the quarterback right here in a second or third rounder like Boise St’s Kellen Moore. A year ahead of myself…but you get the picture

Offensive Backfield: An identity needs to be forged here also.  Right now the Bears are working between two 3rd down backs in Matt Forte and Chester Taylor.   They need a more physical franchise back here to help this offense field an identity.  Too often the Bears had to kick the ball back to their opponent because they couldnt power the ball down teams throats on 3rd and 2.   The Bears missed a few years back when they let Rashard Mendenhall of Illinois get away, this time they need to grab Illini RB Mikel Leshoure.  He’s a 6 ft 230lbs bruiser who is a perfect Bear back.  Forte and Chester Taylor are 3rd down backs at best.  Sure Matt Forte ran for 1,069 yards on 237 carries for a nice 4.5 yards per carry, yet all too often the Bears couldn’t establish a traditional running game.  They would rely on running out of passing formations and draws to catch the defense off guard.  A bigger back can make a hole and be able to fall forward and pick up another 4 1st downs a game allowing the Bears to run out the clock.

There are 6 physical running backs coming out in this draft that the Bears would be better served replacing Forte as the every down starter.  This way they can close out ball games,  have Cutler become a second option and play to the strength of the team; defense and special teams.  Stand pat…below average going into this season.  Could see the Bears using two draft picks on runners if need be.  Taylor needs to be released…just an enigmatic signing that needs to be rectified.

Receivers: Many pundits are calling for a splash to be made at receiver to help out Jay Cutler, I think they could use a quality guy here but strategically running back would pay immediate dividends where a receiver would not .  Johnny Knox is serviceable and could be this year’s Miles Austin if the Bears can find the running game to make teams play more 8 in the box.  The reduced screen passes to Forte and bubble screens that supplement the running game would be thrown here.  He has speed and good hands, evidenced by his 51 rec. for 960 yards and 5TDs.  His whopping 18.8 yds per reception plus additional 1 on 1 opportunities would turn him easily into a 70 catch 1,300 yard receiver like that. Think about it. Only receiver to give you impact like that as a rookie was Randy Moss in ’98, so picking that up in the draft is not likely.

Furthermore use Earl Bennett and Greg Olsen’s big bodies a little more and DO NOT rely on passing formations (3 / 4 receivers) so much.  The Bears telegraphed too often when they were going to throw and that clogs too many passing lanes for them.  Olsen (from the U) could have a breakout year with linebackers paying attention to the run. We saw evidence of this in the divisional playoff win against Seattle when we watched Olsen get deep and scorch safety Lawyer Milloy on a 58yd TD on the second play of the game.   Seattle expected run and from a traditional set got on top of their linebackers.  The Bears  could have two , 1000 yard receivers in Olsen and Knox, with Bennett a chain moving intermediate supplement at the other receiver.  Bennett caught 41 rec. for 561 yards and could catch a few more with this offensive premise.  Devin Hester and Aramashodu would be wild cards to be used for special plays or three receiver sets.  The dependable Desmond Clark should be used more in 2 TE sets and this team would really best utilize Cutler with intermediate throws on defenses in traditional sets.

Offensive Line: This team could use an upgrade in several spots.  This team allowed for the most hits on their quarterback and sacks with 56.  Not good!  We have already mentioned the inability to move the ball on the ground in critical opportunities.  The Bears were 23rd in the league in rushing average with 3.9 yds per rush and 21st in the league with 10TDs rushing as an offense.  Instead of really coming down hard on individual players lets just say this is an area that needs upgrading.   A few draft picks here and in a few powerful backs could band aid an offensive approach that would allow offensive line coach Mike Tice to take some young linemen and get on the 7 man sled and run the football.  This is how they can cover deficiencies on their line, Cutler at quarterback, and rush the ball more effectively.  Young lineman can run block easier than pass block.  Stand pat…below average…

Defensive Line: Julius Peppers tilted the field in 2010.  His sacks and subsequent pressure caused numerous holding penalties against Green Bay that were key in a Monday Night win.  He reworked his contract to allow some cap relief and hopefully they will get him some help now that they have released the underachieving Tommie Harris.  Peppers sack total wasnt as high as he would have hoped with 8, but the attention afforded him allowed Israel Idonijie to match him with 8 sacks and an overall defensive ranking of 9. This team was 5th in 3rd down % allowed at 35% which kept the field short for Devin Hester in the return game…yet I digress.  Peppers should get 12-15  sacks this year.

The Bears had a shuttle of defensive tackles in the game to take place of the underachieving Harris. Matt Toeaina #75, just signed an extension started 10 games had 28 tackles and had 2.5 sacks last season.  Immovable on the point which allows Bear linebackers to flow to the ball.  Look for a breakout year with teams unable to gameplan for this 6ft 2 305 lbs plodder.  Anthony Adams #95 (take that off…its Richard Dent’s) was the other tackle who also had a good year with 37 tackles while tying up blockers.  Peppers and Idonijie are in their prime and the tackles are young and immovable.  A Super Bowl defensive front

Linebackers: Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs are probably the best 1-2 punch at Middle and Outside Linebacker in the NFL.  Urlacher really benefitted from missing the entire season before and he looked fresh all through the 2010 season.  “If only he had legs to get that 3rd quarter interception of Aaron Rodgers in the NFC Championship to the endzone” is echoing through the minds of Bears fans everywhere. Yet that play showcased his skills entirely. His drop, read and react skills, quickness to catch the ball in traffic and make a play when his team desperately needed one. Urlacher was 1st on the team in tackles with 126, 3rd on the team with 4 sacks and was one of the leaders of a punishing defense.

Briggs came in second with 88 tackles, had 2 sacks and 2 interceptions in a fine all around performance.  He along with Urlacher were able to roam free with offensive line attention placed on the D-Line.  Briggs is as good against the run as he is against the pass.  A sure tackler who is also in the prime of his career.  Briggs is entering his 10th season and Urlacher his 13th so its imperative the Bears make a move on the defensive side of the ball in next years draft.  The Bears should be even better with the return of Hunter Hillenmeyer #92 from injury.  A solid linebacker who is best on the outside can play inside in a pinch as evidenced by his 2009 performance.  A solid group that is getting up there in years but going into this season is still a Super Bowl set of ‘backers.

Secondary: First and foremost Charles “Peanut” Tillman was robbed of an NFC Pro Bowl spot in  2010.  Get this; he was 3rd on the team in tackles with 83 behind Briggs and Urlacher, 1st on the team with forced fumbles with 4, and 1st on the team with 5 interceptions. All of this on a top 10 defense that made the NFC Championship Game and no pro bowl? Seriously? A great zone cornerback with cover skills and will tackle in the running game. Tillman should have a long career and is in his prime right now.  Players like this are able to move to safety when they lose a step so don’t be surprised in a few years when he’s back there.  Tim Jennings #26 was playing some good football the last time we saw him in the NFC Championship Game.  The Bears coaching staff should have allowed the Bears corners a chance to be more aggressive on the line of scrimmage. Jennings is quick but can get muscled by stronger receivers.

At safety Harris and Daniel Manning are solid safeties.  They do lack swivel hips to turn and run and require a good reroute of the receivers at the line.  However against the run they each have some heft and will put the finishing touches on a ball carrier.

Overall: This team could be in for a long season if they don’t move quickly and get their hands on a few running backs and offensive linemen to give them the best chance in 2011.  Spending too much for a top flight receiver to get Jay Cutler to throw more would be disastrous and showcase a line that is in serious need of a rebuild.  Furthermore it could damage the psyche of the team and how they feel about Jay Cutler.  They let a golden window for a Super Bowl run close on them yet with a few astute moves can keep it open one more year slightly.

This team had an esprit du corp that was second to none going into that championship tilt with Green Bay.  With the defense allowing Devin Hester ample kick return opportunities they should fend off Detroit and stay ahead of the rebuilding Vikings this year.  Will they catch Green Bay?? Only if they can get to an NFC Championship at Lambeau Field…now that would be full circle and will take an olympian effort to get there.

NFC Championship Recap

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Packers Outlast Bears 23-10

What began on a sun kissed day in Soldier Field as a celebration of the most important game in the history of the Bears v. Packers rivalry ended with the rival Packers celebrating amidst a silent Soldier Field.  The sound and the fury that enveloped the stadium at the beginning of the game was in stark contrast.  Detractors of Jay Cutler were rewarded with a personal meltdown at the most inopportune time, removing himself from the game halfway through a 21-14 loss.   Now the Packers move on to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV in two weeks.

Aaron Rodgers had come into the game as the hottest quarterback in this year’s playoffs.  He started off this game as cool as John Wayne going 4 for 4 on the first drive for 76 yards concluding in his 1 yard touchdown run.  Through much of the first half the Bears defense was struggling to slow the Packers offense who ran with more authority than was expected.  Charging out to a 14-0 lead in the early 2nd quarter.  They kept their defense rested and Chicago’s offense was a portrait of inefficiency.  The first 6 Bear possessions resulted in 5 punts and an interception while gaining a paltry 103 yards.

Anemic would be the best description of Chicago’s offensive performance and worse Cutler seem to regress into the skittish quarterback with the sloppy footwork that he was last year.  Missing wide open receivers on several occasions, he looked to lose his confidence as the first half wore on eventually removing himself from the game after the first half.  Gone was the cool performer that seemed to turn the corner last week’s playoff win against Seattle.  In fact the Bears as a team looked to start this championship game flat emotionally.  It took until the middle of the second quarter for the defense to begin to hit Aaron Rodgers and play like the monster that roared through the season.  However with a 14-0 halftime lead the Packers were on cruise control having their defense shutting down Matt Forte in the running game and intercepting Cutler’s last ditch deep throw before halftime.

The Bears defense began to assert itself from the second quarter on.   They sacked Rodgers on a several occasions and intercepted him twice.   The latter of which by Brian Urlacher kept the Packers from putting the game away near the Chicago goal line.  Yet it was too little, too late.

For the storyline of this game was the Green Bay defense.  They had stripped the Bears of their offensive rhythm and won the game with constant pressure.  The Packers held Cutler and his replacement Todd Collins, to 6 of 18 passing before giving up yardage to an unknown 3rd string quarterback in Caleb Hanie.  However they took advantage of Hanie’s inexperience by fooling him into the game deciding touchdown when B. J. Raji from his defensive lineman position, dropped into coverage, intercepted the pass, and waltzed into the endzone for a 21-7 lead.   Chicago frantically moved downfield for a touchdown to narrow the gap to the final 21-14 score.  A second Sam Shields interception ended Hanie’s Walter Mitty fantasy of saving the Bears season.

Thats harsh but lets face it this kid was thrown to the wolves and came up with the fighting spirit that the Bears offense lacked for much of the game.  He played better than could be expected.  It was as if some of the Bears were having an out of body experience, like someone told them it was an exhibition game.  With Hanie in there a fighting spirit was ignited and amidst his frantic last second attempt while they were marching, he was undercut by a bizarre timeout from the sideline and a reverse to Earl Bennett which forced a fourth down throw intercepted by Shields.

As for Jay Cutler, perception is reality, and his questionable removal of himself from this game left a bad taste in the mouth of many fans.  Its understood that team captain Brian Urlacher stood up and towed the company line not questioning Jay Cutler’s toughness but lets take a closer look at it.  There was a time where you looked for Jay to rally the troops and be the leader he has been accused of not being before.  There was a period in the second quarter where Cutler had thrown an incompletion and was looking forlorn at the ground in his own endzone and not rallying the troops.  He has to understand that as a team leader you can never let your teammates see you down and he kept that loser body english up. This sabotaged his team’s confidence and furthermore as Hanie attempted to ready himself for his second possession, an aloof Jay Cutler sat near him on the bench not going over polaroids to help his understudy.  All of this coming just three years removed from watching an impassioned Phillip Rivers with a torn ligament wrapped in a knee brace, limp onto the field, and leave it all on the field in an AFC Championship against the New England Patriots.  A badge of honor that stands as River’s calling card.  Cutler’s perception will be that of the aloof quarterback on the sideline as his team soldiered on and thats not a good one.  He needed to fight to get back into the game period.

As we lionize the 6th seeded Green Bay Packers and their road warrior status, the stakes of this game makes this one of  the sweetest wins in team history.  They get to go to Soldier Field, beat their arch rival Bears and take home the George Halas NFC Trophy.  Now roll to Dallas with a chance to win the Lombardi Trophy for Super Bowl XLV.  Rodgers didn’t have his best performance  but he didn’t need it.  The Packers running game stayed on course with 120 yards rushing with Starks accounting for 74 yards.  Greg Jennings repeatedly beat Bear cornerback Tim Jennings for 8 receptions and 130 yards. It was a total team victory with surprise performance by rookie Sam Shields, from Miami, who had a monster game with a sack, forced fumble and two interceptions.

Aaron Rodgers has a chance to totally erase the Brett Favre retirement debacle with another win.  He can equal ole’ number 4’s Super Bowl championship total with one more win.  He long validated the move to anoint him the Packer starting quarterback, he now stands the chance to move to the vanguard of the league’s young guns.  Make no mistake about it.  The Bradys and Mannings of the world are slowing down and becoming elder statesmen of the league with Brady going into year 12 and Manning year 14.  This is a quarterback in his prime and he’s primed to win a title.  Can he do it??

Thanks for Reading…. suggest to your friends.

NFC Championship Preview

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Chicago Bears hosting the Green Bay Packers for the right to go to the Super Bowl.  If images of Vince Lombardi and George Halas aren’t coming to mind we may need to introduce you to table tennis as a favorite sport.  This is the essence of pro football with the backdrop of history, weather, most hated rival playing for the conference crown; how can this get any better?  It can’t, plain and simple.  One of the beautiful points to this championship for affecionados like me is to remind younger fans of the super rich heritage of the NFL.  No the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, nor San Francisco 49ers have the most championships in NFL history, that distinction belongs to these two teams.  The fact that fans have gone their entire lifetimes without seeing these two play with stakes this high makes this game special.  I know, I know…Jef get to the game at hand..

When we take a look at Aaron Rodgers what do you see?  Easily football’s finest young quarterback who is ascending to a place that was once reserved for only Tom Brady and Peyton Manning in most circles. Last weeks 31 of 36 for 366 yards and 3TDs in a 48-21 win over Atlanta was his calling card to greatness. He didn’t stand in the pocket and give a Joe Montana performance, he was flushed from the pocket on numerous occasions and completed passes while being chased from the pocket that realistically the defense should have been able to make a few stops.  There were throws that defied logic and its time to talk about Rodgers on the move as one of the best in the business.  His feet are always ready to deliver the football which is key to his game.  So in two playoff games Rodgers has led the Packers to 48 and 45 (last year’s loss to the Cardinals) point totals. Yikes, what will he look like in a year or two?

Over this season has there been a team that has evolved on offense more than the Chicago Bears?  Coming into the season I thought the marriage of Cutler and Mike Martz’s system would be able to get the most of Jay’s long ball arm.  They just had to rope the penchant for Martz to pass too often trying to show off his genius that nearly got Kurt Warner killed when he coached the Rams.  Evidenced by the dismal 9 sacks in the first half performance against the Giants and Cutler didn’t make it back for the second half.  Yet Lovie Smith and Martz have roped in the offense and over the second half of the season ran the ball more than they passed it.  Last week’s playoff game against Seattle, the running attack was supplemented with a variety of screens to further slow the pass rush.  Mike Martz can be a brilliant play caller.

Aaron Rodgers surveying the Bears defense

Jay Cutler has been the beneficiary of this more balanced play calling and has matured amidst detractors who refuse to notice. He’s never played a playoff game how will he perform? Hmm…play action down the middle for a 58 yard touchdown to Greg Olsen on his first pass attempt.  The last time the NFL saw that happen in a playoff game take a guess who was calling the plays?  Mike Martz when Kurt Warner hit Isaac Bruce for a 77 yarder td on the Rams first play in the ’99 divisonal tilt against Minnesota.  That withstanding, Cutler played under control threw for 2TDs in the game and ran for 2 more becoming the first QB since Otto Graham in 1955.  However a closer look and we saw a confident more determined quarterback, one who put his head down and smashed into the endzone on one run, and forcefully ran for a 4th and 1 near the goalline to set up the Bears 2nd TD.  This was not the same Cutler we saw on that fateful Monday Night against the Giants ducking for cover and unsure of himself.  He’s grown in stature as a pro quarterback over the second half of this season.    Advantage Packers in quarterbacking in this game…

The team that establishes the run best will take control of this football game.  The Packers have found a new workhorse in these playoffs with rookie James Starks.  However this is somewhat overblown.  He rushed 25 times for 66 yards for a paltry  2.6 yds avg.  against Atlanta in which the Packers put up 48 points. This is the issue when dealing with a rookie.  Do I believe in his performance against Philadelphia in the wildcard or this latest outting?  Enter Matt Forte for Chicago, he only rushed 25 times for 80 yards, a slightly better 3.2 yds avg. v. Seattle, yet he supplemented this with 3 receptions for 54 yards more.  Seeing that we have two highly ranked defenses in this game one of these offenses has to give.  Advantage Bears slightly…Martz needs to slip Forte on screens at the right time to slow down a certain Mr. Matthews to aid his passing attack.

Alright its cold out and we have football’s #5 and #9 ranked defenses in the Packers and Bears respectively.  Both stout against the run. Each with defensive stalwarts rushing the passer, the aforementioned Clay Matthews and a one Mr. Julius Peppers. The Packers have the better secondary in Charles Woodson and Tremond Williams, who just played his way onto the Pro Bowl roster with his performance last week.  Third cornerback, rookie Sam Shields from Miami, is coming on.  The Packers must get in front and make the Bears pass into their secondary.  The Bears have the better front seven and perhaps the best in football.  Julius Peppers tilts the field and this matchup in the Bears favor.  In their prior meeting at Soldier Field, the Packers had four penalties attributed to trying to slow down the athletic Peppers.  His presence takes attention away from a lethal Urlacher and Lance Briggs.  Add to that an awakening Tommie Harris and Idonijie #71 will be single blocked on the side away from Peppers.  Look for Idonijie and Peppers to corral Rodgers where Atlanta could not.  Advantage Chicago based on crowd noise and front seven strength across the board.

Which leads to special teams.  Sigh, do I really have to tell you about history’s finest ever kick returner Devin Hester from Miami? Of course its easy to say that he did return a punt for a touchdown in the Soldier Field meeting between these two teams, but its deeper, systemic if you will.  Thanks to Peppers and company, the Bears are the fifth best team in not allowing their opponent to convert on 3rd down at 35%. When opponents are stopped inside their own 40 yard line, teams can’t ask their punter to punt out of bounds in fear of a shanked kick, giving the Bears even better field position.  They are forced to kick it to Hester in that instance and here in late January amidst swirling winds he will get several shots in this game.  Advantage Bears.

For the Packers to win Aaron Rodgers and that superb receiving corps have to have a game like they did in Atlanta and Arizona last year to win.  The problem is those were heremetic, antiseptic dome games, not windy Soldier Field in late January.  The Bears want to put bruises on the body and the psyche of Rodgers.  The Bears should play to the strength of their defense and special teams while taking calculated shots with Cutler’s arm when they get near 50 yard line.

Prediction 2010 NFC Champion Chicago Bears  23-16