Bears / Packers. Dec 29. 3:25 CST

[UMFan83]

So Nick Foles was 21-25 passing yesterday. His 4 incompletions? 3 throwaways and a dropped catch.

 

Pretty much perfect.

[mul21]

As I've said all year, the age thing is overblown. The only player who has really aged and is not anywhere near as good as he was is Peppers. Tillman struggled when he was out there, but he was OK. Jennings has been solid. Briggs was OK before he got hurt. The young guys on the defense have sucked. Wright, Conte, Bostic, Greene, Cohen, Paea, McClellin.

 

At this point, I have to say the injuries at DT. Melton and Collins got hurt. Paea basically has had a lost season. Not necessarily them being out has killed the team, but the guys they replaced them with were terrible. Landon Cohen, Zach Minter, and Christian Tupou are not true NFL talent. 265lb Corey Wootton inside is a liability.

 

This is exactly what I think the biggest problem has been. There's just nobody plugging the middle and keeping guys off the LBs to make tackles in the running game. That, plus the inability to get any kind of pass rush on a regular basis have just killed the defense. Good play up front really hid the weaknesses of the safeties last year it appears.

[Guest]

I don't know why you'd want a team that can't stop the run face a team that's one of the best at running the ball. Especially one that also plays the best defense of any team likely to be in the playoffs. Rough matchup. Bears could win, but I'm not going to be confident.

 

Fair point. It's just that we showed no signs of being able to stop anything the Saints did in Week 5, and I have no reason to believe it would be different this time with an even less-healthy defense. Take your chances with a different team and hope Kaepernick gives us a few.

 

Truth is we'll lose to either team most likely. Any chance Arizona still gets in?

 

The same 49ers team that systematically destroyed our defense last year when it was still good. Although this time it would be January in Chicago but I have no reason to believe we wouldn't get destroyed. We at least held NO to 26 points and that was back when they were playing a lot better.

 

Plus it likely won't be 60 again this time when they play and Brees and the Saints have a poor track record in the cold.

[Soul]

As I've said all year, the age thing is overblown. The only player who has really aged and is not anywhere near as good as he was is Peppers. Tillman struggled when he was out there, but he was OK. Jennings has been solid. Briggs was OK before he got hurt. The young guys on the defense have sucked. Wright, Conte, Bostic, Greene, Cohen, Paea, McClellin.

 

At this point, I have to say the injuries at DT. Melton and Collins got hurt. Paea basically has had a lost season. Not necessarily them being out has killed the team, but the guys they replaced them with were terrible. Landon Cohen, Zach Minter, and Christian Tupou are not true NFL talent. 265lb Corey Wootton inside is a liability.

 

This is exactly what I think the biggest problem has been. There's just nobody plugging the middle and keeping guys off the LBs to make tackles in the running game. That, plus the inability to get any kind of pass rush on a regular basis have just killed the defense. Good play up front really hid the weaknesses of the safeties last year it appears.

 

I don't know of many teams who could hold up in the defensive backfield without any kind of disruptive play along the line anyway. Yeah, it's revealed weaknesses in the backfield but it's just too hard to succeed on D with nothing happening up front.

[minnesotacubsfan]

and of course, with the NFL moving the game to the 3:00 slot and the Seahawks playing at the same time, I wont get to watch it at home. screw football

[Soul]

Here's to hoping that, come 6pm Sunday, you are REALLY hating the NFL's broadcast policies, and not backtracking on that statement.

[Guest]

Wth happened to Bostic? I expected a lot more from him . Also, draft HAGEMAN. Collins is old, Melton the only real DT. Paea looks lost.

 

I wouldn't be shocked if Hageman tested well at the combine and went before the Bears pick.

[minnesotacubsfan]

no, I'm thinking that too Raisin. but there looks like a few decent DT's coming out this year. Hagemen, Nix, Tuitt, Jernigan. Still, the homer in me wants the maroon and gold in blue and orange. That and Hagemen is a athletic freak

[Soul]

Every year people have 50 players all going before the Bears pick at 22. There's going to be valid help available when the Bears pick. Just need to not blow it on another McClellin.

[UMFan83]

So...

 

Here is where the Bears are on the verge of doing something truly inept – the defense is now allowing 5.40 yards per carry with one game remaining. That ranks sixth-worst in NFL history, according to Cold Hard Football Facts, and no team has been this bad since the Vikings allowed 5.41 yards per carry in 1961, the inaugural season for the franchise.

 

That is bad...I knew the run D was bad, I didn't think it was 'top 6 in NFL history' bad

[jersey cubs fan]

So...

 

Here is where the Bears are on the verge of doing something truly inept – the defense is now allowing 5.40 yards per carry with one game remaining. That ranks sixth-worst in NFL history, according to Cold Hard Football Facts, and no team has been this bad since the Vikings allowed 5.41 yards per carry in 1961, the inaugural season for the franchise.

 

That is bad...I knew the run D was bad, I didn't think it was 'top 6 in NFL history' bad

 

I assumed it was the worst in the history of everything.

[minnesotacubsfan]

remember when everyone said that running the ball was pointless in the nfl and how it is now a primarily passing league? yea, looks like the Bears took that to heart

 

eta: put it this way, the bears D is 19 overall against the pass, which isn't too terrible. but they are soooo horrible against the run that they rank in the bottom 3 overall D. 161 yrds a game against the rush. thats heartbreaking

[Soul]

161 yrds a game against the rush. thats heartbreaking

 

And trending downward too. I would have loved to give up only 161 yards rushing yesterday, that's how biblically awful this has become.

[rawaction]

remember when everyone said that running the ball was pointless in the nfl and how it is now a primarily passing league? yea, looks like the Bears took that to heart

 

That's still true. The Bears couldn't stop Dallas, Baltimore, or Green Bay and won all those games, 1 of them easily. They should have beaten Washington and Minnesota despite not being able to stop the run, and those teams wouldn't have won if they didn't throw as well as they did on late game-tying/winning drives. Then there's the Rams and Eagles. But still, not being able to stop the run is terrible, but I think the lack of a pass rush is more damaging. Granted, you can't have the worst run D in league history, but I'll take a bottom 5 run D over a bottom 5 pass D 100x out of 100.

[minnesotacubsfan]

oh it might be true, but the Bears seem to have taken it to another level

[jersey cubs fan]

oh it might be true, but the Bears seem to have taken it to another level

 

That axiom is true from an offensive standpoint. If you rely on your running game to carry the offensive load you are in trouble. That doesn't mean giving up 8 yards per carry and not being good against the pass either is something a defense strives for.

[Soul]

Potentially very damaging loss for the Packers in terms of injury.

 

It's been talked about on here by others, but here's a summary:

 

Rodgers: a report came out Sunday that Rodgers was actually not at all close to coming back. This report says that not only is Rodgers not medically cleared, but that his most recent tests showed "extraordinary risk" of injury if he plays. http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10180238/aaron-rodgers-green-bay-packers-was-never-close-playing-pittsburgh-steelers If true -- big IF, IMO -- it would seem to indicate that he won't be able to play against the Bears either, unless he pushes it or suddenly heals very fast from where he is. We'll see.

 

Matthews: Matthews re-injured his thumb. It's an extreme injury, and the same one he had before. Hard to imagine him playing next week, or in the playoffs for that matter if the Pack were to get in. Big win for the Bears -- Matthews is, obviously, a dirtball who would no doubt attempt to put Cutler in the hospital on an illegal hit.

 

Lacy: Lacy's been battling an ankle injury. He's been able to continue playing, but not this time. It would seem he has injured it more severely than previously. Not sure if this will help the Bears or not because you could put a contestant on the Biggest Loser back there and he'd run for 100+ yards. Starks is more than capable of carving up the Bears pathetic "empty jersey" D to the tune of 150+ yards.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/green-bay-packers/post/_/id/5457/packers-injuries-to-watch-in-week-17

[JonJayCutler]

From Roto:

Packers coach Mike McCarthy plans to make a decision on Aaron Rodgers' (clavicle) Week 17 playing status "sooner rather than later."

 

Maybe we won't have to wait until Friday this week, although from a GB standpoint I can't imagine why they wouldn't want to keep the Bears in the dark for as long as possible.

[ChiCubsFan]

The Dolphins, Ravens, Chargers, and Steelers all have a shot at the 6th seed in the AFC, but none of them control their own destiny. Kind of a weird quirk.

[Guest]

@RapSheet: #Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Clay Matthews seemed to suffer a repeat injury. He did. Broken thumb again. Couldn’t cast & play last time

[Soul]

From Roto:

Packers coach Mike McCarthy plans to make a decision on Aaron Rodgers' (clavicle) Week 17 playing status "sooner rather than later."

 

Maybe we won't have to wait until Friday this week, although from a GB standpoint I can't imagine why they wouldn't want to keep the Bears in the dark for as long as possible.

 

Oh I can, but I'm at risk of beating a dead horse now.

[Wilson A2000]

Romo out for the season with a back injury. SNF picks a bad game again.

[JonJayCutler]

Go neckbeard!

[CubInOK]

remember when everyone said that running the ball was pointless in the nfl and how it is now a primarily passing league? yea, looks like the Bears took that to heart

 

That's still true. The Bears couldn't stop Dallas, Baltimore, or Green Bay and won all those games, 1 of them easily. They should have beaten Washington and Minnesota despite not being able to stop the run, and those teams wouldn't have won if they didn't throw as well as they did on late game-tying/winning drives. Then there's the Rams and Eagles. But still, not being able to stop the run is terrible, but I think the lack of a pass rush is more damaging. Granted, you can't have the worst run D in league history, but I'll take a bottom 5 run D over a bottom 5 pass D 100x out of 100.

It's different when you're turning everyone into Jamaal Charles.

[rawaction]

The Dolphins, Ravens, Chargers, and Steelers all have a shot at the 6th seed in the AFC, but none of them control their own destiny. Kind of a weird quirk.

How is that possible?