It All Comes Down To This

They meet on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field again. In this storied rivalry that has include Lombardi and Halas and Hornung and Sayers and Payton and Favre it stretches the memory to recall when the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears have ever met with so much on the line. In a 16 game season the fate of both teams came down to the 16^th and final game.

If you close your eyes you can almost hear the basso profundo voice of the late great John Facenda of NFL Films glory reading that statement.

It just doesn’t get any better than this. Call a timeout and savor the moment. Packers/ Bears – again. The Vikings are the noisy neighbor with whom Packer faithful has more intense hatred but for pure football rivalry nothing tops this one. While both teams’ fans can get quite vitriolic about their hatred for the others’ team what is barely below the surface is the respect each has for the others’ team, and with that comes the fear each has of the others team.

No, it just doesn’t get any better.

Both teams have a lot at stake here. The Bears will be excused as they already have their ticket punched to the big dance. But they have a more than middling interest in doing well here. What they have at stake is a first round bye and home field in the playoffs and that will give them reason to scrap. Now toss in Lovie Smith who had said at his hiring and has maintained all along that his first goal was to “…beat the Green Bay Packers…” Yeah, kids, that is Lovie’s primary focus.

So before anybody gets the notion that D Bears are just gonna lay down and play patsies for the Pack put down the New Years toast and get real. Lovie WANTS to be the Pack. That means Da Bears want to beat the Pack. Their first success is making the playoffs. For Lovie and Co. being the team that sends the Pack home would be an extra Christmas present, and one they would dearly love.

Like most that follow the NFL the waiting for the inevitable Chicago implosion has been a monumental waste of time. The Bears did not fold along the way. Granted, they won quite a few games they should have lost (see: Green Bay, the Jets and either Detroit game to name a few) and have not exactly won over their critics.

In the bottom line world of the NFL they did however attain the only tangible positive in these contests. A ‘W’. Put up the win and shut up the critics. The marriage of OC Mike Martz and Jay Cutler, once thought to be as good a match as nitrogen and glycerin has produced some fabulous results. While Cutler still manages to throw the pick that puts (more) grey hair in Martz’s head he still throws as sweet a deep ball as anyone in the Show. After tossing a terrible pick 6 against the suddenly defensive floundering defense oriented New York Jets Cutler hit the emerging Johnny Knox and speedster Devin Hester on long TD chucks that pulled and victory from the jaws of defeat.

Knox has very quietly become a bona fide #1 receiver and Cutler’s favorite target. Once known only as a blazer with iffy hands Knox now can get deep and go after and get balls. He will be a matchup problem for anyone, so look for Tramon Williams to draw him. That, in turn, means someone with some jets (uhhhh, Sam Shields perhaps?) go with Hester on a track meet. Does Charles Woodson have the wheels to stay with either guy? Cutler will, no doubt, test that.

RB Matt Forte has come back healthy and come back strong after being dinged last year. If Forte can get untracked it opens up Martz’s play options and will buy Cutler some time. In the last meeting the Packers had the Bears in a death hold only to suddenly let up, allowing the Bears to catch and lap them and steal a win. The 17 penalties either committed or incurred by GB didn’t help any. That was a huge anomaly that won’t happen again. The Bear offensive line is as shaky as they come, but Cutler counters with a quick release. Pressuring Jay is the way to negate his arm. And Dom Capers will do just that.

While the Bears offense can pick up points it is their collective defense that has won them games. Led by All Stud MLB Brian Urlacher this is a fast, mean, and hard hitting group. To the Bears credit they have not had to deal with any significant injuries and have been able to field the same roster week after week. Much like GB the Bears boast a bend but don’t break D that is gaining confidence.

Green Bay, on the other hand, is literally playing for their playoff lives. The Packers playoffs essentially got kicked off last week against the Giants. The scenario is simple – the Packers control their own destiny. It’s like playoffs came 2 weeks early. Win this one and you’re in. Lose, and then hope the G-Men in NY tank again and Tampa falls flat.

The former is the more viable of options. The Packers want to win this game and advance through Chicago. The Bears want nothing more than to dig the hole, shove the Pack in, toss on the dirt and party on the grave.

Yeah… it doesn’t get better than this.

Coming off a surprisingly easy romp over the Giants Aaron Rodgers looks 100% after his concussion against the Lions. He moved the ball around and wisely slid to avoid any hard hits. The offensive line did a far better job of keeping the Giants feared pass rush off, and will now need to step it up as Julius Peppers is playing lights out.

GB still has RB issues and will, in all likelihood, activate rookie James Starks as FB Korey Hall is out with another (what else) injury. The RB by committee has made gains in the past weeks as Dimitri Nance has shown some pop while FB John Kuhn is becoming the fan favorite in GB. When the Pack gets the ball close the coaching staff has to wonder if they are being booed. Realizing it is a Kuhn call eases that worry. And Kuhn has had the best season of his career amassing 6 TD’s – 3 vs. NY last week.

Ron from York, Pa has supplied us with a very interesting “Tale of the Tape” Green Bay/ Chicago comparison:

Quarterback
Rodgers-264 yds p/game
Cutler-222 yds p/game
R-65.5% completion
C-61.1% completion
R-10 picks
C-14 picks
R-27 TD's
C-23 TD's
R-QB rating,101.9
C-QB rating,90.6Advantage - Packers
Offense
GB-Total yards,5446
CB-Total yards,4404
GB-Passing yards p/game,260.0
CB-Passing yards p/game,193.2

GB-Rushing yards p/game,103.1
CB-Rushing yards p/game,100.4 (surprised ??????)

GB-Points p/game,25.2
CB-Points p/game,22.1Advantage - Packers

Defense
GB-Passing yards allowed p/game,199.3
CB-Passing yards allowed p/game,224.3
GB-Rushing yards allowed p/game,115.2
CB-Rushing yards allowed p/game,92.1 (oh well)
GB-Points allowed p/game,15.8 (This is the best in the NFC & only Pittsburgh has allowed fewer in ALL the NFL at 14.9)
CB-Points allowed p/game,18.4Advantage - Packers
Special Teams
GB-UHHHH,got nothin' here
CB- Devin Hester averages 17.1 yds p/punt return & has 3 TD's. Danieal Manning averages 25.3 yds p/kickoff return.Great Big Huge Advantage – Bears

Great big thanks to Ron for his research on this. And yes, the rush average/ game is a fact – Green Bay HAS outrushed the Bears this year on average. As long as rookie P Tim Masthay and K Mason Crosby don’t make the mistake of kicking to Devin Hester the Packers have a more than good chance here.

Hester is the game breaker and it makes no sense to even challenge him at this point. Concede to Hester’s greatness and look for other ways to beat the Bears.

In this game look for Rodgers to air it out again. The Packs run game gets surprising traction and will also do well. The Bears, in spite of what they have at stake play a bit more tentative. They can afford this loss. It's not that they don't want to win - they simply don't NEED to.

Green Bay does. And that's enough of an edge here.

It doesn’t get any better than this.

Well, yeah, it does.

  

GREEN BAY 27

Chicago 13

Random Thoughts

Some random thoughts at year’s end…

Don Meredith passed away this year. It reminds us of why we loved, and still love to this day, Monday Night Football. And, as Packer fans, we have to acknowledge how much a part of the heritage of the Packers includes Meredith. Without Dandy Don, the back to back to back titles in 64, 65, and 66 are not the same. That can be said about Monday Night Football. There was Dandy Don. And then everyone else. There are just some opponents that – Dang it! -  you just love. That was Don Meredith. Farewell, Don. The party’s over…

Oh that crazy Rex Ryan and his laugh a minute New York Jets. Ol’ Rex just can’t help himself. He’s always putting his foot in his mouth. Or his wife’s foot. Watch the video and you decide.

And this is the same Rex Ryan made famous (or maybe infamous) in HBO’s reality series “Hard Knocks”. Rex’s unedited assessment of his team was a must see. Yeah, Rex is a media star alright.

Speaking of video, the Patriots find themselves peripherally connected to former Offensive Coordinator and former Denver Head Coach Josh McDaniels and his disclaimer he was cheating by taping his opponent’s walk throughs. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

And going back to HBO and out of football if “Hard Knocks” was ‘Must-See’ then the newest installment “24/7” that goes into the locker room with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals prior to the New Years Day Winter Outdoor Classic is ‘Can’t Miss’. It captures in a curious juxtapositioning 2 teams going in opposite directions One team is in the middle of a 12 game winning streak (The Pens) and another mired in an 8 game losing streak (the Caps). To see first hand the polarized differences between the two teams before, during and after each win/ loss is riveting. To be a fly on the wall and witness Caps Coach Bruce Boudreau’s blistering between period tirade (no less than 14 ‘F’ bombs dropped in a 30 second span) is to know what it’s like to be an athlete. And like Rex’s mom Bruce’s mom was equally mortified. Rex’s dad didn’t see what the f*** the f***ing problem was in the first f***ing place.

If there has been a better first round pick for the Packers than Clay Matthews III, please step forward.

The HBO Sports Documentary “Lombardi” is an absolute Must-See for anyone claiming to be a Packers fan. They got every detail right, and it is a fascinating look at the man behind the legend. For the younger generation this is a lesson in history. Remember when Blacks marrying Whites was illegal?

Tickets, anyone? The Broadway play “Lombardi” has also drawn rave reviews.

While we are on the subject of entertainment, how about another remake of “True Grit”, only this time starring a Fu Manchu sporting Aaron Rodgers facing off against an aging gunslinger. And the Fu Manchu wins.

Aaron Rodgers is being prompted to step forward.

And lastly let the final curtain fall on the “T Ocho Show”. This is nothing new for TV and it only says “Me too!” while tarnishing TOs reputation. THAT is no small feat either.

Memo to the NFLPA, the NFL owners, and their chief negotiators. Get the damn deal done. We love football too much.

How could so many coaches be in so far over their heads this year? Green Bay managed to kill off Brad Childress and Wade Phillips on consecutive weekends, while Josh McDaniels and Mike Singletary didn’t miss shooting themselves in the foot. Seeing Iron Mike lose the team was a painful process. Expect more heads to roll come the off season (Hello, Gary Kubiak??).

The 49ers will be QB shopping. Think they would entertain an Alex Smith for Aaron Rodgers deal straight up?

Was anybody aware that Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy lobbied long and hard FOR Alex Smith over ARod back on draft day when he was with the Niners? Say “Oooooops”…

Mike McCarthy will most certainly get consideration as Coach of the Year for keeping a lineup decimated by injuries in every game and playoff contention. For that he deserves it.

How good can these Packers be if everyone on the IR comes back and can play? Holy Cow, what a warm and fuzzy notion that is. Ryan Grant. Jermichael Finley. Mark Tauscher. Spencer Havner. Justin Harrell. Mike Neal. Nick Barnett. Brad Jones. Frank Zombo. Johnny Jolly (suspension). Morgan Burnett. Quinn Porter. Josh Bell. Derrick Martin. Brady Poppinga. Brandon Chillar. Anthony Smith. That’s a helluva team right there.

Ryan Grant was quoted as saying he “…probably could have gone [played]…” against the Giants.

And here is a hope that Justin Harrell can stay healthy enough to contribute. We hate hearing “1^st Round Bust” tagged on him almost as much as he does.

If Tom Coughlin’s Giants fail to make the playoffs and he gets the axe it will raise Green Bay’s coaches kill to the legal limit. They may draw scrutiny for contributing to Mike Singletary’s pink slip.

BJ Raji is worth every cent. During his rookie year he often looked like, well, a rookie. He is now the beast that GM Ted Thompson thought he was getting.

Ted Thompson may well be in line for Executive of the Year given how well he mined the Undrafted Free Agency Pool this year.

After stepping back and evaluating the work of one Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy we recognize that it is much easier to sit behind a typewriter and criticize than it is to keep an NFL team afloat in the midst of injuries. We admit it – we are humbled.

And everyone who saw Josh Sitton getting voted by the fans to the Pro Bowl please raise your hand? Josh was the Packers most dominant and consistent player on a much maligned Oline this year. And then the NFL coaches give him a royal screwing as they overlook the top fans vote getter at the G position. Sheeeeeesh!

Kudos to Greg Jennings, Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Chad Clifton and Clay Matthews III for being voted by the fans to the Pro Bowl.

Aaron Rodgers is NOT in the Pro Bowl? WTF????

Here’s hoping the powers that be include Tramon Williams in the future. He deserves it.

The ‘Feel Good’ story of the year is the emergence of FB John Kuhn. How cool is it to hear the Lambeau Field Faithful collectively call for “Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhn” on every goal line play? Can you say “Fan Favorite”?

Where has the biggest disappointment in the NFL been this year? Dallas? San Diego? Cincinnati? Denver? At QB in Minnesota?

Is there any truth to the rumor that Vikings owner Ziggy Wilf was seen scaling the dome at the ’Dome with a jackknife minutes prior to the roof’s collapse? Sources indicate he had also purchased one way tickets to Los Angeles earlier that day.

And will someone in Hattiesburg please tie Brett to his tractor for once and for all? WITHOUT a cell phone. Brett… it’s time, buddy.

A Division winner with a losing record that keeps a team with a 10 – 6 record home for the playoffs is just plain wrong. And dumb. Time to revamp. But get the damn CBA deal done first.

Vegas has established the odds at the Packers looking for a Special Teams Coach as off the boards. They will not accept a wager on this one.

The laughter in Green Bay was still resonating when the NFL postponed a game in Philadelphia because of snow. Make that postponed BEFORE the snow had started falling.  POSTPONED!
                                                         It turns
                                                       out Philly got

wacked with a game day blizzard that dumped some 12 inches of white stuff. Green Bay residents commonly refer to that amount as a “light dusting”.

The Super Bowl has been scheduled for a game at the New Meadowlands in New York. What if it snows? Or there is snow in the forecast?

Donald Drivers 61 yard catch and run and juke and shove and spin and dance and score was another reason to love Donald. And it only ranks third on the NFL’s Plays of the Year nominees. Behind DeSean Jackson’s walkoff TD punt return against the Giants (#1) and Dan Connolly’s 72 yd kickoff return (#2) against the *gulp* Packers. A less than impressive moment.

Admit it. Aren’t we jealous of how healthy and unaffected by injuries all year long the Bears have been?

Admit it. It was frustrating waiting for the Bears to shoot themselves in the foot this year. It was sort of like reading the sequel to “Waiting for Godot”.

Admit it. Wouldn’t it be beyond ecstatic to see the Bears shoot themselves in the foot now?

Is Tramon Williams rise as spectacular as it is unexpected?

A J Hawk has very quietly become a rock at LB on defense, leading the team in tackles this year.

Has Desmond Bishop’s emergence suddenly made Nick Barnett expendable?

The Lambeau Leap is so great that seeing other players from other teams do it makes it look dumb. Except in Green Bay. All imitators can find their own thing.

Who else views the end of the Packers’ season as the dawn of the next ice age?

Green Bay vs. Chicago on the last day of the season in Lambeau with each team having something large at stake. It doesn’t get any better than this does it?

Yes, it does.

A Green Bay win vs. Chicago on the last day of the season in Lambeau with each team having something large at stake would definitely ring in the New Year very well. THAT would be best of all.

Thank You Santa!!!!!!

   

Dear sAnta,

ThNak you sOoOoo much for all the Great presentz this  yEaR.

I really ReaLLy rEalLy ReALlY really liked the bEsTeST one Of aLL when the GrEeeEn BYa PakCers beat TheM GiaNts so bad. I asked for 31 – 17 anD You brought a 45 – 17 win and it was super! Maybe eVEn SupEr Bowl!

I like AaroN rODgers A lot cuz he IS my faovRzite player. I seen his New helmet and it worked real good cuz he din’t get no more conconco… cuncusshins….cunscshion… head injuries. And the BiG Guys pertected aArroN real good too so they were good so you Can Put t5hem on The Nice List for next year too. Cuz they were so good. And cuz Aaron is my favorite Player. Oh yeah and Aaron really REALLY Likes tHe SLIDe yoU Gave hIm cuz he used it a lot already.

My Friend CharLes WOODson says to say thanks for helping him find his game again. He liked the hands you gace him back but don’t want no more slippers SO you can KEEp tjem. You can give the SlIppers To DevIn HestEr in ChiCago cuz we want him to slip around in  the snow next week.

All the tackle guys on defense are so happy with all them sacks and innerspshins… inntracerpt… intrescepsho…. Picks they got too. Cuz it was a lot. They like them sacks and innerspshins… inntracerpt… intrescepsho…. Picks cuz it makes them happy and they like to run around with them a lot. So THaNks.

And I think so of them guys like B J Raji and DesMoNd Bishop deserve an extra HElPing at dinner CUz they should be hungry cuz they did so much. Even tHO nO one ever seems to notice them they was really good against them GIAntS. So they can have my extras too cuz they are still probobobaly hungry. So let them have lots more next Week.

Thanks so much a lot for finding the Special Teams. I knew we lost it somewhere and It was cool you could FINd it for us cuz we neeed it to play with and it is fun to Play with cuz when it works it is good. And them GiAnts don’t know how to play with it.

I even like Our hEAd cOaCH now cuz when I played with him his Head didn’t fall off. And when he lets the running BacKS play too it gives me a whole lot more to play With cuz they were good too. So I yelled a lot. So I dOn’t need a new head coach but if this one works like this all the time it will be okay. As lOng as he Works and don’t just stand there aND do nothing.

My friend John KuhN was really really gOodd too and he loved doing the Lambo Leep too! Even tho he was kinda tired when he was done cuz he did it so much a lot. And John is ReaLLy cool so he should get more Lambo LeePs cuz it is funner than not having them and he LeEps so good.

It was a reeal surprise to get all them receevers To pLay with too! I don’t know which one to play with cuz They aLL were so good. Ecpcially JordY Nelson who can run. Nd james Jones who Can run. And Donald Driver cuz he can catch. And Greg Jeenings cuz he can run. And he can cAtch. And So can mY fRiend jOHn kUhN can catch too.

I Like it when our HEAd coach lets us play With so many things cuz it Makes it so exciting. Its Like there aRE tHinGS everywhere wo Play with. Wow! I bet them Giants are wishing they Had some of the Great things we got!

And maybe you Better tell that Guy Eli his face is gonna freeze like that in the cold cuz he was so mad. And them Giants Haed coach too. They were both making ugly faces all the time. And yelling. Or crying. A lot. If you tell him he is going to be like Brad and Wade and Mike he might not get no more presents unless he gets good. And stops yelling all The tIme. BuT I liked It when he Yelled cUz our defense guys kept getting more and more sacks and innerspshins… inntracerpt… intrescepsho…. Picks cuz it makes them happy and they like to run around with them a lot. So let him be on the naughty list cuz its okay with me.

                                  

So one LaSt thing You can give Some game balls to Aaron Rodgers cuz he is my favorite player and he was super duper good and maybe even SuPer Bowl! And One to John Kuhn cuz everybody loves him now cuz he is So good. All them big boys on the Line can have one cuz they kept Aaron Rodgers who is my favorite player from getting anY more conconco… cuncusshins….cunscshion… head injuries.

You can give a bunch to the D guys Like B J and Sammy and A J and Desi and all the guys that made sacks and innerspshins… inntracerpt… intrescepsho…. Picks. Just Tell Them to save some for next week. And a exxtra spEcIAl Game bALL has to go TO Clay Mattthews 3 bcuz he was relentlen...resleln...reLenLss,, real fast when ho knoCkeD that baLL out. Put him on your Super gOoD List. Now.

So thanks for the really great ChriStmas SaNTa. I was just wHAT I wanted!! Now I gotta go play with things that can kill them Bears.  *

Love

The pack Rat

p.s. You can keep my stockings stuffer  if you can bring us another game likke this next week too against them bEaRS.

* The above image is that of a sleeping bear. While we would never advocate the killing of a bear we certainly do sanction the Beating of Bears.

                                            

All I Want for Christmas

             

Dear SanTa,

I am a Greeen bay paker fan and I love the green bay packers. I have been a very good fan this year. I have cheered and yelled for my pakcers every day and want them to win. A lot. And I have yelled at them a lot too. A lot. When they lose.

I want for a Christmas a new football helmet. My favorite player is aaron Rodgers and since I have been sooo good I want you to bring aaron a new helmet for Christmas this year. One that is big enough to keep him from getting any more conconco…cuncusshins….cunscshion… head injuries. Becuz he is my favorite.

Please santa bring us a running game too. We like some of them but want a shiny new running back that can get a long run. Like 1,000 yards. I will cheer very much loud if you do.

For some packers who cant play cuz they are hurted please bring them some armor to make them strong again. They need something strong to pertect them.

And while you are at it a offensive line that can pertect too. Maybe this will help aaron Rodgers from getting any more conconco…cuncusshins….cunscshion… head injuries. Becuz he is my favorite. Someone who can block for the new running backs would be nice too. Please. And if you can maybe some cojones for our GM Teddy Thompson so he can go get what we need when a Free Agent comes available..

My friend Charles woodson needs a compass so he can find his game again. Last year you gave him good hands so don’t give him any more slippers becuz he has slipped enuff already.

Can you please please please get a pro bowl spot for tramon Williams? He was really really good this year and he would like it a lot. Oh and thanks for tramon’s new contract cuz he liked it very much a lot.

If you have any brains could you please give some to Johnny jolly? Cuz he needs some cuz the ones he’s got don’t work too good.

I would also like a brand new head coach cuz the old one you got us is broken. When I play with him his head just falls off ecpcially when I put too much pressure on him. He was supposed to be an action figure but most of the time he just stands there and doesn’t do nothing. So if you can find me a new coach like dom capers or bill the guy with the chin cowher that would be super! Maybe even a super bowl!!!

And santa we used to have a special teams in greEen bay but we lost it somewhere. If you can find me some guys who can tackle I would love you for that. A lot.

My new friend matt Flynn now says he wants some respect. I have a lot to give him but if you can give him more okey dokey.

But santa what I want most of all next to a new head coach who won’t fall apArt is a nice 6 game winning streak. I want to beat them giants soooo bad. We can do it cuz we need to. So a cold game with lots and lots and lots of snow for them. And if you could tell the line to pertect aaron Rodgers my favorite good so he doesn’t get any more conconco… cuncusshins….cunscshion… head injuries it will be good. Becuz he is my favorite. And he will play real good. Like 300 yards good.

Maybe even our running backs will be good too. If our coach lets them.

If you could give our defense a shot like I know you can then give them some sacks and innerspshins… inntracerpt… intrescepsho…. picks then we can do good. And let the tackle guys tackle this week cause last week they were on vacation or something so they should be rested.

What is good is if the packers can win. And I know they can becuz the giants really sucked against the iggles last week so they are kinda sucky. Like our coach.

So santa that’s it. If you can give us a win like maybe

green bay 31

new York 17

I won’t aks for nothing else.

Until next week.

The cookies and milk are on the table.

Love,

The pack rat

p.s. If you could get me this as a stockings stuffer i will love you forever and ever and ever.

merry christmas one and all!!!!