SUNDAY NIGHT SLAUGHTER

Packers Maul Bears in Record Setting Performance

 

There is no hyperbole or amount of exaggeration that could come close to describing the thrashing the Green Bay Packers laid on the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night. The last time there was anything close to a massacre of this proportion Al Capone was still the capo de tuti capo in the Windy City and it was St. Valentine’s Day. Aaron Rodgers had another record setting night when he threw for 6 TD’s in the first half alone in the 55- 14 win over the hapless and helpless Bears.

 

At one point in the contest NBC’s Al Michaels asked the question that begged the asked when he queried his broadcast partner Cris Collinsworth with “Who are the Bears fans flipped off at more – the Chicago offense or the Chicago defense?” The usually ultra-chatty Collinsworth was stumped.

 

It was a perfect storm of events that led to Chicago’s demise. All three phases of the game were nothing short of disastrous for the weary looking Marc Trestman’s squad. Jay Cutler was his usual self against Green Bay – awful. His interceptions at the hands of the Packers made it appear as if the Packers defenders were sitting in on the Bears offensive game planning meeting. Micah Hyde started things off by undercutting a Cutler pass intended for TE Martellus Bennett. Cutler has been tagged as a poor man’s Brett Favre with his big arm and streaky, gunslinging nature. Forget that on the soft toss Cutler put to the outside. The only time in his life Favre ever threw something that soft was the day he exited the womb.

 

Cutler’s streak of total futility against Rodgers and the Packers was culminated by Casey Hayward’s pick 6 snag that sent the Lambeau Field faithful delirious and Chicago to the morgue for the season. Once again Cutler failed to step up when the Bears needed him most. WR Brandon Marshall had a now famous meltdown that resulted in a closed door locker room post game tirade that blasted his teammates for their lackluster play. Cutler must have had his Beats headphones on as he missed the point altogether. Chicago has a plethora of talent. What they are lacking the most is leadership. The Bears are missing more than Julius Peppers’ play. His ability to lead by example has left the cupboards bare for the Bears and the dour, sulking Cutler doesn’t exactly inspire the most of his mates. Far from it.

 

But before any more dirt gets tossed onto the Bears carcass Cutler isn’t alone in this Titanic sinking ship. The Bears defense never made the trip to Green Bay. The Bears have been a defense-first team since George Halas took the reins. On Sunday the Bears D sunk to new depths of lousy as Rodgers went after them again and again and again and again and again and again. Jordy Nelson took advantage of a unique Bears defense that was something seldom seen outside of a sandlot. With Nelson split right he was facing 1) a CB in zone coverage with 2) the LB’s in man coverage and 3) S Ryan Mundy in a single high safety. As Nelson streaked down the sideline he threw his hand up hoping to catch Rodgers attention as he was left uncovered. As soon as Rodgers saw the gaffe he launched a rainbow that fell into Nelson’s arms as he did his patented two step sideline drag to yank down another TD. Nelson also had a 73 yard catch and run that was a clinic in how not to cover a team’s most dangerous receiver. Chicago was been brutalized repeatedly by Rodgers for the defensive missed calls and errors.

 

The only blemish on the Pack’s offensive output was Randall Cobb’s fumble into the end zone when he tried to stretch his 5’10” frame into 6’9”. It is worth mentioning in a game in which Chicago continually shot themselves in the foot that this will be recorded as the fumble that never was as Chicago rookie Kyle Fuller drew a 15 yard penalty for unnecessary stupidity. Cobb more than made up for the ‘whoops!’ moment when he had a highlight reel one handed leaping, falling, tumbling, and rolling snag to add to his TD total for the year.

 

The Packers had a game of nothing but highlights. TE Brandon Bostic had a TD grab as did fellow TE Andrew Quarless who chipped in with 2. In a game littered with ‘did you see that?’ plays perhaps the Packers finest moment came on what is certain to become a staple in the Pack’s game plan. Eddie Lacy’s talent continues to expand, especially in the passing game. Mike McCarthy has meshed Lacy’s catching ability into the offense, and he called for a screen pass that featured the Pack’s offensive unit in their best play as a group all year. Every member of the offense had a key contribution.

 

Rodgers took the snap and the interior linemen – G’s Josh Sitton playing with a torn toe ligament and T.J. Lang coming off an ankle injury and rookie C Corey Linsley - held their blocks long enough to set up a screen pass. As T’s David Bahktiari and Bryan Bulaga held the fort Rodgers put a soft touch throw into Lacy’s hands. Lacy in turn demonstrated remarkable patience as he waited for the blocking to develop and then put on a burst of speed as he cut between Sitton and Lang and scampered across the field. The Packer’s receivers are more than TD producers. Cobb led the downfield blocking and Nelson came streaking from out of nowhere to seal the last lane as Lacy took it the whole way home.

The Packers had much more than just offense. The bye week did wonders for a defense ranked last against the run. Against the Bears dangerous Matt Forte they were stout and not only kept Forte bottled up by taking a big lead they forced the Bears into a passing game. Forte was limited to but 55 yards on the ground and was never able to get untracked and a big reason was the adjustment DC Dom Capers made during the bye week. Capers moved OLB Clay Matthews to the inside where Matthews wreaked havoc all night. The Packers’ sack specialist added to that total as well as provide a highlight reel hit of his own. As the Bears attempted a jet sweep reverse with WR Chris Williams, the type of play Seattle deployed with the now departed Percy Harvin that worked to perfection, Matthews attacked the flank and was planted right in Williams’ path and then in his face as soon as he took the ball. With nary more than a shoulder shrug Matthews stunned the poor sap in a collision that barely made Matthews flinch.

The epitome of Cutler’s ineptitude was the clunker he tossed that hit his owner blocker in the head and bounced into the hands of Hayward.  The move Capers made switching Matthews inside was nothing short of brilliant and for the D was the shot in the arm they needed. With Matthews now patrolling the inside Julius Peppers and Nick Perry were able to play the outside with little dropoff. 2^nd year man Sam Barrington also played well as he garnered more reps and Barrington had a monster sack on 4^th down when he tore through the middle unblocked. Against the run happy Bears the Packers oft-criticized D stuffed the run repeatedly holding Forte to a mere 55 yards on the ground.

Special teams also had their moment to shine when forgotten WR Jarrett Boykin slipped unmolested through a Bears breakdown in blocking to block a punt. Boykins burst was so quick he almost overran the punter but was able to block the punt with his foot, a play that set up another Aaron Rodgers TD throw.

Unlike Peyton Manning who refused to come out of the game against Oakland Rodgers’ night was done in the middle of the 3^rd period once again. Rodgers has not had the benefit of throwing unnecessary TD’s that a certain first ballot Hall of Famer has but Rodgers is far less about individual numbers as opposed to team numbers.

For the Bears this loss may have long term implications. Cutler’s stock has fallen so far he is beginning to have poll numbers akin to another Illinois former favorite whose approval rating in the White House is right in line with Cutler’s QB rating against Green Bay. Certainly head coach Marc Trestman’s seat just got very hot. The Packers were able to jump in their cars and head home to the warmth of a playoff hunt while Chicago had a gloomy flight back and will faced merciless scrutiny for the egg they laid.

As Green Bay looks ahead suddenly opponents are going to have to account for Matthews in the middle.

And Nelson on the outside.

And Lacy on the screen pass.

And Cobb on a slant.

And Rodgers.

For the Bears, their season is over. But for the Packers?

Oh, boy… the ride is just starting.