Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears: 2013 Game 15
Unfiltered game day blog post of comments, observations and first impressions.
GAME NOTES:
Aaron Rodgers sitting out again is of course the top story line. The Packers seem to go out of their way to prove that injury decisions are not influenced by winning or losing.
Does Matt Flynn have another week of magic left in that feeble arm?
The Steelers are playing much better of late and are a team that won’t be affected by playing in snow and/or cold weather.
Today’s game is the first time the teams have met since Super Bowl XLV.
Today’s captains for the Packers will be C/G Evan Dietrich-Smith (offense), S Morgan Burnett (defense) and CB Micah Hyde (special teams).
Inactives for today’s game:
Green Bay Packers
13 WR Chris Harper
20 CB Jumal Rolle
52 LB Clay Matthews
59 LB Brad Jones
65 G Lane Taylor
73 C/G JC Tretter
98 DE C.J. Wilson
Starting lineup changes: 57 LB Jamari Lattimore starts for Jones, 55 LB Andy Mulumba starts for Matthews, and 96 LB Mike Neal will start for 53 LB Nick Perry, who is active.
Chicago Bears
2 QB Jordan Palmer
76 T Joe Long
78 T/G James Brown
79 T Jonathan Scott
80 WR Earl Bennett
82 WR Chris Williams
94 DE Cornelius Washington
Chicago Bears
Mike McCarthy Pregame Show on 620 WTMJ:
One game: Everything you do throughout the whole preseason, regular season, the ups and downs, all comes down to one game. Means our whole season.
Reprieve by Bears loss: : Obviously it was a lift – it was microcosm of our season -it’s been so up and down.
Rodgers rust?: I can’t really worry about it. He’s practiced for 3 weeks. We have great faith in him as the leader of our offense. We feel they may try to be aggressive with us.
Cobb: We’re going to ge him in on some plays and see how it goes. Not practical for Randall to play 50 plays today.
Lacy: Eddie will start the game and we’ll see how he goes. We feel good about our one-two punch with he and Starks. Khalil Bell will also get some chances today.
Cutler. Very talented…can make all the throws. The man’s played a lot of football…he gets better and better with each opportunity in this new offense.
Offense: Totally different…do a great job with Matt Forte running the football…a lot of underneath, controlled passing game…more of a traditional west coast offense.
GB Defense: Throw the statistics out. It’s a one game season. We”re gearing up to get stops, get takeaways and get after these guys.
Turnovers: Turnover ratio a huge factor in the outcome of football games. hasn’t been our best year, but we practice it every day and we’ve done better the last few weeks.
Special teams: Ball placement is at a premium today. Field position will be be a primary factor in the outcome of this game, due to the elements and conditions.
Conditions: We have a weather assessment plan. Process has already started. We’ll go through the pregame and assess and if we need to change the game plan, we will.
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Packers vs. Bears – First Impressions – First Half:
Packers win the toss and defer. How do they win so many coin tosses?
Hester with a 39yd return to start the game plus 15 on a dumb penalty after the play. Chicago in Packers territory.
Tramon Williams jumps the slant to Jeffrey on third down and breaks up the pass. Three and out. Nice start.
So good to see #12 behind center again.
Rodgers gets his first pass to Boykin out of the way early…
Lacy looks like he’s being a little more careful with his steps today. And Pack will probably not overwork him either.
An almost eight minute Packers drive ends with a rare Rodgers interception in the end zone. Rodgers had Boykin, but probably never saw Chris Conte underneath.
Gotta give Conte credit there for anticipating where Rodgers was going and coming off Quarless to get into the throwing lane.
And then the Bears march down the field and get seven. Saw that coming, didn’t you?
Why does Shields not clock Forte at the goal line? Sure he still scores, but make him pay, no?
Score at end of 1st quarter: CHI 7 GB 0
Randall Cobb in for the first time.
Jeez, ball behind Nelson, bounces off his hand. interception Chicago. Luckily, three and out.
Even though the Packers haven’t gotten to Cutler, when there has been pressure in his face, he has not made good throws…
Rodgers purposefully turning to fall on his healthier shoulder as McClellin approaches.
No doubt who Rodgers; favorite receiver is… Nelson five catches for 80 yds already.
I love the shotgun handoff on 2nd and 12. When the Bears do it.
Another three and out. Third one from the Bears, yet they lead 7-3.
Eddie Lacy… putting fear into the hearts of defensive backs everywhere…
Excellent vision by Starks on a cut back to the back side. Finds a big hole, 8 yds,.
I’m yelling at the TV, PICK IT UP!!!! PICK IT UP!!!! PICK IT UP!!!! Rodgers fumble. Boykin eventually picks it up and scores a touchdown.
Under 3 minutes left in the half. I’m feeling an INT here from Cutler.
Well, no INT, but a fumble recovery. That will do just fine.
Note to Burnett: DO NOT LATERAL THE BALL.
Crosby splitting the uprights again, Another perfect-looking kick. That’s great news…
Weird game. Packers have thrown 2 interceptions, fumbled once and muffed a punt, yet lead 13-7.
Score at end of 1st half: GB 13 CHI 7
Packers vs. Bears – First Impressions – Second Half:
Third and one and the call is a slant pass? why? So much for my plan of a nice long tine-consuming drive to start the half.
And of course, Hester with a big return and the Bears ride Forte to seven points.
Another third and one. This time a handoff and Starks finds a big hole and rambles for 40+ yards.
Randall Cobb hits the stat sheet with his first reception – and it happened to be a TD.
Watching this game, there is no doubt to me who the much better team is. Doesn’t mean the Packers will win, however.
Is Morgan Burnett usually in on kickoff coverage? Becasue he just was. Wonder if that’s a reaction to Hester’s success today.
Jeez, I’m sitting here saying, they’re going to take a deep shot here…
And… 67yd completion to Alshon Jeffrey. Burnett MIA with the safety help Shields was handing Jeffrey off to. Forte scores on next play.
Why should this team do anything the easy way?
Lots of “Fire capers” rants on twitter. Look, I’m no Capers apologist, but when players do stupid things, or just suck on a play, blame the players first.
Score at end of 3rd quarter: GB 20 CHI 14
Packers defense continues with mental mistakes.
Gotta laugh… Forte looking dog tired. He’s had kind of a busy day…
Mike McCarthy with the right decision not to challenge the spot (which was a bad spot) and just go for it on fourth and inches.
Thought it was actually another bad spot on the next play, but it was good enough for the first on the famous Kuhn dive.
Packers living dangerously – another 4th down. This time a conversion on a very low pass to Nelson. Just barely kept it off the ground.
And now it’s fourth and eight. Packers not in field goal range. Bears bring the house, Rodgers escapes and finds Cobb all alone for the go ahead TD. 38 seconds to play, Packers by five.
Final Score: GB 33 CHI 28
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Jersey Al Bracco is the founder and editor of AllGreenBayPackers.com, and the co-founder of Packers Talk Radio Network. He can be heard as one of the Co-Hosts on Cheesehead Radio and is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.
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Just incredible! Not sure how this year got to where we’re at, someone smiled upon the green and gold. The contenders in superbowl race just got fewer, and the pack is still among them. For those that think our coach, managers and players suck, just be glad you’re a packer fan – would you trade places with a bear, Viking or lion fan? I hope not. Here’s to a new start for us, we’re on the same footing with everyone left in the race – and we have a fresh qb and cobb. What a boost! I love it. What a season!
I’m glad Rodgers has a game under his belt so he’s a little sharper next week. His clock management and accuracy were both off today.
I also hope that it’s very cold next week and the nines don’t know what hit them when they take the field
it sucks that CM3 ,Jolly and Hayward are out, because we would have a decent chance of beating the niners next week.,
you guys have said it all. great game, great victory! enjoy it Packers and Packers fans, you’ve earned the opportunity to celebrate! WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!
WAHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope it’s cold in Green Bay next weekend!
Only complaints for the game:
1) Why the hell is Jennings still starting on defense?
2) In the words of Lombardi, “what the hell’s going on out there” with Jennings reinserted to start the 2nd Half???
BJ has just played himself out of town and Daniels keeps making himself a more important piece of the future. Glad to see Mulumba play well and pick up his first sack. I really wish Perry didn’t have the awfullest injury luck of having an OG fall on his foot after forcing a game changing fumble!
Gentlemen:
This old Irish [retired] Nun has but two things to say: 1. That Irish kid can sure coach! and 2. Never underestimate a novena to St. Jude [Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes!]when you are on the 48 yard line with 4th & 8. Thank you for prayers answered.
From Green Bay!
Love, Martha
I’ll admit that after the Thanksgiving massacre, I thought the Pack should just lose out the rest of the year and rebuild through the draft. I was dead wrong. They kept fighting, won the division and are in the playoffs! I’m a very proud Packer fan today!
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