Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New resources
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Resources
Latest reviews
Search resources
Members
Current visitors
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Open Football Discussion
Green Bay Packers Fan Forum
Packers vs Bears: Previews & Predictions
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="TOPHAT" data-source="post: 194901" data-attributes="member: 781"><p><strong>JSOnline Preview</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=698027" target="_blank">http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=698027</a></p><p></p><p><strong>Preview: Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears</strong> <strong>Line: Packers by 9.</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>FIVE THINGS TO WATCH</strong></p><p></p><p>1.<strong>SUPER BOWL HANGOVER</strong>: Since 2001, the 2006 Seattle Seahawks were the only reigning Super Bowl runner-up to reach the playoffs the following year. The Bears will make it six of seven Super Bowl losers that flopped the following year. Chicago has 12 players on injured reserve, including four starters. But the Bears' problems go far deeper than injury.</p><p></p><p><strong>2.DESPERATE TIMES, DESPERATE MEASURES?</strong> Chicago has tried - and failed with - Rex Grossman and Brian Griese at quarterback this season. So the Bears are going with former Purdue standout Kyle Orton. Orton, a fourth-round draft choice in 2005, started 15 games as a rookie and went 10-5. But Orton was far from impressive, throwing more interceptions (13) than touchdowns (nine) and completing 51.6% of his passes. </p><p></p><p><strong>3.NO BITE:</strong> A year ago, Chicago ranked third in scoring defense, fifth in total defense and first in yards per play. At the end of the season, Bears coach Lovie Smith dumped defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and replaced him with Bob Babich, his longtime sidekick. The results have been awful. Following Monday night's game, Chicago ranked 29th in total defense, 26th against the pass and 25th vs. the run.</p><p></p><p><strong>4.WINDY CITY FLYER: Chicago's Devin Hester</strong>, in just his second year, already is regarded in many circles as the best return man in NFL history. In his first 30 regular season games, Hester had 10 touchdowns and also had a kick return for a touchdown to open Super Bowl XLI. Most teams have elected to kick away from Hester or simply boot the ball out of bounds in recent weeks. Expect Green Bay to do the same.</p><p></p><p><strong>5.HIS TOWN:</strong> Brett Favre has made 15 starts in Chicago since becoming Green Bay's starting quarterback in 1992. Amazingly, Favre is 13-2 in those games. His only losses came in 1993 and 2005. Overall, Favre is 22-9 against the Bears, and they'll certainly welcome the day when Favre decides to retire. </p><p></p><p><strong>MATCHUPS</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>QUARTERBACKS</strong> Kyle Orton hadn't started a game in nearly two years, and then got the call Monday night in Minnesota. Orton, who was the Bears' third-stringer all season, showed why he was buried by posting a miserable 59.5 passer rating. Orton went 10-5 starting for an outstanding Chicago team in 2005, but his passer rating was a pedestrian 59.7 that year. Green Bay's Brett Favre now owns every significant passing record in NFL history and was named to his ninth Pro Bowl Tuesday. <strong>ADVANTAGE: Packers</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>RUNNING BACKS</strong> Chicago traded steady Thomas Jones in the off-season and put all of its eggs in Cedric Benson's basket. The move was a colossal disaster. Benson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2005 draft, averaged just 3.4 yards per carry and 61.3 yards per game before going on injured reserve Nov. 28 with a lower left leg injury. That left the Bears with Adrian Peterson (no, not that one) and 5-foot-7 Garrett Wolfe. The Packers have caught lightning in a bottle with Ryan Grant this season (799 yards, 4.8 average), but will miss fullback Korey Hall this week. <strong>ADVANTAGE: Packers</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>RECEIVERS </strong> When it comes to catching touchdowns, Green Bay's Greg Jennings has become Mr. Automatic. Jennings has 12 touchdowns in 12 games this year and has scored five straight weeks. Koren Robinson seems to be shaking off the rust. Chicago found a keeper at tight end last April in first round pick Greg Olsen (34 catches, 346 yards, 2 touchdowns). <strong>ADVANTAGE: Packers</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>OFFENSIVE LINE</strong> Chicago's group got old and declined rapidly. They're a big reason the Bears rank dead last in the NFL in rushing offense at 78.4 yards per game. Favre hasn't been sacked since the Packers' 10th game of the year. <strong>ADVANTAGE: Packers</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>DEFENSIVE LINE</strong> Chicago has plummeted from 11th against the run in 2006 to 25th this season. A big reason has been the loss of defensive tackles Tank Johnson (released), Dusty Dvoracek (knee) and Anthony Adams (elbow). Green Bay's Aaron Kampman has 12 sacks. <strong>ADVANTAGE: Packers</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>LINEBACKERS</strong> Chicago's Brian Urlacher has gone through a tough year in which he's battled a back injury and had a child custody battle off the field. Lance Briggs will be a free agent this off-season, and if he hits the market, could be staring at a monster contract. Green Bay's Nick Barnett continued his fantastic season in St. Louis, with a game-high 13 tackles, two sacks and two quarterback hurries. <strong> ADVANTAGE: Bears</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>SECONDARY</strong> The Bears got standout Nathan Vasher back Monday after he'd missed 10 games with a groin injury. He and Charles Tillman form arguably the NFC's best cornerback tandem. Packer safety Atari Bigby is coming off his best NFL game, with two interceptions against St. Louis. But Al Harris has faded badly in the second half of the season and has allowed touchdown passes in three straight games. <strong>ADVANTAGE: Packers</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>SPECIAL TEAMS </strong> Green Bay's units are on fire. The Packers scored two touchdowns against Oakland in Week 14, then had their most complete day in years vs. St. Louis. But Chicago return ace Devin Hester, he of the 10 touchdowns in 30 career games, is already the best to ever play the position. <strong>ADVANTAGE: Bears</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>COACHING</strong> Green Bay's Mike McCarthy has sprinted to a 20-10 record in his first 30 games. Bears coach Lovie Smith made a terrible mistake this off-season when he replaced defensive coordinator Ron Rivera with pal Bob Babich. <strong>ADVANTAGE: Packers</strong></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="TOPHAT, post: 194901, member: 781"] [b]JSOnline Preview[/b] [url]http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=698027[/url] [b]Preview: Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears[/b] [b]Line: Packers by 9.[/b] [b]FIVE THINGS TO WATCH[/b] 1.[b]SUPER BOWL HANGOVER[/b]: Since 2001, the 2006 Seattle Seahawks were the only reigning Super Bowl runner-up to reach the playoffs the following year. The Bears will make it six of seven Super Bowl losers that flopped the following year. Chicago has 12 players on injured reserve, including four starters. But the Bears' problems go far deeper than injury. [b]2.DESPERATE TIMES, DESPERATE MEASURES?[/b] Chicago has tried - and failed with - Rex Grossman and Brian Griese at quarterback this season. So the Bears are going with former Purdue standout Kyle Orton. Orton, a fourth-round draft choice in 2005, started 15 games as a rookie and went 10-5. But Orton was far from impressive, throwing more interceptions (13) than touchdowns (nine) and completing 51.6% of his passes. [b]3.NO BITE:[/b] A year ago, Chicago ranked third in scoring defense, fifth in total defense and first in yards per play. At the end of the season, Bears coach Lovie Smith dumped defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and replaced him with Bob Babich, his longtime sidekick. The results have been awful. Following Monday night's game, Chicago ranked 29th in total defense, 26th against the pass and 25th vs. the run. [b]4.WINDY CITY FLYER: Chicago's Devin Hester[/b], in just his second year, already is regarded in many circles as the best return man in NFL history. In his first 30 regular season games, Hester had 10 touchdowns and also had a kick return for a touchdown to open Super Bowl XLI. Most teams have elected to kick away from Hester or simply boot the ball out of bounds in recent weeks. Expect Green Bay to do the same. [b]5.HIS TOWN:[/b] Brett Favre has made 15 starts in Chicago since becoming Green Bay's starting quarterback in 1992. Amazingly, Favre is 13-2 in those games. His only losses came in 1993 and 2005. Overall, Favre is 22-9 against the Bears, and they'll certainly welcome the day when Favre decides to retire. [b]MATCHUPS[/b] [b]QUARTERBACKS[/b] Kyle Orton hadn't started a game in nearly two years, and then got the call Monday night in Minnesota. Orton, who was the Bears' third-stringer all season, showed why he was buried by posting a miserable 59.5 passer rating. Orton went 10-5 starting for an outstanding Chicago team in 2005, but his passer rating was a pedestrian 59.7 that year. Green Bay's Brett Favre now owns every significant passing record in NFL history and was named to his ninth Pro Bowl Tuesday. [b]ADVANTAGE: Packers[/b] [b]RUNNING BACKS[/b] Chicago traded steady Thomas Jones in the off-season and put all of its eggs in Cedric Benson's basket. The move was a colossal disaster. Benson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2005 draft, averaged just 3.4 yards per carry and 61.3 yards per game before going on injured reserve Nov. 28 with a lower left leg injury. That left the Bears with Adrian Peterson (no, not that one) and 5-foot-7 Garrett Wolfe. The Packers have caught lightning in a bottle with Ryan Grant this season (799 yards, 4.8 average), but will miss fullback Korey Hall this week. [b]ADVANTAGE: Packers[/b] [b]RECEIVERS [/b] When it comes to catching touchdowns, Green Bay's Greg Jennings has become Mr. Automatic. Jennings has 12 touchdowns in 12 games this year and has scored five straight weeks. Koren Robinson seems to be shaking off the rust. Chicago found a keeper at tight end last April in first round pick Greg Olsen (34 catches, 346 yards, 2 touchdowns). [b]ADVANTAGE: Packers[/b] [b]OFFENSIVE LINE[/b] Chicago's group got old and declined rapidly. They're a big reason the Bears rank dead last in the NFL in rushing offense at 78.4 yards per game. Favre hasn't been sacked since the Packers' 10th game of the year. [b]ADVANTAGE: Packers[/b] [b]DEFENSIVE LINE[/b] Chicago has plummeted from 11th against the run in 2006 to 25th this season. A big reason has been the loss of defensive tackles Tank Johnson (released), Dusty Dvoracek (knee) and Anthony Adams (elbow). Green Bay's Aaron Kampman has 12 sacks. [b]ADVANTAGE: Packers[/b] [b]LINEBACKERS[/b] Chicago's Brian Urlacher has gone through a tough year in which he's battled a back injury and had a child custody battle off the field. Lance Briggs will be a free agent this off-season, and if he hits the market, could be staring at a monster contract. Green Bay's Nick Barnett continued his fantastic season in St. Louis, with a game-high 13 tackles, two sacks and two quarterback hurries. [b] ADVANTAGE: Bears[/b] [b]SECONDARY[/b] The Bears got standout Nathan Vasher back Monday after he'd missed 10 games with a groin injury. He and Charles Tillman form arguably the NFC's best cornerback tandem. Packer safety Atari Bigby is coming off his best NFL game, with two interceptions against St. Louis. But Al Harris has faded badly in the second half of the season and has allowed touchdown passes in three straight games. [b]ADVANTAGE: Packers[/b] [b]SPECIAL TEAMS [/b] Green Bay's units are on fire. The Packers scored two touchdowns against Oakland in Week 14, then had their most complete day in years vs. St. Louis. But Chicago return ace Devin Hester, he of the 10 touchdowns in 30 career games, is already the best to ever play the position. [b]ADVANTAGE: Bears[/b] [b]COACHING[/b] Green Bay's Mike McCarthy has sprinted to a 20-10 record in his first 30 games. Bears coach Lovie Smith made a terrible mistake this off-season when he replaced defensive coordinator Ron Rivera with pal Bob Babich. [b]ADVANTAGE: Packers[/b] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Members online
Pkrjones
Latest posts
Is it time?
Latest: Sanguine camper
Today at 10:47 AM
Green Bay Packers Fan Forum
Da Bears new head coach!!!!!
Latest: Calebs Revenge
Today at 10:19 AM
NFL Discussions
Pre Look WR Predictions
Latest: Pkrjones
Today at 10:00 AM
Green Bay Packers Fan Forum
State of our former QB, Aaron Rodgers
Latest: Pokerbrat2000
Today at 9:44 AM
Aaron Rodgers Discusson
Badger Volleyball 2025-26
Latest: Pokerbrat2000
Today at 9:27 AM
Wisconsin Badgers Forum
Forums
Open Football Discussion
Green Bay Packers Fan Forum
Packers vs Bears: Previews & Predictions
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…
Top
