Packers Thrash Bears 23-10

As usual, I’ll leave the play-by-play to other sites better suited to them. The Packers got out to a 13-0 lead at halftime and let the Bears lose the rest of the game. Ugly game for Bears fans.

Suffice it to say that Chicago self-destructed in this one and it started with trash-talking the Packers’ defense a few days ago. League Crybaby Jay Cutler was so overconfident after their game against the vaunted Colts defense that his already over-inflated ego had to taunt the team they were about to play.

I might just go look and find out what the Chicago newspapers say about him online tomorrow. He has yet to mature but he better learn from the experience of Clay Matthews and his four – yes, FOUR – sacks. He hit him numerous other times as well…all legal hits. Cutler was sacked 7 times on the night and yes, he continued his picky ways with tossing 4 interceptions.

Sept 13, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte (22) is stopped by Green Bay Packers defenders during the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE

Looks like he made a donation for every Clay Matthews sack.

AR-12’s night was better, with 219 yards and a TD and a pick. The INT was a result of his receiver breaking off the route in a scramble and going away from the quarterback. When the QB is under duress, you need to come back to the football.

Both Rodgers and Cutler had an interception that was the result of that not happening. One of Cutler’s interceptions was on a mid-range throw to Earl Bennett, who stood there and let the ball come to him while Charles Woodson jumped in front of the pass for his 55th career interception.

What did we learn?

We learned Green Bay apparently CAN run the ball if they put their minds to it after all. Cedric Benson had 81 rushing and 35 receiving yards. I doubt he’s still around in many fantasy league waiver wires, but he might be around in some 10-team leagues, depending.

Speaking of RBs, the Bears’ Matt Forte left in the third quarter with his own Cedric Bensonmum (hat tip to Sir Alec Guiness as the blind butler in “Murder by Death”) – mimicking performance with an ankle injury. Early word is a sprained ankle but no details other than that so far.

The Bears offense ran up the score with 41 against Indy last week. Conclusions:

1) The Indy defense was neglected in the top end of the 2012 draft and MLB Pat Angerer is out. They’re horrible.

2) The Bears’ offensive line seems every bit as bad as last year’s was.

3) The Packers’ defense is a little better than thought in the preseason, but they played over their heads tonight…against a bad line. Brandon Marshall dropped a wide-open perfect pass in the end zone. In the second quarter, the Packers ran a successful fake FG out of the blue with a shuttle pass inside from the holder to TE Tom Crabtree who came across the formation behind the line, took the ball that holder Tim Masthay flipped to him around the right end and didn’t stop until he hit paydirt 27 yards later.

Subtract the extra 4 if they kick the FG, and it’s a 19-17 game. That’s two plays completely blown by the Bears. And if the 44-yard would-be attempt had missed, the Bears win 17-16. So, what happened was more a confluence of events that allowed the defense to shine than anything else. They were playing with an early lead against a team with a bad line.

4) The Packers really are mortal. After 4 turnovers and the exit of Forte from the game, they only had 23 points and Rodgers was pressured at times. AR-12’s a good scrambler who buys time to throw. The offense still isn’t running that smoothly (for the Packers) and the long interlude until their game next weekend will help answer those questions since they’ll have extra time to prepare.

At least this week, I got off to a 1-0 start since I had the Pack winning by ten. Woo, look at me going out on a limb…

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