Packer Post Bears Game

[pbmax]

Crabtree injured a hamstring

[pbmax]

Packer Report ‏@PackerReport
McCarthy made no bones about it. Crosby is the #Packers kicker. Period.

Packer Report ‏@PackerReport
MM-punt return: Aaron had just come off with an ankle and we had a couple injuries ... I felt that the potential for the big play was there

Packer Report ‏@PackerReport
MM on the punt return: Now, in the end, it’s not a good decision. Wish I had that back.

[RashanGary]

We're a different team right now with Clay. Our pass rush goes from bad to very good with one player, and our run defense is instantly better.

The way Shields has come back (played some very good zone defense today too), Woodson coming back, and Hayward's rise. . . . . Throw in a pass rush to the improved secondary and we're actually a dangerous defense. I think they're top 10 right now.

Running game was so/so, but steady enough to keep us in favorable down and distance. We're really rounding out down the stretch here. Crosby is the elephant in the room for me, but I really think the Packers are becoming one of the SB favorites right now. Getting healthy and playing our best at the right time.

Nelson will make a difference too. Nelson and Jones outside with Cobb and Jennings inside. . . Man, we could be something special. You need inside guys who can adjust to the zone defenses well. The two guys we have are about as savvy as they get in there. AR is going to be blessed down the stretch here, I think.

[pbmax]

Whoever does Mice and Men or Studs and Duds needs to mention Brad Jones. Had one bad play and a lot of good ones.

[pbmax]

Wilde with the question I think, off his Twitter and Sulia:

Jason Wilde ‏@jasonjwilde
I might be a drama queen, but Mike McCarthy isn't. The #Packers coach with a good quote on today's accomplishment:

Q: What does it mean to win the division title despite all the obstacles?

A: "I'm not a drama queen. It's great that we won the championship today. I feel good about it. I'm not trying to diminish anything here, but we're just getting started. We feel that way as a football team. I'm not trying to be arrogant. We feel we have a lot better football in front of us. This is an extremely important game for everybody involved today, but we fully expected to come in here and win this thing. We got the division championship and now we'll be focused on 11 wins next week at home against Tennessee."

[Joemailman]

Tauscher: "Watching the Bears offense almost makes you want to stop watching football."

[ThunderDan]

I guess I'll put Studs and Duds here instead of starting a different thread.

The Packers D dominated the Bears today. The Bears could only manage points off of a missed FG and two fumbles. A really bad call by MM on a lateral on a punt return kept the Bears in the game.

Studs:
James Jones had 5 catched for 60 yards and 3 TDs.
Randall Cobb had 6 cataches for 115 yards. His only negative in the game was he needs to make fair catches on some punts.
Jermichael Finley had another strong outing with 5 catches for 61 yards.
Dom Capers - The D held Chicago to 190 net yards for the game and held Cutler to 12-21 for 135 yards 1TD and 1INT. The Bears rushed the ball 23 times for 83 yards.
Mike Neal - Mr. Injury had 1.5 sacks on the game and provided a lot of push up the middle.
BJ Raji- he was in the Bears backfiled all day.
Sam Shields had a strong game. He got thrown at a lot and did great. He even got a defensive PI called on him when the WR facemasked him.

Duds:
Mason Crosby missed two 40 yard filed goals. The first one wasn't even close. If he makes either one the game is a breeze at the end. Instead the D needed to make a stop and did to finish the game.
Troy Aikman is horrible. I can't stand this clown. Julius Peppers lanches himself helmet to helmet with ARod and he can't understand why it was flagged.
MM and Shawn Slocum - The Packers had the game in hand and the Packers try a stupid trick play on a punt return and give the ball to the Bears in the Packers red zone. You can't give a team extra chance to score and win playoff football games.

[Brando19]

How can MM say Crosby is the Packers kicker...period??? That's just stupid. That moron kicker will end up costing us a shot at the Super Bowl.

[ThunderDan]

Ooops, have to put Clay Mattews on the Stud list also. While his stat line isn't impressive he sure changes the entire defense. I know the Bears have a bad O-line but Matthews sure opens up the pass rush for the Pack.

[red]

How can MM say Crosby is the Packers kicker...period??? That's just stupid. That moron kicker will end up costing us a shot at the Super Bowl.

In the playoffs you cant be looking at a 40 as a 50/50 chance. You gotta be confident that the kicker can hit that with no doubts.

M3 gave up on crosby today.

You gotta bring in someone else and at least take a look

Too many times this year a missed fg has "almost" cost us the game. We're at the stage now where a missed fg could cost us the season

[mmmdk]

People of Green Bay...break his leg ["Mandy"Crosby]

[rbaloha1]

My biggest takeaway was the poor officiating which resulted in three gifted Pass Interference calls. The personal foul on Peppers was questionable as well.

[pbmax]

My biggest takeaway was the poor officiating which resulted in three gifted Pass Interference calls. The personal foul on Peppers was questionable as well.

Hit the QB with helmet. Its not only a penalty but he will be fined as well.

No apologies to Bears fans after Shields gets called for PI while being facemasked.

A couple of calls went their way this week. Just evening things out :lol:

[red]

My biggest takeaway was the poor officiating which resulted in three gifted Pass Interference calls. The personal foul on Peppers was questionable as well.

you obviously just listened to aikmen crying and didn't look at the visual evidence being shown

peppers was knocked out on the play. how does that happen if he doesn't take a shot to the head? it had nothing to do with 2 steps, or launching himself. he went helmet to helmet. and it was pretty obvious

[SkinBasket]

My biggest takeaway was the poor officiating which resulted in three gifted Pass Interference calls. The personal foul on Peppers was questionable as well.



But overall this was one of the most lopsided officiating jobs I've ever seen. The OPI's on Jeffrey were ticky tack at best, then they let obvious jersey pulling by Shields go on the last long pass to Jeffrey go?

Jay gets hit with 2 hands to the face and there's no call, yet Peppers is in the air before Rodgers lets go of the ball and it's a late hit?

I don't usually like to complain about the refs because you can always find some calls going both ways that should or shouldn't be made. But we got slammed by quite a few huge bad calls.

Horseshit. 17 Looked like Ahmad Carroll out there, and wasn't smart enough to stop shoving Shields at the break of EVERY route even after it was obvious the officials were going to keep their eye on him. The slap and tickle Aikman was sobbing about between the two at the end that wasn't called on Shields was what you see at the end of just about any game and isn't going to get called a whole lot. I wouldn't have complained if it were called, but I wouldn't expect it to be called if the teams were reversed. Pepper's penalty was not questionable if you have eyeballs. He hit a QB helmet to helmet after the QB had released the ball. That's getting called. Especially when the defender leaps, or as others have termed it, launched, himself.

People complaining about the officiating are simply ignoring and excusing sloppy play. There was justification for each and every one of those calls.

[pbmax]

Wilde via Twitter and Sulia:

Jason Wilde ‏@jasonjwilde
Here's what #Packers QB Aaron Rodgers said about his ankle and the penalty on #Bears DE Julius Peppers: http://sulia.com/c/green-bay-packers/f/7445d400-bf21-4861-b4c5-b880f94073a0/?

"I was teasing 'Pepp,' I said, ‘Almost every time we play, you’re hitting me in the head,’ which he retorted back that it wasn’t a penalty. 'Pepp' and I have a good relationship. I feel like it was a big-time hit. I don’t know what happened to him on the play. I don’t know if I have that especially hard helmet or whatnot.

"(As for the ankle) I’m OK, I just kind of got my ankle fallen on on that third down, got hit a couple times. But overall, the protection was really good. They brought some pressures we hadn’t seen in a long time. Got to give them credit for the gameplan." 3 minutes ago

[red]

is anyone gonna mention the illegal contact down the field penalty on shields while he was being held and pushed down by the facemask?

[George Cumby]

Were the bears fans bitching about the 18 penalty fiasco a couple of years ago? The game in which the bears covered the spread, EXACTLY.

Shields shoulda' been called grabbing all of that jersey but other shit should've been called the other way.

It's a wash.

[pbmax]

Dan, put the Studs and Duds in their own thread. Not sure anyone is seeing it.

via Wilde, longer McCarthy on Crosby:

An even stronger quote from #Packers coach Mike McCarthy on the struggles of Mason Crosby and not changing kickers:
"We're going to go into work tomorrow and we're going to watch the tape and he's going to get down there and we're going to swing at it. We're not changing our kicker, so you can write that down right now. He's our guy. He needs to make those kicks. He knows that. We're at that time of year. We've been taking the long 50-yard opportunities preparing him to make the game-winner. So I have all the confidence when we line up at home in Lambeau that we're going to go out there and we're going to have our spot and we're going to have a field-position plan and we're going to line up and kick it when that opportunity comes. He has to do his part."

[RashanGary]

Raji had a big day. He was in the back field all day long. Both him and Neal had really good games up front, along with Matthews. That was a big difference in this game.

[Brando19]

In the playoffs you cant be looking at a 40 as a 50/50 chance. You gotta be confident that the kicker can hit that with no doubts.

M3 gave up on crosby today.

You gotta bring in someone else and at least take a look

Too many times this year a missed fg has "almost" cost us the game. We're at the stage now where a missed fg could cost us the season

Exactly. I don't trust Crosby with a 20 yard fg.

[denverYooper]

Raji had a big day. He was in the back field all day long. Both him and Neal had really good games up front, along with Matthews. That was a big difference in this game.

He's been looking strong since the Giants game.

[RashanGary]

We should do with Raji and Matthews what SF does with Smith and Smith.

[pittstang5]

We should do with Raji and Matthews what SF does with Smith and Smith.

Smith and Smith - wasn't that a tv show? Oh wait, it's Simon and Simon.

[mission]

Dan, put the Studs and Duds in their own thread. Not sure anyone is seeing it.

via Wilde, longer McCarthy on Crosby:

An even stronger quote from #Packers coach Mike McCarthy on the struggles of Mason Crosby and not changing kickers:
"We're going to go into work tomorrow and we're going to watch the tape and he's going to get down there and we're going to swing at it. We're not changing our kicker, so you can write that down right now. He's our guy. He needs to make those kicks. He knows that. We're at that time of year. We've been taking the long 50-yard opportunities preparing him to make the game-winner. So I have all the confidence when we line up at home in Lambeau that we're going to go out there and we're going to have our spot and we're going to have a field-position plan and we're going to line up and kick it when that opportunity comes. He has to do his part."

This scares the shit out of me and, frankly, has me leaning back to the old line of thinking that MM isn't a very good coach.

[mraynrand]

Whoever does Mice and Men or Studs and Duds needs to mention Brad Jones. Had one bad play and a lot of good ones.

excellent coverage on Forte; good coverage overall. Good pursuit. Terrible alignment on the TD - but was that his fault? How do you get in a position to have an ILB cover one of the better WRs in the game? Packers got schooled on that play.

[pbmax]

excellent coverage on Forte; good coverage overall. Good pursuit. Terrible alignment on the TD - but was that his fault? How do you get in a position to have an ILB cover one of the better WRs in the game? Packers got schooled on that play.

That's on of those position plays. He is supposed to use a technique to force the receiver to help. But it did not work out that way. Simlar to what happened to Perry versus San Fran.

[Jimx29]

"I'm not a drama queen. It's great that we won the championship today"

Championship?

[mraynrand]

That's on of those position plays. He is supposed to use a technique to force the receiver to help. But it did not work out that way. Simlar to what happened to Perry versus San Fran.

yeah, I don't really care much for that stuff, and I know they use it. As I said, they got schooled, I don't think it was Jone's fault so much, but I was screaming at the TV for leaving him so much room even before the snap. That had disaster written all over it. Other than the stupid special team's gaffs, that was the worst thing all day. Not too shabby taken together - with the grain of salt that the Bear's offense really is quite awful.

[pbmax]

"I'm not a drama queen. It's great that we won the championship today"

Championship?

Division Championship

[Guiness]

I saw somewhere that Lovie isn't getting an extension, and best case goes through a lame duck year. And that Josh McDaniels is being looked at as a possible replacement!!! O dear gawd, please let that happen!

[channtheman]

In regards to MM sticking with Crosby, I can only imagine that at this point in the season, you don't want to be saying "You know, we are going to be looking at our options and finding a new kicker this week." Anyone you pick up right now can't be much better (though that is debatable - Olindo Mare looked okay for the Bears today), and all MM can do right now is try to keep Crosby's confidence up. Gotta find a new kicker this offseason though.

[HarveyWallbangers]

In regards to MM sticking with Crosby, I can only imagine that at this point in the season, you don't want to be saying "You know, we are going to be looking at our options and finding a new kicker this week." Anyone you pick up right now can't be much better (though that is debatable - Olindo Mare looked okay for the Bears today), and all MM can do right now is try to keep Crosby's confidence up. Gotta find a new kicker this offseason though.

I'm not sure how much it has to do with today. I think it's more that they don't want to give up on a good kicker for the long-term interest of the team. (And yes, when you balance everything out, Crosby has been a good kicker.) It's frustrating, and there comes a point where you have to give up, but I think that's the line of thinking. They are just hoping like hell that Crosby can break out of his slump. Somewhat similar to James Jones when he was dropping all of those passes. Stick with the guy, and hope he turns it around. I'm pretty sure he'll have some competition next year though.

[Freak Out]

Cincinnati should be releasing a kicker soon...might be worth taking a look at.

[Fritz]

Cincinnati should be releasing a kicker soon...might be worth taking a look at.

Keeping Crosby is a calculated risk. The guy gets on track, makes big kicks in the playoffs, and M M adds a feather in hIs cap as a guy who has confidence in his players, a guy players love to play for, all that. I'm guessing Crosby is well-liked in the locker room - for slicker, anyway. And in addition mother Pack has a kicker for the next five years. It would be a big feel good story.

If Crosby fucks up though, you could,, potentially, lose a playoff game and the season.

Big risk, big reward.

[CaliforniaCheez]

http://1fan2allfans.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/20121213-220449.jpg?w=510


Isn't that Charlie Brown Christmas Tree worth a lot now?

[pittstang5]

If McCarthy is hell bent on keeping Crosby - I hope things change - this is what I'd like to see:

If I'm Crosby, I'm begging Slocum or whoever for extra practice time. Once they got back to GB, I'm at the practice facility doing whatever I can to figure what the hell is going wrong. I'm coming in early and staying late.

If I'm McCarthy - I'm bringing in a consultant/kicking specialist and telling him your on Crosby's ass until this is figured out - Crosby meet "Mr. Kicking Specialist" - he is your new best friend - you will eat, sleep and go to the bathroom with this guy. I want him on the sidelines for the rest of the season, coaching Crosby. The kid needs help, whether it's mental or mechanics. Somethings gotta change.

[Patler]

If McCarthy is hell bent on keeping Crosby - I hope things change - this is what I'd like to see:

If I'm Crosby, I'm begging Slocum or whoever for extra practice time. Once they got back to GB, I'm at the practice facility doing whatever I can to figure what the hell is going wrong. I'm coming in early and staying late.

If I'm McCarthy - I'm bringing in a consultant/kicking specialist and telling him your on Crosby's ass until this is figured out - Crosby meet "Mr. Kicking Specialist" - he is your new best friend - you will eat, sleep and go to the bathroom with this guy. I want him on the sidelines for the rest of the season, coaching Crosby. The kid needs help, whether it's mental or mechanics. Somethings gotta change.

I don't think added practice time will help. Yesterday Johnny Grey said he has watched Crosby in practices and pregame warm-ups, and everything he kicks is right down the center.

I'm afraid Crosby might be broken. Not sure if he has a self-repair program or not.

[mraynrand]

Just bring in the sports psychologist and hypnotize Crosby before the game. Convince him he is Jan Stenerud; that guy was the most level-headed, even-keeled kicker you'll ever find. Hell, BRING BLACK JAN!!!

[mraynrand]

Horseshit. 17 Looked like Ahmad Carroll out there, and wasn't smart enough to stop shoving Shields at the break of EVERY route even after it was obvious the officials were going to keep their eye on him. The slap and tickle Aikman was sobbing about between the two at the end that wasn't called on Shields was what you see at the end of just about any game and isn't going to get called a whole lot. I wouldn't have complained if it were called, but I wouldn't expect it to be called if the teams were reversed. Pepper's penalty was not questionable if you have eyeballs. He hit a QB helmet to helmet after the QB had released the ball. That's getting called. Especially when the defender leaps, or as others have termed it, launched, himself.

People complaining about the officiating are simply ignoring and excusing sloppy play. There was justification for each and every one of those calls.

How stupid does Aikman have to be to not know that helmet-to-helmet is instant penalty? The last PI on Shields wasn't called because it was between the two players, so it was hard for the ref to see, and Jeffery was not impeded in making a play for the ball; Shields didn't grab his hands or significantly redirect the receiver's motion. It was PI, and could have easily have been called, but it was really hard to see I think.

[CaliforniaCheez]

Just bring in the sports psychologist and hypnotize Crosby before the game. Convince him he is Jan Stenerud; that guy was the most level-headed, even-keeled kicker you'll ever find. Hell, BRING BLACK JAN!!!

Somebody put a hex on him. Once the hex and bad Ju Ju are removed things will be fine.

http://www.alizons-psychic-secrets.com/curse-removal.html

http://www.spellmaker.com/cleanseyou.htm

http://www.contactphelan.com/Hex-Removal-Services-In-Oklahoma-City-Oklahoma.html

[pbmax]

How stupid does Aikman have to be to not know that helmet-to-helmet is instant penalty? The last PI on Shields wasn't called because it was between the two players, so it was hard for the ref to see, and Jeffery was not impeded in making a play for the ball; Shields didn't grab his hands or significantly redirect the receiver's motion. It was PI, and could have easily have been called, but it was really hard to see I think.

That was hard to understand. It took two different Packer offenders for me to understand that was how the rule was meant to be called, but by Week 15 I get it. Aikman has to know better. I think he made an initial judgement and then decided he wasn't going to back off it despite replay.

[mraynrand]

Time to exorcise the demons!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVoKlqbz1l4

[mraynrand]

That was hard to understand. It took two different Packer offenders for me to understand that was how the rule was meant to be called, but by Week 15 I get it. Aikman has to know better. I think he made an initial judgement and then decided he wasn't going to back off it despite replay.

I agree. But that dummy supposedly watches more football than the rest of us and should know the rules and how they're called. It's basically black and white: You make helmet-to-helmet contact, and it's a penalty; with respect to hits on the QB there is no leeway, unless the ref just misses it.

[pittstang5]

I don't think added practice time will help. Yesterday Johnny Grey said he has watched Crosby in practices and pregame warm-ups, and everything he kicks is right down the center.

I'm afraid Crosby might be broken. Not sure if he has a self-repair program or not.

I had a band director ask me a question one time, "Does practice make perfect?" Obviously, my response was yes. He shook his head and said, "Practice does not make perfect. Perfect Practice makes Perfect."

- Maybe Crosby isn't practicing "Perfectly." I'm probably reaching, but if we're going to have to deal with Crosby, status quo isn't working.

[RashanGary]

I usually really like Aikman, but he was commenting on that game like he had his rent money on the outcome. He seemed disappointed, almost pissed, every time the Packers made a play.

[George Cumby]

I usually really like Aikman, but he was commenting on that game like he had his rent money on the outcome. He seemed disappointed, almost pissed, every time the Packers made a play.

It would have made for more drama and therefore better ratings, had the Bears won. The Division would still be up in the air making the last week of the season all the more important.

[Patler]

How stupid does Aikman have to be to not know that helmet-to-helmet is instant penalty?


That was hard to understand. It took two different Packer offenders for me to understand that was how the rule was meant to be called, but by Week 15 I get it. Aikman has to know better. I think he made an initial judgement and then decided he wasn't going to back off it despite replay.

The aggravating thing yesterday was that neither Aikman nor Buck was content with commenting, restating and disagreeing with a call, they harped and harped about it for several plays after. Buck went back to the non-PI against Shields even after returning from an advertising break.

Aikman about Peppers might have been the worst. It was in the wide open space, and the helmet to helmet was blatantly obvious. On the field, I suspect there was a distinct sound from the helmet to helmet contact, making it an easy call for the official. Peppers seemed to knock himself goofy from it, when he sat up he looked around like a guy trying to figure out what was going on. Why Aikman didn't pick up on that aspect of the play is quite amazing. Even we fans know how helmet to helmet/head on the QB is being called, even on a picture perfect tackle like Perry's.

Peppers will be fined in all likelihood, and Aikman will look like even more of a fool for his rant on the play.

On a side note, maybe that helmet that Rodgers is wearing actually works. Peppers came away in a lot worse shape on the play than Rodgers did; although the impact was top/front of Peppers' helmet to side of Rodgers' helmet, so maybe that made a difference, too.

[denverYooper]

I saw somewhere that Lovie isn't getting an extension, and best case goes through a lame duck year. And that Josh McDaniels is being looked at as a possible replacement!!! O dear gawd, please let that happen!

Cutler, Marshall, and McDaniels would be one hell of a reunion. McD was the reason that Cutler got traded.

[Cheesehead Craig]

I think Aikman and Buck are just sick of doing Packers games given they have done so many of them. They get a break next week as the Pack are on CBS. If AP is under 200 away from the rushing record, they likely will get the Packers/Vikings game so Buck can get to have the record be his call.

[woodbuck27]

Wilde with the question I think, off his Twitter and Sulia:

Jason Wilde ‏@jasonjwilde
I might be a drama queen, but Mike McCarthy isn't. The #Packers coach with a good quote on today's accomplishment:

Q: What does it mean to win the division title despite all the obstacles?

A: "I'm not a drama queen. It's great that we won the championship today. I feel good about it. I'm not trying to diminish anything here, but we're just getting started. We feel that way as a football team. I'm not trying to be arrogant. We feel we have a lot better football in front of us. This is an extremely important game for everybody involved today, but we fully expected to come in here and win this thing. We got the division championship and now we'll be focused on 11 wins next week at home against Tennessee."

Good and I also believe our best Packer team is ahead of us. If we get the right pieces back and healthy we will make a statement in the playoffs.

We need a new kicker today. PLEASE !

GO PACKERS !

[hoosier]

Couldn't watch the game but saw Silverstein insisting on his live bloggy thing that there was no helmet-to-helmet. Granted, Silverstein is not always the sharpest tool in the shed, but he sounded very confident. Does anyone know of a video link for the Peppers penalty?

[denverYooper]

How stupid does Aikman have to be to not know that helmet-to-helmet is instant penalty? The last PI on Shields wasn't called because it was between the two players, so it was hard for the ref to see, and Jeffery was not impeded in making a play for the ball; Shields didn't grab his hands or significantly redirect the receiver's motion. It was PI, and could have easily have been called, but it was really hard to see I think.

The Niners and Seahawks could be called for 15 of those a game.

[denverYooper]

At the end of the day, the Packers deserve any questionable call that goes in their favor. They being the recipient one of the single worst game-changing series of calls that cost them a ballgame.

[Pugger]

How can MM say Crosby is the Packers kicker...period??? That's just stupid. That moron kicker will end up costing us a shot at the Super Bowl.

MM isn't going to throw him under the bus in public but they might bring in some kickers in the next couple of weeks if he doesn't come out of this funk.

[Patler]

Couldn't watch the game but saw Silverstein insisting on his live bloggy thing that there was no helmet-to-helmet. Granted, Silverstein is not always the sharpest tool in the shed, but he sounded very confident. Does anyone know of a video link for the Peppers penalty?

Really? It sure looked like helmet-to-helmet to me.

[denverYooper]

Really? It sure looked like helmet-to-helmet to me.

And Peppers certainly didn't help the case that it was not with his post-play reaction.

[Pugger]

Raji had a big day. He was in the back field all day long. Both him and Neal had really good games up front, along with Matthews. That was a big difference in this game.

It was good to see Neal in there and I hope he got out of the game alright. He can be a force but he can be rather fragile too.

[Patler]

And Peppers certainly didn't help the case that it was not with his post-play reaction.

Did he come back and play after that? It looked like he knocked himself loopy, which should have invoked the concussion protocol for him.

[Pugger]

How stupid does Aikman have to be to not know that helmet-to-helmet is instant penalty? The last PI on Shields wasn't called because it was between the two players, so it was hard for the ref to see, and Jeffery was not impeded in making a play for the ball; Shields didn't grab his hands or significantly redirect the receiver's motion. It was PI, and could have easily have been called, but it was really hard to see I think.

Aikman. :-P I'm glad I couldn't hear him over the din in the Packer bar yesterday.

[denverYooper]

Did he come back and play after that? It looked like he knocked himself loopy, which should have invoked the concussion protocol for him.

I think he did...

[SkinBasket]

How stupid does Aikman have to be to not know that helmet-to-helmet is instant penalty? The last PI on Shields wasn't called because it was between the two players, so it was hard for the ref to see, and Jeffery was not impeded in making a play for the ball; Shields didn't grab his hands or significantly redirect the receiver's motion. It was PI, and could have easily have been called, but it was really hard to see I think.

I don't know. That's my major gripe with Aikman. He decides 5-10 things in a game are "unfair" and doesn't let them go, even after replays show him to be wrong, and then he'll ignore and explain away other more egregious officiating errors that he doesn't feel are quite so "unfair." And Buck is a just a homo.

Like red mentioned, people want to complain the hit on Rodgers was "iffy" or that other WRs get away with the stuff 17 did every game, but don't have a problem that Shields getting his facemask grabbed and used to toss him out of bounds was called illegal contact on him. That was a the only call in the game that didn't have any kind of basis in reality.

All the griping does make the victory sweeter though. After the SEA game and several other phantom calls this season like the Luck hit, there's not going to be a lot of sympathy from Packer fans about poor officiating.

[Patler]

Like red mentioned, people want to complain the hit on Rodgers was "iffy" or that other WRs get away with the stuff 17 did every game, but don't have a problem that Shields getting his facemask grabbed and used to toss him out of bounds was called illegal contact on him. That was a the only call in the game that didn't have any kind of basis in reality.


Agreed, that was so bad I had to laugh. He did literally throw Shields to the ground by his face mask. Didn't seem like a difficult one to see, either; but maybe no one was in position to make the call.

It would be interesting to see how the officials are graded on this game.

[Bossman641]

I saw somewhere that Lovie isn't getting an extension, and best case goes through a lame duck year. And that Josh McDaniels is being looked at as a possible replacement!!! O dear gawd, please let that happen!

Where did you hear this? McDaniels is the guy who wanted Cutler out of Denver.

[mraynrand]

Goodell should fine Aikman before fining Peppers.

[mraynrand]

...Shields getting his facemask grabbed and used to toss him out of bounds was called illegal contact on him...

as a defensive back in the NFL, you have to know how to keep your facemask out of the receiver's hands.

[gbgary]

anything from mm on the failed trick play? i saw nothing on twitter about it. a Green Bay/chi game can't be played without some sort of trick play being debuted. one thing that aikman commented on that i did agree with was why we did such a thing with an iffy 2 score lead.

[pbmax]

Cutler, Marshall, and McDaniels would be one hell of a reunion. McD was the reason that Cutler got traded.

I am pbmax and I support this hire.

[pbmax]

Couldn't watch the game but saw Silverstein insisting on his live bloggy thing that there was no helmet-to-helmet. Granted, Silverstein is not always the sharpest tool in the shed, but he sounded very confident. Does anyone know of a video link for the Peppers penalty?

Don't have a video link, but it was absolutely helmet to helmet. But even if 'Spoon did not see the helmet to helmet, it was a defender hitting the QB with the crown of his helmet. That in and of itself is a flag.

[pbmax]

Agreed, that was so bad I had to laugh. He did literally throw Shields to the ground by his face mask. Didn't seem like a difficult one to see, either; but maybe no one was in position to make the call.

It would be interesting to see how the officials are graded on this game.

The theory in radio land is that McCarthy wore out both refs on his sideline about that miss and they might have seen in on the video board. Was called a little bit more in Shields favor after that.

[woodbuck27]

I think Aikman and Buck are just sick of doing Packers games given they have done so many of them. They get a break next week as the Pack are on CBS. If AP is under 200 away from the rushing record, they likely will get the Packers/Vikings game so Buck can get to have the record be his call.

I hate seeing these two knobs call any of our games. I really believe they don't like the Packers. Keep Troy Aikman in Texas. Buck in New York...break them up.

[woodbuck27]

I am pbmax and I support this hire.

:alc:

[George Cumby]

I hate seeing these two knobs call any of our games. I really believe they don't like the Packers. Keep Troy Aikman in Texas. Buck in New York...break them up.

Dude, Love is beautiful. It doesn't matter what it looks like. It's beautiful.

[LP]

McDaniels is the guy who wanted Cutler out of Denver.

Yes he did. He's also the guy who drafted Tim Tebow in the first round. Wonder what he give the Jets to get him back?

[hoosier]

Don't have a video link, but it was absolutely helmet to helmet. But even if 'Spoon did not see the helmet to helmet, it was a defender hitting the QB with the crown of his helmet. That in and of itself is a flag.

Given my inability to keep up with all the rule changes re. the QB (is a defender hitting the QB's shoulder with the helmet always a penalty) I have to declare defeat and acknowledge that, even if I saw the video, I might not be able say if it was really a penalty or not.

[woodbuck27]

Dude, Love is beautiful. It doesn't matter what it looks like. It's beautiful.


https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTa5LMRKx2ejNhG1xRrMh5XpEI6du9ms 54rv3ZrIp1KAq7rdDT4mA

and..... BUCK is a HOMO. I got that fr. a reliable source.

SkinBasket....and:

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTa5LMRKx2ejNhG1xRrMh5XpEI6du9ms 54rv3ZrIp1KAq7rdDT4mA

[woodbuck27]

One thing from yesterdays game that struck me was just how often Bears Rookie WR Alshon Jeffrey was targeted. He only has 19 receptions for 256 yards ( a LG of 42 ) and 3 TD's. He battled hard yesterday.

[red]

Where did you hear this? McDaniels is the guy who wanted Cutler out of Denver.

AND marshall

[Freak Out]

What good has Chicago gotten out of either of them? Wait....Cutler got them to the NFC Title game....only to bail.

[George Cumby]

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTa5LMRKx2ejNhG1xRrMh5XpEI6du9ms 54rv3ZrIp1KAq7rdDT4mA

and..... BUCK is a HOMO. I got that fr. a reliable source.

SkinBasket....and:

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTa5LMRKx2ejNhG1xRrMh5XpEI6du9ms 54rv3ZrIp1KAq7rdDT4mA

LOL!

I assume you meant JOE Buck, not WOOD Buck? Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[woodbuck27]

LOL!

I assume you meant JOE Buck, not WOOD Buck? Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Certainly.... as we're discussing the 'fantastic duo' of Troy Aikman and 'Boy Wonder Announcer' Joe Buck.

WOOD Buck doesn't exist to my knowledge but if he/she does then I'm sure he/she is swell.

I'm woodbuck27 ... just me.

[Freak Out]

Urcrapper went off on the fans after the game...for the horrible booing the Bears suffered at home. LOL. BEARDOWN!

[Joemailman]

Urcrapper went off on the fans after the game...for the horrible booing the Bears suffered at home. LOL. BEARDOWN!

I thought that was all the Packer fans yelling Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhn!!!

[digitaldean]

anything from mm on the failed trick play? i saw nothing on twitter about it. a Green Bay/chi game can't be played without some sort of trick play being debuted. one thing that aikman commented on that i did agree with was why we did such a thing with an iffy 2 score lead.

Rodgers was on NFLNetwork and he said it was a "not a very intelligent call". McCarthy sugarcoated it by saying in his post game PC that it was "not the highlight of my coaching career".
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/17/aaron-rodgers-punt-return-trick-play-not-a-very-intelligent-call/

[denverYooper]

Some stats from PFF via CHTV:
http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/statistical-look-from-pff-at-packers-vs-bears


15 of Rodgers’ 23 completions came over the middle third of the field, his most there all season. He was especially deadly in the middle on any throw past the line of scrimmage, where he completed 13 of 17 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown. Schematically, these numbers make sense; the Bears base pass defense is fundamentally weakest in the middle third of the field.

Rodgers used play-action on 34.9 percent of his dropbacks, by far the highest of the 2012 season. He was 8-of-11 for 83 yards on such plays.

No quarterback in Week 15 had a longer average time to throw, be sacked or scramble than Rodgers’ 3.03 seconds.

Pressures allowed by blocker: Marshall Newhouse four (two sacks, two hurries), T.J. Lang one (hurry), Jeff Saturday one (hurry), Josh Sitton zero and Don Barclay two (sack, hurry). Lang (+1.3), Sitton (+1.8) and Barclay (+1.6) received the highest grades in pass protection.

B.J. Raji’s +4.4 grade was the highest of his 2012 season. He played 44 snaps to lead the defensive linemen.

Sam Shields was targeted four times and allowed zero receptions. His three passes defensed led the team.

Casey Hayward intercepted the one pass targeted at his receiver. He played 28 snaps, with 24 coming in coverage.

Pressures by player: Clay Matthews two (two sacks), Mike Neal four (two sacks, two hurries), Dezman Moses two (two hurries), Raji one (quarterback hit), Jerel Worthy one (sack), Mike Daniels one (hurry).

Neal had the highest pass rush grade at +2.5.

Erik Walden played just 26 snaps, his lowest of the season. He did not provide a pressure. Moses played 32.

[woodbuck27]

Rodgers was on NFLNetwork and he said it was a "not a very intelligent call". McCarthy sugarcoated it by saying in his post game PC that it was "not the highlight of my coaching career".
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/17/aaron-rodgers-punt-return-trick-play-not-a-very-intelligent-call/

Here's video of the Aaron Rodgers interview I watched last evening ( Mon. 17 Dec. 2012) on NFL Access.

** Aaron Rodgers discuss's the game vs Bears and the Bears Vs Packers rivalry and specifically the 'H' word in terms of this rivalry.

** The weird play call on a Bear punt with 8:11 remaining in the 4th quarter that gave the ball back to the Bears offense after a Randall Cobb to WR Jeremy Ross lateral 'pass and flub' fr. the Green Bay 20 yard line.

** How the 2012 Packers compare to the 2010 Packers in terms of a Super Bowl run .... and more.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-player-interviews/0ap2000000113111/Rodgers-2012-Packers-reminiscent-of-2010-squad

GO PACK GO !