motife
09-06-2006, 05:12 PM
Packers' Next Opponent: Starting point
Packers hope to score another first-week upset of Bears
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Green Bay - Sunday afternoon will mark the 20th time that the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears have opened the regular season against one another, including the 10th meeting at Lambeau Field.
The opening-day series is tied, 9-9-1, but the Packers enjoy a 6-3 edge at Lambeau. Plus, three of those victories were regarded as upsets, which they'll be trying to pull off Sunday against a Bears team favored by 3½ points.
"I'd take the Bears," an assistant coach for one of Chicago's recent foes said. "But I always think that anybody can beat anybody in an opening game. You've usually got all your players and there's emotion. They're playing at Lambeau Field, so the Packers will be all stoked up."
In 1957, the Packers and coach Lisle Blackbourn celebrated the dedication of the new stadium by beating the Bears, 21-17, before a festive crowd of 32,132 fans and assorted dignitaries. Chicago had won the Western Conference title the year before.
Two years later, the legend of Vince Lombardi started on opening day when the Packers, coming off a 1-10-1 campaign, upended the Bears, 9-6, on Jim Taylor's 5-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Finally, in 1980, the Packers found themselves in almost comic disarray after their first winless exhibition season (0-4-1) since 1946. Yet, they found a way to rise up, limiting Walter Payton to 65 yards in 31 carries and winning in overtime on Chester Marcol's improbable 25-yard return of his own blocked field goal.
In order for coach Mike McCarthy to win his first game, he might have to follow the script laid out by Lombardi during his '59 debut. That is, hold the Bears to something like the 164 yards and 10 first downs that they had in that game and win it at the end.
"The one thing is the Bears' offense is nothing special right now," the coach said. "But if the Bears put (Brian) Griese in they might have something."
Yet, for the Packers to muster much of anything on offense against the league's stingiest defense last season might be an accomplishment.
"Green Bay may not cross the 50-yard line," an executive in personnel for another team said. "Green Bay might get 3. I see it 17-3. The Bears will stuff them."
Here is a look at the Bears based on interviews with coaches and scouts:
OFFENSE
SCHEME
Ron Turner is in the second season of his second stint as the team's play-calling coordinator. After running on 52.1% of the plays in 2005, Turner tried to work on the passing game in the exhibition season while running merely 45.3%. The Bears pull either of the guards in their gap-type running game and then throw a lot off play-action. Turner has roots in both the West Coast and Don Coryell offensive philosophies.
RECEIVERS
The Bears kept six wide receivers but don't have a true No. 1 and still aren't sure who's starting opposite Muhsin Muhammad (6 feet 2 inches, 215 pounds). Muhammad, 33, dropped 11 of 136 passes in '05. He's one of the few receivers who actually likes working inside and trading shots with people. His speed has diminished but he's still hard to tackle and to handle on jump balls. Bernard Berrian (6-1, 185), Mark Bradley (6-1½, 198), Justin Gage (6-4, 212) and Airese Currie (5-10½, 185) have done little despite being drafted between the second and fifth rounds since 2003. All four are nursing nagging injuries. Berrian can stretch the field but is timid in traffic. Bradley and Currie have good speed but can't stay on the field. Gage isn't bad along the sidelines but struggles to separate. The most productive of the six has been Rashied Davis (5-9, 183), a converted Arena League cornerback. He's not bad from the slot. TE Desmond Clark (6-3, 249) is starting for the fourth straight season almost by default. He has lost speed over the years but has improved as a blocker.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The starting unit of LT John Tait (6-6, 312), LG Ruben Brown (6-3, 300), C Olin Kreutz (6-2, 292), RG Roberto Garza (6-2, 305) and RT Fred Miller (6-6½, 314) returned intact. The leader is Kreutz, a Pro Bowl selection each of the last five seasons and a starter since 1999. He's quick, bright and aggressive bordering on dirty, according to some opponents. Tait, 31, and Miller, 33, operate differently but are almost equally effective. Tait is a finesse player who has more success blocking speed outside than power inside. Miller has survived 133 starts for St. Louis, Tennessee and Chicago because of his long arms and resourcefulness. He's probably a more physical run-blocker than Tait but isn't as good in space. Brown, the 14th pick by Buffalo in the '95 draft, has seen better days. He still has the strength to latch on in close quarters but had a rough summer when asked to do anything on the move. Garza, a former Falcon, is fast, strong and competitive.
QUARTERBACKS
The Bears might be barking up the wrong tree with Rex Grossman (6-1, 217), the 22nd pick in 2003. Limited to three starts in '04 by a blown knee and to two in '05 by a broken ankle, Grossman has lost precious developmental time. His arm is good, he's tough and at one time he was capable of big plays. But this summer he has just been another short guy making poor decisions and missing open receivers. Brian Griese (6-2, 214), who accepted a $4.5 million signing bonus in March, has been much more polished and accurate. The Bears are reluctant to anoint Griese because they know his ceiling, at age 31, is limited. Kyle Orton (6-4, 217) is No. 3.
RUNNING BACKS
The Bears wanted Cedric Benson (5-10½, 220) to start over Thomas Jones (5-9½, 215) but when Benson suffered a shoulder injury in early August the job reverted to Jones. Jones runs hard for his size, strings moves together, senses cutback lanes, picks up the blitz with gusto and is a skilled receiver. Benson, the fourth pick in '05, didn't play a down in exhibitions. He's a competitive workhorse with so-so speed and a fumbling problem. Adrian Peterson (5-9½, 210) is a tough, one-cut runner with limited speed and receiving ability. Incumbent FB Bryan Johnson (hamstring) is out for the year and has been replaced by Jason McKie (5-11, 243), a better receiver than blocker.
DEFENSE
SCHEME
Ron Rivera is in his third season coordinating the Cover 2 zone system that coach Lovie Smith brought with him from Tampa Bay and St. Louis. This summer, opponents were surprised by the amount of zone blitzing by Rivera. The Bears returned every starter from a platoon that allowed the fewest points (202) and second-fewest yards per game (281.8).
DEFENSIVE LINE
One of the league's finest units could be down to a third-string right end if Alex Brown (dislocated shoulder) and Israel Idonije (high ankle sprain) can't play. If they're out, the Bears probably would have to move NT Alfonso Boone (6-4, 318) outside. Idonije (6-6, 270) isn't nearly as good as Brown (6-3, 260) but he is active in his own way. Boone, with 14 starts in five seasons, isn't a bad run stuffer. The other end, Adewale Ogunleye (6-4½, 260), is coming off an excellent camp. He's best described as an athletic technician. He and Brown are relatively complete players. Tommie Harris (6-2½, 295), the three-technique DT, beats blockers off the ball because he's so quick and fast. NT Ian Scott (6-2½, 302), who had arthroscopic knee surgery Aug. 7, isn't 100% but will play. He isn't overly fast or strong but has a knack for splitting double teams and finding the ball. On passing downs, DT Tank Johnson (6-2½, 300) joins Harris inside. He made a rapid recovery from thigh surgery in March and is fast becoming a formidable interior rusher.
LINEBACKERS
MLB Brian Urlacher (6-3½, 258) is 28 and at the pinnacle of his career. Although Urlacher made more turnover-causing plays in his early years, he has developed into a smarter player. While retaining his sensational sideline-to-sideline range, he also plays the run at him better. And his ability to patrol the deep middle in Cover 2 zones enables the safeties to cheat outside. WLB Lance Briggs (6-0½, 240), who also went to the Pro Bowl last year, plays fast and makes sure, hard tackles all over the field. This is his contract year. SLB Hunter Hillenmeyer (6-4, 238), the Packers' fifth-round pick in '03, caught on with Chicago in September of that year and is entering his third season as a starter. Extremely intelligent (39 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test), he maximizes his limited ability.
SECONDARY
Two Pro Bowl players, RC Nathan Vasher (5-10, 180) and SS Mike Brown (5-10, 207), were sidelined by injury most of camp but are expected to play. Vasher (back) is neither big nor fast but is one of those players with a knack for the ball. Plus, he's a tough guy. Brown (strained Achilles') is the team's leader, a proven playmaker and an adequate tackler. Behind Vasher are LC Charles Tillman (6-1, 196), nickel back Ricky Manning, Jr. (5-9, 188) and dime back Dante Wesley (6-0½, 210). Tillman is physical, which helps him jam at the line. Without that, he'd be victimized even more due to marginal speed. Manning got a $5 million reporting bonus in April to leave Carolina. He's short, fast, athletic and hard-nosed. Wesley, another ex-Panther, got a $400,000 reporting bonus. He's another physical bump-and-run specialist. FS Chris Harris (6-0½, 205) will hit and isn't a bad athlete, but doesn't always think well on his feet. He could be pushed by developing rookie Danieal Manning (5-10½, 196), a second-round pick.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Robbie Gould assumed the job in Week 4 last year and has been more than reliable. P Brad Maynard, 32, has battled injuries in recent years but says he's finally healthy. Rookie Devin Hester (5-10½, 186) has been scintillating on punt returns. Last month, Rashied Davis returned a kickoff 100 yards. The Bears cover well.
Packers hope to score another first-week upset of Bears
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Green Bay - Sunday afternoon will mark the 20th time that the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears have opened the regular season against one another, including the 10th meeting at Lambeau Field.
The opening-day series is tied, 9-9-1, but the Packers enjoy a 6-3 edge at Lambeau. Plus, three of those victories were regarded as upsets, which they'll be trying to pull off Sunday against a Bears team favored by 3½ points.
"I'd take the Bears," an assistant coach for one of Chicago's recent foes said. "But I always think that anybody can beat anybody in an opening game. You've usually got all your players and there's emotion. They're playing at Lambeau Field, so the Packers will be all stoked up."
In 1957, the Packers and coach Lisle Blackbourn celebrated the dedication of the new stadium by beating the Bears, 21-17, before a festive crowd of 32,132 fans and assorted dignitaries. Chicago had won the Western Conference title the year before.
Two years later, the legend of Vince Lombardi started on opening day when the Packers, coming off a 1-10-1 campaign, upended the Bears, 9-6, on Jim Taylor's 5-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Finally, in 1980, the Packers found themselves in almost comic disarray after their first winless exhibition season (0-4-1) since 1946. Yet, they found a way to rise up, limiting Walter Payton to 65 yards in 31 carries and winning in overtime on Chester Marcol's improbable 25-yard return of his own blocked field goal.
In order for coach Mike McCarthy to win his first game, he might have to follow the script laid out by Lombardi during his '59 debut. That is, hold the Bears to something like the 164 yards and 10 first downs that they had in that game and win it at the end.
"The one thing is the Bears' offense is nothing special right now," the coach said. "But if the Bears put (Brian) Griese in they might have something."
Yet, for the Packers to muster much of anything on offense against the league's stingiest defense last season might be an accomplishment.
"Green Bay may not cross the 50-yard line," an executive in personnel for another team said. "Green Bay might get 3. I see it 17-3. The Bears will stuff them."
Here is a look at the Bears based on interviews with coaches and scouts:
OFFENSE
SCHEME
Ron Turner is in the second season of his second stint as the team's play-calling coordinator. After running on 52.1% of the plays in 2005, Turner tried to work on the passing game in the exhibition season while running merely 45.3%. The Bears pull either of the guards in their gap-type running game and then throw a lot off play-action. Turner has roots in both the West Coast and Don Coryell offensive philosophies.
RECEIVERS
The Bears kept six wide receivers but don't have a true No. 1 and still aren't sure who's starting opposite Muhsin Muhammad (6 feet 2 inches, 215 pounds). Muhammad, 33, dropped 11 of 136 passes in '05. He's one of the few receivers who actually likes working inside and trading shots with people. His speed has diminished but he's still hard to tackle and to handle on jump balls. Bernard Berrian (6-1, 185), Mark Bradley (6-1½, 198), Justin Gage (6-4, 212) and Airese Currie (5-10½, 185) have done little despite being drafted between the second and fifth rounds since 2003. All four are nursing nagging injuries. Berrian can stretch the field but is timid in traffic. Bradley and Currie have good speed but can't stay on the field. Gage isn't bad along the sidelines but struggles to separate. The most productive of the six has been Rashied Davis (5-9, 183), a converted Arena League cornerback. He's not bad from the slot. TE Desmond Clark (6-3, 249) is starting for the fourth straight season almost by default. He has lost speed over the years but has improved as a blocker.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The starting unit of LT John Tait (6-6, 312), LG Ruben Brown (6-3, 300), C Olin Kreutz (6-2, 292), RG Roberto Garza (6-2, 305) and RT Fred Miller (6-6½, 314) returned intact. The leader is Kreutz, a Pro Bowl selection each of the last five seasons and a starter since 1999. He's quick, bright and aggressive bordering on dirty, according to some opponents. Tait, 31, and Miller, 33, operate differently but are almost equally effective. Tait is a finesse player who has more success blocking speed outside than power inside. Miller has survived 133 starts for St. Louis, Tennessee and Chicago because of his long arms and resourcefulness. He's probably a more physical run-blocker than Tait but isn't as good in space. Brown, the 14th pick by Buffalo in the '95 draft, has seen better days. He still has the strength to latch on in close quarters but had a rough summer when asked to do anything on the move. Garza, a former Falcon, is fast, strong and competitive.
QUARTERBACKS
The Bears might be barking up the wrong tree with Rex Grossman (6-1, 217), the 22nd pick in 2003. Limited to three starts in '04 by a blown knee and to two in '05 by a broken ankle, Grossman has lost precious developmental time. His arm is good, he's tough and at one time he was capable of big plays. But this summer he has just been another short guy making poor decisions and missing open receivers. Brian Griese (6-2, 214), who accepted a $4.5 million signing bonus in March, has been much more polished and accurate. The Bears are reluctant to anoint Griese because they know his ceiling, at age 31, is limited. Kyle Orton (6-4, 217) is No. 3.
RUNNING BACKS
The Bears wanted Cedric Benson (5-10½, 220) to start over Thomas Jones (5-9½, 215) but when Benson suffered a shoulder injury in early August the job reverted to Jones. Jones runs hard for his size, strings moves together, senses cutback lanes, picks up the blitz with gusto and is a skilled receiver. Benson, the fourth pick in '05, didn't play a down in exhibitions. He's a competitive workhorse with so-so speed and a fumbling problem. Adrian Peterson (5-9½, 210) is a tough, one-cut runner with limited speed and receiving ability. Incumbent FB Bryan Johnson (hamstring) is out for the year and has been replaced by Jason McKie (5-11, 243), a better receiver than blocker.
DEFENSE
SCHEME
Ron Rivera is in his third season coordinating the Cover 2 zone system that coach Lovie Smith brought with him from Tampa Bay and St. Louis. This summer, opponents were surprised by the amount of zone blitzing by Rivera. The Bears returned every starter from a platoon that allowed the fewest points (202) and second-fewest yards per game (281.8).
DEFENSIVE LINE
One of the league's finest units could be down to a third-string right end if Alex Brown (dislocated shoulder) and Israel Idonije (high ankle sprain) can't play. If they're out, the Bears probably would have to move NT Alfonso Boone (6-4, 318) outside. Idonije (6-6, 270) isn't nearly as good as Brown (6-3, 260) but he is active in his own way. Boone, with 14 starts in five seasons, isn't a bad run stuffer. The other end, Adewale Ogunleye (6-4½, 260), is coming off an excellent camp. He's best described as an athletic technician. He and Brown are relatively complete players. Tommie Harris (6-2½, 295), the three-technique DT, beats blockers off the ball because he's so quick and fast. NT Ian Scott (6-2½, 302), who had arthroscopic knee surgery Aug. 7, isn't 100% but will play. He isn't overly fast or strong but has a knack for splitting double teams and finding the ball. On passing downs, DT Tank Johnson (6-2½, 300) joins Harris inside. He made a rapid recovery from thigh surgery in March and is fast becoming a formidable interior rusher.
LINEBACKERS
MLB Brian Urlacher (6-3½, 258) is 28 and at the pinnacle of his career. Although Urlacher made more turnover-causing plays in his early years, he has developed into a smarter player. While retaining his sensational sideline-to-sideline range, he also plays the run at him better. And his ability to patrol the deep middle in Cover 2 zones enables the safeties to cheat outside. WLB Lance Briggs (6-0½, 240), who also went to the Pro Bowl last year, plays fast and makes sure, hard tackles all over the field. This is his contract year. SLB Hunter Hillenmeyer (6-4, 238), the Packers' fifth-round pick in '03, caught on with Chicago in September of that year and is entering his third season as a starter. Extremely intelligent (39 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test), he maximizes his limited ability.
SECONDARY
Two Pro Bowl players, RC Nathan Vasher (5-10, 180) and SS Mike Brown (5-10, 207), were sidelined by injury most of camp but are expected to play. Vasher (back) is neither big nor fast but is one of those players with a knack for the ball. Plus, he's a tough guy. Brown (strained Achilles') is the team's leader, a proven playmaker and an adequate tackler. Behind Vasher are LC Charles Tillman (6-1, 196), nickel back Ricky Manning, Jr. (5-9, 188) and dime back Dante Wesley (6-0½, 210). Tillman is physical, which helps him jam at the line. Without that, he'd be victimized even more due to marginal speed. Manning got a $5 million reporting bonus in April to leave Carolina. He's short, fast, athletic and hard-nosed. Wesley, another ex-Panther, got a $400,000 reporting bonus. He's another physical bump-and-run specialist. FS Chris Harris (6-0½, 205) will hit and isn't a bad athlete, but doesn't always think well on his feet. He could be pushed by developing rookie Danieal Manning (5-10½, 196), a second-round pick.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Robbie Gould assumed the job in Week 4 last year and has been more than reliable. P Brad Maynard, 32, has battled injuries in recent years but says he's finally healthy. Rookie Devin Hester (5-10½, 186) has been scintillating on punt returns. Last month, Rashied Davis returned a kickoff 100 yards. The Bears cover well.