A Post-Mortem On The Loss To The Bears

[FritzDontBlitz]

The Packers team and their entire staff weren't ready to perform in these conditions. A strange refusal to abandon the shotgun formation. Punters and kick returners lined up too deep to play balls that took forever to reach them. Receivers not able to hold on to the ball on passes they usually haul in with ease. All in a 40 MPH crosswind, 18 degree weather with a wind chill of 2 - things that obviously affected the flight and trajectory of the ball. No leadership from the sideline to help the players improvise or adjust in the conditions. I don't even think the equipment manager packed the right shit for the game, and can you really blame him: it was 50 degrees most of the weekend, the weather didn't even change until 6 or 7 hours before kickoff. I left Chicago at 1:30 AM last night to drive home to the south suburbs. It was pouring rain but very balmy for this time of year. An Hour later I go out to grab something from the garage and the weather had already dropped 20 degrees and there were huge branches ripped off the tree next door and lying in my backyard. Imagine going to bed last night in balmy springlike conditions and waking up in a frozen blizzard. The Bears know all about the unpredictable Chicago weather, it acted as the 12th man for them. Chicago's style of play has always been suited to these kinds of conditions, while Green Bay was taken completely by surprised and it took them completely out of their game with no idea how to adjust.

Chalk it all up as a learning experience for a 2nd year head coach and the youngest team in the league. Some things they just have to take on the chin the first time around, but I am confident M3 will learn from the experience and move on. He always does.

[Scott Campbell]

I bet McCarthy has them practicing outside in the crap from here on out. This might end up being the best thing that could have happened to the Packers today.

[packrulz]

Good analysis Fritz, about all I can add is maybe Chicago wanted the win more. I don't think Pickett played at all though. The playcalling could've been better, I would've liked to have seen a reverse or fake punt thrown in once in awhile. The Packers aren't a power running team, and I wonder how they'll do in their playoff game at Lambeau especially if the weather is bad. I hope M3 learns from this. I do think the Pack will be better off if they end up going to big D for the NFC Championship considering their style of offense. It's not that big of a deal really, the Bears will be sitting at home when the Pack is in the playoffs.

[cpk1994]

Good analysis Fritz, about all I can add is maybe Chicago wanted the win more. I don't think Pickett played at all though. The playcalling could've been better, I would've liked to have seen a reverse or fake punt thrown in once in awhile. The Packers aren't a power running team, and I wonder how they'll do in their playoff game at Lambeau especially if the weather is bad. I hope M3 learns from this. I do think the Pack will be better off if they end up going to big D for the NFC Championship considering their style of offense. It's not that big of a deal really, the Bears will be sitting at home when the Pack is in the playoffs.Again, it wasn't the cold, it was the wind. They didn't have a problem with the cold against the Raiders.

[Scott Campbell]

I would've liked to have seen a reverse or fake punt thrown in once in awhile.



All those punts looked pretty fake to me.

[Pacopete4]

at least the bears will be able to say they swept the super bowl champions...

[GrnBay007]

at least the bears will be able to say they swept the super bowl champions...

:bclap:

But wait....that could be a BAD thing....they will be hanging on to that for years and years with nothing else to brag about.

[FritzDontBlitz]

at least the bears will be able to say they swept the super bowl champions...

:bclap:

But wait....that could be a BAD thing....they will be hanging on to that for years and years with nothing else to brag about.

Like all the other fond memories they have from the "Super Bowl era."

[b bulldog]

All I can say is that with what was on the line, pathetic

[The Shadow]

Oddly enough, this loss doesn't bother me all that much - and might just be part of the flow in what is turning out to be a magical season.
I think the Cowboys and Bears games can serve as useful wakeup calls for a very young team about to enter the playoffs. If they go in with a something to prove attitude - instead of an over confident one - these games will turn out to be positives.
I also do not want them to believe that the fact their first playoff game is at Lambeau will guarantee them a win (remember Atlanta?). They need to really work on handling cold conditions so that the frozen tundra IS an advantage,
I'd prefer they come into the playoffs growling, unshaven, and pissed off - with their eyes on the prize.

P.S. : Merry Christmas, everybody!

[ND72]

sadly, I told lots of people they would lose. I do think in all 3 loses we've had this year we were out coached in many ways. I thought yesterday the Bears did things they normally do, but "changed" a bit to the wind. I think a telling sign was the fact at halftime the Bears had 30 carries to our 10. If we had really been ready for the wind, it should have been closer to 30-30. When we got the ball at the 50 yard line with almost 3 minutes left, and went 3 passes and out, then had a 9 yard punt, that's when I knew we were out coached. Run the ball, work the clock down, get some points get to halftime with a 4 or 8 point lead...but instead we went 3 and out, and THEY did that. And WOW, our screen passes compared to theirs...yuck. But the Bears are smart, they knew the Packers played man to man across the board, so when they ran a screen , it'd be 3 lineman on 1 LB...pretty good odds.

[The Shadow]

A finesse passing attack could well work better in Dallas than the frozen tundra.
I feel a next game against Dallas could be quite different, if Favre makes better decisions. The addition of Woodson and KGB could dictate a different result.