Winners and Losers - Bears week

[KYPack]

Before we all start fellating Hawk, lets look back at his coverage of Forte in the flat a few plays earlier. He got fooled then outran to the corner.

It's funny to watch Hawk when he gets beat and tries to "turn on the jets". He flails his arms, bobs his head and tries to get every part of his body moving faster. Alas for AJ, it doesn't work.

I'd like to see us pick up a decent ILB vet, a Jon Beason type guy to fill that spot. AJ is nearing the end of the trail.

[Zool]

It's funny to watch Hawk when he gets beat and tries to "turn on the jets". He flails his arms, bobs his head and tries to get every part of his body moving faster. Alas for AJ, it doesn't work.

I'd like to see us pick up a decent ILB vet, a Jon Beason type guy to fill that spot. AJ is nearing the end of the trail.

It's been so long since there was a really good MLB in GB. A solid vet would be awesome while a rook is trained up.

I wonder if they can afford to have CM3 playing out there full time? He's such a cap hit that having him at one of the M spots is rough. Like having Joe Mauer making 23million playing 1B and hitting 4HR each season.

[Guiness]

He is also VERY close to Forte in coverage to make that hit. Which is another good sign.

Hawk played some pretty good coverage overall. I pointed out another one in the game day thread.

As far as him not covering Forte...that's a pretty tall order. This year, Forte is putting up numbers of a top 5 RB. On top of his good rushing numbers, he has 61 receptions for 517 yards, good for an 8.5YPC average.

[Fritz]

The amazing thing about Matthews (and its what makes him different than every other player on D except possibly Peppers and Dix) is that he is 6' 3" and 255, which should be too long to play ILB. But he has less trouble changing direction in short space than some other ILBs.

It remains to be seen whether he can shed blocks and take a beating by a team committed to running inside, but its astonishing he moves that well at the position.

This might be the key issue. He's there to toughen up the inside and provide some quickness, so it'll be interesting to see if he can take the beating inside, down after down.

[George Cumby]

Clay at ILB for running downs and then outside on passing downs? Honestly, a 2-4 with Peppers, Neal, Perry and Matthews seems pretty formidable.

[Tyrion Lannister]

Funny that you call Hawk a hoe and then we see the Hayward pick 6 and it is Hawk in excellent coverage, realizes the ball has been tipped and wraps up Forte to allow Hayward to make the pick.

He wasn't a stud but he wasn't a dud last night either.

If you go watch Matthews' "highlights" at NFL.com, you see the Claymaker shedding blocks and attacking the ball carrier. You also see Hawk engaging with blockers as if he was a fullback instead of attacking the ball carrier.

Hawk was awful in coverage. On the pick-6, Hawk probably would've been called for PI had the ball not been "tipped."

[King Friday]

Hawk was awful in coverage. On the pick-6, Hawk probably would've been called for PI had the ball not been "tipped."

Your "what-if" scenario does not change the fact that it was a heady play by Hawk.

Of course Hawk isn't going to look as good as Clay. Clay is one of the 5 best defenders in the NFL when he's at 100%. There is no doubt that Hawk is rapidly falling down the backside of his career. His lack of athleticism is exposed far more frequently now. You can pound the guy all you want about being washed up from an athletic standpoint, but he has an above average football IQ.

Awful is disrespectful to the word awful. Awful should be reserved for true debacles...like the Bears defense.

[ThunderDan]

If you go watch Matthews' "highlights" at NFL.com, you see the Claymaker shedding blocks and attacking the ball carrier. You also see Hawk engaging with blockers as if he was a fullback instead of attacking the ball carrier.

Hawk was awful in coverage. On the pick-6, Hawk probably would've been called for PI had the ball not been "tipped."

The ball was tipped and that is why Hawk hit him making your point, like most, moot.

[Tyrion Lannister]

Sam shields had a miserable night. Dropped interception, poor coverage several times, missed tackles with weak efforts. No one else stood out in a negative way.

Shields didn't tackle very well, but I don't think he was "poor" in coverage. Take away the 45 yard TD and Marshall had 67 yards receiving. That's pretty good given Marshall's talent and the fact that the Bears were forced to throw from the 2nd quarter onward. Even the TD catch was excusable. Ball was underthrown, and Shields simply outran coverage. Jay Cutler, strong-armed and all, rarely under throws.

Jeffery only had 63 receiving yards but most of them came in garbage time against House.

All in all, a "B" performance from Shields. Would be an A- if Samwise hand't dropped the pick-6.

[Pugger]

Studs
CM3
Rodgers
Nelson
Cobb...except for the 1 drop
Hyde

Duds
Shields
Coverage units...good overall but when you give up a return TD you are a dud
Beer vendor in section 126 was off his game

126? We once had tickets in that section - row 59 seats 1 &2. Our seats are now in section 115 but we haven't been to a game since 2004. My sister uses our tickets now.

[Pugger]

I'm going to throw our a desperation dud. Sam Shields seemed to miss a lot of tackles.

DuJuann Harris looked like he could be a useful change of pace during prime time.

Harris looked good but he was running against the bares' backups and behind our backup linemen.

[Pugger]

Sam shields had a miserable night. Dropped interception, poor coverage several times, missed tackles with weak efforts. No one else stood out in a negative way.

Could it had been rust?

[Pugger]

I think he is allergic to the grass in Lambeau.

He isn't used to playing on a decent grass field.

[Pugger]

Flynn is a dud backup QB. Packers had such capable backups during Favre years.

Agreed. Flynn should have been able to perform much better than that against that horrible defense of the bares. How long will Flynn be the #2?

[Pugger]

If you go watch Matthews' "highlights" at NFL.com, you see the Claymaker shedding blocks and attacking the ball carrier. You also see Hawk engaging with blockers as if he was a fullback instead of attacking the ball carrier.

Hawk was awful in coverage. On the pick-6, Hawk probably would've been called for PI had the ball not been "tipped."

My issue with Hawk is he doesn't really attack. He usually reacts to what his guy does. Claymaker attacks and gets after it. This is the big difference between the 2.