A Gameplan For The Bears

[woodbuck27]

Posted September 9, 2006

4 keys to beating the Bears Sunday

By Dylan B. Tomlinson
PackersNews.com

This may be asking a lot, considering Packers quarterback Brett Favre threw 29 interceptions last season, the most in the NFL since Vinny Testaverde threw 35 in 1988. Six of Favre's interceptions came in the two games against the Bears. The number is even more alarming considering Favre did not throw a touchdown pass in either game. If the Packers are going to have any chance to upset the Bears, Favre is going to have to be more cautious with the ball, because if the Bears are able to force turnovers like they did last season, the Packers will have no chance to win the game.

Comment:woodbuck27

Brilliant Dylan !


Intercept the ball

This may sound simple, but when the Packers intercepted only 10 passes last season and only eight the year before, it's easy to see why this is a major concern. The addition of Charles Woodson should help tremendously. Woodson's presence guarantees that Al Harris will see more balls thrown his direction, something that became rare in the last two years when Ahmad Carroll was starting at cornerback. The Packers' biggest problem in this area the last two years was holding on to potential interceptions. Against a young, inexperienced quarterback like Rex Grossman, the Packers should have the chance for at least one or two interceptions, and when those chances arise, they have to make sure they make the most of them.

Comment woodbuck27:

Dylan wants the Packers secondary to get picks. Yea, Dylan. . . a novel idea. Wondering if they pay you too much?


Go for the big play

Twice during the preseason, the Packers were able to find rookie receiver Greg Jennings for 80-yard-plus gains. To beat a defensively sound team like the Bears, the Packers are going to have to control the clock, which means running the ball effectively. One of the ways to do that is by throwing long early, which will prevent the Bears' secondary from focusing on the run. If the Packers are able to strike first with a deep throw, the running game will open up.

Comment Woodbuck27:

OK Dylan let me see if I've got it? Are you saying. .

Go for the lead early? mmmm

Never thought of that one.Your da Man!! Dyl ann.


No mistakes on special teams

With inexperience at punter and kicker, this may be asking a lot. Dave Rayner did everything that was asked of him during the preseason, but he never was tested during games. While Jon Ryan showed he had the ability to punt well, he frequently lacked hangtime, which allowed several big returns. The Packers are going to have enough trouble matching up with the Bears on offense and defense that they can't afford to have anything go wrong on special teams.

Comment woodbuck27:

Hangtime shrangtime ! I'm thinking. . . that big leg'd Canadian punter, Jon Ryan, should take "his POTENTIAL" and shove it up your sprimy ass.

Really ! I wonder what they pay that wanna be writer?

He must have been late on a deadline to punch out such puss.

GO Packers Go Favre. Go Defensive secondary (get picks) and . .

Go Jon Ryan. . right the "H" out of Green Bay, to a city who's media will support . . .

YOUR POTENTIAL.

[woodbuck27]

Potsdam, obviously some like you don't see the obvious although once Sunday comes and Brett makes the crucial int, you'll be first in line to blame the line.

Take your Bear T-Shirt off b bulldog and try a little respect.

This is game #1 and your -ve sucks.

Do you get off being such a phoney Packer fan? There are alot of die hard Packer fans here, that are thinking nothing but a "W" tomorrow. Do you not care how you appear to them?

We are adults here Ehh, and don't need your reality check BS. As fans of the Packers here we are well aware of ALL the concerns and don't need your constant Favre attack.After all he's given to most of us . . that low blow crap isn't apppreciated as often as you seem to need to toss it on this board.

Take a " I'll try to be more +ve pill " Please.

GO PACKERS ! FAITH PACKER FANS !!

[Dabaddestbear]

Offense
The gameplan offensively should be a page out of the Raven book from a few seasons ago.

short quick passes.--having an inexperienced line facing perhaps the best defense in the lg means take the pressure off them by using quick 3 step drop type passes....slants/quick outs/ins. don't give the defense many chances to get to the QB and force throws under duress.



quick hitting runs--yards on the ground will be tough enough. get what you can w/o getting stretched out and having negative yardage plays.


utilize back on swing passes--see above. yards on the ground will be at a premium. counteract that w/ passes to the RB.

Utilize Bubba--get him the ball more. not just in the red zone but all over.


NO TURNOVERS--killed chance at winning last yr.

Limit stupid drive killing penalties that plagued them last yr. this obviously goes for every game. The young guys will make enough mistakes w/o adding stupid ones on top of it.




Defense--
make grossman beat you. Stuff the run and hope woodson looks better than last time.

take advantage of the chances Grossman gives you. like brett, grossman will give the defense a shot at a pick or 2 almost every game. gotta turn that TO ratio around and win that battle.

Special teams

Need to not give up the big return. simple enough. a no duh answer. no shank punts. keep field position. make them sustain long drives to score.


17 and 0. thats the magic number. get 17 points and 0 TO's it should be enough. The bears aren't talented enough offensively to score much if you make them sustain drives the lenght of the field.

Turnovers did not decide this game like most of us would have thought. The Bears D just stopped the packers flat out when needed with the only coring attempt being a 53 yard Fg miss.

The Bears Offense or better yet Grossman have showed what alot of Bear fans thought he was when he was drafted.

[Dabaddestbear]

First of all I must congradulate most of you guys for actually being mostly realistic aside from the final scores you all have posted. Not used to this on a Packers board.

Now to the subject at hand. The Packers can beat the Bears only IF Grossman turns the ball over. Other than that the Bears will be solid in every phase of the game. To point out what a fellow Bear fan said about the Packers being slow on defense, I think he was referring to the fact that the LB's have been terrible in pass coverage in the preseason games and practice.

Came to be true. Popinga who?

You all talk about what the Packers must do on offense , but I think it is more on defense. You all assume that since the Bears offense has struggled the Packers just have to play solid O and not turn it over and a win will be dropped in their laps. Not so.

Prophet I am. I will have your lottery numbers ready.

The projected starting LB's Hawk, Poppinga(spelling?), Barnett will be fast no doubt, but their ability to react to playaction and drop back to read the pass will leave Packer fans screaming "What the F%@$!!"
They all will overrun plays and struggle to get off blocks. No Middle LB in the NFC north misreads what holes to hit more than Barnett, the leader of the group. Hawk will be good in the future but it is clear he is thinking more than playing. He will get it together by midseason but not in time for game one. Poppinga is very aggresive and can easily get caught out of position on a play fake. And the possible #1 backup at LB Hodges is solid in run support but he should never be on the field in obvious pass plays.

Barnett was "Ok" as usual but nothing to write home about. Did I not tell you about Poppinga? only now do you guys look to bash him. I pointed out his obvious weaknesses before the game and called Lovie Smith to let him know how to attack him. ----He took my advice.
[/quote]

Now the CB's are actually looking more questionable than the Bears group. This was not to be expected by alot of Packer fans once they signed "run like a lumber Jack" Woodson. But after his limited preseason showing he has shown exactly what many teams thought he would be---a shell of his former self about 3-4 years ago. He whiffs on easy tackles as if the opposing WR's have Wolverine claws sticking out there jerseys. Every one said(aside from Packer fans) said Woodson has lost more than a step, and well----- he did nothing to discount that theory. Second and third tier WR was easily beating him on simple fly and post routes. Al Harris has been better but that is nothing to be proud of. He tackles better but pass coverage is still suspect at times. And Marquis Manuel the safety and other prized free agent pickup that you guys had high hopes for has shown why he was let walk by Seattle. The packers defensive line is the most solid part on this team overall. But dont confuse that with the idea that that means they are good. They get blown off the ball easily and play out of assignment too often. The Bears will run to set up the pass. And stopping the run is not the Packers forte. As erractic as Grossman can be at times, he sells the playaction very well. If he can put the ball where his WR's can get it there will be big gains because they(WR's) will be open.

Bears 20
Packers 6
laugh now, cry later.

Now was I drinking Kool-aide or did I know my stuff? Hold on while I toot my little blue and orange horn.

[Dabaddestbear]

Bears 20
Packers 6
laugh now, cry later.

I must have forgot to do the football math cuz I was supposed to add subtract the 6 from the Pack final score and add it to the Bears final. Was anyone closer than me on the predictions? Just curious

[Dabaddestbear]

Re: Mistake

You should feel ashamed for your lack of knowledge and feel pretty foolish about your comment on Harris. This is the same Al Harris who shut down Chad Johnson. Now does'nt common sense tell you that if he could shut down the best WR in the game, he can handle your guy? As for Woodson, he'll have no trouble with your #2 who would be #4 on most teams.

Do you need to see film on how Moose carved up your secondary at will?

That leaves your running game. As bad as the Pack run D is, you just can't show up the 1st game and believe it will gel after very little practice.

May I also remind you that a pathetic talent-less offense rolled up 726 yds against your vaunted D last season. We had no red zone offense, but that will be a different story come Sunday.

One last thought- a certain QB who wears #4 and has been nick-named "the Bear Killer" might just prove his death was a bit pre-mature and he just might rise up and bitch slap your team like he has done so many times in the past!

Have you taken notice that Grossman is quietly starting a streak against the packers in which he is now 3-0. Once again Brett didnt have it. I cannot blame this one as much on Brett though as last years losses. The Packers D and other players were just getting it handed it to them.

[Dabaddestbear]

Re: WR

badbear,

...My biggest critique of your analysis is regarding our secondary, and Al Harris in particular. ... [/img]

Ok, I do havta give Harris more credit than I did in my previous post. But the fact is with Woodson covering the #1 now(correct me if I'm wrong) Grossman will look for the long ball often. And if he is covering the speedy Berrian, Bradley, or Davis look to hear Packer fans across the nation to be screaming "WHAT DA HELL IS HE DOING!!!???"

Your team has no #2 or #3 WR much less a TE. Everyone in the world seem's to know that except you.

I wonder if you could tell Poppinga that there is no TE on the Bears? And our #2 did what he needed to do catch a TD toss. Your #1, #2, and TE did what? Hold on did your TE's even get a catch? Maybe not since everytime they came on the field it was for max pass protection.

[Dabaddestbear]

Late to this thread, but:

Gameplan Offense:

Run the ball, run the ball, (short pass, or run the ball), and punt. I would prefer to see the Packers have 12 punts, than 4 turnovers.

Against an anemic offense like the Bears - punting isn't a crime, it should be an integral part of the game plan. Sadly, I don't think McCarthy will exercise that kind of patience.

---------------------

Gameplan defense:

Eight men in the box on run downs, and blitz the hell out of Grossman on passing downs.

Sadly, I don't think they'll do this either...

Bears 24
Packers 10

10 points might be too optimistic though.

The point is Wist, that if you punt too often you give Devin Hester an oppurtunity to run one back for either real good field possition or an TD. The kid is good.
Here is a video of him.
http://rapidshare.de/files/31821109/...wk4ps.avi.html

I warned you guys about Hester. The Packers should pay me for info.

[MJZiggy]

Baddest, have you noticed you're pretty much talking to yourself here?

[Scott Campbell]

I think I'll pay Mad to ban you.

[Fosco33]

Baddest, have you noticed you're pretty much talking to yourself here?

I think it's time for him to find a Lions forum for next week....

[Dabaddestbear]

Re: Mistake

Do you just make shit up to convince yourself that your right? Woodson was burned by TJ Housyourmama who is the #2 WR for Cincy. Any self respecting football fan would know this.

Only an idiot (or Bears fan), would judge a veteran player in a PRE SEASON game. If there was any validity to it, than you should be real worried cause Rex SUCKED!

This is what I dis-like about arguing with a Bears fan. I give you a fact that a pathetic GB offense last season rolled up 726 total yds against your vaunted D and you tell me how great your #2 WR is. Bradley is not 100% and listed as questionable yet you throw him at me......
PACKERS WIN

Packnut the more I go over your predictions and logic the more I will remind myself to not put any value into any football knowledge you may claim to have.
LIke I have always said Pre-Season matters in how a player plays. It illustrates flashes of what that player may be when the regular season opens. Rex showed flashes of what he could do in the Preseason and tossed up alot of "I dont care balls" in the preseason. But he still showed that he can move the ball in the "PRESEASON". Woodson showed squat in the preseason. Not once did he do anything that made someone think he will be ok.

I was right and you were wrong. For the past several years I think I have been able to put down my Blue and Orange glasses long enough to post a non bias analysis on upcoming Packer and Bear games. Check my track record kid. I try my best to never be left with my foot in my mouth like a certain someone on here

[jack's smirking revenge]

I'm not going to reread this whole thread. I just wanted to pop in here and tell baddestbear that Chicago played a great game yesterday and deserved to win. The Packers have a ton of problems, so I'm not sure what to say about how talented the Bears team is, but the Blue & Orange did dominate us in a convincing way. After years of pain and anguish at the hands of the Packers, I'm sure this feels really good.

Kings to you.

tyler

[Dabaddestbear]

I said enough in this thread. No on to my next one to bump.

[Scott Campbell]

Re: Mistake

Check my track record kid. I try my best to never be left with my foot in my mouth like a certain someone on here

It takes a special someone to come off like an idiot even when they're right. Congratulations.