2019 Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears Week 1 Discussion Thread

[RashanGary]

I’m going to talk about just one aspect here in the opening post. The Bears DL vs the Packers OL. Goldman, Hicks and Mack are the strength of the Bears defense and really their whole team.

In 2018 the Packers had two starting OL coming off serious injury who were not 100% in Bulaga and Taylor. They also had McCray starting at RG. This hobbled unit was not equipped to slow down the Bears talented defensive front. The Packers won with some classic Aaron Rodgers heroics but as a fan you had to leave that game concerned about the quality of our offensive line after a bear dealt butt kicking.

2019 is a different year. Taylor and Bulaga are both 100% to start the season. Billy Turner has taken the place of Justin McCray. And the Packers offense should be far more balanced than a year ago.

I expect to see the Packers stymie the Bears pass rush, including Mack. Bulaga is at 100%. He’s at the end of his prime, but still the prime of his career. Lead by Bulaga, the Packers OL is gonna show up to Soldier field and shut the Bears the fuck up! Packers W needless to say. And I’m about ready to see AR start to get rid of the ball quicker, but if there is a game to leave it all on the field this is it. OL hold up. AR do AR shit! Victory!

[Radagast]

To begin with it is a very good thing that GB's 1st team OL is a healthy one and except for Billy Turner have valuable experience playing together. Turner should fit right in. The concern is with the 2nd team backups. I don't wish for any unwanted injuries, but it is most rare for any team to not suffer one or more OL problems in a season.

Next, GB's new offensive system will utilize more running plays. I don't believe that inside the Tackle's runs will be a problem, but outside sweeps and screens may be. Bakhtiari's left side may well be fine but Bulaga's right side may prove to be a weak side to run at.

How quickly AR throws is not based upon OL protection. Yes OL protection is very important, but when Rodgers throws the ball, is directly related on to receivers getting open. Rodgers low interception record shows that he is not reckless about throwing passes. He will throw it away than rather risk a turnover. Rodgers would prefer to live in the pocket until a receiver gets open, but even the very best OLs can only stand off defenses for a max. of 4 seconds. Beyond that Rodgers or any other NFL QB will be found scrambling or running with the ball. A "quick release" always depends receivers getting open and not (generally) upon OL pass protection.

Last, this year GB has 3 Full Backs in camp. Over the last few seasons the FB has declined as an integral part of GB's offense. LaFleur's offensive system uses more plays where the FB is either a run blocker, or a pass blocker, or as rusher/receiver. I applaud it as it provides, if you will, a 6th Offensive pass/run blocker on many plays. In addition, defenses will have to respect the FB as a real treat and cover him with a player.

[RashanGary]

You really do know it all, radagast. Thanks for the lesson

[Radagast]

You really do know it all, radagast. Thanks for the lesson

Now cut that out, as Jack Benny used to say. The lesson here is to not conveniently omit facts that don't fit into your argument. Those facts, as a rule will show up in the rebuttal reply.

[RashanGary]

Now cut that out, as Jack Benny used to say. The lesson here is to not conveniently omit facts that don't fit into your argument. Those facts, as a rule will show up in the rebuttal reply.

I had a very narrow opening topic, not a complete essay on possible outcomes of the game. I see our healthy, experienced OL matching up well with the greatest strength on their team. Bulaga is a key player but at his best (and he should be) Bulaga is pretty darn good so I expect him to lead the way and help open up the passing game for AR.

I left it completely open to add all sorts of other ideas and topics. That’s why I said I’m opening up with just one key point. I don’t even have the mental energy to try to summarize the whole game with any level of thoroughness that I feel confident in. You could have just added on without the snarky undertones that I missed all sorts of stuff, which I already went in saying I’m just opening the door so that should have been understood out of the gate.

[RashanGary]

And really, as a general rule, we all just bounce ideas around for the most part. So and so player looks improved, so and so scheme seemed to work this week, might it work again in other situations. There is a general understanding among pretty much every long term poster here that football is fluid and constantly evolving so we’re always sort of observing the change and sort of trying to understand it sooner than later. But it’s all with an open mind and we don’t lecture each other on how any one of us knows it all because universally we all know we don’t so that’s why we hardly fight about it.

[bobblehead]

Our OL can handle them as long as M4 sticks to the plan. Run, wear down, quick releases, then attack downfield if you manage to tighten them up.

Last year Bulaga barely practiced and we sent him out to block Mack. We know how that ended. I have read a few times that M4 runs a more physical practice and more 11 on 11 so I HOPE they are more prepared out of the gate...of course we have no clue since the preseason was used for the sole purpose of watching guys competing for jobs/roster spots.

[RashanGary]

Our OL can handle them as long as M4 sticks to the plan. Run, wear down, quick releases, then attack downfield if you manage to tighten them up.

Last year Bulaga barely practiced and we sent him out to block Mack. We know how that ended. I have read a few times that M4 runs a more physical practice and more 11 on 11 so I HOPE they are more prepared out of the gate...of course we have no clue since the preseason was used for the sole purpose of watching guys competing for jobs/roster spots.

Bulaga was barely ready after a torn ACL. That’s why he struggled.

[RashanGary]

Our OL can handle them as long as M4 sticks to the plan. Run, wear down, quick releases, then attack downfield if you manage to tighten them up.

Last year Bulaga barely practiced and we sent him out to block Mack. We know how that ended. I have read a few times that M4 runs a more physical practice and more 11 on 11 so I HOPE they are more prepared out of the gate...of course we have no clue since the preseason was used for the sole purpose of watching guys competing for jobs/roster spots.

It’s absolutely shocking to me that a self proclaimed football genius such as yourself attributes all of Bulagas early season struggles to him not practicing enough last year and completely ignore the reason him not practicing is because he was 9 months removed from ACL surgery. Do you seriously not understand why Bulaga was brought back on that time table last year? Every time you bring this up it just baffles me that you have no understanding of ACL injuries after following football for all of these years. Seriously, what did you expect?

[call_me_ishmael]

Packers win 31 - 27. Good, entertaining game to start the season.

[Radagast]

Packers win 31 - 27. Good, entertaining game to start the season.

A total of 58 points? That seems to me to be a bit excessive. It suggest both offenses have a good game with the difference coming from turnovers.


I see the first half as being dominated by the two Defenses. Field Goals will be traded and either the Bears or the Packers benefit from a turnover that results in a TD scoring mini-drive. 10 to 3 at halftime, the lead going to ...

Both teams will make changes at the half and both Offenses score TDs with their 1st second half drives. With the score now 17 to 10, both teams stall on their next two drives. Then early in the 4th qtr. the trailing team scores on a big deep ball pass play and the score is knotted at 17 each.

In the final 2 minutes, Aaron Rodgers leads the Packers to the Bears 23 yd. line where Mason Crosby kicks a last minute 4th down Field Goal. 20 to 17.
The Bears get the ball back with 42 seconds left in the game. They get the ball on their 25 yd line with one timeout left. As much as they try, they fail to get into FG range and time runs out.

Final Score

Packers 20
Bears 17

[bobblehead]

Bulaga was barely ready after a torn ACL. That’s why he struggled.

So why would you ask him to block Mack one on one? I put that squarely on fat Mike.

[bobblehead]

It’s absolutely shocking to me that a self proclaimed football genius such as yourself attributes all of Bulagas early season struggles to him not practicing enough last year and completely ignore the reason him not practicing is because he was 9 months removed from ACL surgery. Do you seriously not understand why Bulaga was brought back on that time table last year? Every time you bring this up it just baffles me that you have no understanding of ACL injuries after following football for all of these years. Seriously, what did you expect?

a) I don't proclaim myself to be a football genius.
2) I acknowledge he was rusty and OUT OF PRACTICE due to being 9 months removed. What I seriously expected was for our dumb ass coach to also understand how an ACL injury works and NOT ask the guy recovering from it to block Mack solo in his first actual action in forever.
finally) You inferred a lot into my post that I never said or really implied, although my point about guys who ARE healthy enough not getting full speed 100% competitive action stands.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

FYI: I called dibs on the official week 1 game day thread.

Don’t wanna give ThunderDan the opportunity to start the game day thread for 19 straight weeks. Dan thinks he’s so much better than us all cos he has season tickets.

[pbmax]

^ You remind me of a Journey/REO Speedwagon stage of a public career. All the hits, at all the county fairs and festivals. Performed skillfully, if a little bloodlessly.

You should release an album of American Standards instead like Rod Stewart or Gloria Estefan. Or even just a cover album like David Byrne or Peter Gabriel. Or Johnny Cash and release something that superficially that seems at odds with your oeuvre.