More Banjo - The Bears Still Suck

[pbmax]

The ‘catch, fumble recovered by Bears’ that required a challenge. Did any of the officials say that the ball touched the ground?? Otherwise that was at least an interception.

2nd half felt a lot like the Cowboys game. I think the defense is great - but LaFleur will need to manage the games and understand that a taxed defense can get waxed.

8 Packer drives in the game not counting victory formation drive. Packers scored on four, turned one over (did not flip the field) and had 3 punts for 48 yards per pop. 2 bad drives in the 3rd plus one of their TD drives went 63 yards in 1 minute 58 seconds.

Edited to add: I forgot one shank by Whelan. That, like the INT, is a self imposed problem.

I have news for the defense after watching the offense score 28. They have to stop the run and giving up long drives. Either penalties or the run defense cost them a lot of time on the field.

[pbmax]

Got kinda emotional watching Keisean get his game ball from LaFleur.

[bobblehead]

Couple things. One, on that play with the free runner - Belton went inside to double-team with Rhyan, leaving the gap open for the free rusher.

I noticed too that the chippers were so good they pushed the defensive players too far away for the tackle to follow up. Maybe have Musgrave do the chipping, as he certainly won't chip that well.

On that last play, notice what you said about a defender following the motion, but Quay was not fooled. He and Cooper made that play because of their speed - Williams wasn't going to be able to outrun them to the sticks.

They do have to work out what that interior defense is going to look like. Brooks/Wooden aren't going to get it done without lots of help, whether that's Brinson and Riley or Bohanna. A work in progress.

I thought Johnson found his offense's magic formula in the second half - pound the ball inside or off tackle, roll Williams out.

Packers do need to get back to that "contained rush" thing they were doing last year against mobile QB's.

Mica is an edge speed rusher, not a collapse the pocket type. It goes back to my complaint that we are all over the place regarding scheme sometimes. Morgan body type at guard but we sign banks and draft Belton. On and on it goes. Just when I loved the collapse the pocket we trade for mica who is epic but he is different than what we schemed last season.

[Fritz]

Well, I wonder if you can just let Micah do his thang and tell your other rushers to stay in their lanes. I dunno.

Edgerrin Cooper's speed played a big role in this game. His play doesn't seem quite as good as last year's play, but he is one fast dude for a linebacker.

[pbmax]

In key moments such as that last drive, Micah either needs to be not held (largely only in the control of the Refs or League office) or he's got to modify his routes to the QB.

[texaspackerbacker]

Parsons affects things even when he isn't there. That last Bears play, the roll out and pick, four Packers were there to foil the rollout to the left. Somebody asked, why did he roll out to the left and be forced to throw back across his body? Obviously because Hafley had wisely adjusted to the earlier rolls to the right by putting Parsons on that side. Well, Ben Johnson, the supposed offensive genius, called for a roll left - away fronm Parsons on the biggest play of the game. But Hafley outsmarted him and loaded up with four defenders out there ..... and it still took Nixon getting his head out of his ass in time to make a great play.

Result: Bear suckage status continues, although I have to admit, they've upgraded things a little bit this year.

[texaspackerbacker]

On the other side of the ball, the Bears too managed to place four or so defenders in just the right place at a critical time, and Josh Jacobs somehow split right through the lot of them for a good gain, possibly saving the game.

[pbmax]

On the other side of the ball, the Bears too managed to place four or so defenders in just the right place at a critical time, and Josh Jacobs somehow split right through the lot of them for a good gain, possibly saving the game.

Belton lost his guy fast (but did make contact which probably saved the play), Watson whiffed and they optioned Sweat. 4 blockers, 3 guys loose and Jacobs still made it through. The TE 81 had his guy on lock and got in the way of Watson's man too.

[Fritz]

That was all Jacobs, wasn't it? Amazing. The Bears had what, three or four defenders right there, and Jacobs planted, cut, and took off.

I hate to say this. I do. I was/am a big Aaron Jones fan. He's awesome. He is. But Josh Jacobs is a better running back to have for the Packers. It's like Barry Sanders vs. Emmitt Smith. Sanders was clearly, obviously a more dynamic player. But when you need that down in, down out production, you want Emmitt Smith.

I cannot believe I just typed those words.

[Jaire]

That was all Jacobs, wasn't it? Amazing. The Bears had what, three or four defenders right there, and Jacobs planted, cut, and took off.

I hate to say this. I do. I was/am a big Aaron Jones fan. He's awesome. He is. But Josh Jacobs is a better running back to have for the Packers. It's like Barry Sanders vs. Emmitt Smith. Sanders was clearly, obviously a more dynamic player. But when you need that down in, down out production, you want Emmitt Smith.

I cannot believe I just typed those words.

Tough yards/bruiser >> small/agile in Dec/Jan. In the playoffs you need a guy like that (NE had LaBlount -- so, not a premier guy necessarily) to pound in the playoffs. That was clear when TB knocked Aaron Jones out of the ball game (and forced a fumble.... and won the game) first play of the 2nd half in 2020 NFCCG. It matters most in January. Did Barry ever even play in January?

A fast front seven, like GB's, can shut down the finesse speedy guy, aka Gibbs. No one wants a bruiser in the playoffs. If Dillon had worked out..... that's a different story.

Hopefully Marshawn Lloyd will get to see the field this year still. But if you only get to choose a yards guy vs a slippery RB, I take the hard yards 10 out of 10 times in Dec/Jan.

[bobblehead]

Belton lost his guy fast (but did make contact which probably saved the play), Watson whiffed and they optioned Sweat. 4 blockers, 3 guys loose and Jacobs still made it through. The TE 81 had his guy on lock and got in the way of Watson's man too.

I loved AJones, but if anyone recalls when we cut ties and brought in Jacobs I said we were getting a guy who eats, breaths and sleeps football. Kid is a beast.

[bobblehead]

Tough yards/bruiser >> small/agile in Dec/Jan. In the playoffs you need a guy like that (NE had LaBlount -- so, not a premier guy necessarily) to pound in the playoffs. That was clear when TB knocked Aaron Jones out of the ball game (and forced a fumble.... and won the game) first play of the 2nd half in 2020 NFCCG. It matters most in January. Did Barry ever even play in January?

A fast front seven, like GB's, can shut down the finesse speedy guy, aka Gibbs. No one wants a bruiser in the playoffs. If Dillon had worked out..... that's a different story.

Hopefully Marshawn Lloyd will get to see the field this year still. But if you only get to choose a yards guy vs a slippery RB, I take the hard yards 10 out of 10 times in Dec/Jan.

Agree mostly. I still would like to have Gibbs on our roster in January. But its true that when its zero degrees CBs make business decisions when Jacobs is bearing down on them.

[pbmax]

This is heresy. Jones never fell backward on a tackle, made hash out of trash numerous times during the game and could break games open at the second level.

Jacobs super power is that absent his knee, he seems almost indestructible. Jones got beat up. Jones was also better at pass pro.

Jacobs, minus the pass pro, probably fits LaFleur's play calling now better. But he's not the better talent.

Also cold weather doesn't mean you need to run. Significant wind? You might need to run.

[pbmax]

I have to say I am thoroughly enjoying the Micah Parsons experience so far. Not just his play, but his commentary too. Here he is on K Nixon:

“He got little short-man syndrome,” defensive end Micah Parsons said. “Little scrappy mother****er. Like he’s so scrappy. He’s not to be played with, bro. He’s small in size but he’s like a pitbull. He’s scrappy on the outside. He knows when to turn it on. He always finds a way and he’s incredibly smart. I don’t think people give him his credit.

“You say a lot of people look at Pat Surtains, the Darrelle Revis of how they describe corners of height, ability, so for his size and how he plays and how he’s been able to step up in the screen game and the pass game and the pass deflections, to me, it doesn’t go unnoticed. I think people give him a lot of sh**, but he’s having a hell of a year and he’s having a better year than some of the highest-paid guys, so I think people should give him more grace than what’s been given to him.”

https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/onsi/jesus-comes-out-of-the-blue-to-save-packers

[CaptainKickass]

Maybe after this past Sunday this isn't true, but up until now...

Nobody game plans for Miles Bokeem Melton.

It's such a genius move. Taking a talented, lightning fast, third year wide receiver, turn him into a reserve cornerback, give him a Special Teams role, but keep him practicing with the Wide Receivers on occasion and keep giving him limited snaps on offense.

Then, during the game when your newly returned, extra speedy, tall, lanky, starting Wide Receiver needs a breather - you call on Bo Melton.

The opposing defense can't help but relax a little. They see the diminutive by comparison Bo Melton substitute in for Christian Watson, they must be thinking "Ok, they ain't throwing it this way".

We all saw the result. That 45 yard bomb to the end zone for a touchdown was a spectacular sight to behold and worked because of Bo Melton's sheer speed, combined with no defender thinking the ball was coming that way, that far, to a substitute receiver, who is a cornerback.

It was also the same play they called just one play earlier. In effect Watson possibly tired out the defensive backs just little bit on the previous play. This left the fresh speedster with the advantage and the Packers with a score.

Nobody game plans for Bo Melton.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dqy9JfNZwq8

https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/47240344