Packers beat offensively challenged Bears, become second No. 6 seed to make Super Bowl
Here are five quick-hit thoughts about the Packers’ 21-14 win over the Bears in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game.
1. The Packers’ improbable run continues.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate what the 2010 Green Bay Packers have been able to do. They entered the season as legitimate Super Bowl contenders, only to see their hopes seemingly wash away because of injuries. Needing two wins in the final two weeks just to qualify for the postseason, they crushed the Giants and edged out the Bears to clinch the No. 6 seed in the NFC. Against long odds, the Packers then go on the road and knock off the Eagles, the No. 1-seeded Falcons and the No. 2-seeded Bears to reach the Super Bowl. It’s hard enough to win on the road, nevertheless do so in the postseason when home field advantage is so paramount. The Packers are red-hot and match up well with either the Jets or Steelers.
2. Capers deserves a lot of praise for the play of his defense.
Rex Ryan has earned a lot of attention this postseason for his defensive game plans, but Dom Capers deserves some of the spotlight after what Green Bay did on Sunday. His defense is the main reason the Packers won today – not Aaron Rodgers. The Bears made things interesting in the fourth quarter and the Packers did catch a break when Jay Cutler left the game with a knee injury, but let’s not take anything away from Capers’ game plan. The Bears could do nothing offensively for the first three quarters and their offensive line couldn’t stop Green Bay’s pass rush. Matt Forte had a couple of nice runs and Caleb Hanie made some clutch throws in the fourth quarter but again, domination was on display. The Packers held the Bears to 218 passing yards and 83 rushing, all while forcing three turnovers. On a day when Rodgers wasn’t at his best, the Packers needed a strong defensive effort and that’s exactly what they got.
3. Shields played the game of his young career.
How good was 23-year-old Sam Shields on Sunday? His interception (or semi-interception depending on whether or not you believe he had possession of the ball) right before half stopped Chicago from taking some momentum into the locker room and his second interception sealed the game. He was also a major factor as a blitzer, accounting for one of Green Bay’s two sacks and supplying the pressure on B.J. Raji’s pick-six in the fourth quarter. Kudos must be given to Capers for throwing a new wrinkle at Chicago’s offense by turning Shields into an unexpected X-factor. The undrafted rookie free agent was all over the place on Sunday.
4. This loss doesn’t hang on the Bears’ defense.
There’s not much more Chicago’s defense could have done to win this game. They gave up a touchdown on the first drive but they rebounded nicely after that. Thanks to the offense’s inability to move the ball, Chicago’s defense was constantly in poor field position for most of the first half but it managed to keep the deficit to just 14 points at halftime. Then when the offense showed some life by cutting the score to 14-7 early in the fourth, the Bears’ D once again came up big with a couple of huge stops. In the end, Chicago was done in by its offense but there’s no doubt that its defense came to play. Brian Urlacher was all over the place and for this unit to hold Rodgers to only 244 passing yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns after what he did to the Falcons last week was impressive.
5. A truly disastrous day for Cutler and the Bears’ O-line.
There’s nothing that Cutler can do about getting hurt. It’s football – injuries happen. But sorry Cutler supporters: he was awful in the first half. He missed an open Devin Hester early in the game that could have given the Bears a first down and set them up in great field position. He also looked for the Packers’ pass rush instead of anticipating it and he just never looked sure of himself. Give Green Bay’s defense credit for its play, but Cutler had to be better. Of course, it’s not like his offensive line did him many favors. He was constantly under duress and he didn’t have time to survey the field and go through his reads. Even if he was able to finish the game, his O-line wasn’t prepared for the pressure that Green Bay brought. I also thought Mike Martz panicked a little in the second quarter by trying to move the ball through the air instead of staying balanced. Forte was about the only offensive player for Chicago that’s deserving of praise. He and the defense kept the Bears in the game when it looked like all hope was lost in the third quarter. Give Hanie credit for breathing life into Chicago’s offense after Todd Collins’ pathetic performance, but it just wasn’t the Bears’ day offensively.
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Cutler was asked directly if he or the doctors pulled him from the game and his response was “well, we gave it a go and I didn’t plant that first series so they kind of pulled me”. Yeah, right. Try to be more vague next time. And this is the guy that’s supposed to get so much respect?
I don’t know about being out-classed or being a douchebag. The Packers won fair and square and they are the NFC Champions.
The Bears never quit and showed “class” playing to the end. It was not our day. In a 32 team tournament they came in 4th. Thank you, Bears, for giving your fans an exciting season.
It wasn’t the Bears day because they just weren’t as good. And you had no chance in the 2nd half because your QB gave up on you. Congratulations.
My team is getting spanked right now by Pittsburg, but let me tell ya, if I was Lovie, that 3rd stringer is starting next year. Jay Cutler is a pussy! Any other tough QB would have lied to get back into a championship game! Say what ya want about Favre, he would have never said he was hurt and played through it. Pussy! Man up!
Is your QB not part of your team? He quit. Just listen to that lame excuse he gave.
Agreed Marty…any QB with CLASS would give his right nut to get back into the biggest game of their lives. This guy is a joke…and a douchebag!!
Wow, your hatred for Cutler is “class-less”. Whether he or the docs pulled him from the game what the hell does it matter to you. He’s a bum and a douchebag to you no matter what. His QB rating was 10 points lower than Rodgers in this game.
Cutler was not good in the first half, no question. Initial reports on Chicago radio report that he may have a torn MCL.
Sorry he is vague to you. Maybe we’ll have the medical reports sent directly to you. I don’t think Cutler cares whether or not he has your respect. I sure don’t care.
What are you retarded? I said “it wasn’t our day”. How does that not mean the same as “weren’t as good”.
Where did your team end up?
Torn MCL and he’s STANDING on the side line?
I don’t have hatred for Cutler. I just don’t like players that constantly make excuses. Offensive line, receivers, now the doctors. It’s always somebody else but him. But he’s always quick to point out when he’s done well. I guess there’s real class and then there’s “Bear Class”.
I meant the Bears AREN’T as good. They weren’t going to win that game at least 8 out of 10 times. Especially with your QB holding back the way he did. But really? Retarded? You just showed you’re no different than any other fan so stop with the holier than thou bullshit.
I still can’t really comprehend how that team ended up with the #2 seed in the first place.
Since I stated in the previous comment that after the game we will have the right to gloat about our team, I’m a Packers fan and I hate the Bears, so YEAH!!!!! go Packers, eat it Chicago Bears, can’t count on a quitter *cough *cough.
With that out of the system, let take a step back and look at what happened. Who knew what’s going on with Cutler. Don’t blame him for loosing a game in a team sport. Rodgers didn’t win that game for the Packers, the Defense and some others did. With that being said, WTF is wrong with McCarthy. So damn conservative. Second half was crappy play calling, it’s like a different Packers team that showed up. Don’t ever take the foot off the gas pedal Mike.
After watching both championships game, I was amaze of how similar both games are to each other. Both Packers and Steelers totally dominated the first half and then come out playing half ass in the second. Both games could have been a blowout, but I guess that’s bad rating and all the fans would leave. It’s going to be a good Superbowl, let just hope they both goes all out, and may the best team win.
GO PACKERS !!!!
A little late to the party I see, but I couldn’t resist making comments. T-Bone you make some of the worst points I have heard in this whole argument about Cutler. You blatantly dislike Cutler, but then you try to make an argument of why he is a baby, but show your true hatred in doing so. You say the Bears aren’t worthy of where they are, but yet they played the schedule they were given, and beat the teams they needed to beat. I think the Falcons are a good team and they looked a lot worse against the same team the Bears just played, and while comparing apples to apples we should do so with Cutler. I saw you say Cutler was walking and standing on the sidelines, I guess that means he should still be able to play. I really hope you are a doctor or know a few things about anatomy, because otherwise you again are just showing your emotional standpoint. Anyways, back to apples to apples, Hines Ward who is known as an NFL tough guy, had the same injury in the AFC championship game in the 1st quarter of the game and tried to come back in the 2nd but could finish the game……Funny people didn’t make as big of a deal about that injury!
T-Bone I may be wrong in assuming so, but I think you HATE Cutler…and quite possible might have a man-crush on Hines Ward and other NFL tough guys!!!