Sunday, January 23, 2011

Bears 14, Packers 21 - Game Blog

@515pm - In the end, the Bears went the way of the Cutler today ... down on a knee, falling to the Packers 21-14. The score was closer than the game was played and the Halas Trophy goes to the Packers, their first trip since the 96-97 season.

Heroes of the Game:
Matt Forte
Caleb Hanie
Brian Urlacher

Goats of the Game:
Jay Cutler
Julius Peppers

The season comes to a close for the Bears. A great season that will probably be forgotten - except for the outcome. Damn, I hate the Packers!!!!!!!!
@5:10pm - 1st down Chester Taylor!

@5:09pm - 4th and 1 coming up near midfield - this is a "must have" or the Bears won't likely see the ball again this season. Now the much maligned offensive line can prove their worth - or not.

@5:06pm - Hanie has been kinda impressive ... I mean it's like the '83 White Sox, very "ugly." Big throw to Olsen for a 1st down - the first 3rd down conversion on the game for the Bears. And then the zebras step-in again with a "grounding" call - desite receivers in the 'hood.

@5:03pm - 3rd and 12 and DOWN GOES RODGERS! The Packers are punting to Hester ... (hear tis beating fast) ... nothing happening. The Bears have NEVER won a postseason game when trailing by more than 7 points. WOW!

1st and 10 on 29 with 2:53 to play ...

@4:56pm - I'm having a Cubs moment. By that I mean, the Bears - seemingly watching the end to thier season - have given us hope that they could pull this out. I know there's a ice cube's chance in hell of the comeback, but ... my inner Cub-fan allows me to dream ... and be destroyed again and again ... and again. But here we go ... it's 21-14 after a quick Hanie TD pass. 4:43 to go in regulation and time for the onside kick. Bears kick deep and stop Charles Woodson at the 26.

@4:50pm - The Bears season just unofficially came to an end, as BJ Raji intercepted Caleb Hanie. Raji dropped back into pass coverage over the middle, snagging what was an attempted slant pattern and took it into the endzone for a touchdown and a 21-7 Packers lead over the Bears. Green Bay is about to even-up their postseason record versus the Bears and earn a trip to the Super Bowl.

@4:48pm - Quick throws - if they're open for Rodgers - will destroy the Bears! He is too good at doing it - have to mix up the looks he's getting. Big stop by the Bears on 3rd and short. Izzy with the pressure forces the bad throw. Can Hester work some magic? Nope. And terrible field position for the Bears again. Not being mentioned a whole lot, but the Bears are used to starting - at the very worst - at their own 34 yard line. Seems like many of today's possessions have started insider their own 20. UPDATE: 5 possessions for the Bears have started at or inside their own 20 yard line.

@4:44pm - Hanie getting hit by BJ Raji might have been a blessing in disguise. Packers defender was waiting for that ball - and could've been a pick-6. But alas, a 3-and-out, 0-for-9 on 3rd downs. That's pretty bad. Weak punt, giving good field for Green Bay. Where's the 'mo now?

@4:38pm - Looks as though the bit hit from Peppers has amped up the Packers more than the home team. It wasn't pretty, but on 3rd and 2 from the Bears 43 yard line - Defense makes the STOP! This could potentially being a turning point - Bears score, come in and rough up Rodgers and then get the ball back. Momentum is favoring the Bears!

@4:33pm - There seems to be some life in the crowd at Soldier Field. Defense is standing up - Julius Peppers absolutely destroyed Rodgers - and got a "roughing the passer" penalty - TERRIBLE CALL!

I know that the crown of the helmet hit Rodgers, but what the hell was he supposed to do? Aikman is crying about it on Fox, but he's a QB apologist. That was a horrendous call by the zebras!

@4:29pm - Hanie with a big connection with Knox ... and the Bears are showing life, with 1st and Goal from the 1 yard line. TOUCHDOWN CHESTER TAYLOR!!!! It's now a 1-score game, with the Packers holding onto a 14-7 lead in the 4th Qtr. Is this the life the Bears "O" needed breathed into them? Big story will be how Aaron Rodgers responds. Defense needs a stop more than ever this season.

@4:28pm - Matt Forte is the only bright spot on offense. Now, with Hanie in, there's more room for Forte because they have to respect the pass. And the Bears will need the pass in order to come from behind.

@4:27pm - Cutler doesn't know when he got hurt. I couldn't tell either. Hhmmm. I wonder.

@4:23pm - As I suggested minutes ago, Caleb Hanie is the Bears best chance at Victory! His mobility - and the fact that he doesn't move like the Tin Man (before he got lubed up) - means Hanie is a better option. Can he do it? Umm, probably not. Would I love it? Of course! Take that, Don Majkowski!

@4:20pm - Yet another opportunity for the offense, as Urlacher and the boys play great and give them potentially good field position. But, Hester musters nothing on the return. Another chance - penalty forces the Packers to punt again!

@4:15pm - Old Style tastes much better when the Bears are winning.

@4:09pm - Great coverage by the Bears on a big 3rd down stop, forcing the Packers to punt. Yet again, the Bears have a chance to get some of the 'mo back. Instead, Hester falls on the punt return and gains only 2 yards. Is it ridiculous to suggest that the Bears have a better chance of winning with Caleb Hanie?

@4:01pm - The Bears should feel blessed to be down by only 14 to the Packers. They haven't won in any phase of the game. What about the 4th phase? I can't tell from my couch.

@3:52pm - Jay Cutler will be leaving the game in favor of Todd Collins. Seriously, this isn't good. I know that's not really news, but WTF - Todd Collins looks like he won a contest at halftime and gets to come out and throw a couple passes! This is akin to bringing in LaTroy Hawkins in the 9th to close out a win. It's a no-win situation.

@3:49pm - The Aaron Rodgers Show is back on the air. He's carving the Bears up. He's such an intelligent QB. Very few mistakes. Chris Meyers of Fox reports, "Lovie wasn't sure if he'd go with Cutler or Collins" to start the 2nd half. It doesn't look good.

@3:46pm - Players of the game for the Bears, thus far ... Brad Maynard and Peanut Tillman.

@3:44pm - Fox is reporting that Jay Cutler limped out of the locker room with a knee injury - to go along with the Curt Schilling-like bloody elbow. His body language - is as usual bad - not sure if it's his head or knee hurting him worse. Nothing seems to be working - and he's already taking too many risks. If the Bears have ANY chance of coming back, they will need #6 under center. Todd Collins = End of Season.

@3:25 - Jay Cutler has thrown his 1st INT - could easily been his 2nd or 3rd if not for help by his offensive teammates. Not a good half for the Bears. Wow. Feels like 28-0.

@3:15pm - The Bears offense is getting impatient and anxious – and dare I say, desperate. Jay Cutler can thank Matt Forte and Greg Olsen, who prevented interceptions by the Packers on the same drive late in the 2nd quarter. Cutler has been getting hit, isn’t getting a lot of time and has blood coming from his elbow – let’s hope he doesn’t regress back to early-season form. I don’t like the way this is going.

@3:08pm - I've been watching football for plenty of years, and I'm curious why Greg Jennings was rubbing Aaron Rodger's leg before a big 3rd down stop by the Bears with 5 minutes to go in the 1st half. Whatever he did, do it again! Packers will punt. The bounce on this punt - could it turn out to be a momentum changer? The ball hit inside the 5-yard line and then took a Bears bounce beyond the 10-yard line. Here come the Hawks ... err, Bears.

@3:00 - That was a HUGE holding call against Chester Taylor and the Bears, setting up 2nd and 20 at the 41 - big response by Cutler with a good run of 9 yards. But yet again, another punt. This is not good. Corey Graham with the "almost" great play on the punt, but as this day has gone, it continues to go for the Bears.

@2:50pm - Like a warm knife through butter, the Packers offense goes right through for a 14-0 lead in the 2nd quarter. I like Rodgers and admire his QB abilities, but he is NOT this good. I'm about to vomit.

@2:45 - Packers are giving the Bears some breaks - Tramon fumbled the punt and then a fals start negates a 1st down pass play. Like the way the Bears D continues to swarm to the ball.

@2: 39 - I know the Bears are running with minimal result, but they have to keep stuffing in down the Green Bay defense. This will come back later in a beneficial way, as Cutler's passing lanes open up.

@2: 37 - SACK MAN! Urlacher with a big defensive play! The Bears really needed that! Good coverage and a loss of 8 yards.

@2: 34 - My son just told me that should he become a pro athlete, he'll make sure Mom and I have front-row seats, backstage passes and anything we want to eat. So, I got that going for me.

@2:30pm - I'm an admiited hater of the "Never missed a Super Bowl Club" - yes, I'm jeealous!

@2:26pm - Bears finally get a hit on Rodgers, but only because he launched it 50 yards and needed time to dropback. Big 3rd down - BIG DEFENSIVE STOP! Peppers was there, but c'mon, Man, hit his arm or something. Make something happen.

@2:24pm - Troy Aikman is dead-on via Fox TV - "Julius Peppers has to be a factor" ... Bears defense continues to get punched in the face on the ground and through the air. No pressure whatsoever.

@2:20pm - Nice catch and throw from Cutler to Forte. Cutler is 0-for-1 on shoulda-coulda - missed Devin Hester on what could have been a big gainer. Pack gets the ball back.

@2:12pm - Bears defense not looking good. Plenty of bending, not a lot of breaking. Aaron Rodgers looks smooth - like the Bears D isn't even there. Packers score on Rodgers run to lead 7-0. Ugh.

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