Monday, January 17, 2011

As I See It: It's. About. To Go. Down...

   Well if poetic justice could not be any sweeter. The Chicago Bears can earn the right to play for the 45th Super Bowl title by playing the(wait for it.......) Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. If you would have told me in the beginning of the season that this would be the way it plays out, I would have not believed you but still secretly started to save money for the now $550 average 400-level seat ticket. Maybe when I start to get paid for these blogs I can actually cover from the game. But for right now my couch and ridiculously cheaper beer than Soldier Field will suffice! Although I am totally drinking Da Bear Kool-Aide. As I See It splitting the season 1-1 and Lovie Smith intentionally playing his starting squad in the final game of  what appeared at the time to be a meaningless game vs. the Packers has built all the hype one can handle for a NFC Title Rivalry Game. That's right I officially have marqueed this matchup with that title. Feel free to use that one around as you gush in Bears hysteria and bash the heads'. Even though this is one of the oldest rivalries in the modern NFL(and pre-modern).  Its hard to not have any respect for a team that is clearly a true competitor and in the 1-1 split owns the score with 27-23. So the hatred comes from the fact that we refuse to believe that our most touted competitor/arch-nemesis will stop us from reaching the promised land. Dallas. That's why this matchup is so special. Although the teams have played one another a record most in the NFL, they have only played in the playoffs once. That game was a tiebreaker matchup. So this game my friends is for all the marbles. As I look at this upcoming matchup, I look at the past two meetings and see what trended and what did not, and As I See It the game shakes up like this....

  • James Starks was and will be a non-factor. The Bears defense should focus a good deal of attention to Aaron Rogers and stay true to the Base Cover-2 philosophy. Let the front four create pressure and that should diffuse the run game enough to force Rogers to pass his way up field. I also vehemently believe that Mike McCarthy WILL NOT get off the bus running. In the past 3 games dating back to the most recent meeting Chicago and Green Bay, the Packers ran the ball a total of 86 times. One of the most out of the playoff teams. But the two games they ran the most in was against one of the two worst running defenses in the playoffs, the Falcons and the Eagles. The Bears limited the Packers to a total of 123 total rushing yards in the teams two meetings this season. Aaron Rogers attributed 41 yards and 1 rushing TD and James Starks rushed for 20 total yards and no touchdowns on 4 rushing attempts. The Bears must bring enough pressure to force Rogers into quick throws and not allow him to create outside the pocket with improvisation and using his feet to gather first downs. Respect Starks recent rushing efforts, but punish him for trying it on the 2nd ranked rushing defense in the NFL... Aaron Rogers is public enemy number 1. If the Bears defense can sack him more times than Green Bay's defense gets to Cutler, than that can be a key statistic to ensuring a place as the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. Green Bay has out sacked the Bears 9-3 in the past two meetings. Aaron Rogers alone has contributed 18 of the Packers 27 points against the Bears in there meetings. If the Bears can stop him they are a huge favorite to win this game, because he is the reason the Packers are playing in this game and are in the playoffs to begin with.
Chester Taylor and Tommie Harris just might be the x-factor to the Chicago Bears defeating the Packers this weekend. Both Taylor and Harris made plays against Seattle to help Chicago win, but in they both will have to have even more of a collective effort for their respective sides of the ball for the Bears to be complete enough to compete with a Green Bay Packers team that is talented top to bottom in the roster.

   Tommie Harris who did not participate in the 2006 Super Bowl run, is looking for a redemption run in this years playoffs. Tommie Harris has earned 3 sacks in the past 2 games after accounting for only 1.5 sacks the entire season. A number attributing to a couple game time inactive calls and other players stepping up and producing in his own 3-technique position. With a hefty amount of the veterans on the defense who either played on the 2006 Super Bowl team or have played in a Super Bowl in their career, Tommie is not short of places to look for motivation and inspiration to make his mark, and quite possibly end his career on the highest of notes as being the catalyst to Lombardi glory. I look for T.Harris to account for 4.5 tackles and 1.5 sacks against the Packers(willing that pesky knee keeps up. Reports are that despite weakness earlier in the season, Tommie is feeling his best of the entire season and even asked to be reinserted in the starting lineup). Bear Down.
      Chester Taylor was signed this recent off season purely to compliment Mike Martz offensive system. Taylor is undoubtedly a smart pick up for the Bears with his remarkable receiving ability coming out of the backfield and incredible field vision blocking and picking up zones. Also giving Matt Forte a reasonable breather and the defense a different look to have to adjust to ,and compromise a nickle or linebacker. The problem seems to be with Martz using him as a primary rushing back and not using him in the receiving game as a hot read or dump option. Now understandably at the running back position he needs to posses the strength and agility to be able to convert those 3rd and 3, 3rd and 4 situations. But to not utilize Chester to his strengths or use Matt Forte to pound out those critical yards is in my humble opinion, doing an extreme disservice to an offense that can undoubtedly flourish in a Mike Martz system in the seasons to come and most particularly these 2010-11 NFL Playoffs. As I See It, Mike Martz should spread out the Green Bay defense and force Dom Capers to reduce the amount of times he blitzes Charles Woodson, by sending Chester Taylor out as a hot read or underneath route to play off the safety. By keeping the Packers blitzer's honest and a good pass block effort by the O-Line should allow Cutler enough time read through his 2nd and 3rd progressions and spark a big play that Mike Martz loves so much. I look for Chester Taylor to account for 30 rushing yards, 30 receiving yards and receiving touchdown. Bear Down.

  • Three phases will be necessary for the Bears to win the NFC. Devin Hester will need to continue to put the offense in great field position and threaten opponents with the scare of a one on one with the kicker. Dave Toub will need to contain Packer returner James Starks who has been a key spark in the Packers playoff dominance and might look to break a big play in the return game as well. If the Bears plan to use Devin Hester on both kick and punt duties, I do not believe they will need to have to reel in his receiver duties to do so. It is do or die and I believe Devin wants to make a mark on both phases and prove that not only is he a the biggest offensive threat in the NFL. But also that he is a champion receiver, returner and make his mark once again in Chicago Bear and NFL history. He would truly make Mr. Halas proud. 
  • Do not be fooled with the offensive production. This is after all a Mike Martz offense, they will score. The Bears have posted a 40 and 38 point game this season. As well as posting 6 23-31 point victories, all in wins. As long as Jay Cutler has a passer rating of 100. or higher he is undefeated in his career. So as they go, so does the Bears. Martz did it in STL, he did it San Francisco and he has already done it here in one season and we have yet to even see it 50% close to its full potential with the talent we have on the roster. That is something to look forward to. Johnny Knox, Earl Bennett, Rashied Davis, Devin Aromashadu, and Devin Hester all have potential to really step up and make big plays as long as Jay trusts them and they run the routes they are supposed to and use good field IQ to read Jay and the defense to their advantage.
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     So call off work, call over some buddies and family or tailgate and get in all your Bears gear and paraphernalia. This is going to be a historic NFC Championship game and one for bragging right for a very, very long time. Let a bitter rival be the stepping stone into football immortality. Live the '85 dream and remember the '06 lesson. Cut the cheese heads, the whole city is behind you!

2 comments:

  1. I've been thinking the exact same thing in regards to Tommie Harris and Chester Taylor. I'd actually like to see some split back with Forte and Taylor in the backfield. Not only would it help with blocking, but it could easily help to open up a receiver down field or make for an easy dump pass to the flat on either side. GO BEARS!

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  2. That is a good idea, especially when you already know Green Bay is going to throw exotic blitz packages. Oddly enough, I was just thinking Mike McMuffin might disguise C.Woodson in that nickel blitz package and try him out on Greg Olsen. Bad idea but he might just be dumb enough to do it. Cutler might also be under to much initial pressure and under throw Olsen. Woodson will most definitely take advantage of that situation. This game cant start any sooner! Thanks for reading and posting! More to come!!

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