Heart Breaker

September 10, 2018

Even though I didn’t expect the Bears to beat the Packers, this defeat is hard to swallow. The Bears coughed up a twenty point lead in less than two quarters. Granted, the Packers have the best quarterback, in Aaron Rodgers, but he was not the sole reason the Bears lost, he had some help.

Things started out looking good. The offense looked crisp with different formations and movement, things not usually associated with a Bears offenses. Mitch Trubisky looked real good leading them 86 yards to a touchdown and a field goal to build an early ten point lead. From then on the offense was virtually non-existent.

The defense was very good. Pressure and a sack of Rodgers forced him to leave the field..His replacement, DeShone Kizer led the Packers into field goal range.  On a third down he went back to pass. The Bears best player, Khalil Mack, strip sacked Kizer to snuff out that drive. Of course the Bears offense stalled and they gave the ball right back to the Packers .Kizer had a pass tipped that ended up in Mack’s hands and he scored a touchdown. Bears 17, Packers 0.

At the start of the third quarter the Bears extended their lead to twenty. Enter Aaron Rodgers. He was getting the ball out lightning fast, to avoid the pass rush. His first drive ended with a field goal. The Bears great offensive mind, coach Matt Nagy, can't find the right plays and the Bears go three and out. The Packers scored  a quick touchdown. and you could feel the momentum turning. Even with his billboard of plays the Bears once again go three and out. In my last post, I pointed out there is a big difference between having plays and calling the right ones. The defense gasping for air looks like they are doing a better job until, on second down and 2 from the Bears 39 yard line, Rodgers throws a perfect pass to the far right hand corner of the end zone.  A covered Geronimo Allison catches this for a touchdown. No one is better at this type of pass than Rodgers. The lead is down to three.

Nagy finally wakes up. With Trubisky’s efficiency and passing rating falling, he decides to run the ball. This will eat some time off the clock. The danger is if you leave some time left, Rodgers doesn’t need much to score. The run is working and the Packers are using up all their timeouts. The Bears have third down and need only two yards for a first down. Then just like the previous coaches Nagy gets a brain camp. The Bears were running the ball effectively to this point. The offensive guru calls a pass play. This is wrong on all counts. The pass is incomplete and the clock stops. Brain cramp number two., Nagy calls for a field goal with over two minutes to go. It was at this point I knew the Bears were going to lose. If they run the ball and get a first down they probably win the game. If the Bears don’t make a first down, you try again on fourth down This takes time off the clock. If for some reason you can't 2 yards in two plays, the Packers start way back in their end.

Instead of starting deep in their territory, the kick-off goes into the end zone giving the Packers get the ball at their own 25 yard line. Needing a touchdown, the Packers pass to Randall Cobb over the middle. With no Bear in sight, he scores a 75 yard touchdown. Packers 24, Bears 23. The Bears defense was so inept on the last Packer possession, they got the ball back with over two minutes left on the clock. They had two time outs and the two minute warning break. Needing only a field goal, they move to their own forty yard line. There was still about 1.5 minutes left. Enough time for an unexpected run to get them closer..Nagy calls on his quarterback to  pass. Trubisky misses three times (mostly sideline passes) with plenty of time to work the middle of the field. Trubisky fumbles on fourth down, game over.. 

I know it’s only one game but I can’t believe with all the good practices and Trubisky getting plenty of reps, that they could lose. Maybe if they had some game experience they could have found some things to work on, although I don’t how you work on bad snaps. After the game Nagy’s every answer was praising Aaron Rodgers, without mentioning he may have screwed up. He also said they could have used more game reps. For his poor play calling the Packers should have given Nagy a game ball.