2018 Week 1: Rodgers Rallies The Packers to 24-23 Victory Over The Bears

I gave up on this game. After Aaron Rodgers's left knee was rolled to it's side on a sack (knees are not supposed to bend that way!) he couldn't walk off the field under his own power which led to this:

Aaron Rodgers has left the field on a cart. pic.twitter.com/wgUl7oYJAT

— SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 10, 2018

That's it for the 2018 season. They'd manage a few wins (DeShone Kizer couldn't go winless for another entire season, could he?) but they're not going anywhere with an improving but still mediocre defense and old school play calling from Mike McCarthy. Kizer did give me a little hope that he wasn't going to be a repeat of Brett Hundley with a drive into the red zone but on the drive's final play he ran right into LB Khalil Mack's arms for a fumble. On the next drive, an ill-advised screen pass was called and Kizer threw a pick-six right to Mack (they must be good buddies by this point) for a 17-0 halftime deficit. Kizer was a different type of awful than Hundley, not as ineffective but more turnover prone. Wake me up in September 2019.

But then...

That’s a good sign, as Aaron Rodgers walks out of the tunnel. pic.twitter.com/LuHiIpLOGA

— Steve Noah (@Steve_OS) September 10, 2018

and then...

That dude.@AaronRodgers12 goin' DEEEEEP. 🎯#CHIvsGB #GoPackGo

📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/cinPOMvOVP

— NFL (@NFL) September 10, 2018

then another touchdown pass to Davante Adams, and then the dagger!!!

Randall Cobb goes 75 YARDS!!!!!! 😱@packers have the lead! #CHIvsGB #GoPackGo

📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/S3trWF5UoY

— NFL (@NFL) September 10, 2018

This is old school, but it reminded me of a 1989 game against the Saints (without the QB injury), when I completely gave up on a game though I shouldn't.

The rust in the first half (pre-knee injury) had vanished. The pass protection was great and Rodgers's passes were just beyond the defenders' fingers. Bears CB Kyle Fuller dropped a game ending INT but bad hands is why those guys were switched to DB in the first place.

There were still some zeroes in this game. Newly named starting RG Justin McCray was terrible in the first half (it looked like he missed the rushing DL on the stunt who went unblocked when Rodgers suffered his knee injury) and much better in the second. Clay Matthews is still useful but every few weeks he has one of these awful games, his only big play was a roughing the passer penalty on 4th down that gave the Bears another chance at the end of the game. Jamaal Williams seemed to have a knack for running into a pile instead of finding some daylight.

A knee injury for Rodgers is bad but it's much better than a lost season. Maybe it's an MCL sprain, which he obviously can play through but who knows when it would be healed. It's going to be a struggle to win the division or make the playoffs, so these divisional games are must-wins. Rodgers recovered in the second half to pull their season back from the brink, but that's still a dangerous place to find themselves after one game. Whew!

Packers End Three Game Losing Streak, Defeat Bears, 23-16

It was hardly a blow out win for the Green Bay Packers. It took an assist from a sloppy Bears team (8 penalties) and one of the worst coaches' challenges of all time, but their three game losing streak is over.

Mitchell Trubisky had the best performance of his young NFL career, going 21-of-35 for 297 yards and a touchdown. He connected six times for 88 yards with new Bears teammate Dontrelle Inman.

— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) November 12, 2017

The run defense was good for the second week in a row and this time it was against a good rushing attack (Bears) instead of one that is usually among the worst in the league (Lions). But the pass defense was a mess again. They did record 5 sacks, which usually happened when the coverage held up downfield. But the Bears have probably the worst group of receivers in the league, it's so bad that Dontrelle Inman immediately became their No. 1 receiver after one week of practices. Inman had 58 receptions in 2016 but only had 2 with the Chargers in 2017 before his trade last week to the Bears. Trubisky had never completed more than 20 passes or thrown for more than 200 yards in a game until he faced the Packers. The Bears' top 3 wide receivers (and targets) combined for 13 receptions, 189 yards and 1 touchdown, which was more than the Packers' top 3 wide receivers combined (11 rec., 162 yards and 1 touchdown).

There's not much that can be done to improve that unit the rest of the season. CB Davon House is getting worse, Trubisky seemed to be targeting him in coverage during the 2nd half. CB Kevin King is their best cornerback, but he still has a couple plays per game when he looks like a rookie. CB Damarious Randall has been better at playing in Morgan Burnett's hybrid role but they already have Burnett (when healthy) to play there. S Kentrell Brice is on IR and not coming back this season, not that he was making much of a difference anyway. At least they have an easier match-up against QB Joe Flacco next week.

As for their new quarterback:

Interesting quote from Davante Adams on Brett Hundley:

“He’s pretty poised in the huddle. I can see sometimes he gets jumbled a little bit when the coaches are in his ear and we tell him things. But I think he’s been doing a good job with it. He just has to get used to that.”

— Eric Edholm (@Eric_Edholm) November 12, 2017

This was Hundley's best game as a starter but he's still inexperienced. He's making crazy mistakes like when he called a timeout for no reason and when he threw the ball away on a busted play instead of running into about 10 yards of open green in front of him. He shouldn't be taking so many sacks and he needs to quit running backwards in a loop for about 10 yards whenever he's forced out (or thinks he's being forced out) of the pocket. Some quarterbacks never figure these things out but at this point I'm willing to cut him a little slack in his first three NFL starts.

And despite everything I wrote above, this was his best NFL game against a solid Bears' defense in wet weather conditions. He made a couple of highlight reel completions to Adams, including one for a touchdown, and he didn't turn the ball over. He wasn't very mobile, at some point during the game he injured his hamstring and played through it, but he still ran for a big 1st down late in the game and he's already run for two touchdowns in his first 3 NFL starts. His completion percentage was over 70% for the game.

A win is always a good thing, and at least the Packers looked a lot better than they did against the Lions. I'm not looking for a big playoff run or expect Hundley to transform into Rodgers v.2 by season's end, but they played better and hopefully they keep it up over the next 7 games.

Packers (8-6) Survive The 4th Quarter, Hang Onto Defeat The Bears, 30-27

I'm writing this after the Redskins lost at home to the Panthers on Monday night. With the loss, the Redskins fell out of the final Wild Card spot and behind the Green Bay Packers in the playoff standings. The Redskins are one of four teams (along with the Lions, Buccaneers, and Vikings) battling the Packers for two playoff spots (the second Wild Card spot and NFC North title). All four of those teams lost this weekend, except the Packers, who now can win the NFC North title by winning their last two games.

So losing a big 17 point lead on the road against the last-place Bears looks embarrassing but what's really important is the win. Something none of their playoff rivals could do in Week 15.

QB Aaron Rodgers doesn't look quite right with injuries to both legs. WR Davante Adams dropped two touchdown passes. WR Randall Cobb was questionable right up until game time, and he's obviously hurt because he wasn't even targeted once against the Bears. Luckily Rodgers had an explosive ground game (WR/RB Ty Montgomery!) because none of his wide receivers were useful to him. Except for WR Jordy Nelson, who also had a big drop, but made up for it with this great route which turned what should have been an overtime game into a last second win.

The perfect way to start your week!@AaronRodgers12 goes DEEP to @JordyRNelson to set up the victory!#GoPackGo https://t.co/cdBHeIYow0

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 19, 2016

Rodgers was really good and that pass to Nelson was great, but the story was Ty Montgomery. If his position change from WR to RB wasn't official, it should be now. His ability to find openings in space and break tackles makes him the No. 2 weapon behind Nelson. Adams will bounce back and TE Jared Cook has quietly become a dangerous option since he returned from injury. If they can get anything from Cobb down the stretch, this offense has suddenly become very dangerous.

The defense struggled against QB Matt Barkley, of all people. He had a big statistical game (except for the 3 INTs plus one fumble) and he was very good at directing their offense (when he wasn't turning the ball over). The pass rush wasn't much of a factor because Barkley was able to get the ball out so quickly. That was made possible because CB Damarious Randall was giving so much cushion to the receivers he was covering. Barkley seemed to ignore CB Ladarious Gunter almost the entire game and focused on throwing to whoever Randall was covering.

The coaches noticed too and Randall was benched during the 4th quarter. Unfortunately his replacement was CB Quinten Rollins, who was torched just as badly as Randall. Both corners gave up too much ground at the snap and seemed more concerned about getting beat deep than giving up a short pass. But it was those short passes that wrecked everything the Packers were trying to do on defense.

This isn't a new story. The pass defense has been a problem all season long. CB Sam Shields is badly missed while Randall and Rollins have regressed in their second seasons. There isn't an obvious replacement without moving CB Micah Hyde from his current hybrid role into a true outside corner, but that potentially weakens two positions. Randall had a bad game against the Bears but he's had better games in the past, and he remains their best option for the rest of the season.

They should be pumped for their home finale of 2016 against the Vikings, who looked like they had completely quit on the season when they got demolished by the Colts in the first half last week. They can't just assume the Lions will lose in Dallas and they need to beat the Vikings, and then they can focus on beating the Lions in Detroit on New Year's Day.

Packers (4-2) Bounce Back and Dominate Bears, 26-10

It was close game in the first half because the Green Bay Packers had two drives stall within field goal range and another one end at the Bears's one yard on a failed 4th down run by WR Ty Montgomery. But the game was never in doubt because the Bears's offense never showed up, which was kind of surprising because the Bears's offense came in ranked No. 19 overall vs. the Packers No. 14 overall, according to Football Outsiders. They should have been able to keep pace to some degree but they couldn't do anything except patch together one scoring drive for a field goal in the first half.

The Bears's offense would have been better if they hadn't lost QB Brian Hoyer to a broken arm in the first half, but they already were without WR Eddie Royal, who missed the game due to a toe injury. The Packers have been getting killed by No. 1 receivers but WR Alshon Jeffery, who's having a great season, couldn't get anything going with only 3 receptions on 11 targets. Four days ago, CB Ladarius Gunter was getting torched by the Cowboys but he was looked like a quality NFL CB against the Bears.

The Packers came into this game with an advantage on special teams but they gave that away because K Mason Crosby had his worst night in a while. He missed a field goal and had his first missed extra point since 2014. Those two misses kept it a two score game and theoretically gave the Bears a chance. But their offense played so badly, and backup QB Matt Barclay couldn't do anything except throw 2 INTs, so they never really had a chance.

On offense, it was QB Aaron Rodgers's first 300 yard passing game in a while and he played very well, except for another fumble that was recovered in the end zone by the Bears for their only touchdown. Montgomery had another strong receiving game but his running game is not working. RB Knile Davis was limited because he doesn't know the playbook yet and they weren't able to use him yet. WR Randall Cobb had another great game and it was his 2nd consecutive game with a TD reception. WR Jordy Nelson was a forgotten man. And the big story was the huge game by WR Davante Adams.

A career night for @tae15adams!

Every catch from the @packers' WR tonight. 👇 #CHIvsGB #TNF https://t.co/xiSOgTnOQ8

— NFL (@NFL) October 21, 2016

I'm not Adams's No. 1 Fan, but he started out the season with a touchdown reception against Jacksonville and he's slowly getting better this season. But I don't want to make too much out of his this game. If you watch all 13 receptions, you'll see that Adams is either wide open due to a busted coverage or being covered by CB De'Vante Bausby. If Bausby's name doesn't ring any bells, it's probably because he was undrafted in 2015 and promoted from the Bears's practice squad about 5 minutes ago. The Packers used a lot of multiple receiver sets to expose Bausby in one-on-one coverage and Adams torched him. He's not going to get that favorable of a match-up every week.

Now the Packers have a little extra time off until they face the Falcons on October 30. Rodgers should like playing in the dome but this should also be a major challenge for them. The Falcons's offense is really humming along so far this season. They're also currently ranked ahead of the Packers according to Football Outsiders, and so far the Packers have beaten all the teams ranked below them while losing to two teams ranked ahead of them.

Green Bay Packers: Post-Bye Schedule

By Steven Callahan, Writer at the Green Bay Packers Blog.

Most people aren’t fans of such an early bye week. They would rather save this week for later in the season, when they can fully recharge their batteries for the second half of the season. The Green Bay Packers unfortunately do not have that luxury this season, as they their bye week falls in week four. In an ironic way, this bye week couldn’t come at a better time.

Head coach Mike McCarthy admits that the Packers caught a break withthis bye week. McCarthy said this week, “I never thought I would say this, but for as different a schedule that we have, it’s a great time to have the bye, because we need it. That’s where we are.” McCarthy is referring to the injury bug that is going around his team, as four defensive starters sat out against Detroit and tight end Jared Cook sprained his ankle.

The Packers head into the bye with a 2-1 record and are coming off a game where Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdowns. Here is how the rest of the schedule looks for the Packers.

October: Giants (2-2), Cowboys (3-1), Bears (1-3), at Falcons (3-1)

The Packers come out of the bye with three straight home games, ending with the Bears in a Thursday night game. The Packers and Giants always seem to have great games while the Cowboys will be looking to avenge the Dez Bryant “Was it a catch?’ game. This game may be Dak Prescott’s final game, as Tony Romo is expected to return after the Cowboys’ bye week. The Giants are definitely a playoff caliber team, but the Packers should have the edge on both the Giants and Cowboys since the games are at Lambeau.

The Packers then face the Bears on a short week. The Bears are one of the worst teams in the league, but these Thursday night games are so unfair on the players and coaches that nothing can be a sure thing. The Packers should be able to handle the Bears, but it should be noted that the Bears beat the Packers last year on a short week (Thanksgiving night). The Falcons offense has been one of the league’s best this season, as their 34.7 points per game is the highest in the league. Expect a shootout in week eight against the Atlanta Falcons.

November: Colts (1-3), at Titans (1-3), at Redskins (2-2), at Eagles (3-0)

The Packers’ schedule lightens up in November, starting off with the Colts at home. Indianapolis depends too much on Andrew Luck’s comeback ability, which isn’t a good idea in a November game at Lambeau. As Mike McCarthy mentioned, the Packers schedule is “different” and this three-game stretch is a perfect example why. The Pack will play three straight road games - four out of five games when you count the Falcons game - including a Sunday night game against the Redskins and a Monday night game against the Eagles.

On paper, the Packers have more talent than all of these teams, but right now the Eagles are playing great and you can’t count out the Colts or Redskins. It will be an interesting month for the Packers.

December and January: Texans (3-1), Seahawks (3-1), at Bears (1-3), Vikings (4-0), at Lions (1-2)

The Packers simply have to beat the Texans at home, so let’s move on from that. Playing the Seahawks in week 14 is as tough of a matchup as you are going to get, especially with these two teams expected to be in the thick of a playoff race. The last three games will come against divisional opponents, two of which will be on the road. The week 16 matchup against the Vikings could possibly be the most important game of the entire season, since it can essentially be for the NFC North crown. Let’s hope the week 17 game in Detroit is meaningless and the Packers know exactly what seed they are in the playoffs, whether it is as division champion or Wild Card team.

With 13 straight weeks of football left for the Green Bay Packers, their stamina, focus, and preparation will be tested for the next three months. There is no soft part of the schedule, as the Packers will have to earn every win from here on out. It should be an exciting 13 weeks for Packers fans. 

Packers Lose Another NFC North Game At Home: Bears 17, Packers 13

It was appropriate that the Green Bay Packers' last offensive play against the Chicago Bears was an incomplete pass to WR Davante Adams. There might have been nothing he could have done on that particular play but this post is going to be all about him.

Mistakes pile up on offense in loss to Bears. #Packers locker room report: https://t.co/OQQswbiK9q pic.twitter.com/6CmeRDo7G4

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 27, 2015

When the offense is struggling, it's usually because one thing is broken. In prior years, sacks have been a major problem and its easy for one sack to put the brakes on an entire drive, even if it doesn't happen on 3rd down. It's the same with incomplete passes, and while fingers could be pointed at WR James Jones (who had zero receptions on six targets against the Bears) for disappearing from game-to-game, or WR Randall Cobb for a down season, the spotlight is glaring on Adams.

Currently Adams has a negative DYAR ranking according to Football Outsiders. Most receivers are positive, but there are some good receivers with negative one. WR Dez Bryant currently has a negative DYAR because of his foot injury and the three headed QB hydra that's been a problem all season in Dallas. Adams had a high ankle sprain earlier this season to blame, but it looks a lot worse when you compare Adams to all the other receivers that have registered a negative DYAR since 2008 (the first year QB Aaron Rodgers became a starter):

Player	Season	Passes	DYAR
Davante Adams	2015	64	-28
Jarrett Boykin	2014	12	-38
Myles White	2013	12	-21

It's a very short list and only includes wide receivers who had at least 10 targets during any season since 2008. Neither White or Boykin are still with the team (for good reason) and at least with them, they were obviously not part of the solution and given very few opportunities. On the other hand, the Packers have been forcing the ball into Adams over the past few weeks and he led the team in targets during each of their losses to the Lions and the Bears. During those two close, home losses, on passes to Adams, Rodgers was 12 for 32, 93 yards, 0 TDs, and 1 INT.

Obviously that's cherry picking, another player to pick on is James Jones who had zero catches for zero yards in those two games. But Adams hasn't made up for it in other games so they could overlook his flops (and drops) against the Lions and Bears. Adams doesn't have a single receiving touchdown in 2015, and his negative DYAR not only stands out poorly in 2015, Aaron Rodgers has never had a receiver struggle like Adams.

Mike McCarthy said after the Bears game that he's going to make changes. Adams is the obvious choice, but TE Richard Rodgers also has a negative DYAR in 2015 (he was negative in 2014 too) and might have fallen behind TE Justin Perillo. Run and pass blocking might also play a factor in this decision too.

The first replacement for Adams is probably WR Jeff Janis. While it may seem like it's about time, over their last two games, Janis has played on 32 offensive snaps and he's had the ball thrown to him twice for zero receptions. It doesn't look like he's getting open and/or earned his quarterback's trust. It's probably a stretch to imagine either WR Jared Abbrederis or WR Ty Montgomery will return to health by Thursday. There's someone on the practice squad, but I'm not going to even consider him. If injuries are still a problem, there isn't a strong Plan B available.

So the good news is that there is a solution. Focus on the good receivers with positive DYAR (Cobb, Jones, Janis, Perillo) and significantly reduce the roles of the receivers who are negative (Adams, Richard Rodgers). Both Adams and Rodgers were 2014 draft choices and still probably need time to develop, but if it hasn't happened yet then it's probably not happening this season. They can be considered as part of the future but not the present. The playoffs are still within sight as they currently hold a wild card spot, and have two more NFC North games remaining. Making an adjustment to their offensive game plan, along with the healthy return of RB Eddie Lacy over their last two games, could get them right back on track for the NFC North title.

Packers Host Bears On Thanksgiving; Plus Brett Favre Is Honored At Halftime

I'm never thrilled to see the Green Bay Packers play on a short week, so I'm not a fan of them playing on Thursday night. But it is cool that this is the first Thanksgiving game in Green Bay since 1923.

In honor of the ceremony for Brett Favre at halftime, Packers.com has put together a very slick interactive webpage and it's really about time he's been honored. I've been a reluctant to say much about him lately, the dramas in 2008 and 2009 still linger with me, but he's one of the all time greats and should have his number retired.

While it's been a surprisingly good season for the Chicago Bears, and QB Jay Cutler is back to being a good quarterback (he's currently ranked No. 8 this season according to Football Outsiders), the Bears were/are in danger of coming into this Thanksgiving game severely undermanned.

6 #Bears questionable for Thursday: RB Matt Forte, WR Alshon Jeffery, LBs Pernell McPhee & LaRoy Reynolds, S Antrel Rolle & Sherrod Martin.

— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) November 25, 2015

They're already going to miss TE Martellus Bennett and WR Eddie Royal, two players who'd start if they were healthy, and losing Jeffrey and Forte too would take away almost all of Cutler's supporting cast. They survived last week without them (Bennett played but was hurt mid-game) against the Broncos; RB Jeremy Langford had a touchdown and WR Marquess Wilson had a career game. Even if Jeffrey and Forte do play, they'll be hurting and somewhat limited on the field. And I haven't even mentioned that they might be without their best pass rusher; Pernell McPhee.

Unfortunately the Packers aren't in perfect health either. The big problem is the offensive line, where every starting lineman is on the injury report and C Corey Linsley is not going to play. Backup C JC Tretter should be fine in his first career NFL start. Since Tretter was supposed to be the starter last year over Linsley (before Tretter got hurt) it's appropriate that he's getting some recognition, finally.

Maybe none of these injuries matter because Cutler's always been very bad at Lambeau in addition to a 1-13 lifetime record against the Packers, but this has been the year for long losing streaks to be broken (the Lions won for the first time in Wisconsin since 1991). Still I'm not expecting the Bears to win on Thursday and they might not even be competitive if the Packers play like they did last Sunday against the Vikings.

The Bears Have Replaced Just About Everyone

There will be a lot of offseason moves to write about for the Green Bay Packers, especially in regards to their free agents. But it's been a really surprising past couple of weeks for the Chicago Bears, who are coming off a disastrous 2014 season. This tweet sums up my thoughts.

At end of firing season, I had #Bears as one of the least attractive jobs open. Now they have Fox, Fangio and Gase. Fairly stunning.
— Eric Edholm (@Eric_Edholm) January 22, 2015

This all got started a couple weeks ago when they hired GM Ryan Pace. His real test will come in the draft, but recruiting an impressive collection of experienced coaches who were in demand is a great start. Even if it turns out that he isn't a star in the draft evaluation process, their former GM struck out in the 2014 draft, so the organization had to try someone else.

John Fox is obviously a head coach who's had a lot of success in Carolina and Denver, and to bring along his OC Adam Gase, who was rumored for nearly every head coaching vacancy, is a major bonus. They don't get to bring Peyton Manning with them, but they were successful in Denver before Manning came to town. Fox and Gase are probably bringing a smash mouth style of football to Chicago which doesn't require a great passing quarterback either. However, that style doesn't seem to fit their current personnel, so a lot of changes might be coming soon except they probably won't eat $15.5 million guaranteed for Jay Cutler in 2015. Plus he's probably untradeable (he did get beat out by Jimmy Clausen last season).

On the other hand, there are reasons why Fox was allowed to leave Denver. And he's not exactly the best in-game manager.

Since Fox is best known as a defensive coach, I was surprised to see former 49ers DC Vic Fangio hired to the same position in Chicago. He didn't get the HC job with the 49ers so it should be expected that he's leaving the bay area, but he must have had other opportunities. A star DC isn't going to transform a defense if they don't have good players on the field, and the Bears are starving for talent on defense, but I can't imagine a better candidate at DC for the Bears than Fangio.

As an interesting side note, they also hired former Packer DC Ed Donatell to coach the defensive backs. Welcome back to the NFC North.

Overall, this is a much stronger group of coaches than I expected the Bears to hire. That doesn't always translate to success on the field. But bringing stability after a chaotic 2014 season will be a big relief for them and it might be a sign the Bears will be better sooner rather than later.

Rodgers Gives His Take On Cutler Drama

Aaron Rodgers isn't a fan of Bears Offensive Coordinator Aaron Kromer's recent criticism of Jay Cutler.

He said so Tuesday at Lambeau Field. Here's his full quote, courtesy of NFL.com's Michael Silver.

"I would have a major problem if somebody said something like that. I think anybody that plays the position, you can't help but empathize with Jay for that situation. You talk all the time about being connected, being a unit, believing in each other. But if you have unnamed sources, people out there cutting you down, and then you find out it's the person calling the plays -- that would be really hard to deal with, to look at him the same way."

Matthews: I'll Play Without Limitations Sunday

Packers LB Clay Matthews said that the groin injury that's limited him in practice this week shouldn't affect his involvement Sunday.

"I was a little sore after the game in regards to the injury with my groin and everything," Matthews told The Green Bay Press-Gazette today. "I was able to do a lot more today than I was yesterday and obviously we don't work on Friday, that's our rehab day. I feel good. So, I don't think there were will be any limitations going into this weekend."

Hopefully that statement is true, as Matthews has collected 13 tackles and two sacks in the team's last two games. He's also recorded three assists, helping the Packers stay undefeated at home.

Rodgers: My Back Feels Tight From Standing Around So Much Sunday

Aaron Rodgers doesn't seem to want the Bears to feel any better.

He showed so during his Milwaukee radio show earlier this week, when he claimed that he stood around so much during Sunday's victory that his back is actually stiff right now. It's a safe bet Rodgers is just joking here, but nonetheless, this story is interesting.

Here's Rodgers' quote, courtesy of ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky:

"My low back was actually hurting…I think I attributed that to standing around the entire time as the second half went on, not [from] anything that happened on the field…The guys took really good care of me on the field. I barely got touched all game, but my back actually got a little tight on the sideline…I forgot what a strain that can be to stand there and watch."

Packers ST Coordinator Slocum: Boykin's "Forced Fumble" A Blocked Punt in My Opinion

Packers Special Teams Coordinator Shawn Slocum thinks Jarret Boykin's forced fumble from yesterday should've been considered a blocked punt.

The unusual play featured Boykin somehow kicking the ball before Bears' Punter Pat O'Donnell did, resulting in a turnover. Boykin never touched it with his hands, technically taking the block factor out of his effort.

Nonetheless, Slocum isn't having it. Here's his full quote, courtesy of ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky:

"In my opinion, it's a blocked punt. We're moving forward. Whatever they want to do statistically, they can do. We'll go in the room Wednesday and say, 'Great job on the blocked punt, now let's get ready for the Eagles.'" 

Reaction: Packers Blowout Bears in Week 10

My thoughts after watching the Packers blowout the Bears yesterday:

1. Aaron Rodgers is a Legitimate MVP Candidate: 

Not many people seem to want to admit it, but it's perfectly clear. Rodgers is having another great year right now, and at the very least he deserves to be considered for the honor.

2. The Bears aren't Turning Their Season Around:

Not that I wanted them them to, but yeah, they're done at this point. They're just not good enough.

3. Playing at Lambeau Will Win the Packers the Division By the End of the Year:

It might not be easy, but nonetheless, it looks bound to happen. 

Let's hope I'm right.

Bears/Packers Final Prediction

My prediction for tomorrow's Bears/Packers game:

Score: Packers 38, Bears 14

I see this contest going the same way as the Panthers one did a few weeks ago. The Packers will get off to a quick start, pull away early, and then put Matt Flynn in for the fourth the quarter. In the end, the Bears will get a little closer due to Aaron Rodgers' abscence, but still, they'll lose by a lot.

Why?

Because the Packers are simply the better team here. In recent weeks, Jay Cutler has really struggled, while Rodgers, with the exception of the Saints' game, has excelled. I think we can all agree that makes for an obvious advantage for the home team.

Leave your thoughts below on how accurate you think mine are.

Rodgers Expected to Play Sunday

The Packers expect team QB Aaron Rodgers to play in Sunday's game against the Bears, ESPN Wisconsin's Jason Wilde reports.

Rodgers apparently did "everything" in Green Bay's practice Monday, Head Coach Mike McCarthy told Wilde. 

McCarthy then said today that Rodgers, whose Pack currently sit at a somewhat mediocre 5-3, feels good and is ready to go.

The 30 year-old three-time division champion suffered a hamstring injury in Week 8's loss in New Orleans. It has not been made known whether he would've been able to take the field with it if the Packers had had a game last weekend.

Cutler Offers Bad Explanation When Asked Why He Struggles Against Packers

Bears QB Jay Cutler doesn't seem to want to talk about his struggles against the Packers.

He showed so earlier today, telling ESPN.com's Michael C. Wright this when whether a common denominator has contributed to his 1-10 career record against his team's rival.

"Different coordinators, different teams," Cutler said. "It’s different circumstances every time." 

Yes, Cutler, that must be the problem. Sure, there's some things that are always changing, but others, like maybe the quarterback, usually aren't.

Basically Cutler, you've got to take some responsibility here. It looks bad when you try to downplay your role in divisional losses. 

Packers Listed as 7 Point Favorites For Sunday's Bears Game

The Packers have been listed as 7 point favorites for Sunday's Bears game.

So far this season, the Bears have struggled mightily, starting the year just 3-5 for the worst record in the NFC North. However, when on the road this fall they've actually played pretty well, going 3-2 with those wins coming over the 49ers, Jets and Falcons.

So, while the Packers are clearly the better of the two here, don't be surprised if the visitors find a way to make it close this weekend, especially since Green Bay may be a little sluggish coming off of their bye.

Packers No Longer Favorites to Win NFC North, According to FiveThirtyEight.com

The Packers are no longer the favorites to win the NFC North this season.

Or at least that's what the analysts of FiveThirtyEight.com think. According to them, the Lions, who currently lead the Pack by one game in the division's standings, now have the better chance of playing at home this postseason, in spite of the fact that the Pack don't seem to have another hard contest left on their schedule:

The site's full numbers:

Lions (6-2): 56 percent chance to win the division; 77 percent chance to make the playoffs.
Packers (5-3): 37 percent chance to win the division; 60 percent chance to make the playoffs.
Bears (3-5): 4 percent chance to win the division; 8 percent chance to make the playoffs
Vikings (3-5): 3 percent chance to win the division, 8 percent chance to make the playoffs. 

Agree? Disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

Packers Listed as 3 Point Favorites for Sunday's Dolphins Game

The Packers have been listed as 3 point favorites for Sunday's game against the Dolphins.

Going into the contest, the Dolphins are 2-2, including a 1-1 home record. In week 1, they beat the Patriots, and in week 3 they got blown out by the Chiefs.

The Packers, meanwhile, have easily won their last two over the Bears and Vikings, bringing their record to 3-2. Prior to those, though, they did struggle in road losses to the Seahawks and Lions, a fact that should make this one more interesting.

This competition will kickoff at noon, being shown on FOX in certain areas.

NFL Week 5 Predictions

My picks for this week's NFL games, with the exception of Thursday's Packers/Vikings meeting:

1. Bears at Panthers

Prediction: Panthers win easily

2. Texans at Cowboys

Prediction: Cowboys win easily

3. Bills at Lions

Prediction: Lions win easily

4. Ravens at Colts

Prediction: Colts win in a close one

5. Steelers at Jaguars

Prediction: Steelers win easily

6. Buccaneers at Saints

Prediction: Saints win easily

7. Falcons at Giants

Prediction: Giants win easily

8. Rams at Eagles

Prediction: Eagles win easily

9. Browns at Titans

Prediction: Titans win in a close one

10. Cardinals at Broncos

Prediction: Broncos win in a close one

11. Jets at Chargers

Prediction: Chargers win easily

12. Chiefs at 49ers

Prediction: 49ers win in a close one

13. Bengals at Patriots

Prediction: Bengals win in a close one 

14. Seahawks at Redskins

Prediction: Seahawks win easily

Leave your comments below on how accurate you think my picks are.