Thoughts on Bears-Packers: Praise for Ryan Pace

[Rory Sparrow]

Don't throw a drowning enemy a line. Step on his head.

 

[Ej63090]

I loved the sequence to end the half. Rodgers get a 2 minute drill. First play they get away from a pick six with a textbook pick play. The next play Mack gets blatantly held in the end zone for what should have been a safety. No call.

They punt the ball back to us. In the past, we likely go three and out, give the ball back to Rodgers, he scores a TD right before the half. Packers receive in the second half and score again. Down 21-7 and Trubisky gets desperate and throws a couple picks and the Bears end up embarrassed at home by the Packers.

But this isn’t the Bears of the past. The offense, while maybe not efficient, is explosive and can score on any possession. They do so, and end the half 14-3. Rodgers tried a little magic again with the perfect throw and catch with Adams and they score the TD on the ensuing plays to tie it up. Normally you see the offense fold, but they come back and score on a dime pass to Burton in the end zone. The defense puts Rodgers away the rest of the game in the last two minutes. Big time plays, pick in the end zone and sack on 3rd down to force the FG, onside attempt, and at best a Hail Mary try to tie.

It’s fun to be a Bears fan now.

 

[remydat]

Nagy is a creative genius who is his own worst enemy at times as he is always trying to do something extraordinary and cute even when something simple is required. At this point, you can pretty much count on him making a horrible decision at least once per game but so far it hasn't cost us but it is my biggest concern heading into the playoffs even beyond Trubs at QB.

 

[jc456]

I am not coaching material, but the fake punt call was a bad call. The Packers sniffed it out and the play failed. It gave the Pack the best field position of the whole game I think. The call shows the aggressiveness Nagy calls the game with. He is doing a terrific job in ways that are not even obvious, but even I knew that was not a good call.

much like the Giants game with the timeout before half turned momentum. It seems to me Nagy doesn't either care for momentum, or doesn't understand momentum but he sure likes to give it away. Both around the 50 yard lines. Tie game as a result of the giveaway. Not too many coaches willing to give away momentum. If his conviction was so strong about his defense, he should have just gone for the first down with the offense on the field. Again, he outsmarted himself. Just like later in the game with the wildcat fk up. I don't know, I remain skeptical about his team, but I am honored that they beat GB and won the North. I would prefer he respect momentum a bit more. It may come in handy in the playoffs.

I will give him credit for taking the three when Cohen stepped out of bounds rather than going to the first down marker. At least he understood two scores was important.

On another note, I was a bit curious on the last play of offense for GB when Rogers was sacked and they had no timeouts with 15 seconds to play in the game, why was the clock stopped? it was a sack in bounds. I know there was a penalty, but I thought the clock restarted. The Bears didn't take the penalty. That seemed odd to me.

 

[Aquineas]

Good post. One point I will disagree on slightly is about the Packers secondary. I think those corners are going to be a terror for years to come as they come into their own. The Bears would do well to upgrade the receiver position further still. They don't have anyone who can consistently stretch the field. I thought that guy would be Gabriel, but he's not the same guy he was a few weeks ago.

Regarding the Panthers vs Saints tonight, I think the Panthers will beat the Saints tonight.

 

[SpeedRacer]

On another note, I was a bit curious on the last play of offense for GB when Rogers was sacked and they had no timeouts with 15 seconds to play in the game, why was the clock stopped? it was a sack in bounds. I know there was a penalty, but I thought the clock restarted. The Bears didn't take the penalty. That seemed odd to me.

Agreed. I was literally yelling at the TV to run the clock. We got a sack and the clock should of run. They committed a penalty and BENEFITED. GRR.

 

[jc456]

Agreed. I was literally yelling at the TV to run the clock. We got a sack and the clock should of run. They committed a penalty and BENEFITED. GRR.

I thought the game would have been over. anyone in here explain how GB was allowed to get their field goal unit on the field without timeouts? I'm sorry, but that was wrong.

 

[SpeedRacer]

I literally announced to my family a SACK ends the game. How was I wrong?

 

[remydat]

10 second run off only occurs after the following penalties.

False start
Intentional grounding
Illegal forward pass beyond the line of scrimmage
Throwing a backwards pass out of bounds
Spiking or throwing the ball away after a down (unless after a touchdown)
Any other intentional act that causes the clock to stop

Holding isn't considered because it is not something that is really intentional in the sense that a team can easily false start to stop the clock but it is unlikely a team would intentionally hold to try and stop the clock.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

Good post. One point I will disagree on slightly is about the Packers secondary. I think those corners are going to be a terror for years to come as they come into their own.

Perhaps, but the Packers are great at developing DBs, just not good at retaining them. Eddie Pleasantly sucks, tho. He had a couple times where he was unblocked coming in from Trubisky's blind side, and still couldn't get the sack. Even Shea McClellin could have come up with those.

 

[Kazu2324]

Good stuff Rory.

I thought for the fake punt, it was dumb to use a ST play for it. If Nagy wanted to be aggressive, just leave the damn offense on. Our ST is definitely middle of the pack at best, the play they called wasn't particularly creative and just ran it up the gut into a wall of people. The chance of success on that play was way too low. If he wanted to run up the gut, leave the O on and at least you'll have a much better chance of creating lanes.

Thought Trubisky played a very clean game though he still misses one or two throws where it could have been a huge play and he wasn't accurate. I dunno what causes it but the consistency that it seems to happen at is a bit frustrating. Still willing to wait and see for Trubisky though, I think he has tremendous upside, but he's just nowhere close to that yet.

Fuck the refs for not calling any holding yesterday. I get superstar pass rushers don't often get holdings called, but when it's clear that the OLine has to hold on a play to prevent a sack, you have to throw that flag. There were at least 3 different moments yesterday where we were a step away from the sack and if it wasn't for the blatant holds, Rodgers would have been eating dirt much more.

Overall, fantastic win. Also, big ups to Leno for proposing to his gf after the game. Just a happy day all around.

 

[pfcmsh]

I'm not sure we are all saying it was a bad call if it had worked... I like the agressive nature that Nagy has, and once in a while it will bite him.

What I do like is the idea that Nagy wanted to keep pressing to avoid the typical Packer come back.

In that view, I like the call too. I wasn't really thinking of keeping up the pressure by a successful fake. I said to everyone I know that we need to keep our foot on the gas and bring in the prevent later. The first game, in my view, we let them back in. You are right.

 

[pfcmsh]

Speaking of bad calls or at least questionable calls, GB went for the field goal on 3rd down late in the game. Why did they do that instead of waiting for 4th down?

 

[onebud34]

Glad to have Rory back...

On a GB note...I find it interesting the money they've shelled out in FA trying to find "that TE" but rarely comes to fruition.


The lack of a consistent running game from the Bears concerns me.

 

[DrGonzo]

Not true. Mack does not make a legitimate impact on this team. He's simply not worth it. Or at least that's what I read here

Sack totals through week 15::roll:

Raiders 11

Mack 12

 

[Ej63090]

Speaking of bad calls or at least questionable calls, GB went for the field goal on 3rd down late in the game. Why did they do that instead of waiting for 4th down?

It would’ve been a tough conversion after the sack. Clock stopped. Get the FG, Onside, Hail Mary for the game tying TD. Right move for them IMO.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

On a GB note...I find it interesting the money they've shelled out in FA trying to find "that TE" but rarely comes to fruition.

Yeah, ever since Jermichael Finley went down, which seems like a decade ago now, the Packers haven't had a threat at TE. The last few years McCarthy was always bringing in TEs who no one really wanted anymore as replacements...Lance Kendricks, Martellus Bennett (the worst), Jimmy Graham. Even though all of those guys sucked, they were still getting way too many targets and producing nothing.

 

[HearshotKDS]

The fake punt was a bad call.....not the way they did it, but the timing. Rory is correct, the Bears D had Rodgers on his heels the whole game...should have pinned them deep. Don't give Rodgers a short field, ever.

Completely disagree on this, the timing of the fake punt was fine, but the design was terrible. Fake punts work through surprise, they don't work when the opponent expects its coming. They don't work when you try and run right into the teeth of the punt block/return... even if you fool the other team, their players are still going straight for the ball carrier.

 

[Ej63090]

Nagy is a creative genius who is his own worst enemy at times as he is always trying to do something extraordinary and cute even when something simple is required. At this point, you can pretty much count on him making a horrible decision at least once per game but so far it hasn't cost us but it is my biggest concern heading into the playoffs even beyond Trubs at QB.

Tarik Cohen of coaching.

His best work IMO is leading and motivating the team. Every game they have fought hard to the end. They seem prepared, motivated, and are arguably the most fun team. They do a great job of learning from a loss. Since the Miami game, we have yet to see them give up big scores from sloppy play.

I’m impressed, outside of his play calling

 

[Ej63090]

Yeah, ever since Jermichael Finley went down, which seems like a decade ago now, the Packers haven't had a threat at TE. The last few years McCarthy was always bringing in TEs who no one really wanted anymore as replacements...Lance Kendricks, Martellus Bennett (the worst), Jimmy Graham. Even though all of those guys sucked, they were still getting way too many targets and producing nothing.

Jared Cook was probably the best of that bunch, but was fragile.