Top keys to winning this week?
Protect the ball and contain the Bears’ ground game. There are a lot of things the Packers need to do to win this game, but those are the first two on my list.
What’s the outlook of Josh Jacob’s knee for the Bears game?
He handled a full workload in Detroit and he was out there at practice in pads today, so I don’t think he’s too concerned about it.
In watching the Giants implode in the first half against the Patriots (including the kicker “kicking” the ground), I hope that on the first really cold day the Packers can stay clean, without obvious mis-handlings or fumbles.
That’s going to be an interesting challenge. But that’s why the Packers practice in this stuff every day. It’s not warm out there today, that’s for sure, and it’s going to be even colder tomorrow from what I’ve heard.
Do you think that if the Packers were to play the Eagles with this more aggressive offense, they’d come out on top?
In the Eagles game, it wasn’t about being more aggressive. It was about executing. Not dropping the ball, not lining up illegally, etc. The offense wasn’t functioning well due to a lot of self-inflicted wounds.
Mike, I saw where Holmgren didn’t make the cut for the HOF this year. Your thoughts?
With the committee only putting one coach nominee forward and with Belichick on the ballot this year, it was a foregone conclusion who the one nominee would be.
The Defense did a good job of limiting Detroit’s run game without Quay. Is his return likely this week and if so does that bode well for the type of run game the Bears have?
Isaiah McDuffie has played well in Walker’s place, but Walker adds more speed to the second level of the defense and he’s been playing really well this season. That 3-LB tandem of Walker, Edgerrin Cooper and McDuffie has been pretty good, and Ty’Ron Hopper has filled in nicely as well.
The Bears jump routes and hammer-punch the ball. We can burn them and cost them yards on the ground as they’re trying to dislodge.
There are definitely things an offense can take advantage of based on the way the Bears play. But easier said than done.
Would you rather play a team coming off a big win, or a disappointing loss?
I’m not sure it matters much. Both the Packers and Bears have had extra rest before this one to get guys healthy. I think that matters more.
Any update on Nate Hobbs?
He was back at practice today as well.
Love won his 2nd (of the season) NFC Offensive Player of the Week earlier today. Is it crazy to think that his arrow is still point up? It seems like there’s even more out there for him.
No doubt. It’s still just Year 3 for him as a starter. He’s got a lot out in front of him yet.
Mike, what do you think about the battle of the lines? Bears o-line is one of the best, Packers d-line banged up.
The Packers won’t have Wyatt but the rest of the unit is in good shape. Stop the run first. You have to earn the right to rush the passer against this team.
Another ‘weather’ query…Do you/Wes have the option of opening the press box windows?
How do you think playing these games in the span of 3 weeks effects the outcomes?
It’s a strange quirk in the schedule, but the health of the teams going into the matchups is the biggest factor.
Do you think Dan Campbell has finally learned not to go for it on fourth down all the time?
He’s not changing his ways. He’s had a lot of success coaching the way he coaches. Doesn’t always work out, but that’s the same for everybody.
Seriously, look at the games they squeaked out. This team can’t rely on winning like that every week. The universe demands equilibrium, and the Bears are about to find out you can’t rely on last-second miracles again and again.
In the broader universe, it’ll even out. But whether that means sometime this season or next year or the year after, who knows. The Chiefs last year won something like 11 one-score games without a loss. This year they can’t win a one-score game to save their lives.
Mike…Thanks for the chat! Would you figure that MLF will run more double TE formations–take advantage of Chicago’s 28th-ranked rushing D?
Who knows if it’s 2TE personnel or 3WR to spread them out and run against that. That’s why the coaches study all the film.
How’s the cold Spoff? It would be fun if you get yourself loopy on a double dose of cold medicine before the live blog and then get extra feisty with the d-bags that yell at you and accuse you of towing the line.
Ha. I’m almost past the cold, but I don’t think me being loopy on the live blog would be good.
How do you think the Packers adjust having given up so many touchbacks this year? How can that improve?
It may fix itself with the weather getting colder now.
In the past, it seems like message was that “reinforcements are not on the way”, but this year, it seems like reinforcements are on the way. Reed, Lloyd, Brooks, Golden, Hobbs, etc. It will be interesting to see how they all get brought back into the mix, but depth/health is a good thing.
Yeah, it’s been tough to lose Elgton Jenkins, Tucker Kraft, Wyatt, etc., but the Packers are getting some guys back and rebuilding depth at certain spots at a good time.
With Drake Maye and Mathew Stafford the front runners for MVP, what would Love have to do the rest of the season to close that gap or is that gap closed?
I don’t think he’s that far behind but he hasn’t gone on that extended hot streak yet. Maybe Thanksgiving was the start of it.
Maybe Bears are high on themselves and underestimate The Pack?
They won’t underestimate anybody, and they’ve been a good crunch time team. When the game comes down to the end, the Packers will have to match the Bears’ confidence in the clutch.
Mike, what is your favorite Packers vs. Bears memory?
The first NFL game I ever attended was in Dec. 1984 at Soldier Field, Packers vs. Bears. Rich Campbell with a Hail Mary-ish throw to Phil Epps for a TD in the final minute gave GB the upset win.