On the surface, the past 24 hours have been really bad for Bears fans. After months of excitement, the Bears lost a heart-breaking season opener to their hated division rivals, the Green Bay Packers. To make matters worse, strong-armed Jay Cutler threw four interceptions and defensive captain Brian Urlacher has already been lost for the season. That wasn't all that was bad. The offensive line couldn't run block, receivers appeared to have very little rapport with Cutler and that fake punt call -- teamed with a ridiculously bad challenge by Lovie Smith -- was an unmitigated debacle. Good thing the season doesn't end after one week.
As I scour the internet, I can't find anything positive about the Bears. Whether it's on national websites, fan sites or on message boards, one clear message resonates: The sky is falling in Chicago.
Let's settle down a bit. Sure, Cutler was too panicked for much of the night and losing Urlacher was a big blow, but there's no reason to think the season is over after one game. After all, Cutler could not have played any worse and the team still almost pulled off a victory in Lambeau. That's a game Green Bay needed to win, not the other way around. Urlacher missed the majority of the game, and the defense held down a pretty explosive offense -- save for the 50-yard game-losing bomb, which Urlacher wouldn't have effected anyway.
I'm not ignoring the negatives. Because there were negatives. You can read them elsewhere (all you have to do is turn on your computer, really, because they are listed everywhere sports are covered and even some places where they aren't). What I'm going to do, in true contrarian fashion, is list the positives from the Bears' opener.
- The defensive scheme seemed to be all it has been billed to be. Maybe Rod Marinelli does make that huge a difference. They pressured the quarterback all night, netting four sacks -- one of which was a safety -- and generally disrupting the Packers' mighty passing game.
- The secondary, other than Nathan Vasher's stumble, played better than expected.
- In Devin Hester and Johnny Knox, the Bears have the burners to take advantage of Cutler's ability to throw deep. Cutler connected deep once to each guy, giving the Bears two passes of more than 30 yards. They only had one of the same variety all last season -- and that was a quick slant that Hester broke on his own.
- In Earl Bennett, the Bears have their possession receiver to complement the deep threats. He's basically a rookie, after having not played offense all year last year, so Sunday night was a helluva "debut" for the virtual redshirt, catching 7 passes for 66 yards.
- Thanks to Brad Maynard, the special teams play was exceptional once again. Maynard averaged almost 50 yards a punt and pinned the Packers inside the 20 twice in four punts.
The bottom line is that despite Cutler's four interceptions, Smith's botched challenge, a ridiculous fake punt and Vasher's blown coverage on the game-losing play, the Bears still stayed in the game throughout against a good football team. Cutler needs to realize this isn't the 2008 Broncos and that he doesn't have to force throws in an attempt to put 35 points on the board and his rapport with the receivers needs to improve. Someone is going to have to step up in Urlacher's absence. Other than that, things looked fine, so there's no reason to panic.
Am I expecting a win over the Steelers in Week 2? No. But there will be plenty of wins to come after that. This is still a solid Bears team, and a 6-point loss in Green Bay isn't going to change my mind, no matter how much people want to hate on Cutler.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-14-2009 @ 4:58PM
CK said...
Sorry, but that is how Cutler played in Denver. He will start to take it out on everyone else, the pouting will increase, the outbursts at the media... I still say you can have him Chicago. I was thrilled to see him go.
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9-14-2009 @ 5:24PM
JFCJR said...
Cutler can whine all he wants and I will still take him over that poor excuse for a QB that showed up in a Bronco uniform yesterday. And I would whine too if I had to play for Mcdumbass. Denver will be at the bottom of the AFC West and Chicago will make the playoffs. Enough said......
9-14-2009 @ 5:24PM
JFCJR said...
Yeah Cutler really played that way in Denver??? A pro bowl appearance and broke John Elway's single season record of 4500 yards passing! What are you smoking???
9-14-2009 @ 5:11PM
bozallan said...
Urlacher gets's paid millions of dollars and he won't put a cast on a broken wrist; Tiger Woods played with a broken leg. Da Bearr have da sissy. BOOYA!
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9-15-2009 @ 10:49AM
spunky900123 said...
I agree he gets paid millions. So stop whining and put a cast on and go out there like a man.His wrist will be stable enough with a hard cast on.
9-14-2009 @ 5:15PM
brian said...
It's nice that you look at the bright side, but a loss is a loss. You are supposed to feel bad, and that is what I see rather than doom and gloom attitudes. The Packers played a good game. Just give them the credit they deserve and move on with life.
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9-14-2009 @ 5:22PM
Matt Snyder said...
I'm definitely good with this line of thinking.
9-14-2009 @ 5:34PM
melvin said...
Most of the pressure on Rodgers came from the Bears LDE. who consistetly beat the Packers' RT.
Then there's your premise: You say "the Bears still stayed in the game throughout against a good football team." Good football team ?? Based on what? A 6-10 team is now a "good team" because you say so? You read into their first game and now see a good team from one that is coming off 6-10? Lame, man. Just a made-up excuse to hang your premise on.
Chicago has the Steelers, Seahawks and Falcons over the next 4 weeks. I think they win one of those and emerge after 5 games at 2-3.
Of course, you could let Cutler off the hook and say the Urlacher injury will be the cause of a poor Bears' season. As always, so many want to give Cutler a pass and blame someone else. It's the reason he's teflon when it comes to writers like you.
Doesn't matter. Bears will not have a winning record, will not make the playoffs and you will move on to other stories. Only the people of Chicago will realize they were duped- two #1s and a #3 for a guy who is a fraud. And just three weeks ago he was the greatest QB who ever played !! LOL
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9-14-2009 @ 6:33PM
eric said...
Everybody needs to calm down. When I heard the bad news about ,Brian Urlacher injury, I was sad and mad, but when I watch that game last night.
The defense, was outstanding. Cutler gave that game away. I had a feeling that was going too happen. Next week he will calm down and realize he don't half to do it all, and he will light up the Steelers. We will see Green Bay again. They know we gave that game to them. We will win the division. Let's don't forget about the Vikings and old man river. "OVER RATED" "GO BEARS" FROM CLEVELAN OH
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9-14-2009 @ 7:18PM
Bones said...
LOL... tell yourself whatever it takes to make yourselves feel better. The cold hard truth is... Da Bears STILL suck.
9-14-2009 @ 7:28PM
PhilipRules said...
There's a reason why Cutler was known as the biggest cry baby-punk in the AFC West. Now the NFC North will learn it too. Good luck Bears fans, you've got the latest incarnation of Jeff George on your hands.
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9-14-2009 @ 8:26PM
sportsjack513 said...
Urlacher may be out, but Hunter Hillenmeyer isn't that bad of a linebacker. And as for Cutler you expected him to suck the first game. Once he regains his composure he'll be fine. What you need to worry about is that poor excuse of a coaching staff. Lovie made multiple dumb moves that could very well have cost the bears the game. Stop dissing Cutler and focus on the real problem
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9-14-2009 @ 8:47PM
samm said...
yea well...good luck on him gaining his composure against the steelers D....but if u think about it one of the ints was just a great play by a big fat DT another was a reciiever stopping his route and another was a reciever changing his route after cutler threw it
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9-15-2009 @ 4:03AM
hotrodqd said...
ummmm...how many QB's is this coach going to ruin ? you ever stop to think its the plays called & designs & routes against certain defenses ? first grossman got the snoot knocked out of him then numerous others still same old coach same old failed play calls designs routes patterns etc...throwing against a stacked defense ! somebody needs to go ...off.coordinator & coach ! that 4th down call swang momentum gave green bay field position & cost them the game ! if that was the super bowl ? you'd swear the game & league was fixed ? another amazing exciting finish eh ?
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9-15-2009 @ 4:11AM
hotrodqd said...
I believe in cutler just like I did grossman ...lovie isnt that great too me ! sorry I've seen many times I disagreed with his play calls & especially dropping into prevent defenses ...clock management is another ! several times he didnt even bother a challenge ....let him go to indy ! is it because he's an african american nobody says anything ?
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9-15-2009 @ 8:51AM
Mike said...
Neither one of them are really that good and Urlacher won't even be missed. The Bears are an average team in a wild card league. There are absolutly NO great teams out there at all. Of course thats why the NFL is so popular.
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9-15-2009 @ 10:02AM
packerbf4tb said...
Cutler is cocky...that is the problem with
the BEARS....nothing wrong with LOVIE SMITH...
I watched him at the press conference after
the game...He was so unprofessional and he
seemed to be bored with the whole thing....
he stunk up the game...can't win with 4 INTs..
he was the better QB on the field...he has a
huge ego and needs to get knocked down a peg
or two....Bears will be good when he gets
straightened out.......................
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9-15-2009 @ 11:10AM
sandcastlemgmt said...
#54 is the most overrated linebacker in the NFL, not to mention in the history of the Chicago Bear. It sickens me to see all those stupid fans wearing his jersey. #54,can't even say his name, can't carry Brigg's jockstrap, not to mention Butkus or George or for that matter the good but overated Singletary.
Bears are better off without him and without his idiot jersey wearing fans!!!
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9-15-2009 @ 11:40AM
kolachekid said...
Confirm this: The Bears' health insurance does not cover pre-exisiting conditions. Thus, if Urlacher returns with a cast and re-injures the wrist, the Bears would bear the entire cost of his rehab which would be a risk to the Bears' bottom line.
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9-15-2009 @ 12:25PM
btanner99 said...
Jay Cutler was a choke artist in Denver and will be in C Town. Trouble is in Denver, we got another bum in return....who is this Denver QB anyway,....Must be Brian Greise all over again.
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