After losing QB Aaron Rodgers (likely for the season, in our view) and the game at Minnesota, the Pack have gone on a three-game losing streak -- losing at home to both New Orleans and Detroit -- and now sit at 4-4, just one game ahead of the bottom-feeding Chicago Bears in the NFC North. Packers backup QB Brett Hundley has so far shown us...well...not much. Part of that might be head coach Mike McCarthy's game plans for him, as well as perhaps overrating Hundley's ability. Part of that might be Hundley himself and this is going to be as good as he gets...which isn't good enough to help right the ship and keep the Packers in the playoff hunt this season.
But, perhaps a bigger issue than the lack of offensive production we've seen with Hundley at the helm -- which is certainly bad enough, granted -- has been the collapse of the Packers defense time after time and especially on third downs. The defense's inability to stop the opposition on third down, to execute a pass rush of any kind, and to muster any kind of mojo lies both with the players as well as defensive coordinator Dom Capers.
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| Packers defensive end Mike Daniels hasn't had a QB sack in 5 games. The entire Packers defense must play at a high level today against Chicago. (Photo: Jim Matthews/USATODAY NETWORK-Wi) |
In the latter regard, local sports writers are starting to opine -- perhaps for the first time since Capers has been on staff -- that his job may be on the line. Finally. Head coach Mike McCarthy is extremely loyal to his staff, and seemingly to Capers in particular. But if the defense does not get turned around, this may be Capers' swan song...to the delight of Packer fans near and far who have wanted to see him gone for years. With all the draft picks that GM Ted Thompson has provided on defense over Capers' tenure, to see the same results year after year is maddening. Wait, what? The Packers have been winning and going into the playoffs, right? Yes, but perhaps what we are all now seeing is just how much the play of Aaron Rodgers has covered up some glaring weaknesses in other areas of the team. When Rodgers is under center, you always have a chance to score points and win...a chance to overcome bad play by your defense. When Rodgers is gone...? Not. So. Much.
Coach McCarthy publicly called out his team this week saying that since Rodgers went down no one on the team has stepped up their play. Some pundits are even speculating that players, again, especially those on defense, may no longer be listening to their main man, Capers. Today would be a good day for at least a few players on each side of the ball to play with some passion. To show that they don't want to flush this second half of the season down the toilet, but at least try to win enough to stay in the playoff hunt. If the Packers don't somehow win today against Chicago, the likelihood of being able to get to even 9-7, let alone 8-8, dims significantly.
The Prediction
While we would normally feel good about going into Chicago and getting a win against a not-very-good Bears team, particularly one with a rookie quarterback, these are not normal times for the Green Bay Packers. Da Bearz defense could well pose problems for Hundley and the Packers' sputtering offense. While neither Chicago's QB or receivers are much to be worried about based upon stats, the way the Packers defense has been a sieve gives us the sense that the Pack could make these guys look like All Pros by the end of the game. Chicago does have a good running back combo and that could create enough problems on its own given the Pack's level of play recently.
Still, even with all that, and playing in what might very well be sloppy weather conditions, our heart of hearts (as opposed to our gut of guts...is that a thing, btw?) tells us that somehow, someway, the Packers are going to win this game. It won't be pretty. And we expect it to be close, despite the oddsmakers favoring Da Bearz by 5-points at the time of this writing. We hope and believe that there is some measure of Packer pride left that will do just enough to come away with a win today.
We're calling it Packers 20 - Bears 17.
Go Pack Go!!!
