Strong points (in order)
1. ARod. This kid is SPECIAL, and had a great game.
2. WRs/Finley. Apart from the late fumble, solid high-energy play throughout. As good as Rodgers played, you don't go 34/45 without some help.
3. Pass rush/CM3. Wow. Talk about disruption. When we sent more than 4, it was brutal.
4. Shields. Unless I missed something(s), hasn't he been solid all season long so far? I said before the season opener, this defense will be solid if Shields steps up.
Weak Points:
1. Penalties, lack of discipline. We were completely out of control at times, there's NO reason you should ever have 18 penalties and back to back to back false starts. Vast majority of this falls on the O Line. Woody had a BAD PI though.
2. Mike McCarthy/Coaching. Strikes 1 and 2: Being unable to get his team under control penalty-wise, your standard McCarthy second quarter. You will have a lot harder time winning if you continually let teams back into the game after a strong start.
Strike three is the big one. Complete lack of game awareness on the final drive. I can't say with absolute certainty that Mike McCarthy was 100% at fault for the bad challenge (and it may have looked like a good one from the right angle). But what completely put the nail in the coffin was to hold the bears to a FG. Instead of 1 TO and a minute left and putting all your faith in the offense, you are banking on either a missed FG, a fumble, a block, or a KR for a touchdown. Dom Capers and Mike McCarthy share fault here, I don't accept the "I let Dom run his own defense" shit. If you see a major mistake being made, you correct it.
Likely scapegoats/overreactions (That really don't deserve it)
1. Defensive PI on the last drive. While it was a bad decision by Burnett to engage like that when he had position and help over the top, there was absolutely a offensive PI there too, should have offset.
2. Defense as a whole. 3 sacks, pressure almost all day, a goalline stand, <300 yards of offense allowed against a much better than expected Cutler showing. Cutler didn't play great, but he stepped up when he needed to, and the defense held more than it broke.
Keep in mind the defense only allowed 13 points and several times were left with short field position to defend.
Final thoughts:
1. The Packers NEED to play better, and Mike McCarthy needs to figure something out or he's not going to be keeping his job forever. He's GONE if the Packers don't make the playoffs, and if the Packers don't play better than they did today that just may be possible.
2. Running game. The Packers don't need a RB when the passing game works like it did today. However, it's insurance for a sloppy passing day and we'll need someone better than we have now for the playoffs.
3. Thank god I was already planning on going home to my parents' place in La Crosse, WI this weekend. Don't need to be in Bears country after this.