macbob
  • macbob
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
14 years ago
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/3707116-452/bears-fans-worst-nightmare-hated-packers-figure-to-get-even-better.html 

Bears fans worst nightmare: Hated Packers figure to get even better

DALLAS Other than a Super Bowl MVP award and a share of the Lombardi Trophy, the quarterback has no baggage.

The general manager actually knows how to build a team through the draft.

The coach has enough confidence in his players that he lets them be measured for Super Bowl rings the night before the game.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Packers are going to be very, very difficult to beat whenever the NFL decides to play football again.

The Bears lost to them in the NFC Championship Game, but no one with decent eyesight can say the teams are close. Theyre in the same division, not the same league.

No one can question Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers anymore, not after he torched the Pittsburgh Steelers for 304 yards and three touchdowns Sunday in Super Bowl XLV.

No one can question GM Ted Thompson as a talent evaluator, not after the Packers finished the season with five starters on injured reserve and still won the Super Bowl. Thats called depth. Four of their first-round picks started for them Sunday. Thats called being right a lot. Three years ago, they traded legend Brett Favre so Rodgers could play. Thats called guts.

No one can question coach Mike McCarthy, who didnt flinch when he lost wide receiver Donald Driver and cornerback Charles Woodson to injury during the game Sunday. He found a way to win.

Does any of this sound like the Bears? No.

We all know the NFL is a topsy-turvy enterprise. We all know that success one season doesnt guarantee success the next.

But, man, do the Packers look good.

Optimism reigns

Its going to be exciting, McCarthy said. On paper, its a lot like this year. Coming out of training camp, it was the best football team that I had stood in front of. I knew that we were going to have an excellent opportunity to win the Super Bowl. When you look at our returning roster next year, its going to be the same type of situation.

Life isnt fair, which is why Bears quarterback Jay Cutler forever will have to answer why he sat out most of the second half of the NFC title game. Its a dumb question, considering he had a torn knee ligament and a long history of getting up after taking a beating.

But he was a major topic of conversation during Super Bowl week here, even though he wasnt in attendance. Thats a good indication the debate isnt going away. Its one of several issues Cutler will have to address in the offseason, another being whether its time for him to take a good look at himself. Can he be a better leader? A better teammate? Is it possible his way isnt working?

Are the Bears going to demand he change?

Rodgers, a team player to the hilt, only has to answer questions about whether the Packers are capable of repeating as champions.

Its a challenge, but I feel like we are kind of reloading, he said. We are going to have the best tight end in the NFL [Jermichael Finley] back into the mix here. We are getting, I think, 15 guys back from [injured reserve]. Im sure a number of those guys will be back.

It will be a different team. Every team has a different face to it. Every year, different players, guys come and go, but I think the core, the nucleus of this team, is intact to make runs like this for the next four or five years.

Is Angelo taking notes?

The Bears hardly had any injuries in 2010, and chances are slim theyll have similar luck in 2011. Packers starters missed 91 games, by far the most in the NFL. The odds would seem to favor them having better health next time around.

Bears general manager Jerry Angelo likely is staring at the Green Bay blueprint as we speak, but unless he learns talent evaluation through a correspondence course, hes going to be behind his Packers counterpart.

Thompson found cornerback Tramon Williams, who went undrafted in 2006, on the Houston Texans practice squad. That was Williams breaking up Ben Roethlisbergers last-gasp pass near the end of the game Sunday.

Thompson used a sixth-round pick this season on running back James Starks, who missed his senior year at the University of Buffalo with a shoulder injury. That was Starks tearing up the Eagles in a playoff game last month.

Thompson jumped at the chance to take Rodgers when 23 teams passed on him in the first round of the 2005 draft. You saw what Rodgers did.

People are going to write stories about him 10 years from now, Thompson said. Hes pretty special. Even though hes done so much, hes still just kind of getting started.

Scary stuff for the Bears, or at least it should be.

Chicago Sun Times wrote:

Greg C.
14 years ago
How sweet it is. One thing he might have added is, when he mentioned Starks, he could've pointed out that the Bears were all set to take him in the draft just before the Packers and then Jerry Angelo changed his mind. Instead they took a QB from Central Michigan who did not make the team.
blank
djcubez
14 years ago
Didn't we have 5 first-round draft picks starting? Rodgers, Hawk, Raji, Matthews and Bulaga.
mi_keys
14 years ago

Didn't we have 5 first-round draft picks starting? Rodgers, Hawk, Raji, Matthews and Bulaga.

"djcubez" wrote:



You are correct. I thought there might be an outside chance we started our first defensive play in an odd formation, maybe leaving one of those guys off the field making them not technically a starter but I checked and they all officially got starts.
Born and bred a cheesehead
Mckennj3
14 years ago
Yeah when I first read that I thought it might of been a mistake, but assumed Hawk got the snub from some sort of nickel defence start. As much as we rag on the Harrell pick, I can't imagine any other teams not having one first round flop in the past 5-6 years. While still having the homeruns we did (BJ, Clay, Arod).
We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.
Zero2Cool
14 years ago

Didn't we have 5 first-round draft picks starting? Rodgers, Hawk, Raji, Matthews and Bulaga.

"djcubez" wrote:



I think Charles Woodson and Pickett were also 1st round picks who started, albeit by other teams.
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beast (13h) : But the Return from IR designations had to be applied by the 53 man cutdown.
beast (13h) : It's a new rule, so it's not clear, but my understanding was that they could be IR'd at any time
Mucky Tundra (18h) : *had to be IRed at 53
Mucky Tundra (18h) : beast, I thought the designate return from IR players had to be IR at cutdowns to 53, not before
beast (19h) : It's a brand new rule, either last season or this season, prior, all pre-season IRs were done for the season
beast (19h) : But the Packers would have to use one for their return from IR spots on him, when they cut down to 53.
beast (19h) : I think the NFL recently changed the IR rules, so maybe the season might not be over for OL Glover.
Zero2Cool (20h) : Packers star Howton, first NFLPA prez, dies at 95 😔
dfosterf (23h) : Apparently it is too complicated for several to follow your simple instructions, but I digress
dfosterf (23h) : Zero- Did you see what I posted about Voice of Reason and his wife? She posted over at fleaflicker that they are both "In"
Zero2Cool (7-Aug) : Well, not crazy, it makes sense. Crazy I didn't notice/find it earlier
Zero2Cool (7-Aug) : it's crazy how one stored procedure to get data bogged everything down for speed here
dfosterf (7-Aug) : to herd cats or goldfish without a bowl. They reminded me of the annual assembly of our fantasy league
dfosterf (7-Aug) : out on a field trip, outfitting them with little yellow smocks. Most of the little folk were well behaved, but several were like trying
dfosterf (7-Aug) : Yesterday my wife and I spent the afternoon on the waterfront here in Alexandria, Va. A daycare company took about 15 three/four year olds
wpr (7-Aug) : seems faster. yay
dfosterf (7-Aug) : Wife of reason posted on the in/out thread on fleaflicker that both she and vor are in
Zero2Cool (7-Aug) : This page was generated in 0.135 seconds.
Mucky Tundra (7-Aug) : Tbh, I can never tell the difference in speed unless it's completely shitting the bed
Zero2Cool (7-Aug) : Sure does feel like site is more snappy
Zero2Cool (6-Aug) : I thought that was the Lions OL
Mucky Tundra (6-Aug) : Travis Glover placed on IR; seasons over for him
Zero2Cool (6-Aug) : found bad sql in database, maybe site faster now?
dfosterf (5-Aug) : I'm going to call that a good move.
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : Packers sign CB Corey Ballentine
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : I'm not sure how to kill the draft order just yet so it's not so confusing.
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : *to be able
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : and because it's not a dynasty league (which makes a lot more sense to be ability to trade picks)
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : Oh I know; I was just exploring and it blew my mind that you could trade picks because of the whole reordering thing
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : Zero, I think I preferred my offer: your 1st for my 15th rounder
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : Keep in mind, we do a draft reorder once all members locked in
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : You can have my 12th Rd for your 2nd round
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : Hey i didn't know we could trade picks in fantasy
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : Update: Rock has tried a cheese curd, promises it's not his last
Zero2Cool (3-Aug) : watch it!! lol
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : you're right, we never did leave, the site just went down :P
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : Rock claims to have never eaten a cheese curd
Zero2Cool (3-Aug) : We did not leave.
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : Family Night! WE ARE SO BACK!
Mucky Tundra (2-Aug) : To this day, I'm still miffed about his 4 TD game against Dallas on Thanksgiving going to waste
Martha Careful (2-Aug) : Congratulations Sterling Sharpe. He was terrific and I loved watching him play.
beast (2-Aug) : I believe it's technically against the CBA rules, but Jerry just calls it a simple unofficial chat... and somehow gets away with it.
beast (2-Aug) : Jerry Jones is infamous for ̶n̶e̶g̶o̶t̶i̶a̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ chatting with players one on one... and going around the agent.
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : Oo just saw a blurb saying that Dallas negotiated directly with Parsons and not through his agent
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : I assumed that both guys will get paid, just a matter of when or how we get there
Zero2Cool (1-Aug) : McLaurin nor Micah going anywhere. They will get money
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : the Synder years or do they take care of one of their own?
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : Do the Commanders risk losing a top WR with an emerging QB just because he's turning 30 and potentially risk damaging the rebuild from
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : Turns 30 this September, plays at a high level and Washington has some cap space I believe
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : More interesting is Washington with Terry McLaurin
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