Refs Steal Another bear Game From Packers/McCarthy Gets Game Ball From bears

The refs stole another bear game from the Packers at Lambeau, which has become the norm over the years.  The Packers were dominating the game early, when the bears kicked a field goal.  The refs called an illegal formation penalty on the Packers, allowing the bears to go for and get the touchdown.  The announcers said a number of times that this was a bad call and called it a “gift” for the bears.  Getting a touchdown changed the momentum and gave the bears new life.  These 4 points should never have been on the board, so the game should not have been tied toward the end.  I realize everything changes, but I also think it’s obvious this “gift” benefited the bears greatly.

Late in the first half, the bears were penalized for having 12 men on the field.  The officials decided to review this call, and decided, despite clear evidence of 12 men (NBC put numbers 1-12 on each man), that the bears had 11 men on the field and eliminated the penalty.   These calls were ridiculous, the announcers acknowledged this, and there was clear replay evidence that the calls were terrible.

Let’s not forget Greg Olsen’s little pushoff on the defender to get separation on the “touchdown” pass the first play after Favre’s interception, which of course was not called, pulling the bears within 20-17.  And let’s not forget that Brad Maynard did not have possession of the ball when he landed out of bounds on the fumble recovery on the punt, resulting in the bears’ tying “field goal,” instead of the Packers maintaining possession.

THE OTHER RESULT OF THIS IS THAT IT KEEPS THE bears’ PLAYOFF HOPES ALIVE.  NO TEAM IN NFL HISTORY HAS EVER MADE THE PLAYOFFS ONCE THEY WERE 4 GAMES BEHIND, WHICH IS WHAT THE bears WOULD BE IF THEY WERE 1-4.  THEIR SEASON WOULD HAVE BASICALLY BEEN OVER AND THE PACKERS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A GREAT POSITION AT 5-0.  THAT IS WHY INSTANT REPLAY MUST BE USED MORE AND MORE, AS THIS CALL AFFECTS BOTH THE PACKERS’ AND bears’ PLAYOFF HOPES, HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE, OTHER TEAMS TRYING TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, ETC.  LET THE PLAYERS DECIDE, NOT THE REFS.

For those of you who have debated strategy with me for the last 25-30 years, I think this game was just another example that what I’ve said all along is right.

1.  I’ve always said you have to throw against the bear defense, especially on first down, as they are great against the run and are in a run defense on first down, and first-down passes hurt them.  Let’s look at what happened in this game:

• The Packers came out throwing in the first half, and moved the ball at will.  Favre was 19 of 20 (if you ignore his two spikes) in the first half, for 243 yards.  They had 341 yards of offense in the first half, to 122 for the bears.  Cris Collinsworth said the first-half score could have been 31-7.  This game showed, as do all games teams throw against the bears, how easy their defense is to beat when you pass against it.
• In the second half, the Packers decided to run, never moved the ball, and had 1 second-half first down with 1:30 to play in the half.
• The Packers, up 17-10, had the ball inside the bear 20, ran three times (making no attempt to score a TD), including on third down when they didn’t have receivers in the game and everyone was bunched up in the middle, and were happy to settle for a field goal.
• Favre’s interception deep in Packer territory late in the third quarter was set up by runs on first and second down on that series, and this interception resulted in a bear touchdown.  Had they thrown on first down, it would have been different.
• The bear TD as a result of the interception made it 20-17 Packers, and the Packers ran on all three downs, including 3rd and 6, on their next possession, again having to punt.
• Instead of continuing to move the ball at will and build up a bigger lead, the Packers decided to run the ball to protect the lead, despite the fact that they have admitted all year they can’t run and were 4-0 by continuing to pass.
• In the 4th quarter, the Packers continued to run the ball, especially on first down, resulting in punts.
• Here are a few John Madden quotes, which are exactly what I’ve been saying for years and said all during the game:
  • The Packers have been very conservative in the second half.
  • The bear defense is staying up to stop the run and the passes at the line of scrimmage, because they know the Packers are no longer throwing downfield.  (This, despite the fact Packer receivers were open all during the first half.)
  • You have to wonder if the Packers are shutting themselves down.
  • The Packers should never run on another play.  Every play should be a pass.
  • The Packers, for some reason, in the second half just shut it down.
  • (After the game): When you can’t run the ball, you should keep doing what you do best.  Don’t try to force some mathematical balance (between running and passing plays).

2.  I’ve always said that when you are doing something that works, you don’t change until the other team stops you.  You make them adjust–you don’t adjust while what you are doing is working.

• The Packers had 341 yards and 15 first downs in the first half by emphasizing the pass.  Total offense in the first quarter was Packers 189-bears 20.  In the second half, when the Packers continued to run, they had 1 first down with 1:30 to play.
• With 9 minutes left in the second half, the Packers had 40 yards of second-half offense (compared to 341 in the first half) because of all the running plays.  At this point, the bears had about 85 yards of offense in the second half, so all the Packers had to do was keep passing and building up a bigger lead.
• The entire momentum of the game changed when the Packers stopped passing and ran on every play.

3.  I’ve said the last few years that you have to make the bear offense beat you (because it can’t), and you can’t let the bear special teams and defense beat you.

• The Packers kept punting to Hester, and although they got lucky he didn’t return any, this was a ridiculous strategy.  At least they didn’t kickoff to him.   Knowing the bear offense can’t score, you can’t let their special teams beat you.
• The Packers fumbled 3 times by not protecting the ball, once at the bear 9 when they could have gone up 14-0, once at the bear 38 when they could have gone up 14-0 again, and once on a punt.  Knowing the bear offense can’t score, you must protect the ball and not let the defense and special teams beat you.  Every team in the league knows the bears try to strip the ball, so you have to protect it.  You’ve got to make their offense beat you.

The Packers could have won this game in a rout, despite the bad call giving the bears a touchdown (and the other calls), but Mike McCarthy decided to change a gameplan that worked on every play in the first half (Favre 19 of 20) to a running offense, allowing the bears to hang around and allowing for the situation for turnovers to have an effect on the game.  Had the Packers continued to pass in the second half, I don’t think anyone would disagree that they would have won handily despite the bad calls.  Even the announcers repeatedly implied this most of the second half, and after the game.