The Green Bay Packers put themselves back in first-place in the NFC North yesterday by whipping the Bears 37-3 in Lambeau Field. The Packers dominated from the start and defensive end Jason Hunter put the dagger in the Bears with a 54-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. To punctuate his return Hunter performed what I think is the greatest Lambeau Leap in history. Jason Hunter, a defensive end, literally disappeared into the Lambeau crowd. A perfect ending to a perfect day.
Beating the Bears is always a good thing, beating them 37-3 is a great thing. While the Vikings have have crept closer to being the Packers’ biggest rival, as much as I hate the Vikings, beating the Bears still tops to beating the Vikings, especially now that the Bears have made beating the Packers top priority. The thing is, like most of us are unable to do, we still must try not to get too high after a big win or too low after a crushing loss. Judging from the comments the last week, we struggle with the later a lot more.
The things I liked about the Bears thrashing is the continued re-emergence of Ryan Grant and the fact that head coach Mike McCarthy listened to us and rode Grant all day long. Even Brandon Jackson picked up 50 yards against the Bears supposedly tough run defense. One does have to wonder how the Bears could hold the Titans to 20 yards rushing for a game and then turn around and give up ten times that to the Packers. I had a feeling Sunday morning that the Packers might try to fool the Bears and try to run early instead of taking advantage of of the Bears’ poor pass defense. To me it looks like the Bears were expecting pass after pass from the get-go, but didn’t get it. Ryan Grant is starting to prove he might worth the money he held out for and then promptly got hurt for. If his second half of the season is as good as last year’s second half, the Packers are in good hands. Grant has already moved up to number 11 in the NFL in rushing and 1000 yards this year is a forgone conclusion.
I would like to sit here and say this team is on its way to a division title at least, but I just can’t. There is too much inexperience on this team. Last year the same inexperienced team flew under the radar, but going 13-3 pretty much put the kibosh on that happening this year. This year’s team is earning every win and even the slightest letdown will probably lead to defeat. They have, however, played a much tougher schedule.
Five-and-five is nothing to write home about, but I’m happy with where this team is right now. I can’t say I’m real confident they can get it done and win the division, which is the only hope of making the playoffs, but I do feel pretty good. Like I said a couple of weeks ago, if the Packers get in the playoffs they have a team that can be a force, especially if Ryan Grant continues to run like he has the last three weeks. Grant has already won one playoff game for the Packers when he ran all over Seattle last year.
I’m looking forward to the Monday night game against the Saints. A chance for the Packers to make a statement on a national stage. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was pretty good on his first Monday Night game, let’s hope for a repeat. Rodgers is still the NFL’s fifth-ranked passer and is learning week-by-week. Can’t wait to see him in a couple of years. However, I do think he has the ability to take this team to the playoffs this year. I loved his pre-game speech when he told the team the Bears didn’t belong on the same field as the Packers, then they went out and proved it. Good stuff, Maynard.
One week at time from now out. OK? Let’s worry about the future, not the past. Confidence remains high. Still at DefCon 5.