By: Zack Garhart
Yes, the Packers lived up to their preseason hype as being a dominating defensive unit and aggressive passing team, but they nearly left a goose egg on Lambeau field as they escaped the Chicago Bears Sunday night.
Sloppy play was the story of a rivalry game that was highly anticipated around the two dangerous quarterbacks. However, as the first quarter went scoreless, this wasn’t the case. Each quarterback was content with throwing the ball to the players in green and gold jerseys, although one prevailed to higher levels than the other. I’m talking about Aaron Rodgers. The man who sold the fake, and tossed up a rocket to his electric wideout Greg Jennings in the closing minute of the game to seal the game as well as offer a sample to the future meetings of the two rivalry teams.
Bears fans were left hiding their faces while they snuck to their cars to make the five plus hour commute home from Green Bay. Not only because their six time pro bowler and defensive anchor Brian Urlacher was lost for the entire season, but their quarterback “solution” ended up to be the problem. Jay Cutler; whom they swapped their former quarterback Kyle Orton for, managed to throw four interceptions (it should have been at least 6 by my count) and set the Bears even farther back.
The sad part about it is, the Bears nearly won the game despite handing out game balls to four different Packers defenders. The fear coming from the result of this close contest leaves me as soon as the relief creeps in.
I’m somewhat worried because I know that Cutler is more capable than carelessly throwing away four picks, and it is just a matter of time before he finds his chemistry with his yet to be standout wideout. Whether it be this season or next, Cutler will find his groove, Lovie Smith is no fool and he got him for a reason.
The relief sets in once I consider Rodger’s numbers in the poor excuse for a shootout, while he managed to not throw an interception. Granted he only fired one touchdown, it was the touchdown that made the difference. The past two seasons Rodgers has not stood out for his arm strength, mobility, or clock management in my opinion. But it was rather Rodgers ability to reveal that learning under Brett Favre was the best thing Ted Thompson could have done for him. It’s a simple fact, you don’t spend three years on the bench sitting behind a future hall of fame quarterback and learn nothing.