Bears-Packers Preview

 

SCOUTING REPORT

Bears-Packers: 10 observations After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week's Bears-Packers matchup. 1. Chicago needs to show balance on offense: With the acquisition of talented QB Jay Cutler, the Bears' offense needs to establish itself as a balanced attack. Cutler can make all the throws as well as improvise effectively when plays break down. Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner can expand the playbook.

· Full Scouting Report

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
CHI	4-6	206	225	3-2	1-4	1-1	2-5
GNB	6-4	262	203	4-2	2-2	2-2	5-3
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

Chicago Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Cutler 61.7 2524 15 18 Hanie 50.0 3 0 0

Green Bay Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Rodger... 64.8 2788 19 5 Flynn 66.7 15 0 0

Chicago Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Forte 157 516 3.3 3 Cutler 26 122 4.7 1

Green Bay Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Grant 189 829 4.4 5 Rodger... 44 242 5.5 3

Chicago Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Hester 52 614 11.8 3 Bennet... 40 511 12.8 0

Green Bay Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Driver 46 703 15.3 4 Jennin... 43 669 15.6 3

Full Player Stats: Chicago | Green Bay

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	CHI	296.0
	GNB	351.0
Yards Passing	CHI	191.3
	GNB	238.3
Yards Rushing	CHI	104.6
	GNB	112.8
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	CHI	334.7
	GNB	334.3
Pass Yds Allowed	CHI	241.2
	GNB	202.8
Rush Yds Allowed	CHI	93.5
	GNB	131.6

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
Green Bay leads 10-7
Dec 22, 2008	CHI 20, @GNB 17
Nov 16, 2008	CHI 3, GNB 37
Dec 23, 2007	CHI 35, @GNB 7
Oct 7, 2007	CHI 27, GNB 20
Dec 31, 2006	CHI 7, @GNB 26
Sep 10, 2006	CHI 26, GNB 0
Dec 25, 2005	CHI 24, GNB 17
Dec 4, 2005	CHI 19, @GNB 7
Jan 2, 2005	CHI 14, @GNB 31
Sep 19, 2004	CHI 21, GNB 10
Dec 7, 2003	CHI 21, GNB 34
Sep 29, 2003	CHI 23, @GNB 38
Dec 1, 2002	CHI 20, GNB 30
Oct 7, 2002	CHI 21, @GNB 34
Dec 9, 2001	CHI 7, GNB 17
Nov 11, 2001	CHI 12, @GNB 20

The quarterback position for the Chicago Bears has been a revolving door of mediocrity for decades.

After pulling off a blockbuster offseason trade for Pro Bowler Jay Cutler, the Bears believe they've found a quarterback that can solidify the position and lead them to a Super Bowl.

Cutler is set to play in his first regular season game for the Bears on Sunday night when they visit the rival Green Bay Packers, who also boast a top young quarterback in Aaron Rodgers.

Chicago has gone through an NFC-high 11 different starting quarterbacks since 2001, and hasn't boasted a true franchise player at the position since Sid Luckman in the 1940s.

After finishing 9-7 to miss the playoffs for a second straight year following their Super Bowl run in 2006, the Bears sent incumbent starter Kyle Orton, two first-round draft picks and a third-rounder to Denver for Cutler in April.

With Cutler now in charge, expectations in Chicago are high.

Last season with the Broncos, Cutler set franchise records with 384 completions, 616 attempts, 4,526 yards and eight games passing for 300 or more yards. By contrast, Orton passed for more than 300 yards just once last season with the Bears.

"He does some plays and does some things out there that I've never seen," said Chicago running back Matt Forte, who set a franchise record for a rookie by rushing for 1,238 yards last season. "I've never had a quarterback like that. I'm just glad he's here."

Cutler, who grew up a Bears fan in Indiana, makes his first career start for Chicago against the franchise's fiercest adversary.

"It's great for the rivalry," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said.

The Packers also have high hopes with Rodgers entering his second season as starter.

After serving for three years as Brett Favre's backup, Rodgers started all 16 games last season for Green Bay, which went 6-10.

Rodgers passed for 4,038 yards, 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, joining Kurt Warner in 1999 as the only two quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for at least 4,000 yards in the first season they started a game. He threw for 487 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in the two games against the Bears last season.

The Packers defeated Chicago 37-3 at Lambeau Field on Nov. 16, but in the rematch at Soldier Field on Dec. 22, the Bears won 20-17 in overtime.

Ryan Grant, who enters his third season as the Packers' primary running back, rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries in the win, but was limited to 61 yards on 25 attempts in the loss.

While Green Bay hopes Rodgers continues to develop, the Packers also need improvement from their defense in order to be successful.

Green Bay allowed an average of 28.5 points while losing five of its final six games. As a result, McCarthy fired nearly all of his defensive coaching staff and brought in veteran coordinator Dom Capers to install his version of the 3-4.

The Packers return almost all of last year's defensive players, but they'll all be adjusting to different roles -- including cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson, man-to-man specialists who now will be playing more zone.

The biggest adjustment will be for Aaron Kampman, who will make the transition from 4-3 defensive end to 3-4 outside linebacker. A pass rush specialist who made the Pro Bowl in 2006 and 2007, Kampman now will find himself standing up at the line of scrimmage and sometimes dropping back into pass coverage.

"This position requires you to rush, requires you to play the run hard and also drop into coverage," Kampman said. "I've tried to develop all three of those skills. Every game, I get more experience, find ways to tweak and learn and grow in it."

There won't be much room for error against Chicago, which features one of the league's better tight end tandems in Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark.

Although Cutler has one of the strongest arms in the NFL, his primary targets will likely be Olsen, Clark and Forte, who caught a team-high 63 passes for 477 yards last season. The hope is Cutler will elevate an unproven group of wide receivers led by Devin Hester, who had 51 receptions for a team-high 665 yards in 2008.

A veteran defense led by linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs also needs to improve for the Bears to be considered a serious playoff contender.

Chicago, which ranked 30th in pass defense in 2008 (241.2 yards per game), will be tested often by Rodgers, especially if cornerback Charles Tillman is unable to go coming off back surgery in July.

"I've never been to the playoffs," Cutler said. "I've never been to the Super Bowl. But it all starts Sunday. There's that first one Sunday, and we'll just go back and regroup. We're looking forward to it. I think we have a great shot at it."

Scouts Buzz: Stafford growing up fast

Scouts Inc. examines Matthew Stafford's development, the Vikings' dynamic offense and more.

Packers CB Harris, LB Kampman lost for season

Green Bay cornerback Al Harris and linebacker Aaron Kampman will both have season-ending knee surgery.

FBO: Week 11 Quick Reads

Football Outsiders apply their metrics to Week 11. Findings: Even when Wes Welker doesn't find the end zone, he's historic; Mark Sanchez isn't ready; DeAngelo Williams needs the rock more; and T.J. Houshmandzadeh may have saved Minny's season.

Isaacson: Bears' defense comes up short

The Bears' defense came up short when the team needed it most.

Former coach sings praises of new Bears LB

Former St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator and Northwestern head coach Rick Venturi never questioned Pisa Tinoisamoa's toughness, but Venturi may have doubted the linebacker's sanity at one point.

Bear facts

LAKE FOREST, Ill. Bears coach Lovie Smith answers email questions from fans: I was so happy to see you thinking out of the box and taking over play-calling duties on defense.

Tinoisamoa signs deal; Bears look at punters

The latest addition in Jerry Angelo's busy offseason arrived Monday at Halas Hall.

Call it signings of the times

In a frenetic day of wheeling and dealing at Halas Hall, the Bears signed a likely starter for their defense, locked up a versatile lineman for two seasons and secured almost all of their draft picks.

Bears hoping Cutler can help get running game in gear

Fact or fiction? Jay Cutler had no running game last season in Denver. Reading through comments left here over the last few days, it looks like the widely held opinion is that the Broncos were running in the slow lane in 2008, you know, when Cutler wasn't chucking it.

S Atari Bigby isn't back yet, but he's ready to go

Atari Bigby says he feels great, and that's saying something, considering how the Green Bay Packers' strong safety limped through the 2008 season.

Packers Daily Briefing 06.01.09

Jun. 1, 2009 6:00 a.m. Good morning. Here is your PDB for Monday, June 1, 2009. It contains all the links, info, analysis and occasional humor you'll need to start your day.

Tauscher's replacement will be green

The Green Bay Packers won't anoint a new starting right tackle until August, but they'll go to training camp with a pretty good idea about the identity of Mark Tauscher's successor.

Rodgers looks to expand leadership

Aaron Rodgers' strong 2008 season has him operating the 2009 Packers offense with confidence - much more so than last year at this time.