NFL Playoffs NFC Championship Style! (GB v. CHI)
NFC Championship Game: Green Bay Packers v. Chicago Bears
Sunday 3pm, FOX
Basically the entire playoffs have been a repeat of regular season match ups. However, that is not always a bad thing! I am still holding on to ONE of my pre-season Super Bowl picks in Green Bay (no thanks to San Diego) and in all honesty I am happy to see the Bears back in the thick of the playoffs. On paper it is very close, no real injuries coming out of last week, Bears Safety Chris Harris says he will be ready to play this week as well as Packers receiver Donald Driver. During the regular season the Packers and Bears split the series 1-1, the last was a 10-3 Green Bay win allowing them to get into the playoffs (and knocking Tampa Bay out...) With only a 3 1/2 spread (GB fav) and a passive 43 o/u this should be a REAL close ball game.
Key Matchup
(GB LOLB) Clay Matthews v. (CHI LT) Frank Omiyale
There are 4 guaranteed things in life death, taxes, poor Bears Pass-Pro and Clay Matthews in the offenses' backfield... okay lame joke but the last two things are almost a sure fire thing. Between both games this year Jay Cutler was sacked 9 times! Yes only .5 of those were from Matthews BUT he was responsible for hurrying Cutler into a couple of them. But, Matthews still racked up 13.5 sacks and a INT this year, not too shabby. Now, the Bears offensive line has more holes then a colander, the poise of Rex Ryan on a Burger King bender, the charisma of Lawrence Taylor at a middle school, and the dexterity of Donte Stallworth after a night out with the boys [too much?]. And on that note Frank Omiyale will have to 'anchor' that Marx Brothers of a line this weekend. Jay Cutler was sacked 52 times for a grand total of -352yds... nice. The big BUT though is if somehow this line pulls it together we will see how Cutler plays when he can uncork it deep, which is very deadly to any secondary.
Difference Maker
(CHI KR/PR) Devin Hester- Real shocking and original right? Devin Hester (from the U) changes the game, especially when the two defenses are in stalemate. It's very obvious that Hester can return the ball, 35.6 KR average and 17.1 PR average PLUS 3TD. Duh. But, when a special teams coordinator changes his game for his K/P other problems arise. When angling a punt away from Hester it has a much higher chance of going off the side of his foot WHICH may lead to better field position then if Devin even touched the ball. And on kickoff it maybe even worse... as the Panthers learned in Super Bowl XXXVIII, when you kick the ball out of bounds you give the opponent the ball 30yds from the spot of the kick (http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/kickoff). In short he wins whether or not he gets the ball.
Outcome
A lot of mental debating, a lot of stats to ponder but it will come down to one thing, no Ryan Grant. Yes, the Packers have Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn but neither are Ryan Grant. The Bears had the second best run D allowing around 90 rush yards a game: making teams one sided to the pass + rushing the daylights out of the passer = turnover. I like Aaron Rogers, he is great and everyone knows it. But, no matter how great Rogers is I think the Bears vaunting pass rush and a ball hunger secondary will be the final factor in the Bears punching their ticket once again to the Super Bowl: Packers- 16 Bears-24.
Next Blog: NFL Playoffs AFC Championship Style! (NYJ v. PIT)
Stats courtesy of ESPN Stats and Information Links courtesy of http://www.chicagobears.com http://www.packers.com http://www.nfl.com/
Sunday 3pm, FOX
Basically the entire playoffs have been a repeat of regular season match ups. However, that is not always a bad thing! I am still holding on to ONE of my pre-season Super Bowl picks in Green Bay (no thanks to San Diego) and in all honesty I am happy to see the Bears back in the thick of the playoffs. On paper it is very close, no real injuries coming out of last week, Bears Safety Chris Harris says he will be ready to play this week as well as Packers receiver Donald Driver. During the regular season the Packers and Bears split the series 1-1, the last was a 10-3 Green Bay win allowing them to get into the playoffs (and knocking Tampa Bay out...) With only a 3 1/2 spread (GB fav) and a passive 43 o/u this should be a REAL close ball game.
Key Matchup
(GB LOLB) Clay Matthews v. (CHI LT) Frank Omiyale
There are 4 guaranteed things in life death, taxes, poor Bears Pass-Pro and Clay Matthews in the offenses' backfield... okay lame joke but the last two things are almost a sure fire thing. Between both games this year Jay Cutler was sacked 9 times! Yes only .5 of those were from Matthews BUT he was responsible for hurrying Cutler into a couple of them. But, Matthews still racked up 13.5 sacks and a INT this year, not too shabby. Now, the Bears offensive line has more holes then a colander, the poise of Rex Ryan on a Burger King bender, the charisma of Lawrence Taylor at a middle school, and the dexterity of Donte Stallworth after a night out with the boys [too much?]. And on that note Frank Omiyale will have to 'anchor' that Marx Brothers of a line this weekend. Jay Cutler was sacked 52 times for a grand total of -352yds... nice. The big BUT though is if somehow this line pulls it together we will see how Cutler plays when he can uncork it deep, which is very deadly to any secondary.
Difference Maker
(CHI KR/PR) Devin Hester- Real shocking and original right? Devin Hester (from the U) changes the game, especially when the two defenses are in stalemate. It's very obvious that Hester can return the ball, 35.6 KR average and 17.1 PR average PLUS 3TD. Duh. But, when a special teams coordinator changes his game for his K/P other problems arise. When angling a punt away from Hester it has a much higher chance of going off the side of his foot WHICH may lead to better field position then if Devin even touched the ball. And on kickoff it maybe even worse... as the Panthers learned in Super Bowl XXXVIII, when you kick the ball out of bounds you give the opponent the ball 30yds from the spot of the kick (http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/kickoff). In short he wins whether or not he gets the ball.
Outcome
A lot of mental debating, a lot of stats to ponder but it will come down to one thing, no Ryan Grant. Yes, the Packers have Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn but neither are Ryan Grant. The Bears had the second best run D allowing around 90 rush yards a game: making teams one sided to the pass + rushing the daylights out of the passer = turnover. I like Aaron Rogers, he is great and everyone knows it. But, no matter how great Rogers is I think the Bears vaunting pass rush and a ball hunger secondary will be the final factor in the Bears punching their ticket once again to the Super Bowl: Packers- 16 Bears-24.
Next Blog: NFL Playoffs AFC Championship Style! (NYJ v. PIT)
Stats courtesy of ESPN Stats and Information Links courtesy of http://www.chicagobears.com http://www.packers.com http://www.nfl.com/
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