TX_Patriot
On the Game Day Roster
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2004
- Messages
- 281
- Reaction score
- 0
Just some quick thoughts.
Defense:
-Niko was all over the field, he looked very active, great motor and made a few really nice plays. He tipped a pass int he flat to Forte (I think), had a tackle for a loss, and was the guy that ran down Hester on his long KO return. Unfortunately, Niko also missed a couple tackles at the LOS that turned into nice gains for the Bears.
-Moore was a huge surprise, he was a factor in just about every play he was in. It also looked like he flipped sides a few times. He provided a fair amount of pressure all game. When he was lined up on the opposite side of Warren, the pocket collapsed almost every time.
-The biggest unsung hero has to be Vince. He was doubled all day. The Bears were very aware of where he was and I really think he's why Warren was so effective this game.
-McCourty is just a beast. He got beat by Knox on the first drive for a first down and that just seemed to piss him off. He was lights out after that. He had a TFL on a running play a few plays later, a nice PD on a crossing pattern where he was actually trailing the receiver and made up the gap as soon as Cutler released the ball. A few minutes later, he had the strip FF. He did play a couple more plays after the FF and was then pulled. I watched the strip play and when he's getting up he looks slow and was kinda bent over to one side but jogged off the field. I never really saw him in any obvious pain and like I said, I'm pretty sure he came back out on D the next series. I really hope he's ok going forward.
-Butler holds on every play. He's lucky he doesn't get called for it more. He looks like he's afraid of losing pace with his receiver, but he's got plenty of speed. I really don't know if we can count of Butler as a longterm replacement, McCourty really needs to come back soon. Arrington appears to have better ball skills but not the speed of Butler, If BB could figure out a way of creating an Arrington-Butler hybrid, then we'd have something.
-Guyton had a good game, but he had a couple plays were he just looked indecisive. This is when the cement shoes go on. There were at least 2 passes completed to Forte in front of him and instead of attacking the ball he just stood there...like he was just waiting to make a basket tackle. In both cases Forte gets an extra 5-6 yards when Guyton could have tackled him for minimal gain. He also totally whiffed on Chester Taylor on the goal line. Other than that, Guyton played well in his fill-in roll.
-The only real success Cutler had passing the ball was when he was picking on the safeties. I saw Chung, Merriweater, and Paige get beat badly, James Sanders would have too, but his guy dropped the pass.
Offense
-The Line played awesome. That's really it, they just killed the d-line most of the day. Their down-field blocking was as good as I've seen all year too. Both the slip screens that they ran to Welker were things of beauty. Light and Koppen were 10-15 yards down field on both. Gronk totally creamed a guy on the first of those screens too. The run blocking was pretty good too, but most of the holes were opened up by our TE's. We run these wham-block running plays with either Gronk or Crump motioning down the line then cracking back on a LB and it works every time. 2 of Benny's longest runs where on such plays.
-As good a Brady was, the weather did look like if affected him a bit. He threw quite a few passes at the feet of his receivers. He also had a real tough time getting the ball over the LBs. Now that being said, it was still an absolutely remarkable performance. The bomb to Deion was so pretty, I watched 3 or 4 times in a row. He totally sells that he's going to Gronk until the last possible second. Bee-U-Tee-Full
-The Bears had no answer for Welker. He was open all day, He should have had at least 5 more catches, but like I said above, Brady was short hopping Welker every-so-often.
-Branch is just Branch, he just knows how to play this game. What a shame we every let him go to Seattle.
-Gronk had just about the perfect TE day. He caught everything thrown at him and was superb with his blocking. Brady did toss him a bomb in the 3rd quarter (I think) and he was held the whole way down the field. The ball ended up being uncatchable, but the Ref could have thrown his hanky at any point and didn't. I think the Refs were trying to get the game over with at that point. Too bad though.
Bears notes:
-This is a good team, and the D is legit. Urlacher had a monster game, he had his hands on 3 of Brady's passes and couldn't come up with the pick. He is really, really fast and was in on almost every tackle within 7 yards of the LOS. Seriously, this guy is a beast.
-Tillman may be a decent CB, but Tom abused him all day. He looked confused and completely lost at times.
-Peppers played OK, his sack was mostly the result of Brady holding the ball a little long. Light did a pretty good job on him and at one point, he flips sides to take on Sea Bass because he looked frustrated (it was probably scheme but make me feel warm thinking light frustrated him). I really only remember them calling his name maybe 3 time the whole game. The sack and a couple tackles at the LOS. I think one was on Benny for a loss of a couple.
-The Bears receivers look quick, but they just didn't look ready to play in that weather. They had at least 4 drops that could have extended some drives and Cutler was a little erratic with his accuracy, that didn't help things either.
-I'm not saying that we wouldn't win in perfect conditions, but I think the Bears would be a tough out in the Super Bowl. I saw enough of that D to think they can hang if they catch a couple of those Brady passes. Brady, for the life of him, could not throw the ball over Urlacher's head. His reach is ridiculous.
Wow, this was longer than I anticipated. Fire away.
Defense:
-Niko was all over the field, he looked very active, great motor and made a few really nice plays. He tipped a pass int he flat to Forte (I think), had a tackle for a loss, and was the guy that ran down Hester on his long KO return. Unfortunately, Niko also missed a couple tackles at the LOS that turned into nice gains for the Bears.
-Moore was a huge surprise, he was a factor in just about every play he was in. It also looked like he flipped sides a few times. He provided a fair amount of pressure all game. When he was lined up on the opposite side of Warren, the pocket collapsed almost every time.
-The biggest unsung hero has to be Vince. He was doubled all day. The Bears were very aware of where he was and I really think he's why Warren was so effective this game.
-McCourty is just a beast. He got beat by Knox on the first drive for a first down and that just seemed to piss him off. He was lights out after that. He had a TFL on a running play a few plays later, a nice PD on a crossing pattern where he was actually trailing the receiver and made up the gap as soon as Cutler released the ball. A few minutes later, he had the strip FF. He did play a couple more plays after the FF and was then pulled. I watched the strip play and when he's getting up he looks slow and was kinda bent over to one side but jogged off the field. I never really saw him in any obvious pain and like I said, I'm pretty sure he came back out on D the next series. I really hope he's ok going forward.
-Butler holds on every play. He's lucky he doesn't get called for it more. He looks like he's afraid of losing pace with his receiver, but he's got plenty of speed. I really don't know if we can count of Butler as a longterm replacement, McCourty really needs to come back soon. Arrington appears to have better ball skills but not the speed of Butler, If BB could figure out a way of creating an Arrington-Butler hybrid, then we'd have something.
-Guyton had a good game, but he had a couple plays were he just looked indecisive. This is when the cement shoes go on. There were at least 2 passes completed to Forte in front of him and instead of attacking the ball he just stood there...like he was just waiting to make a basket tackle. In both cases Forte gets an extra 5-6 yards when Guyton could have tackled him for minimal gain. He also totally whiffed on Chester Taylor on the goal line. Other than that, Guyton played well in his fill-in roll.
-The only real success Cutler had passing the ball was when he was picking on the safeties. I saw Chung, Merriweater, and Paige get beat badly, James Sanders would have too, but his guy dropped the pass.
Offense
-The Line played awesome. That's really it, they just killed the d-line most of the day. Their down-field blocking was as good as I've seen all year too. Both the slip screens that they ran to Welker were things of beauty. Light and Koppen were 10-15 yards down field on both. Gronk totally creamed a guy on the first of those screens too. The run blocking was pretty good too, but most of the holes were opened up by our TE's. We run these wham-block running plays with either Gronk or Crump motioning down the line then cracking back on a LB and it works every time. 2 of Benny's longest runs where on such plays.
-As good a Brady was, the weather did look like if affected him a bit. He threw quite a few passes at the feet of his receivers. He also had a real tough time getting the ball over the LBs. Now that being said, it was still an absolutely remarkable performance. The bomb to Deion was so pretty, I watched 3 or 4 times in a row. He totally sells that he's going to Gronk until the last possible second. Bee-U-Tee-Full
-The Bears had no answer for Welker. He was open all day, He should have had at least 5 more catches, but like I said above, Brady was short hopping Welker every-so-often.
-Branch is just Branch, he just knows how to play this game. What a shame we every let him go to Seattle.
-Gronk had just about the perfect TE day. He caught everything thrown at him and was superb with his blocking. Brady did toss him a bomb in the 3rd quarter (I think) and he was held the whole way down the field. The ball ended up being uncatchable, but the Ref could have thrown his hanky at any point and didn't. I think the Refs were trying to get the game over with at that point. Too bad though.
Bears notes:
-This is a good team, and the D is legit. Urlacher had a monster game, he had his hands on 3 of Brady's passes and couldn't come up with the pick. He is really, really fast and was in on almost every tackle within 7 yards of the LOS. Seriously, this guy is a beast.
-Tillman may be a decent CB, but Tom abused him all day. He looked confused and completely lost at times.
-Peppers played OK, his sack was mostly the result of Brady holding the ball a little long. Light did a pretty good job on him and at one point, he flips sides to take on Sea Bass because he looked frustrated (it was probably scheme but make me feel warm thinking light frustrated him). I really only remember them calling his name maybe 3 time the whole game. The sack and a couple tackles at the LOS. I think one was on Benny for a loss of a couple.
-The Bears receivers look quick, but they just didn't look ready to play in that weather. They had at least 4 drops that could have extended some drives and Cutler was a little erratic with his accuracy, that didn't help things either.
-I'm not saying that we wouldn't win in perfect conditions, but I think the Bears would be a tough out in the Super Bowl. I saw enough of that D to think they can hang if they catch a couple of those Brady passes. Brady, for the life of him, could not throw the ball over Urlacher's head. His reach is ridiculous.
Wow, this was longer than I anticipated. Fire away.
