Game Recap

I remember the first time I realized I could take my Dad.  I was fifteen and had just gotten home from yet another merciless two-a-day.  Tired and sore, I was just ready to pass out in my bed when my Dad decides to start poking at me.  "Hey look at Mr. Tough Guy.  Mr. Football player," he said as he playfully was smacking me (for real he was just messing around as my father never hit me - just saying).  I wasn't having it.  I was sore tired and pissed off.  In a fit of rage I grabbed his arm and hoisted him over my shoulders.  Then I snapped to and realized what had just happened.  I realized I could take my Dad.  We never spoke of that moment ever again.

So?

So, something happened last Christmas in Lambeau as the Chicago Bears finally realized that they could beat Brett Favre.  The Favre mystique is gone.  And the Bears proved it by burying that voodoo somewhere in a field in Green Bay.  And I'm here to tell you that the years of Green Bay domination over the Bears is over.  It's as dead as Vince Lombardi.

As you all know, our Bears stomped the Packers this afternoon (PST for me).  The final score was 26 - 0.  And for me, it was the strangest butt kicking I ever saw.  If there was ever a game where the score didn't quite tell the whole story, it was this game.  Granted, the Packers were never really in this game as Rexy and the Bears took the opening kick and scored a touchdown on a 49 yard bomb to Bernard Berrian.  The Bears never looked back.

After holding the Packers on their first possession, the Bears drove the ball back down the field again and were in field goal range when Rex threw a misadvised up for grabs lame duck that was picked off by Nick Barnett (the only Packer who played well, IMO).  I only make point of this as it was the only real miscue by the Bears the entire day.  Otherwise the offense looked like they were in week six form.

While Rex played great, the real standout today was Musin Muhammad, who caught 6 balls, all for first downs.  All while racking up 102 yards.  While he was kept out of the end zone, I feel that today's performance was a precursor for a really big season.

Another standout player was Des Clark.  I was so intrigued by Clark's play in the pre season, I picked him up in a couple of fantasy football leagues.  He caught 5 passes for 77 yards.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't tip my cap to the defense and special teams.  While many people will look at Green's 110 yards and see room to improve, but I have never seen 110 yards amount to so little.  Many of Green's longer carries were on third and very long and we tackled him well before the line of scrimmage.  While he did run for 5 first downs, only one was in the first half.  The second half was spent playing bend but don't break defense with a healthy lead.

The only real thorn in our side was Donald Driver who seemed to get open at will and when Brett's Geritol was kicking in, he would hit him.

Our special teams were just that, special.  Devin Hester looks electric and seems that he'll score every time he touches the ball.  Which he did on an 84 yard punt return for a TD that iced the game.  Robbie Gould looked great going 4 for 4 on field goals, the longest from 40 yards.  And Adrian Peterson caused a fumble on a kickoff that was pounced on by Brendon Ayanbadejo.  And Brad Maynard averaged nearly 48 yards a kick putting 2 inside the 20 and one inside the 5.

Wow, I am long winded.

Let me finish by saying that Lance Briggs was everywhere today.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that this was the first time Brett Favre was shut out (maybe that was only at home but the first time one way or the other).  So let this serve as an obituary to Brett Favre and to paraphrase someone (sorry I forgot who said this today) if  this is how Brett is going to play, let him never retire.