Much Better

Well, I was wrong about the shootout, but I was right about the win.

Broadly speaking, I think of myself as more of a “thinker” than a “feeler.”  That said, I had a bad feeling going into the 49er game, but I was feeling pretty confident when I sat down to watch last night’s game against the Bears.  I never really doubted that we would win.  And now that it’s over and I’ve had some hours to digest it, I am very satisfied with what I saw.

We were admittedly spoiled by last year’s Packer offense.  It was prolific, efficient, machine-like, and nearly error-free.  None of those descriptions would quite apply to what we have witnessed in the first two games of 2012, however, which is slightly alarming. 

On the other hand, last night’s team arguably sported more of a championship recipe than last year’s team did, for last night we had it all.  There was a running game, there was great special teams play, and there was a ferocious defense.  Our offense did need to light it up with 40 points.  Rather, it was a complete team effort, and every part of the team could walk off the field with a sense that they had contributed to the victory.

That looked more like 2010 than 2011.

I have heard some naysayers today trying to minimize the Packers’ victory.  “Well, if Brandon Marshall had made that catch when he was streaking open into the end zone” or “it took a trick play to give Green Bay momentum” or “if the refs hadn’t succumbed to that debatable 12-men-on-the-field challenge” or “if Forte hadn’t gotten hurt…”  Blah, blah, blah. 

They are fair points, but there is no end to such “what if” scenarios.  What if Greg Jennings hadn’t been hurt?  What if our guys didn’t drop three passes that hit them on their fingertips?  What if Tramon Williams hadn’t fallen down on that would-be touchdown to Marshall? 

And so it goes.

The fact is that the Green Bay Packers looked very good and played very well last night.  And while Aaron Rodgers has not yet matched the MVP numbers and look of last year, we had over a hundred yards rushing, we racked up 7 sacks on the pouty one, we picked off 4 of his passes, we doubled Chicago’s total net yards on offense, and we effectively held both Brandon Marshall and Devin Hester in check.  

If we keep playing like that, we’ll win most of our games this year.  And if we add to that kind of effort just a little more of the offensive rhythm and explosiveness that we saw last year, I’m not sure who will beat us. 

The Bears, meanwhile, had their Week One bubble burst.  They felt so good after their acquisition of Marshall and their signing of Forte.  Then their manhandling of the Colts seemed to affirm all of the optimism.  Last night, though, the Ghost of Cutlers Past reappeared, while the splendor of Hester and Urlacher did not. 

Fortunately for Chicago, they play the Rams and Jaguars in two of their next three games.  They’ll probably have a winning record come mid-October, therefore, and they’ll be feeling good about themselves again. 

Until they have to play a really good team again.