QUARTERBACK
D-
Rex Grossman struggled mightily in the first half, throwing three interceptions and losing a center snap. Two of Grossman’s interceptions were returned for touchdowns. Grossman’s passer rating was 0.0. He completed just 2 of 12, connecting with Rashied Davis and Muhsin Muhammad. Brian Griese started the second half and threw two more interceptions. At one point in the third quarter, both quarterbacks had 0.0 passer ratings. Griese did connect on a 75-yard touchdown pass to Mark Bradley in the third quarter and wound up with a passer rating of 46.9.
RUNNING BACKS
B
Cedric Benson eclipsed his career best with 80 yards midway through the third quarter and wound up with 109. His longest run was 30 yards, and he averaged 8.4 yards a carry. Thomas Jones picked up 27 yards on nine attempts.
RECEIVERS
C
Rashied Davis had two receptions as Rex Grossman struggled to get the ball to his receivers. Muhsin Muhammad was wide open for a 27-yard connection in the second period. Mark Bradley caught a 75-yard TD pass from Brian Griese.
OFFENSIVE LINE
C
Rex Grossman was sacked once, and Griese was sacked in the third quarter. But until the Bears fell behind 23-0 and were forced to pass, the line generally afforded enough time and opportunity for better results than were provided. The running game was fairly effective for an offense that struggled to find its rhythm. Tackle John Tait, returning to the lineup after resting an ankle injury, was whistled for two holding penalties.
DEFENSIVE LINE
C
Tank Johnson, playing his first game in three weeks, got pressure on Brett Favre in the first quarter. But overall the Bears’ defensive front failed to apply enough pressure as Favre threw for more than 200 yards in the first half alone. He wound up with 285 yards, completing 21 of 42, one for a TD.
LINEBACKERS
C
Brian Urlacher suffered a finger injury but remained in the game. The Packers mixed up their offensive plays and kept the Bears’ linebackers off balance, running deftly with Ahman Green, who eclipsed 1,000 yards for the season with 71 yards on 22 carries.
SECONDARY
C-
Nathan Vasher had an interception in the first half. But the secondary generally was shredded because there was little pressure on Brett Favre. Safety Chris Harris was victimized on the Packers’ opening drive when Favre connected on a 9-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver. Cameron Worrell sacked Favre in the fourth quarter. Ruvell Martin had seven catches for 118 yards.
SPECIAL TEAMS
B
When Brad Maynard wasn’t punting well, he executed a 37-yard pass play to Adrian Peterson on a fake punt in the third quarter. Rookie return specialist Devin Hester muffed a punt in the third quarter, but Cameron Worrell recovered. Robbie Gould kicked one extra point and fell just short of Kevin Butler’s regular-season scoring record of 144 points in 1985.
COACHING
D
The responsibility to prepare a team for a game, even a meaningless one, falls on the shoulders of the coaching staff, and the Bears clearly were not prepared for this regular-season finale. At the end of the first half, Lovie Smith declared the team’s performance “a total team breakdown.” The Bears began to show some emotion and production late in the third quarter, but it was too little, too late.
