Dan, here it is in a nutshell: Aaron Rodgers is the only player that can beat the Bears on Sunday and he will beat them if the Bears don’t get in his face. Agree?
Bob De Weese, Port Orange, Fla.
I agree that it is imperative the Bears pressure Rodgers. But Rodgers is very good under pressure. He knows how to escape and make plays on the run. So pressuring him alone isn’t enough. You also have to play solid coverage, too. I could definitely envision a scenario in which Rodgers beats the Bears, though. He is an elite player just waiting for an opportunity like this.
In the regular season finale, I noticed that Greg Jennings got past Tim Jennings on three deep passes, however, two were just over-thrown and the other one was caught. What are the Bears going to do to slow down Greg Jennings?
R.A. Pickett, Houston
Jennings is a difficult player to slow down. That’s why he made the Pro Bowl and had a 1,200 yard season. The Bears could devote more defensive attention to Jennings, but the problem is if you do that, the Packers have many other weapons to hurt them with. The best way to play Jennings is probably with a healthy dose of zone coverage with a safety over the top. That’s what I would expect Sunday, but Ron Jaworski of ESPN tells me that in the last game between these teams, the Bears played with one safety high 60 percent of the time. I’m not so sure they can get by living so dangerously Sunday.
Would the Bears be playing in the NFC Championship had they lost as many starters for the season as Green Bay has?
Tom Zanette, West Chester, Pa.
I doubt it. I doubt any other team would have made it this far with as many injuries as the Packers had. And I’m surprised the Packers made it this far. I don’t think the Bears have the same depth. Look at what happened to them last year when they lost Brian Urlacher. It’s a real testament to the entire Packers organization that they made it this far. General manager Ted Thompson and his staff built up the team’s depth with draft choices, and then they found replacement parts on the street. Coach Mike McCarthy and his staff found ways to minimize the impact of player losses. And substitute players stepped up big time.
I heard some complaining about Julius Peppers on the radio a few weeks back, and I wasn’t sure what you thought. The complaint was that while Julius Peppers does all the little things that often go unnoticed and makes things happen for others players, he’s not beating his man and getting enough sacks. Is this because he is being double teamed? Were the expectations just so high that we expected 15 sacks out of him? Also I felt like he cooled down a little bit at the end of the season.
Bobby Colletti, Purdue University
I thought Peppers had an outstanding season, and his pedestrian sack total was not a reflection of his play. He was a tremendous force in most games the Bears played. Of course, the Bears would have liked for more of those great pass rushes to result in sacks, but you can’t measure pass rush by sacks alone. Opponents were pretty smart about making sure they devoted extra blockers to Peppers in key situations, and getting rid of the ball quickly. The blocker who was assigned to him was called for holding a number of times. He got close without getting the sack many times. It would have helped Peppers if the Bears had another pass rusher who forced offenses into adjusting more frequently. I thought Peppers finished the regular season quietly with below average (for him) performances against the Jets and Packers. But he played well Sunday against the Seahawks.
If Gaines Adams had not tragically died, do you think that the Bears would have signed Julius Peppers? Also, how did that affect the draft?
Jerry Ashby
The truth is no one really knows, not even the Bears. But I have a feeling they would have gone after Peppers anyway. Players like him rarely are available, and the Bears had the money to pursue him. With their defensive scheme, the Bears never have enough pass rush. If they had signed Peppers and Adams had lived, Corey Wootton might not be a Bear though.
With O-Line and D-Line being the Bears’ biggest areas of need this offseason, what are the chances, CBA issues aside, they try to acquire Albert Haynesworth? He has certainly been a malcontent and an awful locker room presence, but there is no doubt he is supremely talented. Moreover, the Bears need a difference maker at DT and Haynesworth could be back in the 4-3 system he pines for. With the presence of Rod Marinelli on the Bears’ staff, and the strong veteran leadership on defense maybe he won’t cause as much of a ruckus in Chicago. What are your thoughts on him
Rick, Springfield, Mo.
I don’t think that’s a bad idea. But in order for it to work, the trade compensation for Haynesworth would have to be reasonable. You wouldn’t want to pay a premium for a player with a history like Haynesworth’s. And the Bears need their draft picks. So far, the Redskins have wanted too much for Haynesworth. There wasn’t a team in the entire league willing to meet their asking price, which was rumored to be a second-round pick. But I could see a scenario in which Rod Marinelli revives Haynesworth’s career and makes him a great player again. If Haynesworth plays like he is capable, and Peppers plays like he did this year, they could form a lethal combination.
How come Jay Cutler never pump fakes before throwing a pass? I think there are a few times a game where he could get a D-back or D-lineman to bite.
Jim from Los Angeles
He pump fakes a little, but certainly he could use the pump fake more frequently and effectively. Some players are just more comfortable doing it than others. What’s more important is that he’s not locking onto receivers and telegraphing his passes. And for the most part, he’s not doing that.
Dan, why is so much made of Jay Cutler throwing interceptions? Every quarterback throws them and some are returned for touchdowns. The guy has never had a year with more interceptions than touchdowns. Big Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, Eli Manning and others throw plenty of interceptions and get a pass from the media. Any idea why or how Cutler became the media’s whipping boy?
Shane Kryzsko, Hastings, Neb.
Interceptions are an issue for Cutler because he has thrown more of them — 42 — over the last two years than any player in the league. He’s also thrown a lot of them at inopportune times and in the red zone. That’s how he became the media’s “whipping boy,” to use your term.
Dan, great coverage…read your latest mailbag answers and was especially interested in your response regarding my boy Garrett Wolfe. By any standard, Chester Taylor has been a bust this season. In a wingback set with a tight end in the backfield to block, Wolfe would surely average more than the 2.4 yards per carry that Taylor has averaged. Spotted say 5-8 times per game, Wolfe would be a much better threat if he was ever used properly. Mike Martz has done a nice job this year but he has repeated the mistake Ron Turner made with Wolfe. Whenever Wolfe is utilized on offense and we both know it has been extremely rare…. both Turner and Martz have chosen to send him between the tackles. Why do they not let him use his speed on the outside? Big mistake in my view.
Phil McSween, Toronto
No running back can have success if he is a one trick pony. If the Bears used Wolfe strictly outside the tackles, defenses would catch on and shut him down. If Wolfe ever is going to have sustained success in the NFL, he is going to have to run between the tackles as well as outside the tackles.
I see the O-line as being the Bears’ biggest need. Besides the draft, are any available free agent linemen the Bears might target?
Kevin Kotowski, Torrance, Calif.
There are a number of offensive linemen with expiring contracts, but whether or not they actually become free agents is another issue. The best potential free agent offensive lineman of all is Patriots guard Logan Mankins. He’s the best guard in the NFL, and the second best guard isn’t close. The best center is Ryan Kalil of the Panthers. The best tackle probably is Jermon Bushrod of the Saints.
Please rate the chances of the Bears will move to upgrade their wide receiver corps by going after a taller, more physical wide-out in the Calvin Johnson, Mike Williams, Braylon Edwards mold?
Lawrence Jesserton, Des Plaines
I don’t think it will be a high priority for the team in the offseason. It’s possible they will use a mid to late round pick on a bigger receiver. But really, they have more important issues to address. The receivers on the Bears are pretty good, and they fit the offensive system. If Calvin Johnson fell into their laps though, I’m sure they would take him.
