Joniak's Journal: Quality Pass Rush On Aaron Rodgers Of Utmost Importance For Bears
By Jeff Joniak--
(CBS) The Bears host the Packers on Sunday at noon at Soldier Field to open up the 2015 regular season. Here are a few thoughts heading into the game.
First impression
Like most Bears fans, we're waiting to get our first impression of the new roster and how the coaching staff uses what they have. Defensively, coordinator Vic Fangio's creativity is expected to pay dividends in terms of pass pressure. His five outside linebackers all have experienced various levels of success getting to the quarterback, led by Jared Allen, who has 134 career sacks. Pernell McPhee is poised to have the best of his five seasons and will be a tone-setter in terms of his violent intensity. What happens inside is critical at defensive tackle, inside linebacker and safety.
Second thought
Not a day goes by that somebody wearing a Bears uniform isn't talking about playing physical, nasty football. It's the mindset that coaches want, and they want it on every phase. Monday night on the Bears coaches show on WBBM Newsradio 780 & 105.9, general manager Ryan Pace made it clear he wants the Bears to be a team opponents don't want look forward to playing because of their physicality. Every transaction and decision is made with that in mind.
Third degree
If you believe numbers create an advantage for a team's mental approach toward an individual player heading into a matchup, then the Packers own one intangible. Jay Cutler and the teams that he's quarterbacked against the Packers are 1-10. In those games, the Bears have been outscored by 122 points, which of course is also a function of the inability to stop Aaron Rodgers defensively. Cutler has been sacked 35 times in those games, and 22 of his throws have been intercepted. Seven times he's thrown two or more interceptions in such games. There are multiple reasons for the sour stats, but generally the Packers have dominated with quick starts, and it's been a team-wide issue.
Fourth-and-short
Rodgers is winless in four games against Fangio defenses, with eight touchdowns, three interceptions. He's also taken 10 sacks. In Denver in 2011, the Packers rolled the John Fox-coached Broncos, 49-23, in his first season there. But in Carolina in 2008, Fox's Panthers won a 35-31 shootout as Rodgers tossed three touchdowns and was sacked twice. It's an intriguing matchup with a certain element of surprise hovering over this season opener.
Jeff Joniak is the play-by-play announcer for the Bears broadcasts on WBBM Newsradio 780. Follow him on Twitter @JeffJoniak.
