Packers vs Bears: 10 Things We Learned About Chicago in 27-17 Loss

Whenever the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers hook up on a football field, you can throw the won-loss records out the window. This afternoon, however, the better team won.

Yes, that hurts to admit, as I hate the Packers and their fans. I even dislike cheese on Sundays when these two teams play each other.

We all saw how much better off the Bears are when they limit their mistakes and when they force turnovers.

They didn't do the first thing and waited too long to do the second thing. 

Still, why couldn't Jay Cutler take advantage of a Packers defense that ranked last in pass defense? And what happened to that balanced offense we were promised?

Meanwhile, there is something to be learned from every game. The season is not over despite the loss, though things may look grim with two teams in the division undefeated.

So, just what have we learned? I will list the 10 things I noticed, and be sure to add your own in the comments section.

Aaron Rodgers > Jay Cutler

Don't get me wrong, this is not meant as a knock on Jay Cutler as much as it is an admission of just how good Aaron Rodgers is as a QB. He is right up with the top three elite QBs in football.

Cutler is also pretty good when he has time to throw, as he did on the first TD series. In fact, he is every bit as talented than Rodgers, if not more.

The problem is that even with the best offensive line and better weapons to throw to, Rodgers would still be the better QB.

Now, that's true almost every week the Packers play a team, except perhaps when they face the Patriots or Saints.

On the first interception, Roy Williams was open, but Cutler telegraphed the throw. He moved his shoulder, which gave the secondary a chance to see where the ball was going.

The second INT was an awful throw by Cutler that just sailed on him. Cutler's third INT was called back by offsetting penalties in the fourth quarter.

Cutler easily could have been intercepted twice on their final series before halftime, though on one of the throws, a Packers defender had Cutler by the foot.

In the red zone, Rodgers has thrown 61 TDs vs. only two INTs in his career. Meanwhile, the Bears offensive troubles continue, and Cutler has to share in that blame.

You Can't Play Catch-Up vs. a Very Good Team Like the Packers

It hurts to admit this, but the Packers are pretty darn good. I know, that's not exactly news to anyone, as they did win the Super Bowl last season.

The point is, if you let them get a big lead, as the Bears did on Sunday (assuming you agree that 14-0 is a big lead early), you are playing right into their hands.

It also made the Bears throw more, although their running game wasn't working anyway.

Look, against a team like the Packers, you have to stay close or you just don't have a chance.

The Bears picked up the corner blitzes well, but that made more man coverage in the secondary, which played right into Rodger's hands.

But if the Bears at least could stop the run, things would have been a bit better. But the defense couldn't stop Rodgers in the air or Ryan Grant on the ground.

Game over.

Bears Couldn't Take Advantage of Weak Packers Secondary

Look, we all said the Bears needed a more balanced offense this week after throwing the ball a ton against the Saints. Lovie Smith all but guaranteed it.

But when you fall behind by 14 points, those plans often go awry.

Forte had negative-one yards in his first eight carries. The offense ended up running the ball 11 times while throwing it 35 times.

But you see, running the ball plays into the Packers strength. They defend the run better than the pass.

If ever was a week when Mike Martz was going to go nuts, it would be this week, because even in their two victories, the Packers have given up a lot of passing yards.

But without the element of surprise, the Bears become one dimensional. Plus, Cutler wasn't as good as Drew Brees and Cam Newton were in the two previous Packers games.

Look, the Packers allowed more than 400 yards in each of their two games prior to Sunday.

They ranked last in the NFL vs. the pass. The point is that the Packers secondary is the soft underbelly of that defense.

Plus, let's face it, everyone (including Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers) knew the Bears were going to try to run the ball more, so it was too predictable anyway.

The Bears couldn't get their running game untracked, and they do not often win when that happens.

Bears Offensive Line Was Decent, Not Great

Frank Omiyale continued to look good as Gabe Carimi's replacement, as he did last week against the Saints.

The thing with Omiyale is, he plays well when he shows an aggressive mentality, and that's what he's been doing lately.

Maybe that's because he lost his job; I don't know. But for some reason, he just hasn't been able to consistently flash that edge.

Lance Louis was activated from his ankle injury, so even though he did not start, the line is starting to get healthier, even though Carimi will be out for awhile, if not the entire season.

Meanwhile, it appears that Chris Spencer may contribute after all. No, he didn't replace Olin Kreutz at center, but he is versatile enough to help this team. He started for Louis at right guard.

Mike Martz Has Got to Go

I realize that Matt Forte had absolutely no chance running the ball, but why didn't the Bears target more short passes to him?

Running sets up the pass. But if you can't run, the screen is the next best thing. Yet the Bears did not try that.

Look, Mike Martz has got to go. He is not right for the Bears personnel, and he is too stubborn to change without being reprimanded.

If the Bears offense doesn't improve, maybe Lovie will get rid of his old friend and ex-coach. But it may be too late by then.

Bears Should Let Cutler Roll out More

In a later slide, I indicate that it's probably time for Mike Martz and the Bears to part company. But one of the main reasons why is that he simply won't take advantage of one of Cutler's strengths: his mobility.

Martz wants his QBs to stay in the pocket, allow the complicated routes to develop and take his lumps.

But Cutler proved back in Denver that he can run. If the pocket would shift with him, roll-out plays could be called for, and Cutler does well on the run.

Johnny Knox Continues to Tease

Early in camp, Bears WR Johnny Knox faced a lot of criticism, with much of it coming from his coaches.

While that may have made some lesser athletes pout or play poorly due to a lack of confidence, Knox seemed to be responding just fine with three early catches for 74 yards.

But he simply cannot miss that ball on second down with about a minute left in the third quarter. Yet, miss it he did.

And in the fourth quarter, he didn't put the right moves on the Packers defenders and basically allowed them to get a hand on the ball. That isn't Cutler's fault.

Look, the Bears just don't have any real consistently good wideouts on this squad.

I've said it far too often, but it continues to amaze me that GM Jerry Angelo hasn't surrounded his QB with the talent he needs.

The criticism on Knox is that he runs poor routes and doesn't fight for the ball. Yet he fell just short of 1,000 yards in 2010, and has good speed, so we know he is capable of being a solid No. 2 wideout.

Yet he just won't prove it consistently.

Bears Need Special Teams to Step Up

The Bears badly need Devin Hester to break a big one in the return game.

Despite the new rules where teams kickoff from the 35-yard line, prior to Sunday, there had been three returned for touchdowns, so it's not impossible.

The two stalwarts of the Bears are turnovers and field position, and without those two things going well for the team, it's hard for them to win.

That's because the defense is the only area (other than special teams), where the Bears excel. And defenses don't often win games all by themselves.

Meanwhile, Hester is arguably the greatest return man in NFL history. Recognizing that, I don't feel it is too much to ask that he break one for a TD.

Bears Must Have Forgotten About Jermichael Finley

It shouldn't have been a surprise that Finley was a solid receiver, even though he missed most of last season with injury.

Yet the way he handled the Bears, you would have figured they did not know he even existed.

Finley caught every pass targeted to him and scored three TDs. I know Greg Jennings had a big day as well, as did the Packers offense as a whole.

But there was no one on the field on Sunday for which the Bears seemed to have no answer for as much as Finley.

The ironic part of this is that Finley had a great game against the Bears last season. He caught nine balls for 115 yards in the Bears win vs. the Packers at Soldier Field.

Turnovers Are the Key to a Cover-2 Defense

I realize this is not news to most Bears fans, but Sunday was such an obvious illustration of why Lovie Smith has always talked about turnovers being so important.

Early on when the turnovers were few, the Bears had no momentum. But later in the second half when the Packers turned the ball over twice, you could see what it meant to Chicago.

We lost anyway, but the point is that when you play a base scheme that relies on turnovers, you had better get some.

Sounds obvious, but it's a lot easier said that done, especially with the Bears secondary.  

Look, turnovers are critical for every team. But the reason that they are even more important to a cover-2 base (or Tampa-2) is that the secondary plays soft and gives space, making it easy for good coordinators to pick it apart.

It's a bend-not-break scheme, and it can be frustrating. And it can lead to a lot of long drives.

But when you intercept the QB, well, that shortens those drives and lessens the time the defense is on the field.

Basically, it works because it takes risks. But when those risks aren't rewarded, it can be very frustrating.