Bears’ Loss More Than Cutler vs. Packers’ Rodgers

September 29, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Monday meanderings: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was better than Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler in Sunday’s 38-17 Packers victory at Soldier Field. Simple as that. And much more complicated than that, too. Not that they go head-to-head. Rodgers played well against a poor defense: 22-of-28 for 302 yards and four touchdowns; Cutler not so much (22-of-34 for 256 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions). But you cannot blame Cutler for the Bears’ defense, so there’s plenty of blame to go around. Gee, that ought to make everybody feel better.

Stephy C offers these photos to help console Bears fans.

* To tell you how good the defense on both sides was in the Packers-Bears game, neither team punted. It was the second regular-season game in NFL history with zero punts (previous day off for punters: (Buffalo vs. San Francisco, September 13, 1992).

* Speaking of defense (or lack of it), the Bears’ passing defense might be described as porous (or poor us). Packers Randall Cobb (seven receptions, 113 yards, two touchdowns) and Jordy Nelson (10 receptions, 108 yards, two TDs). The last Packers duo with at least 100 yards in receptions and two TDs: Carroll Dale and Boyd Dowler (Dec. 21, 1969).

* If it’s any consolation to Bears fans (and it might be to at least a few of them), the Packers became the second team in NFL history with 700 victories. Green Bay trails the Bears, who have 732.

* Speaking of consolation, the Cubs defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 at Miller Park. Meaning the Cubs did not lose 90 games this season. Merely 89. If that’s an accomplishment, then I’d like to go back to those classes in which I received a “D” so I can feel better about not receiving an “F.” Let me know when the Cubs come close to winning 89 games, and then we can talk about accomplishment or something positive.

* Speaking of the Cubs, they defeated the Brewers in five of the last six games in their season series. And the Cubs won the season series 11-8. So there’s that.

* Cubs shortstop Javier Baez went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts. He ended the season with a .169 batting average and 95 strikeouts in 213 at-bats. Meaning he struck out 45 percent of the time. Second baseman Arismendy Alcantara went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts. He ended the season with a .205 batting average and 93 strikeouts in 278 at-bats. Meaning he struck out 33 percent of the time.

* Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo went 3-for-4 with a home runs (his 32nd). He ended the season with a .286 batting average. More impressive is he stole a base to end the season with five (one more than shortstop Starlin Castro). Then again, Rizzo was caught stealing four times and Castro four.

* Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees and Paul Konerko of the White Sox ended their playing careers Sunday. Jeter had an infield single in his last at-bat against Boston at Fenway Park. Konerko went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in a 6-4 loss to visiting Kansas City. On the bright side for Konerko, he was cheered when he came out of the game before the Royals bated in the sixth inning and subsequently made a curtain call. In a season in which the Sox finished with the same record as the Cubs (although the Sox did not finish last in their division), the Konerko moments rank among 2014’s highlights.

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