Just some thoughts on the game. These are different teams then they were 15 weeks ago so take it for what its worth
Tommie Harris didn't play and while having a disappointing year he has picked up 3 sacks in the last 2 games which is 6 times as many as he had all season prior. Safety Chris Harris also missed a quarter or so. Not sure about Packer injuries. I know Starks didn't play.
Some key plays...
Bears elected not to tie the game and went for it on 4th and goal at the 1 and failed.
Hester has a big return right before the half that leads to a Bears TD completely changing all the momentum heading into the locker room. Hester then returns one for a TD giving the Bears the lead in the 4th quarter. My guess is McCarthy won't make the mistake of punting to Hester again.
Rodgers somehow dodges 4 Bears and miraculously escapes a sack on 3rd down. He completed the pass and this play leads to a FG rather than what would have been a punt. 99 times out of 100 Rodgers is sacked there.
Bears possibly could have won by 7. It was 3rd and goal at the 1 with less than a minute left and they were stuffed. Normally I wouldn't bring up a play in which the defense did its job but I only bring it up this time because GB had no timeouts and everyone in the stadium knew they would run the ball and kick the FG if they had to. Had GB had to think about the passing game at all maybe the Bears score a TD.
I can't believe how many time I read the Bears were lucky to win this game because of penalties. I just don't think that's true at all. NFL Network cut out some of the game but from I just watched the Bears deserved to win that game and almost all the penalties the Bears and their crowd either forced or they had little to no impact on the game.
#1 Woodson Pass Interference - Obvious call. Assuming Hester catches the ball the penalty probably saved the Packers a few yards after catch. Bears forced this penalty.
#2 Colledge Holding - Obvious call as he basically tackled the DL but it likely had no impact on the play as Rodgers got rid of the ball quickly. It was a momentum killing penalty that lead to a FG when it looked like they were heading in for a TD. Dumb penalty.
#3 Don't know what this penalty was because they didn't show it but it was a 5 yard penalty on 1st down. It had no impact as the Packers picked up a 1st down 2 plays later.
#4 Sitton Holding - Sitton was beat. The holding more than likely saved a sack. Bears forced this one.
#5 Tauscher Holding - This one took a TD off the board but Peppers had him beat and he clearly held him on what would likely have been a sack. Bears forced this one.
#6 False Start - Meaningless penalty that cost them nothing as they were inside the 1 yard line.
#7 False Start - Another meaningless penalty as it came right after the meaningless penalty I have listed at #6.
#8 5 yard penalty on 3rd and 1 they didn't show. Not sure what happened but I'm guessing false start. At this point I've got to chalk it up to the Bears crowd as this would have made it the 3rd false start penalty in 3 downs. The crowd was extremely loud on this entire Packer series.
#9 Another 5 yard penalty they didn't show. With the crowd still going nuts I'm guessing it was another false start. This had no impact as the Packers picked up a 1st down the next play.
#10 Roughing the Passer on Matthews. This one takes an INT away from the Packers but it was an easy call and had a direct impact on the play as Matthews' head was planted in Cutlers grill as he was throwing the ball.
#11 Unnecessary Roughness on Collins - Extremely dumb penalty that cost them 15 yards on a drive that lead to the tying FG. However it was 1st down and Bears were already on the Packers side of the field and drove with ease on that drive before stalling inside the 10. There's a good chance Bears tie it up without the penalty but it was still a dumb penalty that could have had impacted the game.
#12 Intentional Grounding - Briggs and Urlacher cause a fumble on the next play but who knows if the the play call is the same had grounding not been called. This was a bad penalty as Rodgers wasn't in much danger and he didn't have to throw it away like he did.
#13 Pass interference - Catch is made anyway and the penalty is declined
#14 Pass interference on Burnett - This takes an INT off the board but again had a direct impact on the play. They showed a couple interviews with Packers players complaining about this one but I don't see how it could be called any other way. Burnett and Bennett are both engaged with each other but Burnett doesn't even know where the ball is (behind him) while Bennett is trying to get to the ball but can't get Burnett off of him. This gives Collins an easy pick.
#15 Forward Pass - Meaningless penalty as they were just throwing laterals all over the place with no time left on the clock
#16-#18 - They didn't show these ones but looking through the box score it looks like a #16 was a 5 yard penalty in which they picked up the 1st down the very next play anyway. #17 was a 5 yard penalty on an XP that was probably assessed on the kickoff on a drive Cutler threw a pick on and can't figure out where #18 came into play
With all these penalties that were called there was one big one that wasn't and another on the Bears that maybe shouldn't have been called. Clifton had an obvious hold on Peppers on a 2nd and 12 that even the announcers were laughing at how obvious it was. If Peppers doesn't get the sack he's likely getting Rodgers to throw it away at the very least. He picks up a 1st down on this play. Then on the 6 yard line Melton is called for helmet to helmet on Rodgers. It was only a 3 yard penalty but it was a big 3 yards as Rodgers ended up scrambling on 3rd down and he scores the go ahead TD with 7 minutes left breaking the goal line by less than a yard before Urlacher meets him at the pylon. He doesn't score on that play if he has to go those extra 3 yards. This penalty was very questionable as they only showed one replay but the Clifton hold was obvious.
The Bears have been called lucky all year and like most of the other cases I think this is another completely false claim of a lucky win. Gun to my head I would pick the Packers but don't for a second think the Bears need luck to beat the Packers like so many have claimed.
If I sound like a homer in this thread, I apologize. Not trying to at all and like I said I would pick the Packers if I had to. Just trying to give a summary of what I just saw in relation to the way people have talked about this game.