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"Chips Report" from Week 9 Packers Loss vs. Bears

Our weekly "Chips Report" will always include two blue chippers (outstanding, exceptional play), two red chippers (good, though maybe not great) and two cow chips (dud performances). From the Week 9 loss to the Chicago Bears...

Blue Chips

Running back Eddie Lacy––Unfortunately the Packers couldn't run 100 percent of the time once Aaron Rodgers left the game due to injury. Lacy, for his part, tried to carry the load. He toted the ball 22 times for 150 yards, an average of 6.8 yards per carry. And Lacy also did a good job picking up the blitz in pass protection, helping to keep the game close.

Defensive lineman B.J. Raji––Thus far in 2013, Raji has played an inconspicuous yet solid role for the Packers defensive line, but on Monday evening he thrust himself into the spotlight. He foiled multiple screen passes to dangerous Bears running back Matt Forte with good play recognition. Raji also put a hit on Josh McCown on a second quarter pass rush that forced an incompletion in addition to making three tackles on the evening. For a player scheduled to hit free agency this upcoming offseason, Raji made the case for a lucrative contract extension.

Red Chips

Running back James Starks––For the second week in a row, Starks complemented Lacy as well he could in limited opportunities. In just six carries, Starks rushed for 40 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown. Perhaps the most impressive part of Starks' performance was not being even being touched by a Bears defender on his touchdown run thanks in part to good blocking but also because of the burst displayed by Starks to get upfield as quickly as possible.

Linebacker Jamari Lattimore––With Brad Jones back in the lineup, Lattimore played more on special teams than he had in the past month, and the Packers benefitted greatly. First Lattimore came up with a punt block in the first quarter that set up Starks' touchdown run and helped the Packers take a 10-7 lead. Then in the third quarter, Lattimore recovered a surprise onside kick, that again set up a score, a field goal that put the Packers ahead 20-17. Subbing in for Jones on defense, Lattimore also contributed four tackles.

Cow Chips

Packers secondary––Nearly every member of the Packers secondary was victimized at one time or another. Tramon Williams was beat by Brandon Marshall for first-quarter touchdown. Davon House lost the position battle to Alshon Jeffery on a third-quarter touchdown. Casey Hayward trailed in coverage on several completions. Morgan Burnett missed multiple tackles. And for as good as Sam Shields looked on breaking up a first-quarter pass in the end zone to Marshall, he later missed an open-field tackle that helped set up a Bears score. Bears backup quarterback Josh McCown completed 22 of 41 passes for 272 yards with many of those yards coming against the Packers secondary.

Quarterback Seneca Wallace––Obviously Wallace isn't Aaron Rodgers and can't be expected to play like him, but Wallace did very little to keep the Packers competitive Monday evening when hosting the Bears. He completed a respectable 11 of 19 passes, but they only went for 114 yards. Wallace also absorbed four sacks, two on the final two plays of the game when the Packers were down by seven and had to drive in an attempt to tie the game, showing little elusiveness. Can the Packers win with Wallace as their quarterback? It was only one game, but it sure doesn't look like it.

Brian Carriveau is the author of the book "It's Just a Game: Big League Drama in Small Town America," and editor of Cheesehead TV's "Pro Football Draft Preview." To contact Brian, email [email protected].

that wasn't so clear cut as most seem to think. His knee went down and out as he controlled the ball. Too close to over rule the call on the field- but I will accept it probably was worth a challenge. Just catch the ball Mr. Quarless.

Totally agree about Lacy. Especially impressive that the Packers were one-sided on O and Lacy still tore it up.

The Rodgers analogy, I get it--S. Wallace is no up-n-comer like Rodgers was, but Aaron also had the benefit of 3 years of learning the system and camps, spring training, etc. Wallace hasn't hardly had any snaps in practice and missed the full training camp.

Lots went wrong tonight. Huge kudos to not just Lattimore, but all the special teams units. Hester was a non factor, great execution on the onside kick, a few other punts were almost blocked.
if the defense did anything tonight to create a turnover, this could have been a win.

Sorry I disagree. Wallace did not have a bad game. Sure he missed a couple open receivers on a couple plays but MM did not put enough trust in Wallace to lead this team. He just hoped that things would turn out okay. 11 for 19 tells you all you need to know. 19 pass attempts and he played all but one series in the game?? That means MM did not trust him throwing the ball. I won't blame him for only have 114 yards because when plays are called and you have nobody downfield, what are you going to do? This loss is on MM and the crap defensive effort. You would think from watching this game that Rodgers was a starter on defense too. Sorry but in my opinion when Rodgers was out, MM should have thrown full confidence into his QB and let him try and make some plays. Focus on the run sure... but you have to actually have an element of pass game too in order to sell some occasion play actions. There was no element. Combine that with no defensive play making and no defensive tackling and what do you expect? Did MM really think Lacy would win this game for us? What is the point in bringing in an experienced VET do play backup QB if you don't let him throw the ball? Sure its a roll of the dice, but what you expect when your star QB is out?

Mike McCarthy's inability to vary the launch point for his 5'11" QB. No use of backs in the passing game. Basically invited the Bears D-Line tee off. If not for the running game it could have been ugly. Packers kept it close in spite of McCarthy not because of him.

I didn't know much about Wallace before this game, except seeing him a few times in Seattle. I also knew he was supposed to be an athletic guy. I was disappointed in his lack of making plays, and extending the play. He looked completely frazzled. There were times when he could have scrambled out to extend the play but he didn't. Also, what was up with the scramble left, then running out of bounds 3 yards behind the line of scrimmage? JUST THROW IT AWAY!!!. That's a rookie mistake, not a veteran's mistake.

I'm mystified about Rodgers injury. He goes down on his shoulder and I was a little worried. However, he got up and jogged off the field with both arms swinging back and forth while he was jogging. I started to think everything is fine, that is just precautionary. There was also no sling on him when he returned to the sideline. Now all they can say is "there will be more tests tomorrow", and "no diagnosis". They would be able to tell if it is broken, dislocated etc. I guess they are trying to determine if it is torn or not. I'll be honest, a lot of Favre memories came to mind tonight.

Sometimes no one can be blamed. Sometimes opposing teams just have the better matchups. In this case,we had no pass rush and the Bears' WR's won. 20-points for an offense that could do nothing but run??? I'll take that! Did MM make a few mistakes that game,sure. But look what the team had to work with.

Bad loss at home to a division rival. If Rodgers is out for more than 2-3 weeks we are in deep trouble as I don't see any wins coming up in the next few weeks without AR given the play of Wallace. The defense just isn't good enough to carry this team even with the run game. Too bad because with just an above average defense and Lacy/Starks this team is built to contend for the SB.

All I know is every time I allow myself to think our defensive backs are so good our only problem is finding playing time for all of them, they come out and lay a gigantic egg. Still looks like some miscommunication and ZERO physicality. None. Zip. Weakest group of tacklers I've ever seen.

Guess it was just too much to expect D rising to occasion but they had to be exhausted! Still wanted to see some passion and maybe anger for "slamming " our guy to ground!
After all the injuries this year now Rodgers!!!! Is there a curse or something?

Sat down for a Monday night game with Bears on my Birthday, a great prsenet in itself and 5 minutes in !!! disaster!!!! At lease I got to see the best running game in decades, YAC YAC YAC Eddy!!!

Quote

"I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious."