Pompei: Observations From Bears-Packers
By Dan Pompei--
(CBS) The Packers outclassed the Bears every way one team can outclass another in their 35-14 win at Lambeau Field on Thursday night. That was the type of game that makes Virginia McCaskey's blood boil. And the type of game that makes her father turn over.
Here are my observations:
1. Is the game over yet?
2. What would the score have been if the Packers were healthy?
3. The issue with starting Mitch Trubisky against the Vikings may be more about the Bears offense not being ready for him than it is about Trubisky not being ready for the Bears offense.
4. And if Bears coach John Fox chooses to keep Trubisky on the sidelines, Trubisky should be joined by Mike Glennon. Mark Sanchez is a better option, without a doubt. A quarterback change is necessary, even if it's not a switch to Trubisky.
5. Glennon has thrown five interceptions and fumbled five times, losing three of them. If this is what a conservative caretaker who doesn't lose the game looks like, I need to go back to football school.
6. Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains had one week to come up with the first play of the game, and he decided to get cute. Glennon was sacked and fumbled. Loggains needs a better grasp on the strengths and weaknesses of his players and his opponents.
7. Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen are good, but they can't carry the day when it's seven-against-nine in the box.
8. Credit to Howard for continuing to run hard late in the game despite his shoulder injury.
9. Defenses have no respect for the Bears' passing game, and they have no reason to have respect for the Bears' passing game.
10. As much as giving up draft picks is against the big-picture plan, general manager Ryan Pace needs to explore the trade market for a wide receiver. The Bears can't make it through the remaining 12 games with this group.
11. Over the past two seasons with the Bears, Connor Barth has missed 26 percent of his field-goal attempts. Over the past two seasons with the Giants and 49ers, Robbie Gould has missed zero percent of his field-goal attempts.
12. Whatever Danny Trevathan's intentions were on that Davante Adams hit don't matter -- he has to be in better control of himself.
13. We expected the Bears offense to be bad. But to have the defense lay an egg like that? Against a makeshift offensive line? That was surprising.
14. One of the points of emphasis for the Bears defense was to get more interceptions. After a quarter of the season, they're on pace to have zero interceptions for the year.
15. Someone should tell Bears cornerbacks about the wide receiver wearing No. 87 for the Packers before the teams meet for a rematch in Soldier Field on Nov. 12. He's pretty good and he needs to be covered.
Dan Pompei has been covering the NFL since 1985 and is a regular contributor to 670 The Score and a host on 670's Bears pregame show. He writes for Bleacher Report and theathletic.com. You can follow him on Twitter @Dan Pompei.
